Long time ago I bought “Leith’s Cooking Bible”, had a look through it, put it on the shelf and let it sit there, gathering dust. £15 well spent. Last night, when having a cup of tea I longed for something sweet, but there were no biscuits at home, so right before bed I picked the bible off the shelf and found a few nice recipes in terms of cookies,  worth attention and a try.

A certain chocolate fan, that I share my life with, insisted that the cookies must be chocolate ones. I like baking with chocolate, so I obliged.

For the dough I used 115 g of butter that I melted with 100 g of plain chocolate and 1 tsp of instant coffee granules.  When slightly cooled, I added to a bowl, in which I had 140 g of caster sugar, 140 g of light brown sugar, 250 g of plain flour, 1/2 tsp of baking powder, 30 g of cocoa, 2 beaten eggs and a small bag of chocolate chips( Dr.Oetker’s on this occasion). The dough was quite thick, but I used a tea spoon to form little balls, flattened them and placed on a greased baking sheet. They baked for 10 minutes in 180 degrees. When out of the oven they seemed a bit under done, but I followed the recipe and it worked. They’re rich, moorish and lovely.

The dinner I made this evening was a bit of a waste, cause we got stuffed on cookies like silly kids and there was no space for proper food. I should also mention that I’m trying to lose the baby fat around my stomach. Clearly not trying TODAY. 🙂

I saw it on tv last night, there was nothing in it that I don’t like- apples,cinnamon, had to try. Lovely recipe, easy and quick, made it and whacked it in the oven in no time, while Izzlett was napping.

I used about 40 g of soft butter which I whizzed with 100 g of self raising flour and 50 g of brown sugar. Added a generous tsp of cinnamon, then 1,5 chopped apples ( I had pink lady in the fruit bowl, worked nicely) and 2 eggs, lightly beaten. All this went into a loaf tin, topped with thinly sliced apples and some brown sugar sprinkled on them. Baked in 180 degrees for about 40 minutes.

Mary suggested warmed apricot jam glaze after it cooled a bit, I used maple syrup. Yum!

Inspired by Masterchef last night, starring so called celebrities. Some bint, who’s famous for socializing, made a frangipan tart. I felt like making  some kind of frangipan tart, found Paul Hollywood’s recipe with apricots and pears. I had neither, but I had strawberries.

Izzie was asleep upstairs, like a good child that she is, so I managed to do the whole thing in one go. Sweet shortcrust pastry( 250 g of plain flour, 125 g of butter, 2 egg yolks, some sugar and a drop of water to bind it), blind baked it in 200 degrees for 15 minutes with baking beans and then about 8 minutes without. Then, on the bottom went some strawberry jam followed by the said frangipan. Easy, Kitchen Aid did the job-for my small round tin I used 62 g of butter and sugar, nicely creamed together, 75 g of ground almonds, 25 g of plain flour, 1,5 egg and a generous tsp of vanilla paste. It smelled great. Onto the frangipan went sliced strawberries and chopped hazelnuts( ran out of almonds). And all that baked in 160 degrees for about 40 minutes.

Very pleased with the pastry and the whole thing, strawberries were a good choice with the sweet tart, they balanced the taste nicely. Will be playing with frangipan again.

We visited Over Farm Market outside Gloucester yesterday, I was hoping for some lovely strawberries and asparagus, they had both. We had Eton mess last night, today I baked the cake and there’s still lots left, I need to use them in something good, not just strawberry/banana smoothies, lovely as they are.

The cake, recipe from GF, simple and very decent indeed( there’s a quarter of that cake left). 90 g each of ground almonds, self raising flour, sugar and soft butter, 2 eggs and a touch of cream all mixed together with an electric whisk that struggled, as the mixture was quite thick. The recipe asked for a tsp of cinnamon, I added 2, big cinnamon fan that I am. Half of that thick mixture went on the bottom of my small round baking tin, on it cleaned and sliced strawberries, around 250 g. The rest of the cake mix on top and into the oven for about 50 minutes, in  180 degrees. Finished off with icing sugar, served with cream. The remaining slice will be enjoyed after spaghetti bolognese this evening, but with vanilla ice cream. 🙂

Cover recipe from one of the GF mags.  I have my Mum over so needed something nice for the coffee in the garden. Really nice, a keeper.

For my small 6″ tin I used 100 g of Philadelphia cheese, quickly mixed with half an egg, some icing sugar and vanilla paste. For the cake mix 90 g of soft butter, 125 g self raising flour, 50 g of caster sugar, 2 eggs, 25 g of ground almonds, 2 tsp of fat yoghurt and some more vanilla paste( naturally, if that little jar stands there open it must be abused!). Half of the cake mixture gets on the bottom of the tin, some sliced strawberries  and half of the cheese, then the rest of the cake mixture, carefully, in order not to disturb the cheese, more strawberries, some flaked almonds on top and to the oven for roughly an hour in 180 degrees. Delicious served warm, as we had in the garden, with The Bundle of Love sleeping quietly in the basket. 🙂

I’m finding all sorts of ways to pass time, hoping Izzie will stop nudging and get to work of emerging into the world.  It’s Easter tomorrow and though I’m not massive about tradition ( my father would disown me again if he read it), I thought one little eggy thing would be nice.  So I baked a New York Cheesecake according to that very same recipe-

New York Cheesecake.

only I swapped lemon juice for yuzu juice, which Nicolo brought me from Dinings 2 weeks ago. Yuzu flavour is unmistakable, fresh and lovely. Especially the glaze I’m very pleased with. All topped with chocolate eggs it’s now setting in the fridge. Pleased with the way I made it look and I’m wondering, if I ever get brave enough and start doing it for a living- what would I charge for it?

Happy Easter, come on Izzie!!! 🙂

Perseverance paid off. What I’ve produced yesterday ended up in the bin, buns went hard when completely cooled  and were rubbish. Kitchen Aid will be fixed, Florek promised, while I took a different recipe, bought some fresh yeast in the bakery and having gotten a new haircut- got back to baking.

The recipe I used this time came from GF, the section when the kids are encouraged to bake, so if that didn’t work I’d feel like an idiot, but it did work.

I used 400 g of strong bread flour, 21 g of fresh yeast, crumbled into it ( a nice hint found online regarding dry yeast vs fresh, it’s all multiplied by 3, so if the recipe calls for 7g of dry yeast, fresh yeast should be 21 g), 60 g of sugar, 1 tbsp each of mixed spice and cinnamon, all mixed in the bowl. Then 250 ml of warm milk, 1 beaten egg, 50 g of melted butter and all that was kneaded for about 10 minutes, had to add quite a lot of flour to keep it together.  Within an hour on a sunny windowsill, under the cloth it more than doubled in size, so I knocked it down a little, added the sultanas and chocolate chips and when formed in 10 perfect buns, left to prove for another 20 minutes. I made the paste with plain flour, sugar and vanilla paste and painted the crosses, but they melted in and can’t be seen. The buns baked in 200 degrees for 20 minutes. When slightly cooled I brushed them with apricot jam, warmed up. Very pleased for a change.

In an hour we’re off to Stratford upon Avon to meet Jimbo and Louise for dinner, Izzie seems to be allowing it. I’m craving some good prawn dish  and in  the place we’re going  to they have gamberetti bruschetta on the a la carte menu. Yum .