So, the Small Girl is three today. We have had a weekend filled with balloons, princesses, dancing and food. I'll tell you all about it when I've recovered (though admittedly I am less tired than I was this time three years ago. I think...)
Monday, May 28, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
Sweet sweet Friday: Date Almond Balls
The Small Girl has got a fantastic book called The Little Mole Who Knew It Was None Of His Business, in which a hapless mole tries to find out which animal has left a poo on his head. I've seen it described as a 'plop-up' book, which gives you an idea of the nature of the mole's investigations. It really is very good, in a stinky kind of way.
Anyway, after I made these little brown balls I did a bit of housewifely tidying up and guess which book was top of the pile? I cannot mention this association to the Small Girl or she'll never eat them. Then again, that might not be such a bad thing...
Date and almond balls
These are almost a kinder, gentler version of last week's doubly decadent treat - staying with the turducken principle but making it a little more wholesome. The idea for the rice bubble mixture came from one of those really right-on, yoga-at-dawn, homespun hessian kind of websites created by people who use pedal power to fire up their laptops, but adapted it to be a little more user-friendly. They are very easy to make - the only trick is to roll the mixture with wet hands. Fill the sink with cold water before you start, then just dip your hands in as you go.
1/2 cup good quality nut butter (I use half peanut, half almond)
90ml (6Tbsp) date syrup
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 cups rice bubbles
12-15 whole almonds
12-15 dates
Firstly, take the dates and make a small slit in each one. Insert an almond into each date and set aside.
Line a tray with nonstick paper and set aside. Fill the sink with cold water.
Put the nut butter, date syrup and vanilla in a large saucepan and heat gently until it starts to bubble. Don't let it burn!
Remove from the heat and stir in the rice bubbles. Mix well. Wet both hands, take spoonfuls of the mixture and form into a ball around one of the almond-stuffed dates. Squeeze firmly into a ball and put on the lined tray. Repeat until all the mixture is used up - you should make at least 12, though it depends on how tempted you are to taste the mixture. Put in the freezer to set for 10 minutes, then transfer to a plastic container with a lid. They are fine to eat straight from the freezer so you may as well keep them there (if you can).
Have a sweet, sweet weekend, everyone. I'll be back next week with reports from the Small Girl's birthday x
Anyway, after I made these little brown balls I did a bit of housewifely tidying up and guess which book was top of the pile? I cannot mention this association to the Small Girl or she'll never eat them. Then again, that might not be such a bad thing...
Date and almond balls
These are almost a kinder, gentler version of last week's doubly decadent treat - staying with the turducken principle but making it a little more wholesome. The idea for the rice bubble mixture came from one of those really right-on, yoga-at-dawn, homespun hessian kind of websites created by people who use pedal power to fire up their laptops, but adapted it to be a little more user-friendly. They are very easy to make - the only trick is to roll the mixture with wet hands. Fill the sink with cold water before you start, then just dip your hands in as you go.
1/2 cup good quality nut butter (I use half peanut, half almond)
90ml (6Tbsp) date syrup
2 tsp vanilla essence
2 cups rice bubbles
12-15 whole almonds
12-15 dates
Firstly, take the dates and make a small slit in each one. Insert an almond into each date and set aside.
Line a tray with nonstick paper and set aside. Fill the sink with cold water.
Put the nut butter, date syrup and vanilla in a large saucepan and heat gently until it starts to bubble. Don't let it burn!
Remove from the heat and stir in the rice bubbles. Mix well. Wet both hands, take spoonfuls of the mixture and form into a ball around one of the almond-stuffed dates. Squeeze firmly into a ball and put on the lined tray. Repeat until all the mixture is used up - you should make at least 12, though it depends on how tempted you are to taste the mixture. Put in the freezer to set for 10 minutes, then transfer to a plastic container with a lid. They are fine to eat straight from the freezer so you may as well keep them there (if you can).
Have a sweet, sweet weekend, everyone. I'll be back next week with reports from the Small Girl's birthday x
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Give me a ring sometime...
I didn't think it was possible, but I've found something even cuter than the cupcake hairclips and the muffin tin pendant.
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| Image via here |
Prefer green tea - or at least a green teacup? That's ok, we can do that too...
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| Image via here |
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Nigelissima and polenta gnocchi
News that Nigella is working on a new Italian-themed book and TV series has filled me with a mixture of joy and gloom. It's not that I don't love the thought of another book, but I fear it will induce more wittering on about how soothing it is to stir risotto.
I don't know about you, but I've never found making risotto to be soothing. It's repetive, boring and not to be done if you're the sort of person who multi-tasks in the kitchen (or has a small child underfoot). I don't mind doing it if I have absolutely nothing else to do, but I fear my life has little room for mindless stirring a la Nigella, who always paints a cosy picture of making risotto while you have a glass of wine.
Anyway, while idly flicking through Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking a while ago (thanks Dom!) I realised where Nigella got her love of stirring from.
Hazan writes at length of the horrors of instant polenta and how hideous it is compared to the real thing, which should be lovingly stirred for hours over an open fire etc etc. But she redeems herself by sharing a method for practically no-stir polenta, which still takes a while but is not so needy. That's the sort of cooking I like.
Polenta Gnocchi
I can't convince anyone in my house to love wet polenta, but they do deign to eat it in a sort of gnocchi form. You make the polenta (by whichever method you prefer) and leave it to set in a slab. Then, a few hours later (or the next day), you cut it into cubes, drizzle them with olive oil and scatter lots of grated parmesan over the top. Bake them in a hot oven for 20 minutes or so, until everything is golden and crispy, then serve atop a puddle of tomato sauce (the sort you make from simmering tinned tomatoes, garlic and onion, not the sort that comes in a squeezy bottle).
Or, just drizzle it with olive oil, then toss through some walnuts and chunks of blue cheese about five minutes before it's cooked. Delicimo, as Nigella might say.
I don't know about you, but I've never found making risotto to be soothing. It's repetive, boring and not to be done if you're the sort of person who multi-tasks in the kitchen (or has a small child underfoot). I don't mind doing it if I have absolutely nothing else to do, but I fear my life has little room for mindless stirring a la Nigella, who always paints a cosy picture of making risotto while you have a glass of wine.
Anyway, while idly flicking through Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking a while ago (thanks Dom!) I realised where Nigella got her love of stirring from.
Hazan writes at length of the horrors of instant polenta and how hideous it is compared to the real thing, which should be lovingly stirred for hours over an open fire etc etc. But she redeems herself by sharing a method for practically no-stir polenta, which still takes a while but is not so needy. That's the sort of cooking I like.
Polenta Gnocchi
I can't convince anyone in my house to love wet polenta, but they do deign to eat it in a sort of gnocchi form. You make the polenta (by whichever method you prefer) and leave it to set in a slab. Then, a few hours later (or the next day), you cut it into cubes, drizzle them with olive oil and scatter lots of grated parmesan over the top. Bake them in a hot oven for 20 minutes or so, until everything is golden and crispy, then serve atop a puddle of tomato sauce (the sort you make from simmering tinned tomatoes, garlic and onion, not the sort that comes in a squeezy bottle).
Or, just drizzle it with olive oil, then toss through some walnuts and chunks of blue cheese about five minutes before it's cooked. Delicimo, as Nigella might say.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Friday, May 18, 2012
Sweet sweet Friday: Double Choc Almond Cookies
One of my colleagues is forever sending me email links to recipes or food pictures, prefaced by the line "if you loved us, you'd make us these". On Tuesday she sent me a link to this biscuit version of a turducken, which gave me the idea for these double chocolate, double almond delights. They look like ordinary chunky chocolate chip cookies from the outside, but there's a scorched almond hidden inside. They are heavenly. Greer, if they actually make it out of the house this morning, you're going to LOVE them...
Double chocolate and almond cookies
I've got a feeling scorched almonds are just an Antipodean thing - they're basically roasted whole almonds enrobed in chocolate - so if you can't get them then I suggest making a sandwich with two squares of dark chocolate and an almond, then wrapping the cookie dough around it. It's still good, trust me. If you want to try making your own scorched almonds, check out this recipe.
This is my entry for May's We Should Cocoa, hosted by Laura of How To Cook Good Food fame, in which almonds - scorched or otherwise - are the special guest ingredient.
125g softened butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
around 3/4 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped
around 3/4 cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped
15-20 scorched almonds (or the equivalent amount of dark chocolate and almonds as suggested above)
Preheat the oven to 180C and lightly grease an oven tray.
Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, then add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Stir in the flour, then add the chopped nuts and chocolate. Mix well. Take generous teaspoon-sized heaps of the mixture and roll into balls. Top one ball with a scorched almond, then stick another ball on top. Press together and roll between your hands so the scorched almond is completely enclosed.
Place on the tray - allow at least an inch between each one for spreading. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until golden. Cool on a rack and store in an airtight tin.
If you eat these five minutes out of the oven, the middle is molten. I suspect you could recreate this with a microwave if you're eating them cold, but they're pretty good either way.
Have a sweet, sweet weekend, everyone. See you next week x
Double chocolate and almond cookies
I've got a feeling scorched almonds are just an Antipodean thing - they're basically roasted whole almonds enrobed in chocolate - so if you can't get them then I suggest making a sandwich with two squares of dark chocolate and an almond, then wrapping the cookie dough around it. It's still good, trust me. If you want to try making your own scorched almonds, check out this recipe.
This is my entry for May's We Should Cocoa, hosted by Laura of How To Cook Good Food fame, in which almonds - scorched or otherwise - are the special guest ingredient.
125g softened butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla essence
1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
around 3/4 cup toasted almonds, roughly chopped
around 3/4 cup dark chocolate, roughly chopped
15-20 scorched almonds (or the equivalent amount of dark chocolate and almonds as suggested above)
Preheat the oven to 180C and lightly grease an oven tray.
Cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, then add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Stir in the flour, then add the chopped nuts and chocolate. Mix well. Take generous teaspoon-sized heaps of the mixture and roll into balls. Top one ball with a scorched almond, then stick another ball on top. Press together and roll between your hands so the scorched almond is completely enclosed.
Place on the tray - allow at least an inch between each one for spreading. Bake for 15-17 minutes, until golden. Cool on a rack and store in an airtight tin.
If you eat these five minutes out of the oven, the middle is molten. I suspect you could recreate this with a microwave if you're eating them cold, but they're pretty good either way.
Have a sweet, sweet weekend, everyone. See you next week x
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Fishing for compliments
Ok, so I'm not actually ready to submit to the rice and water diet I mentioned yesterday. But this is surely the next best thing - fish, rice, greens and just a bit of butter to boost calcium levels. Even better, you can make this for one person or a crowd (in case you happen upon a lot of people who look like they need a week of what Nigella calls 'temple food').
Fish with coriander and lime butter
This is a super-simplified version of something I saw in Bill Granger's Everyday Asian, which is a really beautiful book full of practical 'I can make this for dinner after work' sorts of ideas. Bill's way is easy enough, but this is even simpler.
Per person:
1 good piece of fish - I like baking monkfish this way, but choose your favourite
2Tbsp butter, softened
zest and juice of half a good, juicy lime
a handful of fresh coriander
salt and pepper
Rice
Bok choy
Get the rice underway first, then preheat the oven to 200C.
Mix the lime juice, zest and butter together. Take a large piece of baking paper and lay the coriander on it. Put the fish on next, then top with the butter and season. Fold the baking paper into a parcel around the fish, so it's secure but not too tight.
Bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish - thinner fish will obviously cook faster).
Steam the bok choy until just tender.
To serve, spoon the rice and bok choy into a bowl. Place the fish on top and pour the buttery juices over everything. Sprinkle with a little more chopped coriander if you like.
Fish with coriander and lime butter
This is a super-simplified version of something I saw in Bill Granger's Everyday Asian, which is a really beautiful book full of practical 'I can make this for dinner after work' sorts of ideas. Bill's way is easy enough, but this is even simpler.
Per person:
1 good piece of fish - I like baking monkfish this way, but choose your favourite
2Tbsp butter, softened
zest and juice of half a good, juicy lime
a handful of fresh coriander
salt and pepper
Rice
Bok choy
Get the rice underway first, then preheat the oven to 200C.
Mix the lime juice, zest and butter together. Take a large piece of baking paper and lay the coriander on it. Put the fish on next, then top with the butter and season. Fold the baking paper into a parcel around the fish, so it's secure but not too tight.
Bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on the thickness of the fish - thinner fish will obviously cook faster).
Steam the bok choy until just tender.
To serve, spoon the rice and bok choy into a bowl. Place the fish on top and pour the buttery juices over everything. Sprinkle with a little more chopped coriander if you like.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Nil by mouth
It has been a week of intense food and wine activity here - and I have nothing to show for it.
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| Image via here |
For once in my life I am beginning to see the appeal of the lemon detox diet. I want water, crunchy apples and brown rice. I'll just finish off that lime curd and whipped cream on my porridge this morning first...
What's your favourite way to recover from a week of feasting?
Friday, May 11, 2012
Sweet sweet Friday: Ginger Molasses Cookies
You know how I mentioned getting back into bed with a cup of tea and a biscuit while waiting for the rhubarb and raspberry focaccia to cook? These are the biscuit you should be doing it with.
Ginger and molasses cookies
This recipe is another from my clever friend Anna, who has written "don't eat all the mixture!" across the bottom of the recipe. Even if you do sample it before cooking this still makes lots.
3/4 cup corn or canola oil
1 egg
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup raw sugar, for rolling the dough in
Preheat the oven to 175C and line two baking trays with nonstick paper.
Put the oil, egg, brown sugar and molasses in a large bowl and beat well to combine. Sift the dry ingredients together and beat into the wet ingredients a little at a time until well mixed.
Put the raw sugar in a shallow bowl. Take generous teaspoonfuls of the mixture, roll into balls and then roll them in the raw sugar to coat. Place on the prepared trays, leaving plenty of room for spreading.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until risen and cracked on top. Let cool on a wire rack.
Have a sweet weekend, everyone, and happy Mother's Day to you and your mum x
Ginger and molasses cookies
This recipe is another from my clever friend Anna, who has written "don't eat all the mixture!" across the bottom of the recipe. Even if you do sample it before cooking this still makes lots.
3/4 cup corn or canola oil
1 egg
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup molasses
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
3/4 cup raw sugar, for rolling the dough in
Preheat the oven to 175C and line two baking trays with nonstick paper.
Put the oil, egg, brown sugar and molasses in a large bowl and beat well to combine. Sift the dry ingredients together and beat into the wet ingredients a little at a time until well mixed.
Put the raw sugar in a shallow bowl. Take generous teaspoonfuls of the mixture, roll into balls and then roll them in the raw sugar to coat. Place on the prepared trays, leaving plenty of room for spreading.
Bake for 10-15 minutes until risen and cracked on top. Let cool on a wire rack.
Have a sweet weekend, everyone, and happy Mother's Day to you and your mum x
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Me, aprons and Miuccia Prada
You may have missed the recent news that Miuccia Prada is a massive fan of aprons. Yes, aprons. Quick, rush out and buy one before the hipsters do!
Personally, I'm thrilled that one of Italy's most famous fashion designers and I have something in common. I love aprons. When we moved house I realised I had a whole boxful and put a temporary stop on acquiring any more, but I think it's time to start again.
Sure, mine aren't as old as some in the Costume Institute's collection, but they still have historical importance. There's my first apron, a striped seersucker number that buttons up at the back that I wore at about four years old, a collection of delicately smocked and embroidered 1950s ones my sister gave me, the Liberty print apron my clever workmate and friend Jo made me in return for me giving her my job (I got the better deal) and my favourite, a plain white one that came from The Ritz in Paris.
Then there's the one pictured above, a delicate rose print with an organza overskirt and ties for the party hostess. I actually wore this a couple of years ago when we had people coming for dinner. Some of them got it, the others just looked at me like I was mad. Those ones didn't get invited back.
Do you want to see the rest?
Personally, I'm thrilled that one of Italy's most famous fashion designers and I have something in common. I love aprons. When we moved house I realised I had a whole boxful and put a temporary stop on acquiring any more, but I think it's time to start again.
Sure, mine aren't as old as some in the Costume Institute's collection, but they still have historical importance. There's my first apron, a striped seersucker number that buttons up at the back that I wore at about four years old, a collection of delicately smocked and embroidered 1950s ones my sister gave me, the Liberty print apron my clever workmate and friend Jo made me in return for me giving her my job (I got the better deal) and my favourite, a plain white one that came from The Ritz in Paris.
Then there's the one pictured above, a delicate rose print with an organza overskirt and ties for the party hostess. I actually wore this a couple of years ago when we had people coming for dinner. Some of them got it, the others just looked at me like I was mad. Those ones didn't get invited back.
Do you want to see the rest?
Wednesday, May 09, 2012
Rhubarb and raspberry focaccia
That said, there's nothing like hot bread for breakfast. With this fruity loaf - my entry for May's Fresh From The Oven challenge (hosted by La Cuisine de Sarah) - you can have your bread-like cake and eat it too.
Rhubarb and raspberry focaccia
This is based on a Ray McVinnie recipe from the 100th issue of Cuisine. It's about as hands-free as breadmaking gets - there's no kneading, the dough rises overnight and requires the minimum of fuss in the morning. You might need a cup of tea and a dry biscuit while it cooks if you're like me and feel faint with hunger within minutes of getting out of bed, but it's worth the wait. It's also a good thing to take when you're invited over for brunch - or to make for Mother's Day.
500ml warm water
1Tbsp yeast
2Tbsp olive oil
800g strong white flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
300g rhubarb, cut into 3cm pieces
200g raspberries (frozen is fine)
50ml cream
3Tbsp raw sugar
Put the water in a large bowl and add the yeast. Stir to dissolve and leave for five minutes to start working. Add the oil and beat, well, then add the flour and salt. Mix well to form a dough. Cover the bowl with plastic and leave overnight.
In the morning, get up and turn the oven to 200C. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and press/roll out to form a rough oval shape, about 35 x 25cm. Transfer to a lined baking tray. Lightly press the rhubarb and raspberries into the dough, then drizzle over the cream. Sprinkle with sugar and leave in a warm place for about 20 minutes until it has risen by about 25 per cent. (This is when you can retire back to bed with a cup of tea or have a shower or check your emails.)
Bake the loaf for 40-45 minutes, until golden and crusty. Dust with icing sugar and serve. This is very good with lots of cream cheese or very cold unsalted butter (isn't everything?)
Tuesday, May 08, 2012
Instant caramelised onions
In my fantasy life (the one where I am Martha Stewart crossed with Cate Blanchett and maybe a little Jess Cartner-Morley thrown in,) I am one of those people who effortlessly whips up meals for all-comers without blinking an expertly curled eyelash.
In my real life (the one where I feel most like, well, a more tired and less able version of myself), I occasionally try to create the illusion of organisational marvellousness by Doing Things Ahead Of Time. These onions are a good example. My new rationale is, if you're going to spend five minutes chopping onions for tonight's dinner, you may as well make it 10 minutes and chop enough for several more. Then you can whip a package of caramelised onions out of the freezer and throw them into whatever you fancy - soup, stew, scones, hummus - and feel all smug and organised. It won't help you feel like Cate Blanchett, but you can't have everything.
Instant Caramelised Onions
I cottoned on to this after making some scones recently that required '100g caramelised onions'. I don't know about you but I don't think that's worth putting my apron on for - if you're going to cry over one onion you may as well sob over six or eight. I'm not big on standing over the stove for hours waiting for onions to do their thing either. I just bung a trayful in the oven and come back to shake it occasionally. Much easier. If you do a big load like this you can then portion it out into ziplock bags and freeze them. They defrost super quick (and don't take up much room if you have a small freezer). Genius, if I do say so myself.
6-8 large onions (or as many will comfortably fit, when sliced, into your biggest roasting dish
slosh of olive oil
2-3Tbsp brown sugar
2-3Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 180C and line a large roasting dish with baking paper. Slice the onions into thin rings and put in bowl. Add the other ingredients and toss well with your hands. Tip the onions into the roasting dish and bake, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and sticky. Cool before freezing.
Do you have any get-ahead/be like Cate Blanchett tips?
In my real life (the one where I feel most like, well, a more tired and less able version of myself), I occasionally try to create the illusion of organisational marvellousness by Doing Things Ahead Of Time. These onions are a good example. My new rationale is, if you're going to spend five minutes chopping onions for tonight's dinner, you may as well make it 10 minutes and chop enough for several more. Then you can whip a package of caramelised onions out of the freezer and throw them into whatever you fancy - soup, stew, scones, hummus - and feel all smug and organised. It won't help you feel like Cate Blanchett, but you can't have everything.
Instant Caramelised Onions
I cottoned on to this after making some scones recently that required '100g caramelised onions'. I don't know about you but I don't think that's worth putting my apron on for - if you're going to cry over one onion you may as well sob over six or eight. I'm not big on standing over the stove for hours waiting for onions to do their thing either. I just bung a trayful in the oven and come back to shake it occasionally. Much easier. If you do a big load like this you can then portion it out into ziplock bags and freeze them. They defrost super quick (and don't take up much room if you have a small freezer). Genius, if I do say so myself.
6-8 large onions (or as many will comfortably fit, when sliced, into your biggest roasting dish
slosh of olive oil
2-3Tbsp brown sugar
2-3Tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 180C and line a large roasting dish with baking paper. Slice the onions into thin rings and put in bowl. Add the other ingredients and toss well with your hands. Tip the onions into the roasting dish and bake, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and sticky. Cool before freezing.
Do you have any get-ahead/be like Cate Blanchett tips?
Monday, May 07, 2012
Friday, May 04, 2012
Sweet sweet Friday: Sparrow Cake
It has been a grim week here at Kitchenmaid Towers. The house nearly blew over on Sunday night, the Small Girl is going through an intense developmental period (ie, throwing horrible tantrums), I have a head cold and - worst of all - we have run out of episodes of Game Of Thrones.
Suffice to say, I haven't been in the mood for much baking. I haven't really been in the mood for much eating either, though I did require a fair slab of chocolate yesterday afternoon. The thing that has kept us going though is this cake. Now, I know it doesn't look fancy. There's no icing, no clever layers and no posh ingredients. But it does have a level of wholesomeness, thanks to the wholemeal spelt flour I made it with, which surely mitigates the large amount of oil and sugar. Sometimes you've got to take what you can get in life and in this case, I'm having a large piece.
Sparrow Cake
In its more glamorous form, this is essentially a Hummingbird cake - the now-famous combination of pineapple and banana usually layered with masses of cream cheese icing. I've used wholemeal spelt in this recipe, mostly because I wanted to see what it would turn out like. The original recipe comes from a woman I used to work with when I was a bored personal assistant. I once made a roulade that un-rouled itself on the way into work and she still told me it was the nicest thing she'd ever eaten. I said the same about her cake, and she gave me this recipe.
3 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 cup caster sugar
2 cups mashed banana (this is 4-5 bananas)
1/2 cup undrained crushed pineapple
1 1/2 cups wholemeal spelt flour
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp ground ginger
1/2tsp baking soda
3/4 cup chopped nuts - almonds, walnuts, pecans
Preheat the oven to 175C and grease and line a 24cm tin. Put the eggs, oil and sugar into an electric mixer (or bowl, with an electric beater standing nearby) and beat until thick and pale -about five minutes. Beat in the banana and pineapple, then sift in the dry ingredients. Fold through until nearly combined, then fold in the nuts. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a skewer comes out cleanly and the top of the cake springs back when pressed.
Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack. Ice - or eat - when completely cold.
This cake keeps well in the fridge and can be frozen with some success. It can be eaten frozen with even more success if you are having a really bad week.
Happy weekend to you all x
Suffice to say, I haven't been in the mood for much baking. I haven't really been in the mood for much eating either, though I did require a fair slab of chocolate yesterday afternoon. The thing that has kept us going though is this cake. Now, I know it doesn't look fancy. There's no icing, no clever layers and no posh ingredients. But it does have a level of wholesomeness, thanks to the wholemeal spelt flour I made it with, which surely mitigates the large amount of oil and sugar. Sometimes you've got to take what you can get in life and in this case, I'm having a large piece.
In its more glamorous form, this is essentially a Hummingbird cake - the now-famous combination of pineapple and banana usually layered with masses of cream cheese icing. I've used wholemeal spelt in this recipe, mostly because I wanted to see what it would turn out like. The original recipe comes from a woman I used to work with when I was a bored personal assistant. I once made a roulade that un-rouled itself on the way into work and she still told me it was the nicest thing she'd ever eaten. I said the same about her cake, and she gave me this recipe.
3 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1 cup caster sugar
2 cups mashed banana (this is 4-5 bananas)
1/2 cup undrained crushed pineapple
1 1/2 cups wholemeal spelt flour
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp ground ginger
1/2tsp baking soda
3/4 cup chopped nuts - almonds, walnuts, pecans
Preheat the oven to 175C and grease and line a 24cm tin. Put the eggs, oil and sugar into an electric mixer (or bowl, with an electric beater standing nearby) and beat until thick and pale -about five minutes. Beat in the banana and pineapple, then sift in the dry ingredients. Fold through until nearly combined, then fold in the nuts. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a skewer comes out cleanly and the top of the cake springs back when pressed.
Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack. Ice - or eat - when completely cold.
This cake keeps well in the fridge and can be frozen with some success. It can be eaten frozen with even more success if you are having a really bad week.
Happy weekend to you all x
Tuesday, May 01, 2012
Souper man
Something wonderful has started happening at our house on Sunday afternoons. There's the sound of chopping, the smell of roasting vegetables, a hint of chilli and then the whirr of the stick blender. The Boy Wonder has discovered soup making. And you know what? He is getting quite good at it.
This soup goes into containers for take-to-work lunches, which means I have to resort to banana toasties less often and he can avoid the hideous work cafe. He is ridiculously proud of himself. Last week he even sent me an email while he ate (bear in mind we sit about 20ft away from each other): "My lunch is AMAZING!" it said. You have to love a man who does that. Or, perhaps I have to.
Souperhero Soup
I am not allowed to interfere with this process at all, but I did give him a few pointers before he started so these instructions are solely based on that. Quantities are approximate - my beloved is not a details man - though he has learned that birds' eye chillies are not less hot because they are smaller than the others.
A roasting dish full of peeled and chopped pumpkin, beetroot, carrots, potatoes and onions or leeks - whatever you have
olive oil
few cloves of garlic
a few ribs of celery
a chilli or two
chicken/vegetable stock
Heat the oven to 180C. Drizzle the roasting dish full of vegetables with oil and put it in the oven for 30-40 minutes until everything is cooked and beginning to brown up a bit.
Meanwhile, take a pot big enough to take all the vegetables and gently saute the garlic, celery and chilli in another slosh of olive oil until soft. Tip in the cooked vegetables and stir well, then cover with chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer for 5-10 minutes, then taste for seasoning. Puree with a stick blender, then summon your wife to admire your greatness.
What's your new favourite packed lunch at the moment?
This soup goes into containers for take-to-work lunches, which means I have to resort to banana toasties less often and he can avoid the hideous work cafe. He is ridiculously proud of himself. Last week he even sent me an email while he ate (bear in mind we sit about 20ft away from each other): "My lunch is AMAZING!" it said. You have to love a man who does that. Or, perhaps I have to.
Souperhero Soup
I am not allowed to interfere with this process at all, but I did give him a few pointers before he started so these instructions are solely based on that. Quantities are approximate - my beloved is not a details man - though he has learned that birds' eye chillies are not less hot because they are smaller than the others.
A roasting dish full of peeled and chopped pumpkin, beetroot, carrots, potatoes and onions or leeks - whatever you have
olive oil
few cloves of garlic
a few ribs of celery
a chilli or two
chicken/vegetable stock
Heat the oven to 180C. Drizzle the roasting dish full of vegetables with oil and put it in the oven for 30-40 minutes until everything is cooked and beginning to brown up a bit.
Meanwhile, take a pot big enough to take all the vegetables and gently saute the garlic, celery and chilli in another slosh of olive oil until soft. Tip in the cooked vegetables and stir well, then cover with chicken stock. Bring to a gentle simmer for 5-10 minutes, then taste for seasoning. Puree with a stick blender, then summon your wife to admire your greatness.
What's your new favourite packed lunch at the moment?
Monday, April 30, 2012
Musical Monday: Eat It Don't Tweet It
I know this has been around for a while, but it's still merits sharing. What did you photograph in the weekend?
Friday, April 27, 2012
Sweet sweet Friday: Chocolate Swirl Cake
I have always, always wanted to make this cake. Well, maybe not always, but at least since 2004, when it graced the front cover of Julie Le Clerc's Feast @ home. It's a blessed union of chocolate, cream cheese, butter and eggs and I have thought about making it for years, even when my copy of the book was 12,000 miles away in a box in my brother's shed. Especially then, in fact.
Now, with the remains of it wrapped in tinfoil in the fridge, I can't wait to make it again. Once you've made it, you'll feel the same way.
Chocolate Swirl Sliver Cake
It took the April edition of We Should Cocoa, hosted by Choclette, to prompt me to dig out Feast @ Home (which naturally fell open to the page the cake is on). Julie Le Clerc says eating it will "remain with you as one of those 'died and gone to heaven' experiences", which is true. She also says to serve it in small slivers, as it is very rich. This is also true, but in our house at least we have found that one small sliver is not as good as two. Or three. Julie also says it serves 16, but at the moment it is serving two very greedy adults (one of whom claims not to like cream cheese in anything) perfectly nicely and neither of us are interested in sharing it.
250g cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup caster sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1tsp pure vanilla extract
150g butter
300g good quality dark chocolate (I used Whittakers 72% Dark Ghana)
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1Tbsp strong coffee, cooled
pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 150C fan bake. Grease and line a 22cm springform cake tin (Julie says some people find it overflows a 22cm tin, but it was fine for me).
Put the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine, then set aside.
Melt the chocolate and butter together, either in the oven as it heats up (the way I always do it), in a double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside to cool slightly.
Place the eggs, sugar, coffee and salt in another bowl and whisk with an electric mixer for five minutes, or until very thick and pale. Gradually add the melted chocolate and butter mixture while continuing to whisk until combined.
Pour this batter into the prepared cake tin. Dollop big spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture on top. Push a blunt knife or small spatula into the mixture and swirl around to marble it (this is good fun). Knock the tin with your hand to settle the mixtures, then bake for 40-45 minutes untila skewer inserted comes out sticky but not liquid coated. Leave to cool completely in the tin before serving.
Recipe from Feast @ Home (Penguin NZ, 2004) reproduced with the kind permission of Julie Le Clerc.
Have a great weekend, everyone - see you for some non-baking-related fun next week!
Now, with the remains of it wrapped in tinfoil in the fridge, I can't wait to make it again. Once you've made it, you'll feel the same way.
Chocolate Swirl Sliver Cake
It took the April edition of We Should Cocoa, hosted by Choclette, to prompt me to dig out Feast @ Home (which naturally fell open to the page the cake is on). Julie Le Clerc says eating it will "remain with you as one of those 'died and gone to heaven' experiences", which is true. She also says to serve it in small slivers, as it is very rich. This is also true, but in our house at least we have found that one small sliver is not as good as two. Or three. Julie also says it serves 16, but at the moment it is serving two very greedy adults (one of whom claims not to like cream cheese in anything) perfectly nicely and neither of us are interested in sharing it.
250g cream cheese, at room temperature
2/3 cup caster sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1tsp pure vanilla extract
150g butter
300g good quality dark chocolate (I used Whittakers 72% Dark Ghana)
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1Tbsp strong coffee, cooled
pinch of salt
Preheat oven to 150C fan bake. Grease and line a 22cm springform cake tin (Julie says some people find it overflows a 22cm tin, but it was fine for me).
Put the cream cheese and sugar in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat to combine, then set aside.
Melt the chocolate and butter together, either in the oven as it heats up (the way I always do it), in a double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside to cool slightly.
Place the eggs, sugar, coffee and salt in another bowl and whisk with an electric mixer for five minutes, or until very thick and pale. Gradually add the melted chocolate and butter mixture while continuing to whisk until combined.
Pour this batter into the prepared cake tin. Dollop big spoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture on top. Push a blunt knife or small spatula into the mixture and swirl around to marble it (this is good fun). Knock the tin with your hand to settle the mixtures, then bake for 40-45 minutes untila skewer inserted comes out sticky but not liquid coated. Leave to cool completely in the tin before serving.
Recipe from Feast @ Home (Penguin NZ, 2004) reproduced with the kind permission of Julie Le Clerc.
Have a great weekend, everyone - see you for some non-baking-related fun next week!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Ginger Kiss-off
"If I'd known you were coming I would have baked something."
Sound familiar? Random Recipes for April has a baking theme - and I thought it would be just a matter of pulling out a recipe book, letting the pages fall open at a certain spot and getting on with it. But then, I didn't count on my random recipe being the Ginger Kisses from the Edmonds' Classics Cookbook.
Now, I have always had a soft spot for bought ginger kisses - the sort that come in packs of six at the supermarket - and I made some really good ones a few years ago while staying with my in-laws. I must have used some secret West Coast recipe though, because the Edmonds' ones just weren't the same. I made them on a Sunday afternoon just before our neighbours came over for a drink (otherwise known as, 'let's get our children to entertain each other in those shouty hours between 4 and 6pm while we relax with a glass of wine').
Everyone else seemed to enjoy them - well, our neighbours were probably being polite, but the BW thought they were fine - but I thought they were a bit dry. Afterwards, while pondering where I went wrong, I suddenly remembered the ones I'd made so long ago were actually an Alison Holst recipe, which you can find here.
While I don't think the Edmonds' recipe is worth sharing, at least not until I've made it better, I must tell you about the filling I invented to replace the mock cream (ick). This would work well in anything needing a squidge of cream. Just whip about 200ml of cream to soft peaks, then fold through 1/3 cup good marmalade (and perhaps a little whisky, if you feel so inclined). Dollop between ginger kisses, layers of sponge or sit back and eat with a spoon.
What's your go-to 'people have turned up unexpectedly' baking treat? I recommend this one.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Baked kumara, Hawaiian style
The other day I made the Small Girl a real treat for lunch. She was excited enough to start with, but by the time the sitting down to eat it came she threw a huge tantrum and did lots of shouting. Most of the time I would find this behaviour extremely disheartening, if not upsetting, but in this particular instance I sat at the table and ate it myself.
Baked Kumara
I remember my mum making these for lunch for the two of us and I used to make them a lot when I was a poor student. If you can suspend your disbelief for a moment, the salty/sweet Hawaiian pizza combo of pineapple and cheese really is delicious. Kumara - a better version of what the rest of the world knows as sweet potato - is very good for you. I think one kumara per person is good for lunch, but half one should be ample as an accompaniment to a pork chop or similiar. Just don't go putting pineapple on that.
For two people
2 kumara or sweet potato, scrubbed but not peeled
2 handfuls grated cheddar
2 slices of pineapple (the sort that comes in juice, not syrup, if you're getting it out of a tin), diced
1 handful sunflower seeds
Preheat the oven to 200C and put the washed kumara on an oven tray. Bake for about 40-60 minutes, until a skewer pierces the flesh easily. Remove from the oven and let cool for five minutes.
Carefully slice them in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash with a fork and stir in the pineapple and most of the cheese. Season well with salt and pepper, then scoop this mixture back into the waiting shells. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds and reserved cheese over the top. Return the filled kumara to the oven for another 15 minutes, until they are crispy and golden on top.
Do you have food wars in your house?
Baked Kumara
I remember my mum making these for lunch for the two of us and I used to make them a lot when I was a poor student. If you can suspend your disbelief for a moment, the salty/sweet Hawaiian pizza combo of pineapple and cheese really is delicious. Kumara - a better version of what the rest of the world knows as sweet potato - is very good for you. I think one kumara per person is good for lunch, but half one should be ample as an accompaniment to a pork chop or similiar. Just don't go putting pineapple on that.
For two people
2 kumara or sweet potato, scrubbed but not peeled
2 handfuls grated cheddar
2 slices of pineapple (the sort that comes in juice, not syrup, if you're getting it out of a tin), diced
1 handful sunflower seeds
Preheat the oven to 200C and put the washed kumara on an oven tray. Bake for about 40-60 minutes, until a skewer pierces the flesh easily. Remove from the oven and let cool for five minutes.
Carefully slice them in half and scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash with a fork and stir in the pineapple and most of the cheese. Season well with salt and pepper, then scoop this mixture back into the waiting shells. Sprinkle the sunflower seeds and reserved cheese over the top. Return the filled kumara to the oven for another 15 minutes, until they are crispy and golden on top.
Do you have food wars in your house?
Monday, April 23, 2012
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