h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

First the taketh away.

For the first time in more than 30 years I seem to have a job with something approaching normal hours. While the actual hours aren't exactly nine to five (mostly eight to four, with the occasional eight to six or eight to eight), it's fallen into a Monday to Friday pattern with Saturday and Sunday off.

I don't care for it. I like having days off during the week and working weekends. I'd much rather go to the supermarket on a Wednesday morning rather than Saturday or Sunday. It's too normal. I'm not normal. As well as that, most of my friends don't have a Monday to Friday schedule so meeting up with them and going out for a drink in the middle of the week is going to be a lot harder because getting at 8am means getting up at 5.45am

And the giveth.

A week or two back I mentioned that I'd reduced three bottles of cider down to a syrup just for the hell of it and had no idea what to do with it, then by chance found a recipe that includes a reduction of cider.

It's happened again

This morning I was clearing out the stuff on the shelves in the fridge door. I found a few things I'd completely forgotten about, including half a jar of ginger syrup, left over from when I made preserved ginger, and half a jar of lemon syrup left over from... who knows. I know I'm not going to throw out the ginger syrup, just because it's too , but I was on the brink of tossing the lemon syrup because I had no idea what I might use it for, but then my strong hoarding instinct made me put it back. And it's just as well I did, because while looking for a recipe for something else just now, I came across this http://mariadernikos.com/2015/04/07/ravani%CF%81%CE%B1%CE%B2%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%AF/

I'm not sure that link's going to work because the person whose blog it is has decided to include Greek characters in the url Just in case it doesn't, here's the gist:

"What better recipe to show this than Ravani – the lightest of sponge cake, laced with a light sweet syrup with a hint of lemon. The coconut works so well with this recipe as it adds a wonderful texture to the sponge and goes beautifully with the lightly flavoured citrus syrup."

Lightly flavoured citrus syrup is exactly what I was about to consign to the plughole not more than an hour ago. Result

Ravani/?aßa??

Ingredients

6 eggs separated (large)
140g caster sugar
50g desiccated coconut
70g plain flour
140g fine semolina

For the syrup
300g caster sugar
300 g water
1 unwaxed lemon cut in half.

Decoration
1 tbs desiccated coconut

Method

Turn the oven to 170C/325F/Gas Mark 3

Grease and flour a 22 cm cake tin.

Beat the egg yolks with 100gms (not all) of the caster sugar until thick, creamy and very pale. In a clean bowl, beat the egg whites with the remaining 40g of caster sugar until stiff.

In a bowl mix together the flour, semolina and desiccated coconut.

Add one third of the egg whites to the egg yolks and fold in gently. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the egg mixture and combine. Fold in the rest of the egg whites.

Turn mixture into a 22cm cake tin.

Place in the oven and leave for 20-25 minutes. Test with a knife after 20 minutes to see if it is cooked (knife will come out clean if cooked). If not, leave for a further 5 mins and test again.

When cooked remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.

To make the syrup.

Add to a saucepan 300ml water and 300g caster sugar. Add the whole lemon, cut in two. Bring to a boil. The syrup should then be allowed to boil for exactly 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

The cake should be cool when the hot syrup is added. Pour over the cake which is still in its tin. Cover with cling film well, and turn the tin upside allowing the syrup to distribute. After a few minutes flip the tin over – this helps to stop the syrup from collecting at the sides and bottom of the tin. This can be repeated a couple of times until the syrup has cooled. Unwrap and sprinkle a tablespoon of desiccated coconut over the top.

So that's what I'm going to be making today

i don't care, how far it is... I'm coming over!

Oh blimey, visitors

*Gets the hoover out*

Almighty Bob is indeed beneficent, bountiful and unsparing in His generosity

http://www.vintagerecipes.net/books/whitehouse/canned_boiled_cider.php (also discovered quite by chance).

Don't panic! I got distracted by a bath.... then I realised.... actually... your some way away... and I can't bareluy make it to the end of the road at the moment without collapsing! y your cake is safe! damnit!

Oh dear, how sad, never mind

Its keeping me from the pub! wich... is probalby no bad thing, for a little while at least! - some days I get further.... - I've a mission to get to the center of town tomorrow, need more bonkers handmade stuf for the bath! and a good walk every now and the.... is good to clear cobwebs and useually makes me feel better, by quite some way... if utter knackered for soemthing so silly as just what I consider walking no distance I'll be back to normal soon. err. or not of course... I do't think I've ever really done normal

Normal? You had me worried there for a moment

I've gone so paddington bear recently; words mean what I want them too! partially this is perhaps still the side affects of the stroke/hemorridge I had end of Jan... - I still fail to get the right word soemtimes.... then evoke long winded expliations all entirely eronious, as to why the odd phrase, or word I've plucked seemingly at random, means exactly what I ment to mean, even if... there is no association whatsoever - always gets a giggle.... as I randomly lap sideways and lobsterclawswards, round the block, failing to get the precise meaning of a word I was after... like a fish missing teh hook each time... or a DJ poised at the salon, ready to mix their salad... up... or ... oops... done it again

Cool old Guy signing in
"Well I was here all the time

Shall update the inform button , only has links in Pliny, not good enough for conversation.

The lemon syrup of unknown date would have some stray yeast requiring another antibiotic cure.

(Great some ancient new age music Ashra Temple perhaps)

Happy Ravani sponge with lemon coconut topping. "

Good grief, a by any other name

So you think my aged lemon syrup might have the power to cure the common cold?

By the way, nice to see you back, or or...

Cool old Guy publically a sock puppet luring Researchers to his PS
"Well apparently the treatment 2legs gets defects the immume system, anything can go wrong. Lucky he missed the . "