Brookies part cookie part brownie :)

What is a Brookie you might say? To tell you the truth I had never heard of them either until one morning I stumbled across what turned out to be chocolate heaven. For those of you that don't know me I'm a bit of a chocoholic. A Brookie is half brownie half cookie. When I intially looked through the receipe I was a bit intimidated but what the heck why not give it a go!

Brownie
Cooking chocolate 250g
Unsalted butter 200g
Caster sugar 200g
3 eggs
Plain flour 125g
Cocoa 50g

Cookie
Plain flour 175g
1 tsp baking powder
Melted margarine 125g
Light muscovado sugar 85g
Caster sugar 55g
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
Plain chocolate chips 125g

Method:

First off you need a nice big rectangular baking tin. Pop a bit of melted butter on it so they don't stick and line with baking paper.
For this receipe I could have done with a hen with both parts requiring eggs.  The bottom layer will be the brownie. So preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Break up the chocolate and put it with the butter over a saucepan of boiling water. Watch the magic happen. Eventually as the Spice girls said '2 become 1'. Meanwhile in another bowl whisk the sugar and the chuck chuck (eggs) until smooth and creamy. Add the chocolate mix to the egg mix and mix . Sift in the flour and cocoa ensuring you destroy your clothes in pure Caitriona style. Stir and spread evenly in the base of the tin.

Place all the cookie ingredients in a large bowl and beat until smooth and silky. Once mixed spread ontop of the brownie mixture and pop it in the oven. Keep an eye as it bakes and somewhere around 20 min it should be ready. Allow to cool!

My Water Safety Tips Please Read!!!

I think it's fair to say wow now this is fabulous weather! In this blog I will be taking a break from my usual baking posts and writing about safety in and around water. As a trained Water Safety Instructor and having several years experience as a lifeguard & leisure centre manager this is an issue very close to my heart.  Unfortunately with fine weather always comes tragedy. Alot of the time these tragedies can be avoided by taking certain precautions.

1. Only swim in lifeguarded areas. Local piers, lakes etc are not suitable for swimming. Currents, tides and hazards make swimming in these areas treacherous.
2. When out in the water on jet ski's or boats always wear a lifejacket which has been safety checked.
3.  Never consume alcohol in or around water!Never swim after consuming alcohol.
4. Kids with armbands should not be allowed swim in open water. I heard of a case where a child jumped into deep water raising his arms up in the air. When he hit the water the 2 armbands shot off his arms sending him under water.
5. Never swim alone.
6. Never swim after eating.
7. Never swim after hard exercise.
8. Never use air mattresses in open water. Tides and currents can carry the mattress far out to sea in the blink of an eye.
9. Always swim parallel to the beach. Never swim away from the shoreline.
10.If you cannot swim do not allow the beach water past your hips. Going any further out is extremely dangerous if you lose your balance, step in a hole or get carried by a wave.
11. Never swim in an unknown area. Sharp objects, reefs etc can cause injury!
12. Never swim in around weeds. These can easily catch your feet.
13. If you notice a missing ring buoy report it to the relevant authority.
14. Always empty paddling pools after use. A toddler could easily fall in.
15. Never take your eyes off children near water.

IMPORTANT

NEVER  enter the water to save someone!CALL 999! When a person is drowning the first thing they will do is grab you to push themselves up. In a distressed situation panic sets in and they do not know what they are doing! Very commonly double drownings occur. These happen when someone jumps in to rescue another. Always put a barrier between you and the victim. Call 999 and use rescue aids nearby from the bank until help arrives. Often your voice can be the most vital rescue aid. Reassure the victim and tell them to kick.

How to use a ring buoy with no rope attached

1.Call for help

2.Using 1 hand swing the ringbuoy by your side.Take a few swings so you can throw the distance. 

3. Never hold or throw it by its rope. Hold the main frame.

4. Aim for in front of the person and throw.

5. Talk to them, tell them what to do and reassure them everything is ok!

6. Lie down on the river bank shoulders behind the edge and as they kick in, grab the top of one of their wrists and pull them into the bank.Assist them out and seek medical attention.

                                            How to use a ring buoy with rope attached

1. Call for help

2.  Place the end of the rope under your foot. Coil up the remaining rope leaving a little slack to throw the ring buoy.

3. Hold the rope in 1 hand and the ringbuoy in the other.

4. Take a few practice swings and throw both the rope and ring buoy together keeping your foot on the end of the rope at all times.

5. Aim for behind the person when the rope is attached. That way you can pull it towards them.

6. Tell them grab on and as you pull them in, drop down on your stomach shoulders behind the edge and ensure your foot is on the rope at all times. Never lose contact with the rope. 

7. As they kick in, grab the top of one of their wrists and pull them into the bank.Assist them out and seek medical attention.

What can i use if there is no ringbuoy

1. Clothing- Use a pants/Jumper by holding one end and throwing the other end for them to grab. This will only work if they are close to the bank.

2. Ball/ Inflatable object- Throw the object in front of the person. Tell them to grab it and kick.

3. A stick- Hold one end and let them grab the other end.

Use common sense! We are surrounded by several things we could use in an emergency situation. Only ever grab the top of their wrist that way if they try to pull you in you can let go. 

Don't forget to call for help 999!

Don't forget to inform your kids of these safety tips!

Please stay safe and enjoy this beautiful weather :)

Athletics Cake

Athletics has made me the person I am today :) Representing Ireland in my 1st International race at the age of 12 I had caught the athletics bug!It wasn't always easy. In those days the smoking ban hadn't even been thought of so unless I wanted to cough up a lung the following day at training the pub scene was a no go. However this didn't stop me! When others drank and smoked I racewalked. I loved it! Travelling from country to country meeting athletes from all over the world I was living the dream. Due to a severe hip injury I had to take a step back in recent years but i've never lost my passion for it. So making this cake I had a blast.

As it was for an annual function it needed to feed quite a few athletes. From the beginning I had imagined a 2 tier cake surrounded by a tartan athletics track with perhaps a club singlet and a medal draped over it. This would be my first 2 tier cake which was rather exciting. But what colour would I make it? It needs to be unisex and sharp to the eye so a lemon yellow seemed just right given the club colours are green and white. The bottom tier would be a 9 inch round and the top tier a 7 inch round. Everyone loves madeira so why reinvent the wheel. 

Using the madeira recipe from my previous blogs I baked both cakes in the oven and allowed them to cool. After the cakes cooled I cut each cake into 3 layers which were then filled with buttercream.Once filled I covered the sides also with buttercream. The buttercream provides the perfect glue for the fondant to stick. Then I rolled out 6 packs of ready to roll icing and covered each cake. Smoothing the sides with my handy smoother gadget. I popped the 9 inch cake onto the centre of the cake board then placed the 7 inch on top. From white fondant I cut out the shape of the club singlet and covered the borders with green. I was pleasantly surprised with how good it looked. Using edible ink I printed the club logo and placed it in the centre of the singlet which was then draped off the cake. Out of fondant I then made a medal which was draped off the other side. In Between the fondant accessories I cut and stuck on green bubbles which really brought out the club colours. 

Finally I made a fondant asiscs running shoe for the top of the cake and the tartan track to surround the cake. The finished product looked great .... such a relief :)

Juicy Couture Handbag Cake

Firstly it needs to be said that everyone who knows me will understand my very limited knowledge of handbags! I've been known to pass the odd comment on a night out like ' Jasus what's in that a body?' or ' Did ya leave anything behind?'. I'm a pocket lady. Never the less when I was asked to create a Juicy Couture Handbag I was gunning for the challenge. The obvious first step for a lass such as myself was to google the handbag to see what it actually looks like.Everyday is a school day in the Bake With Cat kitchen :). I took one look at the logo and freaked. Talk about detail and bling ..... I figured I would do the logo from edible ink. Once that was taken care of it was time to get down and dirty.

The main structure of the bag I made from sheets of madeira mixture. Cutting them to size and carving the shape as I went along. In between each layer of cake was a layer of buttercream acting as a cement for the structure. I'm not gonna lie after the carving and butter creaming I was feeling nervous. But if there's one thing i've learnt from baking its never judge until the final details are on the cake. I chose pink fondant for the colour. I rolled out 3 packets of ready to roll fondant which was quite a physical workout in itself. 3 packets of fondant and 2 stone lighter I was eventually ready to put the fondant on the cake. Using a rolling pin to lift the icing and drape it over the cake i began to smooth the edges and sides. I then rolled out brown fondant which would act as the leather surround. Using a stitching tool I made stitching along the fondant and stuck the fondant on with edible glue. I then took some white rings of fondant and glued on some edible gold dust to make buckles which were then placed along the top of the bag.




Using strips of pink and brown fondant I wrapped them around each other to create a funky rope like bling for the bag. The zips were also done with gold edible glitter and finally the side pocket, some straps and the logo were stuck on. The final product .............


What good is a handbag with out some make up? Out of fondant I shaped some eyeshadow, lipstick and a brush.

Thomas the Tank

After my Halloween challenge I became so excited about my next one.It's like an addiction once I get used to making one thing I search for a greater buzz. I was delighted to be asked to make a Thomas the Tank themed cake.This was new and different. After doing a bit of research about Thomas himself I could imagine the cake I wanted to make. It would be a 9 inch round cake with 3 butter-cream layers.
                                                 

Using the same method and recipe as the Halloween cake I prepared it the night before so it would be easier to carve and layer. This is a little trick I learnt along the way.The following morning at the crack of dawn the fun began. Cutting the cake into three layers I prepared the butter-cream.Using 339g of butter , milk,31.5 oz of icing sugar I combined it with some vanilla essence to make the perfect consistency to cover the cake in. Once the 3 layers were butter-creamed I began to cover the sides of the cake carving off any bumpy bits in preparation for the icing.

Now for the fondant layer. I chose sky blue for the cake and I would put Thomas exiting the side of the cake through what would look like a tunnel. Taking 3 packets of ready to roll fondant I began to knead them. Now anyone who has tried to knead ready to roll fondant knows the hulk himself would struggle . Putting a bit of muscle into it it started to soften nicely. Next up it was time to roll it out. The trick with fondant is to keep it moving on the work surface with a sprinkle of cornflour. Once measured against the cake and confident it would cover it I rolled it back over the roller to prevent it ripping. Once draped over the cake patting it down and smoothing it out becomes a priority, trimming off the excess edges.

Now for the tunnel. I cut out some black fondant to signify the darkness inside the tunnel then using some dark grey fondant shaped some stones for around the tunnel. Then cutting out the face of Thomas himself using the different colours and placed him as though he was leaving the tunnel. Of course Thomas would not be complete with out a railway track. Using brown chocolate flavoured fondant I cut out rectangles and joined them together with long strips. It was starting to look great. As I wanted to give the illusion of a sky clouds were needed. It took a few attempts and a great deal of patience but eventually I cut one large cloud which I put Tommy on and a small one for the age.

Finally it was complete
  

My WKD cake

Welcome to all my new followers and thanks so much for joining me on my journey. Today's cake is a very fancy one indeed.None other than a WKD BOTTLE CAKE. Initially when I thought about making it I nearly had a stroke but then the competitive cat came out and it became all I could think about for days on end. Waking and sleeping all my thoughts centred around this cake. Wondering what problems could arise and how I could fix them.

To start I baked a 9 inch round cake and a 9'' flat one using the same mixture as my Halloween cake ( See previous blog). I allowed them to cool over night which makes the carving that bit easier. I say carving like I'm a pro but trust me it takes lots of practice and the only way to learn is to make a mistake. I began by carving the body of the bottle which is the wider part.Then I cut the cake into 3 layer. Praying all 10 decades of the rosary they would not break as I transferred each one. Layer of butter cream then a layer of cake. It sounds so easy :). The butter cream is easily made using 336g of butter whisked for 3 minutes , add 31.5 oz of icing sugar and 3 oz of cocoa a splash of vanilla and milk bobs your uncle. It needs to be a nice spreadable consistency.Once I felt the body was high enough  I used the 9'' flat for the narrow neck . Carving it very slowly to ensure the joining between the neck and the body was flush. Flush... a funny word FLUSH isn't it ( Miranda Harte tribute).Then I cut it into 2 layers and again added butter cream. Once it was in place I began to butter cream the outside. This is used firstly for taste but more importantly to stick the fondant.  At this stage some people may panic wondering how the hell it's going to turn into a masterpiece but I decided to keep the faith :)
                                           

Roll out 3 packets of ready to roll fondant. Remember to spread some cornflour on the work surface to avoid roller rage. Then roll the fondant back up with the roller and drape it over the cake aligning it. Gradually roll out over the cake. Then smooth out the top and sides eliminating all creases.Trim the ends and transfer to a cake board.
I then cut out all the letters manually with a great deal of patience and a knife. Then a rectangular piece and a round piece for the logo. The logo I did with icing.
                                           
All in all I still can't believe I made it. I love it and can't wait until my next one!

Reeling in the years

                                

Who remembers marble cake? Grannies favourite served with a pot of tea straight off the kitchen range. As a little one I wondered how Nana managed to combine all those colours and integrate them to look so good. So I decided to have a go myself. Mine is called Army marble cake. Army because of the colours and my childhood desire to become a super hero army girl.

Begin by creaming 4 oz of margarine and the same weight in sugar I was very much at home with this project. The phrase creaming comes up in almost every recipe and it involves whisking the sugar and butter until they become one.As the spice girls would say 'When 2 become 1'. Next just like making a Madeira cake add 2 beaten eggs whilst gradually whisking adding air to the mixture. Now for the flour. Grab 6oz of self raising and sieve and stir into the mixture along with a pinch of your very finest salt.If you have seen Hocus Pocus then you all know to keep salt close by at Halloween. Add a dabble of vanilla essence and some milk until it's at dropping consistency. Now for the funky part.

Remove 1/3 of the mixture and pop it into another bowl. Add some green food dye and let the magic happen as you stir. Then take 1/2 the remaining mixture and add cocoa and a sprinkle of baking powder.Taking dollops of each mixture keep going until your baking tin is covered.I used a 9 inch round tin just to be different but traditionally they were also served in a loaf shape.Then using a skewer make zig zag motions through the mixture. Pop in a moderate oven and bake for up to 1 hr.




From the bottom it looks like a football and on the top and beautiful camouflage piece. I had loads of fun recreating and you can too adding what ever colours you like I think marble cakes will make a come back yet!