Contact the Elderly Tea Party...

♥ Ceri makes...  hosted my very first Contact the Elderly tea party this afternoon!  Contact the Elderly organise regular Sunday tea parties for elderly people who have little or no social support.  A great charity and a perfect way to spend my drizzly Sunday afternoon.  As if I needed an excuse to bake,  here are some of the treats I made...

The tea party guests including the very special guests Edmond and Daphne enjoying themselves...

If you would also like to get involved with the charity they are always keen to hear from new volunteers for driving or hosting - http://www.contact-the-elderly.org.uk/become-a-volunteer/

♥ Ceri makes xx

Feeling Jubilant...

♥ Ceri makes...  truly enjoyed the jubilee weekend and fully embraced the patriotic spirit!

Along with most of the country I celebrated the jubilee with LOTS of cake!  My friends Hatty and Mark hosted a wonderful jubilee tea party to mark the occasion.  Here is just one of the many delicious cakes that they served at their jubilee tea party...

To get into the spirit even more I also joined in with some red, white and blue dressing over the weekend in my absolute favourite print from the range of quirky jubilee products at Topshop.  SO cute!

 Happy Diamond Jubilee to our Queen Lizzy!

♥ Ceri makes xx

Afternoon tea anyone...?

♥ Ceri makes...  as you may know afternoon tea is definitely high up in my list of favourite weekend things to do!  While in Cardiff with the girls at the weekend Rachel booked (a very popular spot, so booking recommended!) us in for a spot of afternoon tea at the Waterloo Gardens Teahouse. 

A delicious selection of sandwiches,  scones,  a slice of cake from the rather impressive selection and of course tea were served.  An absolute bargain for £11.50 per person!

Ten out of ten to Waterloo Gardens Teahouse.

♥ Ceri makes...  xx

Birthday times...

♥ Ceri makes...  has been busy of late celebrating my birthday,  firstly with a relaxed birthday weekend at home in the countryside and more recently in London with a debauched afternoon tea party!  

LOTS of baking in the build up to the main event but was definitely worth it for this feast for the eyes...

Not bad for a first attempt at macaroons...

For something equally as impressive (but A LOT less faff) try whipping up some minature french pastries like the ones below...

To make at home simply roll out some puff pastry to the thickness of a £1 coin,  glaze with a little beaten egg, sprinkle with icing sugar,  cut into rectangles using a pizza wheel for speed,  lay on a baking tray and bake in a 200C oven (180C fan oven,  gas mark 6) for approx 8 minutes or until slightly golden on top.  Break the shells in half and allow to cool,  whip some double cream adding caster sugar and vanilla extract to taste.  Fill the bottom half of the shells with a blob of whipped cream,  pop on some pieces of sliced fruit (I like strawberries and blueberries!)  place the top half of the shell back add a blob of whipped cream and add another piece of fruit for decoration  ...yummy!


♥ Ceri makes...  xx