Long Overdue!

Wow! I think that's the best way to start. I have so many things to blog, I've had a super busy start to this year and it feels like forever since I posted but I'm back now with loads of updates coming your way.

I've got to start off by telling you all my big news, I mentioned that I was entering a cooking competition a while back and after what feels like months of practising, my local heat finally came yesterday. After a slight issue with pastry, an oven that did not want to cook anything and an agonising wait, I found out that I'd come first and therefore gone through to the regional final. I'm so excited, I made it this far last year and came third at the regional final but this year my eyes are 100% on the prize, I want to make it to the national final. Well actually, I want to win the national final but for now I'm just working hard and keeping everything crossed, any luck sent my way would be much appreciated!

I promise that I will catch up with some posts this week and you can see/hear all about my Yule log; first trip to the Hummingbird Bakery (Finally!); black bottom cupcakes; competition menu; wild mushroom risotto; sun-dried tomato, mozzarella and rocket tarts; mini chocolate tarts and no doubt something else that I've forgotten!

Whoopie Pies

Firstly, I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and now for my first post of 2012, it came around very quickly!

I mentioned in my last post that I'd been making Whoopie Pies and here they are. I've often looked at them on the Humming Bird Bakery website and wanted to make them for ages but I've never quite got around to it. I came across this recipe a couple of weeks ago though and thought I'd give it a go.

The results were amazing! I can't fault the cakey-bits- anybody know what they are called?- but I had a few problems with the filling. It was a little too thin, this is probably partially due to me getting bored of whisking it after about half the recommended time and partially because it was a recipe that didn't use marshmallow fluff. A little more icing sugar and some time in the fridge got it to just about spreadable consistency though and it still tasted great so all was not lost.