Jikana Damaru: April 2012

Green and Chocolate Wedding Candy Table

Today I have some photo's for you from a lovely green and chocolate wedding candy table I put together a few weeks ago.

I was asked just a few weeks before the big day to pull something together that could tie in with the green theme that the bride and groom had chosen for their wedding. A cake had already been ordered so I needed to co-ordinate the candy and other sweet treats around that.

Three colours were used on the table - green, milk chocolate and white chocolate.

Some delicious desserts were also added which included cake pops by Blissfully Sweet Cakes and macaroons in a pistachio flavour.

The lovely sideboard at the venue (which you can see here at a previous candy table in the same venue) made the perfect place to present the candy buffet.

Congratulations Tam and Rob - thanks for asking me to be part of your special day.

snap it { favourite }

i have a few snaps this week of some of my favourite things. please join in & share your {favourite} snap/s with us!

i am looking forward to popping past your blogs to see your interpretations. next weeks topic is sweet

Gluten free banana chocolate chip cupcakes

On Sunday we had Easter tea and cakes followed by an Easter egg hunt in the garden! For the next few days I will be sharing with you my Easter recipes and then it is on to pastures new! I hope you enjoy the recipes and can use them for other occasions too!

This Easter I decided to make gluten free banana and choc chips cupcakes, with a white chocolate buttercream piped nest sprinkled with coconut, adorned with fondant flowers and filled with a handmade chocolate egg. They went down a treat and I will definitely be making them again. They were super moist and had just the right amount of banana versus choc chips. The ultimate compliment was that I was told they didn't taste gluten free!

Gluten free banana chocolate chip cupcakes (makes 24 cupcake size cakes)

Ingredients

125g (4.5 ounces) butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
150g (5.2 ounces) caster sugar
2 eggs
225g (8 ounces) gluten free self-raising flour
60 ml semi skimmed milk
100g (3.5 ounces) 40 % milk chocolate chips
2 fresh bananas, chopped

Cooking instructions

Preheat oven to 160-180 deg C (325-350 deg F)
Line and grease tin
Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until the mixture turns a pale colour
Beat in eggs, flour, milk and vanilla extract
Fold in the dark choc chips and chopped banana
Pipe batter into cases
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cakes bounce back when lightly pressed
Place cakes on a wire rack to cool

White chocolate buttercream (for 24 cupcake size cakes)
Ingredients

225g (1 cup) white butter, softened
225g (8 oz) white chocolate drops
1/2 tsp salt
110g (1 cup) icing sugar (powdered sugar)

Method

Melt white chocolate
Whip butter until light and fluffy
Add melted chocolate to whipped butter
Beat in icing sugar and salt

To decorate (for 24 cupcake sized cakes)

Ingredients

White chocolate butter frosting
Desiccated coconut
Chocolate eggs
Fondant flowers

For instructions on how to make fondant flowers click here

Instructions

Fill piping bag with the white chocolate frosting and pipe in a swirl on top of cakes to resemble a nest
Place one chocolate egg in centre of icing
Place three fondant flowers on outside edge of piped nest
Sprinkle with desiccated coconut

Gluten free banana chocolate chip cupcake nests

Hope you all had a great Easter!

Kidspotting while on holidays

I'm on holidays... I am.

But I posted at Kidspot tonight and I would love you to visit me over there.

To be kind to all, to like many and love a few, to be needed and wanted by those we love, is certainly the nearest we can come to happiness.

Mary Stuart

Happy days to you. Back soon.

♥

[Image by Simply Hue]

life lately

school holiday fun. a zoo visit. making lemon curd ice cream inspired by the lovely Hazel. early morning walks. time at home. easter celebrating. lots of chocolate eating. photo taking. less havaiana wearing & more of a need for warm socks & cosy pj's plus the extra blankets on beds. i can feel the snuggle up inside season getting closer!

sweet like chocolate...

The little girls and I spent Easter with my oldest friend, Sophie and her family. We've known each other since we were 3 years old and now we've got daughters of a similar age. We haven't tried to force their friendship but it's starting to blossom anyway.

Happy Easter

Hand-made chocolate egg

Bunny jars for Easter

Gluten free Banana choc chip cupcakes

Hand-made Chocolate egg lollipops

Gluten free Banana choc chip cupcakes

Wishing you all a Happy Easter!

new life

today we started our day @ the beach. it's an early start : 5.30am. to see the sun rise. it's my favourite church service of the year. sitting on the sand with blankets. my girls & husband huddled close to keep warm. a fire is lit & every year for the past 5 the sunrise has been amazing. then we head home to a breakfast of hot cross buns, an Easter egg hunt & get ready to hit the road to spend the rest of the day with family for lunch & dinner. we enjoy as much choccie as we can & rejoice in the love & life we have been given.

happy easter to you x

how do you celebrate?

Hand-made chocolate egg

I have never made a big chocolate egg... until now! But when a certain little person said they would love a blue egg for Easter, their wish was my command!

Chocolate egg
What you will need:

Instructions

Temper (melt) white chocolate
Stir in blue chocolate food colouring a little at a time until you have desired colour. Stir well so colour is even
Fill mould full of melted chocolate, let it sit for a few minutes.
Then pour the liquid chocolate out. Some of the chocolate will have solidified on the inside of the mould
Leave to set. Refrigerating speeds up this process and can make it easier to turn out
Carefully release the eggs from the plastic moulds

I filled mine with coloured candy and a little white rabbit then wrapped it tightly in cling film and tied a pretty ribbon round it.

For now the bunnies are looking after the egg!

Have a sweet day!

pinning delights

perfect party or everyday deco

chair love

love this quote

pressies & all?!

love the freshness of this

must try these!

all images via my pinterest boards

My Easter Wish

For today, tomorrow and always...

I pray you find the gift of compassion

I pray you become beautifully optimistic

I pray you find a soul that believes in you

I pray you find the beauty in every sunset

I pray you make mistakes

I pray a butterfly flies past you so witness it's elegant beauty

I pray you find unconditional love

I pray you find a few minutes a day to be still and be one with your soul.

I pray you never loose your innocence.

I pray you savor every single second of motherhood. It is a very rare and special gift that you should never take for granted.

I pray that you always believe in magic

I pray you find your light.

I pray you never give up on your dreams. No matter how big or small.

I pray you find a soul that is your cheerleader in life

I pray you learn to forgive.

I pray you never stop learning.

I pray you find courage to never give up.

I pray you find faith. No matter what your beliefs are.

I pray you realise what is important in life.

I pray you learn to 'let it go'

I pray you take chances.

I pray you kiss slowly and hug often

I pray you love your heart, your body and your soul

I pray you find patience

I pray you smile every day

I pray you find eternal happiness - you deserve it

x S.K.K x

little artist

both my girls love to be creative. whether it's whipping up cakes & soups in the cubby house or drawing with pastels at the dining room table there is always something keeping them busy. i love watching the concentration & the little hands at work.

i always loved art at school. have always thought about learning to sew. enjoy baking. & of course taking photographs is my creative outlet #1.

what about you? do you love being creative & how?