Recent deliciousness

Here are a couple of things I have managed to bake and photograph before it gets dark! (Although I'm loving the steadily lighter evenings and the fact it's March tomorrow!)

I made muffins using a Paul Hollywood (of bake-off fame) recipe and substituting the blueberries for chocolate chips. I'm on the hunt for the best basic muffin recipe - mine never turn out quite like the ones you get in coffee shops and bakeries.
This one was probably the best so far. Instead of the usual muffin method (preparing the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another, then roughly mixing together) this recipe used a cake-like method - creaming butter and sugar, adding eggs, etc. The muffins had a nice "crumb" and used easy store cupboard ingredients. My only criticism is that there was definitely nowhere near enough batter for TWELVE muffins - I only made eleven, and they were much smaller than I would've liked. Mary Berry wouldn't be impressed, Paul!

I also made some rock cakes from a lovely recipe book - the National Trust Teatime Baking Book - which I picked up for £4 from WHSmith! It's crammed with so many delicious and classic English recipes - scones, Chelsea buns, Easter biscuits, apple cake, fat rascals... One of those recipe books you read through and think, "right, sod it, I'm becoming a fatty, cake for breakfast!" Anyway these rock cakes, made with wholewheat flour and soft brown sugar, turned out truly delicious (although personally I think 2 tsp mixed spice is a bit much).

I'll end with some daffodils because at this time of year I think daffodils should be everywhere. Oh hurry up spring! Morning sunshine through kitchen windows, gingham tablecloths, fresh cut flowers on the table, poached egg on toast, sixties music on the radio...