6 Reasons why I should be fatter

Forgive me blogspot, for I have sinned. It's definitely been a fatty week - that's for sure. Let's have a closer look at my sins...



 

Chocolate devil's food cupcakes

Like the link from confession to the devil?! Ahem, anyway. These were LOVELY and very CHOCOLATEY. Great sponge and the icing was basically a chocolate ganache - altogether very nice, I was sad not to be able to 'pipe' on the icing as I really enjoy that now :p From the 'Eat me' book by the cookie girl (Xanthe Milton). I've read she does cake decorating classes and I may sign up for them! :)







Cherry pies

 Altogether now - "she's my cherry pie!" As thats what I had in my head the whole time I was making these little beauties. Thanks and big up to my work friend Fishwick for picking his cherries for me. Doesn't that sound rude? :p Aren't they lovely -I'm used to the dark red cherries we buy in supermarkets but these were peachy/pink and sweet as anything. The pies were delicate and sweet served with custard. More please Fishwick before the season ends!









Chocolate fudge biscuit brownies

'Mmmm - where were these brownies made - heaven? No, Brighton.' (That's a little joke for any Apprentice fans out there :p) These have the best texture a brownie could ask for. If a brownie could talk. Not goey which i hate, (knowing how many eggs/egg yolks go into brownies) and not a cake texture (otherwise you could just make chocolate cake?) Lovely - this recipe is from Lorraine Pascal's latest book where she used Oreo's. I have tried this recipe with them but Oreo's are too expensive to buy for non-special occasions so I opted for the good ole english classic - bourbon biscuits which are A LOT cheaper. And I think these work just as well. My work friend Helen's hubby said that these, and i quote were  'the best brownies he has ever tasted' - an accolade indeed!




Coffee cupcakes

Ok a little bit of cheating here - this isn't a new recipe - its Nigella's cappuccino cupcakes with her coffee icing from her 'coffee ad walnut cake' both tried and tested here on my blog. But they looked, smelt and tasted wonderful. Lovely at Kat's girlie gathering.




















Strawberry scones

 After our visit to the PYO Roundstone farm i couldn't resist making scones with the fresh and fragrant strawberries. I just melted a bit of strawberry jam and stirred the sliced strawberries into it. Whipped some double cream with vanilla pods and voilà - the perfect scone. ~Drools~














 Lemon drizzle cupcakes for Helen

Helen's bday is coming up and I asked what her favourite cake is - Lemon drizzle apparently! Why should I have to wait for her actual birthday though - so I'm making them now for her, as a treat. I followed my aunt Heather's recipe she used for my wedding cakes! (Heather - you were right about the icing, I put a few drops of food colouring and it messed with the consistency - oh well next time). But I did make the lemon syrup and poured that over the cakes when first out of the oven for the 'drizzle' affect. They were summery and refreshing. Decorations were lemon peel cut out in hearts and yellow sugar (made not bought).

Eton Mess

Tanya's thoughts:
God just documenting my dinners and puddings makes me realise that I get very attached to recipes that go down well. This is a favourite that I have made and re made for many people. Buts its sooo easy and always popular - in fact only one person didn't like it because he wasn't a sweet fan. Strange boy i know, his loss was James's gain though that night. If James could have his way, he'd be eating this every day. I use the recipe in one of Jamie Oliver's books and the winning, now not so secret ingredients are fresh vanilla and rosewater added into the double cream.

James's verdict:
 "Probably my favourite dessert"

Chocolate profiteroles

 



















Tanya's thoughts:
And I did myyyyyyy way.... Well I subsituted the flour for gluten free and it worked - this doesn't always. So Sue was very happy with me - first tme she'd eaten profitaroles in 20 years apparently! Now there's loads of receips on how to do these - I used a combination of Nigella and Tana Ramsey's receipes as they both had really good tips in. I would say this - when they came out of the oven they were slightly crispy which I was disapointed about. But i left them in a tin overnight (as was making them in advance for lunch the next day) and in the morning they were softer and spongey - the perfect choux pastry texture. Also as they're quite fiddly would recommend making them the day before anyway. Another recommendation - i just melted chocolate and butter for the sauce as per Nigella's recipe but to me it wasn't thick enough - I think I associate chocolate profiteroles with the co-op ones me mum used to buy where it was almost a chocolate icing so may try something different next time. James wants me to make the French version 'Croquembouche'.

 James's verdict:
"very popular, especially with my mother"