The Vintage Princess

I have recently collaborated on a photoshoot with some of the most talented, kind spirited and generous people. So lucky to be in the industry where people help each other. In the coming few days I will post through some photos from the recent photoshoot.









Make-up Artist: Megan Vaughan of Make-up by Megan
Hair Stylist: Melissa Cauchi of Melissa Cauchi Hairdressing
Photography: Luisa Brimble of Serendipity Corner
Model: Naomi Wiesmann
Photographer's Assistant: Marione Lozano & Location Host: Claudette Wijangco
Naomi was wearing a Summerblossom headpiece

Sweet & Salty Brownies

An addiction I discovered on a recent trip to the USA, from one of my favourite cities in the world - NYC. A divine combination of sweet chocolate brownie with the bite of salted caramel drizzled through. A moorishly divine delight that I hope you enjoy as much as I did xoxo



SWEET & SALTY BROWNIES

INGREDIENTS
For the filling:
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon fleur de sel
1/4 cup sour cream



For the brownie:
11/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons dark unsweetened cocoa powder (like Valrhona)
11 ounces quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes
11/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the packing:
11/2 teaspoons fleur de sel
1 teaspoon course sugar

MAKE THE CARAMEL
In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and corn syrup with 1/4 cup water, stirring them together carefully so you don't splash the sides of the pan. Cook over high heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 176.5 degrees celsius, or until the mixture is dark amber in colour (keep an eye on the caramel at all times as it goes from golden brown and black to burnt very quickly), 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly add the cream (careful, it will bubble up) and then the fleur de sell. Whisk in the sour cream. Set aside to cool.

MAKE THE BROWNIE
Preheat the oven to 176.5 degrees celsius.

Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light coloured metal 9-by-13 inch tray. line the bottom with a sheet of baking paper.

In a medium bowl , whisk together the flour, salt and cocoa powder.

Place the chocolate and butter in the bowl of a double boiler set over a pan of simmering water, and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler, and add both sugars, Whisk until completely combined and remove the bowl from the pan. The mixture should be at room temperature.

Add three eggs to the chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until just combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until there is just a trace amount of the flour mixture visible.

ASSEMBLE THE SWEET & SALTY BROWNIE
Pour half the brownie mixture into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Drizzle about 3/4 cup of the caramel sauce over the brownie layer in a zigzag pattern, taking care to make sure the caramel does not come into contact with the edges of the pan or it will burn. Use your offset spatula to spread the caramel evenly across the brownie layer. In heaping spoonfuls, scoop the rest of the brownie batter over the caramel layer. Smooth the brownie batter gently to cover the caramel layer.

Bake the brownies for 30 minutes, rotating the pan half way through the baking time, and check to make sure the brownies are completely done by sticking a toothpick into the centre of the tray. The brownies are done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Remove the brownies from the oven and sprinkle with fleur de sell and coarse sugar.

Cool the brownies completely before serving. They can be stored, tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days.

An extract from BAKED Explorations, Classic American Desserts Reinvented by Matt Lewis & Renato Poliafito
http://bakednyc.com/





{images via Baked NYC and Honey & Jam }

Make-up Tip

As a professional make-up artist my best form of advertising would be to leave the house everyday with an immaculately painted face including a precision liquid eyeline, flawlessly contoured cheekbones and a picture perfect cupids bow. Sadly as the mum of an active 1 year old boy, I rarely have the time to spend 45 mins applying cosmetics, and have had to find a minimalist approach that is quick but just as effective.

Following are just a few tips that you too can use to look flawless fantastic in 10 minutes or less.

The key to my routine is multi purpose products: A tinted moisturizer gives you colour, moisture and SPF protection. However if you like the coverage of a foundation at night but a lightweight cover for everyday, simply add a touch of your foundation to your regular moisturiser. It is not necessary to own foundation and a tinted moisturizer. A cheek & lip stain or tint, adds a natural glow to your cheeks and a hint of colour to your lips at the same time. A bronzer can be used to add colour to your face and body, as well as contour your cheeks and as a natural eye shadow look. A concealer can be used to conceal blemishes and highlight your brows.



Don’t be afraid to apply your make-up with your hands: Make-up brushes are fantastic tools that I could not live without professionally, however at home I apply my make-up mostly with my hands and the use of one or two brushes for eye shadow and bronzer. Brushes require constant cleaning and maintenance and unless you can dedicate the time to wash and dry them every week, they can be a breeding ground for bacteria. Applying foundation, cheek and lip stains with your fingers is the quickest and most effective way to get a flawless finish.



Have your eyelashes and brows tinted: An eyelash & brow tint at your local beautician every two weeks is a huge time saver when it comes to your make-up routine. Then all you need to do is curl your lashes as you race out the door.

Lime

Lime, also traditionally known as lime green or lime-green, is a color three-fourths of the way between yellow and green (closer to yellow than to green), so named because it is a representation of the color of the citrus fruit called limes. It is the color that is half way between the web color chartreuse and yellow on the color wheel and it is my favourite colour!



So much so, that when I planned my wedding nearly 7 years ago, lime was the theme, and I walked down the aisle in a stunning lime green Velani by Nicky gown. Lime is the colour of grass after rain, leaves in spring, crisp granny smith apples and spearmint choc chip ice cream. It is vibrant, it is tropical, and it is the key ingredient for to two of my favourite luxuries....mojitos and key lime pies

M
xoxo

{via Leite's Culinaria }

My muse Noah John

I am a lot of things. I am a make-up artist, a marketer, a graphic artist, an event manager, a cook, a housekeeper, and a wife, but first and foremost I am a mum, and the inspiration behind everything I do is my 16 month old angel Noah John.



He doesn't care if I am not wearing makeup or having a bad hair day, if I haven't exercised for a month or if I live in the same maxi dress every summer for 10 years. He loves me unconditionally and I love him unconditionally back. He is the motivation behind everything I do and he is the reason Makeup by Megan came to be.

You see I was not at all maternal before having Noah. I would actually go as far to say that I didn't really like children. But my husband loves them and Noah came about after being advised by a doctor that due to a medical condition, we should start trying sooner rather than later. And so we began. After surgery, 12 months of trying and a successful IVF cycle Noah was born 2 years later, and my life changed forever. I was not scared of labour during my pregnancy, but I was terrified of how I would look after the small alien like creature growing inside me. But Noah has made it simple for me, and the biggest challenge and most terrifying experience of my life has left me fulfilled in a way I never dreamt possible. It has left me with a renewed confidence in myself that I can achieve anything I put my mind to, and it is with this new found confidence that I am pursuing the career I have always dreamt about as a makeup artist.

Thank-you Noah. You are the butter to my bread and the breath to my life. I love you.

xoxo