Blog no longer used. Changed to facebook.

Hi All,

If you would like to continue to see what I am up to please head over to my facebook page Treats by Bridie like us to get updates.  Email contact is: treatsbybridie@gmail.com

Thanks!!

Macarons only @ Market

So I've decided to just focus on Macarons for the New Years Day Market in Port Fairy I've been having fun playing around.  So I won't have any melting moments, florentines etc (sorry) but I have a stack of Macaron flavours.  If you're after biscuits or cakes will cater for you guys next week.

Enjoy!
Bridie

To market, to market.... New Years Day @ Port Fairy Wharf

I hope everybody is enjoying the festive season?

It is the start of the summer markets at the wharf (king george square) in Port Fairy this Sunday - New Years Day 9am-2pm.  Come down for a great family day out with lots of activities, stalls, food & fun. 

Gee I think I've forgotten how busy Port Fairy can be, but what a place to be over summer.  Great weather and heaps of stuff to do, mostly for free.  Our kids have seen a reptile show, watched Rio the movie at night on the village green and made their own musical instruments and that has only been since Tuesday, we haven't even hit NYE yet.  I highly recommend checking out the moyneyanna festival program and making the most of Port Fairy in January.

It has been a long December with all the Christmas Orders but very satisfied with our efforts by the end.  I hope all who purchased or received treats enjoyed them.  A big thank-you to Michael for all of his work!

A few days out of the kitchen and now its time to start thinking of some new macaron flavours for the January Markets.  This week the Macarons will be....

Buttered Popcorn & Caramel
Raspberry & Cream
Triple Chocolate
Sticky Date
Mandarin
Salted Caramel
Pistachio & Orange Blossom
Violet & Blackcurrant
Vanilla Bean & Rosewater

If time permits I'll have a few flavours of melting moments, florentines and hopefully a couple of other goodies.

Hope to see you all there....

Enjoy!
Bridie

Xmas Market this Saturday 10th December

The Market is on this Saturday, 8am - 1pm at Railway Place Port Fairy.  With the market moving to the railway place (near the tourist info) there is more room to browse and more stalls to look at.  A great place to come and get some xmas shopping done.  The Made market is also on at the Church of England on the same day with beautiful handmade gifts.  So a great day to be had in Port Fairy (as always - we are pretty spoilt living here).

We, and I mean we, Michael and I, have been working hard on filling xmas orders, keeping the shops stocked and having some goodies for market.  Poor Michael will get RSI from rolling Melting Moments, you would have to agree though he does them so perfectly, each one weighed to be the perfect size.  All xmas orders will be available to pick up on Saturday from 9am at the Market.

For those of you who don't have in an order, don't worry, we have lots of different xmas treats for the market.

Of course we have Macarons with some of the Christmas Flavours ready to be boxed or eaten as you browse the market.  We also have Passionfruit Melting Moments, Vanilla Bean Melting Moments and my favourite Christmas Spice and Brandy Melting Moments - these are so moreish and such a great little christmas present.

What else....
Jars of Salted Caramel Sauce
Double Choc & Raspberry Brownie
Candy Cane Brownies
Sour Cherry & White Chocolate Blondie
White and dark chocolate Florentines
& Pistachio, Cranberry & White Chocolate Rocky Road

The Macarons, Salted Caramel Jars and Rocky Road are all gluten free.

Lots of choice but only limited amounts so get in quick.

Hope to see you on Saturday and here's hoping the rain holds off til midday?  Please?!

Bridie

Merry Christmas from me to you - My Xmas Cake Recipe!!

Hi all,

I've had a stack of requests for the Christmas Cake that I made last year.  Unfortunately I just don't have the oven time and space.  You also have to charge a lot of money for them because the ingredients are expensive and the time it takes.  So to make up for some peoples disappointment I have decided to give you one of my favourite Christmas Cake recipes and you can give it a go yourself.

This recipe is easy and it doesn't use too many different ingredients.  Some have lots of different dried fruits but I like the traditional mixed fruit combo and you don't have to spend hours cutting up fruit.  You do need to be  prepared though.  The fruit needs to be soaked for 24hrs before and the cake needs 24hrs to come to room temp before serving.  Here it is:

Bridie's Favourite Cointreau Xmas Cake Recipe

250g Butter, softened
250g Brown Sugar (or dark brown sugar if you want it richer)
4 eggs
2 Tbsp Orange Marmalade
1.5kg Mixed Dried Fruit (use good quality, you can tell the difference)
225g Plain Flour
75g  Self Raising Flour
2 Tsp Mixed Spice
125ml Cointreau (or Gran Marnier or Triple Sec or try Brandy or Sherry for a different flavour)
Extra Cointreau (or alcohol of your choice) for pouring when cake cooked

Soak the fruit in the cointreau 24hrs before making the cake.

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees celcius, if oven is fan forced you may want to reduce this a little, say 10 to 20 degrees.

Prepare a deep 19cm square cake pan or 22cm round cake pan.  Line the base and sides of the pan with baking paper 3 times so it is 3 thicknesses bringing the sides at least 5cm above the top of the pan.  All of this helps with stopping burning.  Cooking spray is great to help with all of this paper sticking.

Beat butter and sugar with mixer until just combined; beat in eggs, one at a time, until just combines.  Mixture may look curdled but it will come together in the end.

Scrape this mixture into a large bowl; add marmalade and the fruit (with any excess alcohol left).  Mix this thoroughly with one hand.  Sift flours and spice over mixture and mix well with your hand - all good xmas cakes and puddings are mixed by hand!

Drop dollops of the mixture into the corners of the pan - this will hold the paper in place.  Spread the remaining mixture into the pan.

Drop the cake pan onto the bench to settle the cake and remove any large air bubbles.  Level the surface of the cake with a wet metal spatula or spoon.

Bake cake in the oven for about 3 hours.  Skewer should come out relatively clean, no uncooked mixture.  If during the cooking process the cake is getting too dark on top put foil loosely over the top of the cake.  Also turn the cake a few times during cooking.

Remove the cake brush or pour over extra alcohol (depends on your taste) and cover tightly with foil and leave on the bench, if pouring put skewer holes first for the alchohol to soak into.  Allow 24hrs for the cake to come to room temp.  This cake can be frozen up to 12 months or wrapped tightly in cling wrap then foil then kept in a cool dark place for up to 3 months.  If using over the next few weeks keep in a tin or tupperware container.

Decorating is left up to your imagination!

Good luck to all who try this recipe, I hope you like it.

Enjoy!
Bridie

Christmas Orders Reminder

Just a quick reminder that Xmas orders close next Monday 5th December. 

So if you want to guarantee that you get Macarons and Treats for the christmas table and lots of treat boxes for all those 'hard to buy' gifts for teachers, daycare, friends and kris kringle then pop over to the Christmas tab and get thinking.

I'll be at market throughout December, including Xmas eve, but I already have a lot of orders for christmas, birthdays, weddings and our stockists so I can't guarantee what and how much will be available at market.

If there is something you really want get in now and just send me an email.  Payment is on pick up.

Oh and I've added jars of salted caramel and Brandy Butter to the list.

Enjoy!

Bridie

Three French Hens Market

Treats by Bridie will be featured at the Three French Hens Hamilton Market tomorrow (Saturday 19th December).  So if you want something to do why not come for a drive to the Hamilton Showgrounds 10am - 4pm.  Click on the link below for more info....

http://www.threefrenchhens.com.au/