The Maple Bacon Cupcake

I've seen these feature on various food blogs so I was ecstatic to stumble across some mini versions at the Williamsburg Flea Market this weekend.  The perfect combination of sweet and salty, neither too overpowering.  The butter cream was a great contrast to the rasher and I was surprised to detect a hint of cinnamon in the sponge base.  At $2 they were the most expensive to sample from this particular stall but if you're a fan of a pancake, bacon and maple syrup breakfast then this should be right up your street!

Bake Boutique Candles

I'm quite partial to a scented candle so when my best friend Leanne Jones called me back in February and asked for my opinion on her latest business concept, I couldn't deny that I loved it.  My favourite products are fun, quirky and indulgent and Bake Boutique Candles combine all those necessary ingredients.  

After numerous trips to the States and hours upon hours holed away in each others rooms at University burning scented candles, if there's anything that Leanne and I have authority on it's baked goods, especially those ever popular cupcakes, and home fragrance.  So, Leanne took her expertise in those categories and combined them to create her first collection of baked good inspired luxury candles.  The collection comprises of five candles, each infused with a fun twist on a traditional bake.

So what makes Bake Boutique different from other home fragrance companies that have tackled cakey scents before them?    Firstly, did you know that if a candle burns evenly it means that the wax is of extremely good quality?  Nope, neither did I but I found this very useful information when burning some of my other luxury candles and discovering that despite the price tag, they probably didn't cost too much to make.  I'm actually sat here burning my favourite of the collection, Vanilla Cupcake with Sprinkles and I can happily report back that there is no ugly, lopsided wax action going on.  They are 100% soy wax and hand poured, surprisingly in London.  Although the initial concept may have been born American, the execution is very much British.

There's a sophisticated charm to the scent also.  I've had many cake, coffee and spice infused candles before and although I've liked most of them in their own special way, a lot of the time they can fall into the trap of being just a little too sickly sweet and overpowering after long burning times.  With Bake Boutique the scent is meandering through the room with an elegant softness.  My favourite part with this particular fragrance is that you can literally smell the sprinkles and can imagine just how the cake would look if it was sat in front of you.  Of course you needn't imagine, each candle has it's very own recipe that you can acquire from their website.  Fun!  The packaging is undeniably delicious too, just like it's candle counterpart, making it suitable for any room in the house without spoiling your decor.

At £32 they aren't cheap but teamed with everything mentioned above, a 50 hour burning time and the fact you'd be saving yourself thousands of calories in the process, they're well worth the indulgence.  As mentioned, my home is sporting the Vanilla Cupcake with Sprinkles but Cinnamon Gingerbread Man would be a nice addition in this festive period and Almond Coffee Cake has been a hit with the men!

The Stove on Sunday: Decorated Cupcakes

Firstly, let me please express my deep annoyance at approximately three blog posts sat in my "draft zone" that are now completely inapplicable.  I haven't been able to keep up with my regular posts such as Movie Monday, Something for the Weekend and The Stove on Sunday recently, but I'm hoping that starting today, business as usual should resume!  So with all that said let's talk about cake...

...I love a good themed event, especially if the baked goods that accompany it take advantage of said theme.  If you've been a follower of the blog since the beginning you may recall my How to throw a FABULOUS party, McNally style: Under £200, in which Sex and the City themed cupcakes made by moi were featured here and Charlton Football Club cupcakes (that didn't quite turn out the way I wanted them to) here.  You will also probably recall my annual Halloween festivities showcasing these gruesomely green treats here.  See, I'm all about the theme.  Basically my sheer "themed cake" excitement always gets a little out of hand when you follow certain famous bakeries on facebook and twitter, especially when one store is particularly conveniently located a stones throw from your office.   

A cupcake, despite how tasty it may be, is nothing without some kind of awesome decoration.  It adds the fun factor and let's be honest we choose based on visual appeal.  So nothing has been more appealing to me of late than Wimbledon themed cupcakes!  It's finals day today and then alas it shall all be over, as well as these dreamy delights.  

If like me you'll be watching from the comfort of your home why not grab some of these from one of the Hummingbird Bakery London stores for £2.95 per cake.  Lola's are also producing some particularly apt versions, in the form of Pimms cupcakes.

What better way to bring a Wimbledon-esque atmosphere to your living room!

Just when I thought we couldn't be tempted further, both bakeries have now added July 4th themed cupcakes to their repertoire, available until tomorrow.

Hummingbird's Version

If, like me, you'd love to be able to create some eyecatching decorations then Hello Cupcake! needs to be a staple in your kitchen.  Everything from bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon tops to a Van Gogh, they have some truly kooky designs with simple to follow instructions.  My copy came from Urban Outfitters but you can also order it from Amazon at £6.34.

To keep up to date with Hummingbird and Lola's tasty treats follow them on facebook and twitter, all links below.  And here's a nice little 4th of July inspired How To...from the people that brought us Hello, Cupcake!

Hummingbird's Twitter and Facebook

Lola's Twitter and Facebook

*Images taken from Hummingbird Bakery's Facebook (link above), Lol'a Cupcakes Facebook (link above) and http://www.hellocupcakebook.com/ 
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The Stove on Sunday: Goat Cheese Tarts and Currant Danishes

I'm obsessed with goat's cheese.  Anybody that really knows me, will predict that if the ingredient is on the menu, that's the meal I'll go for and God forbid there's two!  My mother hates the stuff so creating something in our kitchen with it is strictly forbidden.  Last night seemed to be the perfect time to defy this rule though, with her gone for the evening.  My sister and I decided to take full advantage of this opportunity and cook up one of my favourite Barefoot Contessa recreations, Goat Cheese Tarts.

I've made smaller versions of these before as they are a wonderful summer lunch dish with a side of salad but last night we upped the anti and went for full size tarts, one each.  Greedy!  I don't really consult the recipe anymore so some things may be slightly different from Ina's version.  Or if you're not vibing the tart, how about you head on over to this Something for the Weekend post I did back in September last year which features a goat cheese pizza....see, obsessed.

You will need:

1 packet of puff pastry (or a recipe to create your own if your that brave)

1 large tomato

2 large onions

4oz goat cheese

1 cup of grated parmesan cheese

Balsamic vinegar

Salt

Pepper

How to:

1.  Defrost the puff pastry and then roll out.  When reached the desired thickness, make sure it's not so thin that it breaks, place a small plate over and cut around with a knife.  Then create another circle within this circle by scoring with the knife.  Make sure you don't cut right through though as you don't want to seperate the pastry from each other.  Prick the middle circle all over with a fork.  Doing so means that the middle circle will not puff whilst the outer circle will, to create a border for your tart.  Repeat for your second tart.

2.  Sautee the onions until brown, seasoning with salt and pepper.  I also added some balsamic vinegar to give some extra flavour and caramelise the onions slightly. You could add white wine instead though, which I have been known to do on occassion.

3.  If you have a trusty servant, like myself, then hopefully they will have grated the parmesan for you whilst you were concentrating on the onions.  Place some of the parmesan over the middle of the tarts to cover this area completely.

4.  Place all of the onions over your parmesan.

5.  I like to slice my goat cheese so it sits on the top, I had 2 thick slices per tart but you would only need one thick slice per tart for smaller versions or you can even crumble, dependant on your preference.

6.  Slice the tomatoes and place one slice on top of each slice of goat cheese.

7.  Sprinkle the last of the parmesan over both tarts and place in a preheated oven  at 180 degrees celsius for 20-25mins. 

 They should eventually look something like this...

These make two huge tarts that could be eaten individually or sliced and teamed with salad or you could make 4 smaller versions with the same amount of ingredients.

Most likely you will have some puff pastry left over and if you fancy yourself being a true domestic goddess, my recommendation would be to pop in the fridge for the morning so that you can make a quick indulgent breakfast synonymous with a Sunday morning in the McNally household, Mini Currant Danishes.  The ingredients are usually things found rattling around your cupboards, the currants for example are leftovers from my Christmas baking rampage (don't worry best before date was Nov 2011).  There are no strict amounts with this, it's more a shove on what you need kind of recipe.

You will need:

Leftover puff pastry

Currants

Brown sugar

Butter

Cinnamon

How to:

1.  Roll out the remainder of the pastry and line with a thin layer of butter.

2.  Sprinkle a healthy amount of currants and brown sugar.  I also like to add a light sprinkle of cinnamon too.

3.  Roll the pastry up and then slice to form the mini danishes.

4.  Place on a baking tray and add a dab of butter on the top of each danish.

5.  Pop into a preheated oven at 180 degrees celsius for 20-25 mins.

Serve with coffee.  Bliss.

The Stove on Sunday: My Favourite Food Blogs

Diet deprivation has lead me on a downward spiral. I've fallen into some kind of baking obsession. I am consumed with the overwhelming need to make light fluffy cupcakes with extraordinary icings, melt in your mouth brownies and a whole hoard of other delectable delights. Instead I've signed up to like a million food blogs, most with a baked goods emphasis. There is a list the size of my arm of recipes I can't wait to try once I'm back from Marbella but I'm climbing the walls with desperation to start creating now!

In my baking rampage I have come across some superb blogs that I wanted to share with you in place of a recipe I've tried of late (because I haven't tried any...ugh).

So, in no particular order the baking beauties are as follows...

Bakerella

Just take a look at these super cute Easter cupcakes...

Need I say more?!

Baking Bites

Since clicking Google Friend Connect about a week ago I have been dying to try this Sour Cream Coffee Cake Recipe.

This kind of naughty treat reminds me of when I used to live in the States and for those that know me you'll also know that my coffee obsession runs just as high, so this is a must!

Beantown Baker

Fast becoming one of my favourite blogs full stop, no matter whether the recipe is savoury or sweet she seems to encompass all the things I love.

Molly Bakes

All things Cake Pops...

Confessions of a Chocoholic

I have been following Bianca's blog for some time, partly because she lives in Boston so it's like reading about my home away from home.  Not only does she blog about sumptuous meals she recreates from her dining experiences but also she relates back a lot to personal experiences and her family, in relation to food.  For that reason there is something so comforting about travelling with her on her food journey, that literally makes it feel as if you can hear her speak.



Bianca's French style scrambled eggs with truffles.  Divine.



The Cupcake Project

For the inventive baker.

The Busty Baker

I discovered this blog on Friday via the Beantown Baker and these pumpkin muffins have me in a tizz!

The Cupcake Blog

Posting pictures from other baking blogs means that not only do you grab some cute ideas but you also discover even more cupcake blogs.

Violet cupcake from the cupcake blog via la despensa del gnomo

Tiptoes in the Kitchen

Hayley was an American exchange student at my University.  She's a bit of a sporadic blogger like myself but when she does post it's the romance of her food writing that makes reading addictive.  I particularly loved her post entitled The Heart and Soul of a Little Bakery

The Boston Foodie

For his Doughnut of the Week posts alone, it's a must read.

Drooling...but must remember "No carbs before Marbs!"

*Images taken from the respective blogs unless stated otherwise

The Stove on Sunday: Dukan Pancakes

So I haven't posted in a long time.  Like 5 months long.  Which is bad and doesn't really scream credible blogger that loves to write but even though I haven't physically posted I have been creating posts in my head for some time and I still keep up to date with all my fave blogs that I adore to read.  Spiritually I have still been a part of the blogging World.  I do love to write and I have really missed this thing which is why finally I've sat myself in our dining room at this very computer and began to compose this post.  I can't promise I won't fall off the radar again but I'm hoping that it won't be the case.  I actually really enjoy these moments of solitude whilst I gather my thoughts and ideas.  I get a buzz from experiencing or seeing things and immediately declaring in my head that "they shall be a part of this blog post with this title and I'm going to say this about it" but unfortunately of late (these past 5 months) that is as far as my blogging process has ever gotten.  My absence has been both due to my busy life and laziness.  The laziness is actually what follows my hectic schedule.  I work a full time job, with a long enough commute ( who doesn't I hear you scream) and then teach on a Saturday.  Both take up an enormous amount of my time and then with trying to fit a social life and some moments to just crash in, by the time I even have the opportunity to sit here and post, I just want to sleep.  I also have giveaway prizes that have never been sent from December which just makes me feel evil, rude and a fraud.  Another reason that I attribute my lack of posting to, sheer embarrassment.  Those that won shall expect an email from me today just checking addresses in case anyones circumstances have changed and they shall also get an extra something as my means of apology/bribe!

On that note I wanted to start my reunion with what I hope will become a regular post The Stove on Sunday.  I can't really define a genre for my blog as I am a mish mash of lots of different things which is why my interests are so varied and therefore there is no strong link between any of my posts.  I'm not a beauty blog, a fashion blog or a food blog.  I'm all of those things.  I'm also a movie, book and restaurant reviewer, a dweller on memories and someone that generally likes to regale people with moments from my life, hunourous or otherwise.  And so I begin...(again!)...

I'm headed to Marbella in under two weeks, which horrifies me as I type this as I really haven't prepared myself.  One thing I have made sure I've organised by the 26th however, is my diet.  I don't really need to lose weight, in fact most people look at me like I'm a crazy person when I say I'm on one and that I've lost half a stone (7lbs) BUT I have been eating way more than necessary of late, especially cakes, biscuits and chocolate, at work and there have been a nice ring of rolls that have formed around my waist line.  Ones that I have been perfectly happy to keep under wraps, until now.  The recent series of The Only Way is Essex has also helped spurr me on.  I by no means wish to look like any of the girls on that show, it's just not my style but I do know that there will be a lot of girls that do look like them by the pool on my upcoming trip (including possibly them) and I know that I have to feel confident and comfortable in my own body, especially if there are going to be these perfectly coiffed beauties around to compare myself to.  My mum has been on the Dukan Diet for some time now and lost about 2 stone and the whole hype of this new-found fat buster has been extra relevant due to it supposedly being the diet of choice by the Middletons before the Royal Wedding. 

So in true TOWIE style I decided to take on their much beloved phrase of "No carbs before Marbs" and embrace the Dukan, at least for a little while.  I'm really pleased with the diet and the results so far and I really don't feel like I've been too deprived.  Feeling like I'm missing out on my favourite foods is a big no no for me!  One of the things that has kept me going is my mum and the fact that she knows all these little sources for finding low in fat and low in carb ways to create food that isn't too far off the mark of what you would eat in your normal day to day life.  Which brings me to the matter in hand...pancakes with cinnamon butter.  How could these possibly be low in fat and good for you?  Because it's the Dukan way.

I think these are lovely and you don't need to be on the Dukan diet to enjoy them.  When it comes down to it we all love indulgent things but if anyone is watching the pounds or generally feels horrifically bloated after such a treat then this is the best way to combat those issues without compromising on flavour.

You Will Need

1 egg

Oat bran

Less than 2% fat natural yoghurt (check sugars as well, they should be under 6g)

Less than 5% fat cream cheese (same rules apply, it should really be less than 2% but thats virtually impossible with cream cheese unless you make it yourself)

Cinnamon

Sweetener

1.  Put the frying pan on a high heat with just a drop of oil so as not to burn the pancakes.

2.  Mix the egg, a tablespoon and a half of oat bran and a tablespoon of the yoghurt together.  This will create the batter.

3.  Mix a tablespoon of the cream cheese with your desired amount of cinnamon and a sprinkling of sweetener in a seperate bowl.

4. When the pan is steaming hot pour in the batter mix to create a small fat scotch pancake style size and cook until brown on both sides (they will be slightly softer than your average pancakes).

5.  Serve the pancakes hot with a dollop of the cinnamon butter on top which should warm also and begin to melt a little.

Simples.  The ingredients make two pancakes and if you're on the Dukan diet is the most you should have of anything like this for the day.  This breakfast really hits the spot though without making me feel like an absolute heffer, as pancakes so often do with me!

I teamed this with the very last of my favourite french vanilla coffee from Dunkin Donuts (sob!) and old episodes of Dawson's Creek.  A blissful start to any Sunday.

A picture of my pancakes would have been really good here but I didn't take one and so that's life.

*Pictures taken from (in order) destructoid.com, the Mail Online and hopingforsomthingtohopefor.blogspot.com