RUDOLPH CUPCAKES

RUDOLPH CUPCAKES

Vanilla buttercake decorated with glacé cherry noses, currant eyes, raisin mouths, flaked chocolate hair and chocolate-covered pretzel antlers. 

* * *

A year or two ago I was standing at the end of the driveway and one of our neighbours was telling his toddler my name and trying to get him to say hello. The Dad said, "Hello Alexandra" and the little boy said, "Hello Alexsanta"... this amused me an extraordinary amount and I do like to use this awesome nickname from time to time as it makes me feel like I'm a bit magical.

December 24th, it's finally here! I had my work Christmas party on Thursday night and it was a huge one. Because of this, the majority of my day yesterday was spent flopped on my bed, staring forlornly out the window at the precious sunny day I was wasting, and watching daytime TV; not doing one of the many many things on my list! By 4pm I was able to handle a piece of buttery Vegemite toast (mmmhmm, it was a good one) and by 11pm I had written a new and quite frankly, frightening, list for Saturday. This includes dropping off a bunch of presents that people from work donated for the Kmart Wishing Tree, shopping for a few last minute things, cleaning up the bomb that has become my room and wrapping presents. Yep, I really have left it all til the last minute. This all has to be accomplished before 5pm, when my friends and I will be congregating for some Christmas Eve drinks. Right now the thought of another festive beverage is just a bit painful! Maybe after completing tomorrow's list I will change my mind. Maybe. And to wrap up my pre-Christmas blogging, here is the last of my Christmas baking. Whatever you are unwrapping, eating, drinking and doing on Christmas Day, I hope that you have a very very happy one.

Merry Christmas.

Love,

Alexsanta.

AUNTY TIL'S RUM BALLS

Many a request was put in over the years for Aunty Til's Rum Balls.

1 tin condensed milk

230g plain sweet biscuits

2 tablespoons rum

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 cup coconut

Whiz the biscuits in food processor until finely crushed. In a large bowl mix the crushed biscuits, cocoa and coconut. Add condensed milk and rum and mix through the dry ingredients. I then like to refrigerate the mixture for  half an hour so the balls hold their shape when rolled and don't get flat bottoms. No one likes a flat bottom. Roll into balls and coat with extra coconut. Refrigerate. Just quietly, I added a couple of teaspoons of extra rum to give them a little Ho Ho Ho.

CHOCOLATE WHISKEY CAKE

"This is the best cake I've ever tasted"

Cousin Steffani, 2011. Cousin may have been affected by whiskey at time of review.

This recipe was given to me by my pal, Megz. It sure does have some BOOM.

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup whiskey

220g dark chocolate

4 oz butter (113 grams)

3 eggs, separated

2/3 cup sugar

70g plain flour

2/3 cup ground almonds

pinch salt

Marinate raisins in whiskey for 2-3 hours. Butter and flour cake tin. Melt chocolate in double boiler and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in butter in small pieces. Beat egg yolks with sugar until mixture is pale and creamy. Mix with chocolate and stir in flour with ground almonds. Stir in raisins and whiskey. Whip egg whites with salt until they hold stiff peaks. Stir 1/3 egg whites into chocolate mixture then fold in remaining 2/3. Pour mixture in tin and bake at 190 Celcius for 20 minutes. The outside will be firm but the inside will be moist. Sprinkle with icing sugar or cover with melted chocolate. 

NOTE: I don't know if the recipe was printed incorrectly, or if the fact that I lined my cake tin with baking paper made a difference, but my cake took 45 minutes to bake. It was raw, gooey mixture when I cut a slice and I had to put it back in the oven. It is meant to be moist and  bit gooey on the inside but it was just complete goo at 20 minutes. I would suggest checking the cake with a skewer before you decide it's done!

Best served straight from the oven or at room temperature, but not straight from the fridge.