Old style Preparations for Christmas 2010!!

flubberyzing

I did my first bit of xmas shopping for brother-in-law and best friend yesterday. In Waterstones I happened to see "star in your own book" gift sets. Basically you can change all the names of characters in books to names of friends and family. By chance they had Alice in Wonderland and Dracula, which are, respectively, their favourite books. They, along with various other family and friends now star in them! It's a 28 day delivery on the books, so I'm glad I ordered them early!

Paulie'sGirl

I just had to post again!

I've just gotten the small (6oz) pudding out of the steamer and it smells like a real Xmas pudding! Like those really expensive one's!! :T:T

I'm chuffed to bits with myself!!! (this being my first attempt at Xmas pudding making):j:j

I'll obviously have to taste this one later to ensure its good enough to be given as a gift :rotfl:

Yey!!!!!

PGxx

jollymummy

I'm just in the process of making my first EVER Christmas cake. It smells lovely and I followed the Be-Ro recipe. However, my cake looks great but it's cracked a bit on top, but isn't burnt round the edges. Is this normal? is it likely my oven was too hot? I did follow the recipe to the letter. Any advice more than welcome
By the way my MIL usually makes our cakes, so I might hide it - lol

[Deleted User]

For the first time in 7 years, and for the first time with kids, I will be making Christmas Lunch for the 4 of us. The cooking side of things isn't a challenge but i want to make the table extra special for the kids. We usually go to my mums and the table is definately decorated for the adults to appreciate but this year I wanted to do something for the kids - any suggestions?

Penelope_Penguin

Pollycat wrote: »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanesco_broccoli

It's nicer than cauliflower and has a very short season so I buy it, blanch it and freeze it.

I don't think you can get it in the major supermarkets, I buy from our local green-grocers.

I love Romanesco I'll add this to the exisitng C-word thread to keep all ideas together.

LovelyLollipop

Poohspals - how old are the children?

nykied

jollymummy wrote: »

I'm just in the process of making my first EVER Christmas cake. It smells lovely and I followed the Be-Ro recipe. However, my cake looks great but it's cracked a bit on top, but isn't burnt round the edges. Is this normal? is it likely my oven was too hot? I did follow the recipe to the letter. Any advice more than welcome
By the way my MIL usually makes our cakes, so I might hide it - lol

jollymummy, my Christmas cakes crack on the top as well and so do my Mum's, so I think it's normal.

I also think it makes them look nicer with the cracks in, if you're not icing them (I don't, as I don't like icing or marzipan) and if you are icing them, just slice across the top so that it's flat.

Bobbykins

nykied wrote: »

......... if you are icing them, just slice across the top so that it's flat.

I turn mine upside down and ice the bottom as that's dead flat! (does that count as cheating :o:o)

nykied

Bobbykins wrote: »

I turn mine upside down and ice the bottom as that's dead flat! (does that count as cheating :o:o)

Oooh, that's an idea, unless it wobbles

I've never actually iced a cake in my life. If I don't like icing, nobody else is going to have icing on their cake either I'm making 4 this year again.

Off topic, but last year I took Christmas cakes round to my Mum's house and her dog Gus disappeared and was quiet for a while. My sister went to find him and he was in the front room. Having ripped the foil off my sister's cake, he'd eaten half of it before she found him :rotfl:

jollymummy

nykied - thanks for the advice, the reason I made ours this year is firstly cos I never have and really fancied having a go. Also my MIL always makes and ices our Christmas cakes and me and hubby always take the icing off as we don't like it. Her cakes are delish though, so nice. I suggested she make one for our DS who is 5 as she might feel a bit put out otherwise. I asked her to make it as extravagant as she likes, she made him a smashing Snowman one last year and me and DH will scoff the one I made plain with a bit of cheese, win, win situation
I love the story of the dog scoffing your sisters cake
Bobbykins - that is such a good tip.