Seeing Stars

After being seriously inspired by Becks' super-dooper-easy make-it-in-minutes fudge recipe, I simply HAD to get my bake on and whip up some festive and sugar-filled goodies.

I made milk chocolate fudge with snowflake sprinkles (part of a baking-themed Christmas present from a very lovely friend), and double-choc-with-mint fudge with what was intended to be candy cane smashed up all over the top. However, I couldn't find any candy canes for sale (despite my very thorough search of both the seasonal and the confectionery isles in Tesco; I was leaving no stone unturned there!) but when I got home I found an old stick of rock in the bottom of our sweetie tin. It was red and white so I reckoned it was an excellent substitute. It was only after I'd smashed it all into my fudge mix I realised it was strawberry flavour. Oops! I'll just say I was trying to channel Heston...

I also whipped up a batch of Hummingbird Bakery sugar cookies. My Aunt bought me one of their cookbooks as an early Christmas present and this was the first recipe I tried from it. A friend had warned me the recipe made a LOT of cookies, so I tried to choose a reasonably large cutter for my shapes. However, I still ended up making about 100 cookies!! Hence why instead of icing them properly I went for more of a scatter-gun approach... But I did put some edible glitter in the icing. 

I swore after making these I never wanted to see another star cutter again as long as I lived; but I'm going to make some of Nigella's Cheese Stars (with a twist) this afternoon to take with us to the in-laws' tomorrow along with the fudge and the cookies. If any of them survive the night, that is; I know how greedy Tom Santa can be!!

Katie xxx