Category Archives: Home Baking

#Recipe Ricotta Pancakes- 3 ways

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Pancake Tuesday to me is synonymous with one flavour conbination- Jif Lemon and sugar. Not caster sugar but granulated, and heaven forbid the juice be fresh. Nay! It had to come from a plastic lemon of the sqeezable variety.  This cheek-puckering combination of crunchy sugar and citrus instantly bringing back childhood memories of playground squabbles about the quantities of pancakes consumed before school. Who cared of it was only 11am!?! Somehow you had persuaded your parents to let you scoff gargantuan amounts of fried batter for breakfast. Times have changed and I now realise there is more to life than lemon juice and sugar- just about! So here’s my recipe for ricotta pancakes with a variety of serving suggestions. Try one…or try them all! Either way I hope you enjoy.

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Ricotta Pancakes

200g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 large egg, beaten
200ml whole milk
250g tub ricotta cheese
1 tbsp rapeseed oil

  • Put the flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt in a large bowl.
  • Make a well in the middle, then pour in the egg and a splash of milk.
  • Gradually mix the flour into the liquid until starting to combine.
  • Mix in the rest of the milk in three stages until you have a smooth batter, then beat in the ricotta with a whisk.
  • Heat the rapeseed oil in a large non-stick frying pan until hot.
  • Spoon in a small laddle full of batter, spaced well apart, to make pancakes about 10cm across.
  • Cook on medium heat for 2-3 mins until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip over with a palette knife and cook for 2-3 more mins until golden. Set aside and keep warm; cook the rest of the batter.
  • Stack the pancakes, with baking parchment between, and keep warm in a low oven until ready to serve.

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1 ways- Spiced Orange

150ml orange juice

1 tablespoon caster sugar

1/2 teaspoon fenugreek

1/2 teaspoon caraway seed

4 cardamom pods, crushed

1 large orange, sliced

Caster sugar

  • Gently warm the spices in a pan until the frangrance is released.
  • Add in the orange juice and caster sugar.
  • Continue to gently heat until the sugar is disolved. Set aside to cool and infuse before use.
  • While the sauce is cooling, sprinkle the orange slices with caster sugar. Using a cook’s torch, carmalise the sugar on the slices until the sugar is bubbling, burnished and a deep amber in color. Alternatley you can heat under a high grill until the sugar reaches the same stage as with the torch.
  • Arrange a copule of slices of orange on top of your pancakes and drizzle with the spiced orange sauce. (I’ve drizzle some around the palte and used a pipette to allow the sauce to be “injected” into the stack)

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2 ways- Mango with Rosemary, Basil & Lime

75g fresh mango, chopped roughly

4 tablespoons waster

2 tablespoons caster sugar

1 tablesppon lime juice

1 small spirg fresh rosemary

3 large basil leaves

  • In a pan combine the liquids and caster sugar.
  • Add the rosemary spirg and chop in the basil leaves.
  • Heat until the sugar has disolved and the on point of boiling.
  • Remove from the heat and allow to cool fully and infuse for at least a couple of hours.
  • When fully cooled, strain into a bowl to remove the herbs. Toss in the mango pieces.
  • Top a stack of panckes with some of the mango, and serve with a dollop of creme fraiche.

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3 ways- Smoky Chocolate sauce with bourbon & pecan

50g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa content

25g butter

120ml double cream

1 tablespoon bourbon whiskey

1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

25g chopped pecans, lightly toasted

  • Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (or in a microwave in short bursts) until smooth and fully melted. Remove from the heat.
  • Heat the butter, double cream, bourbon whiskey and liquid smoke in a small saucepan until evenly combined.
  • Remove from the heat and stir through the melted chocolate until fully combined. When fully mixed add in the pecan nuts.
  • Pour generously over your pancakes and sprinkle with some additional chopped pecans.

#Recipe: Chocolate, Guinness & Black Garlic Bundt cake with Smoked Chocolate glaze

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So I’ve (eventually) gotten around to posting this recipe- massive apologies for the delay. This cake first started out as an experiment using black garlic and was finished with a salted caramel sauce and served with forest fruits. I wanted to create something that looked and tasted indulgent but had a slight edginess to it- nothing too frou-frou! For me it was a Gothic romance in cake form. Time moved on and so did the recipe development. I replaced the salted caramel with a chocolate glaze but wanted to still keep my (signature) twist. And so liquid smoke was added. Depending on how much you use, this wonderful ingredient adds a tasty smoky flavour and in this case married really well with the black garlic of the bundt. It’s availble online or from good food ingredient stores.

iness; Chocolate and Black Garlic Bundt

The original version of the Chocolate, Guinness & Black Garlic bundt cake

Bundt cake mixture

375g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

70g unsweetened cocoa powder

225g butter, softened

110g unsalted butter, chopped and softened

600g caster sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 eggs

125ml milk

125ml Guinness stout (from a bottle as opposed to a can)

6 cloves black garlic, chopped

100g dark chocolate chips or pieces

Chocolate glaze

12 Tablespoons icing sugar

4 teaspoons whole milk

1 tablespoon liquid smoke

*this mixtures makes enough for a very ample bundt cake (using a 25cm tin) or 2 standard sized ones (I used Nordicwares Fleur De Lis and Anniversary tins)

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To make the bundt cake

  • Preheat the oven to 170 C. Grease and flour  your Bundt cake tin(s)- or if your like me spray the inside with cake release spray.
  • Sift flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa together into a bowl and place to one side.
  • In a jug combine the milk and the Guinness. Set
  • In the bowl of your stand mixer, cream butter, margarine, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. (A tip here is to keep beating until you can no longer feel the sugar grains between you fingers).
  • Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add flour mixture alternately with the milk/Guinness mixture. Mix to combine.
  • Add in the chopped black garlic cloves and chocolate chips. Mix well.
  • Pour into your prepared Bundt tin(s). Bake in the preheated oven for 70 minutes or until a skewer inserted into cake comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before glazing.

To make the glaze

  • Combine all the ingredients in a jug and mix well to combine until smooth. The mixture should fall easily from  your whisk and leave a slowly sinking trail in the bowl. If you find the mixture too stiff add some more milk in 1/2 teaspoon increments.

To finish

  • Place the cake on a cooling rack with some foil or baking parchment underneath to catch the drips.
  • Drizzle or paint the glaze onto the fully cooled cake until coated.
  • Spinkle with finishing decoration of you choice.
  • Slice, serve and enjoy!2015-11-18 16.55.00-1

 

 

#Recipe: Alternative #BonfireNight Toffee Apples

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As a child I loved Toffee Apples. That sweet, sticky “crack” sound giving way to the tart crispness of a ripe apple. They were alway saved as a treat on a seaside trip. As such it’s one of my most vivid memories of childhood- the tickle of juice running down my chin as seawater wafted on the air, and overhead gulls wheeled and cried. Upon moving here to the UK I became aware that toffee apples were a treat for an altogether different occasion. They were a long-standing part and parcel of November 5th’s Guy Fawkes Bonfire celebrations along with parkin; treacle toffee and sparklers.

Never being one to settle for the “norm” I decided to do a twist on the familiar idea of the  “Toffee Apple”. It also provided me with a rather nice opportunity to try out some of Joe & Seph’s rather wonderful new caramel sauces. And so I present my take on bonfire toffee apples.

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Alternative Toffee Apples

Makes 6

Ingredients

6 Granny Smiths apples, cored

50g jumbo oats

25g chopped dates

25g dried pear, chopped

20g ground almonds

20g hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

3 heaped tablespoons Joe & Seph’s Salted Caramel sauce

To finish

Joe & Seph’s Salted Caramel sauce

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Method

  • Preheat your oven to 180 degrees.
  • Score the apples with a knife halfway up and fully around. Be carefull not to slice them the full way through.
  • In a bowl mix the remaining ingredients until fully combined.
  • Stuff the apple cavities with the oat mixture until full. You can use a spoon but the easiest way I’ve found is just using (clean) hands. Messiest…but easiest.
  • Place the stuffed apples into an oven proof dish and place in your preheated oven, on a rack in the middle.
  • Bake for 35-40 mins depending on your apple texture preference. I prefer mine to be just the “soft-side of solid” (if that makes any sens?) so I bake for 35 mins. If you prefer them softer bake for a little longer. Be careful however as you don’t really want them to be “mushy”.
  • Once baked, remove from oven and place individually on serving plates, and pour over some more Joe & Seph’s Salted Caramel sauce. Again the amount depends on taste. You may like a little- I prefer a LOT!
  • Serve the covered “toffee apples” with vanilla ice cream or I also like to have a dollop of Greek yogurt to the side.

Enjoy!

If you’re looking for another alternative Bonfire Night treat then why not try my take on treacle toffee – Fennel Seed & Black Garlic Toffee?

#recipe Spiced Apple Crumble with parmesan and rosewater

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This recipe provided an ideal use for some apples from our back garden. Quick and easy it’s an ideal comfort food for this time of year when the temperature takes a turn. Warming and comforting with the right amout of spice it’s fantastic with custrd or cream alike. The addition of both the rosewater and parmesan may seem a bit strange but bear with me. You won’t regret it! The rose water lifts flavour of the apple filling while the parmesan in the crumb topping adds a savory note. Just think of a cheeseboard with fruit on it!

Spiced Apple Crumble with parmesan and rosewater

Filling

1 kg apples, peeled, cored and sliced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3 tablespoon rosewater eg Saveur de Maroc

1 tablespoon mixed spice

50g light brown sugar

Crumble topping

150g plain flour

100g light brown sugar

90g cold butter, cubed

25g rolled oats

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, finely grated

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Method

To make the filling

– Preheat the oven to 190C/170 fan/gas 5.

– Toss the apple pieces in the lemon juice, rosewater, mixed spice and light brown sugar until evenly coated.

– Transfer to a 10inch by 2 inch deep pie dish.

To make the topping

– In a large bowl combine the flour, light brown sugar, oats, parmesan and butter. Rub in with your finger tips until the mixture resmebles breadcrumbs.

– Sprinkle the crumb mixtureover the apple filling, gently pressing down where needed. Take care not to press it too tight as this will just make the crumble a solid topping- you dont wantthis.

– Bake in your preheated oven for 30-25 mins until the topping is golden. When you slide in a knife the apple should have softened and you should feel some give. If you prefer your filling softer, you can bake for another 5 to 10 minutes.

– Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving.

– Serve with custard, cream or ice cream and enjoy!

Recipe- Chocolate Popcorn Cake

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I recently had the opportunity to work on a photoshoot with the rather fabulous Majella of Pavlova & Cream. This was  my first time working with a professional photographer and I would be willing to say Majella is second to none! I can’t wait for you to see the finished results but more about that to come. As only befitting of the occasion I brought along some cake. I wasn’t quite expecting the reaction it received on social media- it seemed to prove rather popular! A rich devil’s food chocolate cake with chocolate filling and icing, spiked with pistachios and cocoa nibs, and finished with Joe & Seph’s Caramel Popcorn and drizzled with caramel sauce it certainly seemed to tickle the public’s taste buds.

After numerous requests I posted the recipe here. It works really well with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream to cut through the sweetness. Or just as good on it’s own!

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Chocolate Popcorn Cake

Cake sponge
100g dark muscovado sugar
250ml boiling water
150ml soured cream
60g cocoa powder, sifted
125g unsalted butter, softened
150g caster sugar
225g plain flour
1 tablespoon espresso coffee
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
25g cocoa nibs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp chocolate extract
2 free-range eggs

Chocolate filling and icing
350g icing sugar
100g cocoa
160g unsalted butter, softened
100g dark chocolate, 70% min cocoa
1 tablespoon chocolate essence

Caramel Sauce
210g of sugar
85g butter
120ml double cream

To finish
50g pistachio nuts, shelled
20g cocoa nibs
15g Joe & Seph’s caramel popcorn

To make the caramel sauce:
– In a large saucepan, heat the sugar over a moderate heat. Continue to heat until the sugar turns a deep amber color. DO NOT STIR! If needed you can swirl the pan.
– When the deep amber color has been reached add in the butter and stir until melted.
– Once the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cream. Take extra care here as adding the cream will cause the mixture to foam up and steam. Continue to whisk until the foaming subsides and the sauce is smooth.
– Leave to cool fully before proceeding.

To make the cake:
– Preheat the oven to 180C. Line the bottoms of two 20cm/8in sandwich tins with baking parchment and spray the sides with cake release spray, or grease with butter.
– Put the cocoa and the dark muscovado sugar into a large bowl and pour in the boiling water. Whisk to mix, add the soured cream, mix again, then set aside to cool.
– Cream the butter and caster sugar together in a stand mixer bowl, beating well until pale and fluffy.
– Stir the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and espresso coffee together in another bowl, and the cocoa nibs, and mix to combine.
– With the whisk running add the vanilla and chocolate extracts into the creamed butter and sugar – mixing all the while.
– Add the eggs, one at a time alternating with a heaped tablespoon of the dry flour mixture. Keep mixing after each addition.
– Incorporate the rest of the dry flour mixture little by little, then finally mix and fold in the cocoa mixture, ensuring it’s well combined.
– Divide the cake batter between the two prepared tins and put in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
– Remove the cake tins from the oven and leave the cakes to cool in their tins on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes, after which turn the cakes out and set aside to cool.

To make the filling/ icing:
– In a bowl set over a pan of hot water, melt the chocolate and 60g of the butter together. Stir to combine. When fully melted remove from the heat, add in chocolate essence and set aside to cool.
– In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the icing sugar, the remainder of the butter, and cocoa. Mix well to combine until it starts to clump together.
– Dribble in the melted chocolate mixture and mix well until fully combined. If the icing appears too slack (runny) add in a tablespoon if icing sugar until desired consistency is reached.

To finish/ assemble:
– Blitz the shelled pistachios in a food processor, or chop finely. Add in the cocoa nibs and stir to combine.
– Spread/ pipe some of the icing on a sponge layer.
– Sprinkle over the pistachio mixture.
– Place second sponge layer on top and pipe a border of icing to the edge. Spread the middle of the cake top with remaining icing.
– Arrange the popcorn pieces so they sit inside the piped border.
– Drizzle over some of the caramel sauce.*
– Serve and enjoy!

*Any remaining caramel sauce can be kept in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

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