Hot cross bun cupcakes

Ingredients (makes 12)
1 tbsp. lemon juice
100ml whole milk
175g unsalted butter
175g self raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
175g  soft light brown sugar
2 tsp mixed spice
100g ground almonds
3 large eggs, beaten
Zest of 3/4 orange
100g raisins or sultanas
1 medium eating apple, peeled & grated
1 tbsp. apricot jam, warmed with a splash of water
For the spiced buttercream:
Zest of 1/4 orange
50g full fat cream cheese
50g icing sugar
25g butter, softened
1/4 tsp mixed spice

1. Combine lemon juice & milk in a large jug and set aside for 5 mins. Meanwhile, pre heat oven to 180C/Gas mark 4 and melt butter in a saucepan. Use a little of the butter to grease a 12-hole muffin tin.

2. Put flour, baking powder, sugar, spice, almonds and a pinch of salt into a large bowl, then sift through it with your fingers to squash any lumps of sugar. Beat the eggs, zest and melted butter into the thickened milk. Pour this into the dry ingredients, then beat with a balloon whisk until even.

3. Stir in the dried fruit and apple, scoop the mixture in to the tin and bake for 18-20 mins until golden and well risen. Cool for 10 mins in the tin then remove to a rack.

4. When the buns are cold, cut a cross from the top of each one using a serrated knife, then brush the tops with the apricot jam. For the spiced buttercream, beat everything together until creamy and pale. Pipe the buttercream into the crosses. Alternatively, simply glaze the buns and pipe crosses across the tops.

Everyday Bread Rolls

Here is a recipe i use every week to make a batch of ordinary bread rolls. Nothing fancy, just very nice rolls you can use during the working week for sandwiches.

Makes approximately 12 rolls

475g of Strong White Flour

2 Tablespoons of Butter (olive oil as replacements) 

1 Teaspoon sugar

A pinch of salt

1 and 1/4 Teaspoons Yeast

275ml of water (275ml equals 275g for those without accurate volumetric measurement)

Mix together thoroughly the flour and butter (or oil) and stir in the sugar, yeast and salt and gradually add enough water to make a smooth dough. 

Knead well on a lightly floured surface until dough is smooth and elastic. Place the dough back into the bowl and cover, set aside in a warm place for around an hour or until it has doubled in size. 

Cut the dough into 12 pieces and shape them. At this point you can either go for plain rolls and shape them into small balls or go for something fancy and make coils, knots or plaits. Place the 12 pieces on a greased baking tray and set aside for 30 mins in a warm place. 

brush the tops with egg yoke and sprinkle seeds or herbs or salt flakes on top. Bake in a preheated oven at 200oC (gas mark 6) for 10-15 mins until golden and the bases sound hollow when tapped. 

Spanish Paella

Spanish Paella

You might be surprised to hear that a spanish paella recipe isn't fixed in stone; there are many regional and cultural variations with the addition of sea food, meat or poultry, but fundamentally they are all based on using a hard white rice.

The beauty about a basic Paella dish is the that you can pretty much add anything you want, if you are a seafood lover you can add prawns, muscles even squid and octopus! The seafood variety, of course, is synonymous with tourist view of spanish food and that's not a far off assessment. A Paella looks complicated but it is surprisingly easy and quick to make.

The basic recipe with chicken:

In one large pan (does not have to be shallow) gently heat a good splash of Olive oil and add a clove of crushed and chopped garlic. Gently fry the garlic and remove. Do not let the garlic burn. Add small chunks of chicken breast and fry until cooked, adding a few splashes of white wine to add flavour.
Once cooked, pile a couple of handfuls of hard rice per person in the middle of the pan and add a teaspoon of Turmeric to the top and pour in the same quantity of water as the rice (1 cup of rice to 1 cup of water) and add a splash of wine. Mix well.

After about 5/10 mins of cooking start adding peas, pimentos, prawns etc, then add a couple of bay leaves, pepper and herbs (oregano and basil). Keep an eye on the amount of liquid in the pan and add little bits at a time if needed. Keep turning the rice over to ensure even cooking, and keep tasting the rice. Hard rice typically takes 20 mins to cook.

Once cooked, switch off the heat, cover the pan and let it stand for 5 mins to absorb the remaining liquid back into the rice. The final dish should be fairly dry with no liquid leakage.

Seafood Variation:

1 large Spanish onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Good pinch of saffron strands
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp smoked paprika
300g paella rice
100ml dry white wine
850ml hot chicken stock
300g mussels, cleaned
10 raw tiger prawns, with shells
2 medium squid, cleaned and cut into rings
2 roasted red peppers, cut into strips
200g mixture of peas and broad beans
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large orange, cut into wedges
2 tbsp chopped parsley


Heat the oil in a large, deep ovenproof sauté pan with a tightly fitting lid or in a paella pan. Sweat the onion and garlic over a medium heat for 5-6 minutes until soft, without colouring.

Stir in the saffron, fennel seeds, paprika and rice and fry for 1 minute, mixing well to coat the rice in the spices and oils. Pour in the wine and bring to the boil. Cook until the wine has reduced by half, then add enough stock to cover the rice. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring continuously.

Stir the seafood, peppers, peas and broad beans into the rice and add some seasoning. Balance the orange wedges on top, then pour in the remaining stock. Cover with a lid or tightly with foil. Cook over a low heat for ten minutes until the rice is tender, the mussel shells have opened, the prawn shells have turned orange and the squid flesh is cooked through but still soft.

Remove the lid or foil from the pan and check for seasoning. Discard any mussel shells that have not opened. Stir in half of the parsley, then divide between warmed plates. Sprinkle over the remaining parsley to serve.

DELIA cookery course

Some of us learnt with this:



but for you youngies out there this is the way it is done today:

DELIA online cookery school


my friends get fed up of me saying: "DELIA says" but if you do it her way it will be the  best even if you end up with every kitchen utensil used and piles of washing up; well I don't cos I try and cut corners where I can!! See, not a DELIA puritan after all....

cup cakes, everything you need to know on one page...

Standard “cake club” recipe 1) Preheat oven to GM4/1750c 2) Place 18 paper muffin cases in muffin tins 2) Put all cake ingredients in a large bowl and whisk with an electric whisk for 2 mins (longer if using a wooden spoon!) 3) Spoon the mixture using a teaspoon into the muffin cases 4) Bake for 20-25 mins or until cakes are springy to touch 5) Meanwhile, make icing a) beat butter until smooth b) gradually stir in sugar and vanilla essence c) beat well with electric whisk until smooth d) leave in fridge for 15 mins before using Variations:

makes 18 225g/8oz soft butter 225g/8oz caster sugar 225g/8oz self raising flour 1 tsp baking powder 4 eggs 1 tsp vanilla essence icing 180g/7oz icing sugar 100g/4oz unsalted butter (softened in microwave for a few seconds) 2tsp vanilla essence

1) choc cup cakes a) butterfly style: cake: replace vanilla essence in cake mixture with 2 tbs cocoa powder icing: replace vanilla essence with 2 tsp of cocoa powder dissolved in 4 tsp of boiling water; put inside cakes by removing a cone shape or making wings b) plain style: cake: replace vanilla essence in cake mixture with 2 tbs cocoa powder icing: instead of icing pour over recently melted chocolate (approx  200g) variation: insert M&M’s while choc still warm 2) mocha and walnut cup cakes cake: add 100g/3 ½ oz chopped walnuts icing: ·        225g/8oz unsalted butter ·        340g/11 ½ oz icing sugar ·        1 tbs instant coffee granules combined with        1 tsp hot coffee   ·        1 tsp vanilla essence ·        spread thickly (1cm) over top of cooled cakes

3) colourful cup cakes a) butterfly style: cake: stir in 110g/4oz sultanas just before putting in cases icing: add a few drops of food colouring then put inside cakes by removing a cone shape or making wings b) plain style: cake: stir in 110g/4oz sultanas just before putting in cases icing: make a glace icing to spread over top of cakes: ·        8oz icing sugar, ·        few drops of vanilla essence ·        2 tbs hot water few drops of food colouring (make in two batches if two separate colours required)    “cake club”  quantity also makes a big rectangular cake if placed in a 20cm x 30cm, greased and lined tin. Cook for 30mins or until a knife comes out clean.

It has been a while but fortunately blogs don't run out if not used for a while...

Chocolate Fudge Brownies

Chocolate Fudge Brownies are my favourite, only in small doses mind you, as they can be very rich. I found this recipe on Marriages' website, where incidentally, they make great flour for bread-making. Not that i can attest to that fact as i use Allinson's flour, but they do have a good reputation.

What You Will Need

Preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking: 25 minutes
Makes 16

225g unsalted butter, diced
100g dark chocolate, broken up
200g caster sugar
4 large free-range eggs, at room temperature
½ teaspoon vanilla essence
50g Marriage’s Finest Plain Flour
50g cocoa powder
A good pinch of salt
75g walnut pieces
Icing sugar for dusting
20.5cm square tin, greased and base-lined

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Put the pieces of butter and chocolate into a small heavy pan. Set over the lowest possible heat and leave to melt gently, stirring frequently, until smooth but not hot. Remove from the heat and leave until needed.

Put the sugar, eggs and vanilla into a mixing bowl large enough to hold all the ingredients. Mix thoroughly with a wire whisk or wooden spoon.  Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture. Sift the flour, cocoa and salt into the bowl and mix until thoroughly combined. Stir in the nuts then transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and spread evenly. Bang the tin on the worksurface to expel any air bubbles. 

Bake in the heated oven for about 25 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre of the mixture comes out with moist crumbs – the mixture will continue cooking after it comes out of the oven and it’s vital not to overcook it. Note that the mixture will puff up in the oven but sink on cooling. Stand the tin on a wire cooling rack and leave to cool completely before cutting into squares. Dust with icing sugar just before serving. Store in an airtight container and eat within a week.

Lemon bars

I made this as a tray bake, but it would also work well as a pudding served warm with custard.

Ingredients (makes 24 squares)

175g/6oz flour

125g/4oz butter

50g/2oz granulated sugar

200g/7oz caster sugar

2 tbsp flour

½ tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

2 medium eggs, lightly beaten

Juice & finely grated rind of 1 lemon

Sifted icing sugar to decorate

 

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/GM 3, 10 mins before baking. Lightly oil and line a 20.5cm/8” square cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Rub together the flour and butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the granulated sugar and mix.

Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and press down firmly. Bake in the pre heated oven for 25 mins until pale golden.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, mix together the caster sugar, flour, baking powder, salt, eggs, lemon juice and rind until smooth. Pour over the prepared base.

Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for a further 25-30 mins, until nearly set but still a bit wobbly in the centre. Remove from the oven and cool in the tin on a wire rack.

Dust with icing sugar and cut in to squares.

Tuna and Spinach Cannelloni

I haven't posted anything for awhile now, so here is an old receipt from Sainsbury's.

 

Ingredients

250g of Lasagne Sheets
1 Onion
125g of Mozzarella Cheese
500g of Passata Sauce
370g of Tuna Chunks
700g of Frozen Spinach

Seasoning to taste
Serves 4

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180oC, gas mark 4. 
2. Gently shallow fry the onion, peeled and finely chopped, until softened. Add the tuna chunks and the frozen spinach. Heat until the spinach has broken up and the mixture is piping hot. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
3. Meanwhile, Cut all the lasagne sheets in half to make squares. Place 2 tablespoons of the mixture onto the end of each square and roll up so you have 12 cannelloni. Place along the bottom of a large ovenproof dish.
4. Pour the passata over the cannelloni. Drain and tear into pieces the mozzarella cheese, sprinkle over cannelloni.
5. Bake for 30 minutes, then grill for 2-3 minutes until top is golden and the cheese is bubbling. 

Notes

Mozzarella is a full-fat cheese, so for those seeking a low-fat option a number of different cheeses can be used, Ricotta is just one such option.

Quick Chocolate Brownies

These are very quick and easy and always turn out well. Might be useful to use up any left over Easter chocolate.... This recipe makes 16 brownies.

INGREDIENTS:
45g / 1 1/2 ozcocoa
125 g / 4 oz butter
2 eggs
225g / 8 oz caster sugar
60 g / 2 oz self-raising flour
100 g / 3 1/2 oz chopped chocolate or nuts (optional)

METHOD
You need a 20 cm / 8 inch square baking pan, greased and lined with baking paper. Preheat oven to Gas 4.

Melt the butter with the cocoa in a pan or microwave. Leave aside to cool.

Whisk the eggs with an electric mixer until thick and pale. Whisk in the sugar a little at a time. Mix in the cooled cocoa mixture. Sieve in the flour and fold in carefully. Add the chocolate / nuts if using.

Pour into the pan and bake for 25 - 35 mins until cooked through and springy, but don't over cook. Leave to cool in the pan for a few minutes then turn out and cut up!

Butterscotch cream pie

6-8 oz rich shortcrust pastry
For filling
2 oz bitter
4 oz dark brown sugar
1/4 pint boiling water
2 tbs cornflour
1 tbs flour
large pinch salt
1/2 pint milk
2 egg yolks beaten
2 drops vanilla essence

8 inch diameter flan ring

Method
1) line the flan ring with pastry, blind bake and chill cooked flan case
2) melt butter and when golden brown add the brown sugar, stir until foaming and boil for 2-3 mins
3) remove from heat and stir in boiling water
4) place the cornflour, flour and salt in a saucepan and mix to a smooth paste with the milk, then add the brown sugar mixture
5) stir over gentle heat until boiling and cook for 1 minute
6) pour half the mixture on the beaten yolks, return mixture to the pan and continue to cook for 1 minute, add vanilla essence
7) pour the mixture into the baked pastry flan and chill flan.

Fatless sponge

2 eggs
75 g (3 oz) caster sugar
75 g (3 oz) self raising flour

1) heat oven to 180 c, gas mark 4. grease a 18cm (7 inch) cake tin
2) whisk eggs lightly in a bowl, add sugar and whisk until thick, creamy and almost white in colour
3) lightly fold in flour. place in prepared tin and bake for 30 mins

Recordings from the SALT conference, Feb 25th 2012

I thought i would share this with everyone here. It is the link to the audio recordings from the SALT (Serious About Loving Truth) Conference on 25th February, that a few of us attended and thoroughly enjoyed.

The topics covered were:

1. Conquering like David Oliver Allmand-Smith Ramsbottom Evangelical
2. Believing like Joseph (interactive) Ali McLachlan GBP Scotland
3. Submitting like Mary Oliver Allmand-Smith Ramsbottom Evangelical
4. Overcoming like Timothy Conrad Pomeroy Trinity Baptist, Dundee

"Hey everyone!

I hope that you really enjoyed SALT. God really worked through the speakers yesterday and they all spoke powerfully. I’m sure most of us were very challenged and encouraged. I think someone said yesterday, “Wow, I’m going to have to listen to the recording again. It’s like a goldmine, there’s so much I can draw out of these talks!” I heard another girl say that she was full, as if she had just had a three-course meal. Well that certainly was the case. I think that it was Ali who said it was like an energy drink, packed with caffiene. But the question is, what’s next? Are we just getting off our spiritual, conference high? Or are the messages going to make any difference to the way we conquer our daily temptation, the way we submit and the way we overcome our troubles? Let me encourage you to listen again to the talks, so that you can refresh yourself with what you heard and may God help all of us to glorify Him. So there is a link here that will take you to our audio page and you can either listen on-line or download the talks. God Bless"

http://saltguys.wordpress.com/2012/02/26/salt-talks-2012/

Focaccia with Tomatoes, Olives and Rosemary

I am departing from the Spanish theme, for a brief moment, to give you a basic flat-bread recipe. The Italians have Focaccia which is a very popular flat-bread and forms the basis of many variations, just like a basic rice dish, many different ingredients and toppings can be added. In ancient Rome, panis focacius was a flat bread baked in the ashes of the fireplace. The word is derived from the Latin focus meaning “centre” and also “fireplace” – the fireplace being in the centre of the house. In this version, tomatoes, olives and rosemary are added, but any of these and more could be changed according to taste.

Ingredients

Dough

475g Strong white flour

1tsp Sugar

1tsp salt

1.5tsp Fast acting yeast

3Tblsp Olive Oil

275ml water (warm)

Topping

200g Cherry Tomatoes

A few sprigs of Rosemary

A few Black olives

1tsp Salt flakes

3Tblsp Olive Oil

Method

Put the flour, sugar, salt and yeast into a large bowl. Add the olive oil then gradually mix in enough warm water to make a soft dough.

Knead the dough well on a lightly floured surface for around 5 minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Put the dough back into the bowl and cover with an oiled clingflim and leave in a warm place to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.

Tip the dough on to a lightly floured surface and knead well, then cut into 2 pieces. Press each piece into a oval shape.

Transfer the pieces to 2 greased baking trays then, make indentations in the surface of each piece with the end of a wooden spoon. Press the tomatoes and olives into the indentations, adding the rosemary accordingly. Sprinkle with the salt flakes and leave to rise, uncovered, for 20 mins.

Drizzle the pieces with a little of the olive oil and bake in a preheated oven at 200oC, Gas mark 6, for 15 mins. Swap positions in the oven to ensure even browning. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and serve warm.

Lemon Curd or Lemon Cheese

Ingredients:

- 1 cup sugar
- 2 lemons
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp butter

Preparation:

1) Grate the lemon rind from both lemons into a saucepan along with the juice from both lemons and the sugar
2) Bring to the boil
3) In a separate bowl, beat the 3 eggs until thickened
4) VERY gradually add the lemon mixture to the eggs whilst beating vigorously (Take care to add it very slowly so as not to curdle the eggs)
5) Return mixture to the saucepan on a low heat, stirring continuously until it thickens.
6) Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and the butter, Mix.
7) Place in a clean jar, immediately in the refrigerator.

Enjoy on toast, scones, crumpets.......or just a teaspoon!!!!!

Tortilla

There is nothing as synonymous with spain and spanish food as Tortilla, It is quite literally the 'bread and butter' of spanish living. However, it is notoriously hard to get the right texture and sweetness, and there lies the secret: the choice of the onions and potatoes, always use spanish onions for their sweetness and a firm and waxy potato variety.

Serves 6 portions

Ingredients

2 large spanish onions

700g Potatoes (firm and waxy)

6 Eggs

Olive Oil

Sunflower oil for deep frying

Method

Cut the onions in half, peel and thinly slice. Peel the potatoes, cut in half lengthways, and then across in slices 5mm thick. Add a little salt and leave to stand in a colander.

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan and when hot (not smoking) add the onions with a pinch of salt. Stir, reduce the heat to low and cook very slowly for around 30 mins until golden in colour and sweet in smell. Always stir the onions as they cook to prevent them sticking to the pan. remove from the heat, drain and reserve the oil.

Meanwhile, cook the potatoes in the sunflower oil over a medium heat. The temperature is crucial as the potatoes should cook until just tender without adding colour. Drain in a colander.

Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk briefly. Add the onions and potatoes and mix together. Add seasoning as desired.

Pour the reserved olive oil into a frying pan, approximately 20cm across and set at a high heat. When the oil starts to smoke pour the mixture with one hand whilst shaking the pan with the other. Reduce the heat to low and cook for around 3-5 mins or until underside is golden brown. Then take a plate of similar size to the pan and place on top. Very carefully invert the tortilla on to the plate, be careful as the top will be slightly runny. Gently slide the tortilla back into the pan and cook for another 3-5 mins until golden brown.

The tortilla will be cooked if the middle feels solid. Once cooked, serve after allowing to cool slightly.

starting German friendship cake...

If you want to start one from scratch then here is the original recipe...as I've given my 3 away and baked the 4th (very yummy BTW) I may use this unless another one comes my way soon! You have to read to the bottom to find the recipe for the starter mix...

http://www.hermanthegermanfriendshipcake.com/

Hope

The Christian's hope is not a sedative; it is an adrenaline rush. It is an anchor, but not an anchor that holds us back, rather it spurs us on to action.

Charles R. Swindoll

Cranberry & red onion sauce

Keep this in mind for next Christmas, this makes loads so perfect with all that leftover turkey!

1 large red onion
2 tbsp vegetable oil
250 ml orange juice
150-200g Demerara sugar
250g fresh or frozen cranberries

Gently cook the onion in the vegetable oil for a couple of minutes until soft, add the orange juice and 150g of sugar and simmer until the mixture has reduced by half.
Add the cranberries and continue simmering for 10-12 minutes until the cranberries begin to break up.
Stir in more sugar if necessary; remove from the heat and leave to cool.

German Friendship Cake

If uv been given a sample, this is what to do with it....there are going to be a few floating around so here are the instructions if you've been honoured with one!

Don't put in the fridge!!!

Day 1 Bring mix home, put in large mixing bowl covered loosely with a tea towel.
Day 2 to Day 3, stir well each day.
Day 4 add 1 cup plain flour, sugar and milk. Stir well.
Day 5 to 8, stir well each day.
Day 9, add ingredients as Day 4. Divide into 4 equal portions and give 3 to your friends with a link to this blog. Keep one portion.
Day 10, stir well and add:
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups plain flour
2/3 cup cooking oil
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 cooking apples cut into chunks
1 cup raisins
2 heaped tsp cinnamon
2 heaped tsp baking powder

Mix together and put into a lather, greased baking tin. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup melted butter. Bake for 45 mins at 170 to 180 C. Freezes well, or serve warm with icecream or cream, or cold.