Sunday 17 December 2017

Santa Buns - and film/book/song recommendations for 2017

Recipe of the week...
... Santa Buns

Ingredients: 250g self-raising flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 50g butter, 75g caster sugar, 2 large eggs, 250 ml milk, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 250g icing sugar, a few drops of red food colouring, 12 festive icing decorations

Makes: 12 big muffins

Time Taken: 20 mins to make, 20 mins to bake, and then 20 mins to decorate once cooled


Hi readers,

How are you all today?? As a write, it’s a cold Sunday morning in December. Temperatures stand at a tropical 2 degrees, and I’m huddled up in bed with my laptop… hoping things warm up a little before I go out on a run. I already have a cold, readers, (which can fuck right off) and we’ve been negotiating snow, ice and slush for the best part of two weeks now.

In other news, Christmas is a week tomorrow! Whooooo!!! Who’s feeling festive? And ready for it?? And not at all Scrooge-ish? I think I can raise my hand here! I’m just about finished sorting cards and Christmas presents now, and also an engagement gift and 3 December birthdays, and various Christmas-related projects at work.


I’m at the bit now where the three’s up and I can bum about in a Christmas jumper with a mulled wine, listening to East 17 and looking back on the past year. Are you there yet, readers?? Power on if you still have things left to do! Because it’s great once you get it all done and you final chill out.

And just think it will ALL be worth it when the magic happens on the day, and everyone’s opening gifts and having a great time together. Just think. And then – it will all be over! One day and this fuss will all be behind us. I hope, readers, that you’re beginning to feel the Christmas spirit, and you’re finding time to spend with your loved ones in the run up to the 25th, and that you all have the most wonderful Christmastime.


So, I thought with this blog post, I might dish out some recommendations for the best films, books and songs, that I’ve seen this year. In case over Christmas you’re at a loose end and fancy a decent film, or a good book, or an update to your playlists, to end the year nicely. These recommendations might not be for everyone! Bear in mind… I’m a yoga-loving 23-year-old female. Don’t take these as scripture.

BUT… I’m going to start with film. I’ve seen alotalot of films this year as I splashed out on a Cineworld membership card – best decision ever – but it is hard to remember which ones you’ve seen, over the course of a whole year. I will update this post if I later remember a film I’m forgetting about now, but I think my fave film of 2017 has been Manchester by the Sea.


This film was released way back in January, and is not at all festive or wonderful or cheerful, but it’s a very good film. Watch, if you haven’t already. And if you feel like some dark humour. OR if you’re looking for a film and not feeling that vibe, I also would recommend Despicable Me 3, Baywatch, or The Hitman’s Bodyguard. All good, and slightly more uplifting, films from the past year.

So, on to books. I’ve done quite well with reading this year! Joining a book club has kept me turning pages and I’ve been solidly getting through a book or two each month. Plus, I’ve discovered audiobooks, which prove to be a good way to pass my 45-minute commute in the car. With further ado, here are ten books of note, which I read this year and would recommend…

1.     Black Eyed Susans by Julia Haeberlin

2.     Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

3.     Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

4.     The Book of Dust by Philip Pullman

5.     Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

6.     The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman

7.     On Canaan’s Side by Sebastian Barry

8.     Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

9.     The Thirst by Jo Nesbo

10.  Sweetbitter by Stephanie Danler


And that just leaves music. Here are some recommendations, readers, which I’ve tried to break down into different moods, for top songs which I’ve played on repeat / blasted in the car / run to / related with / rediscovered / fallen asleep listening to / learned (almost) all the words to… during 2017.

Significant…

1.     Aquilo – Low Light

2.     ARIZONA – Oceans Away

3.     Sampha – (No One Knows Me) Like The Piano

4.     This Is The Kit – Moonshine Freeze


5.     Stereo Honey – The Bay

6.     Ghostpoet – Be Right Back, Moving House

7.     Choir of Young Believers – Hollow Talk

8.     Loyle Carner – Damselfly


9.     Tricky – The Only Way

10.  Bill Evans Trio – My Foolish Heart

Girlpower…

1.     Maggie Lindemann – Pretty Girl

2.     Martin Solveig – Places

3.     NEIKED – Call Me

4.     Zara Larsson – What They Say


5.     Fergie – You Already Know

6.     Rita Ora –Your Song

7.     Tove Lo – shedontknowbutsheknows

8.     Taya – When Ur Sober

9.     Goldfrapp – Anymore


10.  Hailee Steinfeld – Starving

11.  Anton Powers & Pixie Lott – Baby

12.  HAIM – Want You Back

13.  Jem – Just a Ride

14.  Soayla – No Good


Tuuunes…

1.     Bicep – Glue

2.     Justin Bieber – Friends

3.     Macklemore – Glorious


4.     Moon Boots – Keep the Faith

5.     Tycho – Horizon

6.     Ride – All I Want

7.     Harry Styles – Ever Since New York


8.     Blaenavon – I Will Be The World

9.     Feeder – Just a Day

10.  Newton Faulkner – Up Up and Away

11.  Fleetwood Mac – The Chain

12.  John Mayer – Love On The Weekend


13.  Trevor Hall – Indigo

14.  Dutch Uncles – Streetlight

And those, readers, are my film, book and song recommendations for 2017. Which have greatly improved my year. I hope you might find a treasure in there, which you go on to quite like yourself. And please – recommend me things back! If there’s a film or a book or a song, which your 2017 would have been a much greyer place without, leave me a comment on this post and I’ll give it a go for sure! Thank you.

And now… for our recipe of the week! I’m writing this week, readers, to share with you a festive bake. Tis the season! Here’s a recipe for some Santa Buns – which are really easy and straightforward to get together, and which I’m sure your friends, family and colleagues at work will only be too delighted to demolish.


I basically just took a Mary Berry recipe, readers, for American muffins. Added in a LOT of cinnamon, for a festive flavour, and then decorated them in a Christmassy way. The little iced Santas, which feature on top of my buns, I actually found on a local market stall in Sheffield. But I’m sure they must also be sold in Lakeland and large supermarkets, too.

Here’s the recipe, for 12 Santa Buns, in just ten simple steps…

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Recipe: Santa Buns


Ingredients: 250g self-raising flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 50g butter, 75g caster sugar, 2 large eggs, 250ml milk, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 250g icing sugar, a few drops of red food colouring, 12 festive icing decorations

1.     Set some crimbo songs playing and pour yourself a refreshing drink. Open a window, stretch really tall, and stop thinking ten steps ahead. Just be calm.

2.     Heat your oven to 200C and get all your ingredients out, ready to go.

3.     Measure the flour, baking powder and butter into a mixing bowl. Use your fingers to rub together until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Then, stir in the sugar and shake a large amount of cinnamon into the bowl.

ChefBeHere Top Tip: If you like cinnamon – go all out. Tis the season! If you do not like cinnamon – then maybe just a small shake. Or you could switch it for a teaspoon of vanilla extract instead.

4.     Pour 250ml milk into a measuring jug, then crack your eggs into the jug and use a fork to whisk together your milk and eggs. Then pour this eggy mix into your main mixing bowl.

5.     Use a wooden spoon to blend everything together, into a cake mix with a lumpy consistency. Line a muffin tray with 12 Christmassy paper cases and spoon your mix out evenly between the cases, filling almost to the top.

6.     Carefully transport your muffins into the oven to bake for 20 minutes. Use this time wisely – tidy the kitchen up and clean your dishes, while you still have the enthusiasm. Then refresh your drink and why not see what’s on the telly?

7.     Once your muffins are well risen, firm to the touch and a golden colour, carefully take them out of the oven and turn the oven off. Leave your muffins on the side to cool for half an hour.

ChefBeHere Top Tip: I wouldn’t try icing your buns until they’re properly cooled, even if you’re in a hurry. If the buns are still warm, your icing will just run right off them. And go everywhere.

8.     Once your buns feel cool, take them out of the muffin tray and stand them on some kitchen roll, to absorb any grease on the bottom of their paper cases.

9.     Shake around 250g icing sugar into your mixing bowl, along with a few drops of red food colouring and a splash of warm water. Mix together (and add extra of any of the 3 ingredients, as you see fit) until you have a bowl of thick, smooth red icing.

10.  Use a knife to smear each of your buns with a good amount of the icing and then stick a little Father Christmas icing decoration on top to finish. Tuck in!


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And that’s all there is to it, readers! No skill needed here, really. The buns are simple to bake and the main difficulty during decoration, once you’ve got your icing to the right consistency, is trying not to get it all over your fingers! Mine were red for days!

Fancy giving these buns a go, readers? You’ve an eight-day window of opportunity for festive baking, and I say why not! Treat your loved ones to some very cute buns and make sure you nab one before they’re all gone. I’ll leave you to your festive plans now, but best of luck in the kitchen if you do give this recipe a go.

Take care on the roads, readers… and go steady on the mulled wine.

Celebrate safely,

Hayley






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