Le Macaron!

Apparently maracroons/macarons are the new cupcakes so thought i had better jump on the bandwagon quick! These were surprisingly easy to make and i was nervous about it as not really worked with egg whites that much. However they were a doddle and tasted great. However, may have been some beginners luck as a second attemped was no where near as good. Too grainy.
175g icing sugar
125g ground almonds
3 large egg whites
75g caster sugar
Food colouring and filling of your choice

Whizz the icing sugar and almonds in food processor until fine (i think this is an important stage my second attempt was grainy and i think i under whizzed the sugar and almonds). Sieve into a bowl.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt to soft peakes. Then gradually whisk in the caster sugar until thick and glossy. At this point add any colouring or flavouring and mix.
Fold in half the almond/icing mix and mix well. Add the second half and use a spatula to fold until shiny and has thick ribobn like consistency.
Spoon into a piping bag. Prepare greased, lined trays. Pipe rounds onto the trays. Tap the trays on the surface and leave for 10-15 mins to form a slight skin.
Bake in 140 fan for 15 mins. Leave to cool before peeling away. Fill with preferred filling and sandwhich together.

Ginger biscuits with white chocolate

I discovered what a great combination white chocolate and ginger is at my nephew's birthday party. His mum had made a gingerbread house and used white chocolate to stick the smarties etc on with. As we were picking at it afterwards with both agreed white chocoate and ginger was divine!
So with Valentines day in mind (any excuse to bake) I decide to make these Ginger Biscuits drizzled with White Chocolate

Ginger Biscuits :
125g butter
100g dark muscavado
3.5 tbsp golden syrup
300g plain flour
1tsp bicarb. of soda
2tsp ground ginger

Melt the butter, muscavado and syrup in a pan. In a bowl mix the flour, bicarb and ginger. Pour the melted mixture into the flour mixture and form a stiff dough. Add more water or flour as necessary.
Roll out and cut into shapes.
Prepare greased, lined baking sheets. Place biscuits on baking tray and bake in 180 fan oven. Be careful over the cooking time if you over cook the biscuits will be extra crunchy (hard). 10 mins should do it but keep an eye on depending on how you like them.
Once the biscuits are out of the oven and cooled melt 100g bar of white chocolate in the microwave (don't over do it in the micro otherwise the choc will prove. When the bowl is hot take it out and stir and the chocoate will melt). Drizzle choc over biscuits and leave to set.

Chilli Jam

Although this is called Chilli Jam it is savoury not for toast! Goes well with cheese, cold meats or as a dipping sauce. You can can use any strength of chilli you like to suit your pallet!

150g Long Red chillies deeseeded and chopped
1 Red Bell pepper deseeded and chopped
1kg Jam Sugar
600ml Cider Vinegar

First task is to deseed the chillies - I would recommend wearing rubber gloves for this the chilli stays on your hands for a long time and rubbing eyes etc is very painful if you forget!
Next deseed and chop the bell pepper. Put the chilles and the pepper into a food processor and whiz until finely chopped.
Next pour the vinegar into a large pan and add the jam sugar. Jam sugar is essential for this recipe as it guarantees a set there wont be any pectin in chilli or pepper.
Warm the vinegar and sugar over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved try not to stir it too much.
Once the sugar has dissolved (it wont go completed clear but you will see when its more or less dissolved the colour will change and you wont really see the sugar but dont be too worried about this stage as when you boil the sugar will dissolve) add the chilli and pepper mix
Bring to a rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes.
After ten mins turn off the heat and leave in the pan for 40 mins to cool. As it cools the chilli will start to be suspended in the jam rather than sitting on the top this confirms that its starting to solidify.
Whilst waiting for it to cool and set slightly prepare your glass jars as you would for jam (sterelise and keep warm in the oven)
When you are ready to pot use a jam funnel to fill your jars - this makes about 3 standard jam jars with a bit left over that you can eat straight away!
Once cool cover with wax discs, put on lids and store in cool dark place until you are ready to use. Can be stored unopened for up to a year but once opened keep in the fridge for up to 4 weeks

Green Tomato Chutney

2.5kg Green Tomatoes roughly chopped
500g Onions sliced
4tsp Salt
1 Litre Malt Vinegar
500g Soft Brown Sugar
250 Saltanas roughly chopped

The day before you plan to make this you have to chop the tomatoes and onions. Put them in a large pan and add the 4 tsp of salt. Leave overnight. This method draws the liquid out of the tomatoes and onions and reduces the cooking time - even doing this it takes a good two hours to cook.
When you are ready to start put the vinegar and sugar in a large pan and warm over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Then raise the heat a little so it is just simmering and add the roughly chopped sultanas. Bring to a gentle boil. Strain the tomatoes and onions - a fair amount of liquid should have been drawn out overnight. Add the tomatoes and onions to the vinegar. Bring to the boil and simmer for 2-2.5 hours. The aim is to evaporate most of the liquid before potting.
To pot, steralise glass jars (quater fill with water and put in microwave until water boils. Remove, tip out water and put jars in a low oven so dry and keep warm) and tip in chutney. Leave to cool then cover with wax discs and put lids on. Best left 2-3 weeks before eating though can be used straight away. Perfect for cheese and biscuits or cold meats.

Christmas Cake Price List :

Round Tins :

23cm/9inch approx. 16 slices = £21.00

19/7.5 approx. 12 slices = £15.00

15/6 approx.10 slices = £10.00

11.5/4.5approx. 5 slices = £5.00

Square Tin

18/7 approx 14 slices = £18.00

Cup Cakes

10 Christmas Cake Cup Cakes = £10.00

All regular cakes topped with marzipan and royal icing and decorated with christmas ribbon and motif

Cupcakes topped with marzipan and royal icing

All cakes can be ordered without marzipan and most tastes/allergies etc catered for

Cakes will contain alcohol unless requested otherwise

Elderflower Champagne

I had zero faith in this working and had nightmares about exploding bottles but it was really really easy and is totally delicious i will be making a lot more next year

I got this recipie from Channel4.com and its a Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall recipie

Makes 6 litres

4 litres Hot Water

700g Sugar

Juice and Zest 4 Lemons

2 tbsp White Wine Vinegar

15 Elderflower Heads in full bloom (i used about double this)

I used a bucket to make mine. Put hot water and sugar into the bucket and stir until sugar dissolves. Top up with cold water so you have 6 litres in total. Add the lemon juice and zest, white wine vinegar and elderflowers and stir. Cover with muslin (i used pillowcase) and leave in a cool, airy place for a couple of days. The recipe says to check it after two days and its not foaming to add a pinch of yeast. To be honest mine wasnt foaming but when i shook the bucket i could hear it fizz so assumed it was alright. Leave again for another 4 days. Then strain the liquid through a sieve lined with muslin and decant into plastic fizzy drink bottles. I didnt have any glass and didnt want to risk the explosion with glass but the plastic bottle were perfect. Seal bottles and leave to ferment for at least a week before serving chilled.

I really didnt think this would work and would be left with flat scuzz but it really does work and was left with proper fizzy champagne!! (very, very low alcohol content) Lovely flavour and apparently keeps for several months so saving a bottle for christmas

Blackberry Crumble Cake - the last of last years blackberries!

115g Butter
175g Caster Sugar
1 Egg
280g Self Raising
125ml Milk
200g Blackberries
Crumble :
115g Caster Sugar
85g Plain Four
50g Butter

Beat the butter and sugar in a bowl with electric whisk until light and fluffy. Whisk in the egg and fold in the flour and milk. Spoon into tin - i used 9inch square tin. Sprinkle the blackberries over the cake mix. To make the crumble mix the flour and sugar together in a bowl and rub in the butter until you get breadcrumbs. Sprinkle over the cake/blackberry mix and bake in oven 180/160/4 for 45 mins
It took longer than this for mine to cook through. There was too much cake mix really i would be tempted to halve the cake mix next time or use a larger, shallower tin. Cake itself is very good will definately make more when the blackberries are in season

Cinnamon Nutella Cake

175g Butter

175g Golden Caster Sugar

3 Eggs

200g Self Raising

1tsp Baking Powder

2tsp Ground Cinnamon

4 tbsp Milk

4 tbsp Nutella

50g Hazlenuts

Put all the ingredients apart from the hazlenuts into a large mixing bowl. Beat until light and fluffy

Spoon 2 thirds of the mix into 20cm round cake tin. Spoon in the nutella in 4 blobs and cover with the remaining cake mixture. With a skewer or sharp thin knife swirl the mixture. Roughly chop the hazelnuts and sprinkle over the top.

Bake in oven 180/160/4 for about an hour. If it starts to catch cover with tin foil. When a knife inserted comes out clean the cake is done.

I found the nutella sank to the bottom so i would put it on the top of the mixture and just push under rather than the recommended 2 thirds/third above

Sausage and Egg Pasties

This is from August Good Food - really easy as uses ready made pastry, taste = :-p Original recipe was for 8 so I have halved it here :
5 Medium Eggs (not large otherwise they wont really fit in)
4 Pork Sausages with the meat squeezed out
3 or 4 Spring Onions finely chopped
500g (1 block) frozen short crust pastry defrosted
Plain Flour for dusting

Bring pan of water to the boil and add 4 of the eggs. Bring back to the boil and simmer for 4 mins. Drain under cold water and peel
Meanwhile mix the sausagemeat and spring onions together. Dust surface with flour and roll out the pastry. You will need to make 4 x 25cm circles out of the pastry. Using wetish hands so the sausage meat doesnt stick to you, spread quater of the meat onto each circle going almost to the edges. Place one of the eggs in the middle of the circle, then pull the sides up over the egg and seal. Place all pasties onto a lined baking sheet. Beat the remaining egg and brush over the pasties.
Cook in oven (220/200/7) for 30 mins or until pastry golden brown all over

Red Onion and Cheese Tart

500g (1 block) frozen short crust pastry
1tbsp olive oil
1tsp caster sugar
1tbsp butter
1tbsp balsamic vinegar
500g red onions thinly sliced
3 large eggs
300ml single cream or full milk
125g grated strong cheddar

Roll out the pastry and use it to line a 23cm flan/quiche tin. Price the base and bake blind (cover with baking paper and use cooking beans to weight it down) for 1o mins. Uncover and cook for further 4 mins. Remove from oven and leave to one side to cool.
Meanwhile fry the onions in a large frying pan with the oil and butter until soft. Add the sugar and balsamic vinegar and cook for further few minutes until deep brown. Place the onions into the flan and season. Beat together the eggs and cream/milk and add the grated cheese. Pour over the onions and bake in oven 2oo/180/6 for 30 mins
Make sure the flan sits flat in the oven unlike mine which slopped over a bit

Red Velvet Cup Cakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

140g Self Raising
2 tbsp Cocoa
1/2 tsp Bicarb of Soda
110ml Buttermilk (I made my own using 110ml milk and few drops of lemon juice)
1 tsp Vinegar
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tbsp Red Food Colouring
60g Butter
170g Caster Sugar
1 Large Egg
Oven 170 15-20 mins
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa, bicarb and a pinch of salt. In a mug, mix the buttermilk, vinegar, vanilla and red food colouring. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Beat in the egg a little at a time. Mix in a third of the flour mixture, followed by half the buttermilk mixture, then another third of the flour, the rest of the buttermilk and finally the last of the flour mixture. Line 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases. Divide the mixture between the paper cases. Bake for 20 minutes, until risen and springy
Cream Cheese Frosting :
50g Butter
100g Cream Cheese
250g Icing Sugar
Cream the butter and cream cheese and add the sieved icing sugar, the cream cheese/butter gets quite soft so I added more icing sugar and chilled in the fridge. Double the recipe if you want to smother the cakes in icing. I grated a bit of chocolate over the top for decoration

Apple Strudel Muffins

250g Self Raising
3g Baking Powder
2g Bicarb of Soda
115g Butter
100g Soft Brown Sugar
100g Golden Caster Sugar
2 eggs
190g Apples peeled and cored (I used 4 - two shredded using cheese grater, two choopped into small cubes)
1 tsp Mixed Spice or Cinnamon
Topping :
150g Soft Brown Sugar
20g Self Raising
30g Butter
2 tsp Mixed Spice or Cinnamon
I found this recipe on line but have amended it using more apple, brown sugar and mixed spice and doubling the topping
Preheat oven to 180 and line muffin tin with paper cases makes approx 10-12

Mix flour, baking powder, mixed spice and bicarb in bowl. In separate bowl mix butter, sugar and eggs until smooth. Stir in the apples and gradually add the flour mix until smooth. Spoon into the muffin cases.
Next make the topping by mixing sugar, flour and mixed spice/ cinnamon. Then cut in the butter with a metal knife until you have coarse breadcrumbs. Sprinkle generous amount of topping over each muffin and bake in oven for 15-20 mins. These have been taste tested and get the thumbs up!

Cookies

175g Margerine

225g Caster Sugar

2 Eggs

350g self Raising

100g Chocolate Chips (i used chopped up dairy milk and smarties as thats what I had in the house)

Oven 180 15-20 mins

This is so easy : put all the ingredients into a bowl and mix until it forms a dough. Spoon onto a lined baking tray and bake. depending on how you like cookies use between 1tsp and 1tbsp of mixture per cookie. I like the dough raw in the middle so cooked for less than the specified time. I made some big and some small so watch them in the oven if smaller so they dont over cook. The raw dough is also very nice with ice cream :-p

Lemon Drizzle Cake

225g Butter
225g Caster Sugar
4 Eggs
225g Sel Raising
Finely grated zest 1 Lemon
Drizzle:
85g Caster Sugar
Juice of 1 and 1/2 lemons
Oven 180(f)/160/GM4

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and creamy, then add the eggs one at a time with a spoonful of the flour with each. Sift in the rest of the flour and add the lemon zest and fold in. Transfer to a lined loaf or cake tin (to line a loaf tin use strips of greaseproof paper leaving little handles dangling over the edge which you can use to lift the cake out) and cook as above for 40-50 mins. While the cake is still warm in the tin make the drizzle: mix the lemon juice and sugar together. Prick the cake all over with a skewer or thin knife and pour the drizzle over. Leave in the tin until completely cool. I served mine warm with extra thick double cream and ice cream

Elderflower Cordial

Approx 40 Elderflower head (most recipies say 20 but I wanted a strong flavour!)

1 Sliced Lemon

2tsp Citric Acid (to ask the pharmacist for this - and they will ask you what you want it for)

1.5kg Sugar

2.5 Pints Boiling Water

I made this in a bucket as I didnt have a bowl or anything big enough and i doubled the recipie as i wanted more.

Boil the kettle for the water and pour it into the bucket, add the sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the citric acid, lemon and elderflowers and stir gently.

Cover the bucket with a tea towel and leave in a cool dry place for 5 days, stirring twice a day.

After 4 days you end up with a syrupy cordial. The cordial needs to be strained to remove the elderflowers and all the bits. I strained mine through muslin 3 times to make it as clear as possible. Pour into any bottles to hand and it should keep in the fridge for about a month. It can be frozen too but leave space in the top of the bottle.

My favourite way to drink it is in lemonade or champagne

Chocolate, Nutella and Melted Chocolate Cake

I have to say this is the best chocolate cake I have ever made. (Its not as big as it looks on the picture as its sat on a site plate not a dinner plate)
140g Soft Butter
140g Golden Caster Sugar
3 Eggs
100g Self Raising
25g Cocoa Powder
Approx 5 tbsp Nutella
110g Cadbury Dairy Milk
Sprinkling of Chopped Mixed Nuts
Put the butter, sugar, eggs, flour and cocoa powder into a bowl and blitz with electric whisk for 2 mins. I have a small 6inch victoria sponge tin so I put half the mixture in this and cooked in 180 oven for about 15 mins. Then i did the same with the second half of the mixture. Once the cakes were cool i spread one with the nutella and sandwiched them together. Next melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave and pour over the cake and sprinkle with the nuts.
You would bet about 8 small slices out of this - or 4/5 greedy sized slices. This is my favourite chocolate cake so far

Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Icing

125g Soft Butter
175g Caster Sugar
Finely Grated Zest of 1/2 Lemon
2 Eggs Beaten
150g Plain Flour
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
Icing
75g Soft Butter
125g Sifted Icing Sugar
Grated Zest 1/2 Lemon
1-2 tsp Lemon Juice
Cake Method : Cream the butter and then add the sugar and grated lemon zest. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, soft in the flour and baking powder and fold in. Divide into 12 paper cases in muffin tin. Bake for 7-10 mins at 180
Icing Method : Cream the butter and add the icing sugar and beat. Add lemon zest and enough lemon juice to soften the icing into a spreadable consistency. I found I had to add more icing sugar as it went quite runny and i wanted to pipe the icing on. If you are going to spread the icing on then follow the recipie as it is. Spread or pipe icing on to cakes

Cheese Scones

225g Self Raising

pinch salt

55g Butter

25g Mature Cheddar Grated

150ml Milk

Put the flour and salt into a bowl and add the cold butter and rub into breadcrumbs. Stir in the cheese and the milk to make a soft dough. Roll out on a floured surface and use round cutter to cut out circles approx 1 inch thick. Bake at 220 for 10-12 mins.

I find my scones dont rise enough and dont know why - have tried all the suggestions of keeping everything as cold as possible, have tried adding baking powder and baking soda but they still dont really rise as much as i want them too - frustrating!

These taste best warm and spread with loads of marmite :-)

Custard Star Cake

This isnt a new recipie but i used the Custard Cup Cake recipie and just made one big cake! I used my new silicone star shaped cake 'tin' (thank you to Emily for my fab present). As one big cake the texture is really moist and takes about 30 mins in the oven or until the centre is set and doesnt wobble. The icing is just the same as before - icing sugar and water. End result = :-P

Peanut Butter Mini Muffins and Smartie Muffins

To make both of these flavours I used the basic recipe for muffins as per Peanut Butter and Dairy Milk Caramel Muffins but omitted the dairy milk caramel and kept them plain for the mini muffins and added smarties for the slightly larger muffins. One batch of the mixture made 24 mini muffins and 8 of the larger muffins so it goes a long way

The only problem with smarties as you can see from the picture is that the colour bleeds. I think I will try with M&M's next time