CHRISTMAS "TO DO LIST" ~ ICING THE CHRISTMAS CAKE

Good Morning to you,

How are your Christmas preparations going?  I am on the final rung, I just have to finish icing my Christmas Cake, which I am doing today.  Afterwards I will be making a Stifado,  which I know all my family will enjoy on Christmas Eve and then I am done..... well maybe just a few more presents to wrap..... don't you find, there is always just a few more presents to wrap.

Today, Natasha and her husband are in town doing their last minute Christmas shopping and George has gone to the butchers to collect the Christmas turkey and Christmas ham, so I am going to take this opportunity to ice my Christmas Cake.

Today, I do have some music to share with you.  Do you remember I mentioned that I was going to see Kate Rusby at the Sage, in Gateshead..... well I went with Natasha on Thursday and what a treat it was.  

Kate's voice, well, it was just so beautiful and we were both mesmerized by her singing.  She sang so many beautiful songs, but the one which stuck in my mind was "Oh Little Town of Bethlehem".  If you get the chance, see if you can find Kate on UTube and I promise, you will be so pleased you did.  As you can see, we were so thrilled with her performance that we bought Kate's Christmas cd to enjoy at home.

So with Kate's wonderful voice filling the kitchen, my apron is on and I am ready to ice my Christmas Cake.  

INGREDIENTS

2 x 450g ready to roll icing

1 tablespoon (approx) of boiled and cooled water

METHOD

Dust your work surface and rolling pin

with icing sugar.

Remove the icing from the packaging

and

gently knead the icing together

to form a round.

Gently roll out the icing, so that it covers

the entire cake, both the top 

and the sides, as we are going to

drape the icing over the cake.

Using a pastry brush, gently brush the

cooled, boiled water onto the marzipanned cake.

This will allow the icing to adhere to the marzipan.

Using a rolling pin, gently lift the rolled icing

and 

drape over the cake

(isn't the sunshine just beautiful)

Gently smooth the icing onto the cake

and cut away the excess.

Using green food colouring,

colour enough icing to make the

ivy leaves..... be patient as this does take

quite a while. A little green colouring

at a time, and a little kneading 
each time, does the trick.

When you are pleased with the colour,

repeat the process with 

red food colouring.

Cut enough ivy leaves for your design.

When you are ready to create your design,

place a little water on the back

of the ivy leaves, as this  helps the

leaves to adhere to the icing....

and have fun

with the design.

When you are pleased with the

cake decoration,

return the Christmas Cake to a cool place until

Christmas Day,

when you can bring it to your table

for all the family to enjoy.

This year I have added Ivy leaves to my Christmas Cake, in honour of Ivy, my grandmother.  I felt that as all my family are with me, to celebrate Christmas this year,  it would be lovely to remember Ivy and to recount my memories of  her on Christmas Day. Phyllis will be with me,

so,

Ivy, Phyllis and Me! will be together for Christmas this year.

Before I go, I just wanted to tell you, how thrilled I am, that you enjoy reading about my cooking adventures and that you take the time to return each week and to leave such lovely comments.  Your comments, really make my day.

So, however, you are spending your Christmas, have a wonderful time and I will see you in the New Year.

With Love and Very Best Wishes,

from

Ivy, Phyllis and Me!

This week I will be joining,

Natasha from Oz for Christmas in July