Mary Berry Apple Cake

We have had a plethora of apples on our tree in the garden this year. After giving some to the neighbours and packing some away, we still have a bag full. So at the weekend I made Mary Berry’s Apple Dessert Cake which was absolutely delicious, according to my colleagues who finished it on Monday. As it uses melted butter, it isn’t the easiest batter to handle, particularly as the apples are sandwiched between two layers of cake mixture but by working quickly, it was easy enough to achieve the desired result. If only I didn’t like cake so much……

APPLE DESSERT CAKE

225g (8 oz) self-raising flour

1 level teaspoon baking powder 

225g (8 oz) caster sugar 

2 eggs

½ teaspoon almond extract

150g (5 oz) butter, melted

350g (12 oz) cooking apples, peeled and cored

25g (1 oz) flaked almonds

Spread half this mixture into the prepared tin. Thickly slice the apples and lay on top of the mixture in the tin, piling mostly towards the centre. Using 2 dessertspoons, roughly spoon the remaining mixture over the apples.

This is an awkward thing to do, but just make sure that the mixture covers the centre well as it will spread out in the oven. Sprinkle with the flaked almonds.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1¼–1½ hours until golden and coming away from the sides of the tin.

Spread half this mixture into the prepared tin. Thickly slice the apples and lay on top of the mixture in the tin, piling mostly towards the centr

This is an awkward thing to do, but just make sure that the 

Silver Celebrations

Last weekend, Andy and I shared in the Silver Wedding celebrations of some friends. They hosted the party in their lovely home and as we sipped champagne or diet Pepsi (yes, I was driving) and chatted to other old friends, I couldn’t help but reflect on life’s rich tapestry. Many guests were financially or professionally successful but several had experienced loss and sorrow or had their lives take a different direction from the intended route.  But despite the differences, the unifying feature was the delight in celebrating the marriage of two generous, warm-hearted people. And that was a powerful thing!

Strictly!

Strictly Saturdays are back!  Yes, along with a large number of the population, we’ve have been waiting for the glitter and sparkle that marks the start of autumn, Strictly Come Dancing!  A guilty TV pleasure (along with the GBBO) there’s something addictive about the show; the mix of music, dancing, outrageous costumes and personalities is compelling. With a host of new dancers (although sadly, Anton is still with us) and some seemingly  talented “celebrities” (I use that term in its loosest form), it should be a good series and a pleasant way to spend the next few Saturday evenings.

LINCOLN

Despite visiting friends who live in Lincolnshire for over 30 years, Lincoln isn’t somewhere we’re familiar with. In fact we’ve only been there once when we took Nerea to a nearby farm-based “Jungle Gym” and needed a restorative cuppa after the noise of countless shrieking children proved headache inducing. So on a recent work visit, I discovered the delights of the historic quarter of the town. Perched on the top of a limestone escarpment, the Castle and Cathedral area is charming, with steep narrow streets climbing up from the River Witham and Brayford Pool giving stunning views across the city.

The Diamond Challenge

Earlier this month, I completed my Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Diamond challenge.  Once I’d committed to walking the Cumbria Way, my dear husband promptly developed work commitments and sustained a hockey injury that meant he couldn’t join me when planned.   Throw in the worst weather of the summer and it was clear I needed to re-think my approach.  So, I ended up walking non-sequential sections over 5 days, travelling South to North, North to South and using trains, buses and automobiles to complete the sections.  Despite the rain, injuries and contrived elements of the route, it was still very enjoyable.

An Indian Summer

 

With summer over and autumn officially begun, I‘m hoping for a few more days of sunshine. And in a moment of reflection, I wondered how the concept of an “Indian Summer” originated. So, a spot of Googling later and I was a little better informed. It seems that although the exact origins of the term are unclear, Native Americans (Indians) may have used it in reference to the warm and hazy conditions in early autumn when they hunted. But equally surprising was the suggestion that it only came into common use in Britain during the 1950s. I didn’t know that!