Macmillan Biggest Coffee Morning

The never ending requests!

My Smallest Mini Bean is still in primary school...at least for one more year anyway.  We get requests quite often for things to come into school..or money for this charity or that sponsored event.   This week is Macmillan's Biggest Coffee morning and so the school, for the first time that I know of, have decided to invite parents/grandparents in from 2.30pm for the opportunity to "buy" cake and coffee in aid of Macmillan.  A lovely idea...but where do the cakes come from? Well we parents have been asked to donate the cakes.   I wasn't going to do anything when the letter came home..."too busy" "I always do cakes" etc etc...but today after my usual Brownie bake I found myself looking through recipe books to see if there was something suitable to make with the rather large supply of apples I had given to me by my very very good friend Kate (of Kate's Creations).

I found my Eat Me book by Xanthe Milton (http://www.cookiegirl.co.uk)

Now I love this book, I love the way it is set out in seasons and the fairytale stories at each chapter. I turned to the Autumn section and lo and behold there were 2 recipes for Apple... Apple biscuits and Toffee Apple Cupcakes.  The Toffee won me over.








So here are my Toffee Apple Cupcakes...I left out the lolly sticks as they are going to school...safety first!!  I kept back 8 of these for us...only 3 remain!!

I may have to make more of these!

xx

ok....erm....sorry...Can we start afresh and make friends again??

Please?  I will try very hard to be good?

So...how long has it been? I know, lets ignore how long it has been and turn that new leaf right over! And begin as if this was a new shiny Blog.

Hello! *waves* I am Ruth...Coco Bean.  I am a Chocolatier, Mother, Brownie Baker, talker, dog owner, slightly eccentric (in a good way) and ****Newsflash**** a girlfriend to a wonderful man and (yes I know that is two ands) I have Brown Hair!

So now we are friends I will tell you what I have been up to....

Today I made 3 kinds of chocolates for my lovely Boyfriend (from now we shall refer to him as LB) to give to his Mum for her birthday.  I only had a day to make them so I have made what I call "raw" truffles, these are fresh cream truffles that are just rolled in either sugar or cocoa powder and kept in the fridge, with a very short life.  I made a Muscavado Sugar truffle, from Paul A Young's book, a Blueberry truffle made with Blue sauce which I reduced further down to a very sticky syrup and used that to make the ganache.  And a version of Almond Rocher in little piles.  

Left is the Muscavado, Rocher in the middle and the Blueberry in on the right.

They are ok for a quick job!! I will let you know the feedback I get.

I will save any more news for tomorrow! (after a baking session). Be good until then!

xx

New Year update!

Well yes it's the middle of January but it is still the beginning of the year, as my hairdresser said yesterday! so....

Happy 2012, may it be a Good, Fruitful, Peaceful year for you all!!

Now, on to business!!

2012 looks to be a very exciting and busy one for Coco Bean!

My website is finally up and running and I am getting orders, which is wonderful and worth every penny spent!

I am taking Coco Bean to 2 events in London in the first half of this year (eeeek) and am working in cooperation with my good friend Clare over at http://www.thelittlewelshdeli.co.uk/ she also has a lovely new blog http://littlewelshdeli.blogspot.com/ have a look she truly is a domestic goddess. We are going to be working together so we can get to bigger festivals and even maybe more than one at a time!!

So hopefully you will be able to find me in one of my guises at some point over the coming year!

I am working on some new exciting chocolate products... rather than just Brownies... after all I am a Chocolatier!

Keep an eye on here, I will try to be a good blogger this year! (yeah right!)

xx

Wales The True Taste 2011

I also need to let you all know that on 20th October 2011 I got a second Wales the True Taste award!

The lump of glass is my exciting trophy!

I had a very exciting trip up to Llandudno to get my award.... I flew from Cardiff to Anglesey in the smallest passenger plane I have been in (well I have been in a 4 seater but that was a fun flight this was a "proper" flight!)

No not the Jets in the background the one in the front!!!

I hired a car from there and went to visit a supplier of mine.... Halen Mon, the award winning sea salt company.... I use their Vanilla Salt in my Salty Toffee Brownies, I collected an order from them, well why not?!

Having got my salt I drove off towards Llandudno, to collect my Mum from the train station. She came with me to the award ceremony!

We went up in the cable car

Which was a lot of fun!

and then the ceremony..

this was also fun! and loooong!

The next day before my flight home we visited Conwy Castle..

Having never been to North Wales before I really enjoyed my trip. And the flight!!

xx

Cake International

October saw the annual Cake International at the NEC in Birmingham.

I went along with my good friend Clare from Little Welsh Deli (without any persuasion!) to have a look at the amazing creations and the wonderful array of products to buy....

The detail in some of these cakes were amazing and I must say I was blown away by all of them!! and got very camera happy!!

I think my favourites were the Alice in Wonderland creations.....

The cake was actually balanced on a tea pot and a cup and saucer!!

It was an amazing day and I came home with 6 cake boards suitable for my Chocolate Christmas Trees and 1 pot of edible glitter!!! (don't ask about the 2 craft fayres that were also on that day...)

x

Blogger Award!

Well now! How exciting! the wonderful Becca from http://fancyvintagechina.blogspot.com/ has passed the above award on to me! so I am all tickled pink etc!!

This means (apparently) that I have to write about me! (oh really!)

so humm I think I will use Bec's list of question cos that makes it easier!!

The song I can’t get out of my head is...

Katy Perry's Firework, as my girls are singing it all the time!

When I was a child I wanted to be...

A Farmer's Wife! or a Lorry Driver.

My proudest moment is...

Well, I am rather proud of my Wales the True taste award, also and more so I am very proud of my 2 beautiful, brave girls.

The shops I can’t walk past without buying something are...

Shoe Shops. (particularly Irregular Choice)

My favourite meal is...

The Rarest Fillet Steak, with blue cheese and mushrooms.

My favourite drink is...

Sparkling Shiraz (Banrock Station)

The book I’m reading at the moment is...

Gypsy, by Lesley Pearse (chick Lit!)

My biggest regret is...

Until recently I didn't have any regrets... now I do.

My perfect Sunday/Saturday is...

Waking up on a late spring/early summer morning with my beauties, and taking them with the small dog for a lovely walk through the woods at 3 Cliffs (Gower, South Wales) then down on to the beach and back to Pennard Castle for a picnic. Then home via a lovely tea shop for hot chocolate. Home for a film cuddled up on the sofa and then bed.

Last thing at night I always...

Put the dog to bed, check both the girls are sleeping soundly and then brush my teeth!

If I have time to myself I...

Read my book. Write some of my blog!

When I’m feeling down I...

Cry usually! then rant then pull back the Ruth face!!

The best thing my parents taught me was...

To stand on my own 2 feet. Make my own choices. Trust in those choices and that they are behind me every step of the way.

My biggest influence is...

My Wonderful Mum. My beautiful Daughters. and more recently some of the other strong business women I have been lucky to have made friends with!

My greatest weakness is...

Chocolate!!! (Surprise!)

If I could pass any law it would be...

An exam to pass before you are able to have children.

I’d love to...

see the Norwegian Fjords, see the Northern Lights,

Go to Matchu Pichu.

My favourite sport is...

Swimming

If I could live anywhere it would be...

On a Farm. or In a Beach Hut.

Not a lot of people know this but I’m no good at...

Drawing.

If I could change anything it would be to...

Well now! where do I start.....

Well thank you for reading your way through that lot! I am meant to now nominate 3 blogger to pass this award on to, but most of them already have been awarded it except for...

http://www.dottydaisies.net/

Enjoy my lovelies! xx

Playhouse

Stage 1 of girlyfying the garden has started!!

This is basically a picture story so I will let the

pictures do the talking...

Doesn't it look really lovely? Like a beach hut? It isn't quite finished yet, but the wooden step at the front is a bit rotten and damp, so I think I may have to replace that!

We had fun painting it and I think the Big Shed now needs a birthday and could well end up the same colours seeing as we have plenty of paint left!!!

Time to move the planters back and scrub the children!!

x

Painting

I have been a busy girl...

I had 2 spare places on 2 walls that I needed to fill, so I bought some canvasses the right sort of shape and size for the spaces.

I wanted one to be blues and the other greens.


Any of you who know me at all you will know that flowers is my thing, so flowers was the plan.

Bit fuzzy sorry! but you get the idea!


Green.... not sure if I have finished this one but its on the wall..

The Wonderful Place I live!

I wanted to share with you all the fantastic pictures I took last Saturday when my 2 beautiful girls and I went for a jolly on the Gower!
See Wonderful! I love this time of year when everything is waking up and bursting into flower.... The weather is back to the usual spring, changeable that we in the UK (especially Wales) are used to. It is cardigan weather! Lovely, warm but fresh and blowy!

x

Weddings!!

Last weekend was wedding central!!
1stly the biggy, William and Katherine tied the knot on Friday (as we all know!)
and then on Saturday....


My friend's Paul and Dee had their Reception (they got married in Gretna Green on the 16th April)

Dee wore her big white dress for the 2nd time and Paul wore his tartan (he's a Forbes so had a proper family one!!) I as the "Matron of Honour" co-ordinated, along with Dee, the rest!! Starting with flowers that were a disappointment, Dee ordered the flowers (silk so she could have them for the 2 events) from the same lady who made her tiara. The bouquet was BAD! So... I ripped it apart and made a new one!!! We decided not to hire the table centres from this lady, so I (with 2 weeks to spare) talked to a friend in the school yard who is a graphic designer and has her own wedding stationery business, her mum did the table centres for us! Fab job, thanks to both Gemma and her mum Jan!

Dee and Paul had invited close family and friends to arrive at the Reception at 6pm for photos, and then inside for the starter and main courses, with speeches after. The "evening" guests were invited to "Dessert and Dance" the dessert was a personal triumph!!! I used my contacts (friends) that I have made through the various markets that I have been at regularly, and Clare from Little Welsh Deli and Rachel from Cupcakes by Rachel are 2 of the bestest and most wonderful cake makers I know.... added to this Becca's amazing "Fancy Vintage China" to display it all on and a few little chocolate touches here and there and this is what you get!.....

Looked amazing didn't it?! I am very impressed that it all came together so beautifully, and Dee and Paul had a wonderful evening.
Wonderful....
Beautiful....
xx

Home again, home again jiggerty jig!

Hello! yes I've been away! Ran away to the North with my 2 girls! To see my Mum and Dad.
We have had a fab week and a bit away, a well earned break...

And the weather was very very kind to us!

We did lots of exciting things, climbing hills, going to the local zoo/farmy thing, lots of shopping (of course) and I think that one of the highlights was having a picnic lunch on the Island on Derwent Water! (my parents are friends with the inhabitants of the house!)


Beautiful isn't it?! We had a lovely time sitting in the blazing sunshine!
Another highlight, obviously Easter, but also Easter Sunday was my Mum's birthday and so we had a double chocolaty exciting day! Lunch out and a very in depth Easter egg hunt (one for each of the girls so they couldn't follow each other!)
Lots of chocolate later and no one was sick!!!
x

still here!

Alright???
Yes I think I am. Thank you for asking! Yes I have had a bit of time off my blog! I am getting very close with my website! oooh its only been a year I hear you say! yes yes yes ok funny people, but I am a very busy Mum and chocolate making person!

I have to let you in to my newest treat of choice! With a Nod to Clare from Little Welsh Deli, who seems to make all my favorite and best non-chocolate treats at the moment! Macaroons.
So yes this is me, with Clare's amazing creations! No I didn't eat them all..... honest, it was a close run thing though!

x

The Postman brings me such lovely things!

Yesterday the postman dropped a Jiffy bag that I was not expecting through my letterbox....

I (being the person I am) checked the return address and found that this surprise was from my Godmother Chris! Oooh... not expecting this at all!

Obviously I found the scissors and cut the tape, rather than ripping my way in like most people would (we have my Mother to thank for this bit of tidiness! can use it again now!)

this is what I was greeted with....A Bag! A Chocolate Bag!! A Yummy Chocolate Bag!!!!


With some of the Best chocolate quotes around on it!

Forget Love, I'd rather fall in Chocolate.

It's never too early or too late for Chocolate.

The Four Basic Food Groups, Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate,
Dark Chocolate and Chocolate Truffles!

Chocolate, Men, Coffee. Some things are better rich. (this one is quite funny for me!)

But this one is my favourite and best;

There is nothing better than Chocolate, Except a good friend with Chocolate!!!!

So thank you thank you thank you thank you Auntie Chris, I love love love it! xxx

Birthday Cakes

This time last week I was building a Skate Board cake for my Nephew Josh..

My girls don't like cake..... well I say that they do like cake they don't like roll-out icing or royal icing, they like "mummies icing" aka chocolate ganache!! So I am a frustrated cake decorator!! I have the need/want to creat these amazing creations like Duff (Charm City Cakes) I love to read decorating books and look at all the beautiful things that are possible, but only very rarely get to have a go!!

So when my Brother-in -law asked me to make Josh's 5th birthday cake I was in there!!

A Google search later I was all set! I knew what I needed to make what I wanted....
The 2 basic shapes was ok, all going good. I then found the perfect Green for grass..

Then I went to my friend Clare's (Little Welsh Deli) house for help/advice and hand holding!!!! and we/she created the bestest Skateboard cake in the World!!!!!
Fabist 5th Birthday Cake (I've ever made!)
x

No Panic Today!!!

Nope, not a quiver of one!

I had a good day today, bagging up and labeling all those lollies from yesterday, oh and making a few more to add to the pile!

The girls and I have been Bird watching! I have set up a bird feeder over the back fence, on the grass bank, and we can watch the birds feeding from the dining room. They have their binoculars and bird identity leaflet and they try to work out which bird is which!

Sunshine has gone.... will we see it again this year?

x

I feel more organised!

It doesn't happen often, so take note!

I got lots of making done today, was a woman on a mission!

Made some lollies! then I made a few more.


Then I made some Hearts and Flower lollies!


So now I feel a little more in control of my week ahead! (please note it is Only Monday!)

I am doing 2 markets this weekend, Saturday will find Coco Bean at Show Home 2, Cimla Court, Neath. Sunday I will be in the Great Glasshouse at The National Garden of Wales (the Botanical Gardens) Carmarthen.

We also had an amazing tea tonight, if I do say so myself! Beef and Mushroom pie, with butternut squash and potato mash, peas and broccili. (Ben and Jerry made the menu for dessert!)

Tomorrow is another day...... and another panic no doubt!

Time, time, time....

More please, send more time to me! Oh and while your at it could I have another Ruth too!

I hear you say "get on with it then, get off the computer and use your time wisely woman" Well now you see I have to wait for my chocolate machine to pemper my chocolate so I can make more lollies!

I have lots to do and really am on top of it (i think!!)

I will update later with pics of my hard work!!

x

Time to awaken the Blog!

Well..... I seem to have been a little pre-occupied!!

Welcome to Coco Bean's Blog.

I have awakened my old old old blog (was encouraged by Kate's Creations and Bendylegs Jo) And re-set passwords etc!

I Will Try Very hard to be a better blogger!

Sorry!!

Sorry sorry! Yes I know its been forever since I last was here! but I have loads to report!!

The Chocolate stuff has landed! I am now officially a CocoMoyo chocolate tasting demonstrator! "woo hoo" I hear you say! "Whats that then?"! Well..... let me explain... I come to your house and you invite a group of your friends round for a fun night in with wine and chocolate! I run through the history of chocolate making and eating and the health benefits of eating chocolate. Then on to the exciting bit, you and your friends get to taste 12 different chocolates, not Mars, Caburys, and Galaxy but different cocoa solid % pure chocolate. Then you have the opportunity to buy some rather lovely hand made chocolates from me!!!! I now have a garage full of chocolate again, and am pushing full ahead in to the world of a self employed chocolate lady!!!

So to book or buy please get in touch!!! I obviously only do the South Wales area but I can put you in touch with a local chocolate lady!

Or you can order through me and I can post out!

NO this is not an advert, just letting you know what I have been up to and what is all about! Honest!

My youngest is now 5!!! 5 I tell you when the B Hell did that happen? how did my baby get so old? She had a lovely day and I made a FAB mermaid cake, even if I do say so!! photo above!

We are childless this week. The girls are staying with my parents in the North, and will be home on Saturday!! YAY a week to organise my life and sort the chocolate stuff out so I can be super duper marvelous from now on.....

Wow Mumma!!

How good? I loved loved loved it!! Mamma Mia is GREAT!
So much a chick flick but I think a bloke would enjoy also, (not mine but normal ones!!)
Go see it!!
x