Some new baking toys

I'm increasingly recognising the importance of good presentation to my baking; partly this is a result of reading wonderful cake decorating books, partly having watched Raymond Blanc's cookery series, and partly just trying a bit harder. It's not something I'm very good at, so I often rely on other things to help me! I couldn't resist a set of gorgeous mini silicon loaf tins the other day; I have never tried cooking with silicon before and these were such pretty colours.

I made two different recipes to try them out - firstly, a basic sponge recipe, which I flavoured with orange zest and sultanas and then covered with a thick orange icing...

Secondly, some dairy free flapjacks into which I mashed banana and stirred in some jam. Yum! I've now got oats back in my diet and am making up for lost time with flapjack consumption.
I didn't notice any difference to cooking with regular baking tins, aside from the fact that I didn't need to line them. My only quibble was the size - they were a bit on the big side for an individual portion. But they are rather pretty.

And, going back to presentation - I made some more apple flapjack the other week, and decided to press them into mini tart tins to make them look a little different...