Tuesday 3 September 2013

Coffee disaster

So I've baked a lot this summer, but I will put that on another post.
Right now, it's time to laugh at an awful excuse for coffee cake.
What happened- I put a well made Hummingbird recipe into the bottom oven of the aga... And then I watched outnumbered and Anna Karenina. Whoopsies.

But, it didn't burn because it was on a silly low lovel of heat. So essentially I didn't bake it, I dried it. Result? A very solid cake.

In an attempt to save it from the bin, I came up with the idea of coffee drizzle, with the intention of restoring some moisture in the 'sponge'.

It did not work.

Sunday 5 May 2013

Brownies!

This is the first time I've actually made some successful brownies! May have something to do with the hummingbird bakery's recipe being great....



Housemate envy: 10/10... deffo should make more
Presentation: 7/10 - put no effort into it
Yummy points: 9.5/10 - might add chocolate chips

Saturday 4 May 2013

Notre Beau Jardin









The Tulips in the garden are the ones I planted back in October. I'm so happy that they are beautiful, if a little heavy for themselves. With all the stress in my work life right now, I need something like this to remind me that I am capable of doing something worthwhile. 

Meanwhile, pretty much the entire allotment is dandelions. Whooops....

Wednesday 1 May 2013

6 weeks without baking... What's wrong with me?

I cannot believe how long it has been without baking. Between being ill and being busy, it's been difficult to get home to sleep let alone to make a cake.
Anyway, here is my comeback; The Brooklyn Blackout Cake



It is a Hummingbird Bakery recipe; a three tiered chocolate sponge, enveloped with a chocolate custard icing which was an absolute faff. 

But what a beauty!

Housemate envy: 9/10 a very anticipated cake, that didn't disappoint. Half gone!
Presentation: 8/10 Would have loved to have a more squared off shape instead of a dome. Need to sort out my rise. First ever crumb coating though - success! 
Yummy points: 9/10 Apparently a touch too much on the icing on the cake:covering ratio. Keep in mind.

Tuesday 26 March 2013

Recent cakes!

Sorry I haven't been updating recently... I've been super busy with Architecture.

All food recently (including cake) has been ginger tinged - I bought SO much by accident (online shopping nightmare). As a result I have developed a ginger blindness; there can never be too much now, and it is disturbing my loved ones....

Cocktail party at Mary's - Such a great night of creating
yummy combos and getting accidently drunk.

Mary made a cake for Luke's birthday - it was LUSH

Irish Soda Bread

Gingerbread, left, and ginger 'teabag' cookie (see here for the idea)

gluten free gingerbread with chocolate!

Ginger Chocolate flapjack

Carrot and Ginger cake - AMAZING

A sign of spring at the allotment!!!



Sunday 24 February 2013

Sun rises

I had a week full of working on projects, so I was up at about 6 (hungover or not... #proud) everyday. 

There were a lot of beautiful sunrises, because it was a beautiful week of weather... of course it was; I had work to do.











Monday 18 February 2013

Giving up on Lent, and Deadlines

Little bit nervous about my review tomorrow, but never mind.

Gave up on 'No Processed Food' - It's so difficult. It's harder than giving up sugar last year, because at least then I could eat pasta, bread and cheese.

I procrastibaked on Friday (maybe?), and made a weird fruit cake. I substituted butter for a touch of oil, and switched sugar for honey. I also added sunflower seeds.

IT WAS SO GOOEY.

... verging on "I will never be cooked".

It was kind of like Soreen, in the way that it stuck to our teeth.

It didn't last long at all....

I particularly like the gesture of leaving a little tiny bit...

Housemate Points: 9/10 - very surprising
Presentation: 8/10 - very normal, nothing special
Yummy points: 9/10 - maybe more spice!

Saturday 16 February 2013

Woodland adventures

I have the luck to be able to walk a gorgeous dog every saturday. Today was sunny so I took a LOT of photos...



Garden is coming into bloom. Super happy!



Gem, the wonderful dog.





Wednesday 13 February 2013

Lent - Day One

Today is the first day, and I've put all my bread in the freezer.
There are a few things I am keeping that are processed - bacon, green tea, and oil. I think that this little list might grow and grow, but for now, it's veg, lean meat, milk, water.

Lunch today - stir fried carrot and leek, with pumpkin
seeds and raw almonds cooked in. On top of  baked potato.

Lent begins

We had a good pancake day in the house yesterday, but now its down to business.

This year I am giving up all processed foods. Which should be super good for me.

Sounds pretty simple, and I'm going to have to get creative to avoid missing out on my baking resolution, but I think I can make it. 

Some snaps of our pancakes last night:


Squiggley heart

Giant cupcake





Sunday 10 February 2013

Sussex for the Weekend

This weekend I went home. It has been very good, especially since I have horrid tonsillitis.
Also, it's raining. WAH.

The Friday night 6 hour journey was hideous,
 but the sunset over Dorset was pretty.


Piano Players in ST.Pancreas were delightful
Walk to the tiddley tiny Hatch pub with Sophie and the gang

Chai Tea with soppy

Jasmine's BEAUTIFUL Viennese swirls


Today I baked some chocolate orange cookies, which were definitely too crumbley for my liking, but everyone else seems to want more.

Chocolate Orange cookies baked today (sunday)

Apology cookies

On Tuesday night, I went out with my housemate. We were pretty loud when we returned in the wee hours of the morning. So I made some 'sorry for waking you up' treats.

Oatmeal and Raisin cookies.
Was still a little on the wrong side of tipsy, so it's a miracle that these came out ok. I used a Joy of Baking recipe, but deviated. A lot.

Crumbs stand as evidence that they are great warm
(there were two dozen)

Housemate Envy: 9/10 - a simple recipe that simultaneously helped hangovers and mended fences.
Presentation Points: 9/10 - I could have wrapped them up, or presented them on a nice stand, but they were too yummy to waste time doing that. They had a nice 'golden brown' going on, and soft in the middle.
Yummy Points: 8/10 - need more raisins and oil for a more gooey cookie. A real homely bake, that dangerously feels like it should be healthy. Maybe substitute sugar with apple puree? More dried fruit?


Tuesday 5 February 2013

Cabbage Rolls

Don't scream 'she's going vegan' so quick - these are bloody lush. And only 381 cals.

Basically it's a load of veg (mushrooms, spinach, kale) mixed with pollock and rice wrapped in steamed cabbage leaves. And of course, a yummy amount of soft goats cheese on top.

OM NOM NOM.