Almost Spring.....

 It's Easter on Sunday...I can't believe that even as I'm writing it! The clocks will be springing forward by an hour and we'll start to see those wonderful long days again. It seems like yesterday that we got back from Australia...the Sugar Moon website was updated and is now more beautiful than ever...then this happened:

Valentine's Day! These were our limited edition Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Brownies, that flew out of the oven and off the shelves that week. We sent out lots of beautiful boxes, with the most romantic messages inside. It's one of the aspects of Sugar Moon that we enjoy most. Handwriting YOUR messages onto one of our specially printed postcards. Each one tells a story and they are almost always happy ones! So don't forget to let us know your message, if the brownies are for a gift. You'll find our 'gift message' box when you are checking out. Sugar Moon brownies make a lovely present to tell someone you love them, you're thinking about them...to congratulate and welcome a new baby, a new house...or just because you feel like it!

 These are our brownie of the moment - Easter Mini Egg Double Chocolate. Strictly limited edition (last orders with free delivery are 10am on Wednesday 23rd March!) and absolutely gorgeous!

 To order, just go to our website and choose the Taster Menu option. Then just drop us a line (or leave a note in the Gift Message box) to let us know you'd like the Easter Specials! We'll do the rest....

 We are always devising new flavours for our retail outlets too. This was last week's Almond Amaretto Brownie for Laurie's Corner . A beautiful brownie, full of ground and flaked almonds with amaretto biscuits soaked in French Brandy too...

 But, as ever, our very bestseller at the moment is the Salted Caramel....

 ...seen above while in production! A layer of our handmade salted caramel goes through the middle of the brownies and caramelises around the edges....they are fudgey and irresistible!

 We do love to have an experiment now and then...

 Peanut Butter Swirl are beloved by many! But not much can beat a warm Salted Caramel or Double Chocolate Brownie with a cup of something hot on a chilly Spring day...

If you haven't already do visit & like our Facebook page ,where we post new flavours and special offers as and when they are available....as well as all the latest news from Sugar Moon!

See you soon and have a great Easter x

Catching up with Apples, Plums...& Ernest!

 Such a busy few weeks, so apologies for the lack of posts...but it's lovely to have so much to do! October now, and Autumn is really here. This afternoon, I baked this Apple Cinnamon Shortcake. It's perfect for now. Warm from the oven...it looks deceptively plain....

 ...but when you cut into it, a cinnamon-y apple compote is revealed! Because it's fully enclosed by the shortcake, it doesn't ooze out...and the shortbread is light with a slight crunch on the top and sides.

 It's based on a recipe from one of my very favourite bakers, Dorie Greenspan , whose new book 'Baking Chez Moi' is out very soon and already on pre-order! Her huge and beautiful tome 'Baking, From my Home to Yours' is a constant source of inspiration and comfort...she thinks like me (and we have the same haircut, which is entirely coincidental but somewhat reinforces my secret belief that we are kindred spirits!)

 I used my all-time favourite apple, the Egremont Russet for the recipe...because it's so British and so in season right now! Make the compote by coring and thinly slicing around 3 medium apples...no need to peel (yay!) and simmering gently with a tbsp or two of water, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and a tbsp of brown sugar until they are a thick puree, although with a few lumps of apple still visible..not too smooth!

Set aside to cool a little. Then...get baking!

Cinnamon Apple Shortcake - with love to Dorie Greenspan !

200g/ 13 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
150g + 2tsp / 1 cup + 2 tsp light soft brown sugar
1 large egg + 1 extra egg yolk
100g/ 1/2 cup polenta/cornmeal
300g/ 2 cups plain/all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 180c/350f
Grease & line a 23cm/10" round loose-bottomed or spring form tin with baking parchment

In a stand mixer, using the beater attachment, cream the butter and larger amount of sugar until pale. Add the whole egg and yolk & beat well. Scrape down the bowl, then add in all the remaining dry ingredients (still reserving the 2 extra tsp sugar, though!) Mix until just combined. The dough will be very soft. Roughly divide into two halves and press the first half lightly into the base of the prepared tin - it's easiest with clean fingers. Try and get it as even as you can, and push the dough a little way up the sides of the tin too, if you can (this just helps to really enclose the apple filling.)
Now spread the compote over the base - I used the back of a spoon for this - trying to leave about 2cm/ 1/2" space all around the edge. On a lightly floured board, use your fingers again to start pushing the remaining dough into a rough circle. Try and get it so that it looks about right for the tin size (it will be easy to adjust later) and then carefully lift it and place over the layer of compote. Pat into shape, making sure that the apple is completely covered...you can even 'tuck it in' a little if you have room! Brush the top with a little water and scatter over the saved 2 tsp brown sugar. Bake for a total of around 40 minutes - I rotate the pan halfway through to ensure even browning. It will be golden brown and firm on top when cooked through. Cool slightly on a wire rack in the tin, before releasing the sides. Lovely cold, of course...but really delightful still slightly warm. Perhaps with a big spoonful of creme fraiche or clotted cream on the side?! Why not...

Another thing I am in love with is this handmade jug-bowl. It came from a wonderful website created by a fabulous woman...Silvana de Soissons. The Foodie Bugle Shop is full of beautiful, practical food-related gifts...it also has a brilliant vintage section, perfect for one-of-a-kind presents. Every parcel comes wrapped beautifully and tied with real, old-fashioned string...the way all good parcels should be but never are!

 This gorgeous thing was made by Paul Jessop of Barrington Pottery in Somerset.

 I just love looking at it and holding it...it's very heavy & tactile. But I know that it will get a lot of use (eventually) too!

September's Farmer's Market was warm and sunny....which was brilliant after the rain & chill of August! People flocked to the stalls and I wasn't the only one to sell out. My good friend Charlie, one half of The Grumpy Bakers sold 79 loaves by 1pm....a brilliant day! Among my bestsellers were these...

 ...Fresh Plum & Almond Tarts....

 ...delicious! We will have more of these for sale in October.

And finally....I made a vat of Salted Caramel Sauce at the beginning of the week. The Sugar Moon kitchen gets through a lot of this. Litres, in fact!

 It's the main ingredient in our famous Salted Caramel Brownie, of course, which is rapidly becoming the bestselling flavour on the website ...threatening to overtake Double Chocolate any day now! Among their many fans are these two...

Christine Kavanagh and Nigel Havers who are currently starring - with a fab ensemble cast including Sian Philips, Cherie Lunghi & Martin Jarvis - in The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde's legendary play. This new production cleverly incorporates an extra 'play within a play'...adding even more interest and much laughter! We enjoyed a great night's entertainment earlier this week, as the company are currently touring. And, I'm thrilled to say that the company greatly enjoyed their Sugar Moon Brownies too! This photo, tweeted from the dressing room, will keep me smiling for many days to come....Encore!

Have a wonderful weekend!

NB: After 'sleeping on' the recipe overnight, I woke up thinking that using ground hazelnuts would be even more delicious! I think they could successfully substitute the polenta/cornmeal and would add a new depth to the cake. So I will be trying that next time! I have just eaten a slice, the 'day after'...and if anything it's even nicer than yesterday! The compote would work with many fruits...raspberries, plums, blueberries, persimmons....pears would be good, too! Experiment and let me know if you do!

July? Already?!

It's been longer than I would have liked since my last post. This is such a busy time of year...Charlie's season is in full swing (he's the renowned Coffeeman, who takes my brownies & other things with him to all the major equestrian eventing competitions on his mobile coffee trailer...) and keeping him supplied is a full time job on it's own! Plus there have been many other unexpected occasions and requests. One of these was from a neighbour & friend...she celebrates her 80th birthday this year and her husband his 90th. They decided to have a big family party last weekend and she asked whether I would cook the food for the buffet...plus the cake, of course! I was happy to agree, although 40 people is quite a lot from my home kitchen. I worked through the night before to get everything ready...2 whole poached Scottish salmon with lemon/dill mayonnaise...a huge bowl of Coronation Chicken...2 big Salade Nicoise'...Greek Salad...new potatoes...crudite platters....plus desserts which you can (sort of) see on the table above! Joan was very certain that she wanted a chocolate fountain on the dessert table - I managed to borrow one from a friend - and I must say that it did make a lovely focal point...

I also wanted something interesting for the vegetarian guests that would be easy to eat, and would appeal to the carnivores too! My mum used to make pissaladiere from an Elizabeth David recipe and I found it again. It's really just a big, rectangular South-of-France version of pizza..and absolutely delicious. I made a rosemary garlic yeasted base and topped it with caramelised red onions, red & yellow sweet peppers, courgettes, lots of herb, capers and tiny black nicoise olives...

It also traditionally has anchovies arranged in a criss-cross pattern...but as this would stop it being vegetarian, and as so many people absolutely hate these strong & salty little fish (which I adore!) I placed a bowl of them on the table for guests to add if they wished (to the Salade Nicoise too...)

Paul helped me to deliver and arrange everything and we left them all to it....but I have heard that the party and food went beautifully and - most importantly - Joan & Bill were very happy with everything and enjoyed their joint birthday party so much...I was so pleased to be a part of it!
Of course, there has still been The Coffee Tree to supply...and I had the Farmer's Market last Tuesday too (you can maybe see why posting has been difficult!) Some recent deliveries:

Banana Pecan Bread...

Summer Lemon Cake - which I made up but is a lemon sponge, drizzled with sharp lemon syrup and glazed with home made lemon curd before I went a bit mad with the decoration and ....

added lemon buttercream and edible glitter too! It's my Hollywood side...!

Lastly, my absolute bar none favourite cake.....Salted Caramel Chocolate...

even the name sets my mouth watering!

I worked all day yesterday baking lots of trays of brownies for the week ahead...so today, a bit of a rest. But I am just about to bake a Rhubarb Crumble Cake for the Coffee Tree tomorrow, and a tray of caramel Popcorn Brownies for another neighbour who tried them at the Farmer's market last week and was impressed!

So I'm never far from the oven...

with love to you and wishing my American friends a wonderful July 4th celebration tomorrow (even though you're celebrating your independence from US!!) Happy day xoxo

Join me at The Coffee Tree...

As I've been writing about my daily deliveries for almost a month now, I thought that it was about time that I introduced you to The Coffee Tree properly! So here we are, in the cold and gloomy early morning of a late January day...and the shop is always an oasis of warmth & brightness...and good coffee!

The little blackboard on the pavement sends good messages of what lies within...

and when you open the door it's a little like 'Cheers' - everybody knows your name! Or they all know mine, anyway!

Lovely Sue, one of the partners in the business, is always cheerful and smiling...and she's holding the free cup of coffee that I get in exchange for my deliveries each day!

I make all the cakes & slices...but not the croissants or danish...

These Date & Oat Slices are mine...I shared one with my Mum today, over a cup of coffee, as we discussed 'The King's Speech' which we'd just seen...yum!

And these were my specials of the day...I called them Mozart Bars, as it is my beloved Wolfie's 255th birthday today! The bottom is brown sugar butter shortbread and the top is salted cashew & butterscotch...oh yes, they were good.

In fact, it's lucky that I took these pictures first thing as they'd all been sold by the time I called in with Mum after lunch. But that's fine...I love it when people enjoy my baking and it sells well. That's why I do it!

At the moment, I'm baking Toasted Pecan Caramel Brownies....they're smelling good, and next is Ruby Cake from my new 'Sarabeth's Bakery' book - so watch this space!

Happy Thursday and thanks so much for reading xox