Sugar Pie's Blythe Experience

39 days and macaron success....

So completed my second attempt at Macarons tonight and they worked out pretty well.

So the perfect time is 12.5 minutes at 155c in the fan forced oven. I even managed to get 'feet' ( that little extra layer bit at the bottom). Standing time will need to be a bit longer next time and I need to perfect the piping so they are all smooth on top and then total perfection will be reached.

Oh and don't you love my retro enamel cannister! It's part of a set of three picked up at a garage sale.

Well they will enjoy morning tea at work tomorrow.

Sweet dreams,

xoxo

Sugarpie.

40 days and one not so impressive batch of Macarons!

So my first batch of Macaron's didn't go so well. I think I need to test some small lots to see the best temperature and time combo. I tried the 160c @ 14 minutes and 13 minutes but both too crunchy. I also tried 150c @ 14 minutes and 13 minutes. I ran out of mixture so tomorrow night I will try 150c for 12minutes as I think it was pretty close. Well practice makes perfect.

Xoxo

Sugarpie.

42 days, 3 pretty Wedgewood photos and 1 recipe.....

So my Tipsy 'Kahlua' fudge cakes went down a treat, I was asked a few times for the recipe so here it is. It also makes a great dense cake for wedding or celebration cakes and ices nicely (just adjust the recipe amounts to suit).

Tipsy Fudge Cake

(makes a 22cm round/19cm square or 24 mini loave cakes)

In a large saucepan melt and combine:

• 675g dark chocolate
• 430g unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 tbs instant coffee
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, firmly packed.

Sift 1 3/4 plain flour, 1/2 cup self-raising flour into a bowl.

Transfer chocolate mixture to a large bowl and when cool add:

• sifted flours
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup kahlua (or any nice liqueur)

Pour into prepared baking pan/s.

In a moderate oven bake round/square cake 2 1/2 hours. For mini bar cakes approx 1 hour  - cakes should feel firm to the touch.

So I've been looking around for more pretty inspirational bits and bobs and found these wonderful Wedgewood pieces in Myers .... I wish I could afford them all.

 

Tomorrow I am making my first test batch of french macarons. I think I will stick with a basic vanilla bean flavour in maybe a pretty pastel blue? I have a pack of Wilton gel colours which is what the book recommends so you don't add extra moisture to the mix. Only problem is at the moment I don't have a mixer (I have a pretty red KitchenAid Mixer on layby) so I will be doing it all by hand. Should be a fun day when you combine it with cleaning out my wardrobe, painting the details on some timbre car garages for my nephews and making lasagne.

Only decision left for tonight is what to watch on TV. Last night we giggled our totally excellent way through 'Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure' so tonight it's a toss up between 'Bill and Ted's Bogus journey' or the new Jason Statham movie 'Blitz'.......mmm laugh fest or eye candy.......

Have wonderful saturday night.

xoxo

Sugarpie.

 

45 days to go

So today I made morning tea items for tomorrow.

So I made Tipsy Fudge Cakes, honey comb and flavoured coconut ice (mint and rose). Tomorrow night I will post the recipes as it's a bit late now and I still have 3 batches of cakes to go!!!

Happy baking till then,

xoxo

Sugarpie.

46 days to go...

So I was going to make the Coconut Ice tonight but I didn't buy enough coconut!!! How silly. So I will pick some up tomorrow and it will be a bit of a cook off tomorrow night.

I've been looking at some more recipes and have decided on a lovely combination of Yellowglen Bella Vintage (Pink) Sparkling Wine, rose water and silver leaf to make a luxurious 'Champagne Granita' to start the evening. It will be small glass of sparkling jewels reminiscent of my favourite pair of earings.

So easy night tonight  - bring on the rush tomorrow.

xoxo

Sugarpie.

47 days to Pink Fun

So tonight has all been about research (mmm if you can count watching French Food Safari and reading cooking websites, which I do anyway, as research). I am on the search for the perfect Macaron recipe and the perfect pink flavour combo. I know my 'menu plan' says rose and raspberry but a 'chef' is allowed to change her mind. I plan to make a batch of practice macarons on saturday to test the recipes then I can share the one i like.

This week I have to make some items for a bake sale at work so the plan for that one is 'Tipsy Fudge Cakes', Rose (pink) coconut ice, Mint ( pale blue) coconut ice and some honey comb or peanut brittle. That will be tomorrow and wednesday nights job so stay tuned.

I even managed to spend a bit of time tonight in the 'doll room' prepping my desk to get back to work on Miss Skye Blu - my poor little Blythe has been so patient.

Happy baking and pleasure making,

xoxo

Sugarpie.

Pretty in pink

So it's been a long time between drinks but I'm back and happily planning my next big dinner party. Sadly our 70's evening had to be cancelled due to family and work commitments but now I am ready to hit the ground running with this one.

My 'Pretty in Pink' dinner is inspired by my petite candy princess 'Sweetie' and the 80's John Hughes classic 'Pretty in Pink'.

The Gazebo will be festooned with pretty bunting, fairy lights galore and shimmering tea lights in pink dyed glass jars.

On  the big square dining table layered with pretty linnen and pale pink shiny vinyl records (a bit more recycling) will be small boxes of diffent hights to display the platters and bowls of food interspersed with vases of flowers and foliage and vintage glass bowls of pink candy (cotton candy jelly belly's, marshmallows - home made of course, pink musk lollies etc).

Instead of many individual courses like last time the evening will be split into two meal components. most of which will be pre-prepared the day before to give me more 'drinking time'!

The main event will consist of a selection of the following on pretty plates and bowls to help yourself from inlcuding

 

Followed by a lavish selection of french inspired dessert morsels...

So I will be back to blogg my progress, provide pictures and recipes and share the joy of the 'Pretty in Pink' party.

xoxo

Sugarpie