Cupboard Love

Here's a bit of tea-time nostalgia...

My parents have owned this tea tin for as long as I can remember, but few years ago it moved to their house in Dorset and I missed it terribly. I don't really know why, I'm not even much of a tea drinker. Anyway, I moaned about missing it and guess what? It came to live with me instead! I don't know if I love it because its family stuff - I've often said how soothing I find the sound of my Dad stiring cups of tea in the kitchen - or because its so bright and boarderline hideous, or if its just because whether you're a big tea drinker or not, tea is always a comfort, but whatever the reason, I'm really glad its mine. I recently went all posh in the tea-taste department and will now only drink Earl Grey, which my parents hate and never have in the house, so I was doubly excited when my Dad picked me up this box of Selfridges Earl Grey tea bags the other day. Now, I know a tea tin is for loose leaf, and I promise to get some at some point, but when you are only a part-time tea drinker like me, tea bags do just fine. (Just don't tell my Mum I'm being so uncouth!;-)

Anyway, in further kitchen news, I just made this batch of Rocky Road because my Dad wanted to eat some and Melinda wanted the recipe.

Rocky Road:

125g unsalted butter

300g dark chocolate - the good stuff

3/4 tbs golden syrup

200g digestive biscuits

100g mini marshmallows (or the chopped up normal size ones)

1/2 tub of glace cherries, chopped

1 foil tray, 24cm or a paper lined tin

(some other versions inlcude raisins)

Melt the butter, chocolate and syrup in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring occastionally. Smash up the biscuits in a bag, but leave an even mix of chunks and biscuit dust. Take the melted chocolate off the heat and allow to cool before adding the smashed biscuit smithereens, marshmallows and chopped cherries. Stir to combine and pour into the tray. Put in the fridge for several hours until set - two should do it if you are desperate. Score the set Rocky Road and cut into even squares. The foil tray or lined tin should help you remove them safely. Dust with icing sugar if you wish. Keep in the fridge - if they last that long!

For me, fitting baking into my life is a delicate balancing act, as you can see from the picture below which is of my supplies cupboard! ;-) I have a big kitchen and barely any storage, so extracting things from this cubby above my cooker top is usually trickier than doing the baking itself!

But its worth it because I love making nice batches of treats, and if any of my friends get the faintest inkling that I've been up to a bit of baking, they are round like a shot. Especially that pig Georgie! ;-)