The Mixing Bowl: Lamingtons (aka Passionfruit Curd Cakes) by Polli

You may remember Tess and Maja, the lovely ladies behind the jewelry company Polli, from their previous Mixing Bowl contribution---the gorgeous to look at and wonderful to eat “I Scream Sandwiches.” I was so impressed with their last recipe that when they offered to whip up another delicious treat for Dessert Girl readers, I couldn’t wait to see what they came up with next! I was, of course, thrilled when they sent over this recipe for an Australian lamington by Polli team member Hannah. I’m a big fan of regional desserts, and this one looks sooo yummy. Plus, this lamington has got a bit of a twist to it (traditionally the cakes are square and covered in chocolate), which makes it that much more fun! With all that passion fruit and lemon curd, it really is the perfect summertime treat, although I guess it’s winter in Australia, so I suppose that makes it a perfect winter treat as well! Really, it works all year round! So be sure to try it out this weekend, no matter what part of the world you’re living in. :-)

From Polli: Imagine sponge cake with lemon curd filling coated in passionfruit jelly and rolled in coconut. The jelly is made with fresh passionfruit and agar powder not gelatin so it is vegetarian friendly and not overpowered by sugar. Delicious! Such moist little cakes.

I’m not the type of gal that goes ga-ga for jewelry. I don’t believe in jewelry for the sake of jewelry. I’m not into bling, but I am into Polli. I can’t get enough of their cool, architectural designs. Since we last heard from them, they’ve introduced some pretty awesome wooden necklaces and a jewelry collection designed by fellow Mixing Bowl contributor, artist Emma van Leest. Plus, they’re dedicated to maintaining a low carbon footprint by doing things like using recycled materials, walking and cycling to work, and using energy efficient lighting. They've even been officially named a low-carbon company by the Carbon Reduction Institute (CRI). How cool is that?

To check out more from Polli and to shop online, click here. You can find the complete recipe for the lamingtons and more photos after the jump. Thanks to Tess, Maja, Hannah, and the entire Polli team for another great recipe!

Yummy Ice Cream (Container Design)

When I was a kid, I was afraid of Count Chocula cereal. That's right. I was afraid of cereal. I loved eating it, of course. I mean, it's chocolate and marshmallows. What's not to love? But, at the same time, it gave me the willies. One night I even got up, in the middle of the night, and threw away a Count Chocula record that we owned. It was bothering me that much! So, when I first saw these ice cream containers, designed by João Ricardo Machado for a class at the College of Arts and Design Caldas da Rainha, Portugal, I immediately had a Count Chocula flash back. Much like that spooky breakfast cereal, these containers are creepy and fun, at the same time. Of course, I'm a grown-up now, so these containers won't be inspiring any late night terrors, but I can see how they might freak out a little one, just a bit. They actually remind me a lot of the Japanese horror/comedy film Hausu (House). You check out more of João's work, right here.

McVitie's Jaffa Cakes Wallpaper

Okay, so this is both utterly charming and completely disgusting at the same time. It’s the world’s first ever lickable lift. Installed in an office building in London, this Willy Wonka inspired elevator is completely covered with 1,325 lickable Jaffa Cakes. While I'm a huge Wonka fan and I love the idea of flavored wallpaper, I think that being in a small enclosed space, surrounded by my coworkers' spit, might just give me the willies. Lovely concept, though!

Update: Five minutes after I posted this, I came across this bit of important info on the Jaffa Cakes' Facebook page. On the hygiene point - once a Jaffa Cake is licked they're removed by the bell boy (out of shot) so no-one else can lick them. We don't want a Jaffa Cake induced epidemic on our hands!

Sweet Testing: Mississippi Mud Pie (aka Coffee Ice Cream Tart)

Baked has done it again! I made this tart for my sister’s bday, and, like everything I make from Baked, it was a huge success! I really loved it and I don’t even like coffee or coffee-flavored things! I actually thought about switching out the coffee for vanilla, but, because this was for my sister, and not for me, I went ahead and used the coffee flavor. I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t think the ice cream had an overly strong coffee flavor (I used Trader Joe’s brand), and it didn’t offend my palate in the least! So, even though you could swap the coffee ice cream for some other flavor, I would give the coffee a chance. It might not be as bad as it sounds!

2) There were some ice crystals in my finished product. I think this was either from the ice cream melting and then freezing again or from the fact that I neglected to cover the tart at one point when it was in the freezer. Anyway, I just wanted to point out that you shouldn’t let the ice cream thaw too much and be sure to follow the directions and cover it while it’s in the freezer!

But, despite the tiny bit of ice crystal crunchiness, everyone really loved this tart. I’m sure your friends and family will too! You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

Cookbook Excitement: Pie it Forward

I just received my copy of Pie it Forward by Gesine Bullock-Prado and the word "excited" doesn't even begin to cover my current emotional state. I love this book! It's been in my possession for all of 15 minutes and it's already my new favorite cookbook. It has everything I want in a cookbook: creative recipes and new, inspiring versions of the old classics. Among the recipes that captured my attention are the Spingerle Pear Tart, the Butterscotch Meringue Pie, and the Velvet Elvis Pie, just to name a few. She even throws in some savory pie recipes, to balance off all the sweets. Really, there are so many potentials in this book that I don't know where to begin. Of course, some of the credit for my cookbook crush has to go to photographer Tina Rupp, who also snapped the photos for the Baked cookbooks (my favorite cookbooks in the known universe). Tina is definitely one of the best food photographers around and her images always make my mouth water! Anyhoo, I know that the real test of a great cookbook comes when you actually make one of the recipes, but, until then, I'll be spending my days dreaming of the Yuzu-Ginger Rice Pudding Meringue Pie in my future! Did I mention that I'm excited?? To purchase your very own copy of Pie it Forward, click here.

Chocolate Fleur de Sel Caramel Tart

Strawberry Love Pie

Springerle Pear Tart

Wild Blueberry Pie

Poached Pear Tart

Birthday Cake Oreos

I am not, by any means, a person who lives life on the edge. I have never, as Billy Joel once sang, walked through Bedford Stuy alone or driven my motorcycle in the rain. Instead, if I feel the need to do something crazy, I'll probably just eat some over-processed, packaged baked goods. An Oreo cookie is my equivalent of an all-night bender. Okay, not quite, but as a person who runs screaming in the opposite direction from any food that contains the words High Fructose Corn Syrup or Partially Hydrogenated Oil on its ingredient list, eating an Oreo is a pretty dangerous proposition. But let's face it, sometimes, even for a goody goody like me, exceptions have to be made and the Birthday Cake Oreo had my name written all over it. Created for Oreo's 100th Anniversary, this limited edition cookie tastes and smells exactly like Funfetti/Confetti cake, that delicious sprinkle-filled cake that was my childhood favorite. And it did not disappoint. The strong vanilla scent that spilled out from the opened package immediately brought back the memories of all those birthday cakes of yore and I ate two cookies (!!) in rapid succession. Totally brilliant! If you're a Funfetti/Confetti cake fan, I would definitely recommend them, but act fast, these cookies are only available for a limited time.

The Mixing Bowl: Apple Crumble by Sol Linero

I have an addiction...to Pinterest. I joined about a year ago and my obsession with pinning is still going strong. I'm not much of a social networking fan. I never really got into Facebook or Twitter or any of the other sites that people seem to love so much, but, boy, Pinterest has got me, and it's got me good! So, you may be wondering what all this Pinterest talk has to do with today's Mixing Bowl contributor Sol Linero. Well, I'll tell ya. I first discovered Sol's work on, you guessed it, Pinterest! To be more precise, I kept pinning fabulous illustrations by unknown artists, only to discover that they were all created by Sol Linero! After this happened about half a dozen times, I knew that I had to contact her. I simply could not get enough of her charming designs! After graciously agreeing to contribute a recipe to the Mixing Bowl, Sol sent me this wonderful illustrated recipe for her Aunt's Apple Crumble, a recipe choice that made me sooo happy because Apple Crumble just so happens to be one of my favorite desserts! Apple Crumble, Sol Linero, and Pinterest. What is better than that??

Sol Linero is a graphic designer/illustrator who hails from Buenos Aires. She has worked with Discovery, MTV Latin America, Nickelodeon, and MTV, among others. You can see more of her work on her web site, right here. Thanks, Sol! (To see a larger version of the Apple Crumble recipe, simply click on the image at the top of this post.)

Tjalf Sparnaay

When I first laid eyes on these colorful oil paintings by Dutch artist Tjalf Sparnaay, I was instantly struck by their unusual beauty. Working in the hyperrealistic style, Sparnaay takes mundane objects and recreates them in a manner that is on one hand realistic, but on the other hand, not. It is reality with a little extra something special. He is not simply reproducing the food that we eat, but recreating it, adding humor and emotion to everyday objects. I’m partial to the dessert pieces, of course, but there is much more to see on his website. Click here to check it out!

Inspiration Board: Icingless cakes

Momofuku Milk Bar

I’ve been noticing a trend developing lately. Perhaps, you have too. What is this trend, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you. Icingless Cakes. Yep, that’s right, cakes without an exterior layer of icing. Frankly, I’m not sure how I feel about this trend. The part of me that loves innovation is loving it, but the other part of me, the part of me that licks excess icing off my plate, isn’t completely sold on the idea. I know that there are plenty of delicious icingless cakes in the world (bundt cake, crumb cake, etc), but a wedding cake without icing? Will it be dry? Boring? Tasteless? I just don’t know! But, really, the flavor issue aside, there is something else that worries me about these cakes, a purely aesthetic problem that arises when you remove the protective outer layer of a cake. Take away the icing and what you’re now dealing with is, essentially, a nude cake and every flaw is exposed for the world to see. Icingless cakes just look messy. Even when created by professionals, they still look messy. Yes, there is something charming about their rustic appearance, but do you want to spend hundreds of dollars on a wedding cake and have it look sloppy or undone? Don’t get me wrong. I’m anxious to try one of these cakes and part of me thinks they’re awesome, but I’m just not sure if I would shell out a lot of money for one. What do you guys think?

Image by Natalie Bell

Fujisan: Molten Chocolate Cake

I really love a good molten chocolate cake (or molten chocolate lava cake or fondant au chocolat for fancy people ). I know, to some people, it’s an overdone, passé, and almost retro dessert, but I LOVE it. It is, quite simply, warm chocolaty goodness defined, and, when done right, it is simply wonderful. So, it’s no surprise that I can’t get enough of this awesome molten chocolate cake created for the Salon du Chocolate by designer Stéphane Bureaux and his design group. It is practical and artistic and fun, all at once! Simply place a chocolate candle inside the cake, then watch as  it slowly burns, filling the interior of the cake with warm liquid chocolate. Voilà! Molten Chocolate Cake! To see more yummy creations by Stéphane’s Bureaux, check out his website, right here. For more on the molten chocolate cake, click here.

Sweet Testing: Dark Chocolate Tart with Gingersnap Crust

I make a lot of desserts that are incredibly time consuming. It is, most of the time, worth the extra time and effort, but, there are times, when I don’t really want to spend five hours in the kitchen. That is where this tart comes in. It is not only incredibly delicious, but also fast and easy to make. Delicious and easy. You can’t really beat that! It’s only downfall is that it may be too rich for some people. Personally, I don’t know the meaning of the words “too rich,” but, you know, some people just can’t handle it. I call those people “wimps.” As far as the recipe itself is concerned, I think the addition of the candied ginger on the top is a must. If you eat a little bit of the candied ginger with each bite, it’ll bring a whole new level of flavor to the cake. If you hate candied ginger, have no fear, the tart will still be super good. I also increased the pepper from ¼ to an 1/8 and added a bit of cinnamon to the base, which I think helps to balance out the chocolaty goodness. You can find the complete recipe after the jump.

Soda Pop Jelly

A friend of mine was recently telling me about a local farming family that makes and sells Mountain Dew Jelly at Eastern Market in Detroit. I’m not a Mountain Dew drinker, in fact, I’m not a big pop drinker (or “soda” for those of you not from the Midwest), but I was still intrigued by the idea of a jelly made out of Mountain Dew. What about jellies made out of other soft drinks? A root beer jelly? A Vernors jelly? Now those are jellies that I could get behind! So, I did a little research and, lo and behold, I discovered an Etsy seller (Angela Wilson) who produces a wide-range of pop-infused jellies! Among the flavors are root beer (yay!) and Coca-Cola, as well as Orange, Strawberry, and Pineapple Crush. To buy Angela’s  Soda Pop Jellies, click here. If you’re the adventurous type, and would like to try making some Mountain Dew Jelly in your own kitchen, you can find a recipe right here. {Thanks, Tom!}

Note: For those of you outside of the U.S., in the States the words "jelly" and "jam" are used interchangeably. In this case "jelly" does not refer to a solid wobbly thing, but to a spread, usually made with fruit.

Nevie-Pie Cakes

I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting cake designs, but finding them isn't always so easy. Sometimes months and months will go by until I come across something that really excites me! This cake by Natasha of Nevie-Pie Cakes was just one of those cakes! It's completely hand-painted and utterly lovely. It almost looks like a really great wallpaper, but, you know, on a cake, instead of a wall. As soon as I saw it, I knew that I had to see  more of her work! After taking a quick tour of her Flickr page, I'm happy to report that Natasha's other cakes are also quite impressive. There are loads of pretty hand-painted cakes on her page, along with other fun and unique designs. I've chosen a few of my favorites above and below, but you can check out more of Natasha's work via her flickr page, blog, and website. (And, yes, those are "mushroom" cookies at the bottom!)

Lab Partners Cookie Tin

Last year UK retailer Marks & Spencer hired designer Sanna Annukka to create a gorgeous Scandavian-inspired tin for their Swiss Biscuit Collection. It was, for a cookie container, pretty darn swoon worthy, and this year’s designers, the California-based design team Lab Partners, had a tough act to follow. I’m happy to report that the 2011 tin is equally fantastic. Each of the tins features a cast of characters hanging about a telephone booth. It is super fun and seriously British.  Oh, yeah, and there are shortbread cookies inside, so it’s a total win/win!

The Mixing Bowl: Devonshire Cream Tea by Joël Penkman

Painter and graphic designer Joël Penkman has shared a recipe with us today for Devonshire Cream Tea that is the perfect accompaniment to your morning cup of tea, especially on cold, wintery mornings like the one we had this morning! She uses strawberry jam, but you could easily substitute it with raspberry, plum, or rhubarb jam, just to name a few. It’s a great, easy-to- make way to spice up your breakfast routine. {You can see a larger version of the Devonshire Cream Tea recipe by clicking on the image above. You can also find a text version at the bottom of this post, after the jump.}

I'm a huge fan of Joël Penkman’s work. Quite frankly, it’s difficult for me to take my eyes of her colorful food paintings. There is something really beautiful about the way she paints a jelly rabbit or a box of Krispy Kreme donuts, something lovely about their simplicity.  I think my favorite piece is Blackpool Rock. It brings back such great memories of childhood and makes me hungry, all at the same time! You can find more of Joël’s work on her website, right here. You can also click here to visit her Etsy shop and order prints online. I guarantee that looking at her paintings will instantly brighten up your day! Thanks, Joël!

For a text version of the Devonshire Cream Tea recipe, and to see more Joël Penkman images, click Read More below.