Sweet Christmas Cookie

Sweet and doughy with chunks of dark chocolate and Toblerone chocolate. 

I am not sure why, but Toblerone is thought of as a Christmas gifting chocolate.

Maybe because the wrapping is shiny Christmas gold...the name is in bold red, or because the chocolate has nougat added to it.

Today we blended two types of chocolate - dark and Toblerone to create these delicious cookie dough-inspired  (a whole lot naughty) cookies for Christmas visitors to enjoy, and another batch to gift.

They last well in a sealed container in the pantry for a week.

But I give you just days...

and then you will have to bake more!

To make these delicious Toberlone and Dark chocolate cookies:

You Will Need:

170 grams (6 Ounces) Butter

1 cup fine white caster sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

One large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla paste or essence

1 cup of Dark chocolate flakes or chips

1/2 cup of ground almonds

2 cups white flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 Toblerone Bar

Method:

Preheat oven to 180 Celcius (350 Farenheight)

Cream butter and sugars until creamy white and fluffy.

Add the egg.

Vanilla essence

Flour and almond

 and finally chocolates.

Add more flour if necessary to be able to mould into large balls,

Press lightly with your hand onto the prepared lined baking trays.

Then add a large chunk of Toblerone to the top of the cookie.

Bake for 10 minutes.

Leave to cool completely.

Store in a sealed container.

This recipe made 20 large cookies.

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Printable Recipe HERE.

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#christmasbaking #christmascookies

DIY Christmas Gift: Coconut Succulent Hanging Planters

There is a certain joy in creating your own gifts for giving.

So here is a little DIY Christmas gift inspiration for you.

Coconut Succulent Hangers are a little bit quirky.

A  little bit cute.

They are fabulous for giving this holiday season.

(Or for birthdays, house warming, Mothers day or Fathers Day)

To make two hangers, you will need:

Two small coconuts that have had top 1/4 sawn off and scraped clean of the coconut flesh.

String

Potting mix

Succulent plants (cuttings will work fine)

Cut six lengths of string about 53 inches (135cm) long.

Gather three together, fold in half and knot at loop for the hanger at the top.

Then knot 3 inches (8cm) down two strings together.

Then again at 4 inches (10cm) down.

Knot again 4 inches (10cm) down, but split the strings. As shown.

This makes the holder shape for the coconut shell.

Then split knot again about 2 1/2 inches (7cm) down.

Place the coconut shell in place.

Knot all the strings together under the coconut.

Trim ends of the string.

Fill each coconut with potting mix and add water until damp.

Place the succulent cuttings into the potting mix.

Hang.

I have hung mine under the candle chandelier over my covered deck mosaic table.

Note: There are no drainage holes in the shell, 

so only water when the soil has dried out.

You might also be interested in:

The DIY Seascape  Pallet Painting

(step by step tutorial)

and

The outdoor candelabra DIY

#homemadegifts #diychristmasgifts #DIY

Lego and Animals Christmas Style Inspiration

I wanted to share with y'all my daughters cute animal tree, 

and her Christmas lego creations.

No one in my family has styled Christmas decor in the usual way this year.

We have all approached it in different ways.

And this is April's Christmas styling.

A simple branch tree in white.

Metal Ball Bells (via Ezibuy)

Fairy lights.

Animal decorations by EZIBUY. 

She has built Christmas themed lego over the previous months to compliment her display. 

How cool!

         

I love these Lego Christmas themed buildings.  

             

They even have light up and opening bits.

So much fun even for the 'big' kids.

I think she's aiming for a Lego-themed Christmas table display on a grander scale next holiday season.

This is just the beginning of something fun to come.

#Lego #Christmaslego #simplechristmasdecor