Tea at The Dorechester

A couple of months ago, I was invited to London to celebrate my mum's friends 50th Birthday, with afternoon tea at The Dorchester Hotel. We spent the morning visiting the Charles Dickens museum at 48 Doughty Street in London, a quick mooch around Harrods and then on to the hotel!

    

We were greeted at the lobby to the hotel then taken into the long gallery shaped space where the afternoon tea was served. At the entrance they had two huge floral displays with hundreds of lillies and roses that gave off the most amazing scent, they were so big they nearly touched the ceiling, and were at least twice the size of me!

As a large party we had a long table, and I sat on the comfiest squishiest sofa I have ever had the pleasure of sitting on. The staff will bring you extra cushions and plump them for you if needed (!) then it's on to the tea. (That's me on the left!)

First decision to make is from the baffling array of how many hundreds of types of tea you can think of. I had a gorgeous mint infusion that cam in a massive tea pot, quite possibly the most tea I have ever drunk in one sitting! And then on came the food. Those of you thinking that afternoon tea is far too expensive and you'll never be full up, think again! You can have 10 sandwiches, many scones, lots of cake and more tea than you can ever drink, all in the gorgeous surroundings of a very plush hotel. Some of the photos below show some of the amazing cakes, amuse bouches and all of the lovely crockery that we were presented with during our tea. I love the pretty green and gold china, so elegant.

The above was a little chocolate pot filled with a tasty chocolate coffee cream and a gold dusted coffee bean, so delicious!

The only downside to our tea was that you only get a one hour and 30 minute slot, and then they will bring you the bill wether you are ready for it or not! I was very happy to sit there with my tea all afternoon, but apparently that was not an option. Also, make sure that you have the right cash on you, as if you want to pay by card, you have to get up and go to the front desk to play, a bit annoying if you're still enjoying your last slurp of tea.

However as an experience it was perfect, and a wonderful way to celebrate a 50th Birthday. I think everybody should do this at least once in their lives. Go and soak up the atmosphere of one of the Great British institutions that is afternoon tea at The Dorchester.

My Birthday Cake 2013

Whoops! I have realized it's not just over a month since my last post, to be fair it was my birthday at the end of June so it was a little hectic, but now I have some time to sit down and show you my Birthday cake!

I have made my own cake for the last couple of years, so I decided that this year was no exception.

Inspired by a cake design I had seen in a Peggy Porschen book, I decided to create a domed birthday cake. I bought a special mould from Lakeland, and the following images show how the bake turned out!

1. I used a standard quantity of my favourite vanilla chocolate marble cake in the mould, however in hindsight, perhaps a quantity and a half would have been better, the overall cake was a little on the small side. I balanced the tin on a crumpet ring and put that on a baking tray in the oven to stop it rolling around.

2. I then cut the cake in half and filled it full of chocolate butter cream (one of my favourites!) Always easier to do this in a blender as then the icing sugar doesn't go everywhere and you can get it really soft and fluffy. I then used the other half of the butter cream to cover the cake completely, forming a crumb coat for the icing to stick to.

3. I also decided this year that I would cover the cake board which very simply meant covering it in a layer of icing. I did do this all in one day and quickly realised it would have been best to do this the day before and leave it to harden and dry, as it was very easy to mark with fingers or tools. I also think adding a border of ribbon around the side of the cake board would add an extra professional touch.

4. To make my scalloped border, I cut out a long strip of icing the correct width and length, and then used the plain side of a cutter to make the scallops. I found it was quite difficult to get the scallops the same all the way along, so I would recommend using a clean ruler to make a slight imprint along the rectangle as far down as you want your scallops to go, and then use that as a guide. Mine were a bit higgeldy piggeldy, but who doesn't love a bit of that!

5. I then used my little icing flowers that I had made the previous weekend. I added one to the point of every scallop, sticking them to the cake with a strong mixture of icing sugar and water. Tip: Don't make it too runny or the flowers will just fall off, and nobody has that many fingers to hold them all in place until it all dries! I then put my sugar roses and leaves on the crown, and used a couple as decoration on the sides at the base.

6. The finished cake was delicious, it cut well, held its shape, and there was just enough of everything to make it taste amazing! I kept the cake on its stand under a light wrapping of foil and it kept its freshness for a good week and half, and even after that it was still pretty tasty! All in all a hit I would say. 

6 of the best...Places to Visit in Olney, Buckinghamshire

1. The Nest @ No. 9

Opened by two ex buyers from John Lewis in 2011, The Nest at No, 9 stocks a huge range of gorgeous interior products, cards, wrapping paper, Cavallini and Co Stationary and a host of other beautiful items, including beautiful soft and luxurious blankets so cosy you'll want to take them all home for an afternoon in front of the fire. Every visit offers the excitement of something new and gorgeous to discover and the lovely staff are more than happy to share their favourites and talk passionately about the products.

http://www.thenest-atno9.com/index.html

2. Joules

Just off from them main High Street, this Joules store offers just the right injection of country chic to the  town. A bright yellow shop front complimented by their floral prints and lovely clothes attract a huge range of customers, from yummy mummies to glamorous grannies. Although it is quite a small store, they pack womens, mens, childrens and accessories into the small space and the range is very good. Also very good are the well proportioned changing rooms. No more contorting yourself into small cramped cubicles, here you can twirl your skirt to your hearts content. 

They're just in the middle of sale time at the moment, and I picked up this beautiful boat print top for a snip at £20.00

http://www.joules.com/

3. Dychurch Lifestyle

I hadn't noticed this shop before today, but it sells a fantastic mixture of country style clothing including Cath Kidston Bags, Barbour and Barkers shoes and boots, made just down the road in Earls Barton. I have been looking for a perfect pair of Chelsea boots for a long time, and I found them in this shop! A gorgeous caramel coloured leather with punched decoration and a hand finished sole. Perfect to wear with jeans or dresses, I was so happy when I saw them!

No website, you'll just have to go for a visit!

4. Dandelion & Co.

Decorated in the palest greys, this is a calm, peaceful and relaxing shop with beautiful homewares, a kids section and a great selection of cards. They stock Orla Kiely and True Grace candles, a particular favourite of mine as they have beautiful scents. My favourite is Seashore No. 26, it transports you straight to a sandy beach or a refreshing walk over the cliffs. The fab window displays draw you straight into the shop, where you will find a lovely selection of gifts for any occasion. 

No website, you'll just have to go for a visit!

5. Bex Boutique

Situated in Rose Court, hidden down a little alley, Bex Boutique stocks a range of beautiful and unusual clothes. If you're after something a little more quirky and different this is the place to look. The buyers at Bex source their clothes from Italy and Spain and fill their shop with a range of stunning clothes that are always a little different from the clothes you may see out on the street. In the summer they stock a range of stunning printed maxi-dresses and unusual tops with different design details, and in the winter expect to find some great and slightly wacky knit designs. Definitely an excellent place to visit if you love your fashion with a hint of European flair.

http://www.bexboutique.co.uk/

6. Lily T

Jewelry, Handbags and Shoes, and a whole range of other accessories, what's not to love! The range is fantastic, always showcasing the newest and best styles with a twist. They have a great range of high heels, flip flops, ballet pumps and sandals from brands such as Moda in Pelle, Audley and Ilse Jacobsen. There's also a great selection of Radley, that little scotty dog gets everywhere! Head here for that unusual accessory that you've been hunting for, they also stock great boots in the winter. 

http://www.lily-t.com/

A Weekend of Baking - Cupcakes and Sausage Rolls

Along with the sugar flower for my own birthday cake, I made cupcakes and sausage rolls to take into work for my team. I decided to make 99' cupcakes (cakes that look like 99' ice creams not 99 of them!) and some caramelised red onion sausage rolls. 

The cupcakes have some ground almonds in the cake mix, which give a lovely sweet flavour but also a slightly closer texture which is very nice, you feel like you're getting a bigger mouthful!

To get the best sized cakes I used a soup spoon to make a ball, and that seemed to give the best size with no overspill.

Be careful not to overfill the cases as the filling will spill out and don't have the over temperature too high, or you'll end up with large peaks.

I love a good buttercream (Secret: Only use good quality slightly salted butter, blend in a blender for about a minute and then pipe!) I used a star nozzle to pipe swirls onto the cupcakes to make them look like '99 cupcakes.

I bought mini flakes to go onto the cupcakes but they were still too long, so I ended up cutting them in half with a sharp knife. Tip: to stop the flake crumbling too much, keep them in a fairly warm place then they wont fall apart so much when you cut into them.

The Finished Cupcakes: I was very pleased with the way they turned out. The little flakes stuck in the side were the perfect addition, and the hundreds and thousands gave a cute and childlike feel.

Sausage Rolls: This is a Delia recipe from her christmas book, and it makes the best sausage rolls I (and many others!) have ever tasted. Top Tip again, use the best quality butchers sausage meat for extra yumminess and always use red onion. It will make you cry more but it's worth it!

Dice the onion finely, season the sausagemeat and then mix it all together with your hands, don't be afraid to get messy! I made a quantity and a half of the recipe and it made about 60 bitesize sausage rolls, perfect for feeding a crowd. They are never better than when they are fresh out of the oven, but they will last in an airtight container. However once you taste them, they're not going to be around for long!

A Weekend of Baking - Sugar Flowers

This weekend I started on the preparation for my Birthday cake! I am again making sugar flowers to decorate it, so I thought I'd show you how I make roses, leaves and other flowers.

First of all, gather all of your ingredients together, including your trusty Mich Turner Cake Masterclass Cook Book! If you would like a professional tutorial on ow she makes her sugar roses, have a look at her tutorial on YouTube, this is how I learnt! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fczCtymCSc

Tip: When colouring sugarpaste, use a gel colour. It is more concentrated so you don't need as much as normal food colouring. Apply to the icing using a cocktail stick and build up the colour gradually. I always use a pair of disposable gloves when colouring icing, so it doesn't stain your hands.

I wanted my roses to have a vintage brown tint to their edges, so I wrapped a section of pink in a delicate beige shade. This meant that when they were shaped into the roses, the petals had a graduated pink tinge.

I also decided to purchase some edible gold lustre for my roses, and applied it using a clean soft paint-brush. It gave the roses a gorgeous golden tinge and adds to the vintage feel. 

I always use cutters for some of my icing and flowers, and these plunger rose leaf cutters are perfect for creating 'realistic' looking sugarpaste leaves. When stamped out, I give them a little twist to add curves and movement. 

To make the little pink flowers, I used a small flower cutter, and then poked them out onto the foam using the end of an elastic needle, creating the circular dent in the centre. 

Tip: When making icing decorations, leave them to dry on a foam mat for at least 24 hours, otherwise they will fall apart when you try and put them on your cakes. Once dry, store in an airtight container until you need them.

To make the centres of the flowers, I used sugar pearls secured with royal icing. The pearls are very cute, and finish off the delicate pink flowers perfectly. 

The Cake and Bake Show 2013

Despite the hot and sticky weather of the last week, I have been very excited about my trip to the second annual Cake and Bake Show 2013 in Earls Court London!

I followed the 2012 show on their website, and drooled over the amazing cakes on show, the speakers, the classes and demonstrations and the fantastic sounding Marketplace to sample some of the best baked goods from around the country.

They launched their first 2013 show in Manchester, and I decided that was it, this year I had to go! So I have booked my tickets for Saturday 14th September and am so excited to go, my trusty camera and notebook in hand.

This years speakers announced so far include Rosemary Shrager, Stacie Stewart, Simon Rimmer, Eric Lanlard and Tom Herbert, but I am secretly hoping for Mary Berry, Paul Hollywood and Mich Turner, isn't everyone!

Having graduated from a fashion degree, I was also particuarly interested in the Cakes on the Catwalk competition that was shown at the Manchester exhibition. The theme was (you guessed it!) cakes designed around dresses and costumes, and the results were particularly stunning, I'm really looking forward to see what the London competition involves. I might not have a go myself, probably best to leave that sort of thing to the professionals! However I am making my own birthday cake again this year, so keep your eyes peeled for photos of my creation!

I've also started following the Cake and Bake Show on Pinterest to get inspiration for my own baking, and to add to my own recipe folders. Keep reading over the weekend and I'll show you how I have been putting together my own recipe files and baking collections.

Pinterest - A Wonderful Time Hoover!

A few weeks ago I set myself up with a new Pinterest account. I have used this site before in a little writing job that I did, but I didn't really get into it on a personal level. However now I can't get enough of it! I downloaded the app onto my phone, and now I can Pin wherever I want.
So far I have set up 7 boards, but you really could go crazy on this site, there are so many pictures and products and ideas that I love, I just want to have them all! However I have tried to be a little bit selective, and Pin only the things that I really love. It's also great for links to websites that you might not have heard of or thought to look at before, so it's brilliant for research and inspiration, if also a bit of a time hoover!
If you're on Pinterest why not follow me and see what I've been Pinning and share your ideas and things that you love!

http://pinterest.com/averiltreeby/boards/