Easter Hunny

♬ 'Shining Star' by Nneka

This song could be the one. 

 Nneka is on every morning before I leave for work, and if my head is feeling up to the bass, possibly even before I go to bed. It's definitely the song that will remind me of how surreal this year is folding out. That's where music is similar to food, they both sit with you or can take you back to a moment in your past, that reminds you of how things used to be.

These few weeks have been like a walnut whip of a craziness. Yes I have been cooking and by the looks of it, blogging less and less. This doesn't mean I have forgotten about this beautiful hunky green page of food and music, basically I haven't had enough time to sit down and type. I've been experimenting with spices, perfecting my seasoning, and crushing almost everything with my pestle and mortar. To be honest I have been so focused on a certain project, my mind won't let me wander elsewhere. By the end of this week my crazy blogging behaviour will be back, and I will have a few poptastic creations I want to share with you.

The cakes looks scrummy don't they? I hosted a very yellow Easter party for a group of little girls, and their little eyes grew very big once they saw these! A fun cake case, filled with a simple vanilla sponge, covered in Nutella, sprinkles and a mini egg. Simple yet effective. Take note: if applying Nutella as a topping, make sure you have some wipes nearby for the kids.Personally butter cream is over rated, I would rather eat a cake covered in icing or chocolate and have a mouthful of butter on a hot cross bun. 

Tips for organising an Easter egg hunt party:

1. Invest in a lot of mini eggs and hot cross buns, check for deals in supermarkets.

2. Make everything egg shaped or themed. The sandwiches at this party were even egg shaped (using cookie cutter). Boiled eggs were also on the menu!
3. Maybe try crumbling up a Flake chocolate bar and create a 'nest' effect.

4. Boil a few extra eggs so the kids can paint, this depends on their age. Or print out egg pictures and the kids can colour and decorate them.

5. Bake cupcakes night before and decorate on the day, trust me you will save a lot of time.

6. Get everyone to wear a yellow item of clothing. My neon yellow dress lit up most of the day, as well as being an extra light whilst cycling home in the evening.

7. Hide eggs well, kids these days are extremely clever.

*Nestle claim that a Walnut Whip is eaten almost every two minutes in the U.K. That my friends is a scary statement. 

Adidas Original Biscuits

Once I saw these on ebay, I turned into a little princess. I had to get them, the bidding turned out of control, and after paying an arm and a leg, I finally got this little box of treasure back to the house. How cute are they!? Imagining the possibilities with these cutters blew my mind! One of my favourite brands combined with food, it's like a dream. You can see how original I get with these, as there will be a whole category on the blog dedicated to how I use them.

♬ 'Original Album Classics' By RUN-DMC

I couldn't think of a better album to fit these funky, fresh biscuits.

Biscuits. Oh yes, a buttery and crumbly texture is what I need with a good cup of chai. There's nothing like dipping the biscuit in for less than a minute then catching it in your mouth, before it disintegrates in your mug. That's the beauty of the biscuit - right there. My all time favourite is the digestive, it's wholesome flavour would bless my chai. It got so bad my mum said I was only allowed two for every mug! The digestive dipping also got to a point when I forgot to actually drink the chai, because there was so many smashed digestives at the bottom of the mug, and a teaspoon was used to scoop up the biscuit tea porridge: loved that.


Let me inform you that Adidas originals is a brand which will always have a place in my wardrobe. Walking into one of their stores is incredibly dangerous, its similar to when I smell fresh bread, the senses heighten and I feel a rush of adrenalin that can only be calmed after exhausting the credit card.

The biscuit above is not a digestive but a Breton butter biscuit which I also adore, and one of my favourite biscuit recipe's to work with. Holding an original cutter in the palm of my hand, I knew I had to step up a level with my creativity.

▶ Recipe for 20 - 50 biscuits (depending on the size of cookie cutter)

Ingredients:


375g plain flour (13oz)
200g soft butter (70z)
150g caster sugar (5oz)
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract


Method:

: Rub the butter in with the flour and sugar, until it resembles breadcrumbs.

: Pour in the vanilla extract and egg.

: Tip the whole bowl upside down on a clean work surface, and work both hands into the dough. When you have formed a soft ball, then it's done.

: Cling film and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

: Preheat oven to 170°c.

: Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough (about 4mm thick) with a baker's rolling pin.

: Press down firmly with the cutter and place each biscuit about 2cm apart on a lined baking tray.

: Bake for 20 minutes. Making sure they are not too brown, otherwise they will be rock hard. Look for a golden colour.

: Peel off carefully and place on a cooling rack.

: Once completely cold, then they are ready to decorate.

DONE!

You would never have guessed...


Adi Dassler's was trained as baker as well as a cobbler, but instead turned his kneading power to be the founder of the German sportswear company 'Adidas', this started by making his own sports shoes in his mums laundry room. Imagine if he focused on baking, the food world would be flipped over as fast as a hot pancake.
Adi had a brother called Rudolf and unfortunately thanks to Adolf Hitler, both brothers went their separate ways and Rudolf created PUMA. Adi continued to make shoes and supply them to major sporting events, changing the brand name so it was similar to his. Might give that a go with my own name. 

Would like to say a big thank you to Callum for making me aware of these retro cutters. Definitely biscuits, macaroons or even original sandwiches coming your way.x

Favourite Song:

ê 'My Adidas' By RUN-DMC


This time last year:

⤵ Chai Cupcakes

Mother's Day Cake

An exotic fruit cake that should be on a pedestal, embroidered with royal pink icing, gold and colourful chocolate beans.

♬ 'Spice' by The Spice Girls

This album reminds me of the times my mum would encourage me to stay in: but I never listened and hopped on my bike to discover new shops, to spend all my pocket money. Some things haven't changed! Now you could probably find this album tucked away in a charity shop, because The Saturdays and Little Mix are the new flavours in the teen world. The only song that will put the icing on the cake this mothering Sunday is 'Mama'. I secretly wanted to be Ginger Spice! The dress Geri Halliwell wore at the 1997 BRIT Awards, started my obsession with the union jack - that to this day hasn't expired. 

Mother is an avid fan of the following:

Almond Chocolate

Flower gardens

Shopping for sari's

A good cup of chai

Swarovski Crystal

Fresh and dried fish

Fudge

Babycham

Fruit

Brandy

Putting everything mum loves in a cake would be ideal, unfortunately fish and a pink sari won't digest! From all the above the outcome was fruit cake laced in brandy, glazed cherries, almond essence and the seeds from a cardamom. A glorious combination of flavours that work hand in hand, just like mother and daughter.

This is how it looked when I carved out the heart:

After nibbling on the bits that didn't make the cut, I have to say the cardamom seeds gave the cake a gorgeous kick. 

I have a feeling her heart will melt once seeing and eating this.

Enjoy your weekend.x

This time last year:

⤵ Lamb and Date Curry

Banana Oat Flapjacks

♬ 'Language. Sex. Violence. Other?' By Stereophonics

Every time 'Dakota' plays, it's like I have just sat in a time machine and been transported to 2005, when life had a careless feel, and the student loan let me buy organic foods and boxing boots. That's when I cooked loads of savoury dishes, ate at Nando's and was a bit anally retentive about my food cupboard!  Now I have a three big lovely cupboards, stocked to the brim with canned pulses and ketchup.  

When I wanted to make banana bread, there was no sign of flour! Instead I grabbed a packet of organic oats, bicarbonate of soda and cream of tartar. When you happen to buy a bunch of cheap and cheerful ripe bananas, try this recipe.

 ▶ Makes 16 big chunky oaty slabs.

Ingredients:

220g organic oats

220g caster sugar

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp cinnamon

450g mashed bananas

4 tbsp soya milk

4 large egg whites

You will need:

Large, deep brownie baking tray 36cm x 25cm (or roasting dish)

Greaseproof paper

250g dark chocolate to decorate.

Method:

: Preheat oven to 180°c.

: Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.

: In a second bowl mix the wet ingredients.

: Mix altogether and pour in the tin.

: Bake for 40 minutes.

: Once out the oven, put chunks of chocolate on top and put back in the oven for 2 minutes.

: Then take tray out and spread the chocolate evenly.

: Cut up once cold.

DONE!

They have the taste of a flapjack but will make you feel less guilty!

This time last year:

⤵ Breakfast Rosti

Chili Scotch Eggs

♬ 'Rocky Balboa, The Best of Rocky' By Various Artists

Ever had that feeling when your whole body aches after a hardcore session of exercise?That's me right about now, and all I wanted was a bit of protein to nibble on after. My first boxing class was like entering the film set of 'Rocky', I was thrown a skipping rope and for the remaining hour and a half worked out like a machine! That's why I had to play this album while cooking!

While strolling extra slow in the supermarket, I picked up a packet of scotch eggs and stared at them for an unusual amount of time: not excited by them at all.

The picture above are duck eggs, encased in a chili and coriander crust. Hold on there's more: the sausage meat has been injected with chili, coriander, cumin and cinnamon. Spices I have researched, and know they work tremendously well together. The only tricky aspect of making these is how you have to mould the meat round the egg, messy stuff! 

▶

Recipe for 4 large duck eggs or 8 medium hen eggs:

Ingredients:

500g sausage meat (6 pork sausages with skin off)

4 duck eggs or 8 medium hen eggs ( at least 5 days old, and been out the fridge for a few hours)*

1 tsp cayenne chilli powder

1 tsp ground coriander powder

1 tsp ground cumin powder

1tsp ground cinnamon powder

Chopped fresh coriander (small handful)

Salt 

Black pepper

1 egg beaten

Milk

Plain flour

Chili and coriander crust (or plain breadcrumbs)

Vegetable oil for deep frying

You will need:

Small bowl for the plain flour (season with lots of black pepper).

Another bowl with 1 beaten egg, and a splash of milk.

A plate for the breadcrumbs.

Method:

: Add all the powders, pinch of salt, pepper and coriander to the sausage meat, mix with a metal spoon. Form patties using your hands. Then cover with cling film and keep in the fridge.

: Bring a pot of water to the boil and add the eggs. For hard boiled, duck eggs take 10 minutes and hen eggs take 5. Once done put in a bowl full of very cold water.

: Prepare the bowls and plates with the covering, this way you are organised and can do each egg in a systematic way.

: Preheat oven to 180°c.

: Peel the eggs.

: Heat a pot of vegetable oil, about 500ml. Making sure it's enough to cover the eggs.

: Take the meat out the fridge.

: Roll one egg in the bowl of flour, shaking off any excess.

: Cup your hand and flatten each pattie into a circle, put the egg in the middle.

: With your other hand slowly cover the egg with the meat, taking care not to squeeze or leave any holes. Roll it around in both hands.

: Dip this into the flour again, then the egg and finally roll in the breadcrumbs.

: Put to one side while you sort out the others.

: Fry 2 at a time for 5 minutes, once they are getting dark, place carefully on a baking tray, and into the oven for a further 10 minutes.

Take out and place on kitchen paper, eat hot or cold with a mint raita. 

I think one of the worries many people could have, is whether the meat has been cooked through. Maybe try rolling the meat into a small ball and frying that first to see how long it will take, that's what I did. Make sure the oil is super hot by dropping a breadcrumb in first, or use a deep fat fryer. Baking them after adds more of the crunch, and ensures they have been cooked through.

DONE!

*If you use very fresh eggs, they will be a nightmare to peel.

This time last year:

⤵ Orange and lemon cake

Favourite Song:

ê 'Eye Of The Tiger' By Survivor