Saturday 1 March 2014

V Day Specials

The annual day of love comes around and gives us all that tingly feeling of love, romance and Red Velvet Cuppies

 
 
 
As usual in an attempt to spread the love and because of all the requests from my loyal customers,  I baked Red Velvet Cupcakes, iced with Cream Cheese Icing
 
 
 
 
 
 


They were packaged in 4's and sent of in a cute red ribbon
 
 
These little treats brought happiness to many Valentine recipients and at the end of the day, that's what matters the most on this magical Day of Love  !!!
 
 
 
 
 
Happy Valentines Day
Always Remember to spread the Love
 
 
 



Hannah Jane's Peter Rabbit Party

Our beautiful Jannie turned 3 this year and she is as lovely as ever. Senora had bought her a pet rabbit named Betsy and  that started our little princess's love for these fury little bunnies.



This year mum decided to carry the bunny theme to the party planning and we decided on the charming tales of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter.



Jannie's cake was my very first attempt at a two tiered cake. I used a normal vanilla sponge which I coloured with green alternating with chocolate cake.
This was an attempt to get the green and brown to resemble grass and sand.

I used royal icing and decorated with sugar flowers and carrots.
Peter on the top of the cake was a cardboard printout and stuck on with a skewer stick




Mini cupcakes for the Birthday Girl and other treats
we all remember and love
 (especially those little cones)

 
Peter Party Packs

Bubbles !!!!!
Party entertainment, and Pren clearly wanting to jump  on
 
 

 
 

Happy Birthday my dear Jannie
I wish you many more fun birthday parties and wonderful memories

Lots of Love & Hugs
Your Cool Aunt Sam

 

Soji Ladoo

The festival of Kavady is one of the most auspicious occasions on the Tamil calendar  and is one of the festivals that has always been celebrated by my family.

From as long as I can remember we have been observing this occasion and my childhood memories are filled with the blistering Durban heat, cups and cups of sweetened milkshakes , sweet rice and of course, delicious breyani.




Every year I try go home to Durban to celebrate this time and like to take along some nice treat for our beloved Muruga.

For more information of this festival and its significance, I have found this this helpful link:
http://www.lenzshree.co.za/kavadysignificance.htm


Now the treat I made this year was Soji Laado, its incredibly easy and like most Indian Sweetmeats, doesn't need any oven time 

Ingredients
500g semolina
1.5 cups of coconut
1.5 cuos of castor sugar
250g butter or ghee
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp elachi (cardamom)
25ml of sesame seeds
125g chopped almonds
397ml condensed milk
Red Food Colouring (or any colour of your choice)

Method
- Melt butter or ghee in a thick base pot
- Add in the semolina and let brown then add in coconut
- Remove from the heat
- Add castor sugar, nutmeg, elechi, sesame seeds and mix together
- Mix together the condensed milk and almonds into the semolina mixture
- Add colouring as desired, depending on how dark or light you wish. A few drops do the trick
- The consistency of the mixture will be slightly sticky and is now ready to be rolled into small balls
   The balls should hold nicely and hardens almost immediately


Done ! Easy Peezy



By adding a little red you get a pretty pinkish tint, these
are how they turned out



Thanks to my mum for this easy recipe  !


I'm glad to report that everyone enjoyed these sweet little babies which were incredibly quick and easy to prepare.

Happy Baking and always remember, if its made with love, that love will always be tasted