Frazzy Dazzles

i heart jam drops

Posted by Jenny on Jan 16 2010 | Cooking and baking

Not too long ago I had a hankering for some Jam Drops. It must have been only a mild hankering because I wasn’t driven to Google ‘jam drops’ and get a recipe.

However, with all things being as they are, within days of this hankering I popped by the blog of the lovely Jess and ta dah! She had the recipe waiting for me!

How kind of her don’t you think?

I highly recommend this recipe but wouldn’t make it if your resistance to jam drops is low.

You won’t stop at just one!

8 comments for now

so easy even i can make it

Posted by Jenny on Jan 13 2010 | Cooking and baking

Still on school holidays so there still isn’t too much stitching going on around these parts. There does continue to be a baking and cooking theme largely led by the children.

The other morning (after cross my heart promises of the night before) The Little Bush Princess and I set about making a chocolate cake. I should point out that I embarked eyes closed into this promise without knowing the contents or lack of contents of my cupboard.

Anyway, this is what we cooked up.

1 1/3 cups plain flour
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
125g butter, melted, cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Chocolate icing

1 1/3 cups pure icing sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
20g butter, at room temperature, chopped

Preheat oven to 180°C. Prepare 20cm round cake pan. Line base with baking paper.
Combine sifted flour, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa powder. Stir in sugar. Combine buttermilk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla. Make a well in centre of flour mixture. Pour in buttermilk mixture. Mix until well combined with a thick and creamy consistency.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes.
To make chocolate icing sift icing sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Add butter and 1 tablespoon of boiling water. You could substitute water for milk if you prefer. If you’re a bit dubious about the consistency a few seconds in the microwave can often improve the ’spreadability’ of the icing while not inhibiting it’s ability to set. Stir until smooth. Spread icing over cake. Allow icing to set. Slice and serve.

It’s lovely! Not too sweet.

1 comment for now

little bit of this little bit of that

Posted by Jenny on Jan 07 2010 | Children inspire me, Cooking and baking, Day to dayness

They say that there are two sure things in life.

Death and taxes.

Well I think that there are at least two other sure things in life.

One: If you lay down on the grass to look up at the clouds eventually everything in the yard will come and visit you at least once.

I demonstrate thus:

Ruby

Poppy Clover

The Little Bush Princess

Ruby….again!

Two: Home cooking will also draw a crowd….every time!

Just as it should!

Hope you’re enjoying your school holidays if you’re in Australia.

We’re having a lovely time!

8 comments for now

easy peasy puddings

Posted by Jenny on Dec 15 2009 | Cooking and baking

Oh how I would luuurve to take credit for these little beauties but they just weren’t my idea. Although I’m a bit hazy on where I saw them I think it was in Australian Homespun magazine but I KNOW that they were the idea of the very very talented Janelle Wind.

They are so easy. All you need is some of those lovely little Arnotts Royal biscuits, white chocolate melts, jaffas and mint leaf lollies.

You melt the chocolate and dob it on the top of the biscuit. Cut a mint leaf in half and while the chocolate is still warm place it on top as holly leaves and pop a jaffa in the middle and ta dah!

Even with The Little Bush Princess ‘helping’ me I was able to make enough of these to feed her entire pre school class in ten minutes flat!

That’s what I call saving time at Christmas time!

Give them a go!

Oh and there are two posts today because I have a feeling I’m going to be waay to busy to post tomorrow!

3 comments for now