As I read back on my previous blondie recipe, it occurred to me that the weather takes a turn for the worse every time I make them. Indeed, it’s raining cats and dogs outside – so much for British summertime – though it’s hard to say whether or not it rains because of blondies. Either way, these blondies are awfully delicious and continue to propagate the exponential growth of my love for ground almonds – they have simply the most wonderful texture.
Welsh rarebit, or rabbit, is a traditional twist on the classic cheese on toast. In truth, I don’t suppose this is a dish confined to our small corner of the world, since English rarebit, Scotch rarebit and Irish rarebit also exist. However, I’m not certain if those rarebits made in the other corners of the British Isles bare the exact credentials of the well-known Welsh version. It is important to highlight that the original dish was called Welsh rabbit, rather than rarebit. It makes sense, perhaps, that the name was changed to distinguish it as a non-meat dish.
By and large I have to admit that I’m not much of a cake man – I often find, perhaps unsurprisingly, that they are a little too cakey for my liking. By that I mean there is a little too much sponge and not enough of anything else. However, if done perfectly, a Victoria Sponge from any party shop can be absolutely delightful. I think the key to making a good sponge is to use high quality eggs, because their taste really comes through in the mixture. As such, if you use bad eggs it will just taste a little dodgy – luckily we keep our own chickens, so that was covered for perfectly. Another bonus of the victoria sponge is that it’s so simple, and therefore cheap to make – it isn’t even iced. It really is the perfect British cake to be enjoyed, as Queen Victoria did, at 11 o’clock with a spot of tea.