Autumn Doodles

Debenhams

Thanks for all the doodle requests yesterday over on the Debenhams facebook and twitter pages. 
It was quite challenging drawing your favourite things about Autumn, but great fun!
We'll be sending out each doodle to the lucky Debenhams followers next week.


Live draw along!

Debenhams
Tomorrow I will be drawing live on request all day and bringing your suggestions to life!
Follow the Debenhams twitter and Facebook pages tomorrow morning for a chance for me to sketch your tweets and posts. All you need to do is simply complete the sentence: 
My favourite thing about autumn is…


Chilli & Chorizo Bread

baking
This recipe for Chilli & Chorizo bread is very simple but really delicious.
Add another teaspoon of chill if you like it spicy!
You'll need...

100g Chorizo, finely chopped
2 teaspoons of dried, crushed chillies
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
500gm Strong flour
350ml water, room temperature
1 teaspoon yeast

To make...
Make your dough by mixing the above ingredients together, you can use a food processor with a dough hook to speed things up.

Knead together for 2 minutes.
Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover with cling film, leave to rise in a warm place for about 45mins or until it has doubled in size. The dough should spring back when you poke it.

Knead the bread again for 2mins to knock the air out of it.
Then leave it to prove in a warm place, on a lined bread tin for another 45mins and cover will a piece of oiled cling film.

Preheat the oven to 200oC
Bake for 30mins or until golden.
Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool for 10 mins.
Best served warm with real butter!


All items featured above are available at www.debenhams.com

Debenhams Autumn/Winter catalogue out now

Ashley Thomas at home

The inspirational new Debenhams Home catalogue is available now and it’s jam-packed full of amazing ideas and products to give your home a real lift.
It’s full of this season’s trends brought to you from the unrivalled collection of Designers at Debenhams, which includes Jasper Conran, Ben de Lisi, Betty Jackson, Matthew Williamson, Julien Macdonald, John Rocha and me of course!
And not forgetting our brand new additions to / Edition, Abigail Ahern and Vicki Elizabeth.
Abigail Ahern, celebrated interior designer, stylist and author, launches her Autumn Winter collection with an array of unique accessories. From striking photo frames and mirrors to unmissable animal lamps, adding a splash of personality to your home has never been easier.
Vicki Elizabeth is a renowned designer of quirky animal prints in vivid colours. She incorporates her signature looks in her debut collection by showcasing printed cushions and bedding that are inscribed with imagery of birds, butterflies, cats and graceful swans.
To receive your free copy, enter code VN93 when you purchase any home or furniture products online at www.debenhams.com






Bake off: Lemon & Elderflower Cake

baking
I'm really excited to have The Great British Bake off back on our tellies. I love baking, even though I could never compete with the contestants on the show! I'd like to think that I'll attempt anything at least once, so this year I'm going to bake along with British Bake off. There is a different category each week so I'll make something in that category and aim to post photos of what I've made and the recipe too. This week the category was cake! I've started with quite a simple recipe so everyone can join in.

So.... here's my Lemon & Elderflower Cake
You'll need...

Cake mixture
150g softened butter
200g caster sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
65ml Elderflower cordial
1 tsp Baking Powder
Zest of 1 ½ lemons
200g self-raising flour

Syrup
100g sugar
juice of 1 ½ lemons
75ml Elderflower cordial
50ml Water

Icing
100g butter
150g icing sugar

To make...
Pre-heat the oven to 180oC/gas mark 4.
Line a 20cm cake tin with baking paper.
Mix together the butter and caster sugar in a large bowl.
Add the eggs, cordial, baking powder and lemon zest.
Fold in the flour until smooth.
Pour into the cake tin and bake for 40mins or until golden.

Meanwhile, make the syrup...
Put the sugar, lemon juice, elderflower cordial and water into a saucepan and mix together
Heat for 5 mins or until sugar had dissolved.
Leave to cool.

Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool completely.

Meanwhile make your icing...
Mix together the butter and icing sugar, until it is a creamy consistency.
Add a squeeze of lemon juice and a glug of elderflower cordial to taste.

Skewer the cake with a fork and pour over the syrup, allowing it to soak into the holes.
Spread the icing over the cake and decorate with the left over lemon 1/2 cut into thin slices.



Cake stand, tins and other goodies available from my "At Home" collection. Exclusive to debenhams 

New Fine China Mugs

ashley thomas
New mugs now online, introducing my marvelous mug collection perfect for morning coffee, afternoon tea and hot chocolate in front of the fire.

They are limited edition and made in stoke-on-trent, England from fine bone china which is known for its whiteness and translucency yet remains strong and chip resistant.


Unfortunately biscuits are not included!

Visit my website for more info....
www.ashleythomasdesign.co.uk

Featured in the Times

Debenhams
 
My new Russian doll collection is featured in today's Daily Mail! Read all about the Russian folk trend and how these little dolls will be invading our homes this autumn.