The inspiration behind Sugar Sisters food originates from our own families experiences and frustrations with finding delicious food that we can and want to eat.

Between us we have friends and families (including ourselves!) who are or have been vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, soy free, egg free, nut free and dairy free.  

We want to show that there are alternatives that can taste great for everyone.  We invite you to peruse our menus and provide us with feedback regarding what we offer and what you would like to see.  Help us make the kind of food that you would like to eat.

What's your flavour?

Jo







  

Who can resist this seasons lovely feijoa's, especially when baked into muffins!

This recipe is naturally egg free.  You can make this recipe vegan, or substitute the dairy free spread and milk for regular milk and butter if you prefer.

Makes 9 regular size muffins. Print a PDF of this recipe below.

Meeting a new oven is like meeting a new partner.  You don't know their personality. They can surprise, amaze and disappoint you.  You are about to enter into the unknown and anything can happen.


Oven's of course are not human. But I do wonder if they have a little personality sitting inside just waiting to burst it's way into your baking.  Yesterday we encountered our new kitchens' oven demons for the first time.

We made fifty bread rolls sitting waiting patiently to be cooked.  Over the last few hours they have been kneaded into submission, proofed, prodded and rounded.  They are now waiting for their final encounter - a hot blast in the oven. 

We found some lovely big trays left by previous occupants; perfect size for the larger of our two ovens, or so we thought.  Oven heated, water bath sorted, we fling open the doors and throw our trays in as fast as possible.  "Shut the doors", I shriek.  But we cannot shut the doors as the trays are too big for the oven.  "Take them out", I cry.

Okay, so not disaster.  We transfer to smaller trays, let the oven reheat again and go for gold.  Take two.  Trays in, so far so good. Ten minutes pass and I peer in expectantly.  Peering back are bread rolls paler than my freckled face. 

Instead of feeling a rush of hot air I am met with a gentle autumn breeze. The pilot has gone out.  The oven is a 100C instead of 220C.  We frantically relight the pilot and try again.  We leave the rolls in as we are worried they will deflate like balloons.  By some miracle after fifteen or twenty minutes they look okay. 

Take three.  Tray number two.  Same thing happens. We dash the rolls over to our smaller oven which is electric and powerful.  We end up with flat dark brown discs as we have had to transfer to even smaller trays in the oven spring stage of cooking.

Take three and we get our break. The pilots stay on and we get two trays that cook okay.  Not my finest work or website worthy but they are okay.

The oven demons did not defeat me. Today.

Share your own kitchen nightmare and be in to win a cake this Easter Holidays. Wellington & Hutt Valley Residents only.  Vegan and gluten free options available.

If you are hitting the kitchen this weekend here are a few tips  from Sugar Sisters to help you wow your friends and family.

1. Be precise
Digital scales give you better precision than cups.  If you do prefer to work with cups fill the cup rather than scoop with it,  then level it off at the top to get a more even result each time.

2. Precision part 2
Whether you are making biscuits or bread rolls, get your scales out again and weigh each one. Not only will they be all the same size, but will also cook more evenly in the oven.

3. Don't be heavy on your metal
Non stick baking pans require gentle care to keep them non stick.  Never use a knife to cut slices in a pan. Use baking paper and lift the whole thing out onto your chopping board. When it hits the sink keep your steelo or scourer away. Soak the pan and everything will lift off.

4. Think like a toddler
Silicone baby spoons are perfect for helping to lift muffins and tarts out of your pans without scratching them.

5. Follow the recipe! 
The first time you attempt a new recipe follow the instructions to the letter.  There is a better chance that if something goes wrong it was the recipe rather than you not you failing to follow it.

6. Then don't follow the recipe
Once you have made something a few times it's time to start playing and tweaking to make the recipe perfect for you. Pick one element at a time to change.

7. Supersize me
To get café style muffins you really do have to fill the cups to the point where they are almost the same size as you want them to look cooked.

8. Get to know your oven
Like people, ovens have their own personality and traits. The commercial ovens in our work kitchen need a very different approach to my lovely SMEG at home.

9. Keep the door shut
Yes, I know you have heard this one before but keep the door shut and close it as fast as possible when checking what's baking. Letting the temperature drop is a great way of sinking a cake if you open it at the crucial rising time.

10. Keep practicing
Pastry chefs and commercial bakers produce amazing baking by making the same thing over and over and over again.


Thanks for reading. Do you have a top tip you would like to share? Sugar Sisters would love to hear from you.