First of the New Year's Daring Baker Challenges

The Daring Baker's kicked off 2010 with a fairly simple challenge, so I thought. There's always a twist though!

Make your own Graham Crackers. Ok, easy enough.

Gluten free.

Ah! There's the twist!

It was a good experience and I'm glad to have learnt something about baking gluten free, my neighbour's daughter has just been diagnosed with Celiacs disease so I had her in mind when I made January's challenge.

There was a second part to the challenge, to use the Graham Crackers to make Nanaimo Bars. These seriously sweet bars are absolutely fantastic and there's a lot you can do with flavour variations.

Daring Bakers January '10: GF Graham Crackers & Nanaimo Bars

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

To me, Christmas is about receiving the greatest gift the world will ever know, and because of that gift, we have so much to celebrate. We can enjoy good times with our friends and family around us, putting aside any fights or annoyances that we may have had with any of the ones close to us through the past year. Remember all the good things about them and why we're blessed to have them in our lives.

Whatever Christmas means to you, I wish you a joy-filled festive season full of love and good memories in the making, and a wonderful 2010.

And enjoy these lovely little festive macarons too!

Gingerbread: Spiced with gingerbread spices, filled with a ginger spiced buttercream and a little surprise in the middle, a small peice of crystallised ginger

Mulled Spice: Lovely mulled spiced shells filled with a tasty brandy buttercream

Candy Cane: Bright red & white macarons filled with peppermint buttercream