Cakes of London

Hi There!

It’s been a long time.

Christmas in London throws a million distractions in your path everyday- a vintage sale, a coffee shop with incredible sweet potato soup and a vat of mulled something around every corner.

We had an incredible triumphant Thanksgiving. We cooked for 30 people and lived on the left overs for weeks. In this post I have included a recipe for my Salted Caramel Pecan Brownies- a twist on pecan pie- which disappeared very quick.

I have just got back from Borough Market- which is the most beautiful place at Christmas. We tried every freebie going; cheese, bread, oil, tea, chai, turkish delight, stollen, jam…and came back with bags filled with random jars, bottles and parcels. I tracked down the German bakery which stole my heart last time, and found the German Cheesecake I have lusting after since next year.

My flatmate trying out a selection of jams.

Feeling Christmassy yet?

Livi’s Salted Caramel Pecan Brownies

2 tbsp Caster Sugar

1 tbsp Butter

Seasalt

200g Dark Chocolate

175g Salted Butter

3 Eggs

325g Sugar

130g Plain Flour

In a heavy based pan, heat the caster sugar and 1 tbsp of butter. Slowly bring to the boil.

Throw in the pecans, making sure they are covered with the caramel.

Pour onto a baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Leave aside.

Melt the chocolate and the butter together in a glass bowl over a pan of boiling water.

When melted, take off the heat and quickly mix in the eggs- if you are two slow you’ll get scrambled eggs.

Beat in the sugar, and fold in the flour.

Roughly chop the pecans and fold them into the mix.

Bake for about 35 minutes at a medium heat.

Enjoy and have a brilliant lead up to Christmas!

Stay Unchained ❤

 

 

 

Tiramisu for Brokards.

Ahhhhh Thanksgiving. A holiday of eternal puzzlement for English people, especially those who have an American living with them. So you celebrate what? And how? And you eat WHAT? And why is there an enormous Kermit the Frog floating over Manhattan?

Look at these bizarre items.

http://www.chow.com/food-news/66788/fiv-worst-thanksgiving-side-dishes/

I think the one that freaks me out the most is the ‘Jello-Salad’.

Anyway, on this grizzly, blustery English day, we embraced the Thanksgiving spirit by cooking everything in the kitchen, and I, faced with a lonely tub of marscapone, felt the time was right to finalise and share my Tiramisu recipe.

Livi’s Tiramisu (for brokards)

250g Marscapone

3 Eggs, separated

1 packet of Sponge Fingers

One cup of Strong Instant Coffee

Dash of Vanilla Essence

Dark Chocolate, finely grated

A loaf tin

1. Mix the egg yolks, vanilla and marscapone until completely blended.

2. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they form stiff peaks. Tip the bowl over someone’s head, if they stay in the bowl, you’re golden.

3. Repeat step two if all does not go to plan

4. Fold the egg whites into the marscapone mix. Use a figure of 8 motion to keep the air in. This creates a gorgeous mousse.

5. Dip one third of the sponge fingers, one by one, in the coffee, and place them in the bottom of the tin. Pour over a third of the marscapone mix and cover in grated chocolate.

6. Repeat.

7. Repeat  a final time until you have sponge, mousse, chocolate,sponge, mousse, chocolate, sponge, mousse chocolate.

8. Put in the fridge for a few hours, until set.

So, not particularly American, at all, but so lovely. I specified ‘for brokards’ (broke people) because this doesn’t have any alcohol in it, if you’re feeling fancy add a splash of coffee liquor or marsala in the coffee.

P.S. This is probably the world’s best joke.

What cheese do you use to disguise a horse?

‘Mask-a-pony’

You’re welcome.

Stay Unchained ❤

Americana!!!

Due to my handsome American boyfriend moving and living with me, I am gearing up for my first ever Thanksgiving. As it was Halloween as well, it was definitely time to rise to the baking challenge…………can you tell what it is yet?

ahhhhh it has that ‘new pumpkin’ smell….did I mention I love October?

Whipping up some quick sweet shortcrust pastry.

So…there are all these fancy ways of decorating pumpkins now…but nothing screams Halloween like the traditional triangle zigzag formula. BACK TO WORK.

Roasted, blended pumpkin drying out

This next stage involves removing any trace of pumpkin taste from the pie…I used maple syrup, cinnamon, mixed spice and ginger….and evaporated milk with two eggs.

What’s going down here

…

Aha! A pumpkin….or should we say ‘Jack o Lantern’ pie. I enjoyed mine with a cold bottle of Ol’ Jeremiah Weed’s Sippin’ Brew. America…this one’s for you.

Stay Unchained<3