Blackberry and Blueberry Brown Butter Cake

With the hedgerows bursting with sweet ripe blackberries, this recipe is just shouting out to be used right now.  I love the autumnal colours of the cake and the brown butter gives the cake batter a nutty flavour as well as that hazelnut hue. It looks like it should take centre stage at a bachinalian feast.  As this recipe is American you may want/need to convert cups to grams and you can do this here.

You will need:

3/4 cup unsalted Challenge Butter

4 eggs, room temperature

1 and 1/2 cups sugar

2 and 1/2 cups flour

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

10 ounces blackberries, for cake batter

6 ounces blueberries, for cake batter

6 ounces mixed blackberries and blueberries, optional garnish for the top of the cake

VANILLA POPPY SEED GLAZE

Icing sugar approx one and a half cups

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon poppy seeds

First, brown the butter. When making browned butter, it is best to use a stainless steel pan so that you can see the color of the butter change. Heat the butter in a large shallow frying pan over medium heat until melted. Swirl the pan around a bit every couple minutes to help it cook evenly. Over a period of several minutes, you'll notice the foam at the top of the butter start to change from light yellow to a dark tan. Once it reaches the dark tan stage and the butter looks light brown and golden, smell it. It should smell nutty and similar to toffee. Remove from heat and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the brown butter, eggs, and sugar until blended. Add the vanilla extract and milk and mix until combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Gradually add the flour mixture to the batter, mixing at medium-low speed until fully incorporated. Add the blackberries and blueberries and stir in by hand. Evenly distribute the batter between 2 well-greased and lightly floured 8-inch cake pans.

Place the pans in the oven and bake for 40-50 minutes, or until they're golden around the edges and a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean (don't insert it into a berry bit though, that will always come out rather jammy). Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing the cakes from their pans and setting them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cakes have cooled, prepare the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the poppy seeds and whisk until they're evenly distributed throughout the glaze. Drizzle 1/3 off the glaze over the first (bottom) layer of the cake. Place the second layer on top of it and drizzle with the remaining glaze. Garnish with the fresh blueberries and blackberries and serve.
 

All images:Adventures in Cooking

Reasons to be Cheerful

 

1. Driving to work, tired and slightly dreading the very long day I knew I had ahead; as I turned the corner towards the common to see low-lying mist shrouding the grass.  The early morning sun perforated it like tiny stars and it was so breathtakingly beautiful I was instantly glad I had been out early enough to catch it, like a very unexpected gift.

2.  During a Sunday afternoon ramble, to find not just ONE haul of goodies, but TWO!  Sweet, sweet blackberries from the hedgerow that popped satisfyingly with juice when you bit into them, and the shiniest, most polished conkers I've managed to find for years; they were dropping off the tree to my feet as I walked by.

3.  To light a candle that I'd forgotten I had!  Bought in the summer along with a perfume with the same scent, once lit it instantly transported me back to those lazy, hot days in the South of France.

Wednesday Words

Books by my Bedside

For a while now I've been reading Sasha Wilkins blog Liberty London Girl and enjoyed her varied and honest posts.  She's a style editor and has worked both here and in New York and although she is now based back in London, she certainly manages to get around.  She loves to cook, that much is obvious from the copious recipes on the blog, so I guess it was no great surprise that she had a cook book in the offing going by the name of Friends, Food, Family.  Well, it was released last week and as a little treat I ordered one up.  I've sort of given up buying cook books because a) I have so many and b) I've not had much time to peruse them.  I have, however, recently been extremely bored with my food offerings at the supper table; I've lacked inspiration when planning meals and haven't particularly enjoyed what I've been cooking, so thought this would be a good kick-start for me.  I got back from the gym this morning and there it was.  So far I've only had a quick flick through, but tonight in bed I will 'read' it properly, but even from the quick glances I've managed to earmark quite a few things to try.  The book is split into obvious sections like breakfasts, parties, cake and tea, kitchen suppers, but the real joy is that there's no fancy pants preparation involved in most of the recipes.  The ethos of the book is about sharing simple food that tastes great, with people who enjoy it.  Suits me.



{Roast lamb with anchovies, garlic and rosemary}



 



{Fried gnocchi with mozzarella,cherry tomatoes and basil}



{Chicken and root veg tagine}

I'm going to be trying out some of these recipes over the next few weeks.

Five Things to Look Forward to this Weekend

So, it's been a pretty crazy kind of week.  Not much downtime and lots of lates at work.  It makes the weekend so precious and every moment has to count.  Here's some of my plans for the rest of the weekend...hope yours is full of happy moments, laughter and people you love...

{Mind: Lie-ins, tea in bed, catch up on some blogging}

{A walk by the water}

{Body: Eating healthy, delicious food}

{A spot of retail therapy}

{Soul: Time to reflect and plan}

Happy Weekend x

 Images:1-6

Thought for the Day

Liebster Blog Award

So hello again!  Long time no posts and for that I really do apologise.  It's been a very hectic time over the last month.  Lots of things going on and not a lot of time to do anything else.  But I'm back... and this time with a more personal post as when I was browsing the web last week I discovered that Lifelola had been nominated for the Liebster blog award. This award is all about supporting the smaller blogs out there and although it seems that there are different variations on what you post these are the things that are common to all:

• answer 11 questions that have been asked of you
• post 11 random things about yourself
• nominate other bloggers and create 11 new questions for these bloggers to answer

So, thank you Doris from Diary of an Interior Novice for nominating me; here are your questions and my answers:

• What is your favourite day of the week?  Wednesday (broken the back of the week)
• What is the weather like outside your window? Overcast and grey
• Who is the most inspiring person in your chosen field? The dedicated teacher
• What is your favourite piece of furniture in your home and why? My large white feather sofas because they wrap themselves around you like a hug when you sit down (unless my children got there first!)
• What is the first thing that you do when you get home? Cuddle the cats/children depending on which allows me near them, otherwise have a cup of tea
• What is your favourite food? Italian
• What is your favourite colour?  green or pink
• Do you prefer dresses or jeans? Depends on my mood
• When do you blog?  Not enough currently, but usually in the evenings
• What was your favourite subject at school?  English/History
• What's your favourite TV show?  The Good Wife

Ok, so, 11 random things about me are:

1.  I'll choose savoury over sweet every time
2.  I read cookery books at night in bed like others read a novel
3.  I devour books and when I'm on a roll can get through 4/5 books a week
4.  I hate it when people are late
5.  I go to bed ridiculously early during the week
6.  Swimming is one of my passions, especially in the sea, rivers or lakes
7.  Spiders scare me
8.  I love big snuggly jumpers
9.  My current moto is 'don't look back because you're not going that way'
10.  Patience is not something that comes easily to me!
11.  I prefer to go shopping on my own

Now here are the blogs that I nominate:

htttp/www.jeffreydallan.blogspot.com

http/www.aquietstyle.co.uk

http/www.thebrand-stylist.com

http/www.pippajamesoninteriors.co.uk

and these are my questions for you:

• If you could live in any city for a year which one would you choose?
• Wine or beer?
• If you were a book which genre would you be?
• What's your most annoying habit?
• Simple or extravagant?
• What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
• Which person has influenced you the most throughout your life?
• When was your last 'random act of kindness'?
• What was the last book you read?
• How and where will you celebrate Christmas this year?
• What are you cooking for dinner tonight?

Well, that's it.  I hope you've enjoyed reading these random things and hope you take a peek at these other blogs too. 

Happy Weekend!

Thought for the Day

Griddled Peach, Mozzarella and Mint Salad

I have a confession to make.  I don't really like fruit.  I especially don't like fruit with a savoury dish...ham and pineapple pizza? Urgh!  Sweet and sour chicken?  Yuk!  So this makes the dish I voluntarily made recently even more bizarre, as it uses fruit in a salad.  You do however 'cook' the fruit so maybe somewhere in my mind that makes it ok...  I can't even remember where I saw this recipe, but as I was wandering the wonderful produce market in Antibes last week, and saw and tasted their wonderful peaches and nectarines, it came back as an incessant nag; so, once home I gave it a try.  You need to use fruit that isn't too ripe, firm but not unripe either.  I would use the griddle if you have one, as it kind of chars the slices and gives them not only a griddled effect, which looks lovely, but seems to caramelise them more effectively; it gives them a sweet almost smoky flavour which melds beautifully with the creamy mozzarella.   I ate this with some gammon, but a lovely parma ham torn up with it would make a decent and delicious lunch.

 

Ingredients:

• one firm peach
• half a packet of rocket
• one mozzarella ball
• asparagus
• olive oil
• half a lemon
• few leaves of mint, roughly torn

 

 

 

So...cut your peach into six/seven slices, remove the skin and lightly dress with olive oil.  Put your griddle pan on and get it really smoking hot.  When you put on your slices of peach they should sizzle.  Try to resist the temptation to turn them too soon either; leave them long enough so that you get those wonderful black griddled lines, then turn.  Put your asparagus on at the same time, again lightly dressed with olive oil.  When both are done, remove from the heat.  Put your rocket or salad leaves on a plate and roughly tear up the mozzarella and place over the salad.  Arrange the asparagus and finally the peaches.  Scatter with the torn up mint, drizzle with olive oil and squeeze your lemon over the whole dish.  Finally, a quick grinding of fresh black pepper.

 

This is one dish that will be making a regular appearance for the rest of this summer because it was totally delicious; fresh and full of flavour...

 

 

En Vacance

I'm off to the South of France in a couple of days and I can't wait.  I'm going with girlfriends and we have a villa just outside Antibes on the Cap.   I'm looking forward to days doing nothing except lounging around the pool or on the beach.  I'm looking forward to not having to make any decisions that are any more taxing than what cocktail I want to drink; I can't wait to browse the markets, wander through the old town and pick our suppers from the local stalls.  I can't wait to dive into that pool and whilst I swim in the early morning light, before the world has woken up, breathe in the heady aroma of pine and lavender.    I'm not planning on doing any blog posts for the next week or so as I'm going to take a well-earned breather from all things; re-group, re-charge, and, hopefully come back with renewed energy and inspiration.  

I will be keeping up my snaps on Instagram, so if you'd like to have some sneak previews of  the Cote d'Azur then follow me on sazpaz.  See you soon... x

Apricot and Salted Caramel Pots de Creme

 



 

Anyone that knows me, knows that anything with the words 'salted caramel' in them has me reaching for the recipe immediately.  There is something alchemical about the marriage of sweet and salty that is hard to beat.  This recipe is sweet, salty, fruity and creamy all at the same time.  You can eat it warm or cold and it tastes equally delicious.  I know that it looks as if one apricot isn't going to be enough, but in fact it prevents the pud being watery and seems to concentrate the flavour. 

 

Ingredients

1 apricot, pitted and finely chopped

1 tablespoon water

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter

1 and 1/2 cups double cream, room temperature

 

3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 ounce dark chocolate, finely chopped

6 large egg yolks, whisked together in a large bowl

 

                                                                makes about 6 ramekins

 

 

1.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small saucepan, bring the apricot, water, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and allow to simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by half and is mostly jammy in texture.

2. While it is simmering, heat the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat until it starts to turn amber colored and smells nutty. Remove it from heat as soon as this happens, if you leave it too long past that point it will burn.

 

3.  Immediately mix together the brown butter, cream, milk, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium low heat until begins to bubble slightly around the edge. Slowly add some of the milk mixture to the eggs in the bowl, whisking constantly, until half of the milk mixture has been incorporated into the bowl. Pour the egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and place the saucepan over low heat. Add the apricot mixture and the dark chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Evenly distribute the mixture between 6 small ramekins that have been placed on a lipped baking sheet. Pour water into the baking sheet, taking care not to splash any into the ramekins, until it is about 3/4-inch deep all around the pan. Cover the pan with a large sheet of tin foil and place it in the oven.

 

4.  Allow it to bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the caramel custard is set around the edges but still a bit wiggly in the center. Remove and allow to cool for 1 hour before serving. It can also be refrigerated for 4 hours and served chilled.

 

I like to sprinkle a few flakes of Maldon Sea Salt over the top and then I'm done.  Time to enjoy and share...

 

All Images:  Adventures in Cooking

Reasons to be Cheerful

 

1.  I finally mastered the perfect French dressing!  Sharp with vinegar, tangy with mustard, garlicky and silky smooth, it transformed a humble green salad into something quite magical.

2.  To sit with friends and colleagues in a sunny pub garden and realise that wherever our lives went, we would still have a connection and a reason to pick up the phone and say 'hi'.

3.  The feel of the cool water as I lowered myself into the pool was nothing short of ecstasy.  It felt like the whisper of silk and soothed my frayed and frazzled hot body.