A pie from my Nordicware bundt pan

I recently decided to try baking a pie in my Nordicware bundt pan. This isn't really a recipe, as you can fill with whatever you have to hand, and it will bake well regardless of the contents (provided they are not too wet)

We have milking goats, so I frequently make ricotta. To 500g of ricotta I added tons of spinach, which I wilted in a pan with a little olive oil and some garlic. I tossed in some chopped ham, chives and walnuts and bound together with an egg. The best thing about this pie, is you really can throw in a bit of whatever you have.

I folded filo sheets in half length ways, that had been brushed with butter, and lined the pan. Where the hole is in the centre I flicked the filo inwards until I'd filled the pan with my ricotta mixture.

Once filled I unfolded from the centre outwards.And brushed the top with melted butter

Then I baked it at 180C until golden brown Aprx 30 mins.

The pie flipped out of the pan with ease.

It was pretty darn tasty and looked stunning as well. A lovely winter warmer.

Operation Sugar in the news in Kamo

Kiwicakes as many of you know is based in Kamo. And our lovely Kamo Connect ran a story recently on Operation Sugar (for which Kiwicakes is an official sponsor).

Gorgeous Cover girl Sophie had a stunning cake made for her from local cake maker Lisa Hansen from The Whole Cake & Caboodle.

Minette Hanekom was the photographer for Sophie's party. Sophie's mum said "To be able to be part of the party without having to stop and take photos, it was great"

If you'd like to know more about Operation Sugar, to organise a cake for a child that has a life threatening illness, or requires frequent hospilisation. Or if you'd like to volunteer as a cake maker, click here

Stacey's Parisian Dream - Eiffel Tower cake

Earlier this year, the uber talented Stacey from Design@409 said to me "Sandra I'd like a Parisian bistro or street scene wafer paper please". I sent Stacey some options and Stacey's Parisian Dream wafer paper was born.

We got to discussing these wonderful acrylic Eiffel Tower toppers Stacey had designed and was having produced right here in NZ. I told Stacey I simply must stock these at Kiwicakes - and she made it happen.

So yesterday when I received photos of this finished cake from Stacey - I was blown away. I mean seriously How cool is this? I just wanna reach right in to my computer screen and pluck that macaron off the top. The little pink pearls are Kiwicakes pink sugar pearls

If you've a special idea for a cake topper you can, contact Stacey  through her website. Check out her work to date. She's amazingly creative and will certainly create something special for you

Cookie Fun For A Rainy Day - from Kiwicakes test kitchen

Here are a few covered cookie ideas to inspire. I find that cookies always go down well with the recipients and its a double-win because nothing beats creative time to yourself

Visitors to the recent Cake and Craft shows may have seen these being demonstrated on the Kiwicakes stand. All of the fondant toppers were stuck to the cookies with a little swipe of edible glue.

This little rocket was made with a rocket cookie cutter . A little turquoise and yellow fondant was used and impressions were highlighted with pearlescent yellow and midnight blue metallic food paint.

This crown wouldn't be out of place at an Alice in Wonderland high tea party. The cookie is covered in ivory fondant then a printed card suits wafer paper topper. I pressed the cookie cutter onto the wafer paper to make an indentation then cut around it with kitchen scissors. It is adhered to the fondant with the tiniest amount of sugar glue.

This cookie is made using the same cookie cutter as above but has more of a princess tiara feeling due to the strategic placement of shimmery cachous. Baby pink fondant covered the biscuits and was impressed with a press ice tool (pictured in yellow). You can get these in cool zigzag, diamond and drape designs as well as other polka and ribbon effects. They make decorating patterns a breeze, especially adding detail to the side of a cake evenly.

The impressions made with the tool are little dimples that can be touched with a drop of edible glue using a really fine brush. The large pink and small white sugar pearls are added with the help of sugar pearl tweezers that save you handling them all individually.

This medieval castle is covered in grey fondant and was impressed with a crocodile skin rolling pin. The grand drawbridge door is made with a little brown fondant and the shape was cut out using the same rocket cutter used above! It was impressed vertically with the tree bark mat and double handles were added for focus. 

This delicate floral shoe was made with a cherry blossom wafer paper design that I cut out following the shoe cutter template. Another yellow variation on a shoe is shown below to show you that anything goes! This one has awesome texture as it is covered in yellow edible glitter. The photo doesn't do justice. A sole was suggested by a string of silver rice shape dragees.

We hope this gets you inspired to include cookie crafting in your next rainy day activities!