Espresso Chocolate Lava Cake

Dark chocolate is my husband’s first love when it comes to the type of chocolate. So I got this easy recipe from “The White Ramekins” that just popped up on my Instagram feed on Valentine’s Day. It has all the perfect elements to make this lava cake decadent. It is rich, chocolaty and gooey inside!! There is espresso and dark chocolate infused perfectly in this dessert. You can add peanut butter as per the original recipe if you wish to give that perfect salty texture as well. So if you are a peanut butter fan you should click here for the original recipe from “The White Ramekins”. It’s easy and quick to make… it has few ingredients and requires a few ramekins or custard cups.  This is that perfect dessert for that romantic night or just to treat yourself after a long day or a hectic week! My only regret is that I couldn’t photograph the chocolate lava running out of the cake to give you the complete picture. Nevertheless do try out this no fail recipe and let me know how it turns out!

Recipe Adapted from The White Ramekins

Ingredients

1.       Dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped – 200gm

2.       Butter, chopped – 100gm

3.       Eggs 2

4.       2 egg yolks, extra

5.       Caster sugar – 100gm

6.       Plain flour – 35gm

7.       Vanilla extract – 1tsp

8.       Instant Espresso powder – 2 tsp

9.       Cocoa Powder for dusting – 2 tblsp

 Method

1.       Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Grease 4 ramekins with butter and dust with cocoa powder.

2.       Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat and stir until the chocolate and butter are smooth.

3.       In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, vanilla extract and espresso powder. Then fold in the chocolate mixture. Once the chocolate mixture is blended well, then fold in plain flour to combine gently.

4.       Pour the mixture into prepared pudding moulds until it is just covered.

5.       Place moulds on a baking tray and bake for about 10-15 minutes. The cakes should be firm on the outside and dry on top, but still a bit wobbly in the center.

6.       Gently run a knife around the cakes to loosen from the mould and flip onto a plate and dust with cocoa powder.

Tips:

·         Garnish with strawberries or raspberries.

·         Serve it with whipped cream, ice cream or ganache instead of cocoa powder

All the above pictures are copyrighted Tickled by Inspirations

Artist of the month: Kathryn Wilson

Art is such a beautiful and universal language that is understood by all. It is a perfect medium to stimulate creativity and promote culture and what better way to send out a message to the world through colours! Kathryn Wilson, a dubai based artist creates harmony using different hues of blues and white in her paintings. I was drawn towards her painting displayed at Sununu Muscat, while I was attending a workshop there. Her work is expressive, vibrant and there is tranquility reflecting in all her art pieces. Most of her art work displays a perfect balance of swirling motion, colour and light. And her love for the sea is reflected in most of her paintings.

Let’s browse through her work and hear more from Kathyrn about her journey with art.

A brief about yourself

Originally from the Lake District UK, I spent my childhood growing up in Dubai. In 1998 I returned to the Lake District to continue my studies before completing a degree in Fine Art at Oxford University. In 2005 I moved to South East Asia to travel and work for a couple of years. I began painting with oils during this time, returning to work and live in Dubai in 2008. In 2016 I had a solo exhibition with FN Designs Gallery in Alserkal Avenue, Dubai. My husband and I are now renovating our house in Kendal and have just had a baby girl.

How did your journey as an artist begin? Did you have any formal training or is it self taught?

Looking back I think I was first inspired by sketches & letters that my grandmother would post me. She always had a cellar full of paints, brushes and paper for my sisters and I to use when we would visit her each summer. My father loves photography and I would spend hours looking through his photo albums and slides. We used to joke about all the rocks and trees he would photograph, then I found myself doing the same! When I finished school I studied an Art Foundation and went on to complete a degree in Fine Art.

Clean lines and translucent layers of colour in a circular format have become my signature style, with a love for cyan, indigo, turquoise and pure white. I am interested in Art for positive change and continue to look for ways of advocating this.

How would you describe your art style? What's your inspiration for your art work?

My work focuses on the force and beauty of water, exploring the use of light in each abstract painting. The ultimate traveller, water plays a vital role in everyday life. It wanders the globe and without it we would not survive. Trips along the coast inspire me, as does exploring wadis that are so beautifully sculpted by water. Photography is a useful starting point but I believe imagination and interpretation are key. I like not knowing where I am going with the work, each painting presents fresh challenges and a new way of considering the subject.

What is the most challenging aspect about your work?

The greatest challenge is usually making a start to a painting. Once the ball is rolling things tend to flow quite smoothly from there.

What is your creative process like? and what keeps you motivated?

I keep an ongoing moleskin journal of notes and drawings. Visiting galleries, sketching, reading and taking photographs keeps me motivated. I stretch and prime my own canvases in a home studio, collecting new colours, materials and brushes to work with.

Do you commission different projects? And how can people purchase your paintings?

I usually sell my work via galleries, a selection of paintings & prints are currently available to buy in Dubai & Muscat. I do take on commissions if there is a synergy between what the client is looking for & the style / ethos of what I do. Examples of previous clients & collaborations are on www.ka8z.com 

What is your favorite art piece that you have done till date?

‘Flow’ is a large circular oil painting (115cm wide) that I created for my solo exhibition ‘Saturate’ in 2016. It is probably my favourite because of it’s smooth layers & soothing colour palette. This piece signified a turning point for the collection and I hope to develop more work of this scale in the future.

Any tips or words of wisdom to aspiring artists who want to pursue a similar career?

Words of advice I would give to young aspiring artists would be to consider the authenticity of their work and their personal journey as an artist. Seek to learn ALL of the time and try not to be put off by disappointments along the way.

Thank you Kathryn Wilson for sharing your inspirational art journey with me and my readers!

Click here to browse through her website and follow her work.

All Images are copyrighted Kathryn Wilson

Home Tour: Karishma Kalla's home in San Francisco

I read somewhere that “home is never a place but always a feeling… forget the roof and shelter – home is a beating heart, a warm touch and a reflection of the owner’s soul”… Isn’t it true? That is exactly what I felt as I browsed through Karishma’s beautiful home… It was a reflection of her soul, personality, her tastes and full of character. I personally love the beautiful mix of different culture and her love for Asian décor.  Her home reflects her love to art, colour, travel and textiles. Her décor is accentuated with fresh flowers, books and numerous artifacts from around the world. Her outdoor space is beautiful where I can just sit with a bottomless glass of wine and just unwind and read a book.

Lets hear more from Karishma and learn more about her source of inspiration and browse through her beautiful home!

Tell us a bit about yourself.

My family’s ancestral roots are from Jodhpur but I was born and brought up in Mumbai. I have studied commercial arts and have worked in various ad agencies before moving to Gurgaon after my marriage. We spent many years in Gurgaon where I worked with a design and marketing consulting company, post which we moved to Singapore for a few years. I currently live in San Francisco along with my husband and two year old daughter.

What is your décor style?

Passion and interest for home décor runs in the family. Both my mother and my mother in law have great taste in décor. My mother in law is an artist herself and makes fantastic Tanjore painting, some of which adorn our house. My husband and I admire artifacts, many of which we have collected during our travels & vacations.

The décor of our home is influenced by Asian themes, be it trinkets from a small flea market in Bali; pineapple based decorative from Hawaii, Malay influenced designs from KL, terracotta warriors from China or an exclusive designer piece from Singapore. I love colors! For me colors play a very important role in making a setup look beautiful and lively. A good balance of colors, décor and furniture can enhance any dull corner of your home.

I love anything ethnic with an Asian décor and style. I feel they are colorful, traditional and vibrant. Hence, you will see them in all corners of my home.  Cute little things are my favorite, I collects them from wherever I can.

Your favorite space.

My favorite corner in my home is my front porch and my garden where I enjoy my daily cup of tea in the beautiful California weather. I love playing with my daughter in the garden.

Any tips for our décor lovers out there?

A beautiful home always demands cleanliness..  my décor tips are  fresh flowers (always work and bring positivity and happiness), good use of prints, and enjoy experimenting! 

Thank you Karishma for opening your beautiful home for us and giving us tons of inspiration to take away!

Please click here if you wish to follow Karishma on Instagram. If any of you would like to share your space and showcase it on Tickled by Inspirations, please email me at tbinspirations@gmail.com .

All above images via Karishma

Decorating with Bougainvillea

Bougainvillea is a gorgeous plant that thrives in any weather. It is low maintenance and adds so much of colour to your garden.  My garden has this gorgeous pink bougainvillea and I had to find a way to bring that pink indoors. So I rearranged and restyled one of my living room side tables and paired the flowers with a plain white Japanese ceramic teapot and it looked gorgeous. The only disadvantage with these flowers is it withers away very quickly. So even if you put it in water, it will stay for just one or 2 days. Nevertheless I think it’s a great way to bringing in beauty, drama for that instant happiness and enhance your décor even if it’s just for one or two days.

Have a look at the following pictures on how I styled with my favorite curios.

What do you think of my side table décor ? I would love to hear your thoughts.





All above images are copyright Tickled by Inspirations

Reading Culture

Books have always been an integral part of my life. I love books … to read… to touch and it’s one of my stress busters. Do you remember the moment you fell in love with reading? Mine started with a series of Enid Blyton books… Famous Five series and Nancy Drew. I remember reading past my bed time with my bedside lamp on and taking my book to the restroom with so much of anticipation. Do you remember yours?

I am not happy that my reading has come down drastically. I do read on the net but that’s not how it used to be. We all got so busy with our own routine and we are all evolving and moving in a very different direction. In this technology driven world I pray that our kids will have the same passion for reading a book.  Because this is what will help them to think out of the box! And I know this will happen only when we set an example and read. I am quite active on social media promoting my blog, artists and other inspirations. And while I continue to do that I took a conscious decision last month to read more … or at least one book every month and also read with my little one. What are your thoughts? Please email me a picture of a book that you are reading or you recently finished with reviews. (email: tbinspirations@gmail.com ) I will gladly share it on Tickled by Inspirations wall. It is also a way to inspire others to read. Happy Sunday and Happy reading!!

Above pictures are copyrighted Tickled by Inspirations.