Want the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day? Chocolate.
That is all you need. (Well, that’s all I need!)
It’s no secret that I love chocolate. When it comes to food, the more chocolate something has in it, the better. That is why I skip cocoa and go straight for a block when I make hot chocolate. Your loved one/s will love you for this, trust me. Continue reading “The best hot chocolate in the world”
I am the anti-Valentine. I’ve written about this before. I question the need for lavish gifts, I’m awkward and clumsy when dining at nice restaurants, I don’t really like champagne (unless it’s champagne icing!) and, given the choice, red roses are the last flowers I would choose for myself.
I’d also choose kitchen/dachshund or tea-related items over a stuffed teddy. Continue reading “Valentine’s pretzels and home-made gifts”
I’m not really one for Valentine’s Day. I’ve never been keen on red roses, I’m not a fan of the clichés. I’m really not much of a romantic at all. When asked the other day about the most romantic thing the Boy had ever done for me, my response was that he got me Daisy for my birthday.
My idea of romance involves sausage dogs. Yup. Continue reading “Chocolate cups with blueberry cream and romance”
Not too long ago I posted a recipe for chocolate swirl meringues as an accompaniment to your Valentine’s Day – there is something about meringues that I equate with romance. Maybe it’s the intense amounts of sweetness, or their crisp lightness? Whatever the reason, you should definitely treat your loved ones to some meringue bites, because they’ll love you dearly for it!
People of all ages go a little weak at the knees for meringues, because they’re such a simple pleasure – egg white, sugar and joy. Continue reading “Raspberry meringues and simple joys”
The Boy often gets irritated at my baking. Actually, it’s more my ingredients – he loves baked goods, he just isn’t very adventurous. I had to trick him into eating my chocolate basil crinkle biscuits (I simply omitted the fact that they had basil in them); he flat out refused to try my lemon thyme cupcakes; he didn’t like the earl grey poached pears that I made!
“I like what I like,” he says, like a true Yorkshireman.
So, in preparation for Valentine’s day, I’m sharing a recipe that even the pickiest of partners will like – a quadruple chocolate biscuit. They’re cake-like and they have four types of chocolate in them – who could say no to that?? Continue reading “Boyfriend biscuits and quadruple chocolate”
Ever since I went to Fairford Street Social for breakfast a few weekends ago I have been craving baked eggs. I didn’t re-create them exactly (I chose to opt out the eggplant and I toned down the spice because I’m chili-sensitive), but they were still delicious.
There is nothing more comforting than a good pot of baked eggs. I know that it’s the height of Summer in Australia at the moment, but it’s been pretty windy and overcast recently, so these baked eggs were perfect; served with toast, they are the ultimate stay-indoors food.
They’re also a really delicious Valentine’s day brekkie if you’re spoiling your better half on February 14th. The Boy was sceptical of the concept of baked eggs at first, but from the minute I started cooking up the peppers, onion and garlic, he was super keen on the idea.
Serves 4
De-seed your peppers and roughly chop your onion. Put them in a heavy based pan with a slosh of oil, and heat over a low-medium flame for 8 minutes until they soften and brown. Mix intermittently.
Chop up your garlic roughly (trying not to leave big clumps of it) and add that in the pan, allowing the flavours to develop for two minutes, stirring as you go.
Add in all the remaining ingredients – the paprika, chili flakes, tomatoes, basil and oregano – and give it a good mix. Turn the heat down to low and let the mixture reduce away for 15 minutes.
While the tomato mixture bubbles away, use a vegetable peeler to create ribbons of zucchini. Peel right over your ramekins so that the ribbons fall unevenly into the ramekins.
Preheat your oven to 200°C.
Pour the hot tomato mixture straight over the zucchini in the ribbons, distributing it evenly amongst the ramekins. Give the ramekins a shake to spread the mixture out evenly. Crack your eggs straight into the ramekins and pop them into oven for 20-23 minutes.
The number of eggs you use will depend on whether your baked-egg-eaters want one or two eggs – I opted for one, but my fellow diners opted for two. Ramekins with one egg in them should be done 2-3 minutes before the others; keep an eye on this, as you want the yolk to remain runny!
Serve with a freshly toasted slice of bread, for dipping.
