How to cut your laundry time in half

With piles and piles of clothes to sort, soak, wash, hang and iron, a mum's laundry is never done. Rather like painting Sydney Harbour Bridge, as soon as it's finished you need to start again. So when Shannon Lush, co-author of Speed Cleaning (ABC Books) promised to cut our laundry time in half, we let out an almighty cheer. Here are her top eight laundry-busting tips:
Set up a washing basket system

Shannon advises keeping three to five baskets or plastic crates in your laundry, marked with coloured ribbons, where family members can drop different types of clothes when they're dirty. Mark each one as: 'whites,' 'colourfast items,' 'darks,' 'sheets,' and 'towels and hand-washing'. We keep a hamper in each bedroom and colour co-ordinated baskets in the laundry, says Shannon. When one of the baskets in the laundry is full, whoever is there puts a wash on. Then whoever is in there when it's finished hangs it on the line. It's a simple way for other people to help. I'm particular about my laundry, but anyone can do this.

Turn socks the right way out

To save time re-washing socks that go into the machine inside out, train children and family members to turn them the right way around when taking them off. If you don't turn them the right way out, they get impregnated with dirt, as it gets stuck in the fibres. Not nice, says Shannon.
Fit laundry around your daily routine

Shannon explains that one of her friends puts the washing on as she's going to work and finishes the task when she walks back through the door. Put the washing machine on as you head out of the door, and transfer the clothes to the dryer when you get home, or hang outside.
Leave it in the machine

If you don't empty the washing machine first thing (your two-year-old is decorating her face with lipstick and it's time to exit) - don't panic. You have a full 12 hours before that musty smell takes hold.
Great hanging means no ironing

Shannon says properly hung clothes mean no ironing. When hanging your clothes, your mantra needs to be I hate ironing', I hate ironing' and then you'll find you hang them much flatter. Peg clothes at the strongest part of the fabric the waistband or seam - and never, ever hang shirts or jumpers by the shoulders.

Spray and go

Try another Shannon speed cleaning tip with this amazing crease release mixture. I never iron. I just mix a teaspoon of lavender oil - the cheapest kind available - in a litre of water and mist it over the clothes before wearing them or hanging them in the wardrobe. Lavender oil is a fibre relaxant, so the creases drop out. I always take a spray on book tours and it's a great one to do on stage - you see the creases disappear before your eyes.
Super-charge your iron

Another time-saving trick is to beef up your iron and halve your arm power. If you absolutely have to iron, put some aluminium foil underneath the ironing board cover, advises Shannon. You get twice the heat, as it's reflected back on to the clothes, and you don't need the iron temperature so high, so you don't risk burning your clothes.
Beat dirty birds

If you're freshly laundered clothes get soiled on the line with - ahem - bird poo, try this speedy hint to stop them at the pass. This often affects people, depending on where they live and the trees surrounding their washing line, explains Shannon. Tying coloured ribbons to the washing line stops birds from hovering above.

10 simple storage solutions for kids rooms

By Alex Brooks

Storage often seems like the solution to the chaos that is a child's bedroom, but simply filling a room with more boxes and crates isn't the answer. Why? Because of the one other thing the storage has to share the room with - kids. If there is one thing kids know how to do best it is un-store items. They are mess makers. Whatever your grand scheme is for keeping a tidy house, kids are sure to undo all the good work in seconds. But if you combine better storage solutions with chaos-inhibiting strategies, then you'll maximise the space in the kids' room and keep some of the mess at bay.

Storage solution #1: Involve your child

Once the kids are older than three, ask them to help you choose the storage items and decide what will go where. If the kids take ownership both of the mess and, more

importantly, the tidiness then you have a fighting chance to keep a room sorted. If they have helped find a place for everything in the first place they are far more likely to keep it up. You could even try asking the kids to paint pictures or signs to stick on the crates, and make an activity out of decorating their storage, too

Storage solution #2: Make tidying fun

If you take a look at the way child care centres and schools keep things tidy, it's all about incorporating packing up into a game or routine. At home, we never seem to be as successful as teachers at getting kids to put things away, but with cute kid-friendly storage bins around, you can ask the kids to 'feed the toy box' rather than tidy up. You could even try timing them every day to see if they get faster at it, or have one child compete against another to see who does it first.

Storage solution #3: Use the KISS principle keep it simple, stupid
One box for one type of toy. Keep stuffed toys together, lego bricks in another box and paints and pencils in yet another crate. This makes it easier when they decide to unpack it all! And more importantly easier for you when it comes to packing it all back up again as. You simply line up the boxes and throw everything back in again. This usually means lots

of smaller boxes rather than one big one, but it's worth it in the long run.

Storage solution #4: Use a child's eye view

Get down to your child's eye level to help him or her get organised. Look at your child's space, storage, furniture and possessions from their vantage point. Is the chest of drawers easy for them to open, is the hanging space in the wardrobe out of their reach? To organise a child's room well, the solutions need to fit the child - so young kids might be better without any doors on a wardrobe, lower-level clothing rods, open floor-level containers for toys and open plastic baskets to store socks and underwear.

Storage solution #5: Teach your child organisation skills

Resist the urge to wade into the mess with gritted teeth and threats of "You will keep this room clean!" Instead, look at the organisation process as a learning activity and with the parent as a guide, ask them to survey what's working, what's not, what's important to the child, what's causing the problems, and what the benefits of being more organised will be. At least you will construct a system that makes sense to him or her. If they're involved in the effort, children are better able to understand the logic and maintain the new, organised room.

Storage solution #6: Sort, store and simplify as you go

Before you invest in new storage systems, make sure you streamline the room first. Begin with clothing: sort it out! Store out-of-season or outgrown clothing elsewhere. Finally, simplify. Does your son really wear all those t-shirts crowding his drawer? Remove the extras so the remainder can stay neat and orderly in the available space. For younger children, a toy library is the answer to over-abundant toys. Using a large lidded plastic storage container, large box or even plastic garbage bag, entrust a selection of toys to the 'toy library.' Store the container in an out-of-the way place for several months. Some rainy day, bring out the toy library, swapping the stored toys for new stuff. The stored toys will have regained their interest and freshness--and they won't have been underfoot in the child's room. Older kids can utilise shelves to 'store' some of their belongings. Clear plastic shoebox storage containers hold little pieces and identify the contents.

Storage solution #7: Contain, corral and control

Toy boxes and open shelves are no place to store children's possessions, particularly those involving many tiny parts. To organise toys, think "contain, corral and control." Contain toys and other belongings before you store. Use plastic shoebox containers for smaller toys, larger lidded bins for

blocks, trucks and cars, light-weight cardboard records boxes for stuffed animals. Use specialty organisers to corral magazines and comic books, video games, or DVDs. The bonus of separate containers is that parents control the number of toys out at any one time: "You can play with the farm set, just as soon as the barbie dolls go back into their home!"

Storage solution #8: Make it easier to put away but tricky to get out
The premier rule for efficient children's storage? Make it easier to put something away than it is to get it out. For example, store picture books as a flip-file, standing upright in a plastic crate. The child flips through the books, makes a selection and tosses the book in the front of the crate when he's done. Compare a traditional bookcase, where little fingers can pull down a whole shelf faster than they can replace one book. Build the effort into the getting out, not the putting away. Befitting a child's shorter stature, start organising from the bottom of the room, and work to the top. Most used toys and belongings should live on lower shelves, in lower drawers, or on the floor. Higher levels are designated for less-frequently-used possessions.

Storage solution #9: Label, label, label

When it comes to keeping kids' rooms organised, labelling will be your hero! Use a computer printer to make simple

graphic labels for young children that can't read. Pictures of socks, shirts, dolls or blocks help remind the child where these items belong. Enhance reading skills for older children by using large-type word labels. Slap labels everywhere: inside and outside of drawers, on shelf edges and on the plastic shoebox storage containers that belong there, on boxes and bookcases and filing cubes. Playing match the label can be fun - and turns toy pickup into a game.

Storage solution #10: Make maintenance a mantra

The adult approach to room cleaning can vex and frustrate children. Their room is clean, they play, and suddenly, their room is back to messy normal. Help children stop the cycle by building maintenance routines into the family's day, with their own Tidy Time to put toys away and clean up clothes. Don't tidy without them seeing you do it - this gives the impression that magic fairies are responsible for

2 ingredient chocolate cupcakes recipe

Make cupcakes with just 2 ingredients? Yes you can! Grab a box of chocolate cake mix and a can of Coke and off you go! Category: 2 Ingredient recipes, Basic recipes, Cupcakes

Prep Time: 3 mins Cook Time: 25 mins Ingredients:

1 pkt chocolate cake mix 1 can (375ml) Coke Method:

Step 1. Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). Lay out 12 patty pans on a baking tray. Step 2. Gather your ingredients Step 3. In a bowl, using a mixer combine the cake mix with the Coke. Beat for 1 minute. Step 4. Fill patty pans to 3/4 full and bake for 26 minutes or until a skewer placed into the centre comes out clean. Remove to cool.

Notes:

I didn't use any gradual mixing method here. I just grabbed the Coke and poured it over the cake mix and mixed it for a minute. It would be much better if you did not have your patty pans close together on the tray like I did. It made it a lot harder for the heat to penetrate into the centre. This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, Australias best recipe finder. Find related 2 ingredient recipes

ingredient ice cream recipe

Have you ever made ice cream with your kids? Well this 2 ingredient ice cream is the ideal recipe to cook with kids. You can get them to fold in their favourite flavours and make it their own. Category: 2 Ingredient recipes, Basic recipes, Frozen treats, Kids food Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 0 mins Ingredients:

600ml (2 1/2 cups) pouring cream 1 tin (395g) sweetened condensed milk

Method:

Step 1. Gather ingredients. Step 2. In a bowl, using a mixer, whip the cream until it is very stiff. Fold in the condensed milk. Step 3. Add in preferred flavours or nuts. Place in an airtight container freezing for 6-8 hours before serving.

Notes:

You can add 2 tbsp of vanilla extract to the cream as it is whipping to give this a vanilla boost. There is so much that you can do to this recipe to flavour this ice cream. Crush up some Oreo cookies and fold through before freezing for cookies and cream flavour. Drizzle some chocolate topping through to create a swirl. Fold in frozen berries or even just beat a few tablespoons of sifted cocoa powder in to make chocolate ice cream. This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, Australias best recipe finder.

2 ingredient macaroons recipe

These yummy macaroons are the perfect quick sweet treat that the kids will love helping to make. They're also super speedy to whip up if you have unexpected guests as they'll be done and dusted in 20 minutes! Category: 2 Ingredient recipes, After school snacks, Basic recipes,Biscuits and cookies, Budget, Cake stall, Cakes & Baking,Kids cooking Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients:

500g desiccated coconut 1 tin (395g) sweetened condensed milk Method:

Step 1. Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside. Step 2. In a bowl, combine the coconut and sweetened condensed milk. Step 3. Drop tablespoon-sized balls of the mixture onto the baking tray. Step 4. Place into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden.

Notes:

I used a tablespoon measure for these and then just popped them out and onto the tray. You can use a little spray oil to coat the measure and they'll slide out easily. I decorated these with halved glace cherries which is technically a third (but non-essential) ingredient - they just looked so cute! This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, Australias best recipe finder.

2 ingredient Nutella cake recipe

Yes, this cake has just 2 ingredients - Nutella and eggs. You have to give it a go so you know exactly how delicious and easy this is. Category: 2 Ingredient recipes, Basic recipes, Cakes & Baking,Chocolate, Dessert, Easy cake recipes, Easy recipes,Nutella recipes Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins Ingredients:

4 large eggs (room temperature) 240g Nutella

Method:

Step 1. Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan-forced). Line a 20cm round spring-form cake pan with baking paper and set aside. Step 2. Place eggs into mixing bowl and beat on high speed until the mixture triples in volume. This will take 5-7 minutes. Step 3. Spoon Nutella into a medium glass bowl and microwave for 15-20 seconds until it is soft. Step 4. Spoon one third of the egg mixture and fold using a metal spoon to mix in Nutella until entirely combined. Continue with another third of egg mixture and then again until all the egg and Nutella is combined. Step 5. Spoon mixture into cake pan and bake for 2530 minutes or until a skewer placed into the centre comes out clean. Step 6. Cool cake in pan entirely, before removing from pan. Slice and serve.

Notes:

You REALLY need to make sure those eggs triple in volume or this recipe will not work. You can save yourself a cake fail by completing this step correctly. If you dont beat them well you will find that you end up with an egg-y tasting mess. Folding the eggs into the Nutella needs to be done with a light hand so you avoid the eggs losing all their volume. I used a metal spoon but some cooks may prefer a spatula for this job. This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, Australias best recipe finder.

2 ingredient strawberry pie recipe

This delicious strawberry pie has just two ingredients and you will be able to whip this up very quickly. Its a delicious treat that the kids will love. Category: 2 Ingredient recipes, Dessert, Pie recipes Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 4 hours

Ingredients:

6 cups (900g) Greek yoghurt 2 pkts (85g) strawberry jelly crystals Method:

Step 1. Spray a pie dish with cooking spray and set aside. Step 2. Place yoghurt and jelly crystals into a bowl. Step 2. Mix using a mixer until all crystals are dissolved. Step 4. Pour into pie dish and freeze for 4-6 hours. Slice and top with cream if desired.

Notes:

Alternatively, you could make a lime pie with lime jelly instead of strawberry jelly. You really need to make sure those crystals are dissolved for this recipe to work. This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, Australias best recipe finder.

2 ingredient white chocolate mousse recipe

This 2 ingredient white chocolate mousse is easy enough even for the most basic cook. Grab some cream and white chocolate and you're good to go! Category: 2 Ingredient recipes, Basic recipes, Dessert Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 0 mins Ingredients:

250g white chocolate melts 600ml cream

Method:

Step 1. Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. Add 120ml (1/2 cup) cream and heat in the microwave for 2 minutes. Step 2. Stir until the chocolate is entirely melted. Cool until at room temperature (around 20 minutes). Step 3. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining cream until soft peaks form. Step 4. Add half of the whipped cream to the chocolate mixture and fold through. Add the remaining whipped cream and fold again until the mixture is completely combined. Place into serving dishes and chill for 2 hours. Garnish with fresh fruit or grated chocolate and serve.

Notes:

This recipe makes six serves. You can also make the chocolate mixture on the stovetop by heating half a cup of cream and then adding the chocolate to the hot cream to melt. Garnish this with grated milk chocolate, white chocolate or fresh berries. This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, Australias best recipe finder.

Choc chip oatmeal cookies recipe

These choc chip oatmeal cookies will please the kids and fill the biscuit barrel with yummy treats. Pop one or two in the lunch box as a surprise. Category: After school snacks, Biscuits and cookies, Cake stall, Kids food Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Ingredients:

150g butter, softened 1 cup brown sugar 2 tsp vanilla extract 1 egg 1 cup self-raising flour

2 1/2 cups rolled oats 1 1/4 cups chocolate chips Method:

Preheat oven to 180C. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and set aside. Using a mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together. Add the vanilla extract and egg and mix well. In a bowl, combine the flour, oats and 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Fold in the butter and sugar mixture until well combined. Roll tablespoon-sized balls of mixture and use the flat bottom of a glass to press them down a little. Sprinkle a few of the remaining chocolate chips on each cookie. Bake for 20 minutes until pale golden. Leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Notes

This makes about 30-40 cookies.

You need to keep and eye on these in the oven. Cooking to pale golden is the "just right" stage for these cookies to have crunch. This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, Australia's best recipe finder.

Chocolate biscuits recipe

These biscuits are so delicious, I have to hide them in the pantry or the kids will eat them all in one sitting. They are a little chocolate indulgence and great to have with a cup of tea or coffee. Category: Budget, Cakes & Baking, Cake stall, Chocolate, Kids cooking, Lunch box, Easy recipes, Snacks, Biscuits and cookies Ingredients:

2 eggs 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp vanilla essence 2 cups plain flour 1 tbsp baking powder 1/2 cup cocoa, sifted Method:

Preheat oven to 180C. Cover a baking tray with baking paper and set aside. In a bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla until well combined.

Stir in flour, baking powder and cocoa. Roll spoonfulls into balls and press with a fork to slightly flatten. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Notes

These biscuits beg for the addition of chocolate chips. If I don't have some I like to add some chopped nuts for crunch. If they are for a special occasion or I am giving them as a gift, I add macadamias. This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, australia's best recipe finder.

Chocolate box birthday cake recipe

This is a clever little birthday cake that has a secret inside - a word puzzle made of fondant icing sealed inside the chocolate box. Now you can wow your birthday child with a cake that looks ever so pretty and has something to keep them busy after the party too! Category: Birthday cakes, Cakes & Baking, Party food

Ingredients: Chocolate cake: This can be made up to a month in advance and kept in the freezer.

500ml water 660g sugar 250g butter 40g cocoa 2 tsp bi-carb soda 450g self-raising flour, sifted 4 eggs, lightly beaten Ganache: Use a good quality dark chocolate to achieve a smooth and silky ganache.

200g thickened cream 200g chocolate, dark Decorations: 700g readymade white icing (also called fondant icing, you can find Orchard white icing at all major supermarkets)

Icing sugar, extra to prevent white icing from sticking to the bench when rolling Food colouring black and blue 650g dark cooking chocolate 40cm square cake board 4m blue ribbon 1m Happy Birthday ribbon Pins to secure ribbon Tissue paper and cellophane to wrap letters in box Paper to print word game Candles Equipment and other items needed:

28 x 28 cm cake tin Greaseproof paper Pallet knife Method:

1. Cover cake with ganache and then roll the fondant icing out and drape over the cake 2. Trim the edge of the icing around the cake and wrap with ribbon and fix in place 3. Roll out fondant icing and measure and cut into tiles

4. Cut out letters with stamps and fix onto tiles with a little water 5 Cut chocolate into even sized tiles and glue together with melted chocolate 6. Prepare ribbon to wrap around chocolate box

7. Add ribon and chocolate box to the top of the cake 8. Place letters inside the box 9. Seal the top of the box before tying the ribbon. Chocolate cake Preheat oven to 180C. Line tin with greaseproof paper. Place water and sugar in a saucepan, heat until sugar dissolves. Add butter and cocoa, bring to the boil and simmer for 1 minute. Be careful not to boil too rapidly as the mix will boil over. Remove from heat and add bi-carb soda. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before adding flour and eggs. Mix well. Bake in oven until the mix springs back when gently pressed or when a skewer comes out clean approximately 40 minutes.

Keep the cake in the tin for approx 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack keep the bottom side up at all times to avoid making lines as this will be the presentation side up. You can freeze your sponge at this point, tightly in cling film. When the cake is totally cooled (best if you can keep it in the fridge to chill right down before going any further) you will need to flatten the bottom (which was the top.) of the sponge. Place a sheet of greaseproof paper on the presentation side and turn over. Use a serrated knife and cut the top of the cake so its as flat as possible. I usually cut a little at a time so that I dont accidently cut away too much cake! Position on cooling rack to begin coating with ganache. Ganache This layer of melted chocolate and cream will give the cake a smoother edge before putting on the fondant icing. You could also use butter cream the key is to make it as smooth and straight as possible as each bump will be highlighted once the fondant icing is put on.

Place the cream and chocolate in a microwave bowl, heat for 1 minute, remove and stir until all is combined and the mix is smooth When the ganache is warm, sit the cake on a cooling rack and pour over until all is evenly covered. Smooth the edges and top if necessary with a flat knife (if you warm the knife it will make it easier but make sure no water comes in contact with the ganache) Allow to set in fridge for 5 minutes before transferring onto the cake board. Readymade white icing This is also known as fondant icing and can be found in larger quantities in cake specialty shops they also sell them already coloured if you dont wish to do that yourself. It will keep for a long time if stored in a cool place and if its wrapped very well (I usually use a few layers of cling film before placing in an airtight container in the freezer) Usually the icing is quite firm to touch when you open the packet. Break it into small pieces with your fingers and begin to work or massage it until you notice it becomes smoother and softer. At this point, bring the icing together and knead as you would a dough until it is soft and smooth (the smoothness reminds me of

my kids baby bottoms!) Once its smooth and soft you are ready to add the colour. Flatten a little, press some creators into the dough and add a few drops of blue colour. Going slowly but steady is better than adding too much at once until you have achieved the strength of colour you are after. To work the colour into the icing, continue kneading as you would a dough. If the icing starts to stick to the bench use icing sugar, as you would flour to dough. Once the fondant icing is smooth and the colour even throughout it is ready to use. Roll out the fondant icing in a square shape, using your baking tin as a guide, allowing enough to overlap the edges. It should be around 1/2cm thick. Using your rolling pin, and starting closest to your body, loosely roll the icing into the rolling pin. Unravel the icing over the cake, making sure you allow enough icing to fall over the edges. This is a tricky part so the less kiddies around at this stage will probably make things easier. Dont stress if it looks a mess, icing can be smoothed over and the ribbon and decorations will work their magic to hide the bits you dont want anyone to see. Also use the natural curves of your hand and fingers to manipulate the icing so

that it sits smoothly on the cake. Also try to touch the icing to the cake gently if you press to hard you will make finger holes in the cake. Use kitchen scissors or a pallet knife to trim away the excess from the edges and gently tuck under to give a straight edge. Dont worry too much about the bottom edges as they will be covered with ribbon later, as long as there is no icing sticking out, this job is done. Word tiles These need to be made at least a week prior to allow the fondant to dry and become hard. Roll out 200g of the white fondant to approximately 1/2cm thickness. It can be easier to roll it out on greaseproof paper dont forget to use icing sugar if it starts to stick. Using your rolling pin, gently turn the icing regularly so that the bottom wont stick. Using a paper stencil cut out nine tiles and place on a tray with greaseproof paper. Colour 70g of fondant black and 10g blue, roll and cut out the letters. Using a little water, stick onto each tile. Keep the tray in a dry place to allow the fondant icing to dry.

Chocolate box Place chocolate in a bowl and microwave on high for one minute. Remove and stir until all chocolate is melted. You may need to heat for a further 30 seconds, just be careful not to overheat or the chocolate will burn. Pour onto a large sheet of greaseproof paper and either spread with a pallet knife or pick up an edge and use the same method you use when you are trying to flick the creases from your sheets when you are folding them up (but gentler with this!). The chocolate shouldnt be any thicker than 1cm. If its not right, allow the chocolate to set before re-melting (not so much mess) and try again. Just before it is fully set, use a sharp knife to cut blocks. You will need two blocks which are 13cm x 13cm for the top and bottom and four blocks which are 13cm x 10cm for the sides. Melt 50g of chocolate and pour into a small piping bag, using it to glue the walls together. Allow each join to set before starting on another side. Use books or straight edges to prop the chocolate and keep it upright. Finishing the cake

Measure enough blue ribbon to wrap around base of cake, cut and secure with pins. Repeat this process with the Happy Birthday ribbon. Cut the remaining blue ribbon in half and lay each piece on the cake, in the centre, in a cross. Place the chocolate box on top of the ribbon so it is sitting in the centre of the ribbon and cake. Lay bottom of the box with tissue paper before filling with letter tiles. Lay a sheet of cellophane between each tile. Print off the word game and answers and lay in the box before putting on the lid and tying up the ribbon. Finish with candles. Notes:

Make the letter tiles ahead of time to allow the fondant icing to dry so it is hard enough to sit in the chocolate box. You could use white chocolate for the box and pink icing if blue does not suit. If you have any leftover ganache, use it as a delicious chocolate sauce!

This recipe was created by Sonia Anthony. From Chef Sonia Although I am a qualified chef, Ive had no formal cake making training. What I have learned is through trial and many errors. I hope that by sharing my knowledge, you can become as confident and as excited about cake making as I am! (without the mistakes!) I think the most important thing is to give it a go, youll be producing amazing cakes before you know it! Please feel free to contact me for any questions at info@chefsoniaandyou.com or at Chef Sonia & You .

Chocolate chip cookies recipe

These cookies are a simple tasty combination of milk and dark chocolate chips.They contain all the rich ingredients that good chocolate chip cookies really need. I like to make large batches of these and roll them into balls to freeze. That way I can pull a dozen out to bake as gifts. Category: Biscuits and cookies, Cake stall, Cakes & Baking,Chocolate, Christmas, Christmas cookies, Kids cooking Ingredients:

150g butter 1/2 cup castor sugar 1/2 brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla 1 egg 13/4 cups plain flour 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips Method:

Preheat oven to 180C or 160C fan forced. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper and set aside. In a bowl, cream the butter, castor sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Stir in the flour a little at a time. Stir in chocolate chips. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place on the baking tray evenly spaced apart to allow for the mix to spread. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden. Leave on the tray for 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Notes

These are perfect to make ahead and freeze for Christmas to give as gifts. I just increase the cooking time when cooking frozen cookie dough by 3-5 minutes.

This recipe was created by Jennifer Cheung for Kidspot, Australia's best recipe finder.

Chocolate ice cream pudding recipe

This delicious dessert combines a creamy ice-cream with dried and glaced fruits. With a dash of brandy, this recipe would make an easy festive season dessert that will be popular with the whole family. Serving Size: 20 Category: Cakes & Baking, Dessert, Kids food, Nestl Kid's Bake Off, Chocolate Ingredients:

1/2 cup sultanas 1/2 cup chopped glac fruits (e.g. apricots, cherries, figs) 2 tbsp brandy 395 g NESTL Sweetened Condensed Milk 600 mL cream 200 g NESTL Rich & Dark Cooking Chocolate, melted 200 g NESTL Rich & Dark Cooking Chocolate, extra Method:

Combine sultanas, glace fruits and brandy, stand 30 minutes.

Beat NESTL Sweetened Condensed Milk and cream until thick, add fruit mixture and PLAISTOWE Rich Dark Cooking Chocolate, and combine well. Spoon mixture into 7 cups (1.75L) capacity bowl lined with plastic wrap. Cover, freeze until set. Spread extra PLAISTOWE Rich Dark Cooking Chocolate evenly over plastic wrap to a round of 35cm in diameter. With chocolate side down, drape over pudding, quickly pull edges of plastic wrap to straighten pleats. Freeze until set, trim away excess chocolate with hot knife. If desired decorate with strawberries just before serving.