Sponsor BMTB!

Baking Makes Things Better has become a daily read for hundreds of baking lovers.  We are super happy with our new look and are now keen to take on sponsors.  If you think your product, service, store, blog, or company would be a good fit for Baking Makes Things Better and our audience, we would like to hear from you.

We are offering advertising space on our right hand side bar and we have three different sized sponsorship packages available.  We can also offer a design service for a small fee if you would like help creating a beautiful advertisement.  Sponsor spots will run monthly and will be rotated to ensure maximum exposure.  There will only be a limited number of sponsorship spots available each month.

Baking Makes Things Better has been gaining an ever increasing following.  Each month our readership grows – we’ve already beaten our monthly page view high this month, and it is continuing to climb.  It’s very exciting!

For the next few months we are going to be offering discounted introductory prices.  Our packages are seriously good deals!  If you are interested in advertising with us, please send us an enquiry email to bmtbblog@gmail.com and we will send you out our sponsorship kit containing further information, or head on over to our Advertising page.

We’ve had a makeover!

Pictured above is our old look.  Courtenay and I were beginning to get quite the headache from all the pink and wanted something a little bit more subtle, yet still girly.  Simon’s awesome mum, Michelle (who blogs over at thejamjar), came on board and helped us out, revamping our blog for us.  What do you think?

Michelle hand painted our new blog title image (the cupcake) and the ribbon banner underneath – pretty freakin’ talented huh?  On our lovely new ribbon banner you still have all the usual options:

• Home will take you to the latest posts on the blog
• About us takes you to a page with some info about who we (Melissa and Courtenay) are
• Recipe index is a clickable list of all the goodies on the blog
• Weights and Measures is a list of helpful conversions you might need while baking
• Lunchbox Bakes explains all about our Lunchbox Bakes feature and lists the recipes we have made for it
• Advertising is a page with information about how you can advertise on BMTB.  It also has buttons for our page which you can pop on your blog to share how much love us (go on, take one – you know you want to!)

On the right hand sidebar you will now find our sweet new social media buttons which will take you to where you can find us on Vimeo, Twitter, Email, Facebook and Pinterest.  Cute!

So, welcome to our new look.  We hope you like it as much as we do.  Let us know know if something doesn’t quite seem right, just in case we are having teething problems.  Also, if you love our new look and just so happen to want some design work done for yourself, use that pretty new email button in the right hand side bar and drop us a line; Michelle may be able to help :)

Salted Caramel Choc Drop Cookies

These are the ultimate indulgent cookie!  I had been looking at recipes for salted caramel cookie bites and they looked delish so was going to whip some up for visitors, as well as these muffins (with pecans) because I was craving them.  Then I realised what the time was and as it was getting on in the evening I decided I was only going to have time/energy to make one thing, so I turned to my friend google and looked for a recipe (or two or three) that suited the ingredients I wanted to use.  In typical BMTB fashion I adapted a couple of recipes to make these fantastic cookies!  My only gripe is that I made the cookies a little too big which meant they looked a little ugly but hey, they tasted AMAZING!

Ingredients:
200 grams butter, melted
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 large eggs
2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup milk chocolate drops
¾ cup dark chocolate drops
¾ cups roughly chopped pecans
1 ¼ cup caramel chunks*, chopped into chunks and sprinkled with salt
Sea salt
* I didn’t find any plain caramels on my trip to the supermarket so I bought a bag of Jersey Caramels and cut the caramel off either side of the creamy centre and diced it into quarters.

Method:
Place your melted butter in a large bowl (or the bowl of your stand mixer), add both sugars and mix until combined.  Add the salt and vanilla, mix again.  Sift in flour, baking soda, baking powder and mix on a low speed to combine.  Add in chocolate, pecans and 1 cup of your caramel chunks, fold so that all the deliciousness is distributed evenly into your cookie dough.
Scoop out two tablespoons of dough at a time and combine (if you have an ice cream scoop I recommend using it as it will help keep all your cookies a uniform size).  Place on a lined baking tray, leaving at least 3cm between each ball.
Put in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to firm up and reduce spread when they go into the oven.
Preheat your oven to 180°C.
After your cookie dough balls have firmed up, remove from the oven and place 2-4 pieces of your remaining caramel chunks on the top of each cookie.
Place in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until golden all over.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.  While they are still hot and on the baking tray sprinkle each cookie with sea salt.

Do yourself a favour and make these yourself, they are incredible! I am going to have to stop myself from making them again in the near future as I can see them becoming addictive!

Lunchbox Bakes – Pesto and Feta Muffins

These are quick and easy to make.  While they were intended as a healthy lunchbox food, I was a bit naughty and ate a few heated up with a little bit of butter spread on them for afternoon tea when I got home for work.  We didn’t have enough pesto in the fridge so I topped it up with some of that pesto dip you can buy with the nuts in it.  The little bits of cashews were quite tasty in the muffins so if you like the nuts you could go ahead and make the entire quantity of pesto the dip variety.

½ cup pesto
¾ cup water
1 egg
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
100g feta, crumbled or cubed
1 cup grated cheddar

Preheat the oven to 200°C.  Grease or line 10 – 12 muffin tin holes.
Stir the pesto into the water then mix with the remaining ingredients until just combined.
Spoon into the muffin bans and bake for 12 – 15 minutes.

Want another recipe to use up any left over feta?  This week for lunchbox bakes we were joined by:

• Kara of Kara’s Cakes who made Caramelised Onion and Feta Tarts.

Remember you can also take part in Lunchbox Bakes. Check out the Lunchbox Bakes page for more information.

Bluebells Cakery

On Saturday morning I popped in to Bluebells Cakery.  I first spied this new addition to my neighbourhood a weekend or two ago.  Simon and I were driving past and a blackboard sign with a chalk drawn cupcake caught my eye.   Simon didn’t care that I was excited and wanted to investigate, so he kept on driving.  However, each day since I noticed the sign, I have driven past the Cakery while on my way to work, which has served as a reminder that I must remember to look up Bluebells Cakery and stop in for a visit.

You may have heard of Bluebells Cakery before – Karla Goodwin, the owner, started the business out through running stalls selling her cupcakes at local markets.  Bluebells Cakery usually have a stall at the La Cigale French Market (in Parnell, Auckland).  The business has now grown and they’ve set up a shop.  Bluebells Cakery on Hillsborough Road has only been open to the public for just a few weeks and is currently open for trade on Friday and Saturdays. 

Simon was keen to come along to Bluebells Cakery on Saturday after I told him about their stall at La Cigale as that is one of our favourite markets.  We tried out a few different cupcake flavours during our visit with Simon’s favourite being the carrot and cinnamon flavoured one.  I think my fave was the Raspberry Chocolate flavour.  I say ‘think’ because the Lemon Curd cupcake was delicious too, so it is hard to pick!

The decor of Bluebells Cakery is adorable.  I loved the pastel colours and the vintage items decorating the place.  The cupcakes take pride of place in two vintage display cases on the counter, but there are some other sweet treats on sale too.  There were jars of Coconut Ice, Russian fudge and cake pops for sale.  Also on display were a couple of beautiful ruffle cakes.

There are plans to increase the opening hours in the next month after the addition of a coffee machine, which is soon to arrive.  However, at the moment if you do want some yummy treats during the week, they do take orders.  A menu is available on their website listing mouth watering cakes, slices, biscuits and more.  Bluebells Cakery also provide catering for High Tea events.

We will definitely be stopping in to try out some more sweet treats from Bluebells Cakery soon!

Bluebells Cakery
161a Hillsborough Road, Hillsborough, Auckland
Ph: 09 624 0952  or  Mob: 021 198 8335
E: info@bluebellscakery.co.nz
bluebellscakery.co.nz
You can find them on facebook too.

Lunchbox Bakes - Potato, Bacon and Cheese Frittata

I whipped this up for lunch today for lunch with a friend, it is quick, easy, delicious and perfect as a hot lunch now the cold weather is starting to settle in.

Ingredients:
2 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
6-8 strips of streaky bacon chopped into small pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons of chives finely chopped
6 eggs
2 tablespoons cream or full fat milk
100 grams Cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to season

Method:
Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water for 20 to 25 minutes or until cooked through. Drain and leave to cool slightly before cutting into cubes. (I did this the night before to make things quicker at lunch time).
Pre-heat your oven grill to 180°C.
Heat a large non-stick frying pan. Pour olive oil into pan. Fry the bacon until golden.
Add the diced potatoes and cook for a few minutes over a medium heat.
Beat the eggs, adding half the Cheddar and half the chives. Season with the salt and pepper.
Pour the eggs over the bacon and potatoes. Stir gently in the pan for a few minutes, allowing the frittata to cook over a medium-low heat until it begins to set, leaving a moist surface.
Sprinkle the remaining chives and Cheddar on top and warm under the grill until the top has set and the cheese melted.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before cutting the frittata into wedges to serve.

Chocolate Coconut Cake

I saw a recipe for a chocolate coconut cake floating around the net the other day, apparently the original recipe comes from a Donna Hay cookbook.  I have changed the recipe slightly and am very happy with the result!  It is incredibly easy to whip up and can either be served warm dusted with cocoa or icing sugar, with cream on the side or, if you are a time poor person like me you can whip it up at night before bed, leave it to cool and top with a chocolate glaze.

Ingredients:
250 grams butter, melted
¾ cup cocoa
1 ⅓ cups caster sugar
3 eggs
1 ½ cups shredded coconut
1 ⅓ cups plain flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¾  cup milk

Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 170°C and grease a 23cm round cake tin.
Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth, ensure that you sift both the cocoa and flour.
Pour your batter into your greased cake tin bake for 50-60 minutes, you will know your cake is ready when you can remove a skewer cleanly from the centre. To ensure even baking of the cake it is suggested that you rotate the cake in the oven halfway through. Cool in tin for 10 minutes before setting on a wire rack to cool further.
Serve warm dusted with cocoa or icing sugar and cream/ice-cream or make a chocolate glaze by combining 150 grams of chopped dark chocolate with half a cup of cream in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until melted and smooth. Allow chocolate mixture to stand for at least 15-20 so it thickens slightly before pouring it over your cooled cake.

This cake is dense and moist. The chocolate glaze sets it off perfectly and it has gone down well in our house where coincidentally Max (15 months) has decided that his new favourite thing to eat it coconut!

P.S. Happy Mother’s Day to all you wonderful Mum’s out there! We hope you had a lovely day. Maybe you were even treated to some delicious baked goodies… xox

Mothers Day Baking Ideas

Here in New Zealand it is Mothers Day this weekend on Sunday, so why not bake Mum some treats.  Here’s six ideas that are sure to be a hit…

1. Make Mum a beautiful box of handmade biscuits.

Pictured above: Neiman Marcus Cookies, One Dough Hundreds of Biscuits, Midnight Cookies, Gluten Free Chocolate Chip and Peanut Butter Cookies, Choctastic Cookies.

2. Bake a cake!

Pictured above: Sour Cream Lemon Cake, Carrot Cake, Spiced Apple Cake, Banana Cake, Red Velvet Cake.

3. Treat Mum to brunch or afternoon tea.

Pictured above: Kumara and Bacon Savoury Slice, Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, Mini Vegetable Frittatas, Ham, Cheese and Broccoli Quiche, Herb and Cheese Muffins, Marshmallow Brownie Cupcakes.

4. Fudge is always good!

Pictured above: Triple Chocolate Fudge, Fran’s Fantastic Fudge, Five Minute Fudge, Chocolate Hazelnut Slice, Caramel Fudge.

5. Make Mum dinner and then spoil her with a delicious desert.

Pictured above: Oreo Cheesecake, Passionfruit Custard Pots, Lemon Tart, Lemon Meringue Pie, White Chocolate Tart covered in berries, Salted Caramel and Chocolate Tart.

6. Put together a jar of sand art brownie mix as a gift for Mum.  We made these as Christmas presents and they were very popular.  Why not decorate the jar with ribbon and in colours more suited for Mothers Day?

There are heaps more brilliant recipes on the blog so have a look around.  Check out our Recipe Index for more ideas.  Whatever you end up doing, I hope you spoil your Mum and show her how much you love her.

Happy Mothers Day!

Lunchbox Bakes - Bacon and Corn Muffins

1 egg
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup creamed corn
1 cup grated cheese
2 rashers bacon, cooked and chopped

Preheat the oven to 200°C and line or grease a 12 hole muffin tin.
Make the egg up to ¾ cup with water.  Add the remaining ingredients and mix until just combined.
Spoon into the prepare muffin tin and bake for 15 – 20 minutes.

For information on how you too can take part in lunchbox bakes, check out our lunchbox bakes page.

Tan Slice

Since making my Gooey Caramel ANZAC Slice a few weeks ago I have been craving that gooey caramel. Before I baked as regularly as I do now I used to treat myself to a cookie caramel slice from Countdown occasionally.  I figured that it couldn’t be that hard to replicate at home and would give me my caramel fix, so I started googling for recipe ideas and discovered that the slice I wanted to make was more commonly known as ‘Tan Slice’. It is incredibly quick and easy to make, the hardest part is waiting for it to cool down so you can slice and enjoy!

Ingredients:
180g butter
½ cup White Sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup chocolate chips

Caramel
1 tin condensed milk
75 grams butter
2 tablespoons Golden Syrup

Method:
Pre-heat your oven to 180°C and line a 25cm x 15cm slice tin with baking paper.
Cream butter and sugar, then add in vanilla.  Sift in the flour and baking powder and gently mix until combined.
Press two thirds of the mixture evenly into your baking paper lined tin.
At this stage you will need to make your caramel.  To make the caramel melt together the condensed milk, golden syrup and butter in the microwave, I gave mine four zaps of 40 seconds each, stirring between each interval.  Your caramel is ready when it is golden and thickened.  Pour the caramel over the base you have created in your slice tin.
Mix the remaining base mixture with the chocolate chips and crumble over the caramel.
Bake in your pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes.
Remove from the oven when the top of your slice is golden and leave in the tin to cool completely before slicing into squares.

Neiman Marcus Cookies

My friend Jarrah gave this cookie recipe to me  - it’s one of her favourites so I figured I would give it a go.  You may have actually seen this recipe before.  When Jarrah sent me the recipe I thought it had a weird name, so I googled it.  Apparently Neiman Marcus is a store (we don’t have it in New Zealand) and the recipe has been doing the rounds via email since around 1996.  Here’s the story that accompanies it:

“This is a true story... Please forward it to everyone that you can.... You will have to read it to believe it....
My daughter and I had just finished a salad at Neiman-Marcus Cafe in Dallas & decided to have a small dessert. Because both of us are such cookie lovers, we decided to try the "Neiman-Marcus Cookie". It was so excellent that I asked if they would give me the recipe and the waitress said with a small frown "I'm afraid not." Well" I said, "would you let me buy the recipe?"
With a cute smile, she said YES". I asked how much and she responded, "Only two fifty, it's a great deal!" I said with approval, "just add it to my tab".. Thirty days later, I received my VISA statement from Neiman-Marcus and it was $285.00. I looked again and remembered I had only spent $9.95 for two salads and about $20.00 for a scarf. As I glanced at the bottom of the statement, it said, "Cookie Recipe - $250.00". That's outrageous!!!
I called Neiman's Accounting Dept. and told them that the waitress said it was "two-fifty," which clearly does not mean "two hundred and fifty dollars" by any POSSIBLE interpretation of the phrase. Neiman-Marcus refused to budge.. They would not refund my money, because according to them, "What the waitress told you is not our problem. You have already seen the recipe - we absolutely will not refund your money at this point." I explained to her the criminal statutes which govern fraud in Texas. I threatened to refer them to the Better Business Bureau and the State's Attorney General for engaging in fraud. I was basically told, "Do what you want, we dont give a damn, and we're not refunding your money." I waited a moment, thinking of how I could get even,or even try to get any of my money back. I just said, "Okay, you folks got my $250.00, and now I'm going to have $250.00 worth of fun."
I told her that I was going to see to it that every cookie lover in the United States with an e-mail account has a $250.00 cookie recipe from Neiman-Marcus... for free..She replied, "I wish you wouldn't do this" I said, "Well you should have thought of that before you ripped me off", and slammed down the phone on her.. So, here it is!!! Please, please, please pass it on to everyone you can possibly think of. I paid $250.00 dollars for this... I don't want Neiman-Marcus to ever get another penny off of this recipe....”

I thought the story seemed like a lie and one of the first things I found when looking up the recipe was an article on about.com providing evidence to prove this (that it is a hoax).  However, I tried the recipe out anyway.  The cookies are yum.  Jarrah reckons they are risky things to make because they taste healthy but there’s actually quite a bit of chocolate in them.  I halved the recipe, but I could have halved it again – the recipe makes heaps of cookies (apparently about 112).  I had two bowls to accommodate my mix and as I said, that was half the ingredients.  Anyways, here’s the recipe:

2 cups butter
680g chocolate chips
4 cups flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
500g chocolate, grated
5 cups blended oatmeal (measure oatmeal and blend in blender to a fine powder, I used oat bran instead)
4 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups chopped nuts (optional, I used peanuts)

Preheat the oven to 180°C.  Cream the butter and both sugars.  Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with the flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.  Add chocolate chips, grated chocolate and nuts.  Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 minutes.

Passionfruit Custard Pots

As I mentioned in the Fran’s Fantastic Fudge post, a couple of weekends ago Simon and I went down to Taranaki for a visit and ended up leaving with a whole lot of food.  We were given heaps of passionfruit.  Simon made passionfruit curd but we still had some leftover, so we made these delicious passionfruit custards to use up the rest.

Serves 4.

1 cup milk
1 cup cream
3 eggs
1 egg yolk, extra
⅓ cup caster sugar
½ cup passionfruit pulp (approximately 4 passionfruit)

Preheat the oven to 160°C.  Place the milk and cream in a saucepan over a low heat and heat until hot, but not boiling.  Place the eggs, yolk and sugar in a bowl and whisk until pale (however, we had been given fresh eggs and they had super yellow yolks – they seemed to become more florescent in colour the more I whisked!).  Slowly whisk the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture.  Strain the mixture back into the saucepan then add the passionfruit pulp.  Return to the heat and stir over a low heat for approximately three minutes or until the mixture has thickened slightly.
Pour the mixture into 4 x ¾ cup capacity ramekins or heatproof dishes and place in a baking dish.  Fill the baking dish with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.  Bake for 20 minutes or until the custards are just set.  Remove from the baking dish and refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until cold before serving.