Sunday, beautiful Sunday - 3 August 2014.

In the name of Allah most gracious most merciful.

daisy likes leek

The looming skies still threaten to rain but today I thought the garden can wait no longer, it does need a sip. Took a brisk walk snugly dressed with hoody tight around my neck.

You know sometimes we have an off day or week, some of us an off year or even life. That's why Allah SWT gave us gardens for good cheer and to lift the spirits. The Ramadhan does take a bit of a toll especially towards the end, and I think I am having a bit of that fall out. The sweet stuff was not good for my teeth and my tummy is irritable. And then there is work. But enough sorry for myself, out to the garden and its awesome bounty of beautiful daisies, rich mauve ones and fresh white ones. I swear the colours are enough to take my Ruh high. The poppies conspire till I have the camera again to unfurl.

The strawberries hang green row after row and not yet attractive to the birds, must check the nets. The fruit trees have blossoms though they're still in their youth and the seedlings and cuttings are doing amazingly well. The cold is not too helpful for the compost, it’s taking its time sitting and breaking down, but we got time. I got a heap of orchids and bought some orchid mix to plant out and keep it in a warm space. I am chaffed that butternut seeds are out and the sweet potatoes in jars are greening all the more. Subhanallah, just as I thought the cold had knackered the ginger, I peep into the warm room today and yes they're so making a comeback with green shoots. I have given myself a bit of a break from writing work this morning to cook a quick meal - a whole chicken quartered and marinaded in soya, oyster sauce, sage and lemon, whole garlic in their casings and ground pepper. Layers of onions from the garden as its base with potatoes and saffron rice. Plain and simple and delicious and back to boring work.

 I must confess though that the lifting of my spirits is the garden yes, as well as the Cloud Cake by 
Nigella Lawson, that Azrah made. I tried this recipe when we stayed in Johannesburg , swapped the Cointreau for orange juice and it was awesome.  it’s always a winner on a cold day to warm and lifts the senses and a wonderful take along cake to a get together. Today my daughter took the recipe and put her own stamp to it, she was more generous with the orange zest and did not add any juice but added a half cup more sugar to the recipe because she found it too bitter. It was phenomenal, she had her Dad beat the egg whites while she did the rest. We thought to zing some mixed berries for on the side but was too lazy - was brilliant as is.

From www.nigella.com/recipes/view/chocolate-cloud-cake

Ingredients

for the cake

·    250 grams dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids)
·    125 grams unsalted butter (softened)
·    6 large eggs (2 whole, 4 separated)
·    175 grams caster sugar
·    2 tablespoons Cointreau (optional) try orange juice
·    grated zest of 1 orange (optional)

for the cream topping

·    500 ml double cream (she used ordinary cream)
·    1 teaspoon vanilla extract
·    1 tablespoon Cointreau (optional) (she used dessertsp juice)
·    ½ teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder (for sprinkling)

Method

1.   Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4/350ºF.

2.  Line the bottom of a 23cm / 9 inch spring form cake tin with baking parchment.

3.  Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or a microwave, and then let the butter melt in the warm chocolate.

4.  Beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 75g / ¼ cup of the caster sugar, then gently add the chocolate mixture, the Cointreau and orange zest. - here she added another 1/4 cup sugar

5.   In another bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the 100g / ½ cup of sugar and whisk until the whites are holding their shape but not too stiff. - here as well

6.  Lighten the chocolate mixture with a dollop of egg whites, and then fold in the rest of the whites. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the centre is no longer wobbly. Cool the cake in its tin on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools.

7.   When you are ready to eat, place the still tin-bound cake on a cake stand or plate for serving and carefully remove the cake from its tin. Don't worry about cracks or rough edges: it's the crater look we're going for here. Whip the cream until it's soft and then add the vanilla and Cointreau and continue whisking until the cream is firm but not stiff.

8.  Fill the crater of the cake with the whipped cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake, and dust the top lightly with cocoa powder pushed through a tea-strainer.

So there you have it Nigella’s Cloud cake without the Cointreau with a bit more sugar just fabulous!

Plant food and make cloud cakes

Yasmine