Betty's Birthday Baking

A good friend of mine has a pet name for me due to my love of baking.. BETTY
Her affectionate comments have included "Nice one Betty" "Betty I'm impressed" "Make sure some of that is in plentiful supply when I call in for afternoon tea later Betty" - I know it's a term of endearment, it's kinda grown on me, OK so I kinda like it..

So Betty got baking a few days back.  Abbey's 6th birthday was looming.  Got baking? OK it was a baking FRENZY.  I had mudcake, macarons, cupcakes, and fondant coming out of the wazoo.  I had 12 kids coming for some afternoon frivolity and sugar fuelled madness.


WHY.. WHY..  I think this Coeliac scourge is creeping into my cranial cavity and strangling my brain.  Did I mention the choc-mallow jelly slice.. *GROAN*

Clearly I had bitten off more than I could chew but I was gonna make this happen.  CRAP. Why do I put myself under this pressure.  It's a bit OCD for me this baking gig. But I do LOVE it.

Well I'm happy to report that I pulled it off.  Yes. That's right.  I BLOODY did it.










A word to the wise..

If you intend on colouring fondant yourself, use GLOVES (mmm yes.. something that I could have done with knowing EARLIER..)  Better still, buy COLOURED FONDANT unless of course you're comfortable with grotesquely stained hands for days and uncomfortable stares at the supermarket checkout..

If you need to cool jelly.. DON'T forget about it and return to fridge 2 hours later in a lather realising that it has SET.. SET! That's appropriate here.  Set a TIMER people.. a TIMER (DOH! Now that tested me - stress levels were through the roof)  




AND yet, in spite of my setbacks, it all went off rather well.  It pays to have a sense of humour.  It has gotten me through many a sticky situation.


And for those of you that want to give the fabulous
Choc-mallow jelly slice a whirl.. I found the recipe in the March 2013 edition of Super Food Ideas and you can find it HERE   *Remembering to substitute for GLUTEN FREE where appropriate - e.g., Sweet biscuits, Milk Chocolate, Marshmallows