Autumn - season of yummy cakes!

Hello everyone

When the weather turns cooler, and we enter the beautiful season of autumn, my mind turns to baking and cooking yummy treats and comforting foods. 

I love watching the Hairy Bikers on TV, and over the last couple of weeks the intrepid cooks have been travelling around Europe baking and making yummy treats.  During the episode from Germany they demonstrated a scrummy Black Forest Gateau, so last weekend I had a go at making one.  This was the result

Four layers of chocolate cake sandwiched together with cherries in syrup, black cherry jam, whipped double cream and crumbled Cadbury's Flake

Heavenly!!

Then, the night before our recent trip to the Knitting and Stitching Show I decided to bake a cake to slice up and take with us (I also made falafel and put these inside wraps with hoummus).  I am really into all things Scandanavian, and again, the HB guys had been to Norway where they baked up a storm.  But this time I went to Finland (metaphorically speaking you understand, it is on my must-visit list but I haven't been there yet!!) and made a traditional Tiger Cake - or, in Finnish, Tiikerikakku:

It might not look very glamorous, but the flavours were awesome, the juice and rind of an orange went in, as well as lavish amounts of cocoa.  It got the thumbs up from everyone, and I think will be a regular item on my baking agenda.

What are your favourite recipes for autumn?

Helenxx

What a treat!

Hi everyone!

Yesterday I was lucky enough to go to the Knitting and Stitching Show at Alexandra Palace in London courtesy of my bestest friend Sue.  Our daughters came along, and DH was the chauffeur!  I was really looking forward to it as you can imagine.

Although I didn't get to take any photos inside the show (too busy looking around, and it was so crowded) I took these in the grounds of the Ally Pally (it's affectionate nickname).

Wonderful views of my beloved London skyline:

Here is the Alexandra Palace - it used to be BBC studios until the early 1980's, hence the transmitter mast:

Back inside, I actually had the chance to be the stall holder for a few minutes, great fun, whilst Sue had a quick break.  All too soon the it was closing time, and it was time to walk back to the car, which we had to park about a mile away as the Ally Pally car parks were full.  Sue was staying in a hotel nearer to London, so our plan was to drop her off there to save her having to take the tube.  However, DH was persuaded by Darling Daughter to take us into the city centre for an evening walk along the Thames!  It was really lovely, plenty of photo opportunities...

Well, we were starting to get a bit hungry so DH treated us to a meal at Pizza Hut - yummy!  What a star!  Sue and I realised we hadn't been to London together since we were both 18 - we had been on a trip together from Art College, so it was extra special. 

It was a fabulous day and night out with family and friends, and DH was an absolute star - men were in short supply at the K&SS and he is not really what you would call an arty person.

Sue reported that the show had been a great success, which I'm absolutely delighted about.  All in all, a great weekend!

Helenxx