Fairy Cupcakes

 My boyfriend came home from work bringing mini fairy cupcakes <3 Really important as I DO NOT measure the strength of our love by the snacks he brings back for me. Ha. 

All I Need

All I need are cupcakes and good friends <3

Pretty Cupcakes That Look (Way) Better Than They Taste

Can't remember the name of the company that made them, but I wish I could to warn you about the money you could be wasting! Isn't it just annoying when you see beautiful creations of seemingly delicious treats, only to find that you are biting into nondescript, 'not melt-in-your-mouth', homogenous cream and cake? Unfortunately, the only savoury thing about my experience was taking the pictures. Have you ever had a bad experience?

'Strawb + Cream' was particulary bad....

The Cake and Bake Show

For my birthday, I received tickets to the Cake and Bake Show at Earl's Court. It was an interesting event with lots to see and taste. From yummy and sweet items like this....

....to downright weird items like this....

It was definitely a fun filled afternoon with loads of fake and friendly chatter just so we could get more samples of delicious, melt-in-your-mouth fudge :p Here are a few more of my favourite snaps I took at the convention.

Sweet Tooth Factory

Delicious cupcake find at the Dalston Food Festival. Salted Caramel Popcorn Cupcake from the Sweet Tooth Factory. Eating it was better than starving. 

University of Oxford, Lincoln's College

My housemate and I had a splendid afternoon and evening visiting a friend at Oxford University who had put herself through the torture of studying a law degree :p She already has a training contract at a silver circle law firm in London and moving onto her second vacation scheme. Talk about talented! Dinner was everything we expected and more. We dined at Lincoln's College and sat through a three course meal. For dessert we had a warm chocolate cake with chocolate custard. After dinner we had drinks at the College bar and rounded off the evening playing croquet (in chinos - whilst laughing at the stereotypical Oxford scene we were creating). 

Apple and Raspberry Crumble with Custard

I am the world's luckiest housemate as Laura has once again decided to bake me treats during my examination period whilst I appreciate, relish and photograph this classic crumble with a fruity twist (what hard work it was for me!). Laura used a BBC recipe which I have pasted at the bottom of the entry. This was a dish filled with such crumbly goodness I felt like I had drifted into the English countryside, sitting by a fireside with scene of swans swimming in an outdoor lake. I had to buy all the ingredients again the next day just to make some more. What if you are in the mood for something a little not so classic though? Or what if you're not so much a fan of sour fruit in dessert (like me)? I would say substitute the apples and raspberries for bananas instead and perhaps use chocolate custard instead. That's what I'll be making during my revision break later this evening!

Here is the original recipe below! Click here for the BBC link. 

Ingredients

For the crumble

• 300g/10½oz plain flour, sieved pinch of salt
• 175g/6oz unrefined brown sugar
• 200g/7oz unsalted butter, cubed at room temperature
• Knob of butter for greasing

For the filling

• 450g/1lb apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1cm/½in pieces
• 50g/2oz unrefined brown sugar
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 1 pinch of ground cinnamon

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Place the flour and sugar in a large bowl and mix well. Taking a few cubes of butter at a time rub into the flour mixture. Keep rubbing until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
   Technique: Rubbing in
   Watch technique0:46 mins
3. Place the fruit in a large bowl and sprinkle over the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Stir well being careful not to break up the fruit.
4. Butter a 24cm/9in ovenproof dish. Spoon the fruit mixture into the bottom, then sprinkle the crumble mixture on top.
5. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is browned and the fruit mixture bubbling.
6. Serve with thick cream or custard.