A winter warmer...

Now I know we don't often share baking tips (see my blog on the disaster of trying to bake DangerBaby her birthday cake!) but this is the season of comfort food, and soon you'll see these autumn treats in the shops. Why not treat yourselves and your little ones to a 'cooking with Mummy' day.... [Older kids! Hot syrup and babies don't mix]

Maple Toffee Apples

200g golden granulated sugar
125ml maple syrup
1 tsp white wine vinegar
25g butter
75g chopped almonds (or pecans if you prefer)
6 small eating apples

Place baking paper onto a baking tray.
Pour the sugar into a large heavy based pan with 100ml of cold water
Warm gently. Cook for 2-3mins, until sugar dissolved. Don't stir the water!

Add the vinegar and maple syrup and butter
Bring to the boil and let bubble for 5-10mins. To test it's ready drop a little of the syrup into water, it should 'freeze' but still be squidgee

Place almonds on a large plate and push large lolly sticks (or wooden skewers) into the apples.

Remove the caramel from the heat and then pick up your first apple.

Dunk it in until it's completely covered, roll in the almonds / pecans and place on the baking paper for it to cool!

This of course can be done with chocolate and sprinkles instead of caramel and nuts!!

So much fun, so simple and such a messy fun day had making these treats! Just imagine how much better homemade ones make!

Hmmmmm yummy.

Diamond Jubilee celebrations

In celebration of the Queens Diamond Jubilee (60 years on the throne) we are celebrating by making bunting.

Bunting is a great easy decoration that can be as original and personal as you want it to be. It can be reused numerous times for parties and celebrations of every style. I am making a close friend some bunting for her baby shower to decorate the venue. I will then give her  the bunting as a gift to use as a decoration for her nursery. It is simple to make, brightens up every where it is placed and looks fabulous!

All you need is-

Paper, pins, pen, an assortment of fabric remnants, scissors, a sewing machine, thread and bias binding.

To make simply,

1. Using paper and a pen, make a triangle flag shape, the upper side of the triangle being shorter then the lower two sides. Cut out 30 flags by pinning the triangle to the fabric and cutting round it 30 times.

*I suggest a triangle with the two lower sides being 20cm and upper side being 19cm.

2. Un-pin the flags from the pattern. Marry each flags front to it's partner, the back. You will have 15 married paired flags in total.  For each pair place right sides together and sew 1cm along the two longer side, making a pocket with the top opening of the flag still open.

3. Cut the tip off the triangle horizontally within the seam allowance (leaving 3mm from the stitch line) to allow your point to be crisp when you turn it the correct way round.

3. Turn inside out and press each flag well ensuring that the seam lines are crisp.

4. Open out your bias binding and pin flags to the inside of the binding at equal intervals ensuring you leave 30cm at the beginning and end.

5. Stitch each flag into the open bias binding, securing it into place.

6. When each flag is stitched into place, fold over the bias binding and stitch it closed.

7. Either leave your bunting as it is or decorate it in any way you like.

Now, put it up using the long ends to tie it up and CELEBRATE!!!!!

*Funny terminology  I have used

• Press, to iron
• Seam Allowance, This refers to the area between the stitching line and the raw cut edge of the fabric. 

• Right side/Wrong side, Most fabrics have wrong sides and right side. The wrong side is the side of the fabric you don't want to see. The Right side is the side you do want to see.