I have a big old post about coconut cake to do but this week has been more manic than usual. We have three added children to mind and my eldest boy started playschool.

I knew he’d be a bit shaky at first but I was actually called to airlift him out. The manager said they can handle a wobble but what my boy was doing was certainly not a wobble.

Obviously I hot foot it down to comfort him. He races over to me, red little eyes on him, and cries into my shoulder saying mummy. A terrible part of me was satisfied that the fecker likes me too, there’s a lot of daddy worshipping going on day to day.

Anyway terrible mothering aside I extract him with a jammy cracker in hand, bring him back to the car and ask what do you think of playschool? My LOVE it. What? My love it all day. *you feckin cow* Brilliant. Tomorrow no my cry. *I’ve been played* Excellent, you’re such an excellent boy.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow the little mindbender plays it cool.

As a result of all of this messing I’m doing pineapple flowers this time. Super simple and quite a pretty garnish.

An aside. I went down to my parent’s cottage in the wilds of Wicklow with the full complement of wards yesterday. We lit a bonfire. Bonfires are so much fun. I think they’re illegal in the suburbs but if you get a chance to light a non-environment threatening bonfire do it. My son of perpetual motion sat almost still for 30mins. A heady mix of exhaustion, hyperglycemia and an imminent poo added to the stare inducing fire was almost too much for him.

To the flowers.

Preheat the oven to 100 Celsius

You will need a pineapple.

Using a serrated knife slice off the outside skin of you pineapple. Start by cutting off it’s hat and then it’s bum before attempting the sides.

Thinly slice off the skin, following the shape of the pineapple.

Cut out any of the ‘eyes’. Gruesome. The eyes are just the little rough indented brown bits around the pineapple.

Now. Slice thin disks. Preferably only 1 or 2mm thick. It’ll still work if you cut them thicker but they look better and are quicker if they’re skinny.

Pat them dry-ish with some kitchen paper.

Space them evenly and untouching on a piece of baking parchment on a baking tray.

I sliced mine from the edge to the centre so they’d look more petal-y but you don’t have to. You should though.

When the tray is full of pineapple circles put it in the oven for at least an hour. The slices should be dry to the touch but not crispy.

If they’re still damp pop them back in for another 20mins.

It’s mad. The central core starts going weird and like the centre of a flower.

Where they’re dry place them into a bun tray or something roundy so they take on a nice, full flower shape. Leave them overnight to set.

Arrange them in little clusters on something tropical. Like a coconut cake. Next week.