Pumpkin Brownies

I love brownies. Indulgent triple chocolate brownies are my favourite thing to bake. In my opinion, nothing beats a freshly baked brownie, warm out of the oven, deliciously gooey, chocolate chips melting in the middle. So when I've seen recipes for brownies made with vegetables, from sweet potato to beetroot, I've always been intrigued at how they'd compare to my trusty chocolate brownie. With bags of pumpkin still left in my freezer, I decided to experiment with my favourite bake and try out some pumpkin brownies! Infused with cinnamon and nutmeg, these are brownies with a festive makeover!

I'm Going on an Adventure

For a while now I've had a bit of a secret that I've been desperate to share, but I've been biding my time whilst I've got my head around it. However, I've decided that I can now finally tell you my exciting news! Drum roll please....

Pumpkin Soup

Another pumpkin post! Just to warn you, there will probably be a lot of these...

Pumpkin Pie

Autumn is a time for all things pumpkin. Except for the pumpkin risotto I ate at Prezzo a couple of weeks ago, my experience of eating and baking with pumpkin doesn't extend that far. Halloween seemed to fly past this year, so much so that I didn't even have time to carve my white pumpkin (who else is loving these ghostly pumpkins? I think I may even prefer them to the standard orange ones!). So rather than wasting this beastie, I decided to try some pumpkin bakes for the first time. First up, of course it had to be pumpkin pie!

Candle Jar Makeover

 

Candles that already come in glass jars are a pretty addition to any room, but once the candle burns out I am always left with a not-so-pretty, waxy, smoke-stained jar that no longer serves any purpose. I am then faced with the dilemma: do I keep said messy jar, or do I toss it in the bin? Most of the time, my recycling habits kick in just as I think of throwing it out, and I end up left with numerous waxy glass jars stored away with no idea what to do with them.

Rainy Day Date

After a delicious and filling brunch at Joe's Kitchen (read the post here), Reiss and I headed out into the rain for our adventure-filled day at ZSL London Zoo! We didn't let the rain dampen our spirits though, as a rainy Monday meant an empty zoo, leaving us free to roam around without the queues. Although a lot of enclosures in the zoo are currently under reconstruction for 2016, including the lion exhibit, there's still plenty to see, from slow lorises and aye-ayes to adorable baby gorillas!

Spooky Gingerbread Biscuits

Happy Halloween! Okay okay, so I may be a day late, but hey, I've got my excuses! I didn't even have time to carve a pumpkin and my fancy dress was below par. My Halloween game was just not on point this year. I do apologise. Will some spooky gingerbread biscuits make it up to you? Maybe? Well here you go then...

Halloween Pinspiration

It's that time of year again! Time for scary films, scary food and scary costumes. And another Halloween Pinspiration (check out last year's post here)! Unlike the previous three years, I haven't really got any plans for this Halloween, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a Halloween party! It always helps to have a bit of inspiration, so of course I turned to Pinterest to round up a few Halloweeny ideas. If all else fails, I can always just dress up anyway and sit on the sofa watching scary films eating Halloween-themed baked goods on my own. #RAVE

Masala Chai Apple Cake

Last month, as part of my Pinspiration series, I created an Autumn Baking post listing all types of yummy autumn bakes I've been drooling over on Pinterest. I was immediately drawn to this masala chai apple cake, mainly due to the presence of "chai" in the title. In my mind, chai equals chai latte. I love chai latte. Chai in cake form with a subtle presence of apple? I'm sold.

Fun fact, I decided to make this cake right after hot yoga. I literally walked out of the studio and straight into the supermarket for ingredients. Because you always deserve a treat post-exercise, right?

Joe's Kitchen, Borough

I have to be honest, breakfast isn't my favourite meal of the day. Simply, I don't like mornings. I have never been, and probably never will be, a morning person. With my job and tactfully-booked morning yoga sessions, I am gradually getting used to waking up earlier, but I still don't leave enough time to really savour my morning meal. I usually just go for a quick bowl of cereal or a couple of slices of toast, or, if I'm feeling adventurous, some porridge. As a result, I can't handle too much food early in the morning, so any morning feasts are out of the question. But brunch? Well, I'm all over that.

Chocolate, Raspberry and Meringue Cake

What's that? Another birthday cake? Well, if you insist...

Lemon, Elderflower and Mascarpone Cake

My blog's had a make-over! What do you think of Doodles and Daydreams new look? Personally I love it. It's a lot cleaner and hopefully more professional, plus I've organised my posts into different categories so it will be easier to navigate. I've still got some changes to make but we're getting there!

So it's officially autumn. With the pretty poor summer we had this year, I'm not really sure how I feel about the fact that any chance of hot sunny weather has pretty much disappeared now. I'm still yet to get into the autumn frame of mind, so here's a nice summery bake for you!

Autumn Baking Pinspiration

Brrrr, it's getting chilly, isn't it!? I don't think I'm quite prepared for this cold weather yet, but I'm trying to ease myself into Autumn by remembering all the things I love about it. At number one? Autumn flavours. I just love all the spices around this time of year, be it in food, drink or candle form. Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger... mmmm just dreamy! Forget pumpkin spiced latte (although to be fair I haven't actually tried one yet), I'm all about that chai tea latte (if you haven't had it before, go and get one now. Right now. I promise you won't regret it). All this daydreaming about delicious flavours has got me thinking about Autumn baking. To Pinterest!

September Goals

I always think of September as like a second chance at new years.

Chocolate and Honeycomb Checkerboard Cake

Happy September! How did that happen? I swear it just turned July the other day. With September comes a rush of birthdays, so expect a lot of birthday cake posts over the next few weeks! First up, Reiss' birthday! As explained in last year's Birthday Banoffee Cake post, he's not a huge fan of the standard (and my go to) chocolate cake, so I'm always looking for inspiration for something a little bit different.

London Cat Village, Shoreditch

I love exploring different places in London, and with so many new shops and restaurants constantly popping up all over the place, you're really spoilt for choice! However, sometimes you just don't know where to begin, and smaller, yet still special, places are often overlooked in favour of those more well-known. So for a quick and easy way to discover unique, quirky events and places, I recently downloaded the app YPlan. With hundreds of events all categorised into different groups, from events happening today and at the weekend, to date nights and music festivals, YPlan has it all covered. Simply sign up, find your perfect event and book your tickets! It's as simple as that. You can even save a bit of money with some discounts exclusive to YPlan. It's definitely one of my new favourite apps!

Primark and New Look Haul

Unfortunately, my plans to go on holiday this year have been dashed... boo hoo :( So, what do you do with all that saved up holiday money? Go clothes shopping, of course! There's always a silver lining!

Bed Sheet Dresses Are The Way Forward

Naughty naughty Beth, abandoning her blog for 2 weeks...

Trebah Garden, Cornwall

Summer is a season full of beautiful things: BBQs, sunshine (admittedly a little sporadic in England), and flowers. One of my favourite things to do on a sunny summer day is go for a long walk, particularly around a gorgeous garden in full bloom - so quintessentially English! Trebah Garden has been on my "to visit" list for a while, so on a warm sunny day, my sister and I decided to explore the sub-tropic garden. From a private beach to an ampitheatre, Trebah Garden is truly special. So if you love winding pathways, hidden gems, and flowers galore, you've come to the right place!

Summer Sale Wishlist

Ahh summer sales... as soon as I have a bit more money in my pocket, I'm coming for ya! Until then, it doesn't hurt to do a bit of window shopping, right?

Graduation

After three years in Cornwall at University of Exeter, last week marked the end of my time at university with my graduation! It was a rollercoaster of emotions kind of day, from stress and nerves to overwhelming relief and inspiration, all of which ended in a slightly teary Beth (forget about falling over on stage, how about crying on stage?!), but it was a day to remember and a perfect way to commemorate the end of my degree with friends and family.

Porthchapel Beach, Cornwall

I've always believed that some of the most special beaches are the hidden ones. You know, the tucked away beaches where you have to get your rock-climbing, adventurous mind in set and clamber down a cliff to get to. So when we wondered upon this beachy oasis of Porthchapel Beach on a coastal walk from Porthcurno (see the post here), of course we couldn't resist having a closer look!

Summer Baking Pinspiration

Now I have all this time on my hands (there are only so many job applications you can fill out before you begin to lose the will), I'm getting the baking cravings! For me, summer baking is all about light flavours with fresh fruit and berries, even better if they're hand picked! Time to turn to Pinterest for some delicious inspiration...

Gylly Beach Cafe, Falmouth

I may be back in Surrey but I still have plenty of Cornish gems for you all! If you're a regular reader, you may have seen the above photo appear a few times on my blog as well as my Instagram, so I decided it was high time to fill you in on where you can find these delicious hot chocolates with a view!

Halwyn's Tea Garden, Cornwall

It's no secret that I love tea, I love cake and I love the outdoors. Combine all three together and what do you have? My version of heaven!

Graduation Ball

Following the end of my degree, my university held the annual extravagant graduation ball. Castles, sea views, fireworks, it was a party to remember!

Porthcurno, Cornwall

 

Almost every time I visit a new beach in Cornwall for the first time I gasp in awe and proclaim that it's my new favourite beach. The wonderful thing about Cornwall is that it never fails to provide that sense of wonder whenever I explore it. However, the other week Cornwall really outdid itself with beautiful weather and beautiful scenery, and once more I found myself a new favourite beach, although it's probably going to be a hard one to beat. Let me introduce to you my new slice of paradise: Porthcurno.

Malteser Tiffin

Sometimes you need a naughty homemade chocolatey treat that's quick to whip up and requires next to no effort to make. For those moments, I introduce you to tiffin. Essentially a fridge cake combining chocolate and biscuits, it requires no baking, just chopping, crushing, melting and mixing. Even the most inexperienced baking novice will find this a breeze! I followed this recipe for malteser tiffin, which has been my go to recipe for tiffin ever since I first made it during my first year of university; two years later and I'm still loving it!

12 Strange Things That Will Probably Happen At University

Last month I wrote a post called "10 Things You'll Learn at University". One extra thing to add onto that list is that university is an odd place. For most people, it's the first time you've moved away from home and had to fend for yourself. As a result, it's inevitable that you will encounter some strange things.

Cribbs, Falmouth

Last week I finally received my results from university and I am so happy to say I've achieved a 2:1 degree and even happier (and slightly shocked) to say I got a first in my dissertation! It's an amazing feeling to know all that hard work has paid off and to see what you're able to achieve when you put your mind to it. With my brother and sister travelling down to visit me that day, of course we had to go out and celebrate with a fancy meal and a couple of cocktails!

Kynance Cove, Cornwall

I have always had a fascination with fog, watching in wonder as everything is shrouded with a translucent blanket. Familiar places are transformed into new mysterious environments, with only faint outlines of odd shapes visible in the distance. Kynance Cove in Cornwall is often pictured in glorious sunshine beating down on the near-white sand and crystal clear turquoise waters. So when we decided to visit the much talked about landmark the other day whilst a huge curtain of fog hid most of the Cornish coast, the view was a little bit different. However, there are some places that are truly magical no matter what the weather, and Kynance Cove is undoubtedly one of them.

Frozen Summer Fruits Smoothie

Smoothies are a super quick and easy way to fill you up and get your daily dose of fruit! And not only are they packed full of healthy vitamins, they're delicious too! This summer fruits smoothie with banana, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackcurrents and redcurrents is perfect for those hot sunny days; sweet, fruity and refreshing!

Harbour Lights, Falmouth

Every seaside town has an abundance of fish and chip shops, and everyone will have their personal favourites. In Cornwall, it's no different. With Rick Stein's fish and chips gradually taking over Cornwall (Padstow is even nicknamed 'Padstein' - go visit and you'll understand why!), the fish and chip industry is as fierce a competition as the pasty industry. However, in Falmouth there's only one winner for me: Harbour Lights! I'm not actually a huge fan of fish and chips, or fish in general for that matter. However, with Harbour Lights' menu going beyond just the classic cod (although of course they have that too), there's something for everyone here!

Butternut Squash and Chilli Soup

It's no secret that I absolutely love baking, and I would go as far to say I'm not too bad at it either! Unfortunately, the same can't be said for cooking. Whilst I love to experiment with my baking and add different ingredients here and there to see what works and what doesn't (hopefully the former!), if I even think about getting ambitious with my cooking and straying beyond my trusty jars of pre-made sauces, you know there will be a bordering-on-inedible mess on your hands. However, I can't live off tuna pasta or any other pasta-based dish forever, so I think it's high time I got a hang of this homemade cooking thing!

Top 10 Things to do in Cornwall

The summer season is upon us, and that means holidays! Cornwall is an English hotspot for holiday goers, and after living in Cornwall for 3 years, I have compiled a list of what I personally believe everyone should do if they ever find themselves in Cornwall!

The Old Grammar School, Truro

Sunny weather means al fresco dining! Is this hot and sunny weather making anyone else crave a holiday abroad? Al fresco dining isn't that common in England aside from the typical pub garden (thanks a lot, rain), so I was all over the opportunity to have lunch in the open air! Tucked away down a narrow side street in Truro, The Old Grammar School is the perfect little spot for a relaxed lunch with a huge variety of exciting and unique homemade food. I visited The Old Grammar School last year for a friend's birthday where we were served an enormous delicious tapas meal, so I was looking forward to trying out their lunch menu!

Sushi Samba, London

In my opinion, a good bar or restaurant is not just about the food and drinks on offer, but the experience. Sushi Samba is definitely an experience! Located in the Heron Tower in central London, Sushi Samba is sleek, classy and unique, offering a blend of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine. But it's not just the food that makes this place stand out. To reach the restaurant you must first step into a glass elevator and whizz up the side of the building like something out of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, watching London gradually disappear beneath you until you reach the 37th floor. Up here you are transported into a different world filled with the warm reds, oranges and golds of the oriental decor, a stark contrast to the grey of the streets below. We settled ourselves down on top of a couple of stalls next to a beautiful orange leaf covered wall underneath an abundance of crystal chandaliers, and gazed out at the incredible view in front of us.

Golden Syrup Flapjacks

Another golden syrup recipe for you all! I've been doing quite well with my food recently! And I have to say, the aromas filling my flat right now after just baking these flapjacks are to die for... buttery, caramelly, sugary goodness!

Dolly's Tea Room and Wine Bar, Falmouth

If I had to choose my favourite place in Falmouth to have little bite to eat and a cup of tea to sip there's clearly only one winner: Dolly's Tea Room and Wine Bar! Ever since I first set foot in Dolly's in my first year at university, I have been back again and again, so I thought it was high time I wrote a post about just why it's my favourite.

Banana and Golden Syrup Muffins

What do you do when you have a load of eggs that need using up and some overly ripe bananas? Make some banana muffins of course!

The Baking Bird, Truro

Would you look at that... a cupcake lover's paradise! If you ever find yourself in Truro and craving an indulgent sweet treat, there's really only one place to go: The Baking Bird!

10 Things You'll Learn at University

So now I've finished my degree I feel like I should share my university wisdom with you all like some wise old university guru. Going to university is definitely a life changing decision, and odds are you'll come out the end of it a slightly different, hopefully better and more mature (there's still time...) person than that little fresher tentatively moving into a big strange place all those years ago. So whether you're planning on starting uni this September and are curious to see what's ahead, are already at uni and need some reassurance, or are finishing uni and would like to know you're not alone, here are my top 10 things that you'll learn at university (alongside all that education stuff of course):

I did it!

So here we are! After months of hard work I have finally finished my dissertation, which marks the end of my English degree! Crazy, right?

10 things I'm looking forward to about summer

Woopsy I'm meant to be doing work, how did I end up on here? Procrastination yay!

After days of lovely sunny weather, all of which I couldn't really fully enjoy because of being stuck inside with my dissertation woes, my mind's been wandering forward to summer. And now the sunny weather is getting a bit more cloudy, I'm even more desperate for the summer heat and sun to arrive (fingers and toes crossed that pesky rain stays away)! Here are 10 things I'm looking forward to about summer....

Easter Cake Pops (with cake pop maker!)

In my Easter Pinspiration post I mentioned how I got a cake pop maker for Christmas which I was intrigued to try out, so for Easter Sunday I decided to make some cute Easter cake pops!

Easter Baking Pinspiration

Easter Sunday is just a couple of days away, so I've been looking for some inspiration on Pinterest for some special Easter bakes! Cue lots of cute, animal-themed cakes....

Spring Home Wishlist

It's finally spring - yay! If only the spring sun would make an appearance... When I think of spring I think of daffodils, bumble bees, lambs. Fresh, bright colours and happy, new beginnings. So I've tried to capture all that in my spring home wishlist, focusing of clean, neutral colours with interjections of vivid yellows, and of course lots of flowers!

The Eden Project, Cornwall

Aside from the amazing coastal scenery of breath-taking beaches and cliffs, the Eden Project is one of Cornwall's most famous and recognizable landmarks. It's been on my Cornish "to visit" list for years since I started university, so on a sunny Spring day, we finally paid it a visit!

Good Vibes Cafe, Falmouth

With a reputation of being the "best cafe in Falmouth", I had high expectations from Good Vibes Cafe, and although two previous failed attempts of visiting due to no tables being available were a bit frustrating, they proved it's popularity! So after finally managing to get a table, I was excited to see what everyone was raving about!

Pinnock's Coffee House, Ripley

I absolutely love tea and cake, so as another treat for my 21st birthday back in December, my mum, sister and I went for a ladies afternoon tea at Pinnock's Coffee House in a little Surrey village called Ripley. We had heard good things about Pinnock's in the past, so were excited to see what all the fuss was about!

Early quarter-life crisis

I guess there are a lot of moments in people's lives where they have a bit of an identity crisis. I think I've hit mine.

Ark Sale

Ark's sales are always great for when you want a bit of a bargain, so back in January I decided to treat myself to a few things.

50 Shades of Grey Film Review

I was a bit unsure about whether to write this post or not as I don't usually write film reviews, but after reading and watching a lot of scathing reviews about 50 Shades of Grey which are ultimately affecting people's decisions on watching it (for example Lisa Wilkinson's review here), as well as people openly telling others not to watch it, I decided to add my thoughts into the mix. I will express that these are just my views, you may agree with me, you may not, but we are all entitled to our own opinion. There are some little spoilers ahead, but I'll give you warning before you read them!

Long Distance

Happy Valentine's day! I hope you all have a lovely day treating yourselves, be it with your significant other, friends, or by yourself. Go on, you deserve a little pampering!

Top 10 Valentine's Day Cards

The dreaded day is almost here... Valentine's day. DUN DUN DUHHHH! Just kidding, for the first time in ages my whole life I actually won't be spending Valentine's single this year! Yay me! But of course I'm at uni in Cornwall and he's at home in Surrey so I still won't get to experience the proper pampered Valentine's day excitement being showered with chocolates and flowers and cuddly bears (because that's definitely what happens on Valentines day, right?) Anyway, realistically I'm not the most romantic person in the world, and I'm not a huge fan of the lovey-dovey smushy tat that appears this time of year, but I do appreciate a nice card. So, if you're like me, here are my top 10 slightly toned down Valentine's day cards! Puns galore!

The Meat Counter, Falmouth

Mmmm burgers... Yes yes I'm well aware that the majority of my food reviews are about burgers but what can I say, I love a good burger!

Winter Pinspiration

Yep, I admit it, I'm a Pinterest addict. So what better way to put this addiction to good use than by sharing some pretty pictures with you lovely readers! Introducing my new 'Pinspiration' series! Every week (or so I'll try) I'll post a series of my favourite pins following a certain theme, or just what I'm liking that week. This week's theme: winter! Because it's so horrible and rainy and cold outside we might as well appreciate some of the good things about winter!

Picnic, Falmouth

Down in Falmouth we are absolutely spoilt for choice when it comes to good cafes and I'm making it my goal to visit each and every one of them (so far I'm doing a good job!). To take a well deserved break from university work, my flatmate and I decided to pop into Picnic for a warming drink and some yummy food.

Winter Beach Walks

I realised today that I hadn't been down to the beach this year, and okay, I've only been back at uni for less than 2 weeks, but living literally 5 minutes away from the beach makes this pretty unforgiveable. So on my way back from town I decided to take advantage of the rare bit of sun and had a little Winter wander and read on Gylly beach. Chilly but beautifully peaceful. 

Wright's Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia

I love freshly baked bread, but for some reason I never make it myself. So to slowly re-introduce myself back into the bread making business (and because I was feeling lazy), I decided to test out a pre-made bread mix.

10 things to do when you're feeling down

The January Blues. Almost everyone gets them. It's cold, wet, windy, the Christmas festivities are over, we're back to work... No wonder it's so easy to start feeling a bit down in the dumps. But don't worry, you can get yourself back up again! Here's my list of simple ways to help you beat the blues and put that smile back on your face!

Paris, Day Two

Day two of our little weekend away in Paris (you can see day one here)! After being my typical non-morning self, we got up a bit later than originally planned and headed downstairs for a large and varied buffet for breakfast, before setting off out for our day of Paris adventures! First stop: the top of the Eiffel Tower!

Paris, Day One

A couple of months ago I began a series of blog posts called Travel Bucket List, and number one on that list: Paris. I've wanted to visit Paris for as long as I can remember. Everything about it is just beautiful: the architecture; the culture; the lights. So when I found out Mr R had spent months secretly planning to whisk me off to Paris for my 21st birthday it was like a dream come true!

I'm thankful for...

Hiya! A bit of a thoughtful post for you today...