Petite Puddings.

I'll say it quietly as to not scare anyone but Christmas is coming... We've got one month left before festive parties begin and it is actually acceptable to eat and eat and eat and eat. Oh and drink and drink and drink...

I have a cute little recipe inspired from a picture posted by Nigella (who else!?) on her Twitter account. They'll see you through unannounced guests, long nights of sticky tape catastrophes and THAT night the in-laws come to dine!

I don't have exact measurements or quantities but they're so easy to make! 

These Petite Puddings aren't suitable for children as they contain alcohol. 

Ingredients:

1 Pre made Christmas pudding - however large or small. 
1 Bar of white chocolate
1 Tub of glacier cherries
4-5 Cap fulls of brandy

Method:

1. Cook the pre-bought Christmas pudding following the guidelines on the packaging. Most will be microwavable for ease and speed.

2. Remove from plastic mold and add to a large bowl mashing and breaking it apart with a fork and leave to cool.

3. Break up the chocolate and melt in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water. Do this slowly as to not let the cocoa and fat split. Remove from the pan and leave to cool slightly.

4. Chop the glacier cherries into really tiny pieces. These will form the mini cherries for on top of the puddings.

5. Take the cooled pudding add the brandy and stir. Now take a small amount of the mixture in your hands and roll into a ball. You can make them as big or small as you like. I made them a little larger than Malteasers so they were perfect as a little nibble or canapé size. Roll into balls until all the mixture has been used. 

6. Gently dip the pudding balls in the melted white chocolate and place chocolate side up on a tray/plate/platter so the chocolate runs down creating that traditional Christmas pudding-look. 

7. Finally add one piece of chopped cherry to each pudding ball. This will be fiddly so it may be helpful to use a cocktail stick. And remember to bare in mind the size you chop the cherries in comparison to the pudding balls. 

8. Unveil your impressive balls to family and friends but always keep an emergency supply somewhere! 

The Show Stopping Jewel Box Cake.

If you are a Great British Bake Off super fan like I am then you've probably got the BBC book, "How to turn Everyday Bakes into Show Stoppers". The book is full of amazing recipes featured in the first 3 series, step by step technique guides and beautiful images accessorised with little vintage tea sets and old English wooden work tops. If you love baking and you've become the family birthday cake baker then I highly recommend this book! 

The Great British Bake off- How to turn Everyday Bakes into Showstoppers. 

There are 3 elements to the cake: the sponge, the chocolate bow and the raspberry decoration.

List of Ingredients for Jewel Box Cake. 

1. Line and grease a 20.5cm square deep cake tin.

2. Pre heat oven to 180c/350f/gas 4 then melt the chocolate for the sponge in a heat proof glass bowl over a pan of heated water on a hob. Heat gently to prevent the chocolate solids splitting from the fat.

3. Add butter to a large bowl and beat with electric whisk until creamy. Gradually add the sugar and vanilla and beat until its really fluffy. Now added beaten egg a little at a time and add 1 tbsp of the flour to prevent the mixture splitting. Sift in the remaining flour and pinch of salt and fold together. Add the cooled melted white chocolate and fold into the mixture ensure its all thoroughly combined.

4. Spoon mixture into greased and lined tin and spread evenly allowing a small hollow in the centre for an even rise. Bake for 1 hour until golden brown and firm. Leave to cool for 15-20 and remove from tin and allow it cool completely on a cooling rack. 

5. Set the cake on a serving board/plate/platter and begin to make the bow. 

6. Melt the chocolate the same way as you did for the sponge, remove the bowl from the pan and stir in the liquid glucose. Leave the mixture to thicken at room temperature Once the mixture is almost set, mould into a ball- it should be almost like Starburst sweet that's gone soft and pliable. 

7. Whilst the chocolate mixture is cooling, melt the raspberry jam over a gentle heat in a pan and brush over the top and the sides of the cake.

8. Shape into a sausage and place between to baking sheets and roll out into a long. Cut out 2 strips around 30cm x 2.5cm using a ruler and sharp knife. Attach to the cake and leave to chill in the fridge for the chocolate ribbon cross to set.  

9. The the bow you need to cut 1 strip at 10cm x 2.5cm, 2 strips at 11cm x 2.5cm and 2 strips at 14cm x 2.5cm. Cut 2 small triangles at the end of the 11cm strips. Set these strips over the rolling pin to make them curved. 

10. Bend the 14cm strips into  2 loops and press the ends together ensuring the middle is over lapping - think figure of 8 on it's side. Take the 10cm strip and wrap around the middle join of the figure of 8 you've just created. 

11. To decorate the cake with raspberries start with the top of the cake sticking each raspberry hole-side down on to the sponge avoiding covering the cross you've already placed on the sponge. Continue until the whole cake is covered- you may need a little extra jam for the sides to stick the raspberries on securely.

12. Finally position the bow on top of the crossed ribbons on the cake fixing with melted chocolate or jam if necessary. Slot the bow ends (11cm strips) under the bow loops and arrange over the cake. 

The finished cake! 

I made The Jewel Box cake for my Dad's birthday and it went down a real treat! I've made it since then and turned the sponge into a sandwich and added whipped cream. 

A little taster...

I'm a not professional, I often make mistakes but isn't that what being a true feeder and foodie is all about? Trial and error, force feeding 3 dozen cup cakes and sausage rolls on to family members, covering crevasses in cakes with butter cream and still deciding to "follow the recipe" even though you only have the first 3 ingredients on the list are all characteristics of a "foodie". 

All of the recipes and methods are things I've tried either from online recipes scrapbooks, improvised techniques insipred by a menu recipes or a dusty 1980's copy of Delia at Home. Being a foodie doesn't mean you dine at the best restaurants in the world, if you're passionate about good food from soup to ham sandwiches, then what you produce will taste all the better. If your obsession with food stems from posting pictures of your breakfast on Instagram then I salute you!

I hope you come across recipes and methods that you want to try out and force feed your family and friends with..

:)