Rising To The Berry

American Chocolate Wedding Cake

2012-08-20T13:46:00.000-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Nineteen: Page 143.

So here it is, my final recipe from Mary Berry's Baking Bible - and what a cake to finish on! A three tier chocolate wedding cake. I've never made a tiered cake before, and I felt a mixture of both trepidation and excitement! If I could successfully tackle this impressive cake I would be thoroughly pleased with myself!!

Scanning through the list of ingredients I was overwhelmed by the enormous quantities. I would need to purchase over 7lbs of chocolate, but most shocking of all were the eggs. I required thirty eight in total.....no that isn't a typo, it really was THIRTY EIGHT!!! I very much hoped this cake would be a success as it was proving to be very expensive. It was a shame not to be catering for a wedding as it seemed rather wasteful to make such a spectacular cake without a special occasion.

Isaac was spending the day with his grandparents so that I could get on with this time consuming cake. It was a hot and muggy day, so I pulled my hair up into a scruffy bun and wore one of Neil's long baggy t-shirts. I was not a pretty sight, but I was more concerned with comfort than appearance!

I decided to make each cake individually as there would be no way I could fit all the ingredients into my modest mixing bowl in one go. Thankfully Mary allows for this, and helpfully lists the quantities required for each cake. I would make the smallest cake first and, if it were a total disaster, then it wouldn't be too wasteful! In an attempt to be organised I made sure that all of the three tins were greased, lined and ready to go before I started baking. Not only did I have to line the bases but also the sides. This fiddly and quite frankly tedious job took half an hour. Heaven forbid how long it would take to bake and ice the cakes, but I tried not to dwell on this matter for long!

First of all, I gathered up a glass bowl and placed it over a pan of simmering water. I opened up the first of many bars of plain chocolate, broke it up into neat squares and shoved them into the bowl to melt. I resisted the urge to turn up the heat to hurry the process. Instead I paced the kitchen, stopping every so often to give the stubborn chocolate a gentle stir. Eventually I had a bowlful of glossy melted chocolate and I could take it from the heat to cool.

Meanwhile I separated a few eggs, placing the yolks into one mixing bowl and the whites into another. To the yolks I also cracked in a whole egg, followed by a pile of caster sugar. Now it was time to whisk the yolky sugary mixture until thick and light in colour. I thought this would take a while, but it transformed almost immediately and I was quickly able to put the electric whisk to one side. I was surprised not to require any flour. Instead, I tipped in a good quantity of ground almonds. It appeared that this would be a fudgy dense cake, which wasn't what I had been expecting. Now I needed to put the kettle on and brew up a little cup of fresh black coffee. Sadly this wasn't for my own consumption (mine would be full of milk and sugar). I just needed to measure half a teaspoonful of coffee into the mixture. It hardly seemed worth bothering!! By now the melted chocolate had cooled off a little and was ready to be mixed in. It was a difficult mixture to mix as it was extremely thick; it certainly felt as though my biceps were receiving a tough workout! Last of all, I whisked up the egg whites until stiff before folding into the chocolaty mixture. It was a challenge to combine with the thick and heavy chocolate mixture. I found that the egg whites liked to sit on top of the bowl while the thick mixture preferred to be at the bottom! Surely in my attempt to fold the two together I'd knocked out any air it once contained?! I poured the doomed mixture into the awaiting tin, placed it into the hot oven and crossed my fingers very tightly!

I thought I'd better catch up with the washing up while the small cake cooked so that all the bowls and whisks were ready to be used again for the second cake. To my horror it wasn't long before I caught a whiff of burning. I hurtled to the oven at breakneck speed to investigate. The top of the cake had formed a crust which was turning a deep shade of brown! I grabbed some foil and hurriedly placed it over the top, hoping to avoid any further burning. Despite the burnt crust, I found that the cake took an extra ten to fifteen minutes in the oven and even then I didn’t feel confident it was ready.

I followed the same procedure for the second cake and found it a lot trickier due to the much larger quantities. The mixture reached the top of my mixing bowl with not even a tiniest sliver of space remaining. It was really difficult to fold in the whisked egg whites; some were lost over the side of the bowl! Again the almond mixture sank to the bottom of the bowl. I had little hope for this cake!

Again, the cake formed a crust which burnt in the oven, just like the smaller version. I re-checked the recipe and was relieved to read that a cake crust is normal! It is simply down to the high quantity of sugar, phew!

By now I was really dreading the third and final cake which required a twelve inch tin! The quantities were of course larger still. I would have to melt the chocolate and whip the egg whites in several shifts. The amount of washing up I was creating was alarming and I really wanted to run away and hide!!

I remembered the huge ceramic bowl my mother-in-law had given me. It was stored on top of the fridge and was full of cake sprinkles and other odds and ends. Most odd was Isaac's long lost toy recorder!!! I washed up this monster of a bowl and felt sure it would provide enough room for the final cake mixture. Although I only just had enough space, I managed to get the job done and the cake was finally ready to be cooked. I let out a whoop of delight after successfully manoeuvring the heavy tin into the oven! I washed up the final load of bowls and utensils and breathed a huge sigh of relief. I'd made the three cakes so that was, I hoped, the hard part of the work over. The icing looked fairly simple and straightforward, so I would leave that job until the evening.

When I finally sat down, the aches and pains hit me and I found it very difficult to get moving again. In fact, I felt the need to lie on the bed for an hour or so to give my muscles time to relax. It was really difficult to find the impetus to ice the three cakes later that evening. However, Neil reminded me that this was the last push and offered to help where he could.

I never would have imagined it possible to injure yourself whilst breaking up bars of chocolate. However, after breaking up over twenty bars, I'd developed red sore marks on my fingers!!! Surprisingly, I wasn't tempted to pinch a few squares; after dealing with so much chocolate I really didn't fancy it (shocking)! I made up the icing for the largest cake first. To the huge bowlful of melted chocolate I added almost a whole packet of butter and waited for it to give in to the heat. It took some time but it turned into a beautifully smooth and glossy mixture. It really did have an attractive sheen. I poured the thick icing over the cake and Neil assisted me by smoothing it out with a palette knife. We seemed to have way too much icing, but a fair amount slid off the sides of the cake which seemed very wasteful.

The same procedure followed for the remaining two cakes, but I managed to tackle the smallest cake all by myself!! It didn't take long for the chocolate icing to set. However, I decided to leave them overnight to set completely before attempting to stack them. I put all three cakes onto cake boards and stored the bottom tier in a huge cardboard cake box. The other two layers had plastic containers placed upside down over the top with wodges of kitchen towel shoved underneath; I hoped this would allow the air to circulate. I was worried that the icing would 'sweat' if I put the airtight lids on.

The following day I was pleased to discover that my cakes had all survived the night and were ready to be stacked. I feared that the bottom cake would not be able to support the weight of the other two cakes, but amazingly it did just that and there was no sign of subsidence! I smothered the three layers with some fresh white flowers. Mary's finished cake looked far more elegant than mine but I was still really pleased with it! I'd managed to make a three tiered cake – hooray!!

I was intrigued to find out what it tasted like considering the omission of flour. It was a very moist, dense and rich chocolate cake. The ground almond flavour was much in evidence. I thought it to be more of a dessert than a cake. The icing was fudgy and delicious, but there was perhaps a touch too much. You really couldn't eat more than a sliver as it was so chocolaty!!!

All in all I am delighted with this wedding cake. Eighteen months ago I would never have imagined that I could have made this cake and I wouldn't have bothered to try. I'm really grateful to this challenge for making me attempt new things and helping me to gain in confidence from doing so.

Yay - I made a wedding cake!!

Very moist and dense.

Gateau Saint Honoré

2012-08-20T13:29:00.002-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Eighteen: Page 157.

This recipe has terrified me from day one; so much so that it almost singlehandedly put me off the whole idea of this challenge. The recipe spreads across not one, not two, but THREE pages! Fear had seeped into every atom when I saw how many components there are to this Parisian speciality. I would be forced to revisit my nemesis, paté sucrée (or to you and me sweet pastry), then move on to choux pastry which, on its own, I quite enjoy making. However, it wasn't going to end there. I'd then tackle Crème Patissiere and boil up a helping of caramel AND spun sugar. Surely even the most experienced baker would be daunted by the mere mention of a Gateau Saint Horne! If I was wearing boots I'd be quaking in them!

Without trying to sound over dramatic, it felt as though I was about to walk the plank rather than enter the kitchen! The time had finally come to make this dreaded recipe and I could think of at least a hundred other things I'd rather be doing!! Unfortunately I had to face my old arch enemy, sweet pastry, first of all. I think every baker has something they battle with and mine is certainly sticky sweet pastry. I dug a bowl out from the cupboard and measured in the plain flour. The butter was supposed to be softened but mine was still in the fridge, whoops! As it turned out it didn't much matter, as the heat from my hands soon worked its magic! After the butter had been successfully rubbed into the flour it was ready for the addition of a little sugar and couple of egg yolks. Goodness knows what the chickens had been eating; the yolks were fluorescent orange! I brought the mixture together to form a soft dough. It was easier for me to get stuck in with my hands rather than use a spoon or knife; no doubt I'd pay for it later with an overworked tough pastry! As instructed, I wrapped the smooth dough in cling film and placed it into the fridge for half an hour. I was lulled into a false sense of security at this point as I was able to sit down with a cup of tea while I waited; it was all pretty straightforward so far!

After the cup of tea had been sipped it was time to trot back into the kitchen to take the chilled pastry from the fridge. I usually roll pastry out between two sheets of cling film. However, as I was running low, I used greaseproof paper instead. Unfortunately the pastry circle I'd just rolled glued itself to the bottom sheet of paper. ARGH, the stress levels started to rise! Neil suggested placing the baking tray on top of the pastry and flipping both over so the paper could be peeled away. It worked beautifully and I ran over to embrace my genius husband. I ignored the terror in his eyes as I forcefully planted a kiss on each cheek!! I clumsily crimped the edges of the pastry and placed it into the hot oven to cook for around twenty minutes. It must have been in the oven for a tad too long as the pastry ended up a little brown around the edges.

While the pastry cooled on a wire rack I made a start on the choux pastry. I've made this pastry quite a few times and it is one of my favourites. Maybe this has something to do with the omission of a rolling pin! I poured some water into a saucepan and tipped in a thick slice of butter. With the pan set over a low heat, I waited for the butter to melt into the water. I then brought it to a bubbling boil. This signalled that it was time to turn off the heat and reach for the flour. I dropped the flour into the pan and used my whisk to bring it all together. Almost immediately the mixture transformed into a silky smooth ball of dough. I left the mixture to cool down for around ten minutes before beating in the eggs. This in turn loosened things up and the ball of dough turned into a shiny paste.

My energy levels were flagging at this point but I had yet to pipe the mixture. After a prolonged search I finally found a piping bag well hidden in an untidy drawer. I didn't bother with a nozzle as the hole in the bag was already the perfect size. I piped an untidy ring of choux pastry onto a greased baking tray and then dotted walnut sized pieces alongside with the remainder. The full tray was ready to go into the oven where the pastry would cook at a high heat for ten minutes. The temperature was then dropped and the pastry carried on cooking for a further twenty minutes. Finally I could sit down and tuck into some lunch. I hoped that a sandwich and a drink would help to fuel my weary body. It was perhaps a mistake to sit down, as twenty minutes later, I could barely peel myself from the sofa. However, my aching feet managed to transport me to the kitchen and I took the well risen, golden delights from the oven. I used the prong of my cake tester to stick little holes into the base of all the pieces of cooked pastry to release the hot steam. To dry out the pastry completely I put the tray back into the oven for a further five minutes before leaving them to cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile I got on with the next stage of the recipe! To make the crème patissiere

(vanilla egg custard) I needed to measure quite a lot of milk into a saucepan. I couldn't use a small pan as suggested as there was just no way that it would fit. I could just picture the milk boiling over the sides and spilling onto the hob! I'd purchased some vanilla pods ages and ages ago on a whim but had yet to make use of a single one. Here was finally a chance to break into the packet as I needed to add a pod to the milk! I brought the milk to just below boiling point, then turned off the heat and left it to infuse for about ten minutes before straining the milk. The vanilla pod had served its purpose and was callously tossed into the bin! I grabbed yet another mixing bowl and to it I added numerous eggs, a heap of sugar and a little plain flour along with a dribble of milk and beat them together. Back into the pan it all went; I was very glad I'd used a larger saucepan!! I kept stirring the mixture whilst it was on the heat and, after a few minutes, it thickened up. This meant that it was ready to be poured into a clean bowl to cool.

I was able to enjoy another sit down whilst I waited for the vanilla custard to cool. In fact it took ages to cool off and I grew increasingly impatient as I was dying to get on and finish the recipe! Thankfully, Isaac managed to distract me from my clock watching with his new toy, a plastic whistle. His granny had posted him a few little goodies and this little toy had proved to be a real hit. He was thrilled to learn quickly how to produce a high pitched whistle. The only problem was that he was keen for me to have a go too. “Mummy do it” was frequently demanded and I was forced to ignore the dribble!! It’s amazing what you'll do for your child!

After well over an hour the custard was finally cool. This meant that I could move on to whipping up some double cream and folding it into the mixture. Yay – this was another section of the recipe I could tick off! I put the rich custard into the fridge to chill. Thankfully this didn't take long and I was soon able to pipe the soft mixture into the awaiting choux pastry. This was a bit of a messy business as the custard insisted on dripping from the end of the nozzle and all over the worktop.

Now came the part I had been dreading the most – it was caramel time! Surely this could only end in a third degree burn and a lot of tears! I required a heck of a lot of granulated sugar and a modest quantity of water which was poured into what felt like the hundredth saucepan of the day. Mary says to bring to the boil and boil the syrup until a golden colour. This seemed a little bit vague to me as I would have preferred to use a sugar thermometer rather than guessing when it might be ready! However, I hoped for the best and, as soon as the bubbling syrup turned a golden shade, I plunged the pan into an awaiting sinkful of cold water and relished the loud sizzle! I had a large bowl of boiling hot water to one side of me, ready to receive the pan full of scorching hot syrup; Mary says this will help to keep the caramel fluid. Quick as a flash I picked up the by now heavy and highly delicate ring of filled choux pastry and placed it on top of the circle of sweet pastry. With a shaking hand I gingerly dipped each choux bun into the caramel and positioned it onto the pastry ring. Once in place nothing would budge them, not even a hammer and chisel!! For a finishing touch the remaining caramel was spooned over the top of each choux bun.

Sadly there was STILL yet more work to be done. I really didn't see the point of spun sugar, but I was determined at least to try it! I made up the syrup in the same manner I'd made the caramel but in a smaller quantity. While it came to the boil I oiled a large amount of foil and placed some on the worktop and some around my biggest rolling pin. I pinned two forks together back to back with an ancient rubber band. I was ready for a bit of spun sugar action!!! I got to enjoy the sizzle once more as I plunged the searing hot pan into the cold water again. I dipped the prongs of the forks into the syrup and attempted to flick the forks back and forth over the rolling pin. Sadly I did not create long strands of sugar as Mary suggests. Instead I managed a few tiny pieces which clumped together into an unfortunate lump. I wasn't surprised by my unsuccessful attempt, but at least I could say I'd tried!!

I spooned the remainder of the vanilla custard into the middle of the choux case and propped up my pathetic tiny mass of spun sugar against a choux bun! It couldn't exactly profess to be a pretty gateau. It looked rather plain if anything. It certainly didn't suggest the six hours spent on it.....yes I really did say SIX hours (to be fair I had to wait for things to cook and cool down, so wasn't on my feet for all of that time)!

The pastry was lovely and crisp. The vanilla pod had definitely served its purpose well as the flavour was quite strong in the creamy custard; this was Neil's favourite bit. The choux pastry was still crisp but we had trouble eating it due to the caramel. It managed to weld our teeth together and made talking almost an impossibility! This may cause anxiety for those with fillings or loose teeth! It was a very tasty bake but I don't think it was worth the hours of effort, not to mention the mountain of washing up. A big thank you to Neil for selflessly clearing up after me....it has to be love!

Not the most attractive thing I've ever made!!

Iced Lemon Traybake

2012-08-16T11:16:00.000-07:00

Recipe Two Hundred & Seventeen: Page 174.

I adore anything lemony and I'm also a huge fan of Mary's easy peasy traybakes. I had high hopes for this cake and was looking forward to scoffing numerous slices!

Isaac had kindly set an assault course for me in the kitchen. Sadly I'm not very agile and so was left with a Lego imprint on the sole of my foot. I hobbled over to the cupboard to gather up the dry ingredients then laid them out on the worktop. My attempt at being organised! I'd even remembered to take the butter from the fridge and leave it to soften on the window sill. As it was a warm day, the butter was almost dripping from the packet. I had to use a spoon to scoop it into the awaiting mixing bowl! Next I added in a large quantity of caster sugar and tried to forget about how many calories a slice of this cake must contain! I opened up the brand new packet of self-raising flour and attempted to tip the contents in a little at a time. Of course a great big pile fell into the bowl, giving me almost twice the amount of flour than was actually needed. Out came a spoon and I painstakingly picked out the surplus! A little baking powder followed by four eggs also made their way into the bowl. One egg nearly didn't make it as it escaped my clasp, fell onto the worktop and rolled off the edge. I've never really taken the opportunity to test my reflexes, but on this occasion they were like greased lightning and my egg was saved!! Next I headed to the fridge, plucked out the bottle of milk and measured four tablespoonfuls into the mixing bowl to join the rest of the ingredients. My next trip was to the fruit bowl. I picked the two lemons out from underneath the pile of overripe bananas and collected the grater on my return to the mixing bowl. My last job was to grate the rind from the two lemons. Of course, the sour juice managed to find a tiny cut on my hand and it REALLY stung!!

Isaac had been in the living room playing with his daddy but chose this moment to come and investigate what I was up to. He is a tad nervous of my electric whisk and he walked into the kitchen to see me clutching it ready for action. He took one look at the offending item and quickly backed out of the room! As the butter was extremely soft it took next to no time to combine everything together and form a smooth mixture. As I transferred it into the lined tin Isaac reappeared, sat on the floor with a book, and 'read' the story out loud. Once the cake was in the oven, he took the opportunity to take my hand and yank me into the living room at high speed. I sat down and he was soon on my lap with his book; it was clearly story time!!

After thirty five minutes of reading the same story over and over AND over again, it was time to get up and take the cake from the oven. It was well risen and a light golden brown. Rather frustratingly the cake had to cool in the tin. This was torture; I was dying to try a slice! After an hour of more stories and games the cake was cold and I was able to get on and make the lemon icing. Isaac joined me in the kitchen to survey the proceedings. The icing sugar cloud I created was of great amusement to him, but I can't say it had the same effect on me; I hate the stuff! Once the mountain of sifted icing sugar was in the bowl I moved on to the lemon juice. I cut a lemon in two and couldn't believe how pippy it was. I counted eleven pips in one half; now surely that has to be a record?! I had to add more than the suggested three tablespoonfuls of juice to get a runny consistency and I found it a pain to spread over the cake. It kept peeling off the top layer of cake and this resulted in lots of crumbs intermingling with the icing, grrrr!

Once the icing was set I could slice the cake into messy squares. Yippee, it was time to have a taste! The cake was gorgeously light and suitably lemony. The icing was sweet and, unsurprisingly, also lemony! What a wonderfully easy and tasty bake. These sort of recipes are the reason I love Mary Berry; they are simple to make and even easier to eat!

Not exciting to look at but tasty all the same!!

Chocolate Mousse Cake

2012-08-13T11:40:00.002-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Sixteen

It is pretty clear when a recipe spans two pages that it won't be a five minute job. Even Mary mentions in her recipe header that this isn't a cake to tackle if you are in a hurry. I can't say that I was in any real rush but, as it was a hot day, the thought of hours in the kitchen wasn't a particularly thrilling prospect!

For a change I'd actually read through the recipe in its entirety before making a start, so I already knew that I would be unable to eat the fruits of my labour. I've rather stupidly left the most complicated recipes until the end of this challenge; it seems that a fair few contain raw eggs (it is not advisable to eat raw eggs when pregnant). If I had known that I would be six months pregnant just before crossing the finishing line I would have done things differently!

First of all I gathered up my cake tin and lined the base with greaseproof paper. I seem to spend a large portion of my time lining tins, yet I still manage to make a hash of it. This may be due to being too lazy to spend time doing it properly. I think I'm what you might call a bodger!

For the chocolate sponge I needed to melt a small quantity of butter in a saucepan and then leave it to cool. I was lucky the butter survived as it was bubbling at a frantic pace when I returned from answering the door to the postman! I was obviously making a large sponge as I needed to whisk six eggs with a substantial quantity of sugar. It took a good five minutes of whisking until the mixture achieved the appropriate thickness and moussey qualities required. It was then time to weigh out the self-raising flour and cocoa powder. To this I measured in two tablespoonfuls of cornflour. Following Mary's instructions, I sifted half of these dry ingredients into the awaiting egg mixture. Unsurprisingly the flour stubbornly refused to combine with the voluminous mixture and I grew increasingly frustrated to come across yet another pocket of unmixed flour, grr! I poured half of the cooled melted butter around the edge of the bowl and gently folded it in. I continued in this fashion with the remaining flours and melted butter. The combined mixture didn't look as chocolaty as I had envisaged; I soon discovered why when I poured it into the awaiting tin. As it made its descent from the bowl, a huge lump of uncombined flour tumbled into the tin – argh!! I swirled the unmixed mixture with a spoon as best I could before shoving it into the oven. I resigned myself to the fact that this would be a heavy cake.

While the cake cooked I took the time to make a start on the washing up before enjoying a short sit down. Thirty minutes later I was back on my feet and checking on the cake. On inspection it was still not cooked through; it ended up requiring another fifteen minutes in the oven and even then I wasn't convinced it was ready! While the cake cooled I made a start on the mousse filling.

I resisted the urge to pinch some of the chocolate as I measured it into a small glass bowl. I had plenty in stock, so I planned to reward myself with a generous helping once I had finished! The mousse would have a bit of a kick to it as I was to include two tablespoonfuls of brandy to the broken pieces of chocolate. I placed the bowl over a pan of simmering water and gave it an occasional stir. Obviously the stirring was a bit too occasional as the chocolate overcooked and became rock hard – whoops! I swallowed the tears of frustration and decided that getting cross with myself would achieve nothing! I had just enough chocolate to try again so all was not lost (apart from my cook’s perk). This time I watched the bowl like a hawk and stirred much more frequently. However, I still didn't feel entirely happy as the chocolate, although not burnt, was still a very firm lump. I had thought that it would be runny and not lumpy. I let out a big sigh and carried on with proceedings, hoping that it would all come good in the end!

While the chocolate cooled I added a little cold water to my smallest bowl. To this I sprinkled over some powdered gelatine and left it to 'sponge' for ten minutes. I then had to stand the bowl in a pan of hot water and allow the gelatine to dissolve.

I headed back to the cooled lump of chocolate and stirred in two egg yolks. The whites were put into yet another bowl to be made use of later. The wetness of the yolks helped to loosen up the solid chocolate and I started to hope that things might just turn out OK. The small quantity of dissolved gelatine helped further still – phew! My trusty electric whisk was put to use yet again to whip up the double cream. Neil was horrified by the large amount of cream and started to question whether he should eat it!! After folding in the whipped cream I moved my attention to the bowl of egg whites. They were the last ingredient needed for the mousse; this meant that it was nearly time for a sit down, which by now I really needed! After some whisking the whites were suitably stiff and ready to be folded in. Their addition to the mixing bowl made things a little tricky as the contents was now in danger of overflowing. It looked delicious, and I was disappointed not to be able to have a crafty taste.

By now the chocolate sponge was cold, so I could gingerly slice it in half horizontally. The cake tin used to cook it in had been washed and was sitting draining beside the sink. I hurried the drying process with a flick of a tea towel, and then placed half the sponge into the base of tin. Now I could pour the thick chocolate mousse over the surface; there was a lot of it and it almost reached the height of the tin. There was just enough room for the remaining sponge to sit neatly on top. It went straight into the fridge to set while I collapsed on the sofa to watch the Olympic canoeing which left me feeling even more exhausted!

Several hours later I dragged my flagging body back to the kitchen to whip up yet more double cream. A slice of this cake would surely stop the blood from flowing freely through your veins!! I took the cake from the fridge and took away the sides of the tin. Ahhhh, it hadn't set!!!! Quick as a flash the sides of the tin were shoved back on and it went back into the fridge for another hour! Thankfully this did the trick, and with the second attempt it exited the tin without complaint. Now I was able to cover the entire cake with a thin coating of whipped cream. Mary had suggested making caraque with both plain and white chocolate. I decided against this as a previous effort had failed miserably. It was also a hot day which wouldn't help. Instead, I used a vegetable peeler to make tiny chocolate curls. My goodness it was messy! My hands ended up encased in a thick layer of sticky melted chocolate! I sprinkled the pretty curls over the cream until the cake was completely coated. Talk about a chocolate overload! It actually made me feel a little sick!!!!

The cake wasn't too difficult to slice but the mousse still wasn't firmly set in the middle so was a little bit gooey in the centre. Neil tucked into his large slice with gusto. After a few mouthfuls he started to flag, and by the end he was unable to move! He said it was delicious but very rich and chocolaty. The top layer of sponge was light as a feather, but the bottom piece was heavier and fudgy. This was probably due to my poor mixing efforts! He described the mousse to be fluffy, light and not too chocolaty. The brandy flavour was just right. He could taste a hint; it wasn't at all overpowering. This chocolate mousse cake was certainly much enjoyed but definitely not something for the fainthearted or those watching their waistline!!

Mmmmm.....chocolate!

Angel Sponge Cheesecake

2012-08-08T10:43:00.000-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Fifteen: Page 376.

I felt a little sad that this was to be my last cheesecake from the Baking Bible. I'm a sucker for a buttery biscuit base with a generous helping of smooth creamy cheesecake piled on top. The mere thought is enough to send my taste buds into overdrive! However, my longing for a biscuit base was on this occasion to be unfulfilled. It was time to attempt something different; the cheesecake would be sandwiched between two layers of fatless sponge. I confess I wasn't entirely convinced by this prospect (how would I live without my beloved biscuit base) but I was of course willing to give it a try. I felt sure it would still be very tasty!!

My greedy enthusiasm meant that I entered the kitchen with a spring in my step. The instructions for the recipe looked rather lengthy, so I resigned myself that this cheesecake was going to take a while to make. However, the first stage looked very straightforward. I just needed to make the small fatless sponge. I say small purely because it's half the quantity Mary uses for her Swiss roll recipe! It seemed to take ages to whisk the eggs and sugar to the correct thick mousse like consistency. I wondered if this was due to the small quantity; perhaps there wasn't much for the electric whisk to 'get hold of'! Finally I had a mixture which had more than doubled in size and was ready for the sifted self-raising flour. Since beginning this challenge I've made a fair amount of fatless sponges. At the start I'd spend ages gently folding in the flour. Over time I've become quite heavy handed as the flour always refuses to intermingle with the egg and sugar mixture! Now I was ready to pour the voluminous mixture into the awaiting tin. Mary says not to worry if it appears you don't have enough for the size of the tin. I'm so glad she added that little detail as it barely covered the base of mine! I whacked the sponge into the oven and started to get all the ingredients for the cheesecake ready.

After about five minutes I started to notice the oven smelt very hot. I peered through the glass door and noted that my sponge was already on a rapid rise. Something smelt fishy (not literally) so I went back to the Baking Bible to check the cooking temperature and time. It didn't take long to work out that, instead of having my oven set to gas mark 4, it was in fact set to its highest temperature of gas mark 9 – ARGH!! A few choice words were uttered as I quickly adjusted the heat. For the remainder of the cooking time I kept throwing the oven anxious glances as I feared the high heat would cause the sponge to sink. The heavens must have been smiling on me as the cake survived its ordeal and exited the oven unscathed and well risen – phew!

While the cake cooled on a wire rack I was instructed to wash and dry the cake tin. Well, as I'm sure you are already aware; I am an inherently lazy cook. It didn't look bad to me, so I just wiped the tin with a sheet of kitchen towel. As it turned out I had to line the base and sides with greaseproof paper so it would all be covered up anyway! I gingerly cut the by now stone cold cake in half. As it was so thin, I was delighted to slice it successfully and not be left with a pile of crumbs! I laid one half into the lined cake tin before turning my attention to the cheesecake filling.

It felt as though I was embarking on another cake as I had to cream together a helping of butter and sugar. Once the mixture was suitably soft and fluffy I moved onto separating the eggs. This was when it suddenly dawned on me that I'd be unable to eat the cheesecake. Raw eggs are a big No No for a pregnant lady! I was on the brink of tears as I REALLY fancied cheesecake and felt so disappointed. I unceremoniously dropped the egg yolks into the bowl with a heavy heart. I reluctantly grated the zest from two oranges and squeezed in the juice. Everything suddenly felt like too much effort and I very much wanted to go and sit down – yes I was sulking!!!

I retrieved the cream cheese from the fridge and beat a fairly small quantity into the mixture. Neil kindly whisked the double cream by hand using a balloon whisk whilst I lazily used my electric version to transform the egg whites into voluminous puffs of cloud. The thick whipped cream and fluffy egg whites could then be folded into the unattractive (slightly curdled) mixture. There was such a lot that I couldn't see how it would fit into the tin, but it did...JUST! There was a sliver of space left for the remaining sponge half to squeeze on top. I placed a piece of cling film across the tin as instructed and put the heavy cheesecake into the fridge to chill and set for the suggested four hours.

Once the time had passed it was early evening and Neil was hankering for a slice of cheesecake. Isaac was enjoying his tea as I did the unveiling. I removed the sides of the tin and watched aghast as the cheesecake subsided and the filling gently oozed over the edges of the sponge. Oh dear, that really wasn't supposed to happen!! I made the mistake of saying “urgh” so had to listen to Isaac's repeated exclamations of “URGH” as I hurriedly dusted icing sugar and covered the surface of the sponge with orange wedges! As expected it was a nightmare to slice as the filling was so very soft. It ended up looking extremely messy and I felt in need of a bath.

Neil was chief taste taster on this occasion; he reported back that the filling was delicious, very orangey, light and moussey. He wasn't sure about the sponge; as he said that there was so much filling he couldn't really notice it. It would appear that four hours wasn't anywhere near long enough in the fridge, as the next day the cheesecake filling had firmed up considerably and was much easier to cut. Neil confirmed that it was also much easier to eat!

Not sure about my orange decoration!!

I promise the cheesecake firmed up after longer in the fridge!

Doboz Torte

2012-08-02T10:32:00.001-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Fourteen: Page 155.

Some things in life can't be put off forever and this was one of those instances! I've tried to ignore this recipe’s existence for over a year. However, as I now have less than five recipes left to complete, I was finally forced to acknowledge it! The apparent amount of skill required for this Austrian cake was the reason for my reluctance; it certainly didn't sound simple. There were numerous layers of sponge sandwiched together with a complicated version of chocolate butter cream. To top it all off, I had to make caramel! Just thinking about it sent a shiver of dread down my spine!

I had hoped to make an early start on the cake but my plans were soon scuppered. I awoke to discover that I'd pulled a tummy muscle during the night (it is quite difficult to turn over in bed at the moment)! This meant that getting out of bed, washing and dressing all took much longer than usual. As a result I didn't make it into the kitchen until late morning. At least I didn't have to run around after my little boy as he was spending most of the day with his grandparents. I had the house to myself and plenty of time to make the terrifying cake with, I hoped, time spare to give the kitchen a scrub afterwards. How thrilling!

The first part of the recipe looked surprisingly straightforward. I had to make a simple fatless sponge so, as long as I used the muscle power of my electric whisk, all should be well. Before getting started I made the most of the empty house and put on my favourite music nice and loud. I hoped jigging about might make time go that bit faster and eliminate my stress! Instead of lining cake tins, I was instructed to do something a bit different. I had to cut out six circles of greaseproof paper and lay them out on multiple baking trays. I only own three baking trays, so I would have to bake the cakes in two batches.

I grabbed a large mixing bowl from the cupboard and cracked in four eggs before tipping in a heap of caster sugar. The eggs and sugar would need to be whisked fast and furiously for some considerable time so, without hesitation, I reached for my beloved electric hand whisk. The music I had been enjoying was immediately obliterated by the racket emanating from the whisk, hey ho! Once the mixture was light, foamy and mousse like it was ready to be spread over the paper circles. Thankfully the moussey mixture behaved and didn't gush over the sides of the paper as I had feared! With the three trays of cake mixture in the oven there was no time to get on with anything else as they only took six minutes to cook! The cake circles exited the oven slightly puffed and golden. They were then plonked straight onto wire racks to cool while I got the second and final batch into the oven. When all the cakes were cooked I could turn the oven off and get on with the chocolate butter cream, eeek!

I decided to melt the plain chocolate first of all so that it had time to cool while I got on with the rest of the task. For the first time I disobeyed Mary and melted the chocolate in the microwave instead of placing it over a pan of simmering water - tsk tsk!!! I felt sure she was standing in the shadows shaking her head with disapproval! With a shifty glint in my eyes, I gave the chocolate some short sharp blasts in the microwave. As it was a fairly modest amount it didn't take long to give in to the heat; it turned out unscathed despite my disobedience!

While the chocolate cooled I cracked two egg whites into a glass bowl followed by sifted icing sugar. It was a welcome change not having to use a mountain of icing sugar – I just hoped this would limit the mess! The bowl could now be placed over a - guess what? Yes, a pan of simmering water of course (there was no escape)!! Out came the trusty whisk again and I whisked until the creamy white mixture held its shape. Once it was off the heat I reached for yet another bowl (the washing up was growing at an alarming rate) and tipped in a large slab of softened butter. However, it can't have been soft enough, as Mary tells us to cream it until very soft before adding in the egg white mixture. I beat in the egg white mixture a little at a time and lastly stirred in the melted chocolate which was by now cold. It looked so creamy and delicious, but there seemed to be a lot of it.

Now for the part I'd really been dreading; making the caramel. I could almost picture myself at a burns unit receiving skin grafts. I am so accident prone it’s not true, while I know from experience how hot caramel is – OUCH! Ignoring the feelings of impending doom, I placed the granulated sugar into a saucepan along with some water and put it over a low heat. While the sugar melted I searched online to see how hot the caramel should get - in other words what temperature it should reach when ready. Mary just mentions that the mixture should be straw coloured, which I didn't feel was very helpful! An American website stated 143 degrees Fahrenheit, so I shoved in my sugar thermometer and turned up the heat. I placed a single layer of sponge onto a piece of greaseproof paper and laid out a second piece of greaseproof paper alongside. Once the caramel was ready I quickly poured half of the sticky mass onto the sponge and the remainder onto the sheet of greaseproof paper. The caramel on the sponge set fairly fast but I was able to use a knife to spread it out. Next I was instructed to mark, then cut, the sponge into sixteen wedges. Even with an oiled knife it was very tricky to achieve neat slices, so I opted for just eight wedges instead. What can I say; I was obviously in a rebellious mood!

Once the caramel on the greaseproof paper had completely set I bashed it to death with a heavy rolling pin. This is when my stress levels began to rise. The caramel stuck stubbornly to the paper and only a teeny tiny amount crushed as it was supposed to. In the end I had to admit defeat and leave it at that!

Finally, some two hours after starting this cake, it was time to assemble it. I sandwiched the remaining five layers of sponge together with some of the butter cream and smeared a generous amount over the sides. This still left an ample quantity for piping. I was determined to make use of the crushed caramel, so I pressed what little I had onto one side of the cake, just to give an idea of what it SHOULD look like! The butter cream was very soft, and the warmth from my hands didn't help matters when I piped rosettes around the top of the cake. It was almost dripping out of the nozzle! Lastly, I placed the caramel topped wedges of sponge at an angle on top of each chocolate rosette. At first glance I thought the finished cake looked a little odd with the pale wedges sitting on top of a chocolaty cake. It wasn't until the cake was sliced that I realised just how special it was; the five layers certainly looked impressive!

I hadn't intended to sample this cake due to the partly cooked egg whites in the butter cream. It isn't wise to eat such a thing when pregnant. However, my greed took the better of me and I found myself licking out the remains from the bowl of butter cream – big whoops! Considering I'd already consumed a large helping, I carried on and ate a big slice of cake. I have to say that in this case all the effort, mild stress and massive stack of washing up was worth it! The layers of sponge were so very light in texture, while the butter cream was a real winner. It was deliciously chocolaty and it almost melted in my mouth. It wasn't too rich or sickly like some other types of butter cream. The caramel cake wedges were obviously sweet and crunchy. It was nice to have another texture, but I think the cake would not suffer without it.

Neil has been hard to please of late as he is “caked out”, so I was amazed when he gave it a big thumbs up. He said it was lovely and light and he scoffed two slices in quick succession!

I wouldn't say no to making this cake again but I doubt if I would bother with the caramel. It was time consuming to make and I don't think it would be missed. I'm sure another form of decoration could be used. As the cake took so long to make and clear up after I never did find time to clean the kitchen – but something tells me it will still need doing tomorrow!

Eight wedges instead of sixteen!!

Five layers of sponge

Sponge Christening Cake

2012-07-30T11:10:00.000-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Thirteen: Page 149.

Although Mary's sponge is suggested for a Christening, there's no reason why it shouldn't be enjoyed at any other special occasion. There was no impending Christening on the horizon, but I knew my baby niece would be born before the end of the challenge. I was very much looking forward to her arrival and couldn't wait to make this cake to celebrate.

Little Evie Mae was born on 19^th July after a long and complicated labour. Thankfully both mother and baby recovered well from the ordeal and I was excited to visit a few days later to meet my beautiful niece. She is adorable and I am of course a very proud Auntie! Now I was able to get on and make a cake to celebrate Evie's birth. The recipe didn't look to be too difficult. However, it was another swelteringly hot day, so I was dreading turning on the oven!

First of all I weighed out a smallish quantity of butter and then melted it in a saucepan. I wasn't looking forward to the next part. After adding sugar and six eggs to my Mum's largest mixing bowl, I had to set it over a pan of simmering water and whisk the living daylights out of it. This was probably not the best activity for a boiling hot day and I hadn't anticipated how long it would take. Ten minutes must have passed before the mixture became suitably thick and creamy. By the time it had reached the correct consistency it was threatening to spill over the sides of the bowl! I was getting unbearably hot, so I was very relieved to turn off the heat. Unfortunately I couldn't sit down and cool off; I had to carry on whisking until the mixture became cold. This meant a further ten minutes of aching legs!

Finally I was able to sift half of the self-raising flour and cornflour into the already fit to burst mixing bowl. Just as I'd congratulated myself on successfully folding in the flour I'd find a heap hidden at the bottom of the bowl. I had the same problem with the butter; it also had happily sunk to the bottom. After repeating this process with the remainder of the flours and butter I felt sure I'd knocked out all the air I'd worked so hard put in. I poured the voluminous mixture into the awaiting tin and found that I had a fair amount left over. Hmmm.........this couldn't be a good sign. Was my tin not deep enough?!

With the cake now safely in the oven I went upstairs to lie on the bed. I was very hot and felt a desperate need to cool down. After ten or fifteen minutes I could smell a strong whiff of burning. ARGH!! I raced to the kitchen and discovered that my cake was burnt to a crisp! It was supposed to have another twenty minutes in the oven, so I put some foil over the top of the cake and kept my fingers crossed. Alas it was of no use; the cake turned an even darker shade of black and sunk in the middle. After suffering in the heat to make this cake I was devastated and I'm not ashamed to admit that I cried my eyes out!! I just had to hope it would be cooler the next day so I could have another go and attempt the cake again.

The following day was no cooler so Neil (long suffering husband) very kindly did the whisking part for this cake. It he hadn't I'm not sure that I would have summoned up the enthusiasm to have another go! After folding the flours and butter into Neil's beautifully whisked mixture I could put the cake in the oven. My family didn't look at all surprised to find me sitting on a chair in front of the oven watching the cake cook. My mum caught me watching paint dry once!!! I was determined that this cake wouldn't burn, so I was happy to keep my beady eye on it. We'd decided that my parents' oven runs too hot, so I had lowered the temperature and hoped this would work. It did - HOORAY! The cake cooked beautifully this time and it wasn't at all burnt when it exited the oven – phew!!

While the large cake cooled I got on with making the simple filling. All there was to do was to whisk up a large quantity of double cream and then mix in some lemon curd. Of course I thought it only wise to sample a taster - purely for quality control purposes. It was hard to resist the urge to scoff the entire contents of the bowl. It was heavenly!

I was terrified about splitting the cake into three layers as the sponge was quite fragile. However, I managed to get the job done with only a few patch ups necessary! Once the cake was filled I covered it with fondant; this was going to make for a very sweet cake. Instead of using the suggested crystallized flowers for decoration, I made a pair of pink baby booties to adorn the top of the cake. If you have seen Neil's cartoons on my Facebook page you will know he is the artistic one in the relationship, so he piped Evie's name and date of birth on the fondant. The finished cake didn't turn out quite as I had imagined, but my sister and her husband seemed pleased with it. I cut generous slices for everyone and, by the time I'd remembered to take a picture of the sliced cake, most of it was gone and the remainder looked rather messy! The cake was light and, unsurprisingly, tasted like a Swiss roll sponge. The lemon cream filling moistened the sponge and tasted delicious.

It was a lovely cake but, due to the stress involved, I can't say that I enjoyed making it! For all that hot work I expected a WOW cake which would have made it worth all the effort. Despite it being very pleasant it just wasn't special enough for my liking. However, in hindsight perhaps making such a cake on a blistering hot day when 25 weeks pregnant was a bit misguided!!

For gorgeous Evie xxx

Apologies for rubbish photo!

Fairy Cakes

2012-07-23T10:46:00.000-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Twelve: Page 113.

I must confess that I've put this recipe off for some time. I've nothing against fairy cakes as such but the un-iced variety holds little appeal. A plain sponge doesn't sound particularly flavoursome. However, they really are the perfect cakes to bake with children. They take moments to make and little ones can enjoy spooning the mixture into paper cases. Due to the short cooking time, those with patience can peer with wonder through the oven door to witness the mixture transform into well risen delicious cakes! How lovely for children to take part in the entire cake making process and be rewarded for their efforts. Not only is there the pure joy of licking out the bowl but also to scoff one of their cakes warm from the oven and proudly utter the words “I did it all by myself”!

So it was with a glad heart that I took Isaac into the kitchen to make fairy cakes on a sunny afternoon. Neil was out in the garden fixing the back fence so we had to stay inside. Isaac was torn between watching Daddy banging nails into a piece of wood or following his greedy streak and helping to make cakes with Mummy. He decided upon sharing his attention between the two, running intermittently between the back door and the kitchen.

As I turned on the oven to pre-heat it, Isaac kindly reminded me that it was hot and that we would have to be careful. He even passed me the oven glove! I weighed the softened butter, caster sugar and flour into the bowl. I gave Isaac a spoon so that he could stir them all together; he did a great job. While I measured in the baking powder, he took the opportunity to check on his father's progress. His little nose pressed to the glass while he supervised proceedings. The mere mention of the word “egg” was enough to regain Isaac's attention and he trotted back to me at great speed. Watching me crack the two eggs into the bowl caused great excitement. I'm always sure to hold the eggs at a great height so that he can watch the contents “plop” into the bowl!

Once all of the ingredients were in the bowl I simply had to whisk the mixture for two to three minutes until smooth. That is a long time for a two year old, especially when he doesn't like the noisy electric whisk. This was an excellent time for him to back away and regain his post at the back door.

As it was a lovely warm day the mixture became smooth in next to no time and was soon ready to make its way into the awaiting paper cases. I put the tray of cases onto the kitchen floor and we sat alongside with the bowl of mixture and several teaspoons. Isaac enjoyed watching me place heaped teaspoons into the cases. We had to say “plop” each time. Apparently this was very funny! I held Isaac's hand for the last few. He was so pleased with himself. As far as he was concerned he had made these cakes all by himself! I placed the tray into the oven and left Isaac to lick out the bowl. He made a wonderful job of it and must have scraped with his spoon for almost half an hour. Daddy's fence repair job was long forgotten!!

The cakes came out of the oven beautifully risen and golden. It would have been second nature to ice them but, as we've recently eaten so many sweetly iced cakes, it made for a welcome change. They were light and moist. The only trouble was that they were terribly morish!

Isaac and I had such a fun time making these simple cakes. To see the pride in his little face as he tucked into one of his cakes was so rewarding. I think it's safe to say we'll be making them again!

Isaac's Cakes :-)

Recipe Variation: Chocolate Fairy Cakes

Anything containing chocolate gets my attention so I was dying to try this recipe variation. As with the original fairy cakes they would not be iced, but to be honest, after 18 months of scoffing cakes I am getting a bit sick of ultra sweet icing!

This time I made the cakes without the assistance of my little helper. We'd had a busy morning and he was indulging in a long afternoon nap. To make the fairy cakes chocolatey I simply deducted some of the self-raising flour and replaced with a heap of cocoa powder. As I whisked all the ingredients together they transformed into a brown silky smooth mixture. It took all my control not to stick in a finger and have a taste!!

To my dismay I had run out of my usual cupcake cases so had to resort to a festive set; red and covered in snowflakes!! Once in the oven the cakes rose beautifully and it wasn't long before they were cooked and ready to cool on a wire rack.

The finished goodies tasted delightfully moist and chocolatey. What more could you ask for! I don't think they needed any icing but there is not reason why your own choice couldn't be added. Another simple and tasty cake - yay!

They didn't last long!

Tiny Fruit Cakes

2012-07-19T10:30:00.002-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Eleven: Page 145.

I love the idea of small individual cakes. They'd surely make an ideal gift for loved ones. However, I was disappointed to discover that the recipe makes just three cakes. It seemed a lot of effort for such a small outcome! I rigidly stick to Mary's recipes to be certain that the final result is a true representation. On this particular occasion it was tempting to double up the recipe and make a more worthwhile quantity of cakes, but I reined myself in. If it was a success I could always make alterations next time.

The first unexpected task was to buy three small cans of baked beans! Mary informs us that the cans make ideal cake tins. On the way back from the park Isaac and I popped to the shop. I was worried that the small shop might not stock the small cans. I received a few funny glances when I spotted some on the shelf and let out a squeal of delight! Once home, the baked beans were tipped into a bowl and shoved in the fridge. Beans on toast anyone? Neil very kindly sorted the tins so that they would be ready to use the following day. He was worried that I might cut myself on sharp edges, so he painstakingly smoothed them off. He knows how clumsy I am!

The night before making and baking the cake I had to prepare the dried fruit and leave it to soak in a little brandy. Considering the small scale of this recipe, I realised that the quantities would be fairly sparse but I was surprised when I weighed the delicious glacé cherries. I required just five in total! It hardly seemed worth opening a new tub of cherries for such a pitiful amount, so I consoled myself by polishing off another five or six. I made a mental note to brush my teeth extra thoroughly before bed! I needed just a little more of the raisins, sultanas and currants. Once added to the bowl they made things appear a little more substantial. I was delighted only to need a couple of dried apricots – I hate snipping them with scissors as it can take ages. This time it must have taken less than a minute! Lastly I tipped in a tiny quantity of candied peel and gave the fruity mixture a brief stir. I only needed a paltry two teaspoonfuls of brandy to soak the fruit. It hardly seemed enough to soak a few raisins let alone a whole bowlful of dried fruit! Now that the fruit was sorted it was time to tuck it up for the night, then climb the stairs and tuck myself in.

The following day it was raining yet again. I'm pretty sure my feet are becoming webbed! We stayed inside in the dry and made a mess of the house instead. We had plenty of fun pretending cardboard boxes were drums and building leaning towers of Lego! However, by late morning I was running out of ideas to keep a very active toddler amused. This meant it was cake making time! Isaac loves to watch me bake; especially now that he's wise to it usually leading to a treat!

We trotted into the kitchen. Isaac sat on the floor playing with a packet of long forgotten crisps (it was soon a bag of crumbs), while I weighed the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. First of all I measured in a tiny quantity of ground almonds before the blanched almonds took their turn. Again, chopping almonds is not a favourite pastime of mine. I was therefore thrilled only to have a few to deal with. I now came to the lemon. It seemed wasteful only to grate in a quarter of the zest. I'd have to remember to use the rest up, otherwise it would end up going mouldy in the fridge. It wouldn't be the first time! Isaac helped me to dig out the plain flour from the depths of the cupboard. A fair amount was lost onto the floor in the process. This kept Isaac occupied for some time – a fine layer was soon spread over almost the entire floor. Just the tiniest amount of mixed spice was added and then it was time to sweeten things up with the dark muscovado sugar. I don't know if my hormones are to blame, but I couldn't get enough of the dark toffee smell. I could have sniffed it all day! I'd managed to remember to leave the butter out, so it was suitably soft when I tipped it into the bowl. By now Isaac was kicking his lightweight football around the kitchen. Before reaching for the black treacle we had a quick game of footie. For some reason Isaac found my kicking technique to be hilarious! Before the game became too competitive I grabbed a teaspoon to measure the treacle. I couldn't believe I only required two teaspoonfuls.

I have to say that I was really beginning to enjoy making these small cakes. It was so nice just to add a little of this and a little of that. Another bonus was having copious space in my mixing bowl – so nice not to have it overflowing!

Next it was time to add in the tipsy fruit. To be honest I could barely smell the brandy and there was certainly no excess liquid as Mary suggests there might be! After a gentle stir it was time to place the mixture into the fully lined baked bean tins! The mixture divided perfectly between the three. For some reason I was nervous about placing the tins into the oven. I'm not sure what I thought might happen! Now the cakes just needed to cook for around an hour. This was enough time to stuff Isaac full of his favourite meal (pie, mash and veg – a typical man already). There was then more Lego time before bed. The cakes smelt glorious as they cooked. They smelled very festive and, due to the chill in the air, I could almost believe it was Christmas!

Before I knew it the cooking time was up. After inspection the cakes seemed to be cooked through, so I left them in the tins to cool before drizzling over a tiny sprinkle of brandy. I wasn't looking forward to attempting to remove the cakes from the tins. I could picture myself resorting to a saw! Thankfully each little cake exited the confines of its tin without complaint. Hooray! They looked pretty enough plain but, as Mary gives instructions for covering with fondant, I will have a go at decorating them, eeek! I will give them the suggested week to mature and then I can let you know how they taste.

Apologies for greaseproof paper but meant to stay wrapped up for a week (to keep moist)!

After a week it was time to cover the little cakes with a layer of marzipan and fondant. I am no cake decorator so I approched the task with a heavy heart. It was a rushed job and as the weather was warm it was sticky work!

I couldn't wait to try a taste of fruit cake and I was thrilled with the result. The cakes were beautifully moist and simply delicious!! I couldn't believe they had cooked so well in baked bean cans! I know I'll be making these again and again.

Sorry there is no pic of cut cake. They were all eaten by the time I remembered!!

Mushroom & Garlic - stuffed Picnic Loaf

2012-07-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Ten: Page 296.

I've been waiting for a suitably hot and sunny day to make this picnic loaf. I had visions of us tucking into slices whilst sitting on the warm grass. Pah! It was becoming excruciatingly clear that my wish for such a scenario was unlikely to be fulfilled any time soon, so I'd best bite the bullet and just get on with it!

My first challenge was to locate a jar of wild mushrooms in oil. We needed to visit the supermarket in town, so it was added to the list. I had never heard of mushrooms in oil before, but I imagined it would be stocked alongside jars of olives. Neil went to visit his granny while I pushed Isaac around in the trolley stopping every once in a while to pluck what was needed from the shelves. Isaac seems to associate shopping with singing; every time we go he breaks into song. It is very cute to start with, and passers-by compliment him on his lovely voice. This serves only to encourage him and, before long, he reaches an ear shattering crescendo. I look forward to embarrassing him when he is a surly teenager! Despite the distractions, I carried out a hunt for the jar of mushrooms in oil. I hunted high, I hunted low. Once Neil returned he joined the search. We found lots of questionable things in oil, but not a mushroom. There was only one thing for it; buy some fresh mushrooms, shove them in oil and hope for the best!

By the time we had arrived home it was evening and too late to make a start on the picnic loaf. I did, however, find an appropriate sized empty jar and filled it with freshly sliced mushrooms and olive oil. The result wasn't very appealing to the eye. It looked as though I was pickling something vile for a science project!!

The following morning I was lucky enough to enjoy a lie in while Neil took Isaac to the park. I sat up in bed and read a chapter of my book. What bliss! As I wanted the loaf to be ready for lunch time, I decided to head downstairs before having a shower. Wrapped in my dressing gown and sporting a fetching finger in socket hairstyle, I padded around the kitchen gathering up the necessary ingredients and mixing bowl. Before I did anything else I tipped the mushrooms from the jar and into a sieve. I collected the drained oil into a small bowl as it would be put to use later.

I weighed a good quantity of white bread flour into the mixing bowl, swiftly followed by a teaspoonful of both salt and yeast. That was the dry ingredients taken care of, so I was ready to add the wet. After pouring in the warm water I added a few tablespoonfuls of mushroomy oil. Mary mentions how wet and sticky the resulting mixture should be. Typically, my dough was as dry as a bone! It was hard to bring it all together and I wondered if I should perhaps add more water or oil. Thankfully I chose to leave well alone as, after a little kneading on the worktop, the dough became smooth and just slightly sticky. It was easy peasy to work with and required no extra flour. After a ten minute workout on my flabby biceps my kneading work was done. Next, I simply drizzled a little more of the reserved oil into the mixing bowl and rolled the ball of dough around it. Rather unusually, I placed the oily dough back onto the worktop, turned the bowl upside down and placed it over the top. While the dough hopefully doubled in size, I waddled back up the stairs to enjoy a long shower.

Two hours later and the dough was suitably puffed up; it was time to move on to the next stage. The mushrooms were already sliced and drained so all that was left to add to the filling was a potent amount of crushed garlic, a good handful of chopped fresh parsley and a little seasoning. I wasn't instructed to give the dough another knead. I simply rolled it into an oblong shape on my largest baking tray. I laid a trail of filling along the longest side of dough then folded it in half, making sure that I left a border of mushroomy filling on show. A quick egg glaze, followed by a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and it was ready to have another proving session. I turned on the oven to preheat and left the covered dough nearby. On my return, some forty minutes later, I was left disappointed as the dough hadn't bothered to rise much at all. I hoped it would inflate a little in the oven!

Mary says it is hard to judge when the bread is cooked through due to the moist filling. I found my picnic loaf took the full suggested cooking time. The bread was golden brown, firm to the touch and reeked of garlic! Before transferring it to the wire rack to cool, I brushed over some of the reserved mushroomy olive oil. The oil was quickly absorbed by the thirsty bread, but it left behind an attractive shine. Although Mary suggests leaving the bread to cool I didn't fancy cold mushrooms, so I cut generous slices whilst the loaf was still warm. Neil and I found it hard to transport our slices from plate to mouth. A great deal of filling insisted on falling out! I absolutely adored the crisp richly flavoured bread. It reminded me of foccacia, which happens to be a real favourite of mine. I admit that I wasn't particularly enamoured of the filling. I do not like the texture of mushrooms so I found it difficult to chew! I would have preferred some red onion and cheese instead. As for the garlic, well, there was a LOT of it. Certainly not the thing to eat before a dental appointment! Neil loves mushrooms and garlic so his portion didn't last long. However, he didn't think it made for a great picnic loaf as it was so messy to eat!

This is another recipe which relies heavily on personal taste. Next time I make it I will add my own choice of filling!

Couldn't fit it all on one plate!!

Date and Walnut Traybake

2012-07-12T10:24:00.001-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred and Nine - Page 188.

This is my last traybake recipe from the Baking Bible. I felt rather sad as I love Mary’s traybakes. For the most part they are simple all in one recipes which can be made in next to no time. I must confess to being put off by the mention of dates. They are something I associate with old age; my grandparents seemed to eat their way through an awful lot of them. Surely I have at least another thirty years before I feel the urge to start gorging on dates!

Before I made a start in the kitchen I thought I had better take Isaac to the park. For a change the sun was shining, which is a rare sight. I was in the middle of a hot flush, so I stuck to short sleeves and flip flops (I was wearing trousers too!). Isaac, however, insisted on wearing his raincoat. It turned out that my two year old has more sense than his mother. As soon as we'd arrived at the park the heavens opened. Within moments rain was bouncing off my eyelashes and dripping from my hair! We made a swift exit from the park and dashed for home. We arrived through the front door soaked to the skin; it was straight upstairs for a change of clothes. My plan to bake while Isaac napped was abandoned. Instead I lay on the sofa wrapped in a blanket and watched Anne of Green Gables for what must be the hundredth time. I lasted a full hour before I fell asleep!

When Neil arrived home I decided to crack on and make the traybake. It shouldn’t take long and I could make dinner at the same time. I needed to soak the chopped dates in a fair amount of boiling water before I could put them to use. Strangely, I also had to add a small quantity of melted butter to the bowl. Why it needed to be softened first was beyond me! With the kettle being put into action this seemed like the perfect opportunity to add extra water and brew up some tea. As I waited for the mixture to cool we settled back, while Isaac made himself dizzy by running round in a continuous circle - strange child!

With the date mixture now cool, I could carry on with the cake making process. I whisked several eggs and a hefty quantity of dark brown muscovado sugar together. I used my balloon whisk for this little job. There were quite a few stubborn lumps of sugar which required a great deal of elbow grease to break them up. Feeling rather hot and bothered, I moved on to the gentler task of tipping in the ground almonds; I was surprised to be using so much. Breaking up the walnuts was quite relaxing and I became lost in a daydream as I broke them with my fingers. I never bother chopping with a knife as I find most will inevitably flick onto the floor. I had to double check the quantity of self- raising flour as it seemed as though it could have been too much, especially when I considered the ground almonds that had already been added. Surely the cake would turn out too dry! Last of all I sprinkled in the ground cinnamon, and then brought the mixture together with the aid of my balloon whisk. As I had feared the mixture was very stiff, so much so that the metal part of the whisk bent with the effort! My worry increased when I read that I should pour the cake mixture into the awaiting tin. I had to spoon mine in, eeeek!!

As I put the tin into the oven I realised that the chilli I had bubbling on the hob for our supper was starting to stick to the pan. I really should not attempt to multi task as I'm not very good at it! Thankfully our meal was still edible, and it soon disappeared from our plates and into our greedy tummies. After cooking the evening meal my body and brain start the shut down process. I have completed my daily tasks, therefore my work is done. I am very grateful that this cake produces a glorious toffee smell as it cooks, otherwise I would have forgotten all about it. I even asked Neil what the lovely smell was!

I took the cake out of the oven ten minutes before its maximum cooking time as it was already a deep golden brown and felt firm when poked. The thought of getting in a mess with the icing sugar before bedtime put me off making the icing. It could wait until tomorrow.

First thing the following day I made the icing. This was partly to get it out of the way but also so that I could dig in and have a slice of cake. Isaac watched as I sifted the icing sugar into the awaiting bowl. A few lumps landed on the floor and he 'helpfully' broke them up and made pretty patterns with his hands and feet! I smiled through gritted teeth. Now for the lemon. I required both the zest and the juice. It was a very firm lemon, so I shoved it in the microwave for a few seconds which helped to get out a bit more juice. Mary says to add a little hot water to the lemony mixture to create a spreading consistency. I must have splashed in too much as mine became rather watery, whoops! As I spread the icing over the cake a fair amount danced merrily down the sides. I wasn't left with much on the surface and the lumps and bumps of the cake were clearly visible. I hoped the broken pieces of walnut used to decorate the top would help to hide my sins!

After leaving the icing to set, I eagerly cut a large slice. When inspecting the cut cake I did think that it looked dry in texture. Thankfully it didn't taste dry when I bit into it. The dates obviously provide the moisture and a delicious fudgy texture. The nuts were also much in evidence. The icing offered a welcome sweet sharpness against the rich cake. I wouldn’t say that I will now start to crave date cakes but I really was pleasantly surprised. They certainly aren't just for the elderly!

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Lavender Biscuits

2012-07-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Eight: Page 206.

I've been waiting patiently for the lavender to burst into flower so that I can make these biscuits. On my daily walk around the village I've eyed up the bounteous supplies tumbling over the sides of garden walls. At last the flowers have awakened and the air is scented with a potent perfume. As far as I was aware we didn’t own a lavender plant so, as I only required two tablespoonfuls of the flowers and leaves, I was sorely tempted to head out at dead of night and pinch a few springs from our neighbours’ garden!! Just as I was contemplating a suitable disguise, Neil discovered that we had a very small lavender plant in our back garden. Hooray! Just before I started the biscuits on the Friday evening, I headed out into the garden to pick the flowers. My first challenge was to find the plant. Our garden is compact to say the least, but I still had to carry out a prolonged search. Finally I stumbled across the tiniest lavender plant I have ever seen. I doubted there was enough to fill a teaspoon but I picked all that I could, rendering the poor plant completely bald!

Once back inside I plucked the flowers and tiny leaves from the lavender stalks. I'd collected more than I had thought, but I still had only half of the total amount. I considered abandoning the recipe but decided that, as I'd never eaten anything containing lavender before, it might be wise to start off with a mild flavour. I carried on and weighed a generous amount of butter into a mixing bowl. The flowers and leaves were next to follow. Mary says to beat the two together as this will obtain the maximum flavour from the lavender. It smelt rather as though a bottle of perfume had been spilt nearby; the smell was intense and quite overwhelming!

To sweeten the mixture I poured in a relatively small quantity of caster sugar. I gave it a final beating before stirring in the flour. Due to the large amount of butter it didn't take long to bring the mixture together to form a soft dough. It was smooth in next to no time; it performed beautifully from start to finish. It was so nice not to be left with sticky hands! I divided the dough in half and rolled it into two sausage shapes. I grabbed the Demerara sugar and sprinkled a good quantity on to a sheet of greaseproof paper. Now I could roll the 'sausage' of dough through the coarse sugar until it was evenly coated. It was time to wrap the sugary dough in the paper and store it in the fridge. I repeated the same process with the remaining dough. While they firmed up in the cold fridge, I prepared a quick evening meal. By the time we had scoffed our food, the two 'sausages' had firmed up and were ready to be sliced. I must have rolled my dough too long and thin as I made a few more than Mary suggests. Now there's a first; normally I don't make enough! The sliced biscuits made their way onto the greased baking trays and into the hot oven. I'd been instructed to space the biscuits well apart on the trays but I think I could have fitted more on as they didn't spread as much as I had expected.

I was really worried about burning the biscuits, so I stayed close by while they cooked. A lovely scent wafted from the oven; they smelt delicious. Once cooked, I carefully transported the biscuits over to a wire rack to cool. I couldn't resist trying one while it was still warm. With my first bite I really loved the buttery flavour and crumbly texture. With my second bite I recoiled. It tasted as though I'd licked a bar of soap! I must have had more than my fair share of lavender in that mouthful! It is definitely an acquired taste. Neil thought the biscuits were a little on the soapy side, but he kept going back for more. I wasn't sure what to make of them. The biscuits themselves were delicious but I just couldn't enjoy the lavender flavour! I took them on a trip to London the following day where I met up with some truly lovely cakey friends. We all agreed that it was a good job I didn't have a larger lavender plant as any more would have been too much. The texture and butteryness of the biscuits was enjoyed and they certainly went down well with our morning cup of tea.

I feel sure that I will make these biscuits again but will omit the lavender!! This is another recipe that comes down to personal taste. I have heard rave reviews from other bakers who really enjoy the fragrant flavour. You won't know unless you try!

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Chocolate Ganache Petits Fours

2012-07-05T10:46:00.001-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Seven: Page 219.

I wanted to make these little treats with my mother-in-law in mind. She really enjoys chocolate liqueurs and, as these petits fours are laced with brandy, I had to be onto a winner.

Neil's parents come over most Thursday mornings and take Isaac out for a few hours. I made a start just before they arrived. Despite the recipe appearing to be very simple, it was clear that it would take a while to complete. I laid out the required 24 petit four cases and unwrapped several bars of plain chocolate. There were a few squares going spare so I merrily tucked in. It was still quite early in the morning, but at least I'd eaten my breakfast first! I placed the large quantity of chocolate, along with a drizzle of sunflower oil, into a bowl suspended over a pan of simmering water. It took a little while to give in to the heat but, before too long, I had a bowl full of deliciously smooth melted chocolate.

I allowed the chocolate to cool for a few minutes while I hunted for one of Neil's paint brushes. I thought it wise to steer clear of his most expensive brushes, and instead opted for a tiny cheap one which had clearly never been used. I gave it a quick rinse and then started the long and laborious task of painting each paper case with chocolate. Of course Isaac appeared to 'help' mummy at this moment. He quickly grabbed and ran off with a paper case before heading back for another. Thankfully he was happy with two as I was finding it hard to fight him off with chocolate covered hands! By the time he'd started to kick a plastic onion around my feet I was beginning to feel a little fraught! Thankfully, at this moment Neil's parents arrived and they were able to take him into town for an adventure.

Now able to enjoy some peace, I took my tray of paper cases and bowl of chocolate over to the kitchen table. I had to take the weight off my feet and sit down! I carried on painting the cases, all the while wondering if I was wasting my time. I just felt as though something was going to go wrong! Once I'd finished, I placed the tray in the fridge. Mary says to place them somewhere cool and I couldn't think of anywhere cooler than the fridge! Twenty minutes later my chocolate cases had set and I could carry on and paint on a second layer....Yes ANOTHER layer. On this second attempt I followed my mother-in-law’s advice. She suggested using a teaspoon to drop a blob of chocolate into the bottom of the case and then drag it up the sides with the brush. I found that this worked well and speeded the process up. Apart from having to reheat the bowl of chocolate in the microwave for a few seconds (it was starting to firm up), I found the process pretty painless. Once the tray was back in the fridge for the final time I made up the ganache.

I poured the double cream into the saucepan and placed it on the hob. When the cream had reached boiling point I took it from the heat and added in the chocolate. I am not keen on liqueur chocolates, so I halved the mixture, stirred a few drops of brandy in to one half and left the other plain. When the chocolate had melted it was time to reheat until boiling. Once this was done the ganache needed to cool, so I used this time to go for a quick walk to get some fresh air. It was so nice to get outside after being cooped up due to the recent wet weather. I enjoyed my wander in the sunshine but, all too soon, I was back in the kitchen; I didn't like what I saw. The chocolate ganache had separated. An oily layer covered the surface. I really could have cried! It also had a runny consistency, so would be impossible to pipe. I was ready to give up for the day and try again the following morning.

An hour or so later, once Isaac was home and tucked up in bed, I dared to examine the mixture once more. It had finally firmed to a piping consistency, so all was not completely lost. I thought I might as well try to get it to work. The chocolate was still edible after all!

Mary says to peel the paper cases away from the chocolate after piping in the ganache, but I chose to disobey! Surely it would be far trickier to peel once they are full of filling. I was amazed when I managed successfully to remove the cases. I only suffered a few casualties!! I fitted a star nozzle to a piping bag and managed to pipe the ganache into the pretty chocolate cases – hooray! Sadly I only managed to fill half as I ran out of ganache (I didn't like to use the oily bits). However, do not fear – the empty cases will still get eaten! For a finishing touch I broke up some pistachio nuts and placed a few on top of each petit four. The green contrasted beautifully.

Now for the very important taste test! I tucked into a little mouthful and felt my arteries immediately slam shut. It was so very rich and chocolaty. I loved the chocolate cases the best as they look so pretty and also provided a contrasting crunch to the smooth ganache. I think I might use the cases with different fillings. I'm sure that the list is endless! These rich treats might take a while to make but they really are special. They are perfect for a gift or a party. It was just a shame that I didn't have them ready in time to give to my mother-in-law. Oh well, I'll just have to make them again!

Chocolate overload!!

Nusskuchen

2012-07-02T10:56:00.002-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Six: Page 153.

This German cake can be found within the pages of the 'Special Cakes' section. Mary says that Nusskuchen comes in many forms. The only version I'd previously been aware of is a traybake style sponge with a nutty crumble topping. Mary's version was completely different and I found it hard to visualise. Oh to have a picture for every single recipe! Thankfully I found a photograph in another of my Mary Berry baking books. The cake looked fairly unusual and I wouldn't describe it as pretty! The sponge layers were remarkably flat. I was glad to have seen this picture before starting to bake; otherwise I would have thought a flat cake to be a disaster!!

The day started off gently enough with a trip to the hairdresser’s. After a quick trim and a light hearted natter I met up with Neil and Isaac at the park. I sat on the bench and watched Neil run around like a mad thing kicking a football. Isaac seemed bemused by all the activity and was more interested in the skateboard ramp. He was determined that it could be used as a slide; frustratingly the wood offered too much friction!!

It wasn't until late afternoon that I summoned up the energy to start my baking session. I read through the entire recipe and decided it shouldn’t take as long as I'd first feared. However, it certainly wasn't as simple as one of Mary's all-in-one recipes! I was very eager to get the first task out of the way. I estimated that roasting and grinding the shelled hazelnuts would take longer than making the cake itself! After the hazelnuts had been in the hot oven for ten minutes, I rubbed off their skins. I found it easier to remove them after they'd cooled for a few minutes – this also helped to eliminate burnt fingers! Next came the boring bit. I do not own a food processor, so had no choice but to grate the hazelnuts finely by hand. Twenty minutes of mind numbing boredom passed before I had finished. Never again! At least once I had completed the tedious task I could move on to the fun part of actually making the cake – yay!

I measured a surprisingly small quantity of butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and used my electric whisk to beat the mix together until suitably light and fluffy. Next I needed to separate the eggs. I rummaged in the drawers and, in my haste to pull out a bowl, managed to drop a cake tin down the back of the cupboard. It was wedged! I almost fell into the drawers as I reached to the back to tug it out. Hot and flustered, but with the tin finally unwedged, I could carry on and separate the eggs! The whites went into the clean bowl ready to be used later while the yolks were beaten into the creamy buttery mixture.

After spending ages grating the hazelnuts I had developed a real dislike of them. It was with reluctance that I stirred them in to the creamy mixture. The addition of coffee was a surprise. There are quite a few flavours in this cake! It took mere seconds to dissolve the tiny amount of coffee into a small quantity of warmed milk. Once this had been poured into the mixture I could fold in the flour. I was left with a VERY stiff mixture. It resembled a thick paste! I hoped the addition of the egg whites would help to loosen things up. I whisked the whites until they reached soft peak stage, and then folded them in as gently as I could. It really wasn't easy as the mixture was impossibly thick. Once combined I could spoon it into the waiting deep tin. I had barely enough to cover the bottom. I couldn't understand why I was instructed to use a deep tin!! While the cake cooked I got on with the apple filling.

Not many dessert apples were required so it didn't take too long to peel, core and slice them. Mary says to cook until the apples are soft but still hold their shape. I therefore made sure that I sliced them fairly thickly. Once they were in a saucepan I added some apricot jam, lemon zest and juice. With the lid firmly in place I cooked the apples until just tender. This only took ten to fifteen minutes so I was soon ready for a sit down.

After a brief rest it was time to take the cake from the oven. While there was no denying that the cake had risen, it was still almost as flat as a pancake! When I tipped it out I wondered how on earth I'd be able to slice it in half horizontally. Surely it would all end in tears! While the cake cooled I gave Isaac his tea. Unfortunately his eyes clocked the tempting treat sitting on the wire rack. For some reason he was no longer keen on his Marmite on toast!

I was forced to listen to calls of “cake” and “want cake” as I very carefully and very gingerly sawed the sponge in half. I couldn't believe it when it actually worked. I put it down to its being such a firm cake. Now it was ready for the apple filling. I think it could have done with a more generous filling – it just didn't seem enough to me. Once the sponges were sandwiched together it was time for the chocolate – woo hoo! As I only required 50g, I let the microwave take the strain. Within moments I had a little bowl full of delicious melted chocolate. There was just enough to cover the surface of the cake with a very thin layer. Finally the cake was complete.

I was too impatient to wait for the chocolate to set completely before cutting several slices. Neil had his own while Isaac and I shared. Isaac loved it, so Mummy wasn't left with much! Neil said he wasn't too sure about all the flavours. He thought they were competing with each other. True, there was a strong hazelnut flavour along with the bitter coffee in the sponge, the tangy apple filling and the thin layer of plain chocolate on top. However, I thought they went well together and I could taste each clearly. I thought it resembled a Jaffa cake but an apple version of course! Maybe that is why I enjoyed this cake so much, as I do have a real thing for Jaffa cakes!

My pancake cake!!!! ;-)

Chocolate, Brandy and Ginger Cheesecake

2012-06-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Five: Page 374.

This recipe sounded interesting with such a variety of flavours. The accompanying photograph made my mouth water but I was left distraught when I glanced through the list of ingredients. I wouldn't be able to eat it! There are raw eggs in the recipe so, due to my pregnancy, I would have to stay clear. I just hoped that Neil would like this cheesecake as it was all his!

Usually I bake at lunchtime. However, on this occasion it wouldn't be possible. My 20 week scan was booked for early afternoon. Neil had taken time off work so that we could all go along together. It was wonderful to see our baby for the second time; it looked very comfy curled up in a little ball! We found out that we have another little boy on the way and we're delighted with the news. I love the idea of two little brothers crashing their cars together and playing football in the garden. Lots of fun times lie ahead.

After the scan we took a trip around the supermarket. For some reason, even when I make an attempt to be organised and bring a list, it still takes an eternity to reach the cash till. As we were busy packing the bags, Isaac managed to dig into the trolley and pull out a box of a dozen eggs. By the time we realised what the little monkey was up to, all the eggs were on the floor and of course all had broken. Neil and I apologised profusely to the lady who came to clear up. I felt annoyed when she muttered that eggs shouldn't be given to children to hold. I may look dim but I am not THAT stupid!!

I was determined to make the cheesecake on our return home. After a reviving mug of tea I was ready for action. The biscuit base needed to be made first of all. I retrieved a saucepan from the cupboard and threw in the butter. While it melted I eagerly opened the packet of ginger biscuits. I only required half the packet, so this left plenty for me to nibble on while I worked. I had forgotten how rock hard ginger biscuits are. They were reluctant to turn into crumbs. I visualised the rude woman at the supermarket as I attacked the biscuits with a rolling pin. This helped to keep the momentum going! Once I'd finally reached the crumb stage I could tip them into the melted butter along with a helping of Demerara sugar. After a quick mix it was ready to be pressed into the awaiting cake tin.

While the base set I could get on and make the cheesecake topping. I really enjoyed the first part as it involved chocolate! I broke the chocolate up into small pieces and placed them into a bowl set over a pan of simmering water to melt. There were a few pieces left over. Instead of saving for a later date I scoffed the remainder. I just couldn't ignore its pitiful “eat me” calls! With sugar flowing through my veins, I happily trotted to the cupboard and gathered up the box of gelatine. I just needed to measure a small amount of cold water into a bowl then sprinkle a little powdered gelatine over the surface. Almost immediately it started to 'sponge', but I was instructed to leave it for ten minutes. I felt forced to sit down and eat another biscuit - or perhaps it was two?!

After the gelatine had set it seemed a strange notion then to place it over a pan of simmering water and wait for it to dissolve! Once this had been achieved I left it to cool whilst I moved on to separating the eggs. The yolks went straight into my large mixing bowl while the whites were put to one side to be used later. To the egg yolks I added a modest amount of caster sugar followed by a surprisingly small quantity of cream cheese. As I whisked the three ingredients together I wondered if there would be enough mixture to cover the biscuit base. Things were topped up a little by the addition of the soured cream and melted chocolate. The chocolate made the mixture suddenly very tempting. However, my thoughts soon changed after pouring in the liquid gelatine. Now it wasn't so appealing!

The egg whites were of course not to be forgotten. I was instructed to whisk them until frothy. After folding in the moussey whites it was finally time to add in the last few ingredients. I felt as though I was adding a little bit of this and a little bit of that. There seemed to be a real mixture of ingredients in this recipe! Mary says to use four tablespoonfuls of brandy. This sounded like an awful lot for a relatively small cheesecake and Neil isn't a fan of spirits! When measuring it I was a little more sparing so I suspect I ended up using closer to three tablespoonfuls.

I had anticipated grating my piece of fresh ginger, so I felt a little apprehensive about simply chopping it finely. I had visions of Neil spitting out his cheesecake and gasping for water. I could only hope that I'd managed to chop it finely enough!! Once the brandy and ginger had been folded in I could pour the cheesecake over the biscuit base and cram it into our fit to burst fridge.

For the decoration Mary says to cover the cheesecake with a thin layer of whipped double cream before adding a layer of chocolate caraque. She describes how to make this in the decoration section of the book. I melted a little chocolate and then spread it over a smooth surface. Once set I was to use a sharp knife to cut pretty scrolls of chocolate. This did not work as easily as Mary suggests. In fact it didn't work at all! I ended up with just a few unsightly lumps to which I added some finely grated chocolate. It didn't look as good as Mary's but it would have to do. For the final finishing touch I dotted over some thin slices of stem ginger.

Neil thought HIS cheesecake looked very inviting and he was eager to start his taste testing duties. Two slices were quickly eaten so think I can take this as being a good sign! He said it was rich, chocolatey and the brandy gave it a real kick. The whipped cream was a welcome addition as it helped to calm the strong flavours and made the cheesecake even more rich and creamy.

This recipe did take longer than some of Mary's simpler cheesecakes but it wasn't difficult to make. I really like the idea of combining chocolate and ginger together. The use of brandy is perhaps a little daring. Neil said he would have preferred it without, but if you like brandy you'll no doubt really enjoy this cheesecake. It’s all about personal taste! I felt sad not to be able to enjoy a slice, but I managed to console myself with another biscuit!

Wish I could of tried some!!

Mokatines

2012-06-25T11:00:00.001-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Four: Page 167

Why, oh why did I leave all the complicated recipes till last? This was the question I repeatedly asked myself when searching the pages of the Baking Bible. The few recipes that remain are, in the most part, time consuming and fiddly, just the sort of thing you wish to avoid when pregnancy hormones course through your veins and you have an aching spine!! Hey ho, I'm on the final push and moaning won't make things any easier!

It was hard to find the impetus to bake after a week off from the challenge. It had been my little boy’s second birthday mid week and we spent a few days with both sets of grandparents at Center Parcs. I think it's safe to say that we all had a wonderful time. Isaac really enjoyed his birthday; he splashed in the lake, played with the sand, and there was even time to head to the swimming pool. It was a very water orientated day! Isaac wolfed down an enormous birthday tea and a pile of cake; he went to bed a very happy boy!

All too soon it was back to reality and we were home with bags to unpack and a pile of washing to attend to. It was hard to get back into baking mode after those relaxing days away. After spending ages looking through the remaining recipes, I finally decided upon these Mokatines. We had all of the ingredients needed, so no dash to the shop would be necessary. I found it hard to ignore my sense of foreboding. I'd made the Chocolatines (an almost identical recipe) some months ago and it had been a very long drawn out and unrewarding process. It was clear that I would need full concentration, so I shut the door between the living room and kitchen. Neil entertained Isaac and I could bake in peace!

First I had to make a Genoese sponge. This was the part I feared the most as my previous effort had tasted eggy and the texture was stodgy. I was worried that the outcome might be even worse as the battery had died in my electric scales and I didn't have a new one to replace it. I'd have to make do with my manual set, which is nowhere near as accurate – deep joy! I weighed the butter, then placed it into a small saucepan to melt gently over a low heat. I left it to cool while I whisked the sugar and egg mixture to within an inch of its life. My hand held electric whisk is cheap as chips, so having it on top speed is always a worry. Sure enough, I was soon enveloped within an aroma of overheated plastic. After several minutes had passed my mixture was suitably thick and mousse like. I'm sure my whisk let out a sigh of relief when I eventually turned it off! I carefully folded in the flour and butter in two stages. This time I had allowed the butter to cool right down before pouring it in. I wondered if it had been too hot on the previous occasion. I tipped the thick mixture into the tin and placed it into the oven. All I could do was hope for the best!

Unfortunately, there was no time to rest as I'd yet to make the Crème au Beurre Moka (coffee butter cream). When making the chocolate variation for the Chocolatines, I overheated the sugar syrup and managed to scramble the egg yolks, so I was keen to avoid a repeat disaster! I heated the sugar and water in a small pan then brought it to a steady boil. Mary says to boil for two to three minutes. While I waited, I managed to locate my sugar thermometer. I remembered that Mary used one for another demanding French butter cream. I found the recipe and noted that the sugar syrup is ready at 107 degrees. I checked my syrup and it was 131 degrees – whoops! I let it cool down to the correct temperature and tried to whisk it into the egg yolk, but of course the damage had already been done. It cooked the awaiting yolk instantly and I was left with a lumpy coagulated mess! I had to clean it all up and start again. This time I used the thermometer from start to finish and it was a complete success! Hallelujah! I dug out yet another mixing bowl from the depths of the cupboard, added the butter and softened it with a wooden spoon. Mary makes a point of mentioning that the butter should be very soft. I think the bingo wing on my right arm has shrunk a little after all that wooden spoon action!!! Now it was time to pour in the sugary egg and mix some more. Now the mixture was finally ready to receive a good helping of coffee essence. This would of course provide a coffee flavour!

By this time the cake was cooked through and I was so pleased to see that it had risen beautifully and was a hundred times better than my previous effort! I left it to cool on a wire rack and moved on to making the soft coffee icing. It was clear that I was still a long way from the finishing line. I glanced at the clock and was horrified to see that an hour and a half had passed since I had started.

As my tired legs shuffled me over to the fridge to collect the milk Isaac spotted me through the door and pressed his little face against the glass for a kiss. That certainly helped to cheer up my weary soul!

I cleaned out the small saucepan for the FOURTH time and tipped in the milk, some butter and coffee granules. Once the butter had melted I could sift in a large quantity of icing sugar. I could have cried as I watched the icing sugar leave a trail of white dust all over the hob, worktop, and of course the floor! I beat the unappealing brown mixture until thick. I was suddenly struck with a strong craving for a cup of coffee, partly due to the tempting smell but mostly to perk up my flagging energy.

Once the cake was cold I could split it in half horizontally then smear with a very thin layer of coffee butter cream before sandwiching it back together. Once I had cut the cake into the required eight slices I felt sad that, after all this effort, I was left with just eight small cakes!

I'd had enough of cleaning pans, so I heated a small quantity of apricot jam in the microwave before painting it over the cakes with a pastry brush. I reached across, picked up the pan of coffee icing and poured it generously over each cake in turn. Most of it slid straight off the sides and onto the baking tray waiting underneath. I spread what I could over the sides but there were a few unattractive gaps. After the icing had set a little, I located a piping bag and small nozzle. There was such a pathetic amount of coffee butter cream left to use that it looked rather silly in the piping bag. As it turned out, I only had enough for three of the cakes, grrr! The heat from my hands melted the last little dollop and it fell from the nozzle, decorating the floor with little drips. I couldn't help but laugh – I was almost delirious by this point!!!!

After all the hard work I hoped to love these little cakes. I was delighted with the sponge; it had turned out really well and was light and fluffy. The butter cream and icing were strongly flavoured with coffee and were rather sickly. Neil said the cake was nice enough in small quantities but he felt an urge to brush his teeth as it was so sweet! Maybe that is why there are only eight?! These are certainly best served in the 'Special Cakes' section of the Baking Bible. They definitely are for special occasions or for people you REALLY love! I was so worn out after my two hour baking session that poor Neil was left with the mountain of washing up. He has certainly earned extra brownie points!

Don't let it's simple looks fool you!!!

Mini Cakes

2012-06-14T09:27:00.002-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Three: Page 244.

This is the last bake from the 'Baking for Children' section. These mini cakes follow Mary's fabulous all-in-one method. Such a simple recipe is perfect for little children who like to be helpful in the kitchen. The plain sponges are baked in tiny petits fours cases then topped with glacé icing and sweeties. I was amazed to find that I already possessed a small packet of dolly mixture sweets. They would be perfect for the decoration. I can't understand how they escaped my many forages for naughty treats – I must be losing my touch!

It was wonderful to wake to a blue sky and plenty of sunshine. It made such a change to head to the park without the need of coats! Everything started off pleasantly enough; we enjoyed walking through the park, stopping to inspect the daisies every once in awhile. On arrival at the swings it was clear that a bird had eaten something it shouldn't. Both swings were in a foul state! I keep a towel in Isaac's pushchair for such events, so I laid it over the less affected swing. Isaac took great exception to this and turned on the waterworks! This theme continued throughout the rest of our outing. By the time we'd returned home I was feeling rather fraught to say the least! I had planned to make the cakes with Isaac before his afternoon nap but thought better of it! Hopefully he would wake up in a better mood. Oh the joy of toddlers!

A sleep did Isaac the world of good. I was greeted with a big smile when I collected him from his cot. It was as if the drama of the morning had never occurred! I very much hoped that making the little cakes together would end the day on a happy note. Fingers crossed!

I gathered up the Baking Bible and laid it out on the kitchen worktop. I turned on the oven and placed the petits fours cases onto two baking trays. Isaac had been eyeing up the colourful paper cases for weeks. Sensing that there could be trouble ahead, I quickly gave him a case in each colour so that he wouldn't steal them from the tray. This made his day perhaps, even his whole week – simple pleasures!! He observed intently as I weighed each ingredient into the mixing bowl. The butter was the first to go into the bowl. Isaac was desperate to hold the butter, so I put a little onto his fingers. Quick as a flash he was asking me to wipe it off! There was just the one egg to crack into the bowl. This was a great shame as it's Isaac's favourite part. He jumped up and down with excitement shouting “EGG” at the top of his lungs! I asked my little helper where the flour is kept. He went straight to the shelf and tapped his little fingers on the plastic container full of self-raising flour. He is learning fast!

After tipping in the flour I quickly measured in half a teaspoon of baking powder. Caster sugar was the last ingredient to be included. Isaac was keen to help me weigh the sugar and, as a result, quite a bit ended up scattered over the worktop and floor. Apparently this was very funny! Now all the ingredients were in the bowl I set about collecting the electric hand whisk. The mixture required a very brief whisk before it was thoroughly blended and smooth. As the paper cases were so tiny, I thought it best for me to spoon in the mixture. Isaac did help to hold the spoon, though, from time to time. He kept shrieking in excitement “All by myself”; he was very proud of himself! Of course it didn't take long before he started to eat the raw mixture. I think this was the highlight of the baking session.

I placed the filled cases into the oven. As they were so small I'd imagined that they would be cooked within about ten minutes, when in fact it would take between fifteen and twenty minutes. However, the time soon passed for Isaac as he sat on the kitchen floor with his bowl and spoon. He alternated between scraping out the remaining mixture and banging the bowl with the spoon. Apparently this sounded just like church bells! The cakes rose well in the oven and were a lovely golden brown. It was torture waiting for them to cool. Thankfully, due to their petiteness, it didn't take too long and we were soon able to make up the icing.

I sifted the dreaded icing sugar into a small bowl. Isaac was most perplexed by the inevitable dust cloud. I had to laugh when he exclaimed “Messy!” Never was a truer word spoken! To the sifted icing sugar I added a hint of water, just enough to create a spreadable consistency. Again, I held Isaac's hand and we guided the icing over the top of each cake. Before the icing had a chance to set we added the dolly mixture, sampling a few as we went. This was, of course, purely for quality control purposes!!!

We all enjoyed eating these tasty mouthfuls. We made quite a few but they didn't last long. As they are so small it helps to eliminate the guilt!! We had a great deal of fun making them and it certainly provided a happy ending to our day. The cakes were light and sweet; perfect for children's lunch boxes or parties. They are also perfect for harassed mothers!!

Isaac enjoyed licking the spoon. The few without icing are the suspect ones!!

Recipe Variation: Mini Chocolate Cakes

I was really looking forward to making these tiny chocolate cakes. They are only small so surely you can eat as many as you like without feeling guilty?! It would appear that Isaac was as keen to get cracking as I was. The word cake was enough to make him run into the kitchen at top speed!

The variation to this recipe was very simple and straight forward. I just needed to omit a little flour and replace with sifted cocoa powder. Isaac and I sat on the floor and mixed all the ingredients together with a large wooden spoon. It was a bit of a struggle to stop Isaac from diving into the bowl of mixture head first. He was simply dying to have a taste! Once the mixture was safely in the tiny cases the licking of the spoon and bowl could finally commence. Sadly I couldn't join in due to the raw eggs. In a few months I'll be able to elbow Isaac out of the way! With the cakes in the oven we were able to watch them cook through the oven door. Perhaps not the most thrilling past-time but we quite enjoyed watching the little cakes rise up and turn golden brown.

When the cakes were cooked through I took them from the oven and placed onto a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile I made up the messy icing. I followed exactly the same procedure as before. I was surprised and a little miffed not to be using a chocolate icing! This time we added smarties for decoration. A few for the cakes and a handful for me.

I was delighted with these cute little cakes. They were moist, light and delicious. I loved how simple and easy they were to make and Isaac was able to get involved too. Yet another recipe to add to my make again list!

Fun litle cakes - great for parties.

Rich Fruit Cake

2012-06-11T11:03:00.000-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & Two: Page 64.

Despite being halfway through June, the weather has felt decidedly autumnal this past week. A rich fruit cake seemed like the perfect cake to enjoy in such chilly conditions! Judging by the long list of ingredients, this was going to be an expensive cake. I could visualise lugging heavy bags home from the shop. Neil helped me check through the heaving kitchen shelves to see what I already had in stock. I have a habit of buying things without realising that I already have them, getting home only to find them sitting smugly on the shelf, Neil despairs!!! We were pleasantly surprised and amazed when we realised that the only thing missing was a lemon – result! I was pretty much all set to make the fruit cake.

After lunch I took the butter from the fridge to soften. I congratulated myself for thinking ahead! For a change I read through the entire recipe to see what needed to be done. I noted that the dried fruit would have to be soaked in a brandy bath overnight. There was no point in making a start in the early afternoon, so I put the butter back into the chilly confines of the fridge and got on with other things instead. After our meal and usual evening of watching repeats on TV, I went to the kitchen to sort out the dried fruit. I quite liked the idea of breaking up the cake making process. It was nice to think that I wouldn't have as much to do tomorrow!

I weighed the delicious glacé cherries and gobbled a few as I went. I can eat these sticky delights like sweets. No wonder I have more than my share of fillings! After chopping the cherries into quarters, I reluctantly rinsed off the lovely gooey syrup and dried them thoroughly with kitchen towel. It was time to retrieve the jars of currants, raisins and sultanas from the shelf. As much as I love storing them in Kilner jars, I hate opening the lids. The metal clips are rather vicious and often inflict injury! The jars were left almost empty by the time I'd tipped in a generous quantity from all three into the bowl. I wondered if I would have enough room for the dried apricots as my bowl was close to overflowing.

Snipping apricots with scissors is a tedious job but it is quicker than using a knife. I added them bit by bit to the bowl which was sitting on the scales. I managed to calculate that the average dried apricot weighs 7 grams!! The scales must have felt bored too as they gave up and switched off. Luckily I'd kept my beady eye on the weight, so I had a good idea of how much more to add! Last of all, I tipped in the chopped mixed peel. Now it was time to give all this fruit a nice soak in some brandy. A bottle of brandy is very expensive but, when used in baking, it lasts for ages; I've been using this one for over a year and still have half a bottle left. I poured four tablespoonfuls over the fruit. The fumes were so potent that my eyes were burning and my nose tingled! I covered the bowl with a layer of cling film. It felt as though I was tucking the fruit up for the night. This signalled that it was time for me to climb the wooden hill!

The following day it took a long while for me to work up the enthusiasm to finish the cake. I had planned to make it first thing in the morning, but that soon came and went. Whilst Isaac had a lovely long nap, I used the time to sit back and contemplate his upcoming second birthday. He already owns a mountain of toys, so the thought of adding to them was a little disconcerting. However, I have become quite adept at navigating my way through the pile on the floor! My thoughts also turned to THE CAKE. What was I going to do – eeek!! I started to feel the anxiety rise in my chest! Baking always helps to take my mind off any worries, so it seemed a good time to head to the kitchen and complete the fruit cake.

I weighed the flour, spices and a mountain of dark muscovado sugar into my largest mixing bowl. Thankfully my mother-in-law had given me a great big ceramic bowl which she no longer needed. It's the perfect size for heavily fruited cakes or large batches of cake mix. I broke the numerous eggs into the bowl then grated in the zest of a lemon. I was enjoying the fresh zesty scent until the juice sought out an invisible cut on my little finger and attacked. Ouch! Thankfully the orange was better behaved when I shaved off its skin. I only needed a tablespoonful of treacle. It was annoying to get covered in the black sticky substance for such a small quantity! The amount of butter required was quite simply horrifying. I used almost TWO packets. I could only hope that all the fruit would counteract some of the fat!! Next on the agenda were the almonds. It took some time to chop them into rough pieces. I lost a fair amount on the floor as they merrily flicked off the kitchen worktop. After a quick beating with my electric whisk, I was ready to tip in the boozy fruit. I had to use a good deal of elbow grease to work it into the smooth cake mixture. I heaved the heavy mixture into the very well lined tin. It was time to decorate the top of the cake with blanched almonds and glacé cherries. Mary uses this pretty finishing touch for a few of her fruit cakes. It is a simple yet very effective idea. Using what little muscle I have, I transferred the leaden tin into the oven. Surely it weighed more than several house bricks! The cake would need to cook for up to four and a half hours. I called out to Neil in the other room to inform him of the lengthy cooking time. He sounded horrified by my declaration and I couldn't really understand the cause for his alarm. On further discussion it transpired that he'd misheard and thought I'd said four to four and a half DAYS! This had me in fits of giggles for some time!

The cake cooked for just over four hours. It looked a bit burnt, but I reminded myself that this was a rich dark fruit cake. It was a challenge to extract the searing hot cake from the oven. My hands shook as it was so heavy! Rather frustratingly I had to wait for the cake to cool right down before tipping it out and pouring more brandy over the top. Fruit cakes do not cool very quickly. I spent the next forty-five minutes yawning and trying to stay awake. I was the only one up and it was very chilly downstairs. I knew I'd regret this in the morning when Isaac woke up singing at 6.30am! By the time I'd poured the brandy over the cake it was approaching midnight. The cake would have to cool without me, I was going to bed!

By the following morning the cake was obviously stone cold and ready to be wrapped up in a double layer of baking paper and foil. I do not plan letting it mature for long. I am looking forward to seeing my Mum in a week’s time and she loves fruit cake. As soon as we've had a taste, I'll update this post and let you know what it's like!

Apologies for the rubbish photo!

So what did it taste like?

So sorry for late update - I'm so forgetful of late! I took the uncut cake on holiday. I can confirm that it travelled well and arrived at Centre Parc's unscathed! All of the holiday party enjoyed a slice of the cake. The only criticism would be that it seemed a little under done in the middle. This was due to my impatience to get it out of the oven so I could go to bed! Other than that it was a deliciously moist and very fruity cake. I will be making it again as it didn't require as much preparation as other fruited cakes and it still tasted wonderful.

Cut cake!

Old-Fashioned Seed Cake

2012-06-07T09:43:00.001-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred & One: Page 57.

To be honest the thought of a seed cake does little to excite me! I'm not the biggest fan of seeds. In my mind they are food for birds! Mary's recipe introduction did little to persuade me. She states that we will either love or loathe seed cake. This reminds me of Marmite's similar bold statement. I happen to be very fond of Marmite, so I hoped that the same would apply to this recipe! It certainly would be a shame to bake a cake only to hate it. Where's the fun in that?!

Before baking could commence, we had a little drama to contend with first thing in the morning. We had a leaking pipe and there was a large wet patch on the ceiling – eeeek! Neil had been ready to leave for work but ended up having to drain all the water from the system so that a builder could fix the pipe. Isaac and I hid upstairs to avoid the chaos! Thankfully, after an hour or so, everything was sorted and Neil could go on to work, while I took Isaac to the park. It was obviously set to be one of those days. As soon as we arrived the heavens opened and we became rather damp. We had to make a speedy exit and head for home. A pregnant lady attempting to run is not a pretty sight!

Back in the warm and dry we cheered ourselves up with jam and crusty bread for lunch. I was particularly excited as I'd made the large batch of strawberry jam the night before. Neither of us could get enough of the stuff; it’s addictive!

After gorging myself silly on bread and jam it was time to start baking. I found it difficult to summon up much enthusiasm, which made me feel a little guilty! At least it was a simple and very straightforward recipe. I weighed equal quantities of butter and sugar into a mixing bowl. I collected the self-raising flour and baking powder from the kitchen shelves and measured them in. I now keep my flours in large plastic containers in the hope that I'll no longer find piles of flour at the bottom of the cupboard. Little fingers like to dig little holes into the bags!! Unsurprisingly I'd completely forgotten to check how many eggs I had. Thank goodness only two were required as that was all I had left – phew! After acknowledging my good fortune, I cracked the eggs into the bowl before taking a trip to the fridge. I pulled out a large bottle of milk. Just two tablespoonfuls were required. As we go through so much we buy six pints at a time. On this occasion the bottle was full and my hand trembled as the milk sloshed onto the spoon!

Mary's next instruction is to beat everything together for about a minute until all is thoroughly blended. It didn't take long at all to combine and I was left with a thick smooth mixture. It looked lovely as it was, and I felt reluctant to add the chopped candied peel and caraway seeds. I've never used caraway seeds, so I turned the container in my hand to look at the description on the back of the label. It didn't sound very appealing. Apparently it has a flavour much like aniseed. My sinuses were cleared as soon as I unscrewed the lid; my goodness it had a very pungent aroma! I was to use two teaspoonfuls in total. From this I reserved a few to sprinkle over the top of the cake. Two teaspoonfuls might not sound like much but caraway seeds are teeny tiny. I carefully folded them into the cake batter along with the chopped peel, and then spooned the mixture into the lined cake tin. It would need to cook in the oven for about an hour, so I took the opportunity to get on with a few little chores. I may have sneaked in another slice of bread and jam – shhhh!!

After half an hour a strong smell emanated from the oven. I had to keep peering through the door to check. Each time I felt convinced I would be greeted by a burnt cake. Thankfully it never turned black. It was, however, a deep shade of brown! I left the suspect cake to cool in the tin for ten minutes and then turned it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Now came the taste test. Normally I dive in without a second thought, but on this occasion I was a little hesitant! Rather gingerly I cut a slice and took a small bite. At first I didn't like it. The aftertaste was quite strong. It really did taste of aniseed! I took another bite and decided it wasn't so bad. I am not normally a lover of candied peel but I was glad of it. It helped to subdue the strong flavour of the caraway seeds. As Mary describes, this cake has a lovely buttery flavour. It is lighter than a Madeira cake but has similarities in both appearance and taste. Sadly I don't think I'll be in any rush to reach for another slice. I wonder if the birds will like it?

I'm off for more jam and bread!!

Seedy cake! ;-)

Swiss Wild Strawberry and Walnut Cake

2012-06-04T10:28:00.001-07:00

Recipe Number Two Hundred: Page 169.

Wow – I have finally reached my 200^th recipe! I think it is safe to say that I have made a LOT of cake in the last year and a bit. No wonder my hips have expanded; I'm not sure I can blame the size of my stomach entirely on pregnancy! As I contemplated which recipe I should choose I really did feel a sense of achievement. In a few months my challenge will be complete – I'm so close to the finishing line!

Of course, this weekend we have been celebrating the Queen's diamond jubilee. It is such a momentous occasion. I wanted to choose a recipe which complimented this very special long weekend. I didn't have much choice as there are so few recipes left. However, I finally settled on this strawberry cake. The word Swiss is in the title, but I consider anything which contains strawberries and cream to be quintessentially British! It makes me think of long summer days and watching endless tennis matches on TV. It ticked all the boxes as far as I was concerned!

After cooking and then eating a gigantic roast dinner for lunch we found refuge on the sofa. We just about found the energy to locate the TV remote. With groaning waistbands we watched the Queen's Jubilee Pageant on the River Thames. Despite the driving rain it was still enjoyable to watch. However, I did feel sorry for the choir with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. They sang gallantly, with their sodden hair plastered to their faces and clothes stuck to their skin. Eventually I managed to drag myself away from the nautical spectacle to begin baking.

After greasing and lining my deep round tin, I dug a mixing bowl out from the cupboard. I was about to make a fatless sponge. This would require me to whisk the eggs and sugar together for a very long time. I have learnt through experience that there is little point in attempting such a recipe without the aid of an electric whisk. However, if you are looking for a challenge or have bulging biceps, then you might want to risk the hand whisk!!! Even with the electric version turned to a high speed, it still took about four minutes until the mixture had doubled in volume and developed a thick mousse like consistency. Once this had been achieved I could sift in a small amount of self-raising flour, swiftly followed by the chopped walnuts. I wasn't very impressed with my brand new packet of walnuts – most of them were soft and didn't look very appetising. It took me a while to pick out the best ones! I carefully folded the flour and nuts into the thick mixture. Now it was time to pour the mixture into the awaiting tin, and then place it into the oven where it would stay for just over half an hour. Time to return to the sofa!

I never really expect any fatless sponges I make to rise, so I was surprised as well as relieved when I took the well risen cake from the oven. Unfortunately it was a right pain to extract from the tin, so my relief soon turned to annoyance. After some frantic shaking, the cake finally fell onto the wire rack; thankfully it stayed in one piece. Once it was cold, I gingerly sliced the cake into three layers. I must be getting braver, as normally I would have asked Neil for help! Now it was time for the cream and strawberries. Isaac's little eyes lit up at the mere mention of the word and he felt the need to follow me the fridge. I couldn't resist offering him a few. You'd have thought I'd given him a brand new train set by his reaction – he was ecstatic! I should point out that I was forced to use 'normal' strawberries. We couldn't find any wild ones in the supermarket. I couldn't see that it would make too much difference!

The amount of whipped cream didn't look anywhere near enough both to fill and to cover the cake. I had to spread it thinly between each layer. However I had a lot of strawberries, so I could be more generous with these. As feared, the remaining cream was minimal and by no means enough. It had to be spread over the top and sides of the cake VERY sparingly. Unfortunately the cake could clearly be seen peeping through and the crumbs intermingled in the thin layer of cream. I couldn't help feeling disappointed by the appearance of the cake – I'd had such high hopes! Lastly I dotted some whole strawberries over the surface and, for a finishing touch, I couldn't help adding Isaac's plastic flag for a patriotic flourish!

Interesting use of flag!

As you are already aware, we are a greedy bunch. We managed to find room for a slice of cake each. Our stomachs were still incredibly full but we just couldn't resist! The first thing Neil commented on was the walnuts. He thought they complimented the strawberries brilliantly. Even though there wasn't enough cream for decoration purposes, it was in fact just the right amount; any more and it would no doubt have become sickly and too rich. It was a lovely light cake; the strawberries and cream set it off beautifully. Perfect for the Queen's Jubilee!

The flash didn't like this white cake :-(

Wholemeal Ginger Cake

2012-05-31T10:29:00.000-07:00

Recipe Number One Hundred & Ninety Nine: Page 87

I've entered this wholemeal ginger cake into my Facebook Poll on numerous occasions and the poor thing has never been chosen. At school I was always picked last for sport teams so I couldn't help but feel sorry for it!! It was the ginger cake’s time to shine. I already had everything needed within the depths of the kitchen shelves so I was ready to make a start.

Before the baking could commence we first had to scuttle along to the hairdressers. Rather conveniently it is only a five minute walk away, so we didn't have far to go. This time it was Isaac's turn for a trim. He always wriggles and squirms as much as possible, so I'd tucked a biscuit into my bag as a bribe! As soon as Isaac realised where we were heading he started to utter “No...No” in panicky tones. Thankfully, once through the door, he relaxed and even sat beautifully on my lap. Funnily enough he didn't even attempt to eat the biscuit; this was probably for the best as it was soon smothered in hair! To make up for the ordeal we had a splash in the paddling pool on our return home. We even ventured to build a wonky sandcastle in the sandpit!

Once Isaac was in bed I padded into the kitchen to make a start on the ginger cake. I wasn't sure why I'd had to leave the butter to soften as it was about to be melted in a saucepan. Life moves in mysterious ways! I poured a large quantity of golden syrup into the pan to join the butter. As I was adding so much I tilted the tin and let it gush freely. This was a mistake as it gushed out a bit too freely and the whole lot nearly ended up in the pan. It took a while for me to spoon a substantial amount of sticky syrup back into the tin! I was surprised that granulated sugar was also to be included. This was surely going to be a very sweet ginger cake! After measuring in the sugar, I moved on to the marmalade. As I was using just one and a half tablespoons, I wasn't sure of the point of adding any at all! The last ingredient to make its way into the pan was some milk. I prayed we would have enough; I hadn't expected to require quite so much. Thank goodness I found a full bottle when I went to the fridge!

Now that everything was in the pan I put it over a very low heat and waited until the sugar and butter had melted. I took it from the heat to cool a little while I got on with sieving self-raising flour and spices into a clean mixing bowl. The wholemeal flour didn't need to be sieved so I simply stirred it in at the end. I broke a few eggs into a glass and gave them a light beating with a fork. After I'd finished I noticed tiny pieces of egg shell floating on the surface. I thought I'd be there forever fishing them all out, but I found that the fork picked them out surprisingly well!

I checked on the butter and syrup mixture; it was still scalding hot. I wanted to avoid lumpy flour so left it a little longer and got on with making myself a cucumber sandwich. I've loved cucumber sandwiches since I was tiny and they are still my favourite sandwich filling. Maybe that's why I love afternoon tea so much! The buttery mixture was still hot when I finally poured it into the bowl of flour and spices but I was bored of waiting and my lunch was calling me. I quickly added in the beaten eggs and then mixed the runny mixture together with a wooden spoon. Of course my flour went lumpy, so I had to rely on my little balloon whisk. After a few seconds of frantic whisking it became smooth. I was a bit concerned when the mixture started to bubble on the surface – what had I created!! I poured it into the lined traybake tin. On the way to the oven I nearly lost half of the mixture on the floor as it sloshed dangerously up the sides of the tin.

The ginger cake would need an hour and a half in the oven so I settled down to eat my lunch. As soon as my bottom had hit the sofa our cat decided she was desperate to go outside. Keen to avoid any nasty accidents, I hurried to the back door. I managed to step right into a pile of sand that had been walked in from the sand pit. I wasn't too bothered about the mess as it provides an excellent exfoliant. My feet have never been so soft!

After leaving a trail of sandy footprints back to the sofa, I was able to wolf down my lunch and then catch up with this blog. The smell wafting from the kitchen was glorious; a deliciously gingery scent. When I went to check on the cake I was saddened to see that it had burnt along one side. I would have to cut it off.

Once the cake was cold I could get on and ice it with a lemony icing. All that I needed to do for this was to combine lemon juice and icing sugar together. I haven't used icing sugar for a while and can't say I enjoyed revisiting it – such messy stuff! After smothering the worktop and floor with a fine dusting of sugar my icing was complete. I smothered the top of the cake with the thick icing. I decided against using the optional chopped stem ginger as decoration. I have scattered it over other ginger cakes from the Baking Bible but, personally, I don't like the way it looks! I decided to leave mine plain.

I was soon digging in and taking a large bite of cake. The flavours were surprisingly light. I could taste the ginger clearly but it was by no means overpowering. The texture was a little on the dry side due to being overcooked! Fortunately the yummy lemony icing helped moisten each mouthful. This is a lovely light ginger cake for those who don't want too much of a gingery kick!

I must of been leaning to one side when I took this picture!

Apricot and Almond Meringue Gateau

2012-05-28T09:59:00.001-07:00

Recipe Number One Hundred & Ninety Eight: Page 364.

As it was such a toasty warm day, I wanted to make a fresh and summery treat. A slice of cake just wouldn't cut it; I was on the hunt for a fruity dessert. When I came across this recipe for an apricot and almond meringue gateau I knew that I had struck gold. It sounded absolutely delicious. The amount of work required was a little daunting but it sounded as though it would be well worth the effort.

I already had most of the ingredients but still needed to get some dried apricots and double cream. Isaac was desperately in need of some new shoes so we decided to spend our morning traipsing around shops in the scorching heat!! It was some time before our wilting bodies arrived home. I was well and truly cooked! By late afternoon I had just enough energy to shuffle into the kitchen to make a start on the meringue.

Making the meringue itself was relatively straightforward. I simply had to whisk the egg whites until stiff, and then add a teaspoonful of sugar at a time. It was hard to resist the urge to tip in the whole quantity of sugar in one go and forgo the boredom. Once or twice I dared to add two teaspoonfuls at a time – I like to live life on the edge!! After all the sugar had been added I carried on whisking until the mixture was very stiff and standing in peaks. I was really proud of my meringue. I think it's the first time I've managed to get the peaks to stand to attention; they usually flop! The last ingredient for the meringue was the ground almonds. When I'd read the recipe header I had assumed that almond essence would be used for flavour, so I was pleased to be using the real McCoy! I carefully folded the ground almonds into the thick meringue and then spooned the mixture onto two lined baking trays. Mary says to spread into circles 8 inches in diameter. To avoid odd sized meringues, I had located a ruler and measured two equal circles. Get me!!!!

As the meringues cooked for just over an hour on a very low heat, I resumed my position on the sofa and fanned myself with a magazine (Isaac is frightened of our desk fan)!! When the cooking time was complete I went to check on the two meringues. Mary says they are ready when they peel away from the paper. Thankfully she's kind enough to point out that we shouldn't worry if they stick in the middle as it is a sticky meringue. I was relieved to hear this as both mine were sticky and, as I moved them onto a wire rack, they cracked and broke apart. If this had happened when I'd first started this challenge I would probably have burst into tears and given up. I must have learnt to laugh off mistakes as I just sighed “Oh well”!

Now it was time to make the apricot filling. I tipped a small quantity of apricots into my smallest saucepan, along with some water and a strip of lemon rind. I was to heat this gently for about twenty minutes or until the apricots were very tender. While they cooked I went outside to play. On our shopping trip we'd seen a combined plastic sandpit and paddling pool on special offer. We couldn't resist as it would be perfect for this weather. Isaac wasn't sure about the sandpit so, in an attempt to reassure him, I made sandcastles and sieved the sand. I had a great time! He soon warmed to the paddling pool once he'd overcome the initial chill. He LOVED splashing his poor mummy and was in absolute fits of giggles. Eventually I had to leave the fun and take my soggy body back into the kitchen to check on the apricots.

A waft of burning hit my nostrils as soon I walked in through the door. On close inspection, the pan had boiled dry and a delightful brown coating had glued to the bottom. The apricots were of course inedible – whoops! I brought out another small pan, (this time non stick) and started again. Thank goodness I had enough apricots. This time I was careful to keep a watchful eye on the pan! Once the apricots were tender I plucked them out and placed them into the blender. There wasn't enough for the blades to catch hold of, so I ended up adding the water from the pan plus a little more from the tap. That did the trick and I soon had smooth (well almost) purée. It smelt delicious.

I measured more water into the pan and tipped in some granulated sugar. Once the sugar had dissolved, I squeezed in a little lemon juice and boiled it steadily for three minutes to make a sugar syrup. This would be put to use later, so I left it on the side to cool.

Funny how a meringue is low fat until you add the artery clogging cream! I poured a hefty amount into a bowl and whisked it until it was just holding its shape. At this point a dripping wet child padded in through the back door in floods of tears. My first thought was that Isaac had hurt himself. I picked him up, forgetting that he was soaking wet, nice!!! I didn't feel quite so sorry for him when Neil informed me that Isaac didn't want to come inside and leave his paddling pool. The world as Isaac knew it was over! Thankfully, it doesn't take much to cheer up a toddler and, a few minutes later, I heard him happily splashing in the bath and Neil singing to him at the top of his lungs. I'm sure our neighbours look forward to bath time!

Now I just had to finish off the dessert; I was nearly there! I folded one-third of the apricot mixture into almost all of the cream. My mouth was literally watering as it looked so good! I sandwiched the two flat and broken meringues together with the apricot cream, performing first aid as I went. Now it was time to carry out the finishing touches. I dusted over some icing sugar, then piped rosettes around the edge of the meringue using the remaining cream. The last little bit of apricot purée was not to be forgotten. I diluted it with the sugar syrup. It was to be used as a sauce. I tried to take a decent photograph. However, the meringue, cream and dusting of icing sugar made for a very white dessert. I found it impossible to take a passable photo! I wasn't too fussed as I was keen to dive in and have a taste.

It was just as I imagined it would be – absolutely divine! We all loved it. I believe the key reason for its success is the perfect combination of the almond and apricot flavours. They worked beautifully together. It is the perfect summer dessert. It was perhaps a little faffy to make but it really was worth it.

Just realised that the plates don't match!!!!

Lime Lattice Cookies

2012-05-24T10:38:00.001-07:00

Recipe Number One Hundred & Ninety Seven: Page 199.

I love limes; they have such a delightful, sharp and refreshing flavour. I don't think I've eaten lime cookies before though! As just the zest is required in this recipe, Mary suggests using the juice for either drinks or for adding to whipped cream. I loved the idea of squeezing myself a zingy drink. The weather is lovely and hot at the moment, so no doubt it would be guzzled down quickly!

I was feeling rather hot and bothered first thing in the morning. Thankfully Isaac mostly amused himself. He spent ages playing with a small strip of tin foil! He ripped it into several pieces, scrunched them up and placed them on the sofa. He lifted his hands above his head and then, with all his might, gave the sofa a good whack! This of course made the foil balls leap into the air. There were lots of giggles! Once the foil had lost its novelty appeal we got ready for the swings. It always takes us ages to get out of the house and today took even longer due to a sunscreen application. Isaac didn't help matters as, every time I touched him, he fell to the floor laughing!! We spent ages at the park. It was so nice not having to worry about squelching in mud; I even wore my flip flops. Summer must be here!!

Coming home and putting on the oven wasn't really my first choice. I was so hot I would have far rather folded myself into the freezer compartment! Unfortunately, these cookies would not make themselves and I was looking forward to having a nibble. Reading through the recipe, they didn't look as though they would take long to make - always a bonus.

Before leaving for the park I had taken the butter from the chilly confines of the fridge. As I measured a modest amount into the mixing bowl I wasn't surprised to find that it was barely solid! After tipping in a small quantity of sugar, I was able to cream the two together. Due to the ultra soft butter this was no hardship, and I was able to beat the mixture with just a wooden spoon. It was creamy and smooth within moments.

I only needed to include two more ingredients. First I tipped in some self-raising flour and then I moved my attention to the limes. I required the zest from two. I don't think the fruit itself was particularly ripe as they were as hard as bullets! The scent of zingy limes was rather overwhelming as I grated off the rind. It certainly cleared my sinuses! Now I was ready to mix it all together and form a dough. I was able to achieve this with the wooden spoon before moving on to my hands to bring the last few crumbs together. It was a soft dough and not in the least bit sticky. It was easy to divide up and roll into walnut sized balls. I placed the green speckled balls, spaced well apart, on a baking tray. The biscuits looked savoury rather than sweet. The green zest looked like chopped herbs!

I was to create a lattice pattern on top of each biscuit with a skewer. I don't have a skewer, well, not that I'm aware of! I tried a few different things but finally settled on using the prong of my little cake tester. It was very thin but, as I pressed it into the dough, I simply wriggled it from side to side to create a more definite indentation. It worked a treat.

I placed the two trays of biscuits into the oven and left them to cook for about ten to fifteen minutes. Mary says to leave until just starting to turn golden. I am not a big fan of making biscuits purely due to the cooking aspect! There is such a fine line between undercooked and burnt to a crisp. Mine usually burn! The smell of lime became even more pronounced as the cookies cooked. I managed to get both trays out of the oven just before they turned golden. Now it was time to transfer from the trays onto a wire rack to cool. Thankfully each cookie completed the journey unscathed!

I was so pleased that the lattice pattern hadn't completely disappeared. Some of the lines were vaguer than others but they still looked pretty! It didn't take long for them to cool down and I was ready to pounce. These cookies are dangerously moreish. They aren't chewy as I thought they might be; they have a crumbly melt in the mouth texture. The lime flavour was gorgeous but not overwhelming like the smell! These cookies are so easy to make and it’s really quick to whip up a batch. These are high up on my make again list!

Just as a footnote I would like to add that a mouthful of lime cookie combined with a square of milk chocolate is utter heaven!!! Next time I'll be adding chunks of chocolate for sure!

Speckled biscuits!

Apricot and Orange Cheesecake

2012-05-21T10:59:00.001-07:00

Recipe One Hundred & Ninety Six: Page 384.

I love a good cheesecake. In fact I don't think I know anyone who doesn't adore a buttery biscuit base and creamy cheesecake topping. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water! This particular recipe sounded delightfully fruity and was sure to be packed full of flavour. I was left deeply distraught when I looked past the recipe title and read through the list of ingredients. I wouldn't be able to eat it – sob!

Firstly, the cheesecake is set with gelatine. I am a vegetarian so wouldn't have felt happy about eating the end result. However, I could no doubt have found a substitute such as arrowroot and still turned out a decent cheesecake. My problem was that it contained cream cheese and raw eggs. Raw eggs are a big ‘no no’ when pregnant. As my hopes of gorging on cheesecake were dashed, I decided to go ahead and use gelatine. This meant that there was no need for me to alter the recipe. It was difficult to summon up much enthusiasm to slog over something I wouldn't be able to sample! It was a real effort to force myself into the kitchen.

Neil had to take Isaac into the living room so that he wouldn't be around to witness the making of the biscuit base. Isaac adores biscuits in any form but particularly digestives. There was no way I could get the packet out in front of him!!! First of all I melted a small quantity of butter in a saucepan. While the butter gave in to the heat I grabbed a large freezer bag and popped in the biscuits. Not one piece of biscuit escaped the might of my rolling pin! Once I had a bag of crumbs I could tip them into the pan of melted butter. I quickly added a little Demerara sugar to sweeten the mixture and then stirred to combine. I pressed the thin layer of delicious biscuit crumble into a nine inch tin. This was going to be a big cheesecake. Neil would certainly have a lot to get through!!

I left the biscuit base to set while I got on with what appeared to be a complicated topping. There seemed to be a lot to contend with! First of all I found a small bowl and measured in a little water. I was to sprinkle over some powdered gelatine. I glanced at the instructions on the box. Just to confuse they differed from Mary's entirely! Of course I didn't dare deviate from the recipe; I obediently followed Mary's precise instructions! While I left the gelatine to 'sponge', I retrieved a packet of dried apricots from the cupboard and fished a carton of orange juice from the fridge. You can always be sure to find orange juice in our fridge. I religiously drink a glass a day for my goodness! I was too lazy to dig out another saucepan, so I simply rinsed the biscuit crumbs from the one I had already used. I tipped in the whole apricots and poured over the orange juice. Once over the heat, I had to bring the juice to the boil then leave to simmer for five minutes or until the apricots were suitably soft. Mine must have been as tough as old boots as they took about twenty minutes!

By now Isaac was sitting in his high chair (also known as his throne) observing my baking activities. As he munched through his pile of toast he took an interest in what I was getting up to. He politely said ‘Hello’ to the honey as I measured three tablespoonfuls into the blender and ‘Goodbye’ when I placed the jar back on the shelf. He was forlorn to discover that the two pots I took from the fridge were not yoghurts. However, he was easily distracted with the lid from the cream cheese and he watched keenly as I scraped the contents of the pot into the blender. Next it was time for the sour cream. I had originally bought some to accompany a chilli which never came to fruition. It was a good job that I'd found a use for it as it was just about to go beyond its best before date!!

Now for the eggs, which needed to be separated. I collected the whites in a clean bowl and placed them to one side. The yolks headed straight to the blender. Something was missing; I looked around the kitchen but couldn't think what it was. Thank goodness I re-checked the recipe as I nearly left out the key ingredient! I hastily tipped the apricot and orange juice into the blender. Mary doesn't mention draining off the orange juice so I could only presume that it should be included. I hoped I wouldn't live to regret the decision. The concoction in the blender did look rather runny! After a quick blitz the resulting mixture resembled a delicious milkshake and smelt divine.

Next I had to sit the small bowl of gelatine over an equally small pan of simmering water. It didn't take long for the spongy gelatine to melt into a liquid. I was then able to pour it into the cream cheese and apricot mixture. Suddenly I didn't fancy that milkshake anymore!

The last instruction was to whisk up the egg whites adding caster sugar a little at a time. My feet were really beginning to ache by this point! Once the meringue was very stiff I could fold in the apricot mixture. It was a challenge to combine the two together. It was some time before the lumps of meringue disappeared.

Now I was ready to pour the mixture over the top of the biscuit base. There was a lot of topping and some sloshed up the sides of the tin as I placed it into the fridge. I decided to leave it to set overnight and add the finishing touches the following day. I needn't have worried that the mixture was too runny as, half an hour later, it was perfectly firm. The gelatine had certainly done its job!

The following day and it was time to finish off the cheesecake. I just needed to warm some apricot jam and spread it over the top. Mary says to mark the cheesecake into ten wedges, whip up some double cream and place a dollop on top of each wedge. I was relieved that there was no need to dig out a piping bag! It didn't look very tidy or professional. However, Neil would be the only one eating it and I didn't think he'd care! For decoration I was instructed to add a small ratafia biscuit on each section of cheesecake. I had not been able to find any mini ones in the shops, so I'd settled for some cheap little oat biscuits. They looked kind of similar! I made sure I saved a few for myself so that I had something to nibble on while Neil stuffed the cheesecake!

Neil took his job as chief tester very seriously. He reported back that the biscuit base was delicious but there wasn't enough of it! The cheesecake topping was lovely and light and very moussey. The flavour of apricot was a little overpowering, but he thought that this was due to the thin layer of jam spread on top. He thought it to be an unnecessary addition! I think he enjoyed it as he happily wolfed down two slices! Isaac ate a good quantity too and he told me that it was very tasty, so at least he can help his Daddy out. I'm currently working my way through the oat biscuits and cream which decorate the top – yummy!

Wish I could of had a slice!!!

Madeira Cake

2012-05-17T10:45:00.003-07:00

Recipe Number One Hundred & Ninety Five: Page 39.

Mary's Madeira cake is the very first recipe within the pages of the Baking Bible. It is where it all begins! Although I've eaten shop bought Madeira cake in the past I've never ventured to bake my own. I found the few that I tried to be rather plain and dry. I assumed that any home baked effort would lead to the same results, so I never gave it a second thought. So many bakers consider this to be a staple cake recipe - a regular visitor to their cake tin. I feel a little ashamed having to admit that this is my first attempt! I suppose that we must all start somewhere; I was looking forward to giving it a try. I hoped it would not turn out as plain and dry as I feared!

Over the past month or so catching a glimpse of sun is quite a rarity, so I was most excited to wake up to glorious sunshine. I had to take advantage of the wonderful weather. A trip to the park was in order. It was a little on the chilly side when we first set off but, by the time we'd arrived at the swings, it was baking hot. Isaac was glad to be free of his coat and was soon charging around. He didn't want to go on the slide or climbing frame; he just wanted to run. His Daddy has taken part in plenty of marathons, so it must be in his genes. It certainly doesn't come from me!! I took the time to take in the views. It was so nice to see leaves back on the trees. At this time of year everything is new and such a lovely fresh shade of green.

After we had said goodbye to the park it was on to the shop. I needed to get some bread, eggs and some sweeties to boost my flagging energy! Isaac is well known in the shop for his sunny smile and constant singing. We weren't in there for more than ten seconds before his fan club flocked around him; he, of course, lapped up all the attention!! He won't be able to fit his head through the door soon!

By the time we were home the sunshine, along with a couple of chewy sweets, had given me enough energy to carry straight on and make the cake! I thought I should take advantage of this strange sensation as no doubt it would soon fade!!

In her short introduction Mary makes a point of mentioning that it is essential that the butter has a creamy spreading consistency. It was obvious that I should take this instruction very seriously, so I'd left the butter out of the fridge over night. It was indeed very soft when I came to weigh it into the mixing bowl. I required the same quantity of sugar. I really should have bought some more at the shop as I only just had enough. I hope I remember to buy some on my next trip but it's highly unlikely!!!

At this point I realised that Isaac was unusually quiet. I peeked into the living room. He was sitting on the floor merrily ripping a piece of kitchen towel into tiny pieces. Messy, but at least he was happily occupied! I collected the self-raising flour on my way to the scales. I shook it from the bag and, just as I was about to reach the exact amount, a great heap fell out. I had to grab a spoon and hastily put back the 60g excess! Next it was time to retrieve the ground almonds. I keep mine in an old screw top jam jar. I spent what seemed like an eternity trying to open the lid. I tried prising it open with my hands; this hurt quite a bit, so I moved on to whacking the lid against the side of the worktop. I even attempted to open it with a knife! Eventually it admitted defeat and I was able to unscrew it. After adding the modest quantity of ground almonds into the bowl I very gently screwed the lid back onto the jar!!

I grabbed the box of eggs from the shopping bag which was still on the floor. I'd completely forgotten to unpack it; luckily I hadn't bought anything frozen! Once I had cracked in a few eggs I moved on to the last ingredient, a lemon. My lemon was super sized. The biggest I had ever seen! Normally I make sure that I grate off every last bit of rind but, on this occasion, I wasn't fussed if I missed a few bits! Now I had all of my cake ingredients in the bowl I could bring out the big guns and use my electric whisk. As usual Mary is quite particular with her timings. I was to whisk for one minute. I really should invest in a stop watch!!! After the minute was up the thick mixture was perfectly smooth and ready to go into the lined cake tin.

It went into the waiting oven for about half an hour. After the half an hour I was supposed to place a thin slice of citron peel on top. The citron peel had put me off making this recipe before. I had looked into making my own and had had an unsuccessful search in shops. It suddenly dawned on me that I was putting in a lot of effort for one single solitary strip of citron peel. Quite frankly there are more important things to worry about it! I noticed in another of my Mary Berry books that she'd used a few pieces of chopped candied peel on a Madeira cake instead. I have plenty of candied peel on my shelves to use up, so that would have to do! So, after the half hour cooking time, I pulled the tin from the oven, sprinkled just a few pieces of peel onto the middle of the cake and then placed it back into the oven for just over half an hour.

I was disappointed when I took the cake from the oven; it was a little too golden brown for my liking! If only I had checked it a few minutes earlier! I left it to cool in the tin for the suggested ten minutes and then tipped it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Thankfully, my cake didn't sink. However, Mary includes a handy tip for cakes which do. For a sunken fruit or Madeira cake Mary suggests turning it out onto baking parchment on a cooling rack upside down. The action of gravity and the weight of the cake will level the top while it cools. I had never thought of doing this but will be doing so in future should the need arise!

When the cake was cold I cut a slice for me and Isaac to share. It wasn't dry or plain as I had feared – in fact far from it. It was light but at the same time a dense and robust cake. The only dry bits were the edges, which were a little bit crunchy due to being over cooked! The discreet almond flavour and the hint of zingy lemon unsurprisingly combined beautifully. They are a match made in heaven! This cake really exceeded my expectations. It just goes to show that you can't compare shop bought to homemade!

Doesn't look great but it was a lovely cake!