I may have mentioned before (once or twice) that I am quite a fan of chocolate. I really like Hotel Chocolat (and think that because it is quite expensive I won’t inhale it so quickly as ‘normal’ chocolate, although that doesn’t always work) but I also love the usual brands you can find in the […]
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Celebrating US Independence Day with chocolate Coca-Cola cake
When you are making something to celebrate US Independence Day on 4 July, you can’t go too far wrong than making something which involves coca-cola, the brand that apparently created the red and white Santa Clause we know today. Personally, I have never been a fan of fizzy drinks – it’s one of the few […]
Meal planning Monday – 26 May 2014
So, the kitchen is finished. I have bored you all to tears with my tales of woe whilst I was unable to use it due to renovations, but it’s back, I survived, and am looking forward to doing some cooking for the week later on today. But, next we move on to the bathroom: unfortunately […]
Beautiful Brugge: Flemish beef stew and speculoos biscuits
This latest blog post has been a long time coming. It is almost one year ago since I went to Brugge (more commonly known as Bruges, but the locals prefer Brugge as it is in the Flemish part of Belgium) on a long weekend break. Andrew and I had actually been there before and had […]
St Patrick’s Day Irish stew, chocolate Guinness cake and Baileys ice cream
It’s St Patrick’s day, and even though I only have the most tenuous link to Ireland (I sit opposite an Irish girl at work), I am happy to take any opportunity to join in with the craic. Plus, it’s not every day you have the perfect excuse to make Nigella Lawson’s chocolate Guinness cake, which […]
Nigella’s chocolate molten babycakes
My mum’s birthday was on 9 February, which this year fell between me flying back from Sri Lanka and her flying out to Grand Canaria. As a consequence, we only saw eachother this week – although that worked out well as we had the chance to share our holiday experiences and for me to give […]
GBBO challenge week 8 – vegetable cake
Find out more about by Great British Bake Off challenge. Okay, I admit it, this week is a complete cop-out. The technical challenge during week 8’s GBBO was a dacquoise – a layered cake of hazelnut meringue, coffee cream, chocolate ganache and crushed hazelnuts. I did seriously plan to make this cake, until my lovely […]
GBBO challenge week 7 – Religieuse
Find out more about my Great British Bake Off challenge. If I wasn’t already an athiest, making Religieuse this week would have turned me into one. These little choux bun towers, named for the nuns they are supposed to resemble (you’d have to be on drugs to mistake mine for nuns), represent what I dislike […]
GBBO challenge week 6 – apricot couronne
Find out more about by Great British Bake Off challenge. I fall in love with the bake off a little bit more each week – although when trying to describe the show to others it is hard to explain it’s charm, as it sounds like it must be so boring … watching people bake three […]
GBBO challenge week 4 – custard tart
Find out more about my GBBO challenge. Custard tarts! I love them. We used to get them as a treat from the bakers when we were younger, although I haven’t had one for a few years. I have, however, made a custard tart before – Andrew’s nan fancied a sweet treat and I had just […]