Afternoon Tea @ Fistral Beach Hotel, Newquay, Cornwall

I was very impressed with Fistral Beach Hotel's afternoon tea. It was good value for money and it came with lots of fresh fruit. The staff were lovely and were very accommodating. The dining room also has a stunning view over Fistral beach. It was very relaxing, enjoying the tasty treats whilst watching the waves roll in. I would definitely recommend trying this one!

https://www.fistralbeachhotel.co.uk/eat/afternoon-tea/

Christmas Afternoon Tea @ The Capital Hotel, London

 I booked this special treat as part of my friend's hen party. It was a very sophisticated affair. The staff at The Capital welcomed us, taking our coats and showing us to the bar. They provided some swanky nibbles as we perused the cocktail menu. My Polish apple martini was stunning.

There was an array of interesting sandwiches provided with the tea. The matcha tea bread was a bit lost on me, but the others were delicious. The festive sweet treats were intricate with some unusual flavour combinations. The pantone and marmalade macaroon was my favourite. You cant go too wrong with scones, clotted cream and jam.

Overall, the food wasn't the best I've had in an afternoon tea but I think the whole experience was worth while, we all felt spoilt!

http://www.capitahotel.co.uk/afternoon-tea

Sunday Roast @ The Basement, Padstow

I'd been to The Basement previously but this was my first experience of their roast. I'd say its definitely the best one I've had in the local area. With a delicate salmon starter, followed by roast beef sirloin with all the trimmings and light, flavoursome sorbets to finish. I couldn't fault it. There was great attention to detail and a great setting in the heart of Padstow.

 

http://www.thebasement.co.uk/

Ice Cream Cupcakes

Try these fun ice cream cupcakes with vanilla buttercream, sprinkles and flakes! This would be great to do this kids, even if you just bought plain cupcakes and decorated them at home. Explore your creative side!

Mustard and Rye, Truro

This was such a tasty meal at Mustard and Rye. The beef brisket was packed with flavour and covered in a sweet, sticky barbecue sauce. I did think the coleslaw could have been fresher and with a little less mayonnaise. But the cocktail I had to finish the meal was amazing. It was a spiced apple seasonal special with spiced rum and lime. It truly finished the meal off perfectly.

Also the staff were fantastic and truly a credit to the restaurant. If you like all things American, get yourself down to Mustard and Rye. 

 

https://www.facebook.com/MustardRye

Hot Chocolates @ Lusty Glaze Beach, Newquay

If your looking for a warming winter beverage this year, I would definitely recommend heading to Lusty Glaze. They've got a great range of flavoured hot chocolates, that can be pimped up with alcohol if you fancy something stronger! I tried the chocolate orange version which was so tasty.

The restaurant is so warm and welcoming with log burners on the go, and the beach front setting is just beautiful.

 

http://www.lustyglaze.co.uk/

Hazelnut Nutella Cupcakes #yum

This is a really tasty little recipe, great for a special treat!

 

100g plain flour

20g cocoa powder

140g caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

40g unsalted butter

120ml milk

1 egg

1/4 vanilla extract

 

100g soft unsalted butter
150g Nutella
225g sieved icing sugar
3 tbsp whole milk

Preheat the oven to 170C/gas 3. Add all the dry ingredients to a bowl, then add the butter and mix to incorporate.

Whisk in the remaining cake ingredients until smooth.

Divide evenly between eight cupcake cases.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, check with a skewer.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

 

For the buttercream, whisk the butter on high speed for five minutes. Slowly add the icing sugar then whisk on a high speed for a further five minutes.

Finally whisk in the Nutella and milk. Pipe on to the cooled cakes and decorate. I chose to decorate mine with chopped hazelnuts and sprinkles!

Get your orders in for Christmas bakes!!

If you fancy a traditional Christmas cake for this year's festivities, get in touch! I'm also offering mince pies, sausage rolls, gingerbread and biscotti. Any inquiries let me know, I'd be happy to work flavours and quantities to suit you. I look forward to hearing from you!

#fiveweekstogo

Very exciting times!!!

 

I am very proud and excited to announce my new logo! This also means exciting developments on the cake business front. I will now be taking orders for cakes and desserts and hopefully coming to a market near you soon!!!!

Millionaires Cheesecake

packet of hobnobs

50g butter

300ml double cream

200g cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla extract

can of carnation caramel

mini millionaires shortbread

 

Crush the hobnobs into crumbs and melt the butter. Then combine and press into a loose bottom circular tin. Leave to chill in the fridge.

Whip up the cream cheese then add the vanilla, double cream and caramel until thick and fully combined. Pour the mixture over the base.

Chop the mini millionaires shortbread into chunks then sprinkle over the top then leave to chill in the fridge until serving.

Plum Crumble Cake for Cake Club!

175g unsalted butter

175g caster sugar

3 large eggs

225g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tsp vanilla extract

100g ground almonds

85g soured cream

 

Mix ingredients together well until fully combined then divide the mixture evenly between two sandwich tins. Half 6 plums and add cut side up to one of the tins. Bake at 180C/160C fan/gas 4 for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

For the crumble, rub 50g ground almonds, 50g plain flour, 50g caster sugar and 50g unsalted butter together until it forms large crumbs. Then bake on a baking tray for 15 minutes in the same oven as above.

Leave all components to cool fully.

Spread 50g of plum jam onto one of the cakes then sandwich both together. Next whip 300ml of double cream to soft peaks then spread on the top of the cake.

Finally sprinkle over the crumble topping onto the cream and enjoy!

 

I took this cake to my Clandestine Cake Club event and it went down a treat. Check out your local group here: http://clandestinecakeclub.co.uk/



Afternoon Tea @ The Scarlet, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall

I had heard a great deal about the luxury, adult only, eco hotel. The Scarlet certainly does offer luxury spa and dining experiences for guests. Set in a truly stunning location above Mawgan Porth bay, you can pay for a day spas or longer overnight stays in the romantic setting. I took my beautiful mum for a champagne afternoon tea and the whole experience left both of us feeling very spoilt.

For £37, we received a range of finger sandwiches and sweet treats along with a glass of champagne. Granted it is not cheap and the portions aren't huge, however the setting and overall experience is priceless. The staff were more than helpful making the tea surpass my expectations.

This was a lovely afternoon and great for a special treat.

https://www.scarlethotel.co.uk/

Sunnyhill Glamping, Borden, Kent

This is a bit of a different post but it was such a good weekend I thought it needed sharing. We celebrated my cousins 40th birthday at Sunnyhill Glamping. The site has four bell tents and two gypsy wagons for hire. We had hired the whole site but I feel it would have been equally as enjoyable if we had shared the site with others.

There is a communal barn with hay bayles, fire pits and bbqs, and each tent/wagon also has its own outdoor seating.  All bedding is provided, along with vintage crockery in the communal kitchen. I loved all the little touches, such as the watering can shower and little cakes on arrival.  The hosts were also very happy to help.

It must be noted that additional guests to the site of an evening have to pay £5, I assume to stop it being used as a party venue. Also, any of the sites wood used in the fire pits will be charged.

 

http://www.sunnyhillglamping.com/

Cookbook Review...All Things Sweet! by Rachel Allen

I recently received Rachel Allen's All Things Sweet! cookbook for my birthday. I made these dulce leche brownies. The recipe was really easy to follow and they turned out perfectly. There are lots of great recipes in the book for those with a sweet tooth, especially some interesting recipes with cinnamon, which I am a big fan of!

#youcanneverhaveenoughcookbooks

 

http://www.rachelallen.com/post/all-things-sweet

THE BEST PIZZA EVER @ SimBIOsi, Florence, Italy

SimBIOsi was definitely my favourite restaurant of my recent Italian adventure. Our hotel manager recommended my friend and I try it on our first evening in beautiful Florence. It did not disappoint. Serving organic food and craft beer, you can see your pizza cooking in the authentic oven at the back of the on trend, local hang out. 

We had a beautiful plate of cured meat and soft cheese to start followed by honest and truly authentic, organic pizza. I genuinely feel no pizza will ever compare to that served in SimBIOsi. I will be going back!

 

https://www.facebook.com/simbiosiorganicpizza/timeline

Gastrosteria Ai Mercanti, Venice, Italy

This was the final meal of my lovely trip to Italy recently. Ai Mercanti is tucked away down one of the many pathways in Venice. My friend and I sat outside in the little courtyard and thoroughly enjoyed the sophisticated dining experience. The Italian prosecco was spectacular and was the perfect compliment to silky, garlic and chilli spaghetti with parmigano fondue.

We also shared two desserts. Crème brulee and 'Chocolate interpretations'. The chocolate dessert was nothing like I had ever tasted before. The chocolate mouse and ice cream discs contrasted a bitter, dark cocoa crumble. There were flavours of chocolate I never knew existed. It was a truly stunning dessert.

What a fantastic restaurant in the city of contrasts that is Venice.

Scott and Babs @ Retorrick Mill, Mawgan Porth, Cornwall

Look at this beautiful plate of food.

Scott and Babs, who provide delicious wood fired food, were previously based at The Park in Mawgan Porth. They are now at Retorrick Mill and the food is still as spectacular. The setting is pretty cool too, with lots of quirky furniture in the barn come shack. There's also a wicked fire pit which will be stunning to sit round in the coming summer months. The food is super fresh that varies day to day, although pizzas are menu stables.

Can't believe it's taken me so long to go here, you should all go too!

 

http://www.scottandbabs.com/

http://www.retorrickmill.co.uk/

Orange and Chocolate Marble Cake with Toffee Crumble topping!

For this cake, I used a Good Food recipe, linked below. I highly recommend it, it turned out perfectly.

I wanted to top my cake with toffee crumble. However, I couldn't find it anywhere in the Cornish sweet shops. So instead I made it by blitzing twix's  and then squashing the mixture into little clumps.

When the cake was cooling, I sprinkled the toffee crumble onto the cake. It was delicious!!!

 

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2988682/chocolate-orange-marble-cake

Bessie's Tea Parlour, Broadstairs. Kent

I had a beautiful afternoon tea yesterday with two of my best friends. Bessie's is a quaint, little tea parlour in the seaside town of Broadstairs. It offers an eclectic range of teas to go with the cakes and sandwiches available. I recommend the vanilla chai!
We paid £14 for endless tea and this beautiful spread. It consisted of finger sandwiches, cinnamon chai cake, bakewell tart, cheesecake brownies and scones with clotted cream and jam. The parlour had a lovely atmosphere created by the attention to detail, such as vintage china, bunting and nostalgic music.

Overall, great food in a lovely, little place by the sea. What's not to like!?

http://bessiesteaparlour.co.uk/

 

Cocktails @ The Brig, Falmouth, Cornwall

This is a new rum and cocktail bar in busy Falmouth. As you can probably tell from the name, The Brig is pirate themed with its dark décor and pirate memorabilia. This cocktail is one of the best I've had anywhere, being up there with ones I've had in Ibiza. The Apple Pie consists of spiced run, vanilla vodka, cloudy apple and lemon juices with raisin and ginger syrup. Sweet like pie and so easy to drink! I'm definitely going back to try some of the other interesting cocktails on the menu.

http://www.thebrig.co.uk/

FERRERO ROCHER CHEESECAKE

So this was an epic cheesecake.

I crushed a whole packet of hobnobs. Then mixed this with 75g of melted butter. I firmly pressed this mixture into a large tin.

For the cheese filling, I whisked 300g of double cream until it forms soft peeks. Then I added 500g of mascarpone cheese and a splosh of vanilla extract. Whisk the cheese and vanilla in, being careful not to over whisk at this point. Pour the mixture onto the biscuit base.

Smooth over the top of the cheesecake before topping with ferrero rocher and galaxy ripple! Chill until required.

The Meat Counter, Falmouth, Cornwall

I had wicked food the other night, as always, at The Meat Counter. The cool, diner style restaurant offers homemade burgers with delicious sides. I had this classic of pulled pork and coleslaw served in a brioche bun, it was super tasty. I also ordered sweet potato fries to go with it which were insane!!! I love sweet potato, and they truly surpassed my expectation!

This place is a must try when your in Falmouth.

https://www.facebook.com/themeatcounterfalmouth

Picnic, Falmouth, Cornwall

I had this beautiful bakewell tart at Picnic recently. It was perfect, crispy pastry, sweet filling and soft icing. I washed it down with a manuka honey tea which was lush. They had a number of savoury bakes that I was also debating. The coffee shop is also a deli, offering various cheeses and meats.

I recommend choosing Picnic, over one of the chain coffee shops in Falmouth.

http://picniccornwall.co.uk/

Tea By The Sea, Falmouth, Cornwall

Great little cake shop in the beautiful Falmouth. As you can see they have some hearty cakes on offer. If you can't get a table inside, you can take the big, baked beauties away. Lovely place.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tea-By-The-Sea-Falmouth/413718258791029

Strong Adolfos near Wadebridge, Cornwall...again!

I tried this bustling café again recently. Having been slightly let down by the baked goods on offer before, this vanilla and yogurt cake with a layer of strawberry jam and cream cheese frosting made up for it. The cake was moist and really tasty without being too heavy. I also had an amazing chai latte, my favourite! They also have an array of daily breakfast and lunch specials if your looking for something savoury.

http://www.strongadolfos.com/

Rojano's in the Square, Padstow, Cornwall

Good food at Rojano's the other day. Situated in the centre of Padstow, it is now part of Paul Ainsworth's empire. Prices are what you would expect in a popular tourist town. The menu is inspired by Italian and Mediterranean cuisine. I had a pizza but for me it was all about the dessert. This one set you back a steep £8.50, however I thoroughly enjoyed it! The coconut sundae is served with chocolate brownie, coconut ice cream, salted caramel ice cream, chocolate mousse, popping candy, honeycomb and coconut ice chocolate bark. It's as rich and indulgent as it sounds!

If you love ice cream and coconut, you should try Rojano's just for this dessert.

https://www.paul-ainsworth.co.uk/rojanos-in-the-square/

Lemon and Raspberry Cake

I made Chetnya's (The Great British Bake Off contestant) cake but left out white chocolate. 

It's a good spring recipe and very indulgent with all the cream! Lovely with the lemon curd too. 

http://youtu.be/EqQA_Di4tqU

Happy Birthday!

200g caster sugar

200g room temperature unsalted butter

4 eggs

200g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp milk

 

150g raspberry jam

 

300g sieved icing sugar

150g room temperature unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp milk

 

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and pale. Whisk in the eggs then fold in remaining ingredients. Pour into lined sandwich tins and bake for twenty minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool.

Spread the jam onto the top of one of the cakes then sandwich together.

For the butter icing, whisk the soft butter on a high speed for at least five minutes until fluffy. Add in the remaining ingredients and whisk for a further five minutes until almost white. Spread thoroughly over the sandwiched cakes then decorate with the birthday girls/boys favourite sweets and biscuits!

Best bites of Edinburgh

I've just come back from a very foodie Easter weekend in Edinburgh, Scotland. It's such a vibrant city with so much to see and do, I couldn't fit it all into four days. The range of eateries, with cuisine from all over the world, was very exciting. Also, all the different themed bars are not to be missed. My intention for this blog post is to tell you my favourites from the city...but I might get carried away and write about everywhere because everywhere was so good!

 

 From the outside, Panda and Sons looks like a barbers. However, once you step inside and head down the stairs you realise it is much more. The vast range of cocktails are all very imaginative and sometimes even dramatic. I sampled 'Monet Talks' that involved painting your own cocktail with edible fruit coulis paint and prosecco. The atmosphere in this dark and aromatic venue is magical. It is definitely a hidden gem within an equally as exciting city.

http://pandaandsons.com/

Honestly, the best breakfast I've ever had. I absolutely loved Loudons café. I had the American pancakes that came with baked banana and maple syrup. This was basically dessert for breakfast but it tasted so good that I didn't worry. The staff were so welcoming and friendly, I could of easily eaten here every day of my holiday.  

http://www.loudons-cafe.co.uk/
 

If you are after 'fine dining' and grandeur this is the place for you. The Witchery is located on the historic Royal Mile and the stunning sixteenth century dining room is studded with antique silver wear and chandeliers. The three course set menu only costs £35, which is reasonable considering the portion size and beautiful setting. The food was good, particularly the Tonka bean crème brulee.
http://www.thewitchery.com/
 

Bentoya is a very popular sushi and Japanese fusion restaurant. If, like me, you can't choose from the extensive menu, go for a bento box which offers a mix of tasty morsels. Everything was so fresh and flavoursome. I highly recommend this bustling restaurant. It should also be noted that it's cash only and BYOB.

http://www.bentoya-edinburgh.com/

 

 And finally, Lola Lo. This Polynesian themed club has a great range of cocktails that can be served in themed mugs and even barrels like our one above. Slightly on the cheesy side but it has a fun atmosphere where you can dance off all the cocktails!

http://www.lolaloedinburgh.com/

The Nottingham Doughnut Co.

If you are ever in Nottingham, this place should definitely be part of your itinerary. Down some narrow stairs in the city centre, you enter a small doughnut heaven. There is limited seating but doughnuts can be taken away. New flavours are regularly added to the menu.
This is a recent selection. From top left: Galaxy Caramel, Oreo, Red Velvet, Cream Egg, Milky Way, Peanut Butter and Jam, Reece's, Mini Egg, Death by Chocolate. It is very hard to choose a favourite but I would say the Milky Way and Galaxy Caramel were my favourites.

This one definitely should not be missed.

 

https://www.facebook.com/TheNottinghamDoughnutCo

Nutella Doughnuts!

225 g self raising Flour

5 tbsp caster sugar

2 tsp baking powder

150ml milk

 

4 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp cinnamon

 

4 tbsp Nutella

 

Mix all the doughnut ingredients together well and leave to rise for five minutes. With wet hands roll into small balls and fry in oil until golden brown. This should take about four minutes. The oil should ideally be about 180C if you have a thermometer, or you can use a deep fat fryer.

Mix the sugar and cinnamon together. As you remove the doughnuts from the fryer, roll them into the cinnamon sugar mixture.

For the filling, heat the Nutella for ten seconds in a microwave and pour into a piping bag. Stick the nozzle of the bag into the top of each doughnut and fill until the Nutella comes to the surface. 

Enjoy!

~ Hawaii Cake ~

110g butter

110g golden caster sugar

200g self raising flour

2 eggs

250ml almond milk

200g desiccated coconut

430g tin of pineapple

250g pistachios

 

200g icing sugar

 

Mix the flour, coconut and pistachios together well. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Chop the pineapple into small chunks and save the juice in the tin. Then add all the cake ingredients into one bowl. Mix this thoroughly until all ingredients are fully combined. Bake in a loaf tin at 180C/gas 4 for 45 minutes, you may need to cover the top with foil half way through the bake to prevent too much browning. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

For the icing, add 3 tbsp of the tinned pineapple juice with the icing sugar and stir until smooth. Then drizzle onto the cake.

Raffertys Cafe and Wine Bar, St Merryn, Cornwall

There's a lovely atmosphere at this village wine bar. Situated just off the main crossroads, it's a great place to go for a classy glass of wine after a week of work. The food menu is also worth a look. I had baked camembert to share and seafood tagliatelle to follow. It's relatively expensive but worth it for a special treat. I would like to go back to sample some of the tapas available and this dessert..."Chocolate brownie, passion fruit sorbet, chocolate meringue & Cornish clotted cream"! Overall, good ambience, good wine and good, fresh food.

Happy Pancake Week!

Yay it's pancake day this Tuesday! I celebrated this Sunday morning by making the best kind of pancakes. The fluffy and American kind.

270g plain flour

2 eggs

260ml milk

splash of vanilla extract

butter for frying

 

Whisk all the ingredients together in a large measuring jug. If you have a hand blender, that works perfectly. Place a large, flat bottom pan onto a medium heat. When hot, brush over some butter. Pour small dollops of your batter into the pan. Fry on both sides until golden brown and stack high!

Now to choose your topping...maple syrup, bacon, raspberries, lemon, honey, etc. etc. I love my pancakes with Nutella and banana.

Cherry Trees, Padstow, Cornwall

If your ever in Padstow, you simply have to go here. It's a tiny café, making it hard to get a seat in Cornwall's peak summer season. However, their takeaway service covers this well. They do a range of huge cakes, cheesecakes and desserts. I had this coconut chai cake. It was divine, so moist with sweet, rich icing. They also do incredible hot chocolates which are overflowing with cream and marshmallows. Although these don't come cheap at £4.95. I've also heard great things about their breakfast and lunch food.

The overall experience in this harbour front venue was so lovely. I can't recommend it enough.

Valentines Cupcakes

110g self raising flour

100g dark/plain chocolate chips

110g butter

110g sugar

2 eggs

splosh of milk

splash of vanilla extract

 

150g butter

300g icing sugar

about 10 strawberries

 

Cream the butter and sugar together for about three minutes until light and fluffy. Add the milk, vanilla, eggs and a spoonful of flour then whisk together well. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and chocolate chips and mix until all the chips are covered fully with the flour. Then mix this into the batter. Spoon the mixture into cupcake cases and bake at 180C/gas 4 for about eight minutes until golden brown. Leave to cool.

 

For the butter cream, blitz or mash the strawberries and pass through a sieve. When you buy the butter for this recipe, leave it out of the fridge. This is essential for good butter cream. So, whisk the room temperature butter on high for a good five minutes, if not more. Add the icing sugar and whisk on slow until combined. Add the strawberry juice then turn the mixture up to high for a couple of minutes. Pipe the icing onto the cooled cupcakes. I added some chocolate hearts for decoration.

Enjoy!

Cheesecake Brownies

 

Great recipe on the Philadelphia website, they came out really well. I topped with mini chocolate chip cookies. Yummmm! 

 

https://www.philadelphia.co.uk/recipes/Philly%20Cheesecake%20Brownies?r=52

 

White Chocolate Cheesecake

150g crushed bourbon biscuits

50g butter

 

1 tub of cream cheese

1 small carton of double cream

200g white chocolate

1 tbsp vanilla

 

Melt the butter and add to the crushed biscuits. Press this into your tin. Melt the chocolate and leave to cool slightly. Whip the double cream until soft peeks form then add the cream cheese. Whip this just until it has all combined. Fold in the chocolate and vanilla. Pour your cheesecake mixture onto the base and chill in the fridge.

Decorate with whatever chocolate or fruit you fancy!

Rafferty's Pizzeria, St Merryn, Cornwall

 I've been meaning to blog this for a couple of weeks. My friends and I went to Rafferty's Pizzeria for their three course Christmas menu. It was great value at £19.

 

I had the butternut squash ravioli, the Bianca pizza with red onion, mozzarella, parmesan, olive oil and thyme and the cinnamon churros with chocolate dipping sauce. The pizza was very thin, so if you prefer the thicker base this might not be the place for you. The churros were definitely the highlight of the meal. Hot cinnamon goodness with a thick, rich chocolate sauce. They were delightful! They are on the main menu too, so you can still go and try the little beauties.

 

Being in a village, I think it's quite a quiet place. Overall, the food was pleasant but maybe try out their takeaway first to see if it's to your taste! 

 

http://www.raffertyspizzeria.co.uk/contact.php#.VpJcQmbnnIU