A Peppa Pig Party {& Party Giveaway}

Every time a birthday rolls around for one of my children, I say "I'm not doing a party this year". Or I say "It will just be a small/easy morning tea". Every time I tell a lie.
I have to blame Pinterest. I start off just wanting to find a nice cake. I only pinned two pictures but it was enough to get my feeling creative. Check out the Claire's 3rd Birthday Board

Then I decide that a few decorations might be nice. After a bit of Google-ing I found the Character Parties website. I only wanted a few things so I bought some napkins, a banner and some party bags. They were very reasonably priced and were lovely enough to agree to a giveaway!!! (See below).

Then I see some cute ideas that fit into the theme. Muddy Puddles and Gumboot Cookies.

Balloons in Peppa Pig Colours

Then I won 10 Cookies and 10 Cake Pops from Party with Peggy over on the Mummawoosah blog. I beg her to make them for 3 days later and she said YES!

Before I know it. We are having a Peppa Pig Party.

It was worth it though. Claire was super excited about her cake and had so much fun with her friends.

Maybe next year it will be "A small gathering"

This is not a sponsored post. I loved the Peppa Pig Party Products from Character Parties so  I asked them whether I could run a giveaway. They said YES! Make sure you enter and share, share, share for extra enteries :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Make in the Morning Brownies

Mornings can be really stressful times in our house but I often like to try to bake something to take to a friend's house.  

We made these brownies this morning and still managed to get dressed and out of the house by 10am. 

Ingredients:

150g butter

1 1/4 cups of caster sugar

3/4 cup of coco powder

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

3 eggs

1/2 cup of plain flour

1/2 cup white choc baking bits (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees.  Melt sugar, butter and coco over low heat. 

2. Spoon chocolate mixture into a bowl. Add vanilla and eggs and whisk to combine. 

3. Sift flour into mixture and combine with whisk. 

4. Spoon into a baking tray lined with baking paper and cook for 25 to 30 mins or until the centre is just set. Cool in the tin, then cut into squares. 

5. Rush out the door like a crazy person leaving the washing up in the sink. 

Linking up with Essentially Jess today for IBOT 

Also don't forget to enter my giveaway for her book. 

http://www.mummysundeservedblessings.com/2013/06/diary-of-sahm-book-review-giveaway.html

Orange and Passion Fruit Muffins

As I mentioned earlier this week. I get a delivery of fresh fruit and veg each fortnight and it is fantastic. However sometimes there are items that our family does not easily get through. This time it was a stack of oranges and passion fruit  I wasn't really sure if the combination of orange as passion fruit would work but they turned out perfect so I thought I would share the recipe with you.

Orange and Passion Fruit Muffins

Ingredients:

2 eggs
½ cup sugar
3/4 cup yoghurt, plain or flavoured
60 g butter, melted
1 3/4 cups self-raising flour
½ cup passionfruit pulp (around 6 Passionfruit)
1/3 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon of orange zest

Method:

Preheat oven to 180°C and grease and line a 12-hole muffin pan with cases.
In a large bowl, whisk eggs and sugar together until frothy.
Add yoghurt and melted butter and mix well. Add the passionfruit, orange and flour and mix gently.
Fill muffin pans with the mixture and bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

ANZAC Biscuits

We baked a batch of these yesterday and they were lovely (apart from the ones I left in the oven too long). I really love ANZAC biscuits and I love that they represent more than just something tasty to eat.

Whether you are getting up early to go to the Dawn Service, or just relaxing with your family today. Remember what ANZAC day means and remember the people that have given their lives for our country.

AND....make some of these.

ANZAC Biscuits

1 cup of oats
1 cup of plain flour
1 cup of dessicated coconut
1 cup of sugar (or less if you want)
125g of butter
2 tablespoons of golden syrup (honey is nice too)
1 teaspoon of bicarb soda
2 tablespoons of boiling water

1. Heat oven to 180 degrees. Mix the oats, flour, coconut and sugar together in a bowl. 
2. Melt the butter and golden syrup in a saucepan and remove from the heat.
3. Mix the bicarb and water together in a jug and  add to the saucepan (be careful this part is like a science experiment!)
4. Add the mixture to the dry ingredients and then roll 1 tablespoon of the mixture into balls.
5. Place the balls on a tray and squish slightly. Leave lots of room around them because the spread a lot.
6. Bake for 10 -15 minutes depending on if you want then chewy or crunchy.

OR....

Bake for 20+ minutes while you are making dinner if you prefer them like this:

Christmas Gingerbread Men {Weekend Cookbook}

As a child, my favourite thing to bake was Gingerbread. I would bake it at every chance I had. My parents would always give me lots of praise for my baking skills. However it wasn’t until I was older that they told me they got tired of constantly eating Gingerbread biscuits. Well, Mum and Dad....the Gingerbread is back !

The kids and I had lots of fun making these. They loved cutting them out and decorating them, I loved the smell of gingerbread baking in the house and we all love eating them.

I actually made a double batch and froze the cookie dough so that I can easily bake more when I need them.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

Christmas Gingerbread Men

125g of unsalted butter, softened

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup golden syrup

2 ½ cups of plain flour

2 teaspoons of ground ginger

1 teaspoon of bicarb soda

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Place the butter and the sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until pale and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the syrup, flour, ginger and bicarb soda. Beat until a smooth dough forms.

Roll out the dough between two sheets of baking paper (around 5mm thick) and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.

When firm, using a small gingerbread man cutter, cut shapes from the dough and place on baking trays lined with baking paper. Bake for 5 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool completely on the trays.

What have you been cooking this week?

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Chocolate & Salted Caramel Whoopie Pies {Weekend Cookbook}

I came across this recipe in a newspaper lift out while I was on holidays in Victoria. I had never before attempted a Whoopie Pie and honestly until about a year ago I had never even heard of them. They are an American treat but we won't hold that against it (joke!).

Mine were a bit doughy as I added more flour than this recipe because it was hard to roll the balls. I think I would just do blobs next time. These also tasted great with ice cream instead of cream.

Whoopie Pies (makes 20 pies)

Chocolate Outer

1 3/4 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Salted caramel (to serve)
Stir (teaspoon or more to taste, of salt flakes through a can of top and fill)

whipped cream  or ice cream (to serve)

1.Preheat oven to 190 degrees. Line a baking tray with baking paper. 

2.In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and cocoa and set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, then add sugars and beat again until light and fluffy. Add egg, mix well and then add buttermilk, vanilla and flour mixture and beat to form a smooth dough.

3.Roll (or blob) 1 tsp balls of dough and place on a baking tray about 4cm apart, pressing down with two fingers to form slightly rounded mounds. 

4.Bake 10-12 minutes, until slightly firm to the touch. Cool on a wire rack. When cool fill with salted caramel and whipped cream.






 Weekend Cookbook Guidelines 
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2. Link up by clicking on the link below and pasting your post URL (not your blog's URL) 
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Weekend Cookbook: Kiddy Star Biscuits {Cooking with kids}

I am not really good at doing crafts with my kids so I cook with them a lot. I figure that the mess is worth it because you get a tasty treat at the end. I also appreciate not having a million pieces of paper with cotton balls stuck to them around the house. 

My kids always ask to make these biscuits. They love helping with the ingredients and then getting to roll out the dough and use the cutters.

Try this one out with the kiddies (if you dare). They also make good Christmas gifts.

Kiddy Star Biscuits



125g butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 1/2 cups of plain flour
1 tablespoon of cocoa sifted

1. Mixed the butter and sugar in an electric mixer and beat until pale and creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat for a few more minutes.
2. Add the flour and beat until a dough forms. Remove 1/2 of the mixture.
3. Add the cocoa to the remaining dough and beat until combined.
4. Roll each dough portion between two sheets of baking paper until 3mm thick and place in fridge for 30 minutes.

5. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Find two star cutters, one slightly smaller than the other. Cut the same number of stars in each dough. Place the chocolate stars on top of the vanilla stars.

6. Place on a baking tray and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

What have you been cooking this week?


 Weekend Cookbook Guidelines
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Weekend Cookbook: Cheesy Bread Rolls {cooking with kids}

This is a great recipe that doubles as a fun morning activity and a special lunch for the kids. My girls  love to knead the dough, and then use it like play dough and make cute shapes. If you get the timing right you can have fresh bread rolls and shapes for your lunch.

When I first made this recipe I used plain flour (which is fine to use) but I have since started using  00 flour which is available in Coles/Woolworths and it makes them so much better. I also use this flour for my Brioche recipe and my Pizza Bases so when I buy it, it never goes to waste.

Cheesy Bread Rolls

1 x 7g pack of dried yeast

1 tsp sugar

2/3 cup (150ml) luke warm water

½ cup cheddar cheese

½ cup parmesan cheese

1 2/3 cups of 00 flour

¼ tsp salt

1 tbsl olive oil

1.      Put  the yeast and sugar in a small bowl. Add 50ml (3 tablespoons) of water and stir to dissolve the yeast. Leave for 5 mins or until bubble appear.

2.      Grate the cheese and place them aside for later

3.      Place the flour in a large bowl and stir in the salt. Make a well in the center and add the oil and the yeast mixture. Stir until a dough forms.

4.      Place the dough on a lightly floured bench and knead until it is nice and smooth. This takes about 10 minutes (let the kids have their own dough to knead, they will love it).

5.      While you are kneading add in the cheese and continue to knead it through to work in the cheese.

6.      Divide the dough into eight pieces and make balls (or you can make fun shapes. My kids like to make snails, turtles and even butterflies.

7.      Place the rolls or shapes onto a lightly oiled tray and press down a little. Leave them to rise for 40-45 minutes covered with a damp tea towel (Preheat the oven to 200 degrees while they are rising ).

8.      Once they have doubled in size place them in the oven for 12- 14 minutes.

What have you been cooking this week?

 Weekend Cookbook Guidelines
1. Link up a recipe that you have posted recently.
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Weekend Cookbook: Lemon Explosion Cupcakes {Guest Post}

I can't remember how I found Honey, You Baked!, but it is one of my favourite food blogs and I just love the title. Recently I asked them to guest post for the Weekend Cookbook and I am very excited about this yummy recipe. If you want to follow Honey, You Baked! or know more about the girls, read their bio at the bottom of this post.

Lemon Explosion Cupcakes

Firstly, I need to give a BIG thankyou to Lisa for letting me guest blog.  We will have to get her over to Honey, You Baked! Sometime soon!!

Now there is not much in my life that can compare to a great cupcake.  They always cheer me up and the utter scrumptiousness of something seemingly so simple never fails to amaze me.  Today I thought I would share a recipe for one of those cupcakes.  Hold on to your hats! Your tastebuds will dance and sing!!

Lemon Explosion Cupcakes

                                                                                                                            

YOU WILL NEED:

For the cakes:

175g unsalted butter – softened

175g white sugar

3 eggs

A splash of vanilla extract

175g SR Flour

Rind and juice of 2 x good size lemons (rind finely chopped)

1/2 cup (or so) of milk

Cupcake moulds and papers

2 x soup spoons

For the Filling:

Cream Cheese

4 x Tablespoons sifted Icing Sugar

Juice of 1 x large lemon

1 x piping bag and round nozzle

Small sharp knife

For the Top:

Icing Sugar to dust

THE HOW TO:

• Preheat your oven to 180Deg C and get your cupcake trays and papers all ready

• Cream your butter & sugar in an electric mixer till light and fluffy

• Add vanilla, then eggs one at a time

• Add your flour, rind and lemon juice and milk and mix up well.

• Using the soup spoons, ladle the mixture into your papers.  You need them about 3/4 full.

• Bake for approx 20mins until lightly golden.

• Whip up your cream cheese, lemon juice & icing sugar until smooth and well combined.

• Place some of the mixture into a piping bag with round nozzle.

• Once the cakes have cooled, you can have a bit of fun with your presentation.  I’ve made Butterfly Cakes (always a hit with the kids), Cupcake Sandwiches and Filled Cupcakes (both fabulous as you can pop them in a container without fear of the icing sticking to the lid!). 

• For the Butterfly Cakes – Use the sharp knife and cut out a little cone shape of cake from the middle.  Cut this cone in half.  Fill with cream cheese mixture and then re-attach your “wings”.

• For the Cupcake Sandwiches – Slice your cakes through horizontally just under the mound section.  Dollop on some mixture and replace the top.

• For the Filled Cupcakes – grab your piping bag and stick the nozzle down into the cupcake and give a squirt of mixture.  You may have a little escaping out the top, which is easily wiped off. 

• Once all your cakes are done, give a liberal dusting over the tops with icing sugar.

Glorious little morsels – just waiting for the perfect occasion.  Afternoon Tea, Mothers Day or indeed ANY day!

About Honey, You Baked!

HYB is Danni & Mel, two friends and mummies, who used to work, cook and play together in Sydney. Now Mel has moved home to Tasmania and the girls spend time blogging about Baking, Making, Books, Babies and just about everything else in between! Drop us a line we would love to hear from you!!

www.honeyyoubaked.com

www.facebook.com/HoneyYouBaked

www.twitter.com/honeyyoubaked

About Danni (That’s me in the blue!)

I’m a SAHM mum from Sydney with two beautiful girls (6 and 16mnths) and a hard working hubby.  As well as HYB with my blog buddy Mel, I spend my time running after my family, my dog, growing my own veggies, sewing & crafting and expanding my small cake business (read: organisational freak lives here!).

What have you been cooking this week?

 Weekend Cookbook Guidelines
1. Link up a recipe that you have posted recently.
2. Link up by clicking on the link below and pasting your post URL (not your blog's URL)
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5. Add the Weekend Cookbook button to your post/blog (it is on my sidebar).

Weekend Cookbook: In Search of the Perfect Vanilla Cupcake

My latest obsession is trying to create the perfect vanilla cupcake. While I was pregnant with Alicia, I discovered (through a craving) vanilla cupcakes. Since then I have been trying recipes to find the one that will be my signature vanilla cupcake. The one, hopefully that my girls will cook for their kids because it is so amazing.

I think I have perfected the icing but I am still trying to get the cakey part right. I recently tried the Kate Bracks recipe but I don't love it for a couple of reasons. One, it has three eggs which I think is a bit extreme and two I seem to always overcook them or they fall in the middle.

My current recipe which so far is serving me well is this one here. I think I need to make it a few more times with a few adjustments and it will be perfect. So here it is, try it out and let me know if it works for you.

The Almost Perfect Vanilla Cupcake



80g butter, softened
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 cup of SR flour
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Icing
160g butter (very soft)
1 cup of icing sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.


1.Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Line a 12 cup cupcake pan with cupcake papers. In an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix well.
2. Add the flour milk and vanilla and beat until well combined
3. Divide the mixture evenly into the cupcake papers. I find using an ice cream scoup makes them more even and it is neater.

4. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cakes are firm to the touch. Allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes and then cool on a rack. Cool fully before icing.

5. To make the icing, cream the butter until it is light fluffy and very pale. Add the icing sugar and vanilla and continue beating until it is well combined and looks almost white. Then using a spatula spread the icing over the cupcakes.


What have you been cooking this week?

 Weekend Cookbook Guidelines
1. Link up a recipe that you have posted recently.
2. Link up by clicking on the link below and pasting your post URL (not your blog's URL)
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Weekend Cookbook: A Dessert Feast

Last Friday night my friend Sami and I hosted a dessert and Tupperware Party. We both love baking and Tupperware so we decided to combine our two loves in an extravagant dessert night.

There were around 26 women packed into my house (lucky we have moved to a bigger house) and they got to sample at least nine different sweet treats while they perused the Tupperware catalogue.

I think that Sami made the prettiest and tastiest treats. Out of the five desserts that I created my favourite was the Chocolate and Hazelnut Torte.

Here is the recipe if you want to give it a try for yourself. It is surprisingly easy. It is just getting the meringue right which can sometime be a bit tricky.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Torte



Meringue Layer:
6 egg whites
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups caster sugar
300g hazelnuts, chopped
300g dark chocolate

Filling:
250ml thickened cream
250g mascarpone
2 tbs icing sugar

Glaze:
100g of dark chocolate
80ml of thickened cream
20g butter

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Using a pencil, draw a circle around a bread plate on three sheets of baking paper and grease each sheet. Turn the paper pencil side down on a tray. This circle is your guide for spreading the meringue mixture.

2. To make the meringue, place egg whites, salt and a few spoonfuls of sugar into the bowl of electric mixer. Whisk until  soft peaks appear. Reduce speed to medium and a the rest of the sugar one spoonful at a time. Then increase speed to high again for 5 mins until you have a lovely glossy and thick meringue.

3.Chop the chocolate and the hazelnuts and mix into the meringue mixture. Spread a third of the mixture evenly onto each of the baking paper circles (on a tray). Bake for 45 minutes or until firm and lightly golden. Leave to cool on the trays.

Best not to use the very bottom of the oven...

because this can happen..but nothing that some scraping couldn't save

4. Make the filling by beating the thickened cream and mascarpone until soft peaks form (make sure they are there or this will happen). Sift in the icing sugar and beat again until it is smooth and has stiff peaks.

Filling fail on the right :(

5. When you are ready to assemble, make the glaze by combining the chocolate, cream and butter in a pyrex bowl over simmering water. Stir until melted and combined then remove and cool slightly.

6. To assemble, place one meringue layer on a serving plate, spread half the filling, then place your second meringue layer on the top , then the remaining filling and top with your prettiest meringue layer. Finally drizzle with glaze and enjoy!




What have you been cooking this week?

 Weekend Cookbook Guidelines
1. Link up a recipe that you have posted recently.
2. Link up by clicking on the link below and pasting your post URL (not your blog's URL)
3. Share some love by checking out the other links and leave a comment. 
4.If you make other blogger's recipe take a photo and post it in their facebook page (or yours and tag them). 
5. Add the Weekend Cookbook button to your post/blog (it is on my sidebar).