Feeling like a Gooseberry!

No, I haven't just been to a tea-dance on my own! The lovely Lottie very kindly gave me a few pounds of beautiful, fresh gooseberries from the allotment! Aren't they just the most beautiful green?!

So I've had a very busy day! I made 5 jars of chutney as this is a great weakness of mine whenever I eat cheese! Or even when I don't!
Six jars of delicious Gooseberry Curd, perfect for tarts, cakes and ice-cream. (the observant ones will notice one jar has already vanished!)
And a very grand looking Gooseberry and Elderflower cake! I do think all you have to do to the simplest of cakes is add an extra layer, and suddenly you have something rather grand, even pretentious. I like a bit of pretension in a cake. It's admirable, like a lady in a very large hat! The recipe was a bit odd but with a few adjustments it became very special. A teaspoon of elderflower syrup and some dark brown sugar in the sponge mix, gooseberry curd and cream filling, and the icing topping is so wonderful I might even just use it on plain cupcakes! Make up an icing glaze simply by mixing icing sugar with elderflower syrup! Delicious!
All in all a good days work and a very fine gooseberry harvest!
Thank-you Lottie! I shall bring samples for you on Monday, but I can't guarantee that I shall be able to save any cake!!

Enjoy the weekend everyone. I am hoping to join in with Show and Tell Sunday this week! t.x