an update in pictures.

cupcake party!

vanilla, lemon and red velvet cupcakes. i just can't help myself.

will put recipes up when i am not so sleepy...

gruyere and polenta tart.

'the new vegetarian' is one of my favourite places to go for new and exciting recipes! unfortunately, i had to improvise on this ottolenghi recipe. it originally was a comte and polenta tart, but comte uses animal rennet, as does the parmesan which was recommended to be used in the pastry. i replaced this with my home county cheese, davidstow cheddar. silly ottolenghi. anyway, i changed a few things round and it still came out wonderfully. i served it with parsnips, brocolli and a sweet potato mash.

"Adding polenta to short pastry, be it sweet or savoury, makes the "biting" experience more exciting. Serve with something fresh and sharp, such as a radish and lettuce salad dressed with lemon and garlic vinaigrette. Serves six to eight.

For the pastry
170g plain flour, plus extra to dust
60g quick-cook polenta
20g finely grated Davidstow cheddar
140g unsalted butter, fridge-cold and cut into cubes
50ml water
A pinch of salt
For the filling
200g gruyere, grated
150ml crème fraîche
150ml single cream
3 eggs
2 tsp nigella seeds
¾ tsp each salt and ground white pepper
200g chopped Swiss chard, cooked for a few minutes in olive oil (or spinach, washed, wilted and drained)

In a food processor, work all the pastry ingredients except the water to fine crumbs, add the water and mix until it starts coming together – if it's still very crumbly and dry, add a tiny splash of water and pulse again. Tip out on to a work surface lightly dusted with flour, and work until the pastry comes together. Gently roll it out into a roughly 5mm thick round disc. Lifting the pastry with a palette knife, turn it around as you roll, then use a rolling pin to lay it in a deep, 24cm fluted tin. Cut off any excess hanging over the edges and use the offcuts to patch up any gaps. Chill in the freezer for 10 minutes.

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Place a circle of greaseproof paper on top of the pastry case, fill with baking beans and bake for 20 minutes, until just golden. Remove the paper and beans, and bake for another 10 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked through. Remove from the oven and reduce the temperature to 150C/300F/gas mark 2.

While the pastry is cooking, mix together all the filling ingredients except the chard, then pour into the cooked tart case and dot with spoonfuls of chard. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the tart is just set and golden. Leave to cool for 10 minutes, remove from the tin and serve warm or at room temperature."

soup.

leftover vegetables - an onion, three leeks, a red pepper, a few baby potatoes and a couple of florets of brocolli.

boil in bouillon vegetable stock for half an hour or so.

blend in a blender.

put back in the pan and add some creme fraiche and salt and pepper.

LOVELY!

and far too easy...

cats like cupcakes.

vanilla cupcakes.

i made these cute little cupcakes for easter, however, leave off the chick decorations and they are perfect for any occasion!

ingredients.

120g plain flour
140g caster sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
40g unsalted butter
120ml whole milk
1 egg
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
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250g icing sugar
80g unsalted butter
25ml whole milk
a couple of drops of vanilla extract
food colouring

method.

1. preheat the oven to 170c/gas 3. put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and butter in a mixer and beat on a slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. gradually pour in half the milk and beat until it is just incorporated.

2. whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a bowl and add to the flour mixture. continue to beat together until you have a smooth mixture. don't overmix!

3. spoon the mixture into a tray with twelve cupcake cases. bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the sponge bounces back when touched. leave the cupcakes to cool on a wire rack.

4. whilst the cakes are cooling, make the icing. beat the icing sugar and butter together in a mixer, until everything is well mixed. turn the mixer down to slow and incorporate the milk and vanilla extract. if you are using one colour, add this at this point. beat the frosting for five minutes until it is light and fluffy. if you are using several colours, divide the icing into bowls and put a couple of drops of colouring into each and mix before icing the cupcakes. decorate with whatever!

light chocolate cake.

my boyfriend's mum very kindly posted me harry eastwood's book 'red velvet chocolate heartache' this week. the book is mainly cake based, but with a twist - each recipe uses a vegetable! i decided to make the light chocolate cake (made with butternut squash) for my friend may as a birthday gift. i didn't get to try it but the reports have been good

ingredients.

3 medium eggs
160g caster sugar
200g peeled and grated butternut squash
120g white rice (or plain) flour
3 tbsp good quality cocoa powder
80g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/4 tsp salt
125ml buttermilk

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i used 200g melted chocolate and some sugar flowers for the topping and decoration, however, the book suggests:

50g unsalted butter
200g icing sugar
50g marscapone
4 tsp cocoa powder

method.

1. preheat the oven to 180c/gas mark 4. line an 18cm cake tin with baking parchment and brush a little vegetable oil over the base and sides. (i used my bundt tin again!)

2. whisk the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl for about 4 minutes until pale and fluffy. beat in the butternut squash, followed by the flour, cocoa powder, ground almonds, baking powder, bicarb and salt. add the buttermilk and beat again until the ingredients are well mixed.

3. pour the mixture into the tin and bake for approximately 30 minutes. once cooked, remove the cake from the oven and peel off any baking parchment. leave to cool on a wire rack.

4. to make the icing that is recommended, beat the butter with 100g of the sugar in a large mixing bowl, until they form a paste. add the marscapone, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt, along with the remaining sugar. beat together. refrigerate for fifteen minutes, and spread over the cake once it has cooled.

i didn't use this icing! instead, i melted 200g of dark chocolate in a pan over a low heat, then spread it thinly over the top of the cake, before decorating with small icing flowers.