Pretty painted cookie tutorial

I have created a pdf tutorial for this sweet cookie. The pdf contains the list of equipment, a template and instructions on how to recreate this cookie.

If you wish you can alter the design slightly to make a pretty Mother's Day gift, or you can change the text to say 'Thankyou' or even 'I love You!'.

You can buy the tutorial for £2.50 (Paypal will automatically convert it to your currency). The pdf will be emailed to you in receipt of the payment, if you are in a different time zone it may take longer (because I may be asleep!)

Happy painting.

xxx

Spring cake

Hurrah, Spring has sprung! After a truly miserable winter we have been basking in some spring sunshine. The birds are flitting about, the trees are blossoming and the daffodils are blooming.

So how fitting is this little spring cake? I made it for a tutorial in the new addition of Pretty Witty Cakes Magazine, which you can download for...free! It's all coming up roses. Well, it may be a bit early for that particular bloom but it's definitely coming up primroses! You can download the magazine here.

Happy painting.

xxx

World Book Day 2014

Yes, it's that time of day again! The day mother's around the world dread, when you have to transform your little darlings into the Gruffalo or Hermione or (if you are lucky, like me) a random child from a book who just wears normal clothes.It can only mean one thing...World Book Day!

For the last few years I have made book themed cookies for my kidlet's classes to help celebrate this special day. This year my eldest kidlet moved up to a new school, and even though they are still dressing up I made the executive decision not to make cookies for her class, I'm a bit time poor at the moment.

I asked my littlest kidlet what they had been reading in the class recently, I learnt that they had been bingeing on Roald Dahl...and why not, he's is brilliant and really appeals to the naughtiness of children.

So I made cookies using characters illustrated by Quiten Blake from 'The Twits' and 'George's Marvelous Medicine'.

I hope that your little ones have enjoyed World Book Day and are encouraged to keep reading.

xxx 

You can see previous World Book Day cookies here, here, here, here and here. 

Hot Cross Pancakes

I know, I know, it's been over a month since I visited Amelie's House, so you can imagine that I am looking very shame faced at the moment...but I do have a good excuse, I have been busy shooting pictures for my book (out next year!). It has been six weeks of very long hours and lots of hard work, but it has been totally worth it, because the pictures look fabulous.

Anyway I am having a few easy weeks for now and I thought it was time to meander back to a comfy sofa and spend some time here, and I have the perfect excuse.

Some time ago OXO sent me an OXO batter dispenser and an OXO flip & fold omelette turner, they challenged me to come up with a fabulous new pancake recipe for Pancake Day..as usual I have let it go down to the wire, but you should have all these ingredients in your pantry at home and it is a matter of minutes to whip up these delicious goodies.

Shrove Tuesday marks the start of the Lent period which finishes on Easter day. The supermarkets like to mark this period of time by filling groaning shelves with hot cross buns, a small fruit bread bun traditionally eaten at this time of year. So I thought, why not link these two special days by making some hot cross pancakes?...and even though I say it myself, they are absolutely delicious, I am trying to stick to a wheat-free diet at the moment, but at least five of these little cakes made it past my defenses!

Recipe

Pancake ingredients (makes 10-12 pancakes)

• 135g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 130ml milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoon melted butter plus extra for the pan

To make the cross

• 2 tablespoons milk
• 2 tablespoons plain flour

For the sauce

• 50g mixed dried fruit
• 2 tablespoons honey
• grated rind of one lemon
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Method

• Put the mixed fruit into a saucepan and cover with boiling water, leave for five minutes then strain. Put the fruit back into the saucepan with the rest of the sauce ingredients and heat gently
• Sieve the flour, salt, sugar and spice together into a bowl.
• In a jug lightly beat the milk, egg and melted butter together. Pour onto the dry ingredients and beat together with a whisk or a fork
• Mix together the milk and flour for the cross, then spoon this batter into a piping bag and cut a small hole in the tip
• Heat a saucepan and brush the surface with melted butter. 
• If you have the OXO batter dispenser squeeze out enough batter to form a small pancake, or you can use a spoon.
• While the pancake is cooking on the first side pipe a cross on it's top. Then flip the pancake over once you see bubbles bursting on the top of the pancake.
• Pile the pancakes up as high as you can, and then drizzle the sauce over the top.

I cannot stress enough how delicious these pancakes are, so if you have a greedy family you may want to make double quantity.

I hope to be popping in more often with some lovely recipes for you to try.

xxxx

ps this isn't a sponsored post, but I did receive an OXO batter dispenser and an OXO Flip and turn spatula.