Queen Viv has been my friend for years, almost 2 decades to be precise. She has always been my fairy godmother. She watches over me and along with my darling Mr NQN was the first person to encourage me to start this blog two years ago. Ever since she has been one of my most loyal supporters and is a fantastic cheerleader whenever I have doubts and along with Mr NQN comes up with great ideas. She is like a big sister or mother figure to me (and her son Michael is about my age too).
Those of you that have been following for the last few months have no doubt read the occasional rant from me about the bathroom renovations (and since when have renovations not come accompanied by a rant?). Luckily the kitchen was a rather easy process and one that was relatively stress free. I was waiting for my oven for a while however. The kind people at LG had offered me the latest EM790SP (yes the one with a TV screen that I fell in love with at the Good Food & Wine Show) and I waited and waited for it to arrive. One month turned into two and then looked dangerously close to turning into three until it was confirmed that it might not arrive for a few months after that. They offered me the LG EM780SP instead which had all the features except for the screen and within 48 hours it was installed and I was standing in front of it like a proud owner. She was just like me in that she liked dramatic entrances and I’ve already decided it is a she, like our car is a she.
I’ve been called Morticia Addams more times than I can remember. As you know, I’ve always felt an affinity with the dark and unusual and so that is why I embrace Halloween. I’m convinced that I were alive in the dark ages, I would have probably been called a witch and perhaps burnt at the stake so it’s rather fortunate that I live in the 21st century and I can carry a Witches Hat shaped umbrella without incident (although let’s be honest, people do stare).
So when I make these witches fingers, they are more of an homage to witches. Of course they had to be green after my favourite witch, Elphaba, the misunderstood heroine of the musical Wicked – a character I identify with. I first saw these on Yeah, That Vegan Shit where they called them Bloody Finger cookies and I tried their recipe but my fingers spread out too much and resembled fat Shrek fingers (which my husband thought they were meant to be) so I decided to use a shortbread recipe as that would maintain its shape. As with all of my Halloween recipes, they aren’t just a novelty and they actually do taste fabulous at the same time so anyone reluctant to try a finger or two may find themselves contentedly gnawing on a knuckle.
My Witch’s hat umbrella
As for my “friend” in the picture, well she’s a special treat amongst others for my Halloween party guests. I won’t give away what her role is but if you do happen to be coming to my party, don’t google it and let her be a surprise to you. For those who aren’t coming, google “Donna the Dead” and you’ll see that she’s the real star of the show come Saturday night!
So tell me Dear Reader, what scares the pants off you?
This month was a crazy one. Not only were we moving (and I promise I’ll stop talking about that-the way I’m carrying on it sounds like I’m the first and only person to ever move) but I also had a Daring Baker’s Challenge to do which comprised of two items and I was also co-hosting August’s Daring Baker’s Challenge. I thought I was ok until a last minute switch around of plans meant that we had to pack within 2 days rather than 5 which had my baking schedule squished up tighter than an accordion. And I was jammed inside it.
I didn’t get to make these in time but curiousity got the better of me. These cookies are based on the Pepperidge Farm Milano cookie. We don’t have that brand readily available here but I have fond memories of eating their Chess Cookies and these very Milano cookies so one day when I had an excess of egg whites (fromthe choux that I’ve been making so often) I decided to make them as they required almost a cup’s full of whites. Bakers will know what I mean. You’ve made plenty of pavlovas and meringues and you yearn for something else to do with your egg whites. This proved irresistible along with the chance to eat these cookies again.
The recipe is very straightforward and easy and as for the cookie? It’s wonderful – crispy, light and buttery it’s also lightly aromatic via the inclusion of lemon essence and vanilla. Sandwiching them together with the chocolate is also delicious and very much like my memory of the MIlano cookie but even by themselves I found these irresistible. So if you’re ever faced with the excess egg white dilemma or if you just love delicate, crispy buttery cookies I urge you to make these. When Mr NQN ate his first one – and I should preface this by saving that he dislikes most cookies – his eyes lit up and he nodded. “Yes! I like that one!” he says enthusiastically.
So tell me Dear Reader, what is your favourite ever cookie or biscuit?
I have something of an obsession with iced biscuits. Kind of like I have a mild obsession with hats, nail polish and cupcakes. I’ve never denied having an obsessive personality and I like to convince myself that one of my obsessive manifestations, hand washing, has somehow helped me stave off a bout of the Swine Flu so it’s perfectly fine to have an obsession or 3. Anyway back to obsession #26: iced cookies. I was afraid of Royal Icing for the longest time ever. It just sounded so… Royal and people used to say “Oooh” as if they were in fear of it made me somewhat fearful. Until I tried making it and realised how easy and fantastic it was an icing to decorate it.
I first saw the idea for these cookies in New Zealand. I went shopping in Christchurch and picked up these adorable poodle cookies always thinking that I wanted to recreate them at home. I searched everywhere for a poodle cutter and friends can attest to my fruitless search for them. Finally I did what I should have done in the first place and googled it I got a hold of the poodle cutter online and I was set.
I used the recipe from the Daring Bakers cookies as it wasn’t too sweet a recipe as the royal icing itself is very sweet. I made these in homage to The Second Wife’s poodle Dash who just happens to be the cutest poodle I’ve ever met in my life. He is a little ball of curly black fur and twinkling black eyes and I love him to pieces. So Dash here are some fancy pink girlfriends for you.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you have an obsessive personality? If so, what is your obsession?
As seen in the Foodies Guide 2010
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