Zucchini and Parmesan Muffins

Recipe from 100 Favourite Muffins and Slices
Images by Yasmin

This is a really scrumptious and filling savoury bite of goodness. The different types of cheese just take this muffin to a whole new dimention! I really enjoy eating these muffins because I can have the satisfaction of eating something delicious without feeling guilty about eating something sweet and unhealthy.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups standard (plain) flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup grated tasty cheese
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 zucchini, grated (250g altogether)

Method:
Heat oven to 200'C fanbake, with the rack just below the middle.

Sift or fork together the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Grind in black pepper to taste, then add the grated cheeses and stir to combine.

Break the eggs into another large bowl, add the milk and whisk together with a fork, then add the grated unpeeled zucchini.

Tip the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture, then carefully fold everything together, taking care not to overmix. As soon as all the flour is moistened, spoon the mixture  into 12 lightly buttered or non-stick sprayed regular muffin pans or 24 mini muffin pans.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the tops are golden and the muffins spring back when pressed in the centre.

Citrus Slice

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

I have modified a slice recipe to accommodate my love of citrus flavours; producing Citrus Slice. This is a delicious slice to share amongst friends for afternoon tea.

Ingredients:
For base and topping:

• 1 cup SR flour
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 100g butter
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 2 tblsp milk

For filling:

• 100g butter
• 1 lemon, grated rind and juiced
• 1 orange, grated rind and juiced
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten

Method:
For base, mix the sifted flours and sugar in bowl. Grate in cold butter, then rub it in until it resembles rolled oats. Make a well in the centre and add the lightly beaten egg. Add just enough milk so that the particles will stick when pressed, making a dough. Press 3/4 of this over the bottom of the pan, keeping the rest in the fridge to crumble on top.
For filling, melt butter on stove on a medium-sized pot. Take off heat. Mix in the grated lemon rind and juice, grated orange rind and juice, sugar and eggs, then heat again, stirring constantly, until first bubbles form. Pour it evenly over the base and crumble remaining dough mixture on top.
Heat oven to 180'C and bake slice for 35- 45 minutes, until golden brown, with centre almost as firm as the edges. Remove from loose bottomed pan. When cool, dust with icing sugar (optional).

Enchiladas

Recipe and Images by Yasmin
I LOVE enchiladas because they have a great flavour and can have a soft or crunchy texture depending on which enchilada you take; the one at the top (most exposure to heat from oven) or the bottom (least exposure to oven heat). Since my mum has been in Melbourne for a week, I have been the designated cook, meaning I have had more practice at savoury main meals! This was one of the first recipes for the week. I will post the other recipes shortly.
Makes approx. 8

Ingredients:

• 500 - 600g beef mince
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 - 3 cloves of garlic, diced
• 1/4 tsp crushed chili, from jar
• 1/2 cup carrot, finely chopped
• 1/2 zucchini, grated
• tin red kidney beans, well drained
• approx 8 flat bread wraps

Method:
Brown the mince in frying pan with 1-2 tsp of oil. Strain and rinse thoroughly. Lightly rinse fry pan. Add 1 tsp of oil to frying pan and cook diced onion, garlic and chili until onion turns a foggy white. Add carrot and zucchini, cooking until carrot is softened. Add browned mince, stirring thoroughly. Lastly, add the red kidney beans and mix well. Put the lid on the fry pan and allow to cook for a few minutes.

While the filling is cooking, lay out the wraps - ready to roll. Place a couple of spoonfuls of cooked mixture 3-5 cm from the end of one wrap. Roll the wrap into a enchilada and place in a greased casserole dish. Continue rolling enchiladas until all of the filling has been used - stacking the enchiladas in rows on top of each other in the casserole dish. Cook for 20 minutes at 180'C.

Serve the enchiladas with sour cream and guacamole.

To make guacamole, mash 2 avocados, 1 onion (diced), a pinch of salt and 3 tsp of tomato sauce into a paste. Serve sour cream and guacamole with a garden salad as sides to the enchiladas.

Pasta with potato, beans and pesto

Recipe from Perfect PastaImages by Yasmin

Use the recipe for making pasta/fettuccine previously to enable this dish to be created. In this post I will show you one way to serve your homemade pasta. This recipe is vegi-licious! No meat required.

Ingredients:

• 600g small new potatoes, halved or quartered
• 250g broccoli, cut into small florets
• 1/2 cup  shelled broad beans, peeled or 350-400g in pods
• 175g fine green beens, topped and tailed
• 2 zucchini, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 300g fettuccine or tubular and hollow pasta shapes (homemade)
• sprigs of fresh basil to garnish

For Pesto:

• 3-5 cloves garlic, coarsley chopped
• 2 tblsp pine nuts
• 100g fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup freshly grated parnesan
• 2 tblsp olive oil
• 2 ripe tomatoes, diced
• salt

Method:
Cook the potatoes in boiling water for about 15 minutes or until they are tender but not soft. Add the broccoli, broad bean, green beans and zucchini, simmer together for a further 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the homemade pasta in boiling water for 2-4 minutes or until al dente. If not using homemade pasta, cook in boiling water for 10-15 minutes.

Make the pesto while the vegetbles and pasta are cooking. Using a food processor, add all ingredients except for the oil and whiz to paste. Gradually add the oil through the feed tube with the motor running.
Drain the pasta and vetgetables  and toss both together. Top with the pesto, garnish with sprigs of basil, scattering them over the top. Serve immediately.

Homemade Pasta

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

For my birthday last year I received a pasta machine!!! However, these holidays have been the only opportunity thus far to use the machine and make my very own fettuccine!!! As a first timer, my first tip is to give yourself PLENTY of time before the designated dinner time to prepare the meal. My second tip is to prepare pasta with another person, I find that it is helpful to have two sets of hands rather than one. My third tip is two lightly flour both sides of the rolled out pasta before putting it through the part of the machine which cuts the pasta. This ensures that the pasta won't become stuck in the machine and bunch up when coming out because it is stuck to the sides. Taking all of these tips into account when making pasta is VERY helpful. Upon my second attempt this holiday at making pasta I produced the perfect fettuccine! My friend and I were dancing around the house we were so excited!!! The fettuccine we produced was picture perfect! Unfortunately I forgot to take a photo of the pasta before cooking it; however, the first time I made pasta I did take photos before cooking it. This means you will see the not so perfect first attempt at pasta rather than the picture perfect pasta, but it all tastes good anyway! I hope you are all successful in your attempts at making pasta. The best part about pasta is that you can add anything to it to serve. However, before I teach you how to make a meal out of pasta, I will devote this post to mearly teaching you how to prepare and cook plain fettuccine. Enjoy!

Before beginning the Recipe I would like to type out an excert from my new pasta recipe book which explains the ingredients.

Flour Special flour for making pasta may be 100% durum wheat semolina, such as an aithentic Italian flour called doppio zero (double zero). Other types may be a combination of durum wheat semolina and ordinary flour. Alternatively, use unbleached strong (bread) plain flour or plain wholemeal flour, or a mixture of unbleached strong plain flour and buckwheat  or rice flour. A small portion of soya flour will boost the protein content of the pasta.

Eggs Although much commercial pasta is made with just flour and water, most homemade pasta includes eggs. Standard medium eggs are ideal.

Oil Olive oil is authentic. Since the amount used is small, it Will not have a great impact on the fat content of a dish.
Salt fine sea salt offers the best flavour.



Fettuccine

Ingredients:

• 500g bakers flour
• 4 eggs or 320ml of water

Method:
The basic recipe per person is: approx. 125g of wheat flour and 1 egg (at room temperature). For 4 people, this equates to 500g of wheat flour and 4 eggs. Water can also be used in place of eggs. 1 egg = approx. 80 ml of water. For this particular recipe do not add any salt.

Pour the flour into a bowl and add the eggs/water into the middle of the flour. Mix the eggs with a fork until they are completely blended with the flour. Knead the mixture with your hands until it is completely homogenous and consistent. If the mixture is too dry add some water. If the mixture is to moist or soft and some flour. Remove the mixture from the bowl and place it on a lightly floured table. Cut the piece of dough into smaller and more manageable sized chunks before putting it through the pasta machine.

If you don't own a pasta machine simply roll the dough with a rolling pin and cut it into long thin strips of pasta.

When using the pasta machine, simply feed it through the rolling end a few times to ensure it is thin and smooth (with no holes or bubbles). Then lightly flour it both sides before feeding it through the cutting blades. This ensures the perfect slices of fettuccine. Repeat this step until all of the dough has been used.

Boil water in a big saucepan. Once the water has come to the boil, add the fettuccine. Cook the fettuccine on high for 2-4 minutes. Drain the fettuccine and place in a bowl for flavouring which will be found in the next post.

Meringue Cupcakes

Recipe from CupcakesImages by Yasmin

I love meringue. It is beautiful on lemon meringue pie, so it is just as beautiful as an icing for cupcakes. To make this cupcake look even more sweet and appetising it is dusted with jelly crystals. De-lic-ious! This was served for afternoon tea with Citrus Slice, posted previously. Great for a hot summers day.

Ingredients:
For cupcake:

• 1 1/3 cups plain flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk

Meringue Topping:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large egg whites
• jelly crystals, to decorate (any colour)

Method:
Line cupcake tins with patty pans.

For cupcakes, combine the flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl. In a medium sized bowl, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until just blended after each addition. With mixer on slow speed, add the mixed dry ingredients and milk. Spoon the batter into the prepared patty pans, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for 10-20 minutes, until golden brown and firm to touch. Transfer to wire rack once cool.

For Meringue, beat at high speed the egg whites until soft peaks form when beaters are removed. While the motor is running slowly pour the sugar into the egg whites. Beat until meringue is thick and forms soft peaks.

Spoon meringue on top of the cupcakes. Using the spoon create small peaks on the cupcakes. Dust with jelly crystals. Store in refrigerator in sealed container.

French Toast

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

Quick, simple, hot and delicious! French toast makes for an exotic breakfast!!!

Ingredients:

• 1 egg
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup milk
• 2-3 bread slices

Method:
Combine egg and milk until smooth mixture. Soak bread slices in mixture. Cook for a few minutes until golden brown in a sandwhich toaster or place in a frying pan with butter.

Vegetable Pie

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

This is a delicious and healthy dish for dinner or lunch; a boxing day delight! Although the many vegies, this pie is sweet in some sections because of the sultanas which give the dish a nice sweet kick! I would recommend this pie to anyone, as my family knows - I love pies!!!

Ingredients:

• 2 sheets puff pastry
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
•  1/2 cups sultanas
• 3 tsp curry powder
• 2 medium carrots grated
• 1 onion grated
• 1 stalk of celery, chopped
• 125g grated cheese
• 2 cups broccoli
• egg for glazing
• seasame seeds

Method:
Line pie tin with sheet of pastry. Combine  remaining ingredients and place in pie shell. Cover with pastry and bake in moderate oven until golden.

Chocolate Cherry Ice-cream Cake

Recipe from Women's Weekly The Barbecue Cookbook
Images by Yasmin

This is a beautiful idea; two wonderful creations combined - ice-cream and cake! Ice-cream cake is fun to make with a few people as it brings you together and enables you to relax as you work. As a result, this is how the image below came to be made. Because there are chocolate and cherries in this recipe, I naturally don't like it; however, I am under the impression that my friends and family LOVE it so I'm sure you will too! Boxing Day was also when this dish was served, alongside the Orange Creme Caramel dessert. Good combination! Unfortunately, as you can see in the image below, the loveheart tin chosen to make this dessert in wasn't deep enough, so we could only stack two layers into the cake; serving the third as a scoop of ice-cream.

Ingredients:

• 2L vanilla ice-cream
• 90g dark cooking chocolate
• 1/2 cup thickened cream
• 2 tblsp cocoa
• 2 tblsp red glace cherries, chopped
• 1/2 bag of honeycomb chocolates

Method:

Heat chocolate and cream over low heat until chocolate is melted, stir in sifted cocoa, cool to room temperature. Whip cream until soft peaks form.

Soften Ice-cream tube slightly, divide between three bowls. Mix glace cherries into ice-cream in one bowl. Spoon ice-cream into cake tin. Freeze while preparing the next layer.

Gently fold chocolate cream into the second bowl of vanilla ice-cream. Spoon chocolate ice-cream over first layer.

For third layer, half or quater the chocolate honeycomb pieces. Mix into the last bowl of ice-cream. Spoon over chocolate ice-cream (if you have room!!!). Freeze several hours or overnight.

Orange Creme Caramel

Recipe from Women's Weekly Barbecue Cookbook

Images by Amanda and Yasmin

This is a yummy dessert with an interesting texture. It is not as hard as a cheesecake but not as soft as custard. This dessert has double points for me because it is a citrus flavoured dish; however, it looses points because it is a very subtle flavour of citrus orange - and I love a strong citrus flavour. However, if you have a pallet similar to my sisters, you will love the infusion of orange you taste with each bite. It seems as though you might taste the orange but then as you grasp for the flavour it slips out of reach until another bite is taken. I served this dessert on Boxing Day and everybody loved it.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 lemon juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 eggs
• 1/3 cup sugar, extra
• 300ml jar thickened cream
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 tsp grated orange rind

Method:

Combine sugar, lemon juice and water in pan, stir over low heat without boiling until sugar is dissolved. Bring to the boil, do not stir. Boil rapidly, uncovered, until syrup turns golden brown, about 5 minutes. Pour the syrup into an 18cm round cake tin.

Lightly beat eggs and extra sugar together. Heat cream, milk and orange rind until hot, whisk into egg mixture. Strain mixture into tin, place in baking dish with hot water to come halfway up side of tin. Bake in moderately slow oven 45-50 minutes or until set. Remove from water, cool, refrigerate overnight. Turn onto serving dish, decorate with cream and orange segments if desired. Serves 6.

Home Made Sushi

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

I LOVE SUSHI! It is delicious! I could survive on sushi if I had to I love it that much. This is my own version of sushi. The best thing about sushi is the filling options are endless! I usually slice carrot, cucumber, avocado and ham to fill the centre of the sushi roll, but this time my sister enlightened me to the idea of an omlette filling, which is equally as yummy! When making sushi it is best to have a sushi mat to make rolling the sushi easier.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Sushi rice
• 1-2 packets of Nori Paper
• Cooked Omlette

Method:
Cook Sushi rice via instructions on the packet. Allow to cool completely. Put Nori paper on sushi mat and place 3-4 tablespoons of cooked rice along the width of the nori paper, 3cm in from the top of the nori to allow room to roll. Place thin strips of omlette on top of the rice. Roll the sushi. Slightly wet the end of the nori paper to stick to the rest of the roll. Slice into sushi pieces. Continue this process until all of the sushi rice has been used. Serve with soy sauce.

Zucchini Slice/Pie

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

This is a delicious snack or meal to serve. We ate this on Boxing Day 2011 with a group of friends along with many other small dishes which I will post at a later date. This slice is also great for pic-nics. Yum Yum!!!

Ingredients:

• 4 large zucchini
• 1 large onion
• 4 bacon rashers
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 cup SR Flour
• 1/4 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Method:
Grate unpeeled zucchini, chop onion finely, chop bacon. Combine ingredients. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into greased flan or slice tin. Bake for 30-40 minutes in moderate oven.

Spiced Christmas Biscuits

Recipe from 'Woman's Weekly Christmas Entertaining'
Images by Yasmin

This biscuit is very similar to gingerbread biscuits in flavour except that it has a jam mixture between the two layers of biscuit. I thought it would be sickly sweet; however, it isn't even that sweet! It is a soothing taste of the traditional gingerbread spices which are complemented by the subtle taste of jam. Delicious! Revolutionary! The heart of Christmas!

Ingredients:
Biscuit:

• 1 1/2 cups (225g) plain flour
• 3/4 cup (165g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 150g butter, chopped coarsely
• 1 egg yolk

Jam filling:

• 1 tsp gelatine
• 1 tblsp water
• 1/3 cup (110g) strawberry or raspberry jam

Icing:

• 1 egg white
• 1 1/2 cups (240g) pure icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Method:
Process the flour, sugar, spices and butter until combined. Add egg yolk; process until combined. Knead dough on floured surface until smooth. Cover; refridgerate for 30 minutes.

Divide dough into quaters; roll ewach quater to 3mm thickness. Refridgerate with layers divided by baking paper.

Cut shapes (squares, angles, stars etc.) from refridgerated layers. Cut shapes from the centre of half the squares etc. Use the centre dough to make more biscuits. Place biscuits on trays; bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on trays.

For jam filling, using a bane marie process, sprinkle gelatine over water in the bane marie. Stir until dissolved. Add jam to gelatine mixture; stir well.

Turn base biscuits upside down so the flat side is facing up. Spread about 1 tsp of jam filling in the centre of each biscuit; top with the cut-out biscuits. Press lightly.

For icing, lightly beat the egg white in a small bowl until frothy. Beat in the sifted icing sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until combined. Stir in the juice. Keep surface of the icing tightly covered when not in use. Place the icing in a dispodable piping bag; snip a tiny amount from the tip of the bag. Drizzle the biscuits with icing; stand on wire racks until set.

Marshmallow Puddings

Recipe from 'Woman's Weekly Chrsitmas Entertaining'
Images by Yasmin

I know that I said I would never post chocolate recipes, but it is christmas and I thought why not post a chocolate recipe to get familar with the jolly season. This recipe is a modern day twist to the classical mini puddings. Instead of having some pudding smothered in chocolate, it is a marshmallow in the centre. It is very clever, and I'm sure it tastes nice. My sister made these for some family friends for christmas. Seasons Greetings!

Ingredients:

• 12 large Marshmallows
• 1 1/2 cups (225g) milk chocolate melts, melted
• 1/4 cup (35g) white chocolate melts, melted
• coloured cachous or chopped cherries, to decorate

Method:
Line a large baking tray with baking paper. For each pudding, insert a toothprick in the top of a marshmallow. Place the marshmallow in milk chocolate. Using a teaspoon, coat the marshmallow in chocolate, leaving a small gap around the toothpick. Using a fork, lift the marshmallow from the chocolate, letting excess drip into bowl. Place on the prepared tray. Allow to set.

Remove toothpicks from marshmallows. Using a teaspoon, drizzle a little white chocolate over each marshmallow. Sprinkle with cachous or cherries. Allow to set.

Place each pudding in a small coloured patty pan (optional).

Vanilla Slice

Recipe from '100 Favourite Muffins and Slices'
Photo by Yasmin

Dear followers,
Sorry I haven't been blogging recently, I've been so caught up in school work and life - not having any time for myself. However, since it is the holidays, I will try to post as many delicious treats as possible - particularly Christmas Treats. First, however, I do owe my readers the long awaited recipe for Vanilla Slice. Personally, I don't like custard so this slice doesn't appeal to me, though I know you will enjoy it. I am told it is delicious! Merry Christmas and enjoy cooking my tasty treats!

Cheers,
Yasmin


Vanilla Slice

Ingredients:
Base:

• approx 200g flaky pastry

Filling:

• 1/2 cup vanilla custard powder
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/4 cups milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

Icing:

• 1 cup icing sugar
• 2 tsp softened butter
• lemon juice or passionfruit pulp to mix

Method:
Heat oven to 190'C fanbake. Line the base and sides of a loose bottom square baking pan.

For base, roll the pastry out thinly to make two squares each about 2cm bigger than the pan. Prick the pastry evenly all over. Place the two pastry squares on an oven slide and bake for 7-8 minutes or until golden brown on both sides. Trim the cooked squares of pastry to fit the loose-bottomed baking pan. Place on square in it.

For filling, mix the custard powder and the brown sugar together in a heavy bottomed, medium-sized saucepan. Add the milk and stir well until well combined but not foamy. Cook gently over low heat for 2-3 minutes, until the custard thickens. Next, whisk in the beaten eggs, and the vanilla. Again, stir constantly until the custard thickens, then pour it evenly over the pastry in the baking pan. Cover the hot custard with the other pastry layer immediately. Refridgerate until cold.

For icing, put the icing sugar and butter in a bowl. Stir in small amounts of lemon juice or passionfruit pulp until you get icing of spreadable consistency. Ice the top layer of pastry and leave it to set. Cut into squares using a sharp knife.

Serve: from the refridgerator, with coffee or tea, or fo dessert. Store sqaures which are not eaten the day they are made in the refridgerator and eat within the next two days; if they last that long!!!

Vanilla Slice

I will post the recipe that goes with this picture in the coming weeks, but I just though this photo was too cute to not post immediately!!! I hope you have pets like this adorable budgie to enjoy! His name is Pip and he just turned 9yrs old. Still as cute and FAT as ever!

Blood Orange Cheesecake

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

I had some left over cream cheese in the fridge today and I thought it would be a nice idea to make some cheesecakes for dessert. As I raided out fruit bowl for something to add flavour to the cheesecake mixture I saw and orange. I thought that was perfect to go in my cheesecake but when I cut it in half to juice it I saw that it was actually a Blood Orange. I still used it and the end result was delicious! I would recommend this recipe to anyone - it is one of my best!

Ingredients:

• 225g Cream Cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 blood orange, juiced
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten (room temperature)
• 1 tsp. vanilla essence
• tart cases (can be bought at local supermarket)
• Fresh fruit, to decorate (optional)

Method:
Preheat your oven to 180C. Beat the cream cheese with the sugar. With the mixer running, slowly add the eggs, blood orange juice and vanilla. Arrange tart cases on a tray. Fill 3/4 (1-2 tblsps) of cases with the mixture. Bake for 15 minutes and leave to cool. When completely cooled (or after refridgeration), decorate with fruit (optional). Serve for afternoon or morning tea or dessert with a bowl of mixed fruit.

Scones

Recipe from NMAA Cooks
Images by Yasmin

I love having scones, jam and cream with friends. It is such a delight to catch up in the holidays and have good, simple food to jumpstart the conversations. I wish everyone a happy holiday and to keep safe.

Ingredients:

• 250g self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tblsp powdered skim milk (optional)
• 1 tblsp butter
• 1 cup milk
• milk or egg yolk for glazing
• jam and whipped cream, to serve

Variations:

• Yoghurt: Use yoghurt instead of milk or 1/2 yoghurt and 1/2 milk
• Cheese: Add 2 tblsp grated cheese
• Date: Add 1/2 cup chopped dates and 1 tblsp sugar
• Egg: Crack an egg into measuring cup, fill to 1 cup with milk, beat together before mixing into flour
• Wholemeal honey: Use wholemeal self-raising flour, omit butter and add 2 tblsp honey dissolved in the milk
• Savoury: Add 2-3 tblsp finely chopped cooked bacon, 2 tblsp finely chopped cooked onion, 1 tsp curry powder, and 2 tblsp finely chopped parsley

Method:
Heat oven to 220'C fan forced. Grease scone tray or oven slide. Sift flour, salt and skim milk. Cut butter into flour and using fingers rub in lightly. Mix to a soft dough with milk. Turn on to a floured surface and knead slightly. The less the dough is handled, the lighter the scones will be. Flatten out with heel of hand to approx 2-3cm in thickness. Stamp out with scone cutter or glass dipped in flour. Place scones touching each other on tray, glaze tops with milk or egg yolk. Bake 8-10 minutes. Serve with jam and cream.

How to make a Dolly Vardon

Recipe and Images by Yasmin

These are the two cakes I made for Cultural Festival, one of which one 3rd Place! This type of cake is called a Dolly Vardon. The skirt or base of the cake is actual cake, while the top is the torso of a Barbie doll or a Kelly (Barbie) doll. For these two cakes I used Kelly dolls for the ease of fitting it in the cake. If you use a Barbie doll you must remove the legs and just leave the torso to fit into the cake. Below are some simple instructions on how to make your own dolly vardon cake. Have fun!

How to make Ariel:

Step 1: Bake a cake in a deep bowl. It will take longer to cook because the cake is more dense and the bowl is acrillic not tin. It is always a good idea to slightly overcook the cake (until it is 'dry' in taste) to make it sturdier for the ease of cutting and icing.

Step 2: Cover some carboard, a bread board, a cake board etc. with aluminium foil and seel on the underside with sticky tape. This becomes the 'stand' or 'presentation board' for Ariel.

Step 3: When completely cool cut a small hole slightly off centre (to allow for the piping of the tail).

Step 4: Place the Kelly Doll into the hole and then ice the cake (which will become a rock for Ariel to sit on) with chocolate butter icing.

Step 5: Smooth the icing over so the rock is completely covered.

Step 6: Colour some of the butter icing green and place it into a zip lock bag with the end snipped (the hole must be very small) or in a piping bag with a small nozzle. Start to pipe the tail; small piping for the tail and larger piping when it connects with the torso of the Kelly Doll. When you reach the part of the tail which the fins start, outline the fins and then proceed to fill them with long strokes of piped icing rather than small blobs.

By now the butter icing will have softened greatly so put the left over icing and cake into the fridge for 5 minutes to set before moving on with the other steps. Because this cake takes a few hours to complete to perfection, the cake and icing will need to be placed in the fridge a few times to set.

Step 7: Begin to decorate the board and rock with different coloured icing. I made some smaller rocks amongst the big rock Ariel is sitting on. On these I made Sebastian the Crab and also different types of seeweed. Also decorate Ariel's rock with seeweed and maybe some shells, as well as piping a purple bra on Ariel. Then place it in the fridge again.

Step 8: Make some blue butter icing and place it in a zip lock bag with a fairly small hole in one corner, or a piping bag with a small nozzle. This will become the sea surrounding the rocks which are breaching the water.

Begin by piping dots around the rocks and then place icing randomly on the board. Using a fork, spread the icing (without damaging the piping) around the board until it is mostly covered by blue.

Be creative and don't make the fork imprints occur in straight line, make them randomly curve like waves.

Step 9: Place the finished product back in the fridge to set.

Now that you know the fine details of making a Dolly Vardon you can use the ideas in these steps to make another Dolly Vardon of another character such as Snow White.

 When transporting the cakes it is easiest to put them in a box if you have a few and put that box in the boot of the car, or if there is another person in the car, let them hold it on their lap.