Recipe: milk chocolate and pistachio fudge

Sometimes you fancy a sweet treat but you don't always want to slave over a hot oven. This is where Nigella's chocolate and pistachio fudge comes into play. It's probably not what you would call a traditional fudge but it hits the spot and is so simple to make. Wing Yip got in touch and sent me over some of their condensed coconut milk to sample so what better way to give it a whirl!

Ingredients
300g of good quality milk chocolate, chopped
30g unsalted butter
1 can of Wing Yip condensed coconut milk*
200g pistachio nuts, shelled

Method
1.  Put the chopped chocolate, butter and condensed milk in a large saucepan and milk into a smooth mixture.

2. I prefer to put my nuts in whole. But you can put the pistachio nuts in a plastic sandwich bag and smash into little pieces using a rolling pin.

3. Put the nuts in the chocolate mixture and stir well.

4. Pour into a dish of your choosing, leave to cool and then pop in a fridge to set.

5. Once it has set, cut into little pieces and tuck in! Keep in mind, it's very addictive! You might be a little bit better at making them more uniformed than me...

As always do tweet me to let me know if you make it - and send me some in the post please! Happy baking!

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Review: The Barbary, Seven Dials, London

Despite being back to working in London full time, I'm still a little out of the loop with all the new restaurant openings. There's just so many each week so I'm always thankful to friends who suggest new places to feed our faces. This time Sarah suggested a visit to The Barbary. Inspired by the North African coast, the sister restaurant of Palamor offers a menu filled with influences of the Atlantic Coast through to the Mediterranean Sea. The tiny venue probably only seats around 30 people, all huddled around a bustling open kitchen.

Eager to try most of the things on the sharing menu, we ordered a feast. Starting with a chewy, sesame seed topped bagel and a crispy butter naan, we decided to go for a selection of dips. Addictive aubergine Baba Ghanoush, sweet Tbecha roasted tomatoes and a mountain of creamy Msabacha chickpeas. The dips were fresh and flavoursome, providing the perfect introduction to the menu. The charred jafa style cauliflower and cumin and chilli glazed beetroot were cooked to perfection with the perfect amount of crunch to keep them interesting.

For the main courses we opted for all the meat and fish courses. The signature dish of Pata Negra Neck (pork neck) came with a drizzle of a sweet honey sauce, roasted garlic cloves and a sprinkle of sea salt. It was such a simple dish but packed a hell of a punch. The surprising sweet sauce was a great accompaniment for the charcoaled pork. The octopus mashawshad came with the same chickpeas as before. It was delicious if a little overpriced for the portion size. Finally we sampled the North African style veal schnitzel from the weekly specials menu. I enjoy schnitzel but it's always seemed a little boring to me. But thankfully this version came with a delicious thick creamy sauce.

For dessert I opted for the Knafeh. With a similar texture to a Baklava, this savoury dessert consisted of fried vermicelli with a goats cheese filling topped with pistachios and a few raspberries. Something I'd not sure I'd plump for again but nevertheless something I enjoyed. Sometimes it's good to try something out of the ordinary!

All in all, the meal at The Barbary was incredible. I was mesmerised by the open kitchen, loved the intimate venue and really enjoyed the food. You can't book so I would recommend turning up at 12 like we did to ensure you get a table. Keep in mind they will only sit a party when everyone has arrived - no saving seats! It's certainly not cheap and thanks to the sharing concept, the prices can soon add up. The portions are quite small so you do have to order quite a lot. We shared everything between three yet still left a little hungry afterwards. But if you can afford to splash out, add it to the top of your restaurant list.

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Review: Hello Kitty afternoon tea, Cutter & Squidge, Soho

At the beginning of July I joined some of my favourite girls, Hannah, Sarah, Michelle and Lily, for an afternoon of eating lots of cake and drinking endless cups of tea at the Hello Kitty afternoon tea. On offer until 31st August, Cutter and Squidge is hosting the first ever pop-up cafe in Europe dedicated to the iconic character. At £40 it isn't a cheap afternoon tea by any means but you do get an awful lot of cake and savoury treats to savour with the option to refill if you wish. Which we did. Obviously. So, what did we get to eat?

Starting with a cute milk bottle of sweet pink lemonade, I opted for a pot of white peach loose tea to keep me refilled throughout the afternoon. My eyes grew as wide as saucers when the waitress put all our treats in the middle of the table. Following tradition we started in the selection of savoury sandwiches first. Cucumber and cream cheese, hummus and pepper, cheese and red onion and salmon and chive were all on the menu. The cheese and red onion sandwiches were divine and I made sure I asked for a second round of these. The generous fillings got a massive thumbs up from me.

After we had scoffed all the sandwiches it was time to try out the sweet treats. My favourites were the sweet strawberry milkshake biskie, rich white cake truffle and the decedent Kitty's chocolate mud pie. With so many sugar-filled concoctions, it was a welcome relief to try the savoury cheese scones with delicious red pepper relish and cream cheese. In fact, I think these were my favourite part. The scones had a lovely crunch yet fluffy middle and the subtle cheese flavour help to give them something a little special. A special shout out to the juicy strawberries with a creamy chocolate dip - they were the perfect end to a wonderful afternoon.

I'll hold my hands up and admit I'm not really much of a Hello Kitty fan and only went along because I wanted to spend some quality time with the lads. But I had such an amazing afternoon and completely got caught up in the moment. The staff were attentive and helpful, the sheer amount of food on offer was amazing and despite a 1.20 hour slot, I didn't really feel too rush as they moved us to a different part of the cafe so we could continue with our nattering. It's quite a lot of money for something if you're not into the hype but if you are, you really can't miss out!

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How to visit Copenhagen on a budget

As much as I had a whale of a time visiting Copenhagen, the city isn't the cheapest of places I visited. I work in London and have the pleasure of paying through the roof for most things but the prices here made my eyes water. But I do believe it is possible to do the Danish capital on a budget AND still have an amazing time. In fact, when I visit again I've got a few tricks up my sleeve to ensure that I don't come back to London a pauper. Again.

Eating and drinking can be a killer on your wallet but you don't have to spend a fortune on filling up your belly. Copenhagen has a cracking food market which has everything you could ever dream off. Buy a few bits and pieces to enjoy a picnic in one of the many green spaces. Or even pick up some fresh food to keep at home and trying out some recipes. If you do prefer to eat out, Paper Island is great value for money. The street food market has cuisines from all over the world and average about £7-10 for a dish. They're pretty decent sizes too so they keep you feeling satisfied. It's such a great vibe down the canal. Although we only had brunch once, I really recommend taking advantage of the brunch scene in the city. Head for something to eat about 11am and you'll last until it's time for dinner in the evening. Eating out twice a day is a lot cheaper than eating out three times a day! I'd also avoid alcohol or just have one glass with dinner because it soon adds up. I'd buy a bottle of wine from the supermarket and enjoy it at home reminiscing about what you've done throughout the day.

Accommodation is something else that isn't cheap in the city. When I was looking into places to stay, the hotels were way out of my budget. The trip was my boyfriend's birthday present so I couldn't afford to pay those prices for the both of us. So I turned to my old favourite, Air BnB. I found an amazing Scandic-Chic apartment near Rosenborg castle at a pretty decent price. However, you can find cheaper apartments but I wanted something a little more special as it was a birthday treat. Renting an apartment is a great way to experience local life and save a bit of money on a trip.

Finally, another top tip is to avoid public transport to help save money. It's not the most compact of cities but it is quite easily to walk. The most we walked from one place to another was 40 minutes. But it didn't seem that long at all as you're marvelling at the city along the way. It's a great way to really get a feel of it and to stumble across sights that you may have missed on the metro. Getting taxis, buses and the metro can soon add up and start to become expensive. Why travel underground when there is so much to see on top?

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Exploring the UK: how to spend 24 hours in Bristol

Last weekend I travelled down to Bristol with four of my favourite people for a weekend of laughs, food and lots of gin. It was such a lovely weekend and I'm suffering from major blues having to come back to real life. Bristol is such a fun, vibrant and great city that I thought I'd put together a little guide to make the most of 24 hours in the city

Where to eat
Bristol is home to an incredible food scene and I wished we fitted in more meals. We started our Saturday with a bang with brunch at Porto Lounge.  Located in the Fishponds area of the city, it overlooks Victoria Park. Looking to fuel up for the day I opted for the Vegetarian breakfast, but judging by noises of appreciation, the pancakes were an excellent shout. Piled high on the plate was a courgette and sweetcorn fritter, crispy hash browns, juicy baked beans, sweet slow-roasted tomatoes, sautéed button mushrooms, wood-roasted peppers, fried egg, spinach and a slice of wholemeal toast. A beauty of a breakfast and one that went down very well indeed!

For dinner we plumped for for a bite to eat at pizza and cider specialists Stable in Harbourside. I've been to the branch in London so was pretty excited to see how the two compared. It's a fantastic place to go with a group of friends as you simply wander up to the bar to order your pizza and drink - no headache of spilting the bill! The pizzas as predicted were absolutely delicious thanks to the thin crispy base and generous toppings. As a massive fan of Caribbean food, I decided to go for the special of Jerk chicken. Spicy, tender chicken, salty bacon and a combination of red onion and fresh spring onions was topped gooey mozzarella cheese on a tomato sauce base. It had a great kick to it and I was pretty sad when it was demolished.

Where to drink
We started our night with a couple of cocktails at The Milk Thistle. Hidden away in a old building and accessible only by an intercom, this classy, old-fashioned bar has a cocktail menu to die for. It felt like we had stepped back in time and set up shop in someone's living room. The staff were fab and we put the world to rights in front of a stuffed badger wearing sunglasses. As you do. I'd fully recommend booking a table here to kick off your night.

We ventured towards Harbourside and further into town to a bar called Kongs. With an industrial vibe, this bar boasts retro arcade machines, a ping pong table and table football. The perfect place to hang out with a couple of gin and tonics while laughing with friends. It had a really diverse crowd and was somewhere I could imagine spending the night. But we had a club beckoning us so we only stayed for a couple.

Like I mentioned, in a bid to hang onto our fast disappearing youth we decided to hit the town hard and ended up at Pryzm, a stones throw away from the Habourside. Full to the brim of stag and hen dos, I haven't been to a club like this for years. But it was so much fun! With seven themed rooms, five bars and two clubs, it was absolute massive but we spent our time in the cheese room dancing to the likes of Five and Spice Girls. The floor was sticky, only plastic glasses were allowed and I lost count at the amount of people who trod on my feet. But it was so good to dance until 4am with my favourite girls and really let our hair down. I was feeling pretty smug at stumbling in my friends house at 4.45am but was soon feeling very sorry for myself on the train home.

What to do
Bristol is a great place to just wander aimlessly, soaking up the quirky streets. I would definitely recommend a self-guided Banksy walking tour. We managed to spot his most recent street art above - the girl in the pearl earring. I know people have mixed views on street art but it's something I really enjoy seeing. It's just a shame some people have tried to devalue a few pieces by chucking paint over them. A walk along the harbour is also a fab way to whittle away a few hours. For only 90p you can get a short boat journey across the harbour to S.S Britain. If shopping is your jam, head to the undercover Cabot Circus for an incredible selection of shops, restaurants and bars. We actually hid out in the crazy golf to hide from the rain!

This is my second visit to Bristol and each time I visit I fall in love a little bit more. I'm very grateful for having a friend there and will try not to leave it so long before I visit next!

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Review: Indigo, Aldwych, Central London

I'm the first to admit that I don't usually venture into hotel restaurants, here or abroad. I always like to get out to explore. But when I was invited to try out Indigo at the One Aldwych hotel, I decided to see if my narrow-mindedness was holding me back. Indigo is a gluten and dairy-free informal restaurant in the heart of Covent Garden. But you would never know when you stepped inside, it felt a world away from the hustle and bustle of one of London's busiest areas.

After studying in the menu over a glass of fizz, I finally came to my decision. I wanted to try something that normal had gluten to see if it could compare. For a starter I opted for thinly sliced lamb belly, crispy shallots and pistachios drizzled with an egg mayonnaise gribiche sauce. I loved the slight kick the mustard gave with the sauce and the crunch of the shallots gave the dish much needed texture. The lamb was incredibly tender and the portion was the perfect size to start with. It only increased my appetite! My dining partner opted for the cured Loch Duart salmon with shreaded citrus fruit, creamy avocado and a sprinkling of coriander. It looked absolutely incredible and I have it on good authority that it was!

The main course saw me try hand rolled potato gnocchi with fresh, tender asparagus and sweet peas. I enjoyed every mouthful and didn't want it to end. The gnocchi was crispy on the outside and light and fluffy on the end - it melted in my mouth with every bite. The veg was cooked to perfection and the whole dish blended together superbly. I did watch on envious as my friend's lamb rump arrived with a side of samphire, smoked aubergines, capers and anchovies.

I wasn't going to leave without sampling a dessert so chose the lemon and rapeseed cake with a hazelnut praline.  I was pretty skeptical before trying the dairy free ice cream but I honestly couldn't tell the difference - it was so wonderfully creamy.

Since my meal at Indigo I think I'm going to be a more open-minded when it comes to trying restaurants in hotels. You really shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The service was faultless, each mouthful of food was delicious and the atmosphere was buzzing. It's a fantastic place in the heart of Covent Garden to go for a bite to eat away from the crowds. Someone I'd definitely be recommending to friends!

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Review: The Prince Albert, Battersea, south-west London

There's nothing I love more than a lazy pub lunch at the weekend. But considering how many pubs we have in this country, it can be pretty hard to find decent grub. So many pubs are below par - especially in London. But I've found a corker. Enter The Prince Albert, a gastropub overlooking Battersea Park.

We walked in towards the end of an England V Australia rugby match to a rousing atmosphere. We took our seat and poured over the menu before made the tough decision on what to order. I wanted something a little lighter so opted for the grilled aubergine, creamy melted goats cheese, oyster mushrooms, spiced tomato sauce and sourdough toast with a drizzle of what tasted like pesto. The flavours went complimented each other perfectly with none overpowering the other.

My boyfriend opted for his childhood favourite of corned beef. Only this time it was a little posher! With a pate type consistency, this homemade corned beef is topped with pickled mushrooms, roasted bone marrow and horseradish mayo. It was absolutely wolfed down within minutes so I think it was a success!

For mains I decided to pump for the fish and chips after spying a gentleman eating it on the table next door. A generous Young's Ale battered cod with mushy peas, tartare sauce and triple cooked chips was the order of the day. I often stay away for battered cod as it can sometimes be a bit too much grease but I needn't have worried this time. It had a perfect amount of crunch but didn't leave a lingering aftertaste of grease as many battered foods do. The chunky fluffy chips and sharp tartare were exactly what I was after.

Always a pie boy, my boyfriend picked the chicken, leek and mushroom pie in a rich creamy sauce topped with a layer of flaky puff pastry. I managed to sneak a mouthful and can confirmed that it was absolutely delicious. The shredded chicken was tender, the filling was generous and the side of garlic bobby beans were flavoursome.

Despite declaring we couldn't eat another thing, as soon as the dessert menu was offered our ears perked up. I knew exactly what I was having as soon as I glanced down. Sticky Toffee Pudding. Topped with caramelised crispy sliced bananas and drizzled in a generous layer toffee sauce with a side of cornflake ice cream. Perfection.  I have it on good authority that the lemon macerated strawberries with Chantilly cream and baby meringues was pretty delicious too.

The food was inventive, delicious and classic - I wish we could have tried more! The staff were friendly and attentive, But a special heads up to the Italian waiter who was cracking jokes and made us feel very welcomed. Thanks so much for a wonderful afternoon guys!

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