Daffodil Days

Well seems that Spring has finally arrived and suddenly the hills are filled with lovely yellow daffodils. Daffodils always make me smile, they seem like someone simply sprinkled the fields with sunshine. I have them in the garden of course planted by me. One of my best presents ever forget diamonds or designer watches boxes of bulbs make me very happy especially one Christmas when someone bought me simply loads, snowdrops, daffodils, lovely scented hyacinths, spring in a box and every year when I look out of the window it makes me happy. The ones in the picture are from my garden and then actually have a lovely sunny smell which brightens up breakfast.

So here's to sitting in the kitchen in the sun, with scrambled eggs,potato farls, baked beans,fried cherry tomatoes that pop all over the plate, lovely buttery toast and freshly squeezed orange juice. Here's to sitting with the Sunday papers as Scruffbag snores in her corner and the coffee bubbles. And always, always to daffodil days where somehow life just seems smilier and brighter.

Chilli Chocolate Cake

To celebrate the kitchen finally being finished and of course with it being Valentine's weekend I decided to bake something fabulous. Well I think it is anyway and Country Boy seems rather pleased with it because chilli chocolate is one of his most favourite things. It's sweet and a bit gooey and has a lovely little spicy kick. Perfect with a great big dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

So if you're a chocolate fan, who likes a bit of spice or just to create a cake that looks a bit funky I promise you won't be disappointed. I hope you make it and love it, if you do, let me know.

Recipe:

Ingredients

CAKE:
250g Unsalted Butter
300g Caster Sugar
100g Plain Flour
100g Self-Raising Flour
4 Eggs
300g Dark Chocolate ( I used a mixture of Chilli Chocolate , 70% & 90% cocoa)
1-3 Red Chillies (depends on your preference – I used 3)

ICING:
200g Dark Chocolate (I used half Chilli chocolate & half dark)
200ml Double Cream

Method
1. Heat an oven to 160°C/Gas 3 (140°C if a fan oven)
2. Grease with butter a 20cm (approx) cake tin. (use springform if preferred)
3. Using an electric/classic whisk, add the butter/margarine to a mixing bowl together with the sugar. Whisk till light and fluffy.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, take care not to let the mixture seperate. If it does seperate, add a bit of flour.
5. Melt the chocolate
6. Once cool, add the chocolate to the mixture and mix in.
7. Add the remaining flour to the mixture and stir till smooth.
8. If you are using fresh chilli/es finely chop them, and either add to mixture. Stir till smooth.
10. Pour the cake mixture into the greased cake tin.
11. Bake for just over 1 hours or till fully cooked. Mine took 1 hour 10 approx.

Check by poking a knife or stick in, and if clean it is cooked. It should be risen and have a slight crust.

12. Take out the cake, and let it cool for 10 minutes, before taking out of the tin. Then leave to cool for another 10 minutes on a wire rack.
13. The cake could be eaten now, or if you want to ice it, proceed with the instructions, or choose your own icing choice.

14. To make Chocolate cream, simply:
Melt the chocolate as before, and mix together with the cream, and then cool until thickened. Cut the cake in half, ice, then put back together and ice all over. Add a Chilli or two for decoration of course. I decided on one in the end, pure & simple.

bring back Bagpuss

just a quick entry. Was recently looking for art work for my very white kitchen wall and stumbled on this, a bright orange poster poem which pretty much captures my childhood. Made me smile. I think it would look good on the kitchen wall and will make me smile as I eat my purple porridge (just add blueberries). Yes I know I'm still a big kid, don't care. Life's to short to pretend your someone you aren't don't you agree?

So here's to orange things and Bagpuss and pretending to be Batman with your coat hood over your head, just like we did when we were six.