Light Reading!

Something I have just acquired and just had to share!!

Found this book in one of my favourite markets, Spitlefields! 

This book, as the title suggests, has 1000 recipes and was written in the early 1940's for women to make due with what ingredients they could find during the second world war.  

Might try some eel soup....... or something different!

Light & Fluffy Buttermilk Cake!

This is my first sweet dish on the blog!
Its been a long time coming as I love making cakes, cupcakes, muffins and many other sweet dishes.

This is one of my favourite cakes as its easy to make, light, fluffy and just the right thing to have when you just crave something sweet. Perfect to satisfy that need. Lovely with a cup of tea!

Ingredients;

• 200g plain flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 150ml buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or a whole vanilla pod)
• 125g soft unsalted butter
• Icing sugar for dusting

To get the vanilla out, cut through the middle along the pod and scrape the insides.

Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl and mix in the sugar.

Place the egg yolks together with the vanilla and 2 table spoons of buttermilk, and beat until combined but not frothy.

Add the butter and remaining buttermilk to the flour mixture and beat for a minute.

Gradually add the egg yolk mixture in 3 batches, beating well each time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix well for one last time. Pour into a prepared cake tin lined with butter.

Level the filling in the cake tin and place in the middle of the oven.
Check that the cake is not browning too much from the top after 20 minutes. If so, cover.
Bake for 35-40 minutes.
Yo can tell when the cake is cooked when it has risen and springs back when touched.

Remove from the over and leave to cool for about 15-20 minutes before turning out.

After turning out, dust with some icing sugar!

Light and fluffy!!

Sweet eating......

Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

So I know it's been a while since my last post, but I've been busy settling into a new job & getting adjusted. As it's a new year (Happy New Year!), I've decided to make one new years resolution and to (hopefully) stick to it! My new years resolution is to keep up with my blog and to try a new ingredient that I've never tried before at least once a month.

So for my first blog of 2012, I've used an ingredient I never had before - butternut squash.

Here's my recipe for a scrumptious butternut squash soup....

Ingredients;

• 1 large or 2 small butternut squash (cubed)
• 1 medium sized potato (cubed)
• 2 small onions (chopped finely)
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tbsp butter
• Salt & pepper to taste

To start off with, melt the butter in a pot and then add the onions. Leave to cook for 2-3 minutes until soft and translucent.
Add the butternut squash, potato, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix well so that all the ingredients are coated with butter.

Then add the vegetable stock.

 

Bring to the boil, then allow to simmer for 30 minutes so that the butternut squash and potato are very soft.
Use a hand blender or a stand alone blender to turn the ingredients into a soup consistency. If you prefer the soup to be thick, remove about half a cup to a whole cup of the liquid from the pot, blend and add liquid as you like to make it as thick or as thin as you want it.

Enjoy with some crusty bread.

Happy eating!