Thursday, January 30, 2014

Red Velvet Cupcakes In A Jar


Image by Jamie Lothridge | My Baking Addiction

Valentine's Day is around the corner and we've been cooking up a storm to bring you a selection of light, fresh and easy recipe ideas (watch this space ;). I stumbled upon this recipe form My Baking Addiction and just loved the look of it! Below is the recipe as it appears on her blog, visit www.mybakingaddiction.com for more inspirational baking ideas and drool-worthy images.

Red Velvet Cupcakes In A Jar

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cupcakes
1 cup cake flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons red food coloring
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon white vinegar
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 pound confectioners’ sugar (about 3 ¾ cups), sifted
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract*

DIRECTIONS:

For the Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 cupcake wells with paper liners or spray pan with spray with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Sift together cake flour, cocoa powder, and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine oil and sugar until well-blended. Add egg and mix until combined.

4. Turn your mixer down to the lowest speed and add vanilla, then slowly add in the food coloring. Note: If you are using liquid food coloring, it will take about 2 tablespoons of coloring to get a dark red shade. I used about 1 tablespoon of gel dye to achieve the shade in the photographs. Add the dye slowly and color according to your preference.

5. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk in two batches; scrape down the side of the bowl. Continue mixing until just combined, taking care not to over mix.

6. Place baking soda in a small dish, stir in vinegar and add to batter with the machine running. Beat for about 10 seconds.

7. Using a medium scoop (about 3 tablespoons), divide batter between the 12 wells, filling each well about 2/3 full of batter. Bake for 20-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Be careful not to over bake.


For the Cream Cheese Frosting

1. In a the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together cream cheese and butter until well combined.

2. With the mixer on low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar until thoroughly incorporated and smooth. Add vanilla and mix to combine.


To Assemble in Jars

1. Slice cupcakes horizontally to create layers. Each cupcake will yield 2-3 layers depending on how thick you want your layers to be.

2. Place one cupcake layer into the bottom of your jar, pipe a layer of cream cheese frosting directly onto the cake layer. Repeat the layering process until you reach the top of your jar. If desired, garnish with festive sprinkles or red velvet cake crumbs.



Monday, January 27, 2014

Soft Boiled Egg with Sundried Tomato Soldiers & Bacon Crisps

With Valentine’s around the corner we’re getting all romantic and thinking about ways to spoil our loved ones (with food of course J). Try this delicious 5 ingredient breakfast as a treat for someone special.

Soft Boiled Egg with Sundried Tomato Soldiers & Bacon Crisps
Serves 2
               
You will need
2 slices bread (we used rye)
Sundried tomatoes
Parmesan, grated
6 – 8 rashers streaky bacon
2 large white eggs

How to make it
Slice the bread into fingers.
Smear each finger with some sundried tomatoes and top with Parmesan.
Place the bread soldiers and bacon rashers under a hot grill until the bacon is super crispy and the Parmesan is golden. (The bacon may take longer than the soldiers, so consider grilling it a few minutes before adding the bread.)
Meanwhile, cover the eggs with cold water and bring to the boil. Boil for 2 – 3 minutes for soft centers.
Cut off the tops of the eggs and serve everything together immediately.

Friday, January 24, 2014

Valentine's Gifts from LekkerBek


Spoil your loved onefamilybossclient,
staff members or co-workers with a
delicious treat this Valentine’s Day

Click here for our gift selection.

Monday, January 20, 2014

The best gift ever? Champagne that was made the year you were born of course!

I thought it would be appropriate to open the blog this year with a post about Champagne – the ultimate celebration drink. It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of bubbly, and although I think South African MCC is fantastic, there is something special about the delicate fizz and golden hue of real French Champagne.

A bottle of Veuve from 1982!!

Last year my brother gave me one of the most amazing foodie gifts ever – a bottle of 1982 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, my birth year. It’s beautiful, scuffed and too precious to drink, but as an ode I’ve decided to dedicate an entire blog post to it. A few years ago the husband and I (still fiancés at that stage) road tripped through the Champagne region in France, and one of the houses we visited was that of Madame Veuve Clicquot. I fell in love with everything about the brand and the bubbly, and it has become my official celebratory drink of choice.

Here is to many more happy years of celebrating with fabulous bubbles in hand.

Happy 2014!

PS: Read some more about Veuve Clicquot's interesting history
and it's champagne making process on their official website, here.

Sipping my favourite at Veuve Clicquot in Reims, Champagne

Inside the cellars at Veuve Clicquot in Reims, Champagne

At the show room at Veuve Clicquot in Reims, Champagne

My best friend popping a bottle of Veuve on my wedding day :)