Kitchen Blitz

Finished work at 3:30ish and saw the bus sail past so skipped into Wilkinsons to see if they had anything exciting in the kitchen department. Ended up buying a 4 drawer set, mini grater, kitchen clips and spring release ice cream scoop. Excitedly when I got home I put together the drawer set and put all my baking stuff in there emptying out all of my large boxes which I can now use for my many, many cupcakes.

Top drawer for sugars and syrups, second for flours, bi-carb and baking powder; third for flavourings and fillings with the last being for all my baking trays and such. It makes the kitchen look much tidier ... which is good for Tom's sanity.

This morning I topped all the banana cupcakes with vanilla buttercream and a few chopped walnuts, my colleagues said they were delish, I didn't expect any other response to be honest! I've been reading Low Syn Life which has a roll like virtually syn free cake recipe, I've yet to tell Tom as I didn't want to spoil the surprise of a under a syn cupcake for him! Yippee!

I'm also going to look at replacing all the diary in my baking with soya alternatives. 1 - it has a lower syn base and 2 - I can eat it without having to dive for the bathroom. Another thing that popped into my head thanks to a lovely customer this afternoon, who suggested I sell my wares after she sampled one of my pistachio cupcakes.

I have been looking for something I can do as a money making hobby, I did also consider being a nail technician in the past but alas that was just so expensive to get started with. If I can nail a few different flavours and recipes I will give it a though for sure.

Well I need to scrub the kitchen from top to bottom so it can be sparkling for when we get back from Mum and Dad's next week. I may do some baking whilst I'm down there not entirely sure what ... but I'll think of something to take with my hundred of cupcakes.

Whirlwind Baking Session

I should probably doing a million and one other things right now but I want to post about my creations this evening! Sorry Tom the socks and pants will have to wait until tomorrow!!

The Banana and Walnut loaf that served 12 has now turned into 18 cupcakes, again these look lovely and light whilst still being moist. I'll have to take these to work to have the taste test as I think I might end up in the bathroom all night if I consume much more dairy tonight and I don't think is up to the challenge not to mention the number of Syns! These will have a vanilla buttercream frosting topped with crushed walnuts.

I have also attempted to make some white chocolate cookies but I don't think I've done very well ... they look more like bready biscuits. Have left half the mix in the fridge over night to see if that works any better. I will start posting recipes soon - bare in mind a lot of the stuff I cook isn't my own recipe.

Epic Fail Brownies

Well I'll be damned! The Brownies look like they just might have set after leaving out over night. Now they look a little more than battle scarred now but I have absolutely no doubt that Mum will love them none the less!

Will be baking again this evening, but what two go for? Raspberry Bakewell Cake or Banana & Walnut Loaf? Maybe even both! I shall be needing plenty of eggs that is for certain.

The Start

While my beloved blogs about dieting, I'm blogging my obsession with baking. Every so often I just want to bake something, the smell is divine and the results are usually also just as good. Most of the time I don't sample what I make due to my dairy intolerance - I say usually I mean sometimes I risk being stuck in the bathroom removing most of what I may have eaten.

Tom (My Other Half) & I

I am also meant to be following the Slimming World diet, but I just can't find the motivation when there is so much tasty food out there for me to try and test. Flour is a syn, butter is a syn ... everything is a syn! Even in moderation. I struggle to stick to the diet so much I tend to stray frequently. Especially when I'm baking!

My two favourite websites are BBC Good Food and Cupcake Project, I could read all day and try the recipes. So this is where I shall post my findings and experiment on my own in my search for low fat and still incredibly tasty sweet baked goods.

Today I baked velvety brownies, the recipe said made nine and I seemed to be able to make about 15 ... brownies are rich don't you know (especially when you use 72% cocoa chocolate!)? I've yet to try them as I had trouble trying to get them to set, 25 minutes?! You're joking 45 minutes later they looked a little more like brownies rather than chocolate mousse, because I had tried to lift them out as I couldn't see how firm they were they look a bit ... battle scarred. Alas now they have been sliced and are ready to be boxed.

Brownie Fail!

My next batch was to be pistachio cupcakes, DIVINE! Again our oven let me down again, 35 minutes later these light moist golden beauties were retrieved from the oven. Topped with a mint green icing and the rest of the chopped pistachios they will be a favourite of mine for a very long time.

Delightful Cupcakes!

I'm yet to decide if I want to make some cornbread next, I loved it everytime I've had it so far but I've never cooked with polenta before - I guess now is the time to try!!