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Halloween Disco- fabulous fun - more photos to follow!!!
Fri 27 Oct 2017
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FOFS Community Cook Off- thank to our families who attended. The beetroot cake recipe below is superb
Fri 27 Oct 2017Beetroot is a natural dye that gives an amazing pink, and we use it a lot in the bakery. Here it stains the icing instead of the usual synthetic food colour. But, if you want an even brighter pink, cheat and add a little food colour, too. And please, whatever you do, don’t use beetroot in vinegar!
SERVES
10
INGREDIENTS
- 180ml sunflower oil, plus more for the tin
- 190g self-raising flour
- 60g cocoa powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 250g golden caster sugar
- 250g beetroot, cooked
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/fan 170ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4. Lightly oil a 23cm diameter, 7.5cm deep, round tin, using a piece of kitchen towel, then line the base with baking parchment.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa and bicarbonate of soda, then stir in the sugar. In a food processor, purée the beetroot, then scrape it into a sieve set over a bowl and push out the juices with the back of a spoon. Set them aside for the icing.
Tip the beetroot pulp back into the food processor, then, with the motor running, add the eggs and vanilla, then slowly pour in the oil. Mix until blended.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, pour in the beetroot mixture and, with a large spoon, gently fold together. Pour into the tin and bake for 45–50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If it starts to brown too much before it is fully cooked, cut a round piece of foil the diameter of the cake, make a large hole in the centre and open it up. Place it over the cake to let out steam and protect the edges of the top surface.
Remove the cake from the oven, leave it for 5–10 minutes in the tin, then turn it out on to a wire rack until completely cold.
Icing: abstract expressionist
Transform your cake into a work of art. This cake is inspired by Jackson Pollock. We may not lay a huge sheet on the floor as he did, but we do have a small edible canvas covered in bright beetroot-coloured icing. Using a pastry brush and a piping bag, splatter and flick melted chocolate and icing all over the cake and release the artist in you. Ask the children to help, if you dare...
INGREDIENTS
- 1 x Chocolate and beetroot cake (see above), with reserved beetroot juice
- 250g icing sugar, sifted
- pink food colour (optional)
- 25g white chocolate, broken into pieces
- 25g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
EQUIPTMENT
- 2 piping bags
- 1 pastry brush or toothbrush
METHOD
Turn the cake upside down on to a serving plate, so the flat base becomes the top.
Place the icing sugar in a bowl and gradually add the reserved beetroot juice from the cake recipe. If you would like a more shocking pink, you will need extra help from the food colour: drop a little of it (remembering it is very strong) into the icing sugar and stir until well blended and quite bright pink. Make sure you do not use too much, as the icing needs to remain thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Pour it over the cake and allow to dry for at least 1 hour.
Place a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl does not touch the water. Add the white chocolate to the bowl and heat until it melts, stirring only very occasionally. Cool slightly, then spoon into a piping bag. Repeat with the dark chocolate. Snip the very ends of both bags. Dilute a little more pink food colour in a dribble of water, making sure it remains darker than the icing covering the cake.
Now for the fun bit: drizzle and flick both colours of chocolate all over your cake canvas, then shake over the pink colour using the pastry brush or toothbrush. Be as freeform as you like, until you have produced your very own edible masterpiece.
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Maths Day at St.Joseph's Primary School
Thu 26 Oct 2017The last day of Autumn 1, St Joseph's celebrated by having a Maths Day. The theme was 'Squares' and across the school from Nursery to Year 6 a hype of different activities were taking place.
Walking around the school many different creations were being produced. All keeping the 'Square' idea at the forefront. From square headbands in the Early years, square houses designed on the computers in Year 2, Piet Mondrian Artwork in LKS2 and calculating the area and perimeter of different sized squares in UKS2.
Many more activities did take place. It was fantastic to see the 'creativity' especially at the end of term.
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Sahara in Preston
Thu 26 Oct 2017Sahara is a voluntary women’s organisation working predominately for the benefit of black and minority ethnic (BME) women.
Please click on the link below to open leaflet and find out more.
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Year 6 Robinwood 29/09/2017
Fri 20 Oct 2017On Friday 29th September 2017, a gaggle of noisy Year 6s along with three teacher jumped on board a coach and headed to Robin Wood for an adventure of a lifetime!
The fun and excitement began as soon as the coach left school. Sweets and crisps were a plenty which added to the enjoyment.
Once we got there, after a much delayed journey we got off the coach and we were then met by our friendly instructors who then guided us on a walk (trek for some!) to our home for the next 2 nights and 3 days.
The days and nights were packed with activities to do - Archery, Caving, Raft Building, Canoeing, Zip Wire and Giant Swing the list can go on. The children were keen to participate in all activities and everyone got on with everyone. It was great to see new friendships being created and laughter being in abundance. Even the most nervous of children gave each activity a try and were proud of themselves that they did it.
Unfortunately, Sunday lunchtime came around far too quickly and it was time to pack up our belongings and head back towards the coach.
The coach trip back was quieter than the coach trip there as it was filled with exhausted but happy children talking about their favourite or funniest activity. It was great to listen to them share their memories with each other.
A successful adventure was had by all.
We kept the costs very low for all parents and did not pass on the coach cost to parents. The children all had a fantastic time. The year 6 children also went to Morrisons to bag pack to raise money for their coach. They managed to raise £119.20. Well done to them, they were fantastic. Thank you also goes to the SVP society who donated money to support some families to enable them to go.
Please click on link below to see a video of the Year 6 at Robinwood.
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FOFS. Community Cook Off event
Fri 06 Oct 2017Please click on the poster below
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Visit to Morrisons with Y6
Fri 06 Oct 2017Today our year 6 children attended Morrisons to bag pack to payback for the coach for Robinwood
The children were a delight and worked ‘a good, hard shift’ bag packing for the local community.
People commented how polite, hardworking and pleasant they were. We were met by ex- pupils, people with an association with St Josephs’ from the past and parents of Year 6 . The children thoroughly enjoyed the experience and were begging to do it again!- definitely an activity to repeat! Well done year 6 Robinwooders!!
