The Yummiest Scones Ever!!!

So, I encountered this recipe during the first series of Masterchef and it really is one of my very favourites. Good old traditional comfort food...love it!!! Just imagine warm, luscious scones with a tangy lemony flavour and warm, soft, sticky dates throughout - all topped off by jam and cream and preferably served with a good quality coffee or chai latte...Delicious!!!

Date and Lemon Scones



(Makes 12)

150-175ml milk
150ml cream
1 egg
3 cups SR Flour
2 tbs caster sugar
1 cup chopped dried dates
Finely grated rind 1 lemon
Cream and jam, to serve

Step 1: Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius. Line large flat oven tray with baking paper.

Step 2: Whisk 150ml milk, cream and egg together until well combined.

Step 3: Combine flour, sugar, dates and lemon rind in a large bowl. Create a well, add milk mixture and stir gently to form a soft dough, adding remaining milk if necessary.

Step 4: Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until dough comes together.

Step 5: Press dough out to 2cm thick. Cut scones from dough and place onto tray flat-side up. Press left-over dough together gently and repeat using remaining dough. Brush tops with milk and sprinkle with a little sugar. Bake 12-15 mins until golden and well risen.

Step 6: Serve hot with jam and cream

Hint: You can cook these a few hours in advance and reheat for 3-5 mins when guests arrive if this will make life easier!!!

Party Madness

Hi everyone, sorry I have been so slack again - I have had David and Lochie's birthdays (all within a day of each other) so it has been a bit crazy. For Lochie we just had a simple bowling party which meant that I shouldn't have had to cook at all. You know me though, I couldn't help myself and had to cook something, so I focused on my favourite...desserts! I made some yummy cup-cakes (pretty girly ones to counteract the main cake being a Ben 10 design), chocolate crackles and tic toc tea-cups...the kids loved them all!

Here are a few yummy recipes to consider for your next party...

Tic Toc Tea-Cups



These are so easy and the kids love them!!! You just melt a bit of white chocolate and then stick a marshmallow on top of a tic toc biscuit. Stick half a musk life-saver on the side, a freckle on top and Bob's your uncle! On top of my pink marshmallows, I actually stuck a white choc button then smeared some chocolate over that and poured some sprinkles over. They looked gorgeous (even if I do say so myself!)

Chocolate Crackles

Ok, so I really hate copha and was so excited to find a recipe (courtesy of the lovely Donna Hay) that does not have copha in it - I really feel I must share it although obviously I can take no credit for it at all! The best thing about these is that I am still eating them 6 days on and they taste as fresh and crunchy as the day I made them...amazing!!!

200g dark chocolate, chopped
100g butter
1/3 cup (115g) golden syrup
4 cups (140g puffed rice cereal)

Place the chocolate, butter and golden syrup in a saucepan over low heat and cook, stirring, until melted and smooth. Place the cereal in a bowl with the chocolate mixture and mix well to combine. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the mixture into 48 small paper cases. Refrigerate for a few hours until set (makes 48). Note, I added 3 or 4 or the mini marshmallows to each of these before setting in the fridge - just added a bit more colour and vibrancy (well, I think so anyway!)

Cup-Cakes



So, I decided cup-cakes were my mission for this party. I hadn't really made them before so was determined to create the perfect cupcake!!! After trying 3 different recipes, I was feeling quite despondent until I contacted my lovely step-mum Lyn and obtained a fantastic recipe. It is even more special as it was passed down from her mother and I feel (and she agrees) that it should be shared with anyone else who wants to make a fantastic cup-cake!!! So, here it is...

Makes about 18

4ozs butter (around 113 grams but anything up to 120gm would be fine)

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs (room temp)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups S.R. Flour

1/2 cup milk

Step 1: Cream butter. Add sugar gradually and beat until fluffy (do not over cream)

Step 2: Add vanilla, then eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Step 3: Fold in sifted flour alternating with milk in 2 batches. Stir until combined - do not over-work.

Drop by dessertspoonfuls into patty cases. Bake in mod/hot oven for 12/15 mins, VOILA!!!

With such beautiful tasting cup-cakes to work with, I knew I wanted to do something a little bit different to the standard butter cream frosting. Look, it tastes nice but I really wanted something that looked white and glossy and that would be a perfect back-drop for my designs. As a result, I chose a recipe for a meringue icing, once again courtesy of Donna Hay (thank you Donna!!!)

Meringue Icing

1 cup (220g) caster sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) water
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (do not go over this amount or it gets bitter!)
3 egg whites

Place sugar, water and cream of tartar in a saucepan over high heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to low and cook for a further 3 mins. Place the egg whites in a bowl and beat until soft peaks form. Continue beating and add the sugar mixture in a thin stream. Beat until thick and glossy (about 5 mins)

Pipe or spread over cup-cakes and decorate. I chose lots of cool decorations from Merry Day cake decorating shop including, food glitter, sugar flowers, sugar balls, sprinkles, coloured sugar, M&M's (use these instead of smarties as the colour doesn't run) etc. Just let your imagination run wild and let the kids help too...fabulous fun for everyone!!!

If anyone hasn't bought it yet, I highly recommend the Donna Hay kids magazine Annual 7, 2010 - it has fantastic party ideas and recipes and I just love it all!!!