Another GBBO success? - Review of John Whaite's new cookbook.

So it's been less than a year since season three of the Great British Bake Off ended and the winner announce - an all male final and, whilst he was the underdog in the race for the finishing line, Whaite pulled it out of the bag with moments to spare. I knew it wouldn't be long until we saw Whaite's first book hit the shelf and he didn't disappoint. 'John Whaite Bakes: Recipes for Every Day and Every Mood' is the first of many books to come from season three winner of GBBO - confirmed by the fact that Whaite has already announced to the press that he is already working on his second book whilst studying as a pâtissier.

First impressions of the book were good: a high quality book in terms of composition and layout. Titles are bold (so you are unlikely to overlook the recipe you are looking for) and very modern - different to most cookbooks on the shelves right now. I really like the feel of the high quality, matte paper - it shows you're getting good value for money and that they really thought not just of the recipes inside but in a holistic sense also. The book is broken down into several chapters and - although they are not the most useful chapter titles in the world (they don't necessarily indicate a type of bake, i.e. biscuits, cakes, or breads) but, when read in the context of each chapter's introduction (a small insight into Whaite's life in a sort of biography-like style), they make perfect sense. One downside to the layout can be found in the index, which I often use in all my books to pinpoint a recipes I am looking for. In this particular book the index text is a little on the small side so it is difficult to quickly find a recipe by its ingredients. I know one should not be in a rush when cooking or baking but nobody wants to spend forever sifting through pages to find a recipe and not everyone's eyesight is twenty-twenty so it would have been nice if the text in the index had been maybe one or two sizes larger - a small criticism, I know.

'John Whaite Bakes' contains a wide variety of recipes for people of all skill levels and walks of life; whether you like breads or tarts, fancy or homely, your needs are catered for in this book - there's even a section on flavoured syrups and curds. What's more, the book even has a cocktail recipe section - a welcome change from the tradition cookbooks I've bought/read. As I've already mentioned, the book contains both homely, rustic recipes and fancy, stylish recipes (perfect for dinner parties) and so will fit in with whatever style of baking you have in mind for the occasion. For a first book, Whaite has certainly outdone himself in maintaining the the high quality of books being produced by Great British Bake Off winners (and finalists) and, for that, I applaud him.

One point I'd like to bring up is measurements: I  really like how Whaite has included measurements for the amount of mix some of the recipes (namely, pastry, custards, etc.) produce for when you're using them in conjunction with other recipes in the book - a nice touch. My only issue with measurements is that the book begins by indicating that it may go on to use both imperial and metric units of measurement but it is a little bit of a let down on that side as it is only tins and moulds which are stipulated in both metric and imperial. It would have been nice for ingredients to be given in both as not everyone is like me, using metric ninety-five per cent of the time - people do still use imperial measurements, you know! Aside from that, however, there has gone a lot of consideration into the book and I really like that.

So, aside from the small text size in the index, the lack of imperial measurements for ingredients, and the lack of a marker ribbon, I would have to say that this is another GBBO success story. Whaite clearly has a passion for baking which is mirrored in his well-thought-out book - his passion for patisserie clearly showing through the book - and, so, I would recommend this book to anyone who has enjoyed the 'Bake Off' in the past or any of its former contestants' books; it is, indeed, another GBBO success and I wish Whaite all the best with his further advancement in the culinary world and with his next book which is already in the process of construction.

I picked up my copy of 'John Whaite Bakes: Recipes for Every Day and Every Mood' on offer at £10 in WHSmiths the day it was released but you should be able to get it on offer in selected supermarkets and bookshops. 

Happy baking everyone!

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Liebster fever - another award!

By now I am sure that many of you are aware of what blog awards are. If not, blog awards are given to fellow blogger who: a) we believe deserve the award for their contributions to the community; and, b) fit the criteria for the particular award. To see past examples of awards I have received, click here, here and/or here.

My latest award, a Liebster blog award, comes from Xi Ye over at http://bakingscience.blogspot.co.uk/ so I would first like to say thank you for nominating me and for asking such great questions (see answers below).

There are several Liebster awards out there on the web but they all tend to follow the same criteria: the award must be given to anywhere from 3-10 fellow bloggers, all of whom must have fewer than 200 followers each. The nominee must answer the questions asked by the nominator after which (s)he must ask a series of questions to be answered by the bloggers they have consequently nominated. So, before I answer Xi's questions, I will first nominate a few of my fellow bloggers whom I feel are deserving receivers of the award.

Nominations for the Liebster award:

1. Emily at http://www.recipesandreviews.co.uk/
2. Victoria at http://kickatthepantrydoor.blogspot.co.uk/
3. Shirley at http://www.bells-bakery.com/
4. Elisabeth at http://everydayisyummy.wordpress.com/
5. 'Gingery Bites' at http://www.gingeybites.com/

Now, here are my answers to Xi's questions:

1) What is the best bakery/patisserie (in your opinion) you've been to?
I have been to many bakeries and patisseries and often find the nicest to be the quaint, village bakeries. I do, however, make a point of popping into Patisserie Valerie whenever I'm in Chester as their macarons and gateaux are just lovely!

2) What is your favourite bake and why?
Hmm... I think I have two favourites here: the first is bread (all kinds, shapes, and flavours) as there's just something really satisfying in the hours it takes to make and the tactile nature of it all. The other is the humble rock cake simply because it is the cake which reminds me of my nanna so much.

3) Who is the favourite person in the world you like to share your bake with?
It has to be the maternal figures in my life: my mum, and my nanna especially then, of course, there is my close friend with whom I share all my recipes and bakes.

4) What distracts you the most (e.g. TV? Books? The person in the corner wearing a dinosaur costume?)
Having not had the privilege to experience a person donning a dinosaur outfit, I would usually say TV although I have started reading a trilogy of books that are pulling me away from my work at every possible opportunity. Of course, the many excursions and lunches my mum persuades me to go for also poses a big distraction (albeit a good one).

5) If you can live anywhere, where would that be?
I have no desire to leave Blighty for good (although everyone likes a brief reprieve from time to time) but I have to say that I have always hoped I will end up in the middle of the countryside somewhere, off the beaten tracks, in a quaint farmhouse with plenty of character (and the smell of freshly baked treats lingering in the air - kind of idyllic, huh?

6) If I say "bazinga", what would you think of?
Mental Capacity Act 2005; you need to be 'sectioned' (I am a law student - soon to be law graduate, I hope - after all!) haha!

7) Have you ever helped out with a cake sale for charity?
If you have, what was the most selling good? I have done a few charity bake sales, the most recent being one for a charity raising funds to help in lieu of the availability of legal aid. Cupcakes were a big seller - aren't they always?

8) Would you go to the gym just so you can pig out on all the food you enjoy?
Gym? Who goes to the gym? I'm afraid I'm in the class of persons who eat their cake and think of the calories later. I have to say, however, the thought of needing to burn calories to justify eating cake is a travesty! Feeling a need to 'earn' cake suggests a feeling of guilt in eating it - a make a point of never feeling guilty for eating (much to the disappointment of my waistline.)

9) Who inspired you the most in your life and why
That's a difficult one. There are many people I could name: the usual culprits - my parents and grandparents - and the well-known icons who've gone from rags to riches (i.e. my favourite country artist, Dolly Parton) and, of course, my teachers. I don't think I could narrow it down to any one person as I think they've all been a contributing factor in my life - my go-to person is always my mum though as she always knows what to do or, in absence of knowledge, what advice/opinion to give (whether I like it or not).

10) If you had a dog and a cat, they both fell into the water, which would you save first?
Very simple to answer - I wouldn't have a cat so the circumstances would never arise.

Great questions, Xi. I enjoyed answering them!

All that is left now is to set the questions for you, the lucky nominees:

1. How do you take cream tea - cream then jam (Devonshire) or jam then cream (Cornish)?
2. What is your favourite local specialty (i.e. Lancashire hot pot, or Staffordshire oatcakes)?
3. Metric, imperial, or both?
4. Which cake tins do you use the most: spring-form, loose-bottomed, or rigid-base?
5. You're in a rush and forgot to bake something for the cake sale, do you: a) buy a cake on the way there; b) use a cake mix; or, c) make one from scratch because you can't beat homemade and you can do it quickly anyway?
6. Hand whisk, hand-held electric mixer, stand mixer, or 'it depends on the recipe/method'?
7. Do vegetables (i.e. courgette, carrot, and beetroot) belong in cakes?
8. You need a recipe, do you pull out the cookbooks or go online?
9. Stay in and watch GBBO or go out for a social drink with friends?
10. Do you de-stress by watching TV, reading a book, playing/listening to music, or baking/cooking?

I cannot wait to read all your responses, these blogger awards are always so fun!

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Oh, hoop... New snacks, just in! - snack review.

Nowadays you just cannot get hold of crisps or the likes thereof for a decent price so I'm always on the look out for this week's deals when I nip into Sainsbury's. For the last few weeks I have walked past a new range of baked corn snacks from Walkers called 'Hoops and Crosses' but, not being one to eat a lot of those puffed corn style 'crisps' I had been passing them by albeit with an air of curiosity which, when faced with an opportunity to review the baked snack, I could not let my curiosity linger any longer and so I decided to try them out to see what my thoughts were.

Walkers Hoops and Crosses come in three of flavours (salt and vinegar, roast beef, and prawn cocktail) and, out of all three, I would think salt and vinegar to be my favourite although - to date - I have only had the opportunity to try out the roast beef flavoured Hoops and Crosses (which I have to say, given I don't usually eat 'meaty' flavoured snacks, were very nice). It would be nice to have some other flavours (i.e. sweet chilli or Worchester sauce) but the three flavours chosen so far seem nice. Upon opening the bag it was clear that you actually got a decent amount of crisps for 18g (which is what each pack contains) - something you don't often see with crisps nowadays although I suspect the fact that they are puffed corn would suggest why the bag looked so full. Still, it was promising and before the pack was even open my family were eager to try out the new baked snacks with me - we were all pleased with what we found.

I believe the aim of this new range of snacks from Walkers is to provide a healthier snack for children (i.e. to put in their school lunches) and I think they have hit the nail on the head. Walkers Hoops and Crosses are baked rather than fried so they are not greasy in the slightest and have the bonus of being healthier due to the need for less/no oil. Walkers even claim Hoops and Crosses contain 30% less fat than other everyday potato crisps which is always a good thing. Hoops and Crosses are made with 56% wholegrain, providing necessary daily fibre and, whilst it would be nice to aspire for 100% wholegrain, I think Walkers struck a good balance between wholegrain goodness and avoidance of a noticeable wholegrain taste (which children don't always appreciate). As with many of these snacks on the market (especially the 'healthier' ones), Hoops and Crosses do not contain monosodium glutamate (MSG), no artificial colours or preservatives and are suitable for vegetarians. 

Overall, I really like the new line of baked snacks from Walkers and would recommend them (of course, in moderation as part of a balanced diet - as with most things on my blog) to my friends. They may have been aimed at children but they're just as good for us adults too! They're healthier than many of the common snacks on the market although they could, of course, be healthier (the wholegrain in them is a real bonus and so constitutes a good reason to swap out the regular potato crisps in your child's lunchbox with Walkers Hoops and Crosses). In an ideal world these would also have been organic but, unfortunately, Walkers haven't ventured into this area yet so I will wait with bated breath and fingers crossed that it won't be long until they bring out an organic range. 

Still, they're worth a try so get out there and buy some! At Sainsbury's, my most frequented supermarket, they have been on offer - three multipacks (6 x 18g bags) for £4.00 - which isn't too bad in comparison to other products on the market although I don't have a R.R.P. to hand so I can't comment on what price they may be at a later date or at other shops.

Nutritional information (per 18g bag) is as follows: Calories 84 (4%), Fat 3.7g (5%), Saturates 0.4g (2%), Sugars 0.7g (<1%), Salt 0.30g (5%) of an adult's guideline daily amount**        **GDA - Reference intake of an average adult (8400 kJ/2000 kcal)

So, until next time, happy baking!


Disclaimer: This is a paid-for posting. All views are my own and are in no way altered by the sponsoring of this post.

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'Cake Decorating' Giveaway - win a one year subscription!

I'm happy to tell everyone that this blog hit a landmark on Monday; 'Baked with kindness' has hit 10,000 pageviews! Thanks to everyone who reads my blog and to those of you who have shared it with others - I appreciate it! To celebrate, therefore, I thought it would be fun to have a giveaway contest where one lucky entrant will win a one-year subscription to 'Cake Decorating' magazine!

I recently reviewed the new baking magazine series from De Agostini, 'Cake Decorating' on here (in case you missed it, click here) so, when I was fortunate enough to be offered a one-year subscription to 'Cake Decorating' magazine as a prize for a giveaway, I was over-the-moon. I really like the magazine series and it's great that I'm able to share it with one lucky winner who will receive a year's subscription to 'Cake Decorating' magazine for free and with no obligation to continue the subscription once the year is up (no cancellation necessary at the end of the year).

To enter the giveaway, simply earn entries by completing the tasks in the Rafflecopter widget below and then, once a task is completed, click the green 'Enter' button with the tick - to confirm your entry. Some of the tasks are worth more than others and some of them can be done more than once which means you could really stack up a number of entries (increasing your chances of winning!)

Once the giveaway has ended, a winner will be picked at random by Rafflecopter (so as to give everyone an equal chance) after which I will email said winner to congratulate them and to pass on their info to Appular (the PR company working on behalf of De Agostini) so that the winner can receive their prize!

So, what are you waiting for? Get those entries in!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please don't tick/claim a task to say you've completed it when you have not as the winning entry will be checked to see that they, in fact, completed the task(s).

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She's done it again - true 'home baking'!

Those of you who avidly watch the Great British Bake Off and follow the contestant's baking journeys post-GBBO will probably know already that 2011 winner, Jo Wheatley, has a new cookery book out! 'Home Baking' is the second book from my favourite GBBO winner and I have to say that, in the short period that I've had a copy of the new book, the new book is already knocking others off the shelf for first-place in my list of 'best baking books'.

Wheatley's style of baking is very much family-centric and it shows throughout the book (i.e. lots of fun, baking photos with family) - something I really like about both this and her previous book. One of the first things I noticed about 'Home Baking' is that the layout is very consistent with Wheatley's previous book (even down to the cover photo which is almost exactly the same pose albeit with a new outfit and new cake. Consistency is something I find very admiring in books from the same author; it's good to be able to identify a number of books with an author just by their appearance. I cannot tell you how many times I've bought books from a single author only find they're deeper or taller (meaning they don't sit flush on my bookcase). Hurrah then, for Wheatley and her band of baking helpers for creating a book that looks good on the outside as well as the inside.

Something else that I noticed almost immediately was that there was a ribbon page/book marker - something I picked up on in my review of Wheatley's previous book. I hate it when cookery books don't have a page marker as I'm someone who will look at a recipe in the morning whilst planning the evening meal, after which I book mark it for later. No ribbon = bits of paper sticking out of books to mark pages - not good! I'm please, then, to see that Wheatley has incorporated one into this book.

Still on the subject of external appearances, 'Home Baking' is slightly thicker than 'A Passion for Baking' - in part, due to extra recipes but also because the front and back covers are thicker and more robust. I like having a sturdy book rather than a flimsy one - it gives a 'high quality' feel to the whole thing. Good choice, team Wheatley!

Now, onto the recipes within! 

Wheatley has managed, yet again, to fill a book with delicious recipes which I cannot wait to try out. I have to say I was ecstatic to see a recipe for cinnamon rolls with cream cheese icing (I have been looking for a good recipe for months!) I think that the cinnamon roll will be the first I try out when my exams are over. 'Home Baking' is broken down into several chapters from biscuits, bars, and cookies to breads, and tarts. Chapters have also been devoted to baking for special occasions and for baking with children - further emphasising the 'family baking' influence on the book. All temperatures are given in Celsius, Fahrenheit, and gas mark to accommodate most cookers although weights and measures are still only in metric (something which doesn't bother me too much but I know it will irk some my older friends who were taught in imperial). One thing that I particularly like is that, even though it has only been a year or so since her previous book, Wheatley has developed a whole new set of recipes (rather than simply recycling and altering previous recipes - maybe with the exception of the apricot frangipane which seems to be a subtle twist on the plum frangipane in 'A Passion for Baking'.)

On the whole, Wheatley has - yet again - knocked the proverbial ball out of the park with yet another fab book and I cannot wait to put it to good use. What's more, like the former book, it is available exclusively to Sainsbury's (a move I believe Wheatley made as a faithful Sainsbury's shopper - like myself - and one which I find quite endearing) and it is just £8! How many recipe books can you buy for £8? When 'A Passion for Baking' came out I thought the low price would be a mere promotion but I cannot remember a time when it ever crept closer to its £16 R.R.P.

Jo... Congratulations on another great book!

Now, hurry off to Sainsbury's everyone and buy your copy of 'Home Baking' whilst stocks last!

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Why not 'Rate My Cake' on a brand new app - iPhone app review

Some of you will remember that I did a review of the 'Cake Decorating' magazine series from De Agostini last month and, as a result, it was brought to my attention that De Agostini have developed an companion app for iOS called 'Rate My Cake'. 'Rate My Cake' is the first ever social networking app for mobile cake enthusiasts, offering a fun 'cake community' for anyone with an Apple device. Given that I enjoy both baking and social networking immensely it seems silly not to have a look at this app and, of course, give all of you feedback on my experience.

First off, the app is only available on Apple devices (iPhone 3GS, 4, 4S, and 5; iPod Touch 3rd, 4th, and 5th generation; and iPad) - this means, of course, that Android users and users of other platforms will be unable to join in on the fun. I'm not aware of the future plans De Agostini have for the app and whether it will be available on other platforms at a later date; we will have to wait and see. On the plus side, it's a free app so you can join in without having to pay and there are no hidden add-ons which you may feel obligated to buy in order to get full use of the app. What you see is what you get and, as we shall see, what you get is good.

I downloaded the app on both my iPhone 4 and iPad and, whilst the app worked well on the iPhone, use on the iPad is somewhat limited in that it's basically the iPhone app so you have to either use a small iPhone-sized app or stretch it to fit the iPad screen thus distorting the app. It would be good if the app developers created a separate app for iPad given that the iPad is such a good baking companion; the 'Rate My Cake' app would be a nice addition. For now, however, the app works well on iPhone (although I don't have an iPhone 5 so I can't check how well it works with the longer screen).

Upon downloading the app, the first thing that I saw was that I needed to sign in with either Facebook or Twitter. I can understand why, to an extent, as the app is a social networking platform and, therefore, it makes sense that you would like to share on Twitter or Facebook. The downside to such a feature is, however, that not everyone has Facebook and/or Twitter (although they've included both to cover those who only have one or the other) and, for those who do have either Facebook or Twitter, there exists a faction of people who don't like sharing lots of info on multiple social platforms and so they may not find the feature the most helpful. At first I thought you could simply go into the 'Settings' (a cog in the top, right-hand corner of your profile page) and switch off Twitter or Facebook sharing but I found that, upon doing so, you will just be asked to log back in next time you use the app so (for now, at least) you need to have Twitter or Facebook and you need to have one or the other connected to the 'Rate My Cake' app. I am not too fussed about linking up one of my accounts and chose to sign in with Twitter as I find it to be a good platform for sharing things the kind of which I'm like to be posting/sharing on the 'Rate My Cake' app.

Once you sign in with either of the above, you need to register your email address and create username - the standard set up for a social networking app. Once you log it it becomes apparent that the app is akin to Instagram for bakers! I was pleased to see the app mirrored Instagram in this way as I really like their layout and knew, therefore, that I would like the 'Rate My Cake' layout also.

Users can share photos of their cakes, follow other bakers, view their cakes, comment on their favouites and share ideas for new and exciting cakes and recipes. 'Rate My Cake' appears to be a great way for friends and fellow bakers to interact, share photos, and comment on the cakes others post. I immediately took it upon myself to test out the 'comment' and 'like' features and, whilst the 'like' feature was easy to use as it was like Instagram in that you just double-tap a photo you like to publicly 'like' it (although you wouldn't have known this if you weren't familiar with Instagram), it took me a few moments to figure out how to 'comment'. The 'comment' tab isn't explicitly labelled so it took a while before it dawned on me to click the yellow speech bubble below the photo. Once I did this, however, leaving a comment was straight-forward.

Next I tested out the 'upload' feature as this is, for me, one of the key features. Not only can you upload photos to share with friends or anyone who 'follows' you but you have the ability to edit the photos (cropping them, adding effects, and frames) - a very fun feature, indeed! No sooner than I'd uploaded my first photo, I receive my first 'like' from another of the app's users so it seems that the app does its job in connecting bakers from across the globe. When you go to share a photo, it lets you give a description, provide a recipe if you wish, and select tabs under which the photo will be filed (i.e. perfect for parties).

Another fun feature is the ability to earn badges which are displayed on your profile - I have yet to earn many but it looks as though the more you post and the greater variety of cakes you post about, the more badges you collect! This app really is fun to use and it appears as though it will be a great way to stay in touch with fellow baking friends and a way to meet new ones as well as share all of your bakes (along with the recipes, if you like). As I've already mentioned, it's easy to navigate and it will take no time at all to get your head around if you are at all familiar with iPhone apps and social networking. 

The app also has a feature which allows you to search for users as well as 'hashtags' and there is a tab which allows you to look at different categories so you can find photos of cakes for different occasions and styles - a useful feature when you're looking for baking inspiration. Searching for 'hashtags' is a bit of a redundant feautre at the moment as it appears that not many people have used 'hashtags' yet so there aren't a lot in the search database but the more people who join and use them, the more useful and fun this feature will become.

So, what is my overall verdict, you ask? 

Well, I really like this app. It's fun, easy to use, and it is a great way to share those cakes you're so proud of (whether cake pops, cupcakes, a wedding cake, or a birthday cake). I, for one, am glad that De Agostini decided to develop the app and it will provide a great companion for their magazines as well as for those who do not collect them. This is one app that I will be keeping on my iPhone for a long time - I can't wait to see how 'Rate My Cake' will take off as it gains momentum! Why not give it a try then, there's nothing better than free fun and I'm sure you'll enjoy the app as much as I do.

You can download the app from the app store on you iOS device or by clicking the following link: https://itunes.apple.com/app/rate-my-cake/id625888054?mt=8

You can also check out the app's website, here: www.ratemycakeapp.com where you'll find lots of info as well as a promotional video outlining many of the features I've discussed in this review.

Don't forget, also, to check out the De Agostini website for more info on 'Cake Decorating' magazine, etc.

So, until next time, happy baking!

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Coffee with a twist - a recipe for vanilla spiced syrup

Those of you who follow me on twitter will know that I often frequent coffee shops and, in particular, Starbucks. People often ask me why I still go to Starbucks knowing that they are a big corporation - my response is always the same: a) I know all of the baristas at my local Starbucks and enjoy chatting with them;   and, b) there aren't any local coffee shops who know how to make a nice cup of coffee and can offer my favourite seasonal beverages. So, until I find a nice Italian coffee shop in the local vicinity which makes pumpkin spice lattes and salted caramel mochas in the Fall, vanilla spiced lattes in the Winter, and eggnog lattes at Christmas, I'm stuck with Starbucks.

Talking of vanilla spiced lattes, that brings me onto what this whole post is about: how can I keep on enjoying my favourite seasonal drinks when the season is over. I'm not talking about having them every day as that would spoil the seasonality of the whole thing but, from time to time, I like to mix it up. The last seasonal drink I had was a vanilla spiced latte and I have been having cravings for such a drink lately. In a bid to quench my thirst, I set about making my own syrup so that I could create my own 'VSL'. 

Having spotted the syrup they used in Starbucks over the counter whilst talking to the barista as she made my coffee, I noticed that it seemed to contain both cardamom and vanilla (of course). I couldn't taste any other spice in my drink so it made sense that it was probably just cardamom in there. I still had some cardamom pods left over from the stollen I made at Christmas and I always have vanilla extract in so it was only a small leap from those raw ingredients to having my own vanilla spiced syrup to add into coffees!

Enough of my chattering though, here is the simple recipe to make your very own vanilla spiced syrup:

Vanilla spiced syrup (for coffee)

Makes: 400ml (approx.) | Prep time: 5 minutes | Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 220g unrefined sugar
• 250ml water, filtered
• 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom seeds
• 4-5 cardamom pods, bruised/cracked open
• 1/2 tbsp. vanilla

Method:

1. Add the sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
2. Next, add in the ground cardamom seeds plus the additional pods (which you should have bruised by bashing them with the side of a knife or a pestle.
3. Bring up the temperature so that the mixture comes to a boil for 2-4 minutes.
4. Take off the heat and strain the syrup (through a sieve which has a doubled piece of kitchen cloth/roll in it) into a jug.
5. Add the vanilla and give the mix a quick stir.
6. Allow the syrup to cool and then pour into a glass bottle with an air-tight top (or use a jar).
7. Keep in the refrigerator for up to around six weeks.
8. To use: add 1-2 tablespoons of syrup to a cup of fresh coffee or, if you have an espresso maker with steam wand like I do, add to your coffee before you add your steamed milk to create a 'VSL'.

Enjoy!

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