Our Great Big Chocolate Competition!!

It's been awhile since our last blog competition, it was very successful and a lot of fun to run. So today we're bringing you our biggest ever giveaway!!

We are also in the very lucky position (thanks to GMC Publications) of being able to offer 5 prizes which in total are worth over £100!

You may remember my last post with the yummy scrummy Fudge Cake with Ganache Drizzle? Well now you too can make this gorgeous cake plus many many more delicious offerings as we have 5 copies of the Absolutely Chocolate book to giveaway. The giveaway will end midnight Saturday 13th Nov (UK time), Good Luck!!

How To Enter

It's ridiculously easy to enter our comp (UK readers only this time I'm afraid):

1. Follow this blog publicly (using either Google Friend Connect or Bloglovin on the right) and leave a comment mentioning you are following the blog (current followers need only comment). Remenber to leave your email so I can contact you if you win.

Extra entries - for each extra entry leave a comment to let me know:

1. Tweet about the comp for an extra entry
2. Like our page on Facebook (link to the left)

Absolutely Chocolate! Book Review

Time for a book review :) When it comes to food and desserts in particular there are definately fashions that come and go over time. But there is one ingredient that will never ever fall out of favour and that is chocolate. Whether your a traditionalist who loves their organic 70% cocoa solids or a person who bows to the delights of milk chocolate or white it is hard to find a person who doesn't love one of the many variants now available.

But can you or do you cook with it? I have recently received Absolutely Chocolate written by the editors of Fine Cooking.

To say this book is a bible to all things chocolate would be a huge understatement, to start with it's a very hefty hardback, secondly it not only gives you ten large sections of recipes it also teaches you everything you could ever wish to know about chocolate.

After a rather mouthwatering readthrough I decided to test the book out by making the Fastest Fudge Cake with Ganache Drizzle. The instructions were very clear and to the point and I had no trouble interpreting the recipe. They were not lying about the cake being fast either, it was whipped up in a flash but certainly wouldn't have looked that way to guests.

 

We served it to four adults and three children and the general consensus, after all the oohing and ahhing over the shiny ganache, was that the cake was delicious and we could all have eaten a second or third slice. Even the children loved it which suprised me as it had quite a sophisticated flavour. It would make a gorgeous end to a dinner party (but without the time and effort of other possible dishes).

Would I recommend this book?

Without a doubt, the recipes are beyond beautiful to look at and eat. They're easy to follow and a lot are very quick. Plus the book looks grand in it's own right and would look great sat on a coffee table for guests to flick through.

Could it be improved in any way?

Honestly I have struggled to think of a way in which this book can be improved. The only thing I can think of is that occassionally it mentions using certain brands of biscuits etc but isn't terribly clear on suitable alternatives, but most people can work these out for themselves.

Plus

If you love chocolate as much as me then keep your eyes peeled to the blog as this coming Thursday I'm launching a big new giveaway that will be right up your street!

Book Details

Title: Absoltuely Chocolate

Author: Editors of Fine Cooking

ISBN: 9781600851339

RRP: £20.00

Publisher: Taunton

Publication Date: Autumn 2009.

Harvest Time!

I recently read that the Harvest Festival is in decline. I find this a very sad fact if it's true, it's always been such a big part of Autumn growing up that I would be truly upset to see it go.

Historically the festival we are all now familiar with started in Morwenstow, a small village in Cornwall in 1843. The Parson (Parson Hawker) invited his congregation to a Harvest service, he wanted to give thanks to God and his provision in a fitting way. This grew in popularity and is still with us.

He was also something of an eccentric, he loved bright colours, the only dull things he ever wore were reportedly his socks! He built a small hut from driftwood, this is now known as Hawker's Hut and is the smallest property in the National Trust portfolio.He also loved animals, inviting his nine cats into church and keeping a huge pig as a pet. Although one of the cats fell foul of his good gracing, having gone mousing on a Sunday the Parson apparently excommunicated the moggy.

Today we had a Harvest festival at my childrens school. Not only was it wonderful to see the tradition being acted out, it was also an important event for charity. All the children gave gifts of food that are being distributed to local families in need. I suppose it helps to remind us to not only be thankful for what we have but to be mindful of what others lack, a good lesson in old fashioned human kindness. From a parents point of view it would be a shame if the children of the future were denied these kind of events, another chance to shine singing songs and writing poems, plus the moral lesson it imparts. Has Harvest been forgotten where you live? If so do you miss it?

Bookday! Are you a prepared parent or not?

Today was bookday at my childrens school. I think events like these strike fear into the heart of every parent. I had a few short days to come up with costumes to represent my kids favourite book characters. Suffice to say just about every little girl was a princess and there was more than a few Batmen and Jedi running about the playground. Plus organising sponsored reading events, competitions and all the usual fare. In all the commotion and narrowly avoiding an arrow flying my way courtesy of Robin Hood I forgot to take any photos. But it got me wondering are you one of the rare breed of prepared parents who relishes such events, or like me (and thankfully most of the other mums at school) the kind that raids wardrobes and cupboards the night before wondering what we can sew on to what outfit to create a thoroughly convincing costume?

The Best Mars Bar Cake Recipe!!

Sorry for the late blogging this week, I haven't been at the peak of health, but I'm back now and bringing you a recipe!

From childhood I have been a fan of Mars Bar Cakes, everyone usually makes them slightly differently but they're always over the top sweet and incredibly moreish. So today I'm bringing you my favourite Mars Bar Cake Recipe (My Mum's!)

What You'll Need

4 Mars Bars
4oz (100g) Margarine
4 oz (100g) Rice Krispies
9oz (225g) Milk Chocolate

Step 1

Melt the margarine and Mars Bars together, if you are very careful you can do this in a pan directly on the heat, otherwise put the mixture in a bowl above a pan of boiling water.

Step 2

Add the Rice Krispies and stir carefully until they are evenly coated. Put the mixture in a square tin (about 10" square) and put in the fridge to cool for about 2 hours.



 
Step 3

When the cake has cooled melt the milk chocolate in a bowl over a pan of boiling water and stir until smooth. Pour over the cake and with a flat knife or spatula spread out evenly. Put back in the fridge for about an hour.

Step 4

Remove the cake from the tin by sliding a knife around the edges, turn upside down onto a board and tap the bottom of the tin. Cut into fingers or squares and enjoy!

Snowman Egg Cosy Tutorial

It has been sometime since we had a tutorial so today I thought I would share my Snowman Egg Cosy pattern. This lovely little chap will not only keep your eggs warm, it will keep them festive and stylish too!

What You'll Need

Size 3 Knitting Needles
Snowflake Wool
Orange/Red Wool
Black/Brown Wool
Wool Needle

Pattern

This pattern is made extra special by the use of Snowflake wool, if you've never encountered this you really must search it out. It's fluffy, sparkly and notoriously awkward to knit with but the results are beautiful.

Body
Cast on 30 st using the snowflake wool.
Beginning with a K row st-st 22 rows
(K2, K2tog) 7 times, K2 = 23st
P one row
(K1, K2tog) 7 times, K2 = 16st
P one row
K2tog to end = 8st
B & T tightly

Carrot Nose
Cast on 5 st using orange/red wool
St-st 4 rows
B & T tightly

To Make Up

Using your wool needle sew up the two side edges of the body leaving the cast on st free.
Sew up the side edges of the carrot nose leaving the cast on st free.
Stuff the carrot lightly if required & then sew onto the centre of the body.
Next, taking your brown/black wool sew on two eyes and four dots for his coal mouth.
Place over your eggcup and egg and admire!

I think a couple of these would make a lovely Christmas gift, perhaps buying a couple of eggcups and packaging it all in a pretty box.

Autumn Watch

Keeping on my theme for the week, Autumn Watch starts this evening on BBC Two at 8.30pm. Time to start hunting for nature in your garden, making bird feeders and preparing for the season ahead.

It's also the time of year when I start wanting to eat comforting food whether savoury or sweet. My husband jokes that I'm trying to put on weight for winter, in reality the large jumpers and big fluffy coats means we're probably all a little less self conscious.

Our garden has been full to the brim with blackberries (or Brambles as my Dad calls them). I love this simple way of using them to decorate cupcakes. Just pipe a little cream, pop on a fresh blackberry and ta da you have a really yummy cake!

The dark evenings also drive me to revive hobbies that had fallen by the wayside during the summer months. Currently my knitting needles are getting a work out, keep your eyes peeled as this is to do with an upcoming tutorial!

From a work point of view we're gearing up for the festive season with new products, old favourites and more. We have launched another new craft kit online this week, our Cupcake Badge!

Season Of Mist & Mellow Mushrooms!!

Autumn seems to have arrived with a bang recently. It was only a few short weeks ago that summer was still with us and yet my children are now enthusiastically collecting conkers and mushrooms have taken over the garden!

I should probably call them toadstools but being in no way shape or form a mushroom/toadstool expert I'm a bit ignorant as to which is which.

Autumn is always a strange sort of time, I'm definitely not a fan of the increasing rain, or trying to judge if now is the time to pack away the summer dresses and resurrect the winter woolies. But it definitely causes an increase in colour, the streets are already littered with yellow/red leaves as they begin to fall. For us it has also meant the invasion of mushrooms in many shapes and sizes, from the little brown fellow seen above to....

This beast of a mushroom actually grew in my Grandparents garden, but just like it's smaller cousins it appeared in record time and to the amazement of all.

This rather odd looking one has been mostly eaten, but by what?!

I don't remember this many mushrooms last year so I can't help but wonder what has caused this sudden influx. If the trend continues then next year we'll be overrun!

Thankfully they are rather pretty to look at, even if some are probably deadly. They have even been a source of creative inspiration for us. You may remember me mentioning exciting new items on the horizon. Well we are expanding into craft kits! The first to make it onto the website is our Mushroom Badge.

They are £5.50 and so far have been very popular when taken to fairs. Everything is included (bar a sewing needle) to make your very own Mushroom Badge, it is perhaps preferable to the garden invading kind, and looks much prettier on a coat!

I really love this place!

You probably know by now that I am a fan of CSN stores, the only problem I ever have is choosing which items I like, with over 200 stores selling everything from wardrobes to fitness equipment there is a lot of choice!

I am very pleased to have been offered another opportunity to review an item, the question now is how will I ever choose! I will give it some serious thought and hopefully have a new review for you all soon :)