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New Year - New you... errrr....



Happy new year all!

Few wee resolutions firstly...
1. Scary - not to buy any new cookbooks APART from those bought on holiday (NY is earmarked)
2. Moisturise.
3. Be frugal.

Most are un-cake related, however frugality links in with non-cake book buying in a way. I bought a shiny little laptop on New Year's Eve and out of guilt feel I must make up for it by making my lunches etc. That is not to say I won't spend, but whilst I am increasing my grown-uppyness by going to places like Maze for dinner (not that expensive based on the a-la-carte) I figure I can compensate elsewhere.

So what have I made this frosty new year?

Honeycomb as above (oddly hard to get the sugar to 160 degrees C but persevere otherwise it fails miserably) I used James Martin's recipe "Cinder Toffee" but you can get recipes which don't call for thermometers or liquid glucose. This will store for a few days as long as you airtight it with at least two wrappings of plastic/foil and don't give it to your dummy brother.

Wreath cake (made with my usual bundt cake from Dorie baked for 45min only, but with peach jam - too much peach jam for such a shallow tin, hence the volcano effect - on eating, don't add the jam, whilst it will cook, the jam merges with the sponge on cooling and creates a marzipanny uncooked effect which I don't like. And it was definitely cooked!!)

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