Earl Grey Sponge with Lemon Curd and Earl Grey Honeycomb

I love honeycomb. It reminds me of fairs and jamborees as a child where those sweet sellers would come in their vans and  flog candy floss and fudge and other jaw-cementing goodies. I always got a bag of honeycomb. There was something... mysterious about it, alien almost. To me it looked like a piece of the moon, hard and brittle but in oddly deformed chunks with those signature bubbles running through it like the stream of the galaxy. It's a little less enigmatic when you make it yourself but it is so much fun having it fizz and foam when you add the bicarbonate. I added earl grey tea for a more adult flavour and used it here to add some gold colour to this birthday cake, you could leave it in big chunks and eat as is. Probably best not to mention it to your dentist next appointment though! 

For the Sponge 

220g unsalted butter softened 

220g caster sugar 

220g plain flour 

1 generous tsp baking powder 

3 eggs 

225ml milk 

8 earl grey tea bags 

1. Bring the milk to the boil in a saucepan. Throw in the teabags, slosh around a bit and leave to soak for half an hour off the heat. 

2. Beat the butter and sugar together until very pale- about 5 minutes. 

3. Sift the flour and baking powder together in a dry bowl. 

4. Break up the eggs with a fork in a cup. Add the egg one quarter at a time with a big heaped spoon of flour until all the egg is gone. Beat well after each addition. 

5. Squeez out the teabags and throw away. Fold in the remaining flour with a good slosh of milk and fold gently after each addition until all the milk and flour are gone. The mixture will be brown. 

6. Line 2 8 inch baking tins. I split the mixture into 3 thin layers and baked for around 12-15 minutes at 180oC until a skewer inserted into the cakes comes out clean. If you bake 2 layers baking time will be a little more. Always use a skewer and you won't go far wrong. 

For the frosting (enough to sandwich three layers, you'll need extra for piping and for the top if you wish to decorate it)

75g butter softed

200g icing sugar 

2-3 tbsp milk 

1. Beat all the ingredients together until pale with no lumps- around 4 minutes. 

For the honeycomb 

100g caster sugar 

1/2 tbsp glucose 

25ml runny honey 

1/2 tsp baking powder 

1. Put the sugar, honey, glucose and a little less than 2 tbsp of water in a pan and boil until the liquid reaches 150oC. You really need a thermometer for this, its tricky work. The liquid should be a light caramel. Remove from the heat and quickly add the bicarbonate of soda. The mixture will fizz like crazy, keep whisking it then pour onto a lined baking sheet and allow to cool for about an hour. 

To assemble 

1. Beat the honeycomb between two sheets of greaseproof paper until fine gold crumbs. Tear an earl grey teabag and mix half of the leaves through the honeycomb. 

Allow the cakes to cool on a wire rack. Spread a heaped tablespoon of lemon curd on each and smooth thinly and then spread one third of the frosting. Scatter a handful of the honeycomb dust. Repeat with the other layer. Smooth a thin layer on top and finish with honeycomb dust. 

Pain au Raisin

I feel like I need to write a list.... of things I should make lists of. Not just things to do but life goals and inspiring quotes and idioms to live by and TV shows to watch and.... Other things that will improve the quality of my life. Sometimes I feel like my life is like when you go to the shop and you know that you really need something at home, like loo roll or milk or something but you just can't remember what it is. And as soon as you get home and slam the door behind you, you remember. And its frustrating.

Anyway back to baking, these pain au raisin are a rainy afternoon project. The puff pastry will not be rushed. Like a fine wine.... Or a narcissistic man.

325g strong white bread flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 x 7g sachet fast action yeast
42g caster sugar
About 210ml lukewarm water
250g unsalted butter cold but not hard

1. To make the pastry sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Stir in the yeast and sugar.
2. Then slowly stream in enough water to make the dough come together to a sticky but pliable dough.
3. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave to double in size for about one hour in a warm place.
4. After an hour punch the air out of the dough and chill for one hour.
5. Just before the hour is up take out the slab of butter and place between two sheets of clingfilm. Beat with a rolling pin until 10cm x 20cm. Pop back into the fridge.
6. Roll out the pastry to a rectangle 10 x 30cm. Slide the butter over to cover two-thirds of the dough. Fold like an envelope and press the edges together to seal in the butter- I set out some photographs here- Folding Puff Pastry.
7. Put back in the fridge for 30 minutes. Then repeat the rolling and folding twice more.

For the creme patisserie
10g plain flour
10g cornflour
30g caster sugar
1 large egg yolk
150ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp raisins

1. Mix the flour, cornflour, sugar egg yolks and one third of the milk together to make a paste.
2. Heat the rest of the milk in a pan until just boiling. Pour into the egg yolk mix whisking all the time. Unless you want milky sweet scrambled eggs- which you don't. Pour back into a clean pan that is cool on the bottom and cook gently over a medium heat, whisking all the time until thickened- it will only take a minute or two.
3. Add the vanilla and cover with a piece of greaseproof paper. Allow to cool.

To assemble
1. Roll out half of the dough to a large rectangle with the dough about half an inch thick. Smooth over half of the creme patissiere and sprinkle the raisins. Roll up on the long side like these cinnamon buns I made Maple and Cinnamon Buns then cut into thick discs, about 3/4 inch thick.
2. Leave to rise for 20 minutes on greaseproof.
3. Repeat with the second half of the dough.
4. At the end of the rising time brush with beaten egg and bake in a preheated oven at 200oC for 20-25 minutes until golden. The filling might seep out. Take carefully off the baking tray and cool on a wire rack.

Cotswold Lavender Shortbread

GIANT EXHALE!! My God it has been a stressful few weeks! Exam time is never fun but this time seemed to take the biscuit (beg pardon for the pun!) in terms of stress levels. I'm looking forward to getting back to baking, blogging and reading FOR THE FUN OF IT!

Lavender is something that I've wanted to try since Jo used it on last year's Great British Bake Off. I considered buying a fresh lavender plant but I'm a spoilt little brat and I want lavender shortbread when I demand it, whether in season or not so I thought I'd go online and buy some dried culinary lavender. And it was a rewarding internet retail experience. I bought from http://www.cotswoldlavender.co.uk/ and in two short working days a little box arrived filled with PURPLE shredded paper and with a PURPLE recipe sheet. Do you see what they did using purple there? It was a slow study day, I found it fairly amusing. I'm a marketing mogul's dream.

This recipe is from the sheet they sent, I'm guessing they are pretty expert using lavender and as a complete novice I leave it in their hands. I didn't want the shortbread to end up tasting like a bar of soap.

From Cotswold Lavender 
175g unsalted butter softened
75g caster sugar
200g plain flour
40g ground rice
1 level tsp dried culinary lavender

1. Preheat the oven to 160oC.
2. Place the flour, ground rice, lavender and sugar in a bowl and mix until even.
3. Chop up the butter into small cubes and rub in thoroughly with your fingertips or with a food processor.
3. Mix until it comes together in a ball then press into a greased tin, prick with a fork and bake for around 35 minutes.
4. Cut into fingers when still hot and leave to cool in the tin.
5. Sprinkle with caster sugar when cooled.

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Oh dear, I am in a BAD MOOD. Its has been a long tedious study week. I feel like lying on the floor kicking and screaming in a Girl, Interrupted way. Or pulling the sink off the wall in a Walk the Line-Way. So many film references so little time. ...

In the interest of protecting the fixtures and fittings in the house (and health and safety of those unfortunates you have to live with me) I turn to blogging a post of a recipe that I made weeks ago and just haven't had time to put up. Peanut butter chocolate cupcakes.

Its like I always say 'If you can't beat 'em turn to chocolate.' Similar to 'If at first you don't succeed, give up and eat chocolate'...

From Gizzi's Kitchen Magic
170g softened butter (I prefer 100g butter and 70g margarine actually)
170g caster sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
170g self raising flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
3-4 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Beat sugar and butter together until soft and very white, approx. 5-6 minutes.
2. Add the eggs one at a time with a heaped tablespoon of the flour.
3. In a separate bowl sift all the dry ingredients together. Dump on top of the sugar mixture, add the milk and vanilla and then fold gently but firmly until all incorporated.
4. Bake for 15-18 minutes at 180oC until golden and risen.

For the icing
100g peanut butter
85g icing sugar
75g cream cheese

1. Beat together all the ingredients. Swirl over the cupcakes.

So sue me! Cheater Brown Bread Ice Cream

You have to go away to really appreciate home. It's a very annoying part of the human condition, but pretty inescapable. After six weeks away I almost began to miss a good Irish 'I think the world is ending' rainshower- almost. I definitely missed good tea bags, a nice Irish 'rasher' and of course brown bread. Properly known as Irish Soda Bread there is no yeast- the only raising agent is baking powder. Wholemeal flour gives it a dark appearance and a crunchy texture. Buttermilk is the liquid left over after butter is churned. It looks god awful, floating clumps in a grey-white liquid but it adds a tang to this bread balancing it out nicely. If you don't have buttermilk add a tsp of lemon juice to milk and leave it overnight. It won't be pretty in the morning but it will make good bread!

I see this ice-cream in fancy restaurants now, it's getting a sort of revival. It sounds weird but if you haven't tried it you really should, especially since this recipe is a cheater one- you could have it whipped up in minutes. Use thick country-style bread for the most authentic result.

From Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson

250g brown bread crumbled
3 tbsp butter
3/4 ground cinnamon
100g granulated sugar
1/4 tsp salt

1. Crumble the brown bread into rough small chunks- you want some texture so don't pulse them in a food processor, just pull apart in your hands.
2. Mix the brown bread, salt, sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Melt the butter in the microwave or on the hob and allow to cool. Pour into the brown bread mix and mix until butter evenly coats the dry ingredients.
4. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 180oC for 15-20 minutes, stirring a few times to make sure they don't burn. You want them crispy but not burn, dark and caramelised.
5. Allow to cool and then into 1.25L good quality vanilla ice cream. Re-freeze before you serve.

Greek Yogurt Lemon Cake

I can't stand rudeness. In fact I think people should be sued for being rude and I'm not even joking. Whether its directed at me or someone else I think it's completely unacceptable. Often times there isn't much you can do about it. Sure you can give them a good talking down, tell them how they would be better mannered if they were raised by wolves in a Stephen King novel but you just know they'll roll their eyes and curse you under their breath. Enter TripAdvisor et al, slowly giving power back to the people, at least in the service industry and hitting them where it hurts- their pocket.

There is nothing worse than going out for dinner and being met with a waitress who thinks being asked for ketchup is a waste of her precious energy resources (because apparently she's competing in the Olympics after her shift). Eat a cereal bar and get over it. I'm paying for a service.

Sometimes people are just petty or over-negative and I always leave a nice review if I'd had a good time. Credit where credit is due.

So yeah rant over. Maybe I ate too much of this lemon cake and it's left me bitter...? Tangy moist sponge is topped with a sticky lemony sweet and sour syrup.  Delicious. Best of all it's super easy and quick to make.

From Good Housekeeping 

For the cake
225g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
150g caster sugar
150g butter melted
lemon rind grated
150ml Greek Yogurt
4 large eggs lightly beaten

For the syrup
125g caster sugar
75g water
juice of one lemon

Method:
1. Whisk together sugar, butter, lemon rind, yogurt and eggs.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon in a clean bowl. Pour in the wet ingredients and mix well until all is incorporated.
3. Pour into a 2lb loaf tin that is greased and lined. Bake for 1 hour to 1.25 hours at 160oC until a skewer comes out clean.
4. Put the sugar, water and lemon in a pan and dissolve over a low heat then bring to the boil and bubble for around 10 minutes until syrupy and thickened.
5. With the cake still in the tin use a cocktail stick and pierce the cake all over. Spoon over the syrup and leave to soak for 1 hour.

Rose and Pistachio Cake with Rose Creams

Honey I'm home!! I had a great time, plenty of foodie adventures - from campervan cooking in New Zealand to crocodile burgers and kangaroo kebabs in Australia (I was feeling pretty guilty with eating 'roo too but it was a 'when in Rome' adventure - tastes like steak) and back to the best pannacotta I've ever had in an Italian called Lucetta in Sydney. 

Anyway I did miss baking while I was away and this cake was a special request from my sister who ate a rose and pistachio luxury chocolate bar and was craving the cake equivalent. Not to do things by halves I made rose creams to decorate. I probably should have made them a bit smaller so they looked neater as decorations but they tasted great. 

Rosewater is one of my favourite baking flavourings, pick it up in a good health food shop or Asian food store. 

For the cake
175g butter softened
175g golden caster sugar
175g self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs lightly beaten
2 tsp good quality rosewater
100g pistachios shelled
1 tbsp milk

1. Beat butter and sugar until fluffy, around 5-6 minutes. Add a quarter of the eggs with a heaped tablespoon of the flour. Beat quickly after each addition just until incorporated. Continue until all the egg is gone.
2. Sift the remaining flour with the baking powder into a clean bowl. Fold in the rest of the flour with a big metal spoon. Finally fold in the pistachios and the milk until the batter is light.
3. Divide between two 6 inch tins and smooth the tops. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 180oC until a skewer comes out clean and the cakes are golden.

For the Rose Creams from 'Hope and Greenwood's Life is Sweet'
3 tbsp double cream
3 tbsp rose water
175g icing sugar
drop of pink food colouring
200g chocolate

Makes around 30 easily

1. Place the rosewater, cream and food colouring in a bowl and mix well.
2. Sift in the icing sugar into the wet ingredients and mix really well until it comes together in a ball. Place in the fridge to firm up for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Pull little balls off the fondant and roll into balls. Leave on a plate to dry slightly.
4. Melt the chocolate adding a drop of groundnut oil if you wish.
5. Dip the fondant balls into the chocolate. I think using a fork or cocktail stick is a good plan. Roll in decorations, whether hundreds and thousands or pink sugar as I used.
6. Leave to dry for a few hours.

For the frosting 
200g icing sugar sifted
75g butter, softened
1-2 tbsp milk
1 tsp rosewater

1. Beat the butter and icing sugar with an electric beater until getting clumpy. Add the milk and beat heavily for 5-6 minutes until white.
2. Add the rosewater and beat again for a minute.

Put the cake together with the frosting and decorate with the rose creams.