Bits and Pieces

 

- I've swatched for my next knitting project, Tree Tram Tro by Kate Davies (not a Ravelry link), with West Yorkshire Spinners BFL DK. I think I've got gauge though I'm not too sure that the fabric is quite as I like it, it seems a little loose.

- I have seven skeins of the BFL so I probably either need to start liking the fabric or come up with an alternative pattern for it.

- Either way I'm fighting the urge to take the yarn and pattern with me on my work trip next week. I'm sure I should take one or two of the things I have in progress. I'm trying to figure out if I am someone who can have five WIPs.

- I also made cookies, NYC Cookies from the Jane's Patisserie book. SO glad for a well stocked baking cupboard as they were a spur of the moment decision. Very tasty and large. Rather than baking all eight I just cooked two and froze the remainign dought as they can be cooked from frozen. The only thing I would change is to squash them flatter prior to cooking.

- I finished the remaining Meadowland Quilt blocks last night and I think I've decided on a layout. I love the finished look of this but I think I'm definitely a person who prefers a squarer quilt.

- Hopefully the planned backing fabric (which I have had for years) is big enough, probably should check that along with ordering some batting.

- I wish Blogger had a spell checker, although I am glad it doesn't have an auto-correct!

Revisiting Baking

Due to exceptionally popular demand I have baked the Bakewell Blondies from Jane's Patisserie again and this time I've managed to remember to take a photo of the finished object. I first made these for my birthday in April but I only took a photo of the batter in the pan. 

And, just to confirm, these are as delicious as the first time round. This is definitely going to become a TnT baking recipe for me. 

Baking - Part 3 - Party Time

 My recent baking phase is starting to feel less like a phase and more like a habit (all be it one that may be a little limited due to the impact on waistbands recently!).

In April I celebrated a birthday ending with a zero, due to the pandemic going out to celebrate or having friends round wasn't really an option so we decided to mark the actual day with an afternoon tea which I decided to mostly make myself. Luckily the recipes chosen either tasted better if left for or few days, or could withstand not being eaten on the day of baking so I didn't have a mad session baking immediately before the tea. 

I decided that the tea would include savoury scones, malt loaf and bakewell blondies.

First up in the baking schedule was the malt loaf. I've never made this before and haven't even eaten it that frequently. A recipe was selected, Nigel Slater's from the Guardian if you're interested, the malt extract was tracked down (a much nicer extract than the yeast variety to my mind and should also allow me to make bagels using it) and we were off.

Barring a slight oven temperature error all seemed to go well. 

Next up bakewell blondies from Jane's Patisserie website, rapidly becoming my go to for tasty and interesting cakes.

Having made Jane's Biscoff Blondies (you should give them a try) previously this recipe was easy enough, just wish Id bought better quality jam and taken a photo of the finished items. Because there is only two of us I made half the recipe quantity and baked it in a 2lb loaf tin. 

The recipe for the cheese and thyme scones, from the National Trust 50 Scone Recipes book, suggested they were best from the oven so they were cooked on my birthday.

And the finished effect...

We added some sausage rolls and a wedge of Baron Bigod cheese, in the background, which goes well with malt loaf. And as it was my birthday our accompanying beverage was French cider. 

All very tasty and enough made so that we could enjoy the bakes over the weekend. 

Baking Part 2 - Easter Items

 After my recent bread success I felt I was on a yeasted baking roll and wanted to widen my repertoire, with Easter approaching hot cross buns seemed to fit the bill nicely (and conveniently my newly trusty Paul Hollywood book had a suitable recipe. Easter weekend was also the date suggested by a friend for a virtual bake off of a Jane's Patisserie recipe, given the time of year Creme Egg stuffed cookies were settled on.

Hot cross buns seem to require quite a bit of proving and as I didn't fancy getting up suprr early on Saturday to make them i decided to risk a rise in the fridge overnight and bake them for Saturday breakfast.

Still learning the nuances of a new oven, so they came out a little darker than I expected.

But once split and buttered they were fine, slightly chewier than a shop bought hot cross bun but definitely nicer and worth making myself.

The creme egg stuffed cookies?

Yum! Soft cookie dough wrapped round slightly melted creme eggs. I expected them to be epically sweet as the creme egg I'd sampled prior to baking had been almost too sweet for me but I found them delicious slightly warm and oozy (I had a cold cookie a day later and it did seem sweeter so the recommendation from Jane's Patisserie to warm the cookies slightly in a microwave before eating is a very good one). I now want to try out some of the other stuffed cookie recipes available at www.janespatisserie.com (not an ad just a very pleased, slightly over chocolated baker who wants to share a good recipe site).

Baking - Part 1

 I enjoy baking but it's not something I do often (especially over the last year) as there's only two of us to eat the outcome. However I've recently started dabbling in bread making. I had succumbed to the sourdough trend but unfortunately my starter has recently expired and I'm yet to start a new one. We decided that we wanted bread for lunch last weekend so I dug out one of my baking books (Paul Hollywood's How To Bake if you want to know) and had a go at a white loaf.

Previous attempts at bread baking have left me with yeast scented bricks.

Pleased to report that it wasn't so this time.

Definitely a recipe I'll use again and I'm glad that I hadn't got round to throwing out the book as I'd planned.

More baking opportunities are coming up over the next few weeks so there'll be a few more posts aappearing.