Saturday, 9 March 2013

Last Minute Mother's Day!

I went out today for a quick meet up with a couple of my friends and was shocked to see how many people were rushing about trying to buy last second Mother's Day gifts. Personally, I do my gift buying a couple of weeks before and anything else bought after is an extra, because I get so stressed if I don't think and plan it beforehand. 
Obviously this is not the case for everyone, so due to all the panic buying done by many today, this is a post for last minute, special gifts for mum. 

I did a similar post to this for Valentine's Day, and mentioned that anything gift box/hamper-like is my favourite kind of present so it was an obvious choice for my momma. 

What do you get someone that has everything and has no hobbies?! Food! 
I got the hamper itself for £2.99 from TK Maxx but you could always just get a little gift box from a card shop and put your gifts in there as well. 

Marks & Spencers
 M&S do such a good collection of food and the packaging is always perfect so their products make lovely gifts. 

What I got:
  • Cranberry & elderflower infused tea- £1.99
  • White chocolate creme brulee slab- £2.69
  • Milk chocolate with caramelised macadamia nut slab- £2.69
  • Milk chocolate with raspberries slab- £2.65
  • Milk chocolate with salted caramel slab- £2.65
Everywhere Else
  •  Glittered bird house card- Clintons
  • Candy fluff egg bath bomb- Lush- £2.95
  • Processco- Asda- £2.25
I loved baked goods, I was actually planning to bake my own cake but I just haven't had the time this weekend but if you don't know what to do with the rest of your Saturday then i've found out this (rather fancy) mother's day cake recipe for you!  It's from Good Housekeeping Baking Book, if you're interested (:

White Chocolate Cappuccion Mother's Day Cake
 
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cooking Time: 50 minutes plus cooling
Cuts into 10 slices
 
What you will need:
  • 300g (12oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra to grease.
  • 250g (9oz) self-raising flour, plus extra to dust.
  • 200g (7oz) caster sugar.
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten.
  • 1 and half teaspoon baking powder.
  • 50ml (2fl oz) milk.
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
  • 125g (4oz) white chocolate.
  • 125ml (4fl oz) double cream.
  • 1 and half - 2 tablespoon espresso coffee, cooled.
  • 75g (3oz) icing sugar, sifted, plus extra to dust.
  • 50g (2oz) plain chocolate, grated.
  • 40g (1 and a half oz) hazlenuts, roasted and chopped.
  • fresh small roses to decorate (or those icing ones you can get pre-prepared)
Method:
  • Preheat the oven to 180C (160C fan over) mark 4. Grease a deep, non-stick 20.5cm (8 inch) cake tin and dust with flour. 
  • Beat together the caster sugar and 175g (6oz) butter until pale and creamy. Gradually add the eggs, beating well after each addition. Add 1 tablespoon flour if the mix looks like curdling. Fold in the remaining flour and the baking powder, followed by the milk and vanilla extract. Spoon into the prepared tin and level surface. Bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. 
  • Cut the cake in half horizontally. Grate 25g (1oz) white chocolate, then beat together with the cream and coffee until the mixture holds its shape. Use to sandwich the two cake halves together.
  • Melt the remaining white chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Leave to cool for 10 minutes. Beat together the remaining butter and the icing sugar until pale and creamy. Beat in the cooled white chocolate, then spread over the sides and top of the cake.
  • Mix the plain chocolate with the nuts and press around the side of the cake. Decorate with small roses dusted with icing sugar.  
(Recipe from Good Housekeeping Baking Book)

If you're reading this and you still haven't got a thing for the main lady in your life then I suggest popping to your local supermarket as you can easily (and cheaply) make a hamper of your own and it'll look like you've made all the effort in the world. Here's my favourites.

From Left To Right/ Top To Bottom:
So, I hope you all have a lovely day with your mum and don't forget to cook her tea and do all the washing up! 
XXX
 
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2 comments:

  1. Anonymous10 March 2013 at 03:03

    What cute things! I love your blog so much! New follower here, you can check my blog out if you wish lovelies(:

    -Athenaxo
    modestlysophisticated.blogspot.com

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