Cookie Week

I have decided that this will be cookie week, as I have a few photos that I haven't shared with you yet.

So first up a topical one.

I made this a little time ago for Miss Cakehead's birthday as I knew she would appreciate the twisted beauty. She decided to frame it rather than eat it!

xxx

Monster snot and bogies...eugh!!!!

Bleurghhh!

The kidlets have persuaded me to come up with a frightful recipe for trick or treaters. It is with great personal sacrifice that I post this, as I have a major aversion to bogies, stemming from a childhood trauma...I really can't go into it!

Anyway I haven't given any quantities as it's just basic meringue and we didn't put enough sugar in, so they tasted fairly foul too. I would suggest using your own tried and tested meringue if you want to create some monstrous bogies!

We used powder egg whites, we added water and beat them until stiff.

 Then we added sugar and beat again until nice and glossy. We separated the mixture into three bowls.

We then added food colouring, there were two greens and a yellow and layered the colours in a piping tube.

The kidlets had a tray each to create drips of bogie. Which went into the oven until crisp.

 The bogies were then packaged and labelled. Big kidlet helped come up with the monster image which we printed onto snot green card.

But look at these poor little monsters with terribly bad colds! Atchoo!

This one has the right idea though and has used a handkerchief to catch the oozing snot.

If you want to download a pdf of the label go here or right click on the image for the jpeg.

And don't forget kids "Catch it, Kill it, Bin it!"

xxx

Baking Mad with Eric Lanlard

Just so you know, this isn't a sponsored post infact I never have any sponsored posts on my blog. Maybe it's something I might think about in the future but for now it's all me!

Anyway I received an email from Baking Mad about a new show with Eric Lanlard asking if I would mention it on my blog incase any of my lovely followers fancy having a go and I don't mind giving them a little publicity if it's any interest to you.

Here's what they have to say;

"Are you passionate about baking? Have you got some impressive dessert recipes up your sleeve that could wow even a master baker?

Baking Mad are looking for passionate bakers to compete in a mini bake off for the chance to have a 1-1 lesson with master patissier and baker to the stars Eric Lanlard!

 Twice winner of the prestigious Continental Patissier of the Year at the British Baking Awards, Eric has earned himself an international reputation for show stopping cakes. 

 Do you think you’ve got what it takes to impress Eric with your culinary skills? Then please drop us an email at bakingmad@infinite-media.tv where you will be prompted to fill in one of our application forms telling us why you would like to take part.

We will be filming throughout December and January.

Successful applicants will be needed for one filming day only."

I would love to know if any of you enter, it would be very exciting.

Also do you have strong opinions on sponsored posts? For, or against I'd be very interested.

xxx

Lardy cake recipe

OK, not so much of a recipe, more a collection of things that you can throw together and create yumminess!

This is my family's recipe, handed down from generation to generation, but I can pretty much guarantee that most baking families will have a version of this in their arsenal.

It's not a recipe you make especially, it's more a delicious way to use up leftover pastry. You can use any pastry you have, sweet, savoury, puff, flaky, it's all good. (I must admit to making extra pastry though, just so there is enough over for lardy cake).

My Dad is a bit of a pie maker, given any stressful family situation you can find my parents fighting it out for kitchen space, my Mum to make jam and my Dad to bake a pie. this is how they chill!

My Gran was a fabulous pastry maker too, I only cracked the technique while in my forth decade, and I still get a flush of pride (and surprise) when my pies come out airy and crisp.

You will need; pastry, butter, dried fruit (whatever is in your store cupboard), granulated sugar, dark brown sugar and milk.

Roll out the pastry, don't worry about making a perfect circle or having smooth edges, this is rustic!

Butter a baking tray and place the pastry on top.

Scatter the fruit brown sugar and knobs of butter over one side of the pastry.

Brush milk around the edge of the pastry and fold the unadorned side over the fruit.

Press down with your fingers to seal the edge. Make two cuts in the top.

Brush the top with milk and scatter over some sugar.

I bake at 200 c for about 15mins but it will depend on your oven. It's ready when the pastry is cooked and a lovely golden brown.

Wait as long as you can bear for it to cool before you cut it up and taste. This is a dish that never makes it off the tray onto a plate...it never lasts that long. Every time you enter the kitchen you have to have a little slice, sometimes with a bit of butter spread onto the top.

What did your Granny make with her left over pastry? Something just as delicious I'm sure!

xxx