DIY Couture

I had a very exciting custom order recently for the launch of the new book by Rosie Martin of DIY Couture.  Rosie asked me to create a box of biscuits based on her 10 designs in the book to be used as a prize at the book launch night.

Strawberries

Although it is tipping down in most parts of the county it is June and very much strawberry season!

Bourbon time

Bourbons- my favorite shop bought biccie!  I had a home made one a couple of years ago and it was so good, I kept meaning to try making my own but iced biscuits always seem to take priority.  I had some chocolate butter icing left from a birthday cake I made so decided it was at last bourbon time.  I used a rectangle cutter and used my usual chocolate biscuit recipe and piped the butter icing onto one side and sandwiched together. yum.

Collections

I have always been a collector, I like stuff, pretty stuff....teacups, vintage buttons and lace, ribbons, handbags, the list is endless.  One of the best things about collections is displaying them, now I live in a tiny rented flat where most surfaces are covered already and space is limited but I dream of a farm house and lots of cabinets, shelves and walls for theses displays.  Kitchen ware and more specifically old bake ware is a real favourite,  below are some collections from the lovely RE who now have a shop in Liberty.

Easter Biscuits

Here are some chocolate egg biscuits for Easter...

And some spring tulips....

Honey Cake...thanks Jen!

For my birthday, my friend Jen adopted a beehive for me.  Another hobby of mine is gardening and although I'm pretty new to it I think I am doing OK.  As all gardeners will tell you "the honey bee is our friend" and I am hoping my new hive pack will teach me much more about them.  One of the things I am growing this year is lots of flowers to brighten the place up, attract the bees but mainly edible flowers I can decorate my cakes with!  This gift was in many ways very appropriate! 

So back to honey....In my adoption pack was some lovely honey from the Chain Bridge Honey Farm on the Scottish borders/Northumberland (my parents neck of the woods!).  It tastes divine and needed to be used well so I turned to my trusty River Cottage Cakes book and set about making Gills Honey Cake.  Easy to make and cooked in exactly the 45 minutes it said it would, RC has not failed my yet!  It tasted lovely...the honey forms a sugary crust on the top with the crunchy almonds and the whole things tastes very spring-like somehow.  Handy hint...its a big cake but I reckon it can easily be halved as it has equal amount of eggs and this smaller quantity will fit nicely into a loaf tin. 

PS The hive pack also came with some wild flower seeds that have be duly planted and as soon as I get blooms I will post some pictures!  Thanks Jen x

Happy Mothers Day!

For my lovely Mum and Mother in Law....Lemon Primroses and Daisies. 

I love spring!  New season, the sun comes out, the days a longer and most exciting of all spring flowers!  I am feeling particularly inspired by flowers at the moment, colours flavours, shapes....I shall keep you posted!