World Baking Day : 19 May 2013

   
It's World Baking Day this coming Saturday, and I could not be more excited. This campaign is spearheaded by Stork , who chose me to be one of 100 global ambassadors for this day - and my recipe features at number 79 - Milk Tart Profiteroles with White Chocolate Ganache. Recipes are ranked from 1 being the easiest, to 100 being the most difficult - you can choose your level and #bakebrave!

You can view the original recipe here, or on the World Baking Day website here. Earlier this week I was on the Expresso Show making these live.

   
World Baking Day is about stepping out of your comfort zone and baking a cake that will push your baking skills to the limit. I'm aiming high and have chosen these Brownies with Orange Meringue - baking brave at level 95. So, choose a recipe, get your badge and #bakebrave this weekend - there's hardly an excuse needed to bake a sweet treat, so spoil your friends and family with something delicious on Saturday!
  

Recipe : Asian Style Beef Noodle Broth

   
We spent the majority of our honeymoon in the most gorgeous cottage, hidden at the end of a tree-lined lane, with forest and fields around us. It was the perfect choice for us -close enough to town to get food and supplies easily, but far enough to ensure we didn't have neighbours or anyone to disturb our peace.

We were blessed with autumn days, filled with cool sunshine - but on the occasional chilly evening, we craved this noodle broth. Easily made in 20 minutes the rich beefy spiciness will comfort the coldest of hands and tummies, but won't weigh you down or leave you lethargic. We love these flavours - you'll find similar ones in our Asian Style Beef Tataki - our summer version of this dish.

The view from our honeymoon couch.

Luke Dale Robert’s Butternut Strudel with White Onion Marmalade and Cream Cheese

Images courtesy of Russel Smith.  
Our honeymoon was filled with many delightful things - delicious food, walks among squirrels and falling leaves - and afternoons next to the fireplace, with red wine and books. I picked up a copy of the May Women's Health for a little inspirational reading, and was thrilled to find this recipe my the legendary Luke Dale-Roberts. It's deceptively simple, a great vegetarian meal and very high on my list of to-make recipes as a new wife.

I'm also planning on doubling the quantities of White Onion Marmalade - sounds like the perfect relish to have on stand by in the fridge!


Hello, Mrs Bresler!

Apologies for the relative silence, but hope you'll forgive me : getting married was one of the few occasions that took my attention away from you! Normal programming will resume from next week, but here are a few photographs in the meantime - from the absolutely amazing Tiffany B - you can see the rest here.

Recipe : Spicy Beef and Green Olive Empanadas



  
I’ve wanted to try empanadas for a while – found in South America, Latin America, and even parts of Asia they consist of bread / dough / pastry folded around a variety of fillings – including meat, cheese, vegetables or fruit.
Simply translated, one could call them crescent shaped pies…but the purists may be up in arms. I used puff pastry to wrap around my filling, but you could make your own dough and be a little more authentic – although the puff pastry worked beautifully.


   
I chose a filling of cubes of rump steak and Mediterranean Delicacies Pimento Stuffed Green Olives – as they’re a little spicy, and have no stones they are perfect for this dish. Sprinkled with a delicate spice mix of cumin, chilli and cinnamon and served with a simple dipping sauce they make a great lunch-box filler and are the perfect entertainer’s dish.