I run an index finger over the silver locket that Nancy gave me as a Christmas present. It’s on a chain around my neck, which I never take off. Inside is a picture of Mum (Nancy got it from Dad) when she was young and vibrant; hair fanned around her smiling face and cornflower-blue bright eyes. In the other side is a picture of me, with a brunette bob and the same blue eyes, taken long before the hair and lash extensions, and a similar image to the one Mum would have seen of me just before she died. I love that Nancy did this; it’s as if Mum’s memory of me is crystallised forever and ever. Nancy wrapped the locket in tissue paper and put it in a beautiful keepsake box alongside a new bottle of Mum’s perfume, YSL Opium (the glorious original one) with a silver embossed card with these words on:
Keep her close to your heart always xxx
Just thinking about it makes me well up. Nancy is such a kind and thoughtful woman, and I’m thrilled that Dad has her in his life. Me too. And I think Mum would have liked her; they might even have been friends had they known each other under different circumstances. Nancy later told me that the necklace she wears with the N on the end had belonged to her daughter, Natalie. She always keeps her close to her heart too. I know Nancy will never replace Mum, and I’ll never replace Natalie, but I guess sometimes there are other ways to build a family, and Dad and Nancy are my family now.
And who knows, maybe it will be my turn to celebrate soon – Tom has been very attentive recently, and now that his parents have arrived back from their round-the-world trip, he’s invited me to meet them on board their yacht. Meeting the parents – doesn’t get more serious than that! I do love a happy ending. And Tom really is my one – what we have together is something very much, something special, and something truly amazing after all …
To be continued …
A message from Sam …
Hello everyone. It’s me, Sam, Georgie’s best friend. Sorry I couldn’t make it to Vegas, I’m sure Georgie told you why – well, what she doesn’t know yet is that the babies arrived this morning and as soon as Eddie and Ciaran’s ceremony is over I shall be on the phone to tell her the wonderful news. And they are so beautiful. Two little cherubs. There’s Holly Georgina who weighed in at 7 lb 2 oz, she came first, and then little Ivy Frances (named after my darling Dad – his middle name was Francis) who weighed 5 lb 2 oz. Obviously, Ivy needs feeding up, and that’s exactly what I’ll be doing. I can’t wait to share my passion for baking with the babies, but until then I want to wish you all a cracking Christmas and to share some of my favourite Christmassy recipes to really help get you in the mood.
I hope you like them.
All my love Sam xxx
OK, so to get started, here’s a recipe for my vanilla cupcake bottoms with butter cream icing. Mm-mmm. Alternatively, you could just nip down to the superstore on the industrial estate and buy some plain sponge cakes. Decorate them, and voilà! You’re a domestic goddess and everyone will love you. Promise.
Vanilla cupcake bottoms with butter cream icing
Makes twelve little beauties.
Ingredients
115 g butter
115 g caster sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
115 g self-raising flour
Buttercream Icing Ingredients
125g unsalted butter, softened
400g icing sugar
3–4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3.
Line the cupcake tin with paper cases.
In the food processor or a mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.
Turn off the motor and add the flour. With the pulse button, or brief bursts of the wooden spoon, mix the flour in, stopping as soon as it is blended.
Divide the mixture between the paper cases, filling them two-thirds full, and bake for 15–20 minutes until golden and springy to the touch.
Cool on a rack.
For the butter cream icing, put the soft butter in a mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer until paler in colour and very creamy.
Sift the icing sugar into the bowl.
Add the milk and vanilla and beat on a low speed until very smooth and thick.
Slather generously over the cupcakes.
Georgie’s favourite, the red velvet cupcake, mm-mmm …
Makes 12 scrumptious cakes.
Ingredients
140 g self-raising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
110 ml buttermilk
1 teaspoon vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon red food colouring
60 g butter at room temperature
170 g caster sugar
1 large egg
Pinch of salt
To decorate
Butter cream icing (see recipe above)
Edible silver glitter
Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas mark 3. Line a 12-hole cupcake tin with cases.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of salt. In a mug, mix the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and red food colouring.
Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg a little at a time. Mix in a third of the flour mixture, followed by half the buttermilk mixture, then another third of the flour, the rest of the buttermilk and finally the last of the flour mixture.
Divide the mixture between the paper cases. Bake for 20 minutes, until risen and springy.
Cool on a rack.
To decorate, pipe on the frosting and sprinkle with edible silver glitter.
Christmas Baileys Biscotti milkshakes
Georgie raved about these after trying them at that cocktail bar in Soho, so I found a recipe. Perfect for Christmas.
Makes four cheeky cocktails.
Ingredients
6 scoops of good-quality vanilla ice cream
10 (25 ml) shots of Baileys gorgeous new Biscotti flavour
5 ice cubes (or just a handful)
1 glass of milk
1 can of whipped cream
Good-quality chocolate for grating
Scoop all the ingredients (except the chocolate) into a blender and give it a good blitz.
When it’s totally blended, pour the milkshakes into four tall glasses.
Top with whipped cream.
Shave the chocolate over the top, using a grater.
Serve with a straw. And enjoy.
Chocolate orange cupcakes
Another favourite in the café. My customers love them and, although they can be eaten all year round, they remind me of a Terry’s Chocolate Orange, which I always have at Christmas. And I know Georgie does too – fifteen to be exact, if I’m not mistaken. She was very keen to offload them on Christmas Day…
Makes 12 cupcakes.
Ingredients
120 g plain flour
140 g caster sugar
1 teaspoon baking power
40 g unsalted butter
50 g dark chocolate, melted
1 free-range egg
125 ml milk
1 orange, juice only
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the white chocolate and orange buttercream
125 g unsalted butter, softened
250 g icing sugar
2–3 tablespoons milk
50 g white chocolate, melted
1 orange, zest only
100 g orange chocolate for decoration
Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder together in a food processor. Add the butter and pulse until combined.
Whisk the melted chocolate, egg and milk together in a jug.
Stir the chocolate mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.
Spoon the mixture into the cases a
nd bake for 15–20 minutes, or until risen and golden-brown and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the orange juice and granulated sugar together in a bowl. Carefully pour the orange juice mixture over the warm cakes and set aside to cool completely.
For the white chocolate and orange buttercream, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Carefully stir in the icing sugar and continue to beat for five minutes. Beat in the milk, melted white chocolate and orange zest.
Pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes. With a sharp knife, make chocolate shavings from the orange chocolate and use them to decorate the cupcakes.
Christmas stollen slice smothered in dusty white icing sugar with an edible sprig of holly on top
Everyone loves a slice of stollen at Christmas, which is handy as this recipe makes about fifteen decent slices. It does take a couple of hours to make, but if you have the time, then it’s well worth it.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons dried active baking yeast
175 ml warm milk (45°C/113°F)
1 large egg
75 g caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
75 g unsalted butter, softened
350 g strong white bread flour
50g currants
50 g sultanas
50 g red glacé cherries, quartered
175 g diced mixed citrus peel
200 g marzipan
To decorate
1 heaped teaspoon icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Toasted flaked almonds
Edible sprig of holly available online
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the egg, caster sugar, salt, butter, and 260g of the bread flour; beat well. Add the remaining 90g of flour, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition.
When the dough has begun to pull together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead in the currants, sultanas, cherries and mixed peel. Continue kneading until smooth, about 8 minutes.
Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
Lightly grease a baking tray. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the marzipan into a rope and place it in the centre of the dough. Fold the dough over to cover it; pinch the seams together to seal.
Place the loaf, seam side down, on the prepared baking tray. Cover with a clean, damp tea towel and let rise again until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 150°C/300°F/gas mark 2 and bake for a further 30–40 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow loaf to cool on a wire cooling rack. Dust the cooled loaf with icing sugar, sprinkle with cinnamon and finish with toasted flaked almonds and the sprig of edible holly.
Wishing you all a very merry Christmas xxx
Acknowledgements
Firstly, and most importantly, a big, massive, HUGE thank you to everyone who read Cupcakes At Carrington’s, and has taken the time to contact me with kind comments or to put a lovely review on Amazon. It means the world to me. It spurs me on and makes it all worthwhile.
Kate Bradley for keeping me calm, making me laugh and for being everything I hoped for in an editor. Kimberley, Penny, Claire, Jaime, Liz, Martha and all at HarperCollins for their support, talent and expertise.
My agent, Tim Bates, for telling me what’s normal and for giving me back my writing mojo.
Olly Bates, for kindly sharing her delicious chocolate-orange cupcake recipe. Truly scrumptious x
Kimberley Chambers, Elizabeth Haynes, Belinda Jones and Sasha Wagstaff – your generosity is so very much appreciated.
Caroline Smailes for being a brilliant writing buddy; your patience astounds me and the Poundland chat STILL won’t leave me alone. Not that I’m bothered, of course x
Georgie Hart’s Guide to a Fabulous Festive Party Season
I love the Christmas party season but must confess to having made more than the odd faux pas over the years when it comes to fashion, beauty, accessories and plain old-fashioned decorum. And seeing as I have a quiet moment here on the shop floor, I’ve ducked into the alcove behind my counter to put together a little guide of do’s and dont’s, so you don’t make the same mistakes that I have!
Whether it’s the work Christmas party, a romantic meal with your ‘one’ or Christmas cocktails followed by clubbing with friends, here are my top tips to ensure you dazzle at your do, remain breezy and poised at all times, but most of all upright! Try not to sprawl across the dance floor with Moët splattered in your hair as I did after toppling sideways off one of those slippery Moroccan mini-sofa things at the exact same moment the hottest man on earth, aka Tom, appeared before me. Epic cringe. It happened in the run-up to Valentine’s Day and really wasn’t the kind of ‘first impression’ I wanted to make, so take my advice and steer clear of all kinds of soft furnishings when you’re out to impress. They’re not actually for sitting on – oh no no no – they’re traps, and best avoided at all costs!
Now, I tend to find the Work Christmas party something of a massive contradiction. I mean, they call it a party, lulling us into a false sense of security and having us believe that it’s a chance to let your hair down with colleagues, in a party-like atmosphere. But in my experience, it’s the most important event of the year where, no matter what, best behaviour is paramount – so approach the free booze with moderation as you really don’t want to be that woman who confesses to her married boss that she has saucy dreams about him every night. Also, steer clear of the random guy in a Superman onesie who latches on and won’t leave you alone – who is he anyway? Does he even work in the same place as you? Before I joined Carrington’s, I did a week of work experience in an office and got invited to their Christmas party – it turned out that a random guy had wandered in off the street to get stuck into the lukewarm wine and ended up trollied. That didn’t stop everyone from thinking I’d allowed my freaky-friend with a superhero obsession to gatecrash, meaning my corporate career ended before it had even begun, which as it turned out was probably a blessing in disguise as I love working at Carrington’s. But you may love working in an office, so waiting another year until it’s somebody else’s turn to make a show of themselves at the office party, is a loooong time, especially if you’re after a promotion or even just a quiet life.
When it comes to dressing for the occasion, black or navy cigarette pants always look chic and are perfect for your Christmas party. I think they look amazing teamed with a high wedge heel and a glittery vest top or a floaty nude chiffon tunic can add a touch of luxury – there’s a huge selection upstairs in Womenswear so you’re bound to find one you adore. Accessory-wise, I’d go for an oversize clutch – looking over at the Ted Baker display, I can see a variety of beautiful patent ones which sit nicely under the arm and work well to bring a splash of colour to any outfit.
For make-up, I’d recommend working up your usual day face by adding a bright lipstick and, if you’re looking a little jaded after a day at work, then sweeping a small amount of white eye shadow over your eyelids and tear ducts creates a wonderful wide-awake look. Finish with a good lash-extending mascara and remember the dry shampoo; I’d be lost without a can of Batiste, perfect for perking up my hair after a day on the Carrington’s shop floor.
Don’t forget a generous spritz of your favourite fragrance and perhaps a slick of body glitter gel across the décolletage area (collar bones to the rest of us), depending on how much effort you want to make to truly sparkle at the party, but most of all … enjoy!
PS – if you stumble into a white room, BEWARE. Chances are it isn’t actually a snow room at all
, and we aaaall know what can happen when that mistake is made … hmmm!
*
When it comes to a romantic look for the perfect candlelit Christmas dinner with your lover, think vintage, think Audrey Hepburn! Sophisticated and stylish. Swishy prom-style dresses work brilliantly and there are so many styles and patterns to choose from. Right now, I’m loving the polka-dot full skirt look with matching shrugs in our New Look concession up on the third floor. Kelly introduced it and I’m thrilled she did as it’s crammed with divine pieces, trendier than our usual range (available online too). Team your dress with sexy heels or cute flats. I’ve just treated myself to a gorge pair of rainbow crystal pumps by Pretty Ballerinas, on the pricey side, but they really are an investment with their classic style that won’t ever go out of fashion.
To create a sexy evening look I recommend smoky eyes every time, they work well with black flicky eyeliner and flattering false lashes, and teamed with clear lip-gloss, they really will keep your lover’s focus firmly on your eyes across the dinner table. Finish the look with super big hair – as you know, I love my giant sleep-in Velcro rollers, but heated rollers or even a blow dry with a huge cylinder brush and plenty of hairspray can work just as well if you’re short on time. A flirty handbag like the exquisite polka-dot mini Eva by Lulu Guinness, instore now, is so cute, and will look adorable in the crook of your arm to really make your outfit pop.
Top tip – DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT drink the water in the little bowl with the slice of lemon … it isn’t some kind of special lemon tea! That’s all I’m saying …
Carrington's at Christmas Page 58