Easter Cake Bake 2010 - The Round Up

Once again a fabulous collection of Easter cakes have been entered into the competition, and once again I just can't choose a winner! So I'm handing over to you to vote for your favourite.

To vote, simply select the entry you like the best from the list in the left-hand side bar, and I'll announce the winner in a week's time.

Thank you to everyone who entered; all of the cakes really are fantastic!

1. Chocolate Log Blog



2. We Love Homemade Produce



3. Serenely Full



4. The Variable - Crazy Over Desserts



5. Kitchen Delights



6. Jo's Kitchen



7. Chocolate Teapot



8. Cooking at Marystow



9. Miss Catherine O



10. Melecotte



11. Anne's Kitchen



12. Cake, Crumbs and Cooking



13. Back to the Chopping Board

Spring Sunshine

At around this time in April two years ago I was walking through fresh snow, here in England. As I looked through my camera lens at fragile spring flowers bending under the weight of cold snow I marvelled at the surprises the elements sometimes throw up. Snow in April, who'd have thought it?

And now, having seen winter visit spring, summer has decided stop by. It's been quite glorious this weekend, and so warm that it felt like June when I was sitting in the garden. And not only has summer made an appearance in the weather but also in these gorgeous tomatoes I picked up from a local farm shop:





The overwhelming response when I asked on Twitter what I should do with them was to go for Italian simplicity, which I completely agreed with, and so I teamed them with buffalo mozzarella, torn basil leaves and extra virgin olive oil, seasoned with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Perfect.





It was absolutely delicious. What an utter joy and complete surprise to be eating such a summery salad in my garden with gorgeous sunshine beating down at this time of year. Let's hope the good weather stays around for a little longer - goodness knows, after the seemingly never-ending winter we've just had, we deserve it!

Toffee Popcorn

We’ve had sunshine and showers this bank holiday weekend but no matter what the weather, weekend afternoons are perfect for watching old movies, and popcorn is the perfect accompaniment.

I remember watching my Mum make popcorn when I was a little girl. She used to have a saucepan with a glass lid so we could see the corn hit it and explode. Standing on tiptoes by the cooker with my sister, waiting for the corn to start popping, was unbearably exciting, and with the first sudden pop we’d squeal with delight. Making it now takes me right back to that time and really brightens up a rainy afternoon.

Serves 2

1 tablespoon vegetable or corn oil
100g popcorn maze

For the toffee sauce
40g salted butter
60g light muscovado sugar

Pour the oil into a large saucepan that you have a lid for and heat it over a medium heat. Add the maze and swirl it around the pan to coat it in the oil, and then pop on the lid tightly and wait – this is the fun part. After a few minutes you’ll hear the maze start to sizzle and not long after that it will start to pop. Every now and then shake the pan to help all the maze to pop. When the popping has subsided wait another few minutes before taking off the lid – you sometimes get surprised by a sudden pop!

To make the toffee sauce heat the butter and sugar over a low to medium heat and stir it with a wooden spoon until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Bring it to the boil and boil it for a few minutes until it thickens.

To coat the popcorn in the sauce I find it easier to tumble the popcorn onto a non-stick baking tray and then drizzle over the sauce. Do this while the sauce is still hot.

Tip the popcorn into a large bowl and serve straight away.

Bizymoms Interview

I was recently interviewed by www.Bizymoms.com. If you'd like to have a read click through to the site here.