I LOVE cake decorating but don't enjoy the baking part!! I recently have been struggling to find the right recipe for a plain madeira type cake.
I need it foolproof, a recipe which can be increased in quantities to suit different sized tins, a firm-ish texture to the crumb for when I have to shape it and yet moist at the same time.
Ones I have been trying have been turning out a bit dry and when I make the bigger quantities the outside tends to just overcook when I give it the longer time to cook the centre.
Any suggestions?

Just watched a re-run (and missed the beginning of the second half) and would love the recipe is anyone has it :-)

Tesco Customer Services at my store said they wouldn't sell me some. Asked at their bakery section and the chap there gave me some!! Just goes to show it doesn't hurt to ask! Let's hope other peoples branches are as helpful :-)

Me too!!! Except I was going to make my fave coconut cream pie. Will check out Julian Graves. Thanks!

I coveted a Kitchen Aid for years but thought that, as good as it looks, I simply wouldn't use it enough to justify the cost. My family surprised me with one 2 Christmases ago (beautiful grey graphite) and I eat my words everyday!! I use it ALL the time. It is a wonderfully no fuss solid piece of engineering and my girls are already squabbling about who I will bequeath it too (!). I think the fact it looks so lovely is big factor because I leave it on my worktop and hence use it more often than I might had it been tucked away in a cupboard. Watch Ina Garten on The Barefoot Contessa and see how she uses hers - I have discovered uses for it I hadn't dreamed of. And try Paul Hollywoods scones made in it - remarkable!!

I've been watching more of Ina Garten... does anyone know where I can buy the rachet type ice cream scoops she uses but in the smaller sizes - like melon ball size and walnut sized?

Gastrosurf - they look perfect ! And thank you for all your research on my behalf!

Thanks jannymac they are exactly the ones i wanted but I take it you are talking about amazon.com? Shipping will be fairly prohibitive :-(

Does anyone know where I might be able to purchase a tin for preparing American popovers - sort of like deeper muffn pans?

I have been contacted by my uncle in Singapore who needs help with his breadmaker. I don't use one myself and so I thought the best place to ask for help was the oh so knowlegable messageboards :-)

Basically, after 7 years he has changed from a Sanyo to a Morphy Richards machine and the problem is that the texture of the bread produced by the new machine is very different to that from the old.

He tells me is is using all the same ingredients and the cycles of the machine for kneading and rising are exactly the same length in time. The only difference he can see is that the depth of the trays are different. The Morphy Richards is deeper by some 5 cm.

In addition he says that the bread made in the new machine smalls very yeasty.

He is after bread which is soft and fluffy not too dense.
Any ideas please?

Thanks everyone I'm sorted!
Funnily enough the link Rosti sent me looks as though it should be the recipe but it is a slightly different version. In the end I took Mrs Woof Woof's advice and e-mailed the magazine. They were kind enough to send me the recipe! Result!!

Hello Vimute,
You couldn't possibly copy the recipe out for me could you? I believe it's on page 112 - Chocolate Chestnut roulade. I'd be very grateful.
Thanks Anne

Please does anyone have a copy of Delicious December 2005? I desperately need a recipe on page 112 for the chocolate and chestnut roulade!
*wails* Where has my copy gone?!!!!