Melting Moments

Melting Moments

Ok so I made these on a Saturday (last Saturday!!!) with all intentions of taking them to work...unfortunately for the legal departments they didn't even last all of Sunday!

I've made Yo-Yo's before which are very similar to Melting Moments, but had never attempted these before.  The main difference between these two shortbread-type biscuits is that Melting Moments do not have custard powder in the shortbread.  I found this recipe to also result in a much softer biscuit than when I made the Yo-Yo's...

When I first looked at the recipe I was just going to follow the method as it was written but when I saw it read "place the flour in a medium bowl...then add everything else" my instincts told me something was wrong.  All bakers know that when you have egg, butter, sugar and flour -- flour is the NEVER the first thing to go in!  So I followed my gut feeling and whipped the butter and sugar together till it was fluffy then added in the egg and went from there.  I ended up with such a soft, crumbly and fluffy biscuit and was glad I didn't follow the recipe! (although sometimes this isn't always the smartest idea, like if you're making macaroons!!! lol)

The cream for the middle was so to die for, it had just the right amount of lemon juice and rind...I had to stop myself from eating it straight out of the bowl -- which got increasingly harder as the time passed waiting for the biscuits to cool.  I learnt the hard way when I made Yo-Yo's that you really can't be inpatient when you're icing them, because if you try to sandwich butter cream between hot or even slightly warm biscuits it is going to melt and make your bikkies soggy!!!! so DO NOT do it!!!!!

Melting Moments

Ingredients:

Biscuits

• 250g butter
• ½ cup (80g) icing sugar mixture
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups (225g) plain flour, sifted
• ½ cup (75g) cornflour, sifted

Butter cream

• 80g butter
• 2/3 cup (110g) icing sugar mixture
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180⁰ and line baking trays with baking paper and non-stick spray.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together in a medium bowl.
3. Add the vanilla extract and the sifted flours.
4. Spoon small dollops of the mixture onto the baking trays, then press down lightly with a fork.
5. To make the butter cream, beat the butter and icing sugar together, lemon rind and lemon juice together.
6. Once the biscuits have cooled completely choose two that are of similar size and spoon a decent dollop of cream onto one.
7. Lightly press the other biscuit on top and sit aside to set.
8. Great with a cup of tea!!!! (and extra cream!)

Love in Baking, Passionate Baker! 2:D 

Pancake Manor

I had a friend from Mackay come stay for the weekend and among the many fun and exciting things we did (some of which I hadn’t even done in Brisbane yet!!!) we went to the Pancake Manor.  It was Brodie’s idea, and it just so happened to be one of the BEST ideas he had ever had!

Early Saturday morning, after Brodie, my mum, my brother Jarrod and I drove in circles around the one way streets of the Brisbane CBD for 20 minutes, we finally found a park (in a loading zone).  As we walked into the doors under the ‘Pancake Manor’ sign we found ourselves inside what appeared to be an old church.  The ceiling seemed to go for miles, large timber banisters rose to a peak in the centre of the enormous room.  There were old-style chandeliers hanging everywhere with large polished wooden tables and wooden booths.  In the centre of the room was the bar, which had more timber edging and stained glass panes than you can imagine.  Basically, the atmosphere was amazing, all before we’d even sat down.

As the four of us sat in our booth and opened our menus you could see the excitement in each of our eyes.  Majority of the menu items had photos along side them, the dessert choices especially!  Whilst the Pancake Manor also has savory crepes, main meals such as steak and chicken, our main desire in coming here was to get one of their famous pancake dessert stacks.

Strawberry Patch:

Strawberry Patch

As per usual, I was completely indecisive and was only able to come to a decision on the grounds that mum shared some of hers with me in exchange for some of mine.  So I ended up ordering the Stawberry Patch which consisted of 2 fluffy buttermilk pancakes, strawberry coulis, a generous dollop of fresh cream and a scoop of ice-cream to top it all off.

The strawberries were so fresh, with an amazing flavour.  The way they had been sautéed left an amazing syrup, but I do have to say that it did need a little more on the syrup side as it ran out a little too fast.  Next time I’d probably get a sauce or syrup on the side I think. 

Bananarama:

Mum opted for the Bananrama (I think that’s what it was called).  In hindsight I probably should have gone for this option, as I’m a huge fan of Banana and butterscotch sauce, but as mum and Brodie were ordering this one I felt like one of us should get something different.

Bananarama

The Banarama consisted of 2 fluffy buttermilk pancakes, 2 whole (might I say of generous size!) bananas split lengthways then grilled to perfection, a homemade butterscotch sauce, a generous dollop of cream and then a scoop of ice-cream of top.  I think all the pancakes were also sprinkled with icing sugar, for that final touch.

Brodie also got the Bananarama but despite his ‘manliness’ he was unable to finish even half!  Mum and I were the true winners of the day!

I ended up trading half of mine for half of mum’s, the bananas were to die for and the butterscotch sauce so creamy, the perfect consistency and flavour.  It was just to die for!  Next time I think I’d probably order the Bananarama and then add a serving of strawberries or strawberry coulis to it.  That would make the whole meal just perfect!

Pancake Stack:

Pancake Stack

My youngest brother Jarrod likes his food a little more simple than the rest of us so he went for a two stack with good old whipped butter and maple syrup.  His also came with cream and ice-cream but he was happy with just the whipped butter and the syrup.  Probably not such a bad thing when you think about calories!!!

I was able to con him into giving me a drizzle of the maple syrup, and I have to say that it was probably the best maple syrup I’ve ever had!  The Pancake Manor sure doesn’t lack quality with their ingredients in any regard.  His didn’t last very long though, it was gobbled up in minutes. The prices weren’t too bad for the meals either…Most of the pancake desserts (which were the ones that came with all the extras and fancy things) ranged from $12-14.  

We enjoyed the experience so much that we’ve booked to have my other brothers 18^th dinner there at the end of March.  Can’t wait to see what everyone orders that night!

Remnants of a Strawberry Patch

Love in Baking, Passionate Baker! 2:D

Butterfly Cakes

Butterfly Cake

I had a request from my new team leader in the legal department I’m working in for butterfly cakes.  To be honest, I’ve never made them before, which is a bit strange considering I absolutely love anything with jam and fresh fluffy cream!  

These were so good…not as heavy or sickly sweet as some of the caramel, chocolate and toffee things I’ve made, which was a nice change.  Goes down well with a cup of tea.

I’m a fiend for having a lot of jam with my cream…so I put extra jam on the ones I knew I was going to eat, but it’s really your own preference how much or how little you want.  

When I took them into work it was great to see that as people bit into them, they discovered a jam surprise on the inside.  Some even used that phrase!!!  The wings were the best part, scooping up the jam and cream….droooool…

Definitely worth a try if you like light, fluffy, jam and cream!

Butterfly Cakes 

as adapted from Women's Weekly 'Easy Cupcakes by Colour'

Vanilla Butter Cake:

• 1 cup (150g) sifted SR flour
• 90g softened butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup (110g) caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180⁰ and line a muffin tray with patty/cup cake cases, spraying lightly with non-stick spray.
2. Beat butter and sugar till light and creamy.
3. Add one egg at time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Add the milk and extract.
5. Gradually add the sifted flour, mixing till combined.  Do not over mix.
6. Fill each patty case about half way, depending how big you want each to be.
7. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until they spring back on the top when touched.  They should have a little bit of colour/browning on top but not too much.
8. Set the patty cakes onto a cooling tray, cool completely before filling (I cooled over night).

Filling:

• Strawberry jam
• 600g thickened cream
• Caster sugar (to taste)
• Icing Sugar

Method:

1. Beat the cream and caster sugar till the cream thickens, and is light and fluffy. 
2. Add enough sugar to your own taste/sweetness.
3. Once the cakes have cooled, cut a small round hole in the top about 2-3cm deep in the top of each cake.
4. Fill the hole with half a spoon of jam and a spoonful of cream (more or less depending on your own taste).
5. Cut the circle cake cut outs in half then place them into the cream like butterfly wings.
6. Sift icing sugar over the top of the cakes.

Love in Baking, Passionate Baker! 2:D