I love Pimm’s. I first discovered it when I was staying in the north of England a few years ago. I asked the bartender what cocktail I should try and he recommended Pimm’s. It was the middle of Winter and I was home-sick and slightly frozen, but the Pimm’s made me feel like I was at home. The cool, refreshing drink did not match the cold English weather at all, but it didn’t matter! Continue reading “Delicious Pimm’s and fond English memories”
Tag: England
Baking and absences
Hello dear followers!
I’ve nabbed a computer to let you know that I’ve not forgotten you all, I have broken my computer.
And I miss you!!
I was madly blogging the other day and leapt up from my seat to plug it in to the charger, and I knocked the computer from its perch. My computer was in a very sorry state, but I’ve sent it off to be fixed and should have it fixed in a number of days.
If you miss me terribly, you can keep up to date with my adventures (Norman and I are continuing to be cute and bake, respectively) on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
I’ve been Instagramming like mad, because there has been so much going on. I went to Mudgee for a fabulous weekend with friends, I turned 24, Norman got a hair cut, the Boy’s parents have flown over from England come to spend Christmas and the new year with us, and CHRISTMAS IS COMING!! We finally got out Christmas tree as well. The house smells all piney and delicious, I can’t wait to share photos with you!
Overall, I’m pretty excited, I love December.
Ooh AND my teapot give away is still running, there are four days left – find out how to win here!
Can’t wait to get back to blogging once my computer is fixed. In the mean time, happy baking!
Mini chocolate mint cupcakes and December
Hello my lovelies. Christmas is creeping closer and I’m buzzing with excitement. So many things are happening – December always seem to run at such a frantic pace. My younger brother’s birthday was yesterday, friends and I are going for a wee sojourn to Mudgee this weekend, my birthday is edging closer, the Boy’s parents are coming to visit from England, and I’ve got a teapot competition to wrap up oversee (check out this post to find out how to win!)
This is all before Christmas.
And this isn’t counting the numerous feasts that friends are planning in the days before Christmas. I need to invest in some stretchier fat pants, the Christmas season is far too kind to my belly! Continue reading “Mini chocolate mint cupcakes and December”
Home made sprinkles and excitement
I can’t believe I’ve not posted this recipe sooner. I was so excited about these sprinkles when I made them – I Instagrammed them, I gave people a sneak peak on Facebook, and I used them as soon as physically possible on my caramel doughnut cake.
And then I just forgot to share them with you!! My apologies, dear readers.
I can’t take credit for the idea (as much as I would love to!)…I got the idea from Pinterest, which directed me to I Am Baker, who had a tutorial up for home made sprinkles. I modified the recipe slightly to suit me – and they are so easy!! Continue reading “Home made sprinkles and excitement”
Golden syrup cupcakes and Englishness
A few weekends ago, the boy and I went for breakfast together; yep, we’re pretty cute. Coupley cuteness aside, the café that we ate at had a whole wall of organic and interesting products. One such product that we found was Lyle’s golden syrup…he almost lost it! Being English, Lyle’s golden syrup has a special place in his heart. I don’t think it’s too different to normal golden syrup that we can get here, but the tin it comes in is so iconic and tempting that this simple sweetener has snuck its way into my good books as well. Continue reading “Golden syrup cupcakes and Englishness”
Vanilla cupcakes with elderberry and elderflower icing
As promised long ago in my weekends away post, here is a recipe using the local produce that I foraged for in Orange. I chanced upon a shop called A Slice of Orange (which was completely adorable, given we were in Orange in NSW) and found an array of locally sourced foods. They ship all across Australia as well, which could be dangerous for my bank balance!
The purchase I was most excited about was the Elderflower and elderberry cordial! Having only learned that elderberries existed when I lived in England three years ago, they still have a shiny novelty factor for me. The boy’s mother spoke of making elderberry wine and picking elderflowers – to my knowledge, Sydney-siders miss out on these delightful escapades! Continue reading “Vanilla cupcakes with elderberry and elderflower icing”
Brownies and weekends away
I made brownies yesterday in preparation for going away tonight. I’m doubling the recipe and leaving half with the fam and taking half away. The Boy and I are spending a few days in Orange. I’ve got cousins to visit, fresh produce to check out and cafes to explore. There is also a sausage dog pup that I want to steal from said cousins. The Boy doesn’t really have a choice in what we do, luckily he’s fairly compliant when it comes to these things! He’ll busy himself being a country boy for the weekend. He spent the first 20 years of his life in England, but something about leaving Sydney and heading for dirt roads unleashes his inner country boy. When we visit my cousins’ farm he wears plaid and an akubra and busies himself with fencing, quad-biking and burning things.
I read, bake and attempt to coax the farm dogs into leaving the country and returning to the city with me. I’m never successful. Sometimes I feel as though The Boy also needs coaxing back home.
I made this brownie recipe because it just screams homeliness and I think it suits the farm vibe perfectly. It’s cosy and simple. And just delightful.
Just as the farm is escapism from Sydney life, this brownie is escapism from the real world. Put away your diets for a minute, lay down the celery and indulge in a square of escapism.
Chocolate brownie
- 200g dark chocolate, chopped
- 200g butter
- 1 1/2 cups (310g) brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup (35g) cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 cups (185g) plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Preheat your oven to 160°C and line a 20cm baking tin. Roughly chop your chocolate and butter and place them in a saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth and glossy. Put this to one side to cool slightly.
Combine the sugar, cocoa, flour and baking powder in a bowl. Add in the eggs and mix as thoroughly as you can, it will be hard to mix because the mixture is so dry. Add the chocolate mixture and combine. Pour the mixture into your baking tin.
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out mostly clean. For me, a perfect brownie should be squidgy in the centre, so I don’t want a completely clean skewer. If the skewer pulls out a whole chunk of mixture, pop it back into the oven, but if there is just a little bit of chocolate on the skewer, I’d say it’s done.
Allow the brownie to cool slightly in the tin before slicing. It will sink. It just will. There is nothing wrong with that – the sides and top will have puffed up more than the rest of the mixture and the centre will be deliciously moist. It’s dense, chocolatey and decadent.
Sprinkle with icing sugar and whip up some cream to serve.
Serve warm or cold. Makes 16 decent slices.
