Sweet delicious amazing marshmallow bliss balls!

Last night we saw this recipe on Facebook on @theroadtolovingmythermomixer and we just had to try it! 

Given the sweet theme of the blog this week we really think these would be the perfect home made addition to a dessert table/ lolly buffet.

When making the Marshmallow bliss balls we changed a couple of things from the recipe and OMG they are delicious!!!

We used a 'thermie' but a food processor would also do the trick.

Ingredients 

250 grams of Milk Arrowroot biscuits
40 grams of cocoa powder
300 grams of sweet condensed milk (we used the 98 per cent fat free one)
10 marshmallows cut in half (buy the nice big ones) 
20 grams of coconut 


Method

Put biscuits and cocoa powder into 'thermie' or food processor and blend on level 7 for 15 seconds. 

Add the condensed milk and mix on level 4 for 30 seconds making a dough. 

We then suggest to wash your hands and leave them a little wet. This will help with rolling. 

Take out a small amount of dough and flatten out enough to cover half a marshmallow. Cover marshmallow with dough and then roll into a ball shape (this is where slightly wet hands helps). Once in a ball shape roll in coconut. 

Continue to do this until all dough is used. 

If you can resist eating them all straight away place in the fridge and then eat and enjoy!!!

Seriously check out 'the road to loving my thermo mixer' on Facebook or the website www.trtlmt.com.au. There are some awesome ideas on there especially some sweet treats perfect for your dessert table/ lolly buffet.

Ok now to try and control ourselves from eating anymore!!

Love 

Jess and Hayley xxx

A sweet start to the week

This week we are going to be a bit 'sweet' and focus on filling a lolly buffet with... well lollies, chocolate and sweet delights!

Lolly buffets are fantastic at any event, they provide a dessert option and also allow guests to make their own lolly bags to take home. What excites guests most is the contents of the lolly buffets... whether its lollies or chocolates guests are unable to resist.

At Lolly and Lace we provide an economical option to hiring a range of lolly jars and accessories to make the perfect lolly buffet. We also want to help all our customers to fill their lolly buffets with the perfect sweet treats for your guests. 

Perth and the South West have many great options and we wanted to share with you a few of our favourites. 

Personalised Lollies
Roc Candy Perth provide the perfect tiny candies... personalised for any occasion. Visit their website http://www.roccandy.com.au/ and check out their awesome designs. These look so gorgeous in our lolly jars and also make a perfect keepsake for your guests. 

Chocolate... Chocolate... Chocolate

A chocolate themed buffet is a very popular choice, especially at weddings. If you are getting married in the South West or Swan Valley why not visit Margaret River Chocolate Company they have factories in Margaret River, Swan Valley and a store in Perth City. You can also visit them online: http://www.chocolatefactory.com.au/. Seriously their chocolate is to die for... we have been known to sample many....many of their chocolate buttons!

Another local chocolatier that we love is John Walker Chocolatier. Growing up we went to school with the Walker's and Jess even worked at one of their stores around Easter and Christmas! We might be a little biased but their chocolate is so creamy and delicious. You can visit them at their Karrinyup store or online at http://www.johnwalkerchocolatier.com.au/index.php. 

Lollies for everyone

Depending on the size of your event it might be worth visiting lolly stores that sell in bulk. While Woolworths, Coles, Big W, Kmart etc offer extensive ranges at competitive rates the size of their bags is quite limited. 

Lolly and Lace buffet at Harper Hair & Tan opening

You can purchase in bulk from a number of places in Perth including the Candy Company in Osborne Park, Cash and Carry (you will need a ABN to purchase from Cash and Carry or talk to Lolly and Lace who can assist in what you require) and Weigh 'N' Pay located in Woodvale. 

Buying in bulk can save money and also ensures a big bright buffet that your guests will love. 

Lolly and Lace want to help your next event to feature a fantastic lolly buffet and can assist you in sourcing lollies and chocolate to ensure this if the case. Don't hesitate in contacting us to organise your lolly buffet! 

Love Jess and Hayley xx

A Little Bit of Bliss!

Following on from our last blog we thought we should carry on the topic of healthy options and talk about the tasty healthy snack going around... Bliss Balls. 

Bliss Balls are very popular at the moment and we have made them for kids parties, afternoon teas and for husbands to take to work.... yep the boys even like them (must mean they taste good!). 

The following recipes are perfect for bliss balls and can be made from ingredients you probably already have at home. They look really cute on display and make the perfect addition to a buffet design. 

Some of the key ingredients 

Raw Chocolate Bliss Balls 

Ingredients (makes 20-25) 
300g pitted dates (make sure they're pitted)
300g coconut 
1 tablespoon of cocoa powder 
2 tablespoon of coconut cream (optional)

We usually prep this in the Thermomix but you can use as food processor as well. 

Place all the ingredients in the 'Thermie' or food processor and slowly work up the speed (in 'Thermie' 1-9).

Roll into bite size balls and roll in extra coconut. Set in fridge and then eat and enjoy!

The finished product! Happy husband and work friends.

Apricot and Coconut Balls 

Ingredients (makes 20-25)
50g of granulated nuts
200g dried apricots
1 Tablespoon of orange juice
2 tablespoons of water
70g of coconut
1 tablespoon of maple syrup

Again you will need to use a 'Thermie' or a food processor. 

Place apricots into 'Thermie' or processor and chop (10 secs speed 8 for 'Thermie). Add nuts, water, orange juice. coconut and maple syrup and mix (30 seconds on speed 6).

Roll mixture into bite size balls and roll in extra coconut. Pop in the fridge then eat and enjoy!

The last recipe is from laurenconrad.com but it is just too yummy not too share! Check out Lauren's page she has some fantastic ideas and shares many great recipes and craft ideas. 

Choc chips can be replaced by carob if desired

Raw Snickers Bliss Balls 

Ingredients (makes 15-20)
2 dates
2 cups of almonds
1 tsp of vanilla extract 
1 Tbsp of coconut oil
70% dark chocolate buttons

Again you will need a blending tool! Blend all ingredients together (bar the chocolate buttons). Once coarsely ground roll the ingredients into bite size balls and put in the freezer for about ten minutes. 

Melt chocolate buttons in microwave for 45 seconds and stir (continue until melted). 

Dip half of the ball into the melted chocolate and then freeze again.

These are amazing and actually taste like snickers bars!!! If you are just making these for an at home healthy snack keep them in the freezer they taste great cold ... just watch you teeth.

We would love to hear your bliss ball recipes so please provide them in the comment section below.

Right now into the kitchen to start creating....

#lollyandlace BLISS :) 

Love 

Hayley and Jess xx 

The Sweet Side to a Healthy Buffet

Traditionally kids parties are about sweet foods... red cordial, chips, sausage rolls, lolly bags and of course the big cake (with plenty of butter icing and preferably made from the Women's Weekly Children's Birthday Cake Book- love that book!). There is nothing wrong with party food and everything in moderation however there are growing trends to incorporate healthier options in with the party food at both kids and grown up parties (such as baby showers). 

By far still the best cake book!! 

With this in mind we wanted to share with you some great ideas for a lolly buffet with a difference.... without the lollies!

Nuts

Nuts can be a bit tricky due to the many allergies associated with them. At a kids party it might be best to avoid them but they can make a great addition to an adult lolly buffet (just make sure they are clearly marked with a label). There are some great suppliers in Perth such as Angry Almond which operates out of Station Street markets in Subiaco. Another online supplier based in South Australia is Charlesworth Nuts . Both have an excellent range at good prices. We find a mix of nuts (unsalted) in a large jar (such as the Iris jar) with a metal scoop works well.

Dried Fruit 

Dried fruit makes a sweet addition to the healthy buffet. They create great colour making the buffet not only look but taste fantastic. Again both Angry Almond and Charlesworth Nuts have a great range as does Born Organic. Born Organic offers a range of organic foods at a range of suppliers across Perth. 

Other Sweet... but not so sweet... treats




Some other great, healthy opportunities include popcorn- check out Cobbs Organic Popcorn which can be found in most local supermarkets. Popcorn is a big favourite for both kids and adults and this particular popcorn is totally amazing!! Carman's offer a great range of healthy treats- many of which are individually  packaged which is good for thank you (lolly) bags. We love their range it is so delicious and sold in almost every big grocery store. Go Natural also offer a range of delicious treats including 'Frugos' yogurt covered fruit (so yummy!). Again these are available in most major stores such as Woolworths. On the topic of Woolworths they now offer quite a big range of organic, raw and other health foods. Some of our favourites are mentioned above but also check out the Wallaby Bites- they are delicious and gluten free! Lastly  Anderson Cacao Creations and their range of organic chocolates. Based in Fremantle local chocolate makers- Karoline and Allan Werner's chocolate is 75 per cent chocolate and dairy free. Check out their website or head down to Freo to check them out. 

Putting together a healthy buffet is easy and will really leave an impression on your guests. We are here to help you plan your buffet and provide you with a shopping list to match the jars you would like to fill! Contact us now to find out more about our hiring options and/or the providers mentioned in our blog. Look forward to speaking to you soon! 

Hayley and Jess xx 

Creating the perfect party gift/ favour at home!

It is always nice to have a little gift for guests, sometimes called party favours, at your event. At weddings and baby showers these gifts are becoming a 'must have'. 

These gifts are a lovely gesture, help make the table settings look even better and best of all give your guests a keep sake from the event. This said they can be very expensive and really increase your final budget. 

At Jess' recent baby shower each gift received a lavender sugar scrub. These gorgeous little scrubs were homemade, were easy to make and best of all didn't break the budget. 

The final product! 

The inspiration and recipe was gained from Maybe Matilda www.maybematilda.com/  by the very creative Rachel. Below is the recipe with some Australian suggestions.

What will you need...

-mixing bowl and spoon

-three cups of white sugar (we found just run of the mill sugar worked best. Caster sugar was a little too fine)

- One cup and 2 Tbsp of oil (we used both olive oil and canola oil. Canola oil provided a lighter colour)

-10 drops of scented essential oil (we used lavender of course! It can be purchased from good chemists and health food stores)

Now the easy bit combine the sugar, oil and essential oil together stirring gently. So easy and smells delicious!

Lavender oil- available at health food stores and chemists.

Rachel has some cute ideas on how to create little jars for the scrub however to create the look we wanted we used the following...

Glass Jars: Thank goodness for IKEA! It is totally worth facing the crowds for these gorgeous little jars- the RAJTAN spice jars (http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/60179815/) at $2.49 for four jars this is a bargain and they are the perfect size! If you can't make it into the store you can also buy online at www.ikea.com.au. 

Jar labels: To finish off the jars we ordered sticker labels from zazzle.com . Zazzle is great as you can personalise the label to exactly what you want and need. This includes colour and wording so the gift becomes very personal. 

The labels (arrived in sheets of 20).

The final product looked fantastic and finished off the table settings perfectly.

Final cost per gift was AUD $2.50 which included the scrub, jar and labels! (this was on 40 gifts) 

These are perfect for a baby shower or hens night. The jars and labels would also be perfect for a wedding. Imagine these filled full of chocolates or lollies.... you could even have guests fill the jar from the lolly buffet at your event! (Jars and label costs = $1).

Gifts of the table at the Baby Shower.

Enjoy!!

Hayley and Jess xx 

The Sweetest Baby Shower....

One of the most exciting and fun times in any pregnancy would have to be the baby shower... and not just for the mum to be!

Only last weekend we celebrated the arrival of Baby Palmer with a sit down high tea. Although it is the middle of winter the weather was sunny and we were able to hold the high tea outdoors... however perhaps we should of turned the heaters on earlier!

With a gender neutral theme the 'planning committee' came up with gorgeous decorations, table settings, cupcakes and of course a delightful lolly buffet. 

The lolly buffet, designed by Lolly and Lace's Hayley, had a blue and pink theme with milk bottles, white freckles and specially made cupcakes by Buttercream Cakes and Cupcakes (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Buttercream-Cakes-Cupcakes/811240078902751) . The buffet even include a framing washing line with pink and blue shoes and socks (thanks to Miss Scarlett and Coops!). 

All of the guests took full advantage of the pink and blue lolly bags and took home bags of sweet treats. This is an easy and inexpensive party favour and thank you for guests and also ensures your not left with lots of lollies in the house!!

The baby shower was so much fun and something the mummy to be will always remember. A big thank you to the amazing 'planning committee' (you know who you are) Baby Palmer is one lucky little guy or girl!! 

All of the items used in the buffet are available for hire now. We are also available to help you select what lollies, colours and theming to use!

Look forward to working with you soon! 

Hayley and Jess xxx 

Lolly & Lace - is launching soon!

After a year of planning, researching and shopping we are so excited that the launch Lolly & Lace, our little online store, is not far away.

We can't wait to help you style your next event with a scrumptious candy buffet and speciality styling items... so stay tuned! 



Love 

Hayles and Jess xx