The Gruffalo theatre show and Viennese fingers

Today P and I went to see the Gruffalo. The Gruffalo Live is a stage show of the ever-popular book performed by just three actors.  However, it is not a straight adaptation of the book; as well as the original rhyming story, there are songs, dancing and a bit of audience participation. The characters are interpretations of the creatures; the fox was a country gent (sort of); the owl is a RAF officer; the snake is a brilliantly funny with his maraca-swinging, moustache-toting, and sequined jacket-wearing !   It was fab - suitably scary and funny! We left the the theatre singing "guh guh guh gug gruffalo".

Later on the girls made Vienese Fingers:  

Ingredients:

  100g unsalted butter, softened

  25g icing sugar

  1tsp vanilla extract

  100g plain flour

  1tsp cornflour

  1/4tsp baking powder

  100g milk chocolate, chopped

Method

• Preheat the oven to 170°C.

• Tip the butter and sugar into the bowl of a freestanding mixer and beat until pale and light. Add the vanilla extract and mix again. Sift the flour, cornflour and baking powder into the bowl and mix until smooth and thoroughly combined

• Use a spoon to make circles onto the prepared baking tray. Bake on the middle shelf of the preheated oven for 10–15 minutes until pale golden

• Remove from the oven and cool on the baking trays for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack until completely cold

• Tip the milk chocolate into a heatproof bowl and melt either in the microwave on a low setting or over a pan of barely simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth

• Dip one end of the biscuit in the chocolate.