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!

 

 

Raspberry and Coconut Squares – August BakedIn Baking Club Recipe

I’m beginning to feel like the legend that was Bruce Forsyth, when he used to tell every couple on Strictly Come Dancing that they were his favourite… because every month I say the same thing. THIS BakedIn Baking Club recipe is my favourite. Well, at least until September’s arrives anyway!

In case this is your first visit to my blog, let me tell you about this Baking Club. Every month they send you all the dry ingredients you need as well as extra bits and pieces such as baking paper and testing skewers, to make a scrumptious recipe created exclusively for BakedIn with Michel Roux’s approval. There is always a handy tip included on the recipe card which suggests a way to make the recipe extra special. The recipe card tells you exactly what is included in the box, what extra ingredients you will need, and has clear instructions and photographs for each step of the recipe. All of the dry ingredients are weighed out for you so you can get on with the fun part of baking without so much preparation. The card does tell you though how much of each dry ingredient there is so that you can make the recipe again in the future. I love that detail! I used to receive a subscription box that gave you a recipe and the spices needed to make amazing curries. The recipes were fantastic. The only problem was they didn’t tell you how much of all of the included ingredients there were, so it was impossible to make the recipe again without buying the whole kit again! I love that BakedIn aren’t like that. They WANT you to make their recipes time and time again and they want to get everyone baking! These recipes are perfect for baking with children too, so make brilliant quality family time. Plus of course you’ll have a wonderful time eating them.

The Raspberry and Coconut Squares recipe was absolutely scrumptious. It had a delicious almond base which had a gorgeous crispy crust. It reminded me a bit of suet pastry puddings, although much much nicer, and no suet. This base was topped with fresh raspberries, a coconut crumble-type layer, another layer of raspberries, and finally topped with white chocolate curls after it had cooled. It was supposed to be cut into 12 squares, but as I frequently get accused of being a “feeder” I decided to live up to the accusations and cut it into 9 larger squares 😀 We enjoyed it with ice cream one day and custard the next, and each time it was heavenly. Definitely one to make over and over again. It was comfort food at it’s best and we’ll be enjoying this one a lot during the Winter months, warmed up with custard.

If you are interested in joining the Baking Club, just click HERE to go to their website to find out more. It costs just £8 a month including delivery (even less if you pay for a few months in one go). Although at the moment when you first visit the link you will get a chance to sign up to their mailing list and receive your first box for just £3.99! That’s an offer you can’t refuse. Happy Baking!

 

 

Rocky Road Brownies – July’s BakedIn Baking Club Box

July’s BakedIn Baking Club box was a HUUUUUUUUUUUGE hit in my house! Everyone’s faces lit up when they saw the recipe card. Rocky Road… love. Brownies… love. Put them both together and you get what can only be described as heaven. Beautiful chocolate brownies baked until they are still soft and a bit gooey inside but with a delicious crunchy top, with a rocky road style topping. What’s not to love???

As always, BakedIn sent all the dry ingredients needed to make this scrummilicious treat already weighed out, plus baking paper, a testing skewer, butter guide, and the wonderful recipe card.

The only extra ingredients I needed to use were butter, eggs and double cream. Although I didn’t have to buy them as I always have those in anyway. The dry ingredients which BakedIn provide are top quality ingredients. No cheap or inferior products in their boxes! For example, the flour comes from the Great Taste Award winning flour millers at WESSEX MILL, and they only use the best chocolate and cocoa powder. You can taste the quality!

For the rocky road topping we had to make caramel. I love making caramel. There’s something slightly therapeutic about watching the sugar melt and turn into a lovely amber colour. This recipe made plenty, and BakedIn wrote a tip on the recipe card to use any leftover caramel poured over ice cream. We did that and it was beautiful. I love how these boxes include some more technical steps, such as making caramel, from time to time. It is a great way for anyone to learn some new techniques which they might have previously been daunted about trying.

This brings me on to another wonderful thing about being a BakedIn Baking Club subscriber. A few months ago they set up a Facebook group which is just for subscribers. The support and encouragement that the members give to each other is a joy to see. There are members who have hardly ever baked before, along with ones who have baked lots, but you’d never know. I have been in baking groups on Facebook before and some can get very catty to say the least, with people thinking they are better than anyone else. The BakedIn Baking Club group is a million miles away from those types of groups thankfully. It genuinely is a friendly supportive group and the people are amazing. I feel proud to be in such a lovely group. If you join the Baking Club you’ll see what I mean. As well as the people in the group, it is also good to join because you get access to great deals and discounts on some of BakedIn’s other kits.

Back to the recipe. The brownies came out exactly as I like them. I could very easily have eaten them just as they were with a scoop of ice cream. The smell of chocolate filling the house as they came out of the oven made me drool! I added the caramel, marshmallows and chocolate malt balls (like Maltesers) and was so excited to cut it into pieces to enjoy! The recipe card said to cut into 9 to 12 pieces. As you can see from the main photo though, greedy pig me cut it into 9. The bigger the better. I was contemplating cutting it into less pieces so that they would be even bigger it looked so tempting! (The only reason I didn’t was because of Michel Roux. He works with BakedIn to create these wonderful recipes and I thought just in case he ever happens to look at the pictures of subscribers bakes, I didn’t want him thinking bad of me 🙂 You never know!) Needless to say they didn’t last long in my house! And it is yet another recipe to make again and again. Good job the recipe cards tell you how much of each of the dry ingredients you need!

BakedIn Baking Club costs just £8 a month with free delivery. It costs even less if you sign up to 3 or 6 months at a time. You can also buy gift subscriptions for other people. Perfect for any occasion but I’d say ideal as a house-warming present. You can’t beat the smell of baking to give any house an extra homely feel to it.

If you would like to find out more or to join, just click HERE to go to their website. I’ll look forward to seeing you and your bakes in the Facebook group!

 

 

 

Bring Me Sunshine – With a Sunshine Box!

In my LAST POST I told you about the wonderful subscription box for book-lovers, Wise Reads, which is run by Pebblewise. I told you I would tell you about their other subscription box, The Sunshine Box. So today I will 🙂

I had seen posts from Pebblewise on Twitter about this box. It was set up to send to people who suffer from anxiety and/or depression, as a way of lifting spirits. I thought that was such a lovely idea. It was a Twitter friend’s birthday recently and she writes about mental health issues, being an anxiety sufferer herself. I decided to send her a Sunshine Box as a birthday present. Her reaction upon receiving it told me that this was a very special box indeed! I decided I wanted to experience the joy it brought her myself, so I placed my order for August’s box.

On average you receive 5 items: 2 beautiful practical items, one luxurious self-care item, and 2 tasty treats. This may change from time to time though. We so often spend so much time looking after other people that we forget to look after ourselves, so this box is ideal to treat yourself. It also makes a beautiful gift to let someone know you are thinking of them.

Sunshine Boxes get posted out on the 3rd of each month. On the 5th, it arrived. The box was bigger than I was expecting. This is definitely not a box that fits through your letterbox. Luke, my son, was just as excited as I was to see what was inside. I opened the box and the packaging inside instantly made me feel happy. Each item was beautifully wrapped in bright sunshine yellow tissue paper, so it was like a birthday with presents to open! Each month a different positive-thinking poster is stuck on the inside of the box, and August’s was “look for happiness in the little things” on a background of sprinkles. Sprinkles always make me smile. They bring with them thoughts of cakes and ice cream. Ah, happy thoughts.

Luke and I decided to take it in turns opening a present from the box. His face was the perfect picture of happiness, especially with one of the items! This is what was in the box:

The part that made Luke happiest was the box of treats to make your perfect ice cream.

There was everything you could imagine for a scrumptious ice cream dessert, apart from the actual ice cream of course! That would have been a bit of a postal disaster! What was included though was gorgeous. There were 3 ice cream bowls and 3 napkins with sprinkles on, 3 spoons, 3 ice cream cones, strawberry syrup, maple syrup, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, 2 packets of sprinkles, 3 wafer rolls, and a packet of rainbow drops. Luke was really excited to make us a yummy ice cream treat, and he put a bit of everything on them!

I hadn’t had rainbow drops since I was a child, and I’d forgotten how much I used to love them. The activity of making the ice creams really made Luke happy, and this made me happy to see. He wants ice cream like this all the time now! The rainbow drops started a lovely conversation off about things from my childhood too. It all just made a wonderful evening.

Also included was a set of 3 beautiful rose shaped soaps. These are so pretty and delicate. It’s hard to believe they are soaps. Absolutely beautiful.

There was also a strawberry. But not just any strawberry! This one had a clever practical hidden secret. Open it out and it becomes a wonderful shopping bag! I shall keep this in my handbag at all times. So often I go out and buy something on a whim, but then have to buy a bag for it as I hadn’t expected to need one. Now I can just use my strawberry! It is small enough to hardly take up any space, so just perfect.

Next was a Konjac Beauty Sponge. I must admit I had never heard of these before. The packet says it is an ancient Japanese beauty secret. You just need to wet it so it expands and softens, and then massage your face with it. It is supposed to exfoliate, cleanse and moisturise your skin without the need for any soaps. It balances the PH of your skin and is said to be effective against acne-causing bacteria. Must admit, I love it and will be buying another when this one needs replacing in around 2 months.

Finally there was a wonderful little activity to do either on your own or with your family. There was a package which contained glue, magnets and glass pebbles. The idea is to look through magazines, brochures, photos, wrapping paper etc and find small pictures or a word that inspires you, and cut them out. Stick them on the back of the glass pebbles, then add the magnet. They look fantastic when they are made! Luke loved making these with me. We are keeping some and using some as token gifts and geocaching swaps.

I was hugely impressed with the Sunshine Box. Everything from the packaging to the contents just boosted my mood. It was lovely to have things I could enjoy with Luke too.

It would make a fantastic gift for a new parent who may be feeling tired and super busy all the time, or a baby shower gift so that mum-to-be can have something wonderful to help her through the exhausting preparation time for a new baby. Obviously it would be a wonderful gift for any other occasion too.

You can order a one-off box or start a monthly subscription. Either way costs just £15 a month with free postage in the UK. This one cannot be sent internationally, unlike Wise Reads.

EDIT 12/09/2018: Unfortunately, Sunshine Box has now closed down. 

 

Wise Reads – A Personal Subscription Box for Book Lovers

Recently on Twitter I discovered a lovely company called Pebblewise. They offer two subscription boxes: the Sunshine Box, which I will tell you about in my next post, and Wise Reads. I decided to try the August box of each of these and was massively impressed! Let me tell you about the wonderful box that is Wise Reads, a second-hand book subscription box.

I love reading. I love curling up in my favourite chair with a cup of coffee and a good book. More often than not though, I get so engrossed in what I’m reading that my coffee sits forgotten on the side. I love how books can do that. You can lose yourself so completely in the story that you also lose all track of time in reality. I get my love of reading from my father. He was a true bibliophile and he had literally thousands of books crammed into his house. They were everywhere! Each wall was lined with bookcases in every room except his bathroom, but that still wasn’t enough to contain the amount he had, which meant he then had piles of books everywhere too. And even though he had no room for any more, he couldn’t stop himself buying them! Before he lost the ability to walk easily, he used to love going to car boot sales and charity shops with the sole purpose of book hunting. He’d be like a child at Christmas telling me about all his latest finds. He used to tell me about the wonders of Hay-on-Wye, with its abundance of second-hand book shops. And there was a particular shop in Selly Oak in Birmingham that he used to go to time and time again. The owner, Stephen Wycherley, bought and sold rare and more unusual books, and he knew the types of books that Dad most loved, so kept them to one side for him ready for his next visit. I used to think that was such a thoughtful gesture. Every time I spoke to Dad about his new books or asked him what he was going to read next, he would always put on an excited voice and say “So many books, so little time.” Sadly, he had less time than any of us could have imagined, and so many of his books remained unread.

He would have absolutely adored Wise Reads! The people who run this subscription box also run a second hand book shop in North Wales. This helps with the individual service they offer. When you decide to sign up to Wise Reads (or order a one-off box) you are asked to fill in an online form in which you tick boxes to say what types of topics and genres you enjoy, such as crime, fantasy, satire, dystopia, coming of age, LGBT, quests, etc etc. There are so many options and you tick all that apply. You are also asked to list any favourite authors. This enables them to get more of an idea of what styles you like, but they also won’t send any books from those authors as they will assume you have most likely read them already. Finally there is a box in which you can type in any other information that might help them to find suitable books for you. I used this box to say what my very favourite types of books are, and if I’m honest, I thought my preferences would prove to be a bit too tricky for them to match. I love spiritual books, but not in a religious way. I am fascinated by past lives. I love thought provoking books with a message that stays with you long after you have finished the book. One of my all-time favourites is The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. I struggle to find books that tick all the boxes for me, but I do find plenty that tick some. I thought Wise Reads would send me a book that ticks a few but not many. I greatly underestimated the care and attention that they take in finding books!!!

I knew that books get posted out on the 10th of each month so I was very curious to see what they would have chosen for me. Each book is beautifully wrapped in tissue paper with a hand-written label attached to it. I loved this detail.

I was very excited to open this beautiful parcel, and as I opened the layers of tissue paper to reveal the book, I was absolutely blown away by their choice for me. They genuinely couldn’t have picked a more perfect book. It ticks all my boxes and more. Their attention to detail and care in making their selections really goes above and beyond all expectations. The book was in brilliant condition too, with just one crease down the spine. Here is what I received:

I’ll tell you what the blurb on the back says….. Some stories cannot be told in just one lifetime. No matter what he does or the decisions he makes, every time Harry dies, he always returns to where he began, a child with all the knowledge of a life lived a dozen times before. Nothing ever changes – until now. As Harry nears the end of his eleventh life, a little girl appears at his bedside. “I nearly missed you, Doctor August,” she says. “I need to send a message.” This is the story of what Harry does next, and what he did before, and how he tries to save a past he cannot change and a future he cannot allow. 

I started reading it on the night it arrived and I am loving it! It is EXACTLY the type of book I’ve been looking for. I went on to Amazon to look it up and it gets fantastic reviews. I really am over the moon with this subscription. I had ordered a one-off box just to see what type of book I would receive. I am signing up to it as an ongoing subscription now as I am so impressed.

Apart from the fact they sent me such a perfect book, they made me feel close to my father, who I miss and think about every single day. They wouldn’t have had any idea until now. I nearly missed it, but as I was picking up the tissue paper after I had opened my book, a tiny prettily wrapped parcel fell out from it. I opened it carefully to reveal a necklace, the one that is the main picture in this blog post. I instantly heard Dad saying it in my head in his excited voice. So many books, so little time. I will treasure this necklace. And then I picked up the book to have a quick flick through it, and it naturally fell open halfway through, coinciding with the crease on the spine. And this was the page it opened at…

I do. All the time. And I thank him for passing his love of books on to me so that I could discover the gem that is Wise Reads.

Wise Reads is an absolute bargain. It costs just £5 a month including postage! And they like to send a little extra something with your book, as I discovered. You can also choose to receive 2 books at a time, and that is just £7 including postage. They send books in as good a condition as possible, but their main priority is finding the perfect book to suit you. If they find a perfect book based on your preferences but it is in less than good condition, they include an extra book at no extra cost! Bear in mind though, this is a second-hand book subscription so don’t expect brand new books. I personally don’t think you can beat a preloved book. I like to imagine someone else sitting curled up reading it before me. That person has similar interests and I like that thought.

Wise Reads is sent out on the 10th of each month. You need to place your order before the 8th to receive that month’s book. If your order is placed on or after the 8th, your book will be posted on the 10th of the next month. Payment is via PayPal only.

EDIT: Wise Reads costs £5 a month with free postage if you live in the UK. They also send this subscription box worldwide, which is fantastic. Obviously though international customers will need to pay a little bit towards postage. Pebblewise only charge £2.60 postage for 1 book or £5.40 for 2 for international orders. A truly fantastic bargain!

UPDATE 12/09/2018: Unfortunately Wise Reads has now closed down 😦

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cinnamon and Pecan Loaf… BakedIn Baking Club Recipe for June

I know that I say the same thing every month…. “This month’s BakedIn Baking Club recipe is the best ever!” I apologise in advance but I’m saying it again for June’s! I absolutely adore all things cinnamon and pecans are my very favourite nut, so I was really excited when I opened June’s box and saw that it contained both ingredients. I instantly knew that this was going to be amazing. In fact, it was so amazing I made it straight away, and the day after the last slice had been eaten I made it again!

Regular readers of my blog will know that BakedIn Baking Club is a monthly subscription service that sends all the dry ingredients needed to make a wonderful recipe from the world-renowned chef Michel Roux. This month’s box also contained baking paper, a butter measure, and a skewer to test when the loaf was ready.

There was also a yummy chocolate from Rising Star Games to promote their new Cooking Mama Sweet Shop game, with a £5 off discount code to use at their online shop.

The recipe card for this loaf was very easy to follow. There is always a top tip from Michel Roux to make sure your bake is the best it can be, and this month’s was to swirl the mixture in the loaf pan more than you’d think you needed to in order to get a lovely cinnamon marbling effect. This was definitely a top tip! I swirled and swirled mine to the point where I thought my loaf was going to end up just brown, but I actually think it could possibly have done with a bit more swirling!

This loaf was absolutely delicious on it’s own, but since my holiday in America last year where I discovered how good cream cheese icing is with anything cinnamon, I decided to spread some of the icing on a slice, just like spreading butter. Oh my word…. that was a scrummy addition which made it even more indulgent!

(The recipe to my cream cheese icing can be found HERE and I’d recommend it for any sweet cinnamon bakes).

I’ve made loaf cakes plenty of times before in different flavours, but can honestly say this cinnamon and pecan loaf is the best loaf cake I have ever tasted. It was so easy to make, and the end result was just incredible. It had the perfect amount of cinnamon and the pecans gave it a beautiful crunch and extra flavour. This will be made time and time again!

That is one of the great things about the Baking Club. The recipe cards tell you exactly how much of all the dry ingredients are included, so you can make it again at a later date. The card is also wipe-clean so you can easily wipe any splashes off it. (I’m a messy baker and always end up with splashes of mixture and clouds of flour and icing all over everything).

If you would like to join the BakedIn Baking Club, click HERE to go to their website. It costs just £8 per month if you pay monthly, or you can buy a 3 month subscription for £22 which equates to £7.33 per month, or a 6 month subscription for £42 which equates to £7 per box. All of the options include free delivery, making them brilliant value! You can also buy gift subscriptions. I personally think a gift subscription is the perfect present for so many occasions: housewarming, newly-weds, thank you gift, birthdays… anything! Anyone would be lucky to receive this.

Happy Baking!

 

DISCLAIMER: I pay fully for my subscription and am not asked to write a review for the Baking Club. I get no compensation if you join it too, I write these reviews purely because I love this Club so much. I only recommend products or services I genuinely like. Honesty is the heart of my blog. 

 

The Pong Cheese Club… Artisan Cheese Subscription Box!

As you all know, I love subscription boxes. You know when you sign up to one what type of thing you will receive in your box, but you never know exactly what the products will be. As a lover of surprises, this appeals to me.

The lovely people at Pong Cheese contacted me asking if I would like to try their brand new artisan cheese box. I do love cheese so jumped at the chance! I can honestly say I was massively impressed by it all too.

Pong Cheese Club really puts the customer/recipient first. Most people like at least one kind of cheese, but some people really don’t like some types of cheese too. I have tried many times to like blue cheeses but I just don’t and never will. Pong Cheese lets you tell them your preferences, such as no blue cheese (which is what I said), no goat’s cheese, vegetarian cheese only… they really do cater the box to each individual customer. I love this detail. It guarantees you will only receive cheeses that you will enjoy.

Boxes are delivered by courier on Thursdays, making sure your fridge is well-stocked for the weekend ahead. Delivery is free and the cheeses are brilliantly packed in a lovely box with ice packs to ensure they are fresh and in prime condition. The ice packs in mine were still frozen solid so the cheese was lovely and cold. Pong Cheese understands that you will be excited to receive your first box quickly, so it is delivered on the Thursday after you place your order. Subsequent boxes are then delivered on the Thursday after that date in the next month.

You can choose whether you want to receive a box monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly and you can pause or cancel your subscription at any time. There are 2 options available. You can receive the regular box, which contains expertly selected seasonal cheeses from artisan producers. This is £22 per month including free courier delivery. The box I received was an example of this. Or you can choose to go Premium for £29 per month including delivery, and this option means you will receive at least one extra special cheese in addition to the others. As this is a brand new club though, Pong Cheese are very generously offering a 50% discount on your first box! More about that at the end.

So what did I receive in my box? I had Oakwood Smoked Farmhouse Cheddar, Ford Farm West Country Farmhouse Cheddar, Caws Cenarth Brie, and Ford Farm Goat’s Cheese. The Goat’s cheese was delicious with a rocket, spinach and beetroot salad. It had a lovely smooth, creamy taste compared to the bitterness of the rocket leaves.

My 10 year old son absolutely loves cheese, but he likes extra mature Cheddar. The stronger tasting, the better. He finds supermarket cheeses just too bland for his taste. (This is the only food item he has mature tastes in, by the way)! When I opened the Ford Farm Farmhouse Cheddar, he was at my side in an instant. This cheese (like the goat’s cheese) was surrounded by a wax covering, which my son thought was brilliant. He said it showed it was quality. I didn’t get chance to use much of this one in recipes, as he loved it cut into wedges and eaten on it’s own. This was my favourite too. Tangy but also creamy tasting. Sharp but also smooth. It was a taste sensation like no other. The Oakwood Smoked Farmhouse Cheddar was also enjoyed largely on it’s own, and on thick crusty bread with ham. Another delicious cheese, not as sharp as the Ford Farm but still packed with flavour.

At the same time as receiving the cheeses, I had also received some bread crackers to try. A perfectly timed coincidence! I decided to bake the Brie to use as a cheesy dip for the crackers. I added a dollop of caramelised onion chutney which a friend had made, and it was heavenly! Gooey and silky and just delicious.

Pong Cheese goes all out to make sure you enjoy the cheeses at their best, so they include a very informative guide on how to store and eat them. There’s a handy tip about which drinks go best with the different types of cheese. I learnt a lot from this guide. Did you know cheese should be served at room temperature for optimum flavour? I didn’t! I’ve always eaten it straight from the fridge! Not any more though. It really does make a difference.

 

This subscription box is perfect for any cheese lover, and would make a lovely gift. As I said before, the wonderful people at Pong Cheese are offering your first box for half price at the moment! To take advantage of their offer just click HERE to go to the website, make your preferences and enter code CLUB50 at the checkout. At just £11 after the discount, and free delivery, it really is a fantastic bargain! Definitely well worth trying.

 

DISCLAIMER: I received a sample box in exchange for an honest review. This in no way effects my opinions on it. My blog is based on honesty… I only recommend things I really genuinely like and would recommend. 

Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins… BakedIn Baking Club May Box

I love the middle of the month. It’s when my BakedIn Baking Club subscription box lands on my doormat! The excitement as I hear the thud as it lands, the sight of the lovely bright green box, the anticipation of what might be inside this month, and then the satisfaction of being able to make something I might not normally bake, and finally the joy of eating it. Yes, I definitely love the middle of the month.

The May box was a perfect Spring box. I always think of lemons as Spring and Summer fruits, even though they’re not. It’s just that this is when I most enjoy them and find them most refreshing in recipes. This lemon and poppy seed muffin recipe called for 3 lemons, so I knew I was going to love it! I already have a go-to recipe for lemon drizzle cakes (THIS ONE) so I was intrigued to see how much the BakedIn recipe would vary. Obviously the fact they were muffins meant they would probably be denser than light cupcakes, but only slightly. I was actually surprised at how light these muffins were! The poppy seeds added a lovely texture and broke up the lemon taste beautifully.

The recipe said to grease a muffin tin well with plenty of butter. I normally make muffins in paper cases so was going to use some for these, but as I like to follow the recipes the way they were intended, I decided against the cases. I’m so glad I did. I have to confess though, the amount of butter that the recipe instructed to use to grease the tin seemed a lot, so stupid old me thought just a fraction of the amount would be fine. I should have known these recipes are tried and tested before being sent out, so if a recipe says you need x amount of butter, you really do!!! Needless to say my first attempt at these muffins tasted delicious but looked… erm… well let’s just say Mary Berry would have called them “informal”. They were how Mary Berry likes her tipples… bottomless 😉

Luckily Tesco is a stone’s throw away from my house so off I popped to get more lemons. After greasing the pan the way the recipe said this time, I made another batch of these muffins and they came out perfectly!  The lemon fragrance as they were baking was so beautiful. There are some baking smells more than others that I wish could be bottled up and sold as air fresheners. The smell from these muffins was one of those. So inviting.

My usual lemon drizzle recipe involves the baked, still warm cakes having a lemon syrup poured over them so it soaks in. This muffin recipe made a lovely crunchy syrup to pour on, and that was so good. The icing to pipe on top was the same as I am used to making. I really loved all the textures in these muffins; the lightness of the actual cake, with the crunchiness of the seeds and the sugary topping. It all resulted in a match made in heaven. And sadly, as with all BakedIn bakes so far, these didn’t last long. Fortunately though BakedIn make sure they give you all the measurements on the recipe card so you can make them again in the future. I’ll definitely be making more of these. I have some oranges begging to be used up too so I might try orange and poppy seed ones.

If you are new to my blog, I’ve just realised you’re probably wondering what the BakedIn Baking Club is! Well it is an amazing subscription box which sends you all the dry ingredients and bits and pieces needed to follow a beautiful recipe created exclusively by the great chef Michel Roux. For example, take a look at the May box:

All the dry ingredients come already weighed out for convenience. If part of the recipe requires a few dry ingredients to be added at the same time, then those ingredients are placed together in one packet. There is always a very clear recipe card with photos of every step so you can see you’re on the right track. Michel Roux adds a Top Tip to either help with a tricky part of the bake or to suggest ways to enhance it even further. As well as the dry ingredients you always get a butter measure, and in this box there was also a skewer to test when the muffins were ready, and a disposable piping bag for the icing to decorate. Obviously they can’t send things like eggs and butter as they would be a logistical nightmare to keep chilled and whole, but they always tell you in advance what you will need to buy yourself.

Sometimes you get a little treat added to the box, as if the bake isn’t enough of a treat! BakedIn do like to make you feel valued, so these treats are such lovely gestures. In past boxes there have been tea temples and gourmet marshmallows. The May box had a tea temple from teapigs included as a treat. Mine was rooibos creme caramel flavoured, which won a Great Taste award in 2014. You could see little chunks of caramel in among the tea leaves! I have to say I loved this tea so much. It was beautiful and sweet and the flavour was just wonderful. I saved it until the house was empty and the dog was having a nap. Tea like this demands your undivided attention!

If you fancy trying the BakedIn Baking Club for yourself, it costs just £7.99 per month which includes delivery! It really is great value. BakedIn also appreciate that it can be frustrating when you sign up to a subscription box as you often have to wait almost a month to receive the first one, depending on when you signed up. To get rid of this annoying factor, when you sign up with BakedIn they send you a fantastic kit straight away to get you baking within 5 days of joining. This first kit is for double chocolate whoopie pies and it is absolutely scrumptious! You then receive the next box at the same time as everyone else, and every month after.

BakedIn recently started a Baking Club group on Facebook too, which you can only join if you are a subscriber. The group is fantastic! You can share photos of your bakes, ask any questions you might have… everyone in the group is so friendly and supportive. Special offers and discounts sometimes pop up in there too so it’s well worth joining!

If you would like to subscribe to the Baking Club, click HERE to go to their website. Happy Baking! 🙂

 

DISCLAIMER: I pay fully for my subscription and BakedIn don’t ask me to write posts for them. I choose to though as it is a subscription I highly recommend and a company I love. All views and opinions are my own. 

Chocolate and Caramel Eclairs – April’s BakedIn Baking Club Recipe

I was ridiculously excited when I opened April’s BakedIn Baking Club parcel. I absolutely LOVE eclairs, and in this box there were all the dry ingredients needed to make eclairs with 2 different toppings, caramel and chocolate.

Also included was the brilliantly detailed recipe card, butter measure, piping bags, baking paper, and an extra special treat… some delicious vanilla and chocolate gourmet marshmallows from Belinda Clark.

These were simply beautiful. Soft, light and fluffy just like a marshmallow should be, and then coated in yummy chocolate. Heaven! There must have been a marshmallow monster hiding in my house though as I only managed to have one and the rest mysteriously vanished! My son assured me he hadn’t seen anything suspicious but it was hard to get any sense out of him as his cheeks were all puffed out and he was unable to talk properly for some reason. His condition disappeared on its own after a few minutes but the marshmallow mystery remains unsolved.

As some of you may know, I had a major kitchen disaster a few weeks ago, and I don’t mean burning a cake! To cut a long story short there was a terrible leak from pipes under the kitchen which destroyed the floor and the base cupboards, so everything needed to be ripped out and a new kitchen fitted. This all took a lot longer than I was expecting, so obviously baking went out of the window for a while. The BakedIn kit arrived on the day the kitchen was completed so I couldn’t wait to get on with making the eclairs! I was a bit nervous as I wasn’t sure how the new oven would be but it went like a dream.

The recipe card said you could make 24 mini or 12 large eclairs. I opted for the large! I have made choux pastry several times before but this recipe had an extra instruction before putting them in the oven that I had never heard of in other recipes – an egg wash on the raw pastry. It is a tip I will be using every time I make any from now on though as they developed a gorgeous golden colour with a lovely sheen.

 

I left them in the oven a couple of minutes longer than the recipe said to make sure they were dry enough not to deflate, and then let them cool on a wire rack.

While they were cooling I made the toppings. The chocolate was easy as I have made ganache many times. Caramel scares me slightly as it can go wrong so easily. I thought mine had if I’m honest. I followed the instructions but it just didn’t want to thicken enough to use, so I popped it in the fridge for a bit. Luckily it thickened beautifully in there! After filling the eclairs with cream and spreading the chocolate and caramel on top, the final stage was to drizzle them with melted white chocolate for extra indulgence.

I have loved every single recipe that BakedIn Baking Club have sent, but this one disappeared faster than any of the others so far. The finished eclairs were the best I have ever made, and this is the only recipe I will use in the future.

The recipe cards you receive with the kits are so well-written and easy to follow, and each stage has a photograph so you can see you’re on the right track. To make them even better, they are all exclusively created for BakedIn by Michel Roux, and he includes a Top Tip on every recipe card to either enhance the recipe further or to make things easier during the bake. The fact they are created by such a world-renowned chef tells you they are going to be amazing!

The Baking Club subscription costs just £7.99 per month including delivery, and is perfect for yourself or to give as a gift. You can cancel at any time, but I highly doubt you will! If you would like to try it, click HERE to go to the BakedIn website and find out more.

Happy Baking!

DISCLAIMER: I do not work for BakedIn, nor do they ask me to write Baking Club reviews for them. I pay for my subscription and genuinely love it, so like to recommend it to others so they can find out more for themselves. All views and opinions are my own. My reviews are always honest and genuine, and I would NEVER recommend something I didn’t truly like. I receive no compensation for my reviews, except for the happiness they bring to me 🙂