Chocolate And Caramac Roulade Recipe

I first made this delicious roulade years ago when I was in school. The Caramac adds a twist to the chocolate log recipe. If you do not wish to use Caramac you can use dark or milk chocolate or fill it with cream and cover it with chocolate buttercream instead.


Ingredients

Roulade
4 eggs
6oz caster sugar
2 oz cocoa sieved 

Filling
4 30g bars of Caramac or plain, milk or white chocolate
10 fl oz of whipping cream or alternative I used Elmlea double light

Topping
grated Caramac

Method

Set oven to 190C, Gas 5.
Grease and line a 8 by 12inch swiss roll tin. 
Separate the egg yolks and whites.
Whisk egg yolks with castor sugar until thick and mousse like. 
Fold in the sieved cocoa.
Whisk egg whites in a separate bowl until stiff then fold into the other mixture.
Spoon into the swiss roll tin, level out and bake for 20-25minutes on a middle shelf until well risen and spongy to touch.
Get a damp tea towel and turn out the roulade onto this. 
Cover with another damp tea towel and cool.
Whip the cream in a bowl until stiff.
Break up the Caramac into a bowl, and melt over a pan of hot water or in the microwave for between 1 to 2 minutes.
Stir in whipped cream.
Cool slightly then spread over half the cream mixture over the roulade
Roll up.
Cover with the remaining cream mixture.
Grate some Caramac over the top and then sieve some icing sugar over the roulade to look like snow.

Eat and enjoy!


pin for later






Link up your recipe of the week


Slumberdown Quilted Mattress Protector Review

I am a Slumberdown blogger and recently I was sent a Slumberdown mattress protector to review. Manufacturing high-quality pillows, duvets and mattress protectors since 1970, Slumberdown has been part of the British bedding industry for over 40 years so they are a name you can trust.



Mattress protectors are a great idea, as well as protecting the mattress from accidents that naturally happen with little kids, it can help keep the mattress new looking and spills from drinks and stains from food if you have a child that likes to eat in bed! 




If you are caring for elderly infirm relatives it can also give that added reassurance and protection.

What I liked about this mattress protector is that it is very quilted for added comfort. It is of obvious quality and I can imagine it would last until your children are older and out of that 'accident' stage. They say mattress protectors prolong the life of the mattress too so this is a bonus, keeping the mattress clean and aired. 



My son is now a teenager and he doesn't really need a mattress protector on his bed but we tried it out. He said the mattress felt more quilted and comfy than before. It does make a slight rustle sound with the protective backing but nothing that you would notice unless you were looking out for it.


The kid's waterproof mattress protector is available from good stockists including Tesco, and is very reasonably priced at a little over £10. Of course, it is easily washable too at 40 degrees and with it's polycotton cover any wetness stays away from the skin.


You can follow Slumberdown on Twitter and Facebook too, if you need to ask them any questions, they have a great customer service team.


What do you think of the mattress protector? Would you have use for one?


*I was sent this item for an honest review.

It's a Close Shave!

English: A shaving brush, for use with traditi...
A shaving brush, for use with traditional shaving soap to build foam and lather, then to apply directly to face. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Close Shave Society is a great concept. A regular subscription service for the best razors as a fraction of the price of some of the well-known brands. Run by Dane and Zach they offer a well priced, convenient method of getting razors to your door. I interviewed them to find out more about their company and their top tips for the best shave.

Do you have any tips for preparing the skin before shaving? 

Our top tip would be to either shave during or after the shower – the steam will prepare your skin and facial hair for the close shave you deserve!

What do you recommend to use to shave - traditional soap, cream, gel, or oil?
Zach, from Close Shave Society comments: ‘Personally, I like the cushioning effect shaving creams offer – my Houdini razor blades gently glide over my skin without any annoying nicks.”

Dane, from Close Shave Society prefers shaving soaps: ‘It has to be shaving soaps, I’ve perfected my lathering technique giving me the perfect the cushion when shaving!’

Any useful tips to avoid irritation?

Shaving can remove up to two layers of skin, so it comes as no surprise that after shaving is when the skin is most vulnerable. We would recommend that after shaving you rinse the face with warm water and use a facial wash, rinse with cool water and pat dry with a clean towel (no rubbing! Just a gentle pat; love your skin).

What would you recommend to apply after a shave?

An after shave balm or moisturiser is an ideal way to replace lost moisture and soothe the skin – and come on, use one made just for guys (no stealing your girlfriends, sisters or mums!) not only because you’re a man, but these formulas are designed to absorb quickly and not be too greasy - your beautiful face deserves it!

How often should blades be replaced?

Blades should be replaced every 3-5 shaves, at Close Shave Society we send 4 razors on a monthly or bi-monthly basis – with our beautifully German engineered blades your face will never feel the wrath of a dull razor again!

What's unique about your company?





At Close Shave Society we offer the high quality of the big boys and the low prices of the bargain buckets. How? By stripping off all the unnecessary cost components driving up the prices of razors sold by the big brands today. We also send our razors directly to you, all you need to do is choose a blade, choose a plan, and watch the fresh razors rolling on in keeping your face perfectly smooth! Our annual subscriptions are a great Christmas present for loved ones giving them no excuse to ever not be silky smooth! Perfect!


What I like about this company is that us ladies aren't left out either, as we have our own subscription service. I will certainly be looking at this as a gift idea this year.

The Close Shave society also sent me some razors to try. The ladies packaging is in pink with the blue razors and the men's is black. Perfect for shaving my legs I found the razors sharp and the detachable heads easy to use.   




What do you think about this concept? Would you try it out or give it as a gift? Let me know!

La Jewellery Giveaway - Ends 31/12

I think you all know I LOVE my jewellery by now! I also like to support British businesses as I feel it is important to the economy.



Well, I have a lovely prize today to give away on my blog, a beautiful necklace by La Jewellery.

Designed by Lisa Anne and inspired by her love of Wales, she also takes inspiration from the environment, the changing moods of the landscape and mountains. She sources her materials locally and aims to leave a 'lighter footprint' on the environment by using recycled materials and packaging where possible.

All the jewellery is made in a small studio from traditional techniques and made with love the 'old fashioned way'. The jewellery has a hand-crafted look and is designed to be just that bit different without being too quirky. You can see Lisa below in here workshop creating her unique pieces.




Today I have this beautiful necklace to give away. A delicate heart necklace this is a perfect gift for someone you love or a little treat for yourself.




Petit Love Necklace 

To enter this competition visit La Jewellery and come back and answer the questions on the Rafflecopter application below. You have to enter a blog comment but all other entries are optional. You can bookmark this page as you can gain a daily entry for a daily tweet.

This competition is open to the UK only and you must be 18 + to enter.

You can follow La Jewellery on

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaJewelleryuk

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/lajewellery/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Jewellerycouk/112760735449755


a Rafflecopter giveaway

I'd Love To Be A Mark Warner Mum


I'd love to be a  #markwarnermum.


I do love to travel, come far or wide,
I've a sense of adventure, with my family by my side.
I've travelled to London and seen Big Ben too,
I even fed the penguins at London Zoo.






At the Edinburgh festival we had a fun time,
We saw jugglers, comedians and even a mime.
Orlando was awesome, Orange County land,
The theme parks were great and the water parks had sand!







LA and Vegas, a rare lifetime trip.
I saw the Hollywood stars and the Las Vegas strip.
Dubai had the world's tallest building to see,
My hands were like jelly and so were my knees.














Austria was pretty, the hills were alive,
The hiking was tough but the spas did revive.
So why do I love all this travel you ask?
I will try to explain in this little task.











The culture, the sun, the scenery too,
The beautiful places that travel takes you.
The smile on the face on my teenage son,
Memories never forgotten, come rain or sun.

If I was so lucky to be picked today,
I'd blog about Mark Warner in my own way.
Showing great locations, sports that compel,
The sense of achievement, with childcare as well.

I'd tweet you my pics of a fabulous time,
Biking and windsurfing, food and the wine.
My goal is to thrill you, I hope you don't mind,
As Mark Warner holidays are one of a kind.





Here are tales of my travels, my passion for fun,
If you're picking reviewers, I would love to be one! 
I am honest, succinct, and enthuse all the way,
This is my dream, what more can I say?!


Silent Sunday - Prague's Christmas Markets