I like to bake. It's fun, sometimes frustrating but having all the ingredients laid out, music on the radio and a few hours to do what you do, it's just fun. And kind of soothing because there's a rhythm to it all.
Earlier in the week I made Salty Chocolate Gingerbread Men which I was disappointed with - turned out swell except for the stupid, way too salty SALT. I used exactly what the recipe called for (I admit I don't always) but this time I did and it was lip numbing. Ended up not having salt on all of them and they're the ones I favoured.
The next day I threw together the easiest chocolate fudge - it will be one I use again I'm certain. I present Chocolate Fudge with Candy Cane topping.
Today there's a shared Christmas lunch at work, so I baked 5 items last night. I know, 5. I plan to give a lot of it out as gifts in little paper bags, not to be mistaken as doggy bags. To get through it all I had to work out the order of what needed to rest, what had to set, oven time etc... and miraculously it all came together. Yes, there may have been a slight mishap on the amount of copha added to the coconut but I think I saved it... oh, and the chocolate peppermint cookies may be the size of a small planet (I'm looking at you Pluto - yes, you are still a planet to me). But still, all good.
Behold, the mad baking of a Wednesday night in December, first up are the Peanut Butter and Almond Cookies, centre bowl is the semi-drowned Coconut Ice.
Next up are the Chocolate Peppermint Planets, yes, I have decided to rename these.
Next sweetness is the Xmas Pud cookies that took the most juggling since there was setting and placing and licking. But they look pretty cute so I'm happy with that.
I bought a vintage cake, scones and biscuit stacker a number of years ago and I'm sooo glad I picked up that beauty. It's the most used of all my cake tins and it really came in handy this morning.
Oh, the fifth item was just an egg and bacon pie. Had to slip a savoury thing in there somewhere since people think lunch and they think savoury. Why is that?
