A Great British Bake Off

Today at work we had our annual bake off. Inspired by this years GBBO the theme was all things British and the quality of entries we got was outstanding. Thanks to our partners even the room was kitted out! 

After a lot of sampling we finally crowned the winner (ey ey see what I did) - this absolutely fabulous 4 layer crown cake:

With a bit of help from Mary Berry I made these sheep muffins.

What you'll need:

• 250g self raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 250g soft margarine
• 75g caster sugar
• 175g plain chocolate chips
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 250ml milk
• 250g icing sugar
• Black writing icing
• Brown ready roll icing
• White ready roll icing
• Marshmallows

(Makes 10)

Preheat the oven to 200c and line your muffin tray with cases. Mix the flour and baking powder and then add 50g margarine and rub into the flour using your fingers. When you're finished it should resemble fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the caster sugar and chocolate chips.

In another bowl mix the eggs, vanilla essence and milk then pour it into the dry mixture and stil quickly. You should have a slightly lumpy runny mixture (don't worry that this is more runny than normal cupcakes). Spoon evenly into the cases and cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Leave to cool on a wire rack for at least an hour. 

While the muffins are cooling you can start making the toppings. Roll brown icing into ovals and slightly dent the top half in order to create a sort of nose shape. Roll two small brown balls for ears and two white balls for eyes. Use the black writing icing to create pupils and a cocktail stick to make the nostrils. 

When the muffins are completely cool mix the remaining butter with the icing sugar. This is never an exact science, just keep adding icing sugar until it tastes good! Spread the icing over the top of the muffins and then you're ready to assemble your sheep. Press the face onto the side of the muffin and then cover in marshmallows, press them in one by one. 

If you can bear to bite into these cuties they are delicious! x

Nectarine, Parma Ham & Mozzarella Salad

I started a new job in the big smoke last week. When you're working a busy office job it can be so tempting just to run downstairs to the nearest fast food place but wait! home-made lunches don't have to be boring. There are loads of quick and easy things you can make the night before and just put together at the office. Here's round one! 

What you'll need:

• 2 slices of parma ham
• 1 nectarine
• 2 sprigs of fresh mint
• Zest and juice of a quarter of a lime
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• Half tsp of sugar
• Half tsp of dijon mustard
• Half a ball of mozzarella
• Salad leaves, cucumber, celery etc

(Serves 1)

Slice your nectarine and griddle for about one minute. I used a George Foreman (slightly obsessed) but you could just fry them - don't use any oil though! The leave to cool. Meanwhile prepare your dressing, just blitz together the mint, lemon zest and juice, white wine vinegar, sugar and mustard.

Pour it into a small pot to take with you. With salads like this it's always better to keep your ingredients separate until you actually want to eat it otherwise it will go all soggy and horrible. Slice up all your salad stuff and put into a tub with the mozzarella. Keep the nectarine and parma ham separate. My mum picked up this tub from a home fair at some point but I'm sure you could find them in Wilkinsons or somewhere similar, they are so useful!

So that's the first one! You'll be looking forward to lunch I promise. x

p.s. I added a bag of Sainsbury's sea salt and pepper croutons to mine.

A Weekend In The City

After a lovely relaxing weekend in Bristol, last weekend myself and some friends made the hop across the pond (and then a bit further) to Germany. I've been to Germany once before to a Christmas market when I was about 11 so was excited to go back. It's one of those countries I think as Brits undervalue - yes it doesn't have the beaches but it's cities are amazing, whatever your scene. 

We started the weekend (on Thursday) in Hamburg and got straight on the German beers. Lots of them come in these really cool clip bottles (like Kilner jars). I tried to save a few of the lovely blue ones but I lost them along the way. Friday we spent the day sight-seeing like typical tourists and even found a fairground in the evening to pre-drink at before heading to our friends DJ set at Stellwerk.

Saturday we took a four hour bus ride to Berlin. Berlin is an absolutely crazy city, so many parties in abandoned warehouses. We also had to take the opportunity to go and see the Berlin Wall - there was a lot more left of it than I thought there would be. On the Sunday we went to an amazing flea market, there was so much I wanted to buy but having to stick to hand luggage meant I had to keep my purse in my bag! 

If you ever get the chance to go to Germany you really should! x