3 Days Of Christmas - Christmas Cake Decoration

3 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS (and my birthday as well incase you're interested)

Now you've took that in, we can get on to decorating that delcious Christmas cake!

Google Christmas cake decorations and you will get THOUSANDS of ideas, but here's how I did mine. 

Ingredients:

200g ready roll icing

Marzipan

Blue gel colouring

Edible silver balls

Apricot jam, melted for 10 seconds

Ribbon

Cornflower (or icing sugar)

Method:

Spread the jam over the cake thinly.

Roll out the marzipan on a sufarce dusted with flour/sugar.

Roll up on the rolling pin, then lift and smooth overt the cake.

Spread more of the jam over the marzipan.

Knead then icing quickly, then use a tooth pick and transfer some of the colouring onto the icing.

Knead again until the colour is even. Add more of the die gradually until you reach your Desiree to colour.

Roll, then smooth over the marzipan. Cut around the edge of the cake.

Using different sized snowflake cutters, make imprints over the cake.

On some, push down the balls around the edge, some all over, and some leave plain. If you have it, use edible glue and a tiny cake brush to spread in where ever your putting the balls (don't laugh).

Finish by putting some ribbon around the bottom, and securing with either some sellotape or a cake pin.

Enjoy! This cake will keep for up to 3 weeks, so no real rush though!

Love Vic x

8 Days of Christmas - Turkey and Cranberry Ring Recipe!

Hey guys, I hope you are all enjoying December so far! And my 12 Days of Christmas attempt (check out my room tour I kicked it off with on victoriahornagold.wordpress.com).

This is a recipe perfect for buffets or parties, especially Christmas ones, but so so easy to prepare. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

6 tbsp mayonnaise,  ½ tsp black pepper & pinch of salt 225g cooked chicken or turkey diced 1 stick of celery or spring onion sliced quite thin 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 85g sweetened dried cranberries 85g hard cheese ie cheddar 2 packets of ready to bake dough for croissants (chilled isle in the supermarket. If unavailable use puff pastry) 1 egg Method: In a large bowl mix together the mayonnaise, seasoning, chicken, celery/onion, parsley, cranberries and grated cheese.  Lay out the croissants in a circle with the longest side towards the outside. Because the dough is pre-cut into triangles, it will create a very pretty 'sun' shape when overlapped. Spoon the filling on the dough, leaving about half an inch from the middle and edge where the triangles overlap.  Pull the dough corners in and under the middle empty circle. Brush with the egg, beaten and cook for 15 minutes until golden brown. Devour and enjoy! Love Vic x

12 Days Of Christmas - Healthy Christmas Cake!

Continuing my 12 Days of Christmas (posting everyday between this and my other blog) is a slightly lighter version of the classic Christmas cake. It uses ground almonds, grated apples, carrots, and as usual all the delicious dried fruits and spices.

Ingredients:

175g self raising flour 120g butter 120g sugar 2 egg 100ml milk 120g raisin 120g sultanas 120g currants 55g ground almonds 65g glace cherries 65g blanched, sliced almonds 1 small carrot 1 tsp mixed spice 1 tsp nutmeg (or cinnamon or mixed spice if you dont like nutmeg) 1 small apple rind of one small orange Method: Grease and line a 20cm tin and pre-heat the oven 120C. Grate the apple and carrot into a bowl. Add the cherries sliced into quarters, raisins, sultanas, currants and sliced almonds.  Sift together the flour, almonds and spices into a large bowl. Beat in the butter, sugar, eggs and milk until smooth. Fold in the fruit mix with a spatula until evenly combined. Pour into the tin,  Bake for 2 hours until a skewer comes out clean.It wont be as dark as your normal cake due to its lack of treacle (and dark sugar if using caster). Leave to cool, then take out of the tin. Decorate however you like! For a traditional cake you could brush with apricot jam, cover with marzipan, royal or fondant icing and decorate. For a more modern take, you could brush with the jam, the cover the tops with apricot and pecan halves, followed by more jam to give that nice shiny effect. This cake un-decorated will last for 2-3 weeks wrapped and kept in an airtight container. You could also feed the cake by dotting it with holes with a skewer while still in the tin and pouring over 2-3 tbsp of brandy (or juice for a non-alcoholic version). Love Vic x