Alternative to M&S macaroon tree?

[NumptyNu]

I love the macaroon tree that M&S are advertising in their Xmas range. Only problem being, that £20 is a stretch for such a small part of the day. Has anyone seen anything similar & cheaper?

I like the idea of making them myself, but I have no idea how

But I agree, £20 is rather steep!

The cover recipe on the Good Food mag is the Simply Stunning chocolate fridge cake - which is a load of choc cookies, sandwiched in pairs with a mix of cream and choc, then layered together with a mix of cream, mascarpone, baileys and icing sugar, in the shape of a tree (ish).

It honestly looks lovely, and you could amend recipe to suit taste/wallet.

I don't know how to make them either. The tree idea sounds nice (the baileys ingredient appeals!).

We live overseas so I have just googled to find the cover, oh my that does look so very scrummy and gorgeous. I regularly make chocolate fridge cake and the thought of making it like that it just so divine.

Bit different, but I really fancy the idea (but not the reality of making with "help" from a 2 and 4 yr old) of this

Oh next that Lakeland tree is gorgeous

The Vanilla Cookie recipe (if you go online Lakeland Limited the recipe is on there) is a delicious, crispy shortbready type. but not as flakey as shortbread.

I had star cutters (the Lakeland ones are more like a pointy flower shape) which didn't work as well when assembled but when it's iced and decorated, we didn't mind.

Your 2yo and 4yo can definately help . You'll need to cut loads of stars, and lots of icing to assemble.

mwah ha ha

lol - my girls aged (at the time) 10 and 11 made the Lakeland one last year - it was scrummy - AND beautiful - AND they cleaned up the kitchen and washed up afterwards.... soooooo nice when they get a little older!

Hmm, your not convincing me this year!

The lakeland tree is a great hit in my house. It has even been requested instead of a birthday cake! Looks great, easy to make, and really tasty. I use writing icing if I can't be bothered with ready to roll and it still looks lovely, especially if sprinkled with edible stars!

Nigella's Snow flecked chocolate brownies very simple but stunning. I tinkered with the recipe by reducing the sugar content by 100grams as there is so much chocolate, the original recipe is too sweet.

Just a choc brownie with white choc chunks cut in to squares, piled high & then generously covered in icing sugar with sparklers on top.

NumptyNu - the cookies in that fridge cake thing were bought in - it said they used 5 packets (!) of naice cookies. So, sandwiched them together in pairs with cream/choc boiled (ie ganache), then stacked up the pairs in a tree-ish shape, with the cream/mascarpone/baileys stuff artfully blobbed over.

Is the vanilla cookie recipe the one recommended for the tree? I can't seem to find it anywhere, only reference to the cutters (presume you need different sizes?)

It's on the box, Numpty. But any decent, robust recipe would do, I have used Nigella's cut out cookies recipe from How To Eat, feast and domestic goddess to great effect.

'on the box'?

The Lakeland Limited Vanilla Cookie Recipe (off the Lakeland website)
I put "Vanilla" into search and it's on there.

300g unsalted softened butter
300g caster sugar
2 small beaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
600g sifted plain flour

Gas Mark 4/ 180c/ 350F

Cream the butter and sugar
Beat in the eggs, salt, vanilla
Gradually add in the flour
Divide into 2 balls and wrap in clingfilm.
Chill for 1 hour

Roll out to 3-4mm and cut two of each size of cut out (there are 10 different sizes of 'star' )

Bake 12 minutes and cool for 10 minutes on the tray.
You need to flour the cutters and I put a dusting of flour on the trays.
If you need to re-roll the trimmings they recommend you chill it again
Then you layer up the stars from large to small at an angle to make your tree
Royal icing sticks better but you could use glace
Decorate