There is nothing like a homemade toffee apple on bonfire night. Making your own taste great and if you eat them on the day they are made they don't go soft or have that fizzy taste like ones from the supermarket can.
Toffee Apples For Bonfire Night
Homemade Toffee Apples For Bonfire Night
400g caster sugar
100ml water
1 tsp vinegar
4 tbsp golden syrup
a few drops on red food coloring
First you need to pop your apples into boiling water for a minute to get the waxy coating off. Without doing this step the toffee wont stick.
Take your apples out of the water and dry them with kitchen towel. Then put a cake pop/lollipop stick or skewer into your apples.
Add the caster sugar and water to a non stick pan.
Boil until the sugar dissolves
Add the vinegar, golden syrup and food colouring and continue to boil
Using a bowl of cold water, you can check when the toffee cracks. You need it to start getting thicker and then drop it in the water. If the toffee is soft and squidgy then it is not ready. If it solidifies on hitting the water then it is ready to coat your apples.
Tip the pan 45 degrees and coat each apple with toffee before placing on grease proof paper.
Homemade Toffee Apples
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More Recipe Ideas For A Bonfire Night Party
If you are throwing a bonfire night party this year then I have some other tasty treats that you might be interested in.
Bonfire cupcakes with added crackle!
These bonfire cupcakes are easy to make and will put a smile on peoples faces when they crackle in the mouth!
Caramel Apple Popcorn
I love making homemade popcorn and this caramel apple popcorn.is delicious without being overly sweet.
This week we have been testing out the new Bank Attack game from John Adams. Finding a game that suits all of my three boys (aged 7, 9 and 11) can be hard. Finding one I like too, even harder!
Bank Attack Game
I was immediately drawn to this game as it said it was fast paced and can be played in 5 minutes. For me, games that go on for hours are a big no. We just loose interest.
The concept is easy, but in practice it is harder than you think. The idea is that you work as a team to rob the bank. The safe containing gold gives you instructions to follow. Each person has a job, money man, lookout, hacker and explosives expert. The electronic bank tells you to pick up objects, pass and swop objects and use them. When it tells you to use them, you have to press your players button. This is the machine checking you are following the instructions carefully. It will tell you if you have made too many mistakes and the game will be over.
Playing Bank Attack
There are several levels but we have failed to make it past level one! You have to concentrate and it will start making noises to panic you that you are running out of time.
I really liked this game as it is short and fast paced. BankAttack is for 2-4 villains aged 7+. It’s available to buy at Argos, Smyths, Amazon and The Entertainer, SRP £24.99.
Weeknight evenings are hectic so quick and easy cheese and ham quesadilla are a regular on our menu.
Cheese And Ham Quesadilla
With the boys having a school dinner most days it works well to have a smaller, lighter tea. On Mondays they go to karate which leaves us a small gap from getting in from school to getting ready to go out again. These cheese and ham quesadilla are simple, tasty and really quick to make. We are talking a few minutes!
Of course you can mix the flavours up, left over taco mince will be great with cheese and salsa. My 9 year old likes BBQ chicken and cheese in his. All of the family like the ham and cheese combination.
Quick And Easy Cheese And Ham Quesadilla
Quick And Easy Cheese And Ham Quesadilla
Grated cheese
Ham
flour tortillas
a small amount of oil for frying
Pre heat a small amount of oil in a frying pan.
Add a flour tortilla. Place the grated cheese on top.
Next add a slice or two of ham (depending on the size of your wrap.) and another tortilla on top.
After a minute of so when the bottom tortilla is starting to brown, flip the whole quesadilla over.
As the pan is already hot, it will take less time to cook this side so keep an eye on it so it doesn't burn.
Serve with salad.
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More Quick And Easy Recipe Ideas Made In less Than 10 Minutes!
Sometimes time really is of the essence so having these recipes up your sleeve for busy weeknights will really help out.
Chili And Lime Avocado, Smoked Salmon And Poached Eggs
I honestly can't get enough of this recipe. I started making it at home after eating a similar dish at Bill's Restaurant for breakfast. The kids have it without the avocado, but the lime and chilli give it a subtle kick that just makes me keep coming back for more.
Again another simple meal that packs flavour. It really is worth taking those few extra minutes to cook the egg on a slower heat as it with taste creamier.
If cheese and ham are your perfect combination then this recipe is just what you are looking for. With the addition of cream cheese for extra creaminess, it is nearly as good as the real thing.
They are a great way of inflating a lot of balloons quickly. 40 balloons in just 40 seconds! If you like throwing parties then it will save you a lot of time and hassle. The party pump kit comes with a pump that can fill the self sealing balloons with as well as nozzles which enable you to use it as a normal air pump. It also comes with 16 self sealing balloons complete with ribbons.
Bunch O Balloons Party Pump
The bunch o balloons party packs are currently being sold in selected Tesco stores from now until 27th October at a cost of £14.99. To celebrate, Bunch O Balloons are offering one of my readers the chance to win a £15 Tesco voucher so that they can purchase a party pump kit for themselves. For more information on stockists please check the Zuru website. If you haven't already, please check out my review post and you tube video. For your chance to win a £15 Tesco voucher so you can purchse your own Bunch O Balloons Party Pump then please complete the Gleam entry form below. Good Luck! £15 Tesco Voucher
Last night we were excited to be invited to watch Zippos Circus show in Guildford.
Elberel Ebbe Contortionist
The boys had never been to a circus before and didn't know what to expect. Their eyes lit up with their popcorn and candyfloss and we took a seat for the show. The show was titled "The Magnificent Top Hat" and filled with a variety of acts including acrobats to budgie tricks! (Honestly, I never thought I would say that budgies going down a slide are really cute.)
The Lucius Troupe
My favourite act was the Motorbikes in the Globe of Death from The Lucius Troupe. I was impressed when they had two motorbikes circling in the small sphere. By the time there were five I was amazed.
The motorbikes were around in the interval for photographs with the team at a cost of £5.
Knife throwing
Of course, there were the usual routines of knife throwing and acrobats which left you in awe. The only parts of the show I found a little dated were the clown style comedy bits, but I have never been a fan of that kind of thing.
I was impressed with the show and the boys didn't stop talking about it on the car journey home. Zippos Circus are in Guildford until Sunday, before travelling to Rochester, Finsbury Park and Hampstead Heath. If you fancy all the fun of the circus yourself, you can get 30% off using the discount code ZIP50. The show lasts 2 hours including the interval.
As the ringmaster Norman Barrett MBE says " You're never too old, never too young, never too cool to go to the circus."
Disclosure: We received press tickets in exchange for this review.
This week we have been sent the Zuru Bunch-O-Balloons Party Pump and refill pack to review. With two of my boys having their birthdays over the next couple of months, it could't have come at a better time.
Bunch O Balloons Self-Sealing Balloons Party Pump And Refill
Everyone loves balloons, but I will confess that blowing them up is a bit of a pain that often leaves me slightly dizzy. The bunch-o-balloons party pump solves this problem and you can fill 40 balloons in 40s!
If you fancy watching the process here is a you tube video I have made.
The pump itself is compact and comes with adapters so that it can be used for blowing up air beds, inflatables etc.
Bunch O Balloons Party Pump Contents
The balloons slot onto into the pump and then you just turn the pump on and 40 seconds later, hey presto, you balloons are ready! No need to tie them, just pull the stems apart.
Inflating Bunch O Balloons
I have to confess that I had a reservation about the stems of the balloons being plastic but a quick look on their website and I am pleased to say that the stems and o rings are 100% recyclable.
Inflated Bunch O Balloons
I think they are a great buy if you have young children, as it is prefect when it comes to their parties.
If you already have an air pump then the refill pack comes with an adapter so you can use it on your model.
Bunch O Balloons Refill
Selected Tesco Extra Stores are stocking these products from September 30th. If you live my way then your closest stockist is the Tesco Extra in Reading Napier road.
Throwing a party and need some easy cake ideas? Check out these easy to make sweet birthday cakes.
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post but opinions are my own.
