Jamie Oliver's Rocky Road (Kill)

To celebrate Food Revolution day (May 15th)* I thought I'd share with you a rather tasty recipe from one of my favourite chefs, Jamie Oliver. I'm a big fan of Britain's beloved 'Naked chef' and lately I've been giving cooking a bit of a 'go' using a few of his recipe books whilst I have some free time between jobs. I'd be keen to share my kitchen accomplishments, as and when they happen, as so far I'm really impressed.

But, first let me indulge you in something of the sweet variety... Jamie's Rocky Road (kill) is quick, easy and fun to make, no baking required and tastes delicious. My brother is allergic to eggs and nuts, so doesn't usually get the chance to sample my baking unless it is dairy and nut-free, and lets face it, not many recipes are! Rocky Road is a good option, as with the main ingredient being chocolate and the rest up to you, you can tailor make it so it is appropriate for everyone you're catering for. You could even add more fruit for a slightly healthier option, but who am I kidding, this recipe is pure indulgence and definitely NOT intended as an everyday snack!

I found this recipe at jamieoliver.com and worked to his methods but with my own choice of ingredients. To make this particular rocky road you'll need:

400g 70% Cocoa dark chocolate
100g Golden syrup
250g Butter
250g Digestive biscuits
3 Handfuls of large marshmallows, chopped
20g Dried raspberries
65g Fudge chunks
50g Coconut pieces

1. First, break up the chocolate into small chunks, then boil a saucepan of water and place a pyrex bowl over.
2. Melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup in the pyrex bowl.
3. Smash up the digestive biscuits into rough pieces, whatever your preference and add the rest of the ingredients to the melted chocolate and mix until the ingredients are covered.
4. Pour the mixture into a greased/lined baking tray, roughly 20 x 25, and smooth down with a palette knife or whatever you've got in your cutlery drawer(!!)
5. Clear a space in your fridge and leave the rocky road for two hours until cool.
6. After two hours, sprinkle icing sugar all over and cut into rectangular pieces.
7. Serve with fresh fruit and a cup of tea.

*Food Revolution day, founded by Jamie Oliver himself, is a global campaign to put compulsory food education on the curriculum. Go to foodrevolutionday.com NOW and sign the petition if you agree with everything Jamie's food revolution stands for.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe post, let me know what treats you love to make!

Kate x

Breakfast at Branksome Beach

★★★★

New to the area and in desperate need of a break from unpacking, my family and I celebrated my Mum's birthday with breakfast at one of our favourite coastal spots. Sparing you my family history, we've recently relocated to Bournemouth from Bristol in the hope to find happiness and an easier life by the sea. And we couldn't have asked for a better first day in our new home. The sun was shining on the golden sand and you could see blue skies for miles with a few fluffy white clouds overhead.

Our table reservation was for 10am as the restaurant opened, and being a Thursday, the family-friendly restaurant and terrace bar was quiet, albeit a group of young mums and their babies, an older couple and a party of ladies popping a bottle of champagne and exchanging gifts. The overall atmosphere was friendly and relaxed and it helped that everyone around us was having a good time too. Once we'd taken our seats, we were greeted by our server, who was absolutely lovely. She took our drinks order and we were left to peruse the breakfast menu.

During the week the restaurant offers the 'eggs your way' promotion - 2 for £10 and with this you have the option of either scrambled, fried, boiled or poached eggs with a cooked breakfast accompaniment of your choice. The restaurant charges standard restaurant prices, with no single item costing over £10. Having been to the restaurant before, I knew to order the Bircher muesli, which is some of the best I've had. Everybody else opted for cooked options as there was such a good variety to choose from.

We were served quickly and were all very content with our meals. The bircher muesli was, dare I say it 'moist' and incredibly light and just the right amount. The cooked breakfasts were a good size too and not an inch of grease in sight, which is always a risk you take when eating out for breakfast. Unless you like that of course!

With the cooked breakfasts, there was more than enough toast between the five of us, so we shared it amongst ourselves and asked for a few pots of marmalade. Why is restaurant toast always SO good? Toasters should be made with a setting to get the same texture and taste at home!!

For those who can't last ten minutes without checking their Instagram page like myself, the restaurant provides fast free wifi for their customers - which also meant that Mum could read her birthday messages on Facebook before our food was brought out. As well as breakfast, the beachside restaurant offers lunches, dinners and afternoon tea, so you can enjoy the spectacular scenery from dawn to dusk, though I kind of wish they opened a little earlier! As we were sat at our table, the chef was bringing out trays of gorgeous-looking freshly made cakes to display in the restaurant which caught my eye, so I'll definitely be back to sample those another time!

After breakfast, we had a stroll along the seafront, breathing in the fresh sea air and making the most of the beautiful weather. I'd highly recommend brunch at the Branksome Restaurant and Terrace Bar. If not for the fantastic sea views, then for the tasty breakfast menu. Make sure to book at weekends, especially on sunny days if you want either a window seat or an outside table. On a side note, parking is reasonable, but there is not much of it, so be prepared for that if you're visiting at the height of the summer season.

I hope you enjoyed this review and found it helpful. I'd love to know about any of your recommended Bournemouth breakfast spots worth trying, please comment below with your suggestions.

Kate x