After a few years of being lazy, I’d lost my mojo and each time I tried to get back into biking I felt rubbish as I was so unfit and didn’t enjoy it, always turning back after the first big hill. I almost got to the point of selling my bikes.

Anyway, starting this week I’ve been trying to make an effort to leave work on time and do some exercise as I tend to get SAD symptoms as the clocks go back.

I went out for a quick blast yesterday and had the usual feeling of being knackered straight away and gave up and went home.

Feeling mad at myself, I forced myself to go back out again tonight and before I left I spotted a Tupperware box full of caramel shortbread so had a sneaky slice before I left…

Holy moly! I flew up the big hill from my house into the woods and felt good at the top. Continued into the woods and smashed through some of my old favourite trails with a big smile on my face! Found some new cheeky trails and went full chat and finally found my mojo again, this is the feeling that I have been missing for so long! Did a 10 mile hilly loop and still felt fresh when I got home.

I know this would be a warm up ride for most riders on here, but for me I felt like I was winning a world cup race 🙂

I’m now sat on the sofa with achy thighs and still smiling. Can’t wait to get out again, so I think we need to make another batch soon.

For anyone in the same boat as me, let me know and I’ll send you the recipe 🙂

I’ve found that food makes a massive difference to rides. Probably because I’m getting wiser 😉

Could you just post the recipe please?

caramel shortcake > ebikez

I shall have to ask the good lady wife and report back. Her caramel shortbread is famous amongst our friends, family and colleagues so I deffo recommend making some… I’ll post the recipe in a bit.

Recipe please!

Watches with interest and awaits recipe

Malt Loaf and/or Flapjack for me…

This is the original recipe, however she makes double the shortbread to the amount of caramel listed as you then get a better ratio.

INGREDIENTS:
115g/4oz butter
175g/6oz plain flour
55g/2oz caster sugar
200g/7oz plain chocolate (Cadburys) broken into pieces

CARAMEL:
175g/6oz butter
115g/4oz caster sugar
3 tbsp golden syrup
400g/14oz canned condensed milk

METHOD:
Preheat oven to 180c/350f/G.M.4.
Grease shallow cake tin (she uses a big roasting tin)
Mix butter, flour and sugar in a bowl or food processor until it begins to bind together.
Press it into the tin and smooth the top. Prick all over with a fork to stop it bubbling up.
Bake for 20-25 mins.
Meanwhile, make the caramel. Put butter, sugar, syrup and condensed milk into a heavy based saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar has melted. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 6-8 minutes, stirring, until very thick.
Pour over the shortbread and chill it in the fridge for 2 hours, or until it’s firm.
Melt the chocolate, then spread over the caramel. Leave it in the fridge until it is set.
Top tip: Cut it into chunks before the chocolate gets too hard or it is a bugger to chop it!

Once set, eat a big slab and then go for a super charged bike ride!

Looking at the ingredients, I can see I had a massive sugar hit so no wonder I was flying today 🙂

Home made Bakewell tart is good for me too.!

Home made hedgerow jam,our own eggs tasty results.

Only downside is when spotted by teenage sons developed disappearing properties !

Might have to try that out next week!

I’ve currently got a massive batch of dark chocolate and raisin flapjack cooling downstairs ready for this weekends trip to the quantocks:)

Ooh that sounds delicious, Momo. Any chance you could share the recipe please?