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Mincemeat Delight

16 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by Askmystyle in Culture, FW13, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

askmystyle, blogger, christmas, delicious, dessert, english, fruit, mincemeat, pastry, pies, stars, tarts, tradition, treat

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For those who are unfamiliar, this English dessert is a mixture of chopped dried fruit and distilled spirits and spices.  It dates back to the 16th century, where it was originally made with meat.  For my family, Christmas isn’t complete without the traditional mini mincemeat tarts/pies for dessert.  Here is a great, simple recipe for you to try this holiday season:

You will need:

  • 350g all purpose flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 225g butter
  • 1 egg (beaten)
  • Cold water as needed
  • 1 jar of mincemeat (if you wish to make from scratch, follow this recipe: http://britishfood.about.com/od/christmas/r/mincemeat.htm )
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 12-cup muffin tin

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How to:

  • Preheat oven to 400 F
  • Place flour, butter and salt into a large, clean bowl
  • Rub the butter into the flour with fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, working as quickly as you can to prevent the dough from getting warm
  • Add the egg to mixture and stir using a cold knife
  • Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for min. 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes
  • On work surface, dust a little flour and roll out 2/3 of pastry to 1/8″/3mm thick
  • Cut circles to line the cups of your tin,  Fill pastry lined tins 2/3 full with mincemeat
  • Roll out remaining pasty to the same thickness and cut smaller circles to fit as lids on the tarts
  • Dampen edges of the tart bases with cold water and press the lids on.  Make a small hole in the surface of each pie with a small sharp knife to allow the steam to escape
  • Bake in oven for 20 mins or until golden brown
  • Remove from oven.  Cool.  ENJOY!

A Little More Sweetness

16 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by Askmystyle in Culture, FW13, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

askmystyle, baking, blogger, christmas, delicious, food, holiday, macarons, pink, raspberry, treat

Screen Shot 2013-12-16 at 7.33.45 PM

With my gruelling school work, it’s been a while since I’ve really gotten a chance to cook anything for myself, let alone photograph and prepare a post.  Recently, my mum shared a great recipe for making macarons (yes, those delicious French treats Marie Antoinette indulged in).  While there are endless flavours and colours that can be created, the raspberry colour jumped at me.  Caught your attention?  Keep reading if you want to learn how to make these delectable treats!

You will need: (filling)

  • 1 cup + 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp powdered pectin
  • 3 cups raspberries
  • 1/2 lemon

You will need: (macaron shells)

  • 300g ground almonds
  • 300g powdered sugar
  • 110 aged egg whites
  • 4.5g pink, fuchsia or rose food colouring
  • 300g granulated sugar
  • 75g mineral water
  • 110g aged egg whites

Screen Shot 2013-12-16 at 7.33.55 PM

How to:

  • Start by making the jam. In a medium sauce pan, macerate raspberries with a potato masher. Alternatively, process in a food processor or blend in a blender and then heat up over medium heat. In a separate bowl, whisk together sugar and pectin and then add it to the raspberries. Squeeze in lemon juice for some tang and then allow to boil for two minutes. Strain the seeds out if desire, and then allow to cool in a bowl with plastic wrap pressed against the surface of the bowl until cooled
  • Process powdered sugar and ground almonds in a stand mixer and sift into a large bowl.  Combine the other 110g of aged egg whites with the food colouring and add to the sifted almond flour and powered sugar
  • In a sauce pan, combine water and sugar and bring it to a boil. In a stand mixer, start beating your egg whites on low speed. When your syrup reaches 115 C, turn the mixer to medium (6 on a kitchen aid) and whisk. When your syrup reaches 118 C, remove from heat immediately, increase the speed to medium high (or 8) and pour the syrup down the side of your mixing bowl bowl. Keep whisking until your mixing bowl is warm to the touch
  • Pour merengue over the mixture from 2nd step.  Gently fold.
  • Pipe circles of macaron batter on parchment paper 3/4 of an inch apart.  Rap baking sheets against counter, rotate by 90 degrees and wrap again.
  • Preheat oven to 325 F and let macarons rest on the counter for at least 30 minutes.  Bake for 15 minutes.  After 15 minutes, remove from oven.
  • Cool on wire rack and fill when cooled completely.
  • ENJOY 🙂

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Holiday Sweetness Pt.1 <3

16 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by Askmystyle in Culture, FW13, Restaurants, Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

askmystyle, blogger, brownie, christmas, delicious, desserts, food, holiday, marble, treat

‘Tis the season to indulge…and indulge some more!  My next few posts will be dedicated to my favourite, easy to follow holiday recipes that won’t break the bank!

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Cream Cheese + brownie?  PERFECT COMBO!!!!  I first discovered this recipe in the Good Housekeeping Desserts book.  Super easy to make, especially if you use a store-bought brownie mix.  I love the marbled pattern, too!

You will need:

  • Packaged chocolate fudge brownie mix and required ingredients
  • 1 pckg cream cheese (8 oz)
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

How to:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 325 F and grease a 9×13 baking pan thoroughly
  • Prepare brownie batter as per package instructions
  • Combine the cream cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla extract; blend on medium speed with electric mixer
  • Pour 2/3rd of the brownie batter into the baking pan and smooth all over the bottom of the pan. Dot with large spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture on top. Spoon the remaining brownie batter in between. Run a fork or knife through them in a swirl pattern to create a marbled effect (as displayed in the photo below)
  • Bake for 28-30 minutes
  • Cool completely and enjoy!

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Note:  Unlike your conventional brownies, this dessert will not keep at room temperature because of the cream cheese

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Such pretty swirls, right?  If you are a serious cheesecake lover, there is an alternative recipe made by adding a generous layer of cheesecake batter on top of the brownie batter.  If following the alternative recipe, remember to double the cream cheese mix.  Easy to make and great for the holidays!

Beautiful Blogger Award ♥

13 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by Askmystyle in Uncategorized

≈ 13 Comments

Tags

Awards

The charming and sweet blogger Marie, at Le blog de marie, recently nominated me for the “Beautiful Blogger Award” and it came as quite a surprise- a pleasant surprise, of course 🙂  Make sure to check out Marie’s blog!  Thank you, Marie!  What a fabulous start to the week!!! Xo

The Rules:

– Post 7 interesting things about yourself

– Nominate other bloggers who I feel deserve the award

– Let them know about the nomination

7 things about me:

  1. Travel fascinates me!!!  I’ve visited many beautiful, cultural places such as South Africa, India and most recently Turkey.
  2. My heritage is English, Italian and Ukrainian.
  3. I have dual citizenship:  Canadian & English.  When I was little, I spent lots of time visiting my grandparents in London, England.
  4. My favourite cuisine is Italian- love pasta with pesto.
  5. I’m a girly girl but I can’t resist spikes, studs & skulls.
  6. My favourite book is “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger.
  7. High heels are my favourite accessory- especially ones embellished with spikes!

Fabulous blogs I nominate:

1.  Print and Pattern

2.  Trésors De Luxe

3.  Lions and Wolves

4. Chocolates and Raspberries 

5.  Ann Novek- With The Sky As The Ceiling and The Heart Outdoors

6.  Cat Forsley

7.  I Love Green Inspiration

8.  Bei Love Bei

9.  Oxygen Your Style

10.  Anna in Her Wonderland

11.  Fiammisday

12.  His Fashion Blog

13.  Girly Queen

14.  Yasmincruz!

15.  Glamorously Defined

Have a lovely week!  P.S. Follow me on Instagram @askmystyle

Ice pops

03 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by Askmystyle in Uncategorized

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Make Kony Famous!

14 Wednesday Mar 2012

Posted by Askmystyle in Uncategorized

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Many of you have probably heard about the KONY 2012 campaign that exploded on the internet last week.  After watching this incredibly emotional video, I have to say I am so touched and inspired by Jacob and Jason’s ongoing fight to bring Joseph Kony to justice for his deplorable actions.  Kony is the head of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and is responsible for the abduction of countless children in Uganda, who he forces to fight as child soldiers.  If you haven’t already watched this video, please do so and share it with as many people as possible!  Let’s all do our part and MAKE KONY FAMOUS- #stopkony

Come for a walk down Santa’s lane!

28 Wednesday Dec 2011

Posted by Askmystyle in Uncategorized

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Askmystyle invites you to join me on a winter wonderland adventure…

Which way to Santa’s house?

Meet and greet with Frosty…

A ride on the ferris wheel?

Pretty twinkling lights!

A stop to admire the lovely tree…

Santa’s courtyard…

Time to go!  It’s almost tea time!

Images via Askmystyle

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