the hungry mum

Easter is one of my favourite times of year. You get to catch up with friends and family, eat delicious food and watch the kid’s faces as they hunt for eggs. And, like Christmas, you get to go completely over the top with your baking. Or is that just me?

As I write this I am preparing to host an Easter Sunday brunch for family. My mum offered to host but all I could think was – some of the desserts aren’t moveable! So we’ll be having everyone here! Amongst my trifles and tarts and bundt cakes I realised I hadn’t hit the chocolate target so I obviously I had to rectify that.

Gather:

55 grams butter
85 grams dark chocolate, chopped
55 grams milk chocolate, chopped
2 large eggs
¼ cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

I am going through a spicy and sweet stage. I always thought of spicy as something to have at dinner – laksa, anyone? – but as my love of baking increases, so does my curiosity with combining different tastes.

My light bulb moment with this spicy Mexican chocolate tart came one night when I was looking in the pantry for a nightcap of spiced rum and a nibble of chocolate.

I saw a bottle of my favourite tequila sitting alongside some dark chocolate and cinnamon and lo and behold – a glamorous dessert was born. The flavours of Mexico – spice from the cinnamon, heat from the chilli, tequila – shine through.

It goes without saying that this is an adults-only dessert – even if your young ‘un has a taste for chilli the fact that the tequila isn’t cooked off means it isn’t suitable.

This recipe is made of…

I cannot tell a lie – I did not make the vision of loveliness you see before you. That was Miss9, who created these funfetti white chocolate blondies by herself from woah to go.

That child is a way better cook than me, and unlike me, her repertoire includes non-sweet items. I am happy making cakes, I am unhappy making dinner #groundHogDay

Miss9 is passionate about white chocolate and when she saw this recipe in a recent issue of Super Food Ideas’ magazine she raided the pantry and whipped these up in no time.

Have you ever met a beekeeper? I have met several over the years in my day job as a journalist and I am here to tell you that people who dedicate their lives tending to bees, hives, and all the paraphernalia that comes with it, are amazing.

I recently interviewed a beekeeper who I have met several times now. She is passionate and knowledgeable about all aspects of beekeeping and at the end of the interview she gave me a jar of honey from her hives.

This honey is nothing like the stuff you buy at the shops. It is thick and unctuous and just begging to be via a spoon dipped in the jar. Mmmm, honey. As the hive is located a few suburbs away it is possible that the bees may have even visited my garden to alight on my lavender bush.

I was inspired by a recipe…