Have you built your hot chocolate station yet? Well, if so, I have the tool for you that will make adding chocolate shavings to the top of that hot frosty cup a breeze! Fresh from Microplane, their new slicer will make all your festive baking and dishes a breeze, as you can use it to elevate so many dishes! Find out how here!

Good Morning Lovelies, 

Okay, so have you made your Christmas cakes or puddings yet? What about prepping parts of your main festive dishes? This year, I’ve decided not to do a big Christmas cake. However, I have been experimenting with other creations to try and find a replacement, which has meant I’ve spent a lot of time grating the skins of lemons, limes and oranges. 

My arms have never worked so much in recent years as they are right now. Yet, with not much strength in them, it’s been hard on my body. So, when the team behind Microplane offered me the opportunity to try their new Black Sheep Large Shaver, I quickly said yes because I need a lot of help right now. 

With five long blades, which can be protected with the plastic cover in between uses, the tool can create wafer thin shavings of anything. And I mean anything! From chocolate to cheese, the tool provides shavings that will make adding pieces to the main festive meals, such as chestnuts on Brussels sprouts or chocolate on cakes, a real breeze. 

To put the tool to the test, I decided to use it to get some big shavings of fresh ginger to add to my gingerbread loaf. Plus, a few extra pieces to top the creation. After following my failsafe recipe, I completed each step until it came to the ginger section the same. 

When it came to the step to use it, I left my old grater behind and took the spice and this tool into my hands instead. Easily sliding the shaver along the spice, I soon had easy pieces to add to the mixture, which crumbled to how I needed them to be perfectly when I touched the wafer thin shards. In just a few moments, I had enough to make the loaf and toppings perfectly, meaning I could get the loaf in the oven quicker. 

After 50 minutes, the loaf was ready and the fresh scents of ginger completely filled my home. Taking it out and leaving it to cool, I then applied the ginger shards to the top, by placing them in a bit of syrup on the top. I was so impressed with the outcome that I didn’t want to cut into it, yet, I did for the sake of an honest taste test from my mum. 

Handing her a slice, I could still see the shavings within the moist sponge, which when my mum took a bite out of she moaned at. Telling her all about the new tool, she said it had really elevated the dish and recommended that I use it again in the future. A promising find for me, as I didn’t come away with sore arms this time around. 

The Microplane Black Sheep Collection is out now lovelies, so keep an eye out for it, on and offline, if you would like to discover more. I’m so happy with my findings and hope that all of you lovelies can enjoy it as much as I do too! 

Joey X