Pop the kettle on for a blooming great tea party

18/06/2008

Former Coronation street actress, Susie Blake, is calling on people across the UK to join Marie Curie Cancer Care’s Blooming Great Tea Party celebrations this summer, supported by Homebase.

 

People can hold a tea party throughout the summer, to raise money for the charity as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations. The party could be anything from tea with friends to an elegant high tea - the ideas are endless. All tea parties, however big or small, will help provide free Marie Curie Nursing care for local people with terminal illnesses in their own homes and the charity’s hospices.

 

Susie says: “Do you know that we drink 165 million cups of tea each day? If we had one pound for every cup, it would cover the cost of Marie Curie Cancer Care’s free nationwide nursing service for seven years.

 

“Every tea party will help, so join the fun and raise your cup with me for the Blooming Great Tea Party.”

 

To celebrate the Blooming Great Tea Party campaign, Marie Curie Cancer Care has cooked up a Blooming Great Tea Party Almond and Orange cake recipe. The cake contains no flour or fat, making it an ideal choice for people on restricted diets. The Nutty Tarts Company have also produced hand baked iced shortbread teapot biscuits, which will be available until the end of July. A box of 10 biscuits costs £4.99, with a 50p donation to Marie Curie Cancer Care for every packet sold. To order, please visit their website linked below.

 

If you would like to hold your own tea party, please call 08700 340 040 or visit the second website linked for your free Blooming Great Tea Party fundraising pack.

 

Blooming Great Tea Party Almond and Orange Cake recipe

 

Ingredients

 

200g carrots

4 large eggs, separated

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 orange

150g caster sugar

1 tbsp orange juice

150g ground almonds

1 tbsp icing sugar (optional)

fresh berries, to decorate (optional).

 

Method

Heat the oven to 170°C/325°F/gas 3. Line a round cake tin, 20cm in diameter, with baking parchment.

 

Cook the carrots in a little boiling water until tender, then drain, allow to cool slightly and place in a blender or food processor.

 

Add the orange juice and blend to a smooth puree.

 

In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the vanilla and grated orange zest, gradually adding the sugar, until the mixture is thick and pale.

 

Fold in the carrot purée and the almonds. In a clean, dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold into the mixture. 

 

Spoon into the prepared cake tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

 

Sift icing sugar over the top and serve with fresh berries, if desired.