A recipe for today

I've just made this apple cake and can't wait to try it - it smells delicious.

DORSET APPLE CAKE

1 large Bramley apple (cooking apple), about 225g

225g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp mixed spice (I added a little more)

125g cold butter, diced

125g caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp for dredging

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

2 medium eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 190C, 375F, Gas mark 5 and lightly grease a 20cm/8in springform cake tin.

Peel the apple, cut into quarters and remove the core. Reserve one of the apple quarters and dice the rest.

Sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spice into a large bowl.

Rub in the diced butter to form fine breadcrumbs.

Stir in the sugar, diced apple and lemon zest, then gradually stir in the beaten eggs to form a stiff mixture.

Spoon into the prepared tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon.

Thinly slice the reserved apple quarter and arrange on top of the cake.

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until springy to the touch. Dredge with the remaining sugar, then leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes.

Turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

Slice and serve with clotted cream.

.

After getting a taste of spring recently, it was a bit of a shock to the system to have it raining again today. Claire and I wanted to go into town and Alice didn't have any choice ;o) - fortunately, Claire had found a little jacket when she was sorting through Alice's clothes the other day and today she got to wear it for the first time :o)  

 She certainly didn't seem to mind having it on.

Another cute photo of Claire/Mummy and Alice :o)

.

Jon should be home shortly and it'll be time for us to head out for dinner ;o).  
When we get back I'm looking forward to chatting to Deb on Skype for the first time.  

xx