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.

50th Golden wedding anniversary cake for Grandma Kiwicakes

This weekend was my 17th wedding anniversary. I was married on my parents 33rd wedding anniversary and today would have been their 50th. Sadly my Dad passed away when I was a teenager. So I made a cake just for Mum today.

The cake is coated with Bakels chocolate truffle and the Kiwi is painted with Rolkem super gold lustre. The cake is accented with edible gold leaf and the 50th cake topper, as with all of the supplies came from Kiwicakes

Grandma Kiwicakes has a huge love of Kiwis (in fact she named Kiwicakes) this is the reason for the kiwi on the top of the cake.

My dad was a pretty cool guy, an engineer who was well known in our district for fixing those building problems no one else could fix. He taught me to swing a hammer and use a power drill (the right way) and he taught me to drive - and to parallel park! He fixed my 1961 Fiat Bambina every time it broke down (which was a lot) and at times hand made the parts when none could be bought. He gave me my height (thankfully - one really wouldn't want to be as short as Grandma Kiwicakes) He is the parent everyone says I most look like.

I love this photo of them, it was taken on their honeymoon (I think). Mum told me Dad had to produce the marriage certificate to one hotelier in Invercargill as he didn't believe Mum was old enough for a night away in a hotel, let alone be married. But then again Mum does look about 15 in this photo, not the 20 years old she was.

Just for a laugh I've added in some of my own wedding photos - here I am at a spritely 24 years old - where did the time go?

My wedding cake was 4 tiers made by City Cake Co Mt Eden Auckland. Tiers were fruit cake, orange & almond, gin & lemon & chocolate mud. Every single piece of cake was eaten by our 75 guests, as most people who had one piece wanted to go back and try the other flavours - as it was so good!

Cake Duchess Modelling paste (gumpaste) is now available from Kiwicakes

Cake Duchess modelling paste (gumpaste) is now available from Kiwicakes.Check out some of the great videos of super cute animals and figures from Cake Duchess below. (there's even more great videos on her You Tube channel)

This little Yorkshire Terrier tutorial is adorable

Kiwi kids all over NZ will love this adorable cow topper tutorial

I adore this little Daschund tutorial, he's my kind of cute!

With the recent release of the Moana movie, this tutorial will be a real favourite

Poppy from Trolls is so cute, such an easy tutorial to follow.

Olaf everyone's favourite from Frozen. This step by step tutorial will have you making him like a pro in no time.

Millionaires caramel ideas - yet more neat ways to use it

Here's another great range of ideas how our Caramel tasters group found ways to use the Kiwicakes Millionaires Caramel (8.95per 500g pot) . Above this super cute cake From Bridget A last minute cake order called for me to use caramel 2-ways.

4-layers of dark chocolate mud cake filled with caramel spread directly onto each layer and also used in the salted caramel buttercream filling.
Covered in vanilla buttercream, topped with marshmallows, all dusted with lustre dust to give a antique gold effect and finished with KiwiCakes twinkle little star sprinkle medley

From Paula Chocolate and Caramel mud cake with Caramel and ganache layers

This one had my taste buds salivating. Bridget told me "I used up the last of my KiwiCakes Caramel sample in a caramel cheesecake topped brownie. 

I used a raspberry cheesecake brownie recipe and swapped out the frozen raspberries for dollops of caramel."

http://www.taste.com.au/recipes/raspberry-cheesecake-brownies/bc32f052-e59d-4186-bd2b-dc97a7244b9b

Filling a cupcake, I added some sea salt flakes and warmed it in a piping bag in the microwave on short bursts. Pushed tip in to cupcake and gave a quick squeeze.

From Bridget Crispy Salted Caramel Nuts in less than 5 minutes. Perfect Christmas gift. Toast some nuts in the frypan, heated the caramel until it bubbled, added the nuts, sprinkled with sea salt flakes, spread out to cool.

From Megan - Banana chocolate chip cupcakes with yummo caramel in the middle. I added a bit of salt to the caramel too. nuts, sprinkled with sea salt flakes, spread out to cool.

From Bridget - Last minute dessert for when you have unexpected guests

Mini Caramel Tartlets, 

Ready made tart cases, Kiwicakes caramel,melted chocolate.

Your guests will think you spent hours making dessert

More great Millionaires caramel ideas from Kiwicakes

Yesterday I promised you more great recipe ideas for our MillionairesCaramel from our group of caramel tasters. I've still more great ideas to share with you over the coming weeks. This caramel is so versatile, above Paula made these yummy butterscotch pancakes she told me "I made my normal fluffy pancake mixture and then added the a couple of table spoons of the caramel and blended in with my braun stick. The pancakes were light and fluffy with great subtle caramel flavour. We had them with just butter and then gourmet with hot caramel, cream and salted caramel sprinkles. Everything was gone before you could blink."

Banoffee crepes were made by Maria - she warmed a bit of Caramel and stirred in some whipped cream, then layered up with bananas and whipped cream

Grandma Kiwicakes warmed her caramel to create a sauce for dipping fresh cherries

Catherine used caramel to spread a layer on her eclairs.

Gwen made hollow chocolate snowmen and filled them with caramel.

Maria made a ginger pavlova with caramel sauce