Hello January ❄

New Year's eve and I'm still at the bakery. People dressed in their formal outfits are coming to buy last minute's sweet treats and of cource New Year's cake. Christmas boxes, little stars and ribbons are everywhere. I'm looking outside the window...the snow is falling, people are in a rush for last minute presents shopping or going to their parents' or friends' house for the big night. It's 10 o'clock and the most cakes are sold. The only ones left are those with the white chocolate - snow tree trunk. These are my favorite ones! Last customers and the cleaning begins. Everything has to be in its place. It's midnight and then . . . FIREWORKS, in every single colour and shape. I love watching them through the window. I wish my family and friends were here. Heading to the cupboard, a heard the doorbell ringing. I couldn't believe my eyes! My family was there wishing me "Happy New Year". I was the happiest girl ever!

Christmas Baking | Festive chocolate cake

The best, moist chocolate cake, a rich vanilla buttercream, candy canes, maltesers and gingerbread men. It can't get any more festive. It's the best treat for your guests for these festive days. Also, it's so fun for you - the cake therapy. Put on your favorite apron (❤), Home Alone on TV and start baking.    

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas our deer readers! Have a great time today with the people you love! Eat a lot, dance and watch Christmas movies under the blanket! Be grateful for everything and everyone you have! Don't forget to smile! 

Christmas Baking | Gingerbread house

 Gingerbread men and houses are all over the internet the Christmas period. Houses covered with chocolate, candies, sprinkles and a lot of icing or minimal ones with rich royal icing details. Every single one has its own charm and beauty. Big houses that will be in the centre of your festive table or little ones on your christmas mug. 

I can imagine a table with some gingerbread houses, colourful bowls with christmas decorations...sprinkles, candy canes, chocolate stars and of cource a lot of royal icing in piping bags. Christmas music: on, everybody ready . . . Let's get decorating! 

Hello December ❊

"It's the most beautiful time of the year", I sing all day long while baking. The bakery is dressed in its festive decoration. Red and gold ribbons, wooden ornaments and a big Christmas tree. We stayed awake two nights to decorate this tree. The city lights were off, the snow was falling and we were inside the most beautiful bakery in town to decorate it. Tired but so excited. This was my dream job. Even if I was new there I loved this job. I don't know why they had chosen me. I am not the greatest baker. The first recipe I was told to do was the Gingerbread house. I was frightened. Soft biscuits but really delicious, runny icing and a lot of sprinkles. Putting together the house. "Oh yeah, I did it! No, the roof is down! Again from the top!". I was so nervous but was enjoying the process. Icing time. "I believe it's the best icing I've ever made. Oh why is it runny? I can make it work!". I had 15 more minutes. The only solution was the sprinkles. Hmmm...It was not the most beautiful house but I loved it! It was my first Gingerbread house and was made with lots of spices and love. This is my own Christmas house. Have yourself a Merry little Christmas, people!

Bake | Pistachio and Pomegranate Cake

Μέσα Νοέμβρη. Το κρύο άρχισε να γίνεται τσουχτερό. Το μπουφάν έχει βγει για τα καλά από τη ντουλάπα και έχει αντικαταστήσει το τζιν πανωφόρι. Το σημερινό απόγευμα ήταν ένα από αυτά που πηγαίνεις αναγκαστικά στη δουλειά και το μόνο που σκέφτεσαι είναι πότε θα περάσει η ώρα για να πας στο σπίτι, να τυλιχτείς κάτω από τα σκεπάσματα και να γράψεις το επόμενο ποστ στο μπλογκ. Ατελείωτα σχέδια για συνταγές και χριστουγεννιάτικες ιδέες. Και όλα αυτά όχι επειδή δεν αντέχεις τη δουλειά σου αλλά επειδή η μέρα σου μπορεί να μην ήταν η καλύτερη κι έτσι ψάχνεις ζεστασιά σε κάτι όμορφο και δημιουργικό. 

Αυτό το κέικ, είναι μία υπενθύμιση πως είμαστε πολύ κοντά στα Χριστούγεννα. Εσείς που αγαπάτε τα Χριστούγεννα καταλαβαίνετε τι εννοώ. Ντυμένο στα λαμπερά κόκκινα, με πλούσιο γλάσο και γεύση ρόδι. Εύκολο σαν κέικ με κάποια αυξημένη δυσκολία στη διακόσμησή του. Επιζητεί μεγάλη φροντίδα και υπομονή καθώς τα ρόδια μπορεί να μην σου κάνουν τη χάρη να κολλήσουν στο κέικ. Αν δεν έχεις υπομονή, απλά πασπάλισε κάποια από πάνω. Α! Μην ξεχάσεις να στηρίξεις πάνω σε δύο καλαμάκια μία γιρλάντα από σημαιάκια. Θα σου φτιάξουν το κέφι!                                                  

Hello November ❣

November. "The ginger month", that's how I call it. My lovely, orange, pomegranate flavored month. I love baking gingerbread cookies and serve pomegranate juice and hot chocolate with cinnamon to our customers. I sprinkle some cinnamon to everything I bake. I want everything to be dressed in its orange veil. My books are dusted with cinnamon, too. I love reading books while I'm baking. I love those quiet and cold afternoons spent next to the misted window with a book on my knees. Reading and creating shapes with my index finger on the window. Something smells burnt! "Oh, not again!", I whispered running to the oven. The cookies were slightly burnt. "Oh, where was my mind?" Suddenly, my boss shouted: "Evgenia, where are those cookies?". I couldn't admit that I was reading again and forgot the cookies AGAIN! So, I told him to wait for some minutes. I closed the door and started running anxiously in the kitchen. I brought all the coloured buttercream and sprinkles we had on my working table. Gingerbread men with eyes and mouths, shirts and little shoes. The cookies were so beautiful and not at all burnt. I displayed them on a cake stand and went to my boss. He was really surprised by the result. Ι was so excited! He stretched out his hand and grabbed one. I waited patiently for his opinion. "Evgenia!! Not again!", he shouted. 

Bake | Halloween Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

On 31st of October we'll find Halloween hidden in spiders and pumpkins! Little kids are dressing up into something spooky and knock at neighborhood doors asking for sweet treats. Don't forget to be as spookiest you can and shout "Trick or treat?" 

Halloween is not celebrated only by children. It gives us the opportunity to dress up into our spookiest self. Some days you just wanna be transformed into a witch and wander around Hogwarts holding your wand.  After that,  you go magically to the dining room and can't decide what you'll eat first. Somewhere there, between pumpkin pies you wanna find a big pumpkin cake with little meringue ghosts on top. The best part is that  you can enliven them using your wand. The ghosts will wander above the dining room dancing and scaring you and your friends. Follow the recipe step by step, light up some candles and let the pumpkin smell transform your kitchen into the hideout of a witch- cook! 

Hello October ❣

October is the month of Halloween! We have already prepared the special "Halloween treats". Pumpkin flavored cakes, delicacies full of "blood", spiders, candies and bats made of sugarpaste. Every single corner of the bakery has turned into a spooky hideout. Speaking of hideouts . . . Yesterday, my boss asked me to bring two pumpkins from the cellar. I hadn't been there since that day. Ι decended the stairs. I felt a breeze moving my apron. I couldn't find any light switch.  I heard some whispers. Ι followed a thin ray of light. A smaller room was there. I could see black candlesticks, spiders, big pumpkins and green jam. At the end of the room green foam was coming out of a crock pot. I walked tiptoe across the room. I saw a lady adding seeds in a cake batter. She was whispering spells. I was so scared. I couldn't move. Suddenly, she stared at me straight in the eyes. She smiled and said: " Trick or treat?"