In The Mix - Sweetpea Pantry's Playful Pizza Dough Mix

Name: Playful Pizza Dough Mix

Company: Sweetpea Pantry

This kit was generously sent to me to write about for you!

This kit is a first for me (there’s been a few of those recently) it is the first kit I have made for this blog and ever, that isn’t dessert and I’m really excited about it! I vaguely remember making my own pizza at a friend’s house when I was younger but the dough was made by their mother and I just threw some cheese on top and was given it back when it was cooked. This time I am doing everything but gathering the ingredients for the base myself (with the help of this handy kit of course!).

I love Sweetpea Pantry’s look, over the website, packaging and even the lovely delivery box which had a cute address label covered in clouds and birds. When I found their website I was immediately taken by Sweetpea, their website is simple, not covered in bells and whistles but it gets its lovely message across. All of their products are “100% natural, 100% honest, 100% fun” as the front page says and their Great Taste Award backs up their claims. It doesn’t stop there though, Sweetpea Pantry have won many awards including Most Loved Kids Food from Foodpreneur and they were also World Food Innovation Awards finalists. So plenty of other people love their kits but will we?

The design of the box is lovely, everything is covered is sweet (pea?) drawings of birds and though the back of the box has a lot of information on it, it is laid out in a way that is easy to read and pick out the important things such as the fact that this particular kit is vegetarian, non GM, contains wholegrains and is “made with love in the UK”. I love the fact that the healthy ingredients are pasted on the front of the box like film stars: “Starring CHIA & FLAX”.

All you need for the dough is water and oil and then whatever topping you want, we went for nice and simple cheese and tomato but you could add ham, pineapple, peppers, meatballs, whatever you want!

Part 1) Pre-Heat the oven, mix the oil and water then add the pizza dough mix: Mixing water and oil? As hard as it sounds but when it bubbles together, that’s fine. Pop in the dry mix and get stuck in! The instructions say “using hands if needed”, its needed! Get your hands in and make sure it is properly combined!

Part 2) Turn onto a floured surface and knead for five minutes then pop into an oiled bowl, cover and put in a warm place for an hour: Make sure there is plenty of flour on your surface so the pizza doesn’t stick to it and put a good (but light) covering  of oil all over the inside of your bowl. I put my bowl in the airing cupboard covered with clingfilm for its hour but any warm place and complete covering is prefect.

Part 3) Punch the dough and break into three pieces. Flatten and roll it into pizza base shapes. Top and bake!: Tip the dough onto a floured surface and flatten with a rolling pin, I had to use my hands for most of it and then the rolling pin to finish as the dough is quite stiff. Then top with delicious toppings and pop it in the oven! The baking time on the box was just fine to make our pizzas nice and crisp and melted the cheese perfectly.

The final instruction on the box is “Devour!” and we did, they were delicious!

These pizzas were so great, I’m not a fan of wholemeal bread so when this kit came and I realized it was a wholegrain base, I wasn’t sure what it would be like but I really needn’t have worried, it was great, both my brother and I loved our pizzas AND there is enough dough left over for one more! I recommend this kit for kids parties, I would break the dough into even smaller pieces and have all the kids make mini pizzas for their lunch, they could use the toppings to make faces or pictures!

Website: Sweetpeapantry.co.uk

Facebook: /sweetpeapantrybaking

Twitter: @Sweetpeapantry

In The Mix - Baked In's Chocolate Mug Brownie Mix

Name: Chocolate Mug Brownie Mix

Company: Baked In

Bought In: Whirligig Toy Shop

After having done the gluten free version of these gorgeous mug brownies and really liking them I had to see how the non-gluten-free ones compare. The recipe is exactly the same (to the word… I checked), the kit comes with enough for four delicious mug cakes and all u need is butter and milk or water (this means you can make this recipe dairy free if need be.)

Part 1) Put the butter into a mug and melt in the microwave: My brother wanted to make sure we had the right amount with measuring spoons but its just a small heaped tsp. The instructions say 10 to 20 secs but in my 800W microwave it was more like 25. You may want to have your butter out for a bit before using it for this recipe.

Part 2) Add milk or water: The choice means that this kit can be turned into a dairy free alternative BUT the box says it may contain TRACES of milk so its up to you if you are lactose intolerant.

Part 3) Mix “thoroughly” and microwave: Really do make sure you mix thoroughly so the ingredients combine properly and you get a great fluffy cake. I mixed one more than another and it rose more so definitely do that!

Part 4) Sprinkle the marshmallows on top and allow your cake to cool: I recommend popping the marshmallows on top straight away so they melt into the top, mmmm! The lovely instructions say this about leaving your cake to cool before eating it “Sorry, we know this is tough but trust us on this on – it will be HOT”. They are right, it is HOT to start with but don’t let it cool completely, it is lovely when it’s warm and melty!

The last point on the instructions says to enjoy straight from the mug possibly, to make it more awesome, with vanilla ice cream! I didn’t have any ice cream but that sounds good, try that! I have to say, delicious as their gluten-free counterparts were, these mug cakes are fantastic and I definitely recommend them to anyone who loves chocolate and cake!

Website: Bakedin.co.uk

Facebook: /BakedinCakes

Twitter: @BakedinCakes

In The Mix - Sweet Deceits' Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Name: Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Company: Sweet Deceits

Bought: Online

There are two things about this kit that are different from any I’ve tried so far: One is that it’s a ‘healthy option’ kit, its packaging is covered if phrases like “deceivingly good for you” and “guilt free indulgence” and it even has a section on the back describing  all it’s ingredients and how they are good for you. So I am excited and a little wary of how it will stand up to the taste test. Secondly, it’s the first one I have ordered online. I decided to go online to see if I could find any other baking kit companies that I was missing out on. It turns out there are LOADS but the lovely people at Sweet Deceits gave me a 20% off code so that I could review one of their gorgeous healthy kits for you! I was a little worried about ordering something like this online but I really didn’t need to be, apart from a little denting in the contents that had no impact on the baking at all, it arrived in one piece and there were no problems whatsoever.

Part 1) Melt the coconut oil over a pan of boiling water or in the microwave: I decided to go with the microwave but the first hurdle was removing the slab of solid coconut oil from its vacuum packaging. The box had been out on a shelf for a while and it had slightly melted so I got covered in coconut oil and half of it stuck to the plastic. I would recommend putting the coconut oil in the fridge for a bit before opening it, to make sure you get it all out as one piece. The only other thing was that in the instructions it says it should take 40 seconds but it was more like 60 by the time it was fully melted.

Part 2) Mix the dry ingredients, eggs and melted coconut oil together until combined and pour into the baking tray provided: This is the weird part, mixing the ingredients is gritty and a little…icky but once its combined its just like any other brownie mix, pour it into the baking tray that COMES WITH THE KIT (Sorry, that bit made me really happy, I’ve never seen that before.) and smooth the top so the mix is level.

Part 3) Bake in a pre-heated oven for 25 mins: Most of the time with these kits, the timing is a little off. I often find myself having to put them back into the oven after the time is up but not with this one! The 25 mins was perfect and the first skewer test I did came out clean.

The instructions say to wait until the brownies are cool to eat but of course I couldn’t wait! Now, I have to admit something to you. I was wary of this recipe, with its weird ingredients from the start. Three of the four ingredients have coconut in the title. Maybe its because I automatically expect unhealthy things like brownies to be full of unhealthy ingredients and these ingredients sound like a diet salad rather than a dessert. The real shame and the thing I have to admit to you is that I didn’t like the finished product. Though it looks like a really good, chewy brownie and smells lovely the taste, for me, just doesn’t work, they certainly don’t taste like any brownies I’ve had before. I made these for a party with some friends and some of them agreed with me but not all of them! Some people really liked these unusual brownies, which leads me to believe they are simply an acquired taste. Ten points to Sweet Deceits just for the tin included in the kit though. Very often these kits will ask for a baking container you just don’t have, while its fine to use one that is as close as you can get, its nice to have one specially made for this mix! (though, even after I lightly greased the tin as per the instructions, the brownie still stick to it!)

Over all this is a fantastic alternative kit, cutting out dairy, gluten and sugar and I love the tin included in the kit. I would certainly recommend this to parents of children with allergies or intolerances.

Twitter: @TweetDeceits  (I love this twitter name!)

Facebook: /SweetDeceits

Website: SweetDeceits.com

Why Baking Kits?

The other day, as I excitedly opened yet another baking kit that I had received in the post (for research, I swear) my boyfriend asked me “if you’re so into your baking, why do you love those kits?” He makes a good point I suppose. I have always loved baking, carefully measuring ingredients, throwing them into a bowl, mixing them up and creating something delicious. It’s a real feeling of achievement when something you’ve created is finished and comes out just as perfect (and yummy!) as you had hoped. So why use pre-prepared baking kits instead?

Well, like a recipe has many parts, there are many reasons, here are just a few:

A large dollop of aesthetics: I love opening these kits, seeing the different boxes (and sometimes bags) they come in, all of the ingredients in separate little containers, neat and easy to just throw into the mix. Another lovely thing about these kits is the personal touches shown by companies like Baking Fresh who wrote “Hello Georgina!” on the front of the little booklet included in my kit. Opening these kits is like opening a present, it’s the same feeling of ownership you get when you open a magazine with a free gift, all wrapped up in plastic. The pieces in this box/bag were specially put together for you, just so you can enjoy cakey goodness!

A dash of ease (or laziness): Whether you’re a skilled baker, a somewhere-in-between-baker (like me) or you’ve never baked in your life, these kits help bring baking to everyone. That, or it helps seasoned bakers be just a little bit lazy!

A handful of great ingredients: Literally, well, almost literally. The ingredients in these kits in measured out for you and you only get what you need, which means there’s nothing left over. No bags of flour, no tiny bottles of vanilla essence that sit in your cupboard forever, nothing wasted and no weird ingredients left behind that you never use again, sitting on a shelf, going off.

A generous drizzle of togetherness: Though its fine to do these kits alone (more cake for you, right?) they are even better to share. Because they are so easy, anyone can use one of these kits to make delicious treats which means they are perfect for children of any age. I love the idea of young children and their families baking together (I can see the flour flying now!) These kits can be a lovely introduction to baking for young people or new bakers. Though I don’t have a young child of my own to share this with, I love baking and cooking with my younger brother who is at university and appreciates being taught how to make something other than pasta!

And just a sprinkle of fun: Along with all this, they are great fun. Baking is fun anyway, getting stuck in and creating something you can be proud of but this way, its (nearly) always perfect. As Baked In, one of my favorite producers of these kits say “There’s less fuss, no waste and a great taste!” and I am inclined to agree with them!

Miss Mollett's High Class Tea Room - Appledore

My parents have visited this sweet little tearoom before and told me about the wonderful time they had here, so when my father asked me where we should take my mother for Mother’s Day, I knew this was the place. The bright tearoom is painted light pink and covered in a variety of decorations, (all for sale) from beautiful paintings of birds, cottages and even a tiny drawing of a teapot who’s chunky frame is at least twice the width of the picture.

We’ve pre-booked three ‘High Class Afternoon Teas’ so when we sit down we are asked what kind of tea we would like, what jam we’d like with our scones and (the best part) what cakes we’d like after. Its all prepared super-fast and is on the table just as we are admiring the mis-matched cups and saucers. Everything in here is mis-matched (one of the things I love about this type of tearooms) including the table cloths, plates and decorations around the room including three different but similar mini chandeliers (to add a touch of class) and a beautiful old bird cage complete with fake birds and  adorned with tea cups dangling underneath, hanging from the centre of the room.

My mother warned me that I might not be able to finish the my food and when the fairly modest spread arrived I’m not sure if I believe her, however three perfectly soft sandwiches, delicious cups of tea and a medium-sized scone (with strawberry jam) later I can see why she said that (and there is still cake to come!) When a member of staff comes to clear away he even offered to pack the left over scones for my mum to take home and brings them back in tin foil fashioned into handbag for her. Perfect for taking home AND a great accessory! The Icing on the cake (so to speak) of this perfect Mother’s Day meal was there huge slices of cake they brought out to finish the meal and finish us off as none of us could eat all of the generous helpings!

This meal, the tea room and the staff were all so lovely and we felt welcomed and comfortable here. There really is nothing better than a nice meal in a lovely place with your family after which the world seems a little brighter (and you feel a whole lot more full). I would really recommend this place to anyone, especially familys as they are so welcoming to people of all ages.

Website: missmollettstearoom.co.uk
Address: 26 The Street, Appledore, Kent, TN262BX

In The Mix - Baked In Gluten Free Mug Brownie

Name: Gluten Free Mug Brownie

Company: Baked In

Bought In: (Would you believe it,) Whirligig… the toy shop.

I have been more and more interested in gluten free baking in the past year or so since having a celiac partner means I have to watch what I cook (and bake). So when I spotted a selection of Baked In easy baking kits in a local toy shop (of all places) AND that one was gluten free, I had to buy it! I have also never baked a mug cake before, I was sure they were harder than they looked and I was worried that getting it wrong would create a mug cake explosion in my microwave! However because this one was gluten free and in a simple to use kit, I thought why not, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s chocolate…

The kit comes in a lovely box with the dry cake mix, separated into four bags for four mug cakes and another bag of marshmallows for decoration. All you need to add is butter, water or milk (I used milk) and a mug (or four, depending on whether you want to share or not!)

Part 1) Put the butter into the mug and microwave for 10-20 seconds to melt it, I needed the full 20 but you may need less or more depending on the power of your microwave. However, make sure it is completely melted before going on to…

Part2) Empty one bag of dry ingredients into the mug and add the milk or water. I used milk because I felt it would give a better taste but the water option does mean that lactose intolerant people can also enjoy this baking kit.

Part 3)Make sure the mixture is fully combined  and place in the microwave for 60 seconds. When you take it out, sprinkle some marshmallows on top for decoration and sweet gooey taste! Now, I wish I had tried putting some of the marshmallows (of which there were more than enough) inside the cake for melty goodness all through, you might want to try this in one of your cakes!? I also wonder what would happen if you bought a giant mug and did them all at once… though I guess that would be just like… a cake.

And enjoy! The box says allow to cool for 5 mins but its really not THAT hot, I only left it for a couple of minutes and the temptation got too much! Dig in!

I would really recommend trying these gorgeous kits, a few of which have won Great Taste awards, for parties, nights in with friends (like I did with this one and it disappeared before I could take pictures!) or just as an indulgence for you! These were super tasty and a great addition to a night in with friends.

In The Mix - Betty Crocker's Devil's Food Cake Mix

Name: Devil’s Food Cake Mix

Company: Betty Crocker

Bought In: Tesco

Oh yes, chocolate again, we all know how much my Adam and I love it by now and this beautiful pile of chocolate filled with chocolate covered in chocolate is no exception. You will need vegetable oil, 3 eggs, water and a tub of chocolate icing, the preferred,(and the one I used) being Betty Crocker’s Chocolate Fudge Icing (lots left over mmmm!).

Part 1) Mix the cake mix with the eggs, oil and water. The box suggests an electric whisk but I did it by hand, takes a little while to get it “smooth and creamy” as the instructions say but it does the job just fine. I would use the electric whisk it you have one though!

Part 2) Now I have something to confess here… the instructions say to “pour the cake mix into two greased tins and I did not… I poured it into one, my logic being that I could cut it in half after to fill it. It didn’t really turn out that way…

Part 3) it says on the box to bake 23-28 mins, of course because I put the mix all in one tin I did it a little longer and it came out looking gorgeous, so I flipped it onto a wire rack to cool…only (and this is SO, SO important) I didn’t knife test it first! And it splattered all over the rack and my table. I did manage to clean it up, save it and put what was left back into the oven for a bit more time, KNIFE TEST IT and have a pretty good looking cake after (albeit one that was about half the size of the one on the box.

Part 4) The icing on the cake, literally! If you have followed the instructions properly, let your two halves cool on your (nice and clean) wire rack and then pop one on a plate, add a layer of icing, sandwich the second half on top and smother your cake in all the icing! Also, if you so wish (like I did) sit and eat the remaining icing with a spoon!

Notes: This is an amazing cake, the box only has one thing in it, the bag of cake mix, so this recipe is super easy to do and its all chocolate, perfect! If there is one thing that this recipe has taught me though, it is that when taking a baked cake out of the oven always, always, ALWAYS knife test it! I can’t stress this enough, ALWAYS! Slide a clean knife into the centre of your cake/cup-cake/loaf etc and take it out again, if the knife is clean the cake is done, if it comes out with batter on it then put the cake back for another couple of minutes.