Hay, Hay it's Donna Day

If you're not Australian you're most likely not to get that direct reference to a very popular, long-running, now defunct Saturday night tv show. In any case, it's a clever pun thought up by Barbara, who's organised the inaugural Donna Hay day. If you don't know who Donna Hay is, check out Nic's description. Even though Nic's not Australian, she's a major fan of Donna Hay, as are quite a lot of international foodbloggers. Ms Hay really has become quite a success in Australia; in fact it was only fairly recently I discovered she was Australian. "Oh, somebody that successful must be from the UK or USA" I would think. Oops - Cultural Cringe strikes again.
Only yesterday I received my Christmas edition, full of beautiful, clean, bright photos of holiday biscuits and treats I'd love to make, but for this first Donna Day extravaganza, the wildy popular swirly self-frosting cupcakes have been chosen. It's true that I have already made and posted about these before, as have quite a list of other foodbloggers (they were indeed flavour of the month), but in light of their obvious popularity, the idea to choose them is a good one. Those who have made them know how easy and attractive they look, and for those who don't - what more gentle way to be introduced to the Donna world?
Last time I used the new Kraft dark chocolate peanut butter spread: Nuts About Chocolate; mmmmm. Just like a Snickers bar - and I used it again for half of this batch (shown in the top photo). I was inspired after that about all the possible toppings I could use for the swirly features, and one in particular stood out; the thick, dark apple paste from Holland: Appelstroop. This stuff has the colour and texture of engine grease, but tastes fabbo. It's basically apple juice and sugar boiled down for ages until it turns thick and gooey. Yes, it's very sweet but it also has a tongue-tingling tang from the apples and a hint of smoky bitterness like treacle or molasses. Don't know about elsewhere, but it's pretty easily available from lots of supermarkets
So, you can see my effort using the apple paste. Not quite as successful with the swirling technique there. I've come to the realisation that has put a dampener on my wild list of possible toppings. Peanut butter and Nutella etc. work well because they have a similar texture to the raw cake batter; therefore the swirling and subsequent cooking amalgamates the two components well. However, using apple syrup or honey or raspbery jam....not so good. The texture is too runny, and they don't swirl too well. They also tend to bubble over and coat your muffin pans with a thick, baked-on syrupy mess which is a nightmare to clean.
But, oh yeah; they taste pretty damn good. And that baked in frosting makes them perfect to transport - just as I'm doing this afternoon as I take off for a long weekend at a friend's beach house on the Great Ocean Road. No phones, no internet - just lots of books and walk on the beach. Cheers!
I'm looking forward to seeing how many people around the world make this recipe this weekend, and who wins the prize for the prettiest swirls.
If you want the recipe for the swirly self-frosting cupcakes, it can be found in this post.
Appelstroop swirly cupcake I was enjoying...
8 Comments:
I think the applestroop ones look pretty good, Niki. Enjoy your weekend and I may/may not see you next week depending on whether this get tog goes ahead!
By
cin, at 11/18/2005 12:57:00 pm
They do sound like they'd be lovely with the applestroop. I can't wait to see other variations!
By
Nic, at 11/18/2005 03:43:00 pm
I swear I am too scared to give these cupcakes another whirl (pun intended!) my last two batches were disasters, with my first batch the oven was on too low for some reason, with the second batch there were no obvious errors, they just failed to work. I was baking them the second time in an attempt to get them ready for a school carnival and just couldn't bring myself to send the evidence of my failure. I will wait for a Donna Hay competition I don't think I am jinxed in, before I give it a go.
By
Amanda, at 11/20/2005 12:03:00 am
What camera do you use to photograph your food? And are you using manual settings such as a low aperture to get such natural lighting? Everytime I take food pics without a flash they're unfocused, and with a flash the colours are all wrong...yours always look worthy of being in a recipe book...whats your secret?? :)
Tan @ redskye.typepad.com
By
Anonymous, at 11/21/2005 04:16:00 pm
They look great and, being a fan of stroop, I think the applestroop version sounds yummy too! :) Aw! I feel bad that I missed this event (especially since I love these cupcakes)...have been out of commission lately due to technological disasters so I'm only now starting to bloghop again...
By
Anonymous, at 11/21/2005 05:39:00 pm
Cin/Nic - the appelstroop ones don't look so bad in those photos actually - but in real life they weren't so attractive. This time 'round the cake was a bit dry too. I'm not sure what happened there, but not my most successful baking attempt.
Lushlife - I had a slight disaster with the appelstroop ones - in that they sort of exploded. Also my batter turned out a bit dry this time. Almost like there was too much baking powder - but I used the same amount as last time. Odd.
Tan - Thanks for the compliment! I use a Canon Powershot s45. It's a pretty nice camera at the upper end of the basic range. But the big secret is...the macro setting. I totally rely on it for every photo. On most cameras it's the button or setting with a picture of a tulip or flower - and it allows you to focus on very close range items clearly. Without it, the photos are out of focus. I couldn't believe the difference in quality when I discovered it.
I also never use a flash - even in the evenings, because it makes food look fake and unpleasant.
Those two settings are really the only things I use, and can make my photos occasionally look pretty good. I surprise myself a lot of the time!
By
Niki, at 11/21/2005 05:46:00 pm
I can just imagine how fab those Applestroop ones tasted. Great pictures. I'll be doing the round up this weekend. First I just need a little sleep after the Perth - Auckland night flight.
By
Anonymous, at 11/25/2005 07:48:00 am
情趣用品,情趣,情色,成人,A片,自拍,情趣用品,情趣,色情,成人影片,色情影片,免費A片,情趣用品,情趣,成人網站,A片下載,日本AV,做愛,情趣用品,情趣,美女交友,A片,辣妹視訊,情色視訊,情趣用品,情趣,色情聊天室,聊天室,AV,成人電影,A片,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣,情趣
情色,A片,AIO,AV,日本AV,色情A片,AV女優,A漫,免費A片,A片下載,情色A片,哈啦聊天室,UT聊天室,聊天室,豆豆聊天室,色情聊天室,尋夢園聊天室,080視訊聊天室,080聊天室,080苗栗人聊天室,免費視訊聊天,上班族聊天室,080中部人聊天室,視訊聊天室,視訊聊天,成人聊天室,一夜情聊天室,辣妹視訊,情色視訊,成人,成人影片,成人光碟,成人影城,自拍
情趣用品,A片,AIO,AV,AV女優,A漫,免費A片,日本AV,寄情築園小遊戲,情色貼圖,色情小說,情色文學,色情,色情遊戲,一葉情貼圖片區,色情網站,色情影片,微風成人, 嘟嘟成人網,成人,成人貼圖,18成人,成人影城,成人圖片,成人影片,UT聊天室,聊天室,豆豆聊天室,尋夢園聊天室,080聊天室,080苗栗人聊天室,080視訊聊天室,視訊聊天室
情趣用品,A片,aio,av,av女優,a漫,免費a片,aio交友愛情館,a片免費看,a片下載,本土自拍,自拍,愛情公寓,情色,情色貼圖,色情小說,情色文學,色情,寄情築園小遊戲,色情遊戲,嘟嘟情人色網,一葉情貼圖片區,色情影片,情色網,色情網站,微風成人,嘟嘟成人網,成人,18成人,成人影城,成人圖片,成人貼圖,成人圖片區,成人小說,成人電影
情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣,情趣,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣,情趣,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣,情趣,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品,情趣用品.情趣,情趣,情趣,情趣,視訊聊天室
麻將,台灣彩卷,六合彩開獎號碼,運動彩卷,六合彩,遊戲,線上遊戲,cs online,搓麻將,矽谷麻將,明星三缺一, 橘子町,麻將大悶鍋,台客麻將,公博,game,淘,中華職棒,麗的線上小遊戲,國士無雙麻將,麻將館,賭博遊戲,威力彩,威力彩開獎號碼,龍龍運動網,史萊姆,史萊姆好玩遊戲,史萊姆第一個家,史萊姆好玩遊戲區,樂透彩開獎號碼,遊戲天堂,天堂,好玩遊戲,遊戲基地,無料遊戲王,好玩遊戲區,麻將遊戲,好玩遊戲區,小遊戲,電玩快打
麻將,台灣彩卷,六合彩開獎號碼,運動彩卷,六合彩,線上遊戲,矽谷麻將,明星3缺一,橘子町,麻將大悶鍋,台客麻將,公博,game,淘,中華職棒,麗的線上小遊戲,國士無雙麻將,麻將館,賭博遊戲,威力彩,威力彩開獎號碼,龍龍運動網,史萊姆,史萊姆好玩遊戲,史萊姆第一個家,史萊姆好玩遊戲區,樂透彩開獎號碼,遊戲天堂,好玩遊戲,遊戲基地,無料遊戲王,好玩遊戲區,麻將遊戲,好玩遊戲區,小遊戲,遊戲區,電玩快打,cs online
情趣用品,情趣,A片,AIO,AV,AV女優,A漫,免費A片,情色,情色貼圖,色情小說,情色文學,色情,寄情竹園小遊戲,色情遊戲,AIO交友愛情館,色情影片,情趣內衣,情趣睡衣,性感睡衣,情趣商品,微風成人,嘟嘟成人網,成人,18成人,成人影城,成人圖片,成人貼圖,成人圖片區,UT聊天室,聊天室,豆豆聊天室 ,哈啦聊天室,尋夢園聊天室,聊天室尋夢園,080苗栗人聊天室,080聊天室,視訊交友網,視訊
By
Anonymous, at 3/27/2009 01:03:00 am
Post a Comment
<< Home