A very Merry Christmas to everyone.

Enjoy your days with friends and family.

Christmas Pudding Tiffin

Merry Christmas
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Crafting this year really seems to be going in phases.  Last month I was knitting for England and December has been filled with baking!!

Along with all the mince parcels and chocolate scones for the Christmas Fairs, this last couple of weeks I’ve been making little vanilla sponge raisin buns and banana and bran cakes.

First up are the vanilla sponge raisin cakes.  I took these to the kids dance class Christmas party.  A very simple all-in-one sponge mix with added raisins!  They taste delicious – thanks to Delia Smith for the basic sponge recipe!

I had to add some buttercream though to make them look nice!

My husband has gone mad over banana and bran loaf recently.  I think I’m on my fourth in as many weeks!  This one has been taken to his office for a pre-Christmas treat!

A fabulous way to use up over-ripe bananas.  It’s lovely on its own or with a little butter.

Well it’s back to the knitting at last!  I have my own Christmas stocking garland to finish before the big day!

Happy Christmas crafting
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Following on from my post of the chocolate scone recipe, I thought I’d share the mince parcels recipe too.  They are a delicious alternative to the mince pie, which I found and adapted as a result of going to slimming world classes. 

It’s a pretty simple recipe, easy to do and doesn’t take very long either.  Great for a last minute bake for a Christmas get-together.

Ingredients
filo pastry,defrosted if frozen
mincemeat
butter

Method
1. Set the oven to Gas Mark 6 or 200°C. Cut the stack of filo pastry sheets into squares ( I cut each large sheet into 8 squares). Cover with cling film while you work with them.
2. Melt the butter in a pan on a low heat and brush the insides of a bun tray with melter butter. Layer up 2 filo pastry squares in the base of a tin, brushing each layer with butter and arranging the pastry at alternate angles, like the points of a star.
3. Spoon 1 tsp mincemeat into each filo tart, brush edges of pastry with melted butter and pinch the edges together to resemble a dumpling.
4. Bake for 5 mins, until lightly brown and crispy.
5. Leave to cool and dust with icing sugar to serve.

For an alternative, add some cranberries / chocolate chips / nuts with the mincemeat.

Happy baking
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Well I have to say the weather beat me completely last week.  The stormy winds and rain soaked me through and the closest I came to the European Markets was the side of the Town Hall and the ‘Santa’ over the main entrance.  It was a truly horrible weather day and I spent the vast majority in the pub catching up with former work colleagues.  Coming home I was stuck due to a lorry overturning, and was throughly frozen!

So to make up for the disappointment of last week, I went back in to Manchester for a wander round.  I’ve recently discovered the shop Purl City Yarns on facebook, and decided to have a visit.  What a lovely little shop.  Light, bright and full of gorgeous natural fibre yarns.  I could quite happily have stayed there all day just looking at all the beautiful colours and shades, but the Christmas Markets were calling!

As usual the markets were busy, full of visitors and stall-holders, bright colours and fabulous aromas. There are some lovely stalls, with crafts, food and drink from the North West, UK and Europe. It was a little disappointing as all the stalls seemed to be the same as in previous years and all in the same place! Some of the food was particularly lovely though. My favourite was the tartiflette from the Provencal Kitchen. Delicious! Potato, cheese, onion and bacon. Great to share too! I might be attempting to make this, I think some gorgonzola would make a very tasty alternative!

I didn’t spend all day eating! I did look around at the shop displays and decorations. One very beautiful garland I spotted on the Hermes shop was all around the entrance doorway. Packed full of flowers, leaves and berries, it really stood out amongst the decorations on the shops.

Back in the Northern Quarter and close to Purl City Yarns again, I came across this lovely painting on the side of a building.

Not a very Christmassy image, but such a lovely sight I just had to have a photo!

That’s reminded me, I must feed the birds in my garden!

Happy crafting
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With all the recent posts on the facebook page and feedback from the Christmas Fair today, I thought I’d share the chocolate scone recipe with you all.  It’s an old recipe that I’ve adapted, so apologies for the imperial measurements!

8oz plain flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
2 oz butter
1/4 pt milk (approx. to mix)
1oz sugar
2oz chocolate chips

1. Sieve all dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.
2. Add butter and rub into breadcrumbs.
3. Add chocolate chips.
4. Add milk slowly to form a soft dough.
5. roll out dough on a floured surface to approx. 1 inch think and cut into desired shape with a cutter.
6. Place on a floured baking sheet and bake in a hot oven (200 – 220 in an electric oven) for around 10 minutes.

I always brush mine with milk before baking, but that’s a personal choice. The time to bake will depend on your oven, mine take about 9 – 10 minutes on 200 as it’s a fan oven. Just keep checking on them.

They are delicious eaten slightly warm as the chocolate chips melt!

Happy baking
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With Christmas, comes the inevitable Christmas Fairs. This year I will be running a stall at the FOWV (Friends of Walmersley Village) Christmas Fair.

I Have been trying to fit in some making for the fair in the last few weeks, so my stock for sale will include some Christmas craft bags, 3 small rainbow bears and some baking – Christmas mince parcels and lots of chocolate scones!

If you’re in the area on Saturday December 7th, come along to The Valley from 1:30 to enjoy the festivities. There will be plenty of stalls, games, refreshments, Santa in his grotto and Christmas Cheer! Only £2 per family.

Hope to see you there for a mulled wine and a mince pie!
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Today I’m off for a jolly trip into Manchester for a spot of lunch and a catch up with some former work colleagues. This is my ‘Christmas do’ and I’m out to enjoy myself!

I’m hoping to have some time to wander about the city first as I’d like to see the Christmas decorations and soak up the atmosphere in the European markets in Albert Square. Having said that I think I could end up being blown into the shops and the only soaking will be of my coat and boots! Typical how the weather decides to change on my one planned day out. I’d much rather be inside making my own Christmas cards and putting finishing touches to some presents on a day like this.

But I’m wrapped up and having run a few errands, find myself sat on a warm dry tram, feeling all excited about the Christmas spirit. Let’s see what the day will bring……..

Well I missed Stir-it up Sunday as I was drowning under a sea of baby clothes and toys from the loft!  (Don’t ask) But on Monday, I managed to actually make my Christmas Cake!  Hoorah!

It’s a pretty simple recipe, basically 8oz (or 225g if you’re into metric) of flour, sugar, each of the fruit (sultanas, raisins, currants and cherries), and butter,  4 eggs,  1 tsp mixed spice, pinch salt, 4 oz flaked almonds and 2 tbsp brandy.

I was surprisingly organised this time and the kitchen didn’t resemble a warzone for a change!

Back to the recipe.  I creamed the butter and sugar, then added the eggs (slowly) then the flour, spice and salt (slowly) and then the brandy.  Once all combined in went all the fruit and nuts (slowly).  Then all the mix went into the lined cake tin.

Making sure to add a dip in the middle as I didn’t want a cake that looks like mount versuvius!  Not this time!!

In it went for three and a half hours on 150 degrees.  The house smelt fabulous and I got to lick out the bowl!  (There is a reason I made this while little one was at school -I am mean when it comes to Christmas cake mix).

I haven’t a photo of the finished cake as it was too dark to take one, sorry!  But now it’s time to start feeding it with the brandy – I reckon twice a week until Christmas aught to be about right, what do you think?

Well it’s back to the card orders now and thoughts of Christmas mincepies!

Happy Baking!
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The draw has been made and the lucky winner of Santa, with sack and teddy is……….

Ticket number 42, belonging to Carla M from HSB in Manchester.

Congratulations Carla and I hope you enjoy your prize.

Thank you to everyone that bought a ticket.  The total raised was £170.  This is all going towards the Barry Project 150 for Christie’s.

Thank you
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