Sunday, December 09, 2007

Christmas Tree Biscuits

Oven : 170 (160 fan)
Overall time : 1 hour (Plus cooling and setting overnight)
Cooking Time : 15-20 (frozen 20-25) (Note I foudn they were done after 10 minutes myself)

100g Unsalted butter (room temp)
100g dark brown soft sugar
295g Plain flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ground Cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 egg (medium, lightly beaten)
4 tblsp Honey

Icing sugar for icing and stuff to decorate

* Whisk butter and sugar until pale
* Add flour, pinch of salt, baking powder, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper and whiz to combine
* In seperate bowl combine honey and egg and then gradually beat into the dry ingredients (it is possible you won't need all the liquid - I didn't)
* Either chill in the fridge now if you don't wont to cut out immeadiately, or roll out to 1/2 inch think and cut. Use skewer to make hole in top if intended for tree and arrange on baking trays (I did them on greaseproof paper) and baked until golden brown. Cool on rack
*Make up icing and pipe/pour, splash icing on the biccies any old how. Leave to set overnight


Pre Iced will keep for a week in a sealed container, raw biscuits can be frozen on sheets and baked latre (after defrosting @ room temperature)

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Perfect oven chips

1 large baking potato
Paprika
Olive oil
Salt

Serves 1-2

Cut potato into chunky chips and pop in tupperware with a dash of paprika, a tablespoon of oil and a good pinch of salt

Spread on lightly oiled baking tray and leave for about 25 mins (fan oven) or 45 mins (regular oven)

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Rhubarb Macaroon Cake

Serves 8 Prep 45 mins, cook 1hr25 180 (fan 170) degrees

200g unsalted butter
375g caster sugar
3 large eggs seperated
1 tsp vanilla extract
175g sr flour
142ml soured cream
200g ground almonds
2-3 tblspn milk
1/2 tspn cream of tartar
25g chopped almonds
400g rhubarbs (yuk)
zest and juice of 1 orange
1tblspn orange flower water or contreau
284ml double cream
icing sugar

Filling :
Slice rhubarb and place in shallow layer in ovenproof baking dish, sprinkle with orange zest, juice, 50g sugar and 2tblspn of water
Cover and bake for 20-35 mins until tender Leave to cool

Cake :
Neat together butter and 175g sugar then beat in egg yolks one at a time followed by 1/2 tspn vanilla extract
Fold in 1/2 flour then the soured cream thn remaining flour, 100g groun almonds and milks
Divide between 2 23cm sandwich tins (should be buttered and lined)
Bake for 20-25 mins until firm in center

Topping:
Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy and stiff
whisk in 75g sugar and continue until merangue is shiny and firm. Fold in 1/2 tspn vanilla and another 75g sugar and the 100g ground almonds

Take cakes out of oven and spread topping over the top of each cake
Sprinkle chopped almonds on top of one cake the return to oven for another 20-25 mins until topping is firm and browned to a crisp crust
Cool in tins for a few minutes then turn out of cool on arack topping side up

Once cooled, tip rhubarb into a sieve and drain into a bowl, keeping the drained off syrup. Put orange flower water and 2 tblespns of syrup in a large bowl and refridgerate. Pour remaining srup into a jug and chill

Just before serving, add the cream to teh syrup mixture in the bowl and whick to soft peaks then fold in 1/2 the rhubarb and add sugar is necessary

Sandwich cakes together with cream mix and remaing rhubarb, dust with icing sugar and serve with chilled syrup in jug

NOTE: Cake and rhubarb can be prepared up to a day in advance and kept in an airtigt tin, fill the cake up to an hour before serving

Potato, Leek and Caerphilly Gratin

serves 8, prep 20 mins, cook - 1hr 50 200 (180 fan) degrees

50g Butter
500g sliced leeks
2kg peeled and sliced potatoes (red are recommended)
250g Caerphilly, thinly sliced
850 veg or chicken stock

* Melt 1/2 the butter in pan over medium heat, gently cook leeks with pinch of salt until softened (7-8 mins)
* Use just under 1/2 of the remaining butter to grease a gratin dish (rectangle about 2.6-3.2 litre) then layer pots, leeks and cheese in the dish, starting and ending with potatoes
* Bring stock to simmer the pour over (liquid should be just under the top layer of pots). Dot remaining butter on top
* Cook covered in foil for 40 mins, then uncovered for about 60 mins or until potatoes are tender, surface is brwon and about 1/2 the liquid is absorded Stand for 5-10 mins before serving
* If making ahead, don't refridgerate just reheat for 35-45 mins and leave uncovered for the last 5-10 mins to crisp the top up

Baked Salmon with smoked pancetta and peas

Serves 4 Prep 15min cook time 25 mins 230 (fan 210) degrees

4 salmon fillets (about 540g in total)
12 Slices of smoked pancetta
4 bay leaves
Olive oil
450g Peas
Juice of 1/2 lemon
fresh mint (handful)

* Remove skin from salmon and wrap each piece in 3 slices of pancetta, leaving hte loose ends underneath
* Put in oven proof dish and tuck bay leaf in between fish and pancetta
* brush lightly with olive oil
* Bake for 21-25 minutes until the pancetta is goldne and transparent

* Meanwhile, cook peas in boiling water, drain and toss with olive oil (4tblsps) , lemon juice and mint.