The Oven was on FIRE!

Every year our church has hold an event called, "Advent by Candlelight". It is for the women of the congregation. You can sign up to host a table - which means you will decorate the table and provide dessert. I went with a 1950-60's theme. I used the china I inherited from my grandmother, found the charming pink tree at Big Lots!, sewed the silver garland onto a table cloth I bought off Ebay, and filled the champagne glasses with sparkling grape juice. I LOVE decorating anything and this is always a good excuse to get friends together and get fancy!

The baking portion of this event was rather exciting...! I made apple cake and choco-berry tartlets. The tartlets required toasted coconut...I'd never toasted coconut. Alex and I debated on the best toasting method and settled on broiling. I set the broiler on high, put the coconut on a baking sheet, and then promptly walked away and forgot all about it! That is until I smelled something burning only to open the oven and find the coconut in flames. Alex rushed the flaming cookie sheet outside and we then fumigated the entire smoke filled house! Take two on the coconut went much better.

Then I was baking the apple cake - in a springform pan which I'd never used before. Once again, the oven was smoking....hum...oh! The springform pan was leaking, hot liquid from the cake was spilling over and hitting the bottom of the oven. I put a pan under the cake to catch the liquid, but the already spilled liquid kept smoking. I was afraid that the cake would taste awful and smoky so every few minutes I'd open the oven door to let out the accumulated smoke. What a nightmare!!!!

Luckily I think both desserts survived untainted...at least everyone said they were good....unless they were just being nice! : )