Millionaires Shortcake

This has to be one of my favourite puds and with the girls coming over for a little dinner party I shrugged my shoulders and headed off to Tesco deciding to give it a go. Needless to say the girls were suitably impressed and I beamed a little inside at my handiwork!




I have to say it was very easy to make but looked as though I could have been slaving away at it for hours which was exactly what I was hoping for. So for those of you who like myself enjoy 'moonlighting' as a domestic goddess I thoroughly recommend you try this!

This is what you will need ...

• 250g plain flour
• 75g Caster Sugar
• 175g Butter softened
• 1 tin carnation caramel
• 200g plain chocolate
• 80g white chocolate 

To make the shortbread base, mix the flour and caster sugar in a bowl. Rub in the butter with your hands until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Knead the mixture together until it forms a dough, then press into the base of the prepared tin. Prick the shortbread lightly with a fork and bake in the pre-heated oven for about 20 min or until firm to the touch and very lightly browned. Cool in the tin.




After the base is cool (and this is the hard bit) open your tin of carnation caramel and using a spoon spread over the shortbread. Once this is done suck spoon to efficiently remove all traces of caramel (this part is essential to show thanks to the caramel god)








For the topping, melt the chocolate slowly in a bowl over a pan of hot water. Pour over the cold caramel and leave to set.




Finally melt down your white choc using the same method as before and then drizzle randomly all over cake to create a lovely Jackson pollock type effect!

Leave to set for at least an hour before your guests arrive, serve with ice cream and sit back and enjoy the praise!

Home Comforts

Home Best Buys...

When Robbie and I first moved into our home, every shop I visited warranted a purchase for my new abode! However, almost 800 days later, I have grown to know and love my staple purchases that no cosy home should be without!

Candles

With a two year old Great Dane to contend with, we need as much help as possible when it comes to keeping bad odours out and good odours in! 

Boycey Mac taking up resident spot on the rug!

Not only do these Jo Malone candles look the part, but they smell divine and last for ages! My personal choice is the classic Lime, Basil and Mandarin, but pretty much all of their flavours give off an amazing scent that will have your guests oo-ing and mmm-ing all night! Buy yours online here.

Even the packaging is sumptuous!

Photo Albums

I can't remember the last time I took a film to be developed or even saw a disposable camera! With so many of us now using digital cameras and sharing picture through social media, I think fewer and fewer of us have hard copies of our memories. There's something quite special about sitting on the couch and laughing with friends over a glass of wine as you remind yourselves of terrible haircuts and outfits that shouldn't have ever been designed... ever!

I can't stand clutter, but a couple of albums grouped together like these Anna Bilton Crocodile Embossed Leather Photo Albums offer an ideal way to showcase your treasured pictures and decorate your coffee table with a chic edge.

 

Cushions

No couch, bed or chair is complete without a pile of decorative cushions added to it! I love Catherine Tough's Creature Cushions that come with appliqued chicks, sausage dogs or owl designs!

Too cute to resist!

 

Elemis Bath Milk

If you like to drown yourself in luxury then look no further then Elemis Milk Bath. Pouring a few drops of this heavenly scent into a hot bath will have you relaxed and smelling gorgeous in no time. You can also apply it directly to the skin - it's great if you suffer from dry skin and is also said to help eczema and psoriasis.

Elemis marked their 20th anniversary with this rather sumptuous limited edition glass decanter. Being a fan of the product I had to have this large bottle adorning my bathroom shelf, and now I just top up the decanter with the bath milk as and when it runs out. If you're a fan grab one here before they're all gone!

 

Fleecy Blanket

When it's cold outside and you're snuggled up indoors with the dog and Channing Tatum or Ashton Kutcher on your screen, every girl (and most men - not that they'd admit to it!) needs a cosy throw to balance one's chocolate on and tuck in one's tootsies. I love this Biba one that even has a leather carrier should it require transporting to a friend's house!

 

Flowers

I love having flowers in the house, and really think they add a freshness that no amount of Febreeze or wide open windows could add up to.

Changing flowers every week started off as being a fun element to the weekly shop, but chucking out endless amounts of dead tulips and washing dirty vases soon became pretty arduous - not to mention pretty expensive!

I found some fantastic artificial flowers in Selfridges, and these rather handsome Hydrangeas adorn my dining table week in week out! And the only attention they require is a little dusting every now and again!

At almost £18 each they're not exactly cheap - but they won't be dying on you anytime soon!

Of course nothing beats the real thing, but now I save my real flower purchases for when I've got people over, and that means I can get something much more special!

BB Bakery County Hall

Naughty but Nice

On strolling through London in the sun, we happened (by chance) to stumble across a little sanctuary that has definitely been added to my Little Black Book!

The BB Bakery, County Hall. Where every cake / biscuit / chocolate / tart / pastry lover's fantasy can be a reality!

The bakery itself is a little haven of quaint tables and chairs, cake stands, amazing macaroon towers, Baroque photo frames and much more besides - the majority of which (you'll be delighted to know) are for sale. But the true delights are in the edible treats!

After umm-ing and ahh-ing over the homemade pizzas, pastries, foot long baguettes and other savoury snacks, we ventured over to the cake counter and spent about 20 minutes trying to decide which piece of art took our fancy. Reluctantly, we managed to keep to one each:

Lemon Meringue Tart - the husband-to-be's and I didn't get a look in!

A piece of art - Apricot Jelly, White Chocolate Mousse, Brownie Base and a Macaroon Topper! Delicious

Traditional Chocolate Eclair - with the added surprise of a chocolate cream inside

Red Velvet - with one hell of a topping! (Not that ANYONE was complaining)

As we were in a bit of a rush we had our cakes boxed and bagged and took them home to devour over a cup of tea. Bliss!

Beauty Best Buys

Having worked in the beauty industry for 10 years, I have become very selective with what products tempt me to part with my pennies and these are my absolute must haves!

St Tropez Dark Mousse

When it comes to fake tans I am a self confessed slut! I've literally been round them all! But this latest addition to the St Tropez range collection has me committed!

Although naturally fair myself, I find this formula gives a lovely golden looking colour after just one application (unlike the original formula which takes several coats to build up to a noticeable colour.) Waste no time in topping up for winter; you can buy it here.

 

Benefit's They're Real Mascara

Having flirted briefly with mascaras from all of the cosmetic houses, I am now head over heels for this one. If you haven't already given it a go I thoroughly recommend you do!

The amazing brush of this formula means you can really grab even the tiniest of lashes and build them up to dramatic lengths! 

 

Shavata Double-Ended Eyebrow Pencil (teamed with their Arch Enhancer)

Everyone knows its all about the brow right now! This is the perfect combo, You can be as subtle or daring as you like with this pencil and the arch enhancer does just that!!

By day... Yummy mummy

Mac dazzle glass lip gloss in Stepping out.. 2

"Lip colour that dazzles with light and shine to bring an exciting dimensional pop to your lips"

By night... Sexy mother f***er!!

Mac Viva Glam 1

The most divine red lipstick .. Were talking pouts of Marilyn Monroe-esque proportions!!

 

Jessica's Gorgeous Garterbelt and Intrigue Nail Polishes

 

Not quite red, pink or purple but just as its name suggests gorgeous! Purchase here

Suits any occasion, work or play, the perfect mix of glamour and sophistication!Click here to buy it now!

  

Seche Vite Top Coat

All hype about this little wonder product is much deserved! This super fast drying top coat also means polish lasts unscathed for days.

And when it comes to removing the days war paint it HAS to be ...

Md Formulations Facial Cleanser

No other cleanser on the market comes close to this, it contains glycolic acid which is a natural chemical exfoliant for the skin, you can notice the improvement in the clarity of your skin instantly.

No fancy packaging, no rose smelling aroma just does what it says on the box and does it exceptionally well!You can buy it here.

The Mummy Bag

My New Arm Candy

When it comes to choosing a new handbag being a Mummy puts a whole new spin on things.
 
My previous arm candy requirements would have simply been a big, beautiful tote that gracefully adorns my arm, whilst happily carrying my make up and purse! Budget would not really have been and issue as I was working full time and I didn't have a princess needing equal amounts of spoiling!

Of course times have changed, so when it came to choosing my new Autumn/Winter wardrobe staple my requirements were:

• Firstly and very importantly for me, it needed an across-the-body strap (you already have a pram to push,a baby to carry and supermarket shelves to tackle)

• For me I also like the option of being able to carry the bag as a tote for when I (rarely) indulge in a child free outing.

• It must be large enough to carry the essentials including make-up, a hairbrush (not that I get much of a chance to wrestle with my trestles, but I'm defo not going out without), a diary (baby brain is most definitely not a myth and if I don't write it down it won't happen!)

• Must be wipe clean (its amazing where baby sick can end up!)

• And finally but definitely most importantly, must be fabulous (and affordable)

So, managing to bag a baby free afternoon (excuse the pun), I trailed the shops and ended up - rather satisfyingly - with this is number...

I absolutely love it and it fits the bill perfectly. At £89.99 it's not too frivolous but good quality and still a touch self-indulgent...

For Mummy's out there that think it's time for a little treat for yourselves, you can buy this Zara beauty here.