Hey guys!!

I know its been WAAAY too long! I hope to get back to my blog as soon as possible talk later

Olympia xoxo

Mini Choc Chip Muffins!

These muffins were a treat, they are delicious but easy to make and to have especially when you have small kids around or when your just plain hungry!

As many of you may already know that my Mother Sarah and I are selling our house. so just as a special treat I have made mini muffins to have while people are looking at the house on the open inspection days. these muffins are great because if you don't want them to be small you can still do them regular size and can get about 15 muffins but if you do them miniature size you get about 32 or 34.

While shopping for ingredients i came across these adorable little patty pans, now i thought they were just your average patty pans but boy was i wrong! they are re usable, they come in a pack of 12 and were made the brand bend'n'bake. They are the people who made cupcake trays bendable and they have thought of reusable patty pans. Thank you bend'n'bake!!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of plain flour
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• 50 grams of cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 2/3 of a cup of caster sugar
• 200 grams of milk chocolate chips
• 2 eggs
• 250 ml milk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Method:

1: preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius

2: line 24 mini muffin cases

3: mix the flour and baking powder together in a large bowl. rub in the butter until the mixture is like bread crumbs.

4: stir in the sugar then chocolate chips, in a separate bowl whisk the eggs, vanilla and milk together.

5: pour the wet mixture on to the dry mixture and stir till combined

6: spoon the batter in the mini muffin cases and bake for 15 minutes

7: cool in tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool or serve straight away

if you wish to use  the original recipe go to the link below:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/640645/chocolate-chip-muffins

 I hope you enjoy these muffins as much as my family and i do!

chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter icing

dear readers,

last night i made choc cupcakes with peanut butter icing. these cupcakes are absolutely delicious. fir those of you that follow my mother Sarah Foster you may have already seen this on her FaceBook page. this is a Ina Garten recipe. also known as the Barefoot Contessa. the recipe was from her book Barefoot Contessa at home.

the cupcakes

1 and a half sticks of butter softened
2/3 cup white sugar
2/3 brown sugar packed
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk shaken
1/2 cup sour cream
1 3/4 cup plain flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp kosher salt

preheat the oven to 180 degrees. line cupcakes pans with patty pans

in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and the 2 sugars on high for 5 minutes. lower the speed to medium then add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. in a separate bowl whisk together the buttermilk and sour cream. in another bowl sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. on low speed add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with flour mixture. mix only until blended. fold the butter with a rubber spatula to be sure its completely blended. divide the batter among the cupcake pans (one rounded ice cream scoop is the perfect amount). bake in the middle of your oven for 25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. cool for 10 minutes in the pans then transfer to a wire rack. cool completely before frosting.

for the frosting

 1 cup icing sugar
1 cup smooth peanut butter
5 tbs butter softened
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 kosher salt
1/3 double cream

place the icing sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. mix on medium speed until creamy, scraping the bowl down with a rubber spatula as you work. add the cream and and beat on high speed until the mixture is smooth. frost cupcakes.

MAKES ABOUT 12 CUPCAKES

rocky road with a tiwst

dear readers,

a few weeks ago i made puffed rice rocky road. its very easy but it take a while to set. if any of you remember my raspberry tart post in the comments you'll find the link to get the recipe.  it is Billy from masterchef's recipe.

enjoy

Soy sauce and brown sugar chicken

Dear readers,

Tonight I made brown sugar and soy sauce. I came about making this recipe when I was looking for honey for homey soy chicken but we were out so I used brown sugar instead.

1: whisk half a cup of soy sauce and two thirds of a cup of brown sugar till sugar dissolves.

2: coat the chicken in the sauce and leave for ten minutes.

3: heat a non stick pan then place chicken in pan and pour remaining sauce over chicken.

4: cook till sauce in pan and over chicken becomes vwry sticky or until cooked inside.

5: enjoy best with potatoes and veggies.

Raspberry Tart

dear readers,

today I made a raspberry tart. a recipe I learnt from masterchef, of course! i am able to put the recipe up because i changed it just a little bit.

INGREDIENTS:
Pastry:
2 and a half cup plain flour.
half a cup icing sugar
125 grams softened, unsalted butter.
2 eggs.

Cream:
450 ml thickened cream
11 and half teaspoon vanilla bean
2 punnet raspberries

METHOD:

1: combine flour and icing sugar in food processor, process till combined. add butter and process to a fine crumb. add eggs one at a time till the pastry comes together.

2: knead lightly on a floured surface until base is smooth, pat the top to flatten slightly then wrap in baking paper and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

3: preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius or 180 degrees Celsius fan forced.

4: roll out dough on lightly floured surface, use pastry to line tart tin. dock the base with a fork. place baking paper on top of the pastry then fill to the top with rice.

5: bake for 15 minutes.

6: while the pastry is baking whip the cream until thick then add icing sugar and vanilla whip for 30 seconds to a minute.

7: you must wait for the pastry to cool first after taking it out of the oven. spread cream on cooled pastry case. scatter raspberries over cream and dust with icing sugar.

8: EAT!

im very sorry but the my laptop does not want to co-operate  with the video player so unfortunately i will not be able to get the video up.

Mint meringues 5th of July 2011

dear readers,

today I made Mint Meringues. it was a recipe i came across while reading a cookie bible. who knew meringues where cookies?! I am allowed to put the recipe up seeing as a altered it and made it mine. if you follow my mother Sarah Foster on Facebook you may have seen photos of me with the meringues already on there if not I will provide them tommorow because they do not want to work right now. also tommorow I will have another go at the raspberry tart I tried to make in April.

Ingredients:
4 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
2/3 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon peppermint essence

makes about 18 depending on how big you do the dollops of meringue.

Method:
1: preheat oven to 93 degrees Celsius or 200 degress Fahrenheit
2: whip egg white and cream off tartar till soft peaks form
3: add sugar a little at a time till firm peaks form. taking about 2 minutes in all.
4: add peppermint and fold in.
5: spoon mixture onto lined baking trays, make sure to spread the mixture out seeing as it will puff up.
6: cook for 1 and a half hours.
7: take a test meringue, if feels slightly sticky then it is cooked properly.

NOTE: at half way switch baking trays  and every 15 minutes turn the pans around to ensure even baking and no burnt bits.

hello readers,
right now i am in school supposed to be doing mathletics. if anyone saw my last post please comment i would love some responses. thank you little chef