Meringues!

These started off as a way to use up left over egg whites when I had used multiple yolks to make a very rich chocolate cake, I then got a little bit addicted to forming the snowy peaks and experimenting with the crunchy-on-

the-outside-and-soft-in-the-middle (like an aardvark) texture and it just went from there.  I have made them previously in little petit four cases, but I think freestyle is much more beautiful.  I thought they looked lovely piled up in the vintage pink bowls I bought from a little independent vintage shop in the South - where I also managed to find a cake plate to match my tea set, so that was a good day!

Rose scented macaroons

I have talked about these before - they are the memory of a friends lovely wedding, and of a day spent in Laduree (!) with friends drinking tea, eating cakes and catching up.  In addition, these are ridiculously easy to make, and are also gluten free! The pink and rose flavour cream are optional, although I personally feel they are essential...

The glass comport was my birthday present from my husband - it is vintage and locally produced and suited us as a piece of social history.  The man we bought it from was also very interesting and was more than happy to discuss the history and the factory, which we found really interesting.  It also happens to look stunning with cakes in it...

Moving Party Cakes

The moving date is nigh and so to celebrate our last few days in the historic building we thought we'd have a party, and parties always involved CAKE!  To keep with the party theme I thought I would make something a bit different and a bit funky and so there were chocolate chilli mini cupcakes, mojito mini cupcakes, and mini meringues - which also have the bonus of being gluten free!  The chilli-choclate were just spicy enough to have a kick, but without being inedibly hot, and the mojito cupcakes were strangely minty and limey - although no rum in these ones... and the mini meringues were crumbly on the outside and soft and squidgy in the middle. A good time was had by all!