I just love, love, LOVE the traditional recipes of the UK. All those years I spent ensconced in Enid Blyton books, drooling and dreaming over what sounded like exotic foods . . . well, those dreams and imaginations have come true for me since I arrived in the UK.



I am enjoying so much exploring the traditional, and sometimes not so traditional foods . . . and sometimes I do confess . . . I add my own twist to them, so they are somewhat traditional, but also somewhat new. I love that!



Some people might define a Gypsy Cream as a chocolate or orange version of a custard cream biscuit (cookie). Traditionally though the recipe includes neither one of those additional flavourings. Squidgy cocoa is what is called for . . . although in my house I pimp for plain coz I have a chocolate hating husband and . . . trust me . . . these biscuits are SOOO SO SO GOOD, it would be dangerous to have them in the house if only me was eating them. Oh so bad . . .



These are crisp and moreishly buttery. Oh so scrummy. Perfect with a hot cuppa of whatever your poison is . . . in my case it's Twinings' Black Currant and Mint herbal tea . . .

Oh . . . this was the perfect way to spend a Saturday afternoon. I dare say Sunday will be much the same . . . ahem . . .




*Gypsy Creams*
Makes 24 double cookies
Printable Recipe

Crisp, buttery and moreishly addictive biscuits (cookies) with a yummy cream cheese filling.

For the biscuits:
6 ounces butter softened (3/4 cup)
2 ounces white shortening (1/4 cup)
6 ounces caster sugar (1 cup minus 2 TBS)
2 tsp golden syrup (In north america use dark corn syrup)
8 ounces plain whole meal flour (approximately 1 1/3 cup, you may need a bit more)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the filling:
4 ounces butter, softened (1/2 cup)
2 ounces cream cheese (1/4 cup)
4 ounces icing sugar, sifted (2/3 cup)
2 ounces cocoa powder, sifted (1/3 cup)
(You can choose to use all icing sugar in which case use 6 ounces or 1 cup)

Preheat the oven to 150*C/300*F/ gas mark 2. Butter several baking trays. Set aside.

Cream the butter, shortening and sugar together until fluffy. Beat in the golden syrup. Sift together the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Stir this into the creamed mixture, mixing together thoroughly. Roll out on a lightly floured board, with a floured rolling pin, 1/4 inch thick. Cut out with a 2 inch round cutter. Place onto the baking sheet, leaving some space in between for spreading.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until firm and golden. Let cool on the sheets for a few minutes, before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.

For the filling, beat all the ingredients together until light and fluffy. Use this to sandwich two biscuits together. Store in a tightly covered container.

All week long I had been looking forward to having the missionaries over for supper on Friday evening. As you know I just love to feed them and they also love for me to feed them!



Today we took a trip to Mold. We had heard there were a lot of really cool charity shops there. What a neat little town, and the rumours were true. There WERE a lot of really cool charity shops there. We came away with a whole lot of really nice stuff . . .



We also found a fabulous green grocers with some really beautiful vegetables, and at really good prices as well. I picked up the most heavenly cauliflower, and some really nice looking potatoes.



We got home about mid afternoon, feeling really good about ourselves and our purchases . . . and then had just settled in to relax a bit, when Todd said . . . "Weren't the missionaries coming for their tea tonight???"



Cue panic stations! Thankfully I had also picked up some really nice meaty bangers (pork and caramelized onion) and I threw together some bangers and mash, along with some stewed red cabbage, carrots and a nice cauliflower cheese. Whew!! The loaf of french bread I'd picked up went over really well also.



But what went over best of all was this deliciously buttery, moreishly fantastically moist cake . . . stogged full of lucious raspberries and blueberries . . . and topped with a scrummy lime drizzle, which melts into all that buttery goodness.

Easy peasy lemon squeasy. They loved it and went back for seconds . . . of everything! Mission accomplished! (Oh, I do love it when I manage to pull a rabbit out of the hat!)



*Lime Drizzle Berry Cake*
Serves 12
Printable Recipe

Buttery, moist, stogged full of fruit with a tangy lime drizzle topping. DEEEElicious!

225g of butter, softened (1 cup plus 1 TBS)
225g of caster sugar (1 1/4 cup)
4 medium free range eggs
2 llimes, the grated zest, plus the juice
250g of self raising flour, sifted together with 1/2 tsp salt (1 3/4 cup)
25 g of ground almonds (1/4 cup)
100g each blueberries and raspberries (about 1 cup of each)
For the syrup:
8 TBS lime juice
140g of caster sugar (about 1/2 cup)

Cream to serve (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter an 8 inch square cake tin and line it with paper. Butter the paper.

Cream together the butter, lime zest and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, until all are amalgamated. You may need to add a bit of the flour to keep it from splitting. Fold in the flour. Stir in enough lime juice to make a batter with a good dropping consistency. Fold in 3/4 of the berries. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth over and then sprinkle with the remaining berries.

Bake for 1 hour, or until risen, lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in to the centre comes out clean.

While the cake is baking make the syrup by heating the lime juice and sugar together until the sugar melts.

When the cake is done remove it from the oven, prick the top all over with a skewer and pour the syrup over top right away. Store tightly covered. Cut into squares to serve. Serve warm or at room temperature with or without pouring cream.

Speaking of winners, Mam lucky number 19, you are the winner of my giveaway as chosen by an online thingie. I don't know how to post a picture of it, so I can't show you, but trust me, it was you Mam! Send me your details and I'll pop it into the post for you asap. Thanks everyone for joining in! I wish I could give you all something!

We all have those days, especially near the end of the week, when we think we are running low on supplies and have nothing to cook. With the way the economy is going, these days are going to be happening more and more often!



This is the time to make a hearty soup! Just perfect for using up all those bits and bobs that are sitting in the vegetable crisper. You know a few cabbage leaves, a sad looking carrot, some onion, celery and a piece of leek, perhaps a few spinach leaves . . .

If you have some beans and tomatoes in the cupboard so much the better!



With a bit of stock, a few herbs, some buttery toast and a fresh grating of Parmesan you have a tasty meal fit for a king. Hearty and filling, and oh-so-delicious!

You can even use that stale bit of french bread for the toast . . . it really adds a scrumptious extra element to a wonderfully hearty and comforting dish! These kinds of meals are some of my favourites!



*Clean Out the Fridge Soup*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

This is one of those tasty soups that come together at the end of a week using what bits and bobs you have leftover in the fridge. Delicious!

1 (415g) tin of cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
Olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 fat cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stalk of celery, trimmed and sliced thinly
1 leek, the white and light green part, chopped
1/4 of a small white cabbage, finely sliced
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
a handful of fresh spinach leaves
3 or 4 savoy cabbage leaves, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp of dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp of dried sage leaves
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
250ml of chopped tomatoes with chilies (1 cup)
750ml of chicken or vegetable stock
sea salt and black pepper to taste
To serve:
freshly grated Parmesan cheese
fresh buttered toast, preferably from a rustic loaf

Splash some olive oil in a large saucepan and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery. Sweat and stir over medium low heat for about 10 minutes. Toss in the leek and white cabbage. Sweat and stir for another 10 minutes or so. Toss in the garlic and potato. Stir and cook for a couple minutes, then add the tomatoes, beans. and herbs, along with the stock. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and cook for about 25 minutes. Add the savoy cabbage and spinach. Cook for a few more minutes, until softened. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper as required.

Place the toast into heated wide and shallow bowls. Ladle the hot soup over top. Sprinkle with some freshly grated Parmesan Cheese. Serve immediately.

Don't you just love it when all your ducks line up in a row. This is something that I have wanted to make for a very long time, but I just never happened to have all the ingredients in the house at the same time.



I had some rolo's leftover from my Pampered Chef Party last month and I wanted to use some of them up. We are invited out for supper tonight so I thought that if I made some Rolo Pretzel Turtles I would have something really scrummy and homemade to bring as a hostess gift.



I never like to go visiting empty handed, do you?

Oh my . . . these are sooooo yummy. And so very easy to make! Almost too easy. They're too easy to eat as well . . . so I think I'm taking some flowers instead of . . . um . . . Rolo Pretzel Turtles. Gifts you make for other people don't have any calories in them . . . right?



Don't judge me. Sigh . . . I am so wicked, and I have zip willpower. Obviously!




*Rolo Pretzel Turtles*
Makes as many as you have pretzels, rolos and nuts to make
Printable Recipe

This recipe is a doddle and oh so scrummy. Dangerous.

Rolo chocolate candies
mini salted pretzels
toasted whole pecan nuts



Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Lay out your pretzels on a lightly buttered baking sheet. Top each pretzel with a rolo candy, top side up. Bake in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes. You want the rolo to be soft, but not melted. Remove from the oven and immediately press a toasted pecan nut onto the top of each, squashing the rolo down a bit. Don't be too heavy handed though as you don't want the goodness to squish out the bottoms. Eat warm. Eat cold. Just EAT! Yummo!

The missionaries were coming over this afternoon to help Todd dig out the rest of the garden. I was very happy to hear that. Todd still thinks he's 38 instead of 72, and I always worry that he will overdo it!




They are such nice young men, and always willing to help out whenever and wherever they can. I have a great admiration for these willing lads, who give up two years of their lives to selflessly serve the Lord. I like to spoil them whenever I can.



I like to think that if I had a son out on a mission, someone would be spoiling him, so I do what I can, when I can. I had wanted to make them a cake to enjoy with a cold drink after their work, but we had to take Mitzie to the dog groomer this morning and now that she is older it takes a bit longer to curb her mane, so I knew I would only have limited time to make anything.



I decided to bake them some delicious Peanut Butter Cookies! What young person doesn't like Peanut Butter Cookies?? What old person doesn't like peanut butter cookies for that matter!! I used my old standby recipe, that I have been using for years and years. It does make rather a lot, but I thought the lads would enjoy them and then I could give them a container of them to take with them when they left.



These tasty little babies always turn out lovely. Short and crunchy on the edges, but moreishly chewy in the middles . . . all peanut buttery and coated in a scrummy sugar crunch. There is nothing better . . . well, I say that with tongue in cheek, coz it does so happen that if you sandwich them together in pairs with some jam or jelly in the middle (strawberry and raspberry being my favourites) or even with some nutella in between . . . they do get even more incredibly moreishly scrummily irresistable!!!

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



*Peanut Butter Cookies*
Makes 4 dozen, but they freeze very well
Printable Recipe

This is the peanutbutter cookie recipe that I have been making for years and years. The perfect after school treat with a glass of cold milk. They are also very good sandwiched together in pairs with strawberry or raspberry jam or nutella! Oh so scrummy!

6 1/2 ounces vegetable shortening (1 cup)
7 ounces caster sugar (1 cup)
8 ounces soft light brown sugar (1 cup, packed)
2 large free range eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
9 1/2 ounces peanut butter (smooth or crunchy) (1 cup)
12 3/4 ounces plain flour (3 cups)
2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2 tsp salt
granulated sugar for rolling

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5. Line a couple of baking sheets with some baking parchment. Set aside.

Cream together the shortening, caster sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and peanut butter, until well mixed and fluffy. Whisk together the flour, salt and bicarbonage of soda. Stir this into the creamed mixture, mixing it in well. Put some granulated sugar into a bowl. (You'll only need about 4 TBS) Roll spoonful's of the batter into balls and then roll them in the granulated sugar. Place on the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least an inch in between. Using a fork, press them down in a criss cross design.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

 (Teisen Gaws Gymreig)
Makes 12

 

Nigel, Nigel . . . Nigel . . . we have to stop meeting like this. My husband is soon going to start suspecting something is going on . . . and he would be right. I am in love . . . with anything that comes from the kitchen or culinary mind of Nigel Slater . . . he is a man who thinks, breathes and lives and eats food with much the same passion of myself. I'd even go so far as to say we are twins . . . truly. We must have been separated at birth.



Cheesecake has always been something that I could kind of take or leave. On a scale between one and ten, it falls somewhere about a 5 or a 6. There are other desserts which I have always favoured far more . . . until now, that is!!

If you only make one dessert this year . . . let it be THIS one!



Imagine crunchy buttery shortbread biscuit crumbs . . . layered in a pretty glass between an unctuously billowy and rich cheese filling composed of sweetened whipped cream, rich mascarpone cheese and delightfully creamy philadelphia cream cheese, delicately flavoured with orange zest and vanilla. Full fat and why not! In for a penny in for a pound!



Now top that moreish combination with the wonderful tang of early spring rhubarb, lightly poached and sweetened with a touch of honey (my own addition and I just know Nigel is saying right now to himself . . . why didn't I think of that???) and more orange zest. Oh soooooooo scrummy!!



I could quite happily never eat anything else but this for the rest of my life . . . but then again, I am quite fickle, and when next month's Sainsbury's magazine pops through my post box, I will be waxing raphsodic about another Nigel creation . . . I am sure. You probably don't want to know how many calories are in this one!

Ladies and gentlemen may I present . . . Cheesecake in a glass with rhubarb syrup. Try not to all gasp at once!



*Cheesecake in a Glass with Rhubarb Syrup*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

If you only make one dessert this year . . . let this be the one! Easily made the day before (without the topping). Top with the rhubarb just before serving.

Crumbs:
50g of butter (1/4 cup)
200g shortbread type of biscuits, made into fine crumbs (about 2 cups)

For the cheese filling:
350ml of double cream (1 1/3 cups whipping cream)
150g of caster sugar (2/3 cup)
250g of mascarpone cheese (1 cup)
300g of soft cream cheese (1 1/4 cup)
the finely grated zest of an unwaxed orange
1/4 tsp vanilla

For the rhubarb topping:
450g of rhubarb (1 pound)
150g of caster sugar (2'3 cup)
1 TBS honey
the finely grated zest of 1/2 unwaxed orange

First make the crumbs. You want the biscuits really crushed fine. (A biscuit is a cookie.) Melt the butter and mix it together with the biscuit crumbs. Set aside.

Measure the cream along with the sugar into a large bowl. Whisk with a balloon whisk just until it begins to thicken. Do not over whip as you will have problems. Fold in the mascarpone cheese and cream cheese, along with the orange zest and vanilla. Set aside.

Wash the rhubarb and trim. Cut into 1 inch lengths. Place into a large pan along with the sugar, orange zest, honey and 4 TBS water. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and gently poach the rhubarb until softened. This will take about 15 minutes or so. Remove the rhubarb with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Bring the juices back to the boil and reduce until it is thick and syrupy. Watch carefully as you don't want it to burn or disappear. Set aside to cool.

Spoon a tablespoon of the cheese mixture into the bottoms of some pretty glasses. Top with 1/3 of the crumbs. Spoon half of the remaining cheese mixture over top. Top with 1/3 of the crumbs. Add the remaining cheese mixture, once again spooning it on top. sprinkle with the remainder of the crumbs. Divide the poached rhubarb between all the glasses and spoon it on top of the crumbs. Drizzle with a bit of the rhubarb syrup. Serve.

I've been wanting to do a giveaway for a while now. When I started this blog in May of 2009, I had no idea of how big it would grow. I simply wanted a place to be able to talk about my experiences cooking over here in the UK . . . the new tastes I was exploring, the different foods and cooking methods, the traditional and the not so traditional . . . that first month I didn't do that many posts, but I did share some tasty recipes such as Heuvos Rancheros and Fish and Chips . . . you can see that very early on I had a very distinct way of looking at this beautiful melting pot we call the UK and it's cuisine!

After almost 2 years, some 608 posts (including this one) and as many recipes, almost a million hits and a readership that has gone from strength to strength and is now nearing a thousand I thought it was about time I did a giveaway to show my thanks for all the lovin you have shown me over the past months and the inspiration. If it wasn't for you, my lovely readers, I just wouldn't be doing what I am doing and loving it oh so much!

I was going to wait until my followers hit 1000, but heck, I just can't wait. It's close, but not that close and I want to give you something now!



I am giving away a lovely baking set which consistes of a tasty little cookbook, "Cupcakes2 by Sue McMahon. It is filled with over 80 tasty recipes for all occasions and tastes . . . scrummy cupcake such as . . .



Pina Coloda Cupcakes . . . oh so yummy . . . and containing all the flavours of a true Pina Colada!
There are these yummy Banana and Toffee Cupcakes . . . and a whole host of other tasty ideas!



Not only am I giving away this delicious cookbook, but I am also throwing in some really cute cupcake wrappers (complete with adorable little cupcake pick) and a box of hundreds and thousands to decorate them with! What is a cupcake without some pretty decorations? They are a must!



Not only that, but I am also throwing in a set of Typhoon Cooking Scales, so that you North Americans can truly follow along with the weight measurements of my recipes, although to be sure I will still be converting them like I already do! (Never fear!)



To get in on the Giveaway all you have to do is to leave me a comment at the end of this post letting me know that you are one of my followers. I'll give you a week to do so and then on Friday the 4th of March at midnight I will draw one lucky name and then will send all these goodies off to you asap.

You don't need to live in the UK. You can live anywhere in the world. I only ask that you be a follower. Easy Peasy Lemon Squeasy!

And in the meantime here is that tasty banana cupcake recipe. I'm afraid that when I went to make them I had no evaporated milk in my cupboard! (How did that happen????) I ended up just frosting them with buttercream . . . but they were rather scrummy even without that Toffee Topping . . . mmm . . . mmm . . . good!



*Banana and Toffee Cupcakes*
Makes 12 small ones or 8 medium ones
Printable Recipe

I love it when I have black bananas on the countertop. It means I can bake tasty things like these delicious cupcakes!

3 1/2 ounces of butter, softened (7.06 TBS)
3 1/2 ounces of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup plus 1 TBS firmly packed)
2 medium free range eggs
3 1/2 ounces of self raising flour (1 cup, less 2 TBS)
1 ripe banana, peeled and mashed

for the topping:
1 quantity of toffee topping (see below)
3 to 4 TBS of chocolate flavour sprinkles.

You will need one 12 hole bun tin lined with paper liners.

Preheat the oven to 190*C/375*F/ gas mark 5.

Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy. Sift in the flour and add the eggs, beating all together until the mixture is smooth. Fold in the mashed banana. Divide the mixture equally amongst the paper cases. Bake in the centre of the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, until the cakes have risen and are just firm to the touch in the centre. Remove from the oven and tip out onto a wire rack to cool.

For the topping, spread some toffee topping over the top of each cupcake and scatter on some chocolate decorations.



*Toffee Topping*
Makes enough for 12 standard cupcakes

3 1/2 ounces of butter (7.06 TBS)
4 1/2 ounces condensed milk (evaporated milk. a generous half cup)
2 ounces caster sugar (1/4 cup)
1 TBS golden syrup (can use corn syrup)


Place the butter in a large bowl and melt it in the microwave for 30 to 40 seconds. Stir in the condensed milk, sugar and golden syrup. Cook in the microwave for 4 to 7 minutes on high, stirring at the end of every minute, until it is pale golden colour. Leave the topping to cool and thicken slightly, then spread ocer the cupcakes using a palate knife.

Alternately you can cook it in a saucepan for 4 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly sso that it doesn't stick!

Giveaway closed!