[snowdrops]

Needs must Tosca. 

[gypsy]

Baking is not my think but have done blackcurrant jam and blackcurrant vodka as pressies.

[DD.]

I made a dozen deep filled mince pies and twenty cheese scones for the church carol concert yesterday.

I'll take it as a compliment that by the time I made it to the after-service refreshments they had all disappeared and I had to have a Mr. K. mince pie. 

[Mrs Bee]

Poor Mrs Bee, I felt a rant was on its way & that's ok by me, hope you feel better now if not open another bottle of Prosecco, the bubbles will help as will a lage glass of brandy I find

Thank you for letting me rant. Feel less cross this morning. Just a bit hard done by. I know it is horrible for mum with dad as he is but it is so hard to get her to accept help.

And I just remembered I made Dutch Christmas rings and mince pies to give as gifts too.

[snowdrops]

Gypsy, jam & blackcurrant vodka would be most acceptable here as a gift.
DD, that is soooo annoying when that happens but nice to know they were snaffled in favour of the commercial ones.
Mrs Bee, pleased you are feeling a bit better, feeling hard done by seems to be part of my pre Christmas feelings too

[mumofstig]

I made a dozen deep filled mince pies and twenty cheese scones for the church carol concert yesterday.

I'll take it as a compliment that by the time I made it to the after-service refreshments they had all disappeared and I had to have a Mr. K. mince pie. 

Oh bad luck - they're not very nice are they 

[Debz]

Christmas cakes are baked, pudding has been steamed and the children and I will make mince pies on Christmas Eve.  I haven't made any edible gifts this year apart from a batch of bramble jam the other day.  I had plans to but vomiting children have put paid to them.

[snowdrops]

Christmas cakes are baked, pudding has been steamed and the children and I will make mince pies on Christmas Eve.  I haven't made any edible gifts this year apart from a batch of bramble jam the other day.  I had plans to but vomiting children have put paid to them.

Hmm, vomiting children & edible gifts not a good move. Your friends & family will thank you. Hope they are better

[tosca100]

Biccies made, about a hundred, iced and packed up in boxes of 11 (has to be an odd number) and both cakes iced. We ummed and ahhed about the snowman and tree for the neighbour's cake, I favour simplicity and felt pearlised snowflakes were enough, but it is supposed to be traditionally British so compromised. I should have used royal icing but fear for Jordan's teeth, they cost him two months' pension!

Vanilla and chocolate shortbread


Gingerbread snowmen


The cakes

[Mrs Bee]

Absolutely stunning Tosca.

[tosca100]

Thank you Mrs Bee, I hope the neighbours think so. I have had the icing in the freezer all summer as you can't get it here, or the superfine icing sugar we are used to. I didn't want to risk anything happening to it.

The spare biscuits are now spoken for....shame, the ginger snowmen are yummy.

[Madame Cholet]

They look amazing Tosca

[snowdrops]

Ooh you could start a traditional English shop Tosca, they look lovely

[Lardman]

... and I had to have a Mr. K. mince pie. 

Shudder - they're just not exceedingly good cakes,  although they do look the part    .

Would you like one of mine to make up for it ?

I've done these this evening to take into the step-down facility, I think they would have preferred my blueberry and dark chocolate gauche tarts but Im out of double cream so these were the best I could do.

[Mrs Bee]

Now those are mince pies to be proud of Mr Lardman.

Well done that man. 

Pass one along please.