Thursday 13 February 2014

Spread the love: Muffin tops just got replaced with red velvet brownies

Calories? you mean delicious points!

So it's happening, Valentines day is coming up and nothing says that you love and care more than a batch of something delicious - especially if it's home baked. So spoil that precious creature in your life, be it your partner, friend or mother (please note cat ladies, that it is lethal to feed your cat chocolate or cocoa).

Rumour has it, the trendy red velvet cupcake and the ol'classic brownie, has been getting frisky right here before St Valentine's big day. The result a beautiful batch of twelve red velvet brownies, adorned with white chocolate butter cream frosting.



Ingredients:

For the brownies:

3 Tbsp cocoa powder
2 Tbsp red food colouring
2 tsp vanilla extract, divided
1/2 cup butter at room temp
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt

For the white chocolate buttercream frosting:

1/2 cup butter at room temp
2 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
150 g white chocolate, melted
1-2 tsp heavy cream

To Make the Brownies:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius, lightly oil a baking tray.
2. In a bowl mix cocoa powder, food colouring and 1 tsp vanilla, combine until a thick paste forms.
3. In a separate bowl, beat together butter and sugar, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the rest of the vanilla.
4. Add the cocoa mix, to the butter mixture, beat well, until combined. Slowly add the flour and salt and beat on a medium high speed. Do not over mix.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. bake for 40 min and let it cool for an hour.

To Make the Frosting:

1.Cream butter, then add vanilla.
2. With the mixer on low speed, add the icing sugar, followed by the melted chocolate and cream.
3. Beat mixture until desired consistency forms.

Frost brownies in the pan and cut into twelve bars.

Have a lovely day tomorrow, filled with love and light.

Sunday 9 February 2014

Ten Fashion Essentials for 2014: The Sneaker

Comfort is winning! Gaining popularity from last year, finally it's okay to wear sneakers elsewhere than at the gym or track, even though you aren't Steve Jobs.It gets stranger kids, the bolder and brighter the better.


The sneaker gained it's highest status to date, when seen on the Chanel Couture Spring 2014 runway. Stylishly dressed models pranced down the runway in monochrome, metallic and sheer sneakers, Mr Lagerfeld going so far as to showcase a pair of bridal sneakers - not bad for a pair of tekke.

Chanel Couture Spring 2014 bridal sneakers

Chanel Couture Spring 2014 lace sneaker

When this practical trend first reared it's head, my deep love/ crazy obsession with PUMA, sent me straight to their shoe catalog. For their latest campaign, featuring basically your dream tropical holiday redesigned into sneakers, banishing any harsh winter thoughts, the prints feature exotic flowers and palm trees.

Women's disc Tropicalia trainers from PUMA

Women's suede classic Tropicalia trainers from PUMA

The great thing about this trend is that because it is such a usual no-no , you really can't go wrong with pairing it with a contrasting outfit. I think the pictures below are great examples of how any type of sneaker can be incorporated into a high fashion look.














For summertime, this trend goes well with the big nineties revival happening now, so pair it with a crop top and flare skater skirt or when the sun goes down, throw on a pair of leggings and an over sized pastel coloured coat - What? You didn't even break a sweat? ya, it's that easy.