I'm back

Well, here I am, back again after almost 3 months sabbatical. Thank you to a few of my friends, loyal followers of my blog who have told me that they had missed my catch ups.

So where have I been? you may ask. Well nowhere special, I just needed a break from blogging while I recharged my batteries and tried out some new creative pursuits. Hmm I probably should have blogged about that but I didn't seem to have the energy as I was dealing my High Priestess of Self Protection- (remember her from last year).  She has been visiting regularly and sitting on shoulder giving unwelcome direction..I have asked her to take a back seat for a while and so here I am.

My main focus of the last six months has been a Memoir and Non-Fiction writing course conducted through the publishers Allen and Unwin. It has been a fantastic experience and enormously rewarding.

Our teacher, Patti Miller of Life Stories has skillfully guided our small group to have a deeper appreciation and understanding of how to write well and to publish a memoir / non-fiction book. Our group of nine has grown close as we have had to regularly share our writing and give each other feedback. I have been thrilled to find that my writing has improved immensely and I plan to share some of my stories with you over the next little while.

I also developed my baking skills while doing this class. "What baking for a writing class?" some of you may cry. Well yes. It started out as a brazen attempt to bribe my class mates into giving me good feedback on my writing and soon transformed into a weekly kitchen meditation as I searched out and tried new recipes. Nothing like an appreciative audience to transform me from hopeless cake maker into a culinary angel.

Two of the group are gluten free so I have expanded my repertoire of flourless cakes exponentially over the last six months. I am pretty sure that I have also expanded my waistline through our weekly indulgence in sugar and spice.

So here is tomorrow's creation. It is Donna Hay's Lemon Ricotta and Almond Cake from her Winter 2013 magazine along with several other delicious flourless beauties. Her recipe is for small cakes but I made one large one and it looks divine.

Lemon, Ricotta and Almond Cake

120g unsalted butter, softened

275g cups caster sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup grated lemon rind

4 eggs, separated

240g almond meal

300g ricotta cheese

60g sliced almonds

icing sugar, for garnish

Directions: Preheat oven to 160 degrees C. Grease a cake pan. Place butter, sugar, vanilla extract and lemon rind into a large mixing bowl. With electric mixer beat until mixture is light and fluffy, about 8 minutes. Add the four egg yolks and mix for about 2 minutes until completely combined. In another bowl, with clean beaters, beat 4 egg whites until they have reached stiff peaks.  Add the almond flour, fold until combined.

Add egg whites & ricotta and continue to fold batter until all ingredients have come together. Pour into pan and layer with almond flakes in a pattern. Cook for 45 to 50 minutes or until the cake is firm to the touch and when a skewer comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely in pan. Once cooled remove and sprinkle icing sugar.

Recipe adapted from Donna Hay Magazine July 2013