Dun Laoghaire Part 2

Before are hands and cameras froze over completely it was Aoife's turn in front of the lens. Dun Laoghaire pier is one of those places that always has something new to capture for us. There is this great contrast with its enclosed sections and wide open spaces to wander around, while watching the world go by.

Louise xx

Dun Laoghaire Pier Part One

On possibly one of the coldest days of the year today so far, myself and Louise had the bright idea to go for a walk and take some photos on Dun Laoghaire Pier. Despite the weather.... we had a lot of fun! The pier has always been a place for me to unwind from the chaos of day to day. It reminds me of family walks as a kid..often with a Teddys ice-cream! Yum!

Christmas Biscotti

 

 

 

Yum yum yum yum yum!!! A bit of self praise here, but these biscotti were amazing. Eating one of these immediately puts you in the Christmas spirit. They are surprisingly easy to make and are a great last minute gift idea if you are stuck for a present! The recipe makes quite a large batch so you should luckily have some left over for yourself as you will NOT want to give them all away :-). Happy Christmas everybody!!! Aoife xxx

Recipe

• 350g plain flour, plus extra for rolling
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 250g golden caster sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• coarsely grated zest 1 orange
• 100g dried cranberries
• 70g blanched almonds
• 70g shelled pistachios

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Line 2 baking sheets with baking paper. Put the flour, baking powder, spice and sugar in a large bowl, then mix well. Stir in the eggs and zest until the mixture starts forming clumps, then bring the dough together with your hands – it will seem dry at first but keep kneading until no floury patches remain. Add the fruit and nuts, then work them in until evenly distributed.
2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 pieces. With lightly floured hands, roll each piece into a sausage about 30cm long. Place 2 on each tray, well spaced apart. Bake for 25-30 mins until the dough has risen and spread and feels firm. It should still look pale. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack for a few mins until cool enough to handle, then turn down the oven to 140C/fan 120C/gas 1
3. Using a bread knife, cut into slices about 1cm thick on the diagonal, then lay the slices flat on the baking sheets. The biscuits can be cooled and frozen flat on the sheet at this point, then bagged and frozen for up to 2 months. Bake for another 15 mins (20 mins if from frozen), turn over, then bake again for another 15 mins until dry and golden. Tip onto a wire rack to cool completely, then store in an airtight tin for up to one month, or pack into boxes or cellophane bags if giving as gifts straightaway.

Christmas Mitten Clips

The finished piece

Having a bit of fun and getting into the christmas mood we decided to do some crafty bits on the blog this week. Aoife found these DIY felt mitten clips from Martha Stewart's website through Pinterest and if its good enough for Martha then its good enough for us!;-) So we got all the materials together and got cracking! It's a really simple and cute idea for either decorations for the tree or pressies or even christmas card holders…So if you're feeling crafty on these dark wintry nights it is worth giving them a go.

Louise xx