You just have to love February don’t you think? It is the shortest month, for a start and in the current situation it is a welcome change. Hurry up June and fingers crossed it all happens like it should so that we can come out of the other side of this lockdown. The baking is what is keeping me busy and I have needed it I think, otherwise I would go stir crazy – although my family would say I am already stir crazy.!!
This lockdown has been so much harder for my children than but I think this is due to the time of year and the horrible weather – although the snow was lovely – and we really made the most of it with sledging and snowball fights to fill in the weekends in between the homeschooling. There is definitely anxiety in the air with one of my children who is really nervous about going back. I’m sure she will be fine though and I just need to keep reassuring her by listening and talking to her about her worries.
Well Spring is just around the corner, the snowdrops and crocuses are starting to flower and I think everyone is starting to feel a bit better about themselves. This last month I haven’t pushed myself too hard as I didn’t bake any Valentine Treats – so much less pressure which is just what I needed. I have seen so many bakers in the area supplying Valentine Treats and Afternoon Teas but I am not going down that road. I’ll stick to what I know works for myself at this current time but who knows what the future will bring. I have been busy with orders for collection and postal delivery which has been really nice and just enough to cope with, as well as, the homeschooling and running a home. However, I have now shut the webshop as the house move is soooo close I could touch it but I don’t want to jinx it so I’ll say no more.
The bakes this month have included Birthday Cakes, Melting Moments, Empire Biscuits (Traditional and Chocolate Orange), Bakewell Tart, Mini Cheesecakes, Cheesecake Eggs and Peach Melbas, to name but a few, plus what my own children have baked as treats for themselves. In fact, I will have to look through my work diary to see exactly what I have baked for customers this month has been a busy one 🙂
I don’t think I have a favourite bake from this month but my most yummy bake for myself was the Chocolate Orange Bakewell Tart. This is a Bakewell Tart with a few changes to it and I trialled this bake on a willing customer, as well as, my husband. This Chocolate Orange Bakewell Tart has the sweet pastry case with a layer of orange curd followed by the chocolate and almond cake sponge all topped off with a chocolate glace icing and a sprinkling of orange sprinkles. It is absolutely delicious – even though I do say so myself 🙂
Now Cheesecake Eggs – there is a thing that I thought I would never become involved in but they are so easy to make and such a novelty idea to be enjoyed over the Easter time. They are a thing of beauty don’t you think? but I couldn’t eat a whole one. I have made quite a few of them in the past couple of weeks for collection only as I am not going down the route of posting cheesecakes sorry.
My head is so full of jobs I need to do for the house move that I need some time to prepare myself and that is what I am trying to do, in between, everything else. So until I move to my new kitchen and get the hang of a different oven I am just going to keep planning, keep creating and trying out new ideas on my captive audience – my family! 🙂 I will be back though sometime in the near future 🙂 and thank you for sticking with me through these strange times.