Millionaire Shortbreads

I don't normally do recipes. Anyone who knows me knows I don't cook. I bake cakes but that's about as far as it goes. However, this recipe was made by my 11 year old son who is great at cooking/baking. He made these on Friday and they are awesome. So I thought I should share the recipe. We used rice flour which was actually a bit past its sell by date and a mix of dark and milk chocolate.

Ingredients 

(makes about 24)  

For the shortbread: 

200g plain flour 100g medium cornmeal, semolina or rice flour 100g granulated sugar 1/4 tsp fine salt 200g butter, cut into pieces 

For the topping: 

175g butter 175g sugar 60ml golden syrup 400g condensed milk 1/2 tsp fine salt 200g dark (40% cocoa solids) chocolate (or milk chocolate) 

Essential equipment: 

20x20cm / 8inch square (or similar) baking tin. 

Something to smooth the caramel, depending on your tin: e.g. spatula, plastic lid with a straight edge etc.  

Preparation 

1. Heat the oven to 180oC/350F/gas mark four.  

2. Grease a tin about 20x20cm (or line with baking paper).  

3. Put the flour and cornmeal into a bowl with the sugar and salt and mix well, then cut in the butter and mix to form a dough.  

4. Press into the tin, prick all over with a fork and bake for about 25-30 minutes, until golden and crisp. Allow to cool. 

5. Put the remaining butter and sugar in a wide, heavy-based pan with the syrup, condensed milk and salt, and heat gently, stirring to melt the butter. Bring to a simmer and continue to simmer for about 10-15 minutes, until thick and fudgey. Pour over the shortbread and smooth with a spatula. Leave to set. 

6. Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water or in a microwave, and spread evenly over the set caramel. Leave until solid, then turn out and cut into squares. 

Up next from the National Theatre - Frankenstein and Antony and Cleopatra

The next two National Theatre productions to be streamed live on YouTube will be Danny Boyle's production of Frankenstein - filmed at the NT in 2001 and screened on Thursday April 30 and Friday May 1 - and Antony and Cleopatra on May 7.

They will be screened at 7pm via the National Theatre’s YouTube channel as part of National Theatre at Home; the new initiative to bring content to the public accessed from their homes during coronavirus. 

Frankenstein sees Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternating the roles of Victor Frankenstein and his creation. The two versions will be shown across two nights: 30 April and 1 May. 

Simon Godwin’s sell-out production of Shakespeare’s Antony & Cleopatra featuring the Evening Standard Theatre Award-winning performances by Ralph Fiennes and Sophie Okonedo as the famous lovers will be streamed on 7 May.

Today also sees the launch of the National Theatre at Home Quiz, to be played from home featuring familiar faces from the world of stage and screen as the quizmasters. Each quiz will include rounds of five questions on a wide variety of topics. 

On the final Monday of each month people will be able join the virtual quiz directly from their homes via the NT’s YouTube channel and Facebook page live at 7pm. The first quiz will be on Monday 27 April with quizmasters Dame Helen Mirren, Sir Lenny Henry, Lesley Manville, and Sir Ian McKellen asking questions on topics including history, sport, nature, and of course, the National Theatre.   

Rufus Norris Director and Joint Chief Executive of the National Theatre said “We’ve been completely overwhelmed by the response to National Theatre at Home since we launched at the start of April. We know that these are difficult and challenging times for many, and we hope that through this initiative we’re able to supply a weekly slice of entertainment for people to enjoy together, albeit digitally, when each production goes out at 7pm on Thursdays. We’re thrilled to be announcing the next two titles today, Frankenstein and Antony & Cleopatrawhich both feature award-winning performances and I’m sure will be enjoyed by all. We’re also pleased today to be launching the National Theatre at Home Quiz featuring some familiar faces posing the tricky questions. I’d like to thank all the artists and creatives who have continued to support us in being able to deliver this programme for free and also the public for tuning in every week and sharing their experiences of National Theatre at Home from right across the world.”

Southwark Stayhouse

Southwark Stayhouse is a brand new online streaming service from Southwark Playhouse where the theatre be sharing shows and exclusive video content until its doors are able to open again on Newington Causeway. All shows are free, so you can watch them whenever you want.

First up is Wasted, a new rock musical about the Brontë siblings in 2018. It’s directed by Adam Lenson with music by Christopher Ash and book and lyrics by Carl Miller. 

Also on the list is the riotously fun take on Twelfth Night, set at a music festival (Ilyria, obv) which was staged in 2019, directed by Anna Girvan as part of our Shakespeare for Schools programme. Also in the mix is Bound by Jesse Briton which premiered in the theatre's former old Vault space at London Bridge and went on to be nominated for an Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright. 

Alongside these three full-length shows Southwark Playhouse will be releasing more content fortnightly plus any projects their pals are doing like Philip Ridley’s The Beast Will Rise monologues – from the world premiere of The Beast of Blue Yonder which was due to open at the beginning of April.

The online link is www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/streaming/

Happy watching!

Share Your Shakespeare - with the RSC

I love Shakespeare. I grew up near his home town of Stratford and spent most of my childhood at the RSC watching his plays being acted out. I fell in love with the language, the stories and the characters.

Thanks to my job I’ve spent most of the last seven years in and around theatre, writing about it, reviewing plays and interviewing those amazing actors who grace the stage.

Unfortunately the COVID-19 crisis has stopped all that - at least temporarily. However, the RSC has come up with a great way for us to stay connected with its Share Your Shakespeare initiative.

They are asking people of all ages to film or photograph your Shakespeare in any way you like and then upload to social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter or YouTube tagging @theRSC and using the hashtag #ShareYourShakespeare.

Ideas put forward can be a performance of a famous Shakespeare speech or sonnet, painting a picture, or baking a cake with a quote written on the top in icing. 

A speech, quote or sonnet should be one that speaks to you, or makes you laugh, cry or shed a tear, or it could be one that reminds you of somebody or something.

here are a few the RSC has come up with:

1. Bake a cake with your favourite quote in the icing
2. Recreate the Romeo and Juliet balcony scene with vegetables
3. Perform “All the world’s a stage” line by line with your family on Zoom
4. Draw or paint your favourite scene
5. Feeling musical? Why not re-write a Shakespeare speech as a song?
6. Shout your speech over the fence to your neighbours (two metres apart of course)
7. Act out a moment through the medium of dance on Tik Tok
8. Get your pets involved
9. Tell a Shakespeare story in emojis 

No idea is too silly! So, what are you waiting for? Get bold. Get creative. Get involved!

Whatever it is have a go - the RSC will share its favourites on its social media platforms over the next few weeks and in the run up to Shakespeare’s birthday on April 23.

Royal Albert Hall shows direct to your living room!

Some exciting news from the Royal Albert Hall today! Rufus Wainwright, Alfie Boe, Baxter Dury and Ayanna Witter-Johnson will be the first artists to take part in Royal Albert Home when it opens its virtual doors this week.

One of the world’s most iconic venues, the Royal Albert Hall building may be physically closed but it will come direct to audiences from artists’ living rooms with a programme of exclusive shows starting tomorrow.

Rufus Wainwright will launch the series and keep the venue’s spirit alive during its closure by presenting the first of what is hoped to be lots of free sessions from performers’ homes.

The specially-curated opening week will also feature celebrated tenor Alfie Boe, indie sensation Baxter Dury and Idlewild frontman Roddy Woomble, as well as singer-songwriter Ayanna Witter-Johnson, spoken word act Toby Thompson – performing a specially reworked version of his Edinburgh Fringe show – and cellist Peter Gregson, renowned for his reinterpretations of Bach.

On Monday 13 April, Hard-Fi frontman Richard Archer and vocalist Krysten Cummings will perform Hard-Fi hits alongside songs from their new collaboration, OffWorld.

The Hall will also present at-home versions of shows which have had to be cancelled, ensuring that the talent and practice that went into developing these events can be shared with the world. Following an enhanced screening of the hit British comedy-drama, Brassed Off on Wednesday 15 April, conductor Moritz Gnann will present Isata Kanneh-Mason and Eldbjørg Hemsing performing Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Saint-Saëns (Sat 18 Apr), before Robin Ince, Dr Helen Czerski and Steve Backshall are joined by a host of special guests for Sea Shambles (Sun 17 May).

And an upcoming programme of family matinees will include classical music, opera and jazz concerts for kids presented by performers from the venue’s in-house group, Albert’s Band.

Rufus Wainwright said: “When push comes to shove, the Royal Albert Hall is my favourite venue in the UK. It is the perfect mix of both formal and fun. It is grand and intimate at the same time. Also it is where my mother Kate McGarrigle did her last concert in 2009. I am proud to be one of the first artists to give a Royal Albert Home concert from my home in Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles.

“I will try to be your ‘Gay Messiah’ in these difficult times, serve you some ‘Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk’, give you hopefully a ‘Peaceful Afternoon’, maybe pray a little ‘Agnus Dei’, hold you virtually ‘In My Arms’, take you to ‘Sanssouci’ in your mind, show you some ‘Pretty Things’ and make your ‘Alone Time’ uplifting, funny, hilarious, beautiful and bearable. In short, I will take you through my repertoire and my life, and preview some of my new material from my upcoming album, ‘Unfollow the Rules’, which we are now releasing on 10 July.”

Alfie Boe said: “In this difficult time for all I hope to bring some joy to everyone’s homes and raise some money to help preserve one of my favourite venues. Let’s have a good old sing-along!”

Lucy Noble, the Hall's artistic director said: “The Hall has always been a place where people come together at times of national crisis. Right now that isn’t possible, but we want to keep the venue’s spirit alive, and provide something that will cheer you, inspire you or just distract you during this difficult time.

“These events will reflect the diversity of the shows that we put on each month, allowing audiences not just to spend an evening with a favourite artist, but also to discover new favourites and try something different, whether that’s genre-hopping singer-songwriters, award-winning spoken word, or world-class classical music.”

The shows will all be streamable free of charge, but with the option to donate to the venue. The Hall, which turns 150 next year, is closed for the first time since World War Two, meaning that it has no regular income to support staff or its Grade I-listed building.

Lucy added: “When times are tough, people’s priorities understandably change, but we know that the Hall holds a unique place in the memories and hearts of millions. We are doing our best to keep entertaining the world during our closure but the building is at risk and the show cannot go on without support and donations. Now is the chance for anyone who loves this place to show their appreciation and protect the future of the Royal Albert Hall.”

For full programme details, go to www.royalalberthall.com/rahome. To donate to the Hall, visit https://www.royalalberthall.com/support. More shows will be announced soon.