Obsession

I made custard creams from Nigella Lawson's Feast today. A few tiny adjustments because we didn't have (and I don't like) shortening - we used butter as a replacement, and I don't own a processor so I rubbed in the fat and the egg. It was ridiculously flaky but not as delicate as her recipe suggests. The biscuits themselves could have been rolled a lot flatter than 5mm and would have been a lot nicer - note that for once it wasn't me being lax!! I did make 29 cut outs in total, the recommended is 28-30! Maybe next time I'll try the shortening. Or maybe I'll just buy a packet of custard creams... Happy Valentines (and Happy Chinese New Year!)

http://www.afternoontea.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=29&Itemid=3 There was a 25% off deal in January and so we went as a family (well sis-in-law (in pic), bro, my sis and me...) It is located nicely behind Selfridges and is just past the lobby. Unfortunately, in a way, it IS the lobby since the lifts are just there without much separation from where we were sitting. On the plus side, it was very family friendly as there were several little kids around. Also a nice place to waste the afternoon since there is a gorgeous little sofa and fire area which one couple had commandeered. Maybe with some foresight it could be booked, but I wasn't there for the romance ;) To the tea! Firstly, choice of tea was pretty good. Included the greens, rosebud, but also hot chocolate which my sis-in-law chose. Me, I went for the Assam. The closest thing to PG Tips is basically what I chose to go with afternoon tea. Anything else just feels wrong. Bonus points, it came in ...

I picked this recipe up in the Metro ages ago because the picture looked very pretty and I've been to Primrose bakery in Covent Garden once before (and unlike Hummingbird, I think the cupcakes are very nice if not particularly remarkable against home baking). I debated the merits of frosting, but decided against in the end. I'll write the recipe here as per the newspaper cutting (in my odd bullet way). Since the frosting was chocolate it wouldn't have achieved what I thought was missing from the cupcakes - a stronger orange taste. Next time I think I might have to find some orange crunchy bits or something. An orange aero crushed up maybe. It was just missing... something. Ingredients: 115g dark chocolate 90g unsalted butter 175g caster sugar 1 orange zest 2 large eggs 185g plain flour 1/2 tsp bicarb of soda 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 1 tbsp milk 1 orange's juice 1. Melt chocolate and leave to one side for a sec (I use a microwave, you can use a bain-marie... mo...

Am extremely happy today. Have discovered Nigel Slater's Real Food on Youtube (under TV, Food and then it streams from 4 on Demand) http://www.youtube.com/shows?p=None&s=sftv&b=23 But, other little things I've been up to. Made a carrot cake today. The originating recipe was from James Martin's Desserts, however I made some fairly dramatic changes to it. None of the decoration, a different frosting, different flour, different flavouring, different sugar, no nuts etc etc. My version therefore is as below: Ingredients: 200g grated carrot (two big-uns..) 175g demerara sugar 2 large eggs 150ml sunflower/veg oil 200g self raising flour (I comboed baking powder and plain) 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tbsp cinnamon 120g sultanas 50g dessicated coconut Frosting: 300g cream cheese 2 huge tbsp icing sugar 1/2 lemon worth of juice Muesli Method: 1. Sugar, eggs and oil. Mix. 2. Add flour, cinnamon and bicarb. Mix. 3. Put in sultanas, coconut and carrot. Mix (Note, I did a quick s...