Chocolate Torte gianduia and a few truckloads of bricks

My life has changed a lot in the last few months, all for the better I think.

The last few years were hectic.  I was involved with a few projects and between work, school, running markets and a million different things, we all were hardly home.  I think, looking back, that most days I were running on adrenaline and running on almost empty at the same time.  I loved the Christmas Market and being involved with it.  I will miss it.

But, I knew that this year I need to shift focus.  I needed to focus on a few things that were left by the wayside.  Family, friends and my house and garden.  A huge collection of orchids as well.

We are in the midst of a big revamp of our house as well.  We have been in the house now, for eleven years.  And we planned the house as newly weds with no kids and very few possessions.  How things have changed.  And with that change came a whole new set of requirements for our house.  So, we started with a pool.  And then we needed more cement and bricks to join the house and the pool.  A few more loads of bricks and the big kitchen expansion was born.  We were doing it all ourselves with the help of guys from the farm.  There were days that got the better of us and there were days when it all seemed totally crazy.  Luckily, the end result is better than I ever hoped.  

But, alas, we needed more bricks, as the garage is slowly, being transformed into a new office and a classroom.  By the end of the month it should all be finished.  

I have realized, that I own a whole lot of pans and baking sheets.  And a huge amount of strange and beautiful packaging items as well.  All this moving the house around, meant a lot of sorting out of cupboards and the discovery of many items long forgotten.  

All this means, that by the end of the month, I'll have more space to bake and more time to photograph and hopefully, it will all translate to more activity on my little blog.

I have been baking a lot.  And a huge amount of chocolate cakes for all sorts of occasions.  

I'll be bringing you a few of the recipes in the next few weeks.

For now, my newest discovery and absolute favorite cake, a nutty, hazelnut torte that I found here.

Try it, it is delicious.