Thrifty But Glam

For those of you that would like to enjoy a none gluten free banoffe pie, the recipe can be found here Ingredients Base 250g Plain White Flour (Doves farm is the best) 150g Butter 75g Caster Sugar Caramel 100ml Double Cream 50g Caster Sugar 400g Condensed Milk Topping 1 Banana 200ml Double/Whipping Cream 1 small bag chocolate buttons Step One Mix all the base ingredients together until it resembles a soft crumbly dough.  Don't worry if some of the butter stays in lumps, this will break down during baking. Step Two Oil a 23-25cm pan and place the mixture into it.  Because this dough is so crumbly, you may find it difficult to spread in the pan.  I found that the easiest way to do this, was to use my finger tips to squidge it along (just make sure they're spotlessly clean!).  To level off the surface, I used the back on a large spoon - to stop it sticking, run some oil over it.  Prick the surface of the mixture with...

In 2010 my husband was diagnosed as a coeliac.  Since then our daily routines have had to be adapted to accommodate his dietary requirements.  As we both like to cook, this isn't really too much of an issue.  Meaning that we can no longer depend on convenience foods is somewhat of a pain, but slowly and surely, we are compiling a large repertoire of recipes. I have always loved to bake, and one of the biggest struggles with gluten free baking is the flour.  For those not in the know, gluten free flour tends to produce denser, crumblier and drier textured bakes.  This can be somewhat disheartening at first, but trying to find recipes that balance this texture with other moist ingredients is the key!  My husbands favourite bake recipe of mine has always been banoffee pie.  After trying to replicate my creations with ready made gluten free biscuits, I soon realised that this was not going to work. After trialing many different gluten free sh...

Last Sunday, a friend and I were due to set off to pick some lovely Sloes.  The plan had been to pick as many as possible, and then add them to gin to make glorious Sloe Gin, a perfect tipple for the festive season.  Just before we were due to meet, I happened to stumble across a post about someone enquiring as to why their Sloe Gin had turned out bitter and terrible.  Apparently picking Sloes before October, was a big no, no.  September Sloe's are supposedly notorious for being under-ripe and fit for nothing.  It would have made the lovely gin undrinkable! So here we both were, all armed to forage; with nothing to forage for.  With a bit of an epiphany (and a desire not to waste the glorious Sunday sunshine) I suggested blackberry picking! Fairly close to us both, is a large heathland, which I suspected would be full of Blackberries; I was right. Canford Heath is notorious for bush fires, but this year it seems to have escaped unsca...

I often think of writing my own book on how infertility, fertility treatments and miscarriages impact on my life, but sadly can never find the time to get further than one chapter. Jodi Picoult has been one of my top three authors for the last eight or so years, and once again she has managed to write a story that has touched me in a deeply profound way. Plot Summary There are five main characters within this story; Max and Zoe were married, faced 10 years of infertility treatment and after a devastating still birth they divorced. Vanessa helps Zoe to put her life back together after the loss of her son and then husband, and quite unexpectedly they fall in love and become married. Liddy and Reid are the brother and sister in law of Max who welcome him into their home and church when he falls off the wagon and begins drinking again post divorce. Max and Zoe have 3 frozen embryos for which Zoe is hoping to have implanted within Vanessa, to help realise her dreams of becoming a Mo...

August always seems to be the time for weddings, this year is no exception as we have a family one coming up in just over a week.  After putting up the photo's of my Cake Truffles  on facebook a few months ago, the Bride asked me if I would mind making a few for after the ceremony.  The wedding is going to be rather unique with the pagan hand fasting ceremony and a wonderful high tea - how could I refuse a request for my baked goods!  After a little more discussion it was agreed I would make a few more cakes in addition to the truffles and I have to say I am rather excited! The Bride and Groom are lovely people who have a wonderfully quirky sense of style which I simply adore.  This made choosing a wedding gift a little difficult.  We originally agreed that my baking would be part of the present, but I couldn't bare the thought of them not having something lasting from us to help remember their big day by. After browsing a few crafty bloggers creations,...