This week has been a long one for myself as I have been kept busy in the kitchen (but I am not complaining) , as well as, having several appointments booked in for not only my children and husband but my mother too. I even had my car booked in at the garage this week but I managed to get everything done and I am now enjoying my weekend. 🙂 Next week looks quite tame by comparison but I am sure I can find plenty to keep myself busy as I feel like I have neglected a few things this week.
My plans for next week include making a start on the chocolate treats ready for the Halloween Treat Boxes which I have orders for, finishing a few admin jobs which I have to do for my work and general house jobs which haven’t been done in a while. As it is coming up to “Halloween” I may even put some decorations up whilst the children are at school 🙂
This week, I have baked Sprinkles Cakes, Empire Biscuits, Date & Walnut Loaf Cakes, a Giant Cupcake for a birthday and Florentines (trial bake). The Sprinkles Cakes and Empire Biscuits I can bake in my sleep now as they are my most popular bake right now but the other bakes which I have had orders for this week required planning which has taken my mind off my eldest daughter being away at university. She has only be away for three weeks but it feels like so much longer??
The Giant Cupcake was an order for a birthday and the only request from the customer was that it was pink. So I baked a vanilla sponge filled it with strawberry jam and vanilla buttercream before covering it with pink coloured white chocolate ganache. The ganache tasted lovely (I thought so anyway) and to finish off the cupcake I edged it with white chocolate fingers then decorated it with strawberry and white Lindor chocolates. Before I filled and decorated the cake I checked that the customer liked everything else that I was going to add to the cake. A slight dusting of pink food glitter and the Giant Cupcake was complete. I hope the customer liked it and the birthday girl too!! 🙂
The Date and Walnut Loaf Cakes were an order for a birthday too. Something which I haven’t baked in such a long time and I couldn’t remember the recipe so I had to do a practice run and let a few of my chief tasters try it out. The cake passed the test and so I baked the customer her order for collection.
As for the Florentines, which I have never baked before. I found a recipe which I followed and baked a small sample of the Florentines. My husband and myself enjoyed them but I think I would tweak the recipe and use less mixed peel as I thought it was quite overpowering for my taste. 🙂
On Monday, I have orders for Sticky Toffee Pudding and Chocolate Pudding which I haven’t baked for a long time – since my market stall days – so I may have to bake a spare one for an after dinner treat to have with custard 🙂 Then the rest of my week is free to do with as I wish unless orders come in but I am hoping to get through the admin and “Halloween” chocolate work which I want to finish in advance of the “Halloween” orders that I have already received. If you would like to order any treats for “Halloween” then you can visit the webshop for more details – Halloween Bakes.
My other bakes that I want to try this week are to try out an idea for a gluten free cake and then to try and use up some of the packaging which I have in storage such as cake push pop containers and jars. I just need to think of what to put in them 🙂