So…I have been a shocking blogger of late. I find this inexplicable because I love blogging. I adore The Nookbook and my life is still, as it was when I started blogging in 2010, filled with DIY.

For almost a year this has really perplexed me- making me feel incredibly neglectful of this beautiful little baby that I built. So much guilt!

Suddenly I’ve realised- blogging is supposed to be fun. I’ve never wanted to think of it as a chore- so I’ve only ever put up posts that I really wanted to share with the world- blame my internal Editor.

I create web content all day for work- is it any surprise that when I get home the last thing I want to do is look at another screen? In fact, when I get home, I walk straight to my room to get changed into my daggy T-shirt and shorts, chuck my hair up in a ponytail, kiss my gorgeous husband and walk directly out to the balcony to work on my current project.

After a long day at work, I’m just not interested in that computer mouse- the only thing I want under my right hand is a sanding block, paint brush, drill…there’s nothing like the feeling of creating something REAL. Even if it’s just for an hour, for a brief moment of my day, I need to make something with wood, clay, paint…something solid.

Unlike most people, I have no problem with the concept of a perpetual to-do list. It’s a form of meditation for me. My brain switches into a completely different mode and my body and mind are working together.

My husband recently said he thinks we could handle live-in renovating- I cannot imagine anything more blissful.

And you know what? I believe I am not alone! I love nothing more than getting inspired by other people’s projects and finding out exactly how people made things work for them- a crafting community. I have done so much in the past couple of months and I have been documenting it all- so here I go people! I’m back! Re-energised and inspired- with the same filter- nothing goes up here that I don’t really want to share with the world- and I’ve got a world of projects to share :)

Thanks for reading The Nookbook.

With Easter just around the corner, what better time to get creative with chocolate in the kitchen?

Now Easter eggs are divine, but something a bit more rustic and homemade definitely fits the bill for me. With the current baking trends of cake pops and whoopie pies fresh from the oven, I figured I’d give them a shot for Easter and style them up all cutely while I’m at it.

The recipes for these were both from one of my favourite food porn sites, taste.com.au

The whoopie pies were originally from Super Food Ideas (where I used to work). I altered the original chocolate whoopie pie recipe slightly to make the inside a sour cherry-choc ganache – recipe below.

I used a whoopie pie baking tin (semi-circular indents in the pan) rather than a flat baking tray as the recipe suggests, so my whoopie pies came out as ovals! I trimmed each one so that the base was flat.

When I found myself with left-over cake bits, and left-over ganache I thought ‘when life gives you lemons – make lemonade!’ So after checking this recipe for Christmas cake pops I decided I had everything I needed to give cake pops a shot – recipe below.

In another side mention, I just love cooking with my iPad. It’s so easy to search through websites looking for exactly what you need, and any time those pesky questions crop up (‘what exactly are grits?’ ‘how much is an ounce?’) you can give it a quick google and you’re sorted. A quick spruik for one of my recent professional projects – I worked on the Super Food Ideas iPad app, which has this magnificent creation called ‘Cook Mode’ where each recipe is split into steps and ingredients and videos are available for each section – pure genius in the kitchen.

Don’t they look just darling all wrapped up in an egg carton? They tasted AMAZING as well, if I don’t say so myself ;)

Have a fantastic Easter and check back in next week for another post.

Sour cherry-choc ganache filling for Chocolate whoopie pies:

50g milk chocolate bits
100g dark chocolate bits
1/3 cup natural vanilla yoghurt
1/3 cup chopped glacé cherries
*Note: use left-over ganache for cake pops

1. Place chocolate and yoghurt in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring constantly until smooth.
2. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until thick and spreadable.
3. Beat with a fork to make fluffy. Sandwich 1-2 teaspoons of ganache between cakes. Set aside for 5 minutes to set. Dust cocoa over whoopie pies to serve.

Cake pops:

1. Cut whoopie pie bases to sit flat and crumble left-over cake. Stir through 1/2 cup icing sugar with cake crumbs.
2. Combine cake mix with left-over ganache (about 1/3-2 cups) by kneading with your hands (like dough). You should be able to roll the mixture into balls that keep their shape but are still sticky.
3. Place these small, Easter egg-shaped balls on a baking tray. Cover tray well I glad wrap and sit in freezer for 4 hours.
4. Melt one cup of chocolate bits and stir through one teaspoon of olive oil. *Note: you could use milk, dark or white chocolate. Try using different types of chocolate or white chocolate with a drop of food colouring for fun effects.
5. Dip the end of one stick with chocolate and skewer cake balls with lollipop sticks. Stand sticks in styrofoam or an upside-down egg carton to set for 5 minutes in the freezer.
6. Reheat melted chocolate and dip skewer cake balls in chocolate, turning gently in melted chocolate to coat thoroughly. Roll in sprinkles or curls or paint designs on with alternate melted chocolate and return to stand to set in the freezer. Tie bunches of three together with ribbon in a bow and stack with whoopie pies in an Easter carton for super cute packaging.

Enjoy!

Coming up to Easter Sunday, I thought you might like me to share my favourite DIY Easter gift idea.

As you may well know, I work for a food magazine. I am constantly tempted by treats and for us, Easter was about three months ago! Having put our Easter issue to bed, I always forget to get excited about the actual event! It happened at Christmas, and this time I was running behind on my usual Easter cooking as well.

So Easter Friday I spent the day cooking in anticipation of a weekend away down at my boyfriend’s family’s property in the Southern Highlands.

I’ve been saving egg shells and cartons for the past few weeks and after dying them, used them for presenting my Easter treats. I make little egg-shaped truffles, but potentially you could do cookies, slice, or any other little treats that you can pop into cartons.

I made espresso fudge from the Super 10 feature of the
Super Food Ideas Christmas issue and also chocolate ganache truffles from a recipe I found online (it wasn’t very good so I won’t link to it).

After letting the treats set in the freezer, I finished them off by rolling them into little eggs and rolling them in sprinkles, coffee powder, almonds and pistachios.

Mise en place:

Fudge all ready to pop in the freezer to set.

While the fudge was setting, I got started on dying the eggs.

This website is great for learning about different techniques, but what I usually do is fill jars or tins three quarters full with boiling water, add a teaspoon of vinegar, and enough food colouring until I get to the desired hue.

Then I dip the egg shells into the jars to let the dye set in.

Now that I have a good base colour, I start with the marbling over the top. I mix about a tablespoon of vegetable oil in with the dye and dip the egg shells in.

This creates a really funky marbled effect over the top of the base colour. I leave some plain just for some contrast and variety.

Now that the egg shells are done I can get the fudge out of the freezer. I also made ganache but I’ll just show the step shots for the fudge.

I pulled a section of the fudge, about a teaspoon full.

I dusted my hands in a coffee and icing sugar mixture and rolled the fudge into a ball. I find this works best when I move my hands in opposite circles and then backwards and forwards to get a elongated egg shape.

I used the same technique with Easter-themed sprinkles, toasted almonds and chopped pistachios (soaked in Galliano ;).

And voilá! Pop them in the half egg-shells then into cartons and you have a super cute Easter gift :D

I was rushed out of the house by the boyfriend so I had to finish off my presentation in the car :p

If I had had more time on my hands, I would’ve made the little balls and frozen them for about 10 minutes before dipping them in melted milk chocolate.Then I would have rolled them in toppings or drawn cute swirls and lines over the top in white or dark chocolate.

Because they were so soft and I was going to be in the car for a while, I kept them in their cartons and put an ice brick between the two.

I don’t have children, but I’m sure if I did this would be a great Easter activity: dying eggs, rolling balls, dipping them in coatings, doing quality control taste tests ;) and finally presenting them to Nan and Granddad.

Happy Easter everyone! Enjoy the chocolate, foraging and family fun times.

Thanks for reading The Nookbook.