Blame Nancy Silverton...

Next Friday, 30th November, the Sugar Moon kitchen & website will close for good - or at least for the time being!

It's something I've thought very hard about and planned over the last few months...it wasn't a decision I've taken lightly and it's been very emotional telling my incredibly loyal customers - many of whom have ordered 5, 10, 20 or more times!

Whether you've bought multiple or just one box over the almost 5 years of Sugar Moon, you've contributed to the success of my small business and for that I'm so grateful. It's grown and grown and is now the busiest it's ever been.

So - why am I closing?! Well, that success is the main reason. Not everybody knows, but Sugar Moon is me alone. I literally do everything from the shopping to the baking to the wrapping and packing, handwriting the gift messages on the postcards (and taking the photos for the postcards and tags too) before finally seeing the boxes off at the post office. Not to mention the admin associated. I wanted it this way, and it's been brilliant - but it's all snowballed! I am extremely fussy about attention to detail and customer service (as I hope you've noticed!) and I would hate to ever have to compromise on any of that.

Why not hire someone...or several...to help? Well, here's where Nancy Silverton comes in. It was while watching her episode of the Netflix series 'Chef's Table' (third volume, if you're interested!) that I realised I felt about Sugar Moon the way she did about her La Brea bakery. She got so busy that she had to start making the bread - previously totally handmade - by machine. And when she saw the machines kneading and stirring, she knew it wasn't her business any more. I love every aspect of the Sugar Moon brownie process, and would hate to give any of it up! Plus, like many small business owners, I'm a control freak and I know (having employed people in a different past business) that no one would care the way I do about it...because it's like a baby to me!

I also decided not to sell, for a quite similar reason. The brand identity and whole ethos behind Sugar Moon are so ME...it's very special to me and I would hate to give it over to someone else and see them change anything about it (as they undoubtably would...and have every right to!)

There are other reasons. I'm currently in training to be a psychotherapist...this is hard work and will take up more and more time. And also the platform that hosts the website is shutting down soon, which would mean a complete (and expensive) rebuild. It just seemed to be the right time.

I'm stopping now, rather than at the end of the year, because Christmas is - as you can imagine -  a very challenging time!! I only just managed it last year, and this one would be busier. I would hate to ever let anyone down or compromise on standards - so...

I am keeping the kitchen on, and also the wholesale side of the business (which is more easy to predict and flexible) If you're ever in the Aylesbury area, then you will find my brownies at several places - including The Works (in High Wycombe too!)

So - THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!! For making Sugar Moon the joy it's been. For letting me be a small part of so many joyous (and sometimes sad) occasions in your lives and those of your friends and family. I have made so many friends through the years.

If I decide to come back - and the brand (and recipes!) are mine, so I can do that - I'll be sure and let you know.

I wish you love, luck and everything good xx

A Friendship Cake....

I met my longest-standing friend,Isobel, on my first day at a new primary school 42 years ago! Of course, the closeness of school years can't continue forever - those days when I would say goodbye to her on the school bus and then call her the minute I got home to continue our conversation....but we have been in each others lives in some way from that day to this. She and her husband, Brian, now run a successful & delicious crumble business based in beautiful Somerset - so our lives aren't so very different once again (although Isobel also has two young & gorgeous children to juggle!)

When she used to come to our house for tea, there was one cake that my Mum would bake that Isobel absolutely adored...& to this day my mother still refers to this as 'that cake Izy loves'! So, as the days are somewhat autumnal right now, I thought that I would reproduce the recipe here (with a few tweaks) in honour of our friendship. This one's for you, Is! xx

Blackberry Streusel Cake

For the streusel topping:

100g plain flour (you can use spelt/wholemeal if you have it)

80g butter

1 heaped tsp ground cinnamon

50g light brown muscovado sugar

For the cake:

200g self raising flour

100g light brown muscovado sugar

200g butter

3 free-range eggs

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional - but I love cinnamon!)

About 250g blackberries (preferably picked from a sun-drenched bramble bush! You can use raspberries or blueberries too, if blackberries aren't in season)

Line a 23cm square pan with baking parchment.

Preheat oven to 175c

First make the topping; just place all the streusel ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it forms large crumbs...

 tip into a small bowl & set aside. Without washing the bowl of the processor, add in all the cake ingredients (except the fruit) & whizz to a smooth, silky batter..

 It won't be too liquid as it needs to hold up the berries & topping! Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and level the top roughly...

 then stud with the blackberries...you don't have to be too precise, but try & make sure that there's an even covering of fruit all over the surface...

 finally scatter the streusel over the berries...

 distribute it fairly evenly over the top...don't pack it down, and I think it looks lovely when a few blackberries show through the crumbs too! Bake in the preheated oven for around 45 minutes...the streusel will look golden brown, the middle will be slightly domed. You can test by pushing a skewer or cocktail stick into the centre & checking that no wet dough is sticking!

 Then cool in the pan on a wire rack...however, this is so delicious served slightly warm so feel free to cut it then and enjoy a slice...perhaps with cream?

 Store in an airtight container, or wrap in foil securely...it will keep in a cool place for a couple of days (not longer, as the fresh fruit will deteriorate.)

 I recommend eating a large square, with a big steaming cup of coffee,sitting in the August sunshine in a garden somewhere...if you are sharing with a friend, so much the better (it doesn't have to be Isobel, although she would be my choice....)

Enjoy! And now I'm back to the brownies...also delicious with friends! xx