Being unable to swim at the pool with my club because of current local coronavirus rules has encouraged me to do more open water swimming. Luckily, some outdoor sports are still allowed (with appropriate social distancing) and there is plenty of room in the North Sea!
I’ve swum in Northumberland at dawn – I have to admit that this photo was taken by someone I was swimming with when group swimming was still allowed.
I have also found a great local coach (Debbie Kelso Swimpressive Coaching) and have been honing my freestyle sea-swimming technique with her. Today I managed my first November sea swim with Debbie and a small group of fellow swimmers – the fact that is has been a beautiful, sunny day with a calm sea really helped……. It was cold despite the wetsuit but cake after a swim definitely helps.
Pistachio and white chocolate cake
180g butter, softened
50g caster sugar
3 large eggs
250g SR flour
1 tsp baking powder
100ml milk
50g pistachio nuts, roughly chopped
50g white chocolate, roughly chopped
- Preheat oven to 180/160fan. Grease and line a 21cm springform tin
- Mix butter and sugar to a light mixture. Beat in eggs together with 2 spoonfuls of flour. Mix in flour and baking powder. Mix in the milk
- Finally, mix in nuts and chocolate and spoon into baking tin.
- Bake for ~40-45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before removing from tin
sweet enough bakes 