Cupcake Continent

Pear Pie (of Your Life)

2013-10-24T18:05:00.002-07:00

Michel Roux pastry + frangipane + sh*t loads of sugar + pear = Pear Pie of Your Life.

Cupcake Making Stand @ Google

2013-10-13T04:07:00.000-07:00

You know you're at the Creative Lab when the cupcakes decorated at lunchtime break look better than the ones you can get at a shop! Turns out cupcakes are adored everywhere - from home kitchens to giant corporations. Yum!

Fairy Cupcakes

2013-10-12T03:55:00.004-07:00

My boyfriend came home from work bringing mini fairy cupcakes <3 Really important as I DO NOT measure the strength of our love by the snacks he brings back for me. Ha.

All I Need

2013-10-11T17:14:00.000-07:00

All I need are cupcakes and good friends <3

Pretty Cupcakes That Look (Way) Better Than They Taste

2013-10-10T16:35:00.000-07:00

Can't remember the name of the company that made them, but I wish I could to warn you about the money you could be wasting! Isn't it just annoying when you see beautiful creations of seemingly delicious treats, only to find that you are biting into nondescript, 'not melt-in-your-mouth', homogenous cream and cake? Unfortunately, the only savoury thing about my experience was taking the pictures. Have you ever had a bad experience?

'Strawb + Cream' was particulary bad....

The Cake and Bake Show

2013-10-05T05:00:00.001-07:00

For my birthday, I received tickets to the Cake and Bake Show at Earl's Court. It was an interesting event with lots to see and taste. From yummy and sweet items like this....

....to downright weird items like this....

It was definitely a fun filled afternoon with loads of fake and friendly chatter just so we could get more samples of delicious, melt-in-your-mouth fudge :p Here are a few more of my favourite snaps I took at the convention.

Sweet Tooth Factory

2013-09-03T01:44:00.003-07:00

Delicious cupcake find at the Dalston Food Festival. Salted Caramel Popcorn Cupcake from the Sweet Tooth Factory. Eating it was better than starving.

University of Oxford, Lincoln's College

2013-06-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

My housemate and I had a splendid afternoon and evening visiting a friend at Oxford University who had put herself through the torture of studying a law degree :p She already has a training contract at a silver circle law firm in London and moving onto her second vacation scheme. Talk about talented! Dinner was everything we expected and more. We dined at Lincoln's College and sat through a three course meal. For dessert we had a warm chocolate cake with chocolate custard. After dinner we had drinks at the College bar and rounded off the evening playing croquet (in chinos - whilst laughing at the stereotypical Oxford scene we were creating).

Apple and Raspberry Crumble with Custard

2013-06-08T10:00:00.004-07:00

I am the world's luckiest housemate as Laura has once again decided to bake me treats during my examination period whilst I appreciate, relish and photograph this classic crumble with a fruity twist (what hard work it was for me!). Laura used a BBC recipe which I have pasted at the bottom of the entry. This was a dish filled with such crumbly goodness I felt like I had drifted into the English countryside, sitting by a fireside with scene of swans swimming in an outdoor lake. I had to buy all the ingredients again the next day just to make some more. What if you are in the mood for something a little not so classic though? Or what if you're not so much a fan of sour fruit in dessert (like me)? I would say substitute the apples and raspberries for bananas instead and perhaps use chocolate custard instead. That's what I'll be making during my revision break later this evening!

Here is the original recipe below! Click here for the BBC link.

Ingredients

For the crumble

300g/10½oz plain flour, sieved pinch of salt
175g/6oz unrefined brown sugar
200g/7oz unsalted butter, cubed at room temperature
Knob of butter for greasing

For the filling

450g/1lb apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm/½in pieces
50g/2oz unrefined brown sugar
1 tbsp plain flour
1 pinch of ground cinnamon

Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
Place the flour and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Technique: Rubbing in

Watch technique0:46 mins
Place the fruit in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir well being careful not to break up the fruit.
Butter a 24cm/9in ovenproof dish. Spoon the fruit mixture into the bottom, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.
Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling.
Serve with thick cream or custard.

California Bakery Milano

2013-05-16T02:42:00.000-07:00

This has already made me excited for the summer! As we welcome the oncoming heat, it wouldn't hurt to try a few drink concoctions either. Here are a few I found on California Bakery Milano's food blog:

Spuma Julep (Spuma nera, Rum, Lime, Menta, Ghiaccio)

Lady Cosmopolitan (Spuma bianca, Vodka, Contreau, Cranberry, Lime, Ghiaccio)

Mojito (Rum, Foglie di menta, Zucchero di canna, Ghiaccio)

Spritz (Prosecco, Aperol, Soda, Fetta d’arancia)

Bloody Mary (Succo di pomodoro, Vodka, Tabasco, Limone, Pepe)

Virgin Mojito (Ginger Ale, Foglie di menta, Zucchero di canna, Ghiaccio)

Negroni (Campari, Gin, Martini rosso)
Americano (Campari, Soda, Martini rosso)

Sprinkles Cupcakes

2013-05-10T16:26:00.002-07:00

My latest cupcakery find. Now I would travel to Palo Alto for a taste of these celebrity cupcakes. What a CV these cupcakes have built! Check them out here: www.sprinkles.com.

The Cupcake Maker

2013-04-30T14:04:00.000-07:00

I was very impressed by my housemate's results following a simple recipe on the back of her cupcake maker box. I was even happier when she delegated me the role of 'cupcake taster', which meant I could sit and watch her make them, eat them, then give my opinions...all that hard work made me hungry! Haha, I did take these photos too so at least my fingers got some exercise. I will admit my skepticism before she began but never will I doubt the power of the little cupcake maker again! Click here for my A-Store to check out the dream machine.

Is it missing from your kitchen?

Pierre Hermé Macarons

2013-04-18T06:33:00.000-07:00

The flavours from left to right: Chocolat Porcelana, Praline Noisette, Salted Butter Caramel, Hazelnut Praline. Delicious. They gives Laduree macarons a run for their money.

Matthew Kenney Cuisine: Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes

2013-04-08T14:51:00.003-07:00

Raw, vegan and pretty...unbelievable! Check out more creations at:
http://matthewkenneycuisine.tumblr.com

Marks & Spencer's Percy Pigs

2013-04-08T03:48:00.001-07:00

O2's free gift yesterday: Percy Pigs! Fruit wine gums that come in two flavours, strawberry and raspberry, as indicated by their ears. They are so pink and soft I just love squishing them....

Pad Krapow & Orange and Almond Cake with Cinnamon Syrup Recipes

2013-04-03T09:15:00.001-07:00

My good friend Elizabeth has kindly requested that I put up a guest post here on her blog. Out of the kindness of my heart, and my own shameless desire for anonymous self-promotion, I have decided to indulge her. So today I am providing you with two recipes which, in my own opinion can reasonably be regarded as idiot-proof. In the interests of science, I am going to test this claim by having Elizabeth here attempt to follow them.

Pad Krapow

The first is a Thai dish known as ‘Pad Krapow’ which is more often than not my default option for dinner when I can’t be bothered to think or read a recipe. It’s a fairly basic stir fry of a protein of choice, mixed with a sauce of chillies, garlic, fish sauce, and basil, usually served over rice and topped with an optional (but definitely compulsory) crispy fried egg. All of which can be put together in the time it takes the rice to cook.

This recipe calls for regular basil, instead of the prohibitively expensive and hard to find Thai basil. Purists will tell you that this dish should therefore be called “pad bai horapa” instead of “pad krapow”. Nobody likes purists.

The measurements are by no means exact. Not everyone’s tastes will be the same, and nobody likes a pedant who follows a recipe to the precise gram. What I’ve provided is a basic outline which you can adjust to your tastes and preferences.

Ingredients

About 200g of protein of choice; chicken beef or pork, either thinly sliced against the grain into thin rectangular strips or minced, depending on how you prefer it. For beef, thinner slices are better, for chicken and pork cut a little thicker is so the meat does not dry out.

o In terms of cut, a sirloin or rump for the beef will serve you well, if you’re tempted to use a cheaper cut of beef such as the generic ‘frying steak’ you get in supermarkets, don’t bother, use mince instead, unless you enjoy the texture of vulcanised rubber. For chicken, boned skinned thigh fillets are best, but breast is also fine, and for pork a loin steak or pork chop will do.

2 garlic cloves
2-5 birds eye chillies – depending on your heat tolerance. I recommend starting with 2 and working your way up or down.
Fish sauce or light soy sauce, 1 – 2 tbsp
Oyster sauce or sweet dark soy sauce (I prefer oyster) 1 tbsp
Optional sugar ½ tbsp – try it without first, but some people like it sweeter.
½ cup warm water or chicken/vegetable stock
White pepper
1 big handful of basil, Thai basil if you can find it, regular works just fine.
1 egg, optional (but not)
Vegetable oil

Method

Put your rice on to cook
Finely dice garlic and chillies or pound in mortar and pestle to a coarse paste
Season meat with a few dashes of white pepper
Have all other ingredients measured out and ready nearby the wok. This happens quick.
Add the fish sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar (if using) to the wok and stir till everything is well coated.
Heat about 1-2 tbsp oil in a wok and coat well. Get the wok hot. I mean hot. I can’t stress this one enough.
Once oil is smoking, add garlic and chillies, stir for a few seconds until you can smell them, then add the protein and stir fry for a minute or so till half cooked. Everything should be searing and sizzling the whole way through this process, not stewing or bubbling. If it’s not, then stop stir frying and just leave everything to sit for a minute or so to let the wok heat up again.
Slowly add about half of the stock or more until dish reaches your desired level of sauciness.
Once meat is nearly cooked, which it should pretty much be by this stage, add the basil leaves and stir through till they have just wilted.
Dish everything out onto a plate of white rice.
Wipe out the wok, or in a new clean pan, fry an egg with runny yolks and place on top of the meat.
Eat.

Variations:

If you believe in notions such as health, add some spinach at the end with the basil or throw in a cup of diced green beans with the meat to make it a one plate meal.

Orange and Almond Cake with Cinnamon Syrup

The second recipe is a dessert. I’m not overly big on sweets, but you can’t exactly show up on a blog called “cupcake continent” and just post about chillies and fish sauce can you? It’s a riff on an orange and almond cake that has been doing the rounds on the internet for a while. I’ve added my own variation to this by reducing the sugar in the cake and soaking it with a cinnamon syrup.

Ingredients

For the cake

2 large oranges or 3 medium oranges
200g ground almonds
50g flour
150g sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
6 eggs

Method

Place oranges in a saucepan of water with enough water to cover them
Bring water to the boil, reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour or more, topping up water as needed to keep oranges covered (I am also told you can microwave the oranges for about 8-10 minutes in a covered container instead). This is to remove the bitterness in the oranges.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 190c, line and grease a 9-inch baking tin with baking paper
Measure out ground almonds and flour, whisk together in a large bowl with baking powder and cinnamon and set aside
Once oranges are done, discard the water, and place the oranges in colander to cool. Once cool enough to handle, chop oranges into rough pieces, skin and all, removing any seeds and the core.
Place oranges in a food processor and puree until you get a smooth paste.
In a separate bowl beat eggs and sugar together until they are pale and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes with a hand mixer, or until you get tired if using a whisk.
Add beaten eggs to flour/almond mixture and whisk to combine
Fold the orange puree into the flour mixture until everything is well combined
Pour mixture into the cake tin, and smooth the top with a spoon
Place tin in the middle shelf of the oven, then reduce heat to 180c and bake for 1 about hour – you may need to cover the cake with foil with after about 30 minutes to stop the top burning
Check after 45 minutes by inserting a wooden skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, or with a few crumbs on it, the cake is done.

While the cake is in the oven prepare the syrup

For the Syrup

Juice 1 orange or zest 1 orange
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sugar
1 cinnamon stick
½ cup water
1-2 tbsp orange liqueur (optional)

Combine everything in a saucepan and simmer for about 10-15 minutes till it starts to thicken, and becomes, well, syrupy.
Remove from heat and stir through 2 tbsp orange liqueur if you so desire.
Once cake is done, remove from the oven and poke holes with a skewer in the top of the cake to help the syrup penetrate.
Reheat the syrup till slightly warm, then strain it into bowl, and pour it over the top of the cake. You may need to add the syrup in a few stages, as it may take a while to soak through the cake.

Once the cake is cooled, remove from the cake tin and serve.

You may wish to dust the top with icing sugar, or serve it with a bit of whipped cream or yoghurt.

Photo credits:

(1) www.rasamalaysia.com
(2) http://static1.cakeandcookierecipes.com/files/2012/08/09-slice-of-moist-orange-cake.jpg

10 Easter Eggs

2013-03-30T18:05:00.000-07:00

0. Normal Easter Eggs in True DIY Style

http://pinterest.com/cookinglight/fun-foods/

But who is happy settling for normal nowadays?

1. The Leaping Hare Egg by Rococo

Rococo Hand-Painted Egg No.3 with Leaping Hare Design, £25.00.

2. The Aristocratic Egg by Ladurée

Les Marquis de Laduree, £11.75 small, £37.50 large,71-72; Burlington Arcade, London.

3. The Art Deco Egg by Claridges

Quick! There are only 100 available for sale: http://www.claridges.co.uk/easter-egg/

4. You Crack Me Up by Hotel Chocolat

Filled with 10 pieces of piped smiley faces, chocolate brownie, pralines with cookies, fried eggs with melt away hazelnut paste, solid bunnies and chicks cast in milk, and caramel chocolate for £27.

5. Milk Chocolate Hen in a Bamboo Bowl by Haigh's Chocolates

Milk chocolate hen nested in bamboo bowl & 2 x 35g milk chocolate hand foiled eggs at AUD $28.50.

6. The Golden Mayan Egg by Louis Barnett

For the Mayans 3,000 years ago, the seeds of the cacao trees in the Yucatán forests were considered gifts from the gods. "Wars were fought over chocolate, and the beans were used as currency," Louis Barnett. Here is the £89.99 golden egg made by the talented 21 year old chocolatier exclusive to Selfridges. Read his story here.

7. Large Dark Swirled Egg by The Chocolate Society

750g of luxury dark 70% French Valrhona chocolate, swirled with seven pretty cocoa butter colours.

8. Egg in a Cup by Astier de Villatte

Classic example of when you cannot judge an egg by its cover because the Astier de Villatte website is very creepy, in my opinion... Nevertheless, the brand has an impeccable reputation for producing some of the finest Parisian home decor, cutlery, and furniture.

9. Oeuf Galets by Pierre Hermé

Buy it here for 89 euros: http://www.pierreherme.com/oeuf-galet.html

10. The Bunny Egg by Pierre Marcolini

The little ones come in Selfridges for £13.99 each (call 0800123400). Though I'm not even sure whether the large ones are for sale...

Happy Easter Weekend Everyone!

Chocolate Brownie Recovery Week

2013-03-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

It's been a very intense few months with many sleepless revision nights and past exam papers. Dessert is what got me through this and now its helping me recover. In the last few weeks, my friends and I have discovered that chocolate brownie doubles up as a sweet treat and a chocolate panacea. Having received three of my module marks back, it has proven to be my secret weapon to success!

The Hoxton Grill

81 Great Eastern St, London EC2A 3HU

Now these warm chocolate brownies came as part of our three course meal, and all I can say is that the Hoxton Grill is a must go zone for more than just dessert.

Sainsbury's Local Patisserie

Address: Click here to find your nearest store

Considering there are 1,023 Sainsbury's stores in the UK, chances are one might be around the corner. For 83p a slice or 3.56 pounds for 6, every student can afford one.

And the best thing about buying brownies at Sainsbury's is that Ben & Jerry's might be on offer too.

Konditor & Cook

London's local bakery has three stores:

10 Stoney St, London SE1 9AD

22 Cornwall Rd, City of London, London, Greater London SE1 8TW

99 Shaftesbury Ave, Chinatown, London W1D 5DY

I came home to a lovely surprise that my housemate Laura brought back for me one evening. Turns out that Konditor & Cook really do make one of the best brownies in the world. Soft, velvety and packed with a tonne of chocolate chips, every tourist should be holding a camera in one hand, and a Konditor & Cook in the other.

On a final note, I didn't intend for the number three to have play such a big role in this entry...just seemed to be the magic number tonight.

CUPCAKE APPEAL

2012-12-15T06:42:00.002-08:00

This post is in relation to raising money for Childreach International. I hope you read Laura's message below and give generously.

Hello lovely readers,

By way of introduction, my name is Laura and I am a cupcake addict. However, I must stay away from the little balls of deliciousness as, come July 2013, I will be heading off to Tanzania to climb the highest freestanding mountain in the world for charity.

Cake has already helped raise over £140 at my team's first bake sale. I was lucky enough to get hold of my friend's recipe for chocolate and banana cake (a highly sought after secret) which went down a treat. I will be doing many more bake sales and would welcome ideas and recipes of top sellers at any sales you may have held?

If you want to find out more information about my climb of a lifetime, the charity which will benefit and make a donation then please visit:https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/rowleyclimbskili

Thank you very much.

Laura x

Snowflake Cupcakes

2012-12-14T15:13:00.002-08:00

Snowflakes are seriously one of the most beautiful things nature has to offer. And when we talk about snowflakes on a cupcake, oh my god, I am in cupcake heaven. A decadent yet simple decor piece to any cupcake, these gorgeous snowflakes look great as a statement setting or scattered all around the layers of icing.

Photo 1: http://www.theswellelife.com/swelle_life/2009/11/cupcake-monday-the-tasty-snowflake-edition.html
Photo 2: http://pinterest.com/altdawn/tis-the-season-to-be-baking/
Photo 3: http://pinterest.com/pin/500321839822929517/
Photo 4: http://www.godairyfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/hannahvanillacupcakes.jpg

Savoury Sides: Cream Cheese Onion and Chive Cupcakes

2012-11-20T17:58:00.000-08:00

Who says cupcakes have to be sweet? Savoury ones are the new lunchtime treat :) These are my first batch of savoury cupcakes and they won't be the last!

(Original images used, please source!)

Cupcake Sort Of Day

2012-10-16T12:00:00.000-07:00

Sometimes an average cupcake can instantly turn an average day into a better one. I picked one up for two pounds at Morrisons (pictured below), and while it was no Hummingbird Cupcake and I didn't have to queue to pay for the delicacy, it was good enough to remind to look forward to the better things in life. Even at this truly awkward period, I hold on to the belief that great things are just around the corner...

[original image used - please source]

Tip Above The Rest

2012-10-15T14:36:00.003-07:00

The icing that gets swirled on top as the cupcake's crowning glory is what makes the cupcake so special. Here are some of the different tips commonly used and some of the unique effects that can be created. I personally like the pastry tip (the one which looks like a closed in star tube - e.g. 3rd image down/last image) because you can make ice cream like swirls and roses. As for the hollow, open circular tip (first image, bottom left corner) - well...I won't be making a purchase for that tip anytime soon.

Photo credits: www.dulcessweets.com

Cupcakes That Just Don't Look Like Cupcakes

2012-08-09T10:46:00.002-07:00

These are all cupcakes, I swear! So if you are feeling like ordinary cupcakes just don't cut it out, or feel like giving yours a creative twist - check out some of the blogs and recipes below.

Photo credits:

(1) http://blog.sweetcitycandy.com/

(2) & (3) diaryofaladybird.blogspot.sg - Check this blog for the recipe too!!

(5) http://sacchef.wordpress.com/2010/08/18/ice-cream-cone-cupcakes/ - Recipe here!
(6) http://penniesonaplatter.com/2009/04/01/april-fools-spaghetti-meatballs-or-not/ - Awesome gotta try recipe here too :D

Sweet Couture

2012-08-01T12:29:00.002-07:00

Sweet Couture is a cupcake boutique with a couple of eateries around London. The one I visited happened to be in Covent Garden and i'll have to give it two thumbs up. The oreo cupcake was my most favourite, and I just love the British flag made of cupcakes. Although I visited a while ago, and the display may have changed since then, the flag reminds me of the ongoing Olympics! Go Team Britain! 2 gold medals and counting!

(All photos I took with my camera - please let me know if you want them taken off - lizzieho@gmail.com)