Twas the week before Christmas, when all through the house,...creatures are in a flurry of activity.
My baking partner-in-crime, Leanne, and I got together this week for our annual Christmas baking day. What fun to get caught up with mixers whirring and baking sheets sliding in and out of the oven.
This year we made Hazelnut Biscotti with Chocolate Drizzle
Along with Cranberry Oat Bars
and Spicy Ginger Orange Cookies.
In previous years, we’ve made dozens of Cranberry, Pistachio and Orange Biscotti. They’re perfect for gifting.
Or breakfast. 🙂
During the lockdown, Leanne and I baked together virtually on Zoom to make our respective Festive Chocolate Orange Cakes.
In the spirit of full disclosure, during this year’s baking extravaganza, the elves completely flopped out on the Toffee topped with Chocolate with Pecans. The sugar and butter split weirdly, leaving a large lump of scalding hot sugar-sponge-toffee submerged in a pool of melted butter—what a mess. (I think I heated the butter and sugar too quickly, and they didn’t blend sufficiently. We have a new stovetop with a super-efficient large burner, and I’m not entirely used to it yet.) Well, I’ve got a bowl of chopped dark chocolate sitting on the counter, awaiting another attempt. All is not lost—just a couple of pounds of butter and several cups of sugar. Grrrr… Plus a very messy pot to clean up. Double grrrr.
Right now, it’s time for a cup of tea from Maryland China’s Snowman teapot. Who can resist that little face?
I purchased the set years ago and have been dying to use it. The three pieces include a darling little creamer and sugar, too.
Won’t you join us? I can easily fetch another mug!
Cupcakes, anyone? Go ahead – they’re tiny.
Just a mouthful of a moist vanilla cupcake topped with a smidge of icing and some chocolate M&Ms. Oh – and cupcake toppers by Meri-Meri.
Deeeeee-licious.
Cutest tea set, Helen!! Merry Christmas to you and your family! Hey, I have those plaid appetizer plates, who knew there were matching mugs? Sweet. You really baked up a storm too. Yum!
Thanks! The mugs are a 222 Fifth’s Wexford pattern, and the appetizer plates are from Pier 1, but they go well together, don’t they? I picked up the mugs standing in the checkout line at HomeSense one day.
All the best for a wonderful Christmas to you and yours, too!
I am looking for this snowman teapot, my grandma painted one for me and I recently found its head broken, any ideas where you got it?
Hi Kandy,
I got it from Maryland China, but I think it’s discontinued. Good luck in finding a replacement! You might try eBay.
Best,
Helen
Sounds like you’re having a great time baking up a storm! Everything looks so delicious. and I wouldn’t know where to begin. Have a wonderful Christmas with your beautiful family
The kids are all steadily munching their way through the offerings. I bagged up some of the biscotti and have used them as hostess gifts. At this rate, there will be nothing left by the weekend!
Safe travels! See you soon.
Dear Helen,
Re: toffee split. Did you use salted butter? Try the hot water rescue method? Everything else looks wonderful. The tea set is very cute, and I remember those Pier 1 plates that I didn’t have the sense to buy. So many patterns, so little time. Now we’ve a just-snowy-enough winter wonderland with blazing sunshine, but by the big night it will all have melted. Hope you have a lovely Christmas!
Unsalted butter, tried every rescue method we could goggle. Sigh. Lauren, who was witnessing the debacle, finally shook her head and recommended palliative care for the patient. Then it was disposing of the mess – ugh. I drained the scalding fat into a large tomato tin and slid the (also scalding) sugar/sponge toffee creature into a takeaway rectangular aluminium container. It went outside to cool, covered, in case the squirrels got any ideas and scalded their paws.
Fingers crossed, your snow stays just wintery enough! It is magical when Christmas Eve is dusted with sparkling powder.