Christmas Pudding Cake Pops!

Ok so it's mid November and we've got a while to go before we need to start thinking about Christmas, but sadly I am spending my first Christmas away this year and so would like to soak up any festive cheer I can in the next three weeks!

So I made cake pops... Christmas pudding cake pops. I've gotta say I've never fancied the ones made with cake mix crumbs and frosting coated in candy melts so I made up a slightly more sophisticated and rich recipe and wasn't disappointed. These are easy and they make such cute gifts tied up in little cellophane bags, my first batch went out this week, jinga jing jing ..Christmas is coming!!

 Make a tray of gooey brownies and let cool. Now cut into small 1 inch squares and roll in your palm briefly to make balls and then pop them on a tray and freeze for 20 minutes. 
Leave out to soften enough to push a lollypop stick in 1cm that's been dipped in a little melted chocolate. It may crack a little so just dab on a little more melted chocolate and because the brownie is cold the chocolate will set so quickly - like super glue!

 Now roll the pop in a bowl of melted chocolate and tap until all excess drips off.

 I stood my pops up in a jar of caster sugar but I suppose if you have a foam block or some polystyrene packaging that would work really well too.

 Oops this one didn't even get to the holly stage, well we're experimenting here so that means munching too.

 Sieve a cup of icing sugar into a bowl and slowly mix in drops of water until you get quite a thick, smooth icing. Spoon a little onto the top and drag down little bits with a toothpick and then before the icing dries pop on your holly leaves and berries and sprinkle with glitter. 

I left mine to dry properly overnight and they were still good in the morning no crackling or spoiling. These are so yummy and moist inside and let's admit it they are pretty cute too. 

Chocolate Torte

Today has been miserable :( But there are 4 things that have cheered me up..


1. Got an exciting catering job coming up  
2. my cakes were on the Apprentice last night!
3. There is chocolate torte in the house 
4. I'm going to Spain on Monday 


So back to number 3...Chocolate isn't always my first choice but when it is pouring it down outside and I've a cup of tea in my hand and a long list of things to do, it suits me just fine! 

250g dark chocolate
250g unsalted butter
6 eggs
125g caster sugar
50g almonds
pinch of salt
1 tsp of vanilla paste

Beat egg yolks with sugar until pale and fluffy. Pour into cooled melted chocolate and butter.

 Add ground almonds, a pinch of salt and vanilla and stir through.

 Whisk egg whites until soft peak stage and stir in a third thoroughly.

 Now use a large metal spoon to lightly fold in the rest of the egg whites until just combined.

 Pour into a lined and greased 23cm tin and bake for 25-30 minutes on 170C fan

 Leave to cool in tin, then dust with cocoa and serve with whatever you like! I like mine with Kirsch cherries and creme fraiche.Mmmm

Lasagne

I can just feel the pounds piling on! 

MMMmmmushrooms on toast

Gotta say, when you wake on a Saturday with a slightly sore head there's nothing better than a cooked brekkie and sometimes it's not of the Full English sort. 
Fry mushrooms until edges brown and crisp in butter, then chuck in a dollop of creme fraiche and a smaller dollop of grainy mustard. Pour onto toast, season and sprinkle with chives. yum. 

Stationery cake

I do love making cakes. Even if I don't know who they are for, I hear about the birthday girl or boy, what they like, what will make the cake personal. This one was great because it was for a woman turning 30 but her mum wanted to have a cake that reminded her of her childhood passion. Geez it was mine too! 

Apparently Hannah used to run in from school and pretend to answer phone calls, fill in petty cash receipts, write lists and take the register. This was all under her shop name of "Caroline Smart"- her mum still has no idea why. I completely understood this, my sister and I used to do this kind of stuff all the time. Occasionally I will open a book from the bookshelf and spot 15 years on there is still a homemade library slip in the inside cover, stamped all over the place where we asked our mum for a date stamp! 

I really had fun making the cake, especially the receipt roll and pencil sharpener and also the "Caroline Smart" lettering to look like fridge magnets!

Sausage Stew

I don't have much time to write a proper post but until tomorrow, remember it's British Sausage Week, so go cook some bangers! I cooked a lovely Venison sausage and mushroom stew this week, loving this chilly weather when it prompts food like this.

Eight over Eight - reopened!

I was sad to hear the news of the fire at Eight over Eight last year and have been peering out bus windows for what seems like forever for it to reopen. It's back and it's just as you would remember it from the bar to the artwork on the walls.

Jo and I managed to spend 4 hours in Eight over Eight last Sunday! They are running an offer of 50% of all food every Sunday throughout November so if you fancy something different to your Sunday Roast maybe you should pay a visit. The Korean barbeque lamb was incredible and as a big lamb fan, this was up there with the best. I would go again for this dish alone. 

If you've looked at the Black cod with sweet miso yuzu on the menu and thought twice about it at £27 try it on a Sunday in November for half price!