HIGH TEA AT AVIE'S AND MY 1,OOOTH BLOG

Until about a decade ago the old fashioned hight tea was something we all enjoyed,sadly during the last few years we do not seem to have had the time for this leisurely and infinitely varied meal.

As we shall all soon be free from the restraints of my sons night work I decided to re-institute this old favourite, a sort of rehearsal for the good time to come.

Immediately after breakfast I set about making a coffee and walnut gateaux ,it seems like an age since I made one of these and as am very fond of this particular cake decided to indulge myself .

COFFEE GATEAUX

8oz butter

8oz caster sugar

8oz self raising flour

4 eggs

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 tablespoon of coffee powder dissolved in a tablespoon of boiling water.

4oz chopped walnuts

For the filling

4 oz butter

6oz icing sugar

1 dessert spoon of coffee powder dissolved in 1 dessert spoon of boiling water


For the topping

6oz icing sugar

I dessert spoon of coffee powder dissolved in 1 dessert spoon of water add more water while mixing if necessary)

12 walnut halves

white chocolate shavings.

Grease and line two 8” cake tins. Place all the cake ingredients in to a bowl and beat for about 3 minutes. Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake for 35 minutes at 160oC for 30-35 minutes. Turn out the cakes and leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the filling, place all the ingredients into a bowl and beat until very light and fluffy, when the cake halves are cool spread or pipe the cream on to one of the halves then place the other half on the top.

To decorate mix the icing sugar with the coffee and mix thoroughly adding more water or coffee mixture if necessary. Pour on to the top of the cake and spread with a spatula. Place the walnut halves in a ring around the outside edge of the cake then sprinkle the centre with the white chocolate shavings.

For a change try sprinkling the halves of cake with dark rum before filling with the cream.

The rest of the meal was a simple vegetable soup served with hot cheese soda farl followed by hot sausage rolls and cucumber pickle and cheese puffs the recipes for these have been published in previous blogs. A small plate of egg sandwiches completed the repast and how we all tucked in.

I am certain that this will be the first of many such meals once we are free and I am looking forward to making once more all the old favourite tea time treats,like triple chocolate cake ,cheeses scones, apple cakes and quiches........I do love baking so hoorah for the good times to come.