sweet tooth

I do have a sweet tooth. It used to be a lot worse. For a while I would have a slice of chocolate cake for breakfast in the school holidays, meticulously sliding my fork through the icing, horizontally and then vertically like a garden rake through grass. I'm rather disappointed that as I grow older my tastes are yearning for savoury. Boo.

My mother is very talented in the kitchen. I have mentioned it before, and you will be hearing it again and again. I am very lucky to have had this all my life. She whipped up quite a few stunners for the family over Easter.

I like going home. Mostly for this reason.

Catherine's chocolate cake with plum and Earl Grey ice-cream

This is so scrummy. Something so rich and bitter sweet requires the tangy zingy freshness of the plum and Earl Grey ice-cream. The cake is perfect as a pudding, but it also holds its own as an accompaniment to an afternoon cup of tea. The chocolate cake recipe comes from 'Taste' by Sybil Kapoor. The ice-cream was found in the Telegraph Magazine. Word of warning. An ice-cream churner is advisable, otherwise you'll be taking it out of the freezer every half hour to fork it through. But once you've bought one....it's very very easy. I was a little bit indulgent and added a slurp of double cream. Aren't I smug!