When sad news hits you, how do you respond? If you can answer that then I am sorry for your sadness. Me, I have discovered much to my surprise I bake! There is something comforting, warming and a little bit like being wrapped in a warm snugly blanket about creating comfort food and watching others enjoy; a little bit of happiness. So what have I been baking, well in the last three weeks I have just worked out that I have baked:
5 banana cakes
an apple cake
4 chocolate cakes
3 bakewell tart cakes
4 chocolate cakes
a fruit cake
kransekake see post here for details
120 waffles
and a
raspberry and white chocolate cake
Luckily I do not really eat cake (my vice is chocolate) otherwise I might be as big as a house! I just realised that it works out to be on average 7 cakes a week. I am beginning to slow down, so maybe I am slowly healing too. Unlike me though, I have not focused on taking photographs as is my normal want, but I did manage to take a picture this week of a new bake that I had not made before, but was such a hit that I shall make it again. The raspberry and white chocolate cake. Give it a try for a tea time treat. We discovered that in this wonderful heat we have been having here in the south of England, that the cake did well being left in the fridge so as not to melt the ganache sandwiched between the two cake layers. Just a thought...
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| Top of cake before dusting of icing sugar. |
Raspberry & White Chocolate Cake
♥ 200g sugar
♥ 100g white chocolate
♥ 4 large eggs
♥ 200g sugar
♥ 200g s r flour
♥ 175g raspberries
For the ganache
♥ 200g white chocolate
♥ 250ml double cream
♥ icing sugar for dusting
♥ Grease & line 2 x 20cm round loose bottomed cake tins
♥ Pre heat oven to 182 degrees GM4
Cake bases:
Cube butter and break up chocolate pieces. Set in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Melt slowly and stir occasionally. When melted remove from heat and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.
Beat in the eggs and sugar gradually, into the cool chocolate mixture with an electric whisk.
Fold in the flour and raspberries.
Divide mixture gently between the greased cake tins and bake for 20-25 mins or until golden in colour.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tins before removing them.
Ganache
Place broken up chocolate pieces and only 100ml of the double cream into a heat proof bowl over simmering water. Stir until the chocolate and cream have melted and the mixture is smooth and silky in appearance.
Leave ganache to cool to room temperature.
Beat in the remainder of the cream into the cooled ganache.
Putting it altogether.
Once cakes have cooled, sandwich them together with the ganache and when ready to serve sprinkle over icing sugar.
recipe by John Whaite on BBC Good Food
♥Sending cake love to you all♥
I was thinking about you yesterday and stopped by to see if you had any news to share and then you popped up today! I hope that whatever the sad news was you are coping OK, baking is a good way to deal with things and I am sure that the recipients have been happy. Take care and I hope that all is well soon. xx
ReplyDeleteOh Amy you are so kind to have wondered about me, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Cake does seem to bring a quick smile to faces and we have had copiois amounts of tea and cake. So very British! I have been missing in action in blog land and have not read any one elses posts either, but hopefully in the days to come I will find the time and inclination again. Thank you for being there Amy xxxx
DeleteThere is something so comforting and reassuring about home-made cake; both the baking and (for most of us!) the eating. I'm sorry that sad circumstances have meant you've needed comfort, and I hope that your time away on your beautiful boat has helped the healing process a little.
ReplyDeleteHello Phil and sorry for the late reply. Time away as a family has helped but when you suffer a loss it is always hard. I have stopped baking however! I see that you are crocheting more and more, you will be an master expert in both disciplines, very exciting. BTW, how is the Arne and Carlos knitted blanket coming along? I have thought to make one of those for a while, as well as their crocheted flower one too, but where to find the time... PS they have a new book out later this year too!
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