Baby marrow, sundried tomato and chevin tart

Life feels like a bit of a blur at the moment. I am sure many of you can relate – from the moment I open my eyes in the morning to the minute I collapse into bed each evening I am on the go, moving from one pressing task to the next. Sometimes you just really need to stop and smell the pastry.. err, I mean roses. Weekends are a good time for this when things are (sometimes) a little less frantic and rushed, and there is a bit more time for some leisurely cooking. 

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Pumpkin spice cookies

While there is no denying that the arrival of summer is highly anticipated at the end of each year, I have to admit that I rather look forward to the autumn season. A welcome respite from the heat, beautiful red and brown leaves dotting the trees and an excuse to start enjoying some favourite comfort foods are just a few of the things that come to mind.

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Chocolate Easter nest cupcakes (with video)

 

I suppose I should be used to it by now, but I could not believe my eyes when just one week after Christmas the supermarket shelves were already filling up with Easter eggs! Of course now that it is March you cannot maneuver your shopping trolley without bumping into a chocolate bunny but it is a bit more acceptable now that Easter is just a few days away, yay! A few weeks ago a friend sent me a photo of a beautiful Easter bird nest cake. It reminded me of some Easter cupcakes I made years ago, and I decided they would be perfect to make again and share with you this week. They will make a colourful and delicious addition to your Easter table!

 

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Top Deck tea biscuits and a visit to RSG

In my last post I wrote about the blog turning two and how grateful I am for the opportunities I have had on this journey so far – well it wasn’t a day later when another one came along. Two years ago I could not have imagined that I would be chatting biscuits with a foodie legend on her radio show! Tomorrow morning I will be joining the wonderful Nina Timm on RSG to do just that.

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Chocolate meringue cake

March is always a busy birthday month, and lately I feel as though I am either busy planning or baking a celebration cake (or both!). My most recent creation was a Peppa Pig cake which I made for my daughter’s third birthday. I have a few other special birthday cakes planned for the coming weeks – look out for a cake filled post with all the photos sometime in the future.

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Strawberry and peach yoghurt pops

It has been a hot, hawt summer down here in the Cape. Stick-to-your-seat, get-that-fan-on-now kind of hot. If you were a fly on the wall in our home you would witness a similar scene most afternoons. In an attempt to cool down, our three year old (having gradually discarded each item of her clothing as the afternoon has gone on) is usually running around with nothing on by supper time, and small items of clothing and empty princess water bottles are strewn all over the house. Maybe you have a toddler at home too and can relate – please say you do! It must seem a crazy sight.

Having endured some frightfully cold European winters and not so summery summers I do not want to complain too much about the heat, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to autumn just a tiny bit. Yet, in the spirit of summer here is a new recipe for you to enjoy.
In an attempt to beat the heat I whipped these up a few weeks ago. These easy to make yoghurt pops are a fantastic treat to keep in the freezer for those hot and sticky days. My little one loves this two tone snack and its a very effective way to get her to eat some extra fruit. Now, if only I could get her to stay fully clothed for an entire day…
Cook’s note – I only a used a little honey in this recipe, but feel free to add more if you prefer your lolly to be a bit sweeter. This recipe would also work well with other kinds of berries and stone fruit, and you could even play around with different yoghurt flavours. Get the kids involved and have fun!

 

 

STRAWBERRY AND PEACH YOGHURT POPS

  • 250g fresh strawberries, stalks removed and halved
  • 200ml plain yoghurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp honey
  • 3 peaches, peeled and stoned
  • 6 x 100ml lolly moulds
1.) Place the strawberries, 100ml of the yoghurt, 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp honey in a food processor (or use a stick blender) and whizz until smooth and combined. Taste and add more honey if you prefer a sweeter lolly.

2.) Divide the strawberry mix between the moulds, so that they are each half full. Place in the freezer for 1 hour, or until they are firm to the touch but still soft enough to insert the lolly stick.

3.) Cut the peaches into chunks and whizz up along with the remaining yoghurt, vanilla and honey until combined. Again, you can add additional honey according to taste if you wish. Top up each lolly mould, insert the stick and leave to chill in the freezer until firm.

 

Walnut, pecan and cranberry cake

A few years ago on my birthday I visited the Cape Town Good Food Show where I was fortunate to meet Gordon Ramsay. Gosh, as I sit here listening to the washing machine whirring away in the background, princess stickers strewn on the floor under my desk and my baby boy napping down the passage, going to shows and meeting celebs seems like another lifetime! Gordon was doing a book signing and this is where I picked up a copy of “World Kitchen”. The book is a collection of recipes from all over the world including France, China and America. It is one my favourites in my collection and everything I have tried so far has been delicious.

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Triple lemon iced sticky buns and a chat with Jessica Creed

I love to connect with other food bloggers and have made some wonderful new foodie friends since I began Cupcakes and Couscous. I am super excited about today’s post which not only has a deee-licious recipe for you to try but also my first international interview! Today I am chatting to baking extraordinaire and Nutella lover, Jessica Creed who is based in the U.K. and blogs over at What Jessica Baked Next

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