Glitter Jam Cookies

 Those of you who follow me on twitter will probably remember my excited tweets about this awesome product I discovered while in London.  I was browsing the Harrods food hall, oohing and ahhing at every little mouthwatering morsel I came across when something stopped me in my tracks.  Harrods limited edition glittery jam!  What can I say, this jam is pure and indulgent genius!  I never would have thought to create something so decedent in a million years, I just had to have some.  I would have bought the whole selection of flavours if it hadn't have been priced at £9.95 per jar.  After a while I decided that £20 was quite enough to be spending on glamorous preserves and left with two jars flavoured with Strawberry and Rose.

I've been waiting for the perfect time to use these beautiful jams.  Time after time I've had to beat Kris' hands away from the jar at breakfast time. Something this lovely simply can not be used for something so mediocre as spreading on your toast!  So, what better time to break them open than valentines?

Jammy Dodger Cookies

(Rachel Allen - Bake)

Ingredients:

425 g plain flour
75 g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest, from 1 large lemon
4 egg yolks
325 g butter, softened
raspberry or strawberry jam 
icing sugar, for dusting 

Method:

Preheat oven to 180C/gas mark 4.
 

Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the sugar, vanilla extract, lemon zest, egg yolks and butter. Mix with an electric food mixer or a wooden spoon until it comes together as a dough. Remove from the bowl and flatten with a rolling pin or the palm of your hand to about 2cm (3/4in) thick. Wrap in clingfilm and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
 

Remove the dough from the fridge and place on a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out to about 1/4in thick.
 

Using a 6cm plain biscuit cutter, cut the dough into discs. Or, if you're feeling saucy you could use any old cookie cutter you have to hand, hearts, stars, flowers or even teacups!  Whatever your heart desires :)
 

Take half the discs, and using either a cutter smaller than the one you just used, cut holes from the centre. Bring the scraps together and roll out to make more shapes, and cut holes in the centre of these. You should end up with about 35 whole cookies and 35 cookies with the centres cut out.
 

Place the discs on baking trays (you will need a few baking trays) and bake for 8-10 minutes until pale golden. Allow to stand for a few minutes, then remove from the trays and transfer to wire racks to cool.
 

When the cookies are cool, spread 1tsp of jam on the bottom half and sandwich together with the top section.

Dust with icing sugar and serve with a pot of your favorite tea. 

SHARE:

Treasured Possessions

It's no secret that I'm a huge Harry Potter fan.  I have all of the films, books (including the limited edition comic relief school books) and even a full Hogwarts costume consisting of cloak, scarf, tie and wand.  Out of my full collection, this book is my favorite, the limited edition copy of Beedle the Bard.  I just love the huge, antique style tome hiding this wonderfully Gothic copy of the book.  

Funnily enough, most of my treasured items are in fact books. Big beautiful hardbacks of my favorite classics, something I can pass down to my children.

What are some of your most treasured possessions? 

SHARE:

Disney Tangled Cupcakes!

Tonight, as with most Thursday evenings, I'm home alone.  Normally I hate being alone during the darker hours but tonight is different.  Yesterday I received an order from Pet Lamb for a dozen cupcakes for a princess party, after a little digging I discovered that the group of little ladies are off to see the brand new Disney film, Tangled.  So, I waved Kris off at the door and set to making some adorable Tangled themed cupcake toppers.

Don't they look cute?!  I'm not very experienced with sugarcraft but I can see my skills improving with every little character I create.  Plus, I just love sitting with a big pile of fondant, sculpting it into something whimsical.  Reminds me of my childhood favorite toy, Play Doh!

Next on my to make list is this adorable little unicorn featured on The Art of Being Perfect.  If you haven't already subscribed to this amazing blog, you're missing out on something fabulous!  Astral is a constant inspiration and I find myself blown away with every post! Check it out, I insist!

SHARE:

Cameo Cupcakes

Yes, that's right, more cupcakes!  But forgive me please, as I just couldn't wait to show you these beautiful cameo cupcakes I created late yesterday evening.  While on a supply trip to my local sugar craft shops I spotted these amazing cameo moulds and simply couldn't resist!  I snapped it straight up and rushed home to try it out.  I can't get over how pretty they are, so delicate and feminine, I can see me getting a lot of use out of this purchase.  And maybe even rushing out to buy the collection.

I love how they look when paired with my teacup cupcake cases.  Just perfect for afternoon tea with the girls.

While I'm here I thought I'd also show you some wedding cupcakes I was asked to make this week.  I know they're the same old designs I posted earlier this month but I think the ivory and black colour combination gives the cupcakes such an eye catching effect.  Simply stunning, just right for a wedding.

SHARE:

What ever shall I do with these old bananas?!

I have such good intentions when it comes to buying fruit and veg.  I get so excited and become so seduced by those big bags of goodies that I just throw them in the trolley and think about what to do with them later.  But I never do. Yes some peppers will get transformed into fajitas and I can munch my way through a bag of oranges no problem, but by the time you get around to using up the stragglers, they're dead. Sitting rotting in the crisper, no use to anyone or anything.  So as part of my new year new me routine I'm looking at ways to use up these sad old blighters rather than binning them.  Love Food Hate Waste and all that jazz :)

One food I never waste is bananas.  If I'm being totally honest, I often buy bananas and leave them to go bad just so I can transform them into something delicious.  A few weeks ago, while in the supermarket, I asked Kris to fetch a bunch of bananas.  He came back with the biggest bag of 'ripen at home' green bananas.  Rolling my eyes hiding my secret excitement, I stuck them through the check out knowing they'd never be good for anything but baking.  Low and behold, I was right.  They went from bright green to black, completely missing out the yellow stage.  That's what we get for buying cheap bananas.

My mission was set, I had to turn these bananas into yummy treats before they were too bad for even banana bread.  So, if you ever find yourself in my shoes, staring at a big bunch of black bananas, here's some fun things you can do with the sugary buggers.

Banana Bread:

125g butter, 175g soft brown sugar, 2 eggs, 280g plain flour, 1tsp bicarbonate of soda, Pinch of salt, 125ml milk, 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed, 1tsp vanilla extract, 75g walnuts, chopped (optional)

Heat oven to 180C/Gas mark 4. Lightly oil a 25cm x 11cm (10in x 4½in) loaf tin. Cream butter and sugar together in a food processor or with electric beaters, until smooth. Add one egg and beat well, add the second and continue to beat well. Sift in half the flour with the bicarbonate of soda and salt, and mix well. Mix in the milk, then the remaining flour.  Mash the bananas and then fold them in to the mixture with the vanilla extract and walnuts. Then tip the mixture into the loaf tin and level the top with a spatula.  Bake for around one hour until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean and not sticky. Cover the top with foil if it starts to brown too quickly.  Allow to cool in the tin for at least 20 minutes before turning out. To serve, cut into thick slices and serve warm or at room temperature.

Serve banana bread toasted and slathered in Nutella for an indulgent and delicious breakfast.  I insist!

Caramel Banana Blondies:

  

250g golden caster sugar, 100g butter, 100g caramel , from a jar or tin plus 2 tbsp for the top, 100g white chocolate, 2 eggs, 200g self-raising flour, 2 ripe bananas, sliced or mashed

  

Heat the oven 180C/fan 170C/gas 4. Melt the sugar, butter, caramel and chocolate together until smooth. Cool a little, then add the eggs and fold in the flour and banana.  Pour into a lined 20cm square tin and add a few blobs of caramel to the top, bake for 45-50 minutes or until risen and set. 

Chocolate, Banana and Peanut Butter Milkshakes:

6 pieces of frozen banana, 2tbsp peanut butter, 125 chilled milk, 1tbsp cocoa powder, honey to taste

  

Put the bananas into a blender.  Add the peanut butter, cocoa powder and milk and blend until smooth. Add honey to taste.  Blend again for a further 5-10 seconds.

SHARE: