CHOCOLATE CHUNK WELSH CAKES...

Being someone who ALWAYS has a sweet tooth I found myself literally drooling after stumbling across an ingenious recipe of... Chocolate Chunk Welsh Cakes. 

Feeling particularly culinary creative this week I thought I'd give it a go and before I even really knew what I was doing I found myself stirring, mixing and rolling out my welsh cake mix... whilst making one hell of a mess might I add!

What you'll need: 
•  225g of Plain Self Raising Flour
•  125g Unsalted Butter
•  50g Caster Sugar
•  25g Chocolate Chunks
•  1 Egg
•  2 tbsp Milk
•  Pinch of Salt

Start by sifting 225g of flour and a pinch of salt into a large mixing bowl. Then add the butter and rub until the mix resembles bread crumbs. Then stir in 50f of caster sugar.



Add the chocolate chunks and make a well in the centre of the mixture to add the egg and milk. Mix well until of forms a firm dough.

Next flour the surface and rolling pin and roll mixture out until about 1cm thick. 

Using round cookie cutters cut out cakes and place on a lightly greased griddle to cook for about 2-3mins until golden brown on both sides. 

Of course, I had my own little helper...

So she got her own Doggie Cake...

A modern twist on a traditional dish... Happy Baking!

STEP BY STEP; EYEBROWS...

Following my last Step by Step makeup look I received a request on how to style eyebrows. Now, I love eyebrows and luckily for me, and you, NARS have recently launched a new eyebrow collection featuring 4 shades of Brow Gel and 4 new shades of eyebrow perfecting pencil. You can find these HERE. 

Brows are not as daunting as they may seem and there are three easy steps that you can follow in order to create the prefect brow shape to suit your face...

Step One- Start

This marks where the brows should start, marking from the edge of the nose straight upwards.

Step Two- Arch

This marks the highest part of the brow; where the brow should arch. Starting from the edge of the nose running diagonally up through the centre of the pupil.

Step Three- End

Here marks where the brow should end; starting from the corner of the nose following the edge of the eye diagonally upwards.



Final Shape

Join these dots, fill in the brow and voila...

There are also a few general "brow rules" you may want to take into consideration when shaping the brows to ensure that your eyes are framed correctly in co-ordination with your face shape.

Oval face: All brow shapes.

Round Face: An arched brow which helps to elongate the face.

Long Face: Straight brow in order to cut length. 

Square Face: A Larger brow, with soft edges in order to help even out the angles of the face.

Heart Shape Face: A rounded arch in order to balance the face. 

Happy brow mapping!

THE CLINK FOLLOWED BY A DRINK...

Always on the look out for new and exciting places to eat, it was suggested that I try The Clink, a restaurant run by prisoners from HMP Cardiff. 

The concept of the restaurant is to promote a rehabilitation and reintegration program for inmates and is committed to reducing reoffending rates in Wales.

Situated just outside the prison walls, and devised by Chef Alberto Crisci MBE, The Clink charity helps train inmates to the standard similar to that of a 5 star hotel or restaurant, with the aim to help graduates find employment within the Welsh catering industry. 

Jacket: Ebay (here)
Tunic: Zara (similar here)
Leather Jeans: River Island (similar here)
Clutch Bag: Yonks (here)
Boots: ASOS (sold out)

Everything from the interior to the food and service was first class, made all the more special by our waiter Lee.

The starter was a choice between Char-grilled Veg, with Basil Sorbet and Smoked Tomato Jelly or Peppered Strawberries and Goats Cheese Salad with a Ribbon of Cucumber.

The fish course was a choice between Sea Bass, Thai Green Risotto, Thai Asparagus and Tempura Langoustines or Seared Halibut, Confit of Chicken Wings with a Potato Puree.

The Entree was then either Crown of Wood Pigeon, Warm Salad of Fennel Spinach and Orange with a Peppercorn Sauce or Honey Roast Pork Belly, Scallops and Bourdin Noir with Caramalized Apples and  Celeriac Puree. 

Dessert was then a choice between Textures of Cherries; Jelly, Sorbet, Compressed and Puree or Chocolate Espresso Mousse, Panacotta and Coffee and Caramel Ice Cream. 

Which was a big hit...

A different yet truly special dining experience. All the guys worked particularly hard and the teamwork and solidarity was almost tangible. It was really heartwarming to see these guys working so hard to actively make a change and a difference in their lives.

ALL ALONG...

'I've committed a crime, now I must serve my time,
Six months inside should almost change my mind.
I'm sitting in my cell, watching the clock,
Waiting for the screw to unlock the lock.
My Father told me,
A true man is never ashamed to shed a tear,
So I cry myself to sleep at night,
Waiting for the next day of light,
But forever drifting in a state of fright,
I got this noose around my neck tight,
The bully's won.
For the rest of his life, he'll be ashamed of what he'd done.'

by Daniel Compton - HMP High Down


After such a beautiful meal it was then off to my favourite night spot for a few cocktails...Lab 22! 

Hidden amongst the eateries and pubs of Caroline Street, this chic little cocktail bar is fast becoming my home away from home!

A 'Mrs Einstein', my favourite of the evening...

All in all, a memorable evening!

Cheers for now...

WEARY WEDNESDAY...

Stumbling across a cute little gift shop on a recent trip to Llandaff and falling in love with half the stuff in there, I thought I'd treat myself to one of those luxuries I don't purchase very often... BATH BOMBS!

 Not just any bath bombs though, handmade cupcake shaped bath bombs by Miss Patisserie, cute enough, smelly enough and glittery enough to eat... although I wouldn't recommend it! 

I think Sookie approved of the delicious smell too!

After a pretty hectic week in work, and being up with a headache most of the morning, I thought a soak in the bath might do me some good, and this is where the bath bombs shall come into good use! 

And of course some bubbles had to be blown...

After some well earned relaxation time before the rest of the week resumes, I'm starting to feel recharged and ready to face it head on!