Friday, 23 December 2011

On the road: departure!

The trip begins: the HsB goes on the road!
With this new column I want to share sweet experiences from all over the world, international recipes, culinary reviews of bars, restaurants, bakeries or specific dishes, and any other funny or interesting happening that has to do with baking and all that comes with it.


I'll start telling you about a nice day I had in Venice. I was in this magic city with a dearest friend on a warm and sunny autumn Sunday about a month ago. We walked a lot and visited the Biennale: some of the works were quite interesting and nice, some other were really absurd. They made us question the concept of art...





Amongt the "calli e canali di Venezia" - lanes and canals - we found a funny play dough sculpture which the visitor was allowed to play with and modify. So I made a little space for the HsB :)



We also fuond these lovely Murano glas pastries which looked tasty, I wouldn’t eat them though… Anyways it’s incredible all the stuff you can find made of glas, from vases and chandeliers to cookies!


Before leaving we stopped at the Caffe’ Florian for a hot chocolate. This café opened in 1720 in Piazza San Marco and  is Italy’s oldest. While seated in one of the café’s frescoed rooms or outside listening to the orchestra in the Piazza, one can enjoy impeccable service and products of finest quality. I love it as much as I love being in Venice and as much as I love being in Venice with a person dear to me.


I hope to be back soon…

Enjoy
Martina

P.S.P.T. (ie. Post scriptum personal thought): you can travel world and seek for happiness in every corner of it, but sometimes it’s just and always was around the corner, much closer than you thought. Now I know.



Pictures by GioT. Thanks!

Friday, 16 December 2011

Rocking around the Xmas goodies

Yesterday evening I had the most delightful Xmas get together with my friends: Romina, Nils, Anna, Karina, Johannes, and my brother Egon. I spent such a nice and cozy time... a pity that some other friends couldn't make it.

I made pizza with real Italian mozzarella di bufala and basilico, muffins with pears and cinnamon, and chocolate chip cookies. My dear friend Anna also baked, she made the most beautiful (AND DELICIOUS) Christmas Sachertorte ever!!! A bottle of Prosecco and we were set.

I received chocolate, amarillis, home-made cookies, and some beautiful cupcake earings. I like presents! Then Nils took the guitar and played and sang for us all "Last Christmas" and "Rudolph the red nosed raindeer", the Jack Johnson version which I love. I like that song because my mom calls me Rudolph in the winter time since my nose is always red from the cold :)

Thankyou for the special evening. Love you all!

Enjoy
Martina
 
 ready to bite the feast!
 the boys!
 smile it's Christmas time!
 Karina & Egon, so sweet...
 MUFFINS!
the masterpiece... it was such a shame having to cut it, but no regrets while eating it!
my new earings, thanks to Romi & Nils!
Anna the baker: ally or competitor ;) 
 my favourite couple!


Wednesday, 14 December 2011

CupcakeSubmerged

Hi guys!
I'm sorry I haven't been posting in a while, but I've been overwhelmed with exams, work, love, and... cupcakes! 
I've been literally cupcakeSubmerged!
In the past weeks I have received several orders for birthday parties and this pleases me so much. I have been baking so much, but the happyness and satisfaction of my customers pays back all the stress.

I feel generous today ;) so I'd like to share with you my recipe for basic vanilla cupcakes!
Ingredients:
250 gr. flour
175 gr. sugar
50 gr. butter
2 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, and butter in your mixer and beat until you get a sand consistency. Then add the milk, the vanilla, and the egg and continue beating. Spoon the batter into the paper cases and bake in the oven at 170 degrees C for 20-25 minutes.

Icing:
500 gr. confectioners' sugar
80 gr. sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk

Beat all the ingredients together until you get a light and fluffy cream. The longer the icing is beaten the better it will taste. Cool it for a couple of hours in the fridge before serving..


Enjoy  
Martina






Tiny Hand With Heart