Blueberry, Lime and Elderflower Drizzle Cake

Traybakes featured on the Great British Bake Off a few weeks ago and I realised that apart from brownies and flapjacks I knew very few. Luckily my Nana was on hand to help and gave me this recipe for blueberry and elderflower traybake. When you cut the cake you'll get a gorgeous layer of blueberries, and the lime gives it a real zing. If you can keep your hands off it for a while the drizzle will sink through the cake making each bite more delicious and gooey than the last. Keep in an airtight tin and take to work and share around (you'll get a lot of brownie points) or keep at home and eat the lot yourself, I won't tell.

What you'll need:

• 225g self-raising flour
• 75g ground almonds
• 250g butter
• 250g caster sugar
• 6 tbsp granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 and a half limes, juice and zest
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• 150g blueberries
• 100ml elderflower cordial

(Enough to fit in a 22cm cake tin) 

Preheat your oven to 180c and grease and line your cake tin. You make this the same as any other sponge cake. Cream the butter and caster sugar together and then beat in the eggs. Sift in the flour and almonds and mix until smooth. Then add the vanilla, milk and the juice and zest of 1 of the limes. 

Pour into your tray and scatter over the blueberries. You could also use blackberries or raspberries. Bake for 30 minutes. Leave in the tin and mix together the elderflower cordial, granulated sugar and the zest and juice of the other half a lime in a jug. Pour over the warm cake and then leave in the tin to cool.  

Let me know how you get on. x

Fig, Thyme and Goats Cheese Tart

I don't know about you guys but I have dug out my woolly socks, blankets and chunky knit jumpers and in between indulging my pinterest obsession have found the time to start baking PIE.  

What you'll need:

• 4 sheets ready rolled filo pastry
• 75g creme fraiche
• 125ml semi-skimmed milk
• 15g parmasan cheese
• 3 free range eggs
• 125g goats cheese
• 4 fresh figs
• Bunch of fresh thyme
• Olive oil

(Serves 4)

Preheat the oven to 180c and brush an 18cm round loose-bottomed cake tin with a little olive oil. Cut each of the four filo pastry sheets in half so they are square and lay the first one in the tin like this. 

Brush with more olive oil and continue to layer the filo pastry (oiling between each layer) until you have run out and it looks something like this. 

Beat the creme fraiche, milk, parmasan, eggs and most of the thyme in a large bowl. Then crumble in the goats cheese. It will look a bit like half cooked scrambled egg. 

Pour into the tart case carefully, leaving some room at the top. Halve your figs and place on top, trying to place them more evenly than I did! Sprinkle over the remaining thyme and bake in the oven for 45 minutes until golden and set.

Curl up and enjoy. x

Image from Autumn Inspiration Pinterest

Inside Look: Jenny Packham

Since Kate Middleton stepped out in one of her dresses at the ARK charity gala in 2011, Jenny Packham has become one of the UK's most coveted designers. Having dressed Helen Mirren, Christina Hendricks and Kate Winslet she is now celebrating her 25th year in the fashion industry. 

Earlier this month she let ES Magazine take a sneak peak around her North London home. Whereas her dresses express the purest elegance her house is an eclectic mix of colour, pattern and shape. Designed in partnership with the interior guru Richard Dewhurst every room is a feast for the eyes whist still maintaining a light an airy quality not often found in a collection such as this. 

I am lusting after everything in her house, especially the cornflower blue fireplace. Surely I can't be the only one who's devastated that polka dot dress was bespoke? x

Celebrity photos from Google Images

Jenny Packham photos from ES Magazine