Golden Gaytime Cake

Recipe from Tinman's Treats.

MiNaScope

The MiNaScope microscope stage with various "biological" samples.

Yes, I know it's been a very, very long time since we've posted anything. I've had this one saved in the drafts folder since August and just haven't had the time (or motivation) to finish it off. Better late than never I guess!

A few months ago, Na sent me an email about the "Great Microscopy Bake-off 2013" held at The University of Sydney. The brief was to make a science or microscopy-themed cake, cupcake or biscuit. This was right down our alley and we really wanted to make a joint submission. We brainstormed and came up with various ideas, being so like-minded we actually came up with very similar ideas so it made the final decision easy. As we are both microscopists, we felt very strongly about making something microscope-related but a microscope seemed too obvious. In the end we decided on a microscope stage and various "biological" samples, this way we could easily make the components separately and then arrange them together on the day.

The MiNaScope microscope stage was chocolate brownie on the inside covered in basic vanilla buttercream and fondant. I bought the white icing at the supermarket and black fondant at The Essential Ingredient. Na's gingerbread cookies were covered in royal icing and decorated using a feathering effect described here. The writing on the "glass slides" was achieved by using a pen with edible ink.

Anthea Leonard from Sweet Art was there to judge the cakes and we came second! How amazing is that? Mi xo

Gingerbread cookies with "fluorescent cells" made by Na.

"Bacterial plate"gingerbread cookies made by Na.

Gingerbread "glass slides" made by Na.

Freckle Biscuits

I cannot take credit for these colourful beauties. My sister made them after seeing something similar in a  cafe. The classic chocolate treat "Freckles" have always been a favourite but they're so much better in biscuit form. My sister decided to make a shortbread for the base and used Lorraine Pascale's "Dreamlike Shortbread" recipe. The full recipe can be found here. Once the biscuits have cooled completely, dip the tops into some melted chocolate and then into a bowl of hundreds and thousands. Easy as you like! Na xo

Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread

I love shortbread! The soft, buttery goodness that just melts in your mouth. Last Christmas, my sister gave me David Lebovitz's Ready for Dessert cook book. As I flicked through the pages salivating at all the recipes before me, I came across one for brown sugar-pecan shortbread. YUM! I had to make this. What I love about David's recipes is that they are always very simple such as the one for Coconut Macaroons and the result is pure deliciousness! Be sure to check out his website for many more amazing recipes. Mi xo

Mad Hatter's Tea Party!

This Christmas will be MiNa's second Christmas, can't believe it's been almost a whole year since we had our first baking collaboration together Christmas cupcakes which eventually resulted in MiNa's Food Adventures! The theme to our work Christmas party this year was Mad Hatter, so Na and I decided to make Mad Hatter/Alice in Wonderland themed sugar cookies. We used the sugar cookies recipe from Na's teapot and teacup post and the royal icing recipe from Bec Loves Baking blog which uses pavlova magic instead of egg whites, this can be found at your local supermarket. I found the quantity to be to much for 45 - 50 sugar cookies so I think I will halve the recipe next time. Na made the gorgeous teapot, teacups and teabags and I made the hearts, clocks and hats (which I was told looked a bit like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle!). I used an edible food pen to write the numbers and hands on the clock cookies. No Christmas party would be complete without a gingerbread house, so along with a couple of colleagues from work we decided to make a castle for the Queen of Hearts as well! Needless to say, I think we have reached our baking quota for the year! Mi & Na xoxo

Hungarian Tart

Another tried and true recipe from my mum for HUNGARIAN TART. It's basically a buttery shortbread with a strawberry jam filling. I'm not exactly sure if this is traditionally Hungarian but it's what we've always called it! 

Naan Katai (Semolina Shortbread)

This delicious crumbly biscuit has been a family favourite for pretty much all of my life. The recipe was passed from my grandmother to my mother and now to me. It was a bit difficult to write the exact recipe because a lot of it is done by feel as opposed to measurements. My advise would be to practice till you get it right!

Chocolate and Walnut Oat Cookies

I had a hankering for a biscuit that incorporated oats and chocolate so I tinkered with my favourite chocolate chip cookie recipe and came up with this! They're slightly crispy on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside, which is just how I like them!

Christmas in July

I usually only make gingerbread once a year at Christmas time. Our friends recently invited us to a Christmas in July dinner, complete with ham, Christmas presents and carols! I decided to re-create my favourite recipe for gingerbread. It never disappoints, soft and chewy with a hint of spice and the lovely full flavour of molasses. Yummy! Mi xo

Teapot and Teacup Sugar Cookies

I love cookie cutters and hope to one day have quite a collection but until recently, all I had were circles, flowers and gingerbread man shapes. The other day I found myself in a situation where I was faced with a wall of cookie cutters! All shapes and sizes! There was so much to choose from but once I saw the teapot and teacup shaped cookie cutters, I knew they were coming home with me that day. 

Ginger Nut Biscuits

This recipe comes from a book published in 1987 called "Cakes and Baking" by Australia's culinary superstar, Margaret Fulton. My sister found this piece of written treasure hiding in the corner at an old book fair. It's full of recipes for traditional sweet treats such as vanilla slice, queen cakes and coconut macaroons, but the recipe that I knew I had to try first was for ginger nuts. I love ginger because it gives you such a warm and comforting feeling, which is perfect for colder days. In the book, Margaret says "Once you have made these you will never want to buy them again". Well said Margaret and so true! The recipe is as follows:

ANZAC Biscuits

Photography by T.H.

Mr Mi loves to cook savoury dishes and I love to bake, you could say that we are a perfect match. The other day, he said to me "You know I've always wanted to try baking. What can I make?" and I thought to myself well it's ANZAC day so..."What about ANZAC biscuits?". These biscuits are easy to make and relatively fool-proof. So he made some yummy treats for me today! Here's a little history on this great egg-less biscuit. Try out this recipe for deliciously chewy and super easy to make ANZAC biscuits you won't regret it. Mi xo