Happy Easter

Flowers And Chocolates

A winning combination


I hope you have a happy/sunny/fun/peaceful Easter 

~Polly x ~

All Sorts

brrrr I've just changed into a long sleeved t-shirt having suddenly felt a little chilly. I have been sitting reading for a while though, inactivity usually lowers my body temperature, need a sandwich and a cup of coffee to warm me up. Sandwich and coffee prepared and already I'm feeling warmer.

I made an effort to get up early this morning to take the dogs out because my car was being collected sometime after 9am for a recall inspection. We had the best of the weather as it has been raining gently ever since. I was hoping to do some gardening today but I'm pleased with the rain as my garden has been looking very dry, the lawn even has a few chasms in it - only small ones! I hope it clears up as I have two plants that have been in their pots for weeks, they are screaming to be in the garden as their roots need to expand beyond the confines of the pots.

I regularly wear jewellery - rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets, but I've never been a huge fan of charm bracelets, I have a gold coloured chunky one that I wear in winter and the rest are just smallish wrist adornments. Two of my friends have Pandora charm bracelets, one a silver one with loads of charms on it, and the other a simple band with just 3 rose gold clips on it. For a while now I have wanted to own one, it's not that they're out of my price range just something I never got round to buying, until yesterday. We have a brand new Pandora shop in town, so no excuses now, off I went and bought this.

ok, so its not Cartier or Faberge but I love it, and I will love it even more when it has some pretty patterned charms on it. Pandora gift vouchers will now be on on my pressie lists :-)

I feel very sad about the demise of Bhs and all those people, who, in a few weeks will be out of work. Our store looked forlorn, huge signs advertising closing down bargains, the windows full of rubbish. I went in but then thought "No, I'm not going to put any more money into, in my opinion, that odious little mans already ample offshore bank account". He must be the most reviled man in the country at the moment.

Does anyone have a foolproof cure for chocolate addiction?  This is my current favourite. 

I know, I should employ willpower and self control. I don't like Oreo biscuits but when it comes to this, I just devour it like a thing possessed. Over the years I have hoped that maybe I would be sick from chocolate binging and that would end my addiction, but I guess I will just have to cope with it.

My car is back and all is good.

The rain has stopped, the ground is nice and soft, perfect for re-homing my plants.

Thank you for reading, take care and have a good weekend.

Happy Easter

Flowers And Chocolates

A winning combination

I'm a chocoholic and I absolutely adore Cadbury's mini eggs, I stock pile them
because they're only available between Christmas and  Easter! :-)

I'm also very fond of Easter eggs, there is something different and special
about the chocolate, perhaps it's because it's thinner for moulding.

Sometimes I prefer Easter to Christmas,
there is less pressure for everything to be perfect.

I hope you have a happy/sunny/fun/peaceful Easter x

A Little of What You Fancy

I needed cake, chocolate cake to be precise. I'm a chocoholic and I love baking, but having lost just over a stone in weight last year I haven't made a cake for a while and I limit my chocolate intake. However at the weekend I gave in to my cravings and made a cake! Now before you say, oooh that's a slippery slope down the road of excess calories let me explain why I won't be eating it all. My grandson takes a slice to school each day with his packed lunch and my son-in-law has some of it, and, whilst I eat sensibly and healthily I don't think it's good to deny myself treats completely, therefore A Little of What You Fancy Does You Good, with the emphasis on Little :-) 

So after perusing my favourite chocolate recipe books I found this one, Chocolate Fudge Cake. 

It's a truly delicious decadent cake, courtesy of Nigella Lawson’s book Nigella Bites.

If you like chocolate and baking I can recommend it, but Be Warned – it’s VERY addictive. 

For the cake:

400g plain flour                                                    175g unsalted butter, melted and cooled             

250g golden caster sugar                                    125ml corn oil (I used Flora cuisine)

100g light muscovado sugar                               300ml chilled water

50g best quality cocoa powder                           2 teaspoons baking powder      

                                           
For the fudge icing:

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda                          175g dark chocolate, min 70% cocoa

½ teaspoon salt                                                     250g unsalted butter, softened                               
3 eggs                                                                       275g seived icing sugar                                            
142ml tub sour cream                                           1 tablespoon vanilla extract                                     
1 tablespoon vanilla extract        

Pre-heat oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Butter and line two 20cm sandwich tins. Mix together the flour, sugars, cocoa, baking powder, bicarb and salt. In a pouring bowl or measuring jug whisk the eggs, sour cream and vanilla until blended. In a large bowl (use a KitchenAid or a mixer bowl) beat together the melted butter and corn oil until just blended, then beat in the water. Add the dry ingredients and mix together on a slow speed. Add the egg mixture and mix until everything is blended then pour into the prepared tins.

Bake for approx. 50 minutes or until cooked through and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in their tins for 15 minutes then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely. To make the icing melt the chocolate in a microwave for 2-3 minutes or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Beat the butter until it's soft and creamy, add the icing sugar (Nigella says "I know sieving is a pain but you have to do it or the icing will be unsoothingly lumpy") It is a pain and I don't do it and I'm not convinced it makes that much difference. Gently add the vanilla and chocolate and mix together until glossy and smooth. Sandwich the middle of the cake with about a quarter of the icing, then ice the top and sides, spreading and smoothing with a palette knife or spatula. 

I only put icing in the middle and on the top because it's very rich.
Eat & Enjoy!