Cupcakes

It's 11.30 AM...Most of my colleagues are on their way to our cafeteria to eat the sandwiches they have brought along with them from home. I am also on my way out of my office, carrying a tray of plain vanilla cupcakes... Not because it's my birthday, not to share with my colleagues for lunch.... Nope! I've got a different purpose for these delicious cupcakes!

My colleague Kari and I are both passionate bakers - trading recipes for great cakes, sharing tips and tricks, as well as equipment with each other - and avid followers of Passion for Baking, a beautiful and inspirational blog by Manuela Kjeilen. So when we saw that Manuela would be coming to the Norwegian Food Festival in Ålesund to hold a seminar on decorating cupcakes, we knew we just had to sign up for it!

Nearly two hours after we left the office, we are strolling along the different booths at the Food Festival - sampling syrups, cheeses and lots more - as we still had some time left before the seminar....but at 6 PM, the waiting is finally over... the seminar and the fun starts!

After showing us how to make vanilla cupcakes, several types of icing and frosting, Manuela brings out the piping bags and icing tips she prefers to use for decorating the cupcakes. She explains the different techniques for each tip, and continues by showing how to use fondant and silicon molds to create other types of decorations.

Soon after, all participants are having a go at the same techniques - trying to decorate our cupcakes as professionally as Manuela.With a piping bag filled with dark chocolate frosting and a Wilton "1B" tip, I have a go at creating frosting roses on top of my cupcakes... with pretty good result, even though I say so myself.

24 cupcakes, a lot of icing and a couple of sticky fingers later, I show Manuela the final result, have a little chat in Dutch (as Manuela is half Dutch half Norwegian) and say goodbye!

Thank you for a lovely seminar, Manuela! I am already looking forward to your book coming out!

Happiness...

...is coming home to finding not just one great and inspirational magazine in our mailbox....

...but two!

I'll definitely have to try the salmon zucchini muffins, and do some hiking (and musk ox spotting) at Dovrefjell this autumn!

Walnut Chocolate Muffins with Mocha Frosting

After coming home from our hike up Skoften on Sunday, I felt like baking....The result: these delicious muffins!

Walnut Chocolate Muffins with Mocha Frosting
(makes about 18)

Ingredients:
- for the muffins:
230 gr butter, room temperature
230 gr sugar
230 gr selfraising flour
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
100 gr dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
80 gr walnuts, coarsely chopped

- for the frosting:
230 gr butter, room temperature
600 gr confectioner's sugar
1 tsp instant coffee
1 tsp warm coffee
1 tsp Kahlua
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preparation - muffins:
1.) Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius, and line a muffin tin with muffin cases.
2.) Put the butter and sugar into a medium sized bowl, and mix until white and creamy.
3.) Add the eggs, one at a time, and then mix in the vanilla extract.
4.) Add the selfraising flour and fold into into the mixture until the batter is smooth.
5.) Add the walnuts and chocolate, and stir until evenly mixed.
6.) Divide the batter between the paper muffin cases, filling them up to two-thirds. Any remaining batter can be used to fill up to four more cases in a second muffin tin.
7.) Place in the oven on the middle rack and bak for 20 to 25 minutes.
8.) Leave to cool slightly (about 5 minutes) before removing them from the tin, then place on a wire rack to cool down fully before adding the frosting.

Preparation - frosting:
1.) To make the frosting, use a electric whisk to slowly whisk the confectioner's sugar with the butter until smooth in texture and no lumps of butter remain.
2.) Add the rest of the ingredients and whisk until evenly mixed.
3.) Fill a piping bag with the frosting, and make a swirl on top of each muffin.
4.) Decorate with chocolate morsels and/or walnuts.

Hubby rating: 5+

Enjoy!

Energy bars

On our hike to the top of Skoften yesterday, we brought along with us some delicious homemade energy bars...So should you go for a hike, you might want to consider making these ahead of time! The mixture of flavours, especially of syrup and peanut butter is really good! (But I may be biased, as I'm addicted to peanut butter!) Ok....lots of energy in these energy bars, and that energy comes from lots of calories...but by hiking before and after eating one of these, you'll burn those calories right off again!

Energy Bars
(makes about 20)

Ingredients:
3 dl crushed bran flakes / rolled oats
1 dl dried / shredded coconut
2 dl nuts (any type), coarsely chopped
1 dl sunflower seeds
1 dl raisins
1,5 dl peanut butter
1,5 dl dark syrup / agave syrup

Preparation:
1.) Mix all the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
2.) Melt the peanut butter and the syrup in a pan on medium heat, whilst stirring continuously.
3.) Mix the melted peanut butter and syrup with the other ingredients.
4.) Pour into a small baking tray (20 x 30 cm) that is lined with baking parchment.
5.) Use the back of a spoon to flatten and spread out the mixture.
6.) Put the baking tray into the fridge for at least 20 minutes, to let the mixture set.
7.) Cut the mixture into squares and wrap each square individually with baking parchment.
8.) Put the squares into the freezer and just take out as many energy bars as you will need for each trip. They will thaw just enough during the first couple of hours of your hike, so that they can be eaten without breaking any teeth, yet still be sticky enough to not fall apart.

Hubby rating: 6-

Enjoy!

Skoften

Another Sunday, another hiking day! With only one more Stikk UT (Get OUT) post left to reach the minimum requirement of seven different posts to get this year's achievement mug, my hubby and I packed our backpacks with goodies and drinks, and drove 4 km north from Molde to Malmefjorden to hike up Skoften.

We parked the car at Ukkelberg, ready for the hike up through the forest to the top at 369 metres above sealevel. After opening the gate, the happy cows out on summer pasture readily came to greet upon us and follow us to the next gate right at the edge of the forest.

Following the trail upwards, it soon became pretty clear that this trail is used by the local elementary school for outdoor science classes, as different posts along the trail informed about the surrounding flora and fauna.
The many nest boxes - each with their own room number as part of Hotel Skoften - also gives the pupils the opportunity to do some bird spotting.

But why this trail was so popular for families with small children, first became clear halfway to the top. At a small clearing in the forest,  right after climbing up the trail's steepest part - made easy by the supporting ropes along the trail -, there is a jungle gym with zip lines, slacklines, spider web ropes and lots more to challenge and stimulate the kids' balance and coordination. The bivouac conveniently placed right next to it, gives shelter to the accompanying parents.

With no children of our own, nor any nieces or nephews coming along with us today, we moved onwards to the top. While writing our names into the achievement book, we were enjoying great views all around from the top of Skoften. The rumour of a whale splashing around in the fjord down below - Malmefjorden - kept us looking through the binoculars, but we only managed to spot some driftwood floating around.

With clouds moving in fast, we followed the trail back down to the car park again. Thank you for another great hike, hubby!

Berry season...

... has - along with the summer and it's long bright nights - nearly come to an end, but I still found some nice ripe redcurrants while visiting the farm of my in laws today. I guess I will have them for dessert together with some vanilla sauce tonight.... Childhood memories!

Hjertøya

I've fallen in love today! In love with an island... the island of Hjertøya or Heart Island.

It's Sunday morning, and the alarm clock was set for 6 AM. Yes, I know....ridiculously early for a Sunday! Fortunately I don't have to get up...My hubby does though, as he has to help out at the farm of the in laws. The weather forecast has finally shown that we will have a couple of days with warm, sunny weather - exactly what they and many other farmers in the area need for the second harvest of silage balls.

My hubby sneaks out of bed, trying not to wake me even more than the alarm clock did...but I am already brightly awake. While still lying underneath the duvet, I start to wonder what to do today - all by myself as a gressenke (grass widow - the Norwegian word for a farmer's wife left home alone during the harvest of silage). It doesn't take long before a plan comes to mind...

A tiny notice on the last page of our local newspaper had informed me that - even though the normal season had already come to an end one week ago - the boat to Hjertøya - one of the islands in the fjord of Molde (also known as Moldivene / Moldives) would be in service for one more day. After living in Molde for more than three years, it was about time that I would discover this "pearl out in the fjord" that everyone had been telling me about...

With a backpack filled with some salami pesto wraps for lunch, some oatmeal chocolate cookies for my sweet tooth and lots of other goodies, I step onto my bycicle and race downhill to the city centre to catch the first service out to the island.

After only 10 minutes out on the fjord, the boat moors at Hjertøya and I am off to follow the trail all along the southern coastline to reach my sixth Stikk UT-post and the most western point of the island - Hjertøytangen.

Whereas the trails managed by the DNT - The Norwegian Trekking Association - are marked by the traditional red T 's, the volunteers of  Hjertøyas venner (Friends of Hjertøya) have marked this trail with lovely pink hearts.

I have the trail all to myself and after hiking for nearly 45 minutes I reach the tip of the island. First, I have to write my name into the achievement book...

Next, I get comfortable at the picnic table right there at the end of the island, feel a gentle breeze brushing my cheeks, hear the seagulls and start enjoying the great lunch I brought with me. Life is good! Just wish my hubby could have been there with me...

Soon after more and more hikers arrive, and the great feeling of being all alone out in nature is gone. I decide to slowly return and follow the hearts back to the dock...discovering other great picnic/camping spots along the trail. Instead of walking back the entire way along the coastline, I decide to walk along the nature trail for the last bit... a trail with several posts that inform about the surrounding nature and have activities for children.

All of a sudden I'm out of the forest, understanding why many talk of this island as "the pearl out in the fjord"... as the centre of the island turns out to be a paradise, especially for families with small children. With a large field for camping, soccer, outdoor games and BBQing right next to a shallow beach, this must be a great spot to spend a summer's day! It's near the harbour and the island's museum, as well as the island's little café.

The café across the bay...

The museum

The boat back to Molde arrives sooner than I wish to leave...but I'll be back next summer...together with my hubby! This island has definitely found a soft spot in my heart!

Picnic Time

Guess what? Another delayed birthday gift arrived by mail today! I love this practical picnic blanket from Södahl! With soft fleece on one side and water resistant fabric on the other, you won't be left with a soggy blanket after spreading it out on the grass that still is a bit wet from the morning dew. I am already looking forward to our next picnic! Thank you so much, Margrethe and family!

Happiness...

... is having the right to vote!

This will be the first time I will be able to vote in Norway. Since I'm not a Norwegian citizen, I am only allowed to vote at the municipal and provincial elections....but after the tragedy at Oslo and Utøya earlier this summer, I will definitely use my right to vote and not let our democracy be destroyed, just as prime minister Jens Stoltenberg said in his speech on the day of these tragic events:

You will not destroy us.
You will not destroy our democracy,
And our commitment to a better world.
We are a small nation, but a proud nation.
No one will bomb us into silence.
No one will shoot us into silence.
No one will ever scare us from being Norway.
This evening and this night we will take care of each other,
Comfort each other,
Talk to each other,
And stand together.
Tomorrow we will show the world that the Norwegian democracy will be strong when it counts.

Happiness...

... is coming home from work and finding a package in the mailbox.

One of my best Dutch friends - Sandra - sent me a delayed birthday present - a package of RoyalTea. Well, my cuppa with Prince Harry was great! I can't wait for my tea date with Prince William!

Happiness...

... is finally finding accesories to go with the dress I will be wearing at my sister's wedding on September 9th.

Happiness...

... is getting delayed birthday presents!

I got this lovely lantern and table runner - bought at one of my favourite shops, Kremmerhuset - from our friends that got married earlier this summer. We had invited them and the maid of honour for dinner and wedding photos today, as I had been asked to take photos of the lovely couple throughout the whole wedding day. After many hours of photoshopping - making sure that every photo had the best possible quality - and many hours of working on a digital photoalbum, I could finally show them the results!

Happiness...

... is finally finding a bicycle bell like the ones I had on my bikes while growing up in Holland!