Nutty Chocolate Cake Recipe

Nutty Chocolate Cake

Last weekend my neighbour gave me some hazelnut flour and oil from a local producer and as I have been experimenting with reduced flour cakes, these were the perfect ingredients for this nutty chocolate cake I have been working on. This recipe is a mutation from the Hazelnut Chocolate Cake found in Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Light and Easy: Healthy Recipes for Every Day cookbook, which is delicious with ground hazelnuts or almonds, but with a large number of butternut squash to use this winter, I had to have a play.

I think the grated butternut squash (courgette or carrot could be used instead) add moisture and the hazelnut flour and oil add flavour, ensuring this nutty chocolate cake is moist, rich, full of flavour and has a good firm texture. I can assure you it is not just me who thinks it is delicious as it has also been a hit with Adrian and Ed.

Huilerie Lepine hazelnut oil and flour

Ingredients

200g ground almonds

1 heaped tablespoon cornflour

1 heaped tablespoon cocoa powder

1 heaped tablespoon hazelnut flour

Baking powder (I used one 11g sachet of French levure chimique)

50g brown sugar

1 tablespoon honey

2 eggs

100g grated butternut squash

50ml of oil (I used 40ml of sunflower mixed with 10 ml of hazelnut)

Line a round baking tin with greaseproof paper and pre-heat the oven to gas 4.

Mix all the dry ingredients together and set aside.

Beat the sugar, honey and eggs until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Add in the grated butternut squash and beat.

Add in the dry mix and beat and then slowly drizzle in the oil while continuing to beat.

Pour into baking tin and bake in a moderate oven (I use gas mark 4) for about half an hour until springy to touch. Leave to cool in tin for ten minutes and then remove.

It can be eaten alone for afternoon tea or served with a dollop of natural yoghurt for dessert, but you could also add a buttercream topping if you fancied.

A Parliament of owls

Long eared owl

Our orchard has always been one of the most magical parts of our life in France. From the very first time I saw it, with the waist high grass trying to hide it’s treasures, to today, eleven and a half years later, I love it and the bounties it gives. The beauty of the blossom on the fruit trees, the harvests of cherries, plums, pears, apples, peaches, quince, hazelnuts and walnuts, the sturdy low branches Ed has enjoyed climbing and also the surprises it keeps on giving us.

I have been keeping ducks since 2005 and the reason I do is because of a surprise from the orchard; a lone male Muscovy duck who arrived in January 2005 and stayed, so we went to market and bought him some lady ducks, as you do in rural France. Once we had ducks, getting chickens seemed a logical thing to do and surprisingly Yum Yum, our first duck, wasn’t the only one to just turn up, Choccie, a brown Muscovy female joined our gang in November 2006. Brucie our goose was another orchard surprise, found as a fluffy yellow gosling, crying and scared one Sunday morning. Questioning our neighbours revealed they had seen an unknown bearded man enter through our locked gate and place the gosling in the orchard. This was in May 2009 but Brucie is still with us, laying large and delicious eggs, happy to live as an honoury duck and we still have no idea who left her or why. Such is life in a rural French village.

Brucie the Goose and her first egg of 2016

I thought the most unusual sight I’d seen in the orchard was the male Golden Pheasant who popped in one day to show off his magnificent plumage, but then the owls arrived. 

Golden Pheasant

Whilst weeding in the potager last week I glimpsed the silent shadow of large wings overhead and then noticed big bright eyes watching me from the bay tree. When Adrian arrived home at the weekend I took him out to see for himself and prove I hadn’t dreamt it. As I walked towards the bay tree, owl, after owl, after owl took flight above our heads. It was an incredible experience and having never in my life seen a long eared owl in the wild, I feel really privileged to have at least ten of them now spending their days in our large bay tree.

Long eared owl flying low over the orchard

I have spoken to Chris Luck, an expert on wildlife in France (find him on Facebook here), and I now know it is a common occurrence for many species of birds to flock together over winter and long eared owls have a preference for evergreen trees, like our bay. I had no idea this happened and although the orchard is a quieter spot over winter than in the summer, it’s not without it’s human interruptions. Their presence is such a privilege and although I should be busy tackling the weeds in the potager, at least I now have the perfect excuse not to do too much work out there as I don’t want to risk frightening them away.

A friend reminded me yesterday that the correct term to use is a parliament of owls, which I think is suitably important sounding for such an unexpected spectacle in our orchard. I’d certainly rather discuss the owls than anything currently going on in world politics.

This post has been linked to the Lou Messugo All About France blog link. Click here to read more posts.

Free and discounted ebooks 1st March

Here is my selection of ebooks on kindle UK promotion for today. Prices correct at time of posting, however they may not remain on promotion for long. Happy reading.

FREE Song at Dawn: 1150 in Provence (The Troubadours Quartet) by Jean Gill. An historical novel by an author whose memoir How Blue Is My Valley I enjoyed.

FREE Servants of Infamy by J S Malpas, a novel set during the Hundred Years' War between England and France.

FREE A Parrot in My Soup by Andy Frazier, a very funny look at the author's life in rural France. Read my review here.

FREE Who the Heck is Auntie Florette? the second book from Andy Frazier's life in France.

FREE That's easy for you to say! by Andy Frazier. Another humorous instalment of his life.

FREE Bender at the Bon Parisien (A Novel) by Pres Maxson. A mystery set in a Parisian bar. I've not read this yet, but I've downloaded it.

Reduced by 33% to only £1.99 Chocolat by Joanne Harris. I am a big fan of all of Joanne's books, especially this one. The film is great, the book better.

Reduced by 24% to only £1.99 Sell the Pig: a travel tale with a twist (The Sell The Pig Series Book 1) the first memoir by Tottie Limejuice that takes us through her reasons for moving to France and house hunting with her Mother and Brother. You can read my review here.

Reduced by 30% to £2.25 a brand new release Flowers of Flanders: Book 1 'The Strong Sisters' trilogy by Ros Rendle.



 

Free and discounted ebooks of the day

French Village Bookworm

Those of you who follow me on Facebook and Twitter may have noticed the lack of promotional ebook deals over the last few days. I am having issues with Amazon and at the moment am unable to post my top picks of the Free and Discounted ebooks set in France direct to Facebook and Twitter. 

So you don't miss out on all the bargains, here is my selection for today:

FREE for a limited time Car Wheels on a Gravel Drive - a murder mystery set in the Averyon, France. This is a new release by Steve Goldenburg who contacted me direct to let me know of this promotion. I will be reviewing this book in the coming weeks.

FREE for a limited time Biarritz Passion: A French Summer Novel - the first novel in the series A French Summer by Laurette Long. Laurette is an active member of the Francophiles Goodreads Group. If you are on Goodreads, do come and join us.

Reduced by 50% to only 99p A Spell in Provence by Marie Laval. I really enjoyed this mysterious romance, set in Provence. Read my review here.

Reduced by 75% to £2.59 Scent of Triumph: A Novel of Perfume and Passion by Jan Moran. This is a beautifully written novel of loss, love, war and perfume. Read my review here.

These prices are correct at time of posting, but may not stay on promotion for long.

Happy reading.

Book review of Messandrierre by Angela Wren

Messandrierre by Angela Wren

Messandrierre by Angela Wren

(murder mystery/romance) Release date: December 8, 2015 at Crooked Cat Publishing Ltd 119 pages ISBN: 978-1910510759 Website | Goodreads  

SYNOPSIS

Sacrificing his job in investigation following an incident in Paris, Jacques Forêt has only a matter of weeks to solve a series of mysterious disappearances as a Gendarme in the rural French village of Messandrierre. But, as the number of missing persons rises, his difficult and hectoring boss puts obstacles in his way. Steely and determined, Jacques won't give up and, when a new Investigating Magistrate is appointed, he becomes the go-to local policeman for all the work on the case. Will he find the perpetrators before his lover, Beth, becomes a victim? Messandrierre is the first in a new crime series featuring investigator, Jacques Forêt.

MY REVIEW

Strange things happen in small French villages, but the village of Messandrierre seems to have more than just secrets that are waiting to be uncovered. I was gripped from the first mysterious chapter and then we met Jacques Forêt, Gendarme, originally from Paris, with a past and currently not really sure where he belongs. I liked him straight away. He was just the person to unravel the seemingly unrelated events that have been reported in the area and keep an eye on the odd goings on of some of the village residents. He has his own way of working, that doesn’t always tie in with his boss, but his independent rebellious streak just added to his appeal. Someone who tries her best to ignore his appeal is Beth, past love interest of Jacques (lucky lady), back in the village to tie up loose ends before moving on. However, as she tries to sell the chalet she has inherited, it seems to open up her own personal mysteries that need to be solved before she can work out her future. Knowing who to trust is the key.

There are quite a lot of characters to keep track of, I could have done with making notes, and you do need your wits about you as you are reading this book. Angela cleverly drops in scenes from the past, designed to confuse the mind as you go along, but thankfully by the end, all is revealed. I’m hoping to get back to Messandriere with Angela very soon. In the meantime I have really enjoyed following Angela’s blog where she has some cleverly thought out character interviews with both Jacques (see here) and Beth (see here). These really added to my enjoyment of village life in Messandriere. 

This book would be a great read to take on holiday, where you have the time to give it the attention it deserves.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Angela Wren Having followed a career in Project and Business Change Management, I now work as an Actor and Director at a local theatre. Iíve been writing, in a serious way, for about 5 years. My work in project management has always involved drafting, so writing, in its various forms, has been a significant feature throughout my adult life. I particularly enjoy the challenge of plotting and planning different genres of work. My short stories vary between contemporary romance, memoir, mystery and historical. I also write comic flash-fiction and have drafted two one-act plays that have been recorded for local radio. The majority of my stories are set in France where I like to spend as much time as possible each year.

Visit her website and her blog. Follow her on Facebook, Google +

Connect with her on LinkedIn

Buy the book on Smashwords see below for Amazon links.

Global giveaway open internationally: 5 participants will each win a copy of this book: print or digital for Europe residents digital otherwise Be sure to follow each participant on Twitter/Facebook, for more chances to win

Enter here

Visit each blogger on the tour: tweeting about the giveaway everyday of the Tour will give you 5 extra entries each time! [just follow the directions on the entry-form]

CLICK ON THE BANNER TO READ OTHER REVIEWS AND EXCERPT

A Sunday morning coffee and croissant

Coffee and a croissant

My Sunday mornings are all about freshly brewed coffee and a real French croissant, both of which have been in the news this week.

The croissant debate

UK supermarket Tesco has made a controversial decision this week that has had quite some coverage in the press and on social media (see here). The humble croissant will no longer be made in the ‘traditional’ crescent shape by Tesco as shoppers have declared straight ones are easier to spread with jam. What a funny world we live in; this story headlined the British, Irish and French news and possibly further afield too. I also have a few words to say about this story. Firstly, who in their right mind would soil a perfect buttery croissant by spreading it with jam? Nightmare! It is almost as shocking as dunking it in your coffee. Secondly, look closely at my real French village croissant in the photo above. Shock! It’s not crescent shaped and in the eleven and a half years we have lived here and bought croissants from the village boulangerie, they never have been. And, do you know what? They still taste delicious and will always be my special treat on a Sunday morning, so give Tesco a break; there are far more important things to worry about in the world.

Also in the news this week was the story of an unusual funeral that took place in Italy (see here). A 93-year-old man, who I’d never met, but have cause to thank everyday, was laid to rest in a coffee pot. A coffee pot a little larger than mine, but otherwise identical, for this man was Italy’s coffee pot king, Renato Bialetti. The simple aluminium octagonal coffee pot was designed and patented by his father Alfonso in 1933, but it was Renato who dedicated his life to ensuring their coffee pot became a kitchen ‘must-have’ for families all over the world, bringing quality coffee to the home. Thank you Renato, I wouldn’t want to be without my Bialetti and have even been known to take it away on holiday. May you rest in peace and I’ll be raising my daily coffee cup in your memory.

Whatever the shape of your croissant, or preference for jam or no jam, I hope you have a peaceful Sunday.

Love in a French Village

Saint Valentin gateau from our village boulangerie

As it is St Valentine’s Day I thought I would share a little of the love I have found in our village. Our neighbours, who have been happily married for over fifty years, certainly seem to know the recipe for love. Talking to Pierrette recently she was almost giggling in girly excitement when she let me into a little secret. Dominique, her husband loves pancakes, although she admitted they do not eat them very regularly, so on this particular afternoon once he was safely off working in his vegetable garden she rustled up the batter, adding a drop of rum, and left it resting until his return at dinnertime. For Pierrette, love is, surprising your man with pancakes!

Another village love story, which unfortunately has a sad ending, is of Mauricette and her husband Jacky. She is a regular at the library, choosing novels for herself, but as his health was deteriorating and he couldn’t follow a story she always chose large, photo filled hardback books for him as he still enjoyed looking at the pictures. She also ensured he never missed an event in the village, even if it meant her pushing him to the salle des fêtes in his wheelchair. Five years ago he was just one of the old soldiers standing with flags at our 11^th November ceremony. Last November, he was the only one and was sat in his wheelchair. Sadly, he passed away this week. I didn’t know him well, but I will miss him. I will also miss selecting books for him from the library bus that visits four times a year and ensures we get a good supply of different books for our library.

Remembering a special villager

For me, love is days out on the bikes with Adrian, especially if it includes a morning boulangerie stop, a picnic and an afternoon  beer stop. At the moment life is throwing spanners in our cycling plans as work is busy, which keeps Adrian away and the weather has been a bit wild, too wild for me on the bike. 

It is not unusual for us to spend St Valentine’s Day apart, but this year we were full of hope with his planned return home on the evening of 13^th. Then Tempête Ulrika arrived blowing her best all day yesterday, threatening the Atlantic coast, whipping the waves and bending the trees inland too. More worryingly for us was the effect she would have on Adrian’s return flight to La Rochelle, where the end of the runway is at the edge of a cliff, but thankfully he made it. Love is, making it home in a storm. To reward his efforts I’ve prepared a special homemade meal for tonight, but I can’t tell you what it is, as it’s a surprise.

Now, over to you, do you have a love story to share?

This post has been linked to the Dreaming of France blog link. Click here for more posts.

France et Moi with Carol Drinkwater

Welcome to ‘France et Moi’ where this week, as part of the blog tour to coincide with the release of her new novel The Forgotten Summer I am talking to actress and author Carol Drinkwater about what France means to her.

 

Carol Drinkwater

Carol Drinkwater, known for her award-winning portrayal of Helen Herriot in the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small, is the author of the nonfiction Olive Farm Series of memoirs which inspired The Olive Route, five documentaries following her travels in the south of France. Her memoirs were great comfort reading for me when we moved to France in 2004 and everything felt daunting and different. She is also the author of three bestselling Kindle singles.

1) I think France is a special place, famed for many things including its cheese, wine and diverse holiday locations plus, dare I say it strikes and dog poo littered streets. What do you think makes France so very unique and ‘French’?

Carol: Our dogs run free on our land so we have no part to play in your observation of French streets!

France is a republic where the individual counts above the crowd, and that is very important to the psyche and the way people live here. The French, although I don’t usually go in for sweeping generalizations, respect freedom of the individual. They will stand up for this, as last year’s attacks proved. The right to think, worship, live as each feels is fundamental (within the law, of course). It is this philosophy that is at the heart of the hugely diverse choice of cheeses and wines. Each region, even a tiny village, is protected by its hard-earned AOC - Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée - label. Our olive oil, for example, comes under the AOC ‘Olive de Nice’. This oil cannot be produced anywhere else. As with all AOCs, it is the marriage of soil, climate, product.

2) What is your first memory of a trip to France?

Carol: Riding on a coach tour with my parents down to Italy, stopping for sunny lunches on terraces, flying through the Alps, hitting the Riviera coast –the Belle Epoque villas, the glittering Mediterranean, that hot embracing sun - and then a stroll round Monaco. I was about ten or eleven so, I would guess, early times in terms of tour operators to “the Continent”, but I thought it was magical. It was all so exotic to me back then, and so glamorous.

3) When you first arrived in France what was the best thing about being immersed in French life and the scariest thing?

Carol: Our very first summer, I went to Nice university and enrolled in a two-month course in French. I had studied Latin languages at school but this was essential. I have two fabulous step-daughters, who were thirteen at that time. They both spoke some English but refused to converse with me in my mother tongue. If I wanted to engage with them it had to be in French, and they were not slow in correcting my errors!

4) Do you have any embarrassing language mishaps you are happy to share?

Carol: Here is one I have recounted in The Olive Farm. My parents were coming to stay for the first time. I was nervous, keen for them to approve our mad purchase of a dilapidated olive farm overlooking the Bay of Cannes. I had cleaned up everything as much as was possible with little money to spare and next to no furniture. Wild flowers in vases in the bedroom, our best linen on their bed. Wine and food all ready to be served. And then I noticed a rather unattractive “leak” seeping out of a drain right alongside the swimming pool, newly renovated and filled for the first time. I panicked, ran indoors and called the plumber who was not home. His wife answered. I yelled that her husband had to come immediately. There is a HUGE TROUT coming up through the drainage system and it will slip into the swimming pool any minute now.

‘A TROUT, Madame?’

‘YES, please get your husband here as soon as possible....’

The plumber was there within fifteen minutes.

‘Where is this giant fish then,’ he grinned.

‘FISH? What are you talking about. We have a LEAK.’

I had confused the words: TRUITE for trout and FUITE for leak.

5) How does France inspire your writing?

Carol: In every way, and more and more profoundly. I regularly read about France, read in French, dig into history. I am keen to get beyond the clichés to discover the spirit of the country. I am also constantly bowled over by the beauty and the variety of geographical locations here. The wild Atlantic scenery, the Mediterranean’s chic yet natural beauty. The elegance, the snobbery, the poise of capital city women, the love of art and language, cinema, literature. The investment in the arts, the pride the French take in all that is French... Every day, there is something new...

6) Your new novel The Forgotten Summer is set on a vineyard in Provence, how important do you think it is to match your French wine with your food? Any top matching tips you can share?

 

The Forgotten Summer

Carol: We don’t have this habit. We drink lighter wines in the warmer seasons – Chablis, for example, with a home-grown salad dressed with garlic and our own peppery olive oil. With our winter foods such as Boeuf Bourguignon or Pot au Feu we would go for a red Bordeaux such as a Saint-Emilion.

7) Imagine you are sitting outside a French café at 10.00am on a sunny morning watching the world go by, what do you order from the waiter?

Carol: Coffee. Double espresso. I am not a great one for food in the morning so I am happy with my coffee. When I am at home, I might sweeten it with a semi-spoonful of honey. Otherwise, I drink it neat.

8) France has many different cheeses, this is a silly question, but which French cheese are you? A hard and mature Tome, a soft, fresh and lively goat cheese, a creamy and rich Camembert or a salty and serious Roquefort?

Carol: Je suis fromage! Ha ha. A soft, melting, creamy Brie full of delicate tones.

9) Can you describe your perfect French apero for us, including the drink, the nibbles, the location and the company?

Carol: Champagne on the terrace at our home overlooking the Bay of Cannes where we can watch the sun set over the Mediterranean. In the company of my husband, Michel, (who prefers chilled rosé) and perhaps also several dear friends, with our dogs dozing at our feet. On those warm evenings with jasmine and orange blossom perfumes wafting our way, we eat outside. We have three barbecues of varying sizes. Michel will have the fire going to get the meat or fish grilled and as we sip our drinks, the scents of cooking waft our way. We grow the ingredients for our salads and mixed herbs, our own potatoes... Usually, to nibble with our apéros, we like to serve roasted almonds (also grown on the land) and slices of charcuterie. Not too much or we will have lost our appetite for the dinner yet to come!

10) France has some beautiful cities and there are a few that constantly battle to be my favourite, what is your favourite French city and why?

Carol: Paris, toujours Paris. It has everything. Even after all these years, it thrills me to be there. There are certain quartiers I know better than others and I tend to head for them. I am particularly fond of the Bastille area. I shop and hang out around the 5th and 6th arrondissements. This includes Bon Marché, the splendid department store which has a fine bookshop and a small restaurant on the same floor. I buy books and then dip into them while enjoying a coffee or lunch. I go to the cinemas around L’Odéon or along the Champs Elysées.

Finally, do you have any current projects you would like to tell my readers about?

Carol: I am at work on a new novel, also set in France. It is too early to talk about it but I am aiming to create a story that is epic and dips into some recent French history as well as being a very up-to-the-minute tale.

Thank you for taking the time to give some great answers to my questions about France and you. I really enjoyed The Forgotten Summer, even if it did make me cry and I’m sure readers will love it. I will be waiting patiently for your new novel.

The Forgotten Summer was released in hardback and ebook format on 11th February and will be available in paperback on 14th July 2016. To read my review, click here. You can find Carol on Twitter, Facebook and her website and don't miss out on the other stops on The Forgotten Summer Blog Tour organised by Penguin Random House.

Carol’s Olive Farm and Olive route books are available in paperback and ebook format. Her Kindle Singles are ebook only novellas. Links to Amazon can be found below. My reviews of two of her Kindle Singles can be found by clicking on the links below.

The Girl in Room Fourteen
Hotel Paradise