A Fabulous Fern for Shady Corners

Seasonal Garden Ideas

Fabulous Fern

Here’s a show that’s strictly for the summer months – a magnificent bird’s-nest fern lighting up a shady corner with its huge, wavy-edged, apple-green fronds.

Warm, moist conditions in shade are a must – plus indoor shelter for the rest of the year.

Grow the fern as an indoor plant until summer temperatures outdoors are warm enough – 16°C (60°F) at the very least. Bring indoors again at the end of summer to a heated greenhouse, conservatory or living room.

Planting the fern should take about a hour or so – it’s quite big so will take some handling.

 

 

What you need

Plants
A specimen-sized bird’s-nest fern (Asplenium nidus).

Equipment

  • Large terracotta, ceramic or plastic container with drainage holes.
  • Humus-rich compost with added grit or sharp sand for drainage.
  • Broken crocks for drainage.
  • Trowel.

 

1 Line the container with broken crocks for drainage. Half-fill with the compost. Check the level of the compost by placing the fern, in its original pot, inside the container – it should be planted at the same level as it was before. Adjust the level of compost as necessary.

2 Plant the fern into the compost, firming in well. Top up the compost to within 5cm (2in) of the rim of the pot. Water thoroughly.

3 Bring the fern outside when the weather is warm and position in a shady, sheltered spot. Keep it moist at all times and feed weekly with a liquid fertiliser during the growing season.

Tip

If the care, attention and exacting conditions required by bird’s-nest fern seem a little daunting, then try its smaller relative, the hart’s-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium, also known as Phyllitis scolopendrium or Scolopendrium vulgare). This fern is frost hardy and reaches about 30cm (12in) tall, with a spread of 45cm (18in). It does well in damp, shady places and likes well-drained, alkaline soil. The variety ‘Marginatum’ has most attractive frilly edged fronds.

Note

If conditions are right, bird’s-nest fern can produce fronds over 90cm (3ft) long and 20cm (8in) wide with their trademark thick black midrib. Bear this size in mind for when you need to move the plant around and when it comes to repotting into a larger container.

Aftercare

Remove old or damaged fronds as they appear.  Keep warm, moist and humid at all times, though you can lessen watering during the winter.

 

 

Seasonal Garden IdeasA project from Seasonal Garden Ideas.

Now available for just £3.99!

    Buy Seasonal Garden Ideas

How to make Embroidery Biscuits

How to make embroidery biscuits

Embroidery Biscuits

These exquisite biscuits, iced with pastel-coloured sugarpaste and decorated with delicate royal icing ‘embroidery’, will be the stars of any tea party.

They wouldn’t look out-of-place in an upmarket patisserie window and they are surprisingly simple to make.

Ingredients

  • For vanilla biscuits
  • Unsalted butter 175g (6oz), softened
  • Caster sugar 200g (7oz)
  • Eggs 2, at room temperature
  • Vanilla extract 1 tsp
  • Plain flour 400g (14oz)
  • Salt ½ tsp
  • For royal icing
  • Icing sugar 250g (9oz)
  • Egg white 1 large
  • Lemon juice ¼ tsp

To decorate

  • Sugarpaste in different pastel colours (about 15g/½oz for each biscuit)
  • Apricot jam warmed
  • Sugar pearls and tiny sugarpaste roses optional

BISCUITS

  1. Using an electric mixer, cream butter and caster sugar together until pale and fluffy. Then gradually beat in eggs followed by vanilla extract.
  2. Sift in flour and salt and stir until evenly mixed. Bring the mixture together with your hands to make a soft dough, then flatten it into a disc and wrap in cling film. Chill for at least 1 hour until firm.
  3. Preheat oven to 180˚C/160˚fan/Gas 4 and line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm (¼in) thick and stamp out rounds using a 6.5cm (2½in) plain cutter, gathering up and re-rolling trimmings to make about 30 biscuits in total. Place onto baking sheets, leaving a little space between each, so they have room to spread.
  4. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until their edges are just turning gold – don’t worry if the biscuits are still soft in the middle, they will firm up as they cool. Transfer to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely before decorating.

ROYAL ICING

  1. Sieve icing sugar into a bowl, add egg white and whisk, using an electric mixer on a slow speed, for about 5 minutes until icing is standing in stiff peaks. Stir in lemon juice.
  2. To prevent a crust from forming, press a sheet of cling film over the surface and cover the bowl with a damp cloth.

EMBROIDERY BISCUITS

COVERING WITH SUGARPASTE

  1. Working with one colour at a time, knead paste until smooth; on a non-stick surface using a non-stick rolling pin, roll out to 3mm (less than ¼in) thick.
  2. Stamp out rounds of sugarpaste using the same cutter as for the biscuits. Brush a thin layer of jam onto each biscuit and place sugarpaste on top. Gently rub the top and edges to smooth out any marks.
  3. Lightly press a large flower cutter into the paste to emboss it with the outline. Press a smaller flower cutter in the centre. Set aside for about 1 hour at room temperature to firm up.

BRUSH EMBROIDERY

  1. Spoon royal icing into a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle; then pipe a squiggly line of icing over the imprint of the large flower. Pipe a small section at a time to avoid the icing starting to dry.
  2. Using a dampened, fine paintbrush, drag icing towards the centre in short strokes to achieve a feathered effect. Clean the paintbrush frequently.
  3. Once the larger flower is complete, repeat for the inner section. Set aside for at least 2 hours to allow the icing to dry. Then, with a dab of royal icing, attach a small sugarpaste rose in the centre. Use a dry brush to remove any icing that oozes out from under the rose.

EXTRA GLAMOUR

  1. As well as roses, add sugar pearls for a more elaborate design; or use sugar pearls on their own if you like.
  2. If sugarpaste doesn’t entirely cover a biscuit, ice a border.

EXPERT TIPS

  • If biscuit dough is difficult to roll out, roll it between two sheets of cling film or baking parchment.
  • Unless the dough is really sticky, it’s best not to knead in more flour as this will make it dry, and your baked biscuits will be tough and chewy rather than crisp.

A Dairy Diary recipe.

 

#baking

#biscuits

Recipe of the Week: Frosty Top Lemon Loaf

This light and zesty cake has a gorgeous crunchy topping.

It’s absolutely gorgeous!

 

Frosty Lemon Cake

Frosty Top Lemon Cake

  • Servings: 10 slices
  • Time: 45 mins
  • Difficulty: medium
  • Print

Calories 136 per portion
Fat 6g (2.9g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians
Suitable for freezing

Ingredients

  • For the cake
  • Butter 50g (2oz), at room temperature
  • Caster sugar 75g (3oz)
  • Self-raising flour 75g (3oz)
  • Ground almonds 25g (1oz)
  • Egg 1 Lemon ½, grated zest only
  • For the topping
  • Lemon ½, juice only
  • Granulated sugar 50g (2oz)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4, then strip line and grease a 450g (1lb) loaf tin with non-stick baking paper or use silicone bakeware.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together all the cake ingredients until smoothly blended. Spread the mixture in the tin and bake for 35 minutes until just firm to the touch.
  3. For the topping, mix the lemon juice with the sugar and spoon it evenly over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Leave in the tin to cool for at least 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Slice for serving.

Cook’s tip
Leave out the lemon zest and topping but add 50g (2oz) dried fruit to the mixture and sprinkle the top with 25g (1oz) chopped hazelnuts before baking.

 

 

Recipe taken from the fabulous Cooking For One Or Two cookbook.

 

Top 3 Freezable Cakes

It’s a busy and very exciting week for me this week as I get married on Sunday!

It’s going to be great fun, but it will be an inexpensive do and much of it is homemade, with generous help from friends and family.

Instead of purchasing a fancy wedding cake, we have asked guests to bring along their favourite bake – nothing fancy, just a tasty cake to add to the cake table and serve as dessert. I have also made three, but as I’ll be busy with other preparations, I chose my favourite Dairy Diary bakes that can be frozen.

Here are the three recipes – they’re ideal for any type of occasion, such as parties, fetes and fairs when you want to bake ahead. Just defrost the day before.

 

 

Frosty Lemon Cake

Frosty Top Lemon Cake

  • Servings: 10 slices
  • Time: 45 mins
  • Difficulty: medium
  • Print

Calories 136 per portion
Fat 6g (2.9g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians
Suitable for freezing

Ingredients

  • For the cake
  • Butter 50g (2oz), at room temperature
  • Caster sugar 75g (3oz)
  • Self-raising flour 75g (3oz)
  • Ground almonds 25g (1oz)
  • Egg 1 Lemon ½, grated zest only
  • For the topping
  • Lemon ½, juice only
  • Granulated sugar 50g (2oz)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4, then strip line and grease a 450g (1lb) loaf tin with non-stick baking paper or use silicone bakeware.
  2. In a large bowl, mix together all the cake ingredients until smoothly blended. Spread the mixture in the tin and bake for 35 minutes until just firm to the touch.
  3. For the topping, mix the lemon juice with the sugar and spoon it evenly over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Leave in the tin to cool for at least 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Slice for serving.

Cook’s tip
Leave out the lemon zest and topping but add 50g (2oz) dried fruit to the mixture and sprinkle the top with 25g (1oz) chopped hazelnuts before baking.

 

 

Chocolate Fudge Cake

Chocolate Fudgey Cake

  • Servings: 16-20 squares
  • Time: 75 mins
  • Difficulty: medium
  • Print

Calories 202 per portion
Fat 11g (3g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians
Suitable for freezing

Ingredients

  • Cocoa powder 75g (3oz)
  • Eggs 3
  • Light muscovado sugar 250g (9oz)
  • Olive oil or rapeseed oil 125ml (4fl oz)
  • Self-raising flour 150g (5oz)
  • Bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp
  • Dark chocolate 150g (5oz), broken into chunks
  • Butter 25g (1oz)
  • Milk 4 tbsp
  • Golden syrup 1 tbsp
  • Milk chocolate 50g (2oz), broken into pieces and melted in a bowl over a pan of hot water

Instructions

  1. Whisk 50g (2oz) cocoa powder with 100ml (3½fl oz) boiling water in a small bowl until smooth. Leave to cool for a few minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 and line a 33 x 22cm (13 x 9in) tray bake tin with non-stick baking paper.
  3. In a large bowl whisk the eggs, sugar and oil for 3 minutes, until smooth, using an electric whisk.
  4. Mix in the flour, bicarbonate of soda and cocoa paste. Pour into the tin and allow to settle.
  5. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake is risen and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
  6. To make the icing, melt the dark chocolate with the butter in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and stir until smooth. At the same time, mix the remaining cocoa powder, milk and syrup in a pan and heat until almost boiling. Whisk it into the chocolate mixture to make a glossy icing.
  7. Smooth the icing over the cake, drizzle with the milk chocolate and leave to set. Cut into squares.

To serve now: Enjoy the cakes and keep any extras in an airtight container for a few days.

To freeze: Place in rigid plastic containers in a single layer or between sheets of greaseproof paper. Cover, seal and label. Use within 2 months.

To serve from the freezer: Thaw at room temperature for about 2 hours or until defrosted.

 

Gingerbread

Gooey Gingerbread

  • Servings: 18 bars
  • Time: 45 mins
  • Difficulty: medium
  • Print

Calories 157 per portion
Fat 6g (3.5g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians
Suitable for freezing

Ingredients

  • Butter 110g (4oz)
  • Granulated sugar 75g (3oz)
  • Golden syrup 225g (8oz)
  • Marmalade 2 tbsp
  • Self-raising flour 225g (8oz)
  • Ground ginger 2 tsp
  • Bicarbonate of soda ½ tsp
  • Milk 150ml (¼ pint)
  • Eggs 2

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Butter a small roasting tin measuring about 18 x 28 x 4cm (7 x 11 x 1½in) and base line with non-stick baking paper.
  2. Put the butter, sugar, syrup and marmalade into a saucepan and heat, stirring, until the butter has melted and the sugar dissolved. Take the pan off the heat and leave to cool slightly.
  3. Mix the flour, ginger and bicarbonate of soda together in a bowl, then stir into the cooled butter and sugar mixture.
  4. Beat the milk and eggs together, then stir into the ginger mixture. Pour into the prepared tin, level the surface and cook for about 25 minutes until the cake is well risen and golden. The cake is ready when the top springs back when pressed with your fingertips.
  5. Leave the cake to cool in the tin, then take it out of the tin, peel off the paper and cut it into bars.

Cook’s tips
To store, wrap in foil and then keep in an airtight tub or tin.
It’s also delicious as a pudding with a splash of hot custard.

 

 

Just For One Or Two cookbookThere are plenty more freezable recipes in the Eat & Freeze section of our fab cookbook; Just for One or Two.

The Just For One Or Two cookbook shows you how to cook delicious meals for one or two people with little effort and minimal waste.

A superb collection of recipes for all occasions including delicious main courses, sumptuous desserts and brilliant bakes.

Excellent value £8.25

READ MORE

 

 

 

 

 

WIN a Fab Breville Sandwich Press

Win a Greville Sandwich Press

WIN a Fab Breville Sandwich Press

With the Breville VST025 sandwich toaster, delicious toasted sandwiches can be quickly prepared from handy ingredients. It’s quick, easy and offers endless options–from sweet to savoury–for anyone who fancies a light lunch or a quick snack.

Good luck!

ENTER

 

#competition

#win

British Sandwich Week

British Sandwich Week

According to the British Sandwich Week website we Brits eat over 11.5 billion sandwiches each year. If you laid each one end to end, they would go around the world about 44 times!

British Sandwich Week is a week-long celebration of the greatest food-to-go and one of the most iconic British culinary inventions; the Sandwich.

The great British sandwich is such a central item in our psyche and culture that we have more different names for it than Eskimos do for snow.

From Sarnies, butties and barms to baps and baguettes, everywhere you go there’s a local term for this icon. Ever since John Montague, the 4th Earl of Sandwich ordered cold beef between slices of toast, to avoid getting up from his cards game, his name has become synonymous with the delectable dish.

So what’s your favourite?

Do you prefer to make your own or do you have a favourite café? We love our local bakery. It’s certainly not hip and trendy but it produces the most gorgeous bread and fillings. But when we’re not indulging in purchases from

But when we’re not indulging in purchases from Food for Thought our favourite seasonal sandwich recipe is Asparagus Torpedoes (see below).

 

 

 

Win a Greville Sandwich Press

WIN a Fab Breville Sandwich Press

With the Breville VST025 sandwich toaster, delicious toasted sandwiches can be quickly prepared from handy ingredients. It’s quick, easy and offers endless options–from sweet to savoury–for anyone who fancies a light lunch or a quick snack.

Good luck!

ENTER

 

 

 

Asparagus Torpedo

Asparagus Torpedoes

  • Servings: 2
  • Time: 30 mins
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Calories 641 per portion
Fat 29g (9g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians

Ingredients

  • Ready-to-bake baguettes 2
  • Asparagus spears 6–8, depending on size
  • Mayonnaise 3 tbsp
  • Finely shredded basil 3 tbsp
  • Finely chopped parsley 3 tbsp
  • Beefsteak tomato 1, sliced
  • Mozzarella cheese 90g (31⁄2oz), thinly sliced

Instructions

  1. As instructed on the packet, preheat oven and bake baguettes, then allow to cool.
  2. Meanwhile, snap off white woody ends of asparagus. Cook spears in gently boiling water for 3–5 minutes until tender. Drain, cut in half lengthways, then into thirds.
  3. Cut baguettes almost into two lengthways. Mix mayonnaise with basil and parsley and spread over cut sides. 4 Alternate slices of tomato, mozzarella and pieces of asparagus in the baguettes. Season with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately while warm.

 

A Dairy Diary recipe.

#sandwichweek

#britishasparagus

#win

#competition

#prizedraw

1 2 … 137
Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.
%d bloggers like this: