Tales From Pixie Wood

Signature Sprinkle

Last year while in Italy we took a day trip to a town called Greve which lies in the Chianti region. It began to pour down while we were there and the rain fell out of the sky so quickly that before long there were mini torrents of water running along the gutters and into the drains of the streets. We needed to take shelter and fast or else our feet would have remained wet for the entire day and it wasn't yet lunchtime.

Luckily for us the place we decided to dry off in was an Italian food store. I'm not sure whether you would have been the same but the sigh of pure joy that I'm sure emanated from deep within my chest was greater than if I had entered a designer shoe shop. Stacked floor to ceiling was produce and dry food products which would take me at least a day to make my way through but knowing that we wouldn't be there for very long I started to fill my basket.

I came away with a jar of truffles in oil, rainbow coloured vegetable pasta which existed in such beautiful colours that it SERIOUSLY negates the need for toxic food colourings and something that has become known in my house as 'your sprinkle'.

"Are you going to be putting your sprinkle on the pasta?"

"Yuuummmmm, nice. Does this have your sprinkle stuff on it?"

"Where's your sprinkle stuff, hon?"

"Oh you're using it again, can we not try something other than your sprinkle concoction on tonight's meal? Just this once?"

I have been using 'my sprinkle' mixture since arriving home from Italy last year and was mortified and more than a little bereft when the sucker ran out. I could see that there were only three ingredients in it so it wasn't going to be difficult to replicate it. What I needed to do was figure out the quantities. Which I have done, after long hours in the kitchen with a tasting spoon - I lie, it only took about ten minutes - but I finally have some quantities for you if you'd like to try it.

The reason that I feel it is important to have something like this in your dry cupboard is because you can use it on anything. Pasta, couscous, bruschetta, salad and roasted vegetables. You can also apply liberally to chicken. They are all enhanced by this mixture and enhanced in a flash and lets face it if it works then why not allow it to work quickly!

So, here's the recipe and quantities.

1. Take one Le Parfait jar
2. Add 6 grams of dried parsley
3. 55 grams of dried garlic granules
4. 6 grams of dried crushed chilli
5. Shake with the lid on
6. E quello è esso!

I'm so glad that it's not more complicated than that and of course that is one of the joys of cooking in an Italian style. Simple, tasty food. Eaten heartily and washed down with a glass of red.

Happy days!

A Morning Making Madeleines

Last week I bought myself a new Madeleine tin from our local bakeshop. I wish I could show you this teeny, weeny shop. Full to the rafters of every type of baking aide you could ever wish to use. Each and every square inch of this tiny place is covered, including the ceiling, with treasures.

I opted for the silicon version of the baking tray but may pop back and get the metal tin as I do like the romance attached to that version.

Anyway, I had this notion that I wanted to spend a few mornings perfecting the art of the Madeleine, I'm not quite sure if I managed it but it was certainly a lovely way to pass some time.

The thing with Madeleine's is that they are so very easy to put together and its the baking tray that does all of the fancy work for you. They take between 16 - 20 minutes to bake and in that time you can have a dozen ready to go. They also derive their roots from France and if there's something I love it's french baking.

I was speaking to a gorgeous girl yesterday who told me that her and her brother had opened up a crêperie  in France. What could be more wonderful than that!!!!

So, without further ado here is the recipe I used for making Madeleine's in the morning. I made a few batches and fiddled about with the recipe somewhat so the one I'm giving you is my own, hybrid version, of the one I started with.

English & Cup Measures
2 medium eggs (separated) - I used Cotswold Legbar
100g / half a cup Caster/Superfine Sugar
100g/1 stick unsalted butter
Grated lemon rind of three quarters of a lemon
Juice of half of that lemon
100g self - raising flour / half cup self rising flour

Pre heat your oven to 375 f/ 190 c/ gas mark 5

Mix the EGG YOLKS and sugar together thoroughly but not in to oblivion - if you are using a mixer use the paddle not the whisk attachment.Then add the melted butter, lemon juice and rind and mix those in also, being kind to the mixture and treating it firmly but not bullying it in any  way. These are delicate Madeleine's after all!

Add the flour by sieving it over the bowl itself and gently stirring it in, then add the egg whites and mix it all together well!

Its important to lightly grease the Madeleine tins with butter before you add the mixture as the pattern you are aiming for is produced on the underside of the Madeleine and that is the part that you want to remain intact.
Add the mixture to the individual moulds of your Madeleine tin stopping just before you reach the top and making sure that you have filled the mould evenly, from end to end. Bake in the middle of the oven for between 16-20 minutes and keep an eye on them. You want them to be golden yellow in colour not rustic and toasty so be brave when deciding on when to remove them. Gently pop them out of the moulds and on to a wire rack, allowing them to cool.

Put the kettle on and make a pot of tea in your best teapot, sit back and relax, for just a moment or two and admire your work.

I split my Madeline's and spread one of my favourite jams right through the middle of one entire batch.

I also dusted them with icing sugar. Baking, as most of us have gathered is that wonderful combination of science and creativity, brought together, successfully or not so, under the blazing heat of the oven or stove we use. There really is no telling, until you slide the tray gingerly from the heat, which way your mixture will turn out. For this reason I often hear "I'm a terrible baker, all of my cakes drop in the middle" or " I can't cook to save my life, nothing turns out well and baking scares me. I have SOOO many cook books though, sitting gathering dust on my shelves. The pictures are pretty I suppose"

If you have ever felt like this then I urge you to try making Madeleine's one morning for one reason and one reason only - they are easy and look très impressive!

Even if you keep the entire plate to yourself and never show a soul you'll know that you made them. And what delicious fun was had that morning, in the kitchen.

Who knows, one day Madeleine's the next Croquembouche.

I'd also like to thank the divine Erin Loechner of the DesignForMankind blog for featuring me and a corner of my home in her latest Inspiration e-zine. I am on page 6 and am so touched to have been asked to participate in something so very special. PLEASE check out Erin's wonderful blog and send her a message. She rocks!

You can also find my latest Sheerluxe article here! A big hello to the wonderful editor Georgie, who has worked her socks off to make SheerLuxe the best guide to luxury shopping online. She has also enabled me to feel like Carrie Bradshaw once a fortnight, typing away furiously and trying to get my article to her in time to meet my deadline!

Cherry xoxox