Time to catch up

Last week was so busy I didn't have time to blog, right when I had stuff to blog about. So now I'm attempting to catch up. Last Wednesday was the last day of Movember and Husband went to work, where they had dress down day, and the women had to vote for the best moustache. Unfortunately he didn't win, but he did raise £188 in the end, and as a team they raised over £2000. 

Losing the Beard

Last night, my husband decided it was time to lose the beard, and finish off Movember with the Mo alone. I think he either looks like a character from a cartoon or TV show, but can't think which one! Hopefully it will come to me over the next few days. There is a slight resemblance to Mr Potato Head, but I will post more about that tonight! 

It's Day 24 of Movember!

£157 raised so far, with 6 days to go. 

http://uk.movember.com/mospace/1555938/

Update on Husband - Movember Week 3

We are now on day 21 of Movember and I've realised it's been over a week since I posted photos of my husband's Movember facial hair. Last time I posted he was about to shape his beard. He did this and instantly disliked it. I think this may be why I've not been sent any photos until now.  I have since been trying to convince him to get rid of the beard and just keep the tash for the rest of the month. 


So far he's raised £150, and hoping to get to at least £200 by the end of the month. So if you would like to make a donation to Men's Health Charities, please check out his Movember page. 

Compliments to the chef

Well I think it's safe to say that everyone liked my cake. By 10 o'clock it was half gone, and by 11 the board was empty! I think I'll be asked to make that again! Here's a photo of the inside. 

The Cake

Ok, so the cake is made and ready to take to work today for the Children in Need Cake Sale. I promised I'd share a photo, so here it is.

This is how it's supposed to look. 

And this is how mine has turned out. There's a few gaps around the edge. Sticking on cake crumbs is not the easiest of jobs!

I will take a photo of the inside once it's been cut at work today. 

Here are some more treats I've made for the Children in Need Cake Sale.

The icing isn't quite what I had in mind for the biscuits, but as long as they taste good I shouldn't think anyone will care! 

Cheese & pancetta puff pastry bites, all because one colleague doesn't eat sweet things! Let's hope he likes these. 

Sharing a Recipe

Just a quick post this morning to share the recipe that I am attempting for our work Children in Need Cake Sale tomorrow. Last night I tried to make the 3 cakes. However, I forgot to use greaseproof paper and the cakes stuck to the tins. 2 out of 3 fell apart as I lifted them out of the tin. So tonight I will be starting again and hoping for a better result. This time with the paper. Here's the recipe, and tonight I'll post photos of my progress. 

Recipe:
(From The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook)
ingredients:
100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
260g caster sugar
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
45g cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
a pinch of salt
170g plain flour
160 ml whole milk

chocolate custard:
500g caster sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
125g cocoa powder
200g cornflour
85g unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

also need:
3 20cm cake tins, base-lined with greaseproof paper

Steps :

1. Preheat oven to 170 degrees celcius (Gas 3)

2. Put the butter and sugar in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or a handheld electric whisk)
and cream until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well and scraping any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl
with a rubber spatula after each addition.
Turn the mixer down down to slow speed and beat in the vanilla extract, cocoa powder,
baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt until well mixed.
Add half the flour, then all the milk, and finish with the remaining flour.
Mix well until everything is well combined.

3. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tins and smooth over with a palette knife.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20 mins.
Leave the cakes to cool slightly in the tins
before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

4. For the chocolate custard: Put the sugar, golden syrup, cocoa powder and 600ml of water
into a large saucepan and bring to the boil over medium heat, whisking occasionally.

5. Mix in the cornflour with 120ml of water, then whisk into the cocoa mixture in the saucepan.
Bring back to boil , whisking constantly.
Cook until very thick, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract.
Pour the custard into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and chill until very firm.

6. When the cakes are cold, using a serrated knife, slice a thin layer off one of the cakes.
Put this layer into a food processor and process to make fine crumbs.
Put one cake on a cake stand and spread about one-quarter of the chocolate custard over it with a palette knife.
Place a second cake on top and spread another quarter of the custard over it.
Top with the last cake and spread the remaining custard over the top and sides.
Cover with the cake crumbs and chill for about 2 hours.

Beardy Man on the 2nd week of Movember

I have now given my husband the nickname beardy man due to the increased hair on his chin! Soon he will be shaping it to give himself a Dave Grohl style beard & moustache. I'm looking forward to seeing what he will look like then. 

8th Movember 

10th Movember 

If you would like to support my husband's Movember effort, and raise money for men's health charities, please click here.

Sunday 6th Movember

Today has been a lazy Sunday. We were supposed to be hitting the slopes of the Snow Centre with some friends. However, we both woke up this morning feeling rough with all the signs of a cold approaching, so decided to have a day at home instead. As we were saving money by not going, we decided to treat ourselves to Sunday dinner out. 3 lovely courses later & we returned to home, so stuffed that the rest of the day was spent lounging on the sofa. So not an exciting weekend to be writing about, but here is a photo of Stuart on Day 6 of Movember. 

Remember Remember the 5th of Movember!

Here's my hairy husband on Day 5 of Movember. £80 raised so far.

Day 3 of Movember

A quick update to share yesterday's Movember photo

1st day of Movember

On Sunday night, my husband had his usual 'ready to return to work' shave, the last one he will have for a few weeks. As written in last Tuesday's blog, he will be taking part in Movember. The month where men across the world will grow moustaches to raise money and awareness for Men's Health Charities. I've never seen my husband with more than 2 days worth of stubble, so this could be interesting. I'll either love it or hate it, and I fear it may be the latter! However, it's all for a good cause, and so I will be supporting him all the way. 

If you would like to show your support too by donating to Movember, 

please click here

Husband Changes The Subject

Today I have been feeling quite low, a feeling I've been experiencing quite a bit lately. I was going to blog about this, and how I am worried my problems with anxiety & mild depression are returning. By writing it all down, I was hoping it would help. However, I'm now feeling a bit brighter, so going to save it for another day when I need the blog therapy more. 


Instead, I'm going to write a positive post about my wonderful husband. Not only has he returned from work with chocolate tonight to help cheer me up, but he is taking part in a charity event to raise money & awareness for some great causes. Stuart will be taking part in Movember, where men all around the UK stop shaving and grow moustaches to raise awareness and money for men's health charities, including The Prostate Cancer Charity. Beginning on the 1st November, I will start taking daily photos of the hair growth, and update you blog readers on his progress. If you would be interested in supporting my husband by donating, please check out his Movember page here.