Friday 3 June 2016

Foodie Friday | Dark Chocolate Rocky Road




When planning friday posts Ben asked for rocky road to be one as it was his favourite, and of course, he gets to eat it all after I've photographed it! As I child I remember always requesting a rocky road as my treat from the bakers, and there is just something about freshly made tray bakes which make me feel like a child again. I made a large batch however you can half this recipe easily.



Ingredients


250 grams of butter
600 grams of good quality dark (or milk) chocolate of your choice
6 tablespoons of golden syrup
400 grams of rich tea biscuits or digestives
200 grams of mini marshmallows
Icing sugar for dusting 







Method

Break your chocolate into pieces and melt with the butter and golden syrup in a pan over a medium heat until completely combined and smooth.

Next, pop all your biscuits into a freezer bag, I find wrapping in a tea towel too avoids mess, and break them up into a mixture of chunks and crumbs with a rolling pin. The biscuits do add texture, but also taste so I would recommend buying ones that you personally like, in my case I used chocolate digestives.

After your biscuits are all bashed up, measure out your 200g of mini marshmallows and fold both ingredients into the smooth chocolate mixture to create the rocky road mix.

Pour your mixture into a lined tin, I used a large square one, but you can tailor the amount of ingredients to the size of your tin. Then refrigerate your rocky road for a minimum of 1-2 hours or overnight, it would be the perfect thing to make around lunch time so it is ready for a treat after dinner.

Dust with icing sugar to serve and enjoy.


Let me know your favourite tray bake!

Sunday 29 May 2016

The Sunday Post | Pitlochry




When it comes to the weekends, Ben and I would much rather jump in the car and drive somewhere than sit in the house all day. My love of the outdoors most definitely started when I was a child and my grandparents used to take me somewhere new every weekend. As a child I enjoyed exploring new places and taking in different sights across the country I live in. I was lucky in the fact at a young age I was gifted with a camera so I was able to document a lot of our family trips away - usually ending in around 100 blurry photos. Pitlochry was always on the top of my list to visit with Ben and it did not disappoint.

The picturesque setting made it a photographers heaven and a stress free zone to visit. After wondering for an hour or so it was very difficult to put the camera down and actually take in the view. This quaint little town is filled with beautiful housing, little gift shops and delicious restaurants and cafes. Still in the country of Perth and Kinross, it is not too far away from home to travel, making it the perfect day destination.

We took a walk around 10 minutes out of the city centre to Rob Roy Way. With its gorgeous waterfalls and easy track, this is a must for anyone visiting the area. The grounds were covered in beautiful wildlife, plants and the striking waterfall. The sound of the water crashing on the naturally made falls was so relaxing as we strolled around with our cameras pointing in all directions. I would completely recommend anyone who is visiting Scotland to take a day trip to Pitlochry, it will not disappoint - even if you just want to grab some amazing afternoon tea and have a stroll along by the river.


Have you ever been? 


Wednesday 25 May 2016

Wednesday News | Meet Our Dogs



Sorry or my lack of Sunday post last week, I didn't get around to actually sitting at my laptop and writing one, however I've got a lovely, calming, one coming up this Sunday. This weeks Wednesday post we are talking pets! Meet Farley and May, my family's two labs. 
Growing up my family always had dogs, and I grew up with a Boxer and Labrador, who we all adored but sadly passed a few years past. So, when my mum and dad got the opportunity to foster two rejected guide dogs they could not pass it up. There are lots of former guide dogs that need homes so if you are looking for a trained dog it is an idea to check with your local centre. After a compatibility test and home check the dogs were ours - simple as that. 




Farley, the full black lab, was fully trained but turned down due to his sensitivity, this is great for my mum who is alone working during the day though, as he protects the house. He enjoys carrying toys and slippers around, and takes the post from the postman and delivers it to my mum personally without a mark in sight. He is absolutely gorgeous and loves cuddles on the beds!
May, is our golden lab retriever - she is very loving and just wants to play - which is one of the reasons she was rejected. Both dogs get on so well and we love them being around. May loves everyone, and would happily play with any dog or person she passed, and is always happy to see us when we visit my family home.

Labradors need a lot of walking time and attention but lucky for the dogs that the main reason my parents decided to get dogs again. There will be plenty of posts up including the dogs so I thought I would introduce you! You will soon meet my little birds too..

Do you have any pets?