Halloween Witches Fingers

The funny thing about these "witches fingers" I've found is, because they look so unappetizing people aren't inclined to eat them but Halloween can't be all about fancy cupcakes! I like the fact they look so gross lol!

Again this is up there with the worst of the worst photos but I shall up my photography game, I've really got to be less lazy and actually use my camera instead of my phone.....lazybones!

 

Recipe for sugar cookies

Ingredients for vanilla sugar cookies

 

• 200g caster sugar
• 100g icing sugar
• 300g unsalted butter, diced.
• 2 large eggs.
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 500-550g all-purpose flour, sifted.
• Extra flour for kneading and rolling.

For decoration :

30-40 blanched almonds, cut into halves after the skin is removed
1 teaspoon dark cocoa powder + a little brush

 

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 170°C.
2. In a bowl or in the kitchen mixer with paddle attachment, mix the two types of sugar, vanilla and the egg.
3. Add the flour and the butter and keep mixing just until the dough comes together.
4. Knead the dough lightly by hand on your flour dusted kitchen counter and wrap it well in cling film and put it in a plastic bag. Chill the dough for 2 hours or if caught for time I have put in the freezer for 30mins.
5. Take a small piece of cookie dough and roll it back and forth. You should make the finger long and thinly,think witch long and creepy. Pinch and form knuckles. Score with a sharp knife and transfer the fingers to the prepared baking sheet. Place a almond “nail” on the cookie fingers. Chill for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
6. Put your fingers in the oven for 12-15 mins until lightly browned. Transfer to cooling rack and leave cool completely. When cooled dust with a little cocoa powder and your cookies are ready!

Enjoy (or watch people make disgusted faces at them,either way they're great!)

Shirley x

Baby Cakes!

When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade.............hmmm what I didn't realise was that life would be beating the crap out of me with the so called lemons! When everything was settling back to normal and I was starting to get back into my baking stride,my other half  G was struck down with a still yet "unknown Virus" which was inflaming his heart. Life was work, hospital, little sleep for over a week. G was discharged and is expected to make a full recovery.....Phew! He'll be out of work for a few months and has to rest up. So I packed him off to stay with his mother because I now had to face into the task of MOVING!!!

I never realised how much stuff we had actually accumulated over the years but my god! The packing I didn't mind so much but the unpacking.......nightmare. I soldiered on and after many days and even more boxes I'm finally unpacked :)

So as I said I got a little baking in, My friend Carmel wanted a cake for her sisters baby shower. My camera was full at the time so the good ol' iPhone stepped in so please forgive the quality.

My friend Jean asked me to do a cake for her nephew Callums christening. Its similar to my own nephews cake but with a few little tweaks.

This is a slumpy teddy bear, in other words I didn't leave it dry properly...ooops :)

 And here are a few more baby cakes I've done along the way!

Happy Baking!

Shirley x

Rhubarb Crumble

     

I don't know whether it has been the "summer" or the lack of free time on my hands but I haven't really done a lot of baking lately. I have done the odd cake here and there but not my usual baking obsession. I have ventured into making my own condiments and dressings with great satisfaction. I was surprised by the ease of making from scratch, I honestly don't think I could go back to store bought dressings. I will admit my first two attempts at mayonnaise were a DISASTER! I just could not get it right, I still don't know where I went wrong but hey eventually I got there and that's all that matters :)

As promised rhubarb crumble! I adore rhubarb, always have always will! So when my Uncle Joe stopped by with a big bag from his garden, I could not wait to get baking! Yaaay for Uncle Joe, What a gem :)

Recipe for Rhubarb Crumble

Ingredients

 

• 12 stalks of fresh rhubarb, washed, cut into 5cm/ 2" pieces
• 4 tbsp water
• 8 tbsp fine sugar
• 110g  butter, cut into small cubes
• 110g fine sugar
• 180g plain flour

( I actually adjusted mine by eye,so if you feel you need less or more rhubarb or sugar, please do so!)

Instuctions

1. Heat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Place the rhubarb, water and sugar into a 4cm/1½in deep ovenproof dish.
3. In a baking bowl rub the butter, sugar and flour together until it resembles fine sand, then sprinkle over the rhubarb.
4. Bake in the oven until light brown on the surface, approx 45 mins - 1 hour.

Serve or eat straight away with a spoon which what seems to happen in my house!

The caramelised edges are always my favourite. How fantastic with a big dollop of ice-cream!

Enjoy!

Shirley x

My First Wedding Cake.

My very first wedding cake!

I have come to the realisation that summer and blogging do not work out so well for me, I'd love to say it is because I am out enjoying the sun all the time but unfortunately in Ireland, that's not the case. Never the less the weeks seem to be flying by and I always seem to have something on or going somewhere...busy bee!

I have also become a bit of an insomniac.....yawn! I sleep for about 3hrs and then I'm up for about 4hrs and just when I start to get sleepy, its time to get up. It's a good thing G is a sound sleeper because I'm pretty sure I would be single right now :) I truly miss blogging and used to spend these "awake hours" reading my favourite blogs but it would send my brain into overdrive with ideas and wanting to be uber-productive, so it had to stop :( I now watch "The Big Bang Theory" re-runs, easy on the brain!

blurrrrrr..................thanks iphone :)

Anywho on a baking note as the post title suggests, I made my very first wedding cake...YAY! I thought I was going to be more nervous than I was, to be making someones wedding cake, because it has to be perfect but I was happy with the results and the bride was even happier and that's all that matters really :)

On the Birthday Season,I have to wish a Happy birthday to Aoife, Barry, Carmel and Harry! And to myself....28...sooo old...argh! Also on a side note, Our family dog Tyler died 2wks back. Any of you animal lovers out there will know how heartbreaking that is! My sister Jacqueline did a lovely post to her on her blog ( I don't know where she got the strength to write it, I could barely read it ) so you can check it out here if you wish. Love you Ty xxx

On a brighter topic my Uncle Joe hit us up with some fresh rhubarb straight from his garden which was automatically made into crumble and tart within hours. I'll be posting soon.........I promise lol!