I'm In Baking Mode...

... which is rather tricky, as I should really be in work mode, considering the 4 deadlines that are looming. I blame the pregnancy hormones! So handy having these to blame, by the way. Last night, for instance, BF and I landed in a little minor domestic over what to watch on TV. Me: "The Sex & The City movie is on! The first one, I LOVE the first one!" Him: "But you have seen it 700 times already!" (He wanted to watch Match of the Day and The Daily Show, man that he is). Me: "But I'm carrying your child!" Domestic over. BF rolled his eyes, and retreated to the bedroom with his Windows Surface and let me get stuck into Carrie & Co. in blissful peace. He muttered something about getting a house with two living rooms and leaving me with the one with the smallest TV, but sure, so far, so winning, as Charlie Sheen would say. 

Now; roll on lovely vanilla cake!

(Photo Credit: Kamille magazine)

Kitchen Confidential

I must admit - with pride - that I am having a bit of a Domestic Goddess moment lately. I mean; in the last week alone I made a batch of spelt breadrolls, cinnamon buns, cranberry and pistachio biscotti, rustic tomato soup, hot thai chicken soup and a chocolate cake. And so now I am having some serious "I want an amazing, fully-kitted-with-everything-I-might-ever-need kitchen" dreams. Like this GORGEOUS one that was featured in an issue of Living Etc. a while back. The chandelier alone is enough to make me swoon.

Also, I need some baking stuff. Starting with the Hummingbird Bakery cookbook. I HEART the Hummingbird Bakery in London! It is always on my stop-list when in town. Also I need a proper KitchenAid machine - and this pink one makes my heart flutter.  Some cute retro scales would be good too. And some wooden trays. I have a little obsession with cool trays - I mean, they are perfect for displaying stuff on, even pretty books and candles.

Now; HOUSE-HUNTING!

Rainy Day In Dublin

It's a very wet day here in little Dublin today. Grafton Street is crowded with colourful umbrellas and people hurrying along to get away from the elements. Even the flower-stalls were looking a little drowned.

But a very milky cappuchino with good friends just makes the whole out-in-the-rain venture worth it. What can beat a little catch-up session, tucked away in a dark corner of a cosy café with some very cool girls?!

And as for the rest of the afternoon; I plan to try my hand at making cranberry and pistachio nut biscottis. As I LOVE to dunk them in my latte, such a treat, but I have never actually been successful at making them. But I guess baking trial-and-error is what rainy afternoons were made for...

And as for today's little indulgence; I have pre-ordered the lovely Emily Schuman's new book - from her gorgeous blog Cupcakes and Cashmere. I am totally looking forward to lots of stunning pictures of her outfits and baking creations! JOY!

Way Too Crumbly Banana Bread...

... still tasted yum according to both Nahla and Mummy. Banana bread is made on an almost weekly basis here in this house, as: 1. It is the perfect way to use up bananas that have started going black, and: 2. Nahla LOVES it. But last night I decided to do some experimenting, and used half and half spelt flour and almond flour - which I have never attempted baking with before. And it turned out SUPER TASTY. But as both spelt and almond flour soak up more liquid than ordinary flour, I just have to remember to add more bananas and a little drop of water into the next batch. You live and learn!

Homemade Musli-Bars...

... are a great start to a rainy morning. And SO quick and easy to make, you can do them on a weekday, and not have to wait till the weekend. YUM! Now; all I need is my morning Nespresso, and I am ready for some work!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

This chocolate chip cookie recipe from my new vegetarian cookbook was so easy and foolproof I just had to try it out earlier. And this really is my kinda baking; quick to throw together, quick to cook, and voila; you can kick back and enjoy the fruits of your labour in no time! Recipe will follow!

Not Bad Work...

... by two not-quite-well girls!

Coconut Macaroon Nutella Nests...

... are on the agenda today. That and not much else. Or; maybe some cinnamon buns as well - as we're not the biggest fans of hot cross buns in this house. As both myself and Nahla are struggling with colds, coughs and runny noses, we figured there is nothing like a day in with cuddles and home-baked goodies to make us feel back to ourselves again!

Coconut Macaroon Nutella Nests

Makes: 10 nests Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 17-20 minutes



Ingredients:

2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1 large egg white
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 1/2 cups sweetened coconut
1 cup Nutella
M&M Speck-tacular Eggs (or other Easter candy)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat mat.

2. In a large bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk, egg white, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until combined. Add in the coconut and mix well.

3. With a spoon, scoop up about 3 Tablespoons of the dough and place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Form the cookies into the shape of a bird nest. Press down the center with your thumb.

4. Bake cookies for 17 to 20 minutes, or until slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and press your thumb down in the center of the nests again. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes or until they are firm and set. Remove with a spatula onto a cooling rack. Cool completely.

5. Place about a tablespoon of Nutella in the center of each nest. Place 3 egg candies in the center of the nest. Finish decorating the nests and serve.

Now let's get cracking!

(Recipe from here)

My little Bakerella...

... brought home her very first own-made crispy buns from playschool on Thursday - and seemed totally impressed with her own efforts! Needless to say, Mummy was chuffed too! It was the gummybear that did it for me, so freakin' cute!

A Day In The Life...

... of two busy girls...


The breakfast: Raspberry oatmeal smoothie with a big dollop of yummy Amana Prana oil.


The toy-of-the-day: Doll pushed around in an overfilled shopping cart. I sure as heck hope this is not how Nahla thinks it's done - that some psychologist some day is going to hit me with the news that she was carted around on one too many shopping trips as a baby... Then again; imagine how little Harper Seven must feel? Sure her life is one long just-popping-from-Prada-and-into-Barney's shopping frenzy...


The lunch: Baby potato and chorizo salad. YUM.


The purchase: This sweet neon colored print for BF for Valentine's Day.


The baking-project: Chocolate cake. It is still pretty cold, and winter calls for chocolate. Simple as.

There you go, that was our sweet-as-the-come Tuesdays.

Few Things Beat...

... warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven banana bread. I use Sophie Dahl's quick and easy recipe, and needless to say, it always goes down a treat in our house!

Yummy Banana Bread, Sophie Style:

75g unsalted organic butter, softened
4 ripe organic bananas (I use ones that have nearly gone off, great way to use up bananas that no-one is going to eat!)
200g soft brown sugar
1 organic egg, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
170g organic spelt flour

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius / 160 fan / Gas 4. Grease a 30 x 23 cm bread tin.
Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the butter, sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Add the bicarbonate of soda and salt and finally mix in the flour. Pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 1 hour, remove and cool on a wire rack.

Spread a generous amount of butter on, and just enjoy. Winter-time food does not get much better than this!

Minnie Mouse Cupcakes

How PERFECT will these be for Nahla's birthday?! I mean; she is OBSESSED with Minnie and Mickey, and BF and I have long since decided that we just have to bring her to Florida and Disney World in a couple of years! Love!

Trust Martha...

... to come up with the best recipe for gingerbread cookies I have ever tried. And this icing totally rocks my baking world! I think some more baking will have to fit into my agenda tonight, as I have a weekend of various festivities coming up, and these will no doubt make the perfect hostess gift!

You Know You'er A Mother...

... when you find yourself sobbing in the kitchen over less than perfect cupcakes for the playschool Christmas fair at 3.37 A.M.....

Gingerbread Cookies...

... are in. Clean kitchens are out! It was messy, sticky and hectic this baking with a toddler business - but oh so yummy and fun!

I'm SO Baking These...

... for Nahla's birthday! How cute are they?! And not too complicated either, just sticking a lot of mini marshmallows onto frosting - sounds like a project even I can manage!

(Image via Martha Stewart)

In Gwyneth's Footsteps

I haven't (yet) succumbed to the temptation to buy über-mammy Gwyneth Paltro's very yummy looking cookbook. But that didn't stop from from tearing her recipe for blueberry muffins out of a magazine I was flicking through the other day. By the way, I am NOTORIOUS for that. I tear pages out of magazines ALL THE TIME. At the doctor's, the hairdressers, coffee shops, just random magazines people have left on the subway; everywhere. You know even when they have out big stickers on the magazines: "Don't remove." Even that does not stop me. I have a terrible addiction, I know.

Anyway, back to these blueberry muffins. Which look yummy. Yummy muffins + Saturdays = what's not to like?!

My Latest Cookbook Purchase...

... is filling me with inspiration! Mojito cupcakes?! Why, oh why did nobody think of this before?!

Monday Nights...

... are made for cake-pop baking. I am no Bakerella, but it is pretty fun practicing too!

Rainy Days...

... were made for baking. And this afternoon I intend to make some very yummy cake pops with my very own little cake pop!