Birthdays

I made what some would consider a 'mistake' just over a year ago. I found out that a close friend is a huge fan of Apple and Wensleydale Cake (AWC from now on). I also found out that he hadn't had the pleasure of AWC for some years. The mission, which I not only chose to accept but actually created (more fool me), was to find a recipe for AWC and make it for the friend's birthday.

Idiot.

I found a recipe. I adapted the recipe to not include raisins, to dramatically increase the amount of AW, and to have manly chunks of AW instead of girly slices. I added extra cinnamon and mixed spice. I topped the cake with extra sugar before baking to give it that flaky, crunchy, make-a-mess-everywhere topping.

It was magnifique.

It was a rod for my back.

The following year another friend had Pecan Brownies made for her birthday. It was based on the Jamie Oliver recipe in the Red Nose Day book, only instead of the measly few chopped nuts he added, I substituted an obscene amount of toasted, chunkily-chopped pecans. I also omitted the cherries. There was no space left for cherries.

It was AWC-bloke's birthday at the weekend. Lo and behold, he received AWC again. This time the topping was a layer of sugar, a layer of cinnamon, another layer of sugar - all pressed down into the top to help stop it flaking so much. It worked.

I forgot to take a photo (again). Sorry. I'm going to make it for fatha's birthday in September but without the W (I prefer it without, and I suspect he'd rather eat the W on its own). Obviously, then, it will be Apple and Cinnamon Cake instead.

If only his birthday was sooner - I had to give the last cake away!

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Why is it that no matter how much pizza a bloke eats, how bloated he feels after eating it and how little movement he can cope with, he still has space for cake? Answers on a postcard...

The Dreamcake has landed

I know I said I was going to post piccies et al tomorrow, but having just eaten a slice of heaven I couldn't stop myself coming here to tell you about it straight away.

This is, as one of my best friends said upon hearing the idea, a big jaffa cake. Only it's much better than that. Go on, have a peak.....



The basis of this was your regular victoria sponge, with the added rind of 1 large orange. Melted and stirred into the batter before baking was 300g of Cote D'or 70% chocolate - Intense Orange flavour.

The previous night I made up 1 pint of orange jelly with half water, half pure orange juice (not from concentrate), and poured it over fresh orange segments (with no pith or skin) into the prepared cake tin, which was lined 3 times with cling film.

After the cake cooled, I sliced it in half and sandwiched the jelly 'slab' between the two halves.

Next, I melted a further 300g of the same chocolate and poured it all over the cake, spread it around a bit, made sure it covered the sides, then sprinkled it with 'Orange Flakes' (manufactured things made of apple and orange puree - found in the baking section at the supermarket). Then it went in the fridge. For about 20 minutes. That's as long as I could wait.



My dream didn't turn into a nightmare!

My dad has told me I need to take it away before he eats it all. I suspect I don't have long to get rid of it, and I may have to fight may way through him.

This cake really is incredible. Sweet, dark, fruity, tart, moist, crunchy..........

.......... I just drooled on my keyboard.

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Oh, and the curry sauce was gorgeous. Shame about the tastleless tofu!

Tofu

Right, first off I haven't forgotten about the 'Dreamcake'. Oh no. Fear not, for the making of Dreamcake (that is now its name and shall remain as such forever and a day..... as long as it tastes nice, obviously) started last night and will continue later today. I will, of course, post the results complete with photos this time!

Yesterday I bought some Tofu. The last time I tasted tofu I was doing 'A' Level Home Economics (yes, I'm old enough to call it Home Ec!). It was tasteless rubber, despite being marinated for a week in everything I could find in the cupboard. I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, 'So if it was tasteless rubber why did you buy it yesterday?' Am I right? I'm right, aren't I?

It was reduced from £1.89 to 9p. I kid you not. Can you tell the majority of blood that runs through my veins is scottish?

So, I bought 2 (count them - 1....2) packets of 9p tofu, stuck one in the freezer, and this morning have curried the other. Tomorrow, if I'm still kicking and screaming, I'll tell you if it tasted of anything, or whether the tofu tasted of nothing but the sauce was rather nice.

I'll also post piccies of the Dreamcake and try not to drool on my keyboard.

At least dreaming about it is less fattening

Right, first I'll say that it is completely normal for me to dream something ordinary, or very strange, and then to remember it the next day. For example, the night before last I dreamt that I was filming a movie alongside Johnny Depp. Not only was the movie in the bizarre Twin Peaks style, but so were all the crew, everyone's interractions, the situations in which we all found ourselves, both on and off-camera. I do feel it necessary to add that I was Johnny's favourite, and that he made this quite clear to everyone else. Mmmmmmm.......

.....(pause for flashbacks and very large sigh).....

Now, I am very much aware that the above dream is purely that - a dream. I don't watch soap operas and think they're real. Neither do I fantasise about movie stars and believe they really really love me even though we've never met. I'm also aware that I'm more likely to cycle to the moon wearing a chicken suit whilst singing "I'm a little teapot", than to meet said movie star. More's the pity.

With all of this in mind, this week I will be creating a brand new cake. It will be a wonder to behold. It will be completely and utterly my creation. It will be deliciously dark, whilst at the same time humongously heavenly.

I had a dream last night and it's about to come true.....