Monday 23 May 2011

The Best Scones!

Time has whizzed by lately and I hadn't noticed the weeks passing by... hence this post is a little overdue!

Recently there have been a lot of 'behind the scenes' jobs to do in the Trumpety Trump shop, one of which is my next window display. This seems to have taken rather a long time as I am doing it from scratch (with the help of my husband who gets roped into these things!). All will be revealed when it's finished!

In the interim, I have been baking with my eager little helper (my daughter) and again, I have picked a tried and tested recipe to pass on to you.

It's a dead easy recipe (by Nigella Lawson) which the children can help make and of course tastes delicious too. I think these scones are heavenly when they are eaten freshly baked and topped with lashings of clotted cream and strawberry jam! The photo just doesn't do them justice. Here goes, and enjoy...





Ingredients

500g plain flour
1 tsp salt (I only use 3/4 tsp salt as I found the suggested amount made the scones taste just a bit too salty for my liking)
2 tsps bicarbonate of soda
4 1/2 tsps cream of tartar
50g cold unsalted butter, diced
25g Trex, in teaspooned lumps (or use another 75g butter)
300ml milk
1 large egg, beaten, for egg-wash
6 1/2 cm crinkle-edged round cutter
1 baking tray, lightly greased

Preheat the oven to 220 degrees celcius/gas mark 7

Sift the flour, salt, bicarb and cream of tartar into a large bowl. Rub in the fats till it goes like damp sand. Add the milk all at once, mix briefly - briefly being the operative word - and then turn out onto a floured surface and knead lightly to form a dough.

Roll out to about 3cm thickness. Dip the cutter into some flour, then stamp out at least 10 scones. You get 12 in all from this, but may need to reroll for the last 2. Place on the baking tray very close together - the idea is that they bulge and stick together on cooking - then brush the tops with the egg-wash. Put in the oven and cook for 10 minutes or until risen and golden.

Makes 12.

Go on, give them a go, you won't be disappointed!

Monday 9 May 2011

Things making me smile...

Now that the Royal Wedding fever and Bank Holidays are over, life seems to be settling down a bit. The children are back, nestled in pre-school, and our much needed routine is back on track. I've been able to knuckle down again without battling the workload whilst a child dangles off each leg, so life is pretty good! Things making me smile recently...

{The beautiful sound of the bells ringing at Westminster Abbey after the Royal Wedding. This picture was taken just outside the Abbey; I thought the row of flags looked stunning with Big Ben in the background.}

{Seeing the Royal Weddding 'balcony kiss' at Buckingham Palace and of course catching a glimpse of the Queen, albeit from a distance!}

{A blend of colourful tulips in St James's Park}.

{My serene looking Siamese cat (Merlyn) lazing around in a flower pot}

{Bare wooden 'abc' templates for painting so that they can be put on the children's bedroom walls.}

Thursday 5 May 2011

Tulips Galore

by Amanda

Yesterday we visited the annual Tulip Festival at Pashley Manor Gardens, Ticehurst for the third year running. I’m always enchanted by, what is known to be, ‘one of the finest gardens in England’. The blend of romantic landscaping, old trees, ponds and fountains are sumptuous. It’s my favourite time of the year for visiting this quintessential English garden. Wisteria cascades down the rear of the Manor house, thousands of colourful tulips fill the gardens and the woodland is carpeted with bluebells.




We spent most of the day there and enjoyed lunch in the picnic area. The children really enjoyed themselves and they fluttered through each fairytale garden fascinated by the stunning sculptures, the vegetable garden, the colour and scent of the tulips and the beautiful water features.

The great thing about Pashley Manor Gardens is that it has a friendly and charming atmosphere. The children were free to roam and explore and there were no disapproving looks in sight when we produced our very own colourful wooden Bug Nets to see what we could find in the field! The homemade food from the Garden Cafe is excellent too and we finished the day off with drinks and cake on the terrace in the warm afternoon sun.


Admission is £8.50 and children (under 6) go free so a great day out that won't break the bank. The Tulip Festival ends on the 8th May 2011 so hurry!