Nothing gets me going like a good recipe and a new dish to bake. The planning, the excitement when the dish looks like its working out, the joy of seeing my family and friends gobble it up and eagerly looking forward to what I can bake next, everything about baking makes me happy (the messy kitchen counter top aside :p) Here's a peek into my kitchen, my cooking, my wonderland.


Monday 23 January 2012

Peppermint Chocolate Thins

Chocolate anyone?
I love After Eights, so much so that when it came to naming a column on party events in the city that took place at night at the news paper I worked for, I cheekily named it After Eight. So naturally, it comes as no surprise that when I saw a recipe for chocolate thins on Vanilla Clouds, I immediately tweaked it to make it pepperminty. Do check her blog out, it's got some pretty good ideas. 


If you are a chocolate lover (I know you are :p), this one is something that you will love making and eating. Before you think, no way hose, I'd rather eat them than slave in the kitchen making them, let me tell you that it's a no fuss, no bake recipe and you can make these chocolate discs in minutes. After that, you just need to let them set before you dig into them. They make great gifts too, especially if you are visiting someone for dinner and don't want to carry a dessert per se but do want to show your appreciation for the invitation. In fact, this recipe is so simple, I am gonna do away with my usual recipe format and just ease you into it :)


Chocoholics treat
For the chocolate thins, you simple have to:

  • Melt some dark chocolate and a teaspoon of butter over a double boiler or in a bowl sitting on another bowl of simmering water.
  • Add in your flavouring, I used peppermint essence.
  • Spoon out the melted chocolate on a piece of baking/butter paper, flattening it into a disc with the back of your soon.
  • Add your choice of sprinkles/edible glitter.
  • Leave on the counter top for about 20 minutes or until set and gobble away.



Thursday 12 January 2012

Edible Ladybirds

Smile for the ladybird please
An old pal was shifting to Bangalore and 2012 was upon us with the blink of an eye, so I didn't need any more reasons to make something special. I had bookmarked this for a long time and finally decided to make them and it was well worth the wait. These cuties will make any heart melt and many wouldn't wanna eat them, just keep them around and stare at them (fly did this, I kid you not :p)
So, without further ado, here are my fondant ladybird cupcakes. You can use any ol' cupcake for this decoration and I must thank Diary of a Ladybird for a detailed description of how to make them. Do check it out if you plan on making them. I added my own two bits to them, so can you, but her pic by pic descriptions leave no room for errors. I hope you enjoy making them and eating them as much as I did. On that note, a Biig welcome to Candy, my 'lumper' :D and a Haappy New Year to all my readers (I'm 12 days late, but better late than never right :p) 
The one in the centre was my whimsical geometric art cuz I had some fondant remaining