A special austeri-tea....

On Sunday I hosted a small celebration tea for 2 close girlfriends....

We had originally been going to a local country house hotel...but they called me during the week to say that they had accidentally overbooked. I thought about it, and decided that at such short notice the best thing would be to serve it here at home...much better value & it meant we could take as long as we wanted too without being chivvied out to make way for the next sitting!

The keyword was miniature. I  started the day before with these tiny, sparkly vanilla meringues...

and then on Sunday morning I baked a batch of little Buttermilk Scones...

which I warmed up before we ate them with creme fraiche and a choice of...

lemon curd, raspberry jam or fresh blueberry compote (or all three!)

I made heart-shaped sandwiches...smoked salmon pate, cream cheese & cucumber....

and baked some crisp strawberry tarts, filled with vanilla pastry cream

I did succumb and bought these beautiful burnished gold, bronze & silver macarons from Marks & Spencer to go with the fingers of brownie & caramel shortbread on the pressed glass cakestand...

So pretty! I tied the cutlery with grosgrain ribbon & used my spring flower napkins from Emma Bridgewater

The prosecco was chilling in the fridge & it was time to put the kettle on! The girls arrived at 3...and we started with a glass of sparkly bubbles before being sensible & moving on to Lapsang Souchong or English Breakfast tea!

Outside the rain & wind battered against the windows...but inside, we were warm and cosy...Alice lay under the table as we talked & laughed & ate for a glorious few hours. Friends are the best, aren't they?

A perfect way to spend the last Sunday afternoon in April. And today, suddenly it's May! Where is the year going?

I hope you have a fabulous week...make sure you indulge yourself in some small way...it doesn't have to be too extravagant but it makes all the difference!

xoxo

Hot cakes...

Last week was full of birthdays! Not family ones, but customer ones. The cake above was HUGE. It was for a man, so I didn't want to make it look too feminine...they just stipulated 'yummy & chocolatey'...I think it fitted the bill.

It was the Farmer's Market on the Tuesday...and it was having a birthday too...

I made another chocolate cake, which was photographed by the local newspaper at the little 11am  ceremony that marked the occasion...then sliced up and given away free to the shoppers. I love making the sugar paste fruit & veg for the top...I rolled the 'potatoes' in a little cocoa powder to look like mud...
My brownie-of-the-month on the stall was a special sparkly birthday one, filled with coloured smarties and covered in 100's & 1000's and edible glitter...

all the little girls begged their mothers to buy one (and usually succeeded!)

It's been so hot here, too...on Monday I baked brownies until my eyes went swimmy with tiredness! The kitchen felt so steamy. It's not a great time of year to be chained to the stove. But, customers have to be supplied with CAKE! So here are some highlights...

Sugar-crusted blueberry lemon scones...they turned out so beautifully...light & fluffy and not too sweet. I made a few extra so that I could give some to my Dad (who has developed a real sweet tooth as he's got older...)

These will be in my book...White Chocolate Peanut Caramel Shortbread Bars. A mouthful whichever way you look at it! They sold really well too...

And finally, this glossy extravaganza was this morning's delivery (along with Greengage Almond Muffins)

Dark Chocolate & Fresh Raspberry Cake. The fruit is baked into the cake, and I left the ganache frosting plain so that there would be a surprise when it was cut into...the slightly sharp jolt of raspberry against the bitter chocolate is a wonderful contrast.

I have a Victoria Sponge baking as I write...and 60 vanilla cupcakes to bake and ice for collection tomorrow (a wedding) Life is busy at The Blue Angel Bakery this summer, I'm very pleased to say!

I hope that you're having a wonderful week too...xoxo

Wedding roulades...& other stories

Hopefully the Blogger problems I've been encountering have now been solved...this post has been hanging around for a long time!

Last week was a very busy one...Friday was entirely taken up with baking lots and lots of Mocha Roulades. I was asked to help with a wedding that a customer was catering...130 guests and this recipe was one of the bride's mother's specialities that the bride has been enjoying since her childhood....quite a daunting prospect! I created a sample a few weeks ago which was approved...so it was all systems go! The recipe worked very well, so I will pass it on to you...I think if I were making it for myself, I wouldn't use the cherry pie filling (!) but this was how the bride wanted it! Fresh raspberries would be wonderful I think...or even bananas, if you were going to eat it fairly soon after rolling.

Mocha Roulade (serves 8-10)

6oz/200g good dark chocolate
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp instant coffee granules
5 large free-range eggs (separated)
8oz/250g caster sugar

Preheat oven to 375f/180c
Line a swiss roll tin (approx 9" x 13") with non-stick baking parchment

In a bowl set over simmering water (or in a microwave if you're confident!) place the chocolate (broken into bits) water & coffee powder to melt. Stir a few times to make sure there are no lumps.

In a large bowl, whisk sugar and egg yolks until thick and creamy (I used an electric hand whisk for this)

In a separate, scrupulously cleam bowl, whisk egg whites until they form stiff peaks.

Stir chocolate mixture into egg yolk/sugar until combined. Fold a spoonful or two of egg white into the chocolate mixture to loosen first, then carefully fold in the rest of the egg white using a large metal spoon...

until all traces of white have disappeared.

Turn into prepared tin...

and bake for 20- 25 minutes until set and firm to the touch. It will look quite matte & dry on top when it's ready...

Wet a clean teatowel under the cold tap and wring out well until just damp. Lay over the hot cake and leave until completely cold (you can leave it overnight if you need to) I made so many, that after half an hour or so I replaced the towel with plastic wrap...

which worked just as well. As long as there is no exposure to the air, which will dry the base out and make it difficult to roll, all will be well!
When you're ready...have a serving dish to hand (something fairly flat, like a tray works best)...cover a fresh sheet of baking parchment with sieved icing sugar and invert the base onto that...then carefully peel away the original base paper (which will now be on top!) Whip 10floz/300ml double or whipping cream softly (not too stiff or it will be hard to spread) and spread evenly over the base (not quite to the edge) followed by fruit of your choice...or canned pie filling!!

Using the parchment, (have the serving platter very nearby!) carefully roll up from the short edge as tightly as possible to form a bee-yoo-ti-ful roulade...hopefully you'll be able to transfer it to the plate! I found it best to have the last bit of the unrolled base just on the edge of the platter so that when I finished rolling, it just gently tipped onto it!

Anyway, after making so many I'm a real expert! And I must say that they were very straightforward and looked and smelled quite impressive - having no flour in the mixture was also great, as I'm always on the lookout for gluten-free recipes. This also made it more of a dessert rather than the cake that some roulades resemble!

Also at the bakery in recent days....

Fresh Nectarine Hazelnut Cake...

Buttermilk Raisin Scones...
and my personal favourite - Black Forest Cake, which is my take on the 1970's bistro classic. I find that the original (now usually found in freezer cabinets!) is often dry and oversweet...I like to think that my version is neither of these things!

It certainly sold quickly anyway...

This morning is chilly and rainy...perfect baking weather! I'm just off to The Coffee Tree to deliver a fresh batch of Gooseberry Elderflower Muffins (and pick up a much needed coffee!)

Enjoy your day xx

Today on the Farmer's Market...

This is my friend Debbie's stall, to my right! The day was beautifully mild - not warm exactly, but I didn't need the thermal underwear this month! It makes such a difference to everyone's spirits when we're not shivering & sheltering from the wind for 5 hours. I didn't even wear a coat until the last 45 minutes - amazing!

Selling well today:

Cranberry Carmelita Bars. My own recipe - chewy, caramelly, crunchy, buttery & with a little tang from the dried berries.

Sticky Jamaica Ginger Cake...made with wholewheat flour & stem ginger for extra gingeriness! Keeps so well as it gets a sticky top to it after a few days...irresistible (if you like ginger!)

Double Chocolate Brownies...ahh, my all-time best sellers. The bread & butter of the Blue Angel Bakery! What would I do without them?!

The Apricot & Ginger Flapjacks you saw being created yesterday. Always very popular, especially with those who prefer not to eat wheat. Some people make a bee-line for the crunchy corners, others prefer the softer middle squares. Everyone's so different!

My brownie of the month. Each market I create a new brownie flavour, so that regulars don't get bored. March's offering was Cookies & Cream - topped with mini Oreos as well as filled with the chunky pieces of the larger version. These flew off the stall so fast - I sold all I had before lunchtime! I make a note of all the bestsellers so I can repeat them somewhere down the line.
I also had the cheese scones, walnut brownies and loaf cakes...quite a loaded table!

It wasn't the busiest market, but still quite good. I have a 'Quote of the Month' too: these are the funny (or ridiculous) things that people sometimes say to me behind the stall. A woman asked me if the Carmelita Bars were Date Slices. I said no, and went to some lengths to explain exactly what was in them...cranberries, chocolate, caramel....etc etc. She tasted a sample, wrinkled up her nose and said 'I can't taste any dates in there!!' The great British public!

Happy Tuesday xoxo

My second home...

The Coffee Tree delivery today was Sultana Scones...tasted lovely but I've shown you my scones before & I thought they didn't look special enough to warrant a whole post! So instead, I thought that I'd introduce you to my work kitchen. This is the view I look out on when I'm washing up! I think I said before that the industrial park that it's built on is a former WW2 airfield. It's surrounded by farm land and we're lucky that the unit is at the far end of the site...so it backs right onto rural green! Rabbits regularly put on a display for me on this patch of grass...so cute!

Inside is big and spacious and full of stainless steel! I actually took lots more photos than this, but not having the hang of my new phone completely yet....for some reason they didn't all download correctly! Duh..still, here's a feeling. You can see 2 big bowls of the ingredients for Apricot & Ginger Flapjacks. I have the Farmer's Market tomorrow and another big order for the end of the week. In the past 2 days I've made 72 trays (approx 9 servings to each tray) which will probably be enough. But it all depends on how tomorrow goes!

I finished by making 120 cheddar scones. I have so many regular customers at the stall who just come for these...so I have to bake plenty!

Busy days...but I love to be occupied. I'm happy in my little unit, radio on, gas humming, bowls and ovens full of good smells & mixtures. How lucky I am that I get to do what I love every day and get paid for it! I try to never take it for granted.

Hoping you've had a wonderful day too xoxo

Almost the weekend..

This morning was dark, rainy...the sort of morning when I'm so happy that I do what I do! Getting to the kitchen, switching on lights, ovens....weighing, pouring, mixing...the brightness, warmth and gentleness of working early in the day. It'll be different in a few months when the sun will be up, the air will be soft & I'll be longing to be outside. But for now, I'm happy to be in my kitchen for as long as I need to be...

For the Coffee Tree today, I made these Double Cheese & Poppyseed Scones. Extra  mature cheddar.  Sharp, blue Gorgonzola piccante. And organic poppyseeds bought on my trip to Australia in the little dairy town of Maleny. Just delicious!

Next, I decorated the cake I made for them yesterday afternoon...Lemon Curd Layer Cake. Lemon is such a popular flavour that I'm always thinking of new ways to use it in my baking. This is a light sponge with lots of lemon zest in the batter...

and then I filled it with lemon buttercream and fresh lemon curd..topping it with more buttercream and lemon zest...

I think it looks so fresh and Spring-like (even though I know that Spring is, really, a little way off yet!)

And lastly, I made a batch of cookies. The recipe was sent to me by my dear friend Sue and I had to try it right away...

they are really chewy, coconutty, chocolate chippy....dee-licious! I won't print the recipe in case it's needed for her wonderful website. It didn't come with a title. So when I delivered the boxful to the coffee shop along with the other goodies this morning, the label simply said 'Susan's Cookies' !!

A special hug today to my friend Dawn, otherwise known as Country Girl as it's her 30th birthday! Much love to you sweetie - I remember being 30...30's are fun!!

xoxo

Baking Round-Up!

I'm sorry I've been AWOL for the past couple of days...I've been so busy with work and writing that I haven't found a minute to spare. BUT I did remember to take pictures, so I can now post a mammoth catch up from the end of the week!
Above is the Coffee & Walnut Cake I made...a real English favourite that always sells amazingly well.

The plain cake is made with ground walnuts, which mean that the cake is never dry and has a wonderfully deep flavour. When it had cooled I cut it in half...

and sandwiched it together with coffee buttercream...

making sure that there was plenty left to swirl on top. Then I finished with a generous sprinkle of broken walnut pieces..

I could actually do with a big slice of this right now

as we've just returned from a freezing but beautiful long walk with Alice and I'm having a cup of hot Earl Grey as I write. But, in fact, it's all been sold already...I'm pleased to say!

I also invented a new traybake (I think I invented it, at least I've never seen it before!)

It had a crisp, buttery polenta shortbread base, studded with dried sour cherries and topped with a light vanilla sponge cake baked with fresh cherries. So a sort of soft yet crunchy vanilla double cherry delight!

I did manage to sneak an edge as I cut it up (just to consumer test, you understand) & the sour/sweet tenderness was delicious...it's now going in my book!
Another old favourite were Buttermilk Raisin Scones....first I rubbed the butter into the flour& sugar until it was well mixed and added the raisins...

then I mixed buttermilk & eggs, poured it over the dry ingredients and mixed lightly with a blunt knife to form a soft dough...

patted the dough out and cut into rounds which I glazed with more buttermilk and sprinkled with demerara sugar..

before baking in a hot oven until well risen and golden brown...

at The Coffee Tree they were served warm,with a little dish of softened butter to spread. Yummy!
So that's a round-up of the baking adventures.. I also splashed out and bought two new baking books. One that I've wanted for a long time...

Rose's Heavenly Cakes by Rose Levy Beranbaum. It looks wonderful - a real encyclopaedia of cakes, which I sometimes need when I run out of inspiration. The other is one that was recommended to me by my dear friend Kary at My Farmhouse Kitchen who received a copy as a Christmas present

Sarabeth's Bakery, by Sarabeth Levine. I've only had a chance to have a very quick look so far, but it seems just my sort of thing and I can't wait to try some recipes out. Hopefully, Kary & I will ve trying out the same recipe on our blogs soon and comparing results in our posts, which will be so exciting!

So that's the end of another week. I'm looking forward to the next one already. I have my monthly stall on our Farmer's Market on Tuesday, which means a lot of work but is always fun (and cold!) I hope that you have a wonderful weekend. Thanks so much for reading, and for your lovely comments which mean so much to me xo