Two years. Well, two years since last Saturday that I started this little food blog!
After a busy few months and July that went like a flash, I finally get to have a mini celebration here with you my lovely readers. And on a personal level, this little celebration adds itself to another anniversary that is also quite important to me as I moved to Ireland ten years ago!
I look back at all those years that were punctuated by different jobs, travels, moving to Australia for three years, coming back to Ireland, meeting great people and friends along the way, developing my career as a photographer; and it happens that those past two years that started with the blog were the most productive and creative so far.
I am very grateful for what Crème de Citron brought to me. I have met some really lovely people thanks to it, some of those meetings becoming friendships. It allowed me to push my boundaries in terms of creativity and more than anything else, photography! I have been using it as a place to share the recipes I love making and sharing, but also as a platform to improve my food and lifestyle photography skills. The lack of blog posts over the past few months actually means I have been busy with food photography work for clients and this to me is the greatest achievement this little blog gave me over the past two years.
Thank you all for your continued readership along the way. And a special merci beaucoup for those who really encouraged me over the past two years, you know who you are!
Now to celebrate, scroll down for the recipe of an easy chocolate and nuts marbled cake. I love making a little sweet thing to bring along to a friend's house, be it for an afternoon chat or a creative morning like the one I went to recently (and I made mini terrariums that time, that's what I call a 'gardening' achievement on my part!). I brought along this easy to make marbled cake to share. Let's swirl the batters and bake a cake!
After a busy few months and July that went like a flash, I finally get to have a mini celebration here with you my lovely readers. And on a personal level, this little celebration adds itself to another anniversary that is also quite important to me as I moved to Ireland ten years ago!
I look back at all those years that were punctuated by different jobs, travels, moving to Australia for three years, coming back to Ireland, meeting great people and friends along the way, developing my career as a photographer; and it happens that those past two years that started with the blog were the most productive and creative so far.
I am very grateful for what Crème de Citron brought to me. I have met some really lovely people thanks to it, some of those meetings becoming friendships. It allowed me to push my boundaries in terms of creativity and more than anything else, photography! I have been using it as a place to share the recipes I love making and sharing, but also as a platform to improve my food and lifestyle photography skills. The lack of blog posts over the past few months actually means I have been busy with food photography work for clients and this to me is the greatest achievement this little blog gave me over the past two years.
Thank you all for your continued readership along the way. And a special merci beaucoup for those who really encouraged me over the past two years, you know who you are!
Now to celebrate, scroll down for the recipe of an easy chocolate and nuts marbled cake. I love making a little sweet thing to bring along to a friend's house, be it for an afternoon chat or a creative morning like the one I went to recently (and I made mini terrariums that time, that's what I call a 'gardening' achievement on my part!). I brought along this easy to make marbled cake to share. Let's swirl the batters and bake a cake!
Chocolate and Nuts Marbled Cake Recipe (Vegetarian)
Ingredients
150g caster sugar
3 free range eggs
150g melted unsalted butter (plus 5g cold butter for greasing)
1 pinch salt
150g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp chopped nuts (I chose a mix of hazelnuts and almonds)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
Grease a loaf tin with the 5g cold butter, dust with plain flour and tap the excess out.
2. In a large baking bowl, mix the eggs and sugar together with a whisk until it is light and fluffy. Add the melted butter and pinch of salt and mix well.
While still whisking, pour the flour and baking powder in progressively until you get a smooth batter.
Pour half of the batter in a separate bowl.
3. Add the cocoa powder and chopped nuts to one batter and mix well.
Add the vanilla extract to the other and mix well.
4. Alternate spoonfuls of vanilla batter with chocolate batter in the loaf tin: make a layer of vanilla batter then one of chocolate batter then swirl delicately with a tablespoon, fork or a skewer. Repeat once more (here is my instagram version of it for an idea).
5. Place the tin on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes (I use an electric oven, time might vary with a different oven). Insert a skewer in the centre of the cake and it should come out clean when the cake is cooked. Transfer the cake out of its tin onto a wire rack and let it cool down completely before serving.
I eat it as is with a cup of tea or coffee, or something cold and refreshing during the warmer months. A bit of melted dark chocolate on top is not bad either for some extra dessert indulgence.
Bon appétit!
Ingredients
150g caster sugar
3 free range eggs
150g melted unsalted butter (plus 5g cold butter for greasing)
1 pinch salt
150g plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp chopped nuts (I chose a mix of hazelnuts and almonds)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.
Grease a loaf tin with the 5g cold butter, dust with plain flour and tap the excess out.
2. In a large baking bowl, mix the eggs and sugar together with a whisk until it is light and fluffy. Add the melted butter and pinch of salt and mix well.
While still whisking, pour the flour and baking powder in progressively until you get a smooth batter.
Pour half of the batter in a separate bowl.
3. Add the cocoa powder and chopped nuts to one batter and mix well.
Add the vanilla extract to the other and mix well.
4. Alternate spoonfuls of vanilla batter with chocolate batter in the loaf tin: make a layer of vanilla batter then one of chocolate batter then swirl delicately with a tablespoon, fork or a skewer. Repeat once more (here is my instagram version of it for an idea).
5. Place the tin on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes (I use an electric oven, time might vary with a different oven). Insert a skewer in the centre of the cake and it should come out clean when the cake is cooked. Transfer the cake out of its tin onto a wire rack and let it cool down completely before serving.
I eat it as is with a cup of tea or coffee, or something cold and refreshing during the warmer months. A bit of melted dark chocolate on top is not bad either for some extra dessert indulgence.
Bon appétit!
Read more on Crème de Citron:
 |  |  |  |
