Millionaires Shortbread

This last weekend was pretty full on and a very busy one for us as our son Harry had his much anticipated big end of the year ballet show. Harry does ballet and tap at a lovely dance academy called Rhythm n Steps in Glen Eden. If anyone is looking for a fantastic dance school with a great family vibe and lots of great dance options for themselves or their children, then I would wholly recommend this academy. We started for just a little bit of before-school-starts fun with Fairy dance when Harry was just 4 years old. Now it's a huge part of our lives as Harry is totally committed and absolutely LOVES dancing. In fact it's all he seems to do all day and every day. The big show at the end of the year showcases all the dancers and dance styles in the school. There are two shows and I was parent help for one of them helping the children to get into costume and making sure they looked the part before they went on stage. However the day before I thought I would whip up a couple of treats for the parent helpers....in fact a few others had the same idea so we were well stocked with treats. I made afghans and this slice. Anyone who knows me will know of my love for all things caramel therefore me making this slice was always going to happen. However, while I have a sweet tooth, even I found this pretty sweet. I think I prefer some of my other caramel slices over this one and I definitely prefer a caramel slice without chocolate on top. Anyway if you want to make this super sweet and decadent slice you can find it here.

Baking for Nightshift- Ripe's Esmeralda Slice

Ripe is a fantastic Deli-like cafe located in Grey Lynn. They specialise in amazing homemade baking and beautiful salads and takeaway meals as well as the usual coffee. Awhile ago the owner Angela Redfern put out a cookbook which, for those of you who don't have it, is well worth the purchase if only for the salads and slices alone. This recipe, however, is not in the cookbook. Like many other passionate home cooks and one who love recipes, cooking magazines and cookbooks,I have (or had) and enormous pile of cut out recipes all piled into a box. I dragged that box out the other week and left it on the dining room table knowing that if it was there I was more likely to get onto the task of sorting them all out. Well I finally did get around to it. An enormous pile was ruthlessly thrown out and the recipes I knew I was likely to make now fit into the previously overflowing box. As well as that I managed to find a couple of recipes I had made and loved and then lost again. This recipe I cut from a newspaper of some sort and then had stashed it away in the bottom of the recipe box. 

Well today I made it and I think it will be perfect for my night shift tonight. If you like coconut and caramel this is the recipe for you. It is most certainly NOT low fat...in fact I think any cardiologist might have a small MI looking at the ingredient list. But hey, surely night shift is as good an excuse as anyone could want or need for a little indulgence.... It is easy to make and makes a good amount of slice. Make sure you use your larger slice tin for this recipe.

Ripe's Esmeralda Slice

Base
250g soft butter
2 Tbsp golden syrup
1 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 c dessicated coconut
1 tin caramelised condensed milk (either make your own or buy a tin as I did)

Cream the butter, golden syrup, vanilla and sugar together. Add the flour, baking powder and coconut and mix until well combined. Press into a lined slice tin.

Spread the caramelised condensed milk over the uncooked base.

Topping
2 c dessicated coconut
2 eggs
6 Tbsp condensed milk
4 Tbsp melted butter 
1 tsp vanilla

Mix all ingredients together and spread over the base and caramel.

Bake at 170C for about 40 mins until puffy and golden.

Sticky Lemon Shortbread

Everyone knows that I have a 'thing' for lemon. Anything lemon is a go as far as I'm concerned and I'm always on the lookout for a new lemon thing to bake. This recipe comes from the latest Dish magazine. Dish would have to be my most favourite cooking magazine. The recipes are innovative and pretty much always work and the ingredients available here in NZ. Therefore as soon as I saw this I decided to give it a go. I already have my most favourite lemon recipe which you can find here. It's hard to go past this recipe but in the interests of lemon research I felt obliged to give it a go. This recipe was delicious. The lemon flavour was very pronounced and very creamy. However I still prefer my favourite recipe. For those with a lemon addiction, however, you will not be disappointed with this recipe.

Sticky Lemon Shortbread (Dish Issue 43)

Shortbread
120 g softened butter
1/4 c icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
3/4 c flour
1/4 c ground almonds
pinch salt

Lemon Topping
4 eggs
2 c caster sugar
1/4 c flour
finely grated zest of 3 lemons
2/3 c lemon juice

Grease and line a 24 cm x 24 cm tin.

Preheat the oven to 170 C.
Beat the butter, icing sugar, vanilla and zest together. Add the flour and ground almonds and salt and mix until just combined.
Press into the tin and bake 15 mins until golden and firm.

For the topping whisk together the eggs, sugar and flour until smooth then whisk in the zest and lemon juice until well combined.
Pour over the shortbread and bake a further 25-30 mins until the filling is set and golden.

Cut into bars and dust with icing sugar.

Baking for a Weekend Off and Crazy Cake

As this is my first full weekend off in 3 weeks, I wanted to do some baking to last and to treat the boys with. I probably went a little overboard and made too much, but when baking is your relaxation, that's not hard to do. I made my most favourite Ginger Crunch which I love to make so it is thin, crunchy and has just enough topping to complement it's gingery deliciousness rather than swamping it. I also made a half a batch of Annabel Langbein's Chocolate Chip Cookies which not only made a huge amount, but a really, really good. 


As an after thought I also whipped up this Crazy Cake which is an old Alison Holst recipe. Harry has had this cake at his friend Meg's birthday and fell in love with it. While it looks like a chocolate cake it is actually spiced with cinnamon and ginger giving it a more complex flavour. It's also egg and dairy free so perfect if you are baking for someone who may have these allergies. Now I have baked so much the neighbours are going to benefit as I re-home some of it.


Crazy Cake (Alison Holst)

1½ c plain flour
2 Tbsp cocoa
1 tsp each cinnamon and powdered ginger
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c sugar
½ c oil
¾ c water
2 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla essence

Heat oven to 190°C , with the rack just below the middle. Line the bottom and two opposite sides of a 20cm square pan with baking paper. Butter and flour the uncovered sides of the pan, or coat with non-stick spray.


Sift the first six ingredients through a sieve over a fairly large bowl. Stir in the sugar with a fork, leaving a depression in the centre. Measure the oil and add it to the dry ingredients, without stirring. Add the vinegar and vanilla to the measured water, then tip them into the flour-oil mixture. Stir with the fork until the mixture is smooth and no dry lumps remain.


Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until the centre of the cake springs back when pressed, and a toothpick or skewer comes out clean. Leave cake in the pan for five minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool. Dust with sieved icing sugar or ice with chocolate icing. You can also top with whipped cream and fresh or partly thawed raspberries; sliced drained canned peaches; or sliced bananas and raspberry jam.

Gooey Caramel Anzac Slice

Just a quick post as I seem to have a real backlog of things to post about...and my friend Adele from work will hassle me until I catch up (so this is for you Adele ;-)). All I'm going to say about this recipe is to make it. It's delicious, rich and has that Anzac vibe about it. I actually made it for the family picnic we had on Anzac day so that was a while ago but it went down very well. 


Gooey Caramel Anzac Slice (Foodtown magazine)


Base
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c brown sugar
140g butter, melted


Caramel
1x can of condensed milk
2 Tbsp golden syrup
50g butter


Topping
1/2 c each: thread coconut (I used desiccated), rolled oats, brown sugar
30g butter


Preheat the oven to 175C and line the base of a 19cm x 30cm slice tin with baking paper.


Make the base by combining the flour, baking powder and brown sugar together then adding the melted butter and stirring well until it's combined. Press evenly into the tin and bake 10-12 mins until pale golden and just set.


Make the caramel by melting over a medium heat and stirring until the mixture thickens and is golden. Cool about 5 mins while you make the topping.


Make the topping by combining everything and mixing well.


Pour the caramel over the par baked base and carefully sprinkle over the topping pressing it into the caramel lightly. Bake 10-15 min until golden and bubbling. Cool before cutting.

Tan Slice....The Redemption

SO after the disasters of the previous post I am happy to give you THIS recipe. I also made this slice as I had wanted to take a couple of things to work that night. I was so glad I did. This Tan Slice is fantastic and this was the star of the night. I love all things caramel but I'm not so keen on the caramel slices with chocolate on top. The good thing about this, aside from its sweet decadence, is that you can use dark or milk chocolate chips and if you wanted to you could put in more than the recipe states for a stronger chocolate hit. This recipe also differs from similar slices in that the base isn't precooked. I think this adds to it's squidgy richness and makes it even more luscious. SO here is the recipe to redemption.

Tan Slice


180g butter
½ c White Sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
2 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ c chocolate chips

Caramel1 tin condensed milk
75 grams butter
2 tablespoons Golden Syrup


Pre-heat your oven to 180°C and line a 25cm x 15cm (or thereabouts) slice tin with baking paper.

Cream butter and sugar, then add in vanilla.  Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix until combined. Press two thirds of the mixture evenly into your baking paper lined tin and set aside in the fridge. 

To make the caramel melt together the condensed milk, golden syrup and butter in a small pot until it is lightly golden and slightly thickened (don't overdo this as it will cook more once it's in the oven). Stir constantly as it can catch and burn reasonably quickly.  Pour the caramel over the base.


Mix the remaining base mixture with the chocolate chips and crumble over the caramel.

Bake in your pre-heated oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove from the oven when the top of your slice is golden and leave in the tin to cool completely before slicing into squares.

Chocolate Caramel Weetbix Slice

The other day we got the awful news that my lovely, sweet brother-in-law Kiwi's dad Jim had died suddenly. It's a huge shock as he was only 64 years old, was a very hard worker and one of those guys who was always around to lend a hand and help out where ever he could. At any family event he was always helping to prepare the food, cleaning up, digging the hangi pit (or bringing up the food), washing the dishes....pretty much if it needed doing then Jim was there doing it. He helped out with various moves, building of decks or fences etc etc etc. He and Fiona had been married for 42 years. I can't even begin to imagine how it feel to lose the partner you have slept next to every night and been with for all those years. It must be truly horrific. 


Of course food was prepared by lots of people and these were part of my contribution along with a huge Banana and Coconut cake with cream cheese frosting. I doubled the recipe and if doing it again would make 4 times the caramel recipe. I did double it along but I think quadrupling it would have been even better...well for those of us who love caramel. Even so with the amount of caramel on it, it still tasted fantastic. I'll definitely be making this again. You can find the recipe here.

So rest in peace Jim...he always hated having his photo taken so here is one of the only ones I have of him....trying to hide of course xxx

Baking for Nightshift- Sticky Lemon Slice

One of my most favourite flavours ever, is Lemon. I'll gravitate towards it on any menu (along with vanilla, chocolate and caramel), at any time and if Lemon Tart is on offer then watch out!!! Because it's the school holidays here time is a pretty rare commodity with the boys needing more attention and with there being more to do. As well as that the weather has been diabolical and has given us one of the worst summers ever (well that I can remember), with more raining, dull, shocking weather than sun. So I needed to make something that was easy, took little time and maybe injected a bit of summer into our summerless days which lemon just does. 


I remembered this recipe I used to make by Julie Biuso which I used to make all the time called Sticky Lemon Slice. I find it quite hard to get past a recipe I love and the one I have for Emily's Lemon Shortcake is hard to get past when I'm thinking about making a lemon slice. However in the name of this blog and making something different I thought I would revisit this old favourite of mine. I was not disappointed. I had forgotten how delicious this slice is. The base is a buttery and shortbready and the topping lovely, creamy with a tart lemon bite to it which perfectly compliments the base. Now that I have remade this, I'm sure it will make a regular appearance on the baking menu...especially when you need something that makes a generous amount of food. Give this one a go...you will wonder where this recipe has been all your life.


Sticky Lemon Slice (Julie Biuso)


Base


225g butter, softened
70g icing sugar
275g plain flour


Topping


400g sugar
4 medium eggs, beaten
4 Tbsp plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
grated zest of nice sized lemons
90 ml lemon juice


Preheat the oven to 170C. Line the base of a non stick 32x21cm swiss roll tin with baking paper.


To make the base put the butter into the bowl of a food processor and process until whipped, then add the icing sugar and process until light in colour and creamed. Sprinkle the flour over and process until the mixture starts to form a ball.. Tip into the tin and press flat (you will need flour on your hands because it is quite sticky).


Bake about 15mins then remove from the oven. While it is cooling a bit make the topping.


Put the sugar into the clean bowl of a food processor and pour in the eggs. Process 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and sprinkle the flour and baking powder on top. Add the lemon zest and juice and mix with a big spoon (I actually used a whisk but not vigorously). Pour over the base (It will fill it). 


Bake about 30 mins until golden in colour and firmish to the touch but don't overbake or the topping will be more cooked than creamy. Cool in the tin, dust with icing sugar and cut into squares.

Chocolate and Cornflake Slice

The other day I wanted to relax a little in the kitchen and make something for the boys to have in their lunchboxes or to have for afternoon tea. I found this old classic and as I had some cornflakes sitting around in the cupboard, thought this would be perfect. My boys love anything chocolate so I knew this could work well. As well as that I love afghans and this is a lot like an afghan biscuit in slice form. You should make this. I did make my own buttercream for the top instead of following the recipe as I like the flavour of my icing.....a lot!


You can find the recipe here. Make sure while you're there to check out the Limoncello Cake. That is SO on my list of things to make especially as I have tons of Limoncellop just waiting to be used.

Baking for Nightshift- Magic Slice

OOPS!!! When I woke up this afternoon I got a call on my mobile from work which is unusual when you are on night shift and coming back that night. OMG what had I done??? Had I made an error? Had I not done something essential that was so urgent it couldn't wait until I got back to work? NO! I had taken the level 3 work mobile home and they had been looking for it ALL day. I was sure I had left it charging at the front desk but in my sleep deprived state I had put it into my bag and taken it home, telling the day staff that it was still charging. When I sheepishly dug the phone out from the bottom of my little carry-around work bag there were only 20 missed calls and a couple of messages. Oh dear!  


Therefore as part of my penance I had to make something to take tonight. I almost always bake for my first night shift and very rarely bake when I am in the middle of nights due to a certain amount of vagueness. But after a cup of tea and armed with a strong double shot coffee, I set to whipping this up. Of course it was not a taxing slice to make and is guaranteed to be rich, chewy, tasty and full of delicious ingredients. I know it looks healthy but this is anything but. Harry gave it his mark of approval and I know this will redeem me somewhat...maybe....?!


Magic Slice (from 'Ripe Recipes')


180g biscuit crumbs (I used Superwine)
75g butter, melted
1 c milk or dark chocolate drop/bits
1 c desiccated coconut
1 c sliced almonds
1 c raisins
1 can sweetened condensed milk


Preheat the oven and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin with baking paper.


Mix the biscuit crumbs with the melted butter and pat into the prepared tin. Chill about 15 mins. Mix the raisins, chocolate, coconut and almonds in a bowl then add the condensed milk and mix well into a sticky mess. Cover the base with the topping and make sure it is spread out evenly. Bake 20-25 mins until golden brown and firm to the touch. Cut when cooled.

Custard Squares

This is a quick post and not one with a recipe. I made these when my friend Michele (also known as Moishy), came over during the school holidays. While they looked lovely and tasted pretty good, next time I will make the custard more sweet. While I thought the custard was sweet when I made it, I underestimated how much sweetness would be lost while it cooled in the fridge. The custard square is a very Kiwi coffee-lounge staple. They are pretty easy to make and basically involve baking the puff pastry (which you have to prick all over to stop it from puffing up), until it's a nice brown. Then you make a thick custard to spread over the pastry. I made my custard with Edmonds custard powder as this is the flavour I love in a good custard square, but remember to add more sugar than you think you will need. Top with the other pastry sheet, put into the fridge to, then ice with a vanilla icing. Easy, and delicious!

Chocolate Coconut Ice Slice

As I was checking out my most favourite cook and cookbook writer Annabel Langbein's website I came across a taster/teaser of 6 recipes from her new book due out at the end of October. The best thing is that you can post photos of these recipes which you have made, onto the site and hopefully people will vote for you. If you win you could end up with a fabulous Kenwood Chef. Those of you who know me well, would know that I cook a lot...and I mean A LOT from Annabel Langbein's books. I have all of them other than the 'You Can Cook/Bake' ones and I know that as soon as I see this one out on the shelves it, too, will join my cookbook collection. 


As I am in the middle of night shift I know the girls would appreciate this slice. It was very easy to whip up and actually involved no actual baking at all. The topping is a delicious coconut ice style topping made with real chocolate (I used Whittaker's 50%). If you want this recipe or would like to check out the other five recipes from her as yet unreleased book go here. As well as that if you are feeling generous please vote for my contributions so I can keep on making fabulous things for my fantastic work colleagues. You can do that here. Just look for my name....

Ginger Crunch

Any self-respecting Kiwi would know instantly what Ginger Crunch is. This has been a perennial favourite since my Grandmother's time and continues to be to this day. I first started making Ginger Crunch when I was a child...in fact along with Anzac biscuits, this was probably the first thing I would have made independently. Of course in those 'old' days the only cookbook we had or used at my house was the good old Edmonds from which most, if not all, the biscuits and cakes were made. My favourites were Ginger Crunch, Marshmallow Slice and Yo-yo's...and I think to this day they are the things I feel most nostalgic about.


To just clarify...in my humble opinion, Ginger Crunch is NOT a big thick cakey base with a huge amount of topping piled on top as you see in cafes, but is instead just what it says it is a CRUNCH! I like it to be thin and crunchy with that satisfying snap when you bite into it. The topping should taste gingery but not be so thick that it overpowers the slice. For my slice I doubled the topping as my boys seem to like it that way, but for me I would just have it nice and thin so that it complements the crispy base. 


I got this recipe from a lovely traditional book called 'Ladies' A Plate- Traditional Home Baking' which is a collection of old traditional favourites baked by ladies of of my grandmother's (and some more 'modern' ones too) generation. 


Ginger Crunch


Base
115g sugar
200g flour
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp baking powder
115g butter


Put the ingredients into a food processor (clearly the method has been a little modernised since my grandmother's time) and process until the mixture forms fine crumbs. Press into a shallow 30cm x 21cm tin (I line mine with baking paper).


Bake 20-25 in a preheated 180C oven until a pale, golden brown.


Immediately pour over topping over the hot base.


Topping
55g butter
1 Tbsp golden syrup
2 tsp ground ginger
55g icing sugar


Melt together over a medium heat until runny and well combined and the sugar is melted.


Cut while still warm then leave to cool in the tin.

Baking for Nightshift- Magic Slice

Mmmmmm magic slice. What is not to love about a biscuit base, chocolate, raisins, almonds, coconut and condensed milk. So simple yet so delicious. This recipe comes from the Ripe cookbook and they in turn got it from the Nestle condensed milk tin. So decadent, so easy, so rich, so naughty. But hey it's night shift and us girls (and maybe the one boy who might also be working) deserve a little midnight loving and comfort...don't we? Bring on the Magic Slice....


Magic Slice


180g plain sweet biscuits (I always use Superwine), crushed to a fine crumb
75g butter, melted
1c chocolate bits- either dark or milk
1c raisins
1c slivered almonds
1c dessicated coconut
1 tin condensed milk


Oven to 180 C.


Mix the butter into the biscuit crumbs and then press into a lined 30cm x 20cm tin.


In a bowl mix the raisins, chocolate, coconut, almonds and condensed milk together then gently press all over the biscuit base.


Bake about 20-25 mins until golden brown and firm to the touch.


Refrigerate before cutting...mine was still abit warm so I could take the photo...

Nigella's Blondies

Finally for the last thing I made for work the other day. This recipe comes from Nigella Lawson's book 'Kitchen'. One of my favourite things about Nigella is the way she writes before each recipe. Her take on these made me laugh out loud as she explains that some people might say these are not proper blondies because of the dark chocolate chips (well mine were milk chocolate as this was all I had). Her excuse was that we all know that outside of Scandinavia, there is no such thing as a natural blonde over 24 years. Therefore these with the dark chocolate bits are just the "Blondies showing their roots". Sorry to you blondes out there but I think she may have a point....


Blondies


200g oats (not instant)- I didn't use the jumbo ones
100g flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
150g soft butter
100g brown sugar
1 can condensed milk
1 egg
170g dark chocolate chips or bits


Oven to 180C and line a tin with baking paper.


Combine the oats, flour and soda in a bowl.


In another bowl beat the butter with the sugar until it is soft and pale then add the condensed milk followed by the oats, flour and soda. Mix well then add the egg, then fold in the chocolate.


Put into the tin and bake about 30 mins. When it is ready it will be quite a pronounced gold around the edges and coming away from the tin. It will look and feel cooked in the tin but will also be quite squidgy. Mine was a little overcooked but it still tasted good.

Rocky Richmond Road Slice

Tomorrow we are off on holiday for a week up to a little Kiwiana bach in Scandrett Bay. We are really looking forward to it and are hoping like crazy that the weather behaves for us...especially as we will have 2 extra children with us which may not be all that much fun if we all end up being stuck in a little bach while it pours outside. I guess it's out of our control but we can only hope.


Anyway for those who know me, will know that I always a) overpack and b) never run out of food. I have tried to be organised but knowing me I will have overdone it. Today I have been baking like crazy for our trip. I also made a full recipe of the Annabel Langbein Spicy Rub to take as well. I have made a gluten free carrot cake for Dons, a Stem Ginger Cake, some Triple Chocolate Chip Biscuits and this slice which is from my new Ripe cookbook. For those of you who don't know what Ripe is, it is a Delicatessen/Cafe in Grey Lynn that has wonderful home baked slices, brioche and cakes as well as lovely salads, pies, rolls etc and food you can get instead of having to cook dinner or get greasy takeaways. The menu for this changes daily depending on what they feel like making and I would think, what season it is. It is really worth a visit if you are ever in the neighbourhood. Oh and yes the coffee is fantastic.


Anyway this slice seemed perfect to take especially as we will have 4 hungry children to feed and it was also easy. It really does taste like the one you can buy there as we have bought it many times before. 


Rocky Richmond Road Slice (Ripe)


200 gm butter
1 c caster sugar
3 Tbsp cocoa, sifted
3 large eggs
250 gm malt biscuits
250 gm superwine biscuits
250 gm marshmallows chopped (or else use mini marshmallows)


Grease and line a 20 x 30 cm tin.


Using a rolling pin crush the biscuits to get a rough crumb.


In a pot put the butter, sugar and cocoa and stir over a low heat until smooth. Add the lightly beaten eggs and cook about 5 mins stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and cool 10 mins.


Pour mixture over the biscuit crumbs and marshmallows. Push down lightly into the tin and put in the fridge. Ice with a chocolate buttercream icing.


Well everyone have a good week ahead. I'll post some photos when we get back from holiday. Hopefully I will be able to fit everything we need in our 2 cars BUT watch this space xxx

Christmas Gifts From the Kitchen

This year I decided that some of the gifts I gave would be ones I made myself. This isn't an easy nor is it an inexpensive option but I love that it sends the message that you care enough about a person/people to want to make an effort to spend time making them a gift. It feels like I have spent days and days in the kitchen amounting to at least 2 1/2 weeks with the end of school, Harry's birthday and Xmas day. I must admit that I was almost over the kitchen and especially baking after Xmas... honestly!! This afternoon when I woke up, (I am in the middle of nights), with a headache and feeling really quite dopey I had a fortifying cup of tea and a couple of bikkies then I thought I would whip up a lemon yoghurt cake for tonight and voila headache gone and I now feel much better. Amazing to think a bit of baking can be so relaxing for me that it can even cure a headache!


Anyway back to the post about the Xmas gifts. For the neighbours this year I made this amazing slice called Rocky Road Slice. It is a Nigella Lawson recipe and is very easy to make for maximum deliciousness and effect. Everyone I know loves it and it can be very hard to stop at just one piece. The recipe will follow below.

Wrapped and ready for the nieghbours

Promise I hadn't eaten all this...well maybe just one piece!

Goodies for Maureen across the road

The obligatory Pecan Tarts for Helen- recipe can be found here.

Lemon and Pistachio Shortbread

White Chocolate, Apricot, Cointreau and Macadamia Truffles (Oops I see it says Pistachio...must have the Xmas exhaustion)

Dark Chocolate and Fresh Mint Truffles

Brandied Fruits, Prune and dark Chocolate Xmas Cake decorated by me

Hopefully you can see the edible glitter on the stars...so pretty.

I know I should have taken more photos but because I was busy making all of this as well as other things, I either forgot or just didn't have the time. George and Russ got the Xmas cake (a really lovely recipe from an old Dish magazine) which I covered in fondant and cut out fondant stars to decorate it. I also brushed over some really beautiful edible glitter which sparkled and twinkled in the light. They also got a box with homemade granola, hot cocoa mix blogged about here, the Lemon and Pistachio Shortbread, (found on the Foodlovers website), as well as both sets of truffles. 


I think the gifts went down well and they certainly looked impressive. I hope everyone else had a lovely Xmas day with lots of fantastic food.


Rocky Road Crunch Bars (Nigella Lawson 'Express')


125 gm butter
300 gm dark chocolate (I used Whittakers 62%)
3 Tbsp golden syrup
200 gm superwine biscuits, crushed so there are some crumbs as well as some bigger bits
100 gm mini marshmallows


Melt the butter, golden syrup and chocolate in a pot. Once it's all smooth take out about a 1/2 cup of this and set it aside. Cool a little. Add the biscuits and marshmallows then tip into a lined tray (about 24 cm square). Push in as best you can with a spatula so it comes together. Pour over the reserved chocolate mixture and refrigerate. Slice when cold and dust with icing sugar.