CHRISTMAS (CONTINUED)

CHRISTMAS   GIFTS

Decorating the Mini Christmas Cakes.

It is time to decorate the cakes, take the cakes out from the safe keeping place.  Get everything organised, put the apron on and be ready to work.

Take three spoons of the apricot jam, heat up for 22 seconds on a microwave oven, add a cap of brandy, stir to mix.  Use it while still warm, because it is easier to work with.
Unwrap the cake from the cloth and foil, brush it once more with brandy or sherry.
Brush the top with warm apricot jam, and place red, green cherries, and the nuts, arrange them artistically.  When the head is covered with this gorgeous topping, brush again with the apricot jam mixture, do it thoroughly.  Put aside.

The Topping

cherries, nuts and apricot jam

Cover the cakes with plastic wrap, finish off with Christmas frill around the cakes.  The cupcakes look pretty, however, would be better if you wrap them up with cellophane paper and knot with colourful ribbons.  Last but not least, attach name tags.

Mini Christmas Cake for - 2012 

Another good idea to make your own gifts is giving living plants.  I found some self-sown tomato plants in my garden, I shared some of them with friends who love gardening. It is a yellow cherry tomato.
I am planning to give my dear friend - Eileen a tomato potted plant for this year's  Christmas gift.  I organised one very well, and it looks right now, the plant has settled alright in a pot, I am sure she will like it.

Potted Yellow Cherry Tomato plant

Other Christmas Treats

Fruit mince tart

Elephant Ears

Cherry biscuits

The tart, elephant ears, cherry biscuits can be prepared a few weeks before, the sponge cakes freeze well, decorate prior serving.

Sponge Christmas cake

Flowers Around Christmas Time

Roses are in flower for the second round, and they are beautiful, especially the red variegated roses.

Hydrangea is the flower of the month for us, there are a few colours from white, pink, lilac to blue and they are in full blooms in our garden.  Every year these beautiful flowers adorn the rooms inside the house at Christmas time.

I will post the recipe next time, as for now, it is too late to bake the Christmas cake, if you are interested, you can cook the cake for next Christmas 2013.

Two days to go to Christmas, enjoy the Christmas preparations, hope you all are in good spirits.




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Thanks For Stopping By
Susy