Butterfly Cakes!

Butterfly cakes have been something that I have always baked. Whenever I bake them it always reminds me of when I used to bake them with my mum when I was little.

I use a simple recipe from Mary Berry's Baking Bible and it is a really good thing to bake whatever your age.

Ingredients

For the cakes:

100g Softened Butter
100g Caster Sugar
2 Large Eggs
100g Self-Raising Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder

For the icing:

175g Softened Butter
350g Icing Sugar

Steps

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius (180 fan oven) and place the cake cases into the tin.

Step 2

Place all of the ingredients into a large bowl and beat for 2-3 minutes.

Step 3

Fill the cake cases and bake for 15-20 minutes. However, keep an eye on them as mine could have done with a few minutes less. Allow them to cool on a cooling rack.

Step 4

To make the icing, beat the butter and gradually add the icing stage until well blended.

Step 5

Cut a slice from the top of each cake and cut the slice in half. Then pipe a swirl of butter cream into the centre of the cake. Finally place the cake slices on top and dust with icing sugar.

Thanks For Stopping By! :)

Aldeburgh

On Tuesday I went with my family to Aldeburgh, a coastal town in Suffolk. We looked around the town and then went on a lovely walk. 

How I managed to get these photos of Poppy is beyond me considering she finds it hard to stay still for more than two seconds.

It was lovely that you could look one way and see a pebble beach and the sea. It was also great that you could look the other way and see greenery and wilderness.

Although I prefer a sandy beach, like that at Southwold. However the pebbly beach of Aldeburgh is lovely and the sculpture makes it even nicer. 

Top 5 Book to Film Adaptations!

When reading for pleasure I really enjoy reading a variety of books, especially young adult fiction. I have read a lot especially over the last two years. There is nothing I love better than watching some of my favourite books become really good film. Likewise I love watching films and then choosing to read the book afterwards.

1. If I stay - Gayle Forman

I believe I first watched this film in the cinema and really enjoyed it. It tells the story of Mia who is involved in the traffic accident with her parents and brother. She has to choose between life and death. The general idea of it makes it sound really depressing. However, we are given flashbacks to important parts in her life which gives an insight into Mia as a person, as well as her family. This allows you to realise how much she has to lose. All in all the film adaptation as very good and definitely includes all the major elements of the book. I read the book in my first semester at university and really enjoyed it. I have since read the sequel and also found that really enjoyable.

2. The Fault in Our Stars - John Green

I first read The Fault in Our Stars in my second year of sixth form. My friends recommending that I needed to read it. This was mainly to prove that I wasn't made of stone and that I did have a heart. Although I didn't cry at the film or the book, I did really enjoy both of them. I felt that the both the book and the film addressed a range of issues effectively. I love the fact that although the book covers a lot, the film does not feel as though it has cut or glossed over part of it. This is something that often annoys me about films in general. It is also one of the reasons why the divergent series did not make it into this post. This is because a lot of things were cut or even worse changed.

3. The Perks of Being a Wallflower - Stephen Chbosky

Although not one of my favourite books, it can't be denied that the film adaptation for this is rather good. Once again it is able to condense the main areas of the book, including all of the major themes, without losing importance of Charlie's narration and perspective.

4. Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding

I have to say that this is one of the only book to film adaptations where the film is better than the book. It is one of the only time where a lot of the book being left is definitely not a bad thing. Although I like the concept of the book, in practice it definitely lasted too long and became extremely boring. However, the film is something that I can watch over and over again and still enjoy it.

5. Harry Potter Series - J. K. Rowling

It is one of the best series of films that were originally books. It includes all of the essence of J.K Rowling's writing and condenses a lot of action effectively. Also the acting is amazing and it has stood the test of time.

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August Books 2016!

I didn't read much at the start of this month, but towards the end of the month I started to read the books from my university reading list.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Jack Thorne
31st July- 15th August

I was kind of worried that it would not live up to my expectations. However, I was pleasantly surprised. I feel as though it lived up to the high expectations that were placed upon it. I felt like you got to know the next generation a lot better and I loved the friendship between Scorpius Malfoy and Albus Potter.

The List - Siobhan Vivian
2nd August - 18th August

The List tells the story of eight girls who end up on a list at their high school for either being the prettiest or the ugliest in their grade. I really liked the fact that it raised lots of different issues that teenagers go through.

Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass - Lewis Carroll
15th August - 17th August

This is the first book I have to read for my Cultures of Childhood module. It is a book that I have always wanted to read, but i've never got round to it. I really enjoyed it and it didn't take that long to read.

High Rise - J.G. Ballard
15th August - 20th August

I have to say I didn't really enjoy this book. I couldn't really follow the story that well and I found it quite boring.

Peter Pan - J.M. Barrie
19th August - 20th August

It is another book that I have just never got round to reading. I really enjoyed it, maybe not as much as Alice in Wonderland, but I am definitely looking forward to studying it.

The Hours - Michael Cunningham
21st August - 26th August

I really enjoyed this. It retells the story of Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway as well as showing Woolf's own mental health issues. It tells the story through using three female narrators which is something that I really liked about it.

Friend or Foe - Michael Morpurgo
31st August - 31st August

This was a really quick children's book to finish off the month with. I managed to read this in one sitting, which is practically unheard of for me. It follows David and Tucky who are evacuated in World War Two. They are starting to get used to the peace of the Devon countryside and the war feels far away from them. Then one night bombing a few miles away from them changes everything.

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Spaghetti Bolognese!

I was tidying the library shelves the other week and came across this cookbook which is tailored towards students. It has so many really simple, easy to follow recipes and I am loving getting to do a lot more cooking and learning to cook loads of different things.

Spaghetti bolognese is something that I normally do if I want a really easy tea that doesn't take a lot of effort to make. Also it is a good one to have in the freezer so you defrost and reheat it later when you want something really quick to produce.

There were a few ingredients that I left out or changed just due to personal preference. So I have included both what I used and what the recipe included. You can use either.

Ingredients I used (serves 3)

Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves (crushed)
1 Onion (chopped)
250g Mushrooms (sliced)
500g Lean Beef Mince
1 tbsp Tomato Puree
800g Canned Tomatoes
Mixed Herbs

Ingredients listed in recipe (serves 6)

Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves (crushed)
1 Onion (chopped)
250g Mushrooms (sliced)
1kg Lean Beef Mince
2 Glasses of Red Wine
900g Canned Tomatoes
2 tbsp Dried Oregano (optional)
500g Dried Spaghetti

Steps

Step 1

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and onion. Cook for 5 minutes until soft.

Step 2

Add the mushrooms and mince. Season with salt and pepper. Fry for 3-4 minutes until the meat is brown.

Step 3

Add the tomato puree and stir well. Then add the canned tomatoes and mixed herbs.

Step 4

Let the sauce bubble on a low heat for around 40 minutes. check every 5-10 minutes to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

Step 5

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil. Add the pasta and stir. Simmer for 10 minutes. Drain the pasta then serve.

Thanks For Stopping By! :)

Disclaimer - this is not my recipe it is from 'From Pasta to Pancakes The Ultimate Student Cookbook' by Tiffany Goodall. Available here.

Going to University!

University is a very huge experience to go through and involves many ups and down. Next month I will begin second year and to be honest I'm still scared about what uni has in store. However I thought it would be good to share some advice to any people who are going to uni this year.

1. Don't worry. you will make friends!

As simple as this sounds, a lot of people worry about not having any friends when they go to uni, but honestly it's not that hard! I am the most antisocial person you will probably ever meet and even I managed it. So there's hope for anyone! I managed to meet all of my closest friends at uni within the first week. I have to say that Facebook is something that really helped as I was able to connect with people on my course before I even got to university. This was great so I could meet up with people before my first lectures and seminars, which really helped. Also it is the way that I was able to meet some amazing friends and I am so glad for that.

2. You will adjust academically

Talking from a personal point of view, I didn't really find the transition from A-levels to university that hard academically speaking. If anything I found it considerably easier than the transition from GCSE to A-level. However, I understand that not everybody finds it easy. If you have people around you who are supporting you through it then it will become more familiar. Don't worry if it doesn't feel right straight away.

3. The place that you now find yourself won't always seem so scary

I know that the city you will live in and the campus you will find yourself in will, at first, appear like a huge maze. However, trust me you will get used to it and eventually it will become second nature. My best piece of advice for you would be to leave plenty of time to get to where it is you have to you, especially in week 1. Also, don't be afraid to ask someone for help, as scary as that may seem.

4. You will definitely appreciate your parents more

From washing up to emptying the bins you will definitely appreciate how much your parents do for you. Also you will be so relieved when you go home.

5. Don't worry if it doesn't feel right at first

You won't feel at home from the word go and you need to give yourself time to adjust. However,  if after sometime you still don't feel quite right then don't be afraid to ask help or to tell somebody how you are feeling. If after a considerable amount of time you still feel similar then try to make steps in order reduce any issues you are having. For example, during first semester I hated living in student accommodation as I found it extremely isolating. Towards the end of semester one I was seriously considering dropping out of university. However, I chose to give commuting a try and I have to say I really enjoy it a lot more.

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Scones!

This is the main scone recipe I use. It is from the Mary Berry Baking Bible.

Ingredients

450g Self-Raising Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
75g Softened Butter
50g Caster Sugar
2 Large Eggs
About 225ml Milk

Steps

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 220 degrees celsius/ 200 fan/Gas Mark 7 and lightly grease 2 baking trays.

Step 2

Put the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Then rub in the butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. After that stir in the sugar.

Step 3

Beat the eggs and then slowly add the milk until it makes 300ml in total, then put 2 tablespoons of this to the side for later. Gradually add the mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring it in until it forms a soft dough. It should be on the wet side.

Step 4

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and use a rolling pin to get it to a thickness of 1-2cm. Use a fluted cutter to stamp out the scones. Repeat until all the dough is used up. Place the scones onto the baking trays and glaze the tops of them with the egg mixture.

Step 5

Bake them in a preheated oven for 10-15 minutes, until well risen and golden. Allow them to cool and then enjoy.

Thanks For Stopping By! :)