Week 4 - Carrot Cake

Faff Factor = 7

Bake = 5

Keeping up Appearances = 8

Result = 20/30

OK, so in theory this should of been a tray bake using Pistachio's but Mary said they could be substituted for Walnuts.  I also made this into a cake and not a tray bake as per the book (sorry Mary).  As the cake was for my mum's birthday I decided to tart it up a little bit so tried my hand at piping roses on the top with a sprinkle of walnuts.  I think it looks rather lush.

I am not a lover of carrot cake but I have been reliably informed that it tasted good so I have given it a score of 5 (this is for the cake only).  The mixing of this cake was fab, after weighing all the ingredients you just place them into one bowl and mix.  Simple. 

However, the cream cheese frosting, oh my did that go wrong!  Sorry Mary the recipe was way to running to coat my cake (and it didn't taste right either) so I had to go out to the shops to buy more ingredients to make another batch. I then decided to use a tried and tested recipe from the Hummingbird bakery book as I did not want another disaster! I was relieved when this came together beautifully. BUT, I have been told it was very sweet and can only surmise that Tate & Lyle Icing sugar is sweeter than Silver Spoon.  I'm wondering if anyone else agrees with me?

I may try this again making the tray bake as suggested for a cake sale at work one week as it was very easy to put together.

It's my choice to choose from the book next week and if time allows I may have a go at making a loaf of bread or a pastry.  I need to push myself out of my comfort zone pretty soon.

And here's the birthday girl tucking into a nice slice with a cuppa.  Happy 74th birthday Mum Xx.

Off for a cuppa myself.  See you all soon.
Lynetta Xx

Week 3 - Double Chocolate Marbled Loaf Cake

Quote from book: Adding melted dark and white chocolate turns a Madeira-style creamed cake mixture into a wonderful loaf that looks as good as it tastes.

Faff Factor = 6

Bake = 9

Keeping up appearances = 5

Result = 20/30

Yip, the boy chose chocolate!  No surprise there really.  Once again I cannot fault the taste it had just the right amount of chocolate.  I'm more than happy with the result of this bake and it only lasted 2 days before it was all eaten up.  I'm not too sure if I am being too critical on the faff factor score as once again alot of washing up as you needed to melt both dark and white chocolate over a pan of steaming hot but not boiling water :-)  sorry it made me laugh when I read the method as it mentioned this 3 times so I am gathering that alot of people boil the water and Mary wanted to make sure we get it right, thanks Mary :-). 

The recipe did not come with a picture (insert panic mode here) I'm a visual person and like to see the end result  so after the baking I googled a marble loaf and realised my marbling was not as good as it should be (hence the low mark).  When I make this again I will marble the first layer then dollop the mixture in for the second layer and marble again, my chopstick did not go down to the bottom of the loaf tin hence the clumpiness of the mix.

However, one half was mixed correctly and here is the lucky boy just about to tuck in and enjoy.

Mum's birthday next week and her favourite cake is Carrot Cake.  I'm hoping the recipe in the book is as good as the Hummingbird Bakery one I have previously made for my friend Sarah.

May your day's be full of happiness.

Laters

Lynetta Xx

Woooooooooshhhh

Whoooosh, and it's gone...the week that is.  I can't believe we are already coming into the last week of January.  Other years I always thought it was a slow drudging month but man has it gone quick this year! Is it an age thing?  or is it because the weather has been so mild it really doesn't feel like winter.  Saying that I've got to be up early tomorrow to go and stand on a cold football pitch, I'll probably think twice about my post then. 

I managed to get a little sewing in last night.  It's my mum's birthday next week and she wanted a green apron.  I've had the material since before christmas as I was going to make it for a Christmas present however I didn't have the time to complete it with all the other activities I had going on.  Good thing her birhtday is in January so she will not have to wait too long.  I'm not that enthralled with the apron, she wanted a green one , but oh dear  it looks more like an army uniform than a pretty apron. 

I have tried to girly it up with a contrasting pocket (as seen above) but it's just not working and looks a bit odd so back to the drawing board on this one.  I've really not got the enthusiasm to complete it as it is so drab, but needs must and that's to please the recipient and not me.  I'm wondering if anyone else feels like this when making something for a present? that's if it don't appeal to you you've not got the interest to finish it - answers on a postcard please.  Oh well, I'm so sure she will be pleased with it so I'm holding onto that thought for now.

OK back to the sewing machine.  Toodle Pip

Lynetta Xx

Week 2 - Sticky Maple Apple Traybake

Quote from book : Tart-sweet Bramley apples are baked into a very light sponge that is bursting with flavour and finished with an easy-to-make creamy maple topping.

Faff Factor = 6

Bake = 9

Keeping up Appearances = 9

Result = 25/30

Phew, this one was a little challenge.  They always say that baking with fruit can be hit and miss as it can put too much moisture into the cake which can then become a little soggy.  I personally thought the cake was very sweet which really does not suit my pallete so I only had one mouthful to give it a try but my trusty big man & little man (and Sarah) confirmed this was absolutley delicious and have asked me to bake it again.  The sponge was light and moist with the sweetness of apples and the cream cheese frosting was smooth and scrummy. Funny thing  is it reminded me of Gypsy Tart (can anyone remember this from school?), I don't know why because the only common ingredient is brown sugar!

I marked down the Faff Factor as the whole process to get this mixed up and into the oven was nearing 40 minutes, plus it created a lot of washing up!  I don't have the luxury of a dish washer so I used both Ken and Barbie!  I love Barbie, she was great to use to whisk up the egg whites without having to wash Ken's bowl out half way through. 

I obviously would make this on request again and Ian did say that this could be sold in Starbucks.  (I'm taking that as a compliment). 

So onto next week and it's Jack's choice.  I wonder what he is going to choose?  mmmm I'm giving it a guess that it will contain either chocolate or cinnamon!

Be back soon :-)

Lynetta Xx

It could be me!

Do you ever wonder what it would be like to go back in time?  I do, and all the time I want to go back to being 18 years old in either 1940 or 1890. I can see myself living in a village, living in a little cottage with a small vegetable plot and everyday I would take a ride on my bike go into the village to pick up the essentials.  My bike would have a wicker basket on the front and I would have a bunch of flowers to cheer myself up on the ride home.  I would wear tea-dresses with a cardi and have brown brogues with laces.  Oh the simple life I would lead. I would offer myself up to be a land girl and work on a farm, I know it would be hard work but I feel it is so me.  Do you think I may have missed my time in life? I love everything about this era, it's just such a shame the boys don't appreciate it too as there are so many places that  have reinactment events  in the UK which I would just love to attend.  See this blog HERE, oh how I would love to spend a weekend like this.

On the other end of the scale going back to 1890 I would want to be the daughter of a Doctor or some other profession that was Middle to Upper Class.  I would be a 'Do Gooder' and do voluntary work for the poor hoping I was helping in some way.  I would wear very simple but elegant clothes and sneek down to the kitchen to help cook bake a cake.  I would secretly want a job or profession that a middle class lady would not be expected to yearn for. I love this era in time as the Victorians were pioneers for so many inventions in life and it was the time that Britain did truly rule the waves.

Do you think I watch too much period drama on tele?

Oh well, my Thought on Thursday was good for me and I think I will always yearn for these two periods in time.

The photo above is of the Tweed Run, which is a bike ride around London that has been taking place since 2009.  The participants have to dress up to ride their vintage bikes around the Capital, can you imagine hundreds of bikes all dinging their bells together.  If ever I get a vintage bike (with a soft saddle mind) I will happily make a dress and join in the fun.

TTFN

Lynetta Xx

Seasonal Habit #1

Isn't it funny the things we do at certain times of the year. It's been a mild winter (so far) but I still want to go to bed with my hot water bottle at my feet, a cup of hot chocolate and a good book.  I only need around 6 hours sleep a night so I love the colder nights where I can go and snuggle into my 13.5 tog quilt get myself all cosy and warm and have a read.  I once read an article about winter babies preferring to be swaddled in blankets and clothes when they are grown up and being a winter baby I think they have got that just about right (it takes me until April/May to take my three layers off and show my skin some vitamin D). 

I'm now wondering what my other funny things will be for the other times of year.  Will have to ponder on that one and let you know when they happen.

See ya later

Lynetta Xx

Week 1 - Bakewell Cupcakes

Faff Factor = 9

Bake = 7

Keeping up Appearances = 9

Result = 25/30And we're off! Week one is now under my belt for my Eat Your Heart Out Mary challenge.  Let me explain a little about my scoring (all marks are out of ten). The Faff Factor -  this is awarded for ease of mixing taking into account the method.  Bake - This is for taste and finally Keeping up Appearances is for can I make it look like the picture in the book!

So my results for Bakewell Cupcakes total 25/30.  I must make a note to use the correct size cases as they were a little large and when I removed them from the tin 6 of my cases fell away from the bake so I had to eat them up before icing them.  I liked this bake, just 3 steps of creaming the butter then add dry ingredients topping up with eggs and milk.  It came together really well.  I've marked down a little for the Bake as the icing had lemon juice added which we found to be a bit sharp compared to the lovely almond sponge so when I make these again I will leave it out.  I feel quite chuffed I've learned something today :-)

Ian has added to my challenge of him wanting to pick a recipe one week, Jack another and me the following. I am now waiting to see what he has chosen hoping it's not one of the more complicated bakes in the book! I don't think I'm ready for that kind of challenge at this point - perhaps week 38?

Have a Happy Monday:-)

Lynetta Xx

The Sparkle has gone so I'm now up for a Challenge.

Yes all the sparkle has gone!  No more twinkly lights to fill my living room, not more glittery balls and snowflakes hanging from the ceiling, all the decorations have been put away for another 11 months.  I so look forward to this day, I'm not being a humbug but I would have the tree and decorations put away the day after boxing day but Ian won't let me.  I feel someone should invent a decoration for New Year, just one little thing that we all should have to celebrate the old year and toast the new (wonder if I tried to enforce it via parliament they would listen). At last the house feels clean again albeit a little bare, perhaps I need to be like Nigella and have fairy lights all year round.

So onto my challenge.  Has anyone seen the film Julie and Julia?  I have always been inspired by this film and when I received my new cooking/baking books at Christmas I knew there and then what I wanted to do.  I have set myself up for a challenge in 2012 to bake my way through the above book.  I think I'll name my challenge Eat Your Heart Out Mary:-). I am going to try pastries, breads and pies, something I have not done before.  I am so looking forward to it.  I will try and bake every week (keeping fingers crossed) and will be posting my efforts, whether I have succeeded or not, on here.  I am hoping my friend Sarah will be taking the challenge with me and I am determined to keep it up.

OK off to read the book to decide on my first bake. 

TTFN

Lynetta Xx