Kitchen Challenge: Chocolate Eclairs

It’s time for a challenge. I created this blog as a way to share my passion for baking and cooking with the world, but also to push myself to experiment and try new recipes and ingredient combinations. This month I challenged myself with choux pastry. Pastry is an area in which I feel I can do the basics, shortctust mostly – enough for pies and tarts, but have always been nervous to experiment with. Until now I had associated éclairs and profiteroles as desserts that needed to be bought, not made – I had certainly never dreamed of making them myself.

Rock and Roll

Rock and Roll by bakeitblonde featuring bright purses

Fashion Inspiration: Bank Holiday BBQ

So I know this is primarily a food blog but when I discovered Polyvore whilst reading another blog, I knew I had to create a post.

Its such a great website that allows you to browse mood and inspiration boards, design your own, and shop your finds - all in the same place! I am still new to it but so far I am having lots of fun with this new creative outlet and experimenting with everything they have to offer.

So here's my very first creation, following on from my last BBQ post - what I would wear to a bank holiday BBQ. Really this look works for any relaxed, outside event. I am obsessed with a white and blue colour palette at the minute - so clean and crisp, and I think that the gold studded sandals with the straw fedora give it the perfect boho vibe.

Bank Holiday BBQ by bakeitblonde featuring backpacks bags

I hope to be making a lot more of these but dont worry I wont turn this into a fashion blog! If you do want see the rest of my creations and be kept up to date, follow my Polyvore page: http://bakeitblonde.polyvore.com/

xx

Chicken Cobb Salad

While I love baking all sorts of rich, gooey desserts, every once in a while we all need something healthy. Or at least something which pretends to be. Healthier if you will.

Essential tips for BBQ-ing

We’ve all been there, the sun comes out and of course no one wants to be inside for a second longer than they have to be, let alone cooking away in a hot a kitchen. That’s why the humble BBQ is the perfect way to create simple, tasty dishes with minimum fuss and maximum outdoor exposure.

The Job Interview: Tips for success

As a few of you may have noticed from reading this post I have had a job interview. Now many people think that applying for the job is the difficulty and once you've got an interview then the hard part’s over. Think again my friend. Job interviews are a minefield of good etiquette and implications. What you don’t say can have just as much effect as what you do. It is therefore important to be as prepared as possible so that by the time the interview takes place you can be calm and confident, rather than a nervous wreck.

Flourless Chocolate Cake (Gluten Free)

So I have a little confession to make. I have never baked a gluten – free recipe before. To be fair, I am not gluten intolerant and therefore have had no real reason to, but at the minute I am all about pushing the boundaries and trying new things.

Summer Fruits Hand-Pies

So things have been pretty hectic recently.

Salted Caramel Banoffee Bars

In case you missed it, over the weekend I made this incredible salted caramel sauce. However I soon realised that there was only so much that I could eat with a spoon straight out of the jar. There is a limit, and I reached it. So I decided to use it to make salted caramel banoffee bars. Just look at that gooey caramel centre…

Salted Caramel Sauce

Happy Bank holiday guys and girls!! For once the sun is actually shining and now is the time to treat ourselves. I can’t think of a better way to do this than with homemade salted caramel sauce. I made this a couple of days ago and it has been staring at me from the fridge ever since.

While I obviously recommend eating this out of the jar with a spoon, this sauce is also fantastic drizzled over ice-cream, brownies or quite frankly, anything else your heart desires.

Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

For me, there is little else more comforting that a big bowl of carbs. Pasta may be the obvious choice for a carb-fest but when done right, Risotto can be a welcome break from the norm. In this dish the earthy, woody flavours of the mushrooms are lightened with the crunchy asparagus and makes a wonderfully comforting Spring dinner.