Blackberry Express

I was given this cookery book by a very good friend of mine (who may be reading this!) and I am gradually trying out some of the recipes.  Some previous posts can be found in the margin under recipes.

Having come back form my SIL house to find my blackberry runners full of blackberries I thought about what I could do with them.  My SIL had made us a dinner from a cook book that she had never tried before and this gave me the incentive to do something new.

So out came Nigella and I looked in the index and found Blackberry Crisp.  If you have this book it is on page 52.  It is bound to be on her website as well.

Here are the pages and a lovely picture of what it meant to look like.

Here is my attempt....what do you think?

The crispy topping makes a refreshing change from the usual crumble offering and went down really well at dinner today.

The blackberries were just right and the recipe is so easy you could in fact make this when you get in from work and it takes 25 mins to cook.  We had ours with clotted cream, Sophie opted for cold custard.  Vanilla ice cream would be good as well.

Other berries could be used and Nigella also suggests chopped pears if you can not get enough blackberries.

This recipe worked and was a winner.  Well worth a try.

xx

Easter Rabbit Bread

Isn't this bread great?  Ideal for Easter see more HERE.

Lots of great Easter ideas on the net at the moment.

Happy Easter everyone.

xx

Nigella Lawson's Tarte Fine Aux Pommes

Or apple tart to the rest of us!!

A sudden batch of apples from our apple trees meant a dash through the books to find something to make with them, other than the usual.

Well I found a recipe that I thought I could have a go at in the above book.  It was a Christmas present about three years ago and it has proven to be very useful book.

So, on page 217, if you have a copy, is this quick and easy recipe for a type of apple tart.  I did struggle with the caramelising of the suger etc but just added a sprinkle of cinnamon and brown sugar instead.

I am no pastry maker and for this I was in a bit of a rush so I bought some instead, well the book is titled Express after all and it is suggested as well!

My apples are actually for eating, not cooking but I have very rarely worried about that anyway, just add less sugar.

I tried to arrange them in a nice way, just as the book shows.

I love my new oven which is now about a year old, get good results with it.  Lightly browned the pastry was lovely too.

Cut into slices with a cup of tea, or for a pudding with single, double or clotted cream!  Yum!

I still have some apples left so I shall stew them up and maybe some apple turnovers, I used to make those when I was at school during Home Economics lessons.  I used to make pastry at school so I bet I still could, but there is always the time factor and my hands are way too warm.

If you have this book give it a go, I shall be making a smaller version next time as it is quite filling and makes a lot for just three of us.  Or look on Nigella's website, there may be a version there as well.

Enjoy.

xx

Sophie's Homemade Dessert

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School breaks up next Friday for me, a couple of days early due to us working some INSET evenings. Sophie finishes the following Tuesday, but we are both getting into holiday mode which means Mummy and Daughter cooking time. Plus sewing etc as well.

So for this dessert (and a good way of getting some more milk inside her) you will need an Angel delight mix, you can get sugar free versions, some biscuits, large dessert glasses or bowls, milk and some fruit.
Put the biscuits in a bag and using a rolling pin crush them into bits. Not too much otherwise you will simply have a bag of powder! Sophie liked this bit, thank goodness hubby put the counter on securely.

Add the biscuit to each glass.

Cut up the fruit into chunks. We have taught Sophie to use a small knife safely and she is very good at it. Supervised of course. Add some of the fruit to the glasses.

I loved Angel Delight as a child and it is so easy to make and is a nice change. Just follow the instructions on the back. Makes a good alternative to Jelly at a kids party as it can be made the day before and refrigerated.

Whisk in the milk until the Angel Delight is fluffy and can form peaks.

Carefully spoon some of the mixture into the glasses on top of the biscuits.

Add some of the chopped strawberries into the glasses.

Spoon in the rest of the mixture and level off the top.

Hopefully you will be the layers of the biscuit, fruit and mixture.
We then popped them in the fridge until tea time.

Just before serving another strawberry was popped on top with some chocolate sprinkles to finish.

Yum! Yum!

Go on....give it a go with your own preferred fruit etc.

xx

Wedding Anniversary - Lace

Yesterday, 11th April, was our 13th Wedding Anniversary. We decided to go out for the day, but more on that tomorrow, and on our way back we had a phone call from hubby's Mum and Dad saying that they had something for us. We did not realise that it was our Lace Anniversary at all. My Mum used to have a tea towel with all of them all, but living 6 hours away I could not consult it. Can you still get them? I use to have a diary years and years ago which also had them all in, but my current one does not.

This is a sponge cake with real cream which has been whipped. Yum Yum!!

The bit I really like is the real lace 'stencil' with icing sugar sprinkled over it. Works much better than using dollies. Very effective.

Guess what we are having later with a pot of tea.

We ate out yesterday evening, but Sophie has a friend over today so I am sure that we shall have some help eating this!

xx

Cupcakes Galore

After my sewing session on Wednesday evening I popped to the supermarket and bought some baking supplies.

Thursday night I was a bit of a naughty girl and did not do any work for the day job, but instead spent the evening in the kitchen. At work on Fridays we take it in turns to take in some cakes to have at morning break. It originally started when we realised that we could go all week without actually seeing or talking to each other. Not healthy really when you need to get on with your colleagues, so this was a simple idea to address that.

You can buy or make, no pressure it is up to the individual. I tend to do a bit of both.

Cupcakes are my main make although other now do these as well. The above piping tips are from Lakeland plastic and are by far the best I have found so far. Sorry about the picture, had a bit of a struggle with blogger here and guess who won? I buy cheaper bags so that I can cut them but I do recommend good nozzles. The pink sugar flower is also from Lakeland and again the best I have found so far, 12 for £1.99. I buy the butter icing as tastes vary when you make your own and I have had no complaints yet. I did add some lemon and orange jelly slices to the top by making a slit in the centre and putting a slight twist in it. The flower added a little something and a little vanilla flavouring too in the sponge mix. Eastery colours I thought too.

I also used polka dot cases from lakeland too. They are slightly thicker than ordinary cases and I have found that they prevent the base of the cupcake from drying out too much in the oven.

I am always wanting to try and find something different. Many of you may recognise the above cases from IKEA.

I bought some ages ago and tried them not realising that you could buy......

one of these special tins to go with them. So my first attempt was not great. They rose but expanded somewhat and looked a bit like fat biscuits!

When I visited again in February I tracked one these baking trays down and bought one. It is a very strong, heavy and solid tray which is just what I like. What a difference to the outcome!

I used the same recipe as for the cupcakes, which is in my side bar if you want to try it. I just added some coca powder to make chocolate versions. A little butter icing and a sugar flower on top. These went down really well but it was the shape and the overall appearance that was noted too. Sophie has put an order in for these for her birthday this year.

The pink contrasting with the brown of the chocolate I think.

Sophie was in bed when I made these so I put one of these in the fridge for her lunch the following day.

I also made a version of rocky road which I shall post tomorrow with a run down of the ingredients that I used. I really enjoyed making these and I would really like to be able to do an evening class in cake making/decorating but so many adult classes are now being stopped it is like gold dust trying to find anything now.

I shall have to keep buying the odd book and using the Internet I think.

It is glorious sunshine today here in Cornwall, I have so much marking to do I am not sure where to start but I think an hour outside is still a must.

What have you baked recently?

Let us know by adding a comment and a link if you have added it to your own blog or site and maybe share some ideas.

xx

Snack Bars

I will add the photo once I have tracked the file down which seems to have gone AWOL at the moment, typical. Anyway here is how to make these lovely snack bars very quick and easy.

Ingredients:

100g.4ozs Margarine

100g/4ozs Sugar

125g/5ozs Rolled Porridge Oats

Instructions

1. Melt the margarine and sugar in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir all the time with a wooden spoon.

2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and mix in the rolled oats. Stir until well mixed Add additional ingredients. (See end of instructions for suggestion).

3. Spoon into a greased sandwich tin. (Victoria sponge tine or perhaps a 6inch wide foil tray). Spread evenly.

4. Bake at 180 degrees c / Gas Mark 4 for 15-20 minutes until just turning brown.

5. Mark the mixture into wedges or rectangles. Leave to cool.

6. Lift the snack bars out of the tray carefully on to a cooling rack.

Additional Ingredients

*You could change the type of sugar that you use.

*Add some syrup.

May be add 25g of grated apple, raisins, chopped nuts etc.

Perhaps cinnamon, nutmeg, or mixed spice.

Select an additional ingredient but obviously not all of them!! Thought I should make that clear, could end up with something a bit odd otherwise.

Have fun with this, off to have a look for that photo.................

xx

Lemon Meringue Pie

Been very hectic this week so I have been away from the blog for a bit. Here is a really easy lemon Meringue Pie which I made last weekend.

Ingredients

1 Ready made sweet shortcrust pastry base.

Filling

25g/ 10z Cornflour

25g/ 10z Margarine

1 Lemon

250ml/1/2 pint milk and lemon juice

3 egg yolks

50g/ 20zs Caster Sugar

Meringue

3 egg whites

150g/ 60zs Caster Sugar

Instructions

1).Blend the cornflour with the lemon juice add the rest of the liquid and boil.

2). Add the sugar. margarine and lemon juice.

3). Separate the egg. Add the egg yolks to the cornflour paste, bring to the boil stirring all the time until it thickens. (Or do what I do and chuck it all in at once).

4). Pour the filling into the flan case.

5). For the Meringue, whisk the egg whites until stiff and it stands in peaks. Whisk in the Caster Sugar.

6). Spoon the meringue onto the filling.

7). Cook for approx 10 mins at 180 degrees, Gas mark 4 or until the Meringue is very lightly brown.

I normally use free range eggs so that the filling is a brighter colour, but a slip up with the shopping meant that I had to use other eggs. So not such a good colour, delicious none the less!

Enjoy!!

x

Simple Homemade "Chunky" Soup

I have made this soup twice now and Sophie and Hubby just LOVE it!! Sophie thinks it is the best and much better than shop bought. it is soooo easy to make and virtually fool proof......my kind of weekday cooking.

Serves 2-3 easily, stretch to 4

Ingredients

1 Potato

1 carrot

25g/1oz Oil

750ml/1 1/2 pints Water

Chopped parsley

2 sticks of celery or 1 Leek

1 Onion

1 Chicken Stock Cube

Salt & Pepper

Instructions

1. Peel all of the Vegetables, grate the carrot and chop the other vegetables into bite size pieces. Fry in the oil for 10 minutes.

2. Add the water, stock cube, salt and pepper. bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Liquidize the soup using a hand blender until smooth although we prefer to leave the soup chunky.

Additions

We also like to add some croutons and chunks of bacon from the butchers or Italian Panchetta.

This meal is quite filling and you could easily experiment with some of the vegetables. Would also make a good basis for a casserole.

We use this recipe at school but I have changed a few bits to suit our taste. It takes next to no time and Sophie can help with chopping some of the vegetables with help.

Very tasty and very economical to make, what I call a veg patch dinner.

xx

Cupcake Recipe- Easy Peasy

This recipe is not brand new and you may even have a better version. However, this works for me and is so quick and easy that I can make and have them in the oven in next to no time. Sorry the units of measurement may not suit USA visitors but they can easily be converted if I had a book that did that!

Ingredients
50g/2ozs Flour
50g/2ozs Margarine
50g/ 2ozs Sugar (preferably Caster Sugar/ Fine sugar)
1 Large Egg
9 Bun Cases
Method
1. Turn on the oven, gas mark 5 / 190 degrees C.
Place the cases in a bun tray.

2. Sieve the flour into a bowl, add all the other ingredients and beat well with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy (I use an electric whisk, brilliant).

3. Divide mixture between the paper cases and bake for about 20-25 minutes until well risen, firm and golden brown.

Queens Cakes
Make exactly as above but add 25g/ 1ozs of currants or sultanas to the mixture.

Cherry Cakes
Make exactly as above, but add 25g/ 1ozs of Cherries which have been washed, dried and chopped.

Decorating
I will admit that I do cheat here and buy ready made butter icing as I never seem to be able to get the taste right. It works well through a piping bag and comes in a variety of flavours. It is called Betty Crocker - Ready to Spread icing - Buttercream Style. you can get it in Tesco/ Asda etc. You can keep it in the fridge and it has a reasonable life span. Then I add smarties, sprinkles etc whatever is in my baking cupboard.

..................................................................

I have been asked about the cupcake stand. I found in on Ebay and just typed in Cupcake stand. You can find many different types, including more wedding style ones. For the last two birthdays Sophie has asked for a cupcake stand cake instead of a traditional birthday cake. Much easier to do and I think more attractive. Her friends and their Mum's loved it!

When I make another batch I shall take some pictures of the bits and bobs I use to decorate them.

Give it a go and let me know what you decorate your cupcakes with.

xx

Chocolate Fudge Pudding

This is a simple and lovely pudding to make but can also be eaten like a cake too. It was given to me by my Mother in law. I have only made it once but it worked and it does not take long to make.

FUDGE TOPPING

40g Butter

40g soft dark brown sugar

15g Cocoa powder

2 Tbs single cream

50g walnuts finely chopped (could use something else crunchie if you have a nut allergy)

1). Place all ingredients in a heavy based pan.

Heat gently until boiling, stirring constantly, and boil for 30 seconds.

2). I put the walnuts in a bag and crushed with a rolling pin as chopping them they kept whizzing onto the floor!)

3). Line the base of a sandwich tin 20cm wide. (I used whichever one I had)

4). Pour the mixture into the tin and leave until cold.

CAKE MIXTURE

2 eggs

125g Caster sugar

125g Butter

125g Self raising flour

1 Tsp baking powder

1). Place all ingredients in a large bowl. Beat together until well mixed.

2). Place mixture on top of cooled fudge mixture, spread evenly with a palette knife.

3). Bake in a preheated oven 160 degrees for 40-45 minutes, until risen, golden brown and firm to the touch.

4). Leave in the tin for 5 mins.

5). Invert onto a serving plate and peel away the lining paper.

6). Serve hot (or cold) with cream or ice cream (we like custard too)

Easy peasy, it even came out of the tin easily and I was worried that I would have to chisel it out!

Try it, next time I may leave the cream out of the fudge to make it a bit more crispy.

After lunch Sophie and I having another Sunday baking session.

Aprons at the ready............

xx

Ratatouille.....idiot proof!.....

......and it needs to be for me to make......I am a baker and jam maker mainly, and I like to cook from scratch (job/time permitting) but it needs to make sense and come out right. This recipe does just that and Sophie loves it and asks for it to be made, who says you can't get veg down kids?
Ingredients:
1 onion
1 garlic clove
1 small aubergine
1 green pepper
1 courgette
2 tins/800g of chopped tomatoes
1 tsp oil
1 handful fresh basil ( I have used dried but I would like to try and grow some)

Method:
1. Peel and chop the onion, dice the aubergine,de-seed the pepper and chop it, slice the courgette. I found you need to keep the veg fairly chunky or it will simmer to mush).
2. Fry the onion and garlic in oil for 5 mins.
3. Add the aubergine and fry for a further 5 mins.
4. Add the pepper, courgette and tomatoes.
5. Stir in the basil.
Bring to the boil and then simmer gently, with the lid on the saucepan, for 20-30 mins.

Give it a go, let me know how you get on with it. By the way, I make it in batches and freeze some of it. It also goes well with pasta and it takes hardly any time to do. There are other ways to make this but I have found this to be very quick and reliable, you can also swap the veg around to vary the outcome.

xx