Afternoon Tea

gotta love some betty crocker action on a saturday afternoon...cheack out these yummy goodies.

Nooshies 1st birthday cake for our day at the Zoo

So anyone would think that i really really love making and decorating cakes, and i guess that i have enjoyed the experience.  but i have only done it mainly because i don't like to do things by halves.  so when i decided that we were going to have a day at the zoo to celebrate nooshies actual 1st birthday...i knew that i was going to have to do a zoo cake.  I jumped on google and found a giraffe in the shape of a 1...perfect, so here is my attempt at this cake!

i'm a little on the lazy side when it comes to actually making the cake.  don't get my wrong, i know how to make a cake from scratch, but i absolutely love the betty crocker cake mixes and it's just a tad easier.  i think because you use oil in this mix, it keeps the cake extra moist so you know that it won't be all dry the next day when your all ready to eat it. 

i used 2 packs of the cake mix and baked 2 cakes in a rectangle tin, so i could make the cake nice and high.  
once the cakes were cooled and the tops cut off to create a nice even flat top, i used a thin layer of chocolate icing (the frosting from the packet) and some raspberry jam to glue the cakes together. I used raspberry jam simply because its a favourite of mine and personally think it goes beautifully together with chocolate!
i was prepared and the day before the cake making took place and i measured and cut out a paper stencil in the shape of a 1.  i have found that the cake really needs to be fully cooled when cutting out shapes, it is firmer and holds together much better.
using the frosting i covered the whole cake with icing and then again with the raspberry jam, this acts as a glue so the fondant i'm going use sticks nicely to the cake.  this was the first time i used jam over the icing and i loved it! the jam acted as a fantastic filler, and made the cake finish look extra smooth!

next i got needing with the fondant. I added some yellow food dye to make a creamy colour. after needing needing needing, i then rolled it out on the the bench covered in icing sugar so it didn't stick, then popped it over the cake. 

i dyed the left over fondant dark brown, rolled it and cut out some nice giraffe splotches to stick all over the cake. added a liquorice eye, fashioned some ears out of the fondant and secured them into place with some tooth picks.  i also added a little maine out of the brown fondant. and wella...i had myself a number one giraffe!

and it was delish!

To die for raspberry sorbet

the warm weather has inspired me to make some delectable raspberry sorbet. sorbet is one of my favourite  treats so i am so excited to share this awesome recipe with you all




so you will need.
2         cups of water 
1 1/2     cups of white sugar
           a pinch of salt 
4         cups raspberries.


i like to use frozen raspberries that have been thawed as it is easier and cheaper.

with the cups of water and sugar, prepare a simple syrup, by mixing both in a saucepan over medium to low heat. cook until the sugar is fully dissolved. once the syrup is ready, add the salt and raspberries.

once it is all mixed in together you then need to blend it until its nice and smooth.  the strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. personally i like to leave some of the seed in the mixture.

now come the fun part.....getting to play with the ice-cream maker!!

once your magic machine is turned on pour all the mixture in and sit back and have a cuppa for the next 20 mins.






at the 10 minute mark










at the 20 minute mark








WELLA.... ENJOY

Party People in the house....

sunday was party day in our house...woooooooo
and what better way to celebrate nooshies up coming 1st birthday than with a  sausage sizzle and ice-cream party!


saturday was filled with cake decorating, sorting lolly bags, and ice-cream making! we were so blessed to have my big sister come and help with lots of the pre-party prep. one job that she did an amazing job on was the chocolate ice-cream! 
heres how you can make some yummy yummy chocy ice-cream for yourself using your ice-cream maker!


3/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
pinch of salt
1    cup whole milk
2    cups thickened cream
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
step 1...whisk together the cocoa, both sugars and salt, add milk, using a hand mixer on low, beat to combine until cocoa, sugars and salt are dissolved. stir in the thickened cream and vanilla. cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
step 2...once chilled turn on your ice-cream maker and pour the mixture in...watch it turn into yummy ice-cream! 
step 3...ENJOY!


while this yummy treat was being made i was also in the kitchen creating a hot-air balloon cake! now i must admit me and the icing had a few disagreements mainly due to it being too hot. but we managed to kiss and make up in the end, and i think i managed to pull off a pretty good birthday cake.....
    

next on the list was the decorations....finally i got to put up my party bunting, and create my pom pom hot-air balloons!

party day started bright and early so husbandito could inflate the balloons! and i was really lucky and nooshie had a nice long morning nap and by 11am the party was starting!

the sun may not have made quite the appearance that we had hoped for, but it was warm enough for the kids to play with their bubbles outside and for everyone to enjoy their snags and ice-cream.

the birthday girl was a bit over whelmed with the amount of people and babies in her home, and i have had to deal with sore arms the past few days, from having to lug her around with me for the entire party....but i think when it came to present time she pepped up and enjoyed herself. 

after weeks of preparations, hours of party planning, sewing, baking, and ice-cream making it was all over in the blink of an eye. but worth it!!!!