Walk to Italy – London
London Calling!
London is the capital of the United Kingdom. At its centre stand the imposing Houses of Parliament, the iconic ‘Big Ben’ clocktower and Westminster Abbey, site of British monarch coronations. London’s Oxford Street is Europes busiest shopping street, with around half a million daily visitors. Forget driving in that heavy London traffic, the Underground is the most efficient mode of transport for making your way around the city.
In 1946, Maria Montessori conducted the first Montessori training course in Europe known as the ‘London Lectures’. Here Maria spoke of her lifetime spent studying early childhood development from infancy through elementary and into adolescence.
The adult, the child, and the environment are a trinity. They should be considered as one”.
– Maria Montessori The 1946 London Lectures, P.213.
Recipe: Victoria Sponge Cake
Ingredients:
- 200g caster sugar
- 200g softened butter
- 4 eggs, beaten
- 200g self-raising flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp milk
For the filling:
- 100g butter softened
- 140g icing sugar, sifted
- drop of vanilla extract
- half a jar of strawberry jam
- icing sugar to decorate
Step 1:
Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and line with non-stick baking paper.
Step 2:
In a large bowl, beat 200g caster sugar, 200g softened butter, 4 beaten eggs, 200g self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 2 tbsp milk together until you have a smooth, soft batter.
Step 3:
Divide the mixture between the tins, smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Step 4:
Bake for about 20 mins until golden and the cake springs back when pressed.
Step 5:
Turn onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
Step 6:
To make the filling, beat the 100g softened butter until smooth and creamy, then gradually beat in 140g sifted icing sugar and a drop of vanilla extract.
Step 7:
Spread the buttercream over the bottom of one of the sponges. Top it with 170g strawberry jam and sandwich the second sponge on top.
Step 8:
Dust with a little icing sugar before serving. Keep in an airtight container and eat within 2 days.