Day 3 of Friendship Cake

Smelling Boozy!!

Fun Cakes

Just a snippet of some cakes I have made for friends (yes, that is a monkey bride and groom!!). I am by no means a serious pro but it is seriously good fun!
(Day 2 of Friendship cake successfully completed- only 8 to go!)

der Zehntagedeutschefreundschaftskuchen.

In translation; 10 Day German Friendship Cake.

This is like a sourdough starter that is given to you, then you grow it for 10 days (the clue was in the title) divide it into 4, give 3 starters away with a set of instructions and then use the fourth portion of the starter to make a yeast cake with the special recipe in the instructions.

What a fab idea! So, it was given to me by my Mum lastnight and I have started the process this morning (while waiting for the plumber- but that's another story!)

I also tried some of Mum's cake lastnight, very very nice. I'll spend the next ten days trying to figure out who of my friends deserves a friendship cake the most!!! All bribes accepted. Judging closes on 4th December. (!)

Les Pommes Frites....

Need I say more.

Thinking about Christmas.....

I've started thinking and preparing for Christmas; ideas for edible gifts and decorations. I've baked a batch of Pepparkakor- swedish decorative biscuits, i'll decorate these with royal icing, and string them onto ribbons. To go with the spicy theme i'm making some non-edible decorations from star anise- what a gorgeous spice, looks, tastes and smells so wonderful. Am also hoping to find time to make fortune cookies, with messages of friendship rather than fortunes. This will be tricky and time consuming but fabulous!!!
The very best thing about Christmas has to be the food, and the time to share food with very special friends and family. Feeling Christmassy already! Let's deck those blinking halls!

How did I live so long without this recipe???

This recipe has brought a certain joy to my life....
If you thought a cookie both crisp and chewy was beyond your grasp- think again.
Enjoy.

Cream together 225g Caster Sugar with 225g Butter until fluffy. Stir in half a can of Condensed Milk and 150- 200g Flavourings*. Fold in 350g Self Raising Flour. Roll tablespoons of mix into balls and bake at 170'c for 10-15 mins.

This mix is also great for rolling into a long sausage shape, wrapping in baking paper and freezing. Then whenever the fancy for a cookie hits you, simply slice off a few slices with a sharp knife and bake.

* Things I have tried so far have included Dark Chocolate, Glace Ginger, Pecans, Walnuts, Spice, Cocoa. I'm also thinking about trying Mini Marshmallows..... Peanut Butter....

My first ever blog, a scrapbook of the thing that motivates me more than any other; food- the cooking, eating and sharing of, and recently the growing of. I have so much to learn about all of these things and this is the beginning of my adventure....