The Pampered Chef

In September my friend took me to a fellow school mum's house for a Pampered Chef party.
http://www.pamperedchef.com/

The Pampered Chef is a "direct seller of premuim kitchen tools" and their goods are available through their website or from direct sales (much like the old fashioned tupperware parties)

I was fearing the worst spending the evening being trapped in a strangers living room with an overly pushy saleslady. However she turned out to be much less pushy but twice as chirpy as i'd first feared. I guess it's difficult not to come across as slightly deranged and anorak-y when you're enthusing to a room full of strangers about kitchen implements.

During the party the lady from Pampered Chef demonstrated the products by cooking us dinner: Chicken Tortilla Lasagne (straight out of the Rachel Ray school of fusion cooking) She also got the opportunity to showcase her silicone muffin tray by cooking some Cranberry, White chocolate and orange muffins (recipe below) which turned out slightly crispy on the outside and crazily moist on the inside. I'm not sure if that was the result of cooking in silicone but I'm definitely going to dig out my silicon muffin tray and give it a try.

The Pampered Chef is apparently best known for it's Stoneware which can be cooked on without grease and gives and even spread of heat. I would have loved to have bought one to test the claims but they were slightly too pricey for an impulse buy and I wasn't sure if I'd be able to lift them!

I did make two small purchases:

1) A Santuko knife which is plastic coated and due to the shaped edge doesn't cling to the food you chop. I've used it mostly for veg prep and so far it's been good. The only draw back is that it has to be handwashed but I can overcome my inner lush to wash by hand occasionally!

2) A heavy duty baking tray which is "professional quality heavy-gauge aluminised steel". I've used it for baking cookies and it's performed fine - I dont know that I will be able to tell any difference from my other baking tray - but it doesn't twist or warp with the heat so manouvering it in and out of the oven is nice and easy.

All in all the Pampered Chef Party was an experience and although both products I bought are good I think their products are aimed at much more the mum cooking for a family with little time than the keen cooking enthusiast with time on their hands....

Cranberry, Orange & White Chocolate Cupcakes
175 g butter (do not substitute margarine)
50g dried cranberries
70g white chocolate
zest of ½ orange
½ teasp cinnamon
175 g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
175 g light soft brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sifted icing sugar, for sprinkling (optional)




1. Preheat oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4. Spray Silicone Floral Cupcake Pan with sunflower oil using Kitchen Spritzer; set aside. In Small Batter Bowl, microwave butter, loosely covered, on HIGH 1-1 1/2 minutes or until melted, stirring after every 30-second interval; set aside to cool slightly. Chop white chocolate on Cutting Board using Food Chopper. In Classic Batter Bowl, combine cranberries, choc, flour, baking powder and salt; zest orange into mix; mix well and set aside. Add brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract to melted butter; whisk until smooth and well combined using Stainless Whisk.
2. Add butter mixture to flour mixture; fold together using Classic Scraper just until combined (do not over-mix). Using Large Scoop, place one scoop of mixture into each well of prepared pan, dividing mixture evenly. Bake 18-22 minutes or until edges of cakes are golden brown. Remove from oven; cool 5 minutes in pan. Carefully invert cakes onto Stackable Cooling Rack; dust with sifted icing sugar, if desired.