..Twigg studios

first make the sweet pastry (pate sucree) measure the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until it resembles bread crumbs, then stir in the sugar and add the egg yokes and knead gently into a smooth dough, wrap in cling film and put in the fridge while you make the frangipane.

to make the frangipane cream together the butter and sugar, till fluffy then add the ground almonds and then whisk in the egg and almond extract.

take the pastry out of the fridge and, grease 3 small tart dishes, then roll out the pastry and place it into the tins and cut of the excess, spoon in the frangipane and level it.

preheat the oven at 190c

to make the plum flowers you will need a mandolin slicer

slice the plums thinly then start by rolling the centre piece up

add some more pieces around it

add the larger pieces

press it into the frangipane and add more pieces of plum around it.

bake for 15 20 minutes until the pastry is golden.

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

faux vintage whale species chart and restoration hardware inspired fishing weights tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Sun, 16 Jun 2013 23:26:00 +0000

i love nautical decor and i have been adding bits of it around the house, the latest things i made out a faux vintage whale species chart, and these faux metal fishing weights inspired by Restoration hardware.

to make the faux fishing weights you will need

clay

different sized balls,

knife or clay tool

black brown and silver paint

sponge

water

first take the clay and mould it around the balls, use water to smooth it and then make the numbers, roll out a piece of clay into a long sausage shape and make it into a circle and then mould it on to the top, leave to dry

to get the rusty look a sprayed them silver then used a brown and black paint and dabbed it on with a sponge.

here's restoration hardware's weights that i was inspired by,

to make the whale species chart you will need

iron on transfer paper

iron

spray bottle

wood

string

glue gun

sewing machine

fabric

brown wood stain

first i printed the whale pictures on to some iron on paper and ironed them on to some white fabric

then i broke apart an old frame and used two of the sides for the wooden part, you can use wooden beading if you have it.

i painted it with some wood stain and left it to dry.

the i stitched the sides of the fabric so it would not fray and used a glue gun to attach the wood to the top and bottom of the fabric.

in a spray bottle i added water and coffee and sprayed it over the fabric to make it look old,

lastly i glued on some string.

sunday show off linky party

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 16:10:00 +0000

hi everyone i hope you are having a great weekend, there was a continental market on along the sea front today so we went along, i got some french lavender and my partner got some stinky cheese which i have banned from the main fridge, i have made him put it in the wine fridge as i cant stand the smell of it. i also picked my mum up some baklava from the Greek stall, its her favourite. so its been a nice day.

here's the features from last week

moist chocolate cake and rose custard from curiositaella

peanut butter and banana frozen dog treats from living better together

i cant wait to see what you share this week

rustic apple tart and puff pastry recipe

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:55:00 +0000

making puff pastry is quite fiddly and time consuming but if you have the time then its great to be able to make it at home, if you don't have time to prepare the pastry then the shop bought pastry is just as good. i usually buy it as its quicker but i thought i would try and make my own for once.

to make your own puff pastry you will need

recipe

150 g chilled strong while flour

150 g chilled plain flour

pinch salt

2 large eggs

100ml cold water

250g chilled unsalted butter (one block of butter)

1 apple

honey

granulated sugar to sprinkle

to ensure success with puff pastry its best to ensure the butter and dough are cold before you put them together to its worth chilling the flour too. it sounds a weird thing to do but it helps

watch this video from the great British bake off here to see how to fold the dough

to make the pastry

in a large bowl add the flours, salt, eggs and water and gently mix until an even dough.

transfer onto a floured surface and knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes until its smooth, place the dough in a plastic bag and chill over night or for at least at least half an hour (but ideally at least 7 hours).

flatten the butter using the rolling pin into a rectangle (about 40cm x 19cm, (this may be easier to do between to layers of cling film)

return to the fridge for an hour to harden again.

take out the dough and roll it into a rectangle (about 60cm x 20 cm) wide.

place the butter on the dough to it covers the bottom two thirds of it, and making sure it is positioned neatly.

lift the exposed dough over down over half the butter, then fold the butter covered half over the top, you will now have a sandwich of two layers of butter and three of dough. pinch the edges together to seal it place back it the bag and chill for 1 hour,

take out dough and place on lightly floured surface,

place it so the shorter side is facing you and roll out in to rectangle as before, trying to keep the edges as neat as possible.

fold the one end of the dough in to the centre, then fold the other side in to meet it in the middle, then hold in half at the centre line, this is a book fold.

place back in bag and chill for an hour again.

flour surface roll dough out as before and fold down one third of the dough and then fold the rest over the top in to a square.

chill as before and do this fold again. then chill the dough for at least 7 hours or over night and then the dough is ready to use.

use a mandolin slice to cut the apple into thin slices and place to one side.

roll out the dough and cut in to a circle,

place the apple slices in a circle pattern in the centre and cut a strip of pastry and wrap it around the edge,

drizzle honey over the apple and sprinkle on some granulated sugar and place on a lined baking tray

preheat the oven at 180c and bake for 15 20 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden.

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

rye bread recipe

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 08:30:00 +0000

theres nothing better than the smell of fresh bread coming from your oven.
Rye bread it traditional in many eastern European countries.

it is a dark and dense bread with it full of a earthy nutty flavour.

it takes a long time to make but its worth it, i got on with other things while i was waiting.

recipe

500g rye flour

10g fast action yeast

20ml black treacle (optional)

350ml water

10g salt

in a large bowl add the flour, then place the salt on one side of the bowl and the yeast on the other, add the treacle if you are using it and then add 3 quarters of the water and mix together, then add the rest and mix until a wet but workable dough.

oil the surface with olive oil and tip dough out and knead for about 5-10 minutes. rye bread dough feels different than normal flour so you will have to judge it.

then oil a bowl and cover for about 4 hours,

once doubled in size flour work surface and knock the air out by folding it repeatedly in on itself.

the place in a floured proving basket, i don't have one so i floured a linen tea towel and placed it in a bowl and then placed the dough in smooth side down and left to prove for 2-3 hours.

it takes longer then normal bread to rise as rye flour has a lower protein level.

once the dough has doubled in size preheat the oven at 220c

place a roasting dish at the bottom of the oven to heat up.

line a baking tray and invert the dough out carefully onto it, then with a sharp knife cut a cross hatch patten,

pour some hot water in roasting tray to create steam, then place the bread on the shelf above it and cook for 30 minutes I opened the door quickly to let some of the pressure out after about 5-10 minutes. To test its done tap the bottom it should sound hollow

place on a wire rack to cool.

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

blueberry jam doughnuts with lavender sugar

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 23:32:00 +0000

i usually have raspberry jam doughnuts or custard doughnuts but i decided to make these with blueberry jam because i had a punnet of blueberries that i wanted to use up.

after watching a cooking program i decided to give them a try as the dough looked really fun to make.
the clip i watched is here i recommend watching it if you haven't made doughnuts before as its really help full.

if you don't have lavender sugar then just use caster sugar which is the normal coating i just wanted to try the lavender sugar i made last month. (i put 1/4 cup of lavender in a jar of sugar and left it for a month to infuse with the sugar shaking it every couple of days)

i used Paul Hollywood from the great British bake off, dough recipe

you will need

500g strong white flour

50g caster sugar

40g unsalted butter

2 eggs

2 7g sachet of fast action yeast

10g salt

150ml warm milk

130ml water

for the jam i used a cup of blueberries

1/3 cup of sugar

8 tbsp water

3 tbsp gelatin

the jam is not a normal preserving jam but i like to make it like this especially if i am using it the same day, you can use store bough jam if you prefer.

to make it

in a small dish add the gelatin and half the water, then in a pan add the rest of the water, sugar and blueberries and simmer over a low heat, use a masher and crush the blueberries to mush them up, then allow to simmer, tip in the water with the gelatin and stir then leave to simmer for five minutes and mash the blueberries again, remove from the heat and then pour though a fine sift and the once cooled chill until it turns to a soft jelly.

For the dough, place all ingredients into a large bowl holding back a quarter of the water.
Stir with your hands until a dough is formed.
Slowly add the remaining water and knead the dough in the bowl for four minutes. (Alternatively, you could mix with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook).
Tip dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead well for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. every few minutes hold one end of the dough and throw it at the work top this helps with elasticity and improves the gluten, and it is the fun part,
Place the dough into a clean bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise for an hour.
Tip the dough out onto a very lightly floured surface, and knock it back by kneading it a few times.
Divide the dough into 10 equal portions and shape each portion into a ball.
Place all balls onto a floured baking tray and allow to rise for an hour.
Preheat a deep fat fryer, filled with sunflower oil, to 180C/350F.
Lower each doughnut into the fryer, cooking each side for about five minutes or until golden brown. Remove the doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon and immediately roll in caster sugar so that the hot fat makes the sugar stick to the sides.
Set aside and leave to cool. (i used lavender sugar i had made a while ago)
When completely cool, using a small, sharp, knife make a cut into the side of the doughnut, reaching to the centre.
then pipe the jam in to each one until its full and place them standing up to stop the jam flowing straight back out.

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

fougasse bread recipe

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 20:19:00 +0000

A fougasse is a french version of the focaccia, i think is a beautiful looking bread, and its great served with some oil for dipping.

its really easy to make, although its quite messy so its best to knead it in a stand mixer if you have one.

recipe

250g strong white flour

5g salt

5g instant yeast

1 tbsp olive oil

plus extra to finish

190ml cool water

fine semolina for dusting (optional)

dried oregano

in the stand mixer add the flour and then on one side add the salt and the other add the yeast, be careful not to put the salt on the yeast as it could deactivate it.

add the oil and 3/4 of the water and with the dough hook mix on a low to medium speed, then slowly add the rest of the water a bit at a time and mix for a further 6-8 minutes, or until it becomes elastic and stretchy.

(different brands of flour absorb water differently so you may need to add more or less water to get the right consistency)

oil a large container and tip the dough in and cover until it doubles, for at least an hour.

once the dough has risen, heavily flour the work surface and sprinkle a layer of semolina (this is not essential it just adds a nice crust to the bread)

then gently tip the dough on it, this dough does not require knocking out as you want to retain as much air as possible, gently shape it into a flat oval

place on a lined baking tray and use a pizza cutter or sharp knife and cut lines in it to resembles a leaf, then gently stretch the dough to exaggerate the holes.

place the tray inside a plastic bag, (making sure its not touching the dough) for 20 minutes while you preheat the oven to 220c

spray olive oil or drizzle it over the bread lightly and sprinkle on the oregano then bake for 15-20 minutes or until the fougasse sounds hollow when tapped on the base, cool on a wire rack and eat within a few hours.

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

sunday show off linky party

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 14:09:00 +0000

hey everyone i hope your weekend has been great so far, the weathers really nice here in England today so its lovely,

I'm so glad you have came to link up,

here's my features from last weeks party

heather from setting for four shared her mantel makeover

Christine from the diy dreamer shared this diy jewellery tutorial

Cathy from lemon tree dwelling shared this lemon bar muddy buddies recipe

i cant wait to see what you have to share this week

chocolate eclairs with salted caramel peanuts

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:00:00 +0000

last time i tried to make choux pastry using the laduree recipe i really struggled, i found it so hard to stir, but this recipe was so easy to do, and they tasted amazing, i made some salted caramel peanuts to sprinkle on top, (directions below) which would also make a nice fathers day gift given it a little bag.

recipe

150ml water

50g butter

65g plain flour

2 eggs beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

filling

heavy cream

4 tbsp confectioners sugar

topping

125g butter

100g plain chocolate

2/ 3 table spoons milk

large bag of peanuts

coarse salt

2 sticks butter (1 cup) unsalted

2 cups brown sugar

½c honey

1 tbsp vanilla extract

½ tsp baking soda

for the choux pastry

in a pan heat the water and butter until it boils on a low heat.

remove the pan and add the flour and stir, place back on the head and continue stirring until the mixtures comes away clean from the sides of the pan, and forms a smooth ball. then leave it to cool for 10 minutes.

whisk the eggs lightly in a separate bowl with the vanilla and add it slowly combining completely until the choux is thick and smooth.

line a baking tray with parchment paper and preheat the oven at 200c (400f)

transfer the mixture into a piping bag and pipe lines about 4 inches long on the tray.

bake for 15 minutes, then turn of the oven, make a small slit in each one to let the air escape and return to the oven for 5 minutes, then leave to cool.

whip the cream and confectioners sugar until peaks form, add it a piping bag, slice each eclair down one side, and pipe in the cream.

for the topping boil some water and then place an empty bowl inside and add the chocolate, butter and milk and mix until it melts, then spoon it over the top.

then a chopped up some salted caramel peanuts and sprinkled them on top.

to make them

Preheat oven to 250 deg. F. line out two large cookie sheets and place half the peanuts in a large bowl. Heat butter, honey and brown sugar over medium heat stirring until melted, raise heat and let boil for 4 minutes. Removed from heat and immediately add the vanilla, baking soda and salt. The mixture will bubble up rapidly so stir quickly.

Pour half the mixture over half the peanuts in the bowl, stirring well to coat, add the other half of the peanuts in the bowl and pour the remaining caramel sauce over the peanuts stirring again. Spread the peanut mixture evenly in the two pans. place pans in oven and bake for one hour. Every 15 minutes exactly stir well to help get all the peanuts coated. Remove after an hour and stir again, as it cools the peanuts will stick together so continue to stir and break up the larger pieces in to smaller ones. sprinkle on the coarse salt.

the peanuts will keep well if kept in a air tight container for 2 weeks and are a tasty snack on their own.

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

Homemade mustache Oreos for fathers day

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 23:29:00 +0000

i got the mustache stamp/cutters from ebay for £7.99 they are by Fred, i saw them on pinterest and then went hunting for them on ebay.

i thought they would be prefect to use for fathers day cookies, i know its not for two weeks but i decided to do a test run with them now for myself.

i decided to make home made oreos with them

to make your own you will need

2 cups plain flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder

1 egg

1 tbsp vanilla extract

first cream the butter and sugar until pale then add the egg and vanilla and mix until its light and fluffy, then sift in the flour and coca powder and mix together until it forms a dough, keep kneading until its all combined, (the dough was dark, but it wasn't black like an oreo so i used a little black colouring just to make sure).

because i was using stamps and cutters and wanted them to be sandwiched together they needed to stay the same size, and as this dough is really wet and delicate i rolled it out to some floured parchment paper and used the cutters on it while it was on the paper and removed the excess dough, then i put the paper straight on to the cookie sheet so i didn't have to move them around .

preheat the oven at 180c.

place them in the freezer for 5 minutes, while the oven is heating up, this helps them hold their shape,

then bake for 8 minutes, and then transfer to a wire rack,

for the filling you will need

1 tsp. plus a heaping 1/4 tsp. unflavoured gelatin
2 TBSP. cold water
1/2 c. shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
2 and 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Combine the gelatin and water in a cup. then put the cup into a larger bowl of hot water and leave it until the gelatin has dissolved and is transparent.

Remove the cup from the hot water and let the liquid cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes.
in a mixing bowl, mix the shortening until its fluffy, then add the vanilla and gradually add the icing sugar until it comes together then add the gelatin and use immediately by putting some in the cookie and sandwiching another on top.
(i have also made the filling with no gelatin and just butter and powdered sugar and it worked fine, if you add enough powdered sugar so that you can shape it like fondant)

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

room for improvement campaign, transform a room for under £50 challenge

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 15:19:00 +0000

I was recently asked by moneysupermarket.com, to take part in their room for improvement campaign, where they asked uk craft bloggers to transform a room with £50.

i was really excited to take part, every one i told said it would be impossible to transform a room with such a small budget.

here's where the money was spent.

i decided to update the bedroom as its been a bit neglected

so first i decided to wallpaper a feature wall i used faux brick wallpaper from decor8uk.com which cost £20

then i had to paint the walls as they were looking tired, i chose graham and brown isle of white which was £15. its my favourite paint to use as its really thick and has a nice Matt finish

we stripped the walls and removed everything from the room.

then i papered the walls, and my partner painted.

i got the clock on the left for £14.99 from tkmax i wanted the room to have a slight industrial feel.

the mirrors i already had i just painted them white with the left over paint.

the mannequin i made for free click here for the tutorial

and i made the pillows a while ago to

click here for the beach one

click here for the grey one

it feels so much lighter and clutter free now i love it, the wallpaper was so easy to hang as its textured so i didn't have to worry about smoothing the bubbles out.

so it goes to show with a Small budget of £50 you can change a room

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

chocolate cheesecake popsicles

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:44:00 +0000

now that the weathers getting warmer its nice to cool down with an ice cream, so i decided to make a cheesecake Popsicle.

recipe

1/2 cup of cream cheese

1 cup of double (heavy) cream

1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

4 tbsp nutella

4 tbsp milk

crushed biscuits (cookies)

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp sugar

in a mixing bowl whisk the cream until it forms soft peaks then mix in the cream cheese and cocoa powder and confectioners sugar until it reaches stiff peaks.

in a separate bowl mix the nutella with some milk so its runny and drizzle it into the Popsicle mould, then push in the cheese cake mixture in until the mould is almost full then in a clean bowl crush the biscuits in to crumbs and mix with a little melted butter and sugar and nutella until its combined and push it in to the top of the mould and add the lolly stick in. then put them in the freezer for at least four hours.

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

asian coconut twist rolls

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 20:58:00 +0000

i had never made Japanese sweet dough before so this was a first for me, i saw the recipe on pinterest and thought coconut rolls sounded amazing so i gave it a go,

before you do any thing you need to make the water roux,

this consist of cooking flour and water until it reaches 65.c and forms a paste

to do this you will need

25g bread flour (i used strong white flour)

125ml water

in a pan mix them together over a low heat stirring continuously until the temperature reaches 65c, then pour into a bowl, it can be used once cooled or kept covered in the fridge for 12 hours, i made the roux just before i went to bed and left it in the fridge over night.

to make the dough you will need

375g bread flour

100g plain flour

35g milk powder

75g caster sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 sachet (7g or 2 1/2 tsp) instant dry yeast

1 egg, lightly beaten

150ml (approx.) lukewarm water, adjust as necessary

40g butter, cubed

in a bowl add the flour, milk powder, caster sugar, salt and yeast and mix together well then make a well in the centre and add the lightly beaten egg and the water roux and mix, gradually add enough luke warm water to form a sticky dough. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. During hand kneading, the dough also needs to be thrown onto the working surface once every few minutes between kneading to improve the dough structure. (throw it few times every few minutes)

next Knead in butter until incorporated, the dough should now be elastic like when pulled.

Form the dough into a round ball, and place it in a large greased bowl, cover with cling film, and let it rise until it doubles in size

once ready punch down the dough and divide it into several equal balls, about 5,

roll out the ball into a large oval shape and make about 4 or 5 slices in the middle like the photo below

mix an egg in a bowl, and either dip the dough in or brush it on and then add the coconut mixture, which is basically just coconut and sugar mixed together,

take each each of the dough and twist it so it forms a spiral the roll it in to a circle and tie it into a loose knot.

place on baking tray and leave to sit for 20 minutes, in this time preheat the oven to 230c

bake for 8 minutes.

(i left mine in for longer about 10.15 minutes as it didn't seem cooked enough on the inside)

for more information about why a water roux is used and about Japanese sweet dough go here

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

sunday show off linky party

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 22:36:00 +0000

Hi everyone i hope you are enjoying your weekend,

I think I'm ready for my bed, we have spent the day decorating the bedroom and then we went over to my mums for dinner and we have only just got back home so the party is a little later than usual,

here's my favourite's from last week

vintage numbered crate from orchard girls

olive oil and lemon chiffon cake from curiositaellya

pottery bar knock off clock from decorate me diana

i cant wait to see what you share this week

weaved fabric coasters tuorial

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Thu, 30 May 2013 11:05:00 +0000

i dip dyed this bed sheet with pink and red dye last year to use a table runners for my grandmas ruby wedding anniversary and i came across it again today so i decided to make some use out of it.

i cut three long thing strips from the fabric and tied them together in a knot at one end.

i put the end under the leg of my coffee table to hold on to it.

then i plaited it, as the strips were so long i rolled the ends up in to handful sizes so it didn't get tangled as i was plaiting

next i folded it in to a square and glued each strip together on to some cork board

sew chatty

etcetorize

everything under the moon

making the world cuter

alderberry hill inspired by felicity vintage mauve cowgirl up party serendipity and spice home maker on a dime

knick of time

kammys korner

tipjunkie

at home with k

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

teagans travels uncommon debbie does creations real housewifes of riverton adventures of a diy mum vintage wanna bee the kurts corner the winthrop chronicles pinkopotamus a diamond in the stuff embracing change our thrifty ideas crafty confessions naptime delights

someday crafts

trendy tree house

primp

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely the gilded hare restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm boerman ramblings

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels the artsy girl connection spruce your nest beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

creation corner bacon time with the hungry monster little becky homecky marriage from scratch kitchen fun with my 3 sons

petites passions

liz marie blog blissful bucket list

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane nutmeg place rustic crafts &chic decor polkadot pretties too much time on my hands

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

sisters of the wild west

diy show off

homemade soft pretzels

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Wed, 29 May 2013 12:29:00 +0000

i have been wanting to make homemade pretzels for a while now, believe it or not i have never actually tried one before, i don't think they are popular in England.

to make them you will need

1 cup of warm water

1 pack of active dried yeast

1 tsp sugar

3 tbs olive oil

3 1/4 cups of strong white flour

1 tsp salt

for the soda bath

6 cups water

1/3 cup baking soda

saucepan

baking sheet

stand mixer

parchement paper

spatular

you can use a stand mixer or do it by hand, i used my kitchen aid mixer as i wanted to try it with dough as i haven't used it for that yet,

first add the water, sugar and yeast together and leave for 10 minutes until it becomes frothy.

(if using mixer then put this in the bowl ready to add the other ingredients to it)

once frothy add the oil, flour and salt and mix, knead for 10 minutes, (or using the dough hook mix for 10 minutes at a medium to low speed)

this recipe was from William Sonoma but i found the dough a bit hard to work with so i added another 1.4 of flour.

one it forms good workable dough put it in a lightly greased bowl and cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for an hour so it doubles in size.

line two baking trays with parchment paper and lightly grease them and put them to one side.

once dough it ready tip it out on to a floured surface and knock down the dough, cut it in to several pieces and then roll each one out into a long rope and arrange in a pretzel shape. the large one was difficult to move to the pan with out loosing its shape so i stuck to making smaller ones,

i didn't take photos of this part so here's the photos from William sonoma

preheat oven at 230c

then i a saucepan heat the water with the baking soda, bring to the boil and gently drop in each pretzel, (i did it one at a time) just for under a minute and remove and place back on tray and sprinkle with your decided topping, i used rock salt, but you could use poppy seeds, sesame seeds ect.

then bake for 10 minutes until golden, i kept mine in for longer about 15 - 18 mins you will have to judge them after the initial 10 minutes to see if they are brown enough.

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

chocolate shortbread recipe

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Tue, 28 May 2013 17:33:00 +0000

this shortbread tastes so good, that's why some of it was missing before i got to take a picture lol.

my partner couldn't resist.

its a normal Scottish shortbread recipe with added cocoa powder. its really easy to make.

recipe

175g plain flour

50g corn flour

50g caster sugar

115g unsalted butter

50g cocoa powder

vanilla extract

preheat the oven at 160c

line baking tray with parchment paper,

sift flour, cornflour and sugar and cocoa into a mixing bowl, rub the butter in until it binds together and knead into a soft dough.

then form into a circle and then flatten (on the parchment paper)

prick holes in to the dough and score lines so it can be broken in to slices once cooked. sprinkle with sugar

then cook for 35 minutes.

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

vanilla poached pear tarts

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Sun, 26 May 2013 21:39:00 +0000

recipe

for the sweet shortcrust pastry

115 g cold unsalted butter cubed

225g plain flour

pinch of salt

2 tbsp caster sugar

2 tbsp ground almonds

1 egg lightly beaten

for the vanilla poached pears

6 pears,

1/3 cup of brown sugar

vanilla pod,

half cup of water

half tsp cinnamon

i found these red pears at the farmers market, i have only ever seen green pears before so i had to buy them to see what they were like,

to make the pastry

Place the butter, flour, salt, sugar and almonds in a food processor. Blitz until you have a fine breadcrumb texture but do not overwork. Add the egg and half an eggshell full of cold water and mix well, using the pulse button until the pastry forms a ball. Again, do not overwork.

Turn the pastry out of the processor and knead gently, just to bring it together. If you have doubled the mixture, divide the pastry in two. Flatten each piece of dough slightly (this makes it easier to roll when chilled) and wrap in clingfilm, then chill in the fridge for at least 20 minutes - an hour or two would be better.

Grease your tart tin. Lightly flour the work surface. Roll the pastry then cut in big enough and put it in the tart tin, taking care not to stretch it too much. then cut off the excess pastry and put in in the fridge.

i used a silicone baking mould from wholeport.com rather than a tart tin as i wanted them to be small,

like this one

peel the skin of the pears, using a vegetable peeler

to poach the pears, put the water sugar and cinnamon in a heavy pan and then use a knife to slit down the edge of the vanilla pod and put it in the pan, cook over a medium heat until sugar starts to dissolve and add the pears, you can put them in hole of cut them in half, leave them in the pan to simmer, turning them to over them in the sugar for about 7 minutes, them remove from the pan, and leave to soak in mixture while you preheat the oven.

Preheat the oven to 200 C, 400 F, gas 6.
and place some baking beans in the tart cases and place in the oven for 5 minutes, them remove them and turn the oven down to 170c, and put the pear in to the tart case, and add a little of the sugar syrup. if you want to make a lid the cut a circle out of the pastry and then cut a smaller circle out of the middle, like a doughnut and slide it over the top of the pear and pinch it to the tart case. then with the left over pastry i made a leaf, to do this i just cut a leaf shape and used a knife to score lines on it and stuck it on to the stalk of the pear.

then place in the oven and cook for a further 10 minutes.

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

sunday show off linky party

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Sat, 25 May 2013 17:03:00 +0000

hi everyone i hope you are enjoying memorial weekend, or here in England its spring bank holiday.

i don't have anything planned,

i went to my older brothers leaving party last night as hes going to Australia for a year next Sunday,

even though hes a shop fitter and works away from home on a regular basis

I'm really going to miss him, i want to hang on to his leg and stop him from going lol.

but he deserves this adventure hes worked really hard for it.

any way lets get on to the party

here are the features

Elisha from pneumatic addict linked up this desk

Christine from diy dreamer shared lots of strawberry inspiration

lemon tree dwelling shared these birthday cake Oreo Blondie's

kim from made in a day shared this rope mirror

home made plaster clay sea urchin

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:22:00 +0000

you will need
plaster of paris
tissue paper
water
tooth pick
balloon
paint in cream brown blue orange

blow up the balloon slightly it doesn't need to be to big, then in a old jug or bowl, mix plaster of paris, torn up tissue paper and water and stir it into a wet clay like consistency.

then let it sit for just a minute and take some out of the jug and squeeze out some of the excess water and it will be ply able like clay, form it round the balloon, it may be easier to layer the mixture on to some cling film and then wrap it around the balloon and then mould it and remove the cling film, it dries quite fast so keep smoothing it and once it is covered set it down until it starts to harden then take a tooth pick and make lines from the centre down to the bottom

pop the balloon, and then you have the sea urchin shape, then paint it, first paint a layer of cream paint, then whist its still wet use a finer paint brush and use brown, orange and blue and paint on lines, blending it in, then paint on some dots in brown.

sew chatty

etcetorize

everything under the moon

making the world cuter

alderberry hill inspired by felicity vintage mauve cowgirl up party serendipity and spice home maker on a dime

knick of time

kammys korner

tipjunkie

at home with k

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely the gilded hare restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm boerman ramblings

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels the artsy girl connection spruce your nest beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

creation corner bacon time with the hungry monster little becky homecky marriage from scratch kitchen fun with my 3 sons

petites passions

liz marie blog blissful bucket list

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane nutmeg place rustic crafts &chic decor polkadot pretties too much time on my hands

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

sisters of the wild west

diy show off

laduree macaron recipe

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:56:00 +0000

i bought the laduree sucre cook book a few months ago and have only used it once so i thought i better get it out and try some recipes, here is the macaron recipe they use in it.

recipe for the macaron shells

2 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp (275g) ground almonds

2 cups + 1 tbsp (250g) confectioners sugar

6 egg whites + half and egg white

1 cup + 1 tbsp (210g) granulated sugar

1. combine the ground almonds and confectioners sugar in a food processor and pulse to obtain a fine powder. then strain through a sieve to remove any lumps.

2. in a clean dry bowl, whisk 6 egg whites to a foam. once they are frothy, add a third of the granulated sugar and whip until sugar is dissolved then add another third of the granulated sugar and whip for another minute, finally add the remaining granulated sugar and whip for 1 more minute.

using a rubber spatula, delicately fold in the sifted mixture of ground almonds and confectioners sugar into the whipped egg whites. in a separate bowl whip the remaining egg white until just frothy, then add to the mixture folding it in gently to loosen the batter.

(my tip, add the almond/confectioners sugar a quarter at a time)

3. transfer mixture to a piping bag fitted with a plain tip. on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, pipe small macaron rounds 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 in diameter. lightly tap the sheet so the macarons spread fully.

( my tip, leave a gap between each one so they don't spread together)

preheat oven to 300f/ 150c or gas mark 2 allow the macarons to sit uncovered for 10 minutes and then place them in the oven,bake for approximately 15 minutes until they form a slight crust.

4. remove from oven and with a small glass carefully pour a tiny amount of water in between the baking sheet and the parchment paper (lift the paper ever so slightly corner by corner).

the moisture and steam that result from the water on the hot baking sheet will allow the macarons to peel of easily once they are cool.

do not pour too much water or the macarons could become soggy.

allow them to cool completely.

fillings

there are lots of different fillings you could use for macarons.

to make the almond ones from the laduree book you will need

150g butter

320g almond paste

120g unsweetened almond pulp (or heavy cream)

80ml whipping cream

directions

1. cut the butter into small pieces. put in a heat proof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water and soften until creamy, without allowing it to melt.

in a large bowl, thin the almond paste by mixing it with the almond pulp, add the chilled cream and softened butter and beat on high speed with an electric whisk.

spoon the cream into a piping bag fitted with a plain tip and pipe on to one of the shells and sandwich another on top.

keep macarons in an airtight container in the fridge for 12 hours before tasting. this is because during this time a reaction takes place among the ingredience further enhancing the flavour and texture.

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

rosewater and pistachio biscotti

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Mon, 20 May 2013 20:23:00 +0000

i love biscotti, this recipe is really easy.

using rose water rather than rose extract gives it a subtle rose taste rather than being too over powering.

recipe

110g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

50g cold butter cubed

75g soft brown sugar

50g pistachios chopped

2 teaspoons rosewater

1 egg white

preheat oven at 160c (325f)

sieve flour and baking powder in to a bowl and add sugar, then rub in the butter until it resembles bread crumbs,

add the pistachios, and egg white and rose water and mix and knead to form a dough, then roll it out in to a sausage shape and place it on to a baking tray lined with parchment paper and flatten to top slightly,

then bake for 30 minutes.

remove from the oven and let cool slightly then slice into thin pieces diagonally and place back on the baking tray and bake for a further 15 minutes, turning over half way through.

making the world cuter

alderberry hill serendipity and spice home maker on a dime mod vintage life i should be mopping the floor flour me with love

knick of time

tipjunkie

creative itch

my uncommon slice of suburbia

free pretty things for you

sew much ado diy dreamer jaqs studio crafty scrappy happy raegun ramblings southern lovely restore interiors savvy southern style faded charm adorned from above green willow pond

the ny melrose family i gotta create 52 mantels embracing change the artsy girl connection beyond the picket fence

the shabby creek cottage house of hepworths

momnivores dilemma creative juice

from my front porch to yours

36th avenue

the vintage farm house lovenotes by lauren the treasurista live laugh rowe delightful order redfly creations manditory mooch

my romantic home

not so functional housewife

blissful and domestic

the shabby nest

finding fabulous

bacon time with the hungry monster liz marie blog

live laugh love craft

a little knick knack

a shabby art boutique jennifer rizzo french country cottage

inspiration gallery cottage market the answer is chocolate

serenity you family ever after

be different act normal

funky junk interiors

tatertots and jello

i cant stop crafting jolly jane polkadot pretties too much time on my hands its overflowing create and inspire

cherished treasures sunday best my 1929 charmer

nifty thrifty things

flamingo toes

petite hermine

under the table dreaming i heart nap time

silver pennies suburbs mama

caramel apple cinnamon muffins

noreply@blogger.com (aimee) — Sun, 19 May 2013 21:20:00 +0000

i know caramel apples tend to be a fall / Autumn treat but what with all the apple trees blossoming at the moment i had a craving to make some caramelised apple muffins.

i didn't have a recipe to go by so i put this one together, and it was so moist and delicious.

to make them your self

you will need

150g butter

120g brown sugar

4 tbsp sour cream or 2 tbsp milk if you don't have sour cream

2 eggs

60g ground almonds

150g plain flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

3 apples

1/3 cup water

cup brown 3/4 cup brown sugar

tbsp honey or syrup

teaspoon cinnamon

first i peeled and cored the apples and cut them up into small pieces, then in a pan i added the water and sugar and let it simmer over a medium heat, then i added the apples, honey and cinnamon and stirred it and turned it down to low and left it for 5 minutes.

preheat the oven at 160.c

poor the apples and syrup into a bowl to further infuse them until needed,

then in a mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar together until pale and creamy, then in a separate bowl beat the eggs and sour cream together and then add to the other mixture and whisk to combine the add some of the syrup from the apples into the mixture (1/4 cup), and then poor the apples through a sieve to remove the rest of the liquid and add the apples into the batter and mix, next sieve in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda and gently whisk it together. then add the cake batter into muffin cases,

i used a silicone muffin mould instead from wholeport.com i like it because its a bit bigger than the normal sized silicone ones i have seen.

place them in the oven for 25 minutes and then take them out and check them, if not done then put them back it until at a knife inserted into them comes out clean. possibly 5 minutes more, then place on a cooling rack and enjoy.