Cinnamon & Warm Caramel pull-apart Muffins

“I think love is caramel. Sweet and fragrant; always welcome. It is the gentle golden colour of a setting harvest sun; the warmth of a squeezed embrace; the easy melting of two souls into one and a taste that lingers even when everything else has melted away. Once tasted it is never forgotten.” – Jenny Colgan, Welcome to Rosie Hopkins’ Sweetshop of Dreams

These pull-away muffins are soft on the inside and golden-brown on the outside with the perfect amount of crunch. Add a generous drizzle of caramel, and you’re in heaven. These muffins make for the perfect breakfast treat and pair wonderfully with a cup of tea or a freshly brewed coffee.

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20Mar2014

Sparkling Cocktails with Blackberry, Mango & Mint Simple Syrup

Posted in Sweets by milk & marigolds

Whether you want to liven up a beverage or a plate of pancakes or waffles; simple syrup can help transform ordinary into extraordinary. What I love most about making a simple syrup is the ability to infuse almost any of your favourite ingredients to develop a flavour you and your guests will love and savour.

While I usually favour prosecco based cocktails, I recognize that not everyone else does. Instead, try substituting with a infused vodka-soda or mix the syrup with sparkling water to make it non-alcoholic.

Depending on how runny you want your simple syrup, you can always boil it longer, causing it to reduce and become thicker in consistency. So keep it simple sweethearts and enjoy!

Sparkling Cocktails
Infused with Blackberry, Mango & Mint Simple Syrup

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 25 minutes Yields: 1 ½ cups Author: Milk & Marigolds

Ingredients:
½ mango, chopped into chunks
340 g (12 oz) of blackberries
10 large mint leaves, roughly torn
1 cup of water
¾ cup of white sugar
1 bottle of prosecco or sparkling wine (or a liquor of your preference)

Garnish:
mint leaves, whole

Directions:
1. Chop half of the mango into chunks.
2. In a small saucepan, add one cup of water, the mango, blackberries, mint leaves and bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Turn heat down and allow it to simmer for about 15 minutes with the lid on.
3. Add in the ¾ cup of white sugar. Stir until it dissolves. Allow 10 minutes to simmer with the lid on.
4. Remove from heat and allow the simple syrup mixture to cool.
5. Strain off the fruit and mint leaves from the liquid. The liquid is your simple syrup. You can keep the fruit as a dessert topping if you wish.
6. Add about 1 teaspoon (or more to taste) to your freshly poured beverage, garnish with mint leaves.
7. Place cooled simple syrup in a air-tight jar in the refrigerator for storing.

Tips:
Boil down leftover syrup to further thicken it. Then use the thickened syrup on ice-cream, crepes or waffles. Simple syrup can keep up to months in the refrigerator.

6Mar2014

Apricot, Dark Chocolate, Pecan Cookies

Posted in Sweets by milk & marigolds

“Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with a tea cozy…doesn’t try it on.”
~Billy Connolly

There’s something comforting and calming about a hot cup of tea and freshly-baked cookies. Perhaps for some it’s purely nostalgic; surfacing memories of childhood. For others, it may allow the chance to escape from everyday life, if even for a moment.