Coloured Easter chocolate bark from Kiwicakes

I decided to make some chocolate bark using our Easter Sprinkle Medley. I couldn't decided between properly moulded bars of free form so I decided to try both. I melted some Wilton candy melts and half I spooned in to a bar slab mould and the other half I spread on parchment paper. Then I simply sprinkled over the medley mix and allowed to cool before removing from the mould or breaking in to pieces.

Any remaining candy melts can be simply spread on parchment paper, allowed too cool

Then broken in to pieces for remelting another day

I then packaged in to clear cello bags. These were super yummy to eat, the crunch from the sugar pearls and non pareils made it very enjoyable to eat.

By changing the style of sprinkle medley this would also be a fun idea for unicorn and butterfly parties, or even parties for adults. Which style do you like best?

Yet more great Millionaires caramel recipes & ideas from Kiwicakes

Millionaires caramel makes a great topping for no bake slices. Simply heat to 50 degrees Celsius and spread spread over your no bake slice, press in slated poprcorn. Top with chocolate if desired.

Millionaires caramel can be used to coat and stack profiteroles. Simply heat to 50 degrees celsius, dip to coat. Spread a little on your cake board and press down first profiterole. Repeat creating a pyramid shape.

Millionaires caramel is great for mini banoffe pies. Paint melted chocolate on your mini tart cases, place three slices of banana in base. Cover the base and bananas with melted millionaires caramel. Place three slices of banana on top when ready to serve along with a dollop of whipped cream.

Millionaires caramel can be used to create fruit upside down cakes. Simply place your millionaires caramel in the base of your tin, with the fruit from your usual recipe and cover with cake batter. Bake per your recipes instructions. Once tipped out a wonderful toffee fruit base is created.

Quick and easy millionaires caramel truffles are so tasty and quick to prepare. The millionaires caramel has a fudge like consistency prior to heating making it perfect for these yummy truffles. Chill your caramel, then roll in to a sausage shape, cutting it in to even cherry sized pieces. Roll these in to a ball and dip in melted chocolate. Cool. A gift any one would love to receive. These are also lovely with some sea salt flakes sprinkled on top before the chocolate sets.

Easter Bunny Cake fun tutorial from Kiwicakes

This cake was so much fun to make, and it made everyone smile that saw it.

I wanted to be a little different and use a white bunny, which I dusted with Rainbow Dust Pearl Blush Pink. You simply brush it on dry and it sticks beautifully. 

The cake was 6'' in diameter and is over 6'' high. I sandwiched the two layers together with millionaires caramel and then used Bakels white truffle to coat the cake. I went for a semi-naked cake look. I then added Rainbow Dust Caribbean Blue dust to more white truffle and mixed to form this lovely blue shade for the drip effect. I popped it in to a piping bag, first piping a ring around the outside and allowing it to drip. Once set, I then filled in the centre (if you cover the top and allow it to drip, you get too wide drips and too much dripping)

Before the truffle set, I sprinkled some Easter Sprinkle Medley around the rim of the cake - placing by hand some of the larger elements from the medley.

I couldn't decide at first on the final placement for my Easter plaque. In then end I placed it on the board.

I used some speckled candy eggs from the store, as well as dusting some plain white eggs (you can make these using this mould) with Rainbow Dust irridescent lilac fusion dust.

The shards were made by spreading melted Wilton candy melts on to baking paper and allowing to cool, then breaking up using my hands. Don't fret about waste, as any left over can simply be broken up for remelting another day

I used a sharp knife to cut a slit in the cake, then pushed the candy melt shards down in to the slit. It was certainly a quick cake to make, and a very effective finish with the help of some wonderful lustre powders and sprinkles.

Whip N Ice icing video with Sandra from Kiwicakes

Have you tried Whip n Ice yet?. A lot of you asked me to make a video about it, so here it is.

More great Millionaires caramel recipes from Kiwicakes

Today I'm thrilled to share with you yet more great ideas for our millionaires caramel

To the top of brownie or chocolate cake pour warmed millionaires caramel over the top and drop sliced Maltesers on the top. Drizzle with more caramel and melted chocolate.

Millionaires caramel can be added to vanilla or classic cake mixes, as it has here in layers 1 & 3. To 975g cake mix which has been mixed up to it's liquid form add 375g millionaires caramel and blend until combined.

When making a cheesecake filling - blend your millionaires caramel with the double cream before mixing with the cream cheese. The millionaires caramel can also be warmed to make a thin topping layer.

Millionaires caramel makes a great filling for donuts too. Heat caramel slightly and fill a piping bag using a bismarck tip for filling. Heat caramel to 50 degrees Celsius and dip for a coating then press in to sprinkles.

Warm millionaires caramel to make a topping for gateaux. As well as a great filling between layers.

Millionaires caramel makes a great binding agent for muesli bar slices. Heat 250g millionaires caramel to 50 degrees Celsius and add 50g puffed rice, 75g bran flakes, 75g cranberries, 75g roasted almond flakes, 150g muesli, 75g chopped dates, 75g walnuts. (You can use any blend of nuts/fruit to your liking this is just a suggestion). Line a slice tin aprx 32x20cm and press down in to tin. Allow to cool. Drizzle with chocolate if desired.

Millionaires caramel is great for no bake slices. use as a topping by heating to 50 degrees Celsius and pouring over chilled/set base the press desired fruits/nuts on top and press gently.

A cheats quick version of pecan pie follows......using a beater blend 2 eggs with 500g of Millionaires caramel until combined. Add 120g of cake crumbs and 30g flour. Stir in 40g of pecan pieces and pour in to pastry case. Place pecans on top before baking. Bake at 180C for aprx 40-45mins. 

Rocky Road Easter Eggs - a fun tutorial from Kiwicakes

These rocky road Easter eggs were fun to make and so easy even children could make them with you.

I used gluten free mini marshmallows in assorted pastel colours, as small bag of blanched almonds a 3d cracked Easter egg mould  and coloured Wilton candy melts.

The finished product I stuck to coloured cake cards, which are inexpensive yet look so pretty.

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The first step is to melt coloured candy melts in the microwave or on the stove top in a double boiler. I coated the inside of the mould using the back of a teaspoon. I hold it up to the light to look for any thin spots. Once satisfied I placed it int he fridge for ten minutes until cooled. 

Any left over candy melts can be spread on to parchment paper and cooled

They can then be broken up in to pieces for remelting another time

I used Malteser bunnies which I dusted with Rainbow Dust lustre dusts

Simply dust the powder dry over the chocolate, using a fluffy brush

To melted candy melts I added the marshmallows and blanched almonds

I placed a small amount of melted candy melts on to the cake card and placed the half egg on top to glue it in place. 

I spooned the rocky road mixture in to the egg half and pushed the bunny down in to the soft mixture. Over the top I sprinkled easter sprinkle medley

A Happy Easter Plaque finished him off.

Kumara cheesecake recipe

Last year on a trip to NZ's Kumara capital (Kaipara district). I was thrilled to discover something new - Kumara cheesecake. Once I returned home I was determined to create my own version of the dish. Whilst mine differs from the one I ate, I was very happy with the taste and texture of mine. And it couldn't be easier to make. The topping has a fudgy texture which contrasts nicely with the cheesecake filling.

My recipe makes a large cheesecake, you could half the recipe if you have a smaller pan. I used a 10" diameter Fat daddios springform pan

For the base

1 packet of Superwine biscuits crushed

1 tbsp sugar

150g melted butter

Mix and press in to base of pan

For the Cheesecake filling

500g kumara peeled and cut in to small pieces

500g Philadelphia Cream Cheese at room temp

3 Tbsp condensed milk

Boil kumara until soft. Allow to cool. Place in food processor and blend until smooth add cream cheese and condensed milk. Pulse to combine. Pour on top of biscuit base.

For the topping 

2 cups brown sugar

125g butter

Good handful of macadamia nuts

Warm the sugar & butter gently together in a pan on stove top until sugar dissolves. Allow to cool slightly stir in nuts and pour over top of cheesecake filling.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until set.

Dome shape desserts using millionaires caramel from Kiwicakes

These delicious desserts were made by my 13 year old at Christmas time, using an idea given to her by the lovely Laurel Watson (dessert lady extraordinaire). With three simply ingredients, these are actually created from ready made ingredients, which made it easier for my 13 year old to cope with.

Using an size sphere shaped mould fill 2/3 full with either white or dark Bakel's truffle (a type of ready made ganache avilable from Kiwicakes) cut circles of trifle sponge slightly smaller than the dome using a round cutter and press down in to the truffle mix. They have a tendency to want to float upwards, we found poking a hole in them with a skewer helped the trapped air escape making them less likely to do this. Freeze.

Remove from freezer. taking a sharp knife gently remove some of the sponge. Taking some warmed millionaires caramel, to which we added some sea salt (30 seconds in microwave), fill a piping bag and pipe a small amount in to each cavity. Replace sponge discs on top of caramel and freeze again.

After 30 mins (or longer) remove from freezer and spread more truffle sealing the base. Freeze again.

Once frozen to this stage, the desserts are ready in their basic form, as we were ready to serve we took a strawberry and dipped it in the opposite colour truffle, placing the strawberry on the frozen dessert provided the chill factor needed to set the strawberry coating

I prefered the look of the drip above, however if you prefer the neater look below, this was how they naturally ocurred, I had to encourage the drip above by giving it a slight shake.