Sometime last year on a day trip out, I think possibly Huntingdon way with my dad if my brain remembers correctly, I found in a little off licence these gorgeous almost glow in the dark green Crème de Menthe
flavoured cocktail cherries! I had never seen them before or since then on the high street but I have found on the internet at least for when these run out! Though I probably need to order several jars to make my delivery charge more palatable! However I have spotted some others in the range that look intriguing so isn't too much of a hardship!
I spent a long time since buying them deciding what on earth I was going to actually do with them, and whilst the finished result was delicious it didn't really show off the e numbered glow but I still have half a jar left so a little more experimentation to be done I think!
The cake came out perfectly with a delicate hint of mint and a soft crumb - I had got B to drop a wedge off to my mum on his way to work and not long after had a text back asking for the recipe! Even without the cherries its a great bake and I hope you enjoy it as much too! I adapted from a recipe in one of favourite books titled 'Baking' which is sadly no longer in print but my go to book!
Makes one loaf cake
You will need a 2lb loaf tin, lined
Ingredients:
2 eggs beaten
8 Crème de Menthe flavoured cocktail cherries, sliced
1 tbsp of the Crème de Menthe cherries liquid
50g plain chocolate, melted
Soft butter/ margarine
Pre-heat the oven to 180o/350f/ Gas 4
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs and cherry liquid, fold through the flour until combined. Separate the mixture into two bowls and add the cocoa powder, cherries and melted chocolate to one of the mixes and combine.
Using alternate spoons fill the lined tin with both mixtures and swirl lightly. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer comes away cleanly when inserted.
Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool fully.
.JPG)
Our golden rule is everything tastes better with custard but its also delicious without! The little pockets of chocolate mintyness makes for a delicious cake!
.JPG)
I've always thought of crème de menthe as a very strange and arcane substance. It was the drink of choice of ancient great aunts when I was very young. I always thought of it as some kind of magic potion. Perhaps it is. I'd never thought of that flavour in baking, though. It sounds an excellent notion.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of or seen these but they look fabulous! Great for Halloween too I reckon, surely they glow in the dark?! I'm glad it's not just me that buys things with the sole purpose of baking 'something' with them, but the difference between us is that you actually do it whereas the stuff I buy goes off before I can decide!
ReplyDeleteIt looks and sounds absolutely scrummy, Anne! Think it´ll be difficult to find creme de menthe cherries here in Spain though!!; )
ReplyDelete