Cake painting classes April and June

I have been a bit slow at getting the pictures form my April class posted, so I thought i would combine them with last weeks class. 

My classes are always full of lovely ladies from all over the country and further, I am honored that some come so far to be at my classes. In these two classes, students traveled from Yorkshire, Anglesey, Spain, Malaysia and Lebanon.

First up, April.

Then last weekend's class. 

You can subscribe to my class mailing list here

Also I still have places left for a cupcake painting class on the 13th July, email me at nevie-pie@hotmail.co.uk for details.

xxx

Something fishy

I made these monstrous fish cookies for an event next week at the Ministry of Stories, a charity dedicated to using story telling to inspire young people.

They are based on real fish!

xxx

Already for tomorrows class. I still have spaces for a cupcake painting class on 13th July. Email me at nevie-pie@hotmail.co.uk for details.

xxx

Mad Hatter's tea party 2012

Every year Vanessa from A Fanciful Twist host a Mad Hatter's tea party. Amelie's House has been present for the last few years (see here and here) and this year we are going to make a super effort to join in.

You can find details and sign up yourself here.

xxx

Salad of the day

I had a lovely morning shooting a feature for Beaten & Creamed (a new baking magazine coming soon), with Rebecca Fennell. I had some edible flowers left over so I decided to make a salad with them. 

I read in a medical manual (OK, it was Pinterest) that mixing avocado and orange together is good for weight loss around the middle. I may, or may not, desperately need to do this!

I also added pumpkin seeds and cherry tomatoes for good measure.

It tasted of health and slim tummies!

(And for pudding? A large slice of cake)

xxx

Pinterest picks

Hi All,

I am busy working on some private projects over the next few weeks that I can't share yet, so there isn't much to post for you. So, I thought I would show you some of my favourite Pinterest picks. These are mostly from my dessert table board. The links are at the bottom, you can see my boards here.

1. The Tomkat Studios

2. Sorry I can't find the link for this one, let me know if you recognise it.

3. Rebecca Thuss

4. Bright Bazaar

5. With Joy

xxx

Five minutes of sunshine

I was at my parents house a few weekends ago. It stopped raining for five minutes and I managed to get outside and take some pictures of their garden. My Dad has his vegetable plot planted and ready to supply them with fresh fruit and veg all summer long, asparagus tips are peeking through, and there are figs on the tree. My Mum looks after the herb garden and flower beds. The poppies bring beautiful pops of colours, there is a vintage 'Grannie's bonnet' by the kitchen window and foxgloves in the orchard. 

I hope it still looking as beautiful after two weeks of rain and gales!

xxx

Book club cake of the month...May

I know, it's a little late, but to be honest I wasn't thrilled with this book, so maybe that has some reason with the delay.

We read 'Cry The Beloved Country' by Alan Paton. It was published in 1948 and is about South Africa and the social structures that would later bring about apartheid.

The plot centers on two men. Both fathers whose son's actions bring their two separate worlds together.

I think, this is the kind of book that is best read in one or two sittings. I read it during an extremely busy period in five and ten minute chunks. The other members of the book club, who read it less piecemeal loved the poetic rhythm in this novel, but I missed that. It does have a very moving end, but maybe because we are reading it knowing the history of the country it colours our view.

Anyway, apologies, as I really remember very little of this story, and don't want to cheat you by plagiarizing Wikipedia!

We gave it an average of 7.5/8, and the person who choose the book did so because she had read it at 15 and found it life changing, so don't let me put you off.

I decided to make a South African pudding as there wasn't much in the book to create a dessert from. I found this recipe for Melktert. It was a version of a custard tart but it isn't baked in the oven like that would be. It was a really quick and easy pudding to make and was very much appreciated. I sprinkled icing sugar mixed with cinnamon over it and it gradually melted and looked even more like an egg custard.

Next month we are reading 'The Snow Child' by Eowyn Ivey. It is my choice and I am really hoping it is a good read, as my last choice 'The Finkler Question' has gone down in the history of our club as our least favourite! Why don't you read along, and let me know your thoughts on the book, and what cake you would create to go with it.

xxx
Previous book club cake of the month;
April

February
January

November
July

June
March

April

February

November 

October

September

A box of delights

I worked on a lovely project recently for a sugar manufacturer. They wanted a box of goodies to send out to a select number of clients and press. The box had to show off their range of unrefined sugars.

I made up a sample box which involved a lot of trials and tasting! (I have had to join the gym since!)

The unrefined sugar did give everything a much more rounded taste and the fudge and caramel were delicious!

I don't know if I could choose a favourite, the brownies were the best I made, but I loved the choc chip cookie cupcake with ganache, however I was very fond of the caramel sauce with shortbread dipping sticks!

(I have edited out the branding on some of the goodies, it wasn't a rude cookie!).

xxx

Enough of the rain already!

Apologies to all of my readers from more exotic climes for the following grumble, but here in the UK we are under the weather...mostly rain clouds. Ironically we are also living with a hose pipe ban because we are suffering a 'drought'. It hasn't stopped raining for weeks! And it has been raining constantly, for over twenty-four hours!

Anyway to cheer myself up I thought I would post some pictures of my holiday in Tunisia, only a few weeks ago..but oh how those weeks have flown.

Kerrang 2012

 I was very excited to be involved in a dessert table for the Kerrang! awards again. (You can see last years here).  This year there was a Royal theme, with a medieval banquet vibe. As I only had one free day to make goodies we had to get lots of other talented cake makers involved. I only made the fish cookies, but was the art director and food stylist.

The chicken feet cake pops are from Lou Lou P's Delights.

The Conjurer's Kitchen made cake filled green eggs, marzipan fingers, arrow pierced hearts, and a magnificent roasted swan cake.

Cake for Breakfast made chocolate slugs and a chocolate frog complete with frog spawn.

The chrystalised flowers were from Eat My Flowers. I had asked especially for not perfect flowers as it was Kerrang, so I would like to point out they are normally perfectly beautiful.

Shabby chic wedding cake

This is last weekend's wedding cake. It was based on fabric that the bride used for bunting and jam jar covers.

 I really enjoyed painting this design as it took me back to my textile designing years.

xxx