This final instalment of the 12 Days blog series is another creation I make most years. I usually make many different kinds of truffles for Christmas and put a few aside to dress up as mini puddings. This year I'm not making a truffle tree, so rather than grabbing a few choice spares, I chose a cake recipe especially for the occasion.


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We don't get much snow in Australia when compared to the rest of the world. During winter we get a little in our alpine zones along the east coast. Rarely, Melbourne and Hobart see snow during severe cold snaps. It's never happened in my hometown in my lifetime. I've seen snow once when I travelled to Falls Creek with a few friends some time ago. ( Read more... )

I've often heard people say that anything that tastes great isn't good for you. I disagree: fruit is one of my favourite things in the world, and some fruit in particular to me taste better than any sweet imaginable. Watermellon is one of those things.

It's not watermelon season here in Australia at the moment so there's no lovely fresh, local ( Read more... )

A few weeks ago, I was contacted by Zoopa (the social club in our Zoology Department) committee about a cake. They were hosting a fundraising auction and, because I won both judges and people's choice award at this years and last years Bake Off, they wanted me to bake a cake for it.

Whenever I get an unrestrained chance to bake a cake for the masses ( Read more... )

Chocolate crackles have such a power over me. They're one of those food items that can reduce me to giggly fits of glee at the thought of making them. You're never too old to enjoy that simple treat, but this slice offers a way to deliver them with a little more class than usual.


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Dad's 57th birthday was on the 1st of November. He's not much of a sweet tooth, but he does love mudcake. I had him over for dinner and made him his favourite meal; beef osso bucco. I decided last minute to throw together a cake for dessert.


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So you guys have seen me do this before...


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This one has been a long time in coming. I haven't been around to post. But this is the cake I made for my boyfriend for Valentine's Day. I was originally thinking of doing another fondant 'box' cake. But in reality, my boyfriend doesn't really like the taste of fondant, so I thought I'd do something a little more to his tastes: chocolate!


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For those of you playing at home, this Wednesday just gone was Australia Day. Now, I'm not particularly patriotic. I have a love for the land, for the wildlife, but I wouldn't consider myself to be in love with my country. Not to the point I really celebrate Australia day, anyway. Though, do any of us really celebrate it? When we celebrate, it ( Read more... )

Here's one that's slowly becoming an annual tradition. The Truffle Tree. This usually involves a week-long one -[wo]man truffle creating extravaganza that leaves my fridge full of containers hosting hundreds of truffles.


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