Tuesday 23 April 2013

Back to Blogging

So I haven't been on here for a long time because I've been super busy with college work and university interviews, but I got an offer and will be beginning my Midwifery degree in September, yay!

Here's some pictures of what i've been cooking over the past few months! I'll hopefully put some recipes and new stuff on here in the next couple of weeks.


 This is a birthday cake I made for my best friend. It was a chocolate fudge base and vanilla top covered in white chocolate buttercream and retro icing.
These I made from the wonderful Lilly Vanilli cookbook. They are Raspberry Frangipane Tarts with Almond Buttercream, topped with toasted almonds and a fresh raspberry.

They were so tasty with a lovely fresh raspberry coulis in the middle, homemade sweet pastry and sweet frangipane on top- yum yum!
These Apple Tarte Tatin made with sour granny smith apples with a rich, sweet caramel were wonderful! I made them on my new Rangemaster 900 in my new kitchen- baking has never been so easy!

I got myself a fancy edible ink pen and tried my hand at recreating Garfield cupcakes which i've seen on a few other sites. Pretty pleased with the way they turned out, and the maple-vanilla cupcakes with maple buttercream were lush.
 These Hazelnut Pralines i made for Easter were my first ever attempt at homemade chocolates. I was covered in melted chocolate by the end and feeling a little sick from eating leftovers, but they went down so well as Easter gifts!
Alongside the pralines I made Salted Caramel filled Chocolates and with the leftover caramel I did Salted Caramel Pennys. Everyone agreed that these tasted like little soft Daim Bars- but no-one was complaining!















Emily x

Friday 9 November 2012

Chocolate Fudge Cake

Sometimes, you just want chocolate cake.

When I was younger, we had this old recipe book, inside was possibly the best chocolate fudge cake recipe that has ever existed. It was this thick brown book without a cover, with pages falling out all over the place, but this one recipe, we used every time.

During a big clear out, this book tragically got lost, and my family had been mourning it ever since (ha, ha). I've looked everywhere on the internet but it seems that we won't get the recipe back. All I can remember is that this cake had buttermilk in it, because I was always fascinated by my sister making milk curdle before adding it to a cake! (Thats buttermilk, if you didn't know!)

Thursday 8 November 2012

Spicy Butternut Squash Soup with Paprika Halloumi Croutons

I love butternut squash, and I love halloumi.. so when I found both in my fridge I decided to make something using both. This soup is lovely- the smoked paprika and chilli complement the rich flavour of the roasted butternut squash and the grilled halloumi works surprisingly well!

I love autumn, how the seasonal vegetables are vibrant and orange, and how the leaves all follow suit- its lovely. This soup has a nice kick from the chilli to warm you up on a cold autumnal day, and is heart enough to fill you up, too.

The only thing is, the croutons are so moreish that they probably won't last as long as the soup!

Wednesday 31 October 2012

Hallowe'en Post

Nothing to do with cooking, but I left buying pumpkins too late this year and had to go on a pumpkin hunt! I finally found two little ones in a green grocers and carved them while watching The Lost Boys.. festive, right?

Here's how they turned out!

Emily! :) x