Pure Temptations

Today I managed to tick a major event off my book of things to do.  We have exactly 21 days left in Scotland (well – we would have taken off 4 minutes ago) but once again – who’s keeping track) and there is still so much to do.

I suddenly realised today – whilst helping my husband clean out the garage (so that we can fill it again with boxes) that summer holidays are over in a week’s time and I still had to finish two shirts for my darlings to have signed on their last 2 days at school.

So between going through boxes and cursing the accumulative gene that we seem to have – I had to think about pictures that are age appropriate for Angel 1 and Angel 2.  Both my children wanted skulls on their shirts but I had to quietly remind them that the heavy metal mentality of our family doesn’t stretch as far as their schools.  I could just imagine these two angelic looking children walking into school, to say goodbye, with bleeding skulls painted onto their shirts.

Thankfully the responsible mother in me kicked in!  Angel 1, who is 15 going on 25 and at the height of her intelligence (I only wish that I knew as much as she does) – finally picked a really cute picture that one of her friends had drawn – it is of all the girls in their group (5 good friends) in their true colours.  It was brilliant as all I had to do was reproduce it – so much easier!  It’s too cute, so personal and will mean so much to her in the future. 

  That’s my Angel – second from the left!

Skol – or Angel 2 – finally settled on a Lego storm trooper and it’s come out well.

 I can actually send my children to their schools with a clear mind and no real fear of Child Welfare being called to investigate.  Amazingly, although the kids here do get their shirts signed at the end of primary school – they don’t put pictures and designs on them – like we did back home. 

So a major thing has been ticked off my book of things to do.  Now if I can only get the other 7 594 623 other things done! 

So …. whilst procrastinating. ……. I was sitting here going over my old blogs and I realised that I still hadn’t posted a recipe that I promised to post, a really long time ago – back in April.  It’s another family favourite.  It really can be as strong or as “weak” as you would like/need it to be.  If I have access to it – Klippies is a good brandy for this tart – our brandies here are more like a liqueur type. 

Everytime I’ve made this for any event – everybody has asked for the recipe – so do yourself a favour and keep it handy.

COFFEE BRANDY TART

CAKE

4 Eggs

250ml Sugar

Beat together well

1ml Salt

375ml Self Raising Flour

20 ml Coffee granules

Sift together

60ml Water

5 ml Vanilla Essence

60ml Milk

Mix together

Mix milk mixture with egg mixture

Mix cake flour into the above mixture

Melt 30ml Butter and add into above mixture

Mix in slowly with a spoon

Bake in oven on 180 C for 30 minutes

SYRUP

175ml Sugar

75 ml Brandy (I usually use about 300ml - the brandy taste does cook off) 

25ml Coffee Granules

5ml Vanilla

425ml Boiling water

Bring above to the boil

Pour over cake (as soon as cake comes out of oven)

Depending on the company – you can use less brandy in the syrup and just pour some neat over the cake instead. 

TOP LAYER

1 Tin Caramel

225ml Cream

Whip cream until peaks

Beat in Caramel

Spread over cake

Crumble Flake on top