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Great British Bake Off Challenge

2011-11-08T23:25:23Z

I love almondy things, to the point that I would happily sit down and eat an entire block of marzipan. So Battenburg, one of the challenges on the great British bake off, is right up my street. I have never made one before, mainly because it looks like a bit of a faff and fiddle, but also because I'd eat the entire thing, and would be considerably larger than I am. I do love a challenge though, and since I was palming the calorie laden coffee and walnut battenburg onto my appreciative work colleagues, it was all fine.

The recipe can be found here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/coffee_and_walnut_88342

The finished result was pretty good, although it could have looked slightly better. It tasted very nice though and I had a fight on my hands trying to wrestle it off my husband so I could take it to work.

Paul Hollywoods Focaccia

2011-11-06T20:50:35Z

If you have been glued to the Great British bake off as I have, you will have seen Paul Hollywood's focaccia made. I love bread, especially Italian bread and when I've made it before, it's been the typical dough you would make for most bread. According to Mr Hollywood, this is not how an authentic focaccia is made, so I decided to take the challenge.
The photo really doesn't do justice to this fantastic recipe. It took three tries to make it, mainly because I didn't realise I had the wrong type of yeast! It is a very messy and sticky dough due to the large amount of water added and takes a bit of practice and any sort of scraper to help handle this difficult dough!

Once you have mastered it though you will make it again and again. It is a perfect bread for accompanying a meal or even to have on its own, with maybe a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip it in. I'm now going to try adding olives and sun dried tomatoes to add other flavour dimensions but it is still amazing with simply salt and rosemary as I've added to mine.

The recipe can be found here

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/focaccia_08389

The Great British Bake Off book is excellent too so here it is if you fancy an early Christmas present!

Great British Bake Off: How to Bake: The Perfect Victoria Sponge and Other Baking Secrets (Great British Bake Off TV Tie)

Good luck!

Easy tasty meal

2011-11-01T19:20:39Z

I have made this meal several times recently, and it is an extremely easy and tasty family meal. It has chorizo in it which imparts a rich punchy flavour but if you want to make it vegetarian meal, you can omit it. This makes enough for about six servings and it freezes well so it makes a quick meal if you are short of time. There are a few ingredients to get but they are reasonably cheap and will make a large quantity. If you serve it with bread, it will eke it out a bit more.

Ingredients

1 red onion, chopped
2 sticks of celery, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 tin of sweet corn
1 tin butterbeans
1 tin of kidney beans
1 small garlic clove
1 tin of plum or chopped tomatoes
500ml vegetable stock
About 100g cooking chorizo, chopped
Small tub of sour cream
1 avocado
Small bunch of coriander, chopped
Small bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf
A couple of sprigs of thyme, leaves picked
Extra virgin olive oil

Heat a large pan to a high heat and add a little olive oil. Fry the chorizo until starting to go golden, then empty onto a plate and set to one side. Lower the heat to medium then add the onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf and thyme leaves to the pan and cook for a few minutes until softened. Add the garlic and fry for a few more minutes. Then add the chorizo back into the pan and add the drained beans, sweet corn, vegetable stock and tomatoes. Simmer for about 30 minutes until you have a reduced, slightly thickened rich stew. Taste to see if you need to add any more seasoning. Stir in the chopped parsley and coriander and heap into bowls. Top with a dollop of sour cream, a few pieces of chopped avocado and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Sprinkle the top with a little pepper and sea salt flakes if you have them and serve with crusty bread.

Two of your five a day!

2011-07-09T18:50:19Z

I've been in the midst of decorating, trying to sell the house, failing to buy a house, buying a different one, moving out and having to wait until the new house ( not our house yet, don't want to tempt fate) is ready! So with all that stress and spending on the credit card what can a girl do. In short, have a Gin and tonic.

I love a good G&T, it seems to make the world right, and with a hint of lime, cucumber and a little elderflower liqueur ( maybe a little overkill for G&T purists, but I can't get enough of the stuff) it makes you feel summery, even if in mid July you have to wade across a river to the car in the mornings. Just to clarify, if my manager is reading this, I don't have Gin and Tonic before work!

This probably isn't your kosher way of making a G&T but it was bloody good and frankly I don't care.

Gin - 1 bottle :-) I recently had 6 o'clock gin, which was very nice. Try to get a really interesting gin as it's flavour will shine through.
Tonic - again try and get one that's got a bit about it, apparently Fever Tree is good stuff.
Elderflower liqueur - optional
1 lime
A few slices of cucumber
Lots of ice

Put a load of ice into a shaker, you don't generally use a shaker but it makes you look cooler!
Cut a few slices of cucumber and chuck into the shaker, halve a lime, squeeze it in and throw it in too. Pour in a measure and a half of gin and just under a measure of elderflower liqueur. Shake, look cool!
Strain into a glass with lots of ice, a fresh slice of cucumber and lime and top with tonic water. If it's a bit strong, you've got it just right! In case of emergency add more Gin.

A.W.O.L

2010-09-14T10:07:57Z

I haven't been around for a little while as I'm sure you're aware, but I sort of had an excuse in that I was busy planning a wedding, then getting married, then having various after wedding celebrations and I just got back from Honeymoon in the beautiful Lake Garda yesterday.

I have, though, come back refreshed with lots if ideas for cooking simple Italian dishes. Sadly I have also come back with a body that is probably at least 40% gelato. There were some dicey moments by the pool where Green Peace thought I'd beached myself and were making desperate attempts to return me to the sea!

So, fresh and light and healthy meals it will be until I return to something not so akin to Pavarotti's more obese sister.

Here are some pictures of my wedding cake that I was made by my own fair hand.

and a picture of me enjoying one of many cocktails whilst in the sunshine in Lake Garda.

Daring Bakers steamed pudding

2010-04-27T17:15:09Z

I love steamed puddings, especially the really naughty ones with loads of sweet fattening syrup. I thought, though, that since it's getting a little lighter and warmer outside a nice citrus one would fit the bill.

I followed the fair lady recipe with the orange and lemon zest in it, but I doubled the amount of zest in it to make it really zingy.

Recipe Source: Recipes come from the following sources: Delia Smith’s Complete Cookery Course, The pudding club (www.puddingclub.com), Mrs Beeton’s Book of Household Management and the Dairy Book of Home Cooking and my family’s recipe notes!

Blog-checking lines: The April 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Esther of The Lilac Kitchen. She challenged everyone to make a traditional British pudding using, if possible, a very traditional British ingredient: suet.

Posting Date: April 27, 2010

Notes: Fresh suet should be kept in the fridge or do what I do and freeze it. I crumble off what I want as I go straight from the freezer. The boxed stuff can live in the cupboard.

The easiest way to steam a pudding is in a dedicated steamer as the water is kept away from the pudding so it can’t boil over. If, however, you don’t have a steamer use a pan large enough to easily fit the bowl you are cooking. Don’t fill the water more than about a third of the way up the bowl or it may boil over and into the bowl. Keep an eye and top up as needed with boiling water.

You need to lift the bowl off the bottom of the pan. This can be done with a steamer stand, an upturned plate or even crumpled up kitchen foil — anything that can stand being in boiling water and lifts the bowl off the bottom of the pan will work.

Make sure you have a well-fitted lid on the pan as you want the steam to cook the pudding not to boil off.

Make sure you put a pleat in the foil or paper you cover the bowl with to allow for expansion and then tie down tightly with string.

This is a bowl ready for the steamer, note the handle made from the string that also ties it together around the top.. this makes it very much easier to lift out when hot and is well worth doing.

This bowl is actually a Christmas pudding I made before Christmas which is also a suet pudding but unlike most made to keep for months rather than used straight away.

Variations allowed: You are allowed completely free rein on flavours and fillings and I am very much looking forward to seeing where the Daring Bakers take a very traditional dish like this.

Any variations due to restricted diets are of course allowed. Due to the way these recipes are cooked it’s very easy to substitute for gluten-free flours and get very much the same results as wheat. Do try your favorite flour mix as these are much more tolerant of flour changes than most pasty.

They can be made vegetarian and even vegan just by using the vegetarian replacement suet and an appropriate flavour/filling.

Preparation time: Preparation time is 5 to 20 minutes depending on the filling. Cooking time is 1 to 5 hours so do this on a day you have jobs around the house to do or are popping in and out as you need to occasionally check the pan hasn’t boiled dry! However it is otherwise a very low time requirement dish.

Equipment required:
• 2 pint (1 litre) pudding bowl or steam-able containers to contain a similar amount they should be higher rather than wide and low
Traditional pudding bowl so you know what is normally used.

• Steamer or large pan, ideally with a steaming stand, upturned plate or crumpled up piece of kitchen foil
• Mixing bowl
• Spoon
• Measuring cups or scales
• Foil or grease proof paper to cover the bowl
• String

Type 2 puddings – Steamed Suet Pudding, sponge type.

(100 grams/4 ounces) All-purpose flour
(1/4 teaspoon) salt
(1.5 teaspoons) Baking powder
(100 grams/4 ounces) breadcrumbs
(75 grams/3 ounces) Caster sugar
(75 grams/ 3 ounces) Shredded suet or suet substitute (i.e., Vegetable Suet, Crisco, Lard)
(1) large egg
(6 to 8 tablespoons) Cold milk

1. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into bowl.
2. Add breadcrumbs, sugar and suet.
3. Mix to a soft batter with beaten egg and milk
4. Turn into a buttered 1 litre/ 2pint pudding basin and cover securely with buttered greaseproof paper or aluminum foil.
5. Steam steadily for 2.5 to 3 hours
6. Turn out onto warm plate, Serve with sweet sauce to taste such as custard, caramel or a sweetened fruit sauce.

Variants:
Spotted Dick - Add 75g/ 3oz currants and 25g/1 oz of mixed chopped peel with the sugar.
Syrup or Treacle or Marmalade Pudding – put 2 Tablespoons of golden syrup, treacle or marmalade at the bottom of the bowl before adding pudding mix.
My Fair Lady Pudding – Add finely grated rind of 1 medium orange or lemon with the sugar.
Ginger Pudding – replace the sugar with 100g/4oz of treacle, and add 1/2 tsp ground ginger.

I am still alive and here's what I've been busy doing!!

2010-03-30T22:12:49Z

Yes I can tell you were worried there for a while as my web presence has been a little low key of late. Wedding planning is getting a bit hectic and I have had a lot of cakes to do as well as working full time so forgive me for being an absent blogger!

Here are some of the cakes I've been doing. I still have a wedding cake that I am in the process of doing now and another little one a few days after that so I'll upload pictures of those when they are done. And relax!

The ark cake was for a little boy's 1st birthday, the pink bear one was for a christening and the big cake was for a couple who got married in the Bahamas so it has a beach theme. I didn't get a picture of the whole completed cake so this is it nearly finished. I'm sure you'll get the idea.

Daring Kitchen Pork satay

2010-01-14T20:54:08Z

It time for another Daring Baker/cook challenge. This month there is a dish that I've never cooked and not really eaten that much either. I was keen to give it a go all the same. There were a few different dipping sauces you could make but I just kept it simple and did the satay sauce. I struggled to get fresh ginger as we have had some snow here and because we are completely incapable in dealing with the white stuff, there was very little in the shop and a hoard of people scurrying round everywhere panic buying.

The January 2010 DC challenge was hosted by Cuppy of Cuppyliciousand she chose a delicious Thai-inspired recipe for Pork Satay from the book 1000 Recipes by Martha Day.

satay (or sate) is very often served as “street fare” all over the world, and you dip your cool little meat skewer into any variety of dipping sauces. In the US, I’m proud to say, we created the coolest and tastiest satay on the planet – the all-American corn dog. Hooray for the USA! Love me some corndogs.

Notes:

Use any meat or tofu you like.
Serve satay as an appetizer, side dish or main course.
Skewer or no skewer, your call.
Pan fry, grill, or broil, also your call.
Alternative recipe below for faster marinade.
Alternative recipe below for peanut allergies.
You don’t have to use turmeric if you don’t have it. In the case of satay, turmeric just makes it yellow. Har har.
Marinate (verb) – to steep (to wet thoroughly in or with a liquid; drench; saturate; imbue) in a marinade before cooking.

The required part of this challenge is to marinate. Marinades serve two purposes, to: 1) add awesome flavor and 2) tenderize tougher meats.

What I like to do is take tougher (cheaper!) cuts of meat and marinate them to make them soft and tender. The tougher the meat, the cheaper it seems to be. Think of it as “what part of the animal gets the most exercise?” and you’ll know which parts are the tough (cheaper!) cuts. Anything from the back and belly tends to be pretty tender already, as it gets very little exercise on the animal (haha… I just patted my own belly thinking about that!).

Meat cuts:
http://www.specialtyfoods.com.au/cuts.html

The key to a great marinade is to have an acid (lemon, lime, brine, soy, vinegar, etc) and an oil (peanut, vegetable, corn, olive, etc). If you’re already working with a soft meat (filet mignon) or vegetable (capsicum) or tofu, then you can skip the oil entirely. Potatoes and tofu still need to be marinated for flavor, otherwise you may as well dip French fries in catsup. If you're going to grill, I suggest you include the oil anyway.

Marinade Info:
http://www.bbqrecipesecrets.com/marinades.html

Depending on the ingredients you select,
Time Table

	Prep	Marinate	Cook
Pork	30 min.	4 – 24 hrs	20 min.
Beef/Lamb	30 min.	6 – 24 hrs	20 min.
Chicken	30 min.	2 – 12 hrs	10 – 15 min.
Vegetables	5 - 10 min.	2 hrs	5 - 10 min.
Tofu	5 - 10 min.	2 hrs	5 - 10 min.

Things you’ll need for the long version:
Sharp knife
Cutting board
Food processor (optional)
Juicer (optional)
Medium bowl w/ lid or plastic wrap (or ziplock bag)

Pork Satay with Peanut Sauce

Satay Marinade

1/2 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 T ginger root, chopped (optional) (2 cm cubed)
2 T lemon juice (1 oz or 30 mls)
1 T soy sauce (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 tsp ground coriander (5 mls)
1 tsp ground cumin (5 mls)
1/2 tsp ground turmeric (2-2.5 mls)
2 T vegetable oil (or peanut or olive oil) (30 mls)
1 pound of pork (loin or shoulder cuts) (16 oz or 450g)

Feeling the need to make it more Thai? Try adding a dragon chili, an extra tablespoon of ginger root, and 1 tablespoon (0.5 oz or 15 mls) of fish sauce. (I keep some premature (still green) dragon chili peppers in the freezer for just such an occasion.)

Directions:
1a. Cheater alert: If you have a food processor or blender, dump in everything except the pork and blend until smooth. Lacking a food processor, I prefer to chop my onions, garlic and ginger really fine then mix it all together in a medium to large bowl.
2a. Cut pork into 1 inch strips.
3a. Cover pork with marinade. You can place the pork into a bowl, cover/seal and chill, or place the whole lot of it into a ziplock bag, seal and chill.

Chill Chart

Pork

Beef/Lamb

Chicken

Vegetables

Tofu (no oil)

4-8 hrs

Up to 24 hrs

6-8 hrs

Up to 24 hrs

1-4 hours

Up to 12 hrs

20 min – 2 hrs

Up to 4 hrs

20 min – 4 hrs

Up to 12 hrs

Faster (cheaper!) marinade:

2 T vegetable oil (or peanut or olive oil) (1 oz or 30 mls)
2 T lemon juice (1 oz or 30 mls)
1 T soy sauce (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 tsp ginger powder (5 mls)
1 tsp garlic powder (5 mls)
1 tsp cayenne pepper (5 mls)

Directions:
1b. Mix well.
2b. Cut pork into 1 inch thick strips (2-2.5 cm thick), any length.
3b. Cover pork with marinade. You can place the pork into a bowl, cover/seal and chill, or place the whole lot of it into a ziplock bag, seal and chill.

Cooking Directions (continued):

4. If using wooden or bamboo skewers, soak your skewers in warm water for at least 20 minutes before preparing skewers.
5. Gently and slowly slide meat strips onto skewers. Discard leftover marinade.*
6. Broil or grill at 290°C/550° F (or pan fry on medium-high) for 8-10 minutes or until the edges just start to char. Flip and cook another 8-10 minutes.

* If you’re grilling or broiling, you could definitely brush once with extra marinade when you flip the skewers.

Peanut Sauce

3/4 cup coconut milk (6 oz or 180 mls)
4 Tbsp peanut butter (2 oz or 60 mls)
1 Tbsp lemon juice (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 Tbsp soy sauce (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 tsp brown sugar (5 mls)
1/2 tsp ground cumin (2.5 mls)
1/2 tsp ground coriander (2.5 mls)
1-2 dried red chilies, chopped (keep the seeds for heat)

1. Mix dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add soy sauce and lemon, mix well.
2. Over low heat, combine coconut milk, peanut butter and your soy-lemon-seasoning mix. Mix well, stir often.
3. All you’re doing is melting the peanut butter, so make your peanut sauce after you’ve made everything else in your meal, or make ahead of time and reheat.

Pepper Dip (optional)

4 Tbsp soy sauce (2 oz or 60 mls)
1 Tbsp lemon juice (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 tsp brown sugar (5 mls)
1-2 dried red chilies, chopped (keep the seeds for heat)
1 finely chopped green onion (scallion)

Mix well. Serve chilled or room temperature.

Tamarind Dip (optional)

4 Tbsp tamarind paste (helpful link below) (2 oz or 60 mls)
1 Tbsp soy sauce (0.5 oz or 15 mls)
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 finely chopped green onion (scallion)
1 tsp brown or white sugar, or to taste (about 5 mls)

Mix well. Serve chilled or room temperature.

A couple more cakes

2010-01-10T20:23:48Z

This Christmas has been a very busy but enjoyable time. I made many foodie things for Christmas including this boozy christmas cake. After Christmas I made the piano cake for a joint birthday. I'm quite pleased with the piano cake and looking forward to doing a christening cake later in the month.

Watering Can Cake

2009-12-12T22:20:45Z

This is one of the most recent cakes I have done. I'm definitely learning new things with every cake I do but I think there is a long way to go to get the refinement that I'm after!