Latest news with #MacmillanCoffeeMorning
The Independent
01-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Best supermarket coffee to serve at your Macmillan Coffee Morning
Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Macmillan Coffee Morning is a fantastic way to bring people together, support people living with cancer, and enjoy a few tasty treats while you're at it. While you can host one wherever and whenever you like, the official date is Friday 26 September. All you need to do is sign up and you'll be sent a free fundraising kit and details of your personal fundraising page. By getting involved, you'll be helping Macmillan Cancer Support do whatever it takes to support people living with cancer. Almost one in two of us will face cancer in our lifetime – but the experience isn't the same for everyone. Right now, the care people receive can depend on who they are, where they live or whether they have other health conditions. Macmillan is working to change that, making sure everyone gets the best possible support, whoever and wherever they are. Let's be honest though, not everyone has the time to bake from scratch or owns a superior coffee brewing set-up. The good news? Running a successful coffee morning doesn't need to be complicated, time-consuming or costly. With just a little planning – and some smart shopping – you can keep things simple, stress-free, and delicious. One of the easiest ways to take the hassle out of your event is by turning to your local supermarket, especially when it comes to coffee. Proving you don't need to fork out for premium brands to serve something tasty, supermarket own-brand coffees are great value and often surprisingly good quality. From rich ground coffees to quick and convenient instant brews, supermarkets offer a variety of own-label options to suit every taste. Whether you're after something bold to serve with chocolate cake or a smooth, mellow brew to complement a classic Victoria sponge, there's a budget-friendly supermarket option out there that fits the bill. To help you pick the cream of the crop, we've been busy putting supermarket own-brand coffees to the test. So, whether you're an experienced host or getting involved for the first time, read on to discover our top coffee buys, that are both affordable and full of flavour. How we tested With the help of two discerning coffee connoisseurs (each with varying preferences), we tested a wide range of supermarket own-brand coffees – including beans, ground, instant, and even coffee bags – from major UK retailers like M&S, Waitrose, Morrisons and Sainsbury's. We tried a mix of standard and premium lines, and each coffee was prepared following the packaging instructions. For whole bean coffee, we used a coffee machine (the Sage barista touch impress) on the same espresso setting each time and ground variations were brewed using a moka pot. Meanwhile, instant coffees were mixed with hot water at the recommended ratio, and coffee bags were brewed in freshly boiled water for the specified time. All coffees were tested black to appreciate the full flavour experience before adding milk and sugar to taste where appropriate. We then assessed each coffee against a number of factors, such as aroma, flavour, aftertaste and value for money. Why you can trust IndyBest reviews Sarah Jones is IndyBest's assistant editor and has years of experience writing and editing shopping content across food and drink, kids and home appliances. So, it's fair to say she knows a thing or two about finding quality products, whether that's a fancy new coffee machine or gifts for a loved one. For this round-up, Sarah combined her love of a good brew with her shopping expertise to steer her selection of the best supermarket own-brand coffee. The best own-brand supermarket coffee blends for 2025 are: Macmillan Cancer Support, registered charity in England and Wales (261017), Scotland (SC039907) and the Isle of Man (604). Also operating in Northern Ireland.
The Independent
01-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Easy and delicious carrot cake blondies for your Macmillan Coffee Morning
It's a small thing, baking a cake – but it's also a wonderful way to bring people together and do a bit of good. Macmillan Coffee Mornings prove as much, turning cups of tea and slices of something sweet into vital support for people living with cancer. Because while almost one in two of us will get cancer in our lifetime, not everyone gets the same care – and Macmillan is working to change that. These blondies are a quieter take on carrot cake. All the familiar warmth is there – cinnamon, ginger, a whisper of nutmeg – but baked into a single tray with no layers, no icing and no stress. Just a handful of seasonal carrots, a swirl of cream cheese and a bake that feels quietly celebratory. Want to be a Macmillan Coffee Morning Host? The ingredients are unshowy – butter, sugar, flour, eggs – and the method is unfussy enough to pull together the night before. Once cooled and cut, they're easy to carry, easy to serve and easy to eat with one hand while holding a cuppa in the other. Carrot cake blondies with cream cheese swirl Equipment 20cm square baking tin Baking paper Mixing bowls Whisk or electric hand mixer Rubber spatula or spoon Fine grater (for carrot and optional orange zest) Small bowl and spoon/skewer for swirling Ingredients For the blondie base 150g unsalted butter, melted 150g light brown sugar 75g caster sugar 2 medium eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp ground cinnamon ½ tsp ground ginger ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ½ tsp fine sea salt 160g plain flour 100g grated carrot (about 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely grated) 50g chopped walnuts or pecans (optional) Zest of ½ an orange (optional but recommended) For the cream cheese swirl 100g full-fat cream cheese 1 egg yolk 30g icing sugar ½ tsp vanilla extract Method 1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan (190C conventional) and line a 20cm square tin with baking paper. 2. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and caster sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until glossy. 3. Stir in the spices, salt, and flour, mixing until just combined. Fold through the grated carrot, optional nuts, and orange zest. 4. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the cream cheese swirl ingredients until smooth. 5. Pour the blondie batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Dollop spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over the surface and swirl gently with a knife or skewer for a marbled effect. 6. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are set and golden, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs (but not raw batter). 7. Allow to cool completely in the tin, then chill for 30 minutes before slicing into squares for clean edges.
