 GARDENING
The soil should now be warm enough to sow carrots
It’s worth sowing some beetroot early, with some protection if needed
Plant maincrop potatoes and onion sets
Now is a good time to remove any moss in your lawns
Hoe your flower borders now
Sow hardy annual seeds
Plant pond and wetland plants
Plant climbers
Clean the birdbath regularly in the warmer weather
The flowers of spring bulbs will be dying off now. Don't be tempted to cut the leaves
and flowers down for at least six weeks after flowering as this will weaken the bulbs.
New Shop for Old Skills
A new Produced In Norfolk shop, which is opening for its first trading day at the Rural
Life Museum in Gressenhall this Easter will show case products that have been made in the
County for over a hundred years.
Jane Miller Director of the social enterprise Produced in Norfolk says
“Much of Norfolk’s history is mapped through the traditional skills of local
people; skills such as basket making and stained glass have changed very little in the way
they are made today. The shop will serve as a celebration of some truly talented Norfolk
people who are working hard to keep rural skills alive and who contribute to much to make
Norfolk such a unique and distinctive place to live or visit. We are delighted to be
working in partnership with Gressenhall Rural Life Museum "
Local designers and creators plus cooks and growers will be at the new shop on Easter
Monday. In addition to unique craft and art from award winning designers, duck and goose
eggs and specialist preserves will add to the Easter celebrations. |
 COOKS CORNER
Deliciously decadent chocolate fudge cake.
Ingredients
110g butter at room temperature
220g dark brown sugar
2 eggs
140ml sour cream
165g self raising flour
55g cocoa
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp baking powder
For the chocolate curls
1 bar of milk chocolate
For the icing
200g dark chocolate
1 tbsp cocoa powder
Hot water
140ml double cream
For the filling
165g icing sugar
½ tsp ground coffee beans
2tbsp cocoa powder
150g Butter, at room temperature
Few drops vanilla essence
Small jug of double cream to serve
Preparation
1. Butter the tins and line with greaseproof paper. For the cake, cream together the
butter and sugar using an electric whisk. Gradually beat in the eggs. Add the sour cream.
Sieve together the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder. Fold in to the
mixture.
2. Divide the mixture into the two tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 180C.
3. For the curls, use a cheese slicer to “peel” curls from a bar of chocolate
which has been left to reach room temperature.
4. For the icing, melt the chocolate. Make the cocoa into a paste by adding hot water. Add
the cocoa to the melted chocolate. Transfer to another bowl. Then pour double cream in and
stir until thickened. Leave to cool so it goes harder.
5. Meanwhile, make the filling. Sieve icing sugar, coffee and cocoa into a bowl. Add
butter and mix together until creamy. Add a few drops of vanilla essence.
6. Once the cakes are cooled, spread the filling over one and sandwich the two together.
Use a pallet knife to smooth the icing over the top and sides and decorate with the
chocolate curls.
7. Serve with cream. |
