This week things are hotting up on Friday Feast. No, we’re not jumping on the Fifty Shades of Grey bandwagon (or should that be Formula 1 car, given the book’s amazing sales?), but we are getting erotic. And why not? Erotica and food go hand in hand. All those things you can do with strawberries…

But I digress.

I’m thrilled to introduce hugely popular erotic romance author Lexxie Couper. Lexxie writes across genres, from sci-fi to contemporary, horror to comedy, but always within the realm of romance. I’m currently half way through Savage Transformation, one of her paranormals, and it’s amazing, with shapeshifters and some seriously hot sex. I swear I won’t be able to look at a picture of a thylacine the same way again!

As I said, Lexxie’s a talented Aussie gal, and her latest release is a contemporary that will have you in overexcited knots. Literally. Check it out…

TWISTER

Getting the upper hand—and foot—was never this naughty

Party Games, Book 3

As the man who snared the reins of his father’s global media empire and propelled it to new heights, Lachlan McDermott is accustomed to people jumping to obey his every command. He knows he is painted as handsome, arrogant and influential with the power of information at his control. But no one knows he’s got a weakness. Only one. And now, that weakness is in his house. Braless.

Über successful fashion photographer Cameron Winters used to be the super-model known only as Kole. But Kole dropped out of sight a long time ago. Only one thing can bring Cameron out of her self-imposed exile from public life: a man who doesn’t know she exists.

The trouble is, when Cameron comes face to face with Lachlan at an exclusive Sydney party, he immediately brings out the “Kole” in her. And Kole doesn’t bow down to anyone. Not even the one man who monopolizes her fantasies.

When they’re pitted against each other on the Twister mat, surrender isn’t part of the deal, and getting tangled up is only the beginning. Especially when their secrets keep getting in the way.

Product Warnings: Read in private. Contains a sexy, brooding, smoldering, dominating Australian Alpha male hero who will make you want to take your clothes off and beg to play.

Ahh, Twister. Those were the days. Sadly, I’m not that flexible anymore but I – and you – can relive this awesome party game vicariously through Lexxie’s book. Simply click on over to Samhain Publishing or, for Kindle owners, Amazon to score an immediate download.

And now here’s Lexxie.

Saucy Stuff

I’m constantly trying to convince my non-Aussie readers how delicious Vegemite is. I’ve written Vegemite into more than one book and have more than one Australian character talk about it. (I’m also trying to educate the world that Aussie don’t drink Fosters.) I was tempted to share with you my Fair Dinkum, True blue, You beaut toasted cheese and vegemite sandwich featured in Love’s Rhythm, but seeing as the ability to make toasted cheese and Vegemite sandwiches is a part of the DNA of every born-and-bred Aussie, I figured I’d go with another uniquely Australian taste sensation. It hasn’t appeared in any of my books yet, but it will be…the two sexy stockmen of my upcoming Ellora’s Cave release, Misplaced Hands will be feeding it to the American heroine…along with some other tasty Aussie treats 😉

So, what am I going to share with you all today? The only dessert I’m good at.

I am, I’m afraid to say, not that good at cooking. I do a couple of things well (mango chicken, chicken and bacon risotto, and plain old ordinary butter cake sans icing are pretty much it. I never ever get icing to work. Ever *sigh*) but on the whole, me and cooking are exactly simpatico. Unfortunately, my husband is less a cook than I so it’s actually for the best that I brave the perils and the pitfalls of the kitchen each night, otherwise my family would be ordering Pizza Hut almost every night.

When it comes to dessert however, this recipe never lets me down. I’ve yet to completely mess this one up, so that’s gotta be a thumbs up, right? And it tastes sooo damn good. I mean, golden syrup pudding? And pecans? How could it not?

The recipe is supposedly for six. I say tell the other five people you have a migraine, lock yourself away in your bedroom with a spoon and some fresh cream and indulge…

GOLDEN SYRUP AND PECAN SELF-SAUCING PUDDING

Ingredients (serves 6)

1 1/4 cups self-raising flour

1/3 cup firmly-packed brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

80g butter, melted, cooled

2 tablespoons golden syrup

2/3 cup pecan nuts, finely chopped

thickened cream, to serve

Sauce

1/2 cup firmly-packed brown sugar

3 teaspoons cornflour

1/4 cup golden syrup

1 1/4 cups boiling water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a 5-cup capacity, 6cm-deep, 20cm (base) round ovenproof dish. Place on a baking tray lined with baking paper.

2. Sift flour into a large bowl. Stir in sugar. Whisk milk, egg, butter and golden syrup together in a jug. Pour into flour mixture. Add pecans and gently stir until combined. Spoon into prepared dish. Smooth surface.

3. Make sauce: Combine sugar and cornflour in a bowl. Sprinkle over pudding. Combine syrup and boiling water in a heatproof jug. Pour over back of a large metal spoon, over pudding (This prevents topping sinking into pudding and produces the maximum amount of sauce).

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until a skewer inserted halfway into pudding comes out clean. Serve immediately with cream.

Some tips the recipe instructions don’t prepare you for:

1. You will constantly be licking the spoon. Trust me. I tried to avoid licking the spoon while making it for this blog post and failed. No matter how many times you tell yourself not to, the spoon will be in your mouth…or your finger will be in the bowl…and then in your mouth. You have been warned.
2. Don’t let your children be in charge of the golden syrup. Unless you want to stick to everything in the house they touch after that. Seriously. Even our cat somehow ended up sticky.
3. No matter how good this smells, DO NOT eat straight away. You will be tempted, but don’t. Not unless you want to explain to the ambos why your tongue has 3^rd degree burns and your husband is laughing so hard he can’t stand up.

(Note: The piccie accompanying this post is not mine. Remember how I said I can’t really cook? The same goes for “plating up”. Yes, I’m that woeful. And to think my mum can whip up anything in the kitchen. On a side note, I’m a genius at making homemade play dough. Especially purple *grin*)

Far out, I swear my Friday Feast guests are determined to clog my arteries with all these extraordinary desserts. I am sooooo trying this one though. As you say, Lexxie, golden syrup pudding with pecans? Impossible to pass up!

Now, my lovely Feasters, Lexxie knows how much you love a hot read, so she’s very generously offered one of her sinfully sexy ebooks up for grabs.  All you need to do is tell us your best sexy food and you could win your choice of book from Lexxie’s backlist.

Molten chocolate and a  silicone brush? A melted cheese sandwich that you pull all stringy from your mouth Nigella-style? Perhaps a strawberry with the tip bitten off and run all around— oh, excuse me. Bit carried away with that thought. There’s sexy food everywhere, so share away. Go on, give us all ideas for some weekend fun. You know you want to….

Giveaway closes midnight, Tuesday 17^th July 2012 AEST. Open internationally Yeehaa!

If you’d like to know more about Lexxie and her amazing erotic romances please visit her website. You can also connect via Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Pinterest.