Here is one of my favourite chocolate cake recipes from the River Café Cook Book Easy by Ruth Rogers and Rose Gray (Ebury Press, 2008). It is cooked in a water bath, producing a silken texture that is heaven-sent! It will serve at least 10 people and is very rich so small portions are recommended. I serve the cake on one of my large lilac Zinnia plates and pepper it with edible flowers such as pansies.

Easy small nemesis

340g excellent quality chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)

225g Unsalted butter

5 large eggs

210 grams Caster sugar

Preheat oven to 120 degrees celcius.

Using extra butter, grease a 25cm cake tin, and line with baking paper.

Break the chocolate into pieces an melt with the butter in a bowl over simmering water. Beat the eggs and 70 grams of the sugar in an electric mixer until the volume quadruples.

Heat the remaining sugar with 100ml water until dissolved into a light syrup. Pour the hot syrup into the melted chocolate and cool slightly.

Add the chocolate to the eggs, and beat slowly until the mixture is combined. Pour into the tin.

Put a folded tea towel in the bottom of a roasting dish or a high-sided baking tray. Put in the cake and add enough hot water to come three-quarters of the way up the side of the tin.

Bake in the oven for approximately 70-90 minutes until set (it should have a slight wobble to it). Leave the cake to cool in the water. To get the cake out of the tin, briefly dip the tin in a basin of very hot/boiling water for a few seconds and then invert onto a beautiful plate! Decorate with edible flowers such as pansies. Cut the cake using a sharp knife dipped in hot water for a clean cut.

 I had some wonderful news from Sarah Gladwell at inhouse design this week. One of the elements of her identity design for Rachel Carley Ceramics has been published in a luscious book called Modern Heraldry: Seals, Stamps, Crests & Shields by Counter-Print in the UK. I am off to order myself a copy but if you take a look below  you can see who it is keeping company with and it is very exciting!

Last week I had a wonderful photoshoot with the very clever Delena Nathuran in preparation for Valentines Day. I picked up 6 delightful cupcakes from Bluebells Cakery and we had a terrific time matching them with my conversation heart plates. The complementary colours look glorious and the cupcakes tasted fabulous too!

I am swooning over this beautifully styled image in the December 2014 of Dish Magazine. My duck egg sunray plate is in rather delightful company.

I was very fortunate to be featured in the latest issue of Urbis Magazine. You can read the article "Inside Story" here. Thanks you Kirstin Matthew for the lovely write up and thank you Tash Hopkins for permission to use your beautiful photographs.



I am swooning over this artfully arranged passionfruit shortbread atop a stack of Rachel Carley Perennial side plates. Their floral moniker makes reference to their ability to crop up time and time again at festive occasions, or, alternatively,  to enliven more pedestrian routines like breakfast: vogels toast with avocado and tomato looks glorious on lilac! The crenellated profiles of the plates look wonderful layered together as a display feature in an open kitchen. These beauties shouldn't be hidden away in cupboards!

Image credit: Manja Wachsmuth Photography, stylist Lianne Whorhood from The Props Department. Published in October November 2014 issue, Dish Magazine. 

Dish Magazine recently featured a gorgeous image of my perennial side plate in butter. The photograph is by Manja Wachsmuth and the exquisite cupcakes are by Karla Goodwin at Bluebells Cakery. These plates are perfect accompaniments to an array of foods, both sweet and savoury. Perfect to use for morning or afternoon tea. 

Last week I met with my fantastic photographer Delena Nathuran to compose some new table settings to prepare for the launch of my new Zinnia Dinner plates in January. She took some glorious aerial views of the settings that I am very happy to share. These will be available to purchase in late January. They will be available on their own or as part of a series of carefully curated table settings. These would make perfect wedding gifts. I am also setting up a gift registry online to make it easier to set up wishlists for special occasions.