french apple cake

any cake with apple in it I am always eager to try and am never disappointed. And this French apple cake was all sorts of lovely, although I must admit I did alter the recipe just a bit. I added an extra apple to the recipe and just a teeny bit more of vanilla too. It did not last the afternoon but then again nothing really does with my four men. I used this recipe and it is definitely one that will be making again.  day 7 of my christmas baking project...tick.

please, please, please

finally getting around to posting photos that have nothing to do with baking.
it has been a long time hasn't it?

some gifts I got from an aunt...isn't the tweety bird usb amazing?

AND finally posting my package to Che, my amazing package partner...please, please, please let it arrive safely

croquembouche

halfway through my baking project and although this croquembouche wasn't initially on my christmas baking list, I am glad I finally got to make one. I only wish I could have gotten a nicer photo but I was completely overjoyed that I finally finished, as it was a long day of baking. I ended up making the toffee about three times, if it didn't work out on my third attempt I was getting ready to give up. So although it doesn't exactly look like Adriano Zumbo's croquembouche I was happy with my attempt and quickly took a photo before the light completely disappeared. The crunch is SO spectacular! definitely worth all the blisters I endured.

I hope everyone had a lovely christmas day, ours was very simple - which to me was perfection.

apple crumble

It is day five of my christmas baking project and I have to admit I am struggling a little keeping up with it. My little sister came over so I could teach her to make brazo de reina, the day I was supposed to be baking so I had to postpone my baking till yesterday.  When I did finally start it was so late and it got dark all too quickly and I was unable to take any photos. I did manage to take some photos today although I forgot to put icing sugar on top of the apple crumble :( by the time I remembered all the remaining four apple crumbles had been eaten! I will say this was an experiment on my part and this recipe isn't found anywhere but are more or less bits and pieces I put together inspired by the apple crumbles purchased at Gloria Jeans. When I first purchased these apple crumbles they were really yummy but now they have changed so much and often I feel so disappointed that I decided to try to make them myself. They didn't turn out as pretty as the ones from gloria jeans but my food critics at home said they were absolutely delicious.  This is definitely one that will be made again and hopefully will look much prettier in the future...fingers crossed :)

 

banana whoopie pies

Day four of my christmas baking and although I really lacked the energy today I decided to bake and finally use my overripe bananas today to make some banana whoopie pies with nutella cream cheese frosting, for those who are interested I used this recipe. I've got to say this is the third (or fourth, I really can't remember) time that I have tried making whoopie pies. I don't know if I am doing something wrong but they rarely or more like never look like the photographs I have seen and frankly the taste isn't that spectacular. The kids really loved them though which I am glad about, but I think I will give up on making whoopie pies again. It is a bit of a let down as so many people post recipes and seem to enjoy them so much...I really did try to like them :/

I did want to make something nice and easy though as it is Andres & mine wedding anniversary. Today we celebrated 18 years of marriage...the boy must be a little crazy by now I think!

rustic apple tart

day three of my christmas baking project and on my baking to-do list for today was rustic apple tart, I used food is luv recipe. This is definitely a recipe that has to be tried as it is absolute perfection. The only change I made was popping them out of the baking tray to make the bottom firm up a little and it made the pastry extra flaky...and extra yummy too! Definitely try this one out, I am sure you will love it.

film corner

My review
Albert Nobbs ?
Love & basketball ?
Meet me in St Louis ?
Red Dog ???
Sunshine cleaning ??
The Inbetweeners ???

I have to say that the inbetweeners is definitely not a PG movie, in fact it is quite the opposite. But it has some really funny bits, especially the dancing which was what attracted me to this movie. It is hilarious!