добрий вечір dobryy vechir Kyiv this is Melbourne calling and I'm sorry that this year I am coming to you via the satellite.
But firstly I must say thank you very much, it was a truly really wonderful show to be celebrating diversity for everyone (as required by law if you are Eurovision communicating via satellite)
For the past 2 years I have been front and centre, microphone in hand on the Eurovision red carpet. This year I'm going to celebrate diversity by doing something different and going back to my Eurovision roots of the lounge room at 5am. Don't panic I will be back in the bubble next year!
While #CelebrateDiversity is a brilliant motto and Eurovision slogan there is always room to make it a little more on brand so.....#CelebrateDeliciously
Celebrate Deliciously Poppy Seed Biscuits Makes about 16-18
Ingredients
- 125g butter
- 125g caster sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 240g plain flour
- 25g poppy seeds
- Cream butter and sugar till pale
- Add egg and vanilla and beat for 1 minute
- Add sifted flour and poppy seeds and stir with a spoon till mix forms a dough
- Give a gentle knead to make sure it is all combined
- Wrap in plastic wrap and leave in the fridge for 30-60 mins
- Remove from fridge and give a gentle knead
- Roll out to about 4-5mm in thickness
- Cut out shapes (I used a 9cm round cutter) and place on a lined baking tray
- Bake for 15 minutes
- Cool on wire rack
Image via eurovision.tv
This is a guide to everything you'll need for the decorating rather than a step by step instructions.
What you will need to decorate
- Fondant icing
- Royal icing
- Corn syrup
- Vodka
- Corn flour to stop fondant sticking, works better than icing sugar
- Paint brush for the glaze
- Piping bag
- And whatever decorating cutters or molds, piping nozzles you have
Roll out the blue/black fondant to about 3mm thick and use the same cutter as the biscuits to cut out circles
Roll out red fondant, cut the shapes you want and use a little corn syrup as glue
Use corn syrup to glue the fondant to the biscuit
A mix of 1part corn syrup to 1 part vodka can be used to glaze the finished biscuits
There is a bit of waste with this method but I like the effect
For Fondant Icing (sorry Mary Berry I bought the fondant from a shop....gasp)
- 200g blue fondant
- 100g white fondant (or just buy red)
- Black food colour
- Red food colour
- Gloves!!!
- Pure icing sugar
Wearing gloves kneed blue fondant with a few drops of black to achieve the blue black bead base colour (I did this in the stand mixer with dough hook but still gloves as the colour will stain your fingers)
You may need to add a touch more icing sugar to maintain firmness of fondant depending on how much colour you added
Royal Icing (I hand raised the chicken that laid the egg....am I forgiven Mary?)
- 250g pure icing sugar
- 1 large egg white
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- Red food colour
- Sift icing sugar into a mixing bowl (ain't nobody got time for lumps)
- Add egg white and lemon juice
- Beat with electric mixer to forms soft peaks
- Add drops of food colour and beat till desired colour is achieved
End of nozzle and tube cutter
Circles from above with thicker rolled fondant
Zig zag silicone mold
Piped royal icing
This is a stencil with royal icing, not quite part of the original beads but it's your biscuit so your rules!
With over 100 Eurovision themed recipes in the 3 years of Chow Down to Eurovision and themed cakes I'm sure there is something for any Eurovision party.
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