Week Forty Four

Is it just me, or is it weird that forty doesn't have a u in it, but four does? On typing the title of this post, I suddenly feared I'd been spelling forty wrong for weeks, but it appears it's just one of the oddities of the English language. 

This week has primarily seen me slumped over my laptop trying desperately to keep on top of coursework. Looking for something faintly interesting to photograph each day has been a welcome distraction. What are you up to at the moment? Facing tough deadlines, or enjoying the last gasp of Autumn before Winter really sets in?

Monday - Moody skies as darkness descends over the rooftops of Edinburgh

 Tuesday - Pudding trying really hard to be healthy but failing a tiny bit, because Tuesday is hard sometimes isn't it?

Wednesday - Climbing up the Salisbury Crags in complete darkness to watch fireworks over the city was absolutely terrifying, but so worth it once we got up there.

Thursday - The tiny, adorable yawning face you can just about make out through the blur of my phone is Velu, a nearly 5 month old baby chimp.

Friday - Winter vegetables piled in the slow cooker, ready to be soup.

Saturday - Porridge with sultanas, cranberries and mixed spice, topped with a teaspoon of demerara sugar. The sugar caramelises on top of the hot porridge, and it's a perfect winter breakfast.

Sunday - Banana bread is about to happen. It would be rude not to really wouldn't it?

Sticky Toffee Apple Bonfire Cake

It wasn't my aim for this cake to match the leaves on the drive, but I think it's a beautiful comparison. When I was baking all I could think about was the taste of toffee apples and the smell in the air after Bonfire Night (I hope you're thinking about it now too).

It's deceptively simple, and because of the way the toffee is baked in the oven it won't break your teeth either. You just get that beautifully sweet, rich taste with chewier bits around the edges. You heat up some sugar and water then pour the glistening toffee over greaseproof paper in a round tin. It sets quickly - by the time you've made up the cake mix and sliced the apples it'll be cool enough to use.

You can arrange the apple slices however you like, I went for something traditional but I was thinking about it afterwards, and you could probably make some nice images and patterns. The cake mix is thick and honey coloured, and fills the cake tin right to the top.

While the cake is in the oven the toffee melts, turning the apples the colour of autumn leaves and caramelising the top of the cake. I can't stop looking at the shine of the toffee on the apple slice below!

Luckily, this can be whipped up in no time, so there's still time to get on the table for the 5th

Toffee
200g Caster Sugar
3 Tbsp Water
2 Large Apples

Cake
225g Salted Butter
150g Light Brown Sugar
75g Caster Sugar
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
4 Eggs
225g Self Raising Flour
1/2 Tsp bicarbonate of soda
60ml Milk

1. Grease your baking tin and line with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 180C or Gas Mark 4
2. For the toffee, put the caster sugar and the water in a pan and heat on high, making sure NOT to stir at any point.
3. When the sugar has melted and is golden remove from the heat and pour into your prepared tin.
4. Slice your apples and arrange them on top of the toffee.
5. For the cake mix the butter and sugars until pale and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
6. Sift the flour and the bicarb in, and then fold the mixture together.
7. Add the milk.
8. Place the cake tin on a baking tray to catch any melted topping, then bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.
9. Immediately flip out, watching out for any burning topping (I needed that advice and didn't get it. Sadface.) and leave to cool. Serve with extra thick cream for a little added indulgence.

Week Forty Three

Despite being in the middle of deadline season, this week I'm pleased with the array of images I've captured. Except for the noodles, it has to be said (phone photos aren't the best are they?). What have you been up to this week - are you working up against deadlines like I am?

Monday - A little seasonal treat. 

Tuesday - Surprise flowers from Ben cheering up the living room window ledge.

Wednesday - "fakeaway"

 Thursday - Pygmy hippos are so cute and tiny compared to normal hippos, I always have to stop and say Hi when I'm walking past.

Friday - a toffee apple inspired bake I'll be sharing with you later in the week.

Saturday - Beautiful tealight centrepieces at the wedding of one of my friends from school.

Sunday - Autumn colours are my favourite. Autumn is neck and neck with winter in my internal favourite season debate.

The Outsider

When food can be eaten next to a view like this, you know you're on to a winner. Luckily, the Outsider, nestled unobtrusively in Old Town doesn't just rely on the view to pull in the hungry people of Edinburgh.

When Ben and I popped in for a late lunch, we were greeted by polite staff and shown to our seats in the light and airy restaurant. We ordered some bread to munch on while we made our choices. The bread, though delicious, fresh and cut into enormous chunks, was fairly standard. However, the green dip that came with it was out of this world. Essentially, I think it was just garlic infused oil, but there was another taste I couldn't identify, and I stupidly forgot to ask the waiter what it was later on. So you'll just have to take my word that it's worth ordering the bread just to get some of that dip on your taste buds!

For mains, Ben went for a crab and crayfish linguine with lemon, herbs and spinach. It was absolutely jam packed with crab and crayfish, which is so satisfying, as so often you come across meagre sprinkles of the key ingredient on the top of dishes like this.

I decided to stray a little bit away from my comfort zone and went for the rabbit, leek, mushroom and tarragon pie, served with mash. Pie is something I wouldn't usually order - I don't enjoy vast amounts of pastry - but I love rabbit, so I decided to risk it. Luckily, my risk paid off! The pie was definitely filling heavy not pastry heavy, and the rabbit was pure melt in your mouth deliciousness. 

All of this plus two soft drinks (I highly recommend the ginger cordial with sparkling water) came to around £19, which when you consider the price of other restaurants in the area, the size of the portions and the quality of the food is very reasonable. I had a nose at the dinner menu, and while it's a bit more pricey, it's definitely something I'm going to be back to sample soon. There also seemed to be a really good range of daily specials.

You can find The Outsider at
15 - 16 George IV Bridge,
Old Town, 
Edinburgh,
EH1 1EE

Week Forty Two

Monday - The Botanical Gardens revealed Autumn in all of its glory

 Tuesday - Mid cooking lunchtime omelette

Wednesday - Bulgar wheat risotto with butternut squash, goats cheese and balsamic dressing. I am recently obsessed with bulgar wheat. It's not quinoa in terms of "trying to be healthy before the Christmas eating gets going" but it's better than rice.

 Thursday - What's not to love about a salmon pink bird? 

Friday - Smarties getting seasonal.

Saturday - Lunch with a view - more on this later in the week.

 Sunday - Happy Sunday breakfast. Love is getting up at half eight to make blueberry pancakes and bacon as a breakfast treat.

Halloween Baking Inspiration

I have a love hate relationship with Halloween.

The hate is pretty simple - I'm a scaredy cat. I rarely make plans that involve leaving the house on Halloween, basically because I just can't handle it. Case in point - last year I ventured to the library and popped into a shop on the way. I ended up shouting at someone who jumped out at me in fancy dress, then burst into tears and went home. I know. A complete over reaction. I felt really terrible for shouting at the person afterwards.

So, I favour house parties, and then, I love it. I love dressing up, I love decorating the house, having people round and seeing what they're dressed as, but most of all, I love all the fun you can have with Halloween Baking. Above are a few highlights of Halloween from the last few years. As you can see, I like it cute. Little faces on food, pumpkin bunting and bows in my hair.

I thought I'd kickstart everyone's inspiration with a few bakes I've seen floating around online,

1. We'll start simple, with a Halloween twist on the classic Gingerbread Man - Gingerbread Skeletons from Betty Crocker

2. Have you seen all those cakes with stuff falling out the middle - the Pinata Cakes? This takes it one step further, Trick or Treat Cookies from not martha

3. These are up there with the cutest things on the list, Pumpkin Rice Krispie Treats from Food, Family and Finds

4. Did I include these cute little ghosts just because I thought the name was hilarious? It's possible. Good old BBC, never let you down, especially not with Malloween Ghosts

5. These Brownie Owls from Pink When are quite American in their ingredients, but I think the only thing you can't get over here is the little orange corn thingy? I think an upside down gummy bear (sorry gummy bear) would do just the trick instead

6. Delightful and Made have a suitably delightful recipe for Spooky Spiderweb Cupcakes

7. There is a huge collection of Halloween Marshmallow Pops over at You Wash I Dry but these little bats are the cutest things ever! In my opinion...

8. Things are getting a little classier now, with this beautiful Marble Pumpkin Cheesecake from Roxana's Home Baking

9. Classy is now at the next level. This cake from The Cake Blog is quite the show-stopper

10. We're going back to the super cute for the last bake on the list from A Spicy Perspective

Week Forty One

We're zooming through Autumn, and I think I can risk saying I'm finally starting to get some routine back, both in blogging world and in the real world. 

Blogging - this is the first time in forever I've got this post up on a Sunday, as of yesterday I'm up to date on my bloglovin' feed and I'm finding time to dig out some other Edinburgh based blogs (if anyone has any recommendations I'd love them). 

Real world - This week I've handed in my first essay, I've made a tentative start on my next and I've started the research for my placement project. I managed dinner one day and coffee another with friends from the Frozen North, went out partying on a school night *gasp* and made plans to visit home in a couple of week time.

PROGRESS. Now, on with the photographs.

Monday - We won the pub quiz! We've been every Monday night since we all moved here, so finally winning was very satisfying. I told you all about how amazing the food is at Clerk's here, so as you can imagine we're all looking forward to cashing in this voucher!

Tuesday - Courgette Pizza Bites with salad for dinner.

Wednesday - Rice cake topped with cheese, grapes and balsamic glaze.

Thursday - One day a week I have this view out of my office window. I kid you not. 

Friday - Autumn colours out of the window.

Saturday - Salad with roasted butternut squash, mushrooms, kale, pine nuts and goats cheese.  

 Sunday - I made banana and peanut butter cookies. Sounds promising doesn't it? Sadly they're possibly one of the most boring things I've ever tasted, so the recipe will not be with you soon!