Summer solstice + full moon eclipse = baking time

It's supposedly the longest day of the year (definitely not the hottest), add a full moon and a full lunar eclipse at the same time ... ingredients are coming out of the pantry and into the mixing bowl and then into the oven all by themselves :)

Well, with a little help from me.

The raspberry fruit friand recipe is one of my old favourites. I usually bake mini ones, but since I ran out of mini cake cases, I made some bigger cupcake size ones. I wanted to bake them because tomorrow we are going to visit some lurvely friends for a pre-Chrissie arvo tea.

Even though the recipe calls for raspberries, I used mixed frozen berries. It's all good.

Raspberry fruit friands

Makes about 24 mini cakes

Ingredients:

-160g unsalted butter

-170g icing sugar

-65g plain flour (white or wholemeal) - I used white

-110g ground almonds (almond powder/meal)

-5 egg whites

-raspberries or other berries

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius (180 degrees fan-forced).

2) Melt butter in saucepan and simmer for a little bit, then let it cool down for 5 minutes).

3) Sift icing sugar and flour into mixing bowl. Then stir in ground almonds.

4) Stir in unbeaten egg whites and then beat until it is a soft batter

5) Pour the melted butter through a fine sieve into the batter and mix/beat well.

6) Grease muffin tins or prepare paper cake cases and 3/4 fill with mixture.

7) Push a couple of berries into the centre of each muffin

8) Put into oven and bake for 5 minutes, then lower the temperature to 180 degrees celcius (160 degrees fan-forced) and cook for a further 20-25 minutes, covering the cakes if they get too brown.

9) Turn off the oven and leave the friands inside for 5 minutes.*

10) Cool slightly in the tin and then turn onto rack to cool completely.

* I took the cakes out quickly to check with a toothpick they were completely cooked, then quickly put them back into the oven for 5 mins, now turned off.

 
 

OH MY.  Kanye West's Runaway. It is incredible. Sublime. Breathtaking. Watch it. Full screen.

Give yourself half an hour and you won't regret it :)

My favourite part is definitely the ballet dancers ... (sigh * melt *).
Just beautiful.

So... should you accept your parent's facebook friend requests?

Not sure? This chart may help :)

Found this over here. Luckily, mum's still not too interested in Facebook yet. She is happy with email, youtube and the general internets... no social media yet  :)

 Come and say hi at Ms Doody's

 I have been to a couple of Ms Doody's Art Shows in previous years and I am really excited to join a bunch of talented artists and designers in Ms Doody's this year!


Carol, one of the organisers for Ms Doody's, kindly asked if I would like to participate, and I jumped at the chance. The exhibition showcases a bunch of very creative artists and designers' work which appeal to children and those who are young at heart. The work is usually colourful, full of characters, lively, whimsical and fun. I love being part of a group exhibition, there is MUCH less pressure than holding a solo exhibition, and also you get to be part of a bigger creative energy.

I created 5 new pieces for the exhibition, and am nervous but excited to show my work in this upcoming exhibition. It's always interesting for me to see the paintings outside the studio. It takes on a new life, sometimes I see a different side of the paintings, when I view it exhibited somewhere else.

The opening is on Friday 10th December and it's held at the Carclew Youth Arts Centre in North Adelaide. (Did you know it's supposed to be haunted?) I do think it looks a bit spooky at night!

It's also open on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 December, 10am - 6pm. (Yes, ONE weekend only!)

Check out the Ms Doody's blog for more info about the artists :) 

Hope to see you there!


PS Did I mention that both kids and adults are going to build a giant cubby castle together at the exhibition?! ;) Oh yeh!