Mirkwood Cottage

Black Forest Cherry Explosion

You know you've got the cooking bug when, at 7.30pm on a "school night", you dig out your recipe book and start creating in the kitchen!

One of my passions - other than writing, of course - is to cook up a storm; and after reading the lovely Jane Brocket's 'Yarnstorm' blog this evening, featuring a sweet little cherry cake, my mouth started watering for a three-layer explosion of chocolate, cream, cherries and kirsch!

So, here I am, almost two hours later - with this tasty treat before me. Being as keen as I was to whip it up before bedtime, I'm afraid it's more leaning-tower-of-Pisa than edible masterpiece... but I tell you what: it tastes good regardless!

As a side note: I am seriously salivating for my very own copy of Jane's new book, Cherry Cake and Ginger Beer: A Golden Treasury of Classic Treats, which is a collection of traditional recipes (that she has written and/or tried and tested) for food that has featured on the pages of some of my favourite children's books! I can't wait until July 8 (plus a few days for it to travel from the UK to Australia) - when I'll don my favourite kitschy apron and bake up a storm! Did I mention that recipes are grouped into 'Midnight Feasts', 'High Tea Treats' and 'Seaside Picnics' (among others). Be still my beating heart! (Who's up for a midnight feast in the dorm??)

Given that Jane's the highly-regarded author of The Gentle Art of Domesticity (a wonderful, colourful, treat of a book), I have no doubt that her latest project will be even more fantastical and inspiring!

Treat yourself to potato rosti!

This is one of those decadent weekend breakfasts that you lust after all week and to be honest, it's one of those recipes that I nearly didn't try because it didn't come with a picture! I'm a bit visual with my cooking. You show me a picture of some drool-inducing food and you're halfway to getting me to cook it. Thankfully, though, the lure of fried carbohydrates in this one (mmmmcarbs) won me over and thank goodness! This is now a serious favourite (and bizarrely, the only recipe for which my husband deems cucumber edible).

For the recipe, keep reading...

Delicious jam-filled cream cake

I might have been scarce 'round these parts for the last few weeks, but my kitchen and I have been practically inseparable. I decided to make sweet treats as gifts this year (recipes to come); and also played host to Christmas with my family - of which I am the eldest of eight kids, so it's a bit of a task!

Another easy entertainer for you today - a simple variation on the Basco Golden Butter Cake mix...

Pink Rose "Cupsidedown" Cakes!

Another easy one for you similarly time-poor gluten free cooks out there. These can be whipped up in just 5 minutes preparation + 15 minutes baking + 5 minutes icing! I've had countless compliments - apparently these are "better than 'glutenous' cupcakes" and I've had a few friends beg for these for birthday treats. Easy to alternate colours (e.g. golden base, pink icing) and to add your own special touch for decoration. I'd suggest using nice colourful cupcake tins, too, because it gives them a great finish.

The best thing about this particular variety, though, is that on a whim, I decided to make pink cakes with golden icing, instead of golden cakes with pink icing! Thus, they shall be known henceforth as 'the cupsidedown cake'. :)

For ingredients and directions, keep reading...

Spicy Christmas Cupcakes

One of the gluten free basics that I'm still trying to get right is pastry, thus, Christmas fruit mince pies are off the blogging menu for a little while yet! But guess what? I've found something nearly as nice! This recipe is extremely easy (it uses a cake pre-mix) and really tasty - I've had even gluten-enabled tummies begging for more! Just keep in mind that they're very, very rich: just one is well and truly enough!

These cupcakes look gorgeous set out on a tiered stand, and make a fantastic centrepiece for your Christmas table - or for any kind of party at that! (Spotlight have a great selection of stands, if you're in Australia.)

Keep reading for ingredients and directions...

Gluten Free Mini Christmas Puds

My nana makes a killer boiled Christmas pudding, and it has been a real disappointment to me that I haven't been able to partake in this yearly edible tradition since being diagnosed as severely gluten intolerant. This year, rather than sighing as I watch my family devour this delight without me, I decided to adapt the recipe to gluten free!

I've based it on a free 'Easy Christmas Pudding' recipe produced by Sunbeam; and as I was in a hurry, I decided to make the puddings as the 'mini' version (rather than the several-hour boiled one). While the recipe says that the cooking time is 30 minutes, I actually found that it needed 90 minutes to cook properly. I tested the outcome on three gluten-enabled guinea pigs, and they (and I) all agreed that it was absolutely delicious! Topped with thick sweetened whipped cream (a little icing sugar in the mix) and served steaming hot, it was every Christmas memory recalled all over again! The pudding was extremely rich, it held together beautifully and my only regret? That I had to share it!

To see the recipe and my adapted directions, keep reading...