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Raspberry & White Chocolate Traybake

The perfect pudding for a lunch party or just a general treat

 

Prep Time: 10minutes

Cook Time: 30minutes

 

Ingredients

 

375g Ready Rolled Shortcrust Pastry

500g Mascarpone

100g Golden Caster Sugar

100g Ground Almonds

2 Large Eggs

250g Fresh Raspberries

100g White Chocolate (Roughly Chopped)

 

Method

 

Heat the oven to 160C/Fan 140/ Gas Mark 4.

Roll out the pastry a little more on a floured surface and use to line a 30 x 20cm tin, or a Swiss roll tin.

Line with greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans and cook for 10 minutes. Take out the beans and paper, then return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.

Whisk together the mascarpone, sugar, almonds and the eggs until well blended.

Fold in the raspberries and chocolate, then pour into the tin.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until just set and lightly golden.

Turn off the oven, open the door and leave the tray to cool gradually.

For the best results, chill for at least 1 hour before slicing.

 

 

 

Christmas Cake with Pecan Marzipan and Brandy Butter Icing

Try something different this year with this rich fruit cake recipe topped with homemade pecan marzipan.

 

 

Prep Time: 30minutes

Cook Time: 2 Hours +

 

Ingredients

 

For the Cake

 

80g Golden Syrup

80g Black Treacle

50g Honey

250g Dark Brown Sugar

200ml Double Cream

15g Mixed Spice

250g Unsalted Butter

1 tsp Orange Extract

1 tsp Lemon Extract

6 Medium Eggs

350g Currents

350g Raisins

350g Chopped Pitted Prunes

350g Glace Cherries

500g White Flour

1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

Brandy, Whisk or Orange Juice (for feeding the cake)

2 tbsp Apricot Jam (Boiled and Sieved)

 

For the Pecan Marzipan

 

200g Finely Ground Pecans

100g Icing Sugar

125g Soft Brown Sugar

3 Egg Yolks

2 tsp Liquid Glucose

1 tbsp Honey

1 tsp Glycine

1-2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

 

For the Brandy Butter Frosting

 

300g Icing Sugar

50g Butter

25ml Double Cream

25ml Brandy

 

Method

 

Preheat the oven to 170C/335F or Gas Mark 3 and line a 25cm/10in round deep cake tin with non-stick paper

Place the syrup, treacle, honey, sugar, cream and spices in a saucepan and bring to the boil.

Pour the mixture in to a large mixing bowl, add the butter in pieces and stir until melted, then add the orange and lemon extract.

Beat in the eggs until smooth, then stir in the fruit. Mix the flour and soda together, then stir this through evenly.

Spoon into the tin and bake for about 2-2 1/2 hours, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, then carefully remove from the tin.

When cold, spoon the top liberally with brandy, whisky or boiled orange juice, wrap well and leave in a cool, dark place for 3-4 days before icing. The cake will keep for up to 3 months and should be fed every 4-5 days.

For the pecan marzipan, combine the ground pecans and icing sugar in a bowl and mix together.

In a saucepan, whisk together the brown sugar, egg yolks, glucose, honey, glycine, cinnamon and vanilla and then cook over a low heat whisking constantly until pale, light and piping hot.

Pour this over the pecan mixture and stir well to make a smooth paste.

Leave to cool, then wrap in cling film.

To cover the cake in marzipan, first lightly knead the marzipan so it's smooth then roll it out on a worktop dusted with icing sugar.

Roll the marzipan in to a disc about 1cm thick and 1-2cm wider than the diameter of your cake.

Brush the top of the cake with the sieved jam then leave for a few minutes for it to set. Turn the cake upside down on to the marzipan and wiggle it gently so the tip is stuck firmly.

Trim any excess marzipan leaving a 2 cm border.

Using a knife, gently press up into the gap caused by the curve of the cake, then scrape it up smoothly so it is level with the side of the cake.

Carefully turn the cake the right way up and you should be left with a perfectly flat top surface and straight sides.

Wrap the cake in cling film and leave to dry for 4-5days.

For the brandy butter icing, measure the icing sugar into a bowl, then melt the butter for a few seconds in the microwave.

Pour the melted butter with the cream and brandy into the sugar and mix until smooth.

Spread the icing onto the top of the cake and make small peaks using a knife. Set aside for a few hours or until the icing has set.

Dust with icing sugar before serving.

 

 

Apple & Walnut Cake with Treacle Icing

This is an all in one easy cake and is perfect if you've got friends coming for coffee or afternoon tea

 

Prep Time - 20minutes

Cooking Time - 45minutes

 

 

Ingredients

 

300g Plain Flour

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

140g Dark Brown Soft Sugar

50g Golden Caster Sugar

250ml Rapeseed or Sunflower Oil

4 Eggs

3 Unpeeled Apples (Coarsley Grated)

100g Walnuts (Roughly Chopped)

 

For the Icing

 

100g Butter (Softened)

50g Dark Soft Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Black Treacle

200g Tub Full Fat Soft Cheese

 

Method

 

Heat the oven to 150C/130C Fan or Gas Mark 2. Line two 20cm Cake Tins.

Put the flour, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda in a bog bowl, then stir in the sugars, making sure there are no lumps or sugar.

Add the oil, eggs and apples, and beat everything together.

Fold in the walnuts then divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Allow to cool for a few minutes in the tin and then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.

 

For the icing, beat all the ingredients together then chill until the mixture is thick but spreadable.

Spread half the icing on top of one of the cakes, sandwich together with the other and spread the remaining icing on top

 

 

Hong Kong Style Chow Mein with Pork and Green Vegetables

Ingredients
(Serves 4 People)

25g Dried Chinese Mushrooms or Shitake
Chicken or Vegetable Stock
340g (12oz) Chinese Egg Noodles
2 tbsp Sunflower Oil
1 Large Garlic Clove 
1 tbsp chopped fresh root ginger
1 fresh red Chilli
2 tsp Five Spice Powder
200g (7oz) Pork Fillet (cut in to strips)
2 Green Peppers (Seeded and thinly sliced)
100g (3 1/2oz) Small Broccoli Florets
2 Celery Sticks (Thinly Sliced)
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
2 tbsp Rice Wine
100g (3 1/2oz) Bean Sprouts
2 tbsp Finely Chopped Coriander
2 tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
Fresh Coriander to garnish

1) Place the mushrooms in a small bowl and pour in enough boiling water to cover them. Leave to soak for 10 minutes. Line a sieve with muslin or kitchen paper and place it over a bowl, then pour the mushrooms and their soaking liquid into it. Measure the strained liquid and make it up to 100ml with chicken 
 or vegetable stock if necessary, then set aside. Discard any tough stalks from the mushrooms, slice them and set aside.

2) While the mushrooms are soaking, place the noodles in a large mixing bowl and pour in enough water to cover them generously. Leave to soak for 4 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until tender. Drain well and set aside/

3) Heat a wok or large frying pan over a high heat. Add 1 tbsp of the sunflower oil and, when it is hot, stir in the garlic, ginger, chilli and five spice powder. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, taking care not to let the flavorings burn.

4) Add the strips of pork and continue stir-frying for about 2 minutes or until they are cooked through. Use a draining spoon to remove the pork from the wok and set it aside.

5) Add the remaining oil to the wok and heat until it is almost smoking. Stir in the peppers, broccoli, celery and mushrooms, and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the mushroom liquid, soy sauce and rice wine, then return the pork to the wok. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute or until the pork is reheated.

6) Stir in the noodles, then the bean sprouts and toss together briefly, just long enough to heat the ingredients without softening the bean sprouts, as they should retain their crunch.

7) Stir in the chopped coriander and sprinkle with the sesame oil. Serve the chow mein immediately, garnished with coriander leaves.

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Kitchen Wisdom

I have found that some of the below has helped me in the past so I thought I would share my 'Kitchen Wisdom' with you

 

 

- To Remove odours from a container that you want to use again, fill the container with hot water, then stir in 1 tablespoon of Baking Powder. Leave it to stand overnight, then rinse well and dry.

 

 

- Choose stack able containers to maximise storage space. Remember that square or rectangular containers make better use of shelf space

 

 

- For convenient single servings, freeze portions of home-made soup in to large thick paper cups or small individual containers. Remove from the freezer when required and make sure its fully cooked before eating

 

 

- Spirits with an alcohol content of 35% or over can be kept in the freezer for drinks which should be served ice cold.

 

 

- To remove fishy odours after preparing fish dishes, rub the cut surface if a lemon over your hands, knife and chopping board. Also rubbing your hands with Salt then rinsing and washing them will also get rid of the fishy smell.

 

 

 

I hope some of the above will be helpful to you let me know your kitchen wisdom (or secrets)

 

Love Laura

Essential Cooking Equipment

Hours can be spent in cooking stores looking at all of the beautiful equipment that is on offer. (I should know I have probably spent a good few months in total in shops). Thousands of products are availbale, but what do you really need or most cooking applications?

 

This list reflects the essentials; equipment that will be frequently used and should be kept close at hand. Of course, the more you cook the more equipment you will accumulate, but if you start by stocking your kitchen with these items you'll be well on your way to making just about any dish

 

The list was hand picked by me to include good quality tools that will help make cooking easier and more fun for you.

 

HAPPY COOKING

 

Knives

 

 

Next to your hands, your knives are your most important tools in the kitchen. The three knives shown above are what I recommend as a starter set; most of your cutting needs will be met with these three knives. Buy as good a quality as you can, take can of them, and they'll last a long time

 

Measuring

 

 

 

These measuring tools are likely all you'll ever need for cooking. The digital scale seems like a splurge, but it comes in very handy when you are considering portion sizes, dividing ingredients, measuring in metric, multiplying recipes and quantites

 

Gadgets, Utensils and Other Equipment

 

 

As I said these are what I would consider essentials. There are many, more choices for kitchen utensils, and the chances are you'll end up with drawers full of spoons, spatulas and much more. It is often tempting to buy the latest greatest gadgets but if you have the above items on hand, you'll find that almost any job in the kitchen can be handled with ease.

 

Cookware

 

 

Cookware runs the gamut from low priced to very expensive. Truth be told, some manufacturers have such excellent quality cookware, the high price is worth it since the pieces have the ability to last for generations. None of the pans are truly cheap, they are good value items that, if properly cared for, will last and last

 

Baking Pans

 

 

Baking pans come in a vareity of shapes, materials and sizes, but many of the pans can be used for multiple purposes. The stoneware casserole dish, for example, can be used for crumbles and cobblers, as well as potatoes au gratin and roasted pork. Having a few sizes on hand ensures you'll have the right bakeware for the number of people you're cooking for.

 

Small Appliances

 

 

If I were to prioritize the order in which to purchase the above applicances, I would suggest the mixer first, the blender second and lastly the food processor. This is because the first two items perform functions that just can't always be done by hand. Having all three appliances will make your cooking more efficient, but the food processor can definitely wait.

 

I hope this gives you a little insite in to what are the main Cooking Essential Equipment I believe will help you create the most amazing meals and beautiful cakes

 

Love Laura

P.s - Please comment and follow for two recipes a week.