For my 2nd Aussie-American Thanksgiving, I was much more prepared! I concocted a dessert of classic American & Aussie flavours; Pumpkin, Salted Caramel, and White Chocolate Tim Tams – for this holiday treat. This vanilla spice cake got a homemade pumpkin puree filling between its layers, frosted with fresh whip cream, drizzled with caramel (not homemade – gasp!), and topped with white chocolate Tim Tams. Needless to say, there was only 1 tiny slice leftover, which my waistline is incredibly “thankful” for. This homemade cake does take a little bit of time, but it simple and fun to make! BONUS, it will make your friends think you are a master baker! For Christmas try dates instead of pumpkin. RECIPE: Caramel Spice Cake FROM: inspired by a Chocolate version by Harriet Olafsdottir MAKES: about 24 medium slices QUICK TIME-SAVING BAKING TIPS: 1. If you are going to make the Pumpkin Puree filling, you can dice the pumpkin and get it steaming while […]
These Muffins are absolutely the best I’ve ever had!!! They are super duper easy to make but so moist and springy! FYI though, the chocolate chips make them disappear quicker! Ditch a 1/4 cup of the sugar & the chocolate chips, if you want a healthier version. They have a lot of memories for me (which you can read the backstory below the recipe if you’d like), but then again, doesn’t all food? RECIPE: Best Chocolate Chip Banana Muffin Recipe FROM: Joanie Smith, but adapted for chocolate lovers by me. MAKES: about 16 muffins Mix These: 1 1/4 cup All Purpose or Plain Flour 1 cup Sugar 1/2 t. Salt 1 t. Baking Soda Creme These: 1/2 cup unsalted butter 3 overly ripe bananas, mashed (where there is more brown than yellow) 2 eggs Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Lower the temperature 25 F/10 C if you have a fan forced oven. 2. Mix the dry ingredients […]
Since Japan, Isaac and I have been adventurous enough to make sushi 4 times. Thankfully, things are starting to get quicker, the kitchen is less messy, and the rolls are slightly more pretty. Making sushi is a LOT of work, and we are only hobbyists. We really just have fun experimenting with flavors and enjoy sharing our Japan memories with friends (old & new). This past Saturday, we had one such occasion to share our bite-sized creations with the owners of “The Fisho” (our favorite location is in Singleton, Western Australia)!!! We first used their fish for our sushi, on a recommendation from a friend, when we arrived to Australia in September. We were hooked (oh the play on words)!! Knowing that not many people give making sushi a shot, and after getting to the “we should be friends” stage, we finally got the chance to make them some of our rolls. If you are one of the people who […]