Saturday 7 April 2012

Shuku Shuku (coconut truffle)

Ingredients

Serves: 14
100g (4 oz) desiccated coconut
50g (2 oz) caster sugar
3 egg yolks
60g (2 1/2 oz) self-raising flour

Preparation method

Prep: 10 mins | Cook: 20 mins

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C / Gas 4.
2. Mix together the coconut, sugar and egg yolks to form a stiff dough-like consistency. Take a little of the mixture and squeeze into balls about 2.5cm (1 in) in diameter, coat with the flour and arrange on a baking tray.
3. Place on the middle shelf of preheated oven and bake until golden, usually about 20 minutes.

Wednesday 22 February 2012

Pear and raspberry bread

Ingredients

1½ cups self-raising flour
Pinch of salt
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
⅓ cup brown sugar
½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 egg
¾ cups vegetable oil
⅔ cup milk
1 pear, peeled and chopped
½ cup raspberries (do not thaw if using frozen)

Preparation method

Prep: More than 10 mins Serves: 8

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Sift together the flour, salt and bicarb then stir in sugar and nuts.

2. Beat the egg and oil together and add to dry ingredients. Mix well to combine. Add the milk and stir. Add pear and raspberries stirring until just combined.

3. Bake in greased loaf tin for approximately 60 minutes or until lightly browned and cooked through. Leave in tin to cool.

Sunday 19 February 2012

Strawberry shortcake

Ingredients

FOR THE SHORTCAKES:
325g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
5 tablespoons caster sugar
125g unsalted butter, frozen
1 large egg, beaten
125ml single cream
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
1 baking tray, greased or lined
6 1/2cm round cutter

FOR THE FILLING:
Approximately 300g strawberries
1 tablespoon caster sugar
Few drops balsamic vinegar (optional)
250ml double cream or creme fraiche

Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 220ÂșC/gas mark 7.
1. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder and 3 tablespoons of the sugar in a bowl. Grate the butter into these dry ingredients and use your fingertips to finish crumbling the butter into the flour. Whisk the egg into the cream, and pour into the flour mixture a little at a time, using a fork to mix. You may not need all of the eggy cream to make the dough come together, so go cautiously.

2. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll gently to a thickness of about 2cm. Dip the cutter in flour and cut out as many rounds as you can. Work the scraps back into a dough, re-roll and finish cutting out  you should get 8 in all. Place the shortcakes about 21/2cm apart on the baking sheet, brush the tops with the egg white, and sprinkle them with the remaining 2 tablespoons of caster sugar. If it helps with the rest of your cooking, or life in general, you can cover and refrigerate them now for up to 2 hours.

3. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden-brown, and let them cool for a short while on a wire rack. Meanwhile, crush half the strawberries with the spoonful of sugar and the few drops of balsamic vinegar if using, and halve or quarter the remaining strawberries, depending on their size. Whip the double cream, if you're using.

4. The shortcakes should be eaten while still warm, so split each one across the middle and cover with a spoonful of the crushed strawberry mixture, a few halved or quartered strawberries, then dollop some whipped cream or creme fraiche on top, and set the top back on.

Saturday 18 February 2012

Plum & almond crumble slice

Ingredients

250g pack butter (this must be very cold)
225g caster sugar
300g ground almonds
140g plain flour , plus 25g/1oz
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
approx 6 plums , stoned and cut into sixths
50g flaked almonds

Preparation method

Prep: 15 mins. Cook: 1hr 5 mins

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin with baking paper. Put the butter, sugar and ground almonds into a food processor, then pulse until the mixture resembles very rough breadcrumbs. Spoon out half the mix into a bowl and set aside.
Add 140g flour into the mix in the processor and whizz until it just forms a dough. Tip into the tin and press down with the back of a spoon. Bake for 15-20 mins until golden. Leave to cool for 10 mins.
2. To make the filling, put the remaining butter and the sugar and almond mix back into the processor, saving a few tbsp for the topping. Add the eggs, the 25g flour, cinnamon and baking powder and whizz to a soft batter. Spread over the base.
3. Top with the plum pieces and a little extra caster sugar and cinnamon. Bake for 20 mins, then sprinkle with the remaining crumble mix and flaked almonds. Cook for another 20 mins or until golden. Leave to cool in the tin before slicing

Dorset apple traybake

Ingredients

450g cooking apples (such as Bramley)
juice of ½ lemon
225g butter , softened
280g golden caster sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
350g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
demerara sugar , to sprinkle

Preparation method

Prep: 20 mins. Cook: 50 mins

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter and line a rectangular baking tin (approx 27cm x 20cm) with parchment paper. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples then squeeze the lemon juice over. Set to one side.
2. Place the butter, caster sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour and baking powder into a large bowl and mix well until smooth. Spread half the mixture into the prepared tin. Arrange half the apples over the top of the mixture, then repeat the layers. Sprinkle over the demerara sugar. 3 Bake for 45-50 mins until golden and springy to the touch. Leave to cool for 10 mins, then turn out of tin and remove paper. Cut into bars or squares.

Cappuccino cake

Ingredients

250g pack butter , softened
250g light soft brown sugar plus 2-3 tbsp
300g self-raising flour
4 eggs , beaten
50g walnuts , toasted and finely chopped (a food processor is easiest), optional
200ml very strong coffee (made fresh or with instant), cooled

FOR THE FROSTING:
500g tub mascarpone
2 tbsp light soft brown sugar
cocoa powder or drinking chocolate to decorate

Preparation method

Prep: 15 mins. Cook: 30 mins

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Butter 2 x 20cm sandwich tins and line the bottoms with greaseproof paper. Beat butter and sugar together with electric beaters until pale and creamy. Add the fl our and eggs in one go and keep beating until evenly mixed. Fold in the walnuts (if using) and half of the coffee. Spoon the mix into the prepared tins and bake for 25-30 mins or until golden and well risen.
2. Leave the cakes in their tins for 5 mins before turning onto a wire rack. Sweeten the remaining coffee with the extra sugar and sprinkle 4 tbsp over the sponges. Leave to cool completely.
3. While the cakes cool, make the frosting. Tip the mascarpone into a large bowl and beat in the sugar and remaining coffee until smooth and creamy. Use about half of the frosting to sandwich the sponges together then, using a palette or cutlery knife, spread the rest of the frosting over the top of the cake. Decorate with a dusting of cocoa powder or drinking chocolate. If you're making this cake to eat at home, it will keep covered in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Banana & blueberry muffins

Ingredients

300g self-raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
100g light muscovado sugar
50g porridge oats , plus 1 tbsp for topping
2 medium bananas , the riper the better
284ml carton buttermilk
5 tbsp light olive oil
2 egg whites
150g punnet blueberries

Preparation method

Prep: 10 mins. Cook: 20 mins. Serves: 12

1. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper muffin cases. Tip the flour and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Hold back 1 tbsp of the sugar, then mix the remainder with the flour and 50g oats. Make a well in the centre. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas until nearly smooth. Stir the buttermilk, oil and egg whites into the mashed banana until evenly combined.
2. Pour the liquid mixture into the well and stir quickly and sparingly with a wooden spoon. The mix will look lumpy and may have the odd fleck of flour still visible, but don't be tempted to over-mix. Tip in the blueberries and give it just one more stir. Divide the mix between the muffin cases - they will be quite full - then sprinkle the tops with the final tbsp of the oats and the rest of he sugar. Bake for 18-20 mins until risen and dark golden. Cool for 5 mins in the tray before lifting out onto a rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Fondue

INGREDIENTS
12 ounces of dark chocolate (chips or roughly chopped if from a block)
8 ounces of heavy cream
A pinch of salt
Dippables such as strawberries, banana pieces cut into 1-inch chunks, dried appricots, candied ginger, apple pieces
METHOD
1 Warm the cream over moderate heat until tiny bubbles show and begins to lightly and slowly boil. Add the chocolate and whisk until smooth and full incorporated.
2 Immediately transfer to a fondue pot heated at low or with a low flame, or serve straight from the pot.
3 Arrange the dippables on a platter or plates around the chocolate pot. Use a fondue fork, bamboo skewer, seafood fork, or salad fork to dip the fruit pieces and other dippables into the hot melted cream chocolate mixture. Eat immediately.
If the fondue begins to feel a little stiff, add a tablespoon of heavy cream and stir. It will help it go a little longer. Eventually, it will cook down though and you may need to start a new pot.

Shortbread

Ingredients

300g butter , softened
140g golden caster sugar , plus 4 tbsp
300g plain flour
140g rice flour

Preparation method

Prep: 15 mins. Cook: 20-25 mins

1. Place the butter and 140g sugar in a food processor and whizz until smooth. Tip in both the flours and a pinch of salt, then whizz until mixture comes together.
2. Using your hands, roughly spread the mixture out in a 20 x 30 x 4cm baking tray. Cover with cling film and smooth over until there are no wrinkles. Place in the fridge, uncooked, for at least 30 mins and up to 2 days.
3. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Remove cling film, then lightly mark the shortbread all over with a fork. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar, then bake for 20-25 mins. Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into 24 thin slices. Shortbread will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week.