Summer Bucket List

As the weather is starting to heat up my thoughts turn to what I'll be up to this summer. I love summer time so much and always want to make the most out of the sunny days we have in Scotland as they don't come around often! This is going to be a list of things I hope to achieve this summer.

Go strawberry picking

Make strawberry jam with the strawberries

Get dressed up in a pretty summery dress and go for cocktails

Walk along the beach as much as possible

Go for ice cream (this one will be VERY easy haha)

Holiday to Cyprus in September

Drink more water - these bottles are great for drinking more

Make ice lollies

Buy peonies - my favourite flower

Go for a picnic

Learn something new to bake

Learn something new to cook

Spend as much time as possible in the sun

Go for a walk every lunch time at work.

Blog at least once a week. 

Get up early and watch the sunrise at the beach.

Colour Me Rad Fun Run

Collect sea shells

Summery DIY

Walk up Bennachie

Dine al fresco as much as possible 

Go to the cinema on days it's rainy

Road trip!

Plant some flowers/herbs for a windowsill garden

Relax!

What are you looking for to the summer?

Love,

Sophie x

Christmas Cookie

I love baking cookies! They always go down a treat and are virtually fool proof to make. Also  you can make any flavour you like just use the basic recipe and then add whatever you want.

You will need: 

125g Butter

100g Light Soft Brown Sugar

125g Caster Sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

225g Self-Raising Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

White Chocolate 

Orange Zest 

Green & Red Smarties

Pre heat over to 180C, cream together the butter, sugars and egg. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix. It doesn't matter how much or how little chocolate you add its all down to personal preference - I quite like a lot of chocolate chips. 

Place baking paper onto a baking tray, scoop about a walnut size amount onto the tray and bake for 8-10 minutes or until slightly golden. Remember to leave enough space in between each ball of mixture as when the cookies bake they will spread out. 

If you try them out let me see them with the hashtag #sophieschristmascookies or in the comments below.
 

Lots of Love, 

Sophie

Snow Capped Fairy Cakes... Melted... Apparently

Let me start by saying I certainly won't be entering Bake Off 2016 with tonights' efforts...

I really fancied baking some festive cupcakes today and came across this BBC Good Food Recipe. 

What you will need: 

175g Butter 

175g Golden Caster Sugar

3 Eggs

200g Self-Raising Flour

Finely Grated Zest 1 Orange

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

4 Tablespoon Milk

For the Icing:

1 Egg White

4 Tablespoon Orange Juice

175g Icing Sugar

Decoration For Fairy Cakes 

Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and line a muffin tin with cupcake cases (I made 17 although the recipe says 18). 

Combine all cake ingredients and spoon evenly into cases. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack. 

I found the icing to be to really difficult - I went wrong somewhere, even though the recipe says it is "moderately easy!" Put the egg white and orange juice in a heat proof bowl and sift in icing sugar and set pan on a pan of simmering water. With an electric hand whisk, whisk for 7 minutes. Remove from heat and then whisk for a further 2 minutes. 

My favourite part - decorating! :D

  Overall I did think it was a fun recipe to do but I just need to practise on the snowy icing. If you try the recipe I'd love to see if your icing came out better than mine use the #sophiesfairycakes on Twitter and Instagram.

Lots of Love, 

Sophie x

Christmas Truffles

This is such a simple recipe to make and I love the out come! No actual "baking" is involved - the oven stays off the whole time so this could be a great activity if you have children or if not still great fun for adults! These make a great gift and take no time at all to make, the longest part is the cooling - if you can resist eating the mixture! I have made these truffles for years and usually follow a little Christmas recipe book but I seem to have misplaced it! Even though I couldn't find the recipe book because I have made them so many time I managed to remember the recipe no problem! 

Things you will need:

300g of Chocolate - I used Stocbloc but any chocolate would work 

1 Egg Yolk 

2 Tablespoons of double cream

1 or 2 Tablespoons of any type of liqueur or spirit - I used Cointreau (optional)

Glitter, Cocoa Powder, Dessicated Coconut, Orange Zest, anything you fancy for rolling the truffles in. 

First you will need to melt the chocolate in the microwave for 2 minutes, constantly stirring. Once the chocolate is completely melted add the egg yolk, cream and liqueur (if adding) and stir until all ingredients are combined. 

This is the boring part! The mixture now needs to be cooled in the fridge for about 2 hours or until solid. At this point go make yourself your favourite hot drink (gingerbread latte for me), put on a Christmas film (Love Actually), put your feet up and relax! - It's Holiday season after all!

Now the fun part! Once the mixture has solidified you need to roll the mixture into balls and then immediately coat your truffles into whatever topping you like, I chose glitter because, well glitter!

If you try out the recipe I'd love to see your truffles! Either leave a comment below or use the hashtag #sophieschristmastruffles on Instagram.

Lots of Love, 

Sophie x