The Cheese Bar London: Making the world a cheddar place one dish at a time. Last Friday, I headed up to Camden Market to get my BRIEyonce on and stuff myself full of cheese.
The Cheese Bar, Camden Market
Why Vegans Should Eat Oysters: One perspective
By definition, vegans do not eat animals and do not use animal products. However, one product that many modern-day-vegans would happily digest and use guilt-free is honey. So there, definition broken. Animal products eaten and consumed while veganism remains valid.
Continue reading “Why Vegans Should Eat Oysters: One perspective”
Darcie & May Green, Paddington
A recent discovery sailed right into the top spot for me and since visiting I have become slightly obsessed. (Booking brunch before even finishing dinner sort of obsessed.) Continue reading “Darcie & May Green, Paddington”
The Ultimate guide to Islay and Jura’s whisky distilleries
From beautiful beaches to sobering mountains and wild landscapes, together Islay and Jura provide a truly memorable Scottish Isle experience. Continue reading “The Ultimate guide to Islay and Jura’s whisky distilleries”
Top eats in Queenstown, New Zealand
If you are after fine dining, authentic Pacific cuisine or a cheap but delicious place to eat, New Zealand’s adventure hub will step up to the challenge.
Beetroot Hummus
The Mt. Vic Chippery, Wellington
As an island nation, it is unsurprising that in New Zealand – similar to in the UK – fish and chips can be found in abundance. Continue reading “The Mt. Vic Chippery, Wellington”
Fidel’s Cafe, Cuba Street, Wellington
Sitting at the top, Fidel’s Cafe seems to epitomise Wellington’s Cuba Street. Serving top-notch Havana coffee in a bohemian setting and via laid back staff who refreshingly actually look to be having fun, Fidel’s certainly does exude a revolutionary spirit when compared to many of the capital’s other eateries. Perhaps a fitting ode to its namesake.
White Chocolate Banana Cupcakes with Salted Caramel Sauce
We’ve all been there; you buy a fresh bunch of bananas with all the best intentions, turn your back for five minutes only to find them looking a little sorry for themselves.
Instead of looking on such a sad state of affairs with an air or dismay, instead I see this all too common kitchen occurrence as an opportunity to get creative. This is how this recipe for my white chocolate salted caramel muffins was born:
Makes 12
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
For the cupcakes:
3 ripe bananas
85g butter
2 eggs
120g light brown sugar
1tsp Nutmeg
1tsp Cinnamon
1tsp Vanilla bean paste
Bicarbonate of soda
260g Self raising flour
70g white chocolate – chopped up
For the caramelised bananas
2 ripe bananas – sliced
Icing sugar to coat
For the salted caramel sauce
75g butter
200g Light brown sugar
300ml Double cream
METHOD
Begin by preheating your oven to 160°C.
Start by mashing your bananas until pulped. To this add your butter and sugar and using either a manual or electric whisk and cream together until light and fluffy. Next add your eggs individually, ensuring they are well combined before adding the next. Then whisk through your vanilla bean paste. Regular vanilla essence will also work just as well.
Once all the eggs have been added, sift in your flour, bicarbonate of soda, nutmeg and cinnamon and fold into the banana mix. Finally stir through your white chocolate chips. Once you are happy that the batter is smooth, evenly divide the cake mixture between 12 cupcake cases. When each have been filled, gently tap the cupcake tray on a hard surface to knock the air our – this will ensure an even rise.
Place your cakes on the middle shelf of your cooker and bake for around 25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Once baked, remove and let cool on a wire rack.
To caramelise the sliced bananas, simply place some icing sugar in a bowl and coat each banana slice. Placing these onto a baking tray, simply bake at 160°C for around 10 minutes or until they are bubbling. Before they cool completely place them on top of your cakes – be careful as they will be hot, but if you wait for them to cool they will become stuck to the baking tray.
Finally to make the salted caramel sauce, simply melt your butter and sugar in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Once all the sugar has dissolved, let the mixture bubble for a few minutes before slowly adding your cream. When adding your cream, be sure to mix continually so not to solidify or cause the sugar to crystallize. Once in, let the caramel simmer for a further five minutes, add a generous pinch of salt and let cool.
Once everything has cooled slightly, simply pour the caramel into a serving jug, pour over the cupcakes and your away! Banana heaven!
And voila, over ripened banana crisis averted!
An Ode to ‘Drizzle’ – Blood Orange, Cardamom and Pomegranate
Published by Crumbs Magazine, to view published version, click here.
‘Drizzle’ is a word not commonly associated with joy; reminiscent of grey, damp and generally miserable days. However, when immediately followed with the holy grail of words – cake – we then find ourselves faced with one very benevolent exception: A bright, syrupy and sticky citrous loaf – a very honorable exception indeed!
So, in what follows is my own take on the delightful teatime treat, the humble drizzle cake. This recipe also serves as a fine celebration of the blood orange, which, every January, seems to burst onto our shelves just in the nick of time. Restoring some promise of sunshine into our lives. Combine this with cardamom and pomegranate and your onto a winner. A perfect ode to the much loved and sorely missed (come late April) Blood Orange which is now sadly entering into the dusk of its seasonality.
Blood Orange and Cardamom Drizzle Cake with a Pomegranate Glaze
INGREDIENTS
For the cake
200g of Butter – softened
200g of Self-Raising Flour
200g of Light Brown Muscovado Sugar
Zest and Juice of 1 Blood Orange
3 Eggs
6 Cardamom Pods – deseeded
2tbsp of Natural Yogurt
A Pinch of Salt
For the syrup
50g of Caster Sugar
Zest and Juice of 1 Blood Orange
3 Cardamom Pods – crushed
For the glaze
Juice of half and Pomegranate
250g Icing Sugar
METHOD
Begin by preheating your oven to 180°C and lining a loaf tin with baking paper or a liner.
Using an electric whisk, or a manual one, cream together the butter and sugar. For this recipe I like to use light brown Muscovado sugar as I think it works well with the blood orange and give a caramel twist to the cake. Caster sugar will also work though! Once creamed, add the eggs one by one whisking well after each addition.
After the eggs have been combines, sieve in the flour and salt and mix well. Following, grate in the zest and add the juice of the blood orange, add the seeds from the cardamom, the yogurt and whisk together.
Pour the mixture and place in the oven for around 45 minutes to bake, or until a skewer or knife comes out clean.
Whilst your loaf is baking, make the syrup. Simply, combine all the syrup ingredients in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. The sugar will melt and the juice will begin to bubble. Allow to simmer for around five minutes on a medium heat until the mixture has thickened and reduced by half. Set aside.
When your cake is ready, carefully remove from the tin once letting it sit for 5 minutes. You don’t want to let it cool fully as if it is allowed to do so the syrup will not seep right through. Once it is out of its tin, taking a skewer (or a chopstick, or knife) poke the cake all over – in rows of around 5 insertions. This is key as it will ensure the syrup goes right through the cake to leave you with the wet, sticky sponge you’re after!
Next, place the cake onto a chopping board or plate and pour the syrup over the top. Be very careful as your syrup will be hot! Now leave to cool.
To make the glaze, juice half a pomegranate and gradually add the icing sugar. It is important to slowly add the sugar to ensure your glaze is smooth.
Once your cake is cool, drizzle this mixture over the top allowing it to drip down the sides. Once the glaze has set slightly, very carefully transfer your drizzle cake to a preferred serving dish, or leave where it is and enjoy the run offs!
And voila! One sticky, gooey loaf of pure blood orange drizzle joy!
A little Tasty 