Peach, Custard & White Chocolate Cake

Whoever invented the traybake cake or sheet cake as Americans like to call them is a GENIUS, they just somehow feel more effortless to whip up than your regular round layer cakes. This cake was an absolute hit in my house, my mum warmed hers up with even more lashings of custard as if there wasn't enough in the cake already - to be fair you can never have enough and with comments like 'they remind a bit of a school pudding, in a good way!' she can confirm this cake does work just as well hot or cold. 

Summer Taco Salad

I think most would agree that tacos are preferred over a salad any day of the week, and I bet on restaurant menus everywhere, if both are on a menu, tacos would most likely always win. But, the spin of putting the taco elements into a salad makes this a complete and satisfying meal in itself. 

Halloumi and Egg with Broccoli Tabbouleh Salad

Well aren't we just having a great  time with the weather in England at the moment?! Uni is officially over for me (till next year) and what a great way to spend my days of freedom, just basking in as much sun as I can possibly get. This hot weather definitely changes my eating habits, I'm just loving salads currently. Can't get enough of them, and it can only be a good thing because salads are pretty darn good for you. 

Plum and Ginger Layer Jars

At this time of year I love nothing more than taking a picnic to a park or field, eating al fresco with good company and enjoying the gloriously sunny weather (when mother nature decides, that is.) 

Raspberry, Peaches and Mascarpone Cream Cake

A party without cake is just a meeting. I think Julia Child is very right there, I've never had a birthday without cake.

Lovely Lavender Loaf with Blueberry Icing

The three L's, lovely lavender loaf... this cake has real summer vibes and is perfect for the weekend when you just want to sit outside and chill in the sunshine, and eat of course! I have dabbled with lavender in baking before, but with raspberries, it was one of my very first blog posts which I did way back in July 2014. OMG, that was over 2 years ago. How time flies! (See said post here.)

Garlic Pesto, Tomato and Courgette Pizzettes

Back off my holidays and afresh with new ideas, I couldn't wait to get back into the kitchen! On my travels I re-discovered how delicious freshly baked bread can be. Plain and simple, with no additions, just with a dip of good quality extra-virgin olive oil and some sea salt flakes. I'd forgotten how good it can taste and with this in the back of my mind, it inspired me to make these vibrant, gorgeous pizzettes. 

Using equally good quality fresh ingredients of piccolo tomatoes, garlic, pesto, courgette and rocket is all you need with this recipe.... a perfect lunch to beat those post-holiday blues.

They taste just as delicious hot or cold and even though it makes 8 which may seem a lot, they are supposed to be smaller than your average pizza, hence the cute name - pizzette, so trust me on this one because with these on your kitchen worktop, you won't be able to help yourself but nibble on them all day long (like I did!) 

The dough is effortless too, which for me is just what I tend to go for when choosing a bread recipe. Because who has the time these days to keep going back and to? Proving, knocking back, shaping, re-proving...it can often go on and on! I do have to admit though, I love kneading dough, yet, there is a time and place for it. It just so happens to be that stirring together the dough until it forms a ball is actually the best thing for a flatbread, meaning no need for a knead (sorry). 

Garlic  Pesto,  Tomato  and  Rocket  Pizzettes 

Ingredients

For the dough: 100g wholemeal (whole-wheat) plain flour 200g strong white bread flour ¾ tsp salt 1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
For the topping: 3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 1 ½ tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 2 tbsp basil pesto ¼ courgette 10 piccolo tomatoes salt and pepper ½ tsp balsamic vinegar handful of rocket

Method

The dough will need to be made 2 hours in advance so it has time to rise before putting the toppings on. To make the dough place both flours in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add in the salt and yeast and then 225 ml of lukewarm water. Stir until it forms a ball and no floury patches remain. Cover the bowl with plastic cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for a minimum of 2 hours, 
To prepare the toppings, mix the garlic with olive oil and pesto in a small bowl. Grate the courgette into small strips or use a spiralizer to create short strands. Slice the tomatoes into quarters. Season the courgette and tomatoes with salt and pepper and drizzle over the balsamic vinegar.  
Once the dough has finished rising, preheat a large ovenproof, non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Preheat the grill to its highest setting. Form the dough into 8 balls, you may need to dust your hands and the work surface with flour. Flatten each ball into roughly 12.5cm (5-inch) diameter circles with your hands. 
Place 2 circles of the dough into the preheated frying pan. Brush them quickly with the garlic pesto mixture and top with some of the tomatoes, courgette and rocket leaves. Cook for about 3 minutes, the underside will be browned but make sure they don't blacken underneath by carefully lifting the sides with a fish slice to check. Then place under the hot grill for another few minutes or until puffed up and golden and the rocket has wilted. Remove the pizzettes from the pan and keep them warm whilst you repeat the process with the other 6. 

Strawberry, White Chocolate and Pistachio Tier Cake

This one is gonna be a bit of a quick post because even though I've finsihed college, I've found myself so busy these past two weeks and with the bulk of birthday season behind me now, I just had this one last cake to make...as requested by my friend Ellen.

Raspberry, Poppy Seed and Elderflower Cake

Happy Bank Holiday for all you UK readers! I wasn't planning on making this recipe for a post. It was a cake I created for a friend of a friend's birthday this weekend, but I thought you know what...this cake looks so beautiful (as you can probably tell, I'm very pleased with it!!) so I'll share the recipe anyway - even though I can't cut into it myself and show you the finished inside. 

Rhubarb and Custard Cake

Reading about rhubarb (well, to be honest mainly just looking at pretty Pinterest images ) got me thinking about how much I love these stalky vegetables and it turns out - way more than I thought I already did ( yes! They're vegetables posing as fruit!! Sneaky eh?) 

Easy BBQ Flatbreads with garlic herb butter

I'm back! I didn't forget my blog existed or anything, I've just not been able to post for awhile due to several reasons. 1. I've been getting some work experience at Laurence Hudghton Photography, I learnt loads of food style'y tips and tricks and helped out on various shoots. 2. My kitchen is in a right old state at the minute and has been for a few weeks but the good news is it will all be back to normal soon and I will have an oven to work with again. Phew!

Cranberry, White Chocolate and Orange Cake

Oven update: still no closer to getting one :(

Rhubarb and Strawberry Nutty Oaty Crumble

It's officially rhubarb season and what better way to celebrate with a good old crumble. I can often find that rhubarb is a bit too tart for me (you know the one where you have to purse your lips together - resembling a selfie pout?!) so that's why I've added strawberries for a bit more sweetness and what a match made in heaven it is...also peaking at their best just recently I've noticed - tender and juicy plus a reason why not to add lots of sugar to this recipe.

Summer's on it's way: No-Churn One-Step Coffee Ice cream

Well hope everyone is enjoying what's left of their Easter bank-holiday weekend, I am but then again I'm still off college for another week so yeahhh!! I've been getting into the holiday spirit of things with my first ice cream recipe of the year and it seems that for once the weather is playing along too. All is good. 

Pretty Rose Biscuits

As the summer holidays draws to a close (and I start sixth form next week) I felt the need for a nice summery biscuit which echoes all that is great about this time of the year. Smells which reflect an English cottage garden; delicate in both flavour and colour - these pretty biscuits are a huge step away from the giant chocolate chip cookies which predominantly own the 'cookie scene'! 

Courgette glut anyone? I have the answer!

             

I'm all for using seasonal ingredients...and as it's summer time - it can only mean one thing - an abundance of courgettes! We used to grow courgettes in our little vegetable patch; they were easy to start off and a pleasure to just watch them bloom without huge amounts of nurturing.

Speedy 10 minute Lemon Curd!

This post is a tiny bit spontaneous because I actually had no intention of writing about it!

Smoked Salmon, Broccoli and Cream Cheese Quiche

I'm very affected by the weather - I wish I wasn't but I am. As soon as it starts heating up outside I really can't be doing with big heavy meals (a.k.a casseroles uughh!)

Lavender and Raspberry Cupcakes

I thought that this weekend was the perfect opportunity to bake my favourite thing- cupcakes! Sometimes it's the simplest things in life, sharing them out to friends and family over a pot of tea which can make the weekend so much more enjoyable.

I don't know what it is about lavender and raspberries...but they just match together so well with their summer aura which make them perfect companions smothered in rich buttercream icing. These cupcakes not only relaxes for its traditional comforting qualities, but also because it is lavender infused, to ensure complete calm. So if your having a pretty hectic weekend, maybe it's time that you put all that aside, get your bowl and wooden spoon out and knock up a batch of these bad boys!! 

I used freshly picked lavender flowers from my garden (oh and make sure they're edible) but if you can't get hold of any... you could buy some lavender extract from specialist stores like here, add a teaspoon to the cake batter (but don't forget to add a dash of milk to loosen up the mixture too) and do the same with the buttercream. I thought that I might as well sprinkle on a few lavender flowers for decoration too, just for the heck of it...but the flowers don't actually taste that good to eat, so it's up to you.

When getting to the section of the recipe where it says "fill the centre with raspberry jam" - don't feel obligated to do that! If you feel they will be sweet enough for you as they are (and you don't happen to have as much of a sweet tooth as me) then don't put it in. Soooo many decisions!!

Oh and for leftovers (ha, probably no chance of that happening but...), make sure to keep them stored away in the fridge because of the raspberries. So on with the recipe I hear you say...well here it is!

Lavender and Raspberry Cupcakes

Ingredients (makes 12)

130ml milk

1 tsp edible lavender flowers

225g salted butter, at room temperature

225g caster sugar

4 eggs

250g self-raising flour

For the buttercream

160g salted butter, at room temperature

500g icing sugar

50ml lavender milk (see above)

To finish

24 fresh raspberries

2 tbsp raspberry jam to glaze

+ 12 tsp raspberry jam to fill (optional)

Method

Preheat your oven to 180°C/ Gas 4/ 350°F

To make the cake batter, first infuse the milk by pouring it into a small saucepan with the lavender flowers and heating over a low heat for about 10 mins. Leave to cool completely, then strain into a bowl to remove the flowers.


Cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl using a wooden spoon or electric beaters, or using the paddle attachment in a free standing mixer, until paler in colour, smooth and creamy. Then add the eggs one at a time and beat until you have a smooth mixture. Finally, fold in the flour and 80ml of the lavender milk.

Scoop heaped tablespoons of the mixture into a cupcake tray lined with cases. Bake for 20-25 mins, or until nicely golden brown and a skewer inserted comes out clean. If inserting raspberry jam in the centre, core out the middle of the cupcakes whilst still warm (you can buy specialist cupcake corers/plungers that do this, but just use a knife if you don't have one). Leave the cupcakes to cool completely before icing.


Meanwhile, make the buttercream. Beat the butter until very soft, then add the icing sugar and mix together. When the butter is well incorporated into the icing sugar, pour in the remaining 50ml of the lavender milk and beat until smooth. You can then spoon this into a piping bag with desired nozzle (I used a star nozzle) if you don't want to spread onto the cake using a palette knife.

Spoon a teaspoon of raspberry jam into the middle of each cupcake, or leave plain if you wish not too.


Pipe swirls of buttercream onto your cupcakes and then place 2 raspberries on the top. Next to make the glaze, put the 2 tbsp of jam into a saucepan with 1 tbsp of water, place over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Pass through a sieve (if not seedless) then, while the jam is still warm, use it to glaze the raspberries, painting it on with a pastry brush.