As soon as I started to make another decorative journal (trying to get make some bits and pieces for my Etsy shop) with some of the recently acquired lace and buttons,

I heard the familiar shout. Silence. Another shout. Silence. Waiting to be “rescued”- there is always a stampede when he wakes; a very warm, fuzzy baby is a rare delicacy indeed

(This cardigan is on loan; made by Ann, with truly vintage buttons: they were buttons from Pats’ cardigan (Pat-the-Bat-man) when he was a baby. Like all handknits, it is warm, practical, and wears so well)

We spend a lot of time looking out waiting for a dry spell to wrap baby up in the sling and go for a walk arond the garden.

Today we got a lovely hour of looking at the hens and delighting in the signs of new growth in the garden: our first raspberry leaves in the polytunnel, and the willows, beautiful in their vibrant bare-leaved yellows, reds, purples and oranges are showing signs of tiny buds.

That makes me so happy (I’m easily pleased!)

So, along with pasta and stir-fried vegetables sprinkled with soft goats cheese and a dash of soy sauce, I made:

Deep Fried Brie

Now, this isn’t actually deep-fried (I don’t have a deep-fryer- in a bid to save myself from myself) I simply poured about half an inch of oil into a small saucepan and carefully heated it up until very hot (keeping all children well away in case it spat oil)

I cut up the brie into small wedges, approx 1″, cut off the ‘skin’ leaving the soft cheese inside. I dipped these in a bowl that held 1 egg mixed with  sprinkle of black pepper, then into a bowl of fine breadbrumbs. I pressed the breadcrumbs into the egg covered sides so they were well covered. 

Then into the oil, carefully turning them after about 3 minutes when they were a gorgeous golden brown. 

I sat them on some kitchen paper to drain any excess oil, while I prepared lovely plates, and made a small stack of three, then added a dollop of homemade cranberry sauce (what a fantastic combination). The brie had melted inside and when cut open oozed its deliciousness out. 

Oh yum.

For dessert we had a vanilla and lemon drizzle cake, which was a light and fragrant end to the meal, and the added bonus of being very quick and easy to make (I made 3 dozen fairycakes for the children as well from the same mixture)

Vanilla and Lemon Drizzle Cake

Using the fairycake recipe (here!) add in a teaspoon of good vanilla extract (invest is some good stuff, it makes all the difference, or make you own- I’ll explain how at the end)

Into a buttered 8″ cake tin, lined with parchment paper, spread out the mixture (my mixture came just below the rim of the tin)

Bake for approximately 20 mins in a preheated oven at 170′ C (I had made 3 batches of fairy cakes at 180′C before I put the cake in so the oven was very hot)

When cooled down, I juiced a lemon and drizzled it over the top, letting the lemon juice soak into the cake. Then, while the top was wet/damp, I sifted icing (confectioners) sugar over it all.

Serve with a dollop of cream (double cream of course)!

Vanilla Extract

This isn’t something you make on the morning you are baking, but very worthwhile to make and have (buy an excellent bottle of extract until yours is perfect)

I bought a small bottle of vodka (a really tiddly one- probably just one shot in the bottle!! I am planning on buying a bigger one- I aim for approximately 150ml per vanilla pod) (you can also use brandy)

Into this I put 1 vanilla pod. Leave for as long as possible- Mine is still stewing since the 31st of October 2010, and has developed a deep brown colour, and a powerful vanilla scent.

Vanilla Sugar

And while I’m on the subject of vanilla, I always have a kilner jar filled with caster sugar with a vanilla pod in it. Leave it for a week, or more if possible, and you will always have on hand a beautifully fragrant, deepy comforting jar of vanilla sugar, for cakes, biscuits or icecreams (and makes a super gift too!) Also delicious: is to make a special pot of jam with fruit and vanilla sugar. The taste is sublime.

 This is for Helena, who was looking for the bun/fairycake recipe- and for scientific purposes (as always) I decided to rustle up a batch of buns to check the recipe, as it were… 

175g self raising flour, 175g sugar, 125g butter, 2 eggs and a dash of milk.

Whizz together, these make 24 large buns (a.k.a fairycakes) (or 12 frugal ones for the children (cough) adults and 16 large ones, like here, on the right:)

 I make half with 1 large tablespoon of Green & Blacks Cocoa Powder to make them extra- chocolatey-delicious.

Let me just check that they do, indeed, taste good… hold on… 

 Ah, yes. Perfect. Hope you enjoy Helena!

(One note on fairy cakes- these are old fashioned “buns”, not cupcakes. I’ve decided that I don’t actually like cupcakes: the frosting is waaaaaay too sweet!! These are perfect, sweet little morsels, completely delicious with a pot of tea (or coffee!))

 Recipe for : Very Easy Fairy Cakes and Apple cake

250g of butter (preferably unsalted)

350g caster sugar

350g self raising flour

4 eggs

small amount of milk

Simply blitz the whole lot in a mixer, moistening the mixture with enough milk until it is like softly mashed potato.

I use teaspoons to put a heaped dollop in each bun-case, and get 24.

While these are baking, I add:

1-2 sweet apples, peeled and chopped to the remaining mixture,

and put it into a 9” cake tin, lined with greaseproof paper.

Bake all at 180’ C for approx 15-20 mins.

 Deeeelicious!!!!!

 And some more artworks that I’ve almost completed.

I have an exhibition next Wednesday, the 24th of March as part of the East Galway Library Art Trail in Ballinasloe library.

Our table on Christmas morning… the cake was a delicious Victoria Sponge (how dreadfully un-festive of us!!) decorated with a doily with a Christmas tree shape cut out of the centre.

I then dredged it with icing sugar, it is such a simple and effective decoration!

Today we spent the morning planning the garden for 2010, it’s such an exciting time of year!

Fergal has been emptying our compost bins and spreading it out on the dormant vegetable beds in preparation. The polytunnel needs clearing out, and even on these freezing days it is really pleasant being in there. But even more pleasant is when we are in the kitchen planning and baking!!

We went up to dear friends of ours for a truly delicious New Years Day dinner and  came home with a few dozen duck eggs- aren’t the blue ones just gorgeous?

So I baked and baked today- currant buns, bread, fairycakes, scones- exactly what we needed after a week or two of biscuits and chocolate!!