Baking Week - Lemon and Almond Cakes

It's National Baking Week, and to celebrate we're going to make sure we indulge our favourite cakes, pies, breads and crumbles.

We've been busy baking too (what an excuse!).

Here's our recipe for delicious Lemon and Almond Cakes:

Ingredients:

250 g Unsalted Butter

60 g Flour (we use Gluten Free)

250 g Ground Almonds

250 g Caster Sugar

4 Eggs

Grated zest and juice of 2 lemons (approx 100ml of lemon juice)

Icing:

50 ml Lemon Juice

150 g Icing Sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease 6 small bundt tins with melted butter and refrigerate.

Mix together flour and almond and set aside. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy then add eggs, one at a time and beat until combined. Fold in the almonds and flour. Once combined, fold in lemon zest and juice.

Spoon mixture out into bundt tins, then bake for approx 20 min, until golden brown. Leave to cool in the tins for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool.

To make the icing, combine lemon juice and icing sugar, then spoon over cooled cakes.

Delicious with a dollop of creme fraiche. Enjoy!

Words that know no boundaries

When was the last time you read a poem? Not a nursery rhyme or lullaby, but a sonnet, palindrome, or a verse so free of reins that upon reading, you to slip into reverie in seconds.

In the early 1900s, the American poet Robert Frost spoke of the power of love in a small, yet significant piece - one of which is such a favourite of ours, we simply had to share it (plus a few others) with you.

What’s your favourite poem or quote?

A touch of monochrome in the home

If there’s one colour combination that never goes out of fashion, it’s black and white. Need a tip on how to introduce it to the home? Try scattering subtle hints of graphic pattern here and there - our Blackwork cushions in cosy wool do the job perfectly. The result is not only an instant update to your room, it also proves this classic look is not just for the wardrobe, but a striking addition to your home decor, too.

Blackwork Cushions by Charlene Mullen from £110

Sunday brunch: honey mango pancakes

The weekend presents the perfect opportunity to linger over breakfast and try out something new. But what to make? Eggs? Too obvious. Cereal? Too everyday. Pancakes? Perfect!

Swapping blueberries for in-season mango, and crème fraiche for yoghurt; here’s our recipe for the American classic, with a refreshing twist.

Ingredients (makes approx. 4-6 pancakes)

135g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp caster sugar

130ml milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

2 tbsp melted butter (allowed to cool slightly) or olive oil, plus extra for cooking

To serve

Honey or maple syrup

Greek yoghurt (crème fraiche if preferred)

Ripe mango, chopped

Method

1. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar into a large bowl. In a separate bowl or jug.

2. Lightly whisk together the milk and egg, then whisk in the melted butter.

3. Create a well and pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture. Using a fork, beat until you have a smooth batter then let it stand for a few minutes.

4. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a knob of butter. When it's melted, add a ladle of batter (or two if your frying pan is big enough to cook two pancakes at the same time).

5. When the pancake begins to bubble, turn it over and cook until both sides are golden brown.

6. Repeat until all the batter is used up and serve with a couple of spoonfuls of greek yoghurt, scattered mango and honey or maple syrup.

Introducing Petite Polly

Meet Petite Polly – she’s the latest arrival at Roost Living, and we’re quite taken by her flair for all that’s unique.

This fine mare is designed by Matrushka and made by a small team of Cotswolds-based artisans, who have crafted her from a complementary mix of reclaimed materials including walnut, antique mirrored glass and a lock (or two) of real horse hair. There really isn't a piece of home décor quite like her!

The search for lost princesses at Kensington Palace

Once the home of Lady Diana, Kensington Palace is now the official residence of Prince Harry, the recently wed Kate and Wills and occasionally, other members of the Royal Family, too. However, all is not quite as it seems at the palace of late - renovations have been occurring to the grounds and as they’ve been taking place, something rather magical has been uncovered: introducing The Enchanted Palace, where seven princesses and their stories await your discovery.

Now a mystical castle (with the help of theatre company WildWorks) the palace holds a tale of play, war, sorrow and lost childhoods. Visitors are invited to help find the princesses by following the directions of eerily-gloved hands through each of the rooms. Taking note of the clues as you go - be it poem, flickering light, or letters left upon a typewriter - the object is to find all of the princesses and their stories that are sometimes tragic; sometimes heart-warming.

Not just for children, The Enchanted Palace is a fully experiential fairytale for all, of which part of the tale is told through acclaimed writer Mercedes Kemp’s intriguing poetry. Have you been already? Let us know how many princesses you discovered.

Once Upon a Wartime: an educational exhibition for little ones

Whether it’s during the summer holidays or on a long weekend, we’re sure you (like us, too) are always on the look out for ways to entertain the kids.

Thankfully, London’s Imperial War Museum has just the answer. Since February, the museum has been running Once Upon A Wartime: Classic War Stories for Children. The exhibition focuses on five well-known books: Carrie’s War, No Man’s Land, Little Soldier, The Silver Sword and War Horse, which was written specifically to coincide with the exhibition.

Through special life-size sets, visitors both large and small can wander through the installations and discover each book's themes; from loyalty and separation to excitement, survival and identity. It's a truly interactive, experiential exhibit that we're sure all will thoroughly enjoy.

Once Upon A Wartime: Classic War Stories for Children runs from 11th February to 30th October, 2011.