Nevie Pie Cakes

This week on Flickr Faves Sunday, I bring you the gorgeous hand painted sweet treats from the talented Natasha of Nevie Pie Cakes. I just adore her work ! To see more of her beautiful baking check out her blog Amelie's House.

Some beautiful shots from my Flickr favourites (clockwise from top left):

• The gorgeous deer in woodland gingerbread house
• The beautifully painted Woodland Cookie
• The pretty pattern in Advent ring
• The ever so cute owls in Hooty Street

Have a sweet day!

Pretty pink sweets

Today in my series of posts "Inspirational Pins", I bring you some pretty pink sweets. Writing this post has got me thinking that I really need to get back in my kitchen and whip up some pretty coloured sweet treats, like pearly pink macarons filled with raspberry gananche. I am also dying to have a go at cake pops now that I have the know-how after reading Pop Bakery by Clare O'Connell.

• Macarons and mini teacup cake from The Cake Parlour
• Cake pops
• Strawberry cream filled sandwich cookies

Have a sweet day!

Gluten free Chocolate Soufflé

This is a super easy chocolate soufflé to make and tastes so good. You can make it in advance and leave it in the fridge until ready to cook. I recently made it for my guests at a dinner party and it went down a storm! I love serving it with fresh raspberries as it is very rich!

Gluten-free Chocolate Soufflé (makes 8 individual servings)

Ingredients

• 150g (2/3 ounces) unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 teaspoon (1/6 ounces) natural vanilla extract
• 175g (1 cup) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
• 6 large eggs
• 125g (1/2 cup) Gluten free plain flour
• 200g (7 ounces) Hotel Chocolat 70% dark chocolate drops
• Raspberries to decorate
• Single cream to serve

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180-200 deg C (325-350 deg F)
2. Lightly butter inside of ramekins. (I use a sheet of kitchen roll and a knob of butter)
3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bain marie (or in a bowl over a simmering pan of water)
4. Beat eggs, sugar and vanilla essence until very light and fluffy
5. Fold in flour
6. Fold in the chocolate mixture
7. Divide mixture among ramekins
8. Bake for 8-12 minutes, the soufflé should rise and form a crust around the edges, leaving the middle slightly gooey
9. Place on cake stands and decorate with fresh raspberries
10. Serve with lashings of single cream

Have a sweet day!

Gluten-free mint choc chip cupcakes

Gluten-free mint choc chip cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients

• 90g butter, softened
• 80g Hotel Chocolat dark chocolate buttons
• 160 ml (2/3 cup) semi-skimmed milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint essence
• 220g (1 cup) brown sugar
• 100g (2/3 cup) gluten free self-raising flour, sieved
• 2 tablespoons Hotel Chocolat organic cocoa powder, sieved

Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F)
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases
3. Place chocolate and milk in a small saucepan and stir over low heat until smooth
4. Beat butter, eggs, peppermint essence and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour
5. Stir in flour, cocoa, and warm chocolate mix until mixed thoroughly
6. Divide mixture among cases
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes
8. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool

To decorate (24 cupcake size cakes)

What you will need

• 24 fondant blue butterflies
• 56 small fondant flowers
• Vanilla buttercream
• Grass icing tube no.233
• Icing bag or bottle

Instructions

1. Spoon green buttercream into a piping bag or bottle fitted with a nozzle attached
2. On top of the cakes, starting at outside edge and working in circles, pipe buttercream by squeezing a small amount onto cake at 90 degree angle, pulling up and away when icing strand is long enough (about 3 cm) stop squeezing and pull tip away at various angles (see pics for how-to)
3. Push fondant flowers and butterfly lightly into iced grass

Have a sweet day!

Sweet treats to make, decorate, and give by Laura Tabor

This month I'm reviewing sweet treats to make, decorate and give by Laura Tabor from illustrated lifestyle publishers, Ryland Peters & Small and CICO Books. Laura Tabor is a successful British jewellery designer. After an acclaimed and successful graduate show from Central St Martins Laura launched her eponymous label, which adorns boutiques and department stores in and around London as well as internationally. After moving to a new home with a fabulous kitchen, and having just completed a collection called Sweet, Laura decided to turn her hand to one of her childhood passions, baking! I chose to review this book as it sounded a great fun baking book full of magical ideas!

In my opinion this is a wonderful hardbound book full of whimsical sweet treats. It combines beautifully styled photography with great recipes and ideas.

Sweet treats to make, decorate and give contains over 35 delicious decorating ideas for cakes, cookies and candies. Laura Tabor has combined her passions for jewellery and baking, producing a range of beautifully decorated edible gifts; from shimmery marshmallow pearls, Fabergè-inspired Easter eggs to a pretty fondant Valentine's rose locket.

Each culinary treat is styled beautifully and photographed by Stuart West. Not only is it a delight to look at, but as you leaf through the pages it is full of practical instructions that are clear and easy to follow, with lots of photos, hints and tips to help you get it right first time.

The first chapter, covers the equipment you will need, basic cupcake and cookie recipes, how to's on icings and butter creams and pretty gift wrapping ideas. The second chapter, entitled 'Beautiful Treats for Girls', has jelly gems that catch the light, intricate art nouveau dragonfly and butterfly cookies and beautiful chocolate cameos. 'Gentlemen Adorned' has recipes for eccentric peppermint monocle cookies, cute button bites and peanut butter filled moustache lollipops. 'Celebration Gifts' is packed with ideas for all occasions, like the stained glass and rosette cookies, teeny baby cakes adorned with milk chocolate golden safety pins, mini wedding cakes and romantic juicy jelly hearts set with real gold leaf. The final chapter, 'Fun for Children' has easy-to-make bright candy necklaces and bracelets; from the gobstopper ribbon necklace, cookie charm necklace to the rice paper blossom jewels.

At a recommended price of £14.99, I think this book is good value for money as it offers inspiring ideas with very clear step-by-step instructions for the novice baker, while more experienced cooks will be inspired to create uniquely different sweet treats.

Some of the sweet treats that really caught me eye are:

Gobstopper ribbon necklaces, so pretty and cute, perfect as a gift for the little people in my life!

Art nouveau dragonfly and butterfly cookies. I have some pink and blue edible pearls that would look fab on these!

So need to have a go at these, so many options, so much fun!

Faberge-style Easter cookies, to go on this year's Easter Table!

To summarize, sweet treats to make, decorate and give is a wonderful book full of recipes and ideas for uniquely different sweets, all with clear, informative instructions.

Please note that my opinions are my own and I am not paid for these reviews (apart from receiving a free book, of course!).

Have a sweet day!

Gluten-free Cranberry & Almond cupcakes

Cranberry & almond cupcakes (makes 12 muffin size cakes)

Ingredients
125g (4.5 ounces) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon (1/6 ounces) vanilla extract
150g (2/3 cup) caster sugar
2 eggs
170g dried cranberries
50g (1/2 cup) slivered almonds
150g (1 cup) Gluten free self-raising flour
60ml (1/4 cup) semi-skimmed milk


Cooking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F).
2. Line muffin tray with paper cases.
3. Beat butter, eggs, vanilla extract and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour.
4. Stir in fruit, nuts, flour and milk.
5. Divide mixture among cases.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes
7. Place cakes on a wire rack to cool.

Above are pics of my cupcakes on "My Winter Woodland Dessert Table".



I also made an extra set of gluten-free cranberry & almond cupcakes that I packaged up in a hand printed box and gave as a Christmas present.

Have a sweet day!