The Diner: Soho

The Diner website

I should have posted this a while ago, but anyways, Manfriend and I went to The Diner in Soho to celebrate his birthday (before heading to the observatory in Hampstead to stargaze).  I have been to The Diner in Camden many times, but never the Soho one.  I must admit, I enjoy the checking out the hipster employee's outfits.  However, I can understand where some people might find this a bit off-putting.

Anyways, I'm always curious as to how the Brits decide to prepare/present American-style food. For this reason, I shunned the usual diner breakfast items and went with corn dogs and sweet potato fries.  The corn dogs were quite a disappointment, as its cornbread jacket was paper-thin.  This left my corn dog tasting of nothing more than a hot dog on a stick.  Not nice.  However, the sweet potato fries were somehow the best I've ever had?!  They stayed crispy through to the end of my meal, even when cold.  AND the portion was out of control (in a good way).  Manfriend had a burger, which he didn't seem to have any complaints about.  He also had 'diner fries'.  The diner fries were steak-cut chips tossed in slightly-hot cajun spices (and also came in an obscenely large portion).  I can confirm that these were quite tasty!

I guess my overall impression of The Diner is, while quite stylish, the food isn't amazing.  However, the prices are pretty reasonable for London standards, so I shall keep returning and, perhaps, make a jump back to the all-day breakfast menu.

Seriously, these fries guys.... seriously.

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Truffle Swirl Cake

I've come up with another short-cut way to an impressive cake.  Although it almost seems a shame to cover the swirls of the mixed yellow/chocolate cake, if ever there was a topping fit to do so, it would be this cold-set ganache.

As far as I can tell, ganache recipes are fairly standard.  This is mine, tailored to the amount necessary for a double layer cake (with a layer of ganache within to hold the two pieces together).  This is done simply because I do not have a lovely springform pan.  I would encourage you to bake the cake this way if you are lucky enough to have a springform pan, as to not interrupt the swirls of the cake.  Additionally, it will make topping the cake easier.

Side note: Why is Firefox telling me ganache is not a word?!  Clearly Firefox has never tasted my friend Cassady's truffles.



For the cake you will need:
1 box chocolate/yellow swirl cake mix (and its ingredient requirements)

For the ganache you will need:
315g (approx 11 oz) dark chocolate, finely chopped
295ml (approx 1 1/4 cups) double cream (heavy cream)

1. Prepare and bake the cake mix according to the mix's own directions/tailored to your pan choice.

2. Allow cake to cool completely.  If your kitchen is warm, it may be useful to chill the cake after it has reached room temperature.

3. Prepare the ganache by slowly bringing the double cream to a gentle boil.  Remove from heat immediately (do not allow it to scorch or bubble over!) and pour over the chopped dark chocolate in a medium bowl.

4. Set cake on a wire rack over a large backing tray, this will allow excess ganache to drip off when preparing.

5. Allow ganache to cool slightly before spreading a thin layer over the cake to lock-in any stray crumbs. If making a double-layer cake, spread first on the top of the bottom layer, place second layer on and cover all surfaces with thin layer.

6. Allow this thin layer of ganache to set (place in fridge to speed up process) before pouring the remaining ganache over the cake.

7. If ganache has started to thicken, use a flat knife/spatuala to drag the ganache from the center to the side of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.

8. I prefer to allow the ganache to set in the fridge before serving.  There is something about cold dark chocolate that I adore, though this quick tempterature change may affect the way the ganache sets so if you're looking for a glisteningly smooth ganache, skip this step.

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Easy Black Forest (of sorts) Cupcakes

Basically, I enjoyed this cake so much that I felt the need to turn it into a cupcake.  So I present an incredibly simple short-cut-filled route to Black Forest Cupcakes.

Note: If you prefer, you can core your cupcakes and fill with the cherry jam instead of having it float on top.  However, that jam WILL leech into the cupcakes, so you'll have to force everyone around you to eat a cupcake before they go bad (I'd give them about 24 hours max). :P  But you'll probably make a lot of friends, so that's fine then! :)

For the cupcakes you will need:
1 recipe Devil's Food cake batter yielding 24 cupcakes, prepared
1 jar of black cherry jam/preserves


1. Simply bake the cupcakes as directed.

2. Spread a generous amount of cherry jam in the center of the cupcake's top.

3. Frost (recipe below) using an icing bag, as you will need to start from the outside and swirl in, otherwise the frosting will slip around in the jam.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

You will need:

1 cup butter (two sticks) - room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar
2 1/2 tsp clear vanilla
1/4 cup skim milk


1. With an electric mixer, cream the butter.

2. Add milk and vanilla.

3. Add powdered sugar and beat, one cup at a time, until smooth.

4. Frost cupcakes.


Note: Serve same day as cupcakes are topped, as jam will seep into the cake and/or the frosting.  If making in advance, store un-frosted until day of serving.

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Happy Easter! (Cereal box basket)

Less money than ever this Easter.  Therefore I turned a box of Golden Grahams cereal into a basket, lined it with paper colored/cut like grass, and filled it with sweets.  Let the Easter celebrations commence!

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Sweet n Sour Chicken Puff Pastry Roll

I'm not really sure what possessed me to do this initially, but I believe I have now perfected my Sweet n Sour Chicken Puff Pastry Roll.  They are certainly unique, although maybe not to everyone's tastes.  I am not completely mad though, as my mostly-sane manfriend is a fan as well.  The savory crunch of the puff pastry goes quite nicely with the sweet and savory taste of the chicken within.  I've found it best served on a bed of sticky rice topped with  more sweet n sour sauce.  However, it may also be at home with some mashed potatoes.

You will need:
Ready-rolled puff pastry (Approx 12 x 10 inches)
2 large chicken breasts, partially cooked
1 egg
1 500g jar of sweet n sour sauce
2 servings of rice (prepared)

Yield: 4 large rolls

1. Partially bake your chicken breasts until you are able to shred the chicken (or simply cut into very thin pieces).

2. Place shredded chicken into a bowl and add sweet n sour sauce (strained of vegetables if undesired) a little bit at a time until the chicken is completely covered, but not so saturated that the sauce will burst out of the pastry when cooked.

3. Lay out puff pastry sheet and roll slightly thinner.

4. Mark off approximately every 3.5-4 inches (depending on how thin you've rolled it) and line up filling as shown in the photo below.

5. Pull bottom of pastry over the top and press the sides together using a fork.  Trim excess dough.

6. Cut lines in top of pastry to allow venting.  (See second photo below).

7. In a small bowl, beat 1 egg and brush eggwash onto rolls to give it an appetizing shine.

8. Bake at approx 350 F/175 C for 15-20 minutes (unless this varies greatly from the instructions on your puff pastry packaging).

9. Serve on a bed of white rice, drizzled in the remaining sweet n sour sauce.

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Easy Cookies n Cream Cupcakes

These cupcakes are perfect for when you are low on time but want to make something a little different.  The only extra step is crushing the oreos.  Simple!

You will need:
1 sleeve (approx 150g) oreo cookies/chocolate and cream sandwich biscuits
1 recipe vanilla cake batter yielding 24 cupcakes, prepared
500ml whipping cream (whipped)
4 Tbsp icing sugar

1. Take 3-4 sandwich cookies and remove the cream from the center.  Crush the cookie halves into a fine dust and set aside.

2. Crush the remaining cookies into medium sized pieces.  Mix these pieces into the prepared cake batter.

3. Finish preparing cupcakes according to recipe instructions.

4. For the topping, combine whipping cream and icing sugar in a bowl, using an electric mixer (or impressive arm muscles and a whisk) to whip the whipping cream until light and fluffy.  ALTERNATIVE: Top with Cool Whip.

5. Frost cupcakes and sprinkle with finely-crushed oreos.

Note: Be sure to store cupcakes in refrigerator once 'frosted' with the cream.  Alternatively, store cupcakes and add topping before serving.

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I heart hearts?

I just realised my last three recipes contained heart shapes.  When did this site become so girly?  Oops!  I promise, no hearts in my next recipe.

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