Jelly Teatowel!!


The other day, whilst at work, I received this mysterious small parcel (one I hadn't ordered myself!). One of our clients at work, who knows about my "Never Eat Wobbly Jelly" blog had sent me a teatowel with my logo on it!!

How cool is that!!!
Lacey, was out and about when she spotted it and said she just had to get for me. How nice is that :O)
Pete decided that it should go pride of place in a frame. So I've just got to decide what cake I should bake her to say thank you..... any ideas?

Mx




Weetabix Tealoaf


This is another recipe taken from my mum Victoria. To be honest with you it was only recently that I tried it. She has always made it, but due too having a proper sweet tooth, I always went for her Victoria Sponge! However I tried some the other day, and I've got to say I'm hooked!

The way to eat this cake is to slice it like a loaf of bread and then spread a thin layer of butter on each slice. It's very satisfying, sweet but not too sweet, you could easily have a slice for brekkie!

RECIPE:
2 Weetabix, crumbled
Half a pint Semi-skimmed milk
8oz Mixed Dried Fruit
2oz Chopped walnuts (or pecans)
4oz Soft brown sugar
8oz Self-raising Flour
1 Egg, beaten   

Mix all the ingredients. except the flour & egg, into a bowl. Place in the fridge and leave overnight to soak.
Next day, pre-heat the oven too 180oc .
Take the mixture from the fridge and mix in the beaten egg and then the flour. Once it combined well, pour into a greased & lined loaf tin. Pop into the oven for around 1hr 20minutes (*For the last 30mins put some tin foil over the top).

Job Done!!

We popped over to our friends who recently have had a lovely little boy. So hearing things can be quite hectic in the first few weeks we decided to take them a weetabix loaf and a tasty beef casserole to keep them going. I think they went down rather well!


Emily & the lovely little Baby James

Fancy a Guinness?



Chocolate Guinness Cake with a White chocolate Froth.

Now this is a proper chocolate cake! A rich dark chocolate sponge that gives a kick of cocoa followed by a silky soft white chocolate froth to contrast. A perfect marriage of flavours :O)
 It may look small but it is 19cm in diameter, it's just that it's quite a deep cake. The froth on top adds to it's height too, making it look more like a cube..... and a stunning cube at that!
If you have strange issues with cube like cakes you can bake it in a bigger cake tin, thus making it thinner... (wimps!)

Just realised that I blogged about drinking Guinness the other week... and now currently finishing of the bottle from baking the cake "Waste not want not!" well it's full of iron - must be good for me :O)

Anyho here is the recipe :o)

125g Stork Marg (makes tastier cakes + is healthier than butter)  
250g Light Muscovado Sugar
175g Plain flour
50g Cocoa Powder (extra for dusting)
half tspn Baking Powder
1 tspn Bicarb-of-soda
3 Eggs, beaten
200ml Guinness (see you do need to finish the rest off!)
White Froth:
200ml Double cream
200g White choc (plus extra for curls)

Preheat the oven to 160oc
Grease 19cm loose bottom cake tin & line the bottom with parchment.

Cream the butter and sugar together, so it's an even consistancy. Then in a seperate bowl sift all the dry ingredients together. Have your measured out Guinness and beaten eggs to hand....
Gradually beat in alternative spoonfuls of the Dry ingredients, Guinness & egg into the sugar/butter mixture.

Spoon into your cake tin & bake in the oven for 55minutes. At this point check your cake, by inserting a skewer into the cake. If it comes out clean it's ready. I had to pop it back in for another 10mins (all depends on your oven).
Once ready, leave in the tin for 10mins before popping out onto a wire rack (remove the parchment paper) to completely cool. 

Bring on the froth!
Put half the cream into a pan and bring to the boil. Take off the heat and drop in the chopped white chocolate - Leave for 10mins - then stir - then pop into the fridge & chill for 15mins.
Take the other half of the cream & whip up! Add the white choc mixture & whip up again - Then chill for 15min again. Phew... Now you can spread the 'beautiful' mixture onto your cake & decorate.
Use a veggie peeler to make the curls & a small amount of cocoa to dust.

"To be sure, to be sure" this cake is always a hit!

 
Guinness cake with additional white choc curls & cocoa powder... YUM!

Knitting Grannies

As you've read, I am nowing trying my hand at knitting. This IS a working progresss & seems to have gone in reverse after a bit of a malfuction & I had to undo three days work!! There were a few expletives flying about when this happened.

TIP: Don't run before you walk.

The reason for this malfunction was - I had completed around 25 rows of good knitting and was pretty chuffed. However this led me to believe that I could take on the world & thought I should throw in a couple of 'cable stiches'. Hrumph! "Throw in" Who was I kidding!!??
Pete started to view his scarf with a worried look and bravely suggested I stuck to knitting. He is a brave man isn't he!?

Anyway I am continuing in my quest to create Pete a scarf, even if it means him wearing it in the height of summer! I shall blog some photos when it is nearly finished....

In the mean while our knitting needs have been fullfilled by Granies Inc! This is a awesome website where you get to design your own wooly hat and then a 'granny' will knit it for you. It truely is ACE. A couple of friends have got hats from them & they're really lovely.
So Pete and I have designed and ordered our hats - due to arrive this week!

Guess what!? I went onto their website http://www.granniesinc.co.uk and they've chosen my hat design as one of the Top 3 designs of the month!! How cool is that?

Shall let you know when it arrives :)



Ice cold


Due to the freezing temperatures, Pete and decided to venture down to the park and feed the ducks geese. Not much water about, the majority of the pond was frozen.

They seemed happy to see us though.

New Year New Skills




"New Year resolutions are to eat less cake and to learn new things."

Unfortunately that means baking less cakes and stuff in general, which is not good for the blog. What will I do instead!? Then a friend mentioned she had started knitting. BINGO! New skill, no cake involved and it keeps me busy.

So I'm attempting to knit right-handed (hard work for a left-handed person) and create Pete a scarf. I've done a couple of inches so far woop woop! Has only taken me two days do... hmm at this rate it'll be ready for next Feb!?


Videojug.com  has saved me quite a few times, mind you still had to undo two days work on sat :-O thus the pint of Guinness...

Wish me luck..... I need it!
x

We British Do Love Our Changeable Weather

Over the last couple of weeks, I've noticed such a range of weather. Great for conversations, don't you think!?