We had a little party in the office and of course I made cake!

Fruit cake and Ombre cake. 

I have to confess that I went home (as in Sydney) for Christmas but not before I basically made a mess on the kitchen and tried to build some Gingerbread Houses. As it happened, I vowed I'd never do it again because it literally took all day to build three houses. I remember getting so frustrated that nothing would dry and that the walls would keep falling off.

My oven is about the size of a microwave here. Just imagine how many batches of gingerbread I had to bake. Cookies and just a no no here! Way too time consuming!

Every year, I move into December with this feeling of trepidation. There is this tangible knowledge that the days until Christmas are numbered (not that they weren't before but there is now this sense of urgency) and with everything else happening around, time is so precious and short.

Fruit cake, gingerbread and christmas hampers!!! I look forward to planning, packaging, building and gifting these edible gifts every year but not so much the work that goes on in between... heheh! ;) Have I ever mentioned I'm a lazy baker? And as usual, I overestimate the amount of time I have and the number of hours that I (don't) need to sleep!

So this year, with my calendar completely overrun, working until midnight several nights per week doing my "real" job, a few social catch ups since coming home, normal orders and everything else that goes on in life, I managed to come up with most of the things I'd planned...There's always next year to do all the things you didn't right (new year's resolution?)?

So I came up with about 8 gingerbread houses, 12 hampers, a few hundred cookies, biscotti, gingerbread people / reindeer (or tribemen) and santas, shortbread, blueberry jam and salted caramel jars. 

However, my absolute favourite this year was my pavlova tree!!! It was sooo pretty and delicious and quintessentially Australian... everyone loved it! Who knew egg whites and sugar could be so much fun...

And I am sooo relieved that that's Christmas baking done (mostly!) for another year!

So proud of our selection this year. We made Christmas Hampers!

Homemade jam

Biscotti

Sugar cookies

Belgium biscuits

Gingerbread men

Fruit cake

nomnomnom...

I love the Christmas Cake decorations this year. Navy and White (taking a leaf from the cupcakes!) is so striking and effective. I like the tree and reindeer the most.

I enjoyed packaging these the most. The more you put in the hamper, the better it looks!

Twice baked biscotti. Perfect for tea on Christmas day... or any other day for that matter!

I tried to be really really organised this year. Planning lots in October for the December season. Mostly because judging from the past three years, I know how hectic it gets. How little time I end up with and on top of a quarter-end (year-end) month... planning was a necessity.

Funnily enough, I've already been to 3 or 4 Christmas parties and it is only the second week of December. So I thought I'd share what I've been doing to date. And I will need to post as I go because there's lots and lots and lots more!!! On top of the regular orders...

Sugar cookies: Snowflakes, snowmen & angels. These was painfully slow to make. The cutters I had were from Nordic ware but they were just so fiddly because of all the small arms and heads and legs. It was a really warm day too so each angel and snowmen made me increasingly frustrated!!!

 

I made a ton of houses last year that it was like my own city. This year... I decided to have make a few because I have other plans. And they are cute as I reckon! They've all got names on them unfortunately so get in early next year if you'd like one!

Took one to my friend's house for their annual christmas party bbq (I cannot believe that 12 people can consume so MUCH FOOD). Anyways, it was a total winner and everyone loved it. Yay!!! I've actually never deconstructed a gingerbread house myself so it was lots of fun. And I love gifting.

And what a pretty dozen we made...

We pretty much covered all things Christmas-y this holiday with the one exception of Cupcakes! Arguably, we saved the best till last (or last minute!).

Fancy a Christmas Pudding but not a fan on the real deal? Pudding Cupcake!

Wanted a Winter Wonderland this year? Snowflake Cupcake!

Or perhaps you were after just a pretty looking box with some nice ribbon and bow... take your pick! We have them all covered...

Even with our own Santa and Santa's belt after a few too many Christmas treats ;)

We're almost there, just one last cake to decorate on the morrow and then it's time to celebrate.

Merry Christmas everyone and thank you so much for the support this year. As always, couldn't have done it without you. xxx

10 days till Christmas!

Making mini versions of everything to share the love. Christmas Cakes (the traditional fruit kind, having been fed with brandy for weeks and weeks) has been iced, packed and gifted, posted, sent away, eaten... nom nom.

And even brought a few of our cookies into the office to share. And yes, we've been very multiculter this year with our people. Yellow, short (chubs) shortbread man and skinny (better looking), dark gingy. And yes, it was a coincidence that it turned out that way...

Had am amazing day in the kitchen and thanks for our helped Donna today for her awesome contribution to decorating all our Christmas cookies today!

Made this yummy looking mummy and baby sized white chocolate and lemon mousse baked cheesecake with scorched meringue. Looks good, tastes good, smells good and made for sharing.

This afternoon was time to get stuck into more Christmas baking.

We finished our second batch of Belgium Cookies, made Passionfruit Shortbread, Sugar Cookies, Gingerbread boys and girls and...

THESE AWESOME GINGERBREAD HOUSES!!! ... A WHOLE CITY/TOWN/VILLAGE of them!

So much fun to make, bake and build and build and build. There are surprises in these too. Can't wait to gift them and share the love! Each house has their own sleigh and welcoming Tiny Teddy too.

And we even had some spare minutes to come up with these genius cookie christmas puddings. Again with surprises inside!

...Wynwyn's Place was prepared!!!!!

Huge Huge HUGE weekend for us.

We had wedding samples to prepare, a double 2-tier wedding cake to start and of course... IT'S THE HOLIDAY SEASON WHICH MEANS BAKING BAKING BAKING!!!

Tons of cookies, almond bread, more cookies and we even threw in some red velvet cupcakes. First round of Christmas orders all set! It's only going to get busier from here... but...

We Can't wait till next weekend... we're doing our Gingerbread House challenge ;)

When orders flow, they come in droves! Christmas 2012 has been a bit hectic but a lot of fun!

Over the last 5 days, we have created 20 gingerbread trees, 2 macaron trees, over 30 gingerbread men, 100 macarons, 2000 fondant cookies, 4 large fruit cakes, 48 cupcakes and toppings, fillings, decorations to match!!

It's been a long week from day time job to night time job (it's a good thing I LOVE TO BAKE!). A lot of early starts (day time job) and late nights/early mornings! And I can't thank the tireless efforts of my parents enough. Who else was going to help me package over 300 bags of cookies? Deliver them and still be smiling after only a few hours sleep!

These macarons below turned out amazing. So happy with both the colour and the feet. And that jaffa orange filling is awesome, especially with that little kick of Cointreau.

Next came the most time-consuming order of them all. The order for 2000+ cookies, individually gift-packaged into 300 bags. This was a mammoth task that took a few days and great planning to achieve. Again, so happy with the result - we managed to get the colours of Christmas in there!

Follow that (there's no stopping!) with an order for gift boxed cupcakes. These were my favourite to make. Love the flower sitting on the holly leaf. Adds that bit of Christmas touch! And the candy canes (hand made of course) aren't so bad either. However, I am partial to pretty things and I love the flowers.

And to finish it off (okay, there was a lot more in between but I think you get the gist), gingerbread trees as my gift to friends, family and colleagues. These will go down a treat I am sure!

Time for a break though - hope you all have a safe and very Merry Christmas. We'll be back in the New Year with more baking adventures (and finger's crossed, more orders!)

xx

Wynnie

OK - before I get caught out - looks directly at the Wendeh Monkee (blabbermouth but eats anything anyway) - I cheated! - all store bought - just put it together - although, i'm pretty sure in a lot of other people's books, that's cooking!!! Plus its pretty AND it's not like i'm NOT making anything tomorrow . . .