Georgian Walnut Chicken

Okay, strap yourself in for some former Soviet delicacies! I am just back from a holiday in Russia and I ate A LOT. And discovered Georgian food. And I’m in love. Russian food was lovely, but Georgian food was a complete surprise. It totally wasn't on my radar as a top cuisine, but I enjoyed everything I ate in the many Georgian restaurants we frequented. They have this beefy tomato rice soup called kharcho which is incredible (and coming up on the blog!), and these amazing dumplings called khinkali! Which I might not make because they looked like they would be difficult to put together.

But my favourite thing was this walnut chicken stew dish which is flavourful, warming, delicately spiced and super-duper delicious. So, as I always do, I got home and immediately googled some recipes and got the basics down. And I added a few spiced additions just to get it close to the one I had in St Petersburg.

This is super easy to make, with an incredible creamy sauce (always my favourite part of any meal). You can easily double the paste ingredients to allow you to make this again quickly. Because you will want to. Because it’s delicious.

Date and Coconut Balls

And now for a little mid-week "healthy-ness."

Sometimes you buy a bunch of dates and have to find something to do with them.

And then sometimes you’re having a lovely buffet lunch on holiday and find an unexpectedly delicious date and coconut ball, and it all becomes clear.

I’m not usually a big fan of dates, but those little "energy balls" were a revelation and I decided to make my own. There’s about 95 calories per ball so about the same as a mini Milky Bar. I’m not saying one is better than the other, but they are choices for different days.

I can say that in their favour, they’re easy to make (blitz in the food processor), last 2 weeks in the fridge and are great as a snack on the go when you don't want something overly sweet or chocolatey. Oh, and they ARE gluten and dairy free if that’s your game.

My Perfect Granola

Big bowl'a granola

I have to admit, before about 3 weeks ago, I’d never even eaten granola before in my life.

But, a bowl in and I was hooked. I love the nutty, crunchy, slightly sweet, different flavour in every mouthful kinda bowlful that you get.

I started my addiction by stealing my boyfriend’s “tropical” one, with pineapple, banana, coconut etc. 

I decided to branch out and look for my own one. There are SO MANY options. And I’m really picky. None of them had that exact combination of things I was looking for – fruit, nuts, seeds, nothing covered all of them.

So, OF COURSE, I decided it was up to me to make my own. And it’s really easy. And delicious. And there are INFINITE possibilities. I don’t think I’ll ever make 2 identical batches.

I’m a big nut fan, so that’s where I go crazy. Feel free to reduce the quantities or increase as desired. This recipe is more of a general technique and flavour base. Add what you will and enjoy!

There is no more glorious sight!

Cream Cheese Brownies

The blog has been a bit too savoury lately (ie: two savoury posts in a row!)

So I thought I should rectify that with another type of brownie (I'm a tiny bit obsessed with brownies..).

I have been meaning to get more use out of the revelation of sesame-cheesecake mixture that I made for the sesame yoyos. And I really love brownies, but a few years ago when I attempted to make cream cheese brownies the whole thing was an unmitigated disaster. Like, "throwing the batch out" disastrous.

Nevertheless, these things are sent to try us! And if I never kept cracking on at recipes which had previously been fraught with difficulty, then this blog would be pretty empty. Trial and error, practice and tasting, that’ll get you where you need to go. Never give up!

And I’m glad I kept going, because I’ve cracked it! These are some of the nicest, nuttiest, creamiest brownies I’ve ever made! Please make them, you won’t regret it. Brownies, brownies, brownies!

The Best Ever Carrot Cake

So, it was my birthday last month. And for a special treat, instead of a regular birthday cake, my boyfriend bought me two delicious patisserie slices of cake all for myself. The first was a mouth-wateringly decadent chocolate brownie cheesecake. And the second, I vowed to myself that I would re-create as soon as the first mouthful passed my lips.

It was a carrot cake of epic proportions: chunky yet light slices of delicately spiced and incredibly flavourful sponge, sandwiched together with a rich and creamy buttercream filling. OMG. My mouth is watering just thinking of it.

And from that moment on, I researched carrot cake recipes like a crazy person. I have settled on a slightly modified version of the Jamie Oliver recipe, and it tasted JUST LIKE I DREAMED IT.

Another reason I love this recipe is that it helped me use up some of the THIRTY eggs that my boyfriend decided to pick up at the shop. Other people would make omelettes. But omelettes aren't cake. And this is an epic cake.

Classic Walnut Brownies

Packaged up for work

I have a confession to make. I am a bit crap at making brownies. It’s just one of my sticking points, like fudge (dear God, fudge haunts my nightmares). But every so often I get the urge to give it another go, because I am a bit stubborn like that, and brownies are so delicious.

I got the Mary Berry Baking Bible from my very thoughtful mum for Christmas and there are a few promising brownie recipes which I earmarked. One of which is the subject of this post. She hasn’t steered me wrong yet.

First of all, it is a gratifyingly simple recipe. Second, it has an amazing brownie ‘crust’ on top which I am ecstatic about. And finally.. It isn’t all goo in the middle! Rejoyce! Brownies: delicious. Me: successful. Winners all round.

Make these. Put whatever nuts you want in them. Eat them.

Mocha and Walnut Cake

The cut slice looks massive. I swear that slice was at least three portions. Okay, two.

So lets dive right in with one of my favourites. This is slightly adapted from a very lovely Nigella recipe. I want to *be* a domestic goddess. The 2 week old pile of clean yet unfolded washing on my dresser laughs at my hubris.

This cake is impressive. The kind of cake you bring around to someone’s for afternoon tea, when you want to make more of an effort than supermarket bakery brownies. It cuts into gratifyingly chunky slices, and it’s one of the most moist cakes I’ve ever made. A little tooth-achingly sweet, but what good cake isn’t?

I have been known to make this cake when I can’t figure out what to do with eggs which are about to go off. Or when there's leftover coffee in the pot.

Any excuse.

Ingredients for Cake:

• 50g walnuts
• 225g caster sugar
• 225g unsalted butter
• 200g plain flour
• 2.5 tsp baking powder
• 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1-2 tbsp cold strong coffee
• 4 large eggs

Ingredients for Icing

• 300g icing sugar
• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 15g cocoa
• 1 tbsp cold strong coffee
• Walnut halves, to decorate (if you have enough left-over. I didn't)

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.

Grind the walnuts and sugar together in a food processor until crumbly. Add in the butter, flour, baking powder, bicarb and eggs. Process to a smooth batter, and add in enough coffee to give it a smooth, dropping consistency.

Divide between two lined cake tins and bake for 25 minutes. It is moist, so allow to cool for 15 or so minutes in the tins before turning out onto a cooling rack and peeling off the parchment.

While they are cooling, whip up the simple buttercream icing:

Cream the butter, and sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder. Mix well to the desired consistency, and add in the coffee. Take about a third and use to sandwich the two halves of the cake together, and use the rest to ice the top whichever way suits you. 

Throw a few walnut halves or pieces on top and you’ve got yourself a magnificent cake.

You don't make friends with small slices.