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Wednesday, 28 November 2012

Ode to the ripped out recipe

Ripped out recipe - I love you so. But sadly can't remember where you came from. I adore this recipe for a Coffee Cake that is someone's Grandma's Coffee Cake. I can't attribute it as I have no idea where I ripped it out of. Even the magazine doesn't have a foot note or name on the bottom. It could be Woman and Home or Waitrose Magazine - but then again, I rip recipes out of all sorts of magazines, even when I'm not supposed to. So if anyone can recognise it. Here is is. It is truly spectacular and I highly recommend trying it. But I didn't want to retype or copy out as I have no idea where it came from.

Here is a picture of my version - authentically created and of course - DEVOURED. 


Tuesday, 27 November 2012

Converted

The advent of the internet is a wonderous thing. You can source recipes from around the world and are then faced with one conundrum - what does that ingredient, oven temperature or weight measurement convert to.

The most baffling I find are the older Australian Women's Weekly Recipe Books. For example - cook in a moderatley hot oven. Moderately hot according to who? Well it is actually translated in the back of the books - but why not simply say in the recipe? They have obviously responded and in the newer books they do state the actual oven temperature. For your information a moderately hot oven is 190-200 C - but then what does that covert to in a fan oven.?

It's a minefield!

So I found a fabulous link to save headaches and troubles. The BBC Good Food Covnersion chart and here's the link. http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/knowhow/conversion/

It will hopefully save a few minutes in the kitchen and a lot of confusion when baking.


Wednesday, 21 November 2012

Storm in a cupcake

Situated in the sweetest little shop that looks like it's out of a fairy tale or kids storybook is Storm in a Cupcake. Specialising in cupcakes (it's all in the name) it features themed and seasonal cupcakes to eat (what else would you do with them). I particularly like the Christmas cupcakes and the Candyman collection that sees vanilla cupcakes topped with fabulous retro sweets. X Factor, Paris Fashion Week and Universal Music are all said to be fans and I am sure you will be too. They offer a bespoke service or the ready to eat ranges. I like ready to eat - as they can be scoffed as soon as you see them - preferably in large quantities.


Storm in a Cupcake Bakery,
The Toll House, 42 Cremorne Rd,
Chelsea, London SW10 0PE

www.storminacupcake.com

Tuesday, 20 November 2012

Cake Boy strikes again


Master patissier Eric Lanlard, the star of Channel 4's Baking Mad, is bringing his Cake Boy boutique to GILT Cocktail Lounge at Jumeirah Carlton Tower from 14-15 December. GILT is a fabulous space on the ground floor of the hotel and suits this style of pop-up perfectly. The pop-up shop, open from 11am-4pm, will sell a range of treats including Christmas cupcakes, boxes of mini mince pies and Eric’s twist on the traditional Christmas cake. The celebrated pastry chef will be personally manning the Cake Boy pop-up on both days (so you get to meet him and he is lovely) and signing copies of his best-selling Home Bake and Tart It Up books. The “I Love Paris” afternoon tea (pictured here) costs £40 per person or £45 per person with a glass of champagne, excluding service charge. Bookings can be made via the Jumeirah Carlton Tower website.

www.cake-boy.com / @eric_lanlard
www.jumeirahcarltontower.com / @JumeirahCT