Today’s post is a little update on the big project I am working on, my antique world map. When I have had the time to sit down and work on it progress has been quite quick and it is exciting to see the map take shape. I especially love working on the details of the border.
I know I have already done a post on this folk heart floral cross stitch design but today I thought I would share how it looks on display in my living room. I think it adds such a pop of colour and provides a talking point in the room.
Another of my favourite patterns from Cross Stitcher (issue 287) because of its simplicity and the fact that it appeals to my love of 70s crockery; the teacup reminds me of something made by Hornsea.
As you may have noticed I am a big fan of Ruby Tandoh’s recipes and when this recipe for Salted Chocolate Brownies popped up in my news feed over the weekend I knew it wouldn’t be long before I was cooking up a batch. The one issue I had with making these brownies is that I don’t own an electric whisk so I had to whisk the eggs and sugar by hand which was tiring! I think it also hindered the amount of volume I was able to whip into the mixture. I also amended the temperature of the oven and the amount of time I cooked the brownies (20 minutes at 170c) because I am still getting to grips with using the oven in my new flat. However, they turned out perfectly and is probably the best brownie recipes I’ve used. I like how you can adjust the saltiness of the brownies and I chose to use 1/4 tsp of salt in the mixture and then sprinkled sea salt over the top before putting them into the oven. If you are a fan of salted desserts and are on the lookout for a foolproof brownies recipe then this is for you.
This is a fantastically put together book by Marc Grossman. The recipes are easy to follow and fun to whip up! As Grossman is a through and through New Yorker, reading this book you get a real insight into the life and culture of such a vibrant electric city. The book is split into different eating times of the day; coffee, breakfast, lunch, snack, any times and extras (mayonnaise, ketchup, bread rolls, etc). There is also a list of landmark New York restaurants and a corresponding map which is handy if you are planning a trip to the island. As well as the classic and cult recipes there is a whole host of photographs depicting New York life, eateries and the food. You will get a real flavour for the multi-ethnic and diverse population of this city after flicking through this recipe book. Expect recipes such as: buttermilk pancakes, babka, matzo ball soup, meatloaf and gravy, smores and pork buns.
The recipes of The Kinfolk Table have been compiled by editor-in-chief of Kinfolk magazine Nathan Williams. He has travelled the world seeking out chefs, bakers, writers, bloggers and artisans to share their go-to recipes for every occasion and time of day. The book is sectioned into chapters by country and then by the creator of each set of recipes. I love this recipe book for the real diversity of flavour combinations and ingredients used. The photography and layout of this book are also very pleasing on the eye. Because the recipes come from all over the globe and such a variety of people they are always surprising and provide twists on what you’d normally expect. For example: roasted butternut squash, Urfa chileand buffalo mozzarella salad, sugar snap peas with fresh mint and whipped ricotta and vanilla, lavender and earl grey pudding with sea salt.
Here is a run down of my top favourite three books I turn to when I am in the mood for some homebaked goodies!
3. Baking Made Easy by Lorraine Pascale
Lorraine’s recipes cover everything from breads, muffins, biscuits and pastries to cookies, creams, tarts and pies and they packed full of her expertise and precision as a highly trained patisserie chef. After watching the accompanying TV series years ago I was keen to get the book as her baked treats looked simply gorgeous. The book is perfectly suited for beginners right through to those with more accomplished skills. Don’t miss out on: Totally lazy mini sausage rolls, three tier red velvet cake and cookies and cream fudge brownies.
2. The Hummingbird Bakery: Home Sweet Home
I was torn between choosing this book and The Hummingbird Bakery: Cake Days. In the end I chose this one for the sheer range, creativity and sometimes complexity of the recipes. However, don’t be put off by the detailed recipes if you are a novice to baking; the detail of the recipes makes them easier to accomplish! If ever you have a hankering for something sweet it is bound to be found in this book as it covers everything from cupcakes, cheesecakes and cookies to pies, traybakes and classic puddings. Be sure to check out: Custard cream cupcakes, peanut butter cheesecake and chocolate truffle cookies.
1. Mary Berry’s Baking Bible by Mary Berry
An absolute classic and must have for any aspiring baker. This book is a collection of over 250 foolproof recipes for cakes, biscuits, traybakes, tarts, pastries, breads, puddings and pies for every occasion and skill level. Mary also goes back to basics, explaining key baking equipment,baking terminology and common problems which can be resolved. Indulge yourself in: Coffee and walnut sponge cake, Mississippi mud pie, French Madeleines, chocolatines and millionaires’ shortbread.
When I first flicked through this book this recipe for lemon tahini biscuits caught my eye because I always thought of tahini as a savoury ingredients not sweet. Yet after reading Ruby’s explanation for her use of this sesame seed paste in a sweet biscuit I understood why she chose to use this ingredient. The result is a delicious crumbly but light biscuit with a gentle nutty flavour, yum!
Lemon Tahini Biscuits
Preheat the oven to 180C and line a large baking tray with a sheet of baking parchment.
Cream the butter, tahini and sugar together until pale and fluffy, then mix in the lemon zest. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, mashing gently under the back of a spoon to combine.
Roll out 24 conker-sized balls from the mixture (I like to be super precise and weigh out the whole mixture and then divide by 24 so every portion is equal). Pat each ball down to a flattish disc, about 1 cm thick. Use a fork to make lines or a crosshatch pattern on the top of the biscuits.
Bake for 12-15 minutes; the edges should be golden brown. The biscuits will be very crumbly when first baked but leave them on the tray and they will become firmer as they cool. Once cold, transfer to a wire rack.
This Top With Cinnamon recipe caught my eye for a couple of reasons, 1) it is for a very small batch of cookies so you don’t end up with endless amounts of biscuits, 2) they are healthier than regular cookies because the fat used is coconut oil rather than butter and raw sugar rather than processed white sugar. I chose to use a mixture of light and dark muscavado sugar and doubled the ingredients to make 8 cookies. The cookies were incredibly easy to make and tasted amazing which is always a plus when baking healthy treats!
As soon as I saw this Felicity Hall design in issue 282 of Cross Stitcher I knew I wanted to stitch it up. It only took a few days and was so satisfying to complete. I think it looks so pretty and the folksy nature of the pattern really appealed to me. I also thought it would be the perfect addition to brighten up the plain walls of my new flat.
crossstitchandkeepsakes 