SINGING GARDEN QUILT

There's an article in June issue of Popular Patchwork magazine - (see side bar) - and  it would appear that many quilters shie away from using twin needles in their work.

I have used twin needles with success for years.  Machine quilted the Popular Patchwork Singing Garden BOM quilt using 1.6 mm twin needles with 100% pure silk thread. Aimed at a 'ribbon' effect, which twin needles give - to echo the large ribbons on the borders.

Twin needling is great fun and fills up those empty spaces very quickly.  I sometimes use 2 different coloured threads in the top spools - usually echoing a colour. 

For example have used  turquoise  and navy threads in top spools in the past - or pink and crimson threads - or two tones of green.  Look very effective. Try it.

If I can find my samples (somewhere in the loft) - made years ago - will post pics of them on my Blog. As the saying goes - "A picture is worth a thousand words!"

Meanwhile here are some pics of twin needles in action with the Singing Garden quilt.

A nice change from food and hospitals.

IS THIS A CHOCOLATE CAKE - OR WOT!

Chocolate cake recipe - 3 parts - see pics below. .

This is a superb cake. Stephen says it is the BEST he has ever eaten, in spite of burnt top which I softened by pouring liqueur into fork holes - not handles (British 'two Ronnies' joke!)

INGREDIENTS:

i) Chocolate/sugar mix - to be incorporated into cake mixture:

100g proper cocoa (NOT drinking chocolate).

200g caster sugar.

200ml water.

ii) Cake: Basic Madeira recipe - with added chocolate mix (above).

250g caster sugar.

250g butter (softened).

6 large eggs - lightly beaten.

2 tsps vanilla.

250g self raising flour.

iii) Frosting:

175g dark chocolate pieces - I used 70% chocolate - from Aldi.

75g butter - diced.

2 tablespoons golden syrup.

3 tablespoons icing sugar.

300ml FRESH DOUBLE cream (not whipping or single).

PREPARATION:

Set oven to 180ºC (approx 375ºF).

Line a large cake tin or 2 sandwich tins with greaseproof paper. 

NB: Makes a large cake - mine rose to top of small oven (main oven being kaput!)

METHOD:

Chocolate mixture:

i)   Sift cocoa powder into bowl. Add 200g caster sugar. Mix well.

ii)  Put 200ml water in pan - bring to boil.

iii) Stir chocolate/sugar mix into boiling water. 

iv) Reduce heat a little - stir continually until quite thick and smooth.  Set aside.

This cooked chocolate mixture is the secret for wonderful chocolate cakes!

Cake:

i)    Cream or beat butter and sugar together for 5 mins in processor till pale and creamy.

ii)   Add vanilla.

iii)  Add the beaten eggs, a wee  bit at a time. Mix well between additions.

iv)  Add half the flour followed by half the chocolate mixture.

v)   Repeat.

vi)  Pour mixture into prepared cake tin. Mixture should be of soft consistency. 

vii) Level the top.

Bake 60 - 80+ minutes. Test with skewer for doneness.  My cake took 90 minutes! 

I guess it would take 45 mins in sandwich tins.

Remove from oven when done. Leave in tin(s) to cool for 10+ minutes. 

Finally leave to cool completely on a cake rack.

Meanwhile make cake frosting:

i)  Melt chocolate pieces and butter in heatproof bowl over pan of hot water.

(I used M/wave - repeated 40 sec blasts - until soft.)

ii) When mixture is smooth - remove from heat - or M/w.

iii) Add syrup and icing sugar.

iv) Add double cream and beat until thick. It will thicken as it cools due to icing sugar.

Let it cool before frosting the cake.

Cut cake in half horizontally.

Add liberal amount of frosting to bottom layer. Cover with top layer.

Skewer - or fork holes in top and pour in liqueur - if so desired - for that extra 'kick.'

Cover cake with remaining frosting.

Grate some chocolate over the top. 

I used Willie's 100% cacao block - stocked by Waitrose in Edinburgh.

Decorate to your heart's content. 

Serve large slices with runny cream or warm with vanilla ice cream.

A left-over chocolate Easter chick/duckling stuck on top of cake is not everyone's idea of classic good taste - but I'm a child at heart and I bet the kids will go for it . . . . . .

Prepare large cake tin - or 2 sandwich tins.

First make chocolate/sugar/water mix to incorporate in cake mixture. Set aside.

Use proper cocoa NOT drinking chocolate!

Stir cocoa/sugar/boiling water mixture till thick and smooth.

Cream butter/sugar together -5 mins in a food processor.

Add lightly beaten eggs to mixture - bit at a time . . . mix well after each addition.

Add 2 tsps vanilla to mixture in processor.

Add cocoa mix and flour alternately. Messy? Just think -you can lick the spoon . . .

Pour mixture into prepared cake tin.

Ready for the oven . . .

Time to make frosting while cake cools.

Melt chocolate/butter in m/wave . .

Add syrup and icing sugar . . . BEFORE adding double cream.

Beat well until thick and glossy AFTER cream added. . .

Lanzarote landscape? No - cake rose to top of oven. ..no matter - merely a cover up job required!

Slice cake in half - horizontally . . .ignore burnt top -adds flavour!

Spread frosting liberally on bottom layer.

Cover cake with frosting . .

This is Willie's 100% pure cacao (bitter) from Waitrose.

Grate Willie's bitter chocolate over top. Decorate as desired!

Inspired by mother's 1931 cookbook. .

Mother was a professional confectioner and these are pages from one of her college note books - from which I derive much inspiration for my own creations. 

Her cakes could never be described as 'vulgar' whereas mine are what I like to think of as 'primitive'  - not unlike my paintings - more of which you may - I repeat 'may' - view at a later date.   

I like my mother's drawings of faces and fashions of the 1930's - she was very artistic - and beautiful. 

Note my infantile scribbles alongside in indelible lead pencil. Wonder if any of you older bloggers remember those pencils? Turned lips purple if you licked them. Poisonous too!

Oncologist - toothache - and chocolate cake . . .

Oncologist:

Stephen saw oncologist yesterday, who decided to take him off all drugs apart from paracetamol for his fevers and a couple of steroid tablets per day.

This, says the doctor, is in order to give his body a chance to rest after being exposed to a great barrage of powerful drugs over the past few months.

Must say Stephen did seem a bit better yesterday - ate a curry,  large slice of chocolate cake (not on same plate) plus a late supper of cheese, home-made bread and pickles. Wunderbar!

Not sure how long this state of euphoria will last - but we must make the most of it for time being.

Toothache:

Suffering from toothache - not due to chocolate cake, I hope. Bank Holiday is NOT a good time to have toothache though ironically have an appointment with - wait for it - an NHS dentist on Tuesday.  Have waited 4 years to be accepted as an NHS patient - spent hundreds of £'s on private dentistry.  Meanwhile am living on pain relief in form of Beechams Powders every 4 hours.  Bloomin' nuisance.

Chocolate Cake:

Made another chocolate cake yesterday - see recipe above - as Easter cake with eggs (below) was eaten within 2 days - (above).

"There is no limit to your vulgarity, Babs, when it comes to decorating cakes!" remarked a close friend. You may judge for yourselves with my latest offering . . . .