Needles and bake offs!

I'm currently donating blood, which weirdly gives me down time to write a blog always such a busy bee these days, joys of being cafe manager.

First off you probably want to know the bake off results... I did not win however since I got asked for a couple of business cards and had no samples left even my display was stolen and eaten whole so I'm taking the positive with a smile

Today I've been making Neapolitan shortbread, which I made using the recipe mum got from a pub back home in Palmerston North, New Zealand called the Aqaba Bar nearly 20 years ago, as the chef was kind enough to share it and its been a household favourite ever since so

Aqaba Bar Shortbread

350g butter
150g icing sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
350gs flour
100g custard powder

Pre heat oven to 150 degrees

Cream butter, vanilla and icing sugar until smooth and fluffy
Fold into sifted flour and custard powder

Mix can either be piped or rolled out and cut with a cookie cutter

Bake for 30-40 minutes until lightly golden

Allow to cool

If making Neapolitan shortbread divide mix into thirds add coco to one and pink food colouring to another leaving one white pipe as desired I made roses but a substitution of self raising flour made them a little misshapen ( I was out of plain flour and to lazy to go get more.) Mum always makes her plain then dunks them in melted chocolate

Hope you enjoy... I'm off to make dinner
Making some asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and since i was asked for the recipe: asparagus prosciutto and feta wrap asparagus in prosciutto grill until crispy then crumb feta over top.... You can also add a drizzle of honey

My Milkshake brings all the boys to the yard...

It's bake off week! It's bake off week! It's bake off week! Yes I'm excited, because unlike my first ever cafe manager meeting tomorrow, bake off is just for fun... Oh and to win the kitchen aid mixer of my dreams.

You will remember I was unsure which flavour cupcake to make... Well I decided on Strawberry Milkshake Cupcakes, which are a dense moist pink velvet cupcake topped with white chocolate cream cheese frosting with a cherry on top. Sound good? I thought so, and since I'm sharing the recipe with you, maybe you'll make them and let me know

Strawberry Milkshake Cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup strawberry milkshake powder
( I used nesquik)
100gs melted butter
1 egg
1/2 cup butter milk
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar


For the frosting

200g cream cheese
100gs melted white chocolate
3/4 cup icing sugar

Pre-heat oven to 160

Mix flour, sugar, milkshake powder and baking powder together in a large bowl

In second bowl mix cooled melted butter, butter milk,vinegar and beaten egg to combined then stir through dry ingredients

Place spoonfuls of mix into a lined cupcake and bake for 20-25 minutes

Place all frosting ingredients together in a bowl and beat until fluffy and well combined, spoon mix into a piping bag with a 1M tip and pipe onto cooled cupcakes, decorate as desired





This recipe can be used with other milkshake flavours such as banana or chocolate or if you are one of those weird people who like toothpaste (spearmint) milkshakes. Have a play around and see which flavours work best

Foodie Overload,

What a week?! I know I started the last blog that way but this time it's even more true and I can tell the secret. I got promoted!!! I'm now officially cafe manager, apparently this means send me flowers ( aren't they pretty?)

As Cafe Manager I've been thrown a little in the deep end as for the last week I've had no assistants which as meant long days and a sore back because the freezer attacked me ( they can do that)

I did have today off!! Which I spent in foodie overload: I made Chai Spiced Apple hot cross buns, paella prosciutto wrapped asparagus and pan seared scallops busy afternoon in the j cups kitchen

The Scallops were actually really easy I put some butter garlic lime zest into a pan once the butter had melted I added the scallops when I flipped the scallops I added prosciutto and sage then served them in the shell




I'm also entering a bake off and have narrowed my options of what cupcake to bake to 8.
So strawberry milkshake, cookies, red velvet, raspberry mango cider Or vanilla chai or Choc mint or cherry ripe or malt cupcakes

Help me decide and I'll post the recipe for the cupcakes I enter with

Let the good times roll!!

What a week?! I've been so busy and stressed with work and secrets (I hate secrets) so since I can't share my amazing awesome (what the hell have I got my self into) news just yet :) I will share my go to red velvet recipe, because there is nothing better when your stressed than something that just works perfectly every time, oh and getting last minute tickets to soundwave!!


Mostly fool proof Red Velvet

2 cups plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup buttermilk
200gs melted butter
2 eggs lightly beaten
1 tbsp vinegar ( I used red wine but whatever you have available, apple cider vinegar gives a good flavour)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons red gel colour ( or 50mls liquid colour)

Pre heat oven to 170 degrees

Sift flour, baking soda and cocoa into bowl, stir through sugar
In a separate bowl combine melted butter, buttermilk, eggs, vinegar, vanilla and food colour
Make a well in flour mix, add wet ingredients and stir until just combined
Divide mix into cupcake cases filling each case 2/3 full
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean

Allow to cool before icing (I recommend cream cheese or white chocolate frosting)

Best thing about this recipe you can change it and make other flavours by simply changing the food colour and extract. I make mint chocolate cupcakes by using peppermint extract and green colour with chocolate ganache icing or if your feeling tropical a little coconut essence some Malibu rum and some blue food colouring with cream cheese and pineapple flowers

Or make the mix in a brownie tin and use a cookie cutter to make different shaped whoopie pie