CAROB BROWNIES

I'm one of those unlucky people that gets a migraine when eating too much chocolate. I know, it's very sad isn't it. Not that it stops me from having enormous quantities of it or anything, but let me get my daily dose of sympathy. Anyway. Look what I've brought to you today. It's carob brownies! They don't contain chocolate! They are gooey! Moist! Delicious! Chocolatey! (saying carob-ey wasn't particularly descriptive) Amazing right? If you can get over the fact that they contain more sugar than flour, get your apron out (I know you have one). Get baking. Migraine-free carob heaven.

RAW BLUEBERRY TARTLETS

After making the prettiest cake ever, I found myself overloaded with blueberries. This was because my plan B after miserably failing at acquiring edible flowers (Turnips @ Borough Market, I forgive but not forget. Or maybe not even forgive), which you could also call “running around M&S during my lunch break, desperately looking for a pretty-enough alternative to edible flowers to use on a cake I am meant to make in less than 3 hours”, was decorating with more blueberries and other berries. Luckily, boyfriends saved the day and a plan B was never needed, so I was quite ridiculously happy to have not only a successful cake but also a lifetime supply of tasty berries. Some of them had already been shovelled into my mouth and digested and everything, the rest feature in these delicious vegan, raw and gluten-free tartlets that, just so you know, have been partly shovelled into my mouth too and are in the process of being digested. Too much information? Omonomnomnom

BLUEBERRY & LEMON SANDWICH CAKE

I’m so happy with this pretty pretty little cake. Not only is it the first proper sandwich cake I’ve made in my life, it’s also the first proper birthday cake I’ve made in my life, and therefore the first proper sandwich birthday cake I’ve made in my life. Lots of firsts in there. And lots of cake.

It required an intense baking session that lasted until 12 am last night, which included the production of four different kinds of filling/icing creams (I’m never happy am I). And during which I did not grate my finger. Did not. Plus, another session at 6 am this morning for decorating, carried out in sleep-walking mode. Prior to this, I also sent my boyfriend all the way to Canary Wharf to get me edible flowers (he’s a good, good person). And previously had an argument with evil grocers who forgot to get the aforementioned edible flowers I ordered five days in advance. But all this, plus a very awkward bus ride to work this morning, holding a cake tin in my arms like my life was depending on it, all this was oh-so-worth-it because this cake, this very pretty and very delicious cake was for our dear, dear Alejandra. Also called Aleyandra. And also called Alexandra. To everyone’s favourite Maverick, happy birthday, or feliz cumple, or a mixture of the two. 

SEEDY FRUITY FLAPJACKS

On Sunday I made muffins to take to work because I’m nice, but as I’m also forgetful I left them at home. Therefore yesterday I made flapjacks to take to work because I’m nice, and wasn’t on this occasion forgetful. Here they are in all their seedy fruity golden-syrupy goodness for all you nice people out there (and not-so-nice, I’m not here to judge). Gluten-free and everything, and so so easy to make.

ORANGE MUFFINS WITH HIBISCUS GLAZE

Muffin Sunday is back with a vengeance. Well, I had a small diatribe with myself about these muffins, as they kind of look like cupcakes, with the pretty pink glaze and everything. But they have the typical muffin texture and typical muffin taste (?) and typical muffin deliciousness, so they definitely are muffins. Also, it’s not Cupcake Sunday, it’s Muffin Sunday, you know! Anyhoooww, if you can get hold of the dried hibiscus flowers, go for it and use them for the glaze as hibiscus goes really well with orangey citrusy stuff (and makes super good tea) (downside: it’s pink). 

I’ll make up for the unbearable girly prettiness of these things next week, with some vegan deep-fried cow or something to that effect.

CANDIED HAZELNUTS

These tasty nut things are so so easy to make. The weather has been so merciful to us that I didn’t want to spend ages in the kitchen, melting in front of the oven or on the hob to prepare some cake or cream or ganache or baked stuff. I’d rather go to the park with all my friends and enjoy the sun and drink lemonade and be merry.

No, I’m only joking. I’m munching on these whilst watching Masterchef with the curtains down and the company of my only friend Calvin the yak. Living the dream.

MINI BANOFFEE PIES

It took me three long days to complete this recipe, and I’ve made it just. I decided I wanted to make banoffee pie on Sunday, but didn’t have any tartlet tins. So I bought tartlet tins. Then I realised I didn’t have any coconut milk, so on Monday I got the coconut milk. But to make the caramel, you need to refrigerate your can overnight. So on Monday night, I put the can in the fridge ready for Tuesday. But on Tuesday, after making the caramel, I remembered you also need four hours for it to set. And, as I wasn’t particularly excited at the idea of staying up until 1am staring at the fridge and waiting for it to work its magic on my jar of caramel, I just gave up and saved the date for today. Several complications with cling film later, I can definitely say these mini banoffee pies were a bit of an effort to make. You’d expect there’s a but here, yes? Well there’s actually two. But number one: these are deliciousness in a tartlet tin. And when I say deliciousness, I mean I-don’t-care-if-they-haven’t-set-yet-I’m-going-to-eat-two-right-now-as-a-starter-before-a-bowl-of-tomato-soup deliciousness (that was a long one). And just when you think that’s enough of a reason, but number two: you get an extra half a cup of caramel from the recipe, and may I suggest that you have it as a dessert after your tomato soup that you ate after two banoffee pies?