100 Days Til Christmas!!

I know I'm a bit late getting on the bandwagon as it was actually on Friday, but I still wanted to share my thoughts and plans.

I freaking LOVE Christmas!  Imagine the Spaceship scene from The Lego Movie but replace the word 'Spaceship' with 'CHRISTMAAAAAAS!!'

However, I do think the run up to Christmas starts waaaaaaaay too soon.  It's very easy to get Christmassed out, especially when the shops start stocking decorations and gifts in August!  I'm also a big fan of Halloween and Bonfire Night, so I do like to enjoy those before I start thinking about Christmas.  Also, my husband's birthday is the 23rd of November so I'm not even allowed to mention the C word til after that ;)

Having said that, as soon as the clock hits midnight on the 30th November, the Christmas decorations are up and the Christmas music is on!

So here are my plans for Christmas 2016...

• I no longer make a Christmas Cake as my husband hates it so there's no point making a wonderful cake just for myself!  Last year we made a chocolate Christmas cake (because I knew my husband would eat it) and decorated it as a QPR snowman.  This year, I'm planning on making miniature Christmas cakes, cupcake sized.
• My dad LOVES florentines but I'm rubbish at making them.  Instead, I'm going to add nuts and fruits to the top of some chocolate brownies to make Florentine brownies.
• I always make cherry and cranberry blondies - they're delish!
• I really want to try making this gorgeous cake! http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/gingerbread-cake-caramel-biscuit-icing


• I'd also like to have a go at something more traditional like stollen or lebkuchen.

Here's some Christmas baking ideas to tickle your taste buds...
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/christmas-baking

When I've finished all my Bake Off bakes, I'm planning on a Halloween post (red velvet cheesecake yum!), something for Bonfire night, my husband's 30th birthday cake, and then I'll get started on Christmas bakes!  I'll try for one a week.  Until then...  Keep baking!  

  

Christmas!

I went OVERBOARD for Christmas!

Cherry Blondies for my brother, Rocky Road billionnaire's shortbread for my dad and my first ever Christmas Cake.

I adapted the cherry blondies and the rocky road billionnaire's from 'Baking Magic' by Kate Shirazi. I would defo recommend it, its brilliant!

CHERRY BLONDIES

• 110g unsalted butter
• 250g white chocolate
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 50g caster sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 125g plain flour
• 100g milk choc chips
• 100g grams cranberries and glace cherries (chopped) - my addition

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180C. Grease and line a 20cm square cake tin.
2. Melt butter and half the white chocolate. When melted, remove from heat and add the rest of the white choc. Keep stirring and the residual heat will melt the rest.
3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until pale and thick. Add the choc and butter mix, the vanilla and the flour and beat thoroughly but quickly.
4. add choc chips and fruit and stir until evenly mixed
5. Pour into tin and smooth top. Bake for 30 mins until golden and squidgy.
6. Cool in tin then cut into squares.

ROCKY ROAD BILLIONAIRES

For the Shortbread

• 250g unsalted butter
• 50g caster sugar
• 250g plain flour
• 125g cornflour

For the Caramel

• I cheated and used a tin of dulce de leche!

For the topping

• 350g milk choc
• 100g chopped nuts
• 100g glace cherries and cranberries
• 100g mini marshmellows

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 170C. Grease and line a 28 x 20cm tin
2. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy
3. Stir in the flour and cornflour and combine
4. Press mixture into tin, squishing to the edges and smoothing
5. Prick with fork and bake for 20 mins until golden.
6. When cool, pour dulce de leche over the top and smooth
7. Melt the choc and pour over caramel and smooth
8. Sprinkle nuts, fruit and marshmellows over top

CHRISTMAS CAKE

I used the recipe from here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/christmascake_2359