I have been really busy these past two weeks, taking advantage of both fine and wet weather to catch up with all manner of household chores, meeting up with friends and going for long walks.
On a hot and sunny day the laundry is hung out to dry in the back patio. Unlike my family home in Malaysia, where washing can be hung outside pretty much year-round, I can only manage this a few days a year here in London. Otherwise, the clothes are in the tumble dryer or on hangers in any part of the house where we can find some spare hanging space.
On a cool and rainy day I am thankful for nature’s help in refreshing and watering the large communal garden behind our house.
Some plants in the communal garden
With a small patio I can only manage small plants: here we have chillies, tomatoes and echinacea
When I am short of time I usually refer back to my own recipes in an attempt to not get stressed wondering if a cake will turn out or not. Recently I made two cakes but was short of 50 g of each type of nut, and so used self-raising flour instead. The cakes turned out lighter and I actually think I will use these recipes in future, unless the occasion calls for a gluten-free cake.
Both cakes were ungarnished so I just sprinkled over some icing sugar. They were served with fresh seasonal berries and crème fraiche.
For the Almond and Blueberry Cake (see here for the original post)
250 g butter (at room temperature)
250 g caster sugar
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs, beaten
200 g ground almonds
125 g instant polenta
50 g self-raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
100 g fresh or frozen blueberries
You will also need a 23 cm/ 9 inch round cake tin with a removable base.
How to Make:
Preheat the oven to 170°C/ 325°F/ Gas 3. Grease and line the baking tin.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. The mixture will look slightly curdled but this is how it should look.
Sift together the ground almonds, polenta, flour, baking powder and salt. Fold this into the mixture until everything is well incorporated.
Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and gently place the blueberries over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 10 minutes, until the side of the cake pulls slightly away from the edge of the tin.
The cake will not bounce back when touched as it is not made with flour, but you can still tell if it is cooked if a metal skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin before removing the base of the tin.
Carefully remove the cake from the base of the tin and place on a serving plate. Dust over some icing sugar and serve with fresh berries and crème fraiche, clotted cream or ice cream.
For the Hazelnut and Chocolate Cake (see here for the original post)
200 g blanched hazelnuts, lightly toasted
50 g self-raising flour
Large pinch of salt
200 g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
200 g dark chocolate chips, 70% cocoa content
150 g caster sugar
4 medium-sized eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Icing sugar, for dusting the top
Mixed berries and crème fraiche, for serving
You will also need a 10.5 inch / 27 cm cake or flan tin with a removable base. Line the bottom with baking paper and grease the sides with butter.
How to make using a Thermomix:
Preheat oven to 170°C.
Lightly toast the hazelnuts until slightly browned. Leave aside until completely cooled.
Place the hazelnuts in the TM bowl and chop 8 seconds / speed 6. Transfer to a bowl, add the flour and salt and set aside.
Place the butter and chocolate chips in the TM bowl then melt 5 minutes / 50°C / speed 1. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl with a silicon spatula.
Add the sugar, eggs and vanilla extract then mix 20 seconds /speed 4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Add reserved chopped nuts mixture then mix 10 seconds / speed 4. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and finish mixing everything by hand with the spatula until you get a smooth cake batter.
Transfer the cake batter to the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes until just firm to the touch.
Let the cake cool in tin before removing onto a serving plate. Dust over some icing sugar and serve with fresh berries and crème fraiche, clotted cream or ice cream.
How to make in a conventional way:
Preheat oven to 170°C.
Lightly toast the hazelnuts until slightly browned. Leave aside until completely cooled.
grind the hazelnuts in a food processor for a few seconds until mostly fine with a few coarse grains. Transfer to a bowl, add the flour and salt and set aside.
Place the butter and chocolate in a metal or glass bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Stir with a metal spoon until melted. Remove the bowl and leave mixture to cool slightly.
Place the eggs and sugar in the bowl of a free standing electric mixer. Using the balloon whisk attachment, whisk until the mixture has thickened slightly.
Pour in the melted chocolate and butter, followed by the vanilla, then mix altogether using a silicon spatula.
Fold in the chopped hazelnut mixture and finish mixing everything by hand with the spatula until you get a smooth cake batter.
Transfer the cake batter to the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes until just firm to the touch.
Let the cake cool in tin before removing onto a serving plate. Dust over some icing sugar and serve with fresh berries and crème fraiche, clotted cream or ice cream.
London is always an exciting city come rain or shine. Some places we have visited in the past two weeks:
Quaglino’s: if you can get your head around the night-clubby atmosphere you are in for a treat with well-executed British food and good service. 16 Bury Street, London SW1Y 6AJ, 020 7930 6767.
Odette’s: everyone has a favourite neighbourhood local and this is ours. 130 Regent’s Park Road, Primrose Hill, London NW1 8XL. 020 7586 8569.
Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill: our closest green space and a few minutes’ walk from our doorstep.
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew: our park away from our home park, delightful in any season.
Royal Academy of Arts: I have had a membership for over 20 years, starting with the Monet in the 20th Century exhibition in 1999. Thinking about it, I have had my kitchen as long as I have had an RAA membership. I will write about my kitchen is a separate post.
Café Kitsune at Pantechnicon: Pantechnicon is an uber cool space reconfigured from a disused storage warehouse. This is the sort of place which might intimidate you if you are young and not in possession of a designer apartment, designer handbag or designer miniature dog. But once you hit 55 you don’t worry much because I have survived for over half a century without these things. So I really love coming here for my double-baked matcha almond croissant and caramel miso rice pudding brioche. I have added the menu here for reference: either the prices will rise steeply in future or the cafés might disappear altogether. Make a point to visit when you can, whether in London or across the globe.
Café Kitsune’s shichimi and bacon roll, caramel miso rice pudding brioche and double-baked matcha almond croissant
Cafe Kitsune’s current London menu
