Baking Day..

Coconut macaroons and bird cake were on the list of things to make today and all the ingredients were lined up ready.

The coconut had been a bit of a challenge but we eventually tracked down 'Noix de coco rapee' in the supermarket. Perfect - all set!

In one pan the suet was melting ready to add all the bits and pieces which are classed as left-overs, and some which are not - such as a few handfuls of dried fruit and some of Colin's muesli... and a bit of the dessicated coconut.

Another bowl had the macaroon mixture all ready to shape,as I remember doing as a child, using an egg-cup. Then disaster struck....

Since moving here neither of us had seen the egg-cups. Nothing daunted I set about shaping them with my hands but as I'm unable to flour my hands first, the adhesive qualities of the mix got the better of me.

I have to admit that at this stage the bird cake looked decidedly more appetisinng!

Desperate times call for desperate measures! The baking was abandoned whilst I searched for those egg-cups. As I'd half suspected they were in the box marked 'miscellaneous kitchen bits' and stacked in the grenier.

So back to the macaroons.. All the mix was put back into the bowl and the shaping process began again.

Egg-cup filled with mix

The trick with the turning out is to use an egg-cup with a hole in the base then you can ease it out with your finger.

Twenty minutes later the macaroons had been reincarnated as something wonderful to behold!

And even better to eat...

Hope this leaves your mouth watering!

ps. the birds are quite pleased with their little treat too!