Valentines Cakes for the WI

Mum decided that she wanted to do some valentines themed cakes to take with her to the WI meeting.  By gone 3 in the afternoon, she had baked the cakes, been shopping and decided that she didn't have time to 'titivate' them, so asked me to do it.  I already had the coloured sugarpaste - some that I had coloured earlier in the best Blue Peter tradition.  Luckily.  The are quite simple and straight forward to do.  Just have three heart cutters, different sizes.  Stick them on top of each other as shown and Voila!

The hearts are resting on a bed of vanilla buttercream.  I sprinkled the tops with a red and diamond white dust for extra shimmer.  The cakes went down very well!

Princess Dress and A Baking Non-Starter

I have finished Mary-Jane's 'Summer Tee'!  I actually finished it at Woodlands yesterday, at the knitting group.  I am pleased with it.  The next one needs tweaking, especially around the neckline, to make it smaller, so it can be worn on it's own when it is warmer.  Mary-Jane was thrilled to bits with it when I showed it to her.  Her little face lit up and she called it 'my princess dress'.  She then began pulling at the dress she had on, so she could put her new princess dress on.  It definitely needs a t shirt underneath it.  And as she is thrilled with it, then I am doubly thrilled.

The Princess Dress.  It has so much potential.  And it takes no time at all to do.

My princess in her princess dress today, with Daddy's shoes.  The hem rolls up somewhat, that is another thing I want to work on for next time.  Still, it looks good, she looks good in it and she likes to wear it.  Happy Happy Happy!

I have now cast on a 22.5 degrees shawl for her.  It is designed by Martina Behm and the pattern can be found free on Ravelry.  I am using James C Brett Moonlight Sonata, in greens.  It's coming together nicely at the moment, and the stitch count is increasing.  It's a v shaped scarf/shawl.  One stitch is cast on either end of every row and there are two yarn overs either side of the centre stitch every third row.  There is a scalloped edging.  I think I have my head around how to do it, it's a new edging stitch to me.  There will be plenty yarn left over, so I may make myself one, or something similar.  It is a 100g ball, with 500m in double knit.

 

Last night was WI comittee night.  When I got back, I did feel drained, and had an early night.  It was the firt night in a while that Mary-Jane actually slept through.  She did have a few cries in her sleep, but nothing that warrented us going in to us.  Fingers crossed she is breaking this cycle of screaming for us when she wakes in the night.

 

Tomorrow night is WI Main Meeting (as I call it).  I hope I shall not be as drained.  I even had a nap this afternoon, on the sofa.  MJ got my lap blanket and put it over me.  I was going to bake this afternoon - and use my new tin with the hidden heart.  I was missing a few tactical ingredients, soured cream, chocolate and icing sugar.  If Tesco wasn't so far away, I would have nipped out and got the stuff.  There is the Co-op but I would be paying top dollar for items.  I quitely had my bottom lip out.  And I was kicking myself, as I was walking around Tesco this morning (HK had an appointment in Whitehaven, so MJ and I had a wander around Tesco to kill time) I thought about getting two of the three things at least, but decided against it as I didn't want to buy without specific reason.  I am trying to use and run down a lot of my baking things, so that I can build up with fresh.  So flippin typical that the cake, filling and topping I decided to do today, contains the things that I decided not to buy.  So yes, I did sulk somewhat to myself!  I thought about baking some biscuits, but by that point, I just thought 'Nah, not today'.

Moist Rhubarb Cake

I have been busy in the kitchen again today.  For lunch I made parsnip soup.  The natural sweetness of the parsnips came through beautifully.  It was a simple soup - 500g parsnips, three small potatoes, two small onions, two veggie oxo cubes and about a 1.5lt water, though a little less would have worked just as well.  What needed to be peeled and chopped was, then oxo cubes and water added to pan, followed by the veg.  Cook until veg is soft.  Allow to cool slightly, then blend/ puree till smooth.  Re-warm slightly and serve. Delicious.

The Cake - I got some rhubarb a few days ago from Morrisons.  I wanted to do more than just a pie or crumble, as much as what I love these dishes.  I have done a couple of different rhubarb cakes before, this one is a slight variation and tastes just as good.  I have modified the original recipe, so here it is -


Moist Rhubarb Cake

• 50g butter
• 300g soft dark brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 300g plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarb soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 250ml soured cream
• 400-500g chopped rhubarb
• 5tbsp caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1. Preheat oven at 180c/gm4. Grease and line a 8x11" tin
2. Cream together butter and brown sugar.  Beat in egg and vanilla extract
3. Sift together flour, bicarb and salt.  Gradually add to mix
4. Fold in soured cream, then rhubarb.  Spoon into baking tin
5. Bake for 40 mins or until skewer comes out clean

Notes

• This could be enjoyed warm with either ice cream or a warm nutmeg cream
• It can be baked in a glass dish if being served straight away as a desert/pudding
• If it is to be eaten as cake, the lining is important as you will be using this to carefully extract the cake from the tin - you can't turn it out as normal as all the sugar will fall off!
• I am using a fan oven, I think it would be best to have the temp 5-10 degrees lower and have it in for the full 40 minutes.  Obviously check if it is cooked before taking it out of the oven.  A good working relationship with your oven is always a good thing!
• I used a molasses sugar - black sugar I think it is known as in the US.  It gave a lovely darm brown colour, which highlights the pinkness of the rhubarb.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

 

Mary-Jane has been playing with her bricks, with help from Daddy.  She made a table and a chair each for Mr Snuggles and Sock Monkey.



She and HK have been very tired again today.  Mary-Jane woke twice in the night, crying then screaming.  The second time she was curled up in her bed, screaming for Daddy.  I think we are going to have to take a tougher stance on this night time screaming, and literally let her scream till she stops and not go into her.  This approach has worked in the past before.  But the screaming is very taxing on the nerves, especially when you're very tired.  We shall overcome!

 

I went to see the GP today for the results of my blood test.  Everything (that they tested for) is fine and back to normal, as I expected it would be.  I no longer have to go back, unless I get badly again.  One bit of good news.  Shame they couldn't find out where or what was infected in the first place.

A New Book and A New Project

I have had a relaxing morning knitting and chatting at Fobbles.  I cast on a new project - a Summer Tee for Mary-Jane.  But why a new project only days after starting the Tulip Cardi?  When I dressed MJ this morning, I put her 'Little Sister' jumper/tunic/tee on her, over a t-shirt.  I thought I was taking a gamble with an knitted item at the moment as she has screamed blue murder when I have tried to put something hand made on her.  Today she loved it, calling it 'my scarf'.  I didn't have the heart to tell her it wasn't a scarf, she was too happy telling me it was warm and cosy.  We came down stairs, HK sorted her breakfast and I dived into my pattern collection.  I knew I had the pattern.  I found it easily.  The biggest size was to fit a 2 year old, too small for her.  I don't have the brain power at the moment to grade the pattern to fit her.  I searched Ravelry to find a similar one that would fit her.  I found one, very much the same in principle.  I had some mixed orange yarn in the drawer, so off I went.

 

I do have reservations whether the neck line may be too big for her, we shall see.  And I shall have to be prepared to frog and re-start.  I can also start thinking about making this pattern 'mine' and making alterations and adaptations.  When I have the head space.  The yarn is knitting up more pleasanter than what I thought it would do.  No pictures as yet.

 

By the time I got back I was feeling quite jaded and in need of rest.  I sat for a bit, had a bite to eat then had the brain wave of doing the weekly shop now, rather than in the morning, so I wouldn't be rushing - I have a GP appt in the afternoon.  Off we went.  I was struggling on the way back with the driving and was very glad it wasn't any longer a journey.

 

I also made a decision not to go to Sugarcraft this term.  I think, at the moment, it would be too much for me.  Come evening time I have no particular energy to do much at all.  The prospect of doing a 37 mile round trip and sitting in a class for two hours, is a bit too much.  Plus I am way behind with the work and would have difficulty catching up.  Mounting pressure that I don't need currently.  I do need to continue with it, and set myself small projects and try out new techniques of cake decorating.

 

I have already put some of the course fees to good use.  I have had arrive today, Jo Wheatley's 'A Passion For Baking'.  Jo was the winner of the second The Great British Bake Off.  Her book was not due out till March or April time.  However Sainsbury's had an exclusive and are selling the book now, cheaper than even Amazon.  I have looked through about half the book so far and I am liking it.  It is not another baing book full of cake recipes.  It is divided into baking for meals (baking not cooking).  Quite a few things have caught my eye to try.

 

Mary-Jane had a better night last night.  She awoke only once just after 11.  She came onto our bed for a bit, then went back to her own bed and stayed there till morning.  She hasn't slept through for, well not since I have been back from the hospital.  Fingers and toes crossed for tonight.  She is also a bit snuffly and has a cold coming on.  HK is feeling the effects of many nights poor sleep, and I feel for him.  MJ tends to cling to him when she is sleeping with us, so he gets the short straw.  I suppose it all comes with the territory really!

Banoffee Cupcakes

Monday's Baking Offering was Banoffee Cupcakes.  There are many variations on this cupcake, as you can imagine.  I like this one for taste and texture.  The frosting can be piped, but I was getting past needing a sit down and a rest, so it went on by palette knife.  There was some frosting left over, so the quantities are only guidelines - your taste dependant! It is also a good way to use up the rest of the tin of Carnation Caramel, after making the White Chocolate Brownies.





Banoffee Cupcakes

Makes 12

• 2 very ripe bananas
• 125g self raising flour
• 100g butter
• 2 eggs
• 1tsp baking powder
• 12 tsp Carnation Caramel

Frosting

• 100g Carnation Caramel
• 300g icing sugar
• 85g butter
• Sliced banana and chocolate shavings to decorate - optional

1. Preheat oven to 160c fan, 180c.  Put cake papers in tin
2. Mash banana and set aside
3. Add all ingredients to bowl and mix till creamy, fold in bananas
4. Spoon half mix into papers.  Add a spoonful of caramel to each cake, then top up with rest of cake mix
5. Bake for 20 minutes, then cool
6. Beat caramel witih butter and icing sugar, to form thick icing.  Spoon into icing bag with fluted nozzle and pipe onto cake.  Alternatively, use a palette knife.  Drizzle each cake with extra caramel.  Top with sliced banana and chocolate shavings.

Alternative topping is to use melted chocolate instead of caramel - similar to chocolate ganache.

Gull Baby Blanket Finished & White Chocolate Brownies

 I am continuing to gather strength and to busy myself.  Yesterday we went out shopping (only round the supermarkets, nothing to get excited about) for the afternoon.  I was shattered when we got back in.  And we popped out briefly this afternoon.  I managed to do some baking as well - white chocolate brownies - more of this in a bit.

 

At tea time, Mary-Jane said she was cold and wanted to wear a scarf, not a cardi, jumper or coat, but a scarf.  I produced my Green Apple scarf and she was highly delighted.  I put it on her, and she kept it on till bedtime.  I shall rummage out some yarn that is suitable for her and make her one.

 

I have finished the Gull Baby Blanket.  I am very pleased with the outcome.  Tomorrow I start the Tulip Cardi.  With this blanket, I found it seemed to take a while to get going with it, then when I did, whoosh!  It seemed to put itself together and finishing it took no time.

The lace pattern is taken from Elizabeth Zimmemans Knitters Almanac.  It was put into a blanket by Ingrid Aartun Boe - Pine Forest Baby Blanket on Ravelry.  It is a four row repeat, with two rows being good ole purl all the way.


White Chocolate Brownies

250g Caster Sugar
100g butter
100g ready made caramel (Carnation Caramel)
100g white chocolate
2 eggs
200g self raising flour
2       ripe sliced bananas

1. Preheat oven to 160 fan, 180c, gas 4. Line a 20cm square tin.
2. Melt caster sugar, butter, caramel and chocolate together until smooth
3. Cool a little, then add the eggs
4. Fold in the flour, then the bananas
5. Pour into the tin and bake for 45-50 mins till risen and set.

I am using a fan oven, I found 45 minutes a bit too much, a few minutes less will be better next time.  It tastes good, give it a go!

Happiness is a Libby's Tin of Pumpkin

Continuing with getting back into some kind of semblance of a routine, and today being Friday, it was Weekly Shop Day.  It was a little tiring towards the end, but I got it done, all to plan.  Whilst looking for the Birds Dream Topping (another little story) I was completely blown out of the water by what I saw on the shelf - Libby's Pumpkin!  I hope solid means puree,  only opening it will let me know.  I was stunned!  Have Tesco been listening to my thougths and moans?  I am seriously thinking of emailing them and thanking them for stocking it.  There wasn't many tins left on the shelf and I was sorely tempted to get them all, to stock up in case they don't get any more.  Even the recipe on the back is in English English - weights and measures in imperial and metric.  Ah, how the little things in life make me happy.  I am however going to be thoughtfully pre-occupied in getting my hands on some more tins.  HK  has already put in a very strong request for Pumpkin Pie and a Quiche in the next few days, if I don't mind, thank you!  Double Happiness.

Birds Dream Topping -

I treated myself to this cake tin (and I am chuffed with myself as I have never put a picure on here that is not one of my own photos, wooo!), as a bit of a Get Better Me treat.  The recipes are, naturally in American English.  This no longer daunts me, saying that I did need some help with Transatlantic translation for a couple of things.   One was frozen whipped desert.  The nearest thing to this over here is Birds Dream Topping.  Alternatively I have been advised that I could use double/whipped cream with sugar to get the right consistency.  It is to go in the middle of the cake, for the heart filling.  One good thing leads to another.  If I wasn't looking for the dream topping, I wouldn't have found the Pumpkin.

 

The tin is from Wiltonby the way.  I'm getting quite a liking for their cake tins, as you know!