Latest news with #homemadejam
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
We Tried Meghan Markle's Sold-Out Shortbread Cookie Mix
It was a quiet morning last month when a text arrived from my brother Seth in California. 'I just ordered Meghan Markle's apricot jam, shortbread cookie mix, and peppermint tea,' he announced. 'It was sold out in an hour last time—they just restocked. Get on it!' I'd never actually seen the Duchess of Sussex's crafty Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, and to be honest I don't have a strong opinion on her adventures and exploits. But I am a fan of teatime, and just like Meghan, I, too, like to make my own homemade jam. And while I don't whip up sachets of bath salts for my houseguests or host beehives in my backyard, I confess I can see the appeal. Thirty seconds later, I was frantically searching for in-stock products on Meghan's As Ever brand site. The tea was already sold out ('Gonna sell it on EBay,' my brother joked). But he was right—several items were still in stock. I grabbed a $9 jar of the apricot jam—a spread, actually, but I still wanted it. I also ordered the two remaining items that were available: a box of crepe mix and the intriguing-sounding Shortbread Cookie Mix With Flower Sprinkles. Those were $14 each. The order went through—or seemed to. An email promptly arrived letting me know that 'Something delightful is coming your way.' Another note popped up from Meghan herself. 'Dear Ingrid, I'm so pleased to have you here! At As Ever, we celebrate the beauty in the details and cherish the small moments of magic that can be found in the everyday.' A week later, on June 27, I learned that Meghan would be launching her own 'crisp and beautifully balanced' rosé on July 1. Sadly, I did not 'get on it' fast enough this time and the wine sold out. Still, things were looking up three days later, when I learned that two of my items—the mixes—were on their way. By day's end, I also got some surprising news, as did my brother and—to judge from the uproar on social media—many other disappointed customers. 'Due to high demand,' the email announced, 'we are unable to fulfill your order of the apricot spread at this time.' Clearly the Duchess was spread too thin. I was informed that I would get a refund and that 'when the apricot spread is back in stock, you will be the first to receive it, free of charge.' I'm still waiting. The jam was clearly in a jam, but two weeks after I placed my order, a plain brown box landed on my doorstep with a sticker that warned: Open with Care. Inside, a card said simply, 'Enjoy—Meghan.' I brushed away the popcorn peanuts, opened the shortbread mix, and set to work. The box contained two packages: the cookie mix and a small bag of 'flower sprinkles,' which turned out to be about a tablespoon of dried edible flowers, including rose, calendula, blue cornflower, and hibiscus. There was also a note from Meghan on the package: "Let's call this a hug in a box," she said. "I fell in love with the ritual of tea and 'biscuits' during my time in the U.K." All I had to supply was two sticks of butter. I whipped the butter and slowly added in the mix, aiming for the creamy consistency specified by the recipe on the box. Mine turned crumbly, but a little hand pressure got the dough to adhere. I folded in the dried flowers and rolled the dough into a log. At this point, I worried that it was too dry and made the mistake of checking TikTok, where amateur bakers were mixing and rolling their As Ever shortbread like pros. But with one rare box of cookie mix in my possession, there was no turning back. After an hour in the refrigerator, the dough was sliced into wonky rounds and baked. The recommended 9 to 11 minutes went by without the pale brown result recommended by the recipe. I added a few minutes, then removed them from the oven still looking a bit pale, but firm to the touch, and let them cool. My family looked skeptical but eager to try them. 'I prefer chocolate cookies,' my husband Joel declared. 'But for shortbread, they are 10/10.' At the ELLE Decor office the next day, my colleagues devoured the rest of the batch. I have yet to try the crepe mix but, once again my brother Seth was way ahead of me. 'The crepes came out a lot better than I predicted and were delicious,' he said. 'Though they could have used some apricot spread.'The Box Arrives My delivery from the Duchess of Sussex's As Ever arrives at my home.A note from Meghan She keeps it Coveted Mixes I ordered them in the short window before they sold the Shortbread Box One packet of cookie mix, and one bag of dried edible the Recipe Seems straightforward. Just add two sticks of in Progress Whip the butter and add the mix in Flowers Meghan provides a small bag of edible flowers including rose, hibiscus, and blue in Sprinkles The dried flowers add color but not a lot of the Dough The shortbread dough is rolled into a log and refrigerated for an hour before for Baking Meghan would have shaped the cookies better, but hey I Out of the Oven The bake was a little pale, but the taste and texture were spot Time Channeling Meghan's love of finishing touches, I garnished the tray of cookies with lavender from my garden. You Might Also Like From the Archive: Tour Sarah Jessica Parker's Relaxed Hamptons Retreat 75 Small (But Mighty) Kitchens to Steal Inspiration from Right This Instant Solve the daily Crossword
The Sun
06-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Five savvy ways to make your own delicious jam at home
MEGHAN MARKLE's As Ever apricot spread sold out in minutes earlier this month – even though it cost an eye-watering £11. But you can create jam or spread at home for a fraction of that royally high price. 8 Here's how to do it . . . PACK IT IN: Firstly, get your jars ready. A pack of six jars on costs £11.99, but save any pasta sauce jars and you won't need to spend. Give your recycled jars a wash in hot soapy water before rinsing and leaving to dry. DIY: All you need to make your own apricot-style jam is fresh apricots, £1.69, lemons, 89p, and sugar, £1.75, all Lidl. Pit and crush the apricots and heat in a pan with the juice of one lemon. Add around 400g of sugar and bring the heat up until the sugar all dissolves. Leave on a low heat and stir for 25 minutes. Once it's thickened, add to jars. SETTING SECRETS: No sugar in the cupboard? How to make fluffy scones in the slow cooker during lockdown A cheap way to add sweetness is to grate half a cooking apple into your apricot mixture. Pick one up for around 63p at Tesco. You can also do this if you're making jam with strawberries or blueberries. BUDGET TIP: If you're not up to whipping up your own version of apricot spread, you could cheat. Get a tin of apricot halves in syrup or fruit juice, £1.10, at Sainsbury's, and mash, before spreading on toast. All the flavour for a bargain price. MAKE A BATCH: This is where the savings kick in. Skip apricots and use frozen fruit like Morrisons Wonky Berry mix, £2.99 for 1kg. Add approximately 600g of sugar and juice of two lemons. LABEL OF LOVE: Make like Meghan and give your jam a touch of luxury with handwritten labels cut from brown paper and tie on to your jar lids with string. Instead of HRH, you could write 'MHJ' for 'My Homemade Jam'. All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability. 8 Deal of the day 8 MAKE the most of the sunshine by getting a pair of Zero Gravity sun loungers for your garden. They were £80 a pair, now £44.99 at Cheap treat PICK up the popular Squishmallow toys at Home Bargains, usually £8.99, now reduced to £4.99. Top swap 8 FOR glowing skin, try CeraVe SA Smoothing Cleanser with salicylic acid, £14.50 from Boots. Or get the new Baylis & Harding Cleanse & Renew salicylic acid body wash, RRP £5 at Shop & save HOT weather calls for ice-cold treats. The Slush Puppie 9047 Slushie machine was £52.99 but is now £34.99 at Robert Dyas. PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 8 JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we're giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers - whether you're saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket. The more codes you enter, the more tickets you'll earn and the more chance you will have of winning!
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Joanna Gaines Making Jam with Teen Son Has Fans Inspired to Follow Suit
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Joanna Gaines is soaking up every sweet moment she can with her kids this summer. Quite literally, in fact. As she prepares to send her oldest daughter Ella off to college in the fall, her second child to leave the nest in the last few years, Joanna is getting in quality time in the most wholesome way possible. She and her teenage son are making homemade jam together. And after the Magnolia magnate shared a video of the process, her fans are hoping to see this sweet bonding moment become a new series. The mom of five took to Instagram on Friday to share a beautiful day she recently spent with her teenage son making and canning fresh jam. "Savoring the best flavors of summer with my boy," she captioned the post, where she and her 17-year-old son Duke were working away at making jam together. Mother and son chopped up strawberries and peeled peaches, giving the leftovers to the familiy pigs for a snack, before stewing the fruit and canning dozens of jars of fresh jam. It was a sweet little glimpse into their family dynamic, and fans want more. "Would love to see a Magnolia Table episode on how to make jam," wrote one user, while another couldn't get over how lovely it was to see a teen boy in the kitchen with his mom. "A teenage boy helping his mom cook!?! The sweetest!" Joanna has a long history of encouraging her kids to help out around the house in ways that will set them up to be self-sufficient and resourceful as adults. Her daughter Ella interned at Magnolia Studios ahead of her high school graduation, and of course anyone who watched Joanna and Chip's Home Town series has seen the family all pitch in with decor and demo days alongside their parents. Even her 7-year-old son Crew gets in on the home improvement action, making sourdough bagels with his mom as an unusual and delicious nighttime routine. All of these sweet, homespun cooking moments are in keeping with Chip and Joanna's new series on Magnolia Network, Back to the Frontier. where three families give up modern conveniences to live like as 19th century homesteaders. Which has us wondering if Joanna was inspired by the new show or the new show was inspired by her family? Certainly we're pretty inspired to see all of these delicious bonding moments with her kids. Follow on Instagram and TikTok You Might Also Like 15 Home Bar Gifts Every Cocktail Enthusiast Will Appreciate 32 Low Light Indoor Plants That Can Survive in the Darkest Corners of Your Home These Are the 50 Best Paint Colors for Your Living Room
