ANYONE HAVE A CURE FOR "TOOMUCHTODOITIS"?

I have been missing in action - sorry guys, I'm suffering from a very bad case of "waywaywaytoomuchtodoitis" which along with a chest infection has kinda floored me.  Luckily I managed to make the Christmas puddings before the malaise hit!

I have mentioned the importance of Christmas Puddings in Brownieville on a previous post - every year I make an obscene number (getting larger each year), every year I plan to pass on a couple as presents, and every year a certain person manages to demolish the lot (you are soooo mean - it's NOT me!!!).

Brownieville Man (for it is he!!) is probably the most generous person I know, he is always up first to pay the bill when we go to restaurants with friends, ditto when we go out for drinks (although we don't do that very often any more - old age?) BUT when it comes to my Christmas Puddings, he is just short of weighing them before he heads out, in case I offer some to visitors during the day!!!!!!  It is the truest demonstration of his abiding love for his sons that he allows them (almost)  free access to the pudding tin!!!

This pudding recipe comes from my paternal grandmother, via my mother, with many changes en route.  It is very, very easy - all it needs is time steaming away, and if you have a good sized steamer that holds plenty of water, you can just leave it without a thought!  Actually the shopping is the hardest part - just make sure that you use good fruit and that you don't use the tub of prechopped candied peel - it does make a difference to cut it yourself.

By the way, our resident pudding expert says that all the stuff about puddings maturing is codswallop, and the fresher the better - just in case you have some time to throw this lot together.

Finally, on Christmas day, just reheat by steaming for a couple of hours (do NOT use the micro, my Mum learned that one to her cost!!) then pour some Vodka over and set alight - enjoy the "oohs and aaaghs" - you deserve them! (Vodka gives a longer burning time than Brandy).

It tastes unbeliveably good at this stage - use good eggs and
then pick to your hearts content!!!!

Granny's Christmas Pudding

1 lb            bread crumbs - preferably made from a stale batch (or any good) loaf
1 lb            sultanas
1 lb            raisins
1/2 lb         currants
1 lb            brown sugar
1/4 lb         freshly chopped mixed peel
1/4 lb         chopped glace cherries
1/2 lb         melted butter
1/2 lb         sifted plain flour
2 tbsp        mixed spice
2 tbsp        cinnamon
1/2             nutmeg - grated
5                eggs
200 ml       Guinness (more as needed)
100ml        Whiskey
100ml         Brandy

Combine all the dry ingredients in a very large bowl, and mix.
Add the eggs, butter and alcohol and mix well - get all family members to help.  They can stir clockwise 3 times and on each turn wish for "Health" then "Wealth" and finally "Happiness"
Cover with cling film (touching the mixture) and leave to absorb the flavours for at least 24 hours.
Spoon into your pudding basins - I just use plastic ones with lids, I put some greaseproof paper on top of the mixture and then pop on the lid.
Steam (in a steamer, or in a large pot with an upturned saucer in the bottom) for 7 hours.

This recipe makes one 3lb and one 2lb pudding.

I've made 10 puddings so far - I think that there are 6 left!! But this year I have one aside to give to a wonderful friend - and "himself" will help me wrap it (metaphorically that is!!!)

 I am entering my Pudding recipe for Vanessa's Let's Make Christmas Challenge (her book is at the top of my Christmas List!)

WITH APPLE OR WITHOUT??

It looks burned, doesn't it?  Actually it didn't taste burned .... maybe it is the dark chocolate - very, very dark chocolate!!

I was watching a re-run of Nigella's kitchen, and her Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding just called to me, then I thought that it would be a good idea to incorporate it with Chele's  ingredient  for this month's We Should Cocoa challenge.  Like many fellow bloggers, I had fretted as to how I could add apple to a chocolate recipe, but I thought that some apple through this pudding would be delicious.  Unfortunately Brownieville Boy #2 spotted me adding the apple, and wasn't too enthusiastic!  So I compromised and added apple to just half of the pudding - and I have to say that the non-apple half was just a fraction nicer.

The pudding was light and fluffy, and deliciously creamy (despite containing only 125ml of cream) I would recommend that you give it a try. 

Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding

250g    stale bread, cut into 3cm cubes
100g    chocolate chips, or chopped chocolate
3          eggs
40g      light brown sugar
30ml    dark rum
125ml  cream
500ml  full fat milk
4 tsp    demerara sugar
1          apple (optional)


butter a pie dish (about 1.5 lt)
preheat oven to 170 C

Place the bread cubes, chopped chocolate and chopped apple in the dish, toss but make sure there aren't too many chocolate pieces on the top (to prevent the burned look!!)
Whisk the eggs, light brown sugar, rum, cream and milk together.
Pour over the bread and press the cubes down to make sure they are well soaked.
Leave to soak for at least 20 minutes.
When ready to cook, sprinkle with the demerara sugar and place in the oven for 40-50 minutes.
Allow the pudding to cool slightly before serving.
Enjoy.

I'M SUCH A WUSS!!!

I have been looking forward to this month's We Should Cocoa challenge - each month I have willed Choclette or Chele to nominate chilli as the companion in our monthly chocolate challenge, and it's come - and what did I do?  I chickened out - and just used Lindt Chilli Chocolate. I didn't risk chopping up some hot, hot, hot chilli and mixing it in there - I'm such a wuss!!!!

That said these mini chocolate pots, from Catherine Fulvio's wonderful book Catherine's Family Kitchen were delicious - I used chilli chocolate instead of the plain and omitted the Baileys Irish Cream (something told me that chilli and Baileys might not be the best combination possible!!!!)  The chilli chocolate gave a very slight kick to the back of your mouth - subtle and simply yummy.



Mini Chocolate Pots
adapted from Catherine Fulvio's Family Kitchen

100g        chilli chocolate
50g          butter
1              egg
1              egg yolk
2 tbsp       caster sugar
1 tbsp       ground almonds

Preheat oven to 180 C
Butter 4  or 5 espresso cups

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over simmering water
In another bowl whisk the eggs and sugar until light and fluffy
Fold the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture
Add in the almonds
Pour the mixture into the prepared cups (up to 3/4 level) and pop into the oven
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes - they still need to be gooey in the middle.
Serve - but be careful not to burn your tongue!!

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER?

The wonderful Chele over at The Chocolate Teapot challenged us to come up with our best roulade recipe (containing chocolate of course!) for last month's We Should Cocoa - the (wonderful) round up is on Choclette's blog (well worth a visit).

My late sister was the queen of roulades (my son once ate an entire one of her roulades in minutes flat - they were that good!! (luckily she had made quite a few on that occasion!)), as I could never compete (as if I would want to!!)  I thought that I would go down the meringue roulade route for a change.

I had made the Strawberry meringue roulade from the Avoca Cafe Cookbook some time ago and decided that with a bit of tweaking it would be just the thing.  I pretty much followed their recipe, but added grated white chocolate (going from fine in the cream to very coarse in the meringue) and it worked a treat. I was conscious that the chocolate could take a sweet dessert over the edge, so added an additional egg white, and I think it did the trick.  The white chocolate element wasn't too powerful, but it did add a wonderful deep vanilla hit - a perfect summer dessert!



When the meringue came out of the oven I wondered if I would be able to roll it!!



I was tempted to serve it as a (flat) pavlova!!



Raspberry and White Chocolate Meringue Roulade

5                large egg whites

225g          caster sugar (I think golden is best)

250ml        whipped cream

200g          white chocolate

2                punnets raspberries

Line a 30x20cm  swiss roll tin with parchment paper

Preheat oven to 150 C

Grate half the chocolate with a fine grater, the other half with a coarse one.

Beat the egg whites and half the sugar to snowy peaks (electric beater and clean bowl essential!)

Gradually add the remaining sugar, continuing to whisk for 10 minutes, until it forms stiff peaks.

Fold in the coarsely grated white chocolate carefully.

Spread the mixture into the tin and bake for 1 hour.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin.

Turn out onto a fresh sheet of baking parchment (or a clean tea towel) and carefully peel of the lining paper.

Spread over the cream (which you have whipped and folded in the finely grated chocolate to) and scatter the raspberries all over.

Roll up as best you can - doesn't really matter how good you are at this, it tastes so good you will be forgiven!!!

Enjoy!

BROWNIES 18

I think it's time to introduce you to the new members of the Brownieville world.  You already know me, my other half (Brownieville Man) my taste testers supreme Brownieville Boys #1 and #2 (although brownieville boy #2 would prefer to be referred to as "the talented one" or "the brilliant one" or even "the handsome one"!!! ) The new members of the team are Brownieville Brother-in-Law (BVBIL), Brownieville Boy #3 (not very interested in anything other than football!!) Brownieville Boy #4 (another fantastic taste tester) and Brownieville Princess (who will keep me baking or else!!!!!).*

Dom over at Belleau Kitchen has challenged us to bake a random recipe from our first ever cook book - well my first ever cook book was "Look I Can Cook" (the orange omelet being a particular favourite!) but that book has gone the same way as my youth and disappeared forever!!!!!  I imagine that I share Delia's "Complete Illustrated Cookery Course" with many others as my first cookbook that I still possess, so cheating a little I asked Brownieville Princess to choose a recipe for us to bake - she wasn't impressed that there were no cupcakes or muffins, and compromised with Delia's "American Brownies"..

I have to say that BVP chose well - these are good brownies, rich, chocolaty and squidgy.  These little treats head straight to near the top of the list, I'm thinking second or third place - I made a double quantity and they lasted about 10 minutes (I am cooking for alot of people these days) not bad going!!

*Brownieville Sister #2, Brownieville BIL #2, and Brownieville Boys #5 and  #6, and Brownieville Baby should also be mentioned!



American Brownies

110g             Butter
50g               Plain Chocolate (I used 80%)
2                   Eggs, beaten
225g             Granulated Sugar
50g               Sifted Flour
1 tsp             Baking Powder
110g            Chopped Nuts (I left these out BVP is not a fan)

Preheat oven to 180 C
Line a 7 x 11 tin with baking paper

Melt the butter and chocolate over a double boiler.
Stir the other ingredients into the butter and chocolate mixture.
Mix well and then pour into the prepared tin spreading out evenly.
Bake for 30 minutes (mine took 45!) until the mixture shows signs of shrinking away from the sides and the centre feels springy.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then divide into small pieces (it's rich!) and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.


Doubles well ..... Enjoy!

LIGHTEN UP THOSE CHRISTMAS DESSERTS

Plenty of cooking and baking over the past week, but very little photography I'm afraid to admit.  This dessert was a revelation from my newest cookery book (heavily hinted for!) A Year At Avoca.  If you are all mince pied out, this is the answer to your prayers!  This Mincemeat Roulade with Brandy Cream has all the fruity, boozy Christmas flavours but is light and seconds are no problem!!

The recipe calls for a jar of Avoca Home Made Mincemeat (of course!) but I had a jar of Nigella's (well my) Cranberry Mincemeat in the fridge and I used this - any good boozy mincemeat would do.

Mincemeat Roulade with Brandy Cream

5                    eggs, seperated
250g              caster sugar (golden gives a nicer flavour)
1 tsp              vanilla extract
225g              good mincemeat
100g              self-raising flour - twice sifted.

Brandy Cream

250ml            double cream
2 tbsp            brandy
2 tbsp             icing sugar

Preheat oven to 160 C
Line a swiss roll tin (35x25cm approx.) with parchment paper.

Whisk the egg whites (with a pinch of salt) until  they form stiff peaks - set aside.
Beat the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer for about 8 minutes until it is thick and creamy and doubled in volume.
Fold the mincemeat and the flour through the egg yolk mixtrue using a large metal spoon.
Then carefully fold the whisked eggwhite through.
Pour into the prepared tin, and pop into the oven.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden brown and firm in the centre.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
When cool make the brandy cream.

Brandy Cream

Whisk the cream, brandy and icing sugar together until it is thick.

Place a large sheet of greaseproof paper on a work surface, dust liberally with icing sugar.
Tip the cooled roulade onto the paper and remove the baking parchment.
Spread the roulade with the brandy cream, evenly over the entire surface.
Roll up the roulade, using the greaseproof paper to help you.
Manoeuvre the roulade onto your serving plate on its final bend of the rolling process.

Enjoy.

Wishing you a very Happy New Year, here's to 2011 being a great one!

BILL GRANGER'S HOLIDAY

On the now defunct forum  Nigella.com, they had a cookbook review each month, I have to say that none of the books selected really grabbed my attention until Jutta chose Holiday by Bill Granger - it was a book that I had owned for a while but hadn't used, and I will be forever grateful to her as I have found winner after winner in this book, actually out of all the recipes I tried (and there were many!!) there was only one that we weren't mad about - not bad going.  The review has carried onto the replacement forum Through The Oven Door, which is a wonderful alternative set up by Jutta among others. (Although that said I'm having problems with it at the moment - I'm blaming all the new spyware we have installed!).

Place of honour goes to this cherry tart which beside tasting excellent has the easiest pastry of all time - no rolling out needed (yahaa!!!), I'm going to be using this time and time again. (recipe below)

 

 The Green Ratatouille, with some obvious replacements!!!  I'm not a big fan of green peppers, and I happened to have yellow courgettes (zucchini) in the house, it was a lovely vegetable dish pretty and tasty - works for me!!

 Crispy Skinned Salmon with Tamarind Caramel Dressing, the tamarind was a revelation to me, I have had some in the cupboard for some time and hadn't gotten round to trying it - boy am I glad that attempting this recipe introduced me to this wonderful flavour - a subtle bitterness, that doesn't cause the "sour lemon" face (!!) but still has that sour hit - I used the leftover dressing in a bowl of rice the next day (strange but delicious!)

This is the Never-Fail Birthday Chocolate Cake, before I added the Chocolate Icing, without doubt the least successful of all the recipes I attempted, its biggest failing was that there wasn't nearly enough chocolate in it - a "mortler" in my book!!  (A "mortler" being our childhood term for mortal sin, ie. a biggie!!!)

 Sweet Potato with Coriander and Preserved Lemons, an unusual combination I know but it really works.  The left overs were wonderful in soup. 

 A pretty awful picture, but this Leg of Lamb with Indian Flavours was as far from awful as you could get!!  A delicious combination of flavours served with the sweet potatoes (above) and the turmeric potatoes (below).

We're Irish, we eat potatoes by the sackful!!!  Any new ideas for potatoes are always welcome, this one particularly - it tastes great and with turmeric being sooo good for you, they are actually health food!!

 Flourless Chocolate and Hazelnut Cake, this is the cake to give as a gift to someone diagnosed with gluten intolerance - it will make them feel a whole lot better about a life without flour!!  The cake was moist and full of nutty chocolaty flavours, it went down really well when I served it to visiting relatives, worked well with all ages.

 Bills Garlic Mushrooms were probably nothing you wouldn't do anyway (I get really annoyed with cookery books that contain really obvious recipes - ham sandwich anyone? - you know the sort of recipes I mean!!!) he just added some chili to the usual mushrooms, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  To give him his due these excessively easy recipes were few and far between.

 The Roast Chicken with Coriander Chili Stuffing and Coconut Gravy, was a real departure from the norm for me, and it was a welcome change - although it in no way replaces my usual roast chicken with lemon and garlic in my affections!!  As you can imagine chicken stuffed (under the skin) with chili, coconut, coriander, ginger, lime and sugar is jam packed with flavour and it really works.  This dish made for wonderful leftovers - I heated up the leftover chicken meat in the coconut gravy, added this to pasta - mighty good I have to say!!!

 Chocolate Chip Ice Cream, it was great to try out my new ice-cream maker with this recipe, although nice it didn't reach the dizzy heights of the Raspberry Yoghurt Ice Cream - that said it was demolished in no time!

How pretty is this dish??  Poached Salmon and Risoni Salad was really tasty (and would be a great way to use up leftover salmon) I used some chard (from the veg box) instead of the specified spinach, and I think that the rougher texture of the chard worked really well, another one on the "make again" list.

Oh man oh man, this stuff is beyond good, and couldn't be easier!!  All you do is whisk 100g of sugar into 500g of greek yoghurt, tip into an ice-cream maker add a punnet of raspberries and  hay presto, fantabulous Yoghurt and Raspberry Ice-Cream.                                                                                  



Cherry Tart

Pastry

125g (4 1/2 oz)        butter, melted and cooled

90g (3 1/2 oz)          caster sugar

175g (6 oz)              plain flour

pinch salt

2 tbsp                      ground almonds

Filling

170 ml (5 1/2 fl oz)     cream

2                                eggs, lightly beaten

2 tsp                           vanilla extract

3 tbsp                         caster sugar

2 tbsp                         plain flour

550g (1lb 4 oz)           cherries, halved and pitted (Bill says fresh are best, I used frozen!!)

Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F

Grease a 24cm (9 1/2 in) round loose-bottomed tart tin.

To make the pastry, stir the butter and sugar in a large bowl.

Add the flour and salt and combine to make a soft dough.

Press this dough into the tin as evenly as possible with your fingers.

Put the tin on a baking tray and bake for 12-15 minutes, until the pastry is slightly puffy.

Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the ground almonds.

Now for the filling, whisk the cream, eggs, vanilla and sugar together.

Add the flour and mix well.

Strew the cherries, slightly overlapping over the pastry base then pour the cream filling over the cherries.

Return the tart to the oven for 40-50 minutes until the filling is firm.

Remove from the oven, and allow to cool.

Serve with cream of ice-cream.

Enjoy.

SEMIFREDDO

I love to have something special hidden away in the freezer in case of unexpected guests - or even expected guests and no time!!  I wholeheartedly recommend this semifreddo for such an eventuality (or for any eventuality, or even "because we're worth it"!!).  It is really scrumptious!

This recipe originated in Catherine Fulvio's delightful new book Catherines Italian Kitchen, the photo looked so appealing  that I had to give it a go.  Then a little light pinged in my head, and I thought of the wonderful  Choclette and her pal Chele's new competition We Should Cocoa - where they asked us to come up with dishes containing chocolate (of course) and this months special ingredient Raspberries.  Bing, bang, bosh with some changes to the original (which is titled Limoncello, White Chocolate and Cherry Semifreddo) I have come up with this recipe - somewhat lower in calories than the original, but really, really good despite this!!


Raspberry, Cherry and White Chocolate Semifreddo

100g          raspberries  (fresh or frozen)
50g            cherries       (fresh/frozen or tinned)
85g            caster sugar (divided in two)
290 ml       double cream
400ml        yoghurt (I used Greek)
4 tbsp        Lemoncello (or Framboise would be good too)
100g          white chocolate chips or a bar chopped up


Line a 1kg/2pint loaf tin with cling film.

Chop up the cherries and place in a bowl with the raspberries and half the sugar.
Whisk the cream and the other half of the sugar until soft peaks form, stir in the liqueur and the yoghurt.
Fold in the fruit and the chocolate.
Pour into the tin  and smooth the top, cover with more cling film and freeze.
The semifreddo should be frozen for at least 6 hours and for up to 3 weeks.

When ready to serve make the coulis:


Coulis
100g cherries (I used  frozen)
150g raspberries (I used frozen)
3 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp Lemoncello or Framboise

Place the fruit, liqueur and sugar in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves.
Allow to cool.
Blitz with a stick blender (if you wish)
Press through a nylon sieve to remove the pips.


Remove the semifreddo from the freezer an hour before serving - keep it in the fridge.
Remove the cling film and drizzle with the coulis.
Serve and enjoy!

DELIGHTFUL DINNER

Super easy, super tasty, we have had a run of really nice dinners (doesn't happen often!!) - I wonder if it is this good weather?  Inspiration or the fact that I feel I shouldn't be in the kitchen (should be out getting some vitamin D into my bones) and therefore am spending all my time in said kitchen!!


One of the recent successes was this baked monkfish, which I served with a sugar snap pea and pea dish, roast potatoes (as always!) and a mouthwatering salad (thanks to my vegetable box scheme).

 

 


Monkfish with Lemon

2           Monkfish tail fillets  
1/4       Preserved lemon or segments of fresh lemon
12        Cherry tomatoes, semi sundries tomatoes would be best.
1 tbsp   Capers - drained
Extra virgin olive oil


Remove the membrane from the monkfish (this is very tough) and cut into large pieces (monkfish shrinks dramatically when cooked).
Chop the preserved lemon finely, or segment a fresh lemon, make sure to remove all pith (from the fresh not the preserved!!)
Chop the tomatoes in half.
Place the fish on a tray covered in tinfoil (makes the clean up much easier) then scatter with the lemon, capers, and tomatoes. 
Drizzle with the olive oil.
Roast for about 15 - 20 minutes.
Cut a piece of fish to ensure it is cooked through.

 

Peas and Pesto

4             Baby onions/6 Scallions
1 pkt       Sugar snap peas
2 cups     Frozen petite pois
1 tbsp     Pesto


In a wok or large frying pan sautee the onion  in some olive oil until tender and starting to brown at the edges.
Add the sugar snap peas and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the frozen peas and the pesto.

Cook until the peas are warm.

I love Wimbledon, I love the tennis and the memories of watching as a teenager imagining that I was married to the better looking players (McEnroe was a particular favourite!!) and I love the strawberries and cream that I associate with it.  As an homage to Wimbledon I made Eton Mess for dessert.  I chopped up a punnet of strawberries and added a little icing sugar and a teaspoon of good balsamic vinegar then I crushed some M & S meringues into a tub of Genisk Greek yogurt and mixed the whole lot together!!  It was really good, probably better than when made with cream - give it a go!!

OLD FAVOURITE: CHOCOLATE ROULADE

Sometimes perfection is not what you are after, and I certainly didn't achieve it here!!  But for all the lack of achievement in the looks department, this roulade really made up for it in taste.

We have a system in my family - I do all the hard work, finding recipes that really work, playing with them, getting them just right - then my sisters take them over as their own, and lap up all the praise!!!!!!  Actually it is quite fair, as I am a culinary butterfly (!) and get bored with making the same recipe again and again, I love to try new things, live on the wild side (so to speak!).

Sometimes, though, you have to go back to the old reliables, we have been making this roulade for forever, I don't even remember where the original recipe came from (think it might be Darina Allen, not sure though), and it is a firm favourite at get togethers and parties (and after parties - sister #1 always has to make extra for the next day, otherwise there would be a mutiny in her house!).

It was my baby's birthday recently (some baby, he's taller than me!) and I decided to make the roulade for him - there had been an incident a few years ago where he ate an entire roulade at his Granny's birthday party  (without being sick)!!, so I know he really likes it.

I forgot to make the sponge part the day before, hence the fact that it didn't roll smoothly, but I quite like the rustic look!  This is how it should look:

Chocolate Roulade

6 oz/ 170g           dark chocolate*
6oz/171g             caster sugar (I use golden)
3 tbsp                  hot water
5                          eggs
1/4 pt /250ml       cream

Prepare swiss roll tin (13"x9") with baking paper.
Preheat oven to 180 C

Melt the chocolate and 1tbsp water in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.
Separate the eggs.
Whisk egg whites and set aside for the moment.
Whisk the yolks and sugar together until light, pale and fluffy.
Stir 2 tbsp of hot water into the chocolate mixture.
Beat chocolate mixture into the egg yolk and sugar.
Fold the light fluffy egg white into this mixture 1/3 at a time, being as careful as possible to keep the air in.
Pour into the prepared tin, making sure the mixture goes right up to the edges.
Bake for 15 minutes, until it looks springy and cooked, skewer test wont work here, it needs to feel bouncy to the touch.
Remove from the oven, cover with a damp cloth and leave over night in the tin.
Before serving spread whipped cream and using the baking paper to help you, roll up as neatly as you can.
Sprinkle with icing sugar.

*70% is just too strong here, 50% is plenty (we often use Bournville)

SHERRY - NOT JUST FOR TRIFLE

This was a densely, deeply, darkly chocolaty cake, it should have been perfection - but I overcooked it!!

I should have followed my instincts - but instead I followed the recipe!!  My oven usually takes much longer than any recipe specifies to bake anything, but in this case I should have taken the cake out sooner than specified.  I actually did check (so I can't even blame the oven- and man has that oven had it's fair share of blame heaped on it!!!).  I did the testing with the spaghetti bit - but I should have taken the cake out of the oven while it was still moist (less than a brownie but more than a cake) and not have waited until it came out clean.  Doooh!

That said, this cake is a keeper.  I served it at a party with a number of other desserts - it was a good addition to the spread.  The key to this cake is the raisiny, rich cream that is served along side it.  They compliment each other to perfection.

I am trying to use some of the cook books I have stockpiled - my new rule is that I can't buy a new cook book until I have cooked two recipes from an unused one (my cook book buying rules are very similar to my diet rules in that they change to suit whatever temptation is in front of me!!!!)  This is my second foray into Diana Henry's "Crazy Water Pickled Lemons" (the Preserved Lemons were the first) and I have plenty more "post-its" sticking up waiting for attention! (I stick in a "post-it" when I fancy a recipe, not very tidy)


Chocolate, Hazelnut and Sherry Cake with Sherry-Raisin Cream

150g             Dark Chocolate
75g               Butter
125ml           Dry fino sherry
6                   medium eggs - separated
160g             caster sugar
150g             shelled, toasted hazelnuts - coarsely chopped
55g               self-raising flour
55g               cocoa

Preheat oven to 180 C
Prepare a 22cm (8 1/2 in) spring form cake tin.  I line mine with parchment.

Melt the butter, chocolate and sherry in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Allow to cool slightly.
Whisk the egg yolk with the sugar until light and glossy.
Add the chocolate mixture and 70g of the hazelnuts.
Beat the egg whites until stiff.
Fold some of these whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen it.
Then fold in the rest, alternating with the sifted flour and cocoa.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 50 minutes.*
When a skewer comes out slightly (very slightly) moist remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes - then turn out onto a wire rack.

* Diana says after 50 minutes "test the cake with a skewer and if it comes out clean, it's done; otherwise leave in for another 5 - 10 minutes"

Sherry-Raisin Cream

250g            raisins
250ml          oloroso sherry (I used Pedro Ximenez)
300ml          double cream
60ml            Greek yogurt
60g              icing sugar

Heat the raisins in the sherry in a small pan.
Turn off when just under boiling point - leave to plump up and cool.
Whip the cream and add the yogurt and sugar to it.
Add the plumped up raising and any remaining sherry.

To serve dust the cake with icing sugar and scatter the remaining 70g of  chopped hazelnuts over it.
Plate up with a dollop of  sherry cream on the side.

 

CAN IT BE THIS EASY??

Barbados Cream is the first recipe I made when How to Eat (Nigella Lawson) came into the house, and I have been making it for every party, dinner party and bun fight ever since!!

It goes with everything, be it a bowl of fresh fruit (love it with strawberries) a cake (great with any chocolate) or even a pie or crumble - versatile should be its middle name!!

The other attraction to this dessert is the praise, it comes in bucket loads when you serve Barbados Cream!!  I could not tell you the number of people who have told me that it is delicious and ask for the recipe, when I tell them what to do they look at me very sceptically (they think I'm hiding some essential information) something this good should not be this easy.

The recipe consists of equal quantities of Greek yogurt and double cream, topped with a heavy layer of good brown sugar, allow the sugar to meld into the creamy mixture for 24 hours.  The result is a fudge like cream, totally delicious.

You can ring the changes with the yogurt - it is good with a creamy vanilla or a coconut yogurt.  I don't think most fruit yogurt would work though.

                                         Here is the finished Barbados Cream on the left.


Barbados Cream


300ml               double cream (ordinary cream is fine in Ireland)
300g                 Greek Yogurt (Glenisk organic is really fantastic)
75g                   soft brown sugar (enough for a thick layer over the cream mixture)

Beat the cream until softly stiff (not too stiff though)
Fold in the Greek yogurt.
Transfer to your shallow serving dish (you want as large a surface area as possible)
Sprinkle thickly with the sugar (as above)
Cover with cling film and store in the fridge overnight (24 hours is best)
Wait for the praise!!!!!!!

You can of course change the amount of cream and yogurt you use to suit what you have in the fridge and/or the size of your dish - just keep them approximately equal portions of each.

Enjoy!

TARTE TATINTASTIC!!

The plums looked great at the supermarket recently so I bought a job lot!  Then came home and had to decide what to do with them!!

I made a batch of my plum chutney (photos not great) and then decided to use some of my precious all butter puff pastry to make a plum tarte tatin - and I have to say it was pastry well used.  Sometimes I find tarte tatin too sweet and cloying, but as the plums weren't too ripe this dessert had just the right sweet, tart combination.

I used David Roche's recipe (from the Avoca demonstration) and it worked perfectly.  I allowed my sugar to brown much further than ever before - very proud I kept my nerve as I find molten sugar quite scary!!

Here's what I did.

Melt the sugar and water (without stirring) until the syrup becomes a deep golden brown colour.

Pour the caramel into an oven proof dish (best of you have a pan that can go in the oven - but I don't) then arrange the halved and stoned plums as attractively as possible (more important with a round pan) over the sweet juices.  I then cooked the plums for 15 minutes as they were under ripe and I wanted them 20 minutes away from being done before I added the pastry.

                       Mr Brownieville thought I should serve it like this.

                                          But I had to do as instructed!!



Plum Tarte Tatin

75ml           water
100g           caster sugar (I used vanilla sugar and it imparted a lovely flavour)
20g             butter
8                 plums (or however many your pan/dish will take)
250g           puff pastry


Preheat oven to 200 C

Heat the sugar and water until it becomes a golden colour, do not stir as this will crystallize the caramel.
Stir in the butter.
Arrange the fruit in the pan in which you have made the caramel (if it is ovenproof) otherwise pour the caramel into an oven proof dish.  Arrange the fruit as nicely as possible.  Cook if necessary.
Roll out the pastry to the shape of your dish, but slightly larger.
Place the pastry over the fruit and tuck in the edges.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until the pastry is golden and the juices bubble up at the sides.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 30 minutes.
Carefully flip the tart onto your serving plate.

I served this with home made rum ice-cream, but vanilla would be great.

Enjoy!

LOVELY DAY

I had a lovely day yesterday, I headed over to Kilmacanogue to Avoca Handweavers for a cookery demonstration.  David "chefs don't burn things they caramelize them!" Roche was our chef/teacher for the morning, and although he professed having nerves for his first ever demonstration, none were evident.  It was an entertaining and educating experience (what a great combination).  David's demonstration was full of chefs tips - exactly what we were all after. 

He started with a pea and coriander soup, his tip here was to add your pepper with the butter and oil at the very beginning, as you would any other spice (I would usually season further into the cooking process).  Aren't the pea shoots a beautiful garnish?

David also showed us a pot roast salted chicken with lemon and rosemary - my lesson here was not to be afraid of the amount of salt and oil in the recipe,  he used a good handful of Maldon salt and 250ml of olive oil.  I don't think I could have used that much salt on a chicken until I saw David doing so.  He also told us that although there was a large quantity of oil in the recipe, you can reuse it the next time you cook this chicken and that it keeps very well in the fridge.

A fantastic Tarte Tatin was probably the most instructive part of the demonstration,  as smell plays a huge part in each stage of this dish.  I would never have had the nerve to allow the caramel get as dark as David did, and it was so much the better for it.  Then little pointers like bringing the caramel back to the simmer after the apple is added -  before covering  with the blanket of pastry.  Again allowing the tart to come up to heat before putting in the oven.  You know your tart is done when you start to smell appley caramel instead of baking pastry.  Finally and most importantly - don't turn out the tart for at least an hour after taking it from the oven.  Two reasons for this, safety... that caramel really burns! and because it tastes much better warm rather than hot.                                                            

 

David in full flow.  You can see here the beautiful gardens at Avoca.

After the demonstration I spent far too long (and too much) in the shop, but everything is just so appealing!

I would like to thank everyone at Avoca for a really enjoyable morning.

Apple Tarte Tatin

75ml       water

100g       vanilla caster sugar

20g         butter

5             golden delicious apples peeled, cored and halved

250g       all butter puff pastry (defrosted)

Preheat the oven to 200 C

In your oven proof pan of choice (fairly small - just big enough for the apples to fit snugly) place the water and sugar over a high heat. Simmer until the syrup becomes a dark golden colour.  It is really important not to stir as this forms crystals in the caramel. (and we don't want that!)

Stir in the butter, again swirl rather than stir.

Place the apples in the caramel as attractively as possible.  David put them on their sides.

Wait for the caramel to come back to a bubble, then place the pastry over the pan tucking it around the outside of the apples. 

Again continue on the heat until the caramel bubbles, and then place in the oven for about 20 minutes.

When the pastry looks and feels cooked and when you can smell the appley caramely sauce, remove from the oven (remember to use a cloth) and leave aside to cool.

When ready to serve turn your tart very carefully onto a plate.  (I intend to go outside for this bit!!!)

Enjoy!