The Most Indulgent Carrot Cake Recipe Ever – Bakedin’s Carrot and Pecan Squares

 

DISCLAIMER: This post contains a link that will give you a 25% discount at Bakedin. If you use that discount, I will earn points which go towards a voucher for me to use at their shop too. You don’t have to use the code if you are unhappy about that, but you won’t then get a discount for yourself either. I pay for my subscription fully, as it is a subscription and a brand I adore. I haven’t been paid to write this post. All views are my own honest opinions. 

 

Those of you who have been reading my blog for a while or who follow me on Twitter will know that I am a huge fan of the fantastic company Bakedin. I was first introduced to them in June 2016, when I received a sample of their famous mug cake kits in a foodie subscription box. I tried the mug cake and loved it. I loved it so much that I decided to join their Baking Club, which is a wonderful monthly baking subscription box. It was one of the best decisions I ever made.

Every month they send you all the dry ingredients you need to follow a beautiful recipe. The ingredients are top quality and conveniently weighed out for you so you know you have the right amounts of everything. They also provide piping bags (if needed for that recipe), baking paper, skewers to test the bake is ready, and a butter measure guide so you can add the required amount of butter without the need for scales (although I still use my scales). You also get a beautifully presented recipe card, with a mouthwatering photo of the bake on the front, the instructions on how to make it inside, and the ingredient list of what is in the kit and what you need to provide on the back, as well as allergen information and nutritional information. You only ever need to provide a few basic ingredients which most people already have in the cupboard or fridge, such as eggs or butter, and occasionally fruit (or in this case, carrots).

In all the time I have been a member of the Baking Club, there has never been a bad recipe. Every one has been amazing, and each month I think that the latest recipe is my favourite. But then I make the next one, and that becomes my favourite. They just get better and better. Scrumptious recipes including cookies, muffins, loaf cakes, tarts, eclairs, biscotti, and cakes. This month though… this month’s recipe was just mindblowingly good!

Carrot cake is one of my all-time favourite cakes. Whenever I go out with friends for coffee and cake, I’ll always choose carrot cake. When I saw that this month we would need carrots, I have to admit to being excited as I knew it must be carrot cake themed. The box arrived and it contained pecan nuts in the ingredients, and I was even more excited as they are my favourite type of nut. It was an easy recipe to follow, and the result was the most indulgent carrot cake I have ever eaten in my life (and I have eaten a lot)!!

The texture of the cake was the lightest, softest sponge imaginable, thanks in part to the Top Tip from Michel Roux in the recipe. (All recipes are approved by Michel Roux himself, which shows they must be superb)! The carrot and pecan cake had the fluffiest buttercream I have ever known, flavoured with cinnamon. It was like a wonderful whipped mousse, light as air. The buttercream recipe was completely different to how I would normally make buttercream, but having made it the Bakedin way I will be making it that way for lots of bakes from now on. As if that wasn’t stunning enough, the kit had the ingredients to make a pecan brittle to break up and sprinkle as a lovely crunchy topping. That just made it even more luxurious. I am so glad I now have this recipe, as I will be making it regularly. It is perfect with a cuppa, but equally suited as a dessert at a dinner party as it is so delicate and light.

The Baking Club has a lovely Facebook closed group where everyone shares their pictures of the bakes, tips and advice, and baking chat. This month’s bake seems to be a massive hit with everyone, with lots of people saying it is their favourite, and that they will be making it again.

I cannot share the recipe with you, as it is exclusive to Bakedin, but I can tell you how to get it for yourself, and I can even give you a little discount if you decide to buy it from them. But you’ll have to be quick! Bakedin release the latest recipe to everyone to buy in their online shop, but only until the next month’s recipe is sent, so you have until around 16th June to get your hands on this beauty. You, like me, will then be able to make it time and time again.

 

If you are interested in joining the Baking Club, click HERE to go to the website. It costs just £9 a month which includes postage, or you can buy a 3, 6 or 12 month subscription which works out cheaper.

If you want to buy the Carrot and Pecan Squares recipe kit, click HERE. It costs £9, and postage is additional.

 

I promised you a little discount so here it is. How do you fancy 25% off your first purchase over £8? Sound good? Well if you use THIS LINK you will be taken to their site and you will receive a code on screen to use at the checkout giving you this discount on your entire order. You can use it on anything on the website, so have a good look at all their amazing products! They have mug cakes, recipe kits, alcoholic cakes, layer cakes, baking equipment, aprons and tea towels… so much to choose from!

Happy Baking!!!

 

 

 

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A Woven Vase from Craftiosity – A Monthly Craft Subscription Box.

As you know, I love crafts. Any crafts. I just love being creative and having something beautiful at the end. I can spend hours on YouTube watching tutorials. One leads to another, and before you know it hours have passed. I want to try so many different projects, but buying supplies needed for them can be costly, and then there’s the risk you don’t enjoy it after all so the supplies go to waste. That is where Craftiosity comes in.

Craftiosity is a monthly subscription box which includes all the tools and materials needed to complete a modern craft project each month. You will need to provide your own scissors or a pencil, or other household basics (if needed), but I’m sure most (if not all) homes have those already. The projects are completely different every month. I joined 3 months ago. My first kit was a Needle Punch wall art project, the next was to make beautiful Felt Baubles (the Christmas kit), and this month’s was to make a lovely vase woven out of natural cotton twine and copper paper twine. I will tell you more about this one so you can see what a wonderful subscription Craftiosity is.

Craftiosity differs from many other subscription boxes in that there is no surprise factor. The next month’s project is revealed well in advance on social media and via email. I normally love the surprise element of such boxes, but I think with a craft one it is better to know beforehand what it is. It means you can only choose to have the kits that you most fancy trying, if money is a bit tight for example. I personally want to try as many different crafts as possible so will have every month’s kits regardless of what it is.

The kits come packed in a lovely box, which is perfect to keep afterwards to store any craft bits and bobs. This month’s box contained the wooden base, wooden sticks, copper paper twine, cotton twine, a very detailed instruction leaflet, and a beautiful blank card with envelope. I love the card idea too. If you want to give the finished project as a gift, you can write you message on that card. Or you could give the kit as a gift for a friend to do, and include your own message on the card.

The tools and materials are kept safely in the box with tissue paper. I always keep that too for future craft activities.

I was surprised at how much of each twine was included in the box. I had so much left over at the end! I will enjoy using them in other projects soon.

The instruction leaflet is fantastic. It includes tips to make sure nothing goes wrong, tells you what you need to provide (for this kit it was just scissors), how long it will take to complete, ideas for things you can do to make it different, and very detailed step-by-step instructions with photos to show you how to do the project. There is also a full video tutorial available online each month, which is very useful.

My woven vase in progress

This vase project was very enjoyable and very easy to make. I had never done any type of weaving before except for very basic patches with wool with children in primary school. This kit made me want to do more though, so I am really glad I had the chance to try it out.

My completed vase

It is so rewarding to make something beautiful to add to your home decor. That is another thing I love about Craftiosity. The projects are either practical or beautiful additions to your home, or both! Next month’s is a stunning decoupage wooden box with glass lid to display little treasures. I am so excited for that one to arrive!

You have to order your box by the end of the month to receive the next one. The boxes are then sent around the 14th of each month. If you want to just order a one-off box, it costs £22 plus £2.95 postage. If you want to subscribe (with the option to cancel or skip a box at any time provided you let them know by the end of the month), it costs just £20 plus £2.95 postage. Incredible value for what you get!

If you fancy starting a Craftiosity creative journey, click HERE to go to their website. Happy crafting!

 

 

Lotus Biscoff Caramel, Chocolate and Walnut Tart – September’s BakedIn Baking Club Recipe

There are so many things I love about BakedIn: their products are simply amazing and produce gorgeous results every time, their staff team is so friendly and supportive, and they have a fantastic Baking Club.

This month’s Baking Club recipe was absolutely divine! I always get excited when the bright green BakedIn box lands on my doormat, and I love opening it to find out what the recipe is each month, as it is kept secret until you receive it. I have to admit to letting out a squeal of delight when I saw the recipe card on top of the ingredients in this month’s box. I am a MASSIVE fan of Lotus Biscoff … biscuits and spread, so I was over the moon to see this recipe included both! Lotus biscuits, spread, caramel, chocolate, walnuts – heaven!

The recipe cards included always give you an indication of how much skill is required for each bake. They are often around the 2 out of 5 level, but this one was a 4 out of 5 (with 1 being super easy and 5 being tricky). This excited me too as it meant it would be more of a challenging bake. I love these most of all, as they take you out of your comfort zone and encourage you to try new techniques.

So what exactly was so special about this recipe? Let me tell you exactly what it was. (I say “was” as it didn’t last long in my house at all)!!! Imagine a crispy pastry base, with a thick layer of gooey Lotus Biscoff caramel sauce smothered over it, with chopped walnuts sprinkled all over that, covered with a rich fudgy chocolate filling, topped with a sweet caramel icing and finally decorated with crushed Lotus Biscoff biscuits. You’re drooling now, aren’t you? The sweetness of the caramel balances so perfectly with the richness of the dark chocolate filling. It would be the perfect dessert for any occasion!

There is always a tip on ways to enhance your bake, and this month it said you could serve it with double cream to make it extra indulgent. I decided to pipe some on top rather than pour some over it. Wow, what a treat this was!

I am so so happy to have this recipe forever in my collection now, as I will definitely be making this time and time again. There were a lot of steps involved to make it, but the end result was so worth it.

The Baking Club has a wonderful Facebook group where we all talk about the bakes and share photos of our creations. It has been so lovely this month to see some people saying this was their first time making pastry. Their bakes all looked amazing and they have picked up a new skill along the way. This is what I love most about the Club… it allows people to create something wonderful, no matter how long they have been baking for, and that sense of achievement is priceless!

If you would like to join the Baking Club and receive a new recipe and ingredients every month, CLICK HERE to sign up.

If you would like to make this scrumptious tart, (and therefore have the recipe to keep forever too) you can buy the kit HERE. It includes all the dry ingredients you need, as well as the Lotus spread and baking paper to use. Hurry though, as it will only be available to buy until the middle of October 2018 (unless it sells out sooner).

Happy baking!

 

 

 

 

Dark Chocolate and Baileys Fondants – The Quick Recipe Way

The wonderful people at HARTS OF STUR recently sent me a set of 2 ramekins from the new QUICK RECIPE range of cookware. I had never heard of this range before so I was curious to see what was so special about them. I was so impressed, I just have to tell you about them.

The Quick Recipe range includes lidded casserole dishes, various sized and shaped roasters, and these ramekins. Each item in the range also includes recipes created specifically for that item, so that the ingredient quantities are the exact amount you need. What makes these different from any other though is that the recipes are obtained by scanning a QR code which is on the bottom of each item!

Most people nowadays have a smartphone, whether it is the latest top branded one or a cheaper version. It really doesn’t matter. If you have an iPhone, you can just hover your camera over the code. If you have an Android phone (as I do) you will need to install a QR code reader app first. There are so many to choose from on the Google Play Store, at no cost. Then you just open the app and scan the code. When you have scanned the code, a pop up will allow you to access the relevant Quick Recipe page on their website, taking you directly to the recipes designed for your item. No more having to keep recipes in folders, or scouring the internet for inspiration. Simply scan, check you have the ingredients, and bake! I really think this is a fantastic idea, especially for busy people who don’t get much time to search for recipes. Here’s a little video showing you how they work: http://youtu.be/PQS2BLhqjbM

The ramekins (and the rest of the range) are made from fully vitrified porcelain, making them freezer, microwave, oven, and dishwasher safe. They have a pretty herringbone style design on the outside which looks so stylish that they are perfect to go straight from oven to table. They are very strong and you can tell they are really good quality.

I decided to scan the code and see what recipes I could make in my ramekins. Although the others looked amazing, I absolutely love Baileys so was excited to see a recipe for Dark Chocolate and Baileys Fondants. I checked the ingredient checklist and was happy to see I could tick them all off (yes you can actually tick them off on the list). The recipe tells you how long you will need to get the preparation done (in this case 25 minutes), and how long it will take to cook (10 minutes). I like that detail, as it lets you ensure you have enough time before you begin. So many times I have found a recipe but the preparation has taken so long I’ve barely had enough time to get it all done. This takes the guesswork out of that. There is also a handy video to watch on each recipe showing you how to make them, so you know you are doing it correctly.  It actually took me less than the 25 minutes so in less than half an hour I had 2 piping hot desserts which were sheer indulgence.

The outside was a beautiful chocolate sponge and the middle was molten chocolate with a heavenly Baileys taste. It is one of those desserts that you just can’t help but close your eyes as you take the first mouthful so you can just enjoy the flavour and gooey texture. If you are making a romantic meal for someone, THIS is definitely the dessert you need.

I have discovered over time that not all ramekins are the same size, so a recipe that might be good for some ramekins might not be good for others. It is good to know that the recipes found by scanning the code are EXACTLY right for these. As you can see from the above photo, the fondants rose to fit the ramekins absolutely perfectly. No overflow, no gap at the top. That is what sets this range apart from any others.

I also love the fact that the recipes are for 2 ramekins. Obviously if you buy 2 sets you just double the quantities. So many times though I have wanted to make a scrumptious dessert for me and my partner, while my son has wanted something completely different. I have found wonderful sounding recipes but they are all for 4, 6 or even 8 ramekins. So you think that’s ok, I’ll just halve the ingredients. And then you see the dreaded egg quantity. For example, the recipe needs 3 eggs for a 4 ramekin dessert. Straight away that recipe has to be abandoned as you obviously can’t halve an egg. These Quick Recipes take all the hassle out of converting recipes to make just two. They really are perfect for busy lifestyles.

If you would like to buy these ramekins they cost just £6.95 and are available HERE from Harts of Stur.

Welcome to 21st century baking 🙂

 

DISCLAIMER: I was sent the ramekins at no cost in exchange for a review. This in no way affects my opinions. I will not ever recommend products or services I don’t personally like, so if I put a review on my blog, it means I really genuinely like the product. All views are my own honest opinions. 

 

 

A Sizzling Welcome at The Three Horseshoes In Sheldon

As a parent, I am always on the lookout for family-friendly places to eat, so was delighted to be invited to visit The Three Horseshoes in Sheldon, Birmingham to share my experience with you.

The Three Horseshoes is part of the Sizzling Pub chain and has recently re-opened following a major refurbishment. I had never been there before so can’t comment on what it used to look like but I can say the interior now is modern, light and airy with very comfortable seating. It was clean and well presented, with two bar rooms… one for just drinking (which we didn’t go into) and one for dining.

I was booked in for a meal with my partner Del and son Luke at 5pm, and we could see as we pulled up that it is a popular pub with people to have a quick drink on their way home from work. The main entrance door to the pub is on Coventry Road but the car park is at the back on Horse Shoes Lane, and the entrance from the car park takes you straight into the dining area. One word of warning about the car park though: it is a Pay and Display car park which we weren’t expecting as we have never seen that before at a pub or restaurant, so make sure you have change for the machine! You do get a refund for it though if you use the pub so it isn’t an issue. I’m only mentioning it so that you have change ready if you decide to visit.

I’m going to be completely honest in my review as honesty is the basis of all my posts and I would never mislead anyone by saying positive things if they weren’t true. With that in mind, I have to say my first impression of the pub wasn’t great when I saw it from the outside. It has the external appearance of an “estate pub”, without meaning to sound bad, albeit a very nicely decorated one. BUT don’t let that put you off!!!  The staff, the food, and the atmosphere more than make up for it’s external appearance, as you will soon read. It is a definite example of why you shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover. This pub is a real gem!

As we had been pre-booked for a meal, a table had been reserved for us. If you don’t book, you choose your own table and seat yourself. Our table was a booth type with extremely comfortable seating and plenty of room. All of the tables were well-equipped with a range of well-presented menus, cutlery and condiments. This is where I saw something I have never seen before at any pub or restaurant but it really impressed me… every bottle of sauce, vinegar etc had a label on saying what date it had been opened, what date it had to be used by according to correct storage after opening, batch number, and the use by date of the product on the bottle. I loved this detail! We have been to some places where the ketchup looks like it might have sat there for months, but all of the condiments at The Three Horseshoes were fresh and had only been opened a week (or less) before. This told me that this is a pub that cares about quality, and that small detail made me keen to try their food.

The atmosphere here was lovely. There was music playing at a level that you could hear clearly, but wasn’t too loud so you could enjoy your time there. The staff were very friendly and welcoming, and made us feel comfortable and valued.

We didn’t have starters as we wanted room for dessert and we can never manage 3 course meals. There were so many choices on the menu! As well as the main menu, there was also a separate kids menu and a Golden Years menu for older people with smaller appetites. And of course a drinks menu. The dishes all sounded so tempting and I couldn’t believe the prices. They are cheaper than many other pub restaurants, which at first made me think the ingredients wouldn’t be that great. How wrong was I?!? The food was among the best we have EVER eaten and cooked to absolute perfection. I tend to stick to one of a couple of meals in pubs that no one can really make a bad version of… lasagne or Hunters chicken. This time though I decided to try something different. As this is a Sizzling Pub I thought I should really try a sizzling skillet dish. Sizzling Pubs say that if your skillet meal isn’t sizzling at your table, they’ll bring you another one.

I decided to have one of the new dishes on their menu – Crispy Sweet Chilli Beef (crispy strips of beef on a bed of onions and peppers, served with rice and a giant prawn cracker and sweet chilli sauce).

This was absolutely delicious! The sauce had just the right amount of a chilli kick, the beef was crispy and so flavoursome, the rice was fluffy, and the peppers and onions were soft and juicy. And it was still sizzling for ages after it arrived at the table! I definitely chose the right meal as this was amazingly good.

Del is a steak man, so decided to try one of their loaded steaks – The Tennessee (8oz sirloin topped with crispy streaky bacon, bourbon glaze and melted Cheddar, served on a bed of fried onions with a grilled flat mushroom, grilled tomato, onion rings and seasoned chips). He swapped the chips for curly fries and had a steak sauce to go with his meal.

As you can see, the portions are huge! He had asked for his steak to be cooked medium to well done, and that’s exactly what he got. He let me try a bit of it and I was so impressed by the quality of the meat. He had been given a steak knife to cut it with but it was so tender that you could use the usual round ended dinner knife, and it melted in the mouth. I didn’t think he would manage to eat such a large meal but he enjoyed it so much he ate every last bit. He said the steak was better quality and cooked better than anywhere else we had eaten, including a rather posh steakhouse. Again, this meal was sizzling frantically on our table.

Luke chose his meal from the kids menu. There are 2 kids menus – under 5s or over 5s. Both menus have the same ordering process. Choose the main part, a side dish, a vegetable option, and a dessert. Luke chose the BBQ Chicken (Half a grilled chicken fillet with BBQ sauce and melted cheese), with chips and grilled corn cobettes. We were told they had no corn cobettes so were asked if sweetcorn would be ok, which he agreed to.

The portion size was one of the largest we have seen for kids in any pub, which was great. Luke is 11 so adult meals are too big for him. Often kids meals leave him feeling hungry as portions can be a bit small though. This one filled him up nicely. The chicken was beautifully white inside and tender. The chips were golden and crispy and tasty. The empty plate at the end proved how much he enjoyed it.

Although we all felt full we waited a while to let the food go down a bit, then decided on dessert. This was really hard to choose as all of the options sounded scrummilicious. We eventually reached our decisions but when we went to order Del and my choices (Nestle Rolo Cheesecake and Lemon Meringue Bar) were unavailable that day. That wasn’t a problem though as everything else was available and equally scrumptious sounding.

I chose the Ice Cream Tiramisu which was served with Belgian chocolate and Devon cream toffee sauces, and fluffy cream.

I’m actually glad they didn’t have the cheesecake as this was just gorgeous! And beautifully presented. I struggled to eat it all as I was so full but there was no way I could waste any of it either. It was THAT good!

Del had a Black Forest Sundae, which included brownie pieces, ice cream. black cherry compote, Belgian chocolate sauce, fluffy cream, chocolate sprinkles and a wafer.

It was huge! He managed most of it though, and said it was amazing! Full of Black Forest flavours.

Luke chose the Build Your Own Sundae from the kids menu. This contained 2 scoops of vanilla ice cream, Cadbury Dairy Milk Buttons, fresh strawberries, milk chocolate pieces and chocolate sauce.

He loved this! He had fun making each spoonful different, changing the combinations of ingredients. This is such a great idea for children. It made his dessert last a lot longer than a normal kids dessert would have.

We were so impressed with the food that we found out the name of the chef who cooked it. Rob is a chef who clearly cares about taste, quality, and presentation, and likes to make sure that people have a satisfying meal here. He is a real credit to the pub.

Another credit to the pub is Billie, who was the duty manager in charge that day. She was very warm and friendly, knowledgeable about the dishes, and made sure we had everything we needed. She was attentive without being over the top, and made us all feel so welcome. You can tell that the staff here care about the pub and the customers and like to make sure everyone has the best possible experience.

I would have no problems taking children of any age here as the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Something else I noticed too that was a lovely surprise: I didn’t hear a single swear word during the whole time we were there! That is rare nowadays sadly so it was such a refreshing change! I think the fact that the main drinking part of the pub is in a completely different area helps, and it makes the dining part very family-friendly. We did see a couple of people who were just having a drink with no food, but you could tell they just wanted to be in a quiet spot away from everyone.

The only thing that could make it slightly better for kids is if they had activity sheets or packs for them to do at the table while they wait for their food. Maybe they do have them for younger children though, but I didn’t see any and Luke wasn’t offered anything like that.

So, final verdict. Would we go here again? Definitely yes, even though it is 23 miles away from our house! Did we enjoy our experience? Massively! Is it a family friendly pub? Yes. Value for money? Fantastic!

The Three Horseshoes is very close to Birmingham Airport so I would recommend having a meal here if you want to unwind after a long flight.

Take a look at the menus HERE and you’re bound to find something to tempt your tastebuds!

Thank you to everyone at The Three Horseshoes for a wonderful experience. We loved every moment!

 

DISCLAIMER: We received our meal for free in exchange for an honest review. That in no way influenced our opinions and everything I have said is true. I only recommend products/services/places that I genuinely approve of and enjoy, as making false or misleading statements helps no one and destroys trust. Thank you for reading. 

 

 

 

 

 

Carrot Cake Cookies – May’s BakedIn Baking Club Box

I haven’t blogged about BakedIn Baking Club kits for a while. That was because some people had read the posts expecting to be given the recipes to recreate the bakes themselves. These recipes are exclusively created with and approved by Michel Roux OBE, one of the world’s top pastry chefs, especially for BakedIn. Obviously then it would be very wrong of me to share the actual recipes. These recipe kits used to only be available to members of the BakedIn Baking Club as part of a monthly subscription. Now though, BakedIn have decided to sell the kits to anyone who wants to give them a try. So now I feel I can comfortably blog about them without people being upset at not having the recipes. If you like the look of the recipe, you can now buy the kit yourself! Brilliant news! The only catch though is you only have a month to buy it. The Baking Club kit is sold as the BakedIn Bake of the Month, so is only available until the next month’s box is sent (or until it is sold out, whichever comes first).

In case you don’t know about the BakedIn Baking Club, it is one of the best subscription boxes you will ever find. Each month you are sent all the dry ingredients you need for that bake, as well as extra bits and pieces like baking paper, piping bags, testing skewers, butter measures, and of course a very beautifully presented recipe card with colour photographs of each stage of the recipe. You just need to add a couple of fresh ingredients such as eggs, butter or cream. The recipes are great to make with children, and are perfect for any skill level. Any tricky processes are clearly described, making them achievable by everyone. The thing I love most is the range of recipes they come up with. You might have baked something similar before, but the BakedIn recipes are always so much better! For example, last month was a tea loaf, something I bake a lot, but I have never had one anywhere that has tasted as delicious as their recipe did. The beauty about having these kits is that you then have the recipe forever to make again and again. All this costs £8 if you pay per month with postage included in the price, or £7 per month if you pay in 6 monthly chunks. That is a fantastic price for everything you get!

So on to this month’s bake, carrot cake cookies. This recipe is my favourite BakedIn recipe ever! In fact it is so delicious I made it twice in as many days! I adore carrot cake so knew I would love these. They exceeded my expectations by miles though. My Other half isn’t a massive carrot cake fan but he adores these cookies! Absolutely scrumptious cookies, crunchy around the outside, soft and chewy inside, topped with an amazing cream cheese icing. I have made carrot cake flapjacks before (see the recipe for those HERE) but these cookies are my new favourites. (Incidentally, if you want the very best carrot cake recipe my lovely Twitter friend @zoetcm has an amazing recipe on her blog HERE).

The carrot cake cookies are one of the easiest recipes we have had in the Baking Club. There is literally nothing that can go wrong with these, unless of course you forget to turn your oven on or forget you have them baking!!! They are a nice quick bake so perfect for when you have unexpected guests and want to give them something super scrummilicious. They are also ideal for lunchboxes and picnics. And as I discovered, they are great at getting rid of midnight munchies! (Yes I did sneak downstairs in the middle of the night to have one hehe).

I used an ice cream scoop to place my mixture on to the baking trays as I wanted them to all be a similar size. That worked really well. I didn’t flatten them too much as I like chunky cookies. When they had cooled I piped some cream cheese icing on them but had loads left over so went back over them with more.

You can never have too much cream cheese icing! The second time I made them, I added a few drops of orange extract to the icing and that tasted amazing too. The orange really went well with the carrot cake flavours in the cookies. I shall be making these yet again today, that is how much we all love them! The recipe makes 12 cookies but they are so addictively moreish they disappear rapidly!

 

If you would like to make these cookies too and have a wonderful recipe to add to your repertoire, you can buy this box as a one-off kit HERE, but be quick… this recipe will only be available until Mid June 2018, or sooner if they all sell out. The box costs £8 plus postage.

If you would like to join the Baking Club and receive the monthly recipes with free postage, click HERE. You will be able to choose whether to pay monthly, 3 monthly, or 6 monthly.

Happy Baking!

“Practical Herbs” Tea Tour – Some Herbal Tea Recipes and Their Benefits, Including Relief From Hayfever

I was recently lucky enough to be sent a fantastic book called “Practical Herbs 1” written by the Finnish herbalist Henriette Kress. This book, as well as “Practical Herbs 2”, has just been published by AEON Books, priced at £19.99 each.

The books are packed with information about identifying herbs when foraging, how to pick them, how to dry and store them, and all the different ways you can use them and what benefits they give to your health and wellbeing. I have to say I was completely engrossed! I actively look for natural remedies for ailments that sometimes come my (or my family’s) way, so was very impressed to see that there were plenty of remedies included that were for problems we have experienced.

As today is National Tea Day I was asked to specifically try one of the tea recipes included and share my thoughts on it. I decided to try 3 different ones as they sounded like they would help to sort me out with a few little niggly issues.

ROSES

Anyone who knows me will know that I am a bit obsessed with roses, their beautiful appearance, their wonderful fragrance, and their sweet heavenly taste. I was over the moon to see roses featured in Practical Herbs 1. There are lots of new ideas of ways to use roses that I had never heard of, but will definitely be making! Rose petal elixir to calm nerves, rose honey paste to soothe sore throats and lift your spirits, rose beads for when you need to feel special and calm… the list goes on. There are a few different tea recipes for roses but I decided to try the Rose Petal Tea, as I have a permanent supply of dried rose petals in my cupboard. You can use dried or fresh petals for this recipe.

Obviously you can’t just use any roses, as most shop-bought ones have been sprayed with various nasties to get rid of pests and to help them bloom. If you grow your own in the garden and haven’t used any chemicals on them, they should be fine to use. The book does state though that many hybrid roses we grow in our gardens have no scent, and these are not suitable. You need roses with a beautiful strong fragrance. Alternatively you could buy dried edible rose petals, but again they must be fragrant.

 

ROSE PETAL TEA

1 tsp dried rose petals, or 2 tsps crushed fresh petals

250 ml boiling water

• Pour the boiling water over the rose petals, steep for 10 minutes and then strain.
• Drink 1-3 cups a day.

Rose petal tea is a relaxing tea that lifts your mood. It also helps to ease menstrual cramps and mild stomach cramps. if you let it go cold, you can also use it as a face wash!

This tea really did lift my spirits. The wonderful aroma and the sweet rose taste are enough to clear any clouds away. I loved this tea and have been drinking a cup every day.

 

RED RASPBERRY 

I always knew raspberry leaf tea was great for women near the end of pregnancy as it helps to strengthen pelvic organs and is packed with minerals. I didn’t know though that it is a fantastic tea for women in general. The book says that it can help to sort out many menstrual problems, such as pain, frequency, and amounts. I was most interested in it though for another purpose. For reasons unknown to anyone, in all the years I have been having cervical smear tests I have only ever had 1 result come back with no issues. This means I have to have tests every year, and it tends to be at least 2 a year. No one enjoys having them but they are vital to detect any early signs of problems, so we all go through them. As I am typing this, I have a letter to my side inviting me for another smear test as my last one a few weeks ago was inadequate. Henriette Kress says in this book that Red Raspberry Leaf tea is great for women with cervical issues. She states that if a smear test result comes back with problems, drinking this tea for a few weeks can often mean the next result comes back clear! (Obviously this isn’t saying it is a cure for cancer, so please don’t read it as such. There are a whole host of issues that can cause problematic smear results). Needless to say I am drinking this tea twice a day until my next test so fingers crossed!

You can make a tea out of the berries, but that helps to ease a fever. I used the raspberry leaf recipe which is why the tea doesn’t look red.

 

RED RASPBERRY LEAF TEA

1 tsp dried red raspberry leaves, or 2 tsps fresh leaves

250 ml boiling water

• Pour boiling water over the leaves and steep for 10 minutes.
• Strain through a coffee filter.
• Drink 2-3 cups a day for several weeks for full benefit.

Henriette explains that the undersides of red raspberry leaves are covered in tiny spines that can irritate mucuous membranes if swallowed, which is why you must strain this tea through a coffee filter to remove them.

I quite liked the taste of this tea. It is hard to explain what it tastes like but I found it to be quite pleasant. It certainly doesn’t bother me drinking 2 cups of this a day.

 

STINGING NETTLE

The final tea I tried was made with stinging nettles. I chose to try this one as it is the best one for a condition I suffer from terribly every year… hayfever! I love Spring and Summer but I dread the puffy eyes and streaming nose that come with it. Flowers don’t bother me, it is grass and tree pollen that cause me problems. Some people who have drank nettle tea from Spring to Autumn have been able to come off hayfever medication altogether! I hate taking tablets so a natural remedy for a problem I have suffered from since childhood sounds perfect.

Stinging nettles have a huge amount of benefits. I won’t list them all here as the book takes a few pages to cover them all, with each needing different parts of the nettles. As well as recipes to eat and drink, the book also tells you how they can be used in your garden as a fertiliser, a pest repellent, and a compost starter; and as part of your beauty routine by using as a hair conditioner and a softening footbath! So many uses for one plant!

I bought dried stinging nettle leaves to make into a tea, but in the future will be picking some now I know what to look for and where is best to pick from.

 

NETTLE TEA

2-3 tsps dried nettle leaf, tops, or seed

250 ml boiling water

• Pour boiling water over the nettles. Leave to steep for 10 minutes, then strain.
• Drink 2 to 3 cups a day.

I strained this one through a coffee filter too as it was quite powdery. I’ll be honest, I really didn’t like my first taste of this tea. It tastes very very earthy and I didn’t like that. The store I bought the dried nettle from said that you can add some honey or any other natural sweetener if you don’t like the taste of this one. I added some honey and it made such a difference. I can happily drink 2 cups a day now. I’m hoping that doesn’t cut down the benefits that I am praying will come from it and keeping everything crossed for a sneeze-free Summer.

 

If you, like me, are trying to find natural remedies for problems, I would strongly recommend these books. I will be ordering Practical Herbs 2 on the strength of how informative and concise the first book is. Everything is explained in great detail to make sure you get the full benefits. The author has over 20 years experience of treating people with a range of conditions, and she takes care to pass her expert knowledge on in a clear, easily understandable way. The books are perfect for complete beginners to herbs and foraging, to advanced herbalists.

 

To find out more about Henriette Kress, visit her website HERE

To visit AEON Books and order Practical Herbs, click HERE

 

 

 

Cardamom Rice Pudding With Blackberry Layer and Pecan Crumble Topping

I love rice pudding. I’ll happily eat it hot or cold. It brings back so many lovely memories from childhood. The school I went to served it up as a pudding with a spoonful of chocolate curls on top, which was so yummy. At home I used to enjoy it with a dollop of jam dropped into the middle.

When Boddington’s Berries sent me some of their delicious Blackberry Conserve to try, I just knew it would be amazing in a rice pudding, but I wanted to make it an extra special dessert. I decided to combine two of my favourite puddings into one… crumble and rice pudding layered with some of this fruity conserve.

One of the things I love about Boddington’s Berries products is the high fruit content. In fact, for every 100g of conserve, 80g of that is fruit! That equates to the most wonderful fruity taste and texture. It is like eating a mouthful of juicy ripe blackberries! You could use a different fruit conserve if you prefer but I would highly recommend choosing a Boddington’s one as they are such high quality. And the very high fruit content means it is like eating a fruit crumble with rice pudding.

I added cardamom to the rice pudding as it is a flavour I love and it compliments the blackberries perfectly. You can buy ground cardamom but the flavour and aroma is much better if you buy green cardamom pods and grind the seeds yourself. (They are available in little jars in the herbs and spices section of all supermarkets). I love foods with lots of different textures too so added pecan nuts to the crumble topping for extra crunch. I usually bake rice pudding in the oven so it gets that delicious skin on top, but I didn’t want that for this recipe so cooked it on the hob. I wanted the crumble topping to be super crunchy so baked it on it’s own in the oven in a shallow baking pan. You can eat this dessert hot or cold. We ate ours cold and really really enjoyed it. I served it in small tumbler glasses and it made 4 full portions. I like serving cold desserts in glasses, and it is lovely to be able to see the individual layers that way. It is up to you how you layer the different components. I put a thin layer of crumble in the glass first, then rice pudding, followed by a layer of blackberry conserve, with more rice pudding on that, and topped with a final layer of crumble. You could arrange it however you prefer.

The crumble topping is so tasty I made double the amount and used the leftover over the course of a few days as a topping on ice cream and mixed in with yoghurt. (I might have sneakily eaten a little bit on it’s own too but no one saw me so that’s ok).

 

Cardamom Rice Pudding With Blackberry Layer and Pecan Crumble Topping

FOR THE CRUMBLE TOPPING:

90 g plain flour

45 g unsalted butter

30 g caster sugar

15 g demerara sugar

30 g pecan nuts, roughly chopped

 

FOR THE RICE PUDDING:

100 g pudding rice

700 ml milk, plus an extra splash if desired

7 green cardamom pods

2 level tbsps caster sugar

 

4 tbsps Boddington’s Berries Blackberry Conserve

 

TO MAKE THE CRUMBLE TOPPING:

• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan.
• Place the flour and butter into a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles crumbs. (Or you can blitz it in a food processor).
• Stir in the sugars and pecans until evenly distributed, then tip into a shallow baking pan and spread it all out so the layer is as thin as possible.
• Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch. (It will go even crunchier as it cools).
• Leave to one side until needed.

 

TO MAKE THE CARDAMOM RICE PUDDING:

• Press the cardamom pods to make them split open, then remove the seeds from inside. Use a pestle and mortar to grind the seeds as finely as possible.
• Place the rice, milk, sugar and cardamom into a large saucepan and stir. Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, then quickly reduce the heat so it doesn’t bubble over! Cover, then simmer on a low heat for 30-35 minutes, stirring from time to time to make sure it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
• Taste a bit of the rice to make sure it is soft. If it is, remove from the heat. If not leave for a further 5-10 minutes.

 

TO ASSEMBLE:

• The rice will thicken as it cools, so add an extra splash of milk if needed to loosen it up a bit.
• Stir the Blackberry Conserve in a small bowl to make it easier to spread out.
• Place a layer of crumble mixture in the bottom of each glass, then add a thick layer of rice pudding to half fill the glass. Spread a tablespoonful of conserve on top of the rice, then add more rice and finish with a golden layer of crumble topping.
• Enjoy!

As I said before, you can enjoy this dessert hot or cold. If you are serving it hot though, make sure it is not boiling hot or else your glass might shatter! I know I said it is good to have lots of different textures but glass splinters do not count!!!

To see the full range of delicious conserves that Boddington’s Berries has to offer, CLICK HERE to go to their website.

 

DISCLAIMER: I received the Blackberry Conserve for free in exchange for a recipe idea. I only feature products on my blog that I genuinely would recommend, and all my views are my own honest opinions. 

 

 

Make Your Perfect Burger with myBURGERbox

A couple of months ago, I was excited to see on Twitter that a new monthly treat box was launching. One that made my mouth water just thinking about it. A gourmet burger treat box called myBURGERbox. I absolutely love burgers. Real burgers, not the cardboard-resembling type sold in certain fast food restaurants. I just had to sign up!

Tara, who is the genius behind the box, has a background in food and cooking and is passionate about supporting and promoting British independent and family businesses. She gets all of the meat she uses from small-scale farmers who put the welfare of their animals first, making sure they are naturally fed and free to roam, so you know that the products she sends are all of excellent quality.

I was really looking forward to receiving the first box in December. I hadn’t imagined how much would actually be included in the box though! Tara really thinks of everything you could possibly need to make the best ever burger! I signed up to the myBURGERbox for 2 people, and this is what I received:

• 2 x 6oz Aberdeen Angus Prime Beef Burgers
• 2 x sesame seed topped buns
• 4 different cheeses – Cropwell Bishop Blue Stilton, Extra Mature Cheddar, Cornish Brie, and Yorkshire Wensleydale with Cranberries
• Denhay Dry Cured Bacon
• 3 sauces – The Bay Tree Creamy Classic Mayonnaise, Prairie Fire BBQ Original Kansas City Style BBQ Sauce, and Hawkshead Relish Company Black Garlic Ketchup
• Pea Shoots and Baby Leaves from Steve’s Leaves in Hampshire
• Cherry tomatoes on the vine
• Sliced red onion
• Sliced mushrooms
• Extra snack goodies – Get Buzzing Banana Nut Free Flapjack, and 2 packs of Inka Snacks Gourmet Salted Roasted Giant Corn

There were also paper napkins and leaflets explaining where the various ingredients came from, which I thought was a wonderful idea.

The only thing the box doesn’t come with is instructions on how to make your burger. This is because burger preferences are so personal to each individual. Some people like to fry theirs, others grill them. Some like them pink and juicy, others prefer them well done. Some people like the cheese melted, others prefer it left as slices. Some people like the onions fried, others like them raw… it really is all down to your own choice. That applies to the order in which you stack your burger too. You can put it all together however you fancy.

If you’re interested in my preferences though, I cook my burgers and bacon in my George Foreman grill, until the burgers are just very slightly pink inside, and the bacon is crispy. I then top the burger with my cheese of choice, and place it under the grill for a moment to allow the cheese to melt. The first thing I place on my bun is the salad, tomatoes and any vegetables, but not the onion yet. On top of this goes the crispy bacon, and that gets smothered in whichever sauce I prefer. Then it’s the turn of the star of the show, the cheese-topped burger. And finally that gets topped with raw red onions, and of course the top of the bun.

There were more than enough ingredients for 2 burgers, and we even had some left over to use with other meals at a later date. The snacks were scrumptious, and I can honestly say the burger was phenomenal!

I really really love burgers but don’t like ordering them in restaurants as I don’t like eating “messy” food in public. Crazy I know but I get self-conscious eating things that bits might fall off, or which I’d have to take giant bites out of. If I ever do order a burger anywhere, I’ll be the one sat eating it with a knife and fork. Where’s the fun in that!? You need to get a mouthful of all the different parts together to really appreciate the taste, but I miss out on that in restaurants. This makes myBURGERbox extra special for me. I get to enjoy restaurant quality… actually no, BETTER than restaurant quality, burgers in the comfort of my own home, where I can pile them high and it doesn’t matter how much mess I get into. And they are cooked and served EXACTLY the way I like.

December’s box impressed me so much I ordered the next box too, and I can’t imagine I’ll ever stop it. January’s box was again jam-packed with wonderful products:

This one had

• 2 x 6oz Sussex Limousin Beef Burgers from Conisbee Farm in Surrey
• 4 rashers of dry cured back bacon, also from Conisbee Farm
• 3 cheeses – Shropshire Blue from Long Clawson Dairy, Cornish Brie from Cornish Country Larder, and Keen’s Somerset Cheddar
• 3 sauces – Great British Sauce Co. Proper Tomato Sauce, The Garlic Farm Onion Marmalade with Garlic, and PS Food Products Twisted Chilli Mayonnaise
• 2 brioche buns
• A salad box containing mixed leaves, sweet baby peppers, and an assortment of mini tomatoes
• Sliced red onions
• Sun-dried tomatoes and olives
• Cranberry and cashew nut mix
• 2 x Wildings Snacks Duck Crackling
• 2 x Cut and Dried vegetable snacks

As you can tell from both boxes, only top quality artisan products are used so your burger will be amazingly good. My partner likes burgers, but they are not his meal of choice. He loved December’s though, and he said January’s was the best burger he had ever eaten in his entire life. His previous favourite had been one in America, but he said this beat that. In fact, he said that he would happily eat a burger for every meal for the rest of his life if they were all as good as the myBURGERbox ones. High praise indeed!

You can genuinely taste the quality in all of the ingredients, and it is wonderful to be able to try such a variety of accompaniments.

In case you are wondering how it all arrives on delivery day, Tara and her team make sure it all reaches you in tip-top condition. The meats are packed in boxes with ice packs and insulated sheets to keep them chilled:

They are sent via Royal Mail First Class post so you should receive them the next day after they are sent, but the ingredients will be perfectly fine in the box for up to 48 hours, in case for any reason there is a delay with Royal Mail. On both occasions the ingredients in my boxes were lovely and cold and ready to cook.

The boxes will always contain British burgers including some from rare and heritage breeds. They won’t always be beef though. In future boxes there will be lamb, venison, pork, and chicken, and for more adventurous people you’ll be able to try more unusual meats such as ostrich and goat. Bacon will nearly always be included too as it is so wonderful on burgers. There will always also be a selection of cheeses, sauces, toppings and salad leaves, as well as random extras from British artisan companies. The extra goodies so far have been delicious, and it has been great to discover brands I would not have otherwise heard about.

You can order myBURGERbox for one or two people, and for 1, 3 or 6 months. For one person it is £14.95, and for 2 it is £24.50. Postage is included in the price making these boxes fantastic value, especially when you look at the brands being used. Boxes are always shipped on the Thursday nearest the 11th of the month so you will get it on the Friday ready to enjoy over the weekend. The next box will be delivered on the 9th/10th February, and if you would like to try it you will need to order by the 4th of February. If you order after that date you will receive the March box instead, which will be delivered on the 9th/10th March.

To find out more or to place your order to try this superb box for yourself, CLICK HERE to go to their website. You can even order it as a gift for someone else! What a brilliant idea.

What ingredients would you need for your perfect burger? Let me know in the comments so I can drool over your suggestions too 🙂

Review of ‘Not Guilty’ by Chef Mick Élysée – including his scrumptious recipe for Plantain Pancakes

I was recently lucky enough to be invited to be part of the blog tour helping to promote Chef Mick Élysée’s new book, Not Guilty. I have to admit, until this tour I hadn’t heard of Mick (sorry), but I am so glad I have now been introduced to his recipes!

Before I tell you about the wonderful new book, let me tell you about Chef Mick Élysée, as his story is inspirational.

Mick grew up in the Republic of Congo, where he loved watching his mother cooking, and sneakily pinching food from the pot when she wasn’t looking. Sadly though, his happy life was soon to be turned upside down. In 1993, at the height of the Congolese Civil War, several of his family were killed. This meant that at the age of 14, Mick arrived in France as a refugee and had to adapt to a new life in an unfamiliar culture. He struggled academically, as he was not used to the French school system, but his passion for food shone through and gave him the strength to get through this traumatic time. He devoted his time to learning all about European cuisine, and in 1997 he was accepted into one of France’s most prestigious culinary schools. There, he began his classical training and worked under Michel Toulousi and Jean-Marc Desclaux. At the age of 22, just 8 years after arriving in France, Mick and his business partner opened a restaurant called La Gascogne, which received critical acclaim.

Today, Mick’s roots in the Congo play a huge part in his life. As well as the influence they have in his Afro-Fusion recipes, he is also passionate about giving back to the communities there. He regularly works with orphanages in Brazzaville and Kinshasa, and with a free school for children with physical and mental disabilities. He also provides cookery workshops for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, as well as educational support to equip them with life skills. What a truly amazing man!

Mick’s long-awaited book Not Guilty was published just a few weeks ago. It features healthy African recipes including starters, snacks, main meals and desserts, as well as stocks to use as bases for other dishes. Every recipe has a beautiful vibrant photograph of the end result as well as step-by-step instructions on how to make them. The photographs are mouth-wateringly tempting, and I’m looking forward to making lots more of them in the near future. The book has encouraged me to look at ingredients I have never used before, and that really excites me. Exotic fruit and vegetables, and meats I have never eaten let alone cooked, this book takes you on a wonderful taste adventure.

I was tempted by lots of the recipes but decided to make the Plantain Pancakes for this review. This is the photograph in the book:

I had never eaten plantain until making these, and the recipe requires 1 very ripe plantain. As I was unfamiliar with cooking with plantain I did a bit of research so I could tell when one was ready to use. I had presumed they would be like bananas as they look so similar, but I was wrong! Plantains are used in both sweet and savoury cooking. Many savoury recipes require them to be very hard and not too ripe. In those cases it would be best to use plantains when the skin is still green. The riper the plantain, the sweeter it becomes. The shop where I bought mine sold them when they looked yellow. These are ripe, but not quite enough. I discovered that they can take weeks to fully ripen, unlike bananas which take a few days. I didn’t have weeks after I had bought mine so I read that you can ripen them quicker by placing them in a paper bag with an apple. The apple produces a gas which aids the process. I did this with one of the ones I bought, and it worked! The one in my main picture is nowhere near ripe enough, even though it is looking a bit blackened. A perfectly ripened plantain has a black skin which looks very slightly wrinkled. Imagine the look of a banana when it is too far gone to even use in recipes… that is how a very ripe plantain looks, and that is how it needs to be for this recipe. I used one like this in the pancake recipe.

To get the fruit out of the skin, simply slice each end off with a sharp knife and cut a slit from one end to the other. You can then easily peel the skin off in one go. Very ripe plantain is soft and a lovely yellowy-peachy colour inside. This means it is really easy to blend in recipes. And speaking of recipes, here is the pancake one for you to try too.

 

PLANTAIN PANCAKES

1 very ripe plantain

2 fresh eggs

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

2 tbsps semi-skimmed, or almond, or coconut milk

1/2 vanilla pod

150g strawberries, cut into chunks

2 tbsps honey

coconut oil, for frying (1 tsp per pancake + 1 tbsp for the topping)

 

• Split the vanilla pod in half lengthwise, and then use the tip of a knife to scrape the seeds out. Combine the plantain, eggs, cinnamon, milk and vanilla seeds, and blend together until you get a creamy paste. (I did this in a food processor by blending the plantain first until it was lump-free and creamy, then beating in the rest of the ingredients with a spoon).
• Place a frying pan over a low heat, add 1 teaspoon of coconut oil, and fry one pancake until the bottom is golden brown. Flip it over and cook until that side is golden too. Repeat until the mixture is all used up, using 1 teaspoon of coconut oil for each pancake.
• Using the same frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of coconut oil. Add the strawberries, stir quickly to coat them in the oil, then add the honey. Cook for 1 minute until the juice reduces slightly, then remove from the heat.
• Place the pancakes on a serving plate, spoon the strawberries on top, and then finish with the honey sauce.

 

So what did I think of my very first plantain experience? I loved it! The coconut oil adds a wonderful flavour, and the strawberry honey sauce adds an extra hit of sweetness which is just divine. My honey sauce took on the colour of the strawberries and went a lovely shade of red, so it didn’t look like the photograph in the book but it still tasted amazing! I am looking forward to making more of Chef Mick Élysée’s delicious recipes very soon. His Jollof Quinoa and Roast Chicken, and his Papaya Tart recipes are next on my agenda from this book. Yum!

If you would like to find out more about Chef Mick Élysée and his new book, including where to buy it, you can find his website HERE