Life Hacks

Easter recipe

Zesty Chocolate and Orange Loaf Cake

- 175 g butter, softened - 175 g caster sugar - 3 large eggs - Grated zest of 1 orange, plus 1 tablespoon of orange juice - 200g self-raising flour - 50 g ground almonds - A splash of milk - 3-4 Double Chocolate Chip Cookie Doughballs, crumbled

To decorate:

- Melted chocolate - Flaked almonds - Slices of orange peel - orange zest - orange slices 1. Preheat the oven to 170°C and grease and line a 900g loaf tin with greaseproof paper. 2. Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.

Add a couple of tablespoons of the weighed flour if the mix looks as if it is beginning to curdle. 3. Add the orange zest and orange juice followed by the flour and ground almonds. Beat until you have a smooth, thick batter. Add a splash of milk if it is a little too thick. 4. Spoon ¾ of the mix into the prepared tin. Scatter over the crumbled cookie dough, nestling in so that it is evenly distributed throughout the loaf. Top with the remaining mix and smooth over the surface. 5. Bake for around 55 minutes to 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the loaf comes out clean – the exact time will depend on the shape of your tip (some loaf tins are long and narrow, others are shorter and thicker). 6. Leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely. 7. Drizzle with melted chocolate and sprinkle with your chosen decorations. Cut into slices and serve.

Doughlicious.

ESSENTIAL BIKE CHECKS BEFORE YOU GET BACK IN THE SADDLE

Always do a pre-ride safety check which should include checking your tyre pressure, brakes, helmet and chain – at the very least. If you haven’t ridden your bike in a while, pre-ride checks will need to be more thorough including testing breaks, gear shifting, inspecting the wheels and tyres, but it’s advisable you allow a qualified bicycle mechanic to give your bike a health check first and to show you how to keep on top of the regular checks.

5 warm weather DIY projects for spring

1. Turn old jars & cans into flower baskets: You

might have an old watering can or mason jar lying around that you won’t use, so why not turn them into flower baskets? Use the handle of the watering cans or attach a hook to the mason jars so you can hang them on your outside walls and fences. 2. Spring wreath: Who says wreaths are just for

Christmas? You can create your own wreath from anything, and you can decorate it with springappropriate items like overhanging flowers or seed packets. 3. Bring the outside in: Take disused flower pots or vases and bring them into your rooms to give them

a spring bloom feeling too. If you have a glass case, create a mini garden to complement your living room with brightly coloured flowers. 4. Plating up: If you want to replace your dinnerware, don’t just throw them out. You can turn an old plate into a bird feeder, simply hanging it using a piece of rope and placing bird seed on it. 5. Turning patterns into furniture: With a spring

clear out of old clothes you no longer need, consider repurposing them into blankets for your bed or sofa, or even cushions or pillowcases to make your rooms pop.