Monday 9 February 2015

Flower Bouquet

Dear all,

My colleague made me the most amazing cake for my birthday: a cupcake bouquet!

It is so cool I can't wait to share it with you!





OMG right? She has cleverly written her own blog post about how to make one of these. Check out Tea Tulpen now!

Wednesday 7 January 2015

Roast dinner

Dear all,

I decided to make another attempt at a roast dinner (last time was a couple of years ago!). Big success!


Roast beef with carrot and swede mash, runner beans, roast potatoes, parsnips and (failed) yorkshire puddings.




And some lovely cakes thanks to a dear friend. Thank you!

Wednesday 31 December 2014

Random Dessert!

Dear all,

How about a random dessert this time? Blondie/brownie mix.



And because everything becomes a little more festive with powdered sugar:



Happy New Year!

Wednesday 24 December 2014

Random dinner time! (2)

Dear all,

More random dinners! jjajangmyeon! Black bean sauce noodles, Korean style.



Also: Merry Christmas!!!

Wednesday 17 December 2014

Random dinner time!

Dear all,

Not always spectacular, but always tasty: random dinner decisions. Thought I would share some with you.


Udon with miso nasu!

Sunday 14 December 2014

Pre-christmas dinner

Dear all,

It's been a while!

Extra special treat for the long wait: my pre-christmas dinner with friends. Rather than the usual dessert I decided to do the starter for a change. I present you with:


Snow-flake cheesy biscuits with poppy and fennel seeds.


My army. My army of penguins! Big hit I can tell you, and tasty too. Made of black olives, cream cheese and carrot. Definitely a simple-but-effective dish!!


I'm afraid the penguins were hungry so I didn't get a good pictures of the Devils on Horseback, a typical Christmas treat. For those in the unknown: dates stuffed with cream cheese and a whole almond, wrapped in bacon and baked in the oven. Served warm and very tasty! And to go with these lovely treats, a welcome cocktail for my friends. Christmas pear Prosecco (ginger syrup, stem ginger, pear juice and prosecco in a glass dipped in sugar and cinnamon). Cheers!


But wait, there's more!? Sage and onion bread-to-share, and a plaited sun-dried tomato, red pesto and parmesan loaf.


And to go with the bread: sun-dried tomato, basil and parmesan butter, and a garlic and chili butter.


Oh and my lovely friends also made lovely food! Sage and pea soup with diced cheek of veal, and the main course: venison with garlic/rosemary potatoes and sprouts with pancetta and chestnuts, served with home made cranberry sauce.


Last and definitely not least: tiramisu.

Wednesday 24 September 2014

Red Velvet Cookies

Dear all,

Officially these cookies are called " Cookies n Cream Marshmallow Red Velvet Cookies" but I thought that was quite a mouthful for a title. Either way, this was sort of cookie challenge 2.0. A few weeks ago I re-created cookies my brother had found on instagram and this week I tried again. So you won't judge me I have added what they are supposed to look like at the end, after you  have had a chance to admire my version!



I was definitely off to a good start with the red colour for the red velvet aspect of the cookie. Until I added the cocoa. Then the cookies looked decidedly brown - but I did not give up, added two kinds of chocolate (I could not find the cookies n cream bars from the recipe, so added rice crispy white chocolate and milka oreo chocolate) and in the oven they went.


Out of the oven they were still... brown! No matter, pressed in the marshmallow bits and cookies done! In a different light they are a little red after all, thank goodness.


Close up: they look sickeningly sweet but were actually not that bad! Lovely chewy soft cookie and the slightly melted marshmallow is great fun.


It was a bit of a celebrate for my mother, so we turned two cookies into a tiered cake and stuck the candles in the marshmallow - worked a treat! (get it? treat? haha)

Now. I know they don't look like the original below, but really, mine look different but just as good, surely?



xoxo Jennifer