A Cake That Sort-Of Failed

This is the proof of a bad oven.. a cake that doesn't cook properly on the sides, and a middle that is close to burnt. When I have a tray of cookies or buns or similar the ones at the back of the oven cooks quicker than the ones at the front.. Our oven isn't very old so it's even more dissapointing. I know a lot of people have the same problem, and it is a shame. I think the only answer to this might be "the Aga"....!

Was still a yummy Tosca cake :-)

Bread-making Saturday

The best way to spend a rainy Saturday when the husband is at work and you have the house to yourself - baking! I bought a big pack of yeast in the morning and then used up most of the baking ingredients in my baking cupboard.. I started with making 3 new types of bread I've not made before - I am making my way through 2 baking/cookery books my grandmother sent me from Sweden and whilst doing it the smells bring back lovely memories from my childhood. I managed to make a white loaf, a batch of sesame seed buns and some yummy focaccia with rosemary and sundried tomatoes. The foccacia turned out to be the best of the day - maybe the best bread I have ever made.. After "sampling" I hade to put it away in the freezer to stop myself from eating it all!

Plain white loaf

Sesame seed buns - yum!

Focaccia - heavenly and calorific!

Valentines Day buns!

I bought this silicone baking tin for making heart shaped treats the other day, it works really well. I had never used anything like it before but was lured in to try it since I love hearts and just couldn't resist. You don't need to butter it and nothing sticks - I will go back and buy some more shapes now, more fun baking to be done! I want to make something nice and yummy for Valentines day in this so I tried a chocolate recipe today and they were scrummy!

Sprinkled with icing sugar and ready to be enjoyed!

My tiny little bakery

This is the sign I have above the door to the kitchen. I absolutely love to bake, even though it doesn't always come out perfect. My kitchen is tiny so it's not always that easy.. I grew up with amazing women like my mum and grandma who baked all the time, and still do! In Sweden women bake a lot in general, it's just part of our history and heritage - and at the same time we are very headstrong women and not stepford wives by a mile! Although I have to admit that I love wearing a big 50's dress, a flowery apron and spend the afternoon in the kitchen with doughs!

Today I made a batch of bread which filled the house with that lovely freshely- baked- bread-smell. In Sweden we call this type of bread "Tekaka" which strangely translates to Teacake.. yum yum.

Pottering

Cosy Saturday morning at home pottering with various Christmassy things. Planted an Amaryllis bulb - my favourite Christmas flower, hope it will be out in blossom soon! Writing Christmas cards, maybe next year I might have a go at making my own...

Christmas

Woke up one morning and a lovely friend of ours had dropped off a Christmas tree outside our door. So I had to take it in and decorate it! I bought some new baubles this year really cheap and made them a bit special by replacing the boring standard string with some nice ribbon. The theme for this years Christmas is red, lots of white (because I love it all year round) traditional olden things and some sparkle thrown in there too! A tree isn't a Christmas tree withous some sparkle!

Sparkle!

Lots of lights in the windows makes the house look so inviting and Christmassy!

Snow!

I am snowed in! Reigate is a white wonderland at the moment, it is so pretty. It is just a bit of a problem here in Surrey when the snow arrives and disrupts all travel/work and life in general. It took me 4 hours to get home the other night from work, but we decided to go straight to the pub with some friends where we sat in front of the fireplace drinking pints and lovely glasses of red wine. My boots dried off and warmed up nicely in front of the fire! Scrummy!