I do love chocolate so very much . . . as Dorcas would say on Larkrise to Candleford . . . it is my only weakness . . . (we all know there are many, but shhh . . . humour me.)




Unfortunately it is not Todd's favourite thing, and so I only very rarely bake anything chocolate . . . coz, well, let's face it, a good portion of it would go to waste, or I end up having to give most of it away . . .



Muffins are a good bet though . . . coz they freeze really easily. I just wrap each one individually and then put them into a large container. Then I can take them out as and when the urge hits. 40 to 45 seconds in the microwave later and I am in chocolate heaven . . .



These are fabulous for breakfast on these colder mornings along side of a hot steaming mug of hot cocoa.

Bliss . . . pure and utter bliss.



Psst . . . and if you are feeling really indulgent . . . you can always split them open and fill them with clotted cream. (I had some that needed using up. Honest!!)

Chocolate and clotted cream for brekkie . . . as Martha would say . . . "It's a good thing."




*Chocolate Chocolate Chunk Muffins*
Makes 12 medium muffins, or about 8 large
Printable Recipe

These are perfect for breakfast along with a nice hot steaming mug of cocoa. Deliciously scrummy!

2 ounces of Dutch process cocoa (2/3 cup)
7 1/4 ounces plain flour (1 3/4 cup)
10 ounces of soft light brown sugar (1 1/4 cups packed)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
6 ounces of good chocolate, cut into chunks (about 1 cup)
2 large free range eggs
250ml of whole milk (1 cup)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp vinegar
8 TBS butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 220*C/425*F/ gas mark 6. Butter a 12 cup medium muffin tin or line with paper liners. Set aside.

Whisk the cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chocolate chunks together in a large mixing bowl.

Whisk the eggs, milk, vanilla and vinegar together in another bowl. Add all at once, along with the melted butter to the dry ingredients. Stir to blend, without over mixing.

Scoop the batter into the muffin cups. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre of a muffin comes out clean. Do watch them carefully as they will burn around the edges if baked too long. Remove from the oven. Allow to sit in the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Note - If you do opt to make larger muffins they will take slightly longer to bake!

Two of my favourite words in the English language are Chocolate (no surprise there!) and free!! Several weeks ago Julian from Chocri contacted me and wanted to know if I would like to try some samples of their chocolate.

On the Chocri website you can create your favourite chocolate bar from a choice of four organic and fair trade base chocolate bases and more than 100 ingredients. It’s a lot of fun to play chocolatier, of course it’s delicious, and chocolate makes happy ;) Julian was giving me vouchers to create two of my very own unique bars and all for free!

Oh what fun I had deciding what toppings to choose for my bases. I chose one dark base and one milk chocolate base and then I created a fruit and nut bar and a nutty nutty bar! I could hardly wait for them to arrive.



About a week later a box came in the post and I was soooo disappointed! Someone had pinched one of my chocolate bars! It is that good I guess that people can't keep their hands off it!

As soon as I told them though they sent two new bars out to me and they arrived safe and sound and intact, and boy oh boy are they some good! The chocolate is excellent and I just love the toppings I chose!



Thanks so much to Julian and Chocri! This is good chocolate folks, but don't just take my word for it. Try some out for yourself at Chocri! You won't regret it!

When I worked at Brenchley Manor, I was often required to cook for dinner parties. They did love to entertain and to be honest, I really enjoyed the challenge! There were always five courses to prepare, not including the after dinner coffee's and could involve anywhere's from five to twenty five or more guests!

There was only me to do all the cooking, and it would often take me days to get everything ready. There would be the planning of the menu, and all the shopping to do as well as the cooking. I tried as much as I could to do a lot of pre-prep ahead of time so that it wasn't such a lot of work on the day. It wasn't always possible, but I tried!



If they were having a soup course, that could always be done one to two days ahead and refrigerated. Most soups taste better after having stood for a day or two. I also was able to prepare most of the hors d'ouevres ahead of time as well.



I normally had to prepare at least two desserts, and . . . if I was lucky, they could be done ahead of time as well . . . that way on the day of the party, all I had to do really was any last minute jobs, like setting the table, and the final preparation of the main course. I did have to be very organized, but . . . like I said, I loved the challenge! I do miss it now I'm retired.



These little toffee pudding cakes were a very popular dessert with both the guests and myself.

The guests because they were delicious . . .



Myself . . . because they could be made up to two days ahead of time and then just reheated at the last minute!

Deliciously sweet and moist baby sized date cakes, covered with a wonderfully sticky toffee sauce!




*Baby Sticky Toffee Pudding Cakes*
Serves 10
Printable Recipe

Delicious, easy and impressive. What's even better is you can make it all up ahead of time the day before you are having company for dinner and reheat it all at the last minute to serve. Delicious!

For the cakes:
7 ounces coarsely chopped pitted dates (about 1 1/4 cups)
250ml water
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
7 1/4 ounces plain flour (about 1 2/3 cups)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
9 1/4 ounces caster sugar (about 1 1/3 cups)
2 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature (1/4 cup)
1 large free range egg

For the Toffee Sauce:
15 ounces soft light brown sugar (2 cups packed)
4 ounces unsalted butter (1/2 cup)
500ml of double cream (2 cups)
2 TBS dark rum or brandy

To serve:
cream or sweetened whipped cream

To make the toffee sauce, whisk the sugar and butter together in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until the butter is melted. (The mixture will be grainy) Add the cream and bring to the boil. Boil until the mixture coats a spoon, whisking constantly. This will take about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Whisk in the rum or brandy. (I use a tsp of vanilla at home instead.) This can be done up to two days ahead. Just put into a bowl, cover and refrigerate. Rewarm before serving.

To make the cakes, combine the dates and water in a scuepan. Bring to the boil and then cook until the dates are soft, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature, stirring occaisonally. When cooled, whisk in the vanilla and baking soda.

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark4. Butter and flour 10 muffin or custard cups.

Whisk the flour, salt and baking powder together in a bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together in another bowl. Beat in the egg. Add the flour mixture alternately with the date mixture in two additions, beating to blend well after each addition. Divide the batter equally amongst the prepared muffin cups.

Bake the cakes for 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before turning out onto a baking sheet which you have lined with foil. Spoon 2 TBS of the toffee sauce over each warm cake. Let cool completely. (This can be done a day ahead. Cover with foil and refrigerate.)

When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Reheat the cakes on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Place onto hot serving plates and drizzle with any remaining toffee sauce (heated). Serve with cream or whipped cream.

Bonjours mes amis! I know this is The English Kitchen, but it's Friday and that means it's French Fridays with Dorie day! That fun cooking club created around the release of Dorie Greenspan's newest book, entitled Around My French Table. Each Friday we all cook the same recipe from the book!



This week's recipe was Hachis Parmentier, a delicious cottage pie type of main course! I knew that Todd would love this dish right from the outset. It just plucked the strings of his meat and potatoes loving heart in all the right places!!



This recipe differs from most cottage pie recipes in that it uses a mixture of boiled beef and ground sausage meat in the filling. Quelle idée fantastique !



You could also choose to fast track the recipe and use minced beef, which I did, along with a good quality spicy banger from my local butcher's shop. I also cut the recipe down to feed only two of us, which worked out quite successfully!



Tellement tellement si délicieux !

But don't take my word for it. Buy the book and find out for yourselves! It's worth every penny! Trust me on this!

Next week's recipe is going to be Marie-Helene’s Apple Cake. Yummo!!

I quite simply love, LOVE potatoes . . . Any way . . . Any time . . . Any how.

You can take away my chocolate. You can take away my pasta. You can take away just about anything . . . just don't mess with my potatoes. They are my favourite vegetable.



Let's face it . . . low carb just would never work for me, coz I can't live without em!

Baked potatoes (Or jacket potatoes as they are called over here) are my absolute favourite version. Yes, I DO like em more than even chips. (But it's pretty close I admit!)



I like em with lots of butter and cheese on top, or sour cream and chives, or even just butter, salt and pepper!

Baked beans, or tuna or . . .well you name it. If you slop it onto a baked potato I am in love!



When I was growing up my mom sometimes used to make us twice baked, stuffed potatoes for a real treat! Oh they were soooo good, with the insides removed, mashed with some butter, milk and onion and then stuffed back in and baked again. We could never get enough of them!



Here's a slightly posher version of the same thing. Like Stuffed Baked Potatoes?? Like Welsh Rarebit??

Then you are gonna just LOVE these!!




*Rarebit Jacket Potatoes*
Serves 2
Printable Recipe

Delicious jacket potatoes with a cheesy rarebit filling. Serve with a tossed salad for a light but filling meal for two!

2 large baking potatoes
olive oil
a knob of butter
2 TBS milk
1 medium free range egg, beaten
100g of grated strong cheddar cheese (3/4 cup)
1 to 2 tsp English mustard (can use Dijon)
a good splash of Worcestershire Sauce

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Rub the potatoes all over with oil, then prick with a fork in several places. Place directily on the top rack of the oven. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour until they yield to soft pressure. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for about 15 minutes.

At the end of that time, slice horizontally in half. Scoop out all the flesh from the insides to a bowl. Mash together with the butter, milk, egg, 3/4th of the cheese, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Pile back into the potato shells. Place on a baking dish and sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese over top. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

Serve immediately with some salad on the side.

This is the perfect autumnal pudding, seriously.



Warm tender cake, with spicy cinnamon flavours . . .



Sweet/tart apple chunks on top, along with the crunch of toasted walnuts . . .



A lucious sweet brown sugar sauce . . .
What's not to like?



You will want to serve this warm, with some pouring cream drizzled over top . . . or a scoop of good vanilla ice cream melting down into all of it's cinnamony goodness . . .



mmmm . . . you will be hard pressed not to beg for just one more spoonful . . .



Easy as can be, and oh so delicious!



*Cinnamon Pudding Cake*
Serves 6 to 8
Printable Recipe

Mmm . . . warm and cinnamony, with lots of sweet apple chunks and crunchy walnuts.

250g of flour (2 cups)
200g of granulated sugar (1 cup)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp ground cinnamon
235ml of milk (1 cup)
355ml of water (1 1/2 cup)
385g of soft light brown sugar (1 3/4 cup packed)
2 TBS butter
1 large sweet apple, peeled, cored and chopped
a large handful of chopped toasted walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F. gas mark 4. Butter the bottom of a deep 9 inch square baking dish. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk,. Whisk together until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan.

Heat the water, brown sugar and butter together until the butter melts, the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils. Pour this carefully over top of the batter in the pan. Sprinkle the chopped apple and walnuts over top.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until well risen and set, and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Serve warm and spooned out into bowls, with or without cream or ice cream. Delicious!

Occasionally we have people over for drinks and nibbles . . . nothing alcoholic . . . we are Mormons . . . but just for some nice soft drinks, and a nibble or two . . . salty, sweet . . . and everything in between.



It's all about fellowshipping and sharing . . . friendship and food.



Good food and good friends . . . the two seem to go together like . . . well . . . peas and carrots!



We're having some people over tonight and I decided to make these lovely Lime and White Chocolate Finger biscuits to share. (You do realize of course that over here, cookies are called biscuits.)



Pretty and elegant . . . tangy and sweet . . . and oh so easy to make and to eat!!



I think they'll enjoy these with some warm mulled apple juice. What do you think?



*Lime and White Chocolate Fingers*
Makes 18
Printable Recipe

Delicious cake like finger biscuits, tangy and buttery at the same time, drizzled with sweet white chocolate. Yummo!

250g plain flour (2 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
5 ounces caster sugar (2/3 cup)
75g unsalted butter, melted (2 1/2 ounces)
2 TBS lime juice
the finely grated zest of two limes
1 large free range egg, lightly beaten
1 large free range egg yolk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

To glaze:
150g good quality white chocolate (5 1/2 ounces)
chocolate curls (optional)

Preheat the oven to 179*C/325*F/gas mark3. Lightly grease and flour two baking sheets. Set aside.

Whisk the butter, lime juice, zest, egg and egg yolk and vanilla together.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and sugar together in a bowl. Add the liquid ingredients all at once and mix in with a fork until a firm dough forms. Using lightly floured hands take tablespoons of the dough and roll into thin logs, about 4 1/2 inches long. Place on the prepared baking trays, leaving 2 inches between each.

Bake in the heated oven until firm, for ten minutes, switching the baking trays around halfway through the baking time. Remove from the oven and allow to set on the baking trays for 10 minutes before scooping off with a spatula to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Put the chocolate for the glaze into a heatproof bowl. Sit over simmering water without letting the bottom of the bowl touch the water. Stir frequently until the chocolate has melted. Alternately you can melt carefully in the microwave.

Place the biscuits closely together on the wire rack. Using a fork drizzle the melted white chocolate decoratively over them. Sprinkle with the chocolate curls if using. Allow to set before serving. These will keep for up to 2 days in an airtight container once decorated. (Undecorated they will keep for about a week.)

This is another recipe I had flagged in the October issue of Good Food magazine. We love Cream of Cauliflower Soup, and Cauliflower cheese is another favourite of ours.



Its also safe to say we absolutely adore Cauliflower Cheese soup! It's like all of your Christmas's have come at once!



When I saw this recipe I knew that I wanted to make it. It combines two of our loves, Cauliflower and Cheese along with a tangy sweet pear relish!



The picture in the magazine looked so pretty.



Gorgonzola can be a pretty intense flavour . . . but so can cauliflower. The two together blended very well . . .



To keep it from being totally overwhelming and adding another layer of delicious flavours the Pear Relish adds some colour and extra texture.

This is a soup I would happily serve to guests as a first course at a dinner party. As we were eating it I thought also that my ex boss would have loved this as a first course at one of her parties. It was so pretty and the flavour was outstanding!!



Not to mention you have the added pleasure of some extra pear relish to enjoy on another day with perhaps some crusty bread and sliced cheese. Mmmm . . . mmmm . . . mmmighty good!



*Cauliflower Soup with Gorgonzola and a Pickled Pear Relish*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Cauliflower Cheese soup with a difference. An unusual but delicious combination of flavours and textures.

For the soup:
1 medium head of cauliflower
small knob of unsalted butter
2 small cooking onions, peeled and finely chopped
5 sprigs of thyme
2 bay leaves
1 litre of vegetable stock (3 1/2 cups)
(I use Marigold stock powder)
9 ounces of Gorgonzola cheese
100ml tub of creme fraiche (1/2 cup approx.)

For the Pear Relish:
2 TBS dried cranberries
1 TBS dried currants
2 firm, ripe conference pears (Bosc)
1 sweet eating apple
a knob of unsalted butter
75ml (3 fluid ounces) cider vinegar
2 TBS sugar
3 sprigs of thyme (preferably lemon thyme if available)
1 stick of cinnamon

Trim the cauliflower, discarding the outer leaves. Break into florets. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the onion and sweat them gently over low heat for about 5 minutes, until softened and translucent. Add the cauliflower and allow to sweat for a few minutes. Add the thyme, bay leaves and season with a bit of salt and pepper. Pour over the stock and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, cover and simmer for about 20 to 25 minutes, until the vegetables are very soft. Crumble in the cheese. Stir to melt and then whisk in the creme fraiche. Remove the bay leaves and any thyme stocks. Whiz with a hand blender until really smooth. If you wish you can pass it through a seive to make sure it is completely smooth. Return to the stove and keep warm. Taste and season as required.

To make the relish. (you can make this while the soup is cooking) Place the dried cranberries and currants in a small bowl. Cover with boiled water and allow to sit for about 10 minutes. While they are softening. Core and chop the pears and apple into small bits. (I do not bother to pare the skin away. It adds texture to the finished product.)

Melt the butter in a medium pan over low heat. Once it begins to foam add the fruit. Cook and stir for about 5 minutes until it begins to soften. Add all the remaining ingredients. Cook over medium low heat for a further 10 to 15 minutes. Season to taste. Remove the cinnamoon stick and thyme stems. The relish should have a shiny jewel like appearance.

Serve the soup ladled out into hot soup plates garnished with a little pear relish. Grind pepper over top if desired. I like to sprinkle a few thyme leaves over all, but it's not necessary. It does look nice though. Parsley would do the same thing.

You can keep the relish in a covered sterile jar in the refrigerator for about a month, or in a covered bowl for about a week. Very nice with sliced cold meats and cheese.

I think I must subscribe to just about every cooking magazine going. I know . . . I am obsessed. Todd thinks I'm crazy . . . but, having said that . . . he does more than enjoy my cooking efforts daily.



Usually I flag recipes from each magazine that I want to try out at some point. Of course there are far more than I could ever conceivably try in reality . . . but, at least I am well intentioned. Sometimes I get there and, well . . . sometimes I don't . . .



I flagged this pudding recipe in the October issue of Good Food magazine as one that I definitely wanted to make. It's taken me almost a month to get to it, but today was the day.



All my stars were in alignment or something coz I actually got it done! Roly Poly pudding is a favourite around this house with my old school hubby as is bread and butter pudding, and we are both nuts about anything with jam in it!



This lovely pudding combines elements of all three! Lovely little buttery roly poly bread and raspberry jam sandwiches laid on a bed of more raspberry jam, and then baked in a sweet vanilla custard, until it all souffles up in a rich cloud of baked custardy goodness . . . soft and creamy inside, with lovely buttery sweet crunchy bits on the outside.



You take a slightly trembling spoonful and place it in your bowl, licking your lips in anticipation . . . you want to dig in immediately, but daren't for fear the jam will burn your lips . . .



You finally lift a spoonful to your mouth and gently blow before you plunge the delightful mass past your trembling lips . . .



mmmm . . . ahhh . . . did you feel that?

That, my friends, was an itty, bitty taste of heaven . . .



*Roly Poly Bread and Butter Pudding*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

Little bread butter and jam rolls baked in a delicious vanilla custard until light fluffy and scrummy yummy! You will want to use very fresh bread for this. Dry bread will not roll properly.

3 ounces softened butter, plus extra to butter the baking dish (3/8 of a cup)
12 ounces of raspberry jam (1 1/2 cups)
1 large fresh unsliced loaf of white bread
4 large free range eggs
14 fluid ounces of milk (1 3/4 cup)
14 fluid ounces of double cream (1 3/4 cup)
3 ounces of caster sugar, plus a bit extra for sprinkling on top of the pudding (3/8 of a cup)
1 tsp of vanilla paste, or the seeds scraped from one vanilla pod

Butter a deep two litre baking dish. Stir the jam well with a fork and then spoon half of it into the prepared baking dish.

Trim the crusts and rounded top off of the loaf of bread so that you have a large rectangular block of bread. Carefully cut the bread into 4 long slices lengthwise. (This is the hardest part as fresh bread is a bit squidgy, but persevere and go slowly. It will be worth it.) You can whiz all the edges and leftovers into bread crumbs and store in the freezer for something else.

Spread each of the four long slices of bread on one side with butter. Flip them over and spread the jam on the other sides. (Yes it will make the counter a bit of a mess, but again, it's worth it!) Roll up the bread slices, rolling up from the short sides, until you have 4 fat swiss rolls. Cut each in half carefully, so that you have 8 jammy rolls, and then place them, cut sides down into the jam lined baking dish.

Whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, sugar and vanilla. Pour through a strainer over top of the jammy bread rolls, stopping to allow it to soak in, until all the mixture has been used up. Let stand for half an hour on the counter before baking,

Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*D/ gas mark 3. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the top with some more caster sugar and then place in the heated oven to bake for about an hour to an hour and a quarter until the top is lightly browned and the custard is gently set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for five minutes before serving. Delicious!

Note - I knew that there was no way that the Toddster and myself could eat a whole one by ourselves, so I cut the recipe in half. It worked out great!