Hello kids. Sorry there hasn't been too much recipe posting of late. I've got the festival coming up that I told you about next weekend and the thought of how much I'm going to have to bake in the two days preceding is slightly terrifying me to say the least. So Im having a little breather before the big marathon next week. Like every marathon you do have to put in some work before hand and the amaretti biscuits were the final recipe that needed to be road tested. It took 16 batches of 4 different recipes but we now have something that I am happy with. I don't think they are a genuine amaretti biscuit; quite honestly I don't think I care- they taste damn good and that, to me is the most important thing. 

(I think the ones with the almonds look better!!) 

I think the reason that they don't seem traditional is that they seem not to have risen like those glorious little humped back beauties you get with a latte (have to say, Im usually more excited to get the free biscuit over my coffee) is that I popped an almond on the top. It may have made them not as beautifully mounded but it gave them a gorgeous chewyness. yum yum yum! 

xoxox

I want this Blythe dolls hair!! It's so cute!! I feel Aqua could be my next step! 

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Still looking for the perfect tattoo... I don't want to rush it and I want to get it perfect. To set the record straight, "the" perfect tattoo is actually a few tattoos... I have a flower going down the back of my neck that  I hate. I got it when I was young and silly, well sillier and I really want to get rid of it. Its only maybe two inches long so it's not going to be too hard to cover. I'm still pretty obsessed with a half sleeve idea and I would also like something cute on the back of my calves. Im still in love with the Russian Doll idea and I've found a few more I like.

^^^completely obsessed with this one ^^^^

^^loooove the style of this one^^

I think this is going to be the theme that ends up on my arm. I also had a look at some cute Alice in Wonderland designs. With me being a bit of a foodie I'm kind of in love with the whole "eat me, drink me" thing....

Thoughts please ladies and jellyspoons....?!?! 

xoxox

Oh how exciting!!

Kitschen has received an award- how exciting! I think the last award I received was "best effort" in a school art competition when I was about 7... "Best effort" isn't even a real award I don't think. It's a kind of subtle way of saying we can see that you tried really, really hard with this but a horse with a paint brush in its teeth would have done better... This is however I feel a genuine real grown up award for being a "Versatile Blogger" I think this means that Im quite good at whittering on about Dolly and cakes and nail varnish and cute tattoos all at a time. Excellent. So I would like to thank the Academy for this award (as I am sure it is them who bestow it upon me yes??) and say "Thankyou very much" I do indeed put....some effort into writing this blog! 

I am now supposed to write 7 things about myself and then pasx on the award to blogs that I love. So here goes.  

• I live in a house over run by wild untamed beasts, namely Mylo, Gertrude and Wednesday the cats, Noah, the mans Labrador and Dolly, my tiny terrorist pug. We also have two tortoises Howard and Edith, they don't do much running though...
• Im starting to study patisserie to help with my dream of becoming a cookbook author 
• I collect Vivienne Westwood
• My favourite film is "Stranger then Fiction" 
• I am terrified of Rabbits 
• I am a vintage kid, a nana before my time. I love The Andrews Sisters and Glenn Miller. Anything from the 40's, 50's 60's and 70's i seem to find amazing.... It all went a bit wrong in the 80's for me.... too much neon... 
• I refuse to eat cooked apples

Im not really sure what this list says about me but Im sure it is highly visionary and revealing. 

To pass on this award I am forwarding it to blogs that I really love, in no particular order....

http://www.dropdeadkawaii.com/

http://www.hawaiikawaii.net/

http://kawaiikitschlifestyle.blogspot.com/

http://www.happylovesrosie.com/

http://dearbeatrice.blogspot.com/

http://senselessstyle.blogspot.com/

http://www.kissedbysweets.com/

 Go and check them out there all amazing in their own right. Hope you love them as much as I do! 

xoxox

Helper Dolly.....

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just one more thing ...

I am genuinely distraught that Mr Columbo is no longer with us. I think I just need to sit in the dark in a mac with a cigar... best rubbish squinty eyed cop ever!! God bless P.F!! 

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Here's a few pics of the banoffee cupcakes. Im not gonna put the recipe up just yet because I just want to try a few little adjustments. I think there perfect but just need to check... I want to try a different flavour frosting but I think I'm there...I think...

XOXOX

FINALLY!!! Oh I've missed you! Seems my blogger is finally working again, so here are the pics of the Lavender Cupcakes.

Winnie is a ruthless cake hunter. She's like Dog the bounty hunter, except more feline...

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still cant upload pics...getting annoying now.... 

Gaah! I finally have the lavender pictures off my phone but now blogger won't let me upload... are the cake gods trying to tell me something?? 

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Due to the general Las Vegas-ness of my wedding, we didn't have a wedding cake; which feels a bit odd really as I can celebrate the most mundane of occurrences with cake. If we had had one, it would, without a shadow of a doubt have been from

 choccywoccydoodah

 The most fantastic, intricate cakes I have ever seen, coupled with the fact that "All You Need Is Love" is one of "our" songs...Oooh the joy of it all. I wonder when its appropriate to renew your vows....hmmm..

xoxox

how terrifically exciting!!

Well it's not every day you talk to a hero of yours is it?? Tonight I literally nearly chocked on my tea when I received a tweet from non other then the ultimate baking goddess that is Harry Eastwood. If your saying "who?" then please leave immediately or prepare to be educated. Lady Eastwood is quite literally a woman that has changed my life. The bestest, most delicious secret is that she doesn't even know it! It's like the beautiful pink elephant hanging in the room. When myself and the man decided that we should be all married, it became very apparent to me that if I walked down the aisle looking like I did, well quite simply; I wouldn't have fit.We were destined to have a woodsy outdoor wedding simply to accommodate my ever expanding cake house (tummy) so I decided it was time to diet. One problem. I don't diet. It is a complete impossibility for me to give up chocolate. I think it is a scientific possibility that my blood is fuelled by Green and Blacks and giving it up would end me. So in steps my Cook Yourself Thin cookbook, swiftly followed by my now very worn in Red Velvet and Chocolate Heartache book written by the divine lady mentioned above. So with the help of this woman, a realisation that diets don't work but really a change of lifestyle and in a year and a half I have gone from.....

5 stone lighter and still very much eating sticky toffee cake. (please don't judge my previous chunkiness and just delight in my new found slimmer self) So Im not sure what will happen now. I can imagine that we will probably become the best of friends and spend our time swapping scrumptious recipes and being all girly and excellent! If we don't, which I kind of also have to accept is a possibility; I can be quite safe in the knowledge that I have spoken to, well typed to, the lady that changed me and that I have created an amazing elephant and also lost one from my tummy. 

xoxox

Were now rolling out on facebook kids! Not quite sure why I'm telling you guys as you already read my blog and are therefor, most defiantly, my most favourite people in the world..ever! Brownie promise!! Non the less the page is http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kitschen-Bakery/218679748162660?sk=wall should you wish to peruse it. My phone is still not playing games so I can't upload any pictures yet but the moment  I get it working they shall be up here quick as a whip!! 

xoxox

I am a complete sadist. I went back to the bloody guinness cupcakes...twice! Completely wish I hadn't bothered. I think it's a bit like when your looking for your favourite belt and you just can't find it and the more and more you look for it; the more you just cannot find it. I cannot find this cupcake recipe. It's hidden in an old handbag somewhere at the back of a cupboard. I think I just need to stop trying to make them better because quite frankly my friends; It ain't 'appenin! If I'm being quite honest I think the very first batch were the best but you always think that you can get better- I can't. I really need to step away and come back to them tomorrow. I think I'm going to give them one more shot and if it doesn't work I'm giving up. My mobile isn't working for some reason so hopefully tomorrow I can get it sorted to take some pictures. On a very much needed plus note, the Lavender cupcake came out amazing- First attempt! I had a good feeling about the recipe to start with and thank god, on a day when I definitely needed a boost they were great! 

xoxox

Gahh! I think I'm an addict. I just can't stop baking. I know this morning I posted that I was going to stop but I think I just need to stop making the guinness ones for a few days. So that said, Im moving on to my lavender, lemon and honey cupakes. All this cooking is in aid of the Ella Street Festival. Basically its a cute little street party that we have here in Hull on Ella Street and the street gets shut off and there are stalls and games etc. FUN! Sooo I thought it would be a good idea to kind of road test some of my ideas for the cookbook in there. Obviously I've ran with the Kitsch theme and I've split my table into two sections, we have the "Ladies Powder Room" and the "Gentlemen's Quarter". 

For the ladies I'm running with:

Lavender, Lemon and Honey cupcakes

"Choc Mint Chic" Cupcakes 

"Hot Lips" (white chocolate lips flavoured with raspberry and chilli and dark chocolate flavoured with orange and chilli)

Macaroons

and for the gentlemen we have:

"Drop of the black stuff" cupcakes (a combo of guinness and tia maria- yikes!) 

Vanilla and Bourbon cake with a crunchy almond brittle topper

"Nutty Selleck" moustache cookies 

"Benjamin Buttons" biscuits

and a few other little bits and bobs to keep the day ticking over. I'll post you some pictures later on so you can see how they have turned out. Fingers and eyes crossed please!!!

xoxox

Been working very hard on developing recipes at the minute, which kind of attributes to my general lack of posting and rubbishness and I can tell you something for free.....

Guinness cupcakes are hard!

I thought I had the perfect recipe but I gave it to one Uncle who said that it just didn't taste like guinness. Distraught is not the word! I was convinced that I had cracked it after batches and batches and bottles and bottles of the black stuff. I've put on about 900 stone due to my intense testing. To say this recipe has been a labour of love is an understatement. So I'm having a few days off. I'm getting a bit sick of seeing batter and I should probably invest shares in Fairy Liquid with the amount of the stuff I've used in this past week. 

So to stop me being depressed I've decided to treat my eyes to some pictures of lovely food instead of staring at brown batter for another day...

enjoy!!! 

 

source

xoxox

I'm getting serious new tattoo withdrawals and I want, want, WANT a Matryoshka Doll tattoo

 source- love this site!!

source

I know the middle one isn't a doll but I so love it and think i could kinda mix it in there a bit... uuuurgh I want now. I love the cartoony style of the 3rd picture, beyond adorable! 

xoxox

**GUEST BLOG**

(a super kawaii guest blog from the lovely Shell @ http://www.senselessstyle.blogspot.com)

How to dress Kawaii...

The art of dressing Kawaii is simple. It has to be bright, it has to be colourful, and most importantly it has to be cute!

I can only imagine how long it must take these girls to get ready in the morning! The key is to accessorise! So if you think you have too many bracelets on... then add a few more :)

Hair is covered in pretty bows, and cute slides. And cute characters such as Hello Kitty, and Rilakkuma are prominent. 

These streets shots from Japan look far more fun and colourful then any streets i've been on lately...

And to get the look, or just a touch of cuteness why not look here:

www.tokyojazzpanda.co.uk

www.asiajam.com

www.artbox.co.uk

www.cybercandy.com.uk

www.japancentre.com

www.chicki.com

   

Shell (^_^)

Sorry for my lack of blogging but I've been ridonkulously busy testing for a festival that I'm going to be baking at. I've been working on a few new cupcake recipes, I've got some amazing Guinness Cupcakes and some great Chic Mint Chip Cupcakes too. I've also bought some edible Lavender and that arrived this morning so tomorrow I'm going to have a play with that... I'll be back soon I promise!!! In the meantime we have an amazing guest blog post from one of my favourite and most stylish bloggers, Shell at Senseless Style...

xoxox

Back!! Well the pancakes were well received! I used the basic recipe for the low fat blueberry ones I do but I substituted the blueberries for some tinned peaches that I cut up into small nibbley pieces and popped in there. Luckily with my new baby Ethel (the Kitchenaid mixer to you kids) I didn't have to really flap about with a method as such and stuck everything in there and whisked it up. It made a fluffy light batter. Just because I thought they looked a bit plain, I opened up another tin of peaches and caramelised them with some icing sugar and they went down a treat. It gave everything a nice texture because we had the light and floaty pancakes with the juicy pieces of peach in there and then the crunchy toffee peaches on the top! Poy-fect!! 

xoxox

Well it's 11.19am here, I have a house full of people and I'm the only one that's awake...dirty bed staying toads... Quite frankly I wanted my breakfast an hour ago and sort of wish i'd said flap to them and made myself something yum and they can have soggy old cornflakes. Sadly, being one of those annoying people who has to please, I thought I'd make bacon and pancakes. Actually, they seem to be more annoying because just since I typed the words "I'm the only one that's awake", they have all descended upon me in a flock. ANNOYING! Right, I'm off to make pancakes but I'll be back in a bit because I have a few exciting things to tell you. 

xoxox

Im going to make the Gywenth Paltrow cookies again today. I dipped into Holland and Barratt yesterday and picked up some spelt flour, literally the only place I seemed to be able to find it; so I'm going to give them another whirl later on and see how they come out. Fingers crossed!! 

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Tomorrow, I sign up for college. I'm pretty excited really as it's taken me a while to figure out what I want to do. Starting out in fashion and then having a sabbatical that has seemed to go on forever. Baz Luhrmann said: 

"Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your 

life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they 

wanted to do with their lives"

Well I've got to 24 before realising what I want to do, so maybe that just makes me a very interesting person. I've tried a million jobs but cooking is just the one thing I always come back to. It's probably because I always feel like I have to please people and cooking just does that. I never feel as good as when I see someone eat something I've cooked. They put that first morsel in their mouth, theres a silence and just a slight change in their face; maybe a slight closing of the eyes or the raise of one corner of the mouth. Then that second mouthful goes in and they are putty in you hands. For me- best feeling ever. So with that thought in mind, I'm going back to college to study Patisserie. Ina Garten started off in fashion and then moved to cookery and look at her! I also think it would be really great for my writing plus it makes me look that bit more professional when I galavant off to publishers saying "please publish my book, ta muchly..." So fingers crossed kids, fingers crossed... 

I always think that it's quite hard coming up with names for recipes. I always want them to be fun but sometimes I just sound a bit of a fruitcake if Im trying to be a bit inventive. Today I don't care. I proudly present to you.....

This cake reminds me of a nun. It's obvious isn't it?? No? Well I was thinking whats mainly virtuous and guilt free but possibly with a little somethin' somethin' up their sleeve and I came up with a Nun. Not the scary kind that dam you to hell for eyeing up a delicious man, but I just though of Sister Act where she looks the epitome of innocence on the outside but has a dark side. If this cake was a person it would wear a cassock, drink JD and play dice in an alley. The sponge itself is guilt free, theres no butter in there and no flour, so thats its moral side. Then there's the interior, with its tart cherries and creamy; sweet, honeyed marscapone. That's where things take a bit of a naughty turn. I literally couldn't keep the man off this cake and he dived upon it before I had chance to fend him off with a tea towel. I suppose that, coupled with the fact that he finished his wodge in about 6 seconds is a testament to a success.

xoxox

Well she's finally here. She arrived at 12.05pm on Thursday 9th of June, weighing 20lbs. It was an easy delivery really, very little fuss. Im so in love with her already and can't stop looking at her and touching her. I proudly present to you Ethel, my Kitchenaid mixer. 

Mother and mixer are doing well.

xoxox

Well my lilac hair has finally washed out. Now I have excellent lavender hair! LOOOOOVE this colour! I want to get hold of some edible lavender to do some hair inspired cooking.

xoxox

introducing....

Mr Tony Selleck

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cooking kawaii

I'm road testing a new recipe today. Batches one and two are out of the oven and resting and three is is the oven and they are my "Nutty Selleck's". For readers of my blog, you already know I have a thing for a beautiful moustache and in particular Mr Tom Selleck's, well just for Tom Selleck really, but still... SO when I posted my blog about him the other day it got me thinking that I could make my ode to the man cooking kawaii style and a moustache cookie seemed like the obvious choice. For love nor money could I get a moustache cookie cutter in England so I had to get a pair of lips and attack them with some pliers till i got a good shape.... Here's a little sneaky peak of batch 2.

 I'll keep you updated and will obviously publish the best recipe for you when I decide which one it is.

xoxox