We’re tickled pink to welcome Rebecca Honeywell of Honeywell Bakes back to RMS today. Rebecca is currently running 12 days of Christmas sharing a festive baking idea each day across a different blog. Today its our turn.

We’ll share the recipe later on in the post but first I wanted to take you through a few of the place setting ideas styled by Rebecca as hopefully they’ll inspire you to try out something on your own table.

Foliage

This has to be my favourite way to adorn a table. We’ve mentioned about getting snip happy in your own garden back on last week’s wrapping post, so while you’re at it get the secateurs going on your conifers too.
Make sure you give any of the greenery a good old rinse before adding to your table.

Cutlery Wrap

A super simple way to add a special touch to your table is to wrap the knifes and forks with ribbon or twine. It doesn’t take long and guests always notice. Rebecca used Baker’s Twine from Pearl and Earl.

Place Names

The first time I put place settings on my table I felt I’d gone a little too Hyacinth ‘Bouquet’. However adding names to place settings is a sure fire way to split up feuding family members or to ensure domesticated guests are sat nearer to the kitchen to help out.

Favours

One snowflake cookie looks gorgeous as a favour but if you’re feeling super generous then you could bake a huge batch and bundle together in a box. Elite Packaging have a large selection. Now on to the recipe.

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{Ingredients}
  • 200g salted soft butter
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 400g plain flour

    • Optional Flavours (pick one) – stick with vanilla if you’re unsure!

  • 2 teaspoons vanilla essence or paste
  • 2 teaspoons orange extract
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 100g chocolate chips
  • 50g cranberries and 50g white chocolate chips
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

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{Method – Sugar Cookies}
  1. Cream the butter and the sugar together, then add the egg and liquid flavourings, if you are using any. Beat until well combined.
  2. Add flour (and ginger/chocolate chips/dried fruit if using) and mix until it forms a dough.

If you’d like to make your own Royal Icing rather than buying from the supermarket then mix 500g of icing sugar and two egg whites together with an electric whisk in to stiff peaks. Add lemon juice or water, a little at a time, until the consistency resembles toothpaste. Spoon into a piping bag or bottle.

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{You Will Need}
  • 1 batch of dough (to make approximately 20 stacks depending on the size of your cookie cutters)
  • Snowflake/Star/Flower cookie cutters of various sizes. You can buy similar snowflake cutters from Windsor Cake Craft
  • White ready to roll fondant icing
  • White royal icing or ready made white icing (often called designer/piping icing, available in most supermarkets)
  • Icing snowflake decorations (optional)

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{To Create Stacked Snowflake Favours }
  1. Make your dough with your chosen flavour (we opted for orange flavoured biscuits) and roll out between 2 sheets of greaseproof paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour, wrapped in the greaseproof paper.
  2. Peel off the greaseproof paper, and cut out your shapes on a lightly floured surface. Cut out different size biscuits, and use your smaller cookie cutters to cut holes in some of the larger biscuits.
  3. Place on baking trays lined with greaseproof paper and then pop them back in the fridge for 30 minutes, or in the freezer for 10 minutes. If you skip this step, your biscuits will probably grow in the oven!
  4. Bake at 160C for 8-12 minutes depending on the size of your biscuits. When they are ready they will be very lightly golden at the edges. Allow to cool completely.
  5. Now for the fun bit! Decorate your biscuits using the ready to roll fondant icing and royal icing. Roll out the fondant icing onto a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar. Cut out shapes and attach to some of the biscuits by lightly brushing them with a little bit of water first. Pipe designs onto other biscuits, and add silver balls wherever you see fit.
  6. Using a little piping icing ‘glue’ the smaller biscuits on top of the larger ones.
  7. Allow to set overnight before packaging.

    8. The biscuits will keep for up to 2 months in an airtight container, and a few days in gift packaging.

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