I want to start by thanking so many of you whose New Year’s feasts last week included so many of the recipes included in my Rosh Hashanah menu. There was a very active hotline on Tuesday and Wednesday while I was virtually cooking away with you all and I was truly moved almost to tears seeing all the pictures and reading all the messages about your triumphant holiday gatherings. It was such a beautiful way to start the year and I just wanted to thank you for your enthusiasm and generosity.
Without further ado…….
The Essential Chocolate Birthday Cake
It’s no secret that I love to make birthday and celebration cakes for people, often elbowing my way in with a non negotiable cake offering whenever there’s an appropriate occasion. It’s my love language and I will never get tired of making them. While I sometime shake up the buttercream flavours, my cake is a pretty standard chocolate version that I’ve been tinkering with for years and am finally excited to share it with you. Here is my old school grown up birthday cake with a new buttercream for a very special birthday.
When Mud Australia reached out and asked me to bake a cake and share the recipe for their 30th Birthday tomorrow of course I jumped at the chance to celebrate this awesome milestone with them. My love affair with Mud runs deep and I have slowly built up my collection of their delicately beautiful pieces in a very devoted fashion since I first walked into their Sydney shop in 1999. It’s an absolute privilege to be included in their birthday celebrations and share this recipe in their honour. And here’s a little heads up for you……they have released a limited edition number of cake plates for the occasion available from tomorrow until they sell out (it’s the beautiful stand the cake is perched on in the recipe)
Happy Birthday Mud. Here’s to many more decades of creating exquisite essentials for our tables, kitchens and homes, for your consideration in how you create your pieces, the care for the environment and those you work with and how you have made all of our lives so much more colourful.
For all you eager bakers, here’s the recipe and of course a video to go alongside where you can witness my less than perfect but conscientious icing capabilities (notice it never stops me from baking cakes for others). I can’t wait for you to bake this one……..
For the Love of Bread
I officially now have flour under my nails at all times. It’s a throwback to years ago when I also constantly wore flour as an accessory, but then good sourdough became available on my doorstep and I got lazy. But Jim Lahey, my original bread baking inspiration got me back to sourcing flour and prepping my banettons as I get ready to chat to him on his upcoming visit.
You really do not want to miss this event on the 30th October when I will be In Conversation With the man himself to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of Jim’s famous book “My Bread, the Revolutionary No Work, No Knead Bread Method”. There are still a few tickets left so grab them while you can and I will polish up my bread baking skills ready to taste his recipes on the night. This is going to be epic…..
There’s a New Workshop in Town
For all you Pump Street Bakery and Chocolate fans, there’s some big news that I am so excited to share. The Pump Street Workshop, the newest addition to the family, is opening its doors in a few weeks. A fabulous, meticulously designed space just opposite their bakehouse in Orford where they will be offering a range of courses on baking and chocolate making from their experts, peppered with classes from guest chefs and cooks throughout the year. If you are not local, I urge you to make a little trip up to my favourite part of the country, enjoy a few days under the big Suffolk skies and polish up on your skills. You won’t be sorry. I might even see you there……..
Before I go……
Mud Australia featured an article “At Home” with me where we set the festive table and baked honey cake together. It was such a wonderful morning and I absolutely love collaborating with such an inspirational company and spending time with Shelley Simpson, the creative genius behind the brand. See the article here.
I’ll be back next time with some of my Autumn essentials. I am also thinking about hosting another Supper Club. Would any of you be interested in coming? Do let me know and I’ll get planning.
As always it’s wonderful to be here with you. xx