Hello this is Frangelica Tinselbaubles
At the North Pole I bake shortbread for all the other elves and Santa.
I love the smell of the baking and the happiness of the elves and Santa when they come and taste my shortbread. It’s no secret that Santa loves the millionaire’s variety.
While baking I love to listen to Runrig,
their Gaelic rock band. Their Gaelic lyrics are so moving.
My favourite Christmas drink is a wee dram of Cardhu Special Cask reserve single malt whisky. I love Christmas cake. A rich fruit cake, covered in marzipan and iced.
Serendipity Sparkles is my Secret Santa partner. I will be sending some of Santa’s favourites, delicious millionaire’s shortbread.
Recipe
Traditional Oatmeal Parkin
But which tradition is it?
My grandparents claimed Yorkshire emphatically, while my Lancashire friends are just as emphatic. Either way I just love it, and because it’s so easy to make, if you haven’t yet tasted parkin I urge you to try it. Its virtue is it keeps well and goes on getting stickier.
We use a pleated silicone liner in the tin, which helps keep the moisture in during storage.
Method
To weigh syrup and treacle, it helps to place the opened tins in a pan of barely simmering water for 5 minutes to make them easier to pour.
Then weigh a saucepan on the scales, and weigh the syrup and treacle into it. Now add the butter and the sugar to the saucepan and place it over a gentle heat until the butter has melted – don’t go away and leave it unattended, because for this you don’t want it to boil.
Meanwhile measure the oatmeal, flour and ginger into a mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt, then gradually stir in the warmed syrup mixture till everything is thoroughly blended. Next add the beaten egg and, lastly, the milk. Now pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake near the centre shelf of the oven for 1½ hours.
Then cool the parkin in the tin for 30 minutes before turning out. Don’t worry if it sinks slightly in the middle – this is quite normal.
When it’s completely cold, store in an airtight tin.
.
“A roller-coaster of a story”
Take one depressed sub and a caring Dom. Transport them to fairy-tale castle in the remote Scottish highlands. Throw in a mix of old friends with new problems and you have a Highland Christmas.
Master Angus Scott plans a surprise for Jane Scott, who is depressed after her operation. At first she is resentful because she is going to miss her family and the usual Christmas celebrations, but she soon discovers that Master knows best, when unexpected guests arrive to cheer her up.
Can Jane forget her own problems and help her friends to solve theirs? Will Master Llewellyn and his friends avert disaster when his children get lost in the woods in a snowstorm? Can Master Prometheus and his pregnant Jenny reach shelter in time?
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Giveaway
Leave a comment to be entered in the draw for a free e-copy of “A Highland Christmas.”
Purchase link
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Highland-Christmas-Prometheus-Publishing-Classic-ebook/dp/B00HUBG4AW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480778438&sr=8-1&keywords=a+highland+christmas+lune
https://www.amazon.com/Highland-Christmas-Prometheus-Publishing-Classic-ebook/dp/B00HUBG4AW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480778438&sr=8-1&keywords=a+highland+christmas+lune
My favourite Christmas craft I hope will be the one I am learning with my daughter, my girls and their mum this Christmas.
Tena Stetler – http://www.tenastetler.com/my-blog/
Barbara Burke – https://barbaraburkeauthor.wordpress.com/
Stacy Holmes – www.writerknapsack.com
M.S. Spencer – http://msspencertalespinner.blogspot.com/
Maureen Bonatch – http://www.maureenbonatch.com/blog/
Nancy Fraser – http://nancyfraser.ca/wordpress/holiday-blog-hop/
Sorchia Dubois – http://www.sorchiadubois.com/
Carol Henry – http://www.carolhenry.org/
Hywela Lyn – www.hywelalyn.blogspot.com
Casi McLean – http://casimclean.com/casis-christmas-…cal-mystery-tour/
Kayden Claremont. – https://kaydenclaremont.wordpress.com/
Mariah Lynne – http://mariahlynneauthor.blogspot.com/
Kelly Kalmanson – http://kkweil.blogspot.com
Clair de Lune – https://clairdelunebooks.co.uk/
Linda Carroll-Bradd – http://blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com (participating on Dec 16 only)
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I love Runrig and listen to many of their Gaelic songs when i write. I’m a Laphroaig drinker but always willing to try new things. Interesting stuff! Happy Holidays.
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Wow, I am hungry, looking at all of the yummy sweets. Happy Holidays!
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Your recipe Sounds delicious. Happy Holidays.
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Happy Holidays! The recipe sounds yummy!
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Oh Frangelica Tinselbaubles what a wonderful post, delicious recipes. Your book Highland Christmas sound titillating. RIght up my alley. Thanks for sharing! Merry Christmas.
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tasty recipe
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Hi Frangelica Tinselbaubles! I love shortbread cookies, and your recipe sounds delicious. Merry Christmas!