Lisa Faulkner Bakes It Better for Great Ormond Street Hospital with this Coconut Polenta Cake

Lisa Faulkner Bakes It Better for Great Ormond Street Hospital with this Coconut Polenta Cake

by | May 3, 2017 | Celebrity, Featured, GloKitchen

Bake it Better Week: 22-28 May 2017

GloTime.tv are proud supporters of GOSH

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Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. Registered charity no. 1160024

RISE TO THE CHALLENGE AND HELP ‘BAKE IT BETTER’ FOR

GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL CHILDREN’S CHARITY

*Charity calls on the nation to “Get Your Bake On” and raise vital funds for GOSH*

Bake it Better in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity is back this summer and the charity is encouraging amateur bakers to cook up some vital cash by hosting a bake sale between 22-28 May. Whether you’re a complete kitchen novice or a star baker in the making, every penny raised will make a huge difference to seriously ill children from across the UK who are cared for at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH).

The leading children’s charity is challenging budding bakers to create tempting treats to sell at home, in the office, at school or in their community, all to raise vital money for GOSH. To kick-start Bake it Better week, the charity has put together a free fundraising kit for every host which is jam-packed full of bunting, cake toppers, posters, celebrity and patient recipes, baking themed games, stickers and top tips to ensure every bake sale is a sweet success.

Money raised will help Great Ormond Street Hospital to provide world-class care for young patients and their families. It could fund pioneering medical research, state-of-the-art medical equipment, support services for patients and their families which includes parent accommodation so mums and dads can stay close by, and help the rebuilding and refurbishment of the hospital.

Laura Savory, Head of Community Fundraising at Great Ormond Street Children’s Charity, says: “Whether you’re a whizz in the kitchen or just starting out, you’ll be part of a team of bakers who are joining in the fun and raising money to improve the lives of seriously ill children cared for at GOSH at the same time. Every bake sale, no matter how big or how small, will help us make a real difference to GOSH’s young patients from right across the UK, and help us support their families too. So please roll up your sleeves, get your bake on and sign up!”

Lisa Faulkner, Actress and Celebrity Chef gives you this wonderful recipe, all in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital, a moist Coconut Polenta Cake with Honey Syrup and Berries.

I made this cake up one spring day when I was meant to be writing this book. I always find the beginning of the writing process pretty hard and will find anything to do except sit at my laptop! I wanted to make a cake that could be served warm as a pudding as those are my favourite. This one also happens to be gluten free, though that wasn’t my intention when I made it. The cake is delicious and moist and the honey syrup with the berries really works. I have made this again and again for friends and family and, without fail, everyone loves it.

Serves 8-10

140g coconut oil

120ml maple syrup

4 medium eggs

200g ground almonds

100g polenta

2 tsp baking powder

Grated zest and juice of one lemon

2 tbsp milk (I use coconut)

125g runny honey

 

Few drops of orange blossom water (optional)

400g raspberries and blueberries

Crème fraiche or natural yoghurt, to serve (optional)

Method:

Heat the oven to 180C/gas 4. Grease and line a 23cm cake tin with baking parchment.

In a stand mixer or with an electric hand whisk, beat together the coconut oil and maple syrup, then whisk in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the almonds, polenta, baking powder, lemon zest and juice and the milk and pour into the prepared tin. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

When the cake has just come out of the oven, heat the honey and 60ml water in a pan until warmed through and just starting to simmer, then add a few drops of orange blossom water, if using. Skewer the cake so there are lots of holes in it, then pour the honey syrup all over it. Leave to cool in the tin.

Remove from the tin, top with the berries and a good dollop of creme fraiche or natural yoghurt if using, and serve.

Our thanks to Lisa and Great Ormond Street Hospital for this recipe

For more information, and to sign up and request a Bake it Better fundraising kit, visit http://www.bakeitbetter.org/

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Better Late Than Never – But The Early Bird Gets The Catch

Better Late Than Never – But The Early Bird Gets The Catch

by | May 1, 2017 | Featured, GloWellness

How late is ‘fashionably late’ – the concept has always baffled me as someone who is always ‘unfashionably early’ for every meeting whether it be in the Boardroom at a school parents evening or even meeting up with a friend for coffee.

So who are these time fashionistas, and what is their mind set? Do they believe that to make a carefully planned late entrance like a Diva will give them kudos, are they so insecure that they feel lonely as the first to arrive, or are they so narcissistic they are only involved with their own agenda.

A working colleague told me he felt more in control when arriving late, as he walked into an atmosphere already charged with energy – and felt that any meeting had already been set up – affording him the buzz to take it to the next stage. He also said that it burnt calories being a bit of a fitness fanatic, as the exercise in hurrying to the meeting was a great workout! But I am still not encouraged to change the habit of a lifetime as feel the stress factor associated to lateness I could do without.

I was amazed to learn recently however, that the cool, former bad girl of Hollywood, Angelina Jolie always arrives early to every meeting, to prepare for what is ahead. This is how I have always operated, choosing to ignore the sarcasm from other colleagues who comment on my constant early bird status and try to diminish my dedication to the event.

The concept of timekeeping has even been written into songs and storylines.   In the old Sinatra song ‘The Lady is a Tramp’ talks about a very cool lady who breaks all the rules but when it comes to theatre she ‘never comes late’. So punctuality isn’t always associated to the ordinary.

I remember a particularly unpleasant colleague of my ex-husband who told him that he loved to see the panic on the face of women he was dating when he turned up at least half an hour late. He came unstuck when one of his Tinder dates left before he arrived, and refused to see him after that.   His plan had backfired as it was a second date of someone he really liked, but she obviously wouldn’t wear it the second time around.

Perhaps I am an old fashioned stickler for time keeping but the terminology ‘better late than never’ has never resonated with me, as when someone is late you can forgive them the first time if the excuse is really good, a sick relative, a bad traffic jam or accident on the Motorway, but when it occurs a second or third time I start to question their commitment to the meeting, whether it be social or professional.

You may accuse me of being ‘Timeist’ – perhaps we have invented a new word, but it is relevant to so many people and situations, and I feel that it has its place and should be regarded as such, after all where would we be without boundaries of time keeping whether it be mealtime, bedtime or party time.   I rest my case!

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