Author Archives: deansdiva

Post early for Christmas

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letterbox

If you’re sending cards or presents by mail, either within the UK or overseas, these are the dates you need to know about – don’t miss the post!

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD (FORMERLY AIRMAIL)
LATEST RECOMMENDED POSTING DATES DESTINATION
Saturday 3 December Africa, Middle East
Wednesday 7 December Asia, Cyprus, Far East (inc Japan) Eastern Europe
Thursday 8 December Caribbean, Central and South America
Saturday 10 December Australia, Greece, New Zealand
Wednesday 14 December Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland
Thursday 15 December Canada, Finland, Sweden, USA
Friday 16 December Austria, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland
Saturday 17 December Belgium, France, Ireland, Luxembourg
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD HM FORCES MAIL – BRITISH FORCES POST OFFICE® (BFPO)
LATEST RECOMMENDED POSTING DATES DESTINATION
Monday 28 November Operational BFPOs
Monday 12 December Static BFPOs
UK INLAND SERVICES
LATEST RECOMMENDED POSTING DATE SERVICE
Tuesday 20 December 2nd Class
Wednesday 21 December 1st Class & Royal Mail Tracked 48®
Thursday 22 December Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed® & Royal Mail Tracked 24®
Friday 23 December Royal Mail Special Delivery Guaranteed®  with Saturday Guaranteed

Counting down to Christmas

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christmas lanterns

The seasonal ads are everywhere, it won’t be long before the first cards start dropping through the letterbox and if you haven’t even started shopping for presents yet, it’s time to get a move on…

With the lights going on in Newark this weekend, the official countdown to Christmas has begun and the Girls Around Town are feeling festive!

Tune in or listen online from 10am to 12 noon on Sunday for news of what’s in store over the next few weeks – whether you’re looking for late night shopping, Christmas markets, concerts or carol services, there’s plenty to choose from.

Just before 11am, Honor Dunkley will be joining June, Tina and Sue in the studio to talk about some of the special events taking place in Southwell. Find out about music at The Minster, Willow Lantern Making Workshops, the Victorian Workhouse Christmas and the ever-popular Lantern Walk, to name just a few…

And if all that puts you in the mood for some festive fun, after the show why not head over to the Market Place for the Newark Christmas Lights Switch-On?

Something wicked this way comes

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chocolate squares

If you were listening to the show this morning, you’ll already know that June’s been channelling her inner Mary Berry again – and that Sue was only too happy to step up to the plate and judge the results…

Next time you fancy having a Chocolate Moment of your own, why not try this recipe from the Queen of Baking herself (that’s Mary, of course, not June)?

Crunchy on the top and squidgy in the middle, even without the ganache sauce these little Chocolate Squares are definitely wicked. But be warned – they’re decidedly more-ish, stopping at just one is simply not an option!

Mary Berry's Wicked Chocolate Squares With Ganache Sauce

  • Servings: Makes 30 squares
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Ingredients

For the squares

  • 300g butter, cubed
  • 300g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 300g light muscovado sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 100g self-raising flour

For the ganache sauce

  • 150g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 200ml pouring double cream

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas mark 5. Grease and line a traybake tin or small roasting tin about 30cm x 23cm with foil or parchment paper.
  2. To make the squares, measure measure the butter and chocolate into a bowl, place over a pan of simmering water and melt together gently until smooth then set aside.
  3. Whisk the sugar and eggs together until blended. Pour in the melted butter and chocolate mixture and stir till smooth. Sieve in the flour and mix well.
  4. Pour into the lined tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a light crust has formed on the top and the middle is set.
  5. Meanwhile, make the ganache sauce – measure the chocolate and cream into a bowl, place it over a pan of gently simmering water and stir until melted.
  6. Cut the cake into squares and pour the sauce over to serve.

The squares can be made a day ahead and the sauce up to two days ahead. Both freeze well cooked for up to three months.