Poncetastic 2017

[Annwithnoe]

Since there doesn't seem to be a poncetastic thread, and to avoid confusion with thread titles, would I be out of order to start this one?

First order of business, a toast to our dearly missed Fellatio Nelson, wherever she may be and a quote from her original thread:

^
"OK, first of all, I know it's still September by we need to start this thread now because as you all know, having a truly Poncetastic Christmas involves precision planning, strategy, bravery, heroics, and frequently martyrdom. A bit like the war in Afghanistan, only with nicer food and sparkly shoes.

So, if you, like me, actually want to make the next twelve weeks of your life a misery by hand-crafting your cards, finding a huge bucket for Nigella's turkey in brine, pickling pears, shrivelling oranges in a low oven for those rustic au naturel decorations, dragging half a holly bush back from the woods, and just generally being a smug annoying jobsworth ponce, join me on this thread.

Feel free to post photos of previous tree-trimming, cake icing or table centrepiece triumphs, discuss this year's bauble colour themes, debate the merits of Delia versus Gordon, road-test a selection of canapes and cocktails, (all in the line of duty) and link to lovely inspirational photos/craft ideas for a truly Poncetastic Christmas.

Warning: If your idea of a good Christmas involves Pizza, ITV, gravy granules or anything with 'Aunt Bessies' on the packet, this is not the thread for you".

^

mrshathaway beautiful - love the fab they are all different

Was it @Trumpton who did the forced bulbs? I saw these hyacinth in lidl yesterday, wonder if they would work? Perhaps in vintage tea cups on stones?
(Cup photo for illustrative purposes only!!)

Anyone else starting to panic that they won't get everything done?!

I have must do's & fun bits but I also do gifts and cards for DH's clients... I have barely started as my knitting my new shawl has taken precedence

I'm a lazy poncer Sally, I don't do crafts and only make knitted or crochet gifts for my DM, DS or DSIL.

I just make Christmassy food because I enjoy doing it.

Just in case any other bakers on the thread fancy it, I've just made Lebkuchengewuerz, the German gingerbread spice using this recipe. My kitchen smells incredible www.daringgourmet.com/homemade-lebkuchengewuerz-german-gingerbread-spice-blend/

I was starting to panic but when I went through my spreadsheet I don't have that much left to do, and some of it has to be done last minute (baking) anyway.

Considering making my fudge this weekend, I make it with condensed milk and sugar so it will keep, as long as I don't eat it!

That looks amazing Flavia .

I have had a stern word with myself this morning. After stressing out that the children were 'messing up my wrapping' ....I will take a more chilled outlook and as long as the DCs advent calendars are done then nothing else actually matters. Christmas spirit and all that

Haha Sally, it's a running joke in our house that the tree is mine. The children don't get a look in!

My feather boas arrived in the post today so this year we are a tinsel free zone!!

Another batch of cards,
I can't seem decide on a design that I like, DMs kitchen, not mine!

HairSpray, how long does the fudge last? I thought it was only a week or so, happy if I can make it now!

I have made it well in advance (2 months-ish) and have had no ill effects, there is so much sugar and heat that anything that can survive it frankly deserves to!No change in taste either.

I make it in a big slab, then when cooled wrap the whole thing tightly in clingfilm then slice and decant into bags a few days before. My grandmother was eating hers well into March last year but usually it doesn't last that long around most people!

Could I have the recipe for the lime prosecco and passion fruit jelly? It sounds amazing?

Yeah Lime prosecco & passionfruit jelly, yum yum

I don't really have a recipe i taste as I go and add more sugar/lime/prosecco. If I am not getting a set I will add more pectin dissolved in lime juce 1tbsp of pectin at a time.
I start with 3tbsp Ball pectin for each carton of passionfruit juice, 300g sugar, the zest and juice of 4 limes and 200ml of prosecco.

Thank you cards are done! Ive included the ones I'm sending now as a thanks to mum and sister for our treat at the weekend.

Just wrapping, Christmas box and Christmas cards next week then onto baking!

The cards are all beautiful! I think my family think I am nuts making cards so it is nice to hang around with people who make them too :)

Lime, Proseco and passion fruit jelly sounds absolutely incredible! I may well ask dh (who is the jam and jelly maker in this house) to make some.

I am trialling a ginger bread cake recipe today - a Mary Berry one. I bought a star shaped tin and wanted to try it out. I had too much mixture so made some cupcakes too which are already out of the oven and taste and smell delicious. My big worry is getting the star cake out of the tin when it is done. The recipe said to use parchment paper but as it is a star tin with a pretty design in, I didn't want to do that so I buttered and floured it really well. I am worried!!

Phew. It came out of the tin with no problem. I made a quick cinnamon and icing sugar glaze for the top.

Love the star tin! Where was that from please? (Cake looks lovely too! )

The star tin was from TK Maxx. I placed a click and collect order for some presents and went to get them today - I actually opened the box and returned half the items there and then for being either completely wrong (green braided leather belt for my son turned out to be blue sparkly diamond studded one!) or just a bit rubbish. But the tin was lovely and I had to try it out today!

In the end, I added some silver edible sparkles to the icing top which looks nice. Cant be bothered to add another picture though!

Oooh super, I might have a look in town tomorrow. I never make a Christmas fruit cake but usually make some sort of cake over the Christmas period; that would be perfect

Glad to be of help!

I have now placed an Ocado order with all the ingredients for making that lime, prosecco and passion fruit jelly! I may even get dh to let me do it :) I want to give as gifts alongside other stuff we are doing so I am now thinking how to 'ponce" the packaging. I have loads of nice jars and labels as dh makes jams and chutneys all year round. But what about something on the lid? What do you all do??

I love reading this thread. What beautiful things you all make.

Am I too late now to make sloe gin for Christmas? I picked some earlier this year and they are still in the freezer (along with the ones I picked last year ).

also I picked some a bit early, will the sugar make up for them being a bit underripe?

Wow I love the pictures on here and that Marmelade gin recipe looks amazing!
www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/food/recipes/marmalade-and-bay-gin
Going to give it a go! Thanks everyone!

traviata I think you are too late I'm afraid - when I do damson gin I start it as soon as they're ready in Sept and the three months or so to Christmas is pretty much the minimum time. Generally, the longer you leave it the better it gets (within reason).

But you could do something like candy cane vodka - I've never made it but am going to have a go this year. You break up some candy canes and put them in vodka, they're supposed to melt really quickly and you end up with red, minty vodka.

I think it'll look really cute in tiny glass bottles ties with Christmas twine.

traviata I have made arancello from bbc good food recipe. Was worried I’d left it too late but recipe says one week with the spices etc in & another week after adding the sugar syrup, although planning to leave mine longer. So would still be time for that

lovely ideas, thanks.

I could just make the sloe gin and drink it all myself in March