Cuddly Winter Cosiness

This weekend our little house feels like it is holding its breath before the madness that is Christmas.


New pieces are being sewn for the new collection's launch next weekend and I have spent many hours on eBay searching for and buying Christmas pressies for Toby, Mum and my nephews. I have never been so organised.

I even dug around in the back of my delicious-smelling store cupboard for the mulled wine liquor I made last year *swoon*


Now I am tired, as is the Girlie who is currently purring curled up by my neck, tickling my cheek with each little puff of her breath.

R.I.P.umpkin

This is the sight that greeted us this morning


There is even a pool of pumpkin blood.

My sister says we made the mouth too big.

We are going to have to have a pumpkin funeral ;(

Scones

I love scones. Toby loves cones. We both love them with jam.


Today was a day made for hanging white bed linen on the line to dry in the frost, watching documentaries on ice and polar animals and trying to get our little house cozy, cuddly and ready for the winter that seems to be scampering up behind us at an alarming rate.

So whilst sitting cuddled under the blankie on the sofa Toby announced he wanted jam for lunch. Usually this request would be met with a raised eyebrow and insistence on pasta first, but today I couldn't resist. So the scent of baking scones permeated the kitchen and yummy gold nuggets were slathered with raspberry jam and devoured.

I didn't even tell him off for licking the jam off.


In case you are tempted this evening...

200g plain flour
1tsp salt
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
2tsp cream of tartar
65g cold butter cut into cubes
150ml milk (plus a bit to brush the tops)

1. Preheat oven to 220C.
2. Sieve the flour, bicarbonate, tartar and salt into a bowl.
3. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it feels and looks like damp sand.
4. Pour in all the milk and stir briefly.
5. Turn out onto a floured surface, gather together and roll out to 3cm or so thick.
6. Cut out about 6-8 scones depending on the size of your cutter and put on baking parchment on a baking sheet. Any mix left squish into a ball, squash slightly and nestle amongst the scones (why waste any??).
7. Brush the tops with milk trying not to let any drip down the sides as the scones will rise wonky (but still taste yummy).
8. Bake for 10 minutes until golden.
9. Break open (I was always taught never to cut a scone, always tear but rules are made to be broken) and slather with butter, jam, lemon curd, cream or whatever else takes your fancy.


I go wobbly kneeded at the thought of a cherry scone but I sadly had no glacé cherries in my usually trusty baking cupboard. If you want to add cherries, raisins, orange zest, cranberries, strawberry pieces, raspberries, grated cheese, chocolate chips or anything else that catches your eye do so after the milk..

I am hoping....

....that this is finally home. It'll be lovely to finally put my feet up and have a cup of rose scented tea and a nice slice of something sweet, sugary and scrummy (preferably one of those yummy slices of cakes that leave glistening trails of sugar over your fingertips...but I digress)

It has been horrid being blogless :(