Okay, so the latest trick to get me back into the posting game is to allow me a maximum of 15 mins. to do it. So here goes some serious speed-posting:

Do you ever get those after-lunch sugar cravings? Well, this is the cure. I made a relaxed reinterpretation of the recipe from 101 Cookbooks, by converting it to decilitres, adding a few touches of my own but basically keeping the proportions of sugar/syrup and muesli filling intact. Here goes:

Lemon, Almond and Apricot Muesli Bars (makes about 15-20 depending on size)

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks (there’s a video as well as a written recipe for your new addiction)

• 1 1/2 deciliter (dl) dessicated coconut
• 1 1/2 dl roughly chopped almonds
• 1 dl sunflower seeds

• 2 dl roughly rolled oats (“grovvalsede”)
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 6 dried apricots cut into little cubes

• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 dl dark syrup
• 1/2 dl cane sugar
• 1-2 tsp vanilla sugar
• Pinch of salt

Turn the oven on to 180 degrees Celcius. Line a baking tray with paper and add the coconut, almonds and sunflower seeds. Allow them to toast in the oven for about 5 mins or until the coconut has turned light brown (keep a watchful eye on those rascals). When they’re done, add them to a bowl with the lemon zest (the heat of the nuts bring out the lemon flavour), the rolled oats and the apricots.

In a saucepan, add lemon juice, syrup, sugar, vanilla sugar and salt. Bring to a boil and leave it there for about 4 mins., when the syrup should have thickened slightly. Pour the syrup over the remaining ingredients and be sure to mix it in evenly. Then pour the sticky mixture into a buttered baking tin (I use this metal frame that can be adjusted in size) and press it firmly together. Leave to cool for about 30 mins and cut into your preferred size. Enjoy! I am chomping one at this very moment! Mmmmmcrunchy-vanilla-lemon-almond-chewy-mmm.

(UPDATE: Made these again the other day and found that the bars look a lot more professional and appetising when using a mould of silicone squares (mine is a Moulflex with 9 rectangular holes in one mould). That way every single bar keeps its syrupy shine all over the surface instead of the rather bleak looking sides where the knife has been. Just a recommendation, but of course, the flavour remains the same either way.)

Hello honeyz! It’s Sunday night at the lazy mansion and I want to tell you about last week’s treat for the knitting club (yes, I am 80 years old and need to start wearing a diaper). I had two friends over for a knitting session and made some toffee from a Swedish recipe book called “Julgodis” (~Christmas candy, a book by Johanna Westman about whom I know absolutely nothing, but seeing as you have a computer too you can do me the honour of googling her yourself, lazykins). It contains a lot of very accessible recipes for hard caramel, soft toffee and all sorts of chocolates. Very tempting stuff. Here’s a combination of two recipes of hers, or rather one roughly translated lemon toffee recipe with a bit of ginger. It’s dead easy. Hell, I think you can have it done by the time a new X-Factor contestant is voted off the island. And then you get to sit there and gloat while enjoying the lemony-gingery butterness of the softest toffee you’ve ever had.

Swedish Ginger & Lemon Toffee (25-30 toffee bits)

• 50 grams butter
• 1 decilitre cream
• 1,5 decilitre sugar
• 1/2 decilitre light syrup (as opposed to dark)
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla sugar
• Grated zest of 1 organic lemon
• 1 tbsp grated ginger

Melt the butter in a large saucepan with a thick bottom, mix in the cream, sugar, syrup and vanilla sugar. Boil the mixture without a lid until it has reached 122-125 degrees Celcius or time it for 15-20 mins and you should be alright.  To make sure that the mixture is done, drop a teaspoon of it in a glass of cold water and if you can shape it firmly between your fingers, it’s ready. If not, boil it for another 5 mins. Now add the lemon zest and the ginger, stir it well and pour it into a greased and lined tray or square cake mould. Then leave it in the fridge until it has set (took mine about 15 mins). Remove from the tray and cut  the toffee sheet into individual bits (I recommend using a pair of scissors) and wrap them in baking paper. They can keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days.