Thursday, March 20, 2008

Happy Easter

My sister and her family are coming for Easter so it's going to be rather a cooking marathon. I've decided against making a Simnel cake this year: it's too soon after Christmas for another fruit cake with marzipan. Instead, I've been inspired by Sicily Scene's recommended book of Italian cakes by Ursula Ferrigno and I'm attempting a Colomba di Pasqua (an Easter dove) which is basically a fruit loaf in the shape of a dove, decorated with almonds for feathers and a raisin for a eye. The last time I cooked with yeast at Easter was many years ago when my hot cross buns turned out like cannon balls so if the dove dives, I have ingredients for an emergency orange sponge cake. All being well, I may even get my nephew to post a photo of it on this blog. Fingers crossed and a very happy Easter to you!

10 Comments:

Blogger Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Thanks for the mention and I'm sure it will turn out fine. Yes, do post a photo! Buona Pasqua, WW.

6:03 pm  
Blogger marymaryquitecontrary said...

My first attempt at Hot Cross Buns was also a failure. I wrote to Delia Smith and told her the recipe didn't work. I have since realized that iI didn't leave the dough to rise for long enough. Good luck with your baking.

9:50 pm  
Blogger Eurodog said...

Go for it WW.
Here Easter is associated with chocolate. So pudding will be a chocolate gateau with coffee and chocolates. We are in Belgium after all.
Thank you for your comment on my last post. You are quite right.

7:27 am  
Blogger Whispering Walls said...

Ciao WL e Buona Pasqua a te!
Hi Mary - the dove is not going at all well so far: too wet and hasn't risen. Have added more flour and shall put it in the oven but it looks very doubtful.
Salut ED - yes that is rather an amusing Americanism.

3:23 pm  
Blogger Mustard said...

mmmmmm can't wait!

4:20 pm  
Blogger Ellee Seymour said...

I spent all of yesterday cooking for Easter too. I'm sure your cake will be delicious. I hope you all have a wonderful time. Is it snowing in Winchester? We are truly snowed under in Cambridgeshire.

9:16 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/faith/article3602781.ece

Some thought provoking comments from the Bishop of Rochester, and indeed a bit of 'payback' against the Church in the comment from the readers. I am not convinced that his argument that 'Capitalism bad; unless you suddenly decide to give lots of dosh away, in which case, Capitalism good' is very sensible.

If the system works against the wider society and is a disbenefit to people, then the system is not going to be made wonderful when the bosses give some dosh away at the end.

On the other hand, if the system is working for the benefit of society I can't see why the Bishop is saying it is such a bad thing, just because a few people at the top are making such bloated rewards.

Thoughts ?

10:38 am  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

eurodog - Go back to your constituency ------ and prepare for.... wait for it...



*****




... Having a Government !!!



At long last !! Just as well it didn't go on for too much longer, otherwise the whole world would be rumbling the fact that it is possible to live without government ..


And that would put a whole load of people [armies?] out of work..

Happy Easter and save some choccy for me.

10:41 am  
Blogger Mutterings and Meanderings said...

Good luck with the cakes. I'm not a great cake baker but I did manage some buns last night.

1:29 pm  
Blogger Whispering Walls said...

Hi Ellee - I hope your sons enjoyed some Easter snowball fights. We had some flurries of sleet in Winchester but nothing drastic.
Hi Anon - I agree with your assessment of the Bishop's comments. Last week people were phoning here asking if it was safe to leave money at NatWest: such has been the loss of confidence in financial markets. The Fed seems to be copying Darling's policy of nationalisation, which as a free marketeer by nature, I baulk at although my colleagues tell me it's the only way to restore confidence. I think the Bishops should be equally vocal about their own sphere of influence and insist on bringing back morning assembly at schools.
Hi M&M - glad your buns worked better than my dove.

8:48 am  

Post a Comment

<< Home