Chicken Scratch Towel

Wet and wintry weekends are perfect for sewing! I put the finishing touches to my Chicken Scratch project today by stitching the embroidered panel onto a piece of waffle weave cotton to make a towel. I am not sure if I will use it as a tea towel/dish cloth or a hand towel. I added some red ricrac to go with the retro vibe.

Love it!

I used Micheal Miller Gypsy Bandana in Aqua Gingham for the Chicken Scratch Panel.

Weekend Baking: Cupcakes

This week Sarah treated us to some Brown Sugar Pound Cakes which were light and very delicious. The cupcakes were frozen and then popped into the lunch boxes each morning. I think the addition of a frozen cake always helps to keep the sandwiches fresh.


Brown Sugar Pound Cakes with a Vanilla Bean Glaze


1 1/2 cups plain flour (all purpose)
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup milk

Glaze:
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 cup icing sugar
hot water

Makes 14 Cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 160 deg C (325 deg F). Line muffin tin with baking papers.
2. With electric mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix baking powder and salt with the flour. Add flour mixture, and milk in two batches, beating until well combined.
3. Fill baking papers 3/4 full. Bake for approx 25 minutes. Allow to cool on rack before adding glaze.
4. To make glaze, place icing sugar, butter, and vanilla paste in a bowl. Add boiling water 1 teaspoon at a time and mix well until it reaches desired consistency. Spread glaze on top of cupcakes.



A big thank you to everyone who has been joining in on our weekly baking posts. Sarah and I have discovered many new recipes to add to our growing list of things to try. I hope you have found some great new tried and tested recipes too.





Here is our Weekend Baking Button if you would like to add it to your blog.

<center><a href="http://s1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff435/sugargirls/?action=view&current=aspoonfulofsugarbuttonweekendbaking-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff435/sugargirls/aspoonfulofsugarbuttonweekendbaking-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center>

Pattern Weights

Do you ever see something on-line and then have to make it immediately? I am the first to admit I have obsessive crafting disorder (OCD). I spotted a free pattern for Pattern Weights over at Sew Daily yesterday and knew I had to make some up. Unfortunately I didn't have any piping on hand so I designed my own version using yo-yo's.

If you would like to make some you will need:

• fabric scraps
• buttons
• metal washers ( approx 3/4 in or 20 mm in diameter)
• batting scraps
• Clover Yo-Yo Maker (Large) (this clever device makes yo-yo's a breeze!)

Method:

• Trace a circle that is 1 1/2 in diameter (40 mm) onto a piece of batting and then cut it out.
• Layer two washers in the centre of the batting and stitch in place.
• Make a yo-yo as per the instructions on the yo-yo maker. Just before you gather up the yo-yo, position the circle of batting in the centre of the yo -yo. Gather up the yo-yo and secure it so that the batting and washers are enclosed in the yo-yo. 
• Stitch on a button to the front of the yo-yo.

I usually use a sticky tape dispenser or similar to weight down my patterns. Now I have much prettier pattern weights to use!

I Heart Chicken Scratch

It hasn't been a very productive week for me creatively. Somehow getting back into the work/school routine has left little time or energy for creating.

But have had a little time to work on my Chicken Scratch project -

Hope to be back on the weekend with the finished item. I love how the bright aqua gingham gives it a more modern look.

You can check out another Chicken Scratch Project that I made here, and my Grandmother's apron here. This was my first introduction to embroidery as a child - the gingham squares make it easy to achieve nice even stitches. I made a tablecloth using this technique when I was in primary school - I wish I had kept it.

Weekend Baking: Tart

This week Sarah has been baking up a storm as usual. We had a lovely dinner last night with family visiting from London. Sarah made up the Chewy Chess Tart from Martha Stewart's Pies and Tarts Cookbook. You can also find the recipe on Martha's website here. The tart has a biscuit crust (Sarah used chocolate ripple biscuits) and is filled with a caramel custard filling that forms a chewy top during baking. It was delicious!

Sarah made up another batch of macarons - this time they were Cinnamon flavoured with a honey buttercream fillling using the same recipe from last week that you can find here.

Although I am reluctant to return to work on Monday, at least I won't be tempted to eat so many treats during the day.

If you have been baking this week, we would love to see what you have been making in the kitchen.



Here is our Weekend Baking Button if you would like to add it to your blog.

<center><a href="http://s1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff435/sugargirls/?action=view&current=aspoonfulofsugarbuttonweekendbaking-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff435/sugargirls/aspoonfulofsugarbuttonweekendbaking-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center>

Currently working on.....

While I had my die cutting machine out yesterday, I worked on a card and matching gift box for a friends birthday. For the gift box, I used this svg file.

I am also working on a chicken scratch embroidery project - here is a peak at the progress so far.

Sarah and I would like to warmly welcome our newest sponsor, Tammy from Marmalade Fabrics. Tammy stocks a staggering 130 colours of Kona Cotton Solids, and an impressive range of modern fabric. We have purchased fabric from Tammy and she provides great customer service. What we like about Marmalade Fabrics is that you can buy fat quarters or yards, which gives you greater choice. For those of you in the US, there is free shipping on orders over $50.

Marmalade Fabrics

This is the last weekend before we resume school and work next week. Why do holidays always go so fast?

Moustache Cupcakes

We are having a family photo shoot on Sunday (fingers crossed the weather improves!) with the extended family to celebrate my parents recent 50th wedding anniversary. I wanted to make some cupcakes to reflect the occasion and came up with the idea of Moustache (or Mustache for you Americans) Cupcakes as the moustache reminds me of photo booth fun.

I was keen to use my Cricut machine (it was sent away for repairs and just returned after a 5 week absence). A quick internet search and I found a free svg file here. I resized the moustache so that it was 3.39 inches x 1.08 inches, and attached a toothpick with some Japanese washi masking tape to match.

I whipped up a batch of Martha's one bowl chocolate cupcakes (our current favourite), added a swirl of cream cheese frosting and the moustache topper.

Fun. Fun. Fun.

A Few of Our Favourite Things....

Just wanted to let you know that Sarah and I were interviewed today over at Creating My Way to Success. Jill is from Queensland and has a great blog that has lots of regular link up parties, sewing tutorials, ideas for clothes recycling/upcycling, and tips for developing a successful blog. You can find the article here.

I have been busy with teen sleepovers, driving lessons, spring cleaning etc this week while we are on holidays so I don't have any crafty projects to share.

Here are some lovely things that I spotted over at Pinterest this week:

{Source}

{Source}

{Source}

{Source}

Marshmallow Icecream

Thanks to everyone for entering our recent Facebook competition and for all the useful tips. We are pleased that so many of our readers have already found us over on facebook. We have drawn the winner of our competition - and the winner is Thimbelanna. I have sent you an email Anna and will send you a book of your choice from the Book Depository.

As we can't have a post without pictures, this is Sarah's Toasted Marshmallow Ice-cream that she made for the family last night - it was superb!

Due to the thickening power of the marshmallows, it didn't use as much cream as some other ice-cream recipes. Just as well because there has been a lot of activity in our kitchen over the school holiday period - not much of it is healthy food. You can find the recipe that Sarah used over at roasting rambler. I am sure Sarah will be making this icecream again!

Slow and Steady

I rarely have UFO's - I tend to finish one project before starting the next. I have been plodding away on my butterfly blocks (paper pieced 4 1/2 inch squares) and have made 86 so far.

I initially had visions of a single bed/twin size quilt but now I am thinking more of a lap sized quilt.

I am getting tired/bored of making the blocks - still have 106 to go for a lap sized quilt......  I am thinking I will need to start something else and just make these a few at a time as I generate "scraps" from other projects. I am sure I will love it again when I have pieced the top together.

UFO's are allowed right??

Weekend Baking: Vanilla Bean Macarons with a Salted Caramel Filling

It is time for our Weekend Baking Link up again. Thanks to everyone for playing along - it is great way to find some new, tried and tested recipes, and to discover some new blogs. The prize from last week goes to Leisl from Jorth - we will be sending you a pack of our favourite Fox Run cupcake liners.

As it is school holidays here at the moment, Sarah has had plenty of time to experiment in the kitchen. This week, her pièce de résistance was undoubtedly her macarons. She made vanilla bean macarons with a salted caramel filling - they were amazing

Sarah used the basic macaron recipe from Cake Journal which has helpful step by step photos and tips. She flavoured the basic mixture with 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste to give it a vanilla flavour.

Sarah filled the macarons with a salted caramel filling. This is the caramel she used in some cupcakes she made recently, and was storing the leftover filling in the fridge. She gently reheated it in the microwave until it was spreadable. If you are making it just for the macarons you would only need half this recipe.

Salted Caramel Filling (from Martha Stewart Cupcakes)
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup (Sarah used liquid glucose)
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, preferably fleur de sel

Directions
Heat sugar with the water and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan over high, stirring occasionally, until syrup is clear; clip a candy thermometer to side of pan and stop stirring.

Cook until syrup comes to a boil, washing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush as needed. Boil, gently swirling pan occasionally, until mixture is caramelized and just reaches 360°F. Remove rom heat and slowly pour in cream; stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in sea salt.

Use immediately; if caramel begins to harden reheat gently until pourable.

They are the perfect treat with a cup of tea.

If you have been baking this week, we would love to see what you have been up to in the kitchen. It is a great way to share some baking inspiration.

How to add your picture to the mosaic:

• Press the ‘Add Your Link’ button at the bottom of the mosaic.
• Enter a URL of the blog post containing your baking recipe
• You’ll then select a specific picture from that source to appear in the linkup
• You can edit your link if needed!

If you would like to grab our Weekend Baking Button, here it is:

<center><a href="http://s1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff435/sugargirls/?action=view&current=aspoonfulofsugarbuttonweekendbaking-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff435/sugargirls/aspoonfulofsugarbuttonweekendbaking-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center>

Marmalade Recipe

My parents have a Mandarin tree that is abundant with fruit and we have been given loads of sweet mandarins. For some reason, I am the only person in my family who eats mandarins. I don't want to waste the fruit so made up a batch of Mandarin Marmalade so I can enjoy the taste of mandarins throughout the year.

Marmalade recipe

Ingredients:
1 kg (2.2 lbs)  mandarins
750 g ( 1.65 lbs)  sugar
3 cups water
juice of one lemon
(makes 4 cups marmalade)

Method:
1. Peel mandarins, remove the pith and set aside. Cut the peel of half the mandarins into thin strips.
2. Chop the mandarin segments and remove the seeds.
3. Using a square of muslin, wrap the seeds and pith, and tie with baking twine.(the seeds and pith have a high pectin content and will help marmalade to gel).
4. Place mandarin, peel strips, sugar, lemon juice, water, and bundle of seeds into a large saucepan. Stir constantly over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.
5. Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 1-2 hours until marmalade gels. Test the jam for gel point by putting a little on a chilled saucer. If you can run your finger though a pool of jam without it running back together, it is ready.  

When marmalade is ready, discard seed bundle and pour hot marmalade into hot sterilised jars.

Delicious on hot buttered toast!

You can find the cute Polka Dotted Jar Lids at Lark. You can see more of our wonderful Lark purchases here.

Maple Ice-Cream

Those of you that are following us on facebook would know that Sarah and I were most excited a couple of days ago when our new red ice-cream machine arrived. We have had an ice-cream machine for 12 years but it "died" about 6 months ago. We are big ice-cream eaters in our family and have missed not being able to concoct our own flavours.

Sarah volunteered to make the first batch. She has been wanting to replicate some delicious maple ice-cream that we tasted in Japan earlier in the year. She made a maple flavoured ice-cream and folded some chopped shortbread biscuits (cookies) through the mixture which added some texture and reduced the sweetness - it was sublime.

Maple Ice-Cream

Makes about 1.5 Litres


Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup pure maple syrup 
• 1 1/2 cup milk 
• 1 1/2 cup whipping cream
• pinch of salt
• 4 large egg yolks
• 200 g shortbread biscuits (cookies), chopped into small pieces

Method:

1. In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, boil the maple syrup until reduced slightly, about 5 minutes.
2. Lower the heat and stir in the milk, cream, and salt.
3. Heat until just under a boil (you will see bubbles along the edges of the saucepan).
4. Remove from heat.
5. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks. Slowly add a few tablespoons  of the hot milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly until well combined.
6. Add the yolks back to the rest of the milk, whisking constantly.
7. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Be careful that it doesn't boil.
8. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a bowl.
9. Chill until very cold, at least 4 hours or overnight.
10. Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. When the ice-cream is nearly churned, add the small biscuit pieces through the top of the machine until combined.

We are loving being on school holidays this week and having more time to "play" in the kitchen. 

Don't forget our Facebook Giveaway is open until Sunday 17th July. You can find all the details here.

Facebook + Giveaway

We have finally set up a facebook page and would love if you would pop over and say hi! We recently hit 1,000,000 + page views and to celebrate we are having a giveaway. The prize will be a your choice of a book from our favourite book store, the Book Depository up to the value of AUD $25 (Approx US $26.86 or 18.82 Euros). Entry is open to everyone.

To enter, simply visit our Facebook page and "Like" it  and then come back here to let us know.  If  you would like to share your favourite facebook tip as well, we would appreciate it :)  (If you are not on facebook but you are a follower of ours you are still welcome to enter).

Thanks for all your support over the past 3 1/2 years - we never imaged that we would get so many readers and have so much fun here at A Spoonful of Sugar. Entries close on Sunday 17th July and we will draw the winner on Monday.

Good Luck!! You can find our facebook page here.

Lisa and Sarah

Weekend Baking: Pies

My cousin and her family are visiting Perth from the UK and we had a family dinner last night. Sarah and I volunteered to bring the desserts as we were keen to try a couple of the recipes from Martha Stewart's Pies and Tarts Book.

Sarah made a Coconut Cream Pie which bought back memories of Gilligan's Island where Maryanne was always whipping up a Coconut Cream Pie! Sarah wanted to reduce the richness of the dish, so eliminated the cream layer and substituted a chocolate drizzle instead. She made the crust with Chocolate Ripple Biscuits (as we can't get Chocolate wafers here) and it was delicious.  Martha has the recipe on her site.

I made a Lemon Meringue Pie using some lemons from my parents tree. I recently got a Kitchenaid food processor which made making the Pate Brisee pastry a snap. With 8 egg whites, the meringue topping was nice and high. You can find Martha's recipe here.

We would love to see what you have been baking this week (pies, cakes, cookies or whatever!). If you would like to join in the fun, add your link below (we will be giving a prize to one of our links this week):

How to add your picture to the mosaic:

• Press the ‘Add Your Link’ button at the bottom of the mosaic.
• Enter a URL of the blog post containing your baking recipe
• You’ll then select a specific picture from that source to appear in the linkup
• You can edit your link if needed!

If you would like to grab our Weekend Baking Button, here it is:

<center><a href="http://s1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff435/sugargirls/?action=view&current=aspoonfulofsugarbuttonweekendbaking-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1235.photobucket.com/albums/ff435/sugargirls/aspoonfulofsugarbuttonweekendbaking-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center>

Pies and Tarts

Sarah used her pocket money to buy the latest Martha Stewart book, Pies and Tarts. She has the Cookies and Cupcakes books in her library and they are well used and offer plenty of baking inspiration. She was really pleased that the book arrived this week - just in time for the school holiday period which starts today.

Martha Stewart's Pies and Tarts is 352 pages and has loads of recipes that are divided into: Classic, Free-Form, Sleek, Dreamy, Rustic, Layered, Dainty, Artful, Holiday, and Savoury. There really is a pie for every occasion. It also includes a section on pastry recipes and techniques.

We highly recommend the Pies and Tarts Book for the range of Pies - both sweet and savoury. Some of our favourites are the Nectarine and Raspberry Tart, Crème Brulee Tarts, and the Coconut Cream Pie. Many of the savoury pies and quiches also look delicious for a family meal. It is currently available from the Book Depository for AUD $22.50 (including free shipping).


Sarah was anxious to try out a recipe and whipped up her version of the Chocolate Almond Tart with Fleur de Sel for dessert last night. It is one of the free form recipes and I was surprised that the preparation took her less than 10 minutes. It was a delicious sweet treat on a cold wintry night. Of course, Sarah always likes to put her own spin on recipes and made a number of changes.

Sarah's Chocolate, Macadamia and Caramel Tart

Ingredients:
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
60 g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
castor sugar, for sprinkling
Home-made Caramel sauce
Sea salt for sprinkling
2 tablespoons macadamias coarsely chopped


Preheat oven to 220 degree C. Layer pastry on baking paper and fold in each edge to form a 2.5 cm (1 inch) border. Pierce base with a fork. Brush edges with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Refrigerate until firm.

Bake until pastry is golden brown about 15-20 minutes. Press the middle of the shell down, leaving the outside border puffy. Cover centre evenly with a layer of caramel sauce. Cover with chopped chocolate and a sprinkling of sea salt. Return to the oven until the chocolate melts.(approx 2 minutes). Sprinkle with macadamia's and cut into 4 squares. Delicious with vanilla ice-cream.



We have a family party tomorrow and Sarah and I will be taking some Pies/Tarts for dessert. We just have to decide which ones to make. Tune into our Weekend Baking on Sunday to see the results!

Tutorial: For the Closet or Wardrobe

I have a few birthdays coming up this month and wanted to add a little something handmade to the gifts. After seeing Katherine's lovely lavender sachets, I was inspired to make some Lavendar Scented Closet Sachets using brightly coloured doilies and gingham for a more modern look. 

First up, I needed some doilies (or is it doileys?). I crocheted up a bunch in front of the TV using the pattern I blogged about here. (Please note that I re-taught myself to crochet out of an American book so the abbreviations I have used are US rather than Australian. I always forget what the stitches are called here).

I also used some dyed doilies that I had on hand (bought from an etsy seller a couple of years ago). If you have an old crocheted tablecloth and want to dye it yourself, Clare has a great tutorial here. It would be a fun activity to get the kids involved in during the school holidays. 

I pulled out a stack of ginghams in different sized checks. Some bought from Japan and the rest from Materialise (local quilt store). 

For each sachet, I used:

2 squares of gingham, each measuring 3 3/4 inches x 3 3/4 inches

1 doiley - approx 2 1/2 inches in diameter

Length of brightly coloured ribbon, 2 1/2 inches in length

Dried Lavender - approx 4 tablespoons.

Stitch the doiley to the centre of one of the squares using a matching thread. Fold the ribbon in half and stitch it to the middle of one side using a scant seam allowance.

Layer the gingham squares together with the right sides facing. Stitch around the outside of the sachet using a 1/4 inch seam, and leaving a gap for turning on one side.

Clip corners and turn the sachet the right side out. Press. Fill with lavender and then hand stitch opening closed.

 Et Voila!

I am going to make up more of these to hang in my walk in robe. They can be attached to coat hangers or popped inside shoes to make everything smell fresh.