The Homemade Heart

Business Biscuits

This week Derek is away to Aberdeenshire for a series of business meetings, and has taken some bags of home made biscuits with him as small gifts.

I had made chocolate biscuits using a recipe from 'Life Is Sweet' earlier in the week, sandwiched with icing, as in the photograph below. I decided to repeat the recipe for Derek, but  left the biscuits plain, making them easier to transport.

I always seem to end up baking for Derek on a Sunday evening, so once again it was beneficial to use a recipe where the mixture is rolled into balls and placed on the baking trays, rather than rolled out flat and cut out, as kitchen table space on a Sunday evening is always at a premium.

Chocolate Biscuits with Vanilla Icing

Ingredients (biscuits).

140g butter

320g caster sugar

1 L egg

170g plain flour

90g cocoa powder

1 tsp bicarb of soda

1/4 tsp baking powder

 

Ingredients (vanilla filling).

130g butter at room temp.

220g icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

(the original recipe uses double these quantities for the vanilla filling, but I found half quantities more than enough)

Method.

Preheat oven Gas 5, 190c.

Cream butter and sugar until very light and fluffy using freestanding mixer or electric hand held whisk. Add the egg and beat until just incorporated.

Sift all dry ingredients together and add gradually with mixer on medium speed until all ingredients come together. The dough will look very dark, and quite stiff.

Break off small pieces of the dough, roll into balls and place slightly apart on baking trays. (I weigh each piece to 15g to ensure they all turn out the same size)

Dip a flat-bottomed glass in caster sugar (I used a smear of egg white from where I'd tipped the egg into the mixture to help the sugar to stick to the bottom of the glass), and press each cookie down flat, dipping and flattening as you go.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until firm, remove from tray and allow to cool on a wire rack.

To make the filling, beat the butter until light and pale, using a stand mixer or hand held electric whisk. Turn down the speed and gradually add the icing sugar. When thoroughly combined, add the vanilla extract and beat well for several minutes until light and creamy.

Spoon the filling into a disposable piping bag with the end snipped off, and pipe a neat spiral of filling onto a cookie. Gently press another cookie on top. Repeat until all the cookies are filled.

When filled, the biscuits should probably be eaten within a day of making to ensure maximum biscuit crunchiness, but without filling they should keep for several days in an airtight tin (or tied in cellophane bags, bumping over the roads of Aberdeenshire).

 

complex, exact, exquisite

I have a soft spot for Stirling Castle. It is about 40 minutes from our village, and I have visited many times, several of those as a Mummy Helper on school trips in the dear departed primary school days. The majesty of the castle was a bit lost on me on those occasions, as I spent most of the time anxiously counting and re-counting heads; the weight of responsibility of other peoples' children weighing  heavily on my shoulders.

However it was with a light heart and sense of happy anticipation that I visited the castle a couple of weeks ago, specifically the Great Hall, to view The Great Tapestry Of Scotland.

 The Tapestry is the brainchild of Alexander McCall Smith (of 'The No1 Ladies' Detective Agency' books fame), in consultation with Alistair Moffat (historian), Andrew Crummy (illustrator) and Dorie Wilkie (group co-ordinator and stitch supervisor), plus many others. It tells the story of Scotland via embroidered panels and is fully explained here.

Although referred to as a tapestry, the 160 panels are in fact embroidered. Each panel is suspended on a wooden baton, the panels are hung in a specific order, that tells the story of Scotland in 143 metres. (View slide show of all panels here)

The scale and proportions of the work are breath taking. Scotland is represented from the time the land masses of the world formed, through to the present day. Each panel has a central motif, with borders showing related objects, people or places. I am not an embroiderer, but even to my untrained eye, it is clear that the stitch work is expertly done; complex, exact, exquisite.

On a corner of each panel is stitched the initials of the (mainly, though not exclusively) women who worked it. Many of the panels were stitched where the historical event depicted on the panel took place.

The texture of the stitch work is rich and varied, from lace, delicate as a cobweb, adorning the neckline of a dress, to tight whorls representing sheep's wool, and  dense chains and tufts  bringing rock, sea and hill vividly to life.

Colours start from the browns, greys and blues of rock, sea, sky, land, in the early panels, and the plain clothing of the settlers, crofters, farmers and labourers, through to the richly decorated robes of the wealthy, and of course tartan plaids and skirts; from the original, belted plaids, to the formal, 'dress' kilt introduced by the Victorians.

 

It is hard to describe the impact of seeing the tapestry in its entirety. From inspiration, collaboration, consultation, design; then to recruitment, instruction, co-ordination and final presentation, it is a monumental achievement. That the energy, goodwill and skill was all out there, just waiting to be harnessed, and put to such good use, is immensely encouraging. The tapestry is currently on tour, but it is anticipated that it will eventually have its own, custom built gallery in the Scottish borders. If you get the chance, do go.

The Year in books; March

Joining Laura at Circle of Pine Trees again this month, for her ongoing Year in Books project. If you haven't had a look at the link-up yet, may I suggest a visit, you will find lots of interesting book recommendations from other bloggers, and  lots of blogs to visit.

Last month, I read 'The Rosie Effect' by Graeme Simsion.

This is the sequel to 'The Rosie Project', and follows the further adventures of Don Tillman; scientist, cocktail maker, square peg in round hole, husband, and now, prospective father. I was a massive fan of 'The Rosie Project' and took a lot of residual goodwill into this read. 'The Rosie Effect' was loveable and charming, but perhaps not quite as razor sharp as the first book. Having said that, it was enormously enjoyable, and is a film just waiting to happen. Don Tillman is irresistible.

My book choice this month is 'Bellman and Black', by Diane Setterfield. I read her debut novel 'The Thirteenth Tale' a few years ago for my earth-bound book group, and enjoyed it. 'Bellman and Black' is described as:

'..a rags to riches tale with a spooky twist'

'..much, much more than a simple ghost story'

'..an original take on the gothic novel' 

As I get older I rather enjoy a gothic ghost story, especially in the colder months, so I will read this whilst there is still an early dusk, and I can toast my toes comfortably in front of the fire whilst reading in the evenings. 

a relaxed beauty

At this time of year it is a comparatively inexpensive luxury to have a vase or two of tulips around the house. Not being a natural flower arranger, I like flowers that can be jammed  into a vase or jug with little ceremony, to bring a relaxed beauty to the room. I sometimes think they are even more lovely after they have passed their full bloom, and start to fade a little. The petals unfurl and become transparent, the powdery stamen is revealed; the stems slowly acquire a graceful swan neck curve.

Outside, despite the freezing temperatures, the tulips planted last autumn are pushing through the cold earth. I tend not to pick the garden tulips, preferring to leave them in situ, and continue with shop bought bunches for the house throughout spring.

There are also red fronds appearing on the climbing roses outside the kitchen window, the first outward signs of new growth. The snowdrops too, are in full bloom, and each year are even more beautiful than I remember from the year before. I transplanted some clumps last year, and they are thriving in their new spot. I may repeat the process this year; to have such beautiful flowers blooming in the neglected spot behind our garage seems a bit of a waste.