Bircher Muesli

It is my poor hubby's first day off in 11 days, so I wanted to give him his favourite breakfast.  Being the (generally) virtuous bloke he is, this isn't a fry-up, but a plate of Bircher Muesli and lots of fruit.  On a lovely sunny early Autumn morning, it hit just the spot.  It is essential to use a good quality muesli base for this, and I like Dorset Cereals - not cheap but great quality.  Start the night before. For three servings (he has the leftovers tomorrow), put 9 heaped tablespoons of muesli in a bowl and pour over fruit juice to just cover - I used apple juice.  stir well, cover and leave in the fridge over night.  The next morning, grate an apple, peel and all, and stir into the muesli with a splash more apple juice.  Now stir in yoghurt, whatever flavour you like, but I went with peach yoghurt to match the flavours of the fruit.  Use as much or as little as you like to get the texture and consistency you prefer.  Spoon into plates and serve with a selection of perfect fruit - I used a glorious French white peach, skinned and sliced, some wonderful scottish raspberries and local strawberries, and a handful of brambles from the wild bit at the bottom of the garden, still warm from the briar.  This could only have been improved by eating it on a balcony overlooking the Devon or Cornish coast, but you can't have everything.  With gallons of tea, toast and homemade marmalade, I hope the old man had an oasis of rest before back to the slog again tomorrow.

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

These are SOOOOO much better than any cookies you can buy, and such a doddle to make.  I use the recipe from Smitten Kitchen's blog which, if you haven't discovered yet, I urge you to visit, if only to keep up with the growing charm of her toddler son.  This is just about the most famous food blog on the planet so you might have seen it already!  Anyway, great recipe, reliable, quick and easy, and I get about 18 cookies from this quantity of dough.  Perfect for a work fundraiser tomorrow, along with some chocolate Vanilla Cupcakes, based on the Hummingbird Bakery recipe I've blogged on here before.

Chocolate Peanut Caramel Flapjack

OK, so I have a bit of a baking head on.  I start a secondment next week (finally, as I've been trying to do two jobs for the last few weeks) and am nervous about 2 things: first, that I'll be rubbish in the new post - they have such high expectations about me and I feel a little fraudulent; and second, that my replacement is so good, they might not want me back in my old post when the 12 months is up!  Gulp!  So, I am seeking solace in baked goods with lots of chocolate.  First up, this obscene lump of solid sugar and fat.  I take some comfort that the oats will help reduce some of the cholesterol being ingested.  This is a layer of squidgy flapjack (100g butter, 30g granulated sugar, 70g soft muscovado sugar, 2 tablespoons golden syrup and 175g oat flakes, all melted together, flattened in a parchment-lined 20cm sq brownie pan and baked for 10 mins at 160C - no longer, or else it is too hard).  Allow this to cool, then mix half a tin of Carnation Caramel condensed milk - make sure it is the ready-caramelised one - with 100g of roasted peanuts - your choice whether salted or unsalted, but the salt goes really well with the caramel!  Also, it is up to you to decide what to do with the remining half tin.  It is calling to me from the kitchen.  "Hello? Psst!  Maggie, EAT me!" it is saying.  Spread this over the cooled flapjack, and set in the fridge for a few hours.  Then gently melt 75g each of dark and white chocolate together with a tablespoon of flavourless oil, stirring very gently.  Pour this over the cold caramel layer and return to the fridge.  Leave to set, and then cut with a big sharp knife dipped in boiling water, wiping the knife between each cut.  This is best done on a board, out of the tin.  Use the parchment paper to help lift out of the pan.  Try to keep chilled, so the caramel doesn't seep out too much.  The bulk (I use the word advisedly) of this is going into work on Monday, otherwise we'd scarf the lot. These taste good.  Very good.  Like a Marathon bar with oats in.  (I refuse to call them Snickers - stupid name)

Parkin

I am in the middle of a baking-fest this weekend - next weekend, a friend is running a charity coffee morning, and I volunteered to bake for it. Parkin is a great cake to make well ahead - if it can sit for a good few days, well-wrapped, it becomes sticky and moist. It is dead easy to make as well. Here is the recipe I used, from the BBC website.

Other goodies for the coffee morning include - Scones (see next entry), Meredith's Zucchini Cake and the Simple Carrot and Raisin Cake, both of which are in the blog, and a Chocolate and Nut Brownie, which will be made later in the week, so I'll blog that when done. Phew!