HALLOWEEN COOKIES

No it is not a typo,yes today I baked Halloween cookies with my grandson just because he bought the cutters yesterday....lol.

Being the crazy grandmother I am I agreed & learned much in the process......Example that yes I can finally make cookie dough,do not attempt to decorate without outlining first.....lol.Little lessons but hugely valuable :):)

 Firstly I had my little chef onboard & finally allowed him to use the mixer for the first time,in his words " Being 5 is all about learning & how can I learn if you don't allow me Nanny" well what can I say I allowed him & he is well capable :):)

 Picture of our perfect cookie dough,maybe the fact that a 5 yr old made it with me might have something to do with it being perfect....lol

Rolled out & ready to chill for 2 whole hours,we baked cupcakes whilst we waited ;)

 Finally chillin time was up & we got to cutout the cookies :)

 Finally baked & outlined after lesson learned....lol

Colours I mixed for the cookies....

Icing on & ready to decorate :)

Chief taster :)

 & may I add bowl licker....lol,as a child this was my favourite part of baking with my mum :)

 Thanks for looking

Jeany x

Dinosaur Cake ...

My Grandson wanted a Dinosaur cake for his 5th Birthday so I decided I would try & make it myself.This is the first time I have ever tried anything like this & was very nervous !!!! I am happy with the result & the good thing was I worked with chocolate bisciut cake rather that Maderia ( pound) cake,it was easier to shape....lol.

Chocolate biscuit recipe

175 g butter

2 tbsp golden syrup

250 g dark chocolate, (55-70% cocoa solids)

280 g rich tea biscuits

85 g Crunchie

85 g KitKat

1. Lightly butter your cake tin. Combine the butter, syrup and chocolate in a bowl and melt in the microwave, or over a saucepan of gently simmering water.

2. Whiz the biscuits in a food processor to coarsely textured crumbs. Alternatively, pop the biscuits into a plastic bag and use a rolling pin.

3. Stir the crumbs into the melted chocolate mixture and add the crunchie and kitkat. Mix well, spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and press down lightly.

4. Refrigerate until firm.

I used a 9" square cake tine for the base & a pudding bowl for the mountain/volcano,I then halved the cake from the pudding bowl to make it look like a mountain/volcano...lol.

I then put on a layer of  white fondant to smooth the cake out somewhat before I put on the green layer...

The I covered the mountain/volcano section seperately ...

One that was done I covered the base in green & the mountain/volcano in brown ( could have went a little darker on the brown....lol) & put some grey on the top to make it look rocky...lol

Then I used some grey fondant to make some rocks & used a dinosaur to make footprints on the base ......

Then I added some bushes  made from Patchwork Dino cutter set .....

I then added the Dinos & some lava from the mountain/volcano....lol ........

And most importantly the Birthday boy enjoying his cake :)

Thanks for looking :-)

Jeany

Ladybug cupcakes .............

Baked these with Darragh today after school,he loved making the sugarpaste lady bugs...lol.He is such an avid little baker,today he decided we shouldn't use the mixer so we mixed all the cakes,buttercream by hand :)......

We started off with basic mix but just enough for 12 :)

4 oz Plain flour

4 oz Caster sugar

4 oz Butter

2 Free Range eggs

I Tsp Baking powder

Bake in fan oven at 155 for 20 mins...

Also made enough icing for just 12 cakes

113 gr of Butter

200 gr of Icing sugar

Sugarflair party green colour ....

Apply buttericing to cupcake with butter knofe or icing knife

Smooth out the icing

Get a desert fork & splash effect on the cake ( couldn't find my icing nozzel to make the grass...lol)

Add your ladybug to the icing ....

Sugarflair Red poppy colouring & Americolour Black colour for the sugarpaste ladybugs

Make small red balls with the red paste,flatten & shape a little for the body,the place a line down the centre...

Make smaller balls with the black paste for the heads,attach with a little water ...

Paint black dots on the body & allow to dry ....

Finished result is mouth watering cupcake with a handsome chief taster :):)

Thanks for looking :)

Jeany

Cookie Monster Cupcakes

Before I start I want to make it clear these are not my idea,I saw them on a blog & regretfully didn't add the blog to my favourites,so if anyone here knows the blog I would be more than happy to add the link to my post :)

Ok with that clarified I will babble on...lol.I had seen these on a blog & promised Darragh I would make them with him this week,as luck would have it I am sick & kept putting it off but today just had to keep my promise.They were very fun to make,Darragh is only 5 & loved messing with the icing & placing the cookie in the monsters mouth & attaching the eyes,definetly a fun evening for him :).

Have to say the blue icing left his mouth rather coloured,even his teeth,hopefully we won't be repeating theses again too soon....lol

Too start off we made a small amount of cookie dough & made mini cookies....

Then used the basic cupcake mix off...

8oz Plain Flour

8oz Castor Sugar

8oz Butter

2 Tsp of Baking Powder

4 Eggs

The icing consisted of....

225grms of Butter

400grms of Icing sugar

The colours I used to get the one I needed were

Sugarflair Baby Blue

Americolor Eletric Blue

I placed the icing on the cake with a knife,added the cookie & then mashed with a fork to get the hairy look....lol

Then I used some white chocolate buttons,melted some milk chocolate & piped it onto the white buttons & placed them on the cupcake as eyes ( sorry for the quality of the pics ).....

Thanks for looking :)

Jeany