Recipe: Royal icing

Ingredients:

500 g icing sugar, sifted

3 egg whites

2 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1. Place icing sugar and egg whites in a mixer bowl. Beat on medium heat to combine, then switch to high speed and beat for 8 to 10 minutes until icing turns fluffy and very glossy.

2. Add lemon juice and continue to beat another 2-3 minutes.

3. Frost cupcakes and cover cake surface completely. This will preserve the cakes a little longer. Top with your choice of decorations.

Recipe: Chocolate ginger bark

Ingredients:

500 g dark chocolate (70 percent chocolate)

200 g candied ginger

2 tbsp coarse granulated sugar

Grease-proof paper

Method:

1. Chop up the chocolate and place in a metal or glass mixing bowl.

2. Chop up the candied ginger, and sprinkle along the length of the grease-proof paper.

3. Heat up a pot of water and place the mixing bowl on top, taking care not to let the bottom touch the water surface. Stir until chocolate melts.

4. Using a spoon, dribble the chocolate along the strip of chopped ginger, taking care to cover the ginger completely. Sprinkle with sugar.

5. Allow to cool, then break into shards. Keep in the freezer until ready to serve.

Food notes:

I used Valrhona dark chocolate that I got from a specialist supplier online, but you can easily make this from the dark chocolate bars you can buy from the candy counters. But remember to buy the ones that have chocolate content that is at least 70 percent. The one thing you have to remember is that the chocolate must be melted on indirect heat and not allow it to touch fire or the boiling water. You can melt the chocolate in the microwave in short bursts of 30 seconds on high until it is melted when you stir with a spoon.