I happen to love Turkish Delight chocolates. When I was a kid we could get these tasty chocolate bars called Treasure Box. They consisted of six different chocolates, all conveniently stuck together as one bar . . . I think one was caramel, one was strawberry, one fudge, one coffee (nobody's favourite) and one was turkish delight.




No surpise the Turkish Delight was my favourite one of all. Even today when we get a box of chocolates, I claim the Turkish delight as my own. I could not eat any more than one or two of them at once . . . they are too sweet, but boy oh boy do I enjoy those one or two.



Imagine my delight when I discovered this box of Turkish Delight thins at my local Tesco shop!! Similar to After Eight mints, except that they are filled with a thin layer of Turkish Delight and covered in milk chocolate.



As soon as I saw them I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them. I had to buy them . . . I just had to!!!



I had made brownies in the past filling them with a layer of minty After Eights. Oh my but they were scrummy . . . the centre of the brownies all fudgy and mint flavoured . . . impossible to put down. Imagine the same thing . . . but with a moreishly scrummy centre of Turkish Delight.



Yes . . . you have died, and gone to Heaven.

I think I really HAVE created a monster here! But oh what a scrummily lovely way to go . . .



*Turkish Delight Brownies*
Makes 24 to 36, depending on how large you cut them
Printable Recipe

Irresistibly scrummy brownie!! Moist, delicious, moreishly tasty! Decadent even!

7 1/2 ounces plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
250ml cocoa powder (1 cup)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 ounces buttery flora or butter flavoured vegetable shortening (2/3 cup)
14 ounces granulated sugar (2 cups)
4 large eggs
12 ounces semi sweet chocolate chips (about 2 cups)
1 box of Turkish Delight thins, unwrapped
(Can use an equal amount of unwrapped After Eight mint chocolates if preferred,
or half of each)

Prehaet the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4. Butter a 12 by 8 inch brownie pan and line with parchment paper. Butter again. Set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt into a bowl. Cream the shortening, and sugar together in another bowl until creamy. Beat in the eggs. Gradually beat in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan. Cover with the unwrapped turkish delights and or mints, leaving a bit of space between each one and a border all the way around so that they don't touch the edges of the pan. Cover with the remaining batter, spreading it out with a knife or spatula to completely cover.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the centre comes out slightly sticky. Cool completely on a wire rack before removing from the pan. Cut into squares to serve. Store in an airtight container.

Rhubarb and Custard . . . ahhhhh . . . could there possibly be any more heavenly combination on earth??? I think not!



Delicious stewed rhubarb, all sweet and tart, with lashings of warm custard floating on top. Oh my, but this is one of my absolute favourite dessert of all in the springtime.



Unfortnately the rhubarb in our garden is sadly lacking in something and so far has only produced a few spindly spikes!! I was able to harvest about a handful of it this morning. I could really use some advice on how to get it producing more!



I had wanted to make a rhubarb upside down cake, but that will have to wait until I get to a farm market.



In the meantime I have made some tasty muffins, composed of tart chopped rhubarb with a rich batter containing muscovado sugar and a hint of orange. Layered in the muffin cups with a dollop of custard and baked they were quite, quite delicious!



If you are in America and you haven't decided what treat you are going to bake your mum for breakfast tomorrow morning, look no further. These would go down a real treat. I am thinking that if you can't get tins or cartons of ready made thick custard, Jello Vanilla pudding would work equally as well.

So . . . what are you waiting for??? Get baking!!



*Rhubarb and Custard Muffins*
Makes 10
Printable Recipe

A deliciously moist muffin containing one of my favourite springtime fruits and it's traditional go with . . . custard! Each bite brings a bit of the tartness from the rhubarb and some sweet from the muffin and of course that rich tasty custard. Wonderful!

8 ounces tender young rhubarb, chopped (1/2 pound)
5 ounces light muscovado sugar, seived (3/4 cup approximately)
2 1/2 fluid ounces vegetable oil (slightly more than 1/4 cup)
1 large egg
the grated zest of one large orange
2 TBS fresh orange juice
284ml tub of creme fraiche (1 heaping cup)
10 ounces self raising flour (2 1/2 cups)
8 TBS (approx.) ready made thick custard, chilled
demerara sugar for sprinkling
icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/Gas mark 6. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners, leaving two empty and putting several spoonfuls of water into them to keep the pan from burning.

Beat together the sugar, oil, egg, orange zest, orange juice and creme fraiche until smooth and free of lumps. Sift the flour into the bowl and gently fold together. Stir in the rhubarb bits.

Spoon a large dollop of the batter into each prepared muffin cup. Using a teaspoon create a small hollow in the centre of each. Spoon a small dollop of custard into each hollow. Spoon the remaining batter on top, dividing it equally. Sprinkle each muffin with some demerera sugar.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until well risen, pale golden brown and oozing tasty custard. Remove to a wire rack to cool to warm and then dust with icing sugar if desired. Best eaten on the day.

CRISPY CHICKEN BREASTS WITH A HONEY GARLIC SAUCE - A tasty alternative to what you might find  in your local Chinese takeaway.  Healthier  too. Crispy chicken with a fabulously delicious sauce. Simple to make as well.

I was once told by my ex husband that I had a lazy streak down my back a mile long . . . Here's what I have to say about that!!! PFFTTT!!!



Having said that though, I am not adverse to taking short cuts if I can find one that is suitable and has no adverse affects on the results of what I am trying to achieve! (if that makes sense!)

ie . . . if I can do something with less steps and have it turn out fabulously tasty, then I am all for it . . . but then again, I am no stranger to hard work.



His loss is Todd's gain, especially when you are talking about a deliciously easy dessert such as this *Magic* Pie!!



It could not be more magical if you threw all the ingredients into a top hat and waved a magic wand over top! Yes . . . you do have to do a bit more than wave a wand over top . . .

but not much more, I promise you.



And the end result is truly magic . . . in every way. A totally tasty custard tart, filled with buttery almonds, and coconut, that creates it's own crust as it bakes.



What could be easier or tastier??? If this is what having a lazy streak down your back a mile long gets you . . . well, then . . . I'm all for it!!



*Magic Pie*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

So called because just like *magic*, presto chango, a pile of ingredients separates into three perfect layers! Delicious coconut custard pie that is fabulous served with cream or fruit, or both! I have included converted American measurements as best as I can.

75g plain flour, sifted (1/2 cup plus one scant TBS)
220g caster sugar (1 cup plus 1 TBS plus 1 tsp)
60g dessicated coconut (1/2 cup, slightly heaped)
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
125g of butter, melted (1/2 cup plus 2 tsp)
40g of flaked almonds, divided (scant 1/2 cup)
500ml of whole milk (2 cups)

To serve:
Fresh or tinned fruit and or cream

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4. Butter a deep 9 1/2 inch pie or flan dish well and set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar, coconut, eggs, extract, butter and half of the nuts together in a large bowl. Slowly whisk in the milk, stirring until completely amalgamated. Pour into the prepared dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Sprinkle the remaining flaked almonds on top. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool.

Serve cut into wedges along with some cream or fruit, if desired.

I make no secret of my passion for parsnips! I could eat them every day of the week and never get tired of them. Truly! That is no lie!

Although they do have rather funny smell when they are cooking, that I don't exactly cotton to . . . their flavour more than makes up for it, and I am willing to forgive them of that small sin! Kinda like husbands I guess . . . they sometimes don't smell so good either, but we love them just the same!



It was a nice sunny day here today, but boy oh boy that wind was bitter. I spent half of the morning and half of the afternoon, tramping around our town, picking up Catalogues with Todd and freezing my little toosh and fingers off. I didn't want him to be out in that cold wind for too long and if I do half of them, it cuts his outdoor time in half as well!



Then when we got in, I made him a nice pot of hot soup to help warm him up, and myself too!! I had a bag of parsnips in the fridge that needed using and a few apples that had seen better days and so I threw them into a pot along with some onions and stock.



I've seen recipes for spiced parsnip soups before, but they mostly use curry powder to spice it up. I didn't want to use curry powder. I thought with the apple cardamom would go rather nicely and so I threw in some ground cardamom . . . but I wanted something else as well, to give it an extra zest.

I spied a bottle of Sumac in my spice drawer that I had bought a few months back coz it looked interesting, but I had not opened it yet or used it. I wondered what it would taste like.



Sumac powder is the ground berries of a decorative bush which grows wild in the Middle East, and is used fairly often in Middle Eastern Cookery. I had no idea what it tasted like though, so I opened it up and put a bit on my finger to taste. It had a somewhat lemony taste . . . kind of like the smell of lemon . . . if that makes any sense. I thought it would be perfect in this soup and go very well with the cardamom. I didn't want to put it in yet though . . . I took a spoonful of the broth and sprinkled a bit of sumac on top and then tasted it. Perfect! I added some, and let it simmer for a bit longer.



Oh my . . . this was a wonderful call on my part. This soup turned out lovely. One of my most favourite yet! You got the wonderful flavour and creamy sweetness of the Parsnips, with the underlying spicy warmth of the cardamom and a nice lemony hint of sumac. Absolutely fabulous!



We polished off the whole pot all by ourselves . . . I know . . . we're little piggies aren't we!



*Spiced Parsnip Soup*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

A delicately spiced parsnip soup, with just a hint of cardamom and sumac, which will have your guests wondering what that is that is making this taste so wonderfully rich and different!

1 large cooking onion, peeled and chopped
16 ounces parsnips, peeled and cut into chunks
2 TBS butter
2 granny smith apples, peeled and cut into chunks
12 ounces chicken broth
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground sumac
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup cream

Heat the butter in a deep saucepan. Add the onions and parsnips and cook, stirring often, until the onions are soft and the parsnips are very fragrant. Do not allow to brown. Tip in the chicken broth, apples, cardamom, sumac and salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, until the parsnips and apples are tender to the fork.

Using a stick blender, puree the soup until smooth. Add the cream and warm. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Delicious!

A good friend of ours has been a bit under the weather lately. As she is also a bit elderly, this can be somewhat serious, and we wanted to go and visit her this afternoon, both to cheer her up and to check on her, and to make sure she had everything she needed . . .



I didn't want to go empty handed though. I wanted our cheer up visit to be more than just our two ugly mugs . . . I wanted to bring her a little treat that might tempt her appetite a bit, and bring a smile to her face.



Cupcakes are the perfect portable pressie for someone who is ailing. Just small enough that they aren't too much for them to handle, and yet so cute and tasty looking, that they are sure to tempt even the smallest appetite.

Little cakes are sure to bring a smile to most people's faces . . .



Especially when you dress them up in lacy coats and candy sprinkles. These were well received and went down a real treat. Slightly spicy with the warm flavours of chai tea and a lucious lemon buttercream icing.



*Chai Cupcakes*
Makes one dozen
Printable Recipe

A delicious cupcake, with spicy warm flavours, and a delicious lemony buttercream icing on top!

For the cupcakes:
8 ounces self raising flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 TBS chai tea powder
2 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, softened
5 ounces soft light brown sugar
2 large egg whites
5 fluid ounces of sour milk
(To sour milk add 1 tsp of lemon juice to a measuring beaker and add
milk to the measure required. Let stand for 5 minutes before using. You
can also use an equivalent amount of buttermilk)

For the Icing:
5 ounces butter, softened
10 ounces icing sugar, sifted
the juice of one lemon as required
a few drops of yellow foodcolouring if desired

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4. LIne a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and chai tea powder together into a medium bowl. In a separate bowl cream the butter and brown sugar together until smooth and light. Add the egg whites, slowly beating them in until the mixture is well amalgamated. Stir in the flour mixture along with the buttermilk, mixing until well combined. Divide the mixture equally amongst the prepared cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they test done and the top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing beat all of the ingredients together, adding only enough lemon juice to make an icing of proper spreading consistency. You may or may not need it all. Add 1 TBS at a time. Spread over the tops of the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired. Delicious!



You didn't think I was going to give a cake to someone that I hadn't already test tasted first . . . just to make sure they were gift worthy . . . ahem . . . you know how it is!

What do you make to comfort your soul on a dull wet Saturday on a bank holiday weekend, all your plans for barbeques, gardening and days out together gone up in smoke???

How about a stodgy, sweet and traditional pudding!!!! The type of pudding that school dinners used to be famous for!!



The type of pudding that would have had the famous five clambering back home, over hill and dale, to stuff themselves silly with!!! The type of pudding that the mere sight of makes your arteries start to ache and moan with anguish . . . and your heart and soul beat with longing . . .



You know exactly the kind I mean . . .



Something buttery, oh so very buttery . . . and deliciously, moreishly short and crumbly . . .



and filled with the sticky sweetness of golden treacle . . . or golden syrup as it is also known . . . giving it an underlying tone of *caramel-like* goodness . . . Served up hot and sliced . . . and then doused with lashings and lashings of custard or double cream . . .



Ohhh yesss . . . this fits the bill perfectly.

Just the ideal pud to eat slouched down on the sofa, with your legs tucked beneath you, as you watch the rain lashing down on the pavement out front of the house. Silently congratulating yourself on your decision to stay at home, and feeling sorry for the poor sods that are stuck in their cars in the motorway traffic, listening to the kids argue in the back seat, as the windshield wipers race back and forth in front of their noses . . .

not that we are smug or anything . . .

Now this . . . was worth staying in for. ☺



*Hollygog Pudding*
Serves 4 to 6
Printable Recipe

Stodgy, rich and luvly. This is very easily made and is delicious when done. Don't let it's simplicity fool you into thinking this isn't something special.

280g self rising flour (2 cups)
a pinch of salt
2 TBS caster sugar
170g cold butter, cut into bits (3/4 cup)
approximately 3 TBS cold water
Golden Syrup
Milk for baking and glazing
demerara sugar for sprinkling
Warm custard or cream for serving


Pre-heat the oven to 200*C/400*F/gas mark 6 .Sift the flour and salt into a basin, raising the flour up high to aerate it. Stir in the caster sugar. Drop in the butter and rub it into the flour mixture with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add enough of the water to make a stiff dough. Pat out on a floured surface to a rectangle roughly 12 inches long and 8 inches wide. Spread the dough very thickly with golden syrup, leaving a one inch border on one side. Brush this edge with some milk. Roll up like a jelly roll to form a sausage shape. Pinch the ends together to close and then place the roll into a buttered deep pie dish or gratin dish, placing the seam underneath. Brush with milk and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Pour sufficient milk into the dish to come about halfways up the side of the pudding. Place into the heated oven and bake for 3o to 45 minutes, until the pudding is light golden brown.

To serve, cut into slices while still hot, or spoon out into bowls. Serve with warm custard or cream drizzled on top.