Something sweet...

I never have time to blog, but seem to have time to bake and eat my creation!! because of this I have made myself a promise to blog at least three times this coming week.
I always take pics for the post that I plan to write, but never write it...but that will not be the case this week!

This week we made pancakes.......

Healthy banana!!....and naughty nutella....

Pancake pans are the best...makes life a lot easier!

So I've had a very busy couple of weeks. Harrison's uncle and auntie came to visit last weekend from Sweden so he got even more attention than normal.It's amazing but after their recent visit he seems to recognises their voices on skype.

Our computer got a virus via Ebay so we couldn't use it (until my brother did his handy work), our landline died and trying to get sky to fix it was one big hoo ha!

Doesn't sound that much when I read it back, but seemed a lot at the time!

I made a key lime pie, of which I forgot to photograph, a red velvet cake ( post to follow in the week), A chocolate cake for my newphew and I think thats about it...oh and a visit to a vintage clothes fair...........

All we bought was a cuppa and a slice of cake ( naughty), it would have been rude not to!

Anyway I hope you all have a good week and may the sun shine down on us :)

I'm not just talking to myself....

.....I reached 50 follows and I want to say a big thank you to you all for adding me. I didn't think I'd end up with 5 let alone 50!
My little blog is somewhere for me to come and be creative and it's so lovely to know that you are there following me along the way.
I thought I would celebrate with a good old fashioned traditional victoria sponge with a little twist of a filling!!

Ingredients:

4 eggs, weighed in their shells

butter or margarine

caster sugar

self raising flour

the above 3 ingredients should weigh the same as the weight of the 4 eggs in shells!

(if you want smaller cakes make with 3 eggs and the same weight again in the sugar, butter and flour).

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Mix together the sugar and butter /marg until light and fluffy.

2. Add in the vanilla extract and beat.

3. Add the eggs and lightly beat.

4. Now sift in the flour and stir into the mixture until well combined.

5. Poor the mixture into 2 tins lined with greaseproof paper and place into the oven at 180c.

6. Bake for approx 20 minutes.

I filled the middle with a layer of strawberry jam and a layer of mascapone cheese (the mascapone stops it from becoming too sweet).

the topping is icing sugar mixed with water and pink food colouring.

Raspberry Coconut slice

A little late for a valentines post, but these are what I made for my Hubby for valentines. They went down well with a cuppa and so I thought I'd share this very easy recipe with you lovely bloggers!

 

Recipe taken from marks and spencers ' biscuits and macaroons' recipe book.

Ingredients

Sponge:

90g Butter

110g Caster sugar

1 Egg

35g Self Raising flour

100g Plain flour

1 Tablespoon custard powder

220g Raspberry jam

Coconut Topping:

160g desiccated coconut

55g Caster Sugar

2 Eggs, beaten Lightly

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180c and grease and line a 20 x 30 cm retangular tin.

2. Beat the butter, sugar and egg in a bowl until it turns light and fluffy.

3. stir in the sifted flour and custard powder.

4. Spread the dough into the tin and then spread the jam on top ( make sure you stir the jam before spreading, as it needs to be runny to spread over the dough) .

5. place the topping ingredients into a bowl and mix until combined.

6. sprinkle over the jam ( they say sprinkle but it's too wet to sprinkle, so I placed it on top of the jam and spread it with a fork).

7. Place in the oven and bake for 40 mins.

Make sure you use the correct size tin as I used a 20 x 20 tin and it took longer to bake!!

I think you could use any jam you fancy.....maybe something like blueberry or apricot.

Enjoy your weekend.x

Heaven in a box.......

This week Grandma and myself took our little Harrison on his first trip on a train into London town.
 What a delight for the little fella he didn't know where to look first.
I hold my hands up to being a very curious person ( well........more like nosey...always have been, always will be!) and little H has taken after me! He was having a lovely time looking at all the different faces and places, it was a joy to see him taking everything in.
The joy didn't stop there and why should it I hear you say....It was only fair that mummy and grandma should have some too so we popped along to Patisserie Valerie.....

This little box was filled with these little treats!



Tiramisu





Mixed berry treat

They were devine, so if you ever pass a Valerie's I'd advice you pop in for a little treat.

What more could I have asked for....sunshine,my mama, my little fella and a naughty treat!!

Enjoy your weekend.x



Chocolate Fudge Cake

This has to be one of the easiest chocolate cakes to make..honestly (well minus the handmade flowers!)

Sponge:

175g self raising flour

150g caster sugar

2 tablespoons golden syrup

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

2 medium eggs

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

150ml sunflower oil

150ml milk

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180c

2. Line two 7''round tins with greaseproof paper

3. Sieve the flour, cocoa and bicarb into a bowl, add the sugar and mix until combined

4. Make a well in the middle and add the syrup, eggs, milk and oil and mix until smooth

5. Spoon the mixture into the two tins and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes until springy to the touch

6. Leave to cool before placing onto a cooling rack

Frosting:

75g Unsalted butter (at room temp)

175g Icing sugar (sifted)

3 Tablespoons cocoa

Milk

( I double the ingredients of the frosting as I don't like to scrimp)

Method:

1. Beat the butter until soft

2. Add the icing sugar and beat until well combined

3. Add enough milk until you have a good spreading consistency

4. Sift the cocoa powder into the mixture and mix together until smooth

5. Sandwich the cakes together with half of the frosting then using a palete knife cover the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting...

.......there you have it one light moist chocolate cake

...........enjoy.x

Rocky Road treat.....

I wanted to send people away with a little treat at my tea party, unfortunately I didn't have any cello bags big enough so had to wrap each piece in clingfilm...I was not happy I can tell you!!

Ingredients:

200g chocolate, milk or dark

100g unsalted butter

200g chocolate chip cookies, lightly crushed

100g mini marshmellows

100g sultanas

Golden syrup

d

Dark chocolate to cover

Method:

Line a 7''x 7'' tin with clingfilm.

Melt chocolate in a bain marie or bowl over a saucepan with simmering water along with the butter.

Once melted allow to cool for 10 minutes.

Stir in the cookies, mini marshmellows, sultanas and some golden syrup ( just enough to bind it all together...roughly 2-3 tablespoons),

Transfer into the tin, press down until even all over and chill for at least 2 hours.

Once set, poor melted dark chocolate over the top so it covers evenly...ta dah finished product!

Chop into small or big pieces, whatever takes your fancy :)

Lemon Sponge Cupcakes....

                         .........with Lemon Curd and Lemon frosting.

I also made the cake wrappers by using paper dollies....a very cheap way to make your cakes look pretty.You can get a packet of around 60 paper dollies from the pound shop for.....well one pound!!

That tutorial will be another post, when i'm not upto my eyeballs in nappies!...

Sponge ingredients: 120 g plain flour 150 g caster sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest (plus extra to decorate) 40 g unsalted butter, at room temperature 120 ml whole milk 1 egg Lemon frosting: 250 g icing sugar, sifted 80 g unsalted butter, at room temperature 2 tablespoons grated lemon zest Juice of 1/2 lemon a couple of drops of yellow food colouring (optional) 25 ml whole milk

Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest and butter in a bowl and beat on low speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in the milk and beat until just incorporated. Add the egg to the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated. Continue mixing for a couple of minutes until the mixture is smooth. Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until 2/3 full Bake in pre-heated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted should come out clean. Leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in tray before turning out onto wire cooling rack to cool completely. For the lemon frosting: Beat together the icing sugar, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice and food colouring on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn the mixer down to a slower speed. Slowly pour in the milk, then when it is all incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy (at least 5 minutes). When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the lemon frosting on top and decorate with a little lemon zest. I also added a little lemon curd to the top of the sponge before piping on the lemon  frosting...delish!!