PANFORTE

At this time of year I love to pull out my (growing) pile of Christmas Cook Books and Cooking Magazines - I'm not really sure why because Christmas is the one time of the year when I cook primarily the old tried and tested recipes - but I can always be inspired.  During this years "Mega Cookbook Fest" I realized that I have never made Panforte (I've never actually tasted it for that matter), so I have decided to rectify this.

I wasn't completely grabbed by any of the recipes I have, they all have good elements, so I decided to pick the best bits, add one or two ideas of my own, and hay presto ..... I present to you Brownieville Panforte!! (with sincere apologies to all Italian readers!)

I decided that some cranberries were needed in there, for colour as well as for their welcome tartness.  A small glug of alcohol is nicely seasonal, I thought the chocolate covered candied orange was a great idea (borrowed) and of course you have to have a bit of cocoa in there. 

The end result is like a Christmas flavoured, nutty, fruity toffee - can't be bad!
I am submitting this recipe to The Most Wanted Yule Blog Bake Off, and they have asked for step by step photos ( made me way more organised than usual!)

I started off by toasting the hazelnuts, although I only used 125g in the Panforte, I always toast a whole bag full and store any left over in the freezer - handy for next time!

Combine the blanched almonds, chocolate covered candied peel, figs, hazelnuts and cranberries.

Put butter, honey and sugar together into a small pan on a medium heat.  Allow to bubble away nicely for 3 -4 minutes.

All the ingredients in waiting!

Add the flour, cocoa and spices to the fruit and nut mixture.

Pour the butter, honey and sugar bubbling mixture into the nut and fruit and stir well.

Press firmly into am 8"/20cm baking tin which you have lined with baking paper and buttered well (this is really important as it is such a sticky mixture)

I tried making a snowflake template to decorate the cake, showing you why my only creative outlet is cooking!!!

                                                                 Much better!


Panforte

125g                          blanched almonds
125g                          hazelnuts (roasted and skinned)
125g                          cranberries
150g                          chocolate covered candied orange*
50g                            chopped figs
1 tsp                          cinnamon
1/4 tsp                       ground cloves
1/2 tsp                       mixed spice
Pinch                         nutmeg
Pinch                         white pepper
2 tbsp                        sherry (or orange liqueur)
70g                            plain flour
2 tbsp                        cocoa
30g                            butter
150g                          honey
150g                          sugar (I used golden caster sugar)


Prepare an 8"/20 cm tin with parchment paper and plenty of butter
Preheat the oven to 170 C

Combine the nuts and fruits in a bowl.
Add the flour, cocoa and spices and mix well.
Bring the butter, honey and sugar to a bubble in a small saucepan on a medium heat.
Allow to bubble away for a few minutes.
Add this hot mixture to the fruit and nuts and stir well.
Now add the alcohol and stir again you will need your hands towards the end of mixing.
Press firmly into the prepared tin.
Bake for about 30 minutes - it is ready when the top of the cake starts to bubble.
Allow the cake to cook completely in the tin.
Decorate with icing sugar.
It will keep for a good while if kept in an airtight tin.

*Any candied fruit/peed would be fine

This is my entry for the Most Wanted Yule Blog Bake Off Challenge  which is being held by vouchercodes.co.uk.

Enjoy!

MY PRECIOUS PUMPKIN!!!

I really enjoy Katie's blog Apple and Spice and have loved following her adventures with the Cake Slice baking group.  I decided to sign up when she mentioned that the group would be starting a new book in October and were open for new membership.  The book is Cake Keeper Cakes by Lauren Chattman, and I'm really looking forward to baking my way through it.

That said my heart sank a little when I read that the first months cake was Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Pound Cake.  Why you might (reasonably) ask?  I have plenty of history with vegetable based cakes - I could be described as (an almost .... well perhaps an actual) chocolate fiend, where could the problem be??  Well, the problem was with the pumpkin, you see it is incredibly difficult to get canned pumpkin here, and I had managed to source a can earlier in the year (in Harvey Nicks if you don't mind!!!) and was guarding it fiercely for Halloween, I have read so many wonderful pumpkin pie recipes on American blogs that I had been looking forward to choosing my favourite and giving it a go.

A good friend and fellow book-club member had sneaked a significant birthday past us (very bold!!) but her sister let the cat out of the bag, so T and I decided that we should convert a scheduled coffee morning into a Birthday celebration - and what better occasion to use my precious pumpkin!!

The cake went down so well that I nearly didn't manage to get a photo of it sliced!!  It tasted beautifully moist, with a very pleasant light spicy back note that combined well with the chocolate, nuts and of course the pumpkin. 

 




The precious (!) canned pumpkin - fresh cooked pumpkin just doesn't have the correct texture (too wet!).

Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Pound Cake


1 3/4             cups flour
1 tsp              baking powder
1 tsp              bread (bicarbonate of ) soda
1 tsp              ground cinnamon ( I ground my own because I had run out of the ground stuff!!!!)
1/2 tsp           salt
1/4 tsp           ground cloves (thankfully I had these!!)
pinch             nutmeg (I grated this!)
4 oz/110g      soft butter
1 1/4             cups sugar (I used soft brown muscavado)
3                    large eggs
1 cup             canned pumpkin puree
1 tsp              vanilla extract
1/3                cup milk
1                   cup dark chocolate chips (I chopped up a bar of Lindt 85%)
1                   cup walnuts (reserve some for the top then chop the rest)


Preheat oven to 180 C/350 F
Line a 19 cm round tin with parchment paper
(the original recipe is for a loaf tin but I think round is more celebratory)

Sift the flour, baking powder, bread soda, spices and salt together  into a large bowl.
Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time at a medium speed, be sure to scrape down the sides while mixing.
Stir in the pumpkin puree, vanilla and milk.
Stir the flour in gradually and gently.
Add the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts - combine well.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin.
Bake for approx 50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool in its tin on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Then place on the wire rack and cool completely.

BROWNIES 11

I know strictly speaking these are Blondies, but we're all friends here, I haven't made proper Brownies in a month (am way overdue a Brownie post) and they are the same family - so we'll go with these ... O.K.?

I am actually brimming with enthusiasm about these tasty treats - rich, decadent, delicious AND (fairly) healthy, can you believe it???  They come from Harry Eastwood's "Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache" - the most popular baking book in my kitchen at the moment.  She uses vegetables and ground nuts in place of butter or oil in her recipes, much less sugar than normal - all in all much healthier than your average recipes. I have to say that these recipes don't always pull it off (will blog in more detail soon), but I am getting a high success rate so far.

These were the nicest Blondies I have ever tasted - actually they come pretty high up the Brownie list as well, I'm thinking about third place, which is really good, considering the only fat they contain is in the egg yolks, almonds and 100g of chocolate, plus there is all that healthy butternut squash in there!

I did change the recipe slightly, I used blueberries in place of raspberries.  I  left a quarter of the Blondies fruitless, thinking that this would suit son #2 (have since found out that he doesn't like Blondies at all!). But it was a worthwhile exercise as next time I won't bother  with the fruit at all, as I think they made the finished confection too wet.

White Chocolate and Blueberry Blondies

3          eggs (medium)
120g    caster sugar
250g    finely grated butternut squash (peeled)
50g      rice flour (I used brown)
100g    ground almonds
1 tsp    cinnamon
2 tsp    baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
100g    fresh blueberries (frozen would be far too wet)
100g    white chocolate (chopped into small chunks)
30g      flaked almonds  

Line a 22cm square brownie tin with baking paper
Preheat oven to 200 C

Beat the eggs and sugar for 5 minutes on high (a freestanding mixer is invaluable here)
While this is whisking away, grate the squash (good arm exercise!!)
When the egg and sugar mixture is pale and fluffy, add the squash and beat again.
With a spoon gently add the flour, ground almonds, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
Pour half of this mixture into the tin.
Scatter with the white chocolate and blueberries, then cover with the rest of the mixture.
Sprinkle the flaked almonds on top and bake for 25 minutes (I should have baked mine for about 35/40 minutes), but be careful not to overcook.
Cool in the tin for 20 minutes.
I got 16 portions from this recipe.

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.

 

THE CAKE THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!

I really enjoyed the Bizcocho I blogged about here, and  fancied ringing the changes with it.  I came across a bottle of coconut liqueur (bought on holidays years and years ago) during a recent clear out, and the little bulb in my head pinged!  A coconut and lime cake (actually there is a possibility that I am addicted to lime glaze and will use any excuse to make it!!! - expect to see Lime and Lime Glaze Cake very soon!!).

I added a fist full of coconut chips and 2 tbsp of the coconut liqueur to the mixture - and it tasted divine.  I actually had to take half the cake to my bookclub meeting to stop me eating it!  They loved it too.

Texturally, I think it might have been better to use dessicated coconut instead of the coconut chips, or maybe to have soaked the chips in the liqueur.  But the fact that the chips were a tiny bit hard is the only blot in the copybook of this cake - more than compensated by the taste.

Primroses are my favourite flower, and I thought I would share a picture with you (think I need to sign up for photography classed very, very soon!!)

I couldn't sleep last night, so after I had drafted this post (so far) I decided to use up the last of the greek yogurt.  This time I went with hubby's favourite flavours - rum and raisin (well actually  sultanas, but hey!).
To ring the changes I used 1/3 wholemeal flour instead of all plain, and it worked really well - his taste runs to the more healthy, so this was perfect for him.  Actually the cake is so soft that it could even take half wholemeal.  The rum was subtle but there, and the (presoaked) sultanas were moist and juicy.

I presoaked (about 2 hours) 100g of sultanas (next time will use 200g) in 3 tbsp of rum.  Then made the cake as normal - 1 tub yogurt, 1 tub oil, 2 tubs sugar. 1 tub wholemeal flour, 2 tubs plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 3 eggs (problem with one of my eggs, so I only used 3 and the cake was fine), finally added the sultanas and rum.  Could it be easier? - my only problem was to get to the oven before the timer went off and woke the house!!!

BOOKCLUB NIBBLES

It's bookclub night soon (yahaa!) and I've realised that I didn't blog about the one I held here last month.
Our bookclub is a very relaxed affair, the host supplies cheese, grapes and crackers.  The guests bring along the wine.  We discuss the book for a short while and then get down to the important business of putting the world to rights!!

We discussed Colum McCann's "Let The Great World Spin", everyone enjoyed it, found it multi-layered, the type of book you could re-read and get even more from it next time round.  He definitely deserves all the awards he has received.

Back to the food - I have never been one to allow an opportunity to try out new recipes pass.  This time I was anxious to try out an idea I had had for a candied, spiced nut mixture - they were a huge success, I don't think I will be allowed to host another evening without serving them!!!

At my son's request I made cheese straws, I wanted to try a new recipe and found one that looked good on Deb's blog "smitten kitchen" - I subsequently made these into cheese biscuits using different cheeses (actually the ones left over from the spread above) and they were even better than the first time.

I, of course served brownies towards the end of the night - I will blog about these tomorrow.

Here's what I did:

Spiced Candies Nuts

200g         hazelnuts
200g         almonds
100g         pecan nuts
1/4 cup     brown sugar
1/4 cup     caster sugar
1/2 tsp      ground cumin
1/2 tsp      ground coriander
1/2 tsp      ground cinnamon
1   tsp       curry powder
1               egg white
1 tsp         maldon salt

Preheat oven to 150 C
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper

Whisk the egg white until light and frothy and set aside.
Mix the sugars and spices.
Combine the nuts and egg white until evenly coated.
Add the sugar mixture and toss well.
Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet.
Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, stir occasionally to ensure there is no clumping.
Remove from oven sprinkle with the salt and allow to cool.

Serve and Enjoy.

Cheese Biscuits/Straws

1 1/2 cups    grated hard cheese*
50g              softened butter
3/4 cup        plain flour
1/4 tsp         chili flakes (optional)
1 tbsp          milk

Preheat oven to 180 C




Combine the cheese, butter flour and chili flakes in a food processor, in short pulses until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Add the milk and process until it forms a ball.

Roll out between two sheets of cling film until about 1/2cm thick.  then either cut into strips (use a knife dipped into flour) or use a cookie cutter.  The cookie cutter option makes them very attractive to kiddies.  I think these cheese biscuits would be a great option for a children's birthday party,  make you feel less guilty serving all the sugar rich food. (I would of course leave out the chili).

Gently transfer the strips/biscuits onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  They expand a little bit so leave some space between them.

Bake the straws/biscuits for 10 - 15 minutes,  until they are a nice golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the sheet for 10 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack.

These biscuits keep well in a  sealed container.


*First time round I used a strong cheddar,  second time I used an Irish hard herbed cheese and a small piece of spicy cheese (left out the chili flakes).

Hope you enjoy the nibbles.