White Chocolate and Roses 30th Birthday Cake

Ask any woman what they love and they will say...chocolate! Now add some flowers to that chocolate and you have one happy woman! (take note men) hehe.. with this in mind I decided to make my lovely neighbour a 30th Birthday cake to remember.

I decided to make her a Vanilla Cake with chocolate ganache filling, vanilla buttercream icing, white chocolate sleeve around it and pretty sugarpaste roses.

I used my delicious and trusty Vanilla Cake recipe. Get recipe here (link coming soon)

The bottom tier is two layers of vanilla cake and the top tier is one layer. I filled the layers with white chocolate ganache. Get recipe here (link coming soon)

I then frosted the whole cake with vanilla buttercream icing.

I made a white chocolate sleeve that I wrapped around the two tiers and decorated with sugarpaste roses that I handmade.

I also made a number 30 out of green sugarpaste and decorated with pink flowers. I thought this was a nice touch.

 

 

 A cake pretty enough to eat!

 

How to make Chocolate Truffles?

Want to make some quick and easy treats that look and taste real good, why not try to make some Chocolate Truffles?

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

I always thought it was really difficult to make Chocolate Truffles, but once you get the ganache right (don't worry ganache is just chocolate melted with double cream,) the rest is easy, and the ideas are unlimited. I had a lot of fun playing around with different flavours.

This recipe can be used to make all sort of truffles, the basis stays the same, only the flavourings and chocolate type will change.

200g Milk Chocolate/Dark Chocolate/Milk Chocolate
1/4 cup Double Cream
flavouring (anything from teas, coffees, spices, liqueur etc)
Nuts/coconut/coco powder etc. to roll truffles in
(if you use liqueur or alcohol to flavour the ganache, don't use more than 3 tsps)

Grate or break chocolate into small pieces. Place in heatproof bowl.
Heat up the double cream in a pan till just about to boil (the edges will starts boiling). Pour the cream over  the chocolate pieces.
Stir gently till all the chocolate have melted and is smooth. If there is still solid pieces of chocolate, put the bowl over simmering water (not touching the water) until all the chocolate have melted.
Stir in the flavouring.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Allow the ganache to firm up in a container, preferably deep rather than shallow. Using a teaspoon or melon baller, scoop up room temperature ganache and roll the balls between your palms to round them off. Roll in nuts/Coconut/coco powder etc. and place on tray till set. Once set you can put them in small cupcake papers.

Makes about 20 truffles.


CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER TRUFFLES


Use Milk Chocolate and 3 tbsp Crunchy Peanut Butter. Coco Powder to roll truffles in.

 WHITE CHOCOLATE NOUGAT AND COCONUT TRUFFLES

Use White Milk Chocolate. Chopped nuts (macadamia, pecan, cashew) and chopped nougat pieces. 1 tbsp Coconut extract. Grated coconut for top.

CHOCOLATE MACADAMIA TRUFFLES

Use Milk Chocolate. Blend White Chocolate, Tobelerone and Macadamia nuts to fine and use for rolling.

HOW TO MAKE HONEYCOMB COVERED IN CHOCOLATE
(CHOCOLATE CRUNCHIES)


1 cup Granulated White Sugar
3 tbsp Runny Honey or Golden Syrup
3 tbsp Water
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

Put the sugar, honey/syrup and water into pan and gently bring to boil. Do not stir. Gently boil till all sugar has dissolved, it takes about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda, work quick. The mixture will bubble up when you add the bicarbonate of soda. Pour into heatproof dish that is lined with parchment paper. Let completely dry before you cut or break into pieces.

Can be enjoyed just like it is, or dipped in chocolate. Makes about 10 honeycombs.

 

 


I decided to dip mine in chocolate as it reminded me of a favourite South African chocolate of mine called Chruncies.

Now this was a true "Death by Chocolate" experience  for me, thank you ladies for a great challenge. I cannot wait to start with the September 2011 Challenge!

Homemade Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

This is the easiest Homemade Ice Cream recipe ever! No churning and no machine required!

If you ever thought making your own Ice Cream is impossible or difficult, think again! This is the easiest Homemade Ice Cream recipe ever. I know you may think this Ice Cream cannot possibly be as good as the professional made ones or the good store bought ones, but I can guarantee you that it is just as good if not better and it is o so creamy and o so easy!!

Once you get the basic recipe right, you can really make any flavour of Ice Cream. I really like the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream because it reminds me of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups...yummy!

Homemade Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

2 Cups (500ml) Full Cream
1 tin Condensed Milk - you can half this if you want it to be less sweet
4 tbsp Crunchy Peanut Butter
1 cup (250g) Chocolate Chips

Whip the cream till it forms soft peaks. In a seperate bowl mix the Condensed Milk, Crunchy Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chips together. Fold into the Whipped Cream. Pour into container and freeze for at least 6 hours. Take it out of freezer 5 minutes before you serve it.

Now that you have mastered this easy Homemade Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, you can try different flavours. I will post some more flavours as I make them. Enjoy!