Back to Zac's

After a long gap I'm off to Zac's tonight. So that meant cake-making, in particular a birthday cake for a 4-year-old who might not be there so it's a versatile cake. Candles can be added.

Younger Son follows a gluten-free diet so I occasionally buy him Mrs Crimble's coconut cakes. How hard can it be to make them, says I. The answer is not very but don't cook them for so long next time - even though I checked them 8 minutes before they were due to be ready. Not very sweet but okay. I was going to dip them in melted chocolate but YS has given it up for Lent.

Then because I had to open a tin of condensed milk  for the coconut cakes I decided I might as well as use it up with some admittedly misshapen white chocolate cookies. 

So my good intention to begin dieting today has already gone down the pan. (Also weighed for the first time for ages today and at 10 st I want to lose 7 lbs.)

Speaking of Lent (refer back three paragraphs) my resolution to write a blog post each day is going much better than my discard an item a day resolution. Mostly because I just forget. 

I'll go and do it now.

I was very brave

I invented a recipe. Normally I am a great one for sticking to rules and recipes but of late I've been a little more daring and my specially-invented pumpkin soup was well received at Zac's. I thought it was too salty but everyone enjoyed it nevertheless. So here is my recipe for:

Halloween Soup
All quantities are very rough
1kg chopped pumpkin flesh
2 large onions
bacon
1" ginger grated
3 cloves garlic
2l chicken stock
creme fraiche (about half a tub)

Roast the pumpkin in oil with a little added drizzle of maple syrup if you like. Meanwhile saute the onions until soft then add garlic, ginger and bacon. Continue cooking until bacon is cooked. Add pumpkin and stock and simmer for about 30 minutes. Whizz. Stir in creme fraiche and check seasoning (I added salt and pepper when cooking and needn't have added salt as there was plenty from the bacon and stock).

While we're on the topic of made-up recipes here's my recipe for: 

gluten-free Welshcakes
8oz gf self-raising flour
4 oz margarine (or butter)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
3 oz caster sugar
3 oz sultanas
1 egg
pinch salt

Rub the fat and flour (and cinnamon, baking powder and xanthan gum) together. Stir in the sultanas and sugar. Add the beaten egg and make a sticky dough.

With well-floured hands and surface, squish together and flatten. It may be easier if you divide into smaller pieces. When it's about this thick - I don't know, maybe 3/4 cm - cut into circles and cook on a pre-heated and greased griddle. Be patient and cook slowly. Cool and sprinkle with sugar. Eat quickly because they will disappear otherwise.