Be My Florentine

Posted on February 11, 2013 by scarter

I’m not really one for traditional Valentines gifts, Valentines recipes, Valentines flowers in fact – Valentines is a complete fad day in my opinion, but i do appreciate it when our other halves do attempt to make an effort at being romantic.

This year i’m more excited about pancake day this week, an attempt to flip and smoke up the kitchen and top a mountain of pancakes with an unhealthy amount of sugar, maple syrup, cheese, ham- you name it; for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I take the ‘day’ in pancake day very seriously.

Still. This shouldn’t stop us creating a few romantic treats for our loved ones, i’m sure that although we all say we hate the idea of Valentines Day that deep inside we hope for a little something special.

These Rose Florentines weren’t exactly planned for a Valentines Day post, in fact i thought of these a couple of months back at the beginning of the year. I was in a cafe in Bath drinking a cup of Lahloo Rosebud tea with a lovely slice of very sweet cake, and i fell in love with the combination of the floral taste.

It’s definitely a kind of marmite tea, some may think it’s a bit too perfume like but others may develop a kind of obsession; it’s a beautiful caffeine free tea that can cheer the dullest of moods.

I bought a tin of this tea last week and began to recipe test these Rose Florentines. Feel free to experiment with the amount of edible rose petals, if you want just a small hint of rose i would suggest halving the amount i’ve suggested. Since when should being romantic stick to one day of the year ?… so do try to make theese at any time of the year for your loved one!

Perfect with the light rosebud tea or a dark expresso, as they are very sweet, they’re perfect to share ;)

Rose Florentines

Adapted slightly from this Hairy Bikers recipe. Makes 6 big ones or 12 tiny ones.

Additional notes: You may find using silicone sheets easier to make these as they tend to love to stick. If using greaseproof paper ensure that they are slightly warm when attempting to move to a wire rack to cool.

2 tbsp of unsalted butter

75g of golden or regular caster sugar

3 tsp of Gluten free plain flour

70ml of creme fraiche

125g flaked almonds, Half whole, half chopped and toasted.

3 tbsp Candied peel /Orange Peel (optional)

2 tablespoons of Edible Rose Petals (roughly chopped) with extra for decoration (i used Lahloo’s Rosebud Tea)

150g/5oz good quality white or dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Measure out your almonds, candied peel, rosebuds, mix and set aside.

Heat the butter, sugar and flour in a pan over a medium heat. Stir continuously to avoid sticking, until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.

Add in the crème fraîche, stirring continuously until well combined.

Add the almonds, candied peel and rosebuds and mix well. Make sure the sugar coats all of the almonds.

Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper and place teaspoonfuls of the florentine mixture onto it. Space the teaspoonfuls out like you would cookies, not too close to each other. You can either make 6 big ones or 12 tiny ones.

Transfer the florentines to the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until just turning golden-brown. Top the florentines with the extra rose petals whilst hot, so they stick.

Remove from the oven and set aside to cool on the tray, then transfer the florentines to a cooling rack.

Bring a little water to a simmer in a pan. Suspend a heatproof bowl over the water (do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water). Add the chocolate and stir until smooth and melted.

Turn the florentines so that the flat base is facing upwards. Spread the melted chocolate over the florentine bases and set aside to cool and set. Or pop in the fridge for quicker results.

Wedding Madness and Hen Parties for the Gluten Intolerant.

Posted on March 12, 2012 by scarter

Sorry it’s been a while, my only excuse really is that I’ve got my wedding in nine weeks and things have been a bit crazy on the organisational/supplier front. I’ve written a good load of recipes but just had no chance to test them causing me immense cake creation woe. Of course i’ve been doing things like making paper flowers then thinking ‘wow i’ve spent 8 hours making paper flowers’ hah.

Still I can’t really complain about the absolutely gorgeous Food and Wine tasting at Ellenborough Park, in Cheltenham, U.K (Our wedding venue of choice), which just seemed to pull out every stop to cater for my gluten free needs. Couldn’t recommend more to you gluten free brides to be! Plus they have beautiful china:

Which leads me to what my maid of honour and I have been trying to figure out for the past week; the hen party. At first I was pretty daunted about the prospect of having a hen party. One of those ridiculous, ‘L-plated’ hen parties which involves a lot of neon/hot pink attire and butler in the buffs trying to seduce me with their bodies. Oh please, I’m really not one for six packs that look like duplo blocks. I’m an ‘alternative’ chick; funny how all of this springs up farmyard metaphors.

This doesn’t mean that I’m a bride that doesn’t like to have a good dance and drink in the evening (I’m partial to a bit of ABBA yes.), but lets say I’d rather spend more money on something that’s going to make me remember rather than forget? Ya’ with me? To conclude, something memorable in the day, then have a night out of alcoholic craziness.

Like a few insightful websites I think it was evident that the new trend of hen party activities in the day center around having tea and cake, so alas, I was there like a non alcoholic shot.

I’ve decided to compile a list of sophisticated hen party ideas for you keeping in mind us gluten intolerant folk as well. Quite frankly there aren’t enough lists online that feature all of these alternative ideas in one go so I’ve tried to create a helpful content post more than anything that highlights some of the best.

Drink, Shop and Do

http://www.drinkshopdo.com/Drink,_Shop_%26_Do/Drink,_Shop_%26_Do_%E2%80%94_Home.html

Drink Shop and Do enables you to basically have a lovely afternoon tea, (macaroons, truffles, scones sandwiches) then do a craft activity. Don’t laugh now, the craft doesn’t have to make you feel like a granny, the bridesmaids can all make fabric corsages together for the wedding and the bride can make a fascinator or garter (oh I say!). There are a wide range of activities you can do, do go on the website and have a look- one of my favourites was making ‘Cake Pops’ how so very in trend…

The afternoon tea packages are from £20-£32 per person.

The craft activities range in pricing from £16-£35 per person.

For 36 quid each that’s your afternoon sorted, decorate to your hearts content then go off on a night on the town!

Gluten free? Oh yes. They do gluten/wheat free options but do inform them in advance as with everywhere…

Bake –a-Boo

http://www.bake-a-boo.com/hen-parties-celebrations

Bake-a-Boo offers afternoon tea hen party packages which include decorations, confetti, party poppers, favours, balloons, dressing up box (the girly works basically) with a full afternoon tea and the opportunity to add on craft activities or even a burlesque masterclass if you’re the more daring hen group.

It should be a gluten intolerant hen’s first choice, I mean just read this:

“Boo’s ‘Sensitive’ Afternoon tea! (Gluten free)

(A tea designed for coeliacs and gluten allergy or intolerance sufferers)

Filled gluten free finger sandwiches
Gluten free scones with jam & cream
Gluten free cupcakes
Gluten free apple and date cake slices
Dark chocolate dipped strawberries

All served on tiered cake stands with a refreshing pot of tea!”

At £24 per person I really wouldn’t be complaining and I’d be in gluten free heaven! Off the hen party package the gluten free afternoon tea is just one pound more than the gluten afternoon tea which I think just optimizes the fact that having an affordable gluten free option is possible everywhere.

Some pretty photos of Bake-a-Boo can be seen on their Flickr page http://www.flickr.com/photos/bake-a-boo

A Most Curious Party

A Most Curious Party is exactly what it says on the tin really, something unusual and fun. I recently read an article on a hen do hosted by them and they set up a wonderful tea party picnic with props and decorations right in the middle of Regent’s park (complete with afternoon tea), don’t know about you but that is my kind of cake related fun on a sunny day. I came from a childhood of arranging numerous picnics in the park with my friends, bringing all sorts of sweets and treats, so this sounded like something which would relate, in terms of surroundings, for a lot of people. It doesn’t have to be in a park of course- it could be in your luxury penthouse apartment you’ve rented for the weekend if you’re feeling flush; but all that matters at the end of the day is the people you’re celebrating with.

http://www.amostcuriousparty.co.uk/vintage-hen-do.html

I love the fact they can supply you with a photographer or hair and make up artist- it’ll feel like your on location for a photoshoot in London, as you do…

Not sure if they do Gluten Free, but at £15 a hen you get all the crockery, set up and decorations you need- just tell the maid of honour to supply some yummy gluten free alternatives. (Of course for £20 per hen you get prepared sandwiches and cakes too :P)

Mad Hatter’s & Make up Party

From a most curious party to Mad Hatter’s –it just seemed a natural transition! Benefit have teamed up with award winning Mad Hatter’s couture parties by Katherine Elizabeth Millinery to bring the ultimate slash out productive day activity. With vintage fabrics, costume jewellery, beads and all sorts supplied you get to learn how to make your own ‘mad hat’ or lovely corsage for the wedding. It’s a great keepsake for the bridal party and definitely a very unusual but fitting occasion that involves sipping cocktails out of tea cups. The icing on the cake would be the £20 Benefit voucher to spend on make up for each hen, a goodie bag of treats and advice on what make up look would be best fitting for your new masterpiece of a hat.

At £60 a hen, it is more expensive for a hen day activity but if you haven’t managed to get your bridal party any gifts yet, consider contributing this way!

http://www.katherineelizabethhats.com/benefit.html

Cake Boy Hen Party

http://www.cake-boy.co.uk/events.php

Another one for a gluten intolerant hen is Cake Boy (otherwise known as Eric Lanlard) in Battersea Reach. If you like a strong French accent like myself then this may be the perfect option really if you’re not really into men lathering themselves in baby oil. At £95 per person, it’s not exactly the cheapest option, but I would say probably the most sophisticated and classy:p I mean, he does have his own TV show Baking Mad. He’s designed a class just for catering hen party groups in which you get to make two types of cakes and then sit in a glamourous lounge and indulge in cakes you desire whilst sipping champagne. Glorious.

One thing I liked about the class is that it starts at 2pm and finishes at 6pm, perfect for going straight on to the bar, then the club. As seen in some of his programmes there are plenty of cake creations their team makes that are gluten free, so providing you phone in advance and notify- that shouldn’t be a problem. Don’t you just love all this ‘tailoring’? :)

There you have it, my five ideas for a gluten free, sophisticated hen party- hope you find something you like!

Food love,

Sarah x

The cat that got the buttercream

Posted on February 23, 2012 by scarter

Although I hate to go on about my adorable kitten all the time, I was always taught to write about insights into your life in blog posts; so here I am doing just that. My relatives have been saying ‘You got Ash so your blog would get hits!’ so not true, but hey it hasn’t not helped ;p

I may have mentioned this on Twitter but as you know, I have a slight (okay huuugge) obsession for Tea. Any kind, Matcha, Fruit, English Breakfast… I could go on but I’ve found out that Ash’s favourite is Peppermint. I think, thrice now I’ve made a Peppermint tea and found it half gone after popping to the loo. How peculiar indeed!

And again, he was there eating my Jasmine Tea buttercream off my freshly, pretty baked cake. I’m sure the butter had something to do with it.

Brought some coconut last week and hadn’t found time to use it and I mostly got inspiration from these Chinese, fresh cream swirl cakes that I used to buy at the Chinese supermarket when I could tolerate gluten; I really wanted one today.

I love tea, there I said it again. I love the variety I suppose, and even better now I’ve decided to write a load of recipes experimenting with different kinds of infusions. It really gives the cake a very slight fragrant taste, not as powerful as adding say lavender of which I dislike. I prefer all the flavours to blend together and then you just get this last hint of jasmine. Of course, do experiment yourself with the amount of tea you put in.

It really is about how you like your tea.

Flower of the mountain Jasmine tea and coconut cake

Cake Ingredients

200g soft unsalted butter, plus a bit extra for greasing pans

200g caster sugar

2 tablespoons of strong strained Jasmine tea

1 teaspoon of dried Jasmine tea crushed in a pestle and mortar

4 medium eggs

100g self-raising gluten free flour, plus extra for dusting

50g of dried coconut

50g almond flour

½ teaspoon of xanthan gum

Frosting Ingredients

200g icing sugar, sifted

50g unsalted butter, at room temperature

Tablespoon of dried Jasmine tea crushed in a pestle and mortar

Dried Coconut for topping (that’s been steeped in water for 10 mins, then strained)

Directions:

Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5.

Grease 2 x 20cm sandwich tins. Place the butter, sugar and crushed,strained tea into a bowl and beat well to a creamy consistency.

Beat in the eggs gently then fold in the flour and coconut. Mix until all combined.

Divide the mix evenly between the cake tins, place into the oven and bake for about 20 mins until just turning brown.

Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool on a wire rack after taking them out of their tins.

Make your frosting. Add 50g of butter to 200g of icing sugar and the tablespoon of finely crushed Jasmine tea, mix until well combined and of a good icing consistency.

When your cake layers are cool enough for icing, put a 1/3 of the icing in the center for the filling and spread evenly, coat with a light layer of coconut.

Pop your other layer on top and ice once again, dusting with coconut and any other decorations you wish to put on! Flowers are nice :p

Serve with a cup of Jasmine, just after it’s rained and the sun comes through. Or indeed, to your cat.

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Be My Florentine

Rose Florentines

Wedding Madness and Hen Parties for the Gluten Intolerant.

The cat that got the buttercream

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