First, the chocolate. As well as the gorgeous gilded bunnies I made with my pal Agnes (I was allowed to do the gilding, she did everything else), the single best Easter chocolate that passed my lips was a dark chocolate bunny filled with cinnamon-infused salted caramel from my local chocolatier, Bohemien Chocolates. I ate it in about three bites, then lay on the sofa in a state of complete satisfaction.
I made two huge batches of hot cross buns - the ones pictured above are made to the Little & Friday hot cross bun recipe, though I found the recipe in the book itself to be rather counter-intuitive and fiddled with it a bit to be sure it would work. I've found this to be true of several Little & Friday recipes and I think it's more to do with editing than anything else. But it's not very helpful to first-time bakers, is it? Anyway, these were good, but pretty heavy going to eat. I made a mega-batch of the Dan Lepard spiced stout buns the next day and they were much better. A little fiddlier to make, sure, but with better flavours and a much lighter texture.
As for the houseguests - they were of the very best kind. They performed magic tricks, provided high quality childcare, filled the fridge with exciting foodstuffs and good wine and cooked lovely dinners. The house hasn't been quite the same since.
Instead, I've been cheering myself up with this - quite possibly the BEST peanut butter I've ever tasted. I didn't think anything could top Pic's Peanut Butter (the one with a poem written inside the label, if you can ever soak it off in one piece), but Fix and Fogg Peanut Butter is incredible. The super crunchy is so crunchy you need to spread it in a thick, chunky layer. Essentially, it's peanut butter made for eating out of the jar. I am addicted. If this keeps up the only thing keeping me from the debtor's prison will be that I'll be too wide to fit through the doors...
What helped you get through April?
Your april does sound like a good one - guests with peanut butter sound excellent - I remember my sister often eating peanut butter out of the jar but I resist. Instead I just eat chocolate - that and stewed plums has got me through April.
ReplyDeleteI have quite fancied making those dan lepard buns so am pleased to hear they worked so well for you. Re your question about the overnight buns - I wrote about them here http://gggiraffe.blogspot.com.au/2013/03/lime-cheesecake-easter-eggs-hot-cross.html and there is a link to the original nigella recipe in the post.
Gosh, haven't visited in ages, Lucy, but I came on a good day! I love the sound of the chunky peanut butter, hvae looked and drooled over the Dan Lepard stout bun recipe and love the look of those salmon/rosti small bites down below! You've been making terrific food here!
ReplyDeleteI cannot believe that there is a peanut butter on the planet to top Pic's. I'm terrified of the consequences if I ever come across some of this stuff - sounds amazing.
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