Homemade Christmas Gifts

Hey Everyone,

So, last post until after Christmas, and this one will show you how to make plenty of delicious, quick and easy, edible gifts to give at Christmas - or any time of the year! My sister and I always find that with a big family, it can be difficult to find presents for everyone, and we usually end up making something festive to eat. Here are some of the things we usually put in the goodie bags for under the tree!

Handmade Chocolates

Out of all the things we ever make, these are always in the bags. This is due to them being simple to make and also very easily changeable flavours, so massive variety is available. Virtually anything goes with it, so flavours can vary from things like whole nuts to dried fruits like cranberries and sour cherries, as well as more odd combinations like chilli (not a personal favourite!), and many more - though sometimes plain is best!
Once you have the suitable chocolate molds, you can do what you like! A recipe for this won't be needed to be provided by me, so try to make so yourself at home and experiment!

Coconut Ice

Coconut Ice is one of the easiest sweets I've ever made, along with the chocolates previous and the peppermint creams which I couldn't include in this post, unfortunately. It consists of only three ingredients and takes hardly any time to make at all - though at the end of the cooking time, you must act quickly to get in the tray, because it hardens incredibly quickly after being removed from the heat.

Remember to score the top, so it's easier to cut and doesn't crumble apart; it can be more stable, though, if you have a layer of something like chocolate over the top.

Coconut Ice - From "The Sweets Book" By Shona Crawford Poole

Makes about 680g

Ingredients -

• 450g Granulated Sugar
• 150ml Fresh Milk
• 170g Desiccated Coconut

1. Butter or oil a tin measuring about 20cm (8in) square.

2. Put the sugar in a heavy pan with the milk and heat slowly until the sugar has dissolved. Wash down any sugar crystals from the sides with a pastry brush dipped in cold water. Raise the heat and boil the syrup to the soft ball stage (116 Degrees Centigrade/240 Degrees Fahrenheit). Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir the coconut.

3. Pour the mixture at once into the prepared tin and wen it has cooled a little, mark the coconut ice into squares. Wait until it's completely cold before cutting. If you want to make it the traditional pink and white coconut ice have ready a few drops of red food colouring. Pour half the white coconut mixture into the prepared tin , then colour the rest and pour it over the first layer.

Marshmallow Fudge

This recipe is absolutely foolproof, as I've made it many times for Christmas and birthdays, as it's simple and easy for younger children to participate in making - and therefore take home at cooking parties.

For anyone with a sweet tooth, this would be the perfect gift; marshmallow fudge is made of LOTS and LOTS of sugar, melted together with butter and milk, a delicious holiday snack!

Magic Marshmallow Fudge - From the Usborne "Children's Activities Chocolates & Sweets" Book

Makes 36 Pieces

Ingredients - 

• 450g Icing Sugar
• 100g White Marshmallows
• 2 Tbsp Milk
• 100g Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Essence

1. Line a shallow 18cm cake tin with greaseproof paper.

2. Sift the icing sugar through a sieve into a large bowl and make a small well in the middle. Using scissors cut the marshmallows in half and put the in a small pan. Add the milk, butter and vanilla essence.

3. Gently heat the mixture. Stir it every now and then with a wooden spoon until everything has melted. Pour the mixture into the hollow in the icing sugar. Beat everything together with a wooden spoon until it's smooth.

4. Put the fudge into the tin and push it into the corners. Use a spoon to make the spoon as flat as you can. When the fudge is cooler, put the tin in the fridge for about three hours, or until the  fudge is firm.

5. Using a blunt knife to loosen the edges odf the fudge, turn it out onto a chopping board. Remove the paper. Curt the fudge into 36 pieces. Then, put it in the fridge for an hour to harden. Keep it in an airtight container.

Peanut Brittle

This is the first year that we've ever made peanut brittle and it's worked out really well! Peanut brittle is definitely the sweet that takes the longest, but also one of the most simple - it's just a whole lot of slowly heating sugar (about 25 minutes actually)!

After it's hardened in the fridge, which also takes a while to do, the end result is amazing! Break it into little and the peanuts and the sugar contrast together really well - like honey roasted peanuts, only in small, golden shards!

Peanut Brittle - From "Something Sweet" Magazine Edition 3

Makes 700g

Ingredients -

• Melted Butter, for greasing
• 275g Unsalted Blanched Peanuts
• 350g Granulated Sugar
• 175g Light Brown Soft Sugar
• 115g Golden Syrup
• 150ml Cold Water
• 75g Butter, diced
• 1/2 Tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1. Lightly grease the base and sides of a 33 x 23cm Swiss roll tin with melted butter and set it aside on a heatproof surface. Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/180 C/360 F.

2. Place the nuts on a chopping board and, using a long, sharp knife, chop them very roughly. Transfer all the chopped nuts to a baking sheet and spread them in an even layer. Roast them in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes until lightly toasted. Turn the oven off, but leave the tray of nuts in the oven, with door slightly open, to keep them warm.

3. Place both the granulated sugar and light brown soft sugar in a heavy-based saucepan, then add the granulated sugar and pour in the water.

4. Heat the mixture gently, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon until both the sugars have completely dissolved.

5. Stir in he diced butter, and continue heating gently and stirring until the butter has melted. Increase the heat and bring the mixture to the boil, without stirring. Place the lid on the saucepan and boil for 2 minutes.

6. Uncover the saucepan and clip a sugar thermometer on it's side. Continue gently boiling the mixture, without stirring, until it reaches about 146 - 154 Degrees C on the thermometer, which is the hard crack stage. This will take at least 20 - 25 minutes - don't be tempted to boil the mixture really rapidly or it may burn and stick to the base of the pan.

7. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the warm peanuts and bicarbonate of soda, and mix well with a wooden spoon. Take care at this stage, as the mixture may bubble up when the bicarbonate of soda is added.

8. Pour the hot mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out into the four corners using the wooden spoon. Leave it until it has set hard and cooled down.

9. Lay a sheet of greaseproof paper on a board and invert the tin onto it. Press down firmly on the base of the tin and the sheet of brittle will fall out. Break it into small chunks and wrap them in greaseproof paper. They will keep for a couple of weeks in an airtight container.

Please Enjoy and Merry Christmas!!!

Devonshire Splits

Hey Everyone,

Another update... Three in a row! Once again it really has nothing to do Christmas particularly, but I'll try to get a post updated on things to make at Christmas before, so keeps checking for extra updates!
Anyway, this time I'm going to introduce you to a delicious teatime snack and great alternative to the cone - the Devonshire Split! The Devonshire Split is a sweet, enriched bun, split down the middle, topped with extra thick Jersey cream, along with a jam of your choosing - Usually I have raspberry or strawberry jam. (They can also be eaten with ice cream in the summer!) They're relatively easy to make so definitely worth making; although they are better on the day of making as they turn stale very quickly.

If I don't update before, have a very merry Christmas!

Devonshire Splits - From "Bread, Cake, Doughnut, Pudding"

Makes 12
Prep Time - 15 Minutes
Proving Time - 2-2 1/2 Hours
Cooking Time - 15 Minutes

Ingredients -

• 450g Plain Flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 Tsp Fine Sea Salt
• 1 Tsp Caster Sugar
• 275ml Full Fat Milk
• 15g Fresh Yeast
• 50g Unsalted Butter

To Serve 

• Thick Jersey Cream
• Jam, any flavour you want!

1. Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a large bowl and mix well. Put the milk, crumbled yeast and melted butter into a jug or bowl and whisk to combine well and dissolve the yeast. Add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough.

2. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for 2 minutes. Put back into a lightly floured bowl, cover and place in a warm place for 1 - 1 and a half hours, until doubled in size.

3. Line two baking trays with baking paper. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and roll each one into a ball. Put them on the prepared baking trays, leaving room between them as they will spread. Sprinkle with flour, then cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until they have doubled in size.

4. Preheat the oven to 200 Degrees Centigrade/180 Degrees Centigrade Fan/Gas Mark 6. Bake the buns for 15 minutes, until golden brown, then place on a rack and leave to cool. To serve, split them (but not all the way through), fill them with extra thick Jersey cream and top with jam.

Please Enjoy!!!

Banoffee Tumbler Trifles!!

Hey everyone,

I know hardly been any time since my last post, but I'm attempting to post all of my post unchristmassy before Christmas, so posts may briefly be more regular!
As some of you may have noticed, I'm very interested in the Great British Bake Off, and others may remember a past winner - Francis Quinn. Last year she released a recipe book called "Quintessential Baking" which I have, and it's really good! It has different takes on common bakes, such as vanilla cake (Victoria Sponge!), carrot cake, lemon cake and so on... In particular, it was a version of a banana cake which caught my eye that looked especially fun to make - Banoffee Tumbler Trifles!

It's a mixture between a banoffee pie and a trifle, two classic British puddings! They are served in tumblers individually and look spectacular as an end result, with a banana and pecan cake base, soaked in rum.
They do take a very long time to make, due to all the different layers in it, though they can be made in advance. (Or you can cheat and buy a caramel and/or a custard from your local supermarket!)

Banoffee Tumbler Triflers - From "Quintessential Baking"

Makes 4 Trifles

For the Custard

• 200ml Double Cream
• 2 Egg Yolks (at room temperature)
• 20g Caster Sugar
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

For the Cakes

• 50g Muscovado Sugar
• 50g Very Ripe Banana Flesh (from about 1/2 medium banana)
• 1 Egg (at room temperature)
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
• 50g Self-Raising Flour
• 50g Pecans

For the Caramel

• 50g Golden Syrup
• 50g Caster Sugar
• 100ml Double Cream
• Pinch of Salt, optional

To Decorate

• 50g Hard Banana Chips
• 50ml Dark Rum
• 300ml Double Cream
• 4 Small, Medium-Ripe
• 50g Butterscotch Chips
• Cocoa Powder, to dust

1. If your're making your own custard, pour the cream into a medium saucepan and set over a gentle heat. Bring to just below simmering. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla in a medium heatproof bowl. Add the hot cream to the bowl, whisking all the time to combine all the ingredients.

2. Immediately pour the mixture back into the pan, using a heatproof plastic or silicone spatula to get it all out the bowl. With the spatula, or a wooden spoon, stir over a gentle heat until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spatula/spoon. Pour the custard back in the bowl and cover the surface directly with clingfilm to stop a skin forming. Leave to cool.

3. Next make the cakes. Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees Centigrade/160 Degrees Centigrade Fan/Gas Mark 4. Put the four muffin cases into the muffin tin.

4. Using a hand-mixer electric whisk (it's tricky to beat this small quantity in a free-standing mixer), beat the butter and sugar together for 5 - 10 mins or until the mix is very light and creamy and takes on a pale cafe-au-lait shade.Put the banana flesh in a bowl and smush it into a puree using a fork or spatula.

5. Gradually add the egg to the creamed butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition and scraping down the side of the bowl as you go. Should the mixture look like it's starting to curdle, add a spoonful of the flour. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold it in until just combined. Finally, stir through the pureed banana and chopped pecans.

6. Spoon the cake mixture into your four cases, dividing it equally, and bake for 15 - 20 minutes or until the cakes have risen and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then transfer, still in the paper cases, to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. Meanwhile, make the caramel sauce. Weigh the golden syrup into a small saucepan. Sprinkle the caster sugar over the surface of the golden syrup. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula or a wooden spoon, until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook gently for about three minutes or until the syrup has become a rich amber colour.

8. Remove from the heat and pour in the double cream, stirring as it bubbles up to thoroughly combine everything. Add the salt if you are creating a salted caramel. Transfer to a medium bowl to cool.

9. Once the cakes and caramel have cooled, you can assemble your trifles. Set aside four of the best looking banana chips and break the remainder into small pieces - do this with a sharp knife or your fingers.

10. Remove the banana cakes from their cases and cut or crumble them into bite-sized pieces. You will use one cake per tumbler: put the cake pieces in the base of the tumbler and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of rum. Press the cake down with a spoon and set aside to soak.

11. Meanwhile, use a hand-held electric whisk to whip the double cream to soft-to-medium; set aside. Cover the cake in the tumblers with the caramel, dividing it evenly. Scatter the broken banana chips over the caramel.

12. Cut the fresh bananas into 5mm slices - you will be using one banana per trifle, so you might find it easier to work on one trifle at a time. Arrange some of the banana slices around the inside of the tumbler, pressing the slices up against the side so the whole slice is visible. Put the remaining banana slices within the ring of upright banana.

13. Next, cover the bananas with the custard, dividing it equally among the four tumblers. Use a spoon or a small palette knife to smooth the surface of the custard. Keep back a few butterscotch chips to decorate the trifles; scatter the remainder over the custard.

14. Top with the softly whipped cream, using a palette knife to smooth it out a bit but still keeping the slightly rustic finish. Sift a little cocoa powder over the centre of each cream-topped trifle and decorate with a dried banana chip and the reserved butterscotch pieces.

Please Enjoy!!!

Bakewell Tart Traybake

Hey everyone,

Well, I'm sorry for not updating for a while, but I've been unwell (and busy with schoolwork!) so it's meant that up until recently I haven't been able to do much cooking.
Anyway, to get back into the swing of things, I've started with something simple and delicious - a take on a well known classic. By baking a traybake instead of the actual tart, you end up with the same flavours, but in a quicker and easier way. For (other) Bakewell tart lovers, this will be a perfect afternoon snack, a bakewell tart with a Mary Berry twist!

Bakewell Tart Traybake

Makes 21 squares

Ingredients -

• 4 Tbsp Raspberry Jam
• Flaked Almonds, for sprinkling

For the pastry

• 175g Plain Flour
• 85g Hard Butter, dices

For the sponge

• 115g Butter, softened
• 115g Caster Sugar
• 175g Self-Raising Flour
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1/2 Tsp Almond Essence

1. Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees Centigrade/Fan 160 Degrees Fahrenheit/Gas Mark 4

2. To make the pastry, measure the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Bind to a dough with two or three tablespoons of cold water. Roll out on a lightly floured surface and line the tin; spread with the jam.

3. To make the sponge, measure all the ingredients into a large bowl and beat well for 2 minutes or until well blended. Transfer to tin, level the surface and sprinkle with almonds.

4. Bake for 25 minutes or until the cake has shrunk away from the sides of the tin when pressed in the centre with your fingertips. Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into squares. Lift out using a palette knife.

Please Enjoy!!!!

Pork Pie with Chicken and Apricots

Hey Everyone,

Well, Tudor week of the Great British Bake Off was definitely a surprise, wasn't it?! It was a hard choice of what to make this time as I liked the look of the "jumble biscuits", but as they looked a bit too awkward to make, I decided that it'd be more fun to make the Tudor-inspired pie!
I made Andrew's pie (of which the recipe is available on the BBC Food website) - it looked amazing, didn't it! however it won't be in the shape of cog like Andrew's was, and it is also a much larger pie instead of multiple little ones!

This recipe was actually surprisingly easy to make, and the flavours worked really well together as well! I found that I needed a bit more sausagemeat than the recipe said that you had to have, so if you do end up making this, make sure you've have some extra just in case the same problem happens to you! The pastry was very nice, with quite a lot to spare - if you have another recipe that uses hot water crust pastry then it may be needed!

Pork Pie with Chicken and Apricots - By Andrew From "The Great British Bake Off"

Ingredients -

For the Pastry

• 500g Plain Flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100g Strong White Bread Flour
• 2 1/2 tsp Salt
• 125g Chilled Salted Butter, cubed
• 150g Vegetable Fat (such as Trex), plus extra for greasing
• 325ml Boiling Water
• 1 Egg, beaten

For the Filling

• 1 Large Onion, finely chopped
• 200g Boneless Chicken Thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 150g Dried Apricots, thinly sliced
• 4 Springs Lemon Thyme, leaves picked (normal thyme also works)
• 400g Pork Sausages, casings removed
• 1 Baking Potato, peeled and very thinly sliced
• Salt and Pepper

1. Grease a deep 20cm round cake tin with vegetable fat.

2. For the pastry, sift the flours and salt into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the dry ingredients using your fingertips until lose crumbs form and there are no large chunks of butter remaining.

3. Add the vegetable fat and boiling water to a jug and stir until the fat is dissolved. Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the fat mixture. Beat using a wooden spoon until the dough comes together in a ball. Knead the dough in a ball in the bowl until smooth and well combined. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate while you make the filling.

4. Preheat the oven to 220 Degrees Centigrade/180 Degrees Centigrade Fan/Gas Mark 6. Place the baking tray in the oven to preheat.

5. For the filling, mix the onion, chicken, apricots and thyme in a bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper.

6. Remove the pastry from the fridge and set aside about a third to make the lid. Briefly knead the remaining dough and place in the bottom of the cake tin. Using your hands, gently push the dough out to cover the base and sides of the tin in an even layer of pastry. (Alternatively, you can roll out the pastry on a floured work surface and line the tin that way.) Make sure there are no cracks in the pastry. Roll out the reserved pastry on a floured surface to make the lid.

7. Fill the pastry case with a layer of sausagemeat, then all the chicken and apricot mixture, a layer of potato slices and finally another layer of sausagemeat. Place the lid on top of the pie and crimp the edges to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut away any excess pastry overhanging the tin and cut a small circle in the middle of the lid for steam to escape while cooking. Brush the lid with beaten egg.

8. Place the pie on the preheated tray (this will help the base crisp up and catch any fat that leaks from the pie) and bake for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the top is deep golden-brown.

9. Leave to cool completely in the tin, then serve in slices.

Please Enjoy!!!

Black Cherry Swiss Roll

Hey Everyone,

So, it was dessert week of the Great British Bake Off and (obviously!) this is one of my favourite weeks every year!
I've only made a Swiss Roll once before and it was a disaster, so I've decided to have another attempt at making one - though I do know the signature bake was to make a roulade!
This ones a Black Cherry Swiss Roll, a normal Swiss Roll with cream and black cherry jam, but I'm sure that if you don't like the flavour, it's easily changed!
Coincidentally, this recipe is one of Mary Berry's own and it's come from her book "100 Cakes and Bakes". (Every recipe I've ever used from that book has always worked really well!)

It was very nice, and it tasted amazing! (Black Cherry is one of my favourite flavours!) Just please remember that, as this is a fat-less sponge, they don't tend to keep very well, so eat it as quickly as possible!

Black Cherry Swiss Roll - From "100 Cakes and Bakes"

Ingredients -

• 4 Large Eggs, at room temperature
• 100g Caster Sugar
• 100g Self-Raising Flour

For the filling

• About 3 Tbsp Black Cherry Jam
• 300ml Double Cream, whipped
• A Few Fresh Black Cherries (Optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 200 Degrees Centigrade/Gas Mark 6. Cut a rectangle of non-stick baking parchment just larger than the base and sides of your Swiss Roll tin. Grease the tin and then line it with the paper, pushing it neatly into the corners to fit.

2. Put the eggs and sugar in a large bowl and whisk well, until the mixture is light and frothy and the whisk leaves a trail when lifted out.

3. Sift the flour into the mixture, carefully folding it in at the same time with a plastic spatula. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and gently into the corners. Bake for 10 minutes or until the sponge begins to shrink away from the sides of the tin and is springy to the touch. Watch the cake carefully as it is easy to overbake it.

4. While the cake is cooking, place a piece of non-stick baking parchment a little bigger than the size of the tin on a work surface and sprinkle it with caster sugar.

5. When the cake is cooked, invert it onto the sugared paper. Quickly loosen the lining on the bottom of the cake and peel it away. Trim the edges of the sponge with a sharp knife and make a score mark 2.5cm in from one shorter edge, being careful not to cut right through.

6. Roll the cake up firmly from the shorter, cut end, with the paper inside, and leave to cool. Carefully unroll the cooled cake, remove the paper and spread the cake with jam followed by the whipped cream. Re-roll the cake, sprinkle with a little more caster sugar if you like and, for for a special occasion, decorate with a few fresh black cherries. Keep in the fridge until needed but eat as fresh as possible.

Please Enjoy!!!

Passionfruit Meringue Cupcakes

Hey Everyone,

Well. this week of the Great British Bake Off was unexpected - Botanical Week! However all of it looked delicious, especially the citrus meringue pies, so I'm going to one of them this week, but with a twist on it! If you make this, instead of a pie, you'll have twelve delicious cupcakes instead. Those of you who've read my blog previously may notice I use passionfruit quite regularly in my baking and it's one of my favourite ingredients! If you haven't, check out Passionfruit Viennese Whirls which I've made a couple of weeks ago; they were amazing!

This recipe is a lemon cupcake, in the middle a passionfruit curd with a meringue piped on top before it was blow-torched! (That part was really fun!) The passionfruit curd is also really good just on toast as well, so making that by itself is still delicious if you don't have time to complete the entire recipe. (If not, usually there is some of the curd left over anyway!)

They are definitely better fresh, though they can be stored briefly, and I really wouldn't recommend trying to travel with them, at least not for a long distance, as the meringue tends to droop a bit!

 

I found this recipe in one of my favourite recipe books, "Making Cupcakes with LOLA". It's an entire book dedicated to cupcakes at each of the four stages that stand for LOLA ( A Lighter Side of Decadence, Over The Top, Let's Have a Cuppa! and Always Favourites). This one is from  a lighter side of decadence so you can only imagine what is classed as "over the top"!

Passionfruit Meringue Cupcakes - From "Making Cupcakes with LOLA

Ingredients -

Passionfruit Curd

• 3 Eggs, plus one egg yolk
• 100ml Passionfruit Juice (From about 6 fruits, sifted)
• 175g Caster Sugar, plus 2 Tbsp
• 125g Butter, cubed

Cupcake Mixture

• 125g Self-Raising Flour
• 1 Tsp Baking powder
• 75g Ground Almonds
• 100g Butter
• 150g Caster Sugar
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Lemon Zest
• 2 Eggs
• 75ml Plain Yoghurt

Meringue Topping

• 3 Egg Whites
• 180g Caster Sugar
• 1/4 Cream of Tartar
• 1/2 Vanilla Extract

1. Start by making the passionfruit curd. Mix the whole eggs and egg yolk into a bowl. Put the passionfruit juice and sugar in a saucepan and bring to boil. Boil until the sugar has dissolved. Slowly pour the hot fruit syrup into the eggs, stirring briskly and constantly to prevent the eggs from scrambling. 

2. Bring a small saucepan of water to a gentle simmer and set the bowl of egg mixture on the pan. Heat stirring gently for 20-30 minutes or until thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, a few pieces at a time. Let cool and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight if possible.

3. Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees Centigrade/350 Degrees Fahrenheit/Gas Mark 4. Sift together the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Stir in the almonds. Put the butter, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the lemon zest. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4. Add the dry ingredients and yoghurt and beat on a low speed until combined. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until well risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.

5. Mix the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a heatproof bowl. Bring a small saucepan of water to a gentle simmer and set the bowl of egg whites on the pan. Heat, whisking with a balloon whisk, until the sugar has dissolved and a sugar thermometer in the mixture reads 60 Degrees Centigrade/140 Degrees Fahrenheit.

6.Remove from the heat and whisk with an electric hand whisk on a low speed and gradually increasing to high speed. Whisk until stiff and glossy (but not dry) peaks have formed. Whisk in the vanilla. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes or until firm enough to pipe.

7.  When the cupcakes are completely cold, make a hole in the middle of them with a teaspoon and fill with a dollop of curd. Spread the meringue over the cupcakes using a spatula, or spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle/tip and pipe it into little peaks on top of the cupcakes. hold a kitchen blow torch about 10 centimeters from the meringue and scorch evenly. Pour passionfruit pips on the top, if desired.

Please Enjoy!!!

Pecan and Maple Pinwheels!!!

Hey everyone,

Firstly, a little bit about what I'm doing in Food Tech GCSE at the moment in school. Most weeks we do practicals such as Jambalaya and Fish Pie (I'd really recommend the Jambalaya!) and we're also studying protein and amino acids, including protein complementation and also vegetarian substitutes for protein, like quorn and tempeh! It's really interesting and fun!

So, pastry week this time and I'm going to do the signature bake, a danish pastry. Anyway, I've decided to do Val's own recipe from the BBC Food website as the pinwheels she made looked really tasty, even though they seemed quite fiddly. Whilst, they did take a long time to make (as it's uff pastry) the final product tasted amazing!

If you make these, ensure that you have plenty of time, as you take a lot of time up in the day waiting for the pastry to chill every turn. This is quite an important process as well, as the butter must be cool so the layers of the pastry are more distinct. For those who don't fancy spending the time making it, you can easily just buy shop-bought puff pastry and only make the filling. (Honestly, I wouldn't blame you!)

Pecan and Maple Pinwheels - By Val From "The Great British Bake Off"

Ingredients -

• 500g Strong White Bread Flour, plus extra for dusting
• 10g Sea Salt
• 50g Caster Sugar
• 9g Yeast
• 1 Egg, plus one yolk, lightly beaten
• 150ml Milk, heated to 43 Degrees Centigrade
• Oil, for greasing
• 250g Unsalted Butter, chilled

Pecan and maple filling

• 150g Pecans
• 85g Light Muscovado Sugar
• 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
• 30g Unsalted Butter

To Finish

• 1 Egg, beaten with 2 Tbsp Milk
• 50g Apricot Jam
• 2 Tsp Lemon Juice
• 150g Icing Sugar
• 2 Tbsp Boiling Water
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract

1. For the pastry, put the flour, salt and sugar on one side of a mixing bowl and the yeast on the opposite side. Add the eggs, egg yolk, warm milk and 80 ml water and mix for one minute using a fork until combined. Add a little more water if needed to form a firm dough.

2. Dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Dust with a little flour and knead for 5 minutes, then shape into a ball.

3. Lightly oil a mixing bowl and a large piece of cling film. Put the dough in the bowl and cover with the cling film. Set aside in a warm place to prove for an hour, or until almost doubled in size.

4. For the filling, in a food processor, pulse 100g of the pecans until fine. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the sugar, maple syrup and butter. Cover and leave at room temperature. Roughly chop the remaining pecans to use as a garnish.

5. To make the pastry, sandwich the chilled butter between the open wrapper and a piece of cling film. Using a rolling pin beat the butter until it's flattened to roughly 1.5 cm. Roll out the dough on a floured surface until 1 cm thick and roughly double the size of the butter.

6. Arrange the dough with the short edge nearest to you and put the butter in the middle. Fold the top and the bottom of the pastry over the butter so it's just overlapping. Press all the edges and sides together to ensure the butter is sealed within the pastry. Using a rolling pin, tap the dough from the middle upwards and from the middle downwards. This ensures the butter is evenly distributed.

7. Roll out the pastry to a large rectangle approximately 1 cm thick. Turn dough so you have a long edge nearest to you, then fold the right third into the middle and cover with the left third. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes. Do this turning, folding and chilling three more times.

8. Preheat the oven to 200 Degrees Centigrade/180 Degrees Fahrenheit/Gas Mark 6. Line two baking trays with non-stick baking parchment.

9.Roll out the dough to a 30x40cm rectangle. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut the dough into 12 equal squares.

10. To shape the pastry, cut a line from every corner almost into the middle of the square. Brush the tip of each corner with a little of the egg and milk mixture, and fold the alternate corners into the middle pressing down firmly, creating a pinwheel.

11. Transfer the pastries to the prepared baking trays. Using your finger press down to create a hollow in the middle of the pastry for the filling. Put 1 teaspoon of the ground pecan mixture into the centre of each pastry and scatter with a few chopped pecans to decorate. over the baking trays with cling film and set aside in a warm place to rise for 10 minutes.

12. To finish, brush each pastry with egg wash and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and golden-brown.

13, Meanwhile, for the apricot glaze, combine the apricot jam and lemon juice with two tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Slowly heat the mixture, stirring gently, until runny. Pass through a sieve and set aside. While the pastries are still warm brush them with the apricot glaze.

14. For the icing, mix the icing sugar, boiling water and vanilla extract together until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small plain nozzle and pipe lines across the cooled pastries to finish.

Please Enjoy!!!

Churros

Hey Everyone,

After batter week of the Great British Bake Off, I've decided to make the Showstopper challenge, Churros! They're a really tasty street food and it's amazing to see them made by the street vendors, freshly cooked on the stand; I've always wanted to try to make them! They can be any size or shape, though typically they'll have a ridged surface because churros are piped through a star-shaped syringe-like tool called a "churrera", though a star-shaped nozzle on a piping bag is a suitable substitute.

Churros are believed to be originally from Spain and they are fried until the outside is crunchy, and then they're sprinkled with sugar (I added cinnamon to my sugar for extra flavour!) and they can often be found dipped in chocolate.
As the batter of the churros is quite wet in this recipe, the ridges in them mayn't be so obvious. This doesn't mean the taste isn't still amazing though!

They were very similar to a doughnut in taste and texture, as well as them being easier to make, so for those people who want to attempt making a doughnut, this may be a good place to start!
I found this recipe in my "big baking collection" set of books which means that anyone can make them! All the recipes in the collection have been tried and tested, and designed for children to make; they are surprisingly simple to make!

Churros - From "Mini cakes" in "The Big Baking Collection"

Ingredients -

• 25g Unsalted Butter
• 200g Plain Flour
• 50g Caster Sugar
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1 Litre Sunflower Oil, for deep-frying
• 1Tsp Cinnamon

1. Measure 200ml boiling water into a jug. Add the butter and stir until it melts. Sift together the flour, half the sugar and the baking powder into a bowl. Make a well in the centre and slowly pour in the hot butter mixture, beating continuously, until you have a thick paste; you may not need all the liquid. Leave the mixture to cool and rest for 5 minutes.

2. Pour the oil into a large saucepan to a depth of at least 10cm, and heat it to 170-180 Degrees Centigrade. Keep the correct sized saucepan lid nearby and never leave the hot oil unattended. Regulate the temperature, making sure it remains even, or the churros will burn.

3. Place the cooled mixture into piping bag. Pipe 7cm lengths of the dough into the hot oil, using a pair of scissors to snip off the ends. Do not crowd the pan, or the temperature of the pan will go down. Cook the churros for 1-2mins on each side, turning them when they are golden brown. When done, remove the churros from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Switch off the heat.

4. Mix the remaining sugar and the cinnamon together on a plate, and toss the churros in the mixture while still hot. Leave to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving still warm.

Please Enjoy!!!

Dampfnudel!

Hey Everyone,

So, Bread Week of the Great British Bake Off and once again I've decided to do the technical challenge; this time dampfnudels!
For those who don't watch the Bake Off, a dampfnudel is a sort of sweet dumpling, served usually with plum sauce and a vanilla sauce. The dough also has a slight taste of orange too, so that flavours all compliment each other very well!

 Dampfnudels are originally from Germany (though they are popular in Alsace, France) and they are unusual because instead of being baked in the oven, they are steam over the hob. They're very famous in Freckenfeld and Kandel, Germany where they have the dampfnudel city gates!
The ones that I made were very tasty and where definitely better warm. I'd advise that if you make them, to have plently of people ready to eat them, as the recipe makes twelve and dampfnudels are surprisingly filling Also, whilst making them, don't lift the lid off the pan until very near to the end of your time cooking or the dampfnudels won't rise enough!

Before watching the Bake Off, I'd never heard of a dampfnudel before and didn't have a recipe for one, so I went on the BBC Food website and found the Paul Hollywood recipe which I found worked really well!

Dampfnudel - By Paul Hollywood

Makes 12

Making Time - 1-2 Hours

Cooking Time - 30 minutes to 1 hour

Ingredients -

• 500g Strong White Bread Flour, plus extra for dusting
• 100g Caster Sugar
• 7g Fast-Action Yeast
• 150ml Milk, warmed
• 2 Large Eggs, lightly beaten
• 70g Unsalted Butter, melted
• 1 Lemon, finely grated zest only
• Vegetable Oil

Plum Sauce

• 4 Ripe Plums, roughly chopped and stones removed
• 1 Medium Orange, juice only
• 50g Demerara Sugar
• Pinch Ground Cinnamon

Vanilla Sauce

• 150ml Milk
• 150ml Double Cream
• 3 Large Egg Yolks
• 1/2 Tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
• 1 Tsp Plain Flour
• 50g Caster Sugar

Poaching Liquid

• 25g Unsalted Butter
• 150ml Milk
• 25g Caster

1. For the dampfnudel, tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar to one side of the bowl and the yeast into the other. Add the milk, eggs and butter and turn the mixture round using your fingers until you have a rough dough and have picked the flour from the sides of the bowl.

2. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 mins. Work through the initial wet stage until the dough starts to form a soft, smooth skin. Scatter the lemon zest on top of the dough and knead until evenly incorporated.

3. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise for at least 1 hour until doubled in size. Meanwhile, for the plum sauce, tip the plums and orange juice into a large saucepan. Sprinkle over the sugar and cook over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and boil for 10 mins, squashing the plums using a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the cinnamon. Leave to cool slightly, then blend to a thick sauce. Set aside.

4. For the vanilla sauce, heat the milk and cream in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat to just below boiling point then remove from the heat. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, vanilla paste, flour and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Pour over the warmed milk, whisking continuously. Pour the mixture back into the pan and cook over a very low heat for 3-4 mins, stirring continuously until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and set aside. Cover the surface of the sauce with cling film, to prevent a skin forming.

5. Turn the risen dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Turn inwards repeatedly until all the air is knocked out. Divide the dough into twelve pieces and roll into balls. For the poaching liquid, heat the butter, milk and sugar in a large sauté pan with a tight fitting lid over a medium heat for 5 mins or until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and, taking care not to burn yourself, add the dough balls, ensuring that they are all sitting on the base of the pan. Leave to stand for 15 minutes until doubled in size.

6. Reduce to a low heat and cook, covered, for 25-30 mins (keep an eye on them as they will burn easily, so check them towards the end of the cooking time and add a little milk if they start to catch). Remove the lid and cook over a low heat for a further 5-10 mins until the bases are golden brown and caramelised. Meanwhile, gently reheat the plum and vanilla sauces.

7. Remove the dampfnudels from the heat and carefully lift the pan with the golden crust upward, with the warm plum and vanilla sauces alongside.

Please Enjoy!!!

Passion Fruit Viennese Whirls

Hey Everyone,

So week two of the bake-off was Biscuit Week! This time I've decided to attempt making the technical challenge, the Viennese Whirl, though this version has a slight twist as it has less traditional flavour of passion fruit instead of strawberry! Instead of using jam, the cream is flavoured with the juice of the passion fruit.

I found the recipe in the Waitrose Magazine from March and they are very simple to make with amazing results, as both the cream and the biscuit itself is flavoured to ensure that it has the best taste possible! As I couldn't find any fresh passion fruit at my local supermarket, I bought passion fruit juice instead as an easy alternative which gives just a just as delicious finish as the fresh fruit would have done!

The biscuits had a very soft texture to them and the mild flavour of the passion fruit was subtle, but still very moreish! If you find it difficult to pipe your biscuits, the mixture is most likely a little too thick, why not try adding some more juice (if you have some) to loosen it up more!

Passion Fruit Melting Moments - From "Waitrose Magazine, Issue 72 March 2016 Edition"

Makes 14

Making Time - 25 Minutes, plus cooling
Cooking Time - 25 Minutes

Ingredients -

• 4 -5 Large Passion Fruits
• 250g Salted Butter, room temperature
• 60g Icing Sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 230g Plain Flour
• 75g Cornflour

Buttercream

• 100g Salted Butter, room temperature
• 150g Icing Sugar, sifted

1. Preheat the oven to 180 Degrees Centigrade/Gas Mark 4. Halve each passion fruit and scoop the flesh out into a sieve, pressing down with the back of a spoon to release the juice (you will need 4 1/2 tablespoons in total).

2. For the biscuits, cream together the butter and icing sugar with electric beaters (or in a freestanding mixer) until pale. Sift in the flour and cornflour and add 2 1/2 tablespoons of the passion fruit juice and add 2 1/2 tablespoons of just boiled water. Beat until the mixture comes together; scrape down if needed.

3. Attach a large star nozzle to a piping bag and fill the bag with the mixture. Pipe 28 x 5cm rosettes onto parchment-lined baking sheets, about 3cm apart. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until pale golden. Cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then cool fully on a wire rack.

4. Meanwhile, make the passion fruit buttercream by beating together the butter, icing sugar and remaining 2 tablespoons of passion fruit juice until pale and fluffy. Sandwich the biscuits together using a generous amount of buttercream and finish with a dusting of icing sugar.

Please Enjoy!!!

Lemon Drizzle Cake

Hey Everyone,

Sorry for not updating in so long, but as it's my holidays I've been away or busy!
So, as (hopefully) most of you are aware, the Great British Bake Off has started again and I've decided that every week I'm going to make either the signature bake or the technical challenge from episode two weeks before...
Therefore, I'm doing the signature bake from week one, which was Lemon Drizzle Cake.

The recipe I'm using is one that I borrowed from my Mum's friend Anne, which she said was foolproof and isn't too sweet from the combined sugars in the cake and the drizzle, as well as it having a very distinct lemon flavour!

The cake itself was moist and very light, taking only 30 minutes to bake, the prep time taking only 15 minutes as well. Also, it's possible for the lemon to be substituted for orange, making a slightly tangier than the lemon, though the flavour is slightly more subtle.

Anne's Quick and Easy Lemon Drizzle Cake

Making Time - 10 Minutes
Baking Time - 30 Minutes

Ingredients

• 6oz Butter, melted
• 3oz Caster Sugar
• 6oz Self-Raising Flour
• 1 Large Egg or 2 Small Eggs
• 2 Lemons zest

Drizzle

• 3oz Granulated Sugar
• 2 Lemons Juice

1. Set the oven at 180 Degrees Centigrade/Gas Mark 4, then mix the melted butter and caster sugar together. Add the eggs and lemon zest to the butter mixture.

2. Sift in the flour and mix thoroughly. If the mixture is too thick then add a bit of milk. Now pour the mixture into your prepared cake tin. (An 8 inch spring-form tin is the ideal size.)

3. Meanwhile, squeeze the juice from the lemons into a bowl with the granulated sugar. Mix well. Once the cake is baked, allow it to cool briefly, before you prick the top of the cake with a skewer. Then spoon the lemon juice and sugar mixture over the cake after it has been removed from the tin. Let it cool further before eating.

Please Enjoy!!!

Pizookie!

Hey Guys,

So, I'm back to puddings and this one is no exception to being highly calorific and delicious!
Pizookie... Ever heard of it before? It's basically a pizza-cookie, a cookie the size of a pizza! The inside is molten, (though it can be cooked for 5 minutes longer, so it's slightly more set), and this version should be served with vanilla ice cream straight out the oven.

The recipe I've provided is plain and simple chocolate and vanilla, but you can try it with other flavours as well. For example, salted caramel pizookie is amazing and one of my friends has made pizookie with marshmallows and chocolate before! Making it is really easy and only takes 45 minutes to make and bake. The recipe says to use an oven-proof frying pan, but a shallow cake tin is fine. It also says to eat it straight out the pan with ice cream! Pizookie is an amazing centerpiece on a table and it tastes great too!

Pizookie - From "Waitrose Magazine, Issue 66, Semptember 2015 Edition"

Serves 10-12

Making Time - 15 minutes
Baking Time - 30 minutes

Ingredients -

• 125g Salted Butter, at room temperature
• 150g Light Soft Sugar
• 100g Golden Caster Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
• 200g Plain Flour
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 250g Plain Chocolate, broken chunks

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade/gas mark 4. Put the butter and sugars in a bowl and using an electric beaters, beat for 3-4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Tip into the butter mixture, beat until just combined, then stir in the chocolate chunks. Tip into a 20cm ovenproof frying pan (or shallow baking tin) and bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden (25 minutes yields a molten centre, 30 minutes will be slightly more set).

3. Cool for 5 minutes, then top with vanilla ice cream before serving, if liked.

Please enjoy!!

Mushroom and Butternut Dhal

Hey Guys,

So after many recipes of sweets puddings and snacks, it was about time to write something savory, that can be made as an actual meal on this blog!
This is actually really nice and relatively simple to make, as long as you don't mind cutting up masses of onions, mushrooms and butternuts squash, but don't be put off! It serves four and is actually extremely healthy, as it's vegetarian and two of your five a day.

To make it particularly special and different to other dhal, this one has a poached egg on top of it per person, though with this removed it can make a delicious vegan dinner as well. If you want, instead of using butternut squash it's also possible to use a tasty substitute of pumpkin of sweet potato.
The spices from the curry paste tasted amazing with the red lentils and tomatoes, and for anyone who prefers their meal a little spicier or a bit less hot, it can be adjusted to taste by changing the amount of Keralan Curry Paste. It may take a while for the sauce to thicken, but have patience... It will all come together at the end wonderfully!

Serve this with some bread; like a naan maybe! Once again, I'm not entirely sure where this came from, as it's one of my clippings, though I'm sure it's from a Waitrose magazine!

Mushroom and Butternut Dhal With Poached Eggs - From a Waitrose Magazine

Prepare Time - 10 minutes
Cook Time - 25 Minutes

Ingredients -

• 1 Tbsp Sunflower Oil
• 1 Large Onion, thinly sliced
• 300g Chestnut Mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 Small Butternut Squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 2cm chunks
• 3-4 Tsp Karalan Curry Paste
• 6 Vine Tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
• 125g Red Split Lentils, washed
• 4 Medium Egg
• 28g Pack Fresh Coriander, leaves chopped

1. Heat the oil in a wide, shallow saucepan or sauté pan. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for 5-6 minutes until nicely browned.

2. Add squash, curry paste, tomatoes, lentils and 300ml water. Cover with a lid and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the squash is tender and the sauce has thickened.

3. Crack each egg onto the surface of the curry, replace the lid and cook over a low heat for 3-5 minutes until just set. Scatter with chopped coriander to serve.

Please enjoy!!!

Bagels

Hey Guys,

So, Bagels this week... And wow, it's surprisingly hard to make bagels as well; to get the glossy crust and chewy dough that is so typical of it, the bagel has to be boiled briefly before baking above a water bath.
On top of the bagels are poppy seeds, though a variety of other toppings can be used, such as sesame, pumpkin, caraway or fennel seeds amongst others. Bagels can have a huge range of flavourings as well, incorporated into the dough like onion, garlic and salt or sweeter flavours such as blueberry and chocolate. The variety of fillings is also massive; though the most popular is the bagel being done "New York Style", cream cheese and salmon, with a little red onion, lemon and black pepper.

Though typically the bagel is linked to New York, it is actually thought that the bagel is originally from Poland in the 17th Century, before it was bought to America by Jewish immigrants in the 1880's where they sold them in bakeries on Manhattan's Lower East Side. The word bagel even comes from the Yiddish word "Begyl".
The center hole in the bagel, which distinguishes them from other buns, was to allow them to be strung up and therefore, more easily transported.

These twice cooked breads are slow risen so if you do intend to make these, start early in the day. Also, once you are at the boiling stage, be very careful with adding each ingredient to the poaching liquid. The bicarbonate of soda and salt will react in the water by frothing up. The first time I made these, the poaching liquid actually frothed over and out of the saucepan, and onto the hob.
This recipe is from the same magazine that my previous blog update recipe was from.

Bagels - From A Waitrose Magazine

Makes 8

Making Time - 35mins, plus resting, proving and cooling time
Cooking Time - 25mins

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp Malt Extract (Or Honey)
• 500g Strong White Bread Flour
• 1 Tsp Easy Bake Yeast
• 2 Tsp Salt
• 1 Egg, lightly beaten
• Vegetable Oil, for greasing
• 1 Tbsp Poppy Seeds

Poaching Liquid

• 1 Tbsp Malt Extract (Or Honey)
• 1 Tbsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1 Tsp Salt

1. Stir the malt extract (or honey) into 250ml hot (but not boiling) water. Mix the flour, yest and salt in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and pour in the malt water and 1/2 of the egg. Mix to a firm (but not dry) dough, rest for 5 minutes, then knead by hand for 10 minutes (or 5 minutes in a free-standing mixer). Put in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise at room temperature for 2-3 hours.

2. Line a large baking sheet with lightly oiled baking parchment. Divide the dough into 8 pieces (roughly 100g each). Roll each into a smooth ball, turning in your hands and tucking the edges under. Press your thumb directly through the centre to make a hole, then roll between your fingers (or against the work surface) to create a ring with a 2-3cm hole in the middle. Place on the tray, smoother-side up and repeat with the remaining dough. Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to rise for 30-40 minutes, until slightly puffed up.

3. Preheat the oven to 240 degrees centigrade/gas mark 8; set a wire rack on the middle shelf and put on a large roasting tin on the base of the oven. For the poaching liquid, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil, lower to a simmer and, one at a time, stir in the malt extract (or honey), bicarbonate of soda and salt (be careful as it will foam up).

4. Two or three at a time (depending on the size of your pan), gently lower the bagels into the simmering poaching liquid. Poach for 3 minutes, turning halfway through, then remove using a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack. Brush the tops lightly with the remaining egg and sprinkle with the seeds, then transfer back to the lined baking sheet.

5. Once all the bagels have been poached, put the tray on the middle shelf of the oven and fill the bottom roasting tin with just-boiled water to create steam. Immediately lower the heat to 190 degrees centigrade/gas mark 5, and bake for 15 minutes. (You may find it easier to poach and bake the bagels in two batches of four.) Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before serving.

Please Enjoy!!!

CINNAMON DOUGHNUTS!!!

Hey Guys,

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I have been busy making CINNAMON DOUGHNUTS!!! And doing other things as well...
Anyway, I though it was about time that you should find out what my favourite food is, which, of course, is the namesake of this blog! Out of all the doughnuts that I've ever made (and eaten!), this recipe has always given the best results. Though they are quite difficult the end product is definitely worth the time that was put into it!

It was unsurprising how quickly they were all finished off! I suppose you could say that these doughnuts are a little more special than the average doughnut; the dough is flavoured with cinnamon and it has two fillings instead of one, a vanilla custard and a maple apple compote. All the flavours compliment each other really well to make it very moreish.
Whilst making the doughnuts, though some people use a deep fat fryer to fry theirs, like me, it is possible to use a heavy based saucepan instead, though its more dangerous as the hot oil can spit out and also less precise as you'd have to use a thermometer to judge the temperature of the oil, so its hot enough to cook the doughnuts perfectly.

If you do decide to make them, I really hope that you enjoy them as much as me and my family did and if you don't maybe recommend them to someone else who you think would enjoy them.
This recipe is stuck in my recipe binder, so I'm not sure which magazine I got this from, though I'm sure it's from a Waitrose magazine.

Maple Apple and Cinnamon Doughnuts - From a Waitrose Magazine

Makes - 12-14

Making Time - 50mins (plus rising, proving and chilling)
Baking Time - 1hr

Dough

• 300ml Whole Milk
• 75g Unsalted Butter
• 500g Plain Flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 Tsp Easy Bake Yeast
• 250g Caster Sugar
• 1Tsp Salt
• 1Tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1 Whole Egg and 1 Egg Yolk, lightly beaten
• About 1 Litre Vegetable Oil, for frying, plus extra for greasing

Custard Filling

• 1 Tsp Cornflour
• 200ml Vanilla Cornflour

Maple Apple Filling

• 15g Unsalted Butter
• 1 Bramley Apple, peeled, cored and finely diced
• 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup

1. Put the milk and butter in a saucepan and heat gently until the butter has melted; cool for 5 minutes. Mix the flour, yeast, 100g sugar, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre, add the eggs and warm milk mixture and mix together to form a soft dough. Knead in a freestanding mixer with a dough hook attachment for 5 minutes (or on a lightly floured surface with floured hands for 10 minutes). Put the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave for 1 hour to rise.

2. Meanwhile, thicken the custard. Mix the cornflour with 1 Tbsp water, then tip into a small saucepan with the custard. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Transfer to a bowl; cover the surface, cover with clingfilm. Cool, then chill.

3. For the apple filling, heat the butter in a pan until foaming. Add the apple and 1 Tbsp maple syrup and simmer gently, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes, or until completely soft. Mash and set aside to cool.

4. Knock back the dough on a slightly floured surface and roll out to about 2cm thick. Using a 7cm cookie cutter, stamp out as many circles as possible and place on a parchment-lined baking tray. Re-roll any scraps to stamp out more. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 45 minutes.

5, Heat the oil in a deep, heavy-based saucepan or a deep-fat fryer to 180 degrees centigrade. One or 2 at a time (depending on a pan's size) fry the doughnuts for 5-6 minutes, turning regularly, until puffed and deep golden (they may look quite dark). Lift out with a slotted spoon; drain on kitchen paper. Once cool enough to handle, toss them in the remaining 150g caster sugar; cool on a wire rack.

6. Stir the remaining 1 Tbsp maple syrup into the apple, then spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle. Put the custard into another piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Use a small, sharp knife to make a cut through the side of 1 doughnut. Insert the handle of a teaspoon into the cut and move it around to create as much space as possible. Fill with a good squeeze of apple, then one of custard. Repeat with the remaining doughnuts.

Please enjoy!!!

Individual Macadamia White Chocolate Cheesecakes

Hey Guys,

So, this week I was struggling to decide what to put on this blog - everything in my cookbooks looked so delicious - so I gave my dad my cupcake book and Macadamia White Chocolate Cheesecakes was what he chose!

My grandparents tried this recipe and they enjoyed them as much as me! The base consists of only digestive biscuits and butter which is pressed into twelve separate cupcake cases and it's covered by the thick cheesecake filling, poured in using a measuring jug for an even amount of mixture in each case as well as for practicality.

Whilst most of the cheesecakes set in the fridge, this is a different type and it is baked in the oven, before its placed in the fridge to rest for at least three hours. During the time you wait for the cheesecakes to set completely, the macadamia praline is to be made. It tastes amazing even though it's only made from three ingredients! I found that the recipe made more praline than was needed,so the extra could be given as small gifts to relatives at, for example, Christmas.

These cheesecakes whilst rich, are very moreish and it was difficult to save the four for everyone who wasn't there when they were ready to eat! Please enjoy them if you decide to make them!

Macadamia White Chocolate Cheesecake - From "Making Cupcakes With LOLA"

Making Time - About 1hr, plus chilling time

Cooking Time - 35mins

Ingredients - 

Base 

• 100g digestive biscuits
• 1 1/2 Tbsp butter, melted

Filling

• 130g White Chocolate, finely chopped
• 160g Cream Cheese
• 140g Marscapone
• 2 1/2 Tbsp Caster Sugar
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
• 2 Eggs
• 2 Tbsp Sour Cream

Macadamia Praline

• 210g Shelled Macadamia Nuts
• 210g Caster Sugar
• 20g Butter

1. Preheat the oven to 170 Degrees Centigrade/325 Degrees Fahrenheit/ Gas Mark 3.

2. Mix the crushed digestive biscuits with the melted butter. Place about  a teaspoon of this into each muffin case of a pre-prepared muffin tray - enough to cover the base of the case. Press down slightly with the back of a spoon.

3. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Do not let the base of the bowl touch the water. Heat, stirring, until the chocolate melts. Remove from the heat and set aside. Put the cream cheese, marscapone, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric hand mixer on medium speed.

4. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat between each addition. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the melted chocolate, then increase the speed to medium to finish beating. Finally, stir in the sour cream.

5. Transfer the mixture to a jug/pitcher and pour into the muffin cases over the bases. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins or until set and just firm to the touch. The cakes will rise and feel springy. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 30 mins in the muffin. They sink slightly in this time. Carefully remove from the muffin pan and place in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight before applying the praline topping.

6. For the Praline - Preheat the oven to 170 Degrees Centigrade/325 Degrees Fahrenheit/ Gas Mark 3. Put the macadamias on a baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 5-10 mins.

7. Meanwhile, scatter the sugar evenly over the base of a heavy-based saucepan and set over a medium heat. Do not stir. When it has melted and started to turn amber in colour, remove from the heat and add the butter and roasted nuts. Pour onto the prepared, lined baking sheet. As soon as the mixture has cooled down and set, chop it into chunks with a sharp knife. Put a chunk of praline on top of each chilled cupcake. They will keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Hand Raised Pork Pies!!!

Hey Guys,

Pork pies this week! This is another recipe from a Waitrose magazine and it was decided by everyone in my family that it was delicious! The most traditional pork pie is the Melton Mowbray and this recipe is a version of it.

The pie has hot water crust pastry and seasoned pork shoulder and belly inside, to make an amazing tasting pie of about 10 centimetres high and 7 across in diameter at the base. They are called hand-raised pies because to make the base you wrap the pastry around an upturned pint glass or jam jar, and allow it to rest in the fridge until it can hold its own shape (about 5mins).

Hand Raised Pork Pies - From "Waitrose Magazine, Issue 74, May Edition"

Making Time - 1hr 15mins as well as cooling and chilling time
Cooking Time - 45mins

Ingredients -

• 4 Pork Shoulder Steaks (about 700g), cut into 1cm dice
• 500g Pork Belly, skin removed and cut into 1cm dice
• 1 1/2tbsp Fine salt
• Vegetable Oil, for greasing
• 1 Egg

Hot Water Crust Pastry

• 800g Plain Flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 1/2tsp Fine Salt
• 320g Lard

Jelly 

• 200g Smoked Bacon Lardons
• 500ml Fresh Chicken Stock
• 4 Bay Leaves
• 3 Sheets Fine-Leaf Gelatine

1. Preheat the oven to 200 Degrees Centigrade/Gas Mark 6. Mix the diced pork shoulder and belly in a large bowl and season with the salt and plenty of black pepper. Divide into 6 rough balls (about 170 -180g) and space out on a baking tray; set aside.

2. For the pastry. mix the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Put the lard in a small pan with 240ml water and gradually bring to a boil. Quickly pour this over the flour, mixing it with a wooden spoon in the bowl until mostly incorporated. Knead the dough in the bowl for a few minutes, until smooth (take care as it will be warm).; Transfer to a clean work surface, divide into 6 pieces (about 230g each) and cover with cling film.

3. Dust the work surface with flour. Take one ball of dough; tear off 1/3 (about 70g) for the lid and re-cover with clingfilm. Press and flatten out the remaining dough on the work surface into an even round. Grease the base and sides of a jam jar or pint glass (7.5cm in diameter) and cover with clingfilm. Shape the dough around the base, pressing evenly at the sides rotating as you go, until it's about 8cm tall.

4. Chill for 3 - 5mins; the pastry needs to firm up a little but not dry out. Carefully remove the jar or glass and cling film, easing the pastry off the sides first (don't worry if it flops a little). Compact one of the balls of pork and put in the case; turn in your hands so the pastry sets around the sides - pinch it up a little, if needed, so it's higher than the filling.

5. Roll the pastry reserved for the lid to a rough circle, slightly larger than the top of the pi. Lay over the top of the base and pinch firmly to seal to the sides; crimp with your fingertips, if liked. Cup the pie with both hands and press the sides up to help retain the shape. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and cut a 1cm hole in the top of the pie. Repeat with the remaining dough and pork to make 6 pies.

6. Glaze the pies all over with the beaten egg; bake for 25mins, or until starting to turn golden. Remove, brush with more egg and bake with the tray rotated, for the final 15mins, or until deep golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. For the jelly, cook the lardons in a small pan set over a medium-heat until crisp (about 4 -6mins). Add stock and bay; and boil rapidly until reduced to about 300ml; strain into a jug (top up with water if needed). Meanwhile, soak the gelatine in cold water for 5mins, until softened. Squeeze out the excess water, then stir into the hot stack. Cool completely, then chill for 10mins (reheat and chill again if it sets).

8. Place the pies on a wire rack over a baking tray. Carefully pour the chilled stock into the pie holes, letting it settle each time before adding more. Fill each pie as much as you can and don't worry if they leak a little. Chill for at least another hour, until the jelly has set. Serve at room temperature with English mustard or piccalilli, if liked. The pies will keep in he fridge for up to three days (or can be frozen for up to 3 months).

Please Enjoy!!!