Lemon Drizzle Cake

My version of lemon drizzle cake doesn't have the gritty white crystallised sugar crust over the top of it. Instead the glaze totally penetrates the cake making in very lemony and moist and totally irresistible.

Lemon Drizzle Cake

225g Butter (unsalted, softened)

225g Caster Sugar

4 Eggs

2 Lemons (zest and juice)

225g Self Raising Flour

85g Caster Sugar

• Preheat the oven to Gas 4/180 C/350 F and grease and line a loaf tin.
• Beat together the butter and sugar (225g) until pale.
• Slowly add the eggs, one at a time whilst still beating the mixture.
• Sift in the flour and fold into the mixture.
• Add the lemon zest and mix to combine.
• Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin and smooth out.
• Bake for 50-55 minutes until golden brown and the skewer comes out clean.
• Once cooled, set aside to cool.
• Whilst cooling, mix the 85g of caster sugar with the lemon juice and mix thoroughly.
• Skewer the cake all over and then spoon the lemon syrup over to soak into the cake.
• Leave the cake for a good hour to soak up all the juice.
• Slice and serve.

Soda Bread

This lovely, quickto make bread, is lovely to make first thing in the morning. Not only does it make your house have that warming bakery smell, but it gives you the most delicious breakfast when eaten warm slathered in butter and jam.

Soda Bread

350g Plain Flour (plus extra for dusting)

150g Wholemeal Flour

1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

40g Butter (melted)

1 tbsp Treacle

320ml Buttermilk

• Preheat the oven to Gas 6/200 C/400 F make sure the oven shelf is at the highest level and line a baking try with a square of parchment.
• In a large bowl, place both flours, salt and bicarbonate of soda and mix together.
• Make a well in the centre of the flour and ad the melted butter, treacle and buttermilk and mix to a dough.
• Tip the dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or 2, then roll into a smooth ball.
• Place the dough onto the baking tray and flatten slightly.
• Using a wooden spoon handle, push the handle into the dough (almost all the way through) to form a indented cross shape.
• Dust the top of the dough with a little flour then bake for 30-40 minutes until brown.

This bread only lasts a day or so and is always good for making toast.

Fig and Cream Cheese Tart

Thanks to the wonderful Lorraine Pascale and her fabulous Baking Made Easy book, I made this wonderful Fig Tart for dessert yesterday. Like with many recipes, you can mix and match the fruit, nuts and alcohol to whatever combination you like but give the fig a go, it is delicious.

Fig and Cream Cheese Tart

1 Quantity for sweet shortcrust pastry (either bought or make your own. Approx 500g)

260ml Cream (whipping or double)

3 Big Squeezes Runny Honey

1 1/2 Tbsp Sherry

165g Cream Cheese

12-16 Figs (fresh, cut into 6 wedges)

1 Handful Pistachios (roughly chopped)

Plain Flour for dusting

• Preheat the oven to Gas 4/180 C/350 F and grease and line a 20x30 cm fluted tin
• Roll out the pastry to about 4-5 mm thick and line the baking tin (use a small ball of excess pastry to push the pastry into the corners and the flutes. If the pastry tears or cracks, just patchwork it together with some excess pastry). Leave a small amount of pastry to over hang the top, prick the base a few times and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
• Remove from the fridge and line with a piece of greaseproof paper (scrunch up the paper first to make it more manipulable)
• Top with baking beans and bake blind for 20 minutes take out the beans and greaseproof and bake for a further 5 minutes until if feels sandy.
• Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
• For the filling, put the cream in a bowl and whip to a thick consistency.
• Fold in the cream cheese, honey and sherry.
• Spoon the filling into the tart shell then top with the fig wedges and scatter the pistachios.

Pear and Saffron Chutney

This is a delicious chutney and goes really well with cold cuts and pate. Like all chutneys, the flavours get better and better if you leave it to mature for a week or two.

Pear and Saffron Chutney

2 Onions (medium, finely diced)

4 Apples (medium, peeled, cored and diced)

1.2kg Conference Pears (firm, peeled, cored and diced)

2 Oranges (zest of 1, juice of 2)

200g Golden Raisins

300ml White Wine Vinegar

350g Caster Sugar

1 Fresh Ginger (thumb sized, grated)

2 Cinnamon Sticks

1 Nutmeg (small, grated)

1 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Pinch Saffron (good pinch infused in 1-2 tbsp warm water)

• In a large heavy based saucepan, put all of the ingredients EXCEPT the pears, saffron and sugar and simmer (stirring regularly) for 5 minutes until the liquid is reduced by half.
• Add the saffron and sugar and cook for 5 minutes
• Add the pears and simmer very slowly for 1 1/2 hours until thick and syrupy.
• Put into sterilised jars whilst still fairly hot.

Plum Streusel

Thank you to the lovely recipe bods at Good Food magazine i made this absolutely gorgeous plum streusel traybake. Not only is it amazing on its own but with a big dollop of extra thick double cream flavoured with a dash of Disaronno it is a taste of heaven.

Plum Streusel

250g Butter (cold and cubed)

225g Caster Sugar

300g Ground Almonds

140g Plain Flour

25g Plain Flour

2 Eggs

1tsp Ground Cinnamon

1tsp Baking Powder

6 Plums (cut into sixths)

50g Flaked Almonds

• Preheat the oven to Gas 4/180 C/350 F
• Grease and line a brownie pan approx 20 x 30 cm
• Put the ground almonds, butter and sugar into a food processor and blitz to a "breadcrumb" consistency
• Spoon out half of the mixture into a separate bowl and set aside
• Add the 140g of flour to the processor and blitz to a rough dough
• Tip the dough into the prepared tin and flatten down with your hands making an even layer (make sure you get right into the corners)
• Bake the base for 20 minutes or until golden then allow to cool
• Put all but 2-3 tbsp of the mixture in the bowl back into the processor (leave the couple of tablespoons of mixture to one side for the topping)
• Add the eggs, 25g flour, baking powder and cinnamon to the processor and whiz until a batter is formed.
• Pour the batter over the cooled base.
• Sprinkle the plum slices all over the batter and sprinkle a little extra sugar if you want too
• Bake for 20 minutes
• Sprinkle the remaining 2-3 tbsp of mixture and the flaked almonds over the plums and bake for another 20 minutes until golden brown
• Allow to cool before serving

Very happy eating

Lardy Cake

Now don't let the name put you off. This cross between a sweet bread and cake is pure indulgence. It takes a bit of time to make but only seconds to demolish and then you'll want to make it all over again.

Lardy Cake

225g Plain Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

1tsp Ground Mixed Spice

3.5g Easy-bake Yeast (1/2 a 7g sachet)

1 Egg (beaten)

125 ml Milk (warmed)

125g Lard (cold and cubed)

125g Butter (cold and cubed)

125g Caster Sugar

100g Currants

For Glaze

1-2tbsp Milk

3tbsp Caster Sugar

3tbsp Water (boiling)

• Grease a cake tin (approx 20 cm in size). Make sure the tin is NOT a spring form tin but an all in 1 tin otherwise all the lovely butter will leak out and make a terrible mess in your oven)
• In a large bowl sift in the flour, salt and mixed spice.
• Add the yeast and make a well in the centre.
• Mix the beaten egg with the milk and pour into the well.
• Mix to a dough and knead for 10 minutes until smooth.
• Put dough back in the bowl, cover with cling and leave in a warm place for at least 1 hour until doubled in size.
• Knock the air out of the dough and knead for a couple of minutes.
• Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a rough rectangle shape (approx 25x15cm).
• Divide the lard, butter, sugar and currants into 3 equal portions.
• Sprinkle 1 portion on the lard, butter, sugar and currants over 2/3 of the dough.
• Fold the bottom/uncovered 1/3 of dough to cover half of the currant mixture.
• Then fold over again to cover all of the currant mixture, making 3 layers (like folding a letter for an envelope)
• Turn the dough a 1/4 of a turn and use the rolling pin to first seal the ends then to roll out again into a similar sized rectangle.
• Repeat this process two more times to use up the remaining 2 potions of currants, butter, lards and sugar, turning and sealing the edges each time.
• At the last time of rolling, roll out to the size of your cake tin
• Loosely cover again with cling and leave to double in size.
• Preheat the oven to Gas 6/200 C/400 F
• Slash the top of the cake to create a diamond effect and brush with the milk glaze.
• Bake for 25 minutes until golden
• Mix the water and boiling water together until sugar has dissolved
• Pour all over the cake and bake for a further 5-8 minutes
• Allow to cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes before turning out and allowing all the sugary glaze drip over the cake.

Happy indulging

Sorry- Normal service will resume.... NOW!

As usual, the course of giving birth never runs smoothly. My beautiful little nephew was born on Friday but the littles holes in his heart (that all babies have before birth), haven't healed properly. So, things have been little chaotic for the last few days as i've been on babysitting duties so that my sister and her husband can stay at the hospital and sort out my nephew.

Good news is that it looks like everything is beginning to heal nicely now and they are letting him home. This then releases me from babysitting and allows me back into my lovely kitchen...YAY!!

So above are some of the recipes i've made over the last couple of days (in between child minding duties) I hope you enjoy them.

xxx

Baby Nephew Arrives

Hi everyone,

I know I promised to update you today with my lovely recipes for Lardy cake and soda bread (which amazingly I did find time to make) but after 2 days of on and off labour for my sister and on and off babysitting by me to my niece, my little nephew put in an appearance.

So I promise tomorrow I will have all my lovely recipes and pictures for you to see and try and maybe a few more that I make in celebration for my little nephew.

Also, there is always room for your ideas and comments on my blog and i'd love to hear what you think or to share some of your wonderful recipes.

Have a lovely weekend all

xxx

Bake free day

It doesn't happen often that my lovely kitchen gets totally neglected but today was one of those days.

Between taking my old cat (about 17 years old) to the vets and then babysitting my niece, as her mum (my sister) is in labour with baby no.2, the day has just whizzed passed.

I promise that tomorrow i'll have lots of lovely recipes to share with you including Lardy Cake (sounds nasty but tastes amazing), cookies and biscuits and some lovely soda bread....well, baby permitting of course.

Happy eating

xxx

Black Forest-ish Cake Slimming World style

Black Forest-ish Cake

6 Eggs

28g Self Raising Flour (sifted)

28g Cocoa Powder (sifted)
9tbsp Sweetener (granulated)

2tsp Vanilla Extract

2 pots MullerLight Cherry Yoghurt

300-400g Cherries (stoned)

4tbsp Fat Free Fromage Frais

• Whisk the egg whites to stiff peaks
• In a separate bowl whisk egg yolks, vanilla and sweetener until well mixed
• Add a 1/4 of the egg white and beat until pale yellow.
• Add the flour and coco powder gradually and fold into the mixture
• Add the rest of the egg whites & fold in carefully
• Pour the batter into 2 cake tins and smooth out with a spoon
• Bake at Gas 5/190 C/375 F for 15-20 minutes checking regularly
• Once baked the cakes should be light and springy
• Take out of the oven and leave to cool for 10 minutes then carefully remove from the cake tins
• Roughly chop the stoned cherries and add 3/4 to a bowl (keeping 1/4 back for the topping)
• Add the 2 pots of cherry yoghurt and fat free fromage frais and mix well
• Sandwich 3/4 of the mixture between the two cakes and the other 1/4 on the top.
• Sprinkle the remaining cherries over the top

All for only 9 syns you can share or be naughty and eat the lot.

Enjoy

Slimming World

As some of you may know, I've been following the Slimming World diet for nearly a year now (well with the odd cheat her and there). this was because the medication I was put on both before and after my transplant made me blow up like a balloon.

Now, 3 stone lighter, I follow the diet during the week and indulge on the weekends to keep a healthy balance.

A lot of my S/W friends have asked my to post my recipes, that follow the diet, so they can give them a go. I hope you enjoy them.

Happy diet eating

x

Crusty Cob Loaf

I just love the smell of freshly baked bread especially on a lovely sunny day like today. All I need now is somebutter and a slab of strong cheddar to make the perfect snack. Yum!

Crusty Cob

500g Strong White Flour

1tbsp Salt

30g Fresh Yeast

40g Butter (softened)

300ml Water (warmed)

Very small handful of flour for dusting

• In a large bowl put flour, salt, yeast (keep separate from the salt) and butter.
• Add 200ml of the water and mix the ingredients to start to combine.
• Add the last 100ml of water and mix thoroughly to form a dough.
• Lightly flour your surface and pop the dough onto it.
• Knead well for a good 5-8 minutes to work the gluten.
• Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rest in a warm place for 2 hours.
• Line a baking tray
• After 2 hours take the dough out of the bowl and shape into a ball.
• Place the ball of dough on the prepared baking tray and leave to rise for 1 hour with a damp tea towel loosely covering it.
• Preheat the oven to Gas7/220 C/425 F
• With a sharp knife, slash the dough a couple of times and dust the top with a little flour.
• Bake for 30 minutes until golden then transfer to a cooling rack.

Mountain Bread

This is another Nigella based recipe with a few tweaks. It is one of the easiest bread recipes there are and absolutely scrummy with Lime Curd (posted under recipe tab)

250ml Milk

250ml Water (warm)

350g Wholemeal Bread Flour

50g Rye Flour

15g Fresh Yeast (or 7g easy bake yeast)

50g Porridge Oats (not instant)

25g Wheat Bran

3tbsp Sunflower Seeds

2tbsp Sesame Seeds

1tbsp Poppy Seeds

• Mix the milk and water together in a jug
• Put all the other ingredients in a bowl (keeping the yeast and salt separate)
• Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix well (will look like mashed up weetabix)
• Butter (well) a loaf tin and add the bread mixture
• Smooth out the mixture and place into a cold oven
• Turn the oven on to Gas 1/4/110 C/225 F and cook the bread for 30 minutes
• After 30 minutes turn the oven up to Gas 4/180 C/350 F and bake for a further 1 hour
• Test the bread by either knocking to hear a hollow sound or using a skewer to see if it comes out clean. If not cooked, put back in the oven for a further 10-15 minutes.

Nigellas Quick Lime Curd

Thanks to the wonderful Nigella Lawson and my fab greengrocer (who had a glut of fruit and veg for me to pickle, conserve and bake with) I made this totally yummy Lime Curd.

75g Butter (unsalted)

3 Eggs (large and beaten)

75g Caster Sugar

125ml Lime Juice

Zest 1 Lime

• Melt butter in a saucepan then take off the heat and allow to cool slightly for a few minutes
• Add all the other ingredients and whisk thoroughly
• Turn the heat back on low and continue to whisk until a thick custard conststancy.
• Allow to cool slightly before filling a sterilised 350ml jar.
• Store in the fridge

....and Lemons

Lemon Meringue Squares

The photo really doesn't do these moreish little morsels justice. Just make them and if there are any left by the end of the day, i'd be surprised.

Base

125g Butter (softened)

75g Caster Sugar

155g Plain Flour (sifted)

Topping

4 Eggs (medium, beaten together)

250g Caster Sugar

4 tbsp Lemon Juice

2tsp Lemon Zest (grated)

30g Plain Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

Icing Sugar for dusting

• Peheat the oven GAs 4/180 C/350 F and grease and line a brownie pan (approx 20 x 30 cm)
• Cream together the butter and sugar for the base, until light and fluffy.
• Fold in the flour and tip the 'dough' into the prepared tin.
• Flatten out the dough until and even cover across the tin (including the corners)
• Bake for 20 minutes until golden then take out of the oven and allow to cool.
• For the filling, beat the eggs until light and fluffy.
• Stir in the lemon juice and zest.
• Sift in the flour and baking powder and slowly whisk into the egg mixture
• Pour batter over the cooled base and bake for 25-30 minutes until firm.
• Leave in the tin to cool, cut into squares and dust with icing sugar

Oranges.....

Blood Orange Semolina Cake

6 Eggs (medium, room temperature and separated)

310g Caster Sugar

2 tsp Grated Blood Orange Zest

4 tbsp Blood Orange Juice

90g Semolina

95g Ground Almonds

2 tbsp Self Raising Flour

4-5 Thin Slices of Blood Orange

• Preheat the oven to Gas 3/170 C/325 F and grease and line a 24 cm cake tin.
• In a large bowl, put the egg yolks, 250g of the sugar, the orange zest and 2 tbsp of the orange juice and whisk for a good 5-8 minutes until thick and pale.
• In a separate bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
• Sift together the semolina, ground almonds and flour in a bowl.
• Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the yolk mixture followed by 1/3 of the semolina mixture.
• Repeat until both the egg whites and semolina mixture are folded in.
• Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 35-45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
• Put the remaining blood orange juice, sugar, orange slices and 125 ml of water in a saucepan.
• Stir carefully over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved then increase the heat and simmer until syrupy in consistency.
• Pour the hot syrup over the cake and place the slices carefully on the top.

Busy Busy!!

Sorry I haven't posted anything up until now. I've been so busy running around here, there and everywhere that more poor kitchen is feeling a little neglected.

I did get a spare hour to knock up a very quick blood orange cake and some lemon squares which I promise to write the recipes for tomorrow. To whet your whistle here are some pics (although they are a little rough looking they were absolutely scrummy)

I need your help

Hello to you all,

I just wanted to thank you for taking time to read my blog. How am I doing? OK?

I was hoping that you lovely people could let your friends and family know about my blog. I'm currently working on my 1st cookbook (it is mainly based upon food post transplant patients like me can eat). As I increase the recipes on my blog, feedback will be absolutely invaluable to me and let me know i'm heading in the right direction.

Thank you again and have a wonderful weekend

Vicky x

Afternoon Tea pt2 Teacakes

These are absolutely delicious toasted with lashing of butter spread all over them. Enjoy

Teacakes

400g Strong White Flour

1 1/2 tsp Salt

40g Caster Sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

50g Butter (softened)

28g Fresh Yeast

200ml Water (warm)

100g Sultanas

35g Mixed Peel

1 Egg (beaten - eggwash)

• In a large bowl, put flour, salt, sugar, yeast*, butter and water and mix thoroughly
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead well for 5 minutes
• Put the dough back into the bowl, cover with clingfilm and put in a warm place to prove for 1 hour
• Line a baking tray and put to one side
• Mix the peel and sultanas into the dough well.
• Pull off chunks of dough approx 75-80g in weight and roll into balls.
• With a rolling pin, flatten each dough ball to be approx 2 cm think.
• Place on the prepared baking tray, cover with a slightly damp tea towel and leave to prove again for 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to Gas 5/ 190 C/375 F
• Brush each teacake with eggwash and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.

Happy Eating

Afternoon Tea pt1 Smoked Cheese Scones

I don't know why, but on such a glorious day like today, with the sun streaming into the house and the sounds of the ducks at the bottom of the garden, afternoon tea sounds like a lovely way to spend a few hours with friends. Here is one of the recipes i've prepared for today.

Smoked Cheese Scones

500g Strong White Flour

28g Caster Sugar

28g Baking Powder

75g Butter (softened)

2 Eggs (medium & beaten)

1 Egg (eggwash)

240 ml Milk

100g Smoked Cheese (grated) -I use Cheeseworks, Smoked Winterdale Shaw

• In a large bowl add flour, sugar, baking powder, butter, milk and beaten eggs and mix together to form a dough.
• Once dough is formed, add just over 3/4 of the cheese and mix into the dough.
• On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 7 minutes until nice and smooth.
• Roll out the dough to 3 cm thick and, using a cutter, cut out the scones.
• Place the scones on a lined baking tray and brush the tops with some of the eggwash.
• Place the scones in the fridge for 30 minutes to relax
• Preheat the oven to Gas 7/220 C/425 F
• Take the scones out of the fridge, brush again with eggwash (try to keep the eggwash on the tops of the scones as the drips down the sides can stop the scones raising evenly) and top with the remaining cheese.
• Bake the scones for 15-20 minutes until golden brown

Happy eating

Sticky Ginger Jamaica Cake

This cake holds lovely memories for me, sitting on a gingham blanket, having a picnic in Manor Park, London. I just love this cake and hope you do to.

225g Self Raising Flour

1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1 tbsp Ground Ginger

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Mixed Spice

115g Butter (unsalted and cubed)

115g Golden Syrup

115g Treacle

115g Dark Muscovado Sugar

275ml Milk

1 Egg (medium)

• Preheat oven to Gas 4/180 C/350 F and grease and line, with greaseproof paper, 1 large or 2 small loaf tins.
• Sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, mixed spice and bicarbonate of soda in a large bowl.
• Add the butter and rub it in until a "breadcrumb" mixture forms
• In a small saucepan, put the sugar and milk together and gently heat until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. Leave to cool slightly
• In another small saucepan, mix the treacle and golden syrup and warm through until runny. Leave to cool slightly.
• Whisk the milk and sugar mixture into the flour followed by the treacle mixture.
• Add the egg (beaten) and whisk to a smooth batter.
• Pour the mixture into your tin(s) and bake for about 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
• Leave to stand for 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack (leaving the greaseproof paper attached to the cake.
• Once cold, wrap in foil or greaseproof and leave overnight. This allows the flavour to develop and the cake become more sticky.

Busy, busy!!!

My kitchen is probably feeling a little neglected today as i've not had much time to bake today (i'm babysitting my 2 year old niece). I have managed to knock up a nice loaf though. I've added the pictures of the bread pudding i've made to the recipe and am will be adding the recipe for my sticky ginger jamaica cake later (once niece is in bed).

I've just been given a wonderful old Cordon Bleu baking book which has some amazing recipes in accompanied by some fab 1970's pictures to show how they should look. I'm going to have a go tomorrow.

Anyway, i'll keep this short and sweet for now and hope to pop on later after niece's bedtime.

Happy eating

xxx

Baking, baking and more baking!

Another day baking in Victoria's Kitchen. I've started by making a lovely seedy loaf, my bread pudding (i'll post the pics with the recipe later) meringues and 2 sticky ginger cakes, and all by 12.30! What a busy girl i've been.

I'll update later with photos and recipes. Happy St Patricks day

xxx

Bread Pudding

This is a fruity, spicy slice that will have you coming back for more.

225g Bread (no crusts)

1/2 pint Milk

170g Mixed Fruit

60g Soft Brown Sugar

60g Suet

2 tsp Mixed Spice

1 Egg (large)

Nutmeg and Sugar to dust

• Break the bread into chunks and soak in a bowl with the milk for 30 minutes
• After 30 minutes beat the bread to a smooth paste
• Add the fruit, sugar, suet, spice and egg and mix well
• Pour into a brownie tin (approx 20cm x30cm) and dust with a little ground nutmeg
• Bake in a preheated oven at Gas 4/180 C/350 F for 1-1 1/2 hours until nicely browned on top.
• Cool in the tin, sprinkle with sugar
• Once cool, cut into squares and tuck in.

Cinnamon Cookies

For such a simple recipe, these are some on the most delicious cookies i've eaten.

180g Caster Sugar

120g Butter (softened)

1 Egg (large)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

180g Flour

1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon (ground)

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/4 tsp Salt

Cinnamon sugar for dusting

• Cream together the butter and sugar then beat in the egg and vanilla
• Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt then add to the wet ingredients.
• Mix well to form a dough then wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Pull off walnut sized chunks of dough and roll in the cinnamon sugar
• Place on a lined baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven Gas 4/180 C/350F for 10 minutes.
• Allow to cool on the baking for 5 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.

Treacle Sponge

I haven't made this for a while but this is just the pudding for a cold foggy day like today (especially with lashings of custard - Yum!)

2 Tbsp Golden Syrup

100g Butter (softened)

100g Caster Sugar

100g Self Raising Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Tbsp Brandy

2 Eggs (medium)

Extra Butter for greasing

• Grease a 900ml pudding bowl very generously and then place the bowl in the fridge for 30 minute for the butter to harden.
• After 30 minutes, add the golden syrup to the base of the bowl and place it back in the fridge until you are ready for it.
• In a separate bowl, add the rest of the ingredients and whisk to a smooth batter.
• Spoon the batter over the golden syrup.
• Cover the pudding with a square of greaseproof paper AND foil, with a pleat folded into them and tie to secure.
• Steam the pudding for approximately 1 1/2 hrs (keeping an eye on the water level and topping up if necessary)
• Once cooked, take off all of the foil and paper, put a plate over the bowl and invert being very careful of the hot syrup.
• Serve with extra syrup and custard

The Old Gate Inn - Canterbury

Hi everyone. I've been exploring the delights that Deal and Canterbury can offer today (with my mum), stopping off for lunch at The Old Gate Inn. It's a lovely rustic style pub with really friendly and helpful staff. There are lots of roaring open fires, chasing away the chills from the fog and the food is good and honest.

I had a lovely ribeye steak sandwich on ciabatta with onion chutney and a side salad and my my mum had a falafel wrap with salad. Although not all dressed up with whistles and bows, the fo

od was absolutely delicious and very reasonably priced. Well worth a visit.

Blog Madness

Don't you just hate computers. I can't wait for the day when all these gadgets and widgets are written in plain English so I know what i'm doing...lol

If anyone out there in blog land can give me some help i'd be very grateful

Vicky x

Figgy Bread Recipe

Here is my 1st recipe and it's for my Figgy Bread. It is absolutely delish and well worth making.

This moreish bread won't last long but, on the off chance you have an end piece left, it makes a gorgeous bread and butter pudding.

Yummy figgy bread with my coffee

Figgy Bread

450g Light Malthouse Flour (I love Dove's Farm Organic the best)

1 1/2 tsp Table Salt

1 1/2 sachets Easy Bake Yeast

2 tbsp Honey (runny sort)

28g Butter (softened)

1 Egg (large and beaten)

10-12 Ready To Eat Dried Figs (de-stalked and chopped)

225ml Water (warm)

1) In a bowl, add the flour, figs, yeast and salt*.

2) Add the butter, honey, egg and water and mix until a dough begins to form.

3) On a floured surface, knead for a good 10 minutes to get the gluten working.

4) Shape into a ball and place on a lightly oiled baking tray, covering the dough loosely with a damp, clean cloth.

5) Leave the dough to prove for a good hour until it has doubled in size.

6) Preheat the oven to Gas 7/ 220 C/ 425 F and place a tray of hot water on the shelf below.

7) Bake the bread for 10 minutes then reduce the temperature to Gas 6/ 200 C/ 400 F and bake for a further 20 - 25 minutes.

8) Leave to cool on a wire rack

* Note: Whether using fresh or dried yeast it always good practice to put your yeast and salt in different areas of the bowl as salt can kill off the yeast.

My lovely greengrocer

Just had a visit from my lovely greengrocer who comes to me twice a week with the freshest of local produce. I think i'm going to create something for dinner tonight with this yummy purple sprouting broccoli.

Happy Tuesday

Day two of my new venture and I'm already baking. Stay tuned for pics of the outcome and recipe later.

Welcome to Victoria's Kitchen

Welcome to my kitchen blog. Over the next few days i'll be posting lots of wonderful recipes that i've enjoyed making and eating and hope that you get the same amount of please from them as I did.

I'm always happy to receive comments of your successes or how you've tweaked the recipes to your taste as well as any failure you've had cooking (I've had many disasters) or cooking questions you may have.

Thank you for popping by

Happy eating

Victoria x x x