OS Christmas 2014 thread!!!!

psso

If the charity shop won't take it offer it on your local freecycle/ freegle group. Or does your area have a free page on Facebook, you could offer it there, or sell it on Facebook.

Lilyplonk

Managed to pick up some items for the 'Useful Stuff up to value of £15' presents for my 2DSis's and DBro yesterday, while I was in Mr T's.

'Stash Box' is looking quite good at the moment :j.

TravellingAbuela

My stash box (sorry boxes!) has been growing steadily since I started it in January courtesy of Boots and the 75% off sale! Recently in M & Co I got a few more goodies. Cotton snoods reduced from £14 to £3 (pretty patterns) and a pair of ladies pj's half price. Also a Mountain Warehouse body warmer for great nephew half price. Lovely electric blue shade.

jlhmd666

I was looking at the Christmas cake recipe in the 'We'll Eat Again' cook book yesterday and wondered if that would work out ok as it seems simple enough to make. When do folks start making their cakes please?

Also, if you don't mind sharing, do you have a simple Christmas cake recipe that you use?

[Deleted User]

I made the christmas cake in We'll Eat Again and found it improved beyond belief after a week. For us it didn't quite have enough fruit in, so I'm going to make it again with 2lbs of mixed fruit instead of 1 and I'll leave it in a tin to mature for a couple of weeks before we try it. If you don't think it will be christmassy enough there is a very good recipe for 'The Christmas Cake of 1954 on the very last page of the Victory Cookbook (the middle section of the 3 in 1 book) that I've used often and often and that one really is a proper christmas cake.

jlhmd666

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

I made the christmas cake in We'll Eat Again and found it improved beyond belief after a week. For us it didn't quite have enough fruit in, so I'm going to make it again with 2lbs of mixed fruit instead of 1 and I'll leave it in a tin to mature for a couple of weeks before we try it. If you don't think it will be christmassy enough there is a very good recipe for 'The Christmas Cake of 1954 on the very last page of the Victory Cookbook (the middle section of the 3 in 1 book) that I've used often and often and that one really is a proper christmas cake.

Thanks MrsL I wasn't sure if that was the same cake as you had spoken about but yes, ok, I can add the extra fruit. I was also thinking of putting some icing and marzipan on it then letting the younger ones decorate it

When will you make it so as it's ready for Christmas please?

[Deleted User]

The recipe says it will store for up to 2 months so I'd make it in late November and definately feed it with some sort of alcohol once a week until the week before christmas when I'd marzipan it and then ice it a couple of days before christmas day. Mmmmmm making me hungry just thinking of christmas cake.......... Mmmmmmmmmm!!!

jlhmd666

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

The recipe says it will store for up to 2 months so I'd make it in late November and definately feed it with some sort of alcohol once a week until the week before christmas when I'd marzipan it and then ice it a couple of days before christmas day. Mmmmmm making me hungry just thinking of christmas cake.......... Mmmmmmmmmm!!!

What type of alcohol would you use and would you just pour it over the top, in the cake tin? Sorry for the questions, I've never made one before

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

Just looked in my cupbored under the stairs at the chocolate tin of 2005. 1.3kg.


Are they still £5 and what wait are they this commercial exploitation season?

[Deleted User]

JDLMH never say sorry for asking a question love, how else are you going to find things out? I never ever mind, I would use anything you have that is a fortified wine or a spirit so sherry, port, whisky , brandy or rum not gin though, wrong flavour entirely. I push a thin skewer in all over the top of the cake to make channels the liquid can run into and them use a tablespoon to very gradually drizzle the alcohol evenly over the top of the cake, you can see it soaking in and pour accordingly. When it's soaked in wrap your cake up in foil and seal it well then keep it in a lidded tin until you need to feed it again, once or twice a week is enough to give you a lovely flavourful cake. Lyn xxx.