Any Excuse to Try Something New

Whenever we have guests over for dinner, I always like to have something nice to serve for dessert. (One day I'll completely mess with their minds and not have a dessert!) Sometimes I'm really organised and I'll do a chilled dessert and make it the day before, or if we're celebrating something I'll make a nice big cake. Other times, I'm not so organised so I have to improvise and think outside the box a little. Most often the reason for this is that I have no time to make something, or that I either I don't have any butter in the house (I know, it can happen), or it's still in the freezer (and I can't be bothered to, or don't have time to thaw it out). When this occurs I usually defer to my Anna Olson Back to Baking cook book, where she has several recipes that are either gluten free, egg free, dairy free, etc.. to solve all my disorganised problems.

These were some egg-free/dairy-free chocolate cupcakes that I made because my butter was still in the freezer... luckily I had the icing in the fridge so these weren't totally dairy free, but luckily no one actually has an allergy. I love having these recipes in the old tool box because you never know when someone will say "have you ever made a cake without using (insert ingredient here)? My niece/nephew/sister/etc. can't eat that..." I love being able to say with confidence, "of course, no problem!" Friends make the best guinea pigs, don't they??

Tea-Time Choccies for Madeleine

It's nice to have a treat every now and again, but especially on your birthday. I made these choccies  to celebrate the birthday of one of my colleagues who always looks after me, so it was only right that I get her a little something to look after her on her special day.

My best friend gave me the mould that I used, and I had a lot of fun just seeing all the detail in the mould itself. The tea-cups, the jam jars, so sweet! I went another step further and made my first chocolate filling. I went with a chocolate-peanut butter filling, and decided it was dangerous to make this too often for I was likely to eat the whole thing before it made its way into the chocolates... not the best as you hand a friend a box of chocolates and say "Here, I made you some chocolates! They were meant to have a lovely filling, but it didn't quite make it in. It was really good, though!" Nonetheless, I felt they added that extra bit of "special" to the sweets and I'm glad they worked.

Definitely going to experiment with more fillings.... this could a very fruitful experiment!

 

Office Party Shinannigans

These pops were ordered for a group birthday party at a fellow parishioner's office. She has been quite a faithful customer of late, so I was really happy I was part of their birthday celebrations! 

Nice and simple, for a bit of fun at the office.

Double Baptism

Right after Christmas it's always nice to have something a little different to get stuck into. Yes, I love all the Christmas designs and treats but I also enjoy doing something different just to shake things up a bit. About a month ago an old friend of mine asked if I would have time to make a cake and some cake pops for her son's and a friend's son's joint baptism taking place a few days after Christmas. Of course I was happy to do this for her.

I confessed to her that I had never done anything for a baptism, confirmations yes, baby showers yes, but baptisms no, so when it came to making the design I had a few points from my friend but otherwise she left it up to me. I hope I covered everything she wanted and gave a sweet touch to their wonderful occasion.

 My friend wanted the initials of each of the boys on the pops- a very elegant design, I thought.

 My Mother brought back some fondant cutters last time she went to England so I got to use those here. I thought the baby onesies would be perfect.

Spirited Songs, Joyous Jellies, and Merry Moments

'Tis that time of year again; My favourite time of year. I know, "everyone says that" you may think to yourself but I mean it. I love entertaining, I love baking all day just to wrap everything up or put them in holiday tins and give them all away. I love going to all the Christmas church services, the music gets me every time. I put Christmas carols on (ancient stuff, nothing Bing Crosby sung although he's brilliant) and sing all the descants to them...alone in my house. I buy a real tree, every year. I go out to buy it, put it in my car, bring it in the house, and put it up myself. Don't worry, Patrick's not refusing to help I just enjoy it too much myself. I put my tree up only mid-month so I can make it last until at least the 6th of January. I maintain all the traditions no matter how much "extra work" they make for me, as links to the past: Making my Father's recipe for eggnog (not for you kids, and adults don't drive after drinking it!), decorating the tree and remembering the story behind every decoration, making Christmas cake (although I haven't yet assumed the lead for this tradition my Mother is still in charge, but I heartily consume it!), as well as baking and entertaining lots! Christmas still is magical to me, not because of Santa (I came to a realisation when I was 7) but because of the moments shared during the season. Agreed, I get cross with people putting their trees up in November and stressing over presents then come the 26th- it abruptly stops. Sure, I feel sad that they might not be enjoying it. So take out all the rush and pressure and the over indulgence, and enjoy the magic.

These pops are part of my tradition. I make tons of these at Christmas, and yes they take a lot of time, and I often have late nights when I'm approaching a deadline, but what really pushes me on is thinking of the people I am making them for. I love hearing how people have used their pops as their decorations and hope that my little sweet treats have made them seasonally happy!!

***

These photos were sent to me by a lady who ordered these angels, to show me how they decorated their table. In the email she also told me:

" I decorated (the table) and everyone was awed with your little angels…the whole theme was angels….we had little messages at each place about different explanations of angles, archangels, cherubim etc….."

I love all these traditions.

Merry Christmas everyone...

Christmas Gifts Done my Way

Whenever I think of what I can bring to someone's house there isn't usually any question as to what I end up choosing. I always try to think of what I can make (usually cookies), or at special occasions what I can bake (usually cake or cake pops), and whenever there's a birthday I always try to make the card... I know, it's exhausting for me too. At Christmas though, it's always easy to know what to bring. Here were a couple examples of some of those little treats I brought along with me to some occasions:

 These are what I brought to my Music Director for the holidays. I dipped the truffles in the blue chocolate just to match the box. This fortuitously gave me the opportunity to use some more of my new, awesome sprinkles! 

*****

 For the first time in years I made mince pies (nothing to do with meat, it's a fruit filling). These are incredibly popular in England, so I was happy to make them for a patient who is originally from England. These were my contribution when I went over to see him for a wee glass of sherry over the holidays. 

Many happy memories curling up in front of the fire at the Vicarage, with a glass of mulled wine and a minced pie, all toasty warm... good memories.

Delectable Daleks

I grew up watching the British SciFi classic Dr. Who. My parents would tape episodes from PBS, and we watched them all the time. My sister can still name you the director, location, the Doctor's assistant, and the date it was filmed for any episode you name her. Put it this way, not many pet cats get chased down the hall by a 1/8 size remote control Dalek... do they? My sister's cats do, that's normal behaviour in her house.

Given my Sister's love, nay obsession with this cult classic, how could I pass up the chance to make her Christmas gift match this love. On my Mother's last trip to England she acquired for me a "Doctor Who chocolate mould" with various popular characters and icons such as: the Tardis, K-9, a Sontaran, a Cyberman, a Weeping Angel, and a Dalek. I am now somewhat realising that this whole last paragraph will read to most of you like the teacher in Peanuts, but stay with me folks. (Fun fact about the webpage for the Tardis: at the top there is a warning saying that this article may be too technical for some readers.... :P) So with my surprisingly well suited chocolate colours (I think I'll re-name my dark blue chocolate "Tardis Blue") I set about making the most unique box of chocolates I've seen.

I made her open them in front of me so I could see her reaction... she squealed!

A Dalek...

A Tardis...

A Sontaran...

A Cyberman...

A Weeping Angel...

..and K-9...