'supporting each other through really tough times'

meme30

Morning all from a wild and wet Durham.
I'm waiting for the sweet mince pies to finish cooking and the house smells wonderful. Do any of you still use the baking methods you were taught in school? I still dunk my lids in milk and lie one side of them in a saucer of sugar the way Mrs Richardson taught me in Domestic Science.:rotfl:
I have tried other ways over the years but I came back to this, It's the crispy caramelised crust we like! They don't look 'pretty' but taste great!:D

fuddle

I wasn't taught any baking methods at school. I learn through you all telling me what to do and then go to youtube for a demonstration. Today I've made up a batch of Royal Icing. I didn't even know what Royal Icing was before Possession mentioned it and off I went to investigate. I feel like a whole new world has opened up!

Hmmm. sweet mince pies. Off to investigate

Oh, said I would share the gingerbread recipe I found:

Makes about 30 biscuits depending on size

340g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1½ tsp grated nutmeg
1½ tsp ground cloves
2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tsp ground ginger
225g unsalted butter, softened
340g soft brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
75g crystallised ginger, finely chopped
225g icing sugar, optional
Hundreds and thousands, optional

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and spices together into a mixing bowl.

2. Beat together the butter and sugar, and then add the egg, beating it in gradually, so the mixture doesn't curdle. Stir into the flour to make a dough, and then mix in the crystallised ginger.

3. Put the dough between two sheets of clingfilm, and roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Refrigerate for half an hour. Pre-heat the oven to 180C.

4. Cut out the biscuits, and put on a greased baking tray. Cook for about 10 minutes, and, when straight out of the oven, poke a hole in each and allow to cool on a rack before threading a ribbon through.

5. Decorate with writing icing, or sift the icing sugar, and then mix to a stiff consistency with boiling water. Brush over the cooled biscuits, and decorate with hundreds and thousands while still wet.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2010/dec/16/how-to-make-perfect-gingerbread

The crushed cloves smell devine.

Mine will be anaemic as I didn't have any soft brown sugar. No crystalised ginger either.I hope all is not lost with caster sugar! 'tis chilling.

Lebukuchen: Anyone made it? Has anyone seen it in Aldi yet?

Possession

Doesn't matter Fuddle there's hundreds of recipes for gingerbread, some dark if they contain eg. treacle, others light. Won't be anaemic, will be lovely.
I fancy making 1 of the creations I pinned today but not sure if I'll have time.
Living room ruthlessly cleaned and tidied.

mama67

Morning all, from soggy, windy Lincolnshire.

DS1's football refereeing job was finally cancelled at 9am (waterlogged pitch); although any sane person could see at 10pm last night it would never go ahead.

Jem, my dad had a shunt put in as he had hydrocephalis, and you couldn't tell it was there.

Re migraines my mum used to suffer with them and had both the pink and yellow migralieve tablets and would take those and then have to go lay in a pitch black room (blankets at the windows) for a few hours, her trigger was cheese.

DH gets an odd one now and again the first sign for him is black floaty spots infront of his eyes, so if he goes and lies down before the pain kicks in he can often get away with it if not its full strength pain killers and a darkened room for a few hours.

VJsmum, I have that same problem with DS1, he moans he doesn't have clean clothes , but hasn't brought them down for washing.

It is nice as the weather is horrid, to not have to go out and just be able to chill at home. Normally DS1 has refereeing jobs all day.
I have the BM on for a loaf as we are nearly out, and I need to make some cake for the permanently emptying box.

My username is basically becauce I'm a mum and was born in 67 lol!!

Time for a cuppa

Possession

Fuddle here's the icing glue recipe:
http://www.makeit-loveit.com/2011/12/a-very-merry-christmas-and-how-we-make-our-gingerbread-houses.html

[Deleted User]

Afternoon all, Hugs to all the poorlies and hugs to all those of us who are weather affected too. We had a very stormy night after a very wet day so not much sleep again but at least we had a gentle start to the day with a little bit of sunshine. Its raining again now but the wind has abated so that's OK. I have a huge pan of Gul Artsoppa ( Swedish Yellow Split Pea Soup with Bacon) on the stove and it is making the house smell lovely, I love winter cooking, makes it so homey indoors.

JEM - Glad you got some answers from the hospital and sorry you are still feeling so poorly. Don't push yourself too hard, look after you as well as the family pet.

FUDDLE - Good luck with the Gingerbread, the little men and the Rudolphs look fantastic. Hope Mr Fuddle is successful in getting a place with the fishing team and doesn't get too cold and wet today.

UNIXGIRL - The basket is beautiful, clever thing you!!!

SUNSHINE 4 - Denise, hope you are having a lovely visit away and if you're reading along Hello and Docky sends a SSSLLUUURRRRPPPPP!!!!!

My poor DD2 is not having a lovely weekend in Bath with her sister any longer, poor thing came down with food poisoning last evening and big sister has had to take her back home as she's feeling sooooo poorly. Big sis has now gone back to Bath for the Spa Afternoon they had booked, rotten luck. DD2 is asleep on the sofa under a cat and her lovely OH is looking after her. Take care all of you, stay safe and dry Cheers Lyn xxx.

shegar

mardatha wrote: »

Morning everybody and slow down cos I canny keep up! We had a white frozen day yesterday but sun, today looks dank and foggy. Really sorry for people down in the flood zones wish to god this rain would stop, we've had far too much of it.[/Q

Dam done big post and lost it...!!!!!.

Weve got high winds here , but the sun is shining very nicely, ive got the washing out.......My hens are shut up, so I thought this morning id give the little darlings a treat, so out come the lawn mower , it done 2 jobs in one for me, give them some lovely fresh cut grass and also I cut all the leaves up that had been blown down, so hens are more than happy.......

I washed all the bird feeders, dunked them in water butt and dried them up with old towel and filled up and back up hanging, birds eat so much food here, weve got loads of birds every day, lovely to see.......We do get hundreds of starlings they come in swarms and he so much.......Dam food cost a lot, but I did grow some sun flower and nyger seeds this year ...............
Nice to get out when weather allows and get some fresh air, makes me feel better than being indoors.................

Just had cheese sandwich and mince pies for lunch, have cook "proper" food tonight.....

Hubby had a big seizure on Friday morning and its whacked him out, poor chap.........

Right out to get some washing in now, as a few hours time it will be dark, god will I be glas when January get it and the nights start to get a wee bit lighter, not long to go now, get this dam christmas out of the way and things should look up......:D..

Hope your all well out there Sheila......

nuttyp

Hi everyone, Had a day out with hubby yesterday was suppose to be xmas shopping but after the tax credit letter, didnt feel like doing it. I know its sorted to pay monthly, but its sort of upset me. It seems like one step forward and then ten back.

Had a trip to the sunday market, nothing useful to be found so we went into farmfoods. Got a few bits for the freezer, its now full!!!

So i am now all wrapped up at home.

Hope everyone is wrapped up and safe. take care.

fuddle

The gingerbread was a success. My piping skills are a little rubbish but so much fun! I'm confident that I can make the pieces for their gingerbread house and Possession you were correct, it didn't matter that I just used ordinary sugar.

I've been sat watching Christmas24 on sky with the girls. A free movie channel with feel good Christmas movies from the 80's and 90's. Back down to earth now and more cupboard cleaning and packing.

[Deleted User]

anyone joining me? feet up watching `the way we were` cup of coffee and small bar of chocolate. Followed by crickley hall tonight, got shivers up my back watching it last week