I was going to start this newsletter with the fact that I have been in an EPIC funk this week* - I’m talking mega-crank - but I’m conscious that it’s a seriously over-played state of mind for me currently - how many times can you hear the same thing? - and that you are most likely here for more upbeat news. So, I’ve itemised the glossy bits from my week for you to enjoy instead - and for those don’t mind a spot of grump-related chat, I’ve included that as an optional extra beside the asterisk below (I really SPOIL you, don’t I?).
*which I have been by the way - I don’t know if I can legitimately blame the weather, or England losing the Euros final (which incidentally broke my heart, not because they lost, but because I’m like, God, how do they deal with that pressure and disappointment, it makes my heart ACHE), or whether I’m just getting old and that crank-dom is a state of mind that accompanies age?… OR whether it is a genuine element of depression (jokes aside, I really have been feeling all sorts of sadness and disillusion with life and I hate to admit it because I fear I sound so cynical and ungrateful - sorry!) but whatever the cause of it is, I’m totally over it - feeling horribly low is not fun!
My top rated this week:
Carlos Alcaraz winning the Wimbledon final on Sunday in the most comprehensive awe-inspiring fashion - what a CHAMP! (Whilst I rate this as a highlight, I did experience some MAJOR anxiety -genuinely thought my heart was going to explode - when he threw away 3 championship points on his serve in the last set, but, the angst is all part of the fun, eh? HAHA! Gosh, I’m ridiculous, aren’t I? Does anyone else get this invested in sport?)
… made more iced fingers (pink blackberry icing ones, flavoured with hint of cardamom - a game changer!!) to fuel me through the tennis… and the football - spectator snacks are very necessary!
That Beyonce song, “Texas Hold ‘em” that’s everywhere at the moment (disclaimer, I’m a bit rubbish with music but I find that I sort of hyper-fixate on songs that I hear and like… this is one of them!)
Roasted plums on top of my porridge… I’m a bit early for plum season but I picked up a punnet of the most beautiful deep purple plums* for £1.09 in M&S last Saturday (yellow label jackpot) and couldn’t resist. Fresh they weren’t abundant with flavour but roasted with a little brown sugar, orange juice and some spices (star anise and cinnamon are my go-to) they were STUNNING!
Also, I have been adding 1/2 tsp of instant coffee granules to my porridge as it cooks and I’m SO into it - highly recommend!
*Anyone know what variety these dark fleshed plums are? They’re stunning!If you need to laugh… go and watch a few Ant & Dec videos on their Instagram - I had tummy ache from laughing so much when I watched a few on Wednesday evening after a mega meltdown!
Blasting your face/hair with a cold hairdryer in the gym changing rooms when you’ve just finished a run and you washed your hair the night before therefore it is imperative that you preserve its cleanliness by drying the sweat IMMEDIATELY to avoid any additional washing.
Watermelons - PREMIUM hydration, and full of happy memories of holidays at my favourite hotel in Gran Canaria, it was a staple at breakfast! I’m also keen to jump on the feta, watermelon salad bandwagon because that salty, sweet vibe looks pretty majestic!
Not strictly a top-rated item but it did make headline news for me this week… THE BIGGEST MOTH I HAVE EVER SEEN (see below). I feel for Moths, they’re not the sexiest beast out there, are they? This guy really wasn’t a looker although I have to admit, when I zoomed in on this pic, I was pretty impressed with the intricacy of his features (crikey, am I a moth nerd now?).
The documentary on gymnast, Simone Biles - (Netflix). That girl is simply incredible, if you want to be inspired - you have to watch this! The Daley Thompson one on the BBC is pretty fabulous too!
TWO absurdly simple yet decadent, crowd-pleasing dessert recipes that I am sharing below! Fist up there’s a ‘hug-in-a-glass’ truffle-y chocolate pot with berries & crème fraîche. I had no intention of featuring this in the newsletter this week, but having shared a pic on my Insta stories on Tuesday evening, a fair few of you seemed keen to try it, so I’ve popped the ‘recipe’ below - I feel a bit of a fraud calling it a recipe because, I’m warning you now, it’s a doddle to make but it’s the epitome of fuss-free, comforting indulgence that really hits the food-therapy spot! And then I have THE WILDEST no churn cherry ripple ice cream recipe (it has crunchy biscotti chunks in it that are SO GOOD) for the odd occasions that the sun appears! These two desserts have quite literally supported me through this week - sometimes I really believe that a spoonful of sugar is just the tonic we need.
I’ve also been playing with choux pastry again and OMG does it blow my mind - it’s so so fun! I’m planning a cute little choux bun related recipe for next week… maybe something peachy and creamy! Drool!
… oh and… The Olympic excitement is building, I can’t wait for it to start next week!
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And there you have it… some shiny bits from an otherwise unremarkable, pretty low week.
I’m conscious that I’ve been a bit evasive about why I’m feeling so ropey at the moment, there’s nothing particularly secret or new about it - I’m just a bit embarrassed - embarrassed that I can’t change how I feel, embarrassed that my mind feels SO chaotic - full of creativity, thrill for my special interests and thoughts about subjects that I’m passionate about but an inability to consolidate or articulate any of it. I’m embarrassed that I’m not taking the default advice and ‘getting help’ (some quite unpleasant past experiences mean I’m reluctant to do so), and I’m ashamed that I have so many things to be grateful for and yet I still can’t fight constantly feeling overwhelmed with life, lonely, and sort of desperate to do and be more.
Nevertheless, as I type this now, the sun is shining, I’ve just baked some, seedy crusty wholemeal rolls (and snaffled a load of the seeds off the top), and I’m planning to have salted crisps & a gin and tonic (the first of the year - I’M WILD) at 5:30pm followed by pesto pasta at 6:30pm, and I must say I’m momentarily feeling rather content about it all - I’ll take that!
Love and hugs as always!
Steph X X X
Mini Chocolate ganache pots with strawberries and crème fraîche
As I said above, this hardly constitutes a recipe - it’s just a handful of ingredients thrown together, chilled and TA DA - but sometimes the simplest things are best, aren’t they?
The quantities below yielded two fairly moderate portions, but they’re super rich so this amount feels sufficient. However, the beauty of this recipe is that you can scale it up and down to suit your preference/requirements. On that note, this one is a superb dessert idea if you end up having an impromptu get together with friends.
These choccy pots have been a bit of a go-to indulgence of mine for a while now, and I’ve played around (endlessly!!!) with quantities over the years. I’ve settled on a 2:1 ratio of double cream to dark chocolate with a dash of maple syrup - this gives a creamy, soft-set ganache that’s neither too sweet nor too dark and it MELTS in the mouth. You must use a good quality dark chocolate though with a decent amount of cocoa solids, mine was Callebaut’s 54.5% Dark choc (I love milk chocolate, but it won’t yield a great flavour here, plus, you won’t achieve a good enough set).
Serves: 2
Ingredients
120g Double cream
15g Maple syrup
60g Dark chocolate (choose a good quality - I use Callebaut 54.5%)
A couple of pinches of flaky sea salt
To serve
crème fraiche
Strawberries
Method
Measure the cream into a small saucepan with the maple syrup and a pinch of the salt, and place over a medium heat, stir a couple of times to make sure it’s heating evenly. Meanwhile, place the chocolate in a medium sized bowl. When the cream is steaming hot - almost boiling - pour over the chocolate and leave to stand for 30 seconds then stir from the centre until homogenous. Pour the ganache into two small serving glasses (mine are little shot glasses) or ramekins, and refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until set firm.
Serve the chocolate pots topped with another little sprinkle of flaky sea salt, a dollop of crème fraîche and some strawberries (or an alternative berry of your choice - something crunchy and nutty would also be dreamy!).
No churn Cherry ripple ice cream
I’ve been so desperate to make some ice cream this summer but the British weather just hasn’t complied! That’s not to say ice cream can’t be enjoyed in all weather, but I’ve just not fancied it in all the gloom of late.
So, when the sun popped out for 5 minutes on Wednesday morning, I was like… NOW IS THE TIME! There’s something about ice cream on a warm day that is unrivalled isn’t there? In fact, I’d argue that when it’s warm, ice cream should be enforced - you know like one of our five-a-day.
Simple, speedy no-churn ice creams that draw on the properties of condensed milk and double cream to yield a softish set and rich, milky flavour, aren’t groundbreaking - they have been around for a while, BUT… I’ve incorporated a few elements into my version here that (in my opinion) change the game!
Firstly, I suggest using a proportion of crème fraîche in the base recipe - the slight tang offsets some of the natural sweetness of the condensed milk. I also make a tart cherry compote to ripple through the creaminess… and then, as if things weren’t already GREAT, I suggest sprinkling in some chopped up biscotti to create crunchy, almondy, nugget surprises which are simply THE BEST - I can’t be the only one who seeks out the cookie chunks in cookie dough ice cream and the biscuit bits in cheesecake ice cream?
If that wasn’t good enough, it’s also simple to make - no fancy gadgets are required, just an electric hand whisk to help you whip up your cream and a bit of patience whilst it sets. Marvellous! Let me know what you think if you try it!
Ingredients
Cherry ripple
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