Mrs Birks Blogs

What's so bad about being forty? Aside from a huge increase in grey hair and the need to apply neck firming cream, it doesn't seem so awful to me.  But then I am only a week or so into my fortieth year. One of the best things about turning 40 is that people shower you with gifts.  40 being a significant number means that the pressies are fantastic!  One beautiful gift that I will treasure always was a plum coloured Ted Baker bag with copper coloured accents.  I don't really have the lifestyle to go with such a beautiful bag but there's still time!  They say life begins and all that. To prove I'm still youngish I also got a Brits CD full of young people music.  I have already irritated the family by over-playing Justin Bieber.  I also got a beautiful silver honey pot, an equally beautiful 3 tier cake plate, some books and a Happy Valley DVD (we missed it first time around and everyone has been raving about it).  All in all, a v...

I have had Paul Hollywood's How to Bake for ages but not baked anything from it. I did try his Chelsea Bun recipe when filling in my (sadly unsuccessful) application for the Bake Off but found that on the internet and it was the recipe that prompted me to buy his book. It being Easter, I decided to try a recipe for Hot Cross Buns. What better way to try out the book? Chelsea Buns - a tried and tested Paul Hollywood recipe The recipe is fairly straight forward but unlike other recipes, contains pieces of apple which Hollywood says enhances the taste and adds moisture.  The only adjustment I made (and always make to fruit based recipes) was to add 230g of mixed fruit, rather than 150g of sultanas and 80g of chopped mixed peel.  I can't stand peel  - although I noticed afterwards, as I bit into a bun that the mixed fruit I had chosen did contain bits of peel.  Mixed fruit bags often contain Cranberry, which I love but it can taste a bit Christmassy which you may...