Animal magnetism

Anyone who knows me, knows that I love animals. I'm a particular fan of cats, but I'll make one-sided conversation with anything in a pet store or on the street. Alas, I currently have no animal to call my own. My best friend of 14 years, Roger the wonder cat (as we affectionately called him), went missing just two weeks before Mr B and I moved to SF 18 months ago. It broke my heart into a million pieces and I'm still not over it yet (there are tears in my eyes as I type this). I would love to get another pet (preferably one that gives cuddles) but the reality is that it would be very difficult to get it back into Australia when we return - so petless I remain. That said, I have found a way to live vicariously through others by reading the blog Desire to Inspire where they have a regular feature called 'Pets on Furniture'. Quite simply, it warms my heart and makes me smile on days when I just don't feel like or - dare I say it - want to. So, if you too need your heart warmed on a cold winter's day, pay a visit to this blog and feel the love.

Photos courtesy: Desire to Inspire readers

Australia Day

Today is Australia Day in the Southern hemisphere. Traditionally this means stinking hot weather, BBQs, backyard cricket, trips to the beach, and most importantly my Mum's birthday (an easy one to remember). It also means paying tribute to our national day through food - lamingtons, pavlova with passionfruit and kiwi fruit (it's not real pavlova otherwise), lamb and snags (sausages for the uninitiated). While I'm not a baker myself, I thought I'd share a recipe for the best little chocolate coated sponge cake treats I know of. Oh how I miss them! Meet the lamington (recipe from taste.com.au).

Preparation Time

20 minutes

Cooking Time

30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 15)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 75g (1/2 cup) self-raising flour
• 75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
• 70g (1/2 cup) cornflour
• 6 eggs, at room temperature
• 215g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 1 tbs boiling water
• 170g (2 cups) desiccated coconut
• 
  
• Chocolate icing
• 300g (2 cups) icing sugar mixture
• 35g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder
• 60ml (1/4 cup) milk
• 60ml (1/4 cup) boiling water

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160°C. Brush a 19 x 29cm (base measurement) lamington pan with melted butter to lightly grease. Line the base and sides with non-stick baking paper, allowing it to overhang slightly.

2. Sift the combined flours together into a large bowl. Repeat twice.

3. Use an electric beater to whisk the eggs in a large clean, dry bowl until thick and pale. Gradually add the sugar, 1 tbs at a time, whisking well after each addition until mixture is thick and sugar dissolves.

4. Sift the combined flours over the egg mixture. Pour the boiling water down the side of the bowl. Use a large metal spoon to gently fold until just combined. Pour mixture into the prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Bake in oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn cake onto a wire rack, cover with a clean tea towel and set aside overnight to cool.

5. Trim the edges of the cake and cut into 15 squares. Spread the coconut over a plate.

6. To make the chocolate icing, sift the icing sugar and cocoa powder into a medium bowl. Add the milk and water and stir until smooth.

7. Use 2 forks to dip 1 cake square into the warm icing to evenly coat. Allow any excess icing to drip off. Use your fingers to roll the cake in the coconut to evenly coat, then place on a wire rack. Repeat with the remaining cake squares, icing and coconut. Set aside for 1 hour or until icing sets.

A new leaf...

OK, so I've broken every blogging rule by not posting anything since November last year, but it's been a crazy few months with travel for work and pleasure. The pleasure part was obviously the best bit, with Mr B and I heading home for a hot Aussie Christmas with family and friends. And it was good. Too good. I didn't want to come back. I think it might have something to do with the cold and rainy weather in San Francisco. Let's be frank - it sucks, big time. Anyway, a new year means turning over a new blogging leaf for me, so let's see if I can at least post something three times week. You might have to keep me honest.