This recipe is adapted from ‘The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook’. The sponge recipe is different from mine as it uses butter rather than margarine. Most of my plain sponge recipes use margarine as I find that it gives a light, fluffy sponge that stays fresh for up to a week. However, when I’m baking recipes that
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With strawberry season in full swing, this is the perfect recipe to make use of fresh strawberries (or raspberries).  I actually grew these strawberries myself! Ingredients for the sponge 225g unsalted butter, at room temperature 225g caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 4 large eggs 225g self raising flour 1 tsp baking powder splash of
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I love to champion local food businesses and I can’t recommend this one enough!  Mrs Olives is the delivery branch of ‘Olive Bar Wales’ (who can be found at many of the local produce markets).  They sell a range of authentic olives, as well as other bits and bobs. Two of my great passions are
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Today we celebrate St. David’s Day in Wales. St. David is our patron saint, and on March 1st we celebrate Welsh culture. What better way to mark the day than with a welsh cake, or even better, a welsh cake cupcake? This recipe is adapted from The Primrose Bakery’s recipe for Christmas Pudding Cupcakes! I
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I’m delighted to have found a new local coffee shop! Y Shed (Y = ‘the’ in Welsh) opened at Gowerton Golf Range (Victoria Road, Swansea, SA4 3AB) in December. It’s the brainchild of Sophie Spence, a former Ireland women’s rugby union international, who’s ended up in Swansea via Newcastle and Dublin. With her playing career
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At the end of the school Summer holidays, we took a city break to Barcelona!  A last chance for some sunshine, before the long winter stretch ahead!  I chose Barcelona as it seemed to have something for all of us.  I was travelling with my two Son’s (aged 3 and 9) and my Mum who
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Another apple recipe!  This is a cupcake that I always make in the Autumn.  It’s ideal for Halloween or Bonfire Night, and with the weather taking a rather Autumnal turn this week (and the fact that I am still working my way through the garden apples!) I thought I would make them!  The sponge recipe
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Continuing on my quest to use the garden apple windfall….. next up is Spiced Apple Cake (adapted from a recipe by ‘The Hairy Bikers’).  This is actually a cake that can be enjoyed on a diet!  As it uses brown sugar and oil, rather than white sugar and butter. Ingredients 500g prepared weight of Bramley
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I know!  I’ve mentioned the C word and it’s only September!  But this a recipe that needs to be prepared in advance!  I am determined to use my glut of garden apples this year, so brace yourselves for a few apple recipes….. This is a recipe for a spiced apple chutney that has a sweet
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The Affogato is an Italian coffee based dessert, with the standard recipe being a scoop of cold vanilla gelato topped  with a shot of hot, dark roast espresso.  ‘Affogato’ is Italian for “drowned”, with is apt as you are drowning your ice cream with coffee!  This is an effortless recipe, which is simple yet fulfilling!
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