Maldon Salt

A fortnight ago I've discovered that there is only a little of Maldon Salt in the kitchen... And I've panicked. Luckily I was in London recently and stocked up on my favourite culinary food seasoning. Well that was before I've figured out that I can get it also here. The box in the picture is a bit battered, but I feel out of place without Maldon.

Maldon is used not only in savoury food, but also in its sweeter counterparts. I love nothing better than american style chocolate chip cookies with a sprinkle of salt. Home made chocolate bars always benefit from just a few salt crystals!

Missing a certain coffee joint...

Came back on Tuesday night from London. I have visited our old neighbourhood, Putney in London. I have missed so much my local coffee join Artisan Coffee that I have dragged my husband and our 3 year old for a delicious breakfast and  even tastier coffee.  I have spent many mornings there on the way to Tante Marie where I've taken worked towards my Cordon Blue Diploma. Good old days!

Leg of lamb for Easter

With Easter coming I wanted to roast a leg of lamb. Lamb is so lovely in the spring! I've found this amazing recipe in The New York Times cookbook. For medium rare roast a 3kg leg for 20 mins at 250 C and switch off the oven and leave it in inside for 3 1/2 hours.

It came out perfect!

Because it's such a huge leg for two adults and one toddler we have been celebrating Easter early this year and started on Good Friday.
Happy Easter everyone!

What do you do with all leftover fresh herbs?

 There is nothing more frustrating when your recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of parsley, 1 tablespoon of coriander and so on. You still need to buy a whole bunch. I made a habit of chopping all leftover fresh herbs, and even buying bunches just chop and freeze. I know you get ready chopped....., but that takes away the fun!

So I have these 4 containers to hand in my freezer!

Part 2 on how to use 1.5kg of red grapes....

I had some frozen apples lying around in the fridge so combined them with the grapes. I found this recipe for Grape & Apple Pie on  Epicurious.

My daughter helped me with the pastry hence the lobsters. I needed to tend to her when the pie was in the oven, so slightly over done;)

Beaumes-de-Venise Cake with Grapes

When shopping yesterday at my favourite Gida I was offered 3 boxes of red grapes for 1Euro. It didn't take me long to say yes to the bargain, but when I came home I was wondering what we will do with 1.5kg of grapes.

We are visiting friends for tea so I've decided to make a Beaumes-de-Venise Cake with Grapes. I've found this recipe on Epicurious, one of many go to website when I need inspirations. This is simple cake with grapes and Muscat, I didn't have the one from town in the Vaucluse, but I have found a different in our cupboard.

A men's 30th birthday cake

This is my second project that I've made this past week end. My girlfriend wanted to surprise her boyfriend when celebrating a milestone in Berlin.
It was fun making the bow!
This is a vanilla Victoria sponge cake with vanilla butter cream, covered with a layer of marzipan and white fondant icing. All colours and decorative elements are edible, including the silver paint.

Under the sea cake

I haven't posted anything for about 2 weeks.
I had a lot of fun designing and making a cake for a friends 3 year old girl. The theme was under the sea.

It's a victoria sponge with chocolate buttercream, a layer of marzipan and fondant icing. All decorations and colours are edible.

Peppa Pig

I took a very special order, a Peppa Pig cake. My daughter turned 3 today, and this was a special treat!
It's a vanilla sponge with strawberry buttercream, covered with marzipan and white fondant icing.

My first cake

This is my first cake in Berlin, a lion cake for a friends son's 1st birthday. I've made a vanilla sponge with vanilla buttercream. The cake was covered with a thin layer of marzipan and icing fondant. 

All the family enjoyed the cake, so did the birthday boy!

About me.....

Our family moved to Berlin in October 2013 and after several years in London this lovely city has become our new home!

I have always had a passion for food and I have been extremely lucky to have graduated from Tante Marie Culinary Academy in Woking, United Kingdom, after completing an Intensive Cordon Blue Diploma (with distinction in Theory), in June 2013.Watch this space!

This is a personal blog showing some ideas I've tried when baking for friends and family.