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Pictures, Snippets, Thoughts

Cherry & Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins

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Not sure why, but I decided I needed to do something different again (although I have made muffins before, but for some reason haven’t made any for quite some time). And for some reason I felt like Cherry & Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins. So I made some yesterday.

Picture of Cherry & Chocolate Chip Muffins still a in baking tray
Cherry & Chocolate Chip Muffins in tray

Here’s what I used:

  • 250g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 150g dried cherries (the original recipe had 140g, but they came in 75g packs, so I decided to just use them all)
  • 200g dark (70%) chocolate chips (the original recipe had 100g each of dark and white chocolate, but I don’t like white chocolate)
  • 100g golden caster sugar
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 150ml pot natural yoghurt
  • 100g butter, melted

Here’s how I made them:

  • Preheat oven to fan assisted 180°C, (200°C, gas 6)
  • paper cases in 12 hole muffin tin
  • sift flour and bicarbonate of soda into large bowl, stir in cherries, chocolate and sugar
  • beat eggs, add yoghurt, then molten butter. Add this mixture to the flour etc
  • stir to combine, but do not “overmix” (it’s fine if it’s a bit lumpy. Apparently if you “overmix” the muffins will turn out tough)
  • fill the mixture into the papercases and then bake for 20-25 minutes until risen and golden brown

That’s all. In total took just over half an hour. Put some in a freezer bag for deep freezing, according to the interwebs they should be good for 1-2 months.

Picture of Cherry & Chocolate Chip Muffins on a kitchen worktop
Cherry & Chocolate Chip Muffins on kitchen worktop

I think they taste nice, the cherries and the chocolate go well together. I think next I’ll try the same recipe with blueberries.

Pictures, Snippets, Thoughts

Ducks and other birds at Titchfield Haven Nature Reserve

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A few weeks ago I booked a ticket for a concert by Ross & Ali in Emsworth in the south of Hampshire. That’s about an hour and 15 minutes drive from where I live in West Berkshire. As the concert took place on a Saturday I thought I should combine the long drive with something else. And decided it was time for another visit (there third if I counted correctly) of Titchfield Haven nature reserve.

A variety of birds was around, in particular quite a few ducks. Some of the pictures I took in this gallery:

  • Picture of a pair of Shovelers
    A pair of Shovelers
  • Picture of two male Teal Ducks having a chat
    Male Teal Ducks having a chat
  • Picture of a male Shelduck
    A male Shelduck
  • Picture of a female Gadwall Duck drying off after a bath
    Female Gadwall Duck drying off after a bath
  • Picture of a male Gadwall
    A male Gadwall
  • Picture of a Mallard Duck leaving behind a splash when lifting off
    Mallard Duck leaving behind a splash when lifting off
  • Picture of some Avocets wading on the hunt for food
    Avocets wading on the hunt for food
  • Picture of two Avocets in flight
    Two Avocets in flight
  • Picture of a Curlew in flight
    Curlew in flight
  • Picture of a Magpie hopping on a food table
    Magpie hopping on a food table
  • Picture of a Magpie in flight
    Magpie in flight
  • Picture of two distant Marsh Harriers
    Two distant Marsh Harriers

Unfortunately didn’t see a Kingfisher this time, hope to see one again next time. A lot of the waders kept quite a distance, not sure if that was seasonal or just coincidence. The Marsh Harriers did’t come as close as I had hoped, but were still nice to watch in the distance. Quite a few Magpies around, hopping in the marsh outside one of the hides. Also saw a Fox brazenly making its way through the reserve, I think at one point it made a half-hearted attempt to get a bird (either a Goose or a Cormorant, can’t remember), but wasn’t successful. Unfortunately didn’t manage to get any decent pictures of it, at the time I was more focused on watching it through my binoculars (it was quite far away and better to see through the binoculars).

Before leaving for Emsworth for the concert I had a nice meal at The Osborne View (of course a burger). It being March it was too cold to sit outside, but I managed to get a table with a nice view over the Solent. I hope I can sit outside again for one of my next visits.

Pictures, Snippets, Thoughts

Wholemeal Fruit Bread

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A mid December long weekend is well placed for some home baking (and my first steps with the new Gutenberg editor). Today I’m planning to make some Bremer Klaben and possibly some bread. Tomorrow I’ll definitely make some bread. Yesterday I improvised some Wholemeal Fruit Bread:

Wholemeal Fruit Bread freshly cut (phone camera picture)

The ingredients:

  • 300g strong stoneground wholemeal bread flour
  • 150g strong white bread flour
  • 250g mixed fruit (sultanas, currants, raisins, candied mixed peel)
  • ~15-20ml Sicilian Lemon Extract
  • 6g ready zest / powdered lemon peel (yes, I’m lazy)
  • ~10g fast action bread yeast
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 pint warm water

Mix, knead, let rise as appropriate, then bake at 220ºC (fan assisted oven) for just over 35 minutes.

Eating it this morning while writing this blog post, tastes nice, fresh and fruity. And I’m starting to get used to the new Gutenberg WordPress editor. I’m beginning to grasp the block concept and I think with a little bit more experience I’m going to like it.

Pictures, Snippets, Thoughts

Hemp and Walnut Bread

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It was time for some baking again last Sunday (but I only find time to blog about it today), time for another experiment. I decided to make an alternative version of the Hemp and Almond Bread I first made back in June (and have made again since), mainly replacing the almonds with walnuts. But as the walnuts came in a slightly strange packet size I also played around with some the of volumes.

These are the ingredients I used (I decided to also include some sunflower seeds):

  • 400g strong stoneground wholemeal bread flour
  • 200g strong white bread flour
  • 125g hemp seed hearts
  • 130g walnut halves
  • 50g sunflower seeds
  • ~15g fast action bread yeast
  • 3 table spoons olive oil
  • 400ml of warm water

Mix, knead, let rise as appropriate, then bake at 220ºC (fan assisted oven) for just over 30 minutes.

Taste test? Similar to the almond version, a nice slightly nutty taste, as expected from the hemp and the walnuts. Crunchy when you bite on a walnut. Also tastes very nice toasted.

Pictures, Snippets, Thoughts

Hemp and Almond Bread

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Decided to experiment with some bread baking again. While doing my shopping yesterday I spotted some ‘Hemp Seed Hearts’ (described as ‘pure unrefined hemp seed kernels with a delicious light nutty flavour’ and that among other things they are perfect for baking), so I bought some to use them in some bread to be baked for the weekend.

(click on the pictures for larger versions)

These are the ingredients I used (I decided to also include some almonds):

  • 300g strong stoneground wholemeal bread flour
  • 150g strong white bread flour
  • 75g hemp seed hearts
  • 75g toasted chopped almonds
  • ~10g fast action bread yeast
  • 2 table spoons olive oil
  • 1/2 pint of warm water

Mix, knead, let rise as appropriate, then bake at 220ºC (fan assisted oven) for just over 30 minutes.

Taste test?

Has a nice light nutty smell. Taste also light nutty (as promised), bread turned out quite light but also crunchy with the seeds and the almonds. Yes, I’ll almost certainly make this again.