the challenge

After a trip to Ikea and finding some very reasonably priced air tight jars I have got to thinking about Christmas gifts (early I know.) Previously I have made mince pies, gingerbread men and chocolate crispie stars etc and wrapped them in cellophane. The jars that I found would be lovely with some ribbon and a decoration added. So now I have to get to thinking about what to put in them aside from the usual (after all a baked gift is not just for Christmas!)
Now that I have begun to settle on a cookie recipe (though it goes stale very fast) I think the shortbread and flapjack worlds are the next that I wish to explore. On the larger scale I want to find a fantastic chocolate cake recipe, the 'celebration' cake as it were.
First stop shortbread and then playing with different flavours.

The Great British Bake-off

I am currently watching this programme on BBC2. I know the people put themselves forward for it but feel so sorry for them, how scary! It is true what was said, baking is often an act of love and to have it then turned down by someone and have your baking rejected is upsetting. One poor man ended the first round in tears. I would never take part in something like this!
On another note it is very interesting to hear about the history of baking and the different methods used. Made me wonder if I over beat my sponge recipe, might have to experiment soon. Also, I don't have a signature cake that is my own invention or adaptation. Methinks I shall be following the rest of this series.

cookies, cookies and more cookies

Ok so not much has changed since the last post (although am in the midst of summer holiday madness.) In the last few weeks of term I made a small heart shaped 25th anniversary cake, loads of fairy cakes and cookies. The fairy cakes and cookies were then packaged up and given as raffle prizes

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I've also been at a wedding where for the first time I saw a lovely, simple but effective wedding cake and thought.. I could do that. Hmm, maybe time to practise fruit cake recipes!

Anyway, onto the title. I've continued to work on the cookie recipe. Something is missing and might have to go back to following the recipe step by step as the first batch I made were definitely the best. However, I am unscientifically trying different flavours. The list now includes white chocolate and raspberry,
dark chocolate and orange,
white choclolate and blueberry,
white chocolate and cranberry with cinnamon,
milk chocolate and toffee,
stem ginger,
stem ginger with dark chocolate,
lemon and sultana,

and of course just chocolate! (not that there is a chocolate theme or anything! Am now considering other flavours and of course adding cocoa into the dough itself. I also made them whilst away, using another oven is always an odd experience but they were ok (and fed the sand castle builders!) I think a lot depends on temperature and very precise timings when it comes to getting cookies right. On that note, time to remove a tray from the oven.