Holidays are coming

It's getting to the time of year where thoughts are rapidly turning to all things Festive. The shops have been selling it to us for months already. The more organised of us have bought most of our presents and started planning for the Festive feasts ahead. The less organised are burying their heads in the sand and saying 'Christmas where? When?'

 

Whether you are the former or latter you will most likely be adding Christmas cake to your list, and here I will give you my recipe for a lovely, fragrant, yet brilliantly simple Christmas cake to rival those mass produced efforts that the shops peddle. I really think that homemade Christmas cake and pudding is so much nicer than the shop bought, and it can be a family tradition to all make a wish when stirring; as it was in my household when I was growing up.

It's one of those things that I think people are afraid to try as they think it will take a long time or be difficult. I can assure you, it isn't!

You will need a 20cm Round cake tin, or 18cm Square tin (and plenty of grease proof paper)

Ingredients:

200g currants

200g sultanas

200g raisins

75g candied peel, chopped

250g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing

250g light soft brown sugar

4 eggs

200g plain flour

2 tsp mixed spice

150ml alcohol of your choice (usually something like Sherry, Brandy or Rum)

Zest and juice of 4 clementines

1 tbsp black treacle

Method:

A day or two before you make your cake soak the dried fruit in the alcohol, zest, and juice in a covered bowl or tub.
If you forget to do it the day before you can heat the dried fruit gently in a pan with the alcohol, zest and juice and leave it to cool to soak up the juice.

 

 

 



Begin by heating the oven to 140c (130c fan). Grease and line the cake tin with greaseproof paper. You need a circle to cover the bottom of the tin and enough to go around the inside of the tin with around 3cm of paper of the top.
       
Then using a clean bowl or your stand mixer (makes life a bit easier) beat together the butter, sugar and treacle until light and fluffy.

Next, beat in the eggs, one at a time (to prevent the mix curdling).
Fold in the flour, mixed spice and fruit (with remaining liquid).


 

 

 

 

 

 

When the batter is well mixed, spoon into the lined cake tin and level out with the back of a spoon. 

 



 

 

 

Bake in the oven for 4- 4.5 hours. Until the cake is cooked through and a rich golden brown colour.
Check on the cake after 2 hours, if it already has a good golden colour it can be covered with foil or a circle of greaseproof paper to prevent it burning before it is cooked through.

 

 

 

 

Allow the cake to cool in the tin then carefully remove it and remove the greaseproof paper. To store the cake re-wrap it in clean, fresh greaseproof paper, making sure you cover the top as well with a separate circle of paper.
Store in an air tight container in a cool place. The cake can be stored for up to 6 months, so plenty of time to make this ahead.
Feed the cake every couple of weeks with some more alcohol (if you choose) or for a non alcoholic version you could use tea. Just skewer the cake in several places and drizzle over around 1 tbsp of your chosen liquid. Just be sure to re cover the cake well after each feeding to keep it fresh.

I haven't decorated my cake yet, and as I can't really do sugar craft it will have a simple marzipan covering topped with plain white icing. Wrapped with a festive cake ribbon and topped with an edible decoration. Look out for pics over the next few weeks.

Apple and Bramble crumble cake

I was visiting my mother in law's allotment a month or so ago and was amazed at just how many blackberries she had growing there. I borrowed a tub from her and filled it with the intention of making some lovely seasonal bakes.

Something that I've always loved is crumble, served with custard though, not ice cream!
Though, it wouldn't have been very exciting just making a crumble and telling you all about it so I had a go at something a bit different that I found after a quick search around the Internet.

This crumble has a cinnamon sponge base, apple and blackberry filling and crumble topping. It looks impressive and smells amazing while it's in the oven.

For the sponge base:

150g caster sugar

3 large eggs
75g S/R flour

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon 

Fruit filling:

2 cooking apples, peeled and chopped.

150g blackberries

For the crumble topping:

100g unsalted butter
100g Demerara sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 

Begin by creaming together the butter and sugar for the sponge base. When the butter and sugar are light and fluffy looking slowly add the egg. Then fold in the sieved flour/cinnamon and spoon the mix into a greased and lined 8" cake tin (preferably spring form).

Level out the cake mix and place the apples and blackberries on top.

Make the crumble mix by rubbing together the 

Bake in the oven (180c) for around an hour, though mine did take closer to an hour and a half. A skewer inserted into the middle (of the sponge) should come out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin and remove carefully. 

The simply pour over some delicious warm custard and enjoy! 

Proper home-made custard

Something that I've been meaning to attempt since long before this blog even started is making my own custard. I've just been waiting for the right moment to try it.
Finally with Autumn approaching and the whiff of crumble and pie in the air I felt that the time was right.

I used a simple, classic recipe for my custard. The only change I made to it was adding extra vanilla as at first taste I didn't feel that it had enough. Also, this doesn't make a really thick, rich custard. I will have a go at a different recipe for a richer custard soon, though I believe if you just add a touch more cornflour and/or an extra egg yolk that will do the trick.

• 
  

  Ingredients:

  570ml/1 pint milk
• 55ml/2fl oz single cream
• 1 vanilla pod or ½ tsp vanilla extract (I used 1tsp)
• 4 eggs, yolks only
• 30g/1oz caster sugar
• 2 level tsp cornflour
  
  
  
  

  Method:

  1. Bring the milk, cream and vanilla pod to simmering point slowly over a low heat.
  2. Remove the vanilla pod if using. 
  3. Whisk the yolks, sugar and cornflour together in a bowl until well blended.
  4. Pour the hot milk and cream on to the eggs and sugar, whisking all the time with a balloon whisk.
  5. Return to the pan, (add vanilla extract if using) and over a low heat gently stir with a wooden spatula until thickened (it coats the back of the spoon without dripping straight off).
  6. Pour the custard into a jug and serve at once.
  7. To keep hot, stand the jug in a pan of hot water and cover the top with cling film to prevent skin forming.
     
     
     The main thing that goes wrong with custard making is the egg scrambling when the hot milk/cream is added. I managed to avert this by not having the mix get too hot at any point. 
     It does take time and patience to make your own custard but the sense of pride and satisfaction you get when serving it with a home made cake or pie makes it completely worth it. 
     
     
     Feel free to play with the flavours when you've mastered the technique, I made a second batch using all milk (semi skimmed) no cream to make it a bit healthier. Or you could go the other way and make it with all cream no milk. 
                                
     
     
     
     
                                
  
  

Knorr - A tasty short cut. Review.

Recently I was asked if I'd like to try some Knorr stockpots and gravy pots for review. I've been meaning to try them since they were launched but always gone for the cheaper supermarket own brand instead.

I honestly didn't think there would be much if any difference between supermarket own and Knorr so I was pleasantly surprised when it came to reviewing them.

I tend to use stockpots for loads of things, not just the usual such as for gravy or sauce but for going into my risotto's or cous cous (so much nicer than using plain boiling water).

I tried out the chicken stock pot in a Saffron risotto simply by making up a pint of chicken stock using the Knorr stockpot and adding a small pinch of Saffron to the stock, letting the flavours infuse together before adding to the Arborio rice.

A beautiful flavour combination! The chicken stock smells and tastes just like roast chicken, without the fuss of boiling the bones and reducing down the liquid. Bliss!

I then turned my attention to the vegetable stock cubes. I had roasted a large gammon joint which was being used to make many different meals. One of which was a 'diet friendly' Carbonara. I fried some sliced mushrooms in some Frylight (low cal cooking spray) and chucked in some of the sliced chopped gammon. Next I added 300ml of vegetable stock and simmered until the liquid had reduced by half.
The reason I added stock to my Carbonara was due to me using soft cheese spread in place of cream as is traditional which I find needs a little liquid to stop it becoming dry.
Next I added two egg yolks mixed with 200g extra light soft cheese and added some (cooked) pasta and garden peas.
Heat it all through until the egg is set and enjoy!

Also using the gammon roast, I made littlest baker a traditional roast gammon dinner and made up a gravy pot as a quick, tasty alternative to gravy granules (which I really prefer not to use if I can help it.) A roast dinner with the trimmings made quickly using micro steam veg pouches, my Airfryer for some of the best home roast potatoes I've had in years! and a Knorr gravy pot for the gravy. So simple yet so good! 

Sweetpea pantry - making baking easy, delicious and fun. Review

It's been a few weeks now since I visited the Cake and Bake show London with the littlest baker and my mother in law. We went on a Saturday which was a sell out and wow was it busy! We could hardly move for people though I did manage to squeeze up to a few stalls to get a better look at the wares and pick up some samples and ideas. There were some really delicious looking and tasting products for sale as well as baking celebs meandering around happily signing autographs and posing for pics. All in all a great day, I will definitely be back for 2014!

One of the things I picked up to try whilst I was there was Sweetpea Pantry's Grainy Brainy Pancakes mix.
Sweetpea Pantry is all about making baking with kids easy, delicious, fun and wholesome. They provide all the necessary dry ingredients in a mix with instructions on how to help your little one create their very own baked goods.

Littlest baker absolutely LOVES breakfast, it is by far her favourite meal of the day. So what better time to try the Grainy brainy pancakes than for a yummy Saturday morning breakfast? 

It couldn't have been more simple, all that I needed to add to the ingredients was 1 egg and 1 cup of milk.
After that it was pretty much all up to the Littlest Baker, until it came to the cooking part.
The pancake batter was mixed together in no time, meaning that for a little one with a short attention span the work was done and the pancakes ready in all of about 10 minutes.

   

One pack of the mix (there's 2 in the box) made around 8 decent sized pancakes which fed the three of us well.
Littlest Baker had hers with some maple syrup and cinnamon sprinkled over them, I had maple syrup and banana just to make it a touch more filling. Though as the mix has no sugar added it is perfectly possible to make the pancakes savoury by adding cheese and ham perhaps for a lunch box treat or brunch.

Ready to tuck in!

What helps to make these mixes from Sweetpea Pantry so special is that they have no added sugar or salt, they are gluten free, contain wholegrains and have nothing artificial. So that also means no guilt from me for giving Littlest Baker pancakes for breakfast. 

I'm off now to look at the Sweetpea Pantry website to see what we can try next.

Asda's new Chosen by Kids range - Review

Asda are bringing out some innovative new products and re launching some of their older products under their new Chosen By Kids range.

The range will feature a huge 180 products spanning across all meals of the day. The entire Chosen by Kids range has been tasted by kids and approved by mums.

To mark the launch of their Chosen by kids range Asda held a special event for bloggers and their little ones to give us an exclusive insight into how the tasting process works and have a sneak preview of some of the food in the range.

Myself and Littlest baker were invited up to Asda's home office (Asda house) in Leeds to be a part of this special event. Leeds is a fair trek from Bedford so our hopes were high of having a good time at Asda house.

Upon arrival we were immediately immersed into the Chosen by kids range as Asda house had a 'monster makeover' in their hub. Complete with the Chosen by kids cheeky monster characters milling around having photo ops and laughs with the mums and little ones.

Littlest baker meeting Trixta

We were walked through the area to explore the breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacking ranges and briefed about the range in general by Product development director Gail Paddy. 

Breakfast

Lunchtime

Dinner

After being shown the meal range by Gail we were taken away into a separate room and given an opportunity to try out some of the new products and even rate them using special 'yum' or 'yuk' paddles.

Among the items we tried were Cheesy pasta shapes, which had a definite 'yum' paddle held up by Littlest baker, a squeezy yogurt pouch, another 'yum' paddle and Monster feet which Littlest baker was a bit undecided about. 

Littlest baker was very happy with the squeezy yogurt.

Every product has been tried and tested by kids, who enjoy the taste and then approved by mums. The mums approval comes from the point of view of nutrition, convenience and appeal.

Many of the products contain hidden vegetables and fruit taking some of the guilt out of giving your kids a convenience food knowing they will still be getting their vitamins. With Monster Mash, which is a mix of mash potato, peas and broccoli, or the carrot and Potato waffles. 

The Chosen by kids range has been designed to be a solution for mums juggling different family mealtimes with after school activities or working late, without breaking the bank as the prices start as low as 58p (Instant porridge pots). Incidentally the instant porridge pots needn't be a worry with the heat burning little hands as Asda have developed a thermal packaging that stays cool to protect them. 

Snacks are also covered with options such as Mini Fruit Bags (five for £2) or Jelly with real fruit pieces, or Lime flavoured raisins ('yum' vote from Littlest baker). 

Littlest baker was impressed with the range of products available and I'm sure with the kids going back to school really soon I will be featuring some of the products in her lunch boxes and after school when time is a premium due to after school activities.  I especially think she wants to try the Meatballs and Spaghetti that we saw on the Dinner table in the hub, it looked the perfect size for her appetite.

All set for going back to school.

How your weeks meals could be planned using Asda's new range.

Cappuccino pots

I've recently been trying out recipes using gelatine with varying results. I've tried marshmallow, which worked alright but was a bit too wet and sticky. It seems quite hard to find a really good marshmallow recipe, which is a shame. So after the disappointing results I had with marshmallow I turned my attention to cheesecake, which actually turned out fine, just needs a little bit of tweaking with the flavours then I will blog about it.

I then got looking through a recipe book I have for the slimming group I belong to and found a dessert recipe which makes a coffee mousse. This is my own twist on that recipe.

Ingredients:

2 tsp powdered gelatine

5 level tbsp low fat crème fraiche

5 tbsp fat free natural yogurt (I used 0% Greek yogurt)

2 tbsp v strong filter coffee or espresso

3 tbsp sweetener (I used 1 tsp liquid sweetener)

2 large egg whites

10ml Tia Maria (optional)

2 tsp cocoa powder

Method:

Pour 2 tbsp of boiling water into a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatine in. Mix well until the gelatine is dissolved and put to one side until needed.

In a separate bowl mix together the crème fraiche, yogurt, cocoa powder, coffee, Tia Maria (if using) and sweetener. 

Whisk the egg whites until stiff, I used my Russell Hobbs Kitchen machine for this but you could do it by hand if you don't have an electric whisk.

Mix the gelatine into the coffee mixture and carefully fold the egg white into it, being careful not to knock the air out of it.

All that's left is to divide the mix into your chosen serving pots or glasses and leave to set for around 2 hours. 

I served mine in some vintage tea cups that I bought recently, though this dessert is so versatile that it could be served in most things, I think Martini glasses or espresso cups would look really good with this.

This is a fantastic dessert to have in your repertoire for something a bit fancy for a weekend pudding or tarted up a bit with some chocolate or Baileys served along side at a dinner party.