Sweet Painted Lady

Pat Jacques from Sweet Painted Lady in Waharoa, just north of Matamata, is a living treasure and super home baker! Truck drivers have made detours after her radio appearances to sample her lovingly-made cream filled donuts and super toasted sandwiches.

Pat’s favourite Edmonds recipe

 “That’s easy” says Pat – 50 plus years ago Pat wanted to impress her parents with her new baking skills and made Edmonds Ginger Crunch. “I’ve been making it ever since – I love that recipe, but these days I finely cut up crystalized ginger and add that to the icing on top.”

Pat's Baking Tips

• Eggs at room temperature always work best
• If you’re creaming butter and sugar for a recipe, you really want it to change colour and appear almost white, to ensure a great baking result
• Using a knife when making scones or mixing muffins really works well. It’s far better than a wooden spoon. Using a knife when blending dough for a scone will ensure a ‘lightness’ of touch – this so important once the wet mix hits the flour. Over-working it or adding too much pressure will toughen the result.