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Gypsy tart is the bane of mine and Chris’ relationship.

Sounds melodramatic but it really isn’t!

Gypsy tart is a very sweet treat that Chris remembers from his childhood. For the first birthday he had after we got together, I decided to make it for him and proudly presented him with my efforts. He appreciated my attempt but said one day he would make it ‘properly’ for me. I think my devastation showed on my face and the whole thing was never to be mentioned again.

When I was frantically trying to come up with a G for my A to Z, Chris suggested gypsy tart and said he’d like to make it. The first attempt did not go well as he struggled with my pastry, used the wrong sugar and concluded he should have used evaporated milk not condensed milk. The resulting tarts tasted almost like marshmallow (or what I remember them tasting like!) and we had a load of pastry left so I made jam tarts.

We bought more ingredients and Chris had a second go. Once again the pastry proved tricky: gluten free pastry has no elasticity so is completely different to normal pastry. Chris also used a large tin of evaporated milk but a half tin would have been sufficient.

From these escapades, we have come up with this recipe for 5-6 tarts!

Ingredients

4oz plain flour

2oz butter or hard margarine

1 egg

5oz dark brown sugar

6oz tin of evaporated milk (sold as 170g tin in the shops!)

Method

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the egg and combine to form a pastry dough. A little extra water or flour may be required to enable rolling.

Roll out to fit the tart tins.

Prick gently with a fork and bake at GM5 for 7 minutes.

Whisk together the dark brown sugar and evaporated milk for 10 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved..

Pour into the pastry cases and bake for 7 minutes or until a skin has formed on top.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Remove from the tins and enjoy!

Categories: recipes.

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The Asylum Tour by Deborah A. Stansil

Laura

Tags: book book review

Warning: do not read this book at night or when home alone!!!

I have read one of Debbie’s books before but it was a young adult fiction so completely different to this gruesome and compelling horror novel!

In 1953 there is an appalling massacre at the Riley Asylum leaving only one survivor. Now in 2017 the asylum is being opened for tours and the first is on Halloween…

Jeannie Jones is a journalist, determined to investigate the mysterious tour and is convinced the excited participants are in danger. Her own grandmother was a nurse at the asylum and became a victim of the terrible massacre. Those chosen for the tour all resemble the physical appearance of murderer Mary Garbutt’s victims: is this coincidence?

This book is well written but extremely gory and graphic. It is a devastating insight into mental health treatment in asylums 70 years ago. Jeannie’s grandmother befriends an inmate whose crime is to be homosexual and suffers the indignity of aversion therapy and electrotherapy.

The plot is spooky and I enjoyed the tour, probably more than the participants! I love the way Deborah has used the different characters’ narratives to give us insights into their motivations and emotions.

This is so much more than a ghost story or horror tale. The chilling realisation of the historical accuracy of asylum treatment gives this book a great depth. The final chapter provides redemption for one character which leaves a smile on the reader’s face 🙂

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Categories: Product reviews.

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April A to Z gluten free vegetarian treats: F is for flapjacks

Laura

Tags: baking recipe

Please note the oats I used were the ones in my cupboard. They were not gluten free but were wheat free! Gluten free oats are available in supermarkets and online if required.

My flapjacks always end up as muesli. They always just disintegrate and I usually end up having to eat it with a spoon. This recipe is one I haven’t tried before and it was more successful! Although I did take it out of the tin to cut it and I shouldn’t have done as it started to crumble 🙁

Ingredients

6oz butter

6oz golden syrup

2 oz light brown sugar

10 oz oats

Method

Put the butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan over a low heat until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved.

Remove from the heat and stir in the oats.

Press down into a tin (20cm square should be fine)

Bake for 25-30 minutes at GM5

Allow to cool for 5 minutes then mark out the squares, DO NOT remove from tin until fully cool.

Once cool, cut into squares and eat!

Categories: recipes.

/ 6 Comments

April A to Z gluten free vegetarian treats: E is for egg custard tart

Laura

Tags: baking gluten free vegetarian

I am not a fan of hot custard but I love it cold! Is that weird?

I was inspired to try this recipe because I used to love custard tarts before I had my wheat allergy diagnosis. Me and my mum used to treat ourselves to one every couple of months. My great grandmother used to make an amazing homemade custard tart apparently.

In this version the base is more of a cookie dough than a pastry so I pushed it into the tin. I didn’t have any nutmeg, oops!

Ingredients

115g butter or margarine
75g caster sugar
1 egg
200g plain flour

2 eggs
50g caster sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
250ml milk
nutmeg (optional)

Method

Cream together the butter, the sugar and egg until smooth.

Blend in the flour to form a dough. You may have to knead by hand at the end.

Cover the bottom and sides of the tin with the dough.

Mix together the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract.

Gradually stir in the cold milk to fully incorporate.

Pour mixture over the base. Sprinkle over the nutmeg (if using).

Carry carefully to the oven!

Place in the oven at GM6 until the egg custard is set, about 45 minutes.

Take out from the oven and cool. Refrigerate when cool. Enjoy!

Categories: recipes.

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April A to Z gluten free vegetarian treats: D is for dates (sticky toffee cake!)

Laura

Tags: baking cake gluten free vegetarian

I have made this recipe so many times! I have never tried ‘normal’ sticky toffee pudding but this version is amazing. It can be served warm as a pudding or cold as a cake. I can’t eat raw fruit so I love recipes that use it is baking. I’d never eaten a date before finding this cake!

Ingredients

3oz butter or soft margarine

6oz dates

6fl oz boiling water

half a teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

5oz caster sugar

1 egg

half a teaspoon vanilla extract

6oz self raising flour

3oz soft light brown sugar

2oz butter or soft margarine

2 tablespoons milk or single cream

Method

Chop the dates into pieces and place in a saucepan with the boiling water and bicarbonate of soda.

Heat for 5 minutes without boiling until the dates are soft. Remove from the heat.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, caster sugar and egg for 3 minutes.

Fold in the vanilla, flour and date mixture until fully combined (I’ll be honest: I doesn’t look overly appetising!).

Pour into greased and lined tin (I think mine is 20x30cm)

Bake for 30 minutes at GM5 then cover with foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Use a cocktail stick or skewer to prick holes all over the surface of the cake.

Make the toffee sauce by heating the soft brown sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved.

Simmer for 2 minutes then pour over the cake.

Allow to cool fully in the tray then cut into squares and eat!

Categories: recipes.

/ 5 Comments

April A to Z gluten free and vegetarian treats: G is for gypsy tart

Gypsy tart is the bane of mine and Chris’ relationship.

Sounds melodramatic but it really isn’t!

We bought more ingredients and Chris had a second go. Once again the pastry proved tricky: gluten free pastry has no elasticity so is completely different to normal pastry. Chris also used a large tin of evaporated milk but a half tin would have been sufficient.

From these escapades, we have come up with this recipe for 5-6 tarts!

Ingredients

4oz plain flour

2oz butter or hard margarine

1 egg

5oz dark brown sugar

6oz tin of evaporated milk (sold as 170g tin in the shops!)

Method

Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.

Add the egg and combine to form a pastry dough. A little extra water or flour may be required to enable rolling.

Roll out to fit the tart tins.

Prick gently with a fork and bake at GM5 for 7 minutes.

Whisk together the dark brown sugar and evaporated milk for 10 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved..

Pour into the pastry cases and bake for 7 minutes or until a skin has formed on top.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Remove from the tins and enjoy!

The Asylum Tour by Deborah A. Stansil

Warning: do not read this book at night or when home alone!!!

I have read one of Debbie’s books before but it was a young adult fiction so completely different to this gruesome and compelling horror novel!

In 1953 there is an appalling massacre at the Riley Asylum leaving only one survivor. Now in 2017 the asylum is being opened for tours and the first is on Halloween…

This book is well written but extremely gory and graphic. It is a devastating insight into mental health treatment in asylums 70 years ago. Jeannie’s grandmother befriends an inmate whose crime is to be homosexual and suffers the indignity of aversion therapy and electrotherapy.

The plot is spooky and I enjoyed the tour, probably more than the participants! I love the way Deborah has used the different characters’ narratives to give us insights into their motivations and emotions.

This is so much more than a ghost story or horror tale. The chilling realisation of the historical accuracy of asylum treatment gives this book a great depth. The final chapter provides redemption for one character which leaves a smile on the reader’s face 🙂

April A to Z gluten free vegetarian treats: F is for flapjacks

Please note the oats I used were the ones in my cupboard. They were not gluten free but were wheat free! Gluten free oats are available in supermarkets and online if required.

My flapjacks always end up as muesli. They always just disintegrate and I usually end up having to eat it with a spoon. This recipe is one I haven’t tried before and it was more successful! Although I did take it out of the tin to cut it and I shouldn’t have done as it started to crumble 🙁

Ingredients

6oz butter

6oz golden syrup

2 oz light brown sugar

10 oz oats

Method

Put the butter, sugar and syrup in a saucepan over a low heat until the butter is melted and the sugar has dissolved.

Remove from the heat and stir in the oats.

Press down into a tin (20cm square should be fine)

Bake for 25-30 minutes at GM5

Allow to cool for 5 minutes then mark out the squares, DO NOT remove from tin until fully cool.

Once cool, cut into squares and eat!

April A to Z gluten free vegetarian treats: E is for egg custard tart

I am not a fan of hot custard but I love it cold! Is that weird?

I was inspired to try this recipe because I used to love custard tarts before I had my wheat allergy diagnosis. Me and my mum used to treat ourselves to one every couple of months. My great grandmother used to make an amazing homemade custard tart apparently.

In this version the base is more of a cookie dough than a pastry so I pushed it into the tin. I didn’t have any nutmeg, oops!

Ingredients

115g butter or margarine 75g caster sugar 1 egg 200g plain flour

2 eggs 50g caster sugar 1 teaspoons vanilla extract 250ml milk nutmeg (optional)

Method

Cream together the butter, the sugar and egg until smooth.

Blend in the flour to form a dough. You may have to knead by hand at the end.

Cover the bottom and sides of the tin with the dough.

Mix together the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract.

Gradually stir in the cold milk to fully incorporate.

Pour mixture over the base. Sprinkle over the nutmeg (if using).

Carry carefully to the oven!

Place in the oven at GM6 until the egg custard is set, about 45 minutes.

Take out from the oven and cool. Refrigerate when cool. Enjoy!

April A to Z gluten free vegetarian treats: D is for dates (sticky toffee cake!)

I have made this recipe so many times! I have never tried ‘normal’ sticky toffee pudding but this version is amazing. It can be served warm as a pudding or cold as a cake. I can’t eat raw fruit so I love recipes that use it is baking. I’d never eaten a date before finding this cake!

Ingredients

3oz butter or soft margarine

6oz dates

6fl oz boiling water

half a teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

5oz caster sugar

1 egg

half a teaspoon vanilla extract

6oz self raising flour

3oz soft light brown sugar

2oz butter or soft margarine

2 tablespoons milk or single cream

Method

Chop the dates into pieces and place in a saucepan with the boiling water and bicarbonate of soda.

Heat for 5 minutes without boiling until the dates are soft. Remove from the heat.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the butter, caster sugar and egg for 3 minutes.

Fold in the vanilla, flour and date mixture until fully combined (I’ll be honest: I doesn’t look overly appetising!).

Pour into greased and lined tin (I think mine is 20x30cm)

Bake for 30 minutes at GM5 then cover with foil and bake for another 10 minutes.

115g butter or margarine
75g caster sugar
1 egg
200g plain flour

2 eggs
50g caster sugar
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
250ml milk
nutmeg (optional)