SUMMER DESSERTS

It is so hot; I really don’t know where this heat has come from? Are we still in England, or have the Gods done their stuff and moved us about, like moving furniture? I just don’t know where I want to be for comfort? Love it when it is warm, but this is oven, temperature? If I put an egg on our garden table I wonder how long it will take to cook? I went for a bath before. A cold bath. It was real good. Our bath is a spar bath; all the cool water was great. Of course, I ended up giving the bathroom a good clean? Teen uses that bathroom all the time, Hub and I hardly use it, we use our tiny shower room. It’s an old bathroom, but it will last, as we have no choice to do anything with it. Funny though, as you look at it, it drops to bits?

The odd tile will fall on you in the bath, or the tap will drop off. Hahahahah.

But it doesn’t leak and it works.

I found a new cleaning product well, new to me. I used something like this in the States when I stayed at our family/friend’s house. It is bathroom foam. Much better than the sprays or liquids.

I so wanted to open the bathroom window, to cause a little draft? But as our bathroom faces onto the main road, thought best not…

The air is full of BBQ smells again. Lovely.

How about looking with me at some summer desserts?

Blackberry and lemon Mess

Ingredients

• 600ml tub whipping cream
• 3 tbsp icing sugar
• 6 tbsp lemon curd
• 200g blackberries
• few primroses or other edible flowers, to decorate (optional)

 

Now, some people may want to make their own meringues? But why? Make it easy, buy them?

To serve, dollop the lemon curd over the whipped cream, then crumble over some of the meringues in small chunks Put the blackberries into a bowl and lightly rough up with a fork so they’re whole but juicy, then scatter them over the cream. Fold together with a large spatula or spoon, just a few times to marble everything through. Divide between 6 glasses or bowls, top each with an edible flower, if using, and serve straight away.

 You can use strawberries, but black berries or even raspberries, are really nice with this? In fact, last time I made this, I also put blueberries in.

 

Summer fruits drizzle cake

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 175g fruits, stoned and diced weight
• 140g granulated sugar
• 1-2 tbsp citrus juice - lemon, lime or orange
• 175g very soft butter, plus extra for greasing
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 250g self-raising flour

 

Method

1. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease a 900g/2lb loaf tin and line the base and ends with a long strip of baking parchment. Put the butter, sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla extract into a large bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer for 5 mins until pale and creamy – the mixture will be very thick.
2. Spread one-third of the cake mix into the tin, then scatter over 50g of the fruit. Carefully dot and spread another third of the cake mix on top, and scatter with another 50g fruit. Finally dot the rest of the cake mix over and gently spread with the back of a spoon. Bake for 1 hr, until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
3. Poke the cake all over with a skewer. Put remaining 75g fruit into a bowl with the granulated sugar. Stir in 1 tbsp of the citrus juice first with a fork, mashing a little of the fruit as you go. If it’s a bit dry, add a splash more juice and spoon over the cake. Leave in the tin until the cake is cool and the topping is set and crisp.

 

You can use whatever fruit you wish to use. Recipes from Good food magazine

Right off for now, but I hope you are all well? I shall have a coffee or some herbal tea later and have a chat. Have to call my two friends who asked me to phone them last night, I forgot but they are forgiven, bless them? So two friends, = two hours chat. xxx