Sunday, January 29

Sunday Baking


Clockwise from top left.

Ugly buns lol - i call them that, cause they are messy with melted chocolate and I dislike handling them too much. It's just chocolate bread dough with choc chips mixed through.

Gingersnaps - these are sooo good, not too gingery that the kids won't' eat them, but soft and chewy but crunchy on the edges.

Bakewell slice - Apricot as someone had eaten all the strawberry/raspberry jam and just put the empty bottle back in the fridge sigh - the recipe said use a smaller pan - yeh right and I made this cause I picked up ground almond meal for $6.95 for 500g an absolute steal.

M&M Brownies - enough said

ORange Weetbix slice - it was suppose to be chocolate cornflake slice but again I failed to realise no cornflakes in the cupboard until i had melted the butter.

Bread in the bread maker and Jeni's vanilla ice cream base cooling too.

Wonder if this lot will last a week???


Thursday, January 26

Morning Teas

My sis got me The Hummingbird bakery Cake Days book.

I'm slowly working my way through them, today I made

Raspberry Crumble (the book has blueberries, but you can substitute any berries)

My crumble is a bit fine, I put in a wee bit too much butter and no pecans, oops, the extra crunch would have been good.

For the Crumble, mix together to form a breadcrumb like topping, 25g plain flour, 10g unsalted butter, 25 g soft brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 20g chopped pecans or any nut. Set aside.

For the cake.

Beat together 190g unsalted butter (I actually use salted but then don't add more salt) and 190g of caster sugar. Beat until fluffy, add 3 eggs beating well after each addition.

Sift together 190g plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Mix into the butter mix together with 25ml of whole milk (i used trim)

The batter is quite a thickish one. Stir through 100g of berries of your choice, fresh or frozen. I used raspberries.

Pour into a loaf pan that has been greased and floured, or lined with baking paper. Sprinkle over the crumble top

I baked mine at 180 deg for about 50 minutes, I started checking after 35 mins.






And Gingerbread Cupcakes from the same book.

It says it makes 12 - 16 cupcakes but it depends on what papers and size you use. I'm using the stand alone papers like this I like the little size as they make more cupcakes and they are just the right size for little ones.

Beat together, 140g butter, 200g caster sugar till fluffy, add in 120g golden syrup, 3 eggs, and beat till combined.

Meanwhile sift together 1 tbsp of cocoa (i'm using home brand as it's nice and dark) 1 tsp ground ginger and 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp baking powder.

Sift over the dry ingredients and mix, alternating with 240ml of hot milk I again used trim.

Beat together till smooth, only takes a couple of secs. The mixture is very runny compared to some cake mixes.

Bake for about 15 minutes, will depend on size of cupcakes and ice with cream cheese lemon frosting, though I think a super tart glace icing would work great too.

Sorry no pics Celena, I forgot to take some.

Tuesday, January 17

Happy New Year

Wow I'm a bit behind in blog posts.

Anyways Belated Happy New Year.

Cherub's Kiss is closed now until the 14th February, I have a handful more of customs I'm still working on which will be all out this week, cause next week, the sewing room is being dismantled to be fully renovated into a full home work studio.  There will be wooden floors and bliss a ceiling, more lights, more shelves and a new cutting table with storage.  A smaller desk and just  a revamp of space.

Why....  so that the Mr Cherub and I can work in harmony and bring you lots more CK goodies.

I'll be keeping you updated with blog photos.  I'm really not looking forward to pulling everything out and then putting everything back but it will be tidy and organised right?  Well that's the plan.  All teenagers will be put to work next weekend to start the dismantle and come Monday after we drop the small cherubs to school, it will be all hands on deck.  I can't wait to show you the finished room.

And of course lots of goodies have been finished lately.

This little set has gone to it's new home, just waiting for the wee babe that it's for to grow a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger and drinking up all her milk and she'll be wearing it home to her mama, dada and all her gorgeous siblings.


It's a hand smocked 100% cotton voile gown with French Val Laces and hand embroidery.

It's teamed with two size 0 nappies, with an extra set of snaps.


and little ballerina slippers as we've taken to calling the little miss 'Nina Ballerina'

Sunday, January 1

2012

A clean slate, well that's what I'm hoping, 2011 had lots of challenges and plenty more downs than ups, but I'm starting afresh, with a positive outlook (thanks Ness)

So I have some plans for this year.

Keep up my walking, trying for 10,000 steps everyday. Make sure Shane puts rocking music on my shuffle.

Eat 2 pieces of fruit a day. I love my veges and eat heaps but fruit, I can take it or leave it.

Take a mental health day more often, walk in the park, sit and read a book, visit the museum, just a day now and then with downtime.

Take the time to say hi to my friends. They have stuck by me all year, even as hopeless as I have been at keeping in touch. They know who they are, and they are always there when I need a hug, a cry, a laugh. We are separated by just a suburb or many miles, but always there.

Take my children to the movies, the park, teach W to ride his bike, the pool, the library, just have some fun.

Continue to give my support to the handful of small charities that are always in need.

Bake more. Try making sourdough

Get the garden more fruitful and flowery.

Sew for family and friends, not just work.

Plan a wedding.

Make William a pirate room, complete with mural.

Most of all, laugh and live and have lots of fun.