Threads, Cushions and Yumminess

I bought some things that weren't in a charity shop!  They were cheap from Boyes, however.  They were just right for my living room and a bit Orla Keily

Cushions!

I did pop into a chazzer or three on the way home and bought a mixed bag of threads, which turned out to be rather lovely

 

 

 

I think some of these are quite old.  The tiny green twist at the bottom of the picture is small but gorgeous - a shimmering pure silk.

The morello cherry tree has started popping out its little red fruits now.  I collected lots and used a few in the cherry streusel cake below

 

Yummy.  Really, really yummy.  Even yummier warm with clotted cream icecream!

Now I don't usually like to show my face on my blog.  There are nicer things to look at.  However, I couldn't resist ending with this pic as I'm so proud of my little grandbabies, so please forgive me!

Star Date 30/07/11 - Additional:

I have been asked for the cake recipe so here goes.  It's actually adapted from the Apple Streusel Cake from Hummingbird Bakery's "Cake Days"  I've tried to make it as short as possible as I'm sure you know how to cream a sponge and "breadcrumb" flour and butter:

For the Sponge:
60g(2oz) butter
140g(5oz) plain flour
100g(3.5oz) demerara sugar
1 egg
Half tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp baking powder, pinch salt
80ml(3floz) milk
700g(1.5lb) cherries, before stoning

For the Streusel Topping
70g(2.5oz) plain flour
Half tsp ground cinnamon
40g(1.5oz) butter
70g(2.5oz) demerara sugar

Preheat oven 170 C (325 F, Gas 3). Grease and line 20cm(8") diameter springform cake tin.

1. "Breadcrumb" the streusel topping and leave to one side.
2. Cream butter and sugar, add other sponge ingredients as you would an ordinary cake.  Pour batter into cake tin.
3. Cover with cherries (Remember to stone them!!)
4. Sprinkle streusel mix over sponge and cherries, smoothing to an even layer.
5. Cook for 35-40 mins.  I did mine longer, about 50, because I wasn't sure if it was cooked in the middle - the cherries make some of the sponge quite moist.

Enjoy warm with cream, custard or icecream. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....