As I’m sure you can deduce (or maybe you can’t, if you’re in a different time zone?) this will be my last post of 2012! Because it is New Years Ever here in Brisbane, baby! And I am ready to party! By which I mean, I will go for a walk with my Dad this afternoon, then have dinner with him and mum. Pick my boyfriend up from work around 9 and then come home and have something for dessert before watching a movie, or possibly just going to bed. Whaaaaaa?!?! you cry! Well, I am one of the huge number of people who really cannot get behind NYE celebrations. I can’t speak for everyone else out there, but the tense desperate longing that hangs in the air on NYE is enough to make my stomach turn. People everywhere looking for a great romance, some excitement, some danger even. It feels as though people, like the irresponsible high-school teen, have left it until the very last night of the year to try and do something worthwhile. I feel like yelling out “the game’s over, guys! It’s too late! Disperse! Go home!” and shooing every last one of them home where they might actually do something worthwhile.But who wants to be the Grinch of New Year’s Eve? Not me. I have a strict party and let party policy. For reals. It’s not that I hate people having a good time, it’s just this one particular night, I really can’t stand. It’s always a crushing disappointment, because the expectations are far, FAR too high. Ah well, lucky for me no-one’s forcing me to join in. I like to end the year in my own style. Booze free, quietly, and with the ones I love. All the better to wake up tomorrow morning, on one of my very favourite days of the year, clear headed, and ready to make something beautiful for breakfast, as a nod to how I choose to go one. Bring on 2013. I think it’s going to be our year. As for this recipe, well this is the last installment in the great Fairy Bread series of 2012. My other two recipes as glimpsed in the picture above were for a Peanut Butter, Apple and Butterscotch arrangement, and a Peach and Pistachio Cheesecake variety. Both gorgeous, but none as sinfully delicious, and eminently crowd-pleasing as this Nutella, Strawberry and Coconut Fairy Bread. I feel I have done enough to improve the name of Fairy Bread. The permutations are endless! Kids parties will never be the same again.

Nutella, Strawberry and Coconut Fairy Bread

Per piece of Fairy Bread

2-3 teency strawberries

pinch of sugar (vanilla sugar, if you have it)

slice of Brioche, crusts off, and toasted

1 scant tbsp of nutella

flakes of dried or fresh coconut Slice the strawberries, and toss in a small bowl with the sugar. Spread the toasted brioche thickly with nutella, and arrange the strawberries over the top. Finally, sprinkle with flakes of coconut. Enjoy!