this week’s DIY contributed by editor guest bloggerBecoming Lola
I’m no hobbyist crafter. In fact, I might make the worse grandma. Scrapbooks? Puhhleazze. Who has time! Knit booties? Are you kidding! But I can promise my future grandkids this- there will be lots of baking! That’s good enough right? Well, apparently not. Thanks alot Martha Stewart. No really, thank you. You may set the bar high for whats expected of us creative folk, but you also have these killer DIYs that take like, I don’t know, ten minutes! My kids will think I am the best thing since gummy bears. Imagine my excitement when I came across this super sweet and girly lamp shade idea. Simply attach a tutu to a lamp. Voila! But of course, with an imagination like mine, that’s only the beginning. Now I’m wondering what sort of sweet concoctions I can make with such simple materials…
Use a lampshade wire ring with a washer top as the frame for your lampshade.
Dip the tutu in a basic pink or rose clothing dye to get a soft pink. Use Magna-Tac adhesive to glue the waistband of the tutu to the outside edge of the lampshade ring, and let dry.
To wire the lamp, use a wire-end socket (or a bare-bulb hanging socket with a cord), plus a replacement plug (we liked the snap-on version; see the links above or examples of both types). You can purchase these electrical supplies at most hardware stores. Cut off the socket cord’s original plug, and thread the raw end of the cord through the washer at the center of the lampshade ring; then attach the replacement plug. Slide the lampshade down to the socket. If the shade won’t hang level, use electrical tape to wrap the lampshade ring to the socket itself. To hang the lamp, loop the cord through a hook on the ceiling, and use electrical tape to hold it in place. Or thread the cord through a chain, and use the chain to hang the light on a ceiling hook.
Whether you wear you hair up or down, wavy or straight, one thing’s for sure: during the hottest summer months, you want to keep cool while looking good. And long hair is amongst the most difficult to manage in extreme heat. So here are a few ideas for keeping those long locks out of the way and perfectly styled…
Ponytails will never go out of style. Whether you wear it high, low, or on the side, adding a small accessory, such as a bow, will add a feminine touch. And this half up look gets the hair out of your face, while keeping the length.
Of course, braids have been popular all year. And with good reason. Its a quick and easy option, that works for every hair type.
A messy up-do is perfect for wavy hair and will give you an effortless look with a beachy, down-to-earth vibe.
who could even fathom that its only been over two years since this Norwegian doll-faced beauty first appeared on the scene, but it has, and she’s been stealing our hearts ever since!
You must know by now, I am obsessed with France. Confiture de Lait is an easy and versatile recipe that anyone can master and pretend to be a little French chef. In America and Latin America, we know it as dulce de leche (or cajeta). And this is a recipe that keeps giving and giving, lending itself to everything from macarons, croissants, or scones to banana sandwiches, tarts and pancakes. The translation is actually milk jam, so once you realize how many things you can top it with, you’ll be pleasantly fat..I mean surprised!
So have your hand at the traditional Normandy-based recipe below in both English and French (my own painstakingly adapted version for…Americans working without measuring scales), your taste buds will dance with delight.
PS- If anyone knows how to get that perfect caramel consistency, do comment below! I always seem to burn mine toward the end, hence a little lumpiness. Maybe a certain pan works best?
1 liter (4 cups) of goat’s milk or cow’s whole milk/1 litre de lait de chèvre (ou à défaut de vache)
440g sugar (2 cups)/ 440g de sucre
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean (slit across its length)/vanille liquide ou gousse de vanille (fendue dans la longueur)
1/2 tsp sea salt
pinch of baking soda
*optional* a generous shot of rum (or rum extract)/une bonne rasade de rhum
Method:
Turn stove to high-med heat. Pour milk into large saucepan, big enough to hold all the milk with ample room on top. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring milk mixture to a boil, paying very close attention that it does not over boil and spill out. Once it reaches a boil, turn stove down to its lowest heat setting, just below a simmer. Let sit for 2-3 hours (depending on desired thickness) making sure to stir every so often (not too much) to avoid foaming. Note: If you do not keep an eye on it (like I ignorantly did not do in the beginning) it will foam up, boil over, or create that infamous silky film layer that will never stir in again…so keep an eye on it!
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Faire bouillir tous les ingrédients à feu très doux dans une grande casserole, en mélangeant régulièrement jusqu’à ce que la préparation acquière la consistance voulue. Plus la crème reste longtemps sur le feu et plus la consistance en sera épaisse.
I grew up with a big fat jar of Nutella in my mom’s kitchen, she is not much a cook or a baker herself so the only sweet treat she made for her kids is nutella and margarine sandwich, two slices of bread smothered with thick salted margarine and even much thicker nutella to balance the salty from salted margarine. Im crazy about that sandwich for as long as I can remember, man, im just plain crazy about nutella for whole my life. I could spend a Sunday on my bed, watching dvd and emptied a small jar of nutella. Im just that bad. I love these chocolate and hazelnut cupcakes, chocolate cupcake filled with lots of nutella and frosted with nutella buttercream frosting. I love how the nutella oozing out from the center of the cupcake on your first bite. Just remember to go greedy when filling the nutella into the cupcakes.
Hazelnut and Chocolate Cupcakes adapted from hummingbird bakery cookbook
Makes 12
“sometimes chocolate alone just wont do, which is why we’ve added irresistible hazelnut chocolate spread to these cupcakes. decorate with hazelnuts for extra crunch”
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
a scant ¾ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
½ cup whole milk
1 egg
½ cup hazelnut and chocolate spread (such as nutella)
about 36 whole, shelled hazelnuts, to decorate
1. preheat the oven to 325 F
2. lined a 12-hole cupcake pan with paper cases
3. put the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a mixing bowl and beat on a low speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Slowly pour the milk into the flour mixture, beating well until all the ingredients are well mixed. Add the egg and beat well. (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula)
4. spoon the batter into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, or until the cake bounces back when touched. Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. When the cupcakes are cold, hollow out a small section (I used apple corer, worked very fine) in the center of each one and fill with a dollop of hazelnut and chocolate spread.
Hazelnut and chocolate frosting
2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/3 cup hazelnut and chocolate spread (such as nutella)
1. beat the confectioners sugar and butter together in a mixing bowl and beat on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn the mixer down to a slower speed. Slowly pour in the milk, then when it is all incorporated, turn the mixer up to high-speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.
2. Stir in the hazelnut and chocolate spread by hand until evenly mixed into the frosting. When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the frosting on top and finish with about 3 hazelnuts per cupcake.
Kitchy Weekends is turning out to be one of our reader’s favorite new column launches! To celebrate, we’ve brought on two insanely talented home bakers to create and share original recipes for Dujour that will have you happy in the kitchen (and tummy)! Warm welcome to Ayundari of Sugar Crawler!
Is it true what people say about homemade food tasting better than store bought food? The authors of Baked: New Frontiers In Baking promised cloudlike squares that melt in your mouth or in your hot chocolate marshmallows. And frankly, the authors got my heart for ‘cloudlike squares’. Making marshmallows looked like something so complicated for me, with the all candy thermometer and sheets gelatin involved. Pheewww! That was the first time I’m using both candy thermometer and sheets gelatin, I was so afraid with the end result but after total 7 hours of waiting, I got to say that homemade food tastes better than store bought, well, in this case, homemade marshmallow.
HOMEMADE VANILLA MARSHMALLOWS
Yield: 24 marshmallows adapted from Baked: new frontiers in baking
“if you have not eaten a homemade marshmallow, you are missing out on a rhapsodic pleasure. It is most certainly not the same marshmallow you know from the grocery store. In fact, it is like comparing a fresh baguette to wonder bread. Our recipe produces cloudlike squares that melt in your mouth or in your hot chocolate. They are sticky, sweet, and full of vanilla flavor. Perhaps best of all, they are quite easy to make, and require few ingredients”
6 sheets gelatin
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted, plus more for dusting
Grease an 8×8-inch pan with shortening, using a paper towel to rub it lightly and evenly onto the bottom, sides and edges of the pan. Set aside.
Put the gelatin sheets into a medium microwave-safe bowl and fill it with very cold water, set aside; add a few ice cubes to keep it cold.
Place the sugar, 1/4 cup corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a medium saucepan and stir gently. Clip a candy thermometer onto the pan, and place it over medium-high heat. Bring it to a boil, checking it occasionally–you are looking for it to eventually hit a temperature of 235-240 degrees (soft ball stage).
Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. By this point, the gelatin sheets should be very soft–drain them well and give them a quick wringing out, and place them back in the microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high until the gelatin is completely melted, about 30 seconds. Turn the mixer on low, and very slowly pour the melted gelatin into the corn syrup. Keep the mixer running while you check the sugar syrup.
Once the syrup reaches 235-240 degrees, pull it from the heat. Carefully transfer the syrup to a large, heatproof measuring cup or a similar vessel with a spout for easy pouring. Turn the mixer up to medium speed and slowly pour the sugar syrup into the gelatin mixture. When all the syrup has been added, crank the speed up to medium-high and let it go for about 8 minutes–the candy will turn white and fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt and increase the speed to its highest setting for 1 more minute.
Pour the marshmallow into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sift confectioners’ sugar evenly and generously over the top. Let sit for about 6 hours.
Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the edges of the pan and invert it onto a confectioners’ sugar-dusted work surface. Dust the marshmallow slab with more confectioner’s sugar and cut into whatever size pieces you wish (a pizza cutter works great here). Dip the sticky edges of the marshmallows in more confectioners’ sugar, patting off the excess. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
We racked our brains. We paced up and down. We even had 5 cupcakes to soothe the anxiety (who are we kidding, we’d use any old excuse). And finally, we settled on this. The best way to polish off the week and celebrate Fridays- an Etsy roundup of course! But not just any old roundup. Our roundup is exclusively via Papernstitch, one of the best curated sites around. Admittedly, it makes our job easier, since the creme de la creme of handmade indie design is just waiting to be plucked.
We’ve been a little accessory crazy this week here at Dujour, so our first tgif post is all about jewels, head pieces and the bags you wish you could wear! Do tell us what you think!
Oh come on! You name the necklace Heidi (such a sweet name that always made us thing of innocent little pigtailed girls, well, until MTV) and then throw ballet slipper pink in the description? Of course we’re going to love it! But not only that, in the same shop, Bride Blu, you’ll find a gorgeous vintage scalloped rhinestone necklace that, no joke, is identical to the one our editor snatched up while in Montreal. Jewel sisters anyone? (Beats blood brothers right?) Get them both here.
What can we say. Our love for indie runs deep. But we have to agree with Maria, designer of Nosideup- Sex and the City made us want to be bad, real bad. Skip your rent and phone bills to buy a LV bag on eBay kind of bad. But why not blend two loves together? Indie designer makes It Bag parody in an artistic fashion. Voila! A summer tote to be proud of. Get it here.
Not sure what’s in the water, but we are hair accessory crazy these days. But its so pelting hot, so please, no PVC or leather today. No worries, Little Birdie Design Studio has got you covered! Their blossoming fabric headband is so light and sweet, we wish it were legal to walk outside only wearing headpieces. No, not yet? One can dream! Get it here.
Just in case you didn’t hear us loud and clear, its hot, hot, hot! Who can even think about scarves, let alone knitted anything, when all we want to do is jump in our neighbors pool (sorry for all the illegal activity suggestions today). But fear not dolls, you can strike a balance with a scarf that doubles more as a knitted necklace. Get this beautiful mint green chain scarf from Miti-Mota here.
What can we say. Our love for indie runs deep. But we have to agree with Maria, designer of 
Not sure what’s in the water, but we are hair accessory crazy these days. But its so pelting hot, so please, no PVC or leather today. No worries, 
Just in case you didn’t hear us loud and clear, its hot, hot, hot! Who can even think about scarves, let alone knitted anything, when all we want to do is jump in our neighbors pool (sorry for all the illegal activity suggestions today). But fear not dolls, you can strike a balance with a scarf that doubles more as a knitted necklace. Get this beautiful mint green chain scarf from Miti-Mota 
