Jarrah Lifting Spirits through Global Financial Crisis + Cupcake Recipe

Jarrah Lifting Spirits through Global Financial Crisis + Cupcake Recipe AUSTRALIAN MUMS 'LIFT THEIR SPIRITS' WITH SIMPLE PLEASURES DURING GFC

 Forget the 'Lipstick Index', poll finds mums reward themselves with 'essential luxury' of coffee and hot chocolate

Flash dinners, new season fashion and extravagant spending are out of favour with Australian mums but simple pleasures worth less than $10 are regarded as 'essential', according to a poll of more than 1400 women.

The Jarrah Everyday Indulgence Poll* quizzed 1438 Australian women (through Femail.com.au) on how the global financial crisis had affected their spending habits.

While spending on the family has largely remained the same, almost half of all women (46.3%) agreed that they spent less on themselves. But that doesn.t mean everyday indulgences have been forgotten; virtually all respondents (94.9%) said spending under $5 to $10 on a treat lifted their spirits.

.Australian mums have always put their family first. It.s no surprise to find that the household budget favours their husband and children,. says Nicole Gunnis, spokesperson for the Jarrah Everyday Indulgence Poll and an expert on how Australian women reward themselves.

Working mums, Nicole Gunnis and Sandra Thoma, own and run YM salon. Formerly known as yummymummys, the salon combines indulgent treatments with an onsite crèche for busy mums seeking time-out and pampering.

A third of Australian women claimed to .hardly ever. have time for themselves. When they do reward themselves a cup of hot chocolate or coffee was the most popular indulgence, behind reading a magazine (20.6%), watching their favourite TV program (14.8%) or exercising (12.5%).

Interestingly instant or home-made coffee and hot chocolate was regarded as essential by 43% of respondents, but only 6.6% felt the same way about cosmetics and beauty products.

.You.ve heard of the lipstick index where lipstick sales rise in .troubled times.. There.s an equally powerful hot chocolate and coffee factor at play in homes across the country,. says Thoma.

.For most mums, they juggle family, work, friends, weekly dinners, homework, afterschool activities and business meetings. With many families forgoing holidays due to tightened budgets this year, it is vital to find a way to take a moment and recharge,. says Gunnis.

.At YM we encourage women to take a little time out for a little indulgence. It doesn.t need to be expensive. Grab a cup of Jarrah and take a moment to savour a delicious coffee, hot chocolate or chai latte., Thoma suggests.

AUSTRALIAN MUMS SEEK SIMPLE PLEASURES DURING GFC: INSTANT COFFEE INDEX AT WORK

 Jarrah.s new look range of flavoured coffees, hot chocolates and chai lattes offer a little bit of indulgence for everyday moments. With new formulations, Jarrah is now tastier than ever. What.s more, all Jarrah products are at least 98 per cent fat free with no more than 67 calories per serve, so they are delicious on the lips but not on the hips. .Indulging yourself for just a couple of minutes daily can be enormously beneficial to recharge emotional reserves and keep stress at bay,. says Gunnis.

Jarrah Coffee

Jarrah has a delicious selection of wonderfully rich and creamy instant flavoured coffees, in both frothy and flat varieties. The enticing range includes silky smooth, luxuriously frothy and creamy coffees such as Crème Caramel and a heavenly White Choc-a- Mocha. Also try the new decadent Mocha Truffle; a mix of luscious chocolate and coffee flavours blended with cream. Stylish, new Cheeky .Cino features a thicker, richer, smoother taste with a frothier finish. It is made from 100 per cent Arabica coffee beans. Stronger vanilla notes enhance new Vanilla Thriller which is frothier and richer.

If you prefer a flat white, Jarrah.s Coffee Sensations range includes hazelnut-flavoured Bavarian Bliss or rendezvous with an opulent cinnamon-flavoured Vienna Velvet. Other delicious varieties include French Liaison, Brazil Delight, Swiss Moments and Vienna Velvet with Reduced Sweetness.


Jarrah Hot Chocolate

 The Jarrah hot chocolate range has a wide selection of indulgent and deliciously rich hot chocolate drinks to suit every occasion. For simple chocolate indulgence, enjoy a mug of Choc O.Lait or for something more decadent, Jarrah Chocolatté. Jarrah offers a buffet of hot chocolate flavours with a smooth, frothy latte style finish to suit every mood including Frothy Classic, White Delight, Extreme Choc and Fudge Frenzy.

The ultimate object of desire is Jarrah.s range of Belgian Chocolattés. Made with real Belgian milk or dark chocolate, Jarrah Chocolatté Milk Belgian Desire and Dark Belgian Decadence will take you to a place known only as hot chocolate heaven.


Jarrah Chai Latte

Unwind with Jarrah.s Chai Latte selection which offers an exotic mix of milky instant tea and delicious spices with a smooth frothy latte style finish. Jarrah.s Chai Latte Vanilla Spice is a rejuvenating fusion of vanilla, spice and chai flavours while Jarrah.s Chai Latte Caramel Sensation offers a spicy fusion of caramel and chai flavours.

Jarrah Coffee, Hot Chocolate and Chai Latte varieties are available from supermarkets nationally. Pricing: $5.45 for a coffee, $4.89 for a typical Chocolatte and $5.45 for a Chai Latte.


JARRAHTM CUPCAKES

Ingredients
 2/3 cup milk
180g butter, softened
3/4 cup caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 2/3 cups plain flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 170C. Place butter and sugar in a bowl and beat with electric beaters until light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well between additions. Sift flour and baking powder together. Fold into butter mixture. Alternate with milk. Spoon mixture into greased muffin tray, lined with patty cases. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Test with a skewer. If the skewer is .clean., cupcakes are ready to be removed from the oven. Cool on a wire rack and ice cup cakes when completely cooled. Makes 12.

Use either the following icing or frosting to make delicious Jarrah treats.

Icing
 3½ cups of pure icing sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons of your favourite JARRAH flavour, sifted
1 tablespoon of warm milk
100g chocolate

Dissolve JARRAH into warm milk. Mix into sifted icing sugar until well combined. Spread icing over cupcakes. Using a vegetable grater, shave the chocolate and sprinkle the shavings over cupcakes.

Frosting
 125g butter, at room temperature
1½ cups icing sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons of milk, at room temperature
1 tablespoon of your favourite JARRAH flavour, sifted

Sift Jarrah and icing sugar together. Place butter in a large bowl and beat with electric beaters until the butter is pale. Gradually add half the sifted icing sugar mix, while continuing to beat. Add the milk gradually, while constantly beating. Add remaining icing sugar mix and continue to beat until the mix is smooth and easy to spread. Use a piping bag to pipe spirals of frosting on to the cup cakes.

Jarrah Everyday Indulgence Tip:
Top iced or frosted cupcakes with a coffee bean, chocolate shavings or sprinkle of cinnamon for an special indulgent touch.


About Jarrah
Jarrah launched in 1984, pioneering the flavoured coffee mix segment (All-In-One - coffee, milk, sugar and flavours). Jarrah is now the only grocery brand offering a comprehensive range across the key indulgence segment of flavoured coffee, hot chocolates and chai lattes. Jarrah's deliciously indulgent hot drinks have become a much-loved and trusted favourite.

* Poll was conducted on femail.com.au in June and July 2009. It attracted 1438 responses. A full copy of the poll results is available by contacting IMPACT Communications.