Fudge using Marshmallow

I'd always wanted to try making fudge the American way, with Marshamllow fluff. My dear friend Kat (from Whangarei cake tin hire) also wanted to try it, so I sent her home with a jar of Marshamllow fluff and a bag of chocolate. The result was delicious.
For those of you that want to try it yourself.

What You Need3 cups sugar
170g butter or margarine
1 small can (5 oz.) evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup) (Do not use sweetened condensed milk.)
360g dark chocolate (can use cooking chocolate)
1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
1 cup chopped Walnuts
1 tsp. vanilla

Make It
LINE 9-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan; set aside. Place sugar, butter and evaporated milk in large heavy saucepan. Bring to full rolling boil on medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 4 min. stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Remove from heat.
ADD chocolate and marshmallow creme; stir until completely melted. Add walnuts and vanilla; mix well.
POUR immediately into prepared pan; spread to form even layer in pan. Let stand at room temperature 4 hours or until completely cooled; cut into 1-inch squares. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.

New member of staff at Kiwicakes

Here's our newest member of staff at Kiwicakes - Bilbo! he's 8 weeks old and my children love him to bits. I don't think he'll be much use for packing parcels, as I don't think I could trust him with them.

Kiwicakes now has wholesale arm

Well today, I am able to announce an exciting development. Kiwicakes has been appointed the sole NZ distributor for Rainbow dust products. The good news is, we can now offer Wholesale pricing, to retail businesses for resale, registered companies, bakeries, teaching institutions and licensed kitchens.

We have the entire range of 70 non toxic glitters, 39 COMPLETELY edible petal dusts from the plain & simple range and more than 30 COMPLETELY edible lustre dusts in stock. As well as the popular COMPLETELY edible gold stars and pink hearts.
The entire range can viewed at http://www.rainbowdust.co.uk/ Rainbow dusts website is user friendly and for those of you selling online, there is a full catalogue of colour images, you can use to promote the product.

It is our intention, to be able to process all orders immediately, with no back-ordering, but if due to high demand, we are temporarily out of a product, we will endeavour to dispatch with minimum waiting times.

We have a Minimum order value of $150 and payment is required prior to dispatch. Freight is flat rate of $7.50, regardless of order size.

If you would like wholesale pricing information, please feel free to email me with your business details on sandra@kiwicakes.co.nz or phone 0210770600. Please also feel free to contact me, if you require any additional information.

Cool new cookie cutter

This is my new favourite thing for the week. An NZ map 14cm stainless steel. Only 9.95. Also comes as a twin pack with 10.5cm Kiwi for $14.50

SPCA Cupcake day August 31st 2009

We all know what a great job the SPCA does looking after the unloved & mistreated animals in New Zealand, but what many do not know, is this organisation is NOT government funded. I have always donated to the SPCA appeals, but when I saw the "SPCA Cupcake day" I couldn't wait to get involved.

I will be producing animal themed cupcakes for the SPCA cupcake day August 31st 2009, they will be available for $2 each. For everyone that purchases a cupcake - Kiwicakes will match the $2 purchase price. Check out the details at http://www.spcacupcakeday.co.nz/ So if you're in Whangarei on August 31st and would like to collect a cupcake, let me know ahead of time and I'll be sure to bake one just for you.

But wait THERE'S MORE! Place an order with Kiwicakes and let me know some of the items are being used for the SPCA Cupcake day and I'll include some freebies in your parcel, which will hopefully help with your creations (no false requests for freebies please, you need to be registered for the SPCA cupcake day to receive freebies with your order.)

You can further help, by purchasing cupcake branded merchandise from the SPCA. I've ordered my cupcake tea towels and can't wait for them to arrive.

Colour Wheel Chart

PRIMARY COLOURS

Red, Yellow, & Blue which are located in the centre of the wheel. All other colours are made from these.

SECONDARY COLOURS

Are located in the inner ring. Orange, Green, Violet, are made by mixing equal amounts of primary colours. Red + Yellow = Orange, Red + Blue = Violet, Blue + Yellow = Green

TERTIARY COLOURS

Located in the outer ring. These colours are made by mixing one primary colour with one secondary colour.
Red + Orange = Red orange, Orange + Yellow = Orange yellow, Yellow + Green = Chartreuse, Green + Blue = Aquamarine, Blue + Violet = Indigo & Violet + Red = Violet red

Colour mixing guide from Chefmaster

CHEFMASTER® PRODUCTS Food Coloring Manufacturer Guide

Apricot – 2 parts Orange & 1 part Egg Yellow

Maroon – 4 parts Red Red & 2 parts BurgundyRaspberry – 3 parts Bakers Rose & 1 part Christmas Red

Aqua – 5 parts Sky Blue & 1 part Leaf Green

Ivory – 1 Liquid Whitener & a touch of Brown and Egg Yellow

Ruby Red – 1 part Holiday Red and a touch of Black

Avocado – 4 parts Lemon Yellow & 1 part Leaf Green and a touch of Black

Jade – 1 Leaf Green & 1 Royal Blue & a touch of Black

Rust – 8 parts orange & 2 parts Red Red & 1 part brown

Burgundy – 5 parts Bakers Rose & 1 part Violet

Lavender – 5 parts pink & 1 part Violet

Sea Gold- 2 parts Sky Blue & 1 part Leaf Green

Chartreuse – 2 parts Lemon Yellow & 1 Leaf Green

Marigold – 3 parts Lemon Yellow & 1 part orange

Silver – 1 part Black and 1 part Blue

Copper – 1 part Egg Yellow & 1 part Brown & 1 Christmas Red

Melon – 1 part Orange & 3 parts Bakers Rose

Skin tone – 12 parts orange & 4 parts Bakers Rose & 1 part Royal Blue

Coral – 3 parts Rose Pink & 2 parts Lemon Yellow

Moss Green – 2 parts Violet & 3 parts Lemon Yellow

Teal – 9 parts Sky Blue & 1/2 part Lemon Yellow

Dusty Rose – 2 parts Christmas Red & 1 part Malt Brown

Navy Blue – 1 part Sky Blue & 1 part Violet

Turquoise – 6 parts Sky Blue & 1 part Lemon Yellow

Gold – 10 parts Lemon Yellow & 3 parts Orange & 1 part Christmas Red

Persimmon – 1 part Orange & 1 part Bakers

RoseWine – 3 parts Holiday Red & 2 parts Rose

PinkPlum – 1 part Violet & a touch of Christmas Red

Grape – 1 part Sky Blue & 6 parts Bakers Rose

Misty Green – 2parts Leaf Green & 1 part of Royal Blue & a touch of Black

Note: Blend the colors before adding them to the icing. Add the blended color to the icing to get the shade desired.

Wilton's Halal certificate

One of my lovely customers Sakinah sent me details of Wiltons Halal certificate. She said (abridged)

"While I was surfing the blogs, I found something to my delight. It is a Halal Certificate for Wilton products (as listed in the certificate). For muslims like me, I would like to know what I can consume in my cakes."