Tag: christmas

rye breadstick charcuterie
13Dec

Rye and olive breadsticks

Easy rye breadsticks with chewy olives and a burst of rosemary. Perfect as part of a charcuterie board. Christmas becomes less about the presents and more sentimental as I get older. To me time and thought mean so much more than any candle or bath product you can receive at secret santa. And I always hope that others share my sentiment as I love giving handmade gifts. This Christmas will be no different and I have been planning different recipes to bottle/gift wrap to give out as hampers. Step one was to make these rye breadsticks. Using rye flour and brown sugar in this recipe gives the bread a sweet edge which is nicely contrasted by the salty, tangy olives. A perfect addiction to a charcuterie board! Rye and olive breadsticks (yields 20-35) 200 wholemeal rye flour100g strong white flour100ml warm water1 sachet yeast30g muscovado sugar1 tsp salt20ml olive oil100g finely chopped green pitted olives2 tbsp rosemary leaves 1. In a large bowl mix the flours, yeast, sugar and salt.2. Separately mix the water and oil. Slowly incorporate wet ingredients to dry, mixing with a fork until well combined.3. Transfer the dough onto a slightly floured surface. As you knead
2 mins read
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Ginger and lime cookies, perfect for Christmas
19Dec

Ginger and lime cookies

I fell in love with ginger not so long ago. My husband urged me to try the famous Mcvitie’s Jamaican Ginger Cake and I was unable to stop at one slice only. It has since become my second favourite cake after the carrot cake from the Hummingbird Bakery which we had our wedding. After the Jamaican cake my views of baking with ginger changed dramatically, before I would never venture out of savoury dishes when using ginger. This recipe calls for ginger in syrup, don’t even try to use powdered ginger or any other form of ginger, you just wouldn’t get the fiery kick rounded up by chewy sweetness. And don’t be scared by the icing, it’s super easy, you only need 3 ingredients and a piping bag. It flows easily onto the biscuit and any mistakes on the design can be rubbed off with a dab of water on your fingers. Ginger and lime cookies (yields 20-25 cookies) Biscuit base: 200g butter 100g caster sugar zest of 3 limes 360g plain flour 180g stem ginger in syrup (drained), grated 1. Beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer, add grated ginger and zest. 2. Using a paddle attachment add
3 mins read
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14Dec

Orange, honey and pistachio biscuits

I am not embarrassed to say that a lot of my Christmas shopping has been done online. It has been hard to put off chores and to be able to do things that I want to, such as blow drying my hair or going for a run. I guess that’s adulthood. Adulthood also means more and more of my friends are now having kids, and my lack of time really holds no comparison to what all the mammas I know have to juggle on a daily basis. Karla, my co-blogger, told be that being a mum and being with her family did not leave her with a lot of time to dedicate to the blog. I visited her last month and she cooked me some amazing stuff: creamy soups and quinoa patties which were to die for. She is a pro at seasoning, and one of the most creative people I have ever met. Obviously I am sad that our partnership has come to an end, but our friendship is strong even with the Channel between us. This recipe is for her. Karla loves Christmas biscuits I bought the cutters that I used for this recipe whilst in Germany with
3 mins read
1062 Views
19Dec

DIY rubber stamps and christmas wrapping

Originality is rare and when found it comes with a high price tag.  I sometimes have “eureka” moments when thinking about future craft and food projects, but then i deflate a little when I come to the realisation that someone else has most probably already thought about it, done it, photographed and pinned it. This post feels a little like this. I have been making my own stamps for a while now, I have mainly used it for cards and scrapbooking, and I have been reluctant to post any projects associated with it as it feels a little…overdone. Just type it on the search box on Pinterest and tell me I’m wrong. Making my own stamps is one of my favourite things to do, I guess it is because it means I can personalise whatever I want, from fabrics to paper, and I decided to apply this to my christmas gift giving. To me gift wrapping is just as important as the gift, it portrays love and that you have put some thought into it.  It felt a little counter-productive in the sense that this time of the year wrapping paper is as cheap as chips. But I wanted to
3 mins read
1027 Views
09Dec

Black grape and walnut mince pies

I have fallen in love with black grapes recently. It happened by accident, I decided to buy them after being tired of the same apples/bananas/satsumas routine we have here every weekend. They are not only a great snack for sweet-tooths like me but I have also been adding them to a lot of different foods, from crumbles to granola. So why not add them to my most detested christmas treat? Yes I hate mince pies.  And it is tough being a mince pie hater here as it is a huge part of English christmas. They are literally everywhere, people are giving it to you as gifts, bringing them to work as a tea time snack…And you can get the really basic ones to the really fancy ones from high end shops, but it’s just never gone down well with me. It’s always just tasted like raisins, covered in sugar, wrapped in pastry. But this year I decided to tackle them my way. My recipe holds back on the dried fruits and sugar and, most importantly, there is no suet in sight! It takes a little patience to get the the mincemeat and the pastry ready, but you can start preparing
4 mins read
974 Views
21Dec

Last minute Christmas gift

  As much I feel Christmas is the most magical time of the year it can also be a very stressful time for some. Gifts to buy and wrap, final errands to run at work before the break, all the packing for those who are spending Christmas away and obviously, for all the hosts out there, the last minute food shopping, cleaning the house…Still thinking it’s the most wonderful time of the year? And you can plan it to the last curled ribbon but there is always someone that we unwilling forget to buy a present for. Or even that last minute guest to whom you just want to give a little gift. We have a solution! You can make this gift in 20 minutes and with the right packaging it can look really special too. These caramelised nuts are delicious and perfect for this time of the year. If you are a super-organised type of hostess and have done all your gift-buying and wrapping you can also serve it as nibbles. Careful, it is addictive. I used a spice mix called Lebkuchen which is traditional here in Germany but you can use the same spices as those for gingerbread
3 mins read
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