so it was the last get together with the Sunday Clubbers for Z and i for some time...we're leaving for ireland in december. this get together centred around a murder mystery and yet it was also a christmas celebration so i wanted to make something in the spirit of christmas. i decided on gingerbread (cos it's just perfect for christmas) and red velvet because it's umm....red! i searched for recipes that i felt good about and got to work...i had managed to pick up some cutesy christmas decorations in 'bake-it-yourself' a fab shop for baking on bukit timah road so i didn't have to worry about decorations. i also modified (again!) my cream cheese icing...instead of using all philadelphia cream cheese, i added half ricotta instead and it worked like a dream and i think the icing tasted so much better for it too! the final result...gingerbread smelled so good in the oven and when it came out, that it almost brought tears to my eyes of memories of my great aunt bridie and her gorgeus gingerbread she would make for me during my summers in ireland. i like the taste and texture...it was full of spices and rich and moist and dark. however, interestingly enough, this one wasn't such a big hit at the gathering...i think gingerbread is quite an acquired taste and not for everyone. the red velvet also smelled divine and the colour was so rich that i was worried that i'd turn everyone's mouth red (well would have fit in with the murder mystery theme even more!) the texture was light and sponge-like but with a nice taste...the cocoa flavour was subtle so didn't overpower the flavour of the vanilla. i think this was everyone's fav. of course the deocrating was too much fun especially those holly and berry sprinkles which i could have lost all sense of reason with and just madly sprinkled willy-nilly! Happy early Christmas!
