First of all this is my 100th blog post! How cool is that?! So what better way to celebrate than with a little Christmas tea party! A few weeks ago the lovely Carly at
The Shire Bakery asked whether I would like to review some goodies from their website and of course I was super excited as I love baking! When looking at the website I couldn't believe all the great products - everything you could possibly need for a party or a baking fanatic like me. I told Carly I liked the idea of a little Christmas tea party and when my parcel arrived I was not disappointed. She sent me loads of lovely things and everything I would need for a little party. My favourite items were the
raspberry ripple flavour icing sugar and the
gingerbread man cookie cutter as I has been dying to make some gingerbread men for Christmas.
I used red and white polka dot cake cases to bake some cakes complete with the raspberry ripple icing (which by the way is amazing!) and to finish them off I added a festive mini candy cane. I also received some
paper straws with a snowflake pattern on which are super cute, I seem to have an obsession with paper straws and these ones are perfect for drinking a glass of cold milk with a gingerbread man. I was also sent the cutest wooden spoon with the words 'always lick the spoon' which was ideal since I'd just broken my wooden baking spoon and needed a replacement. If you'd like to have a go at making some of these treats then the recipes are below!
Gingerbread Men
Ingredients
♥ 350g plain flour
♥ 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
♥ 2 teaspoons ground ginger
♥ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
♥ 125g soft butter
♥ 175g soft brown sugar
♥ 1 egg
♥ 4 tablespoons golden syrup
Method
♥ Sift together the flour, sugar, bicarbonate of soda, ginger & cinnamon
♥ Add the butter and stir until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs
♥ Lightly beat the egg and golden syrup together
♥ Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes
♥ Roll out dough to approx 0.5cm thick
♥ Use the cutter to cut out your gingerbread men
♥ Place on a baking tray and put in the oven at 180C for 12-15 minutes
Raspberry Ripple Cupcakes
Ingredients
♥ 220g soft butter
♥ 220g caster sugar
♥ 220g self raising flour
♥ 2 eggs
♥ Icing Sugar
♥ Mini Candy Canes
Method
♥ Pre heat your oven to 180C/gas mark 4
♥ Mix the butter and sugar in a bowl
♥ Beat the eggs and then mix them in
♥ Gradually fold in the flour until all the ingredients are combined
♥ Spoon the mix into cake cases evenly
♥ Pop in the over for about 10 minutes
♥ Once fully cooled ice/decorate
You can also find the recipe for my candy cane cookies
here. Have you been baking any festive treats for Christmas?