First featured on my website Clandestine Cake Club 

Milk in first – Mify or Tea in First – Tify? That’s the question I am asking you today. I’ll tell you which I am at the end of this write up.

Yorkshire Tea lovers as we are, the Gent and I travelled to London to join hundreds of other Yorkshire Tea fans on the Orient Express. I have to tell you that my original guest is gutted that she couldn’t come. She is an afternoon tea fanatic and would have been cock-a-hoots at being on this magical journey. So rather than search for another guest,  I thought why not let my OH have some of this Tea – tastic ( My favourite word ATM) fun as well. So we caught the 8.15am train from Leeds and headed to London for what was to be a magical journey indeed.

Now I’ve been to London quite a few times over the past few years and believe me, finding your way around the London Underground does take some doing, so I made a mental note to remember that I had my OH with me because I tend to get into the zone of where I need to be and just aim for it. I had the Victoria Line firmly in my sights and we managed it and soon arrived at Victoria Station where our tea journey was to begin.

I had my iPad with me and began taking loads of pictures to share on social media. I wanted to share the journey with all my followers. And yes, CCC is sponsored by Yorkshire Tea during 2013, but I was a Yorkshire Tea drinker long before then, so speak from the heart when I tell you that I love this tea.  It wakes me in the morning, refreshes me during the day and calms me down in the evening. I must get through around 8 – 10 cups in a day, proper cups I mean, on a saucer, with the odd mug of Taylors Coffee around 11am.

We had a delicious afternoon tea with freshly made sandwiches which came to our table when we sat down.

And we got to take these little beauties home, all nicely washed and wrapped in tissue paper.

Jake’s Bar 27-33 Call Lane Leeds served his tea cocktail called The Tea Cup and here is the recipe. I had 3 glasses, if anyone saw me walking through the carriages with Miss Cindy in a staggeringly manner, it was the movement of the train and nothing to do with the alcoholic content nor the glass of Laurent-Perrier Champagne we had earlier. This cocktail was delicious and refreshing.

I loved the way our tables and seats were laid out in our carriage. It allowed everyone to talk to each other and we did.

Two Yorkshire Tea ladies Hannah and Paula joined us and filled us in on Yorkshire Tea gossips and updated us about Little Urn. In fact Paula, seated on the right, is one of Little Urn’s drivers.

It was one of those days that you didn’t want to end, the company we had were wonderful, the brass band played for us as they worked their way through the carriages. Michael Vaughan the ex England Cricket captain sent us off on our tea-tastic journey and Louis Tomlinson of One Direction travelled on the train as well. I have to admit that as I walked through each of the carriages I didn’t recognise him, but then I am 60+ so why would I. But I did pass a very nice young man in one of the carriages and did wonder if it was him. I Googled the name when I got home and discovered that it indeed was him. I hope Louis and his family enjoyed the day relaxing before he and his fellow band members begin another singing tour. I wish them all well.

As I took lots of pictures to share with all my followers on social media I eventually exceeded my internet download allowance and quickly had to top up. This day was all about Yorkshire Tea and if like me you are a drinker already, you will know why I love it. If you are not a tea drinker or never tried a cup or two, then you are missing out on a ‘proper brew’.

Yorkshire Tea can be used in many ways when it comes to baking. Soak some dried fruit overnight in freshly brewed and strained Yorkshire Tea before making a tea loaf the next day. Grinding a few teaspoons of dry leaves in a mortar and pestle gives a much finer grain which can be added directly to fruit cakes and tea loaves for an extra kick of tea flavour or as a substitute for the absence of spices.

Enjoy the pictures, I enjoyed taking them. If you are in any of them and want a copy please email me and I’ll send you one. Lynn@clandestinecakeclub.co.uk

ps I’m a Mify – Milk in First

For more pictures taken on the day, hop over to Clandestine Cake Club website 

The gent and I will be among 200 guests, including journalists, bloggers, celebrities and all round Yorkshire Tea lovers on a ‘Magical Journey’ on the Orient Express on Wednesday 24th April. Travelling from London Victoria station.

I’m excited to the point where I’ve had a hair colour make over and bought myself a new little something to wear on the day. Smart is the dress code, so I’ll be wearing white trousers with an elastic waistband, to allow for all the delicious goodness that is Yorkshire Tea, and a Jade green cotton ribbed lightweight jumper. I’m told the long term weather forecast is going to be 15 deg on Wednesday. I’m feeling very spring like, but will look a right ‘nana if it rains and my nice white trousers turn into a rain splashed polka dot ensemble.
So with the prospect of Aftenoon Tea cocktails, meeting some fellow ‘proper brew’ fanatics and learning more about my favourite beverage, this is going to be a tea-tastic journey.
I shall of course be taking pictures to do a write up on my return and if you follow me on social media I’ll be tweeting via @clandestinecake where I’m delighted to say that CCC (Clandestine Cake Club) is being sponsored by Yorkshire Tea for the whole of 2013. I already have one of their bright red tea pots and the gent bought me a Yorkshire Tea Apron to celebrate the collaboration.

I’m looking forward to next week. Wonder if little Urn will be there!

Dozens of Macaroons were on a reception table in the hallway. All just waiting to be eaten. I ate one and it was delicious. But I had to pace myself, there were rooms full of more goodies to delight the sweet tooth palette within.

I often use different types of sugars when baking. Granulated, Soft Brown, Demerara Light and Dark Muscovado. I even mix and match them to get a nice toffee flavour in cakes. Using a nice dark sugar is a must when making fruit cakes and tea loaves.

We fill our cupboards with different spices and more recently with different types of flours for bread making, so why not with sugars. For a change why not forgo the white sugars and give the brown sugars a look in. You’ll be pleased with the result, I promise.

First room to visit was the drawing room full of cakes and sugar goodies to eat.

In the drawing room was a table with various sugars to sample each were used to make delicious cakes and biscuits with which we could sample as well.

Yes, this is a cake vase

Edible cushions on the staircase.

Macaroon strewn banisters

Edible Meringue rug in the bedroom.

Caramel coated popcorn. You had to be there to smell the lovely Toffee Aroma.

More treats in the bedroom, this time using Soft Brown Sugar

Edible cushions in the bedroom. I did a double take when I first saw them.

You may not believe it but these are edible shells made from Gingerbread casings and then sugar coated.

Edible Turtle Cake with Soft Brown Sugar for sand

Is this the largest rainbow cake ever made?

Easter Island Chocolate Cake.

Cupcakes topped with dried Pineapple slices on a tray of golden granulated sugar.

After my sugar rush off I went for a pot of tea to offset the sugar balance.

Gwyn and I

When it comes to enjoying an Afternoon Tea out, home made baking is definitely the best.  The Gent and I had just that over in Bowdon Manchester the other week. We were invited by Gwyneth Brock and Jane Ellis both avid bakers and Vintage Afternoon Tea providers, to give a talk about the Clandestine Cake Club, enjoy some delicious home baking and meet some really nice people. The weather was not conducive to travelling over the pennines, but as we reached Saddleworth Moor, the highest point of the M62, the weather turned in our favour and we arrived a little early so found a parking spot and decamped for a coffee at a local cafe.

When we found the church/community hall, we were very pleasantly surprised to find it was a gem of a place, full of charm, where my immediate thoughts were what a wonderful place to enjoy an Afternoon Tea. Virgin cocktails awaited us and after signing a few CCC Cook Books that Gwyn and Jane had ordered for attendees to buy, we soon began to enjoy fresh finger sandwiches, scones and cakes eating them all to a back ground of  1950′s music. Chatting to the people next to me is something I like to do, and I tried my best to speak to as many people as possible, there were well over 30, even after the finishing time had passed, I still didn’t manage to speak to everyone. My apologies.

Gwyn Jane and their band of baking helpers made several cakes from the CCC Cook Book. Including the Finish Mothers Day cake.

Tomorrow, Sunday 17th March, The Gent and I are off to CCC Durham Dales to help them celebrate their first birthday. I love my road trips, thankfully we are going in the car, hate cold train stations, I think they were the cause of my general rundownness over these passed few weeks. Thankfully now back to 99.9% and feeling a darn site better.

Finish Mother’s Day Cake

Crispy Lemon Cake

Elderflower Cordial Cake

Mocha Marble Cake

St Luke’s Church Bowdon Manchester

Simnel Cake

I miss my Afternoon Teas #JustSaying

I had an olive oil cake recipe that I’d adapted where I reduced the amount of oil and added a few other nice ingredients. I further changed it to use Mrs Middleton’s oil and hey presto it tasted even better. Really moist, keeps for several days if not eaten straight away.

This oil is very versatile and so far I’ve not used Olive oil in much of my cooking.

Croutons: Try cubing white bread, soak them in Mrs Middleton’s Oil and bake in the oven for 10 mins. I defy you not to smell the aroma of May fields.

Pizza: Try adding a tablespoon to the dough in place of Olive oil and drizzle over the pizza topping before baking.

Yorkshire Puddings: I bit decadent I know, but try replacing your usual cooking oil with Mrs Middleton’s, it gives the puds a really nice fresh, slightly sweet taste rather that the usual bland taste you get when using plain vegetable oil.

Recipe created especially to use Mrs Middleton’s Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil

Serving size: 10 – 12 slices

Ingredients

• juice of one medium orange
• zest of 2 medium oranges
• 80g Sultanas
• 150g light brown sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 70ml Mrs Middleton’s Rapeseed oil
• ½ teaspoon orange extract
• ½ teaspoon mixed spice
• 250g ground almonds
• 225g grated carrots
• Icing Sugar – Optional

Method

1. preheat oven to 170deg grease and line an 8ins cake tin
2. Add the zest, orange juice, and sultanas into a pan, gently heat and simmer for a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to cool.
3. With an electric mixer, beat the eggs, oil and sugar together for a few minutes until well combined, continue beating and add the orange extract and mixed spice. Beat for a few more minutes.
4. Add the ground almonds, carrots, sultanas & orange mixture to the egg mixture and mix, not beat, until well combined.
5. Add the batter to the tin and bake in the oven for 50 – 55 mins. Testing the centre of the cake with a skewer until it comes out clean.
6. Leave to cool in the tin for a few moments before turning out to cool completely before slicing.
7. Dust with icing sugar