For those of you who don't know, I am on hiatus aka, shipped my operations to Tokyo, Japan. No seriously, apologies in advance but I will not be taking any orders until August 2016.

This was another special birthday - my old man's 60th. 

And we had a BIG party (it's said that the organisers of the party never enjoy themselves. I can see where this statement comes from as the stress and the planning is quite a challenge. However, I'd like to think that I did enjoy myself).

I was so excited as we were having enough guests to warrant a dessert table. I've always wanted to do one but I also knew that it would just go to waste and usually guests will be too full to want to pick at the sweets. I'd decided long ago we were going all out - and on top of the gazillion other things I was overseeing, I did a small dessert table with a strawberry & ferrero tree, flowers, cake pops, chocolates, jelly shots, macarons and of course the CAKE!!!

An impressive 6 layers of chocolate cake soaked in kirsch with coconut, glace cherries and spiked ganache. It was so moist and yummy! We had a lot of cake leftover.... but everyone wanted to take some home! Yay, it didn't go to waste.

The day was hot too so I had to pick items that could stay out without melting or deteriorating. Not such an easy feat.

We also had a pig on the spit. It was delicious. The kids loved the balloons and the bubble machine (so did our crazy welsh corgi). So tiring but so worth it. Happy Birthday Dad!

General rule of thumb that is mostly fact: the smaller the treat, the more it costs. Time is money.

Macarons are a french dessert. Commonly mispronounced as macaroons which are in face a coconut meringue biscuit.

And there's the French macronage and the Italian macronage. I've tried both. And hands down, the French method wins. Every time. Less failures. Better shells. The Italians just can't do it like the French. Zumbo or no Zumbo. Actually, have been told mine are better! ;)

Then there are Cake Pops. Looks easy. Look pretty. Smaller sized so works for those who don't want so much. But you got to roll them into balls, chill them and then dip them and dry them before they are decorated. Relatively easy but add cake pops to your party and set aside at least another 2-3 hours!

Zumbo made cronuts (croissant cross donut).

 So i made Cruffles! (Cake cross truffle).

Moist little balls of cake with yummy yummy gamache and coated in chocolate and sprinkles. One morsel treat anyone?