Snow-Bound (with plenty of tea and knitting)

Lemon Tea Cakes with Fresh Fruit Icing

Ingredients:
2 sticks (225g) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/8 cup (225g) caster sugar
4 large eggs
1 3/4 cup (225g) self-raising flour
zest of one lemon

Icing Ingredients:
50g fresh berries, plus extra for decoration
1 1/4 cup (150g) icing sugar, sifted

Preheat the oven to 180c/350f.
Beat the butter and sugar together using an electric mixer until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each, then fold in the flour and lemon zest.
Place 18 paper cases into muffin tins. Spoon the mixture into them, then bake for 15 minutes, until golden. Remove the cakes from the tins and allow to cool before icing them.
For the icing, mash the fruit with a fork, mix in the icing sugar until you have a smooth paste. Add whole berries as decoration.

Reflection

Violet, You're Tuning Violet (Cupcakes)

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter (110g)
1 cup of sugar (225g)
2 eggs
120ml milk
1.5 tbsp violet syrup
1.33 cup of self-rising flour (150g)
1 cup plain flour (125g)
Crystallised violet petals

Steps:
Preheat the oven to 180c, line a 12 hole muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Cream the butter and sugar until pale and smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
Measure the milk into a measuring cup, stir in the violet syrup. Sift the flours into a separate bowl and stir together.
Add one-third of the flour mixture to the creamed butter and sugar and beat well. Pour in one-third of the milk mixture and beat again. Repeat until all are combined.
Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cases. Bake for about 25 minutes. When cool, decorate with violet buttercream icing (see below) and petals.

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter (115g)
60ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups confectioner's sugar (500g)
2 tbsp violet syrup

Steps:
Beat together the butter, milk, and vanilla, gradually add the sugar, beat until smooth. Add a little of the syrup and beat well. Continue to add more syrup until desired taste and color are reached.

What I Wish I Were Reading...

The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, Corinne May Botz, looks to be absolutely fantastic. The book depicts diorama crime scenes created in the 1940's by Frances Glessner Lee, a Chicago heiress with a passion for forensic study.
I am a great fan of things in miniature, but am especially intrigued when something of actual size is accidentally included, the usual suspects are oftentimes plants and hinges, or other hardware. However, the vignettes in this collection are brilliantly detailed and aesthetically sound. They surprise the viewer with a dark twist, and were intended to be used ( and still are today) as a training tool. The factual base of these grizzly scenes works in opposition to their innocent, doll house appearance. A sublime duality.

This fun site, created by Erin Hooper Bush, allows you to interactively explore a few of the dioramas... http://www.deathindiorama.com/index.html
and this will direct you to the page for Of Dolls & Murder, a documentary about the scenes and their creator... http://www.ofdollsandmurder.com/

Et Voila! Choclolate Guinness Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing (and a little Bailey's)

Preheat your oven to 350F. Pour 8 ounces of Guinness into a large wide saucepan, add 9 ounces of unsalted butter (pats) and heat until the butter melts. Then, whisk in 6 tbsp of cocoa and 2 cups of sugar. In a separate bowl, beat together 5 fluid ounces of sour cream, 2 eggs and 1 tbsp of vanilla extract... pour into the saucepan. Stir. Whisk in 2 cups of flour and 2 1/2 tsp baking soda.
Pour the batter into cupcake liners and bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
For the icing, beat 10 ounces of cream cheese until smooth, add 1 cup of confectioner's sugar, 1/2 cup of heavy cream, Bailey's (to taste- if your adding a lot, cut back on the cream slightly) and beat until spreadable. Ice cupcakes when they are COMPLETELY cooled. My new favorite cake :)

Saturday Morning Ritual

Artisan bread + wood-fired oven + espresso = oh so happy me. Lately i have made a habit of going to Soltane Breads and Spreads, a bakery/coffee shop located in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. It has become very difficult to choose between my favorite, croissant or the delectable candied ginger scone. Check out their website here - www.breadsandspreads.org/