Sunday 18 November 2012

Vintage Tea Party Part 2

Part 2 has finally arrived with a....

teacup and saucer.

Although I was also expecting issue 3 and my tea tray with my first delivery. Then perhaps I can invite a friend round for tea and scones.

Victoria's Angels 2012

I think I have a 'type'. My favourite Victoria's Secret Angels are all brunettes......

 


 Although I do find Doutzen Kroes stunning too


I do like these too..
 




Saturday 17 November 2012

Ginger Chocolate Walnut Biscotti

Now biscotti is usualyy eaten with a cup of coffee however I think they go just as well with a good cuppa.
The reason for the ginger is to use up the ginger preserve I put in my pumpkin pie at Halloween but you can put almost anything in yours. Nuts are especially good. This is what I started with:

  • 4 oz plain flour
  • 1.5 oz cocoa powder
  • 1.5 tsps baking powder
  • 0.25 tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 2 oz walnuts
  • 1 oz chopped dark chocolate
  • 5 oz ginger preserve (or 4 oz sugar and 1 oz of stem/crystallized ginger)
Start by putting all the dry ingredients into a bowl. That’s the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, chocolate and nuts (and sugar).

If using ginger preserve whisk this together with the eggs.

Otherwise just add the 2 eggs one by one with the vanilla essence to the dry ingredients to form a dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough into a flat mound and place on a baking tray. Then bake at gas mark 4 for 25 mins.

It should then be baked through making it easy to cut into half inch slices. Wait 10 minutes for it to cool before cutting into it to make it easier to handle. While you wait cool down the oven to gas mark 3.

Place the slices on their side and put back in the oven for 20 mins, turning the slices over halfway through.

Once done take them out the oven and place on a wire rack to cool down completely. Each slice should dry out and once cooled should be crunchy and dippable into hot coffee.