Dan Can.

I temp at a digital music distribution company, The State 51 Conspiracy. We get bought lunch every day which was a real seller for me. At about 1pm I go to fetch the lunch, we tend to choose from the Thai van in the Truman Brewery (in front of the route master bus), Taz Firin a turkish restaurant on Bethnal Green Road, Harem another turkish on Brick Lane, Square Pie or when feeling healthy a soup from Franze & Evans an Italian deli on Redchurch Street although they NEVER give enough bread with their soup! We all eat around a big wooden table and although I only tend to understand 4% of the chats that the computer boys have occasionally my ears prick up as the chat turns to food. One day the chat turned to baking bread and I mentioned how I was wanting to make my own leaven. My boss Paul said he had a great book on baking by Dan Lepard and that I should get it. I said it was my Birthday coming up so I would ask for it. Anyway a few days later I came into work and the book was on my desk. Paul had got it for me for my Birthday!! Thank you Paul.

This is truly a great book. Dan works with Georgio Locatelli, Ottolenghi and lots of other wonderful chefs and restaurants. Paul says the Chelsea Buns recipe is great. I want to try the Almond Milk Loaf and the Buckwheat Pancakes. I haven't had a chance to make anything yet but will get round to it soon. My kitchen is so small for bread making so maybe i'll wait till I move....which is soon....

Ba Na Naaaa

I made a rather silly cake for Micke's Birthday.

Micke likes...

So from that I decided to make him a cake in the shape of a bunch of bananas with yellow icing and a REALLY blue sponge. I dreamt about this cake for a week and worked out that if i used a round cake tin i'd be able to cut a bunch from it. It was a case of suck it and see. This is what I ended up with and below is the rather scatty recipe!! It was nice although the icing was so sweet that it made my cheeks tingle. Cecilia and Kate made it with me.

Sponge.

20 cm Spring form tin.

225g/8oz butter or margarine, softened at room temperature

225g/8oz caster sugar4 medium eggs

225g/8oz self raising flour

milk, to loosen

Natural Organic blue food Dye.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

2. Grease and line 2 x 18cm/7in cake tins with baking paper. I never bother with the lining the side of my spring form but if yours is an old tin then may be best to give it that extra love.

3. Cream the butter and the sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy.

4. Beat in the eggs, a little at a time.

5. Fold in the flour using a large metal spoon, adding a little extra milk if necessary, to create a batter with a soft dropping consitency. Stir in the food dye till you get the desired colour.

6. Divide the mixture between the cake tins and gently spread out with a spatula.

7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

8. Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes, then remove from the tin and peel off the paper. Place onto a wire rack.

Icing. (very rough quantities)

My icing was a bit too runny so I have modified the ingredients here.

About 2 tubs of cream cheese

Half a bottle of fridge banana milkshake

6 ripe bananas

Lots of icing sugar

Yellow organic food dye

Chocolate icing for piping the banana

Blend all the ingredients together till you get the right consistency. If its too runny then add more icing sugar if its too stiff then add more banana milk.

Pop some icing in between the sandwiches, then cut your cake into bananas. Ice them and then position eh voila!

of course you should listen to Micke's amazing music whilst making this check it:

http://www.myspace.com/lindebergh

Cause i'm back on the blog...

Apologies for my lack of posting but all you lovely (2) readers (Mummy and Ciaran) will be pleased to hear that I am back...whoop.

Now its my Birthday on Sunday so I am a busy bee but by next week there will be posts and pictures up of my latest culinary adventures which include Chocolate making, Malteaser caking, my very lovely new bread book (thank you Paul), Valentines breakfast, Roast lamb, Bone marrow, Fennel, Pizza, Walnuts, Sweden and a few more bits and pieces.

I have been loving the soundtrack to the film Where the Wild Things are by Karen O and the Kids

check it!