Join in with the Great British Bake Off

GBBO seems to have gripped the nation again and taken over my Wednesday night. Again. It's given me the baking bug and I've been back in the kitchen after a bit of time away. Whenever I put aside the time to rustle something up, I always wish I make more of an effort. I love looking on the internet and seeing what type of recipes are out there. As well as my 50+ cookbooks... But sometimes I just go back to some of my favourites.

The Apple cider cake above is always a crowd pleaser. It has a great sweet taste and the added cider makes it so light and fluffy which is what you're always looking out for in a cake. If you fancy something a little bit more fruity then this coconut and lime loaf will be a winner. Taken from one of my favourite cookbook author Levi Roots,  the extra lime glaze helps to give it a bit more of a zing - which is always a good thing!

Not all baking treats are for those who have a sweet tooth. These savoury breakfast bars are great to make on a sunday and have throughout the week - much healthier than grabbing a bacon butty at the train station. They're substantial and really filling so won't make you reach for the biscuit barrel before lunchtime.

Finally if you want to make a showstopper then this ultimate chocolate cake is the one to attempt. The lashings of white and chocolate milk buttons paired with creamy milk chocolate fingers, makes it a chocoholic's dream. Set aside a good few hours over a lazy weekend for this one as it's no mean feat. But when the outcome is the below, you really don't mind putting the hard graft in!

Let me know some of your favourite bakes to make as I'm always on the look out for some new ideas! And some new blogs to drool over! If you run out of time to make your own creations, head to the Biscuiteer's discount page to to enter a completion - it ends on 23rd September.

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The top 5 places to eat in Prague

Nase Maso
This was somewhere that was recommended to us by the guide on our beer tour and we were taken here to sample the hotdog joint next door. It has a couple of tables to eat at indoors but we got a takeaway. Make sure you book a table if you want to eat in. You can pick any piece of meat from the butchers and they will cook it for you there and then, or you can choose something from the menu. We opted for a meat loaf rather than the burger as it was a traditional dish. The chunky meat loaf came with a spicy homemade mustard and juicy pickles inside homemade ciabatta style bread. It travelled really well back to our hotel and despite the fact it was a little lukewarm by the time we got home, it was delicious! I'd definitely recommend paying them a trip if you fancy a quick lunch. GET THE HOTDOGS!

Cafe Savoy
Designed to be reminiscent of the First Czechoslovakian Republic, this ornate, lavish restaurant is certainly a sight to behold. With a beautiful Neo-Renaissance ceiling dating back to 1893, it really does feel like you've taken a step back into yesteryear. I'd read that they were famous for their breakfasts and the desserts so I managed to persuade my friends that we should swing by one morning. My best friend picked a winner with an incredible french toast topped with lashings of syrup and a generous scattering of fresh fruit. It was a sight for sore eyes. Then she got greedy and ordered an indulgent hot chocolate that was pure melted hot chocolate. We defiantly all stared at her green with envy as she tucked in! The warm, homemade bread was absolutely delicious and really helps to kick the continental breakfast up a gear. It's well worth visiting just for the atmosphere and the French toast. It's not expensive but it's not cheap for Prague. Still it's cheaper than London!

Cafe Imperial
Another suggestion from our beer tour, this restaurant was actually located about 200 yards from our hotel. What a find! Owned by the Czech version of Gordon Ramsey, it's located below a hotel. Decked out in the style of an old Czechoslovakian cafe, it was absolutely stunning so it's definitely one to dress up for. Deciding to sample as much of the local cuisine I could, I opted for the tender rabbit drenched in a tangy mustard sauce and served alongside traditional dumplings. The meat melted in your mouth and the unusual dumplings were a joy to eat. My friend got the veal schnitzel which I'd recommend too.

Cestr
Knowing that the boys were steak fans, I decided to book in a trip to a decent steak restaurant. Cestr is well known for numerous cuts of beef so it's definitely one for hardcore meat eaters. But you will also find fish on the menu too. I pumped for the steak tarter as I had read that it was extremely highly regarded as one of the best to try in the city. I'm glad I went for it but I think it might be an aquired taste so not sure I would eat it again. We all went for the set menu which included a starter, second course with a side and a main course with a side. It was incredibly good value but far too much food! The portions are huge and I would suggest just to have a main and a side because it can get painful! Steak eaters will be in their element here. Just make sure you book a table as it gets very busy.

Cukrkavalimonada 
A bit of mouthful but this cute little cafe near the John Lennon Wall is a great place to stop for a quick lunchtime bite to eat. The homemade pasta with lashings of pesto was fantastic.The prices were very reasonable and the portions were generous which is what you need when you have a long day of walking ahead of you! I've heard they have a good breakfast offering too.

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Exploring Europe: Prague, Czech Republic

Back to my travel posts! The first place we visited on our Eastern Europe two week trip was Prague. Ten years ago (?!?!) my boyfriend and I had decided on Prague for our first ever holiday. But due to our student lifestyle it was half the price to spend a week all-inclusive on the Costa Brava. God bless those package holidays when you earn £30 a week in retail... So obviously we never made it. When we started planning this trip, it was top of our list and we scheduled in three nights and began the research.

We chose three nights so that we could spend one day mooching around and take things easy. The rest of the holiday was going to be so jam-packed. On the first day we hit the sight seeing a little too hard and ended up clocking up about 20km which obviously did lots for our poor feet! On first impressions, Prague was stunning. As the holiday went on and we explored more areas, it only ever got prettier. I would say it is probably one of the prettiest places I've visited ever, not just on the holiday. I adored the beautiful pastel buildings, the history seeping from the pores of the architecture and beautiful terracotta roofs.

Three nights was the perfect amount of time to spend in the city and I feel now that I've done it all. I would go back but I don't feel the NEED to go back. But for a girls holiday, it would be the perfect break away. There's so many quaint streets to get lost down, incredible food to enjoy, great beer to sip and lots of sights to take in.

Although I loved Prague, the insane amount of tourists completely threw me. It was quite overwhelming at times, especially trying to navigate through Prague Castle and across Charles Bridge. But we did go during high season so it was kinda to be expected. My top tip is to start your sightseeing early to try and beat the crowds and spend the later part of the day enjoying the endless beer.

Keep an eye out for my guides on what to do and where to eat in the city coming soon!

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