Silverdale Gingerbread Brownies

Today is a day for catching up on mending and sewing, washing and baking. 

Mid morning, I fancied a mug of tea to go with my next repair - fixing a small hole on my thermal leggings. As I was sipping the brew I could smell the fruit cake as it quietly simmered on the stove. A heady fragrant mix of spices, fruit, treacle and butter. I thought now is a time as good as any to share the latest new-to-me recipe.

On the quest to find tasty baking which is simple and easy and quick - I tried another gingerbread recipe. This one is a Mary Berry version and I have halved the quantities and cooked it in my new brownie tin (which was a rather excellent chrimbly gift from my folks).

You pour the batter into the dish then gently lower the grid into the mix before placing in the hot oven. Then, when it is cooked and slightly cooled, holding the handles (they can still be hot so I use a tea towel to grasp them with) give them a gentle 'wobble' until the brownies shake free.

On Sunday I filled our large baking tin with the sticky and succulent gingery squares of brownie goodness and took them with us as we met up with Youngest. The plan was to leave them in the van to come back to when we'd finished our walk and needed that much needed energy boost.

When we arrived at Youngest & GF they'd already made us mugs of tea and it seemed churlish to turn them down so Himself collected the tin of gingerbread brownies and we nibbled and slurped and chatted as they got themselves ready. Himself and Youngest seemed to eat a number of squares (at that point I hadn't noticed the wholesale scoffing) !

We set off and arrived in Silverdale - the gentle beautiful rolling landscape of the lower Southern Lake District. We loaded our bags and set off for our walk which was sublime.

When we finally returned to the van in almost total darkness, we cracked open the gas cooker and brewed mugs of steaming hot tea and once again the tin was opened and passed around. Again several squares were devoured - probably did not even touch the sides!

So, on Monday when I was getting Himself's lunch ready for work - I was rather surprised as the lack of gingerbread brownies .... cue making more today. 

I have reduced the quantities (I do query my wiseness seeing how they seem to vanish) and added more spices - so really although a Mary Berry original it has now morphed into ...

'Silverdale Gingerbread Brownies'

• 137gms syrup
• 137gms treacle
• 112gms light brown sugar
• 112gms butter
• 225gms self raising flour
• Heaped teaspoon ginger
• teaspoon mixed spice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 large eggs

Temperature 160 deg C or 140 deg C for fan ovens

I used a brownie tin (approx 30cm x 20cm ish) can't measure it accurately as it is presently in the oven!

1. Preheat oven
2. in a microwavable bowl weigh out the syrup, treacle, sugar, butter and spices. Gently warm until the butter has softened enough to stir into the syrupy sugary gloop (alternatively use a pan on the stove to gently melt)
3. mix well, add flour and beaten eggs and pour into the lightly buttered brownie tin
4. bake for 30 - 40 minutes - I have a fan oven and I find that 30 minutes is enough. You will know your own ovens and may have to adjust accordingly - but do use a skewer or tooth pick and check if the batter is fully cooked.
5. take out and cool.

The recipe did mention that it is better the next day and we noticed that the squares were definitely squidgy-er and gingery-er.

Hope you give it a try - they are simple and tasty and seem to have a really good vanishing trick up their sleeves .........

#52newrecipes

 

New recipes for 2022

 Cauliflower and Macaroni Cheese

Simple and warming - I used the BBC good food version. However, I did my usual and adapted it slightly. The original recipe states to add all the cauliflower to the cheese sauce and blitz it to a silky smooth texture. I kept several of the larger florets to add to the pasta as we both like cauliflower to eat. The sauce does take on an elevated texture and taste and this is how I'll do from now on. I have made it about four times so far and it keeps well and rewarms nicely the next day.  General consensus it is a keeper!

Out of 10? definitely a high 8 or even a 9!

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Now. Say goodbye to your waistline and hello to 'pass me another slice please'! The full size recipe is quite generous so I reduced the amount to two thirds. If you are using uk ingredients make sure you use this treacle - not promoting it but I have made it with a different product and it was not nearly as nice. If you are in the US  - have a read of this regarding treacle.

I used the Mary Berry version and like the macaroni cheese I have repeated it several times, including turning in into 'brownies'.  I made the sauce a little thicker, cooking it a bit longer than the recommended time to thicken it and instead of using pouring cream, I used double and dolloped on a generous amount just before serving. Youngest has served his brownies with ice cream instead of cream and confirmed that that too is rather delicious. They are best eaten warmed.

This particular recipe is vastly more simple than the usual varieties making a rather soft and light 'cake' which is absolutely delish!!

Out of 10? Certainly a 9 or may be a 10 due to it being easy and quick and oh so tasty indeed!

Cheese Toasties (For Sandy)

These vary from family to family and it is one of those recipes that you can put your own stamp on - ours tend to be a simple one with a couple of slices of red pepper, mushroom, tomato seasoned well then doused in grated cheese. I sometime spread a thin layer of mayonnaise on the inside, Youngest often uses green pesto and Himself likes to add sweet chilli mango chutney - so you see - 'you make them your own'.

I have added a couple of links HERE and HERE for different suggestions and HERE for a page full of rather posh versions.

We also have under the grill toasties (aka cheese melts or open melts) which although contain very similar ingredients are quite different. 

The bread is toasted on one side only. On the untoasted side, pile on your chosen ingredients and top with cheese, season well and place under the grill until all melted and golden. 

Both these sandwiches make brilliant lunches and when eaten with a thick homemade vegetable soup is perfect for a wintery weekend meal.

Thanks to Youngest for the toastie and brownie photographs.

#52newrecipes

Orl-right treacle? *

What a bit of a day it has been! The village has been hammered somewhat - with large parts of it without electricity, most of it without wi fi and all of it without water all day! Fortunately the water is back - turned out several of the old Victorian pipes split with the cold, most but not all of the residents have power or internet back yet.

It has been, however,  a very good day for sewing though - and I have done eeeeeeven smaller stitches! Think I've gone a little cross eyed in the process 😁

I promised to share the gingerbread recipe after I'd tasted it - no point getting excited about a recipe then on sampling finding it disappointing - however this particular delight was exactly that - a delight! It makes a HUGE cake so next time I make it I will halve the ingredients.

It is from an American site with US weights and measures, so I have converted it - I have added the link for my Stateside readers.

Fresh Ginger and Treacle Cake

• 114gm fresh ginger peeled and grated
• 300gm treacle
• 200gm sugar
• 225gms (mls) vegetable oil
• 313gm self raising flower
• 1tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper
• 236grams (mls) hot water
• 2 tsp bicarb (baking soda)
• 2 eggs

1. Heat oven to 175 deg c, line a 25 cm cake tin with greaseproof paper - I used a large square pan and cut the cake into 'brownie' sized squares.
2. Peel and grate the fresh ginger.
3. Mix treacle, sugar and oil in one bowl
4. Mix flour, spices in a separate bowl
5. Stir the bicarb into the boiling water and add to the treacle mix
6. Add the grated ginger.
7. Gradually add and whisk the dry ingredients to the treacle mix
8. When well blended, add the eggs until thoroughly combined.
9. Pour into the cake tin and bake for about an hour.

The cake is very dark so not easy to check if browning too quickly, so after about cooking for about half an hour, I added a greaseproof cover to protect it.

Leave to cool in the tin for about half an hour - it will still be warm for a long time after. Use a knife or spatula to loosen the edges and take out of the tin to cool further - or in my case feed straight to a waiting husband..........

This is the LINK to the US site with gorgeous photos of the cake - mine are rather less so!

Now, a good 24 hours after it's baking, the cake is still soft and squidgy and just gooey enough to make your fingers worth giving a good lick but not too sticky that you need to rush off and wash your hands. Himself has decided that he'd like to try a goodly portion of the cake swimming in a bucket load of hot custard - hmmmm, might have to humour him😁

*and the 'Orl-right Treacle? of my title? - well it was a catchphrase from a character from the 1980s - a cockney stall holder in a long running soap opera. One, I hasten to add, I do not watch! However I did, under sufferance, see the first few episodes when I stayed with my Gran who was - in equal measure - was both entranced and annoyed by the plot lines and characters!

This is my penultimate #moreblogvember post - tomorrow is November 30th and I know December can be beyond busy for most folk - so, I may be less prolific with my posting. Thank you for coming along for the ride!

#moreblogvember

#52newrecipes

Chocolate cake

 Well....

Today was wet. My waterproofs are hanging up in the covered back yard dripping in unison, my boots are quietly steaming by the radiator in the kitchen and my gardening gloves are on the kitchen sink - think they may need a bit of a wash before I next use them. I feel damp and although I have changed, I still feel chilled but the job needed doing and could not be delayed any longer - three weeks of wet Tuesdays was getting beyond a joke.

Any hoo - cake - I need cake ... and a mug of tea. 

Talking of cake, yesterday's  chocolate cake recipe as promised. I'd mistakenly listed it as vegan but it is because it is an 'oil' cake completely forgetting it had eggs in it duh! I remember eating chocolate oil cakes in my childhood, however, I don't remember those cakes being as light and fluffy as this one.

As ever I have adapted an existing recipe - I'll put the link to the original and you can decide whether you want to stick with that or give mine a go.

Chocolate Cake

150ml sunflower oil
50gm cocoa powder - sieved
125ml boiling water
2 tsp vanilla extract
125g self raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarb
pinch salt
200gm sugar
3 eggs

Juice of one lemon

Icing sugar

Preheat the oven to 170°c/  325°f/gas mark 3

Line/grease a 23cm/9" cake tin - I used a square brownie tin so the cooked cake could be cut into squares

• Add sieved cocoa power to your bowl, add boiling water and whisk until smooth, add vanilla extract - allow to cool
• In a second bowl combine flour, bicarb and salt
• In a third bowl (!!) vigorously whisk eggs, oil and sugar until creamy
• add this mix to the cooled cocoa bowl, mix well, then pour into the flour bowl
• Pour the resulting batter into the lined baking tin
• Cook for 40 - 45 minutes - use a skewer to test, the cake should be cooked but still soft and succulent
• Allow to cool before drizzling lemon glace icing across the top
• Scoff!

I iced it with a glace icing using lemon juice and icing sugar. The combination of the super lemony icing and the soft chocolate cake was - how can I emphasise it enough - a mouth watering experience - absolutely delish. 

And as I said before - I have never had such a light and airy cake before! Quick and easy to make, even quicker to eat. 

Hope you enjoy !

Original recipe is by Nigella Lawson and on the BBC Good Food website

#moreblogvember

#52newrecipes

** thanks to Mrs L - I have updated my waffle and taken out my mistake - thank you!

Sunny Street Flapjacks

 I thought I would share a recipe with you - one inspired by a flapjack I'd had a few weeks ago and thought 'I can make that' and after a few tries and a few alterations - yes I can! 

Welcome to ....

Sunny Street Flapjacks

Pre heat oven to 180 deg c (gas mark 4 - I think!)

Line a square baking tin (20cm x 20cm-ish) with greaseproof paper

• 200gm butter
• 200gm sugar
• 150gm golden syrup
• 100gm chopped mixed nuts
• 100gm cranberries
• 100gm chopped prunes
• 375gm porridge oats

Melt the butter with sugar and syrup. Stir in the cranberries, chopped prunes and nuts, add and thoroughly mix in the porridge oats.

Press well into the lined baking tray, flattening down until evenly spread. 

Bake for round about 20 minutes or until golden brown on top.

I cut the biscuits while still warm and still in the tin.

Let them cool initially in the tin, then transfer to a baking rack (all the time beating back Himself who hovers ready to taste test whilst they are still volcanically hot!!)

They are a delicious mix of crispy (the outside) and chewy (the middle) and the sharpness of the cranberries is super tasty in the nutty oaty mix.

Hope you try them - and if you do - let me know what you think!!

#52newrecipes

A breath of fresh air and another 52newrecipe

 What to make to eat when uninspired and tired?

• Something simple - coz head still a bit fuzzy post vaccine
• has to be tasty  - that's obvious
• and preferably slow cooked - means I can sit down while it quietly bubbles away

Meet Easy Vegan (don't let that put you off) Pasta Sauce

Today was the first day of the gentle easing of lock down restrictions and as we were both off from work, we quietly packed the van with boots, flasks and home made ANZac biscuits**, loaded an over excited dog plus her towel, lead, poop bags and dog biscuits, made sure we had a fleece and hat each and we took off to the Dales to a favourite walking place.

Grass Wood, Grassington.  

There was a few other dog walkers about and we all did the covid two step and smiled with shared relief at being able to walk a little further away than the front door. 

I'd had my vaccine on Saturday morning and anticipated feeling a little rough but by the evening it hit me harder than I expected and I felt quite rubbish until late Sunday evening. By Monday I only felt a little delicate with a rather tender arm. So going for a walk felt like a wonderful (and gentle) way to celebrate being vaccinated.

Suffice to say, once we'd returned home, we were ready for something to eat but I really did not want to spend ages over a stove when I was feeling rather tired.

I tapped into my favourite 'cookbook' - Duckduckgo - 'simple vegetarian pasta sauce'.  After rejecting a few recipes, I hit on this one ... Easy Vegan Pasta Sauce and decided that this would the one to try.

Once the sauce was simmering away, I sat down with a mug of tea to look at the photos from today's walk. A delicious scent soon filled the kitchen then the lounge - a promising start! 🥰

Once the sauce was done and was stirred into the spaghetti and topped with grated cheese, we sat in satisfied silence as we ate. We agreed - this is a definite repeat.

If you fancy trying the recipe - the link is HERE.

Would I do it again? Most definitely

What did I do differently? The recipe calls for peppers, which I thought I had and didn't - so I swapped in mushrooms and I think I will stick with them as we really liked it.

**ANZac Biscuits - they will be a recipe for another day :)

And (because I know you are about to ask) 

Yes that is a slinky look from Moss ... she is fed up with me poking a camera at her. 

Yes she is wrapped in her towel after swimming in the river.

 And she sat on that wall, wrapped in her towel and had her evening meal in the sunshine while we drank mugs of tea - silly dog...!

52newrecipes

#52newrecipes

Monday's meal 52 new recipes

Last week was full on and I was tired by the end of it. Don't get me wrong - I love being busy, I thrive when my brain has to think, to plan and I have plenty to do, then when I come home at the end of the day - the collapse on the settee with a mug of tea is very satisfying. 

It is then, post settee flump and mug of tea slurp, I seize up. My body goes ...' nope, no, not now' and my brain joins in - making it hard to decide what to cook. To counter this brain fog, I keep a list of our favourite meals tucked in the cupboard and often refer to it for inspiration. However, after a while even the favourites become 'blah', so I find I fall down the rabbit hole of recipe research. Tonight's meal is such an example ....

If I am perfectly honest - as I served it up - I had my reservations, I'd tasted it as I went along, checking seasoning and found it bland. To my surprise it was fine, quite tasty in fact. I did have to oomph up the flavours considerably though and it paid off. 

photo from website

 Pasta Bake 

Ok, nuts and bolts now ...

Would I make it again? : I might do, but certainly work on the flavour/seasoning - and I don't mean just increasing the salt and pepper. I added a pinch of chilli, garlic granules and mixed herbs and then resorted to a generous squish of tomato puree to help 'deepen' the flavour.

Did it go down well? : surprisingly yes (me more surprised than the others)

Any changes? : Apart from the boosted flavouring/seasoning, the recipe calls for 100gms pasta, I increased that to 250gm (I have two hugely hungry blokes in the house) and it made a comfortable amount for four but no leftovers and certainly confirmed that the original 100gms would be too meagre.

Any hoo - we are full and satisfied and the meal did what it had to do 😊 back to work tomorrow, Moss and I are ready🚶🏼‍♀️🐾🌱

#52newrecipes

52 New Recipes

Granny Inkster's Oatcakes/52 New Recipes

We took a rather cool and overcast walk this afternoon where, despite me lugging my camera along, no photos were taken. There is quite a dreary-ness about, a tired post winter colourless look to the countryside. It is amazing how much difference a little sunshine makes to a weary landscape.

As we were on the return leg of our walk I decided that we needed to have something freshly baked to look forward too and scones were suggested.  Once home and oven on, I decided to make not only the scones (seems silly not to utilise the heat of the oven) but to try another new to me recipe.

We like our Scottish style oat based biscuits and have a couple of favourite recipes we reach for each time. I made the 'brave' decision to try a different one.  To be honest - it is not that different but it was still a new to me version of an 'oat cake' and I love the recipe's name ..... Granny Inkster's Shetland Oatcakes 😊

And we rather enjoyed it! I am afraid no photos of the scones - they were scoffed before I even thought about taking any pictures. They were, I promise, rather good with lashings of butter and blackberry jam and did not last long.

So, without any further ado - Granny Inkster's Shetland Oatcakes

Will I make them again? : Probably yes, no reason why not. The other recipes do not require an egg where as this one does, so it would depend on what was in the cupboard

Were there any amendments? No - for a change! I stuck to the recipe and see no reason why it should be altered. 

Any hoo, enough waffle from me, it is the end of the weekend and I have a mug of tea waiting for me - here is to the start of a gentle week - stay safe xxxx

52 New Recipes 

#52newrecipes

8/52 New Recipe Challenge - tasty and warming!

 S'funny how sometimes you feel cold and find it difficult to shake it off despite being busy or layering on the clothing, well it was one of those days today, where I felt chilled to the bone for most of it.  Any hoo - I was busy all day (working outside) and when finally I returned home and got out of my gardening gear, put on the kettle, got myself ensconced next to the fire with the plan of gently warming up, when there was a tap at the door - the tree surgeon had landed to check out a tree in our garden.  

We have several indigenous trees which we have planted and a HUGE and ugly conifer we inherited with the garden. This particular tree has dominated our outdoor space in an increasingly unfriendly manner. Sapping all moisture out of the soil, dropping needles and souring the pond and acidifying the soil. However, it's greatest sin is the amount of sky and sun it greedily takes up. Our dislike of it has grown over the years as the tree itself has grown, then last year it had a sudden growth spurt and became even more unsociable ... time for it to go we agreed. We had to wait for the squirrels to leave before we could do anything too drastic and seeing there appears to be no birds nesting in it we decided ... it is now or never!

Any way, where this was leading t,o was, I had just changed out of my work gear for softer trousers and clean top and jumper when the tree surgeon landed and needed to see the offending tree. He is a pleasant chap, we've known him for years however as it has been for most people, we've not seen each other to chat to for over 12 months so there was a lot of catching up of family news. We stood at a goodly distance and asked about each other's families - as you do - and I had to clench my teeth to stop them from chattering. I could barely contain the shivering and as soon as he left I made a beeline for the fire and my tea. I felt frozen! 

I knew I needed a satisfying evening meal to help warm me up and I thought it would be a good way to try another new-to-me recipe. 

Oh be still my beating heart and happy taste buds - it WaS AbSoLuTeLy DeLiCioUs!!! 

We had ...

Image from recipe website

Gnocchi with smoky tomato Sauce.

And, as usual, I amended it to suit our palates. So, no cream - I used a touch of milk instead and added red pepper as there was one needing eating up. I served it with roast sweet potato and parsnips and a half a naan bread and it was wolfed down in record time.

So,

Would I do it again? : oh yes! 

Any changes? Only the ones I have mentioned, the added red pepper and the replacement of cream with milk and instead of the smoked cheese as they suggested, I just used standard mature chedder (using what we had to hand) - it was still very very yum!

Himself's plate - he'd already started when I realised I should have taken a photo so he was stopped mid-mouthful! (cue grumbles haha)

My only gripe and it is a minor one - the combination of the gnocchi, roast tomatoes and sweet potatoes, the plate was a predominately orange one, but the flavours soon blew that gripe out of the water!

But most importantly - I am now warm for the first time today🥰  aaaaaaah bliss.

52 New Recipes Challenge

#52newrecipeschallenge

Delicious (52 New Recipes)

As part of my 52 new recipes challenge, Cheesy pasta bake has become a firm favourite - it has been so popular at home that I have made a few times.

Photo from website

I only just realised that I'd not posted about it when I went to find the recipe on my recipe page and it was not there! So - to remedy that, I thought I would use it for 'Delicious'.

No photos I am afraid - scoffed too quickly and who wants to see a picture of a pile of used plates soaking in the sink 😁

So - here are the details, as ever I made a couple of changes. The recipe says to layer breadcrumbs at the bottom of the baking dish - I did this initially and found that they absorbed all the sauce then stuck to the dish. So now I just put crumbs or small cubes of bread and grated cheese as the final layer before putting into the oven. Delicious!

Will I do it again?  Oh yes, have done already and Youngest and GF have a copy of the recipe and have made it successfully too.

Any alterations? Only the breadcrumbs and the addition of slices of bell pepper and mushrooms.

Link? Cheesy Pasta Bake

52 New Recipes update and a bit of a grumble

What a difference a day makes! 

The weather today was bordering on gently spring like compared to the mini ice-age we have been 'enjoying' this last week. I am sooooo ready for warmer days.

Yesterday, I made a chocolaty-fudge-style cake for Himself - a treat for valentine's day ... 

Will I make it again? : No, nope, nada. 

What went wrong? :    I have made versions of this style of cake many times with great success, but in the spirit of trying new recipes gave this one a go. What a disappointment. It took longer to cook than the recommended baking time then after I had removed it from the oven and allowed it to cool, it collapsed in the centre and behaved a bit like a souffle.  If was ok (ish) when it was still warm, more of a chocolate pudding than a cake. When cold it was rather chewy and rubbery and not fudge-like at all. A damning indictment for a cake. A quick reheating in the microwave made it palatable and if I am honest drowning it in a toffee sauce or a custard might help ... but what a disappointment indeed.

Tonight I made Leek and Onion Pie - ooh happy taste buds! As usual, I changed it slightly - pre-sautéing the leeks in a little butter to soften them before adding them to the already par-cooked potatoes and  sprinkling on top a layer of cheesy breadcrumbs to give a lovely savoury crunch. The only downside - it is a light coloured meal and I served with with steamed vegetables and the whole look was 'pale' even though it was very tasty.

Will I make it again? : Most definitely. 

Any further alterations? : probably swap the cream out for milk to make it less calorific and serve with dry roast veg ie sweet potato, broccoli etc. 

I felt to have redeemed myself with tonight's meal after yesterday's cake disaster! But hey - live and learn ... live and learn 😁 I suppose there is always an element of a 'risk' when trying new recipes with the failures hopefully being outweighed by the successes - so I shall continue with my experiments and reporting them here😀 

And if I can post this I shall be doing the happy dance, we have been having problems with our internet every evening this last week and now we seem to have no service, I dare not shut down the laptop as it will completely wipe all the stuff I have typed. 

Modern technology - grrrrrrrr.

Gentle joy and ginger flapjacks

Today, in stark contrast to the last few days, was beautiful. Although still bitterly cold, the sun shone, the sky was blue, the mud was crisp and easy to walk on and when sheltering out of the cutting breeze - a delight to be out. We, Himself, Youngest and I plus a deliriously happy Moss, walked up and over into the moors behind the village and down into the neighbouring valley.

Sheltering between huge mill stone grit boulders, we drank tea and chatted whilst Moss snuffled and sniffled around following invisible stories and trails that only her nose could 'see'. 

En route, whilst we walked along 'Hare Lane' an ancient drovers track filled with rushes and hare tracks, I picked a few rush stalks and folded them into a Brigid's cross. Today, the 1st of February, is both Brigid's day and Imbolc. Both marking the coming of spring, so it seemed appropriate to craft a small token to acknowledge and celebrate.

Our path took us through a lovely woodland where bulbs were just beginning to break through the cold earth and past heavily pregnant ewes. But the best of all? Seeing the return of the lapwings from their wintering grounds. A flock of 20 - 30 birds whirled and twirled overhead and landed in a field near us. Spring is coming and that makes me so glad and fills me with such a positivity.

When, after our walk, we'd returned home I had such a strong urge to bake so apart from the weekly fruit cake, I made these ....

Ginger Flapjacks

The house smelt absolutely devine with the spicy fragrance of ginger. I added lemon juice to the topping and even more ginger to the oaty mix, because ... a) I can and ... b) I wanted to make it less sweet and more sharp.

Would I make them again? 

No,  far far far too sweet for us. I will make the flapjacks again, with the added ginger but instead of the ultra sweet fudgy topping I will make a simple lemon drizzle type icing and lightly zigzag it over the cold flapjacks.

If you have a sweet tooth and love ginger - these could be the perfect thing with a mug of tea. But for us, tooth curlingly sweet, I'll be cutting each square in half again and then they will probably be more manageable. 

Have you baked anything recently?
Good or bad - go on spill the beans (baking or otherwise!!)

And - here is to spring and the gentle joy and hope she brings, a season of promise and potential, stay safe❤

#52newrecipes

52 new recipes

When it rains - reminisce and bake!

It is, I have to say, lashing it down outside.  Storm Christoph has landed and drenching every last inch of ground and filling all the rivers to bursting point. If there is a let up some point today, I'll take my camera and see what I can see. But until then, baking (recipe to follow), blogging and housework are the order of the day.

The morning I took these photos could not have been further from today's monsoon-like behaviour. It was such a crisp and icy day. The air was so cold I could feel it's cutting presence on my face as I walked through the garden.

One of the first tasks of my morning (after grabbing the mug of tea made for me) is to walk around the garden with my camera. This particular morning in stark contrast to the soft and billowing snow of last week, was filled with sharp and glittery ice crystals. Everything twinkled and shimmered. 

The cold frames had the most beautiful 'William Morris-esque' swirls and feathering which, I am sure, if you sat and stared closely you would spy flowers, fairies and magical creatures hidden in the patterning.

There is an old Victorian lamp in the centre of the garden which has been given modern LED lighting but retains it's charm and when the snow was still about, I called it the 'Narnia Lamp-post'. The ice highlighted the beautiful fleur-de-lys inspired decoration. So much more aesthetically pleasing than modern street lighting.

There are still a few overwintering vegetables waiting to be harvested. The red cabbage was so frozen I could have snapped a leaf in half - apart from the fact the ice crystals were so dense and hard, I found it difficult to grasp.

The wonderful slightly earthy warmth in the heated half of the glasshouse was almost too much of a contrast to the crystal clear air.  I soon removed a layer or two of clothing, before starting work in the green scented space  - delicious.

Once I'd got some early sowing done, I returned back out to barrow about one tonne of wood chip (I jest not - once again I did not need all my warm clothing on!) 

One of my final jobs for the day was to pick produce for the cafe (the building in the photo) so soup could be made for the weekend's covid secure takeaways. 

It could be said it was a good day. 

And the recipe to follow?

Well, this is a bonus 52 New Recipe Challenge (coz I had the 'I need to bake' itch and fancied trying something new).

image from website

Sticky Gingerbread

Easy to make, filled the house with the most delicious scent of cake and ginger BUT unless you like your gingerbread mild with hardly a hint of spice - follow the recipe.

However, if you like your cake to have a bit of flavour - really amp up the spice quantities. The cake is succulent and tasty but hardly worth mentioning the 'ginger' word in the title.

So...

Was it well received?  It is cake - need I actually ask that? Most of it was eaten before it had fully cooled down.... sigh.

Would I make it again?  yes, however I will certainly give it a decent amount of flavour - gingerbread cake needs to taste, well, gingery!

52 new recipe challenge