Pavlova

When Sensible K came for tea, I wanted to make her a lovely pudding, (that just happened to be coeliac friendly)  One step up from Eton Mess, a pavolva is something I hadn't made before.  Its a bit retro, but a total classic at the same time.  It must be the perfect mix of cream, meringue and berries- it's sweet, creamy and fruity all at once- and therefore healthy. ahem.

Birthday brownies

It was Sensible K's birthday recently, which happily coincided with something of a mini school reunion for me and my girlfriends.  It was like the past 15 years hadn't happened.  We spent the whole afternoon sat around my folks kitchen table chatting, laughing and boozing, to moderation of course, as we did have bambinos to look after, some running around the house like loons, and other still as a bump, as with the lovely looking Sensible K, whose mini-me is due in just a few days time.

After a long lunch, I piled up dark gooey chocolate brownies into a tower and lit a candle on top.  After a badly sung chorus of Happy Birthday we tucked in to the coeliac friendly goodies, covered in double cream with a side helping of raspberries.  Darling boy and his chum, dressed as Buzz Lightyear, rushed in and managed to find a few moments in their busy schedule of whatever it is 2 year olds do, to cram in as many chocolate brownies as they could get away with, before zooming outside for more conker collecting and running about screaming, now powered by chocolate.

Adventures in Cake goes Coeliac friendly and wheat free!

Last weekend I decided to launch Adventures in Cake’s first wheat free cupcake.

It has a festive feel based on the recipe I made for Sensible K a while back. It is tangerine and almond, with a tangerine and almond butter cream icing and sprinkled with almonds and gold glitter. There is also a crunchy layer of baked almonds hiding underneath the icing which adds a lovely texture. The sponge is light and moist- you would never know it wasn’t flour. It’s very yummy, I know- I have sampled one.

Over the weeks I have sadly turned away many a wheat intolerant person (though not as many as I have diabetes, for some strange reason I am a magnet for people with diabetes, like a siren calling to them) Now I’m hoping if I get enough interest to do a different wheat free cupcake each week- that would be fun. I think that just because you can’t have wheat, doesn’t mean you can’t have cake!

Truffles a go-go

In the spirit of feasting and all things excess I have been making dark chocolate truffles and dark chocolate truffles with toffee and hazelnut for the stall.  Much to Handsome husband's disgruntlement I have been denying him the cupcakes, rocky road and the other baked goodies I have been making each week saying they are for the stall.  However, I could hold him off no longer and he became chief taster for the dark chocolate truffles I made.  He insisted on trying more than a few 'just to make sure'.

Dusted with gold or red glitter and nestled in their little bags tied with a corresponding ribbon they looked very pretty and I'm pleased to say they have been selling well too- obviously appealing to the  indulgent side of my customer's natures.  Aside from being totally scrumptious, they also have the added benefit of being gluten free, hooray!

Sweets for my sweet

My oldest friend, Sensible K has returned to London from a 6 month sojourn in India with her boyfriend. He was working and she was sampling the delights that India had to offer- it was an amazing trip and you can read all about it on her totally brilliant blog http://figsandlavender.blogspot.com/

Sensible K earned her nickname when we were at school together, as best mates knocking about together, Sensible K was almost a full year older than me, and, it has to be said, much more grown up and responsible. ‘Sensible K’ grew about as a silly nickname we used, if Sensible K was going to a particular party, then it was ok in my parents eyes if I went too.

It must be said that Sensible K has since grown into a remarkable woman, someone with the courage to go against the grain and not only carry on, but flourish where others might give up. She is an inspiration and a very good friend.

Sensible K was diagnosed with coeliacs, a wheat intolerance a few years back (find out more here http://www.coeliac.org.uk/ ) Although it understandably took her a while to come to terms with it, she is now a complete whizz and it seems like the whole world has opened up to her, and I salute her for it. Much of my blogging about cakes is, stupidly, off the menu for Sensible K as she is off the wheat, oats and barley. Whilst this rules out anything cakey with flour, it does leave a wide range of delicious delights that skip the white stuff in favour of unusual ‘flours’ made with rice or potato, amongst other things, and the good old almond.

So, on a recent work trip to the big smoke, I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to catch the late train home after my meeting and hook up with Sensible K and another old darling friend from school for dinner and giggles. It is Sensible K’s birthday soon, so as an offering, alongside a present and home-made card, I baked up a batch of citrus scented goodies, these orange and almond cupcakes. They are made with almond and potato flour, with eggs, but no dairy also. With the zest of an orange and toasted almonds on the top, these cupcakes were very tasty- I thought (naturally I had to taste one to make sure there were ok). Handsome husband was most put out that I had baked something that he couldn’t eat (as he is sworn off most nuts due to an allergy, almonds being one of them) However, Sensible K thought there were tasty, and that's all that counts.