Therapeutic Baking

It's been a tricksy couple of weeks. However H is now happily settled in Cornwall having navigated Fresher's Week with barely a worry. Last night she was availing herself of the free pizza and ice cream at some event or other so she's already turning into a cliché.

I am finding being home alone quite strange. All my life I've had someone to look after - husband, children, mother etc. so now I feel like I'm bouncing around in the house without a proper purpose. I do at least have the dog and cats to put some order into the day and they all get a bit annoyed if they aren't fed/watered/walked on time.

So today I think I will do some therapeutic baking. Not baking for money or even to test out something which might make me money. Proper therapeutic baking. And that means bread.

If I had a sourdough starter I'd be away for slates but I haven't so good old reliable store cupboard yeast it is. I could do some soda bread but that's so quick to do it wouldn't count as therapeutic. I want to spend time pootling around, letting things get there in their own sweet time. This recipe from Dan Lepard looks perfect and the chocolate pecan twists will be making an appearance too I think.

And while the brioche is doing it's thing overnight I will make some of these and the spicy beef to eat in front of Dr Who.

There. That's Saturday sorted.

*dusts hands*

Photos to follow...

All Systems Go

It is very busy at Cookie Towers this week, we are in the final countdown to H going off to Uni so laundry and packing are the order of the day. One bonus about going to Falmouth is that I can pop in and see all my boys and the littlies on the way there and back. Lulu is 3 tomorrow and George is 21 today so there is likely to be some cake going in the car with me too...

The chocolate selection boxes are very very popular and another lot when out today. I've included the chocolate loaf again, which H has just pronounced 'Delicious!'

I'm beginning to think about that day in December (don't shoot me) and I wondered what people would like to see in the boxes. Is the traditional cake popular? How about gingerbread? Or stollen? If I get requests for a traditional cake then I need to get a wiggle on and start making some, please let me know if you would be interested.

And here's another photograph of that wonderful chocolate loaf just in case you could be tempted -