I had some apples that I needed to use up this afternoon and I wanted to give my new cooker a trial run, so I thought I would make some delicious apple squares.



Imagine a buttery, nutty crust topped with a spicy cake batter, filled with chunks of apple and nuts, and then baked in the oven until the crust is nice and crisp and the cake all moreishly moist and fragrant.



Then imagine it cut into squares and served warm (or cold, it's up to you) and topped with some softly whipped cream.



The perfect dessert for these late autumn days and evenings . . . or your Thanksgiving Celebrations . . . of to serve to that good friend of yours that just happens to stop off for a nice cuppa after an afternoon of shopping . . .



Family friendly, friend friendly, delicious and easy, this is a winner on all counts!



*Sour Cream Apple Squares*
Makes 12 to 15
Printable Recipe

Delicious and moist apple squares, warmly spiced and served with whipped cream.

280g of plain flour (2 cups)
340g soft light brown sugar (2 cups packed)
4 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cup)
115g of toasted pecan nuts, chopped (1 cup)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
250ml of sour cream (1 cup)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large free range egg
2 medium apples, peeled and chopped (I use Granny Smith)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.

Whisk the flour, and brown sugar together in a bowl. Drop in the butter. Beat with an electric hand whisk until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the chopped nuts. Remove 370g (2 3/4 cups) of the crumbs and press into the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch glass dish. To the remainder of the crumbs add the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, soda and salt, mixing it all together well. Beat in the egg, vanilla and sour cream. Stir in the apples. Spoon evenly over top of the crumb base.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Serve warm or cold, cut into squares, along with some whipped cream.

This is a cake that I have always wanted to try, having seen them in bake shop windows . . . but I never had the dariole type of tin molds that you need to bake them in . . . so I despaired of ever being able to bake them . . . at least until I saw this recipe!



Adapted from the cookery book, Women's Institute Cakes, by Liz Herbert, this particular recipe does away competely with the traditional tin molds!



Baked in ordinary paper muffin cases, these are simple and uncomplicated. There's no buttering or flouring of molds . . .



The paper cases peel very easily off the cakes, which are then simply coated in sieved jam and dessicated coconut.

Mmmm . . . soooooo scrummy yummy!

I hate to admit it, but I inhaled two of them quite accidentally . . . before I knew what was happening.



The rest have been put under lock and key . . .

Unfortunately I have the key, tee hee! (Or should I say luckily!!) I'm soo, soo bad, I know . . .but in a very good way.☺ ☺ ☺




*Cupcake Madeleines*
Makes 14
Printable Recipe

A variation of the traditional English Madeleines, except using paper cases instead of the tin molds normally used. Quite, quite delicious!

4 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cup)
4 ounces soft margarine (tub) (1/2 cup)
4 ounces caster sugar (a generous 1/2 cup)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
4 ounces self raising flour (1 scant cup)
1 TBS milk

For the topping:
2 ounces dessicated coconut (1/2 cup)
4 to 5 TBS red fruit conserve, sieved
7 glace cherries halved

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Place 14 paper muffin cases on a baking tray. Set aside.

Cream together the margarine, butter and sugar until soft and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Gradually beat in the eggs, a little at a time, making sure each addition is throughly incorporated before proceeding. If the mixture begins to curdle, add a spoonful of the flour and continue. Once the eggs are completely beaten in, fold in the flour and just enough of the milk to make a soft batter.

Divide the mixture equally amongst the baking cases. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cakes are completely cooled, remove the paper cases. Place the jam into a small bowl and warm slightly in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Place the coconut into another bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush a thin coating of jam over the base and sides of each cake. Roll them into the coconut to coat the jammed surfaces. The top of the cakes is now the bottom. Place on a wire rack to set. Brush the bottom of each of the cherry halves and use to garnish the middle of each cake. Enjoy!!

I recently found myself with an extra jar of marmalade in my larder that would soon be going out of date so wanted to find a way to use some of it up. Normally that isn't a problem, because we both love marmalade.



I think marmalade is one of those things that you either love or you hate. Some people love it's almost bitter tang and others . . . well, they wouldn't touch it with a ten foot pole!

Me, I am a lover, from way back. I just can't get enough of it and have been known to slather so much of it on my buttered toast, the actual toast is hard to find!!!




In other words, I could eat it by the spoonful and sometimes do . . . ahh . . . I know . . . I'm incorrigible!



These soft moist cakey squares are only mildly flavoured with it's delicious tang . . . it's unmistakably there, but quite subtle . . .



Combine that with the deliciously tart lemon drizzle icing . . .



And the sweet candied orange peel topping . . .




And you get something quite close to bliss. Seriously.

Well . . . as long as you like Marmalade and cake that is!




*MarmaladeTray Bake Squares*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe

Marmalade is one of those things you either love or hate. We happen to love it. Delicious cake squares, with the underlying tang of marmalade, set off by a zingy lemon glaze icing and a garnish of candied orange peel and baby orange jelly slices.

3 ounces of butter, softened (a generous 1/3 cup)
3 ounces soft margarine (a generous 1/3 cup)
6 ounces caster sugar (a scant cup)
the grated zest of one unwaxed lemon
the grated zest of one unwaxed orange
4 TBS of orange marmalade
2 eggs, beaten
8 ounces self raising flour (a scant 2 cups)
3 TBS fresh orange juice

For the decoration:
the peel of half an orange
2 TBS granulated sugar
3 fluid ounces water
the juice of half a lemon
8 ounces icing sugar, sifted (2 cups)

petite orange jelly slices (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter and base line an 11 by 7 inch tin. (I like to leave an overhang on the two short sides for ease of removal.)

Place the butter, margarine and sugar into a bowl, along with the fruit zests. Cream together with an electric hand whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the marmalade and then slowly beat in the eggs. Fold in the flour and orange juice to make a soft dropping consistency. (You may or may not need all the Orange juice.)

Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, leveling off the surface and making it slightly hollow in th emiddle. Bake for 30 to 25 minutes, until well risen, golden brown and just firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

Pare the peel from the orange, taking care to remove any white pith. Roughly chop into small pieces. Dissolve the sugar in the water in a small pan. Add the orange peel and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until the peel is candied. Drain the peel from the syrup. (I like to keep the syrup to use in other things. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.) Set the peels aside to cool.

Whisk the icing sugar and lemon juice together until you get a smooth paste. Pour over the top of the cooled cake and spread to cover evenly. Pile 12 small heaps of the peel evenly spaced over the top of the cake, along with a jelly if using. Leave to set completely before cutting into pieces to serve.

We don't always eat things that are bad for you here in my English Kitchen. Sometimes we get downright healthy, and eat things that are actually quite good for you!!



Things like tasty, nutty barley . . . baked into a kind of pilaff stogged full of all sorts of wholesome things like toasted nuts, crunchy chestnuts and scrummy mushrooms . . .



Oh, and . . . lots of butter . . . rich, tasty butter . . .

But . . . we won't talk about that.



*Barley and Mushroom Casserole*
Serves 6
Printable Recipe

A delicious change from rice! Healthy and nutty!

4 ounces butter (1/2 cup)
7 1/2 ounces pearl barley (1 cup)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
16 ounces chicken broth (2 cups)
2 1/2 ounces slivered almonds (1/2 cup)
1 4-serving size envelope of dry onion soup mix
1 small package of fresh mushrooms, sliced
75g of sliced water chestnuts (5 ounce can)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and mushrooms. Cook and stir until golden. Add the barley. Stir to coat and toast lightly for several minutes. Add the chicken broth, almonds and soup mix along with the water chestnuts. Stir together well and bring to the boil. Pour into a 2 litre casserole dish, cover tightly and bake for 1 hour, adding more broth as needed. Serve hot. Can be made ahead and store, covered, in the refrigerator. Reheat just before serving. You may also freeze any leftovers for future use.

The other day I was contacted by CSN Stores and asked if I would like to review one of their products. I jumped at the chance and was given a gift certificate to choose anything from the wide range of products that they offer.

Todd and I were in dire need of a new toaster, our old one having given up the dust, and so I had great fun perusing all of the toasters on offer in their store. There were more than 88 different toasters to choose from!



After spending some time looking them all over I finally settled on the DeLonghi Icona 4 Slice Toaster in Blue. I loved the retro look of it and the colour suited me to a "T". I placed my order and was thrilled when I got an e-mail a little while later telling me that it had already been shipped and I would be receiving it by courier the very next day!!

True to their word, it was delivered within 24 hours and in perfect condition. I was very impressed!

I just love the colour and sleek retro look of this toaster. It also comes in a few other colours as well, such as red and silver . . . but I love the blue! Here are some other features:

• Blue finish with chrome trim
• 1.8KW for rapid toasting
• Excusive Icona 4 slice toaster
• Stylish finish - will not show finger prints
• Electronic controls: reheat, defrost, bagel and cancel
• Extra deep crump tray
• Neon indicator function lights
• Extra lift position for easy removal of small slices
• Variable browing controls
• Variable width bread slots

I tested it out this morning by making my favourite Cinnamon Toast and I was really pleased with the way it toasted the bread, all even and very quickly too!

All in all I am more than pleased with my new blue toaster and am saving up now to get a kettle to match. It goes without saying that I will be ordering it from CSN stores. I was well impressed with their service.

Quick delivery which is free on almost everything over £40. Why not click on over now and take a look for yourself. Click here for CSN Stores UK and here for CSN Stores USA and Canada.

Thanks so much to Eileen at CSN Stores for having given me this opportunity!

Several weeks ago, Fiona from Octopus Publishing contacted me to see if I would like to review a cookery book for her . . . Leon, Book 2, Naturally Fast Food.

You know me! I jumped at the chance! I love cookery books and can never have enough. When I am in a cookbook store I am like a kid in a candy shop! I have spent hundreds, maybe even thousands, of pounds on cookery books through the years, so much so that we have a whole room full of them, well 10 bookcases full at any rate! (I know . . . ME <=== ObSeSseD!) LEON is a high street fast food joint, of which there are quite a few in the London area. Their goal is to bring the best food to the most people. This is their second book.



I wasn't quite sure what to think of it when it arrived. It has a very attractive cover, somewhat reminiscent of a wooden fruit crate, very nostalgic. Inside it seemed a bit disjointed at first . . . it's not an easy read like most cookbooks . . . it begs to be really absorbed and read slowly, savoured as it were, in a leisurely manner . . . it is then that you realize what a real treasure, it truly is!



It is chock full of lovely, quick and easy recipes that are easy on the budget and family friendly, divided into such tasty sections as Fast Food, Slow Fast Food, and Bonus Features, and in each of those some taste tempting chapters as Rapid Breakfasts, Quick Suppers and Lunches, Slow Cooks and Stews, Pot Roasts . . . to name but a few. It is also filled with some wonderful tips and ideas!

In short, I highly recommend. I just might treat myself to volume one for Christmas . . . ahem . . . shhh . . . don't tell the Toddster!



*Ultimate Cheese On Toast*
Taken from Leon Book 2, Naturally Fast Food, Corner Shop Classics
Printable Recipe

Tasty, Tasty. TASTY!!

1. A good bread toasted
2. Butter, spread on the toast
3. Dijon Mustard, spread on top of the butter
4. Fine slices of tomato, in one layer on top of the mustard.
5. Cheddar Cheese (A good one if you have it), sliced into pieces the thickness of a hardback book cover and laid on top of the tomato, 2 slices deep.
6. A good fresh grind of black pepper
7. Put under the grill until melted and starting to bubble and brown.
8. Splash on the Worcestershire Sauce.
9. Eat on it's own or with Baked Beans.



Variations On A Theme
*Cheese and Onion - Grate the cheese and mix it with some finely sliced onion.
*Hot Horseradish - Replace the Dijon mustard with some horseradish sauce.
*Cheese on Sea - Slice a tinned Sardine in half and put it on top of the tomatoes before adding the cheese.



This was incredibly, moreishly, succulently deliciously GOOD!

Leon 2: Naturally Fast Food is published by Conran Octopus.
Thank you to Fiona at Octopus books for sending me this copy.

We had our usual Monday Night crowd around this week, with the additional pleasure of having our good friends Angie and Keith here as well. They drove up all the way from Scunthorpe just to see little old us!



Angie writes a witty and very entertaining blog called, "Can You All Hear Me At The Back." I just love her to bits! She has a wonderful sense of humour, and I eat up every word she writes. She doesn't think what she does is all that special, but I think she sells herself short, coz it's all very entertaining to me, and a lot of others too!



The last time they came to see us we were living in that little cottage on that Manor House Estate . . . so it was a little bit different this time . . . as we have exchanged tudor white wash and dark beams for a terraced house on a council estate . . . be it ever so humble and all that! It's Home Sweet Home!



I just love having people over and having an excuse to cook above and beyond the norm! The Toddster and I can only eat so much so it's nice to have a few extra bodies around to help eat it all up.



One of the things I had made for their visit was this lovely Morello Cherry and Cream Cheese Brunch Cake! Actually it can be a "Whatever Type of Jam You Have and Cream Cheese Brunch Cake!" It just so happened that this time I had morello cherry jam.



You can use whatever kind you have on hand though . . . it tastes good with most of them . . . Raspberry, Strawberry, Apricot, Blueberry . . . even Rhubarb and Ginger! (Oh so scrummy)

It has a lovely buttery cake base with a cheesecake filling . . . a beautiful backdrop for that sweet jam topping . . .



With a nutty scrummy streusal topping, this is a very moreish cake . . . Only problem was . . . with everything else I had cooked . . . I completely forgot to serve it!!

I know . . . what AM I like!




*Morello Cherry and Cream Cheese Brunch Cake*
Serves 16
Printable Recipe

A lovely buttery cake with a cream cheese filling, topped with morello cherry jam, and a nutty streusel topping. Easy and delicious!!

For the Cake:
9 1/2 ounces plain flour (2 1/4 cups)
5 1/4 ounces caster sugar (3/4 cup)
6 ounces cold butter (3/4 cup)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
6 fluid ounces sour cream (3/4 cup)
1 tsp almond extract
1 large free range egg

For the filling:
8 ounces cream cheese or quark
1.75 ounces caster sugar (1/4 cup)
1 large free range egg

Also:
3 dessertspoons of morello cherry preserves
1 1/2 ounces flaked toasted almonds (1/2 cup)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter and lightly dust with flour the bottom and side of a 9 inch fluted tart tin with a removeable bottom. Set aside.

In a large bowl mix together the flour and sugar for the cake. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remove 5 ounces of this mixture (approx 1 cup) and set aside. To the remainder of it whisk in the baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat in the sour cream, almond extract and the egg, blending in well. Spread this batter over the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of the tart tin.

In a small bowl mix together all the filling ingredients until smooth. Pour this into the batter lined pan. Give the preserves a good stir and then carefully dollop them evenly over the top as well as you can. Mix together the reserved crumb mixture and the flaked almonds. Sprinkle this evenly over the preserves.

Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the creamy filling is set and the crust is a deep golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes before removing the sides of the pan. Serve warm or cool. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

To my way of thinking there is nothing on earth that smells better baking, or spells C-O-M-F-O-R-T more than a warm Gingerbread . . . fresh out of the oven.



Oh . . . the smell . . . all gingery and spicy . . . cinnamony and warm . . .



It has long been my favourite dessert . . . with or without cream . . .



When you walk into the house after a chilly walk on a windy autumn day, and the comfy spicy smell of a freshly baked gingerbread is wafting through the air . . . how can you not feel totally blissful . . . and welcomed . . . at peace with the world.



This is one of my favourite recipes for it.



Moist, spicy and delicious . . . and topped with a scrummy sticky topping!
I am betting that it will become a favourite of yours as well!

Gingerbread . . . fresh from the oven . . . it's a very good thing.




*Sticky Topped Gingerbread*
Serves 9 to 12
Printable Recipe

Oh so scrummy!

6 1/2 ounces of plain flour ( 1 1/2 cups)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp of dutch process cocoa powder, pur thru a sieve
2 large free range eggs at room temperature
3.75 ounces of dark soft brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
4 ounces buttermilk (1/2 cup)
2 ounces of golden syrup
2 ounces of dark treacle
(can use 1/2 cup of molasses, or 4 ounces)
4 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the topping:
3 TBS unsalted butter
2 1/2 ounces dark brown sugar (1/3 cup packed)
2 TBS double cream

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Grease a deep 8 inch square baking pan well, or a deep 9 inch round one. Lightly dust with flour. Set aside.

Whisk together the flour, soda, salt, cinnamon cloves, ginger and cocoa powder. Set aside.

Beat the eggs with an electric mixer until foamy. Beat in the brown sugar until light and lump free. Beat in the buttermilk, melted butter, syrup and treacle, until well blended, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the flour mixture and mix in until just blended. Pour into the prepared pan. Smack the pan down on the counter top a couple of times to release any air bubbles and level the batter out. Bake in the heated oven until the top springs back when lightly touched, and the edges have pulled away from the sides a bit, some 30 to 40 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool a bit while you make the topping.

Combine all the topping ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Remove from the heat and immediately pour over the hot gingerbread, letting it seep down the sides. Heat the grill to medium high. Pop the gingerbread under the grill for about 40 seconds, just until the topping bubbles. Remove immediately. Serve warm, with or without whipped cream.

Salted caramel is all the rage right now. I think it's that sweet/savoury thing . . . .



You know . . . like peanutbutter and jam, or sugar grilled bacon . . .
Or eggs poached in maple syrup, which I promise to show you one of these days.



These biscuits (cookies) are moreishly crunchy and topped with a perfect swirl of sweet salted caramel . . . ohhhh sooooo scrummy!!



They look like you spent ages in the kitchen, but really . . . they go together lickety split!
The salted caramel is very easy to make and I am betting that you will find a hundred and one uses for it. It goes beautifully along with a layer of buttercream in the middle of a caramel flavoured sponge . . .



It's loverly sandwiched between those crunchy malted milk biscuits you can buy at the shops, or even tea biscuits. Really, it's pretty moreish just eaten off the spoon, but do try to resist . . .



You'll be wanting all of this to top your biscuits with.



*Salted Caramel Topped Biscuits*
Makes about 30
Printable Recipe

Oh my but these are moreishly good. Crisp and crunchy with a lovely salted caramel topping.

200g self raising flour (about a cup and a half)
75g malt powder such as Horlicks (about 3/4 cup)
a pinch of fine sea salt
150g of butter, softened (2/3 cup)
50g of caster sugar (1/4 cup)
1 medium egg, lightly beaten

For the Salted caramel:
75g dark brown soft sugar (about 1/3 cup packed)
50g butter (1/4 cup)
1/4 teaspoon of crushed fleu de sel
1/2 (397g) tin of sweetened condensed milk (7 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/gas mark 5. Lightly grease several baking sheets and set aside.

Sift the flour into a bowl. Whisk in the malt powder and salt. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar and then stir in the egg, mixing until combined and bringing the dough together with your hands. Pinch off walnut sized pieces of the dough and roll into one inch balls. Flatten the balls with your hands and then place them onto the baking trays leaving about 2 inches of space between each one. Bake in the heated oven for ab out 10 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks. Repeat until all the dough has been used up.

To make the salted caramel, gently heat the sugar, butter and sea salt together over low heat, stirring now and again until the sugar is melted and does not feel gritty at all. Tip in the condensed milk and cook, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes until the mixture is completely smooth and amalgamated. Increase the heat and as soon as the mixture begins to bubble remove from the heat and set aside to cool until lukewarm.

Top each biscuit with a swirl of the salted caramel and allow to cool completely to set. Store in an airtight container between sheets of parchment paper.