The title is so accurate in many different contexts #LookingAtYouTrump- but I am of course referring to this years Caribbean Food Week
The CFW festival will return to Windrush Square in Brixton on 26th – 28th of August 2017.
In warm up to the festival, I whipped up a couple of meals using Caribbean favourites with a vegan, high protein low fat twist. Ackee and Mixed Bean Mash up for breakfast, Red Pea & Greens Coconut Soup for lunch and Jerk Breadfruit and vegetables for dinner!
So if you’re also feeling inspired, adventurous or simply hungry you should definitely pay a visit to the festival this weekend….
…. then what better way to digest your meal then dancing the night away at Notting Hill Carnival x
So the Olympics are almost over (as is the Summer if today’s weather is anything to go by…)Ā but there are still plenty of reasons to smile this August in London.Ā Not only is it the Notting Hill Carnival next weekend – butĀ onĀ Friday 26th ā Saturday 27th August, Grace Foods UK is holding its first ever Caribbean Food Week Food Festival at Windrush Square right hereĀ in Brixton!
Expect demonstrations, performances, and most importantly lots and lots of samples of delicious Caribbean cuisine.Ā Yup, taste dumplins,Ā roti, jerk chicken et alĀ tilĀ your heart’s content and then dance off all the caloriesĀ during Europe’s biggest street party the next day.
What more could you ask for this Bank Holiday Weekend..
It seems competition is the only way to get me to take pictures of my food and post them on the net. Ā This time it was the allure of my soup being made in bulk and delivered to my work place (a primary school) on the soup scooter.. oh the mayhem š !
A simple competition, create a soup using a Kallo stock cube then upload a picture on Instagram with the tag SoupScooter.
So here’s my entry! Ā Wish me luck and why not enter too! Ā BHxx
4 shallots
3 large organic shallotsĀ
1 large garlic clove
400g borlotti beans
1 Kallo vegetable stock cube
1 pear for decoration
Slice the shallots into thin discs and then fry on a low heat until golden. Dice and add the garlic. Crumble in stock cube and stir.Ā Ā
Rinse and drain beans then add to the pan.Ā Ā Mix together and place lid on pan for a couple of minutes.Ā Ā Meanwhile wash and dice your parsnips.Ā Ā Add the parsnips to the pan making sure they are covered in the stock and onions. Cook for a further two minutes then add 600ml of boiling water and allow to simmer until parsnips begin to soften. Remove from heat and garnish with a slice of pear, salt and pepper.
I’m not the best chef in the world. Ā This is no secret. But I have definitely improved since we subscribed to Hello Fresh almost a year ago. Ā Besides saving money, waste and cutting down on Take Aways Tuesdays (…Wednesday’s et al)Ā a quite unexpected benefit has been my husbands willingness to experiment more in the kitchen!! ( Yes this may simply mean a willingness to cook and EAT vegetables- but that really is a big step in a world filled with kale and CavaloĀ Nero.. )
If you haven’t already tried Hello Fresh receive Ā£20 off you first box by using this code:
z9GDYKF
Leave a comment on my Facebook page to be in with a chance to win a free box.
The Great British Bake Off is a big deal in our abode. For me it’s actually one of the few ‘reality’ competition shows where I don’t want them to all lose.
And this year it seemed like the whole nation was gripped with Bake Off fever. Sitting rooms across the land were full of soggy bottoms and feverish muttering of “I can, I will, I must!”.
Maybe that’s how me and the OH ended up having our own mini bake off throw down on a sunny Sunday afternoon in Brixton last weekend.
Mr Vs Mrs… Who will be crowned winner?
So here is the recipe for theĀ winning* cake. Ā I should probably say my mother was the (female) judge, so she may have been slightly biased in her decision.
Feel free to try the recipe and let me know what you think or share you favourite cake recipes.
*My cake won!
Brixton Blackout Cake
Chocolate Frosting
300g icing sugar
100g unsalted butter
40g cocoa powder
40ml whole milk
1 measure of spiced rum
Chocolate Custard Filling
5 tbsp light muscovado sugar
5 tbsp custard powder
75g cacao power
600ml whole milk
1 measure of spiced rum
Brixton Blackout Cake
100g unsalted butter
250g castor sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 baking powder
3/4 bicarbonate soda
110g plain flour
90g coconut flour
160ml of whole milk
2 measures of spiced rum
Chocolate Toppings
50g dark cooking chocolate
Method
Start by putting your butter to one side to warm to room temperature and preheating your oven to 170 degrees (gas mark 3).
Mix the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Ā Once blended add one egg at a time.
Is it cheating if you have your little niece helping you?
Slowly beat in the cocoa, baking power and bicarbonate soda.
Next add the plain flour and the milk. Ā Once mixed add the coconut flour until the mixture in completely combined then add the rum.
Fill two cake tins with the mixture and place in the oven for approximately 45mins.
Once the cakes are in the oven start to make your custard. Ā Mix the custard powder, sugar and cocoa powder together in a saucepan. Ā Next, stir in the rum until you get a smooth paste. Ā Then add the milk a tablespoon at a time. Ā The challenge is to add all of the milk without making any lumps. Ā Place on a medium heat to allow to thicken. Ā Remove from heat and place custard into a shallow cake tin lined with cling film and place in fridge to chill for one hour.
Melt 50g of chocolate and drizzle over a rolling pin which has been covered with baking parchment and place in the fridge to cool.
Remove the cakes from the oven and leave to cool and begin to mix your icing. Ā Beat the icing sugar, butter and cocoa powder together. Ā Once combined add the milk to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time. Ā Finally add the rum and continue to mix for five minutes.
Remove ttheĀ custard from fridge and layer onto the bottom half of your cake then top with the remaining cake. Ā Ice the cake with your chocolate icing and decoration.
