Chocolate Fruit Bark - Christmas Foodie Gift!

For Christmas I always love showing off what a domestic goddess I am spoiling my loved ones with some homemade baking ;) Over the years I have treated my family and friends to Christmas Rocky Road (link), Biscotti (link) and the most amazing festive chocolate crinkle cookies (link). I think foodie treats make for wonderful festive gifts. This year I found all my recipes on Pinterest and when I spotted this Chocolate Fruit Bark recipe, I knew it was something that I had to make. Easy as 1-2-3 and delicious...PERFECT!

 

Doesn't this look scrumptious? This chocolate bark recipe uses dark chocolate with 51 percent cocoa and adds some dazzle to it with dried apricots and figs, raisins, and cashews. The addition of the dried fruit and nuts spreads out the chocolate’s intensity, and adds in a healthy dose of antioxidants and finer; so need to feel too guilty when enjoying it!

What You’ll Need:

• 1-2 bars of good quality cooking chocolate
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried figs, chopped
• 1 cup mix of raisins, cranberries and mixed nuts

Tools:

• 1 large baking sheet
• Parchment paper

What to Do:

• Melt chocolate over a double boiler or in your microwave until its smooth.
• Pour chocolate over parchment paper-lined baking sheet, spreading so it so that it is about 1/2 cm thick.
• Evenly sprinkle dried fruit and cashews over the chocolate.
• Place the bark into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes, or until the chocolate harden.

I went for the super easy microwave option. I found this great Lindt cooking chocolate at my supermarket. I just broke the bars (I used two to make a good quantity) into pieces, placed that into a bowl and microwaved in short intervals of 20-30 seconds on medium-high power and stirred after each interval until the chocolate was melted.

About halfway ready....gooey runny chocolate, omg!

Perfect, all melted and only took about 2-3 minutes!

 

Now onto the toppings! For my slightly Christmasy chocolate bark I chopped up some dried apricots, dried figs and used an already mixed bag of raisins, cranberries, pecans and cashew nuts. However you can really let your imagination run wild and use any topping you fancy. Some other ideas could be adding; candied orange peel, cherries, hazelnuts, almonds and pistachios. Even more contemporary toppings are: cocoa nibs, toffee pieces, candied ginger, crushed peppermint candy and other dried fruits such as pineapple, blueberries, strawberries plus even toasted pumpkin seeds, cereal and pime nuts. Anything is possible!

Now once your chocolate is melted, just pour it onto a baking sheet which is on a tray of some sort and smooth it out, I just used the back of a spoon to do this.

Sprinkle your toppings onto the chocolate and you're basically done already! Now all that's left to do is just place the tray with your chocolate creation into the fridge to cool and lick that chocolate bowl clean ;)

When the chocolate bark has cooled and hardened, just snap into pieces and enjoy! Yummy....

I wrapped mine into little cellophane bags, added a cute Christmas tag and TADA a lovely and delicious Christmas present!

Will you be making any foodie gifts this Christmas?

 

Deborah Lippmann - Razzle Dazzle NOTD

Christmas is just around the corner and every part of me is getting in the festive spirit...even my nails!
Nothing screams Christmas to me like glitters so I decided to add a bit of sparkle to my look with this recent nail of the day.


I got this Deborah Lippmann polish as part of last years December Glossybox. Razzle Dazzle contains lots of cranberry coloured glitters in a blackened raspberry jelly base. The base is quite sheer which did mean it took three coats to achieve full opacity. The varnish applied smoothly and drying time is super quick but when the polish dried it was a little grainy so I added a layer of Seche Vite topcoat to smooth it out.

Above photo is with flash. It was hard to properly capture the glitter and how they catch the light in these photos but I have to say I loved rocking these festive sparkly nails. Overall I really liked Razzle Dazzle and I am now very keen try some more Deboral Lipmann nail polishes.

For example check out these two lovely limited edition 2012 holiday sets!

ROCK THIS TOWN set which includes: Moon Dance (deep lavender swirl glimmer), Chain Reaction (dirty brass glimmer) and Phoenix Rising (foxy copper glimmer).

SHE'S ALWAYS A WOMAN mini set which includes: Putty in your hands (putty taupe creme), Raspberry Beret (flecked berry) and My Prerogative (royal blue creme)

Deborah Lippmann nail polishes retail at £14 each sold in House of Fraser online and in selected stores. 

Have you tried any Deborah Lippmann nail polishes before?

Isla Fisher - InStyle Australia December '12

I came across these photos online the other day of Isla Fisher photographed by Troyt Coburn for the cover shoot of the fashion magazine InStyle Australia for their December 2012 issue. How beautiful are they??

Oh and Happy Hump Day! :)

Zara shopping spree purchases!

Zara is dangerous teritory for me at the moment. I can't seem to go into their stores without wanting to buy absolutely everything in there! Loving their recent collections. Saturday was another classic example of this problem. I was out trying to do some Christmas shopping and I thought I'd just take a quick peek in Zara. Big, big, BIG mistake! I ended up buying quite a few things and have realised that on top of my already out of control stripe addiction I am currently having similar symptoms for anything burgundy or checked.

Sigh...want to see the damage?

TRF Draped bird print dress with gathered waist - £29.99 (link)

TRF Dress with combination shoulders - £29.99 (link)

TRF Combined leather look front dress - £29.99 (link)

Zara Woman green and black checked shirt - £29.99 (link)

I personally would not wear this all buttoned up btw so not a fan of this Zara promo picture.

Zara Basic burgundy knitted scarf - £9.99 (link). Perfect for winter!

This is me wearing my new scarf and green checked shirt on Sunday.

And then there was this black and burgundy striped dress...

Zara Woman Burgandy and black striped dress - £49.99 (link)

I'd spotted it on their web store and seen it in the shop a few times and I just loved everything about it. So I finally tried it on this time and I wasn't 100% convinced on the fit but I still got it haha...

...BUT then after my shopping spree at Zara I walked past French Connection and they managed to lure me into the store with their 50% sale signs all plastered over the windows! In the sales rack I then spotted yet another burgundy and black striped dress, oh oh!

French Connection bands of colour bandage knit dress - £97 but at the moment 50% off so only £48.50! (link) So I tried it on and loved it, dilemma much?! I knew it would actually be a bit mental to keep both dresses so I decided to also buy the French Connection dress and then decide later which one to keep. At home I tried both on again and together with the flatmate we decided that the French Connection was the keeper! I think the fit was just more flattering and think I will get more use out of it because it is a bit longer which means I can wear it to work and easily dress it up or dress it down! Do you think I made the right choice? :)

And last but not least, I couldn't help myself when I saw this cute cotton blue/white cap sleeved block dress at French Connection. It's more of a summers dress but while on sale for only £21 and it being a classic 'me' dress, that I know i'll get plenty of wear out of....it was just a bargain couldn't pass on!

Soooo yeah, I didn't get much Christmas shopping done but love my new clothes haha! 

What do you think of my new purchases?