Coconut Ice

I’m not a huge sweet fan, and will almost always choose something savoury instead, however sometimes only sweet will hit the spot.  This coconut ice is really quick and easy to make, although I needs to set in the fridge for a few hours, preferably overnight.  I make mine in my food mixer because I’m lazy but it can be easily mixed using a bowl and wooden spoon.

This recipe will give you a nice coconut-y coconut ice, just the way I like it.

 

Coconut Ice
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Coconut Ice
Print Recipe
Ingredients
  • 200 g icing sugar (confectioner's sugar)
  • 400 g condensed milk (1 tin)
  • 400 g dessicated coconut (2 packs)
  • a few drops red food colour paste* (optional)
Servings:
Instructions
  1. Grease a small baking tray**.
  2. Beat together the icing sugar and condensed milk until you have a smooth paste.
  3. Add the coconut and mix well.
  4. If you're making two-toned coconut ice, spread half the mixture onto your tray, levelling it off to approximately 1cm in thickness then beat the food colouring into the remainder until you have a nice even colour.***
  5. Spread the coloured mix on top of the plain one, again at around 1cm thickness and smooth down the top.
  6. Leave in the fridge overnight then cut into squares. You have my permission to eat any uneven edges you need to cut off.
Recipe Notes

* I  find red colouring gives a nicer pink than pink colouring

** I use a 20cm square silicone cake mould, so I don't bother greasing it.  The mix doesn't quite fit across of the bottom of my mould, but it's firm enough to hold its shape.

*** If you're not adding colour to your coconut ice, spread all the mixture onto your tray, keeping the thickness at around 2cm.

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Seeing Spots

I have no idea where this week has gone; I always think the worst thing about winter is leaving for work and coming home in the dark.  It feels like by the time dinner is done and dusted, I just want to have the lights turned low and the flat nice and cosy, which means that really the only craft I do on weekday evenings at the moment is crochet, as I don’t need good light for it.  Anyway, there has definitely been a touch of light in the sky the past couple of days, so onwards and upwards.

Last summer I made a dress to wear to the wedding of close friends.  I decided that, as I’d been hearing good things about them, I’d try out a StyleArc pattern.  They’re an Australian company, but my pattern scuttled its way from the other side of the world really quickly.  I chose the Layla dress, mainly because I loved the neckline.  I made some basic alterations to the sleeve and skirt style just to make it look a little more glam. (original post about the dress is here if you’re interested.)

I was so pleased with my dress, I decided to make another one.  I chose this black and red polka-dot fabric because it reminded me of Sevilla, and we all know just how much I love that place!

Ooldes of Obliciousness - Seeing Spots

Again, I decided to slightly slim the skirt, add a godet, and lengthen the sleeves.  I’ll admit I hate my arms, so I much prefer to keep the covered.  I’m happy enough to do that because I do love some fancy sleeve detail, as you’ll see in my next dressmaking project.

As I used a stretch cotton, I decided not to bother with lining it, as didn’t want either the dress sagging over the lining or the lining bulking under the dress.  It’s always going to be a dress that I wear for a few hours at a time, and the fabric is a good weight (and I’m lazy), so I don’t think the lack of a lining detracts from the dress, other making it look badly finished when it’s hanging up.  Luckily no one sees the inside of it when I’m wearing it.

I wore it to a friend’s birthday party at the weekend, styled with black patent tango-style shoes and a waspy belt.  I wish my belt had been a bit narrower as I have a really short, high waist, but as usual, I left it to the last minute and couldn’t find one the correct width.  I have one on my shopping list now though.  Here I am in all finery.

Now, I need to make some nice black jewellery to wear with it.

I’ll definitely be buying more StyleArc patterns in the future.  This one needed barely any alterations, other than the design changes I chose to do.  The instructions were great and just seemed to make sense (hahah, if that makes sense!).  There are a few I’ll definitely be getting in the next month or so because I definitely have the sewing bug now and appear to have overcome my fear of inadequacy.

Until next time, thanks for looking.

L x

Woolly Bully

Just  before Christmas I treated myself to a copy of Vanessa Mooncie’s fantastic book, “Animal Heads – Trophy Heads to Crochet”.  Once I had looked through it, I wanted to make almost everything, but once I put my sensible head on and told myself I was only allowed to do one until I had some other projects finished, I decided on the bull.  It will be perfect in our bedroom, which you may recall from a previous post, will eventually have a Spanish flamenco bar feel to it.

The bull didn’t take too long to do, as he’s mainly done in chunky yarn.  Also, there weren’t too many parts to put together.  I did find my hands got a bit sore making him, especially my “holding” hand.  This is probably not helped by me being a bit hypermobile, as it’s pretty easy to overstretch fingers.

Oodles of Obliciousness - Paco

Before I added the embellishments, I had fun pretending I was Kevin Keegan with his curly hair – luckily no  photos exist. I would  have finished him last week, but I was held back a bit trying to source a wooden ring which was large enough to go in his nose.

Oodles of Obliciousness - Bull Nose

 

I’n not sure he’ll be to everyone’s taste, but I love him so much, in fact he’s quite possibly my favourite make to date.  At the moment he’s resting on top of one of the sofas, as he’s pretty heavy, so will need to get hold of a masonry drill to put a rawl plug in to support him.  I’d love to hear what you think of him.

OOdles of Obliciousness - Bull (finished)

As yet, he doesn’t have a name, but I’m on the case (…and open to suggestions).