Cupcake Madness...

Spectacular Cupcake 2008

For the batter:
200g plain flour
200g caster sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon bicarb soda
1/2 salt
40g dutch cocoa
150ml sour cream
2 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the icing

160 g milk chocolate
75g unsalted butter
125ml sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon golden syrup
300g golden icing sugar, sieved
1/2 teaspoon hot water

Preheat oven to 180C
Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarb and salt in a large bowl. Then using an electric mixer, add the butter. In another bowl whisk together the cocoa, sour cream, eggs and vanilla, then slowly add this cocoa mixture to the ingredients in the bowl, beating until thoroughly mixed.

Pour the batter in the moulds and bake for 15-20, checking by piercing with a thin bladed knife, when this comes out clean they are ready. Leave in tin for a few minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. To make the icing, melt the chocolate and butter in a microwave, or in a bowl over hot water. Let cool a little, then stir in the sour cream, vanilla and syrup. Add the sieved icing sugar and a little hot water, blending until smooth. When the right texture you can pipe onto cupcakes.

Cover this over with Iranian Fairy Floss (all details and facts for Iranian Fairy Floss are posted here on my site back in October of 2007, and you are done.

Vida x

Linzer Torte...

I am practicing my piping for my cupcakes and saw this brilliant idea on TV whereby you pipe the base of your tin instead of rolling or spreading both of which would have taken heaps more time than the piping did. I must say there really was no waste with the piping, it was SOOOOO fast and easy and I think it really gave the torte a professional look.

Now it would have been great had I remembered to take a after photo after baking but that was not the case and so you will have to imagine it all cooked and yummy, which it really was. I had some left over so I just piped out a few biscuits, an added bonus!!!! Vida x

Linzer Torte

200g butter
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
1cup sugar
1 ts vanilla
Zest of 1 lemon
¼ ts salt
½ ts nutmeg
½ cinnamon
150g flour plain
150g hazelnut meal
¾ cup raspberry jam

Whisk butter, sugar, zest and vanilla – 3 mins

Add eggs and yolk.

Sift all dry ingredients and add ¾ in whilst mixing with mixer then add last ¼ to be mixed in with wooden spoon.

Cook at 160 for 35 mins.

Tip for professional and EASY way to get base into loose based tin…. Pipe the lot in starting with tiny circle in middle and just keep going all way to the end then add a little border up sides. Spread your jam into base then pipe lattice on top.

I have made it!!!!!!!!!

I just found a cool food blog directory, sorted by geography. Check it out: Columbus Foodie Food Blog Directory.

And I am on there in the Australian category of course! I could not believe it when I saw little old me there in the listing BUT what was more fabulous it seemed like I could look up blogs by geography and then I would assume culinary style... I mean if I feel like something Asian, I could search through Asia, something Latin, off I go to South America.... I think this is fabulous and I imagine there are a few of you bloggers out there that would have to agree!!

Actually I think this is just another way for me to be even more engrossed with the blogging network than ever, my family will hate that I found this site...

Check it out and please let me know what you think!!

Vida x

Then I got some instruction...

I got some instruction and a couple of new piping tips to go with my piping bag and I was off and running again...

Double click for a close up on the phots and be kind, these had to travel to a friend's house and home again and THEN I took the photos, at night in the dark.... ooops...

Vida x

More, more, more...

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