Sunday 10 April 2011

Treats for Saturday

Pistachio Cake...I wanted a Spring theme to my Coffee Tree delivery this weekend, as the weather has been so amazing. This cake was pale green inside from the ground nuts...I frosted it with vanilla meringue buttercream...there was some in the middle as well...
then a Rhubarb Crumble Slice. Butter shortbread base, rhubarb tossed in brown sugar, oaty crumble topping. This was adapted from a recipe in the Nordic Bakery Cookbook I spoke about yesterday...a piece sold before I'd left the shop at 8am, which augered well...!

I love Battenburg Cake, but I already had one big gateau with nuts in & didn't want to have another with the traditional marzipan covering because of that. So instead I took the general idea...and expanded it. I'm not sure if you can see from the photo, but there are 4 alternating layers here of pink & yellow sponge...sandwiched with homemade raspberry jam...and topped with vanilla frosting & Spring coloured M & Ms!! I was very pleased with it...even though the slices will be HUGE! Huge but so pretty!
I made a 4th cake too, a Finnish Rye, Date & Spice Cake which smelt absolutely delectable and was lovely and sticky...but it didn't photograph too well...it just looked, well, brown! So I didn't bother showing you. Another Nordic Bakery adaptation though, and I'm looking forward to seeing how it went down at the cafe.

I'll leave you instead with another photo of the Pistachio Cake, because it;'s the one that I would have ordered if I'd been a customer!

I hope you've had a wonderful sunny weekend and enjoyed every minute! xoxo

10 comments:

  1. I would've had a slice of each one...and enjoyed them all at one sitting...you are a gifted baker...lucky people live near your Coffee Tree... :-) @laurabjenkins

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  2. Mmm not sure which one I would choose today.. might have to come back for seconds or bring a friend and share a couple. xx

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  3. They all look fantastic as usual. If ever I get to England, the first stop I want to make is the Coffee Tree!! Hoping to resume diet tomorrow and your daily posts will be my only treats so I will treasure them even more!

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  4. Rachel you are an amazing baker. Don't know how you come up with all those delicious combinations that look so tempting and probably taste heavenly.
    Will be nice someday to be able to buy a cookbook with all your luscious recipes inside.

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  5. The battenburg for me please. Lush xxxxxxxxxxx

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  6. Rachel, everything you made looks divine!! I especially love the pistachio cake and the pink & yellow sponge cake! Lucky, lucky patrons at the Coffee Tree! xoxo

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  7. All your creations sound so tempting, Rachel!!! Let's see...I would have a piece of each, please and would have one at breakfast, one as a dessert for lunch, another for dessert at dinner, and a small one with coffee late in the evening. Ah, one can dream...mmmmm
    Love, Sherry xx

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  8. I've missed your blog while I was away---no computer access at all!! The hotel had a computer but we didn't see it til the last day and the printer didn't work---it was for the best as it was a vacation away from some of the bad news as well--the tragedy in Japan just seems to be expanding.
    These desserts are just amazing---I took some photographs of desserts and things while we were away...I'll post later for you to see! I LOVE the pistachio cake the best---it looks and sounds luscious with a bit of crunch---just the way I love it---I love combinations of tastes, textures and colors!!

    xx Joann

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  9. Mhm, all sounds very yummy!
    Would be a tough choice, but I guess I'd go for Rhubarb.
    I am holding 200 paper baking cups in five colours in my hand and try to decide what kind of cupcakes or muffins I am going to give a try. So many difficult choices today :-)

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  10. what are you doing to me lady?! I want cake now! The pretty colour layer cake - I want! It's so preeeety. all cakes should be pink!

    oh that's it. Tea and a biccy now I think!
    xx

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