Apple and cinnamon crumble cake

It is apple season and I am overwhelmed with apples at the moment after inheriting a huge tree in my new garden. It left me craving apple cake but I have to admit that I did not have a famous, family recipe handed down for generations. I was determined it should be perfect. So, where to start?  No cookbooks of mine sprang to mind, so I scoured the internet and as I have found before, this is a dangerous pastime. There are literally thousands of recipes to choose from and no real guarantee that any of them are any good or even going to work. In the past I have stuck to safe bets such as Jamie Oliver, BBC Good Food or allrecipes.co.uk. Large corporations, such as Jamie Oliver have testing kitchens which try out all the recipes, so they tend to be more likely to work. Other websites such as allrecipes have ratings so you can try and get an idea on the feedback. So after sifting through at least half a dozen recipes I decided on one by Nigella Lawson which had been tested and had good ratings. I am very disappointed to say it really was not very good. More of a pudding than a cake, it just was not special at all. I was quite irritated to say the least. I had made it and photographed it for this blog, which had taken quite some time and now I was at a bit of a quandary as to whether I should just write it up anyway, and say it was OK or start again. 

The cake sat there uneaten. It was the kind of cake which was just not worth sacrificing your waistline for. I wanted a cake that made you say “to hell with the calories, this is too good.” I decided I just had to try harder. Back to the drawing board.  I thought about what I really wanted from an apple cake. Apply, crumbly, not too sweet and a hint of Cinnamon. I wanted a cake that it didn’t matter exactly how many apples you used or what type of apple they were, it would still deliver on texture and taste. I finally found a recipe and I am proud to say that it is nothing short of perfect. Irresistibly good and every bit worth the calories.

Apple and cinnamon crumble cake

For the crumble topping:
125g plain flour
2 tsp ground cinnamon (depending on how much you like cinnamon)
50g slightly salted butter, cold, cubed
125g demerara or light brown sugar
50g roasted chopped hazelnuts or almonds

For the cake:
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
125g slightly salted butter, softened
150g golden caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
100ml milk
2 large organic free range Eggs
6 Cox or Braiburn apples or 4 Bramleys
Juice 1 lemon

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Grease and line a 22cm round cake tin with baking parchment. For the crumble topping, place the flour, cinnamon and cold butter into a large bowl or and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and nuts then transfer to the fridge. (Alternatively put the whole lot in a food processor and pulse until you have breadcrumbs)

2. For the cake, sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and set aside. Using a mixer or electric handheld whisk, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs. Gradually beat a little flour into the butter mixture, followed by a little of the milk and eggs, alternating until they’re all mixed in. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared tin and level with the back of a spoon. (This can all be done in a food processor too.)

3. Peel, core and halve the apples, then slice thinly and toss in the lemon juice. Arrange on top of the cake mixture then sprinkle the chilled crumble over the top.

4. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. You can see when it is done as the cake rises in the middle and the apples begin to poke out. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. Great with vanilla ice-cream, whipped cream or clotted cream.

Just What the Doctor Ordered!

Not feeling at all well this week. I had a serious bronchial, chesty cough and felt really under the weather. All of my great new year resolutions about healthy eating have gone out the window. I need energy fast and that means chocolate. I am a strong believer that we crave what we need, so I simply must be deficient in chocolate. I even found this article on Net Doctor, although it may be a bit far fetched.

“A study published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal has shown that eating chocolate could have a positive effect in reducing cough symptoms. The study showed that an ingredient in chocolate, called theobromine, was more effective at stopping persistent coughs than common cough treatments. There’s one study that’s shown some links. But the benefit may well only be due to the sweetness of the chocolate rather than anything else,’ says Professor Eccles. This stimulates salivation and mucus secretion that helps relieve cough symptoms.'”

Rather than eat large mouthfuls of the cooking chocolate straight out of the fridge, I decided to make a chocolate brownie, and so as not to give up on all my good resolutions quite yet, I decided to add some healthy beetroot from my veg box.



There is absolutely no doubt, beetroot is super good for you –

1. Lower Your Blood Pressure
Drinking beet juice may help to lower blood pressure in a matter of hours. One study found that drinking one glass of beet juice lowered systolic blood pressure by an average of 4-5 points. The benefit likely comes from the naturally occurring nitrates in beets, which are converted into nitric oxide in your body. Nitric oxide, in turn, helps to relax and dilate your blood vessels, improving blood flow and lowering blood pressure.
2. Boost Your Stamina
If you need a boost to make it through your next workout, beet juice may again prove valuable. Those who drank beet juice prior to exercise were able to exercise for up to 16 percent longer. The benefit is thought to also be related to nitrates turning into nitric oxide, which may reduce the oxygen cost of low-intensity exercise as well as enhance tolerance to high-intensity exercise.
3. Fight Inflammation
Beets are a unique source of betaine, a nutrient that helps protects cells, proteins, and enzymes from environmental stress. It’s also known to help fight inflammation, protect internal organs, improve vascular risk factors, enhance performance, and likely help prevent numerous chronic diseases.
4. Anti-Cancer Properties
The powerful phytonutrients that give beets their deep crimson colour may help to ward off cancer. Research has shown that beetroot extract reduced multi-organ tumour formations in various animal models when administered in drinking water, for instance, while beetroot extract is also being studied for use in treating human pancreatic, breast, and prostate cancers.
5. Rich in Valuable Nutrients and Fibre
Beets are high in immune-boosting vitamin C, fibre, and essential minerals like potassium (essential for healthy nerve and muscle function) and manganese (which is good for your bones, liver, kidneys, and pancreas). Beets also contain the B vitamin folate, which helps reduce the risk of birth defects.
6. Detoxification Support
The betalin pigments in beets support your body’s Phase 2 detoxification process, which is when broken down toxins are bound to other molecules so they can be excreted from your body. Traditionally, beets are valued for their support in detoxification and helping to purify your blood and your liver.

So as you see, it is just what the doctor ordered!



Chocolate and Beetroot Brownie This is particularly delicious with a dollop of clotted cream. Riverford do a very good one.
 
250g dark chocolate, chopped
200g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
350g beetroot, about 2 medium sized
3 eggs
vanilla extract
200g golden caster sugar
50g cocoa powder,
50g rice flour (ground rice)
1 teaspoon baking powder
100g ground almonds

Preheat the oven to 180C. Wrap the beetroot in tin foil and put in the oven for about 45 minutes. They are cooked when a skewer inserts and removes very easily. Remove the tin foil and allow to cool for 10 minutes or so. Slip the skins off, whilst still warm. (Wear surgical gloves if you have some.) Meanwhile put the chocolate and butter in a large bowl and place it over a pan of simmering water, making sure the water doesn’t touch the base of the bowl. Leave to melt. Alternatively, heat in the microwave for 2 minutes.
Purée the cooked beetroot in a food processor. Add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla and sugar, and mix until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, rice flour, baking powder and ground almonds. Whiz up and then mix in the melted chocolate and butter.
Turn the oven down to 170C. Butter and then line with baking parchment a preferably rectangular tin, roughly 28 x 18cm. (I used a round one.) Pour in the mixture and place in the and bake for 30–35 minutes, until just firm to the touch. It’s important not to overcook brownies; a skewer inserted in the centre should come out only just clean. Leave to cool in the tin and then cut into squares.

Waste not ........

It's half-term again and what with horrible cold weather, two fairly ill children (a lot of coughing, especially at night), we are completely broke as usual and the fact that I have no car (Hugh needs it for work), my prospects are looking fairly grim. We need something cheap, fun and entertaining to keep the kids happy. Cooking of course!  Our first venture was sausage rolls.  Primarily because it is one of the few things that my daughter, Amelie, happily eats.  However she is customarily fussy, even about them.  Usual complaints vary from too gristly (often valid); too peppery (her delicate pallet can be a little over-sensitive but even so, she may often have a case); there is some minuscule speck of green in them (down-right picky).  So as a treat I thought we would make them just the way she likes them.  Organic, out-door bread pork mince, not too fatty, no gristle, no seasoning at all, apart from her beloved salt, but not too much and absolutely no herbs. We used ready rolled good quality, all butter puff and in a matter of minutes we had a fabulous hot little snack for lunch.  

I had a little pastry left so we made some pig's ears or to use the more official name Palmiers for tea. Considering how quick and simple the whole procedure was, it was as always, remarkable quite how much clearing up there was to be done afterwards. Still, I felt after this impressive achievement of spending quality time with the kids that I was justified in sitting them in front of a DVD for the next two hours. Well, it was raining!  

Which after extensive clearing up still left me with about an hour spare.  I decided to knock up a couple of scotch eggs which I thought we could have with some salad for dinner.  First of all I seasoned up the pork mix with lots of freshly ground black pepper and a little mace and wrapped it around a couple of soft boiled eggs, which I then panned and deep-fried.  So, lunch, tea and dinner all sorted from half a pound of mince, a few eggs and a packet of puff pastry. And it is a good way of using up old bread.  Pretty economising, even for me!

Sausage Rolls
Add whatever extra flavouring you like to the pork; herbs such as thyme, sage or parsley, mace, nutmeg, lemon zest etc. 
I packet of good quality all butter puff pasty
2 eggs (one for filling and one for egg-wash)
150g outdoor bread pork mince
Couple of handfulls of freshly made breadcrumbs

Put the meat into a large bowl and mix well with your hands. Add a few handfuls of breadcumbs and one of the beaten eggs and seasoning well with black pepper and a little salt.  Pre-heat the oven to 180C. Roll out the pastry on a floured surface to about a thickness of about ½ cm, and cut into 3 lengthways. Divide the meat into little sausages, as long as your pastry, and roll each one up allowing an overlap.  Paint this with egg-wash before sealing. Slash the top with a knife and brush the outside with more egg-wash. Repeat with the rest of the pastry and meat.  Put the rolls on a baking tray, and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. Cool on a rack, and serve warm.

Palmiers
You can flavour these with all sorts of different sugars such as cinnamon, vanilla, cardomon or nutmeg.  Alternatively you could make a savoury variety with parmesan cheese and a little cayenne and decorate with poppy seeds.
Sugar
Puff pastry

1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 180°C. Roll out the puff pastry to a rectangle. Paint lightly with egg-wash. Sprinkle with lots of sugar (and spices if using) over the dough. Roll up the left vertical side inward, stopping in the middle of the dough. Roll up the right side of the dough. The two rolls should be meeting at the middle and touching. Press the two sides together gently. Starting at one end, cut off pieces of the log, in slices about 1/2 inch in thickness. Lightly sprinkle sugar onto each side. Pinch and press the sides of the two rolls together to ensure that they don't unroll during baking. Place on large parchment lined baking sheets or non-stick tray. They will increase size a little, so leave plenty of room between each. Set the tray in the middle of the oven. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until the sugar has caramelized. Turn if necessary. Allow them to cool on a rack for 10 minutes.

Soft-boiled Scotch Eggs
Add whatever extra flavouring you like to the pork; herbs such as thyme, sage or parsley, mace, nutmeg, lemon zest etc. 
2 large free-range eggs
150g outdoor bread pork
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Couple of handfuls plain flour, seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 free-range egg, beaten (some for the mix and some to pane)
Few handfuls of breadcrumbs (some for the mix and some to pane)
Vegetable oil, for deep frying

Place the eggs, still in their shells, in a large pan of boiling water over a medium heat keep at a gentle rolling boil for exactly five minutes. Drain and cool the eggs immediately under cold running water, then peel. Mix the pork with a few handfuls of breadcrumbs, one of the beaten eggs and some salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Wrap the pork around each egg. Make sure the coating is smooth and completely covers each egg. You want it to be about 1/2 to 3/4 cms thick but It should not be thicker than 1cms or it will not cook. Dip each coated egg in the flour, then the remaining beaten egg, rolling to coat completely, then dip and roll into the breadcrumbs to completely cover.

Heat the oil in a deep heavy-bottomed pan and using a thermometer, heat until about 170 Degrees. Carefully place each scotch egg into the hot oil and deep-fry for at least 10 minutes, turning frequently, until golden and crisp and the sausage meat is completely cooked. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Carefully remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve cool. I like mine with HP sauce.  Class!

Pretty in Pink

I am not a great romantic and Valentines day is the most abhorrent day of all to me.  It makes me cringe, just thinking about it. It smacks of everything I dislike. An exploited, commercial opportunity which seems to focus on making as much money as possible out of peoples complete lack of imagination and originality.   Why on earth would I want a bunch of dodgy overpriced, cheap Dutch roses or worse still, a nasty box of chocolates.  Worse still, is the thought of going out to dinner on Valentines day.  Massively over-inflated prices, in packed restaurants, desperately trying to get rid of you so they can turn your table.  In my last restaurant, The Vale, the bookings would start flooding in as early as the first week of January and we would be booked to bursting before February began, with a waiting list as long as my arm.  The whole dining room would have to be completely recreated to accommodate endless tables of two, who would whisper all night and gaze at each other adoringly.  Please don't get me wrong.  I am not bitter.  I am very happily settled with my Hughie.  We try to love each other every day, all year.  O.K. -" try to" may be the operative word but at least it is not on one allotted day a year, in a forced show of over-sentimental emotion.  

What does fill me with passion about February however is the first of the forced Rhubarb. I love it with its mouth-watering sourness, which when balanced with something sweet is just sensational. I also adore it's beautiful, deep and luscious colour. So as soon as I saw it for sale, I just had to have some and I had my heart set on a cake but what sort to choose?  I am bit particular about my flavour pairings with my rhubarb.  Whilst many lean towards orange and ginger, I feel that they are too distracting in flavour and I will only match vanilla or almonds with mine.  Secondly, I was determined that this cake should fully exploit the rhubarbs beautiful colour.  Thirdly I am particularly fond of the sort of cakes that you can serve as a pudding, with a big dollop of clotted cream or a jug of custard.  Eventually I amalgamated about five different recipes together and came up with this Upside-down Rhubarb, Almond and Vanilla Cake and I have to say, I was pretty enamoured with the result.  The rhubarb gently stews in it's own juices and ever so slightly begins to caramelise.  Quite delicious!

In fact, I was so infatuated with it, I entered it for Tea Time Treats over at What Kate Baked. Well it is pink!

Rhubarb, Almond and Vanilla Upside-down Cake

400g pink rhubarb
150g golden caster sugar
130g dark Muscovado Sugar
150g unsalted butter,softened
3 large eggs, beaten
110g  self-raising flour
110g ground almonds
135g (1/2 cup)  sour cream
1 tsp of Vanilla Bean Paste
pinch salt
Spring-form cake tin with a diameter of 24cm and a depth of 6cm, greased, sides and base lined with one piece of baking parchment

Serves: 8
Cut  the rhubarb into 1cm slices and toss them, in a bowl, with the caster sugar.
Tip into your tin and scatter evenly.
Preheat the oven to 170C, 325F, gas mark 3.
Cream together the butter and Muscovado sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs.  Don't worry if it curdles.  Fold in the flour, almonds, vanilla and sour cream. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth on top of the rhubarb, making sure it is evenly covered.  Bake in the oven for about 3/4 hour or until the cake is firm to a light touch in the centre. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes before loosening around the edges with a knife and turning out either onto a serving plate or a wire rack to finish cooling.

This is good served with some custard, clotted cream or vanilla ice cream.

Christmas Stars

I have just returned from my son’s last Nativity play.  His last one ever and rather than feel sad, I am just so relieved.  I don’t think I could take another year of seeing him cast as a shepherd, with a no-speaking, no-action part, yawning and fidgeting in the back row, whilst watching the same children, year in, year out, singing, dancing and smiling on the front of the stage. Is it just me or does anyone else suspiciously make the co-relation between “success in being chosen for role in the nativity play” and “success of future role in life”.  Of course not. It is the taking part that counts.  We can’t all be main players, just some  people. 

Which brings me directly to a greater grievance.  God damn pushy parents!  Just because I can’t actually see my son on the stage, because the same people as always, have managed to reserve all the seats in the first five rows, doesn’t mean I don’t care when you stand up every five seconds to take another photo of your little darling. And just because my son may have no speaking role, it doesn’t mean that I don’t want to hear anything, said by anyone apart from your child, because your baby in crying.  Some parents inhabit a world where only they and their offspring exist.  Completely unaware of any lesser beings, until you get in their way.  Then they briefly acknowledge you with a sharp elbow in the ribs and alight back to their celestial haven.  Leaving you to play the lowly shepherd once again.

Never mind.  We can't all be Christmas stars but at least we can all make some.

Kate is hosting Tea Time Treats with a Christmas theme this month so don't forget your entries.

Gingerbread Christmas Stars
350g plain flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
75ml black treacle
75ml golden syrup
75g butter
3 tablespoons soft dark brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
ICING
155g icing sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Sift the flour, baking powder and spices together in a bowl.  Place the treacle, golden syrup, butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring until well combined.  Cool slightly, then beat in the egg.  Pour into the dry ingredients and mix to form a firm dough.  Rest for a few minutes, then knead gently until smooth.  Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C.  On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 5mm thick and cut out the biscuits with a cutter.  Make a hole at the top of each biscuit to allow you to hang it on the tree.  Place on a baking sheet and bake until crisp and golden for 10-12 minutes.  Let cool on the baking sheets for 2-3 minutes.  Re-make the holes for hanging if necessary whilst they are still hot.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Mix icing sugar and lemon juice together until completely smooth.  Spread or pipe onto the biscuits.  Stand for 1-2 hours until the icing has set before hanging on your tree.

Cupcake Challenge

I am addicted.  I can't seem to stop entering blogging challenges.  My latest is Ruth al-Mushadani's "Cupcake Challenge".  This is the third cake challenge I have entered this month and I don't even make cakes.  But something about the suggested ingredients this month of marshmallows, walnuts, cinder toffee, tea, orange and maple syrup grabbed me. I kind of wanted to eat all of them at the same time but the challenge of just picking two or three was also strangely compelling.  

The first thought that inspired me was tea flavoured cup cakes.  I love both Lapsang Souchong and Earl Gray Tea.  Lapsang has a wonderful smoky flavour like drinking a bonfire whilst Earl Grey is a fragrant, heady mixture of citrus and floral aromas like sticking your face in an old fashioned rose.  I tried using them in the cup cake mix but the flavour just did not come through, no matter how strong I made the tea.

The next thing that jumped out from the list, was walnuts and maple syrup which is just a classic combination made in heaven.  It just makes me think of autumn walks, kicking up the leaves and heading home before it gets dark at 4pm.  So here I am again, baking cakes.  Thanks Cupcake Challenge!

Cupcakes with Maple Glazed Walnuts
125g unsalted butter at room temperature
125g caster sugar
2 eggs at room temperature
125g self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 batch of Maple Glazed Walnuts

Preheat the oven to 170C and line the muffin tin with paper cups for the cupcakes.
Add butter and caster sugar to a bowl and cream until pale. Add eggs, one by one and mix until   emulgamated.  Fold in the flour, ground Maple Glazed Walnuts and baking powder. If the mixture is a little thick add a little Maple Syrup.  You should have a soft, dropping consistancy. Divide the batch evenly into the muffin cups. I do this with a disposable piping bag. Place in oven for 15 - 20 minutes, until golden brown and bounce back when pressed. Let cool before frosting

Frosting:
125g unsalted butter at room temperature
250g icing sugar, sifted
3 tbsp Maple Syrup (buy the thickest, although less refined, it has more flavour.)

Cream the butter and maple syrup together with a mixer until light and fluffy.  Add the icing sugar and mix well.  Pipe or spread on the cooled cupcakes and decorate wtih the Maple Glazed Walnuts.

Maple Glazed Walnuts
2 cups walnut halves
1/3 cup maple syrup (buy the thickest, although less refined, it has more flavour.)
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat a dry skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the walnuts, maple syrup and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until syrup is caramelized and nuts are toasted, about 5 minutes. Let cool spread out on greeseproof paper.  Pick out the 12 best to decorate and grind the rest in a food processor.

Bang !

I can't believe it.  It takes me six months to enter my first challenge and then I somehow manage to enter two in one week!  Karen's at Lavender and Lovage and Kate of What Kate Baked launch "Tea Time Treats" and a challenge of "Bonfire Treats and Ginger".


The first thing that sprang to mind of course was gingerbread and although obvious, I love gingerbread so much that once I had thought of it, I then couldn't get it out of my mind again.  So I started checking out a few recipes and was somewhat surprised to find that my favourite was by Nigella Lawson.  I absolutely hate Nigella Lawson.  I can't bear her programs. How to entertain, if you live in a 10 million pound house in Belgravia for your super-rich friends.  I really relate to that! How can that be mainstream T.V?  How many people can actually afford to live like that?  And I hate the way she gorges herself straight from the fridge, stuffing big chunks of cake in her mouth.  Sexy?  It makes me feel sick.  It is the sort of thing you do if you get home after a night out drinking, completely pissed. Well, I do anyway.  But I am not proud of it.


Nigella actually used one of my recipes in her first book How to Cook.  She came to my restaurant The Cow Dining Room and had Seville Orange Curd Tart and liked it so much she asked for the recipe.  And she credited me and everything, so all very nice.  And she was very nice, but then she did something that really annoyed me. She change one ingredient.  I think she changed caster sugar for light muscavado. Like it made all the difference.  So, anyway, when I found her rather lovely sounding Gingerbread recipe or "Sticky Gingerbread" as of course she called it, I was determined to change it.  Now she would know how it felt!


I was at first tempted to change the dark Muscavado sugar for Molasses sugar.  That would teach her.  But then I actually came up with a really good idea.  I just thought about what I really liked with ginger and the first thing that sprang to mind was Cardamon.  So taken was I by this idea that I even looked it up in my Flavour Thesaurus and discovered that they are in fact the same family, which I never knew.  Anyway it is a lovely addition to this very delicious recipe.  


But was it bonfirey enough for a bonfire challenge.  Maybe not.  So I had my first attempt at cake pops, which I gave a firework theme, with a variety of sparkly decorations and just to give them a little more bang, I added some popping candy but I have to admit where a little more challenging than I had anticipated and all in all, I don't think they were nearly as delicious as the cake.  Anyway, I think that is enough challenges for one week!

Ginger Bread


150g butter
200g golden syrup
200g black treacle or molasses
125g dark muscovado sugar
2 teaspoons finely grated ginger
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons of freshly ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, dissolved in 2 x 15ml tablespoons warm water
250ml full-fat milk
2 eggs, beaten to mix
300g plain flour


Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3 and line a roasting tin or oven-proof dish (approx. 30cm x 20cm x 5cm) with Bake-O-Glide, foil or baking parchment (if using foil, grease it too).


In a saucepan, melt the butter over a lowish heat along with the sugar, syrup, treacle, fresh and ground gingers, cinnamon and cloves. Take off the heat, and add the milk, eggs and dissolved bicarbonate of soda in its water. 
Measure the flour into a bowl and pour in the liquid ingredients, beating until well mixed. It will be a very liquid batter, so don’t worry. This is part of what makes it sticky later.  Pour it into the prepared tin and bake for 45–60 minutes until risen and firm on top. Try not to overcook, as it is nicer a little stickier, and anyway will carry on cooking as it cools.Transfer the tin to a wire rack and let the gingerbread cool in the tin before cutting into 20 squares, or however you wish to slice it.   Makes 20 squares

Halloween Hell

Halloween!  What a perfect time for kids.  What a super time to spend time together as a family. How many Halloween magazine spreads do I have to bear - happy children, beautiful spotless house, everyone smiling, carving pumpkins, baking cakes, dressing-up, happy, happy, happy......Looks so lovely and if it wasn't for one thing, it really would be quite easy to achieve the fantasy. What is the obstacle that once again so cruelly prevents me from finally achieving that perfect family moment?  The bloody kids!  

Instead, an hours happy recreation is turned into a stress filled two hours, with another hour just to clear up. "Please get you fingers out of the cakes", "Don't eat any more icing, you will be sick",  "Of course I love you helping me, but you can't use that very sharp knife","I told you not to eat anymore icing", "You can't lick the spoon and use it again",  "I have absolutely had enough.  Just go and play somewhere else!"  Slimy pumpkin seeds litter the floor, sticky icing on every possible surface.  Happy, happy, happy.........

I have to admit that I never used to make many cakes.  Once I started cooking in restaurants there was never much call for them as they were not considered a classic dessert.  An exception was the Chocolate Nemesis at the River Cafe which I made so often that I can still remember the recipe off by heart even today.  It was so mousse-like in texture that I suppose it wasn't really a cake at all  and passed as a pudding.  

Now a days, two kids later and what with birthdays, mum's coffee mornings and endless school charity cake sales, I seem to be endlessly making cakes and my skills are coming along.  I am not going to pretend that I am anyway as talented as all those cupcake bloggers out there who spend their lives in pursuit of the perfect cupcake and my heart will still always be with the savoury but this week was my son, Daniel's seventh birthday birthday.  I must admit that I only intended to make the cup-cakes and buy the cake but when I got to the supermarket they had sold out of Halloween cakes, four days before Halloween itself.  So I ended up making that as well.  

I chose a super chocolate cake recipe which is really easy and fantastically rich and fudge-like in consistency.  In contrast I wanted the cup cakes to be as light as possible.  The vanilla cupcake recipe is from The Hummingbird Bakery and somehow manages to be airy but chewy at the same time, which I find quite satisfying.  The chocolate Nutella cupcakes I got from The Ordinary Cook.  I have made them before and they are a winner.  Just sublime.  Once I got the kids out the way it was plain sailing.

Amazing Chocolate Cake
200g good quality dark chocolate, about 60% cocoa solids
200g butter , cut in pieces
1 tbsp. instant coffee granules
85g self-raising flour
85g plain flour
1⁄4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
200g light muscovado sugar
200g golden caster sugar
25g cocoa powder
3 medium eggs
75ml buttermilk (5 tbsp)
grated chocolate or curls, to decorate

Chocolate Ganache
200g good-quality dark chocolate , as above
284ml carton double cream (pouring type)
2 tbsp golden caster sugar

Butter a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep) and line the base. Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/ gas 3. Break the chocolate in pieces into a medium, heavy-based pan. Tip in the butter, then mix the coffee granules into 125ml/4fl oz cold water and pour into the pan. Warm through over a low heat just until everything is melted - don't overheat. Or melt in the microwave on Medium for about 5 minutes, stirring half way through.
While the chocolate is melting, mix the two flours, bicarbonate of soda, sugars and cocoa in a big bowl, mixing with your hands to get rid of any lumps. Beat the eggs in a bowl and stir in the buttermilk.

Now pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture, stirring just until everything is well blended and you have a smooth, quite runny consistency. Pour this into the tin and bake for 1 hour 25- 1 hour 30 minutes - if you push a skewer in the centre it should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry if it cracks a bit). Leave to cool in the tin (don't worry if it dips slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

When the cake is cold, cut it horizontally into three. Make the ganache: chop the chocolate into small pieces and tip into a bowl. Pour the cream into a pan, add the sugar, and heat until it is about to boil. Take off the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smoothing to cover with a palette knife. Decorate with grated chocolate or a pile of chocolate curls or ghosts. The cake keeps moist and gooey for 3-4 days.

Vanilla Cupcakes

120g plain flour

140g caster sugar

1 ½ tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

40g unsalted butter, at room temperature

120ml whole milk

1 egg

¼tsp vanilla extract

1 quantity vanilla frosting

a 12-hole cupcake tray, lined with paper cases

Vanilla frosting:

250g icing sugar, sifted

80g unsalted butter, at room temperature

25ml whole milk

a couple of drops of vanilla extract

Nutella Filled Chocolate Cupcakes
Makes 10
110g light soft brown sugar
110g softened butter
120g self raising flour (or plain flour with 1 tsp baking powder added)
20g good quality cocoa
2 eggs
Nutella or hazelnut chocolate spread, about 6 teaspoons.  Place all of the ingredients, except for the Nutella, in a large bowl and whisk well until all is combined.  Place a scant teaspoonful of the mixture into a fairy cake (mini muffin) case in a patty (mini muffin) tin. Place half a teaspoonful of Nutella on top. Cover with another scant teaspoonful of cake batter. Repeat with the remaining eleven. Place in a preheated oven at 180°c, gas mark 4 or the baking oven of the Aga for 15-20 minutes until springy to the touch of a light finger.  Place on a wire rack to cool.

Autumn Feast

It is blackberry time again and there is nothing I love more during the school holidays than entertaining and feeding my kids for free.  Remember to cover their legs, so as to avoid the brambles and stinging nettles and relax for a while in the sunshine with a book, whilst they fill their buckets.  Wait a minute! That is not entirely accurate.  Don't  you get so sick of reading about perfect people, with their perfect kids in their perfect worIds'.  Especially cookery programs or cooking magazine articles.  It all looks so damn perfect!

So let me tell the truth.  I actually relaxed for about four and a half seconds before Amelie fell over, Daniel couldn't see, because he had sun in his eyes, Amelie needed the toilet, Daniel dropped all the blackberries he had picked in the middle of the stinging nettles and then it started raining.  Again! I don't think I read one page.



Another, probably more successful outing is pick-your-own.  We go to the massively commercial Garsons Farm in Esher, which is vast but amazing well organised and the selection of produce is awesome.  They also have a fantastic garden centre, playground and farm shop, so it really is a day out.  Unlike other outings with massive entrance fees, you only pay for what you pick, so at least you have something to show for your money at the end of the day.  But don't think that you are economising by self-harvesting.  The same fruit and vegetables in the farm shop are only fractionally more expensive.  Still, the kids love it and I think it is so good for them to be outside, close to nature and really understanding where their food comes from. And if the weather is good, it really is a beautiful setting.  We had been earlier in the year, firstly picking asparagus and then, a little later we had gorged ourselves on strawberries, gooseberries and peas.  This time it was sweetcorn, plums and apples. I love loosing myself amongst the trees, laden with gorgeous fruit.  I like to imagine myself in my private orchard of my stately home. 

That is until I am once more interrupted from my day dreaming with "Amelie thinks she has more apples than me and she doesn't!",  "Daniel hit me!", "Amelie bit me!", I need the toilet!", "Amelie has fallen over!" and then it starts raining.  Again!  So back home for a spot of baking. 

I have in mind an Autumnal Muffin, full of blackberries, apples and nuts, a hint of cinnamon and a crunchy crumble topping.  And, they were undoubtedly the most successful thing I have ever made with the kids.  The apple kept the muffins really moist and the blackberries just melted to jam. Kept the kids quite, for all of half and hour.  And I only had a few hours clearing up afterwards.

Now I just have to think of something to use up all those plums?

Blackberry, Apple and Pecan Crumble Muffins

1/2 cup butter, soft
1 1/4 cups unrefined caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples
1 cup blackberries
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Crumble
1/2 cup unrefined caster sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 8 tablespoons plain flour
 4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Line your muffin pans with muffin papers. 

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at time. Mix together the of flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Stir in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Fold in apples, blackcurrants and pecans. Scoop into muffin cups to fill 3/4 full. Lightly sprinkle the tops with cinnamon crumble.

To make Cinnamon Crumble: In a small bowl, combine the sugar,cinnamon, flour and butter. Mix together using a mixer or your fingers.  Do not over-work.  You want to reach the breadcrumb stange, add the nuts and them continue until the mixture begins to clump.  Then stop.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until tops are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If they are browning too quickly, cover with tin foil. Remove from pans, and cool on wire rack.