Bloggers Around the World: Great Britain

Don't be afraid!

The Cheese Conspiracy

Do you know this feeling? Randomly you catch a few words of a conversation of complete strangers and you have the feeling, they are talking about you. Do you know what I mean? Then maybe you are egocentric and take yourself too important.
On the other hand there might be some big conspiracy going on. I really have that feeling. For instance, some days ago I was travelling with the underground. Instead of seeing normal people having conversations or reading a book - you know that thing where you have to turn over the page once in a while - but, no they all were staring on these small objects in their hands and were doing who knows what. Then they had these small gadgets in their ears. I'm not sure yet what is going on, but it has to be some kind of conspiracy ...

The Marzipator strikes back - Dorset Apple Cake with Marzipan

Somehow, it could not be avoided. The marzipator strikes back. How could get things get that far again?
Well it didn't start so bad. I ended up with several tons (note: exaggeration) of apples. They came in from different sides. It's the time for apples.
There are many lovely things you can do with them ... that is apart from just eating them as they are. The saying goes: "An apple a day keeps the doctor away!" That would mean I don't see the doctor for quite some time. I don't know whether that works. As far as I know, apples can't prevent accidents.
Anyway, you could use your apples for apple sauce, apple crumble, apple pancakes, apple porridge, many many other things and ... apple cake.
Now things are as follows. For quite some time there is a blog challenge going on. It's about the Best of British food and every month, there is a different region covered. The challenge is sponsored by The Face of New World Appliances and this month it is hosted by Karen from Lavender and Lovage with the theme Dorset. Have a look at London Unattached from Fiona as well.
Consequently this leaves me no chance as to bake a Dorset Apple Cake. I had a look at a few recipes and they all have some basic things in common. Apple is the obvious, but usually there are also some ground almonds in it.
That is the point were the marzipator and therefore the marzipan comes into play. It has to do with almonds anyway. So why not add some of it to the cake.

See for yourself!

Ingredients:
450 g of apples, peeled, cored and chopped into small pieces (more or less)
Juice of 1 lemon
250 g flour
2 tsp baking powder
250 g butter (I was too lazy to measure, so I decided for a whole package)
150 g brown sugar
50 g ground almonds
100 g marzipan
2 eggs
Some extra sugar mixed together with ground cinnamon

Method (if you want to call it that way):
Well, what to do now. I could simply tell you to just throw all ingredients into a big bowl and mix thoroughly, but ...
Toss the pieces of apple in the juice and let them sit in it.
Sift the flour and the baking powder into a big bowl. Then start kneading in the butter and create some crumbles.
Add the sugar, the ground almonds and the marzipan. Crack open the eggs and release the content into the bowl, not bothering about separating and beating egg whites.
Now is the time to mix or knead it through thorougly. Do it as you want it. I used only my bare hands and did it as messy as possible. However, if you should decide to do the same, make sure you have the usual round (about 25 cm) cake tin greased and ready and the oven going at 180°C.
Naturally, the content of the bowl moves over to the cake tin.

Once managed, it goes into the oven for 50 minutes until it gets nicely browned.
By the way, this is now two cakes in a row, since my last post was about a cake as well. Should I rename to Baking Around the World?
When the cake is ready and you removed it from the oven, let it cool down a bit and then try your best to move it over to a plate without falling apart. I managed kind of.

After the cake was sitting safely on the plate, I simply couldn't resist to sprinkle some magic cinnamon-sugar on top.
I hope you enjoy the cake. If you have some nice clotted cream available, that would give it another boost. So ... go for it!
Otherwise, you may have the chance to get to Dorset and get a piece of Dorset Apple Cake in a nice tearoom (of course it will be without marzipan).

Near this place I know a nice tearoom. Whatsoever, there are many other nice things to see in Dorset along the Jurassic Coast and beyond. I want to come to an end of this post and leave you with some impressions of Dorset ...

Cornish Strawberry-Rhubarb Tiramisu

What a beautiful day! I don’t have to go to work today – an extra day off. I saw even the sun today and was tempted to lie down in the garden, in the sun.

 

It almost felt like holiday! At least a few features were fitting: no work, sun.

Of course having these two features and adding Cornwall to it would make things perfect.

Well it was a great time in Cornwall. There are tons of good memories.

Tintagel castle (with guard dog)

you have a great view from up there

nice fishing villages

the harbour of St. Ives

view from Lands End

the Minack Theatre ...

... with a nice view as well

 

The memories also have to do with food. I can’t remember how many Cornish pasties, but “I had them all!” and would I have had more time, even more.

Well, in between, of course there needs to be time for a good old cream tea with fine Cornish clotted cream.

From the past back to the present.

That brings us also to a blog challenge: Best of British, which features, what a surprise, the region of Cornwall this month.

More about this blog challenge you find here (Chocolate Log Blog) and here (The Face of New World Appliances) and here (London Unattached).

Let's talk food then.

Cornish Strawberry-Rhubarb Tiramisu

What do we need then for this waistline developing dish (if you are careful, nothing might happen, though)?

Let’s talk food then (of course I know that tiramisu is not Cornish, but clotted cream is not Italian).

Ingredients

200 g strawberries

200 g rhubarb

250 g mascarpone

250 g Cornish clotted cream (that is what it makes Cornish)

8 sponge fingers (at least)

one vanilla pod

5 teaspoons of vanilla sugar

one tablespoon of fructose

8 cl of strawberry liqueur (you might meed more when you like to drink during the preparation)

some wild strawberries

50 g of white chocolate

Then do it

Oh, you want me to tell you. Good!

Line a 24 x 24 cm form with the sponge fingers. You can add more in a second layer if you feel like it. 

Use the strawberries and rhubarb to make a nice compote in a pot on a medium heat. Add here also 4 cl of the liqueur (to the pot – and one to yourself if you have to (I’m not encouraging drinking though)) and the fructose. Cook it until the rhubarb starts to melt.

In the meantime whip up the mascarpone and the clotted cream together with the vanilla sugar and the seeds from the vanilla pod (if you can get only cheap dry vanilla pods, don’t bother using them). Well, and don’t forget to add 4 cl of the liqueur here as well (yes, I know). You get a slightly pinkish cream.

Spoon the compote over the sponge fingers. Do it carefully, you don’t want to make a mess, do you?

 

If you have managed, you can spoon over the slightly pinkish cream. Then you have to decide, what to do with the remaining cream you didn’t manage to get from the bowl.

Although I got unexpected company in the kitchen, I didn’t do what you might think I did.

(That is Willy. I try to keep an eye on him while his owner is away - EXTRA CHALLENGE! No worries, we get by!)

The whole thing we finish off with some nice wild strawberries I just got fresh from my garden today (while keeping an eye on Willy and Lucy – OK – Molly was also visiting – three dogs – no worries).

Finally or last but not least, grate the white chocolate on top.

Put it as it is in the fridge for a few hours and then indulge!

That should be all then. Now I can continue enjoying my holiday in "Cornwall".