Family Album

This post is specifically for the Grandparents/ family abroad. A snap shot of yesterday.

I do hope everyone had as wonderful a day as we did.

Happy Holidays from the hatchlings!

Advent day 24: The Eve

Cakes, cookies, and chocolates have been made for second and third times, and are being eaten... for lunch.

The tree has been decorated, and re - decorated, and re - decorated, and re - decorated...

And the hatchlings have now all gone to bed and are pretending to sleep. 

Today, is a day all about just can't wait.

Happy Holidays!

Advent day 23: Making chocolates

Lots of gooey, yummy,

mess.

Some truffles, some gnache filled, some with coconut, nuts, or sprinkles,

and then Turtles. 

First some pecans,

topped in caramel,

dipped in chocolate, dark chocolate. 

And of course some festive shapes.

Advent day 22: Reindeer cupcakes

Reindeer cupcakes, and prepping and delivering turkeys is on the list for today.

The winds have picked up to gale force... perfect weather for prepping turkeys, non?

Our neighbours are stuck out on the mainland, and can not get home, so we are going to brave the winds and get over to feed their pigs.

Lots to do, and not a lot of daylight.

The hatchlings are completely thrilled just a couple more days left!

And tomorrow Strictly finals! 

Advent day 21: Yule log and painted wooden decorations

December 21st, Yule, and also the shortest day of the year. It is quite remarkable how big the contrast between the long summer days and the very short winter ones.

We lit a candle and placed it in the window to remain lit all through the dark night, a little light, until the sun came back up. The hatchlings wrote letters about what they were thankful for and placed them in the yule fire.

And of course we made a Yule log, which I will not lie, was terrible!

I used a Delia recipe that assured me it was fail proof.

It was the cake cooked and rolled easily, but it has the texture of rubber. It felt like we were eating the silicon bake sheet. 

The hatchlings, however, ate the whole log and declared it a success.

The cream and cherries were good, but I shall not recommend the recipe according to my own tastes. 

The hatchlings painted about 80 little wooden Christmas decorations,

which are still awaiting their glitter, glue and pompoms.

A cold has snuck into our house and that has left us all a little sluggish.

The winds are up and meant to get worse, which has mostly meant we have wanted to curl up and watch movies and eat cookies, and not go out much. 

Happy Yule!

Advent day 20: Brandy Butter and Chantilly cream

So tasty for topping mince pies and fruit loafs.

1. Cream together 4 onz of butter with 4 one of sifted icing sugar.

2. Add 1 tbs water and 4 tbs of brandy and beat into the butter.

Keep in the fridge.

For the cream

Take 250ml of double cream,

and add

1 tbs honey

4 tbs whiskey

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

then beat until it is smooth and thick.

(Everything is better topped with cream!)