Busy is not the word at the Bakery right now...this is the first chance I've had to post in almost a week. I keep forgetting to take pictures! Every time I have left a delivery recently I've smacked my forehead as I remember that I forgot (!) to snap my creations! Anyway, here I am. It's mainly brownies, brownies, brownies right now. Charlie, my biggest customer, is well into his new season on the equestrian eventing circuit. Each weekend (and during the week too) he tows his wonderful trailer, complete with Italian coffee machine, all over the South West supplying tired and hungry competitors...and excited spectators...with coffee & cakes to sustain them! So I am kept busy at my kitchen unit, producing trays by the dozen ready for pick up. There's only so many pictures of brownies you can take!
Still, there are my other customers too of course. It's a big weekend for the catering industry here in the UK. Mother's Day is one of the most popular 'going out' days in the calendar, so the pubs and restaurants I supply are ordering extra.
Bread & Butter Pudding is a huge seller on the menu. A traditional British dessert that most people love (I say most because I can't stand it....!) I make these with brioche instead of regular white bread, for extra richness. And I flavour them with real orange zest, as well as plenty of raisins. The liquid is cream too...to make them luscious.
They are eaten hot with either custard or more cream. Yum!
The Coffee Tree, too, will be busy this weekend...
These 'Charlie Bars' are my own creation...crunchy, crumbly peanutty shortbread (there are some chopped Reeses Pieces in there too) with a middle of peanut butter & chocolate. Perfect with coffee.
It was Fresh Raspberries & Cream Muffins this morning....made with cream, studded with ruby raspberries and dusted with icing sugar...
and an Almond Tosca Cake too. Based on a Swedish recipe, it's very, very moist & almondy with a lemon glaze & toasted flaked almonds too. This is one that I would love! I may make it at the weekend too, as we have some dear friends from Italy visiting...and Roberto adores CAKE!!
Happy Thursday....can you believe that it's April tomorrow? Have a wonderful day xoxo
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oh Rachel! I want to go buy some from you! lol they all look delicious!!
ReplyDeleteSomehow I was never the biggest fan of bread pudding. I can eat it but it will not be my first choice. Oh but that almond Tosca cake, the Charlie bars and the raspberry muffins I so want to try. I need to show up for tea at some point.
ReplyDeleteI do miss your postings!! How different and unusual and absolutely WONDERFUL everything looks!! I asked the pastry chef whose class I took if I could assist her (voluntarily, of course) and she declined, which I totally understand---she doesn't know if I know the difference between vanilla from a grocery store vs. Madagascar vanilla....but I was disappointed. So, I have YOU Rachel---to watch and learn and delight in all of your wonderful creations!! Have a lovely weekend with your guests!! How fun!
ReplyDeleteI am with you on the bread and butter pudding - yuck, sorry, I'm sure yours is delicious. The almondy cake, well that's another thing altogether. Xx
ReplyDeleteWell I love Bread and Butter pudding, especially yours, but I only like it cold, it's a bit, sorry, mucousy, when it's hot, lovey mouth feel when it's cold. The rest look gorgeous! Love xxxxxxxxx
ReplyDeleteWe call it bread pudding here and I love it. Especially if it's floating in creme Anglaise. Dtr makes a chocolate one out of croissants. It makes my heart pound (literally) but it's worth it. Your pictures look fantastic. I like those charlie bars but just as I was virtually eating them I saw the raspberry ones. So basically I want several of each. Isn't it odd how so many Swedish recipes have almonds in them. Must have many almond trees there. Hope you don't work too hard feeling all the equestrians, who at least have your cakes in their mouths not their feet!
ReplyDeleteLovely once again, Rachel! Have a wonderful week-end!
ReplyDeleteBoy, I you must have the best willpower ever making all those divine desserts and not eating them!
ReplyDeleteHope you put them in your cookbook, especially those Charlie bars and raspberry muffins, oh yum!