Jamie's Queen Victoria Sponge

Hello,


I am sorry I haven't been writing or cooking but my husband David was taken into hospital with a very bad infection in his foot.

He has just had his operation after being several days on intravenous antibiotics and the infection seems to have subsided.

Yesterday though, feeling very stressed, I went back to cooking a little something, the Victoria Sponge.

This is the first recipe I have a comment to make. I found that the oven set at 190 degrees was too hot and I nearly burnt the cake. 180 seemed much better.

On the positive side, I loved the zesty taste of the orange in the dough, I loved fresh vanilla pod in the cream and I added a twist to the recipe using my own fresh strawberry compote with Port.

I dared doing the rose petals in sugar and this is one of the most exquisite things I have ever tasted in my whole life. Incredible.

I took the cake to my mother in law's house. She is a very sweet tooth and nearly ate half of the cake at once. I sent some over to my sister in law and his 2 sons,  I hope they appreciated it.

Yesterday I succumbed to the Chinese take away sin and ordered a chinese meal for one. The weirdest thing that is happening is that now that I have been eating really good, fresh food I can no longer eat take-aways, I can taste straight away the bad oil and too much salt. I nearly had an indigestion. Good lesson for me! I don't think I will get anywhere near them in the future.

I can't wait for my husband to come home, I missed him loads, the house is so empty without him. Thankfully I have my little cat Belle to keep me company. She has been sleeping at my feet every night. She is a sweet puss.

See you soon,

Gisele

Cake dough ready to bake

Rose petals covered in sugar ready to go in the oven

Cakes are baked

All decorated with the rose petals

Ready to be eaten at my mother in law's kitchen

Would you like a piece?

RECIPE 10