Two-Cup Tea Bags DIY

A great fun post, perfect to try out on a lazy weekend, with a slice of cake on the side and a good chilled playlist!!

Little Button Diaries

We’re really excited to have our very good friend Miss Amy Phipps writing the post today. Amy is one of the very first people we met when we moved to Brighton, and is one half of the creative superstars Super+Super. Amy’s blog, M.A.P., explores a creative way of life on a shoestring. You’ll find vegan recipes, craft DIYs and thrifty wardrobe ideas on there, and we love it. Here she is with her two-cup tea bag DIY. 

If like me you drink a lot of herbal tea and get a bit bored of what’s available in the shop, and how much it costs to keep a good stock of flavours in the cupboard, then this project might be just up your street! Not only can you blend your favourite varieties, but by using 2 tsp per bag you can make a magical 2 cup bag. This will keep you going…

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Norwegian Cinnamon Breakfast Buns!!

Hello everyone, tonights delight is a little breakfast number. These cinnamon buns are great served warm straight from the oven and as they bake your entire house smells of wonderful cinnamon, what more could you ask for?. I have never visited Norway in person, but cinnamon and hot, rich buttery buns are a very common combination. As far I have read Scandinavian countries are  in love with the sweet breakfast start.

This recipe will make quite a few buns, so I would advise you to make these when feeding hungry crowds of folk at breakfast as they are not very good after a day old. Ha, I just realised these buns would pair up with a good strong espresso or latte, read the roasted bean post and you will find the Illy coffee that I love as a general all-rounder.

My goodness has the weather turned out marvellous this evening in Glasgow! The golden amber colours of the setting sun made the perfect conditions for some great Nikon photos, although I was just at a bowling party for a friends birthday and was unable to take some good quality ones, but I’m sure my phones will suffice. I wish that this city was like this all the time, I’m a big believer in that the weather I believe can impart positive energy into us (if sunny) and negative (if cloudy or rainy), obviously some will think I am talking absolute nonsense but that is there thoughts I guess…

I made a few Lush purchases today also, a solid karma stick 12g £5. Absolutely fantastic product, provides instant scents of orange ad patchouli, sheer summery joy! Also a 125g tub of mask of magnaminty £5.25, which helps to unblock the pores and prevent breakouts and clean deep, great if living in the city. It also has the most astonishing peppermint smell which is just beautiful. If only I could work in that shop, I appear to know more than the workers, but they are just so lovely and very very helpful indeed!!

Please leave me a comment, with your favourite Lush product or just general product..

INGREDIENTS:

600g plain flour.

100g caster sugar.

1/2 tsp salt.

21g easy blend yeast.

100g butter.

400ml whole milk.

2 eggs.

Filling:

150g butter.

150g caster sugar.

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon.

1 beaten egg to glaze.

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to Gas 8 / 230 C. Line a large brownie pan with parchment and leave aside.

Place the flour, sugar, salt, yeast into a mixing bowl.

In another bowl whisk together the eggs and milk, before adding the butter (which I forgot to mention should be melted).

Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquids, before bringing together into a sticky ball of dough.

Knead on a floured surface for 5 mins and then form into a ball and place into an oiled bowl before leaving it to rise for 25 minutes.

Make the filling by melting the butter slightly and add the sugar and cinnamon, mix into a paste and set aside.

Take the dough back out onto a floured surface and roll out to a large rectangle shape. brush over all of the filling mix before rolling up into a swiss roll shape.

Take a dough palette or a sharp knife and cut into thick rounds. Place on there side so the swirl faces you in the pan and leave to puff up for 15 mins.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 mins (although check after 20 and if they are browning to quickly place a sheet of foil over them).

Leave to cool for 10 minutes before tearing off and eating warm!

Enjoy,

Thanks,

Ryan! 🙂

Oreo Chocolate Brownies!

Maple and Pecan Bundt Cake

Seeking the Perfect Roasted Bean!

Hello, I know this post is diverting a little bit off my usual sway of things, but hey life does that to you sometimes and I guess you just have to go with that flow! Ok so recently I have gone off the subject of tea and all things to do with afternoon break where one sits down at low tables and delicately eats a slice of the richest, butteriest cakes and sips Indian tea from royal china cups, no. Coffee is the next suitor. It’s no longer how I feel about the aspect of drinking beverages. I am currently embarking on a sort of coffee shop bonanza, to try and discover small-holders who sell artisan coffees and take the time and care over handcrafting you a delicate cup of delicious, fragrant barista style creations.

So I know that you may be sitting there thinking oh why am I reading an article on the history, culture and the way society has interlocked itself in with the way in which we drink our daily cup of coffee. Well. I don’t want you to become some sort of  high up prestigious coffee connoisseur but in my opinion I believe that if you go through life just taking the mediocre, somewhat satisfactory things that it may throw at you then you will lead a life lacking the sense of excitement and dimension that the life a person would lead who goes out to seek  not just the local supermarket for a loaf of hovis, but who communicates with a local baker and buys bread that has been baked with a piece of heart and soul! Now I’m not saying that this is an everyday thing but if you spare yourself those precious moments of peace to take a trip to the  local market and discover the wide varieties of fresh produce they have to offer, you will be truly amazed and will soon learn to eat by the seasons!

All good coffee starts with a bean, and where better to source them, than from the country that is so full of life and vitality, gondoliers, pasta and ice cream, Italy! Do you know that almost 1/4 of the worlds coffee beans are exported directly to the country. And by all means do the Italians know how to craft a well-balanced coffee. A very good all-rounder I love from Italy is Illy espresso blend,  it has such a strong, distinct flavour and very robust. A great coffee for those who need the pick me up but still want the fabulous flavour of a good artisan coffee.

I believe that these mass chain coffee shops have taken away the sheer joyous atmosphere of small independent cafes. I will confess, personally I do go to Starbucks, Pret and Costa, but when you are in these little small chain shops with  the quiet rustling of music in the background and the hissing of the One coffee machine chugging away popping out little cups of magic, it just  is another world.  There is a certain sense of being at home in these stores due to the wide variety of old fashioned style bakewell tart washed down with a cup of superior coffee, than a caramel shortcake that has been in transit and fridges inside Costa for days and tastes as bland as cardboard, no thank you!

For the sombre rainy days, there’s nothing better than sitting by the window reading and sipping a mug of warmth, fresh from the stove top berletti maker! Whilst the cold drops of water patter against the glass!

I would love to hear about you favourite blends that feature in your life and also cafes and delis that sell well made coffee!!

Thank you,

Ryan!

Ps: (end of rant) 😉

Making a Swift Comeback :)

Wow, April 27th, that feels strange! The last time I was able to take a break for a few hours and properly construct a post. I’m so very glad to be back and typing once again, it feels almost like a new dawn has risen. So for these past few I have not given up on the kitchen, in fact it’s possible that I’ve became ever more attached to it. All the intense work seriously makes you hungry and what better way to solve hunger than through lifes three mains food groups; cake, steak and brownies. Maple and Pecan Bundt Cake stole my huger away from me, moreish packed with the finest Grade A maple syrup from the Canadian borders and smoky almost mysterious from the Californian sunshine (which is not what Scotland is receiving at the moment). Lemon and Thyme Flash Steak, succulent and just at medium rare makes the perfect weekday brunch, served alongside with a salad of baby lambs lettuce and baby ruby chard, spritzed with my swiss vinaigrette. Last, but by no means least Oreo Chocolate Brownies, an American inspired take on the traditional chocolate brownie we are so familiar with on our supermarket shelves,( dry, bland and far from bold). Not these!

Since the last time we spoke, I have taken up a subscription to Conde Nast Traveller magazine and by all means it has to be my favourite. Lush beaches, busy New York Avenue hotels, and general advice and all things to purchase  under the sun when it comes to going on holiday, or just to bring a little bit of the holiday spirit into you life right now, and boy do I need that after all of this education and exams business. I also bought a fantastic book from Urban Outfitters called My Future LISTOGRAPHY. It’s like a journal based on lists, on every left hand page there is a wonderful illustration by Nathaniel Russell and on every right hand page there is a list, and you fill it in with whatever the question asks you and when you complete something from the list you tick it off! The book is by a fabulous author named Lisa Nola. Priced at £11.99, well worth the purchase, making dreams a reality!

So I believe it’s showtime now, I’ve got three recipes to write for you!

LEMON AND THYME FLASH STEAK 

‘Flash’,  I hear you wondering is just the terminology I have used here to describe how quick and easy it is to construct this mid-week supper. I use rump steak hear as it has less sinew (the jelly string like clear fat), and it cooks so quickly as it’s less thick. Although please if you feel like upping the game a little then by all means rank up to sirloin or fillet. I’m not going to teach you how to fry a piece of meat in a pan, but in all honesty I have seen so many people who make silly mistakes that result in tough, chewy and dense steak. The rule, heat the pan till it’s searingly hot and only oil the steak lightly, never the pan. Also, I have no discovered the art of post-marination. you shall see!

INGREDIENTS:

1 medium sized rump steak, fat trimmed.

Splash of olive oil + 2 tbsp for the marinade.

Zest of half a lemon. Juice of whole.

3 sprigs of thyme leave, bruised.

1 clove of garlic, bruised.

salt and pepper.

METHOD:

Heat a thick based pan and take the steak and rub over the splash of olive oil.

Fry on both sides for about 3 mins, if you are a rare fan. Then remove from the pan and leave to rest for a few mins. Whilst the steak rests make the marinade by putting oil, lemon (zest and juice), bruised thyme, garlic and seasoning onto a plate before placing the steak on top and turning frequently to let it soak up the flavours. Serve on a bed of rocket salad!

MAPLE AND PECAN BUNDT CAKE

This is a fabulous cake from the wonderful Ms Lawson. It’s features luscious maple syrup rich in amber tones mixed with fabulous pecan nuts, with the subtle smoky character and caramel undertones. Encased within a buttery, but light sponge cake, simplicity = total rewarding satisfaction.

INGREDIENTS:

 

For the maple filling:

75g plain flour
30g soft unsalted butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
150g pecans, roughly chopped
125ml maple syrup (use Grd A )

For the cake batter:

300g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
125g soft unsalted butter
150g caster sugar
2 eggs
250ml creme fraiche 
1-2 tsp icing sugar, for dusting

flavourless oil, for greasing

1 x 23 cm bundt tin

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to Gas 4/ 180C and grease the bundt tin with the oil lightly.

Make the filing by mixing the butter and flour together with a fork until rough crumbs are achieved, then add the maple syrup, pecans and cinnamon, mix and set aside.

Now make the cake batter by creaming the butter and sugar together in a bowl.

Weigh out the flour, raising agents and salt in a bowl.

Add 1 tbsp of dry mix to wet and 1 one egg. mix well to combine then repeat, adding all the flour. Now whip in the creme fraiche and spoon half into the bundt tin.

Add on top of that the filling and then top with the other half of the cake batter. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven of the oven for 40 mins, although check after 30 mins.

Leave to cool on a wire rack and then dust liberally with icing sugar for an elegant finish.

OREO COOKIE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

1 x 20cm square cake tin

INGREDIENTS:

165g unsalted butter, soft.

200g 70% dark chocolate, broken.

2 tbsp flour.

3 eggs + 2 extra yolks.

1 tbsp cocoa powder.

154g oreos, crushed.

2 tsp vanilla extract.

165g soft brown sugar.

pinch salt.

icing sugar to decorate.

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to Gas 4 / 180C and line a 20cm square cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Melt the butter in a pan over a low heat, then once melted remove from the heat and add the chocolate. leave for 5 mins then stir to fully incorporate the chocolate.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and vanilla in a bowl until thick and holds the ribbon. Then in 2 additions add the sugar. Add down the side of the bowl to prevent the loss of air in the bowl. Once combined, add the chocolate and butter mixture, followed by the flour and cocoa powder and salt, remember to fold this in gently as to not loose any trapped air.

Add 1/3 rd of the packet of crushed oreo cookies and combine gently. Pour into the prepared tin and then dot the remaining oreos all over the top of the brownies.

Bake on the middle shelf, for 25-30 mins, the brownies should still have a slight wobble in the middle and then leave to cool in the tin for 15 mins before removing, cutting into squares and dusting with icing sugar!!

Enjoy,

Yours, Ryan!

I will have photos for you soon when I can understand how to use complex nikon technology!!!