Homechurned butter, with some homegrown lemon balm. And a pinch of paprika because why not?
(c) K Wicks
Homemade lemon balm butter
homemade
Homemade Cosmetics – recipes
As well as trying to get better and more proficient in baking and making healthier food, I decided along the way to try and use other homemade things. It’s not just food and drink that goes into our systems, it’s what we also put on our skin. So, thought it might be useful to have alongside my MKW Recipes for food, that I should have a handy post for the cosmetics, as well as the one I already have for dandelion infused ones. As with the food one, i’ll add to this as I find new combos or ideas.
Handy Dandelion – for dandelion salve and moisturiser recipes
Mango Butter Moisturiser Recipe
(c) K Wicks
Orange Gummy Sweets – recipe
To make some of your own awesome jelly sweets…
80g orange juice (no bits)
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp orange extract
9g gelatine powder
Heat the juice, sugar, extract and honey. Mix the gelatin powder in a small separate bowl with some cold water (about 30ml). Once the sugar is dissolved, take off the heat and stir in the congealed gelatine until fully dissolved.
Use a dropper to transfer liquid into moulds, and then put in the fridge to set for an hour or two. Then enjoy.
You can use apple or strawberry juice, or whatever juice you might like, although some tropical ones don’t work with gelatin apparently.
(c) K Wicks
Crusty homemade baguettes
The baking continues, and bread seems to be the current favourite. So crusty white quick mini baguettes was the one to perfect, now I have got the hang of using the mixer for the dough it’s making it much easier!
(c) K Wicks
A perfect granary loaf
Finally nailed making bread, with the help of the mixer. A perfect granary loaf, not too dense and so tasty with homemade butter made today too!
Here’s the recipe – Granary loaf recipe
(c) K Wicks
Cream Filled Chocolates Recipe
I have found a good method now, and so far so good.
250ml double cream
100g caster sugar
1 tsp corn syrup
Flavour you are making – these ones were orange extract, and homemade dried raspberry powder and dessicated coconut.
Put the cream, sugar and corn syrup in a pan, put on a low heat and mix, then leave to simmer/boil until it gets to 238 degrees. Then tip out, let cool for 5-10 mins until becomes the right consistency, then fold in the colour and flavouring. You just need to know when it’s done by eye and feel, but I’m getting the hang of it.
(c) K Wicks
Homemade Butter
Cream is so useful, and making butter is so easy, I feel a bit silly I didn’t know. Like the popcorn, until you know, you don’t. So, having seen a simple process, tried it, and so far it’s been perfect every time.
For anyone who would like to know, there are many tutorials vids online if you prefer watching someone do it. But here’s the brief –
300ml double cream left to sit at room temperature for two hours. Then start churning. I got a Kilner churned which works really well.
The cream will whip first, and you need to keep going until it looks like scrambled eggs and fully clumps together, separating from the buttermilk. You may need to lift out the paddle and push the edges in throughout a few times.
Once it’s fully clumped, tip into a colander over a bowl to catch the buttermilk as that has uses too. I’ve been using mine to make southern fried chicken, and it’s great. Recipe for that coming soon too.
This is where you get hands on, as you need to squeeze as much buttermilk out as you can. Then submerge in cold water to get off final amount. Then add some salt to taste, and to get some final moisture out so it doesn’t spoil.
When you are happy you’ve worked the salt in and squidged it about enough, put in your butter bell, crock or dish, and enjoy!
(c) K Wicks
Homemade Popcorn
I was surprised at how easy it is to make popcorn at home! I kind of always thought you needed a microwave, and a packet bought from the shops. Not so. And now I’m hooked.
Buy a bag of corn, there is a specific type for popcorn, but you get a lot for what you get out of it.
Butter in pan (homemade butter in this case and probably about 1-2 tablespoons worth), put the corn in as well and cover all the corns with the butter as it melts. Add a bit of salt, and cover on a low heat. Then within about 5 minutes it starts popping away. Turn off when you think they are mostly done, and wait a couple more minutes to remove the lid.
You can also then make your own caramel if you want sweet popcorn. Put some sugar in the pan and wait for it to caramelise (don’t stir it). Once it’s caramelised, turn off heat and tip in the popcorn and toss until coated. Then set aside to cool.
(c) K Wicks
Mango Butter Moisturiser Recipe
I’ve been making a few moisturisers here and there, and as they last a while, takes some time to get around to needing a new one. But that time came, so I decided to make a predominantly mango butter one. For one pot like the one in the photo (around 2oz), the amounts are –
25g Mango Butter
8g Shea Butter
1 tbsp geranium infused coconut oil
1 tbsp calendula infused olive oil
10 drops jasmine essential oil
10 drops sweet orange essential oil
The method can be viewed in my Dandelion Moisturiser recipe.
(c) K Wicks
Apple and blueberry flapjacks
Apple and blueberry flapjack, not a bad idea at all. Didn’t fancy chocolate covered ones this time, so thought about fruity ones I’d had before and came up with this. Definitely making again 😋
(c) K Wicks
MKW Publishing 