I treated myself to a revised and updated Good Housekeeping Step by Step Cook Book. I still own and use the one my Mum gave me when I left home (1957 edition). It is looking decidedly dog eared so when I spotted the new and shiny copy in a sale I had to have it.
Thumbing through it I stumbled across the following recipe. It is so pleasingly simple and effortless to make also very few ingredients required so fairly instant gratification to be had with this.
Ingredients:
4 lemons
100g butter
4 eggs - the best you can find - I like Burford Browns for this recipe as they have a really rich colour yolk.
350g caster sugar.
Method:
In a double boiler ( a bowl that you can place over a saucepan of simmering water ) place the juice and zest of all the lemons. Cut the butter into small cubes and add that and the eggs and sugar to the bowl. So far so simple.
Place over your ready simmering water and stir until the sugar disolves. Heat gently without boiling for 20 minutes. You can give it the occasional stir. Keep an eye on it as you don't want to boil the mixture. Once you have your mixture ready strain it into jars. You will have around 700g of curd so one large or two small jars should be enough. The curd can then be stored in the fridge for two weeks.
This curd is lovely on white bread and butter, spooned liberally from the jar.
Friday, 15 October 2010
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Cakes and Charity - a perfect combination
I have just spent a very productive afternoon baking. I take cakes/muffins in to the office once a week to raise money for charity. The current charity of choice is The Ellen MacArthur Trust: a wonderful charity dedicated to inspiring young people's cancer recovery through sailing.
So far my lovely office of cake eaters have raised over £200. Last year they raised several hundred pounds for The Teenage Cancer Trust.
My son and his best mate also raised over a hundred pounds for the Teenage Cancer Trust by shaving off all their hair. Jack's just giving site features youtube footage of the hair shaving deed.
If you are reading this and feel so inclined to check out those two charities as well as my just giving sites. Check out the following links.
http://www.justgiving.com/jackclark
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LornaClark
http://www.ellenmacarthurtrust.org
http://www.teenagecancertrust.org
Tried and failed many times to make these links actually link so you'll have to do it the old fashioned cut and paste way. Sorry!!
Anyway, only a mini post and no recipe attached but very worthwhile methinks.
So far my lovely office of cake eaters have raised over £200. Last year they raised several hundred pounds for The Teenage Cancer Trust.
My son and his best mate also raised over a hundred pounds for the Teenage Cancer Trust by shaving off all their hair. Jack's just giving site features youtube footage of the hair shaving deed.
If you are reading this and feel so inclined to check out those two charities as well as my just giving sites. Check out the following links.
http://www.justgiving.com/jackclark
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LornaClark
http://www.ellenmacarthurtrust.org
http://www.teenagecancertrust.org
Tried and failed many times to make these links actually link so you'll have to do it the old fashioned cut and paste way. Sorry!!
Anyway, only a mini post and no recipe attached but very worthwhile methinks.
Monday, 4 October 2010
Millionaires Shortbread
Every time I make this recipe I am always pleasantly surprised at how easy it is. The hardest part of it is the rather laborious task of stirring the caramel for 8 to 10 minutes, but to be honest if you put on some fab music ( I can highly recommend the fabulous Susie Clarke http://www.myspace.com/susieclarke ) then 8 minutes or so is not so bad and can in fact be quite therapeutic.
The original recipe I used came from a Waitrose recipe booklet. Sad to say they have stopped making these fab little cook books, but great while it lasted. Anyway the original recipe was ok, great in fact, but me being me I had to tweak it, and now the recipe runs as follows.
For the shortbread base you will need:
200g plain flour
150g butter
80g caster sugar
For the caramel topping you will need:
1 can condensed milk
75g butter
50g caster sugar
2 tbsp of golden syrup
For the final topping
50 - 100g chocolate depending on your preferences - my family likes around 50g milk chocolate.
Method.
The oven needs to be preheated to 180 degrees C, gas mark 4.
Grease and line a square tin of around 22cm x 22cm or similar type tins.
In a bowl put your flour and butter and then rub them together until your mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. If you have a food processor, lucky you! this then should take you only merest moments. Either way once you have your fine crumb mix, you need to add the 80g caster sugar and mix that through. The mixture should start to feel like it is coming together.
Pour this into your prepared tin, and push down firmly into an even compact layer. Pop this into the oven for around 20-25 minutes. I would highly recommend you start checking this at around the 15 minutes mark as an over zealous oven can ruin all your hard work. You need to look out for a nice even golden colour. Leave to cool in the tin.
Next is the tricky-ish bit.
In a good solid saucepan put your condensed milk, butter, 50g sugar and golden syrup and then heat gently until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and simmer, stirring vigorously for around 8-10 minutes, until your caramel has darkened to a fudge like colour.
You need to be on the ball with this one as any wandering off to answer the phone, do a quick text etc etc will result in a burnt bottom! Stir, stir, stir and make sure you have got that music blaring in the background. Also useful if you have family members/friends around. Get them to dance or otherwise entertain you. I discovered my three children can do a rather marvelous impression of Girls Aloud singing The Promise!!! The less said about my husbands dancing though, the better.
Once you have your caramel ready, pour this into your tin over the shortbread base. Leave to cool.
Word of warning though. The caramel is comedically hot. If you get it on your hands/arms etc try to resist popping that into your mouth, as although it tastes really, really good, it will unfortunately burn all your taste buds off. Best bet, cold water. Save the pan to lick later once cooled a bit!
Once the caramel shortbread is cool you are ready to add your chocolate topping. The original recipe demanded a thick layer of dark 70% chocolate on the caramel. I find that too, too much. My family like about 50g melted milk chocolate drizzled over the caramel in a pleasing zig zag pattern, but really whatever your heart desires is fine with this. You could even scatter a few chopped nuts over the chocolate if you fancy.
Now if you can, this really needs to be refrigerated again to let the chocolate set, but no harm in having a small sliver - just to check it's ok for everyone else you understand.
Enjoy.
The original recipe I used came from a Waitrose recipe booklet. Sad to say they have stopped making these fab little cook books, but great while it lasted. Anyway the original recipe was ok, great in fact, but me being me I had to tweak it, and now the recipe runs as follows.
For the shortbread base you will need:
200g plain flour
150g butter
80g caster sugar
For the caramel topping you will need:
1 can condensed milk
75g butter
50g caster sugar
2 tbsp of golden syrup
For the final topping
50 - 100g chocolate depending on your preferences - my family likes around 50g milk chocolate.
Method.
The oven needs to be preheated to 180 degrees C, gas mark 4.
Grease and line a square tin of around 22cm x 22cm or similar type tins.
In a bowl put your flour and butter and then rub them together until your mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. If you have a food processor, lucky you! this then should take you only merest moments. Either way once you have your fine crumb mix, you need to add the 80g caster sugar and mix that through. The mixture should start to feel like it is coming together.
Pour this into your prepared tin, and push down firmly into an even compact layer. Pop this into the oven for around 20-25 minutes. I would highly recommend you start checking this at around the 15 minutes mark as an over zealous oven can ruin all your hard work. You need to look out for a nice even golden colour. Leave to cool in the tin.
Next is the tricky-ish bit.
In a good solid saucepan put your condensed milk, butter, 50g sugar and golden syrup and then heat gently until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat and simmer, stirring vigorously for around 8-10 minutes, until your caramel has darkened to a fudge like colour.
You need to be on the ball with this one as any wandering off to answer the phone, do a quick text etc etc will result in a burnt bottom! Stir, stir, stir and make sure you have got that music blaring in the background. Also useful if you have family members/friends around. Get them to dance or otherwise entertain you. I discovered my three children can do a rather marvelous impression of Girls Aloud singing The Promise!!! The less said about my husbands dancing though, the better.
Once you have your caramel ready, pour this into your tin over the shortbread base. Leave to cool.
Word of warning though. The caramel is comedically hot. If you get it on your hands/arms etc try to resist popping that into your mouth, as although it tastes really, really good, it will unfortunately burn all your taste buds off. Best bet, cold water. Save the pan to lick later once cooled a bit!
Once the caramel shortbread is cool you are ready to add your chocolate topping. The original recipe demanded a thick layer of dark 70% chocolate on the caramel. I find that too, too much. My family like about 50g melted milk chocolate drizzled over the caramel in a pleasing zig zag pattern, but really whatever your heart desires is fine with this. You could even scatter a few chopped nuts over the chocolate if you fancy.
Now if you can, this really needs to be refrigerated again to let the chocolate set, but no harm in having a small sliver - just to check it's ok for everyone else you understand.
Enjoy.
Thursday, 16 September 2010
Stem ginger nuts Recipe for the Lovely Luscious Susie Clarke
I cannot lay claim to this recipe unfortunately. My angel of a husband came home last night clutching a package from a book shop and thrust it at me ."Got you a pressie" he says. "YAY" say's I.
On opening I discover the book in question is "The Great British Book of Baking". This book is to accompany the BBC series The Great British Bake Off which I have been watching avidly for the last few weeks. The whole series has been inspiring me to cook even more than usual which seems to please everyone!
Well on opening this book last night, I spy the first recipe is Stem Gingernuts. Had a quick glance through the ingredients and thought excellent, have all the ingredients, lets give that one a go.
The ingredients are as follows.
350g self raising flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
200g caster sugar
115g unsalted butter
85g golden syrup
1 medium free range egg, beaten
2 pieces of stem ginger, drained and finely chopped
3 baking trays, greased with butter.
Method
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C
Sift the flour, ground ginger, bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl.
In a saucepan melt the butter along with the syrup, be fairly gentle with this.I boiled my mixture last time and the cookies seemed none the worse for it. Pop this mixture to one side to cool slightly, or a lot if you over did it like me!!!
Once it has cooled a little chuck it in to the bowl with your dry ingredients, add your egg and your chopped ginger and mix away. It does seem a little dry at first but it will mix don't worry.
Once you have mixed your bits together you need to make around 24 walnut sized ball of mixture and pop them onto your prepared trays. Not too close together, give them a bit of room to spread. With the best will in the world I have never managed to get 24 perfect walnut sized balls of cookie dough, usually I end up with between 18 and 26. Funnily enough they are rarely the same size! If this happens to you try and put the larger ones in the top of your oven and the smaller ones lower down, that way hopefully things will cook relatively evenly. That said it is definitely worth checking them frequently. Depending on your oven you may need to turn them around halfway through cooking to get an even bake.
These cookies can take anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes so check regularly. No wandering off and multi tasking as I did last week. Best bet, make yourself a cup of tea and by the time it is cool enough to drink your cookies may very well be done.
Get the little beauties out and leave them to cool on their baking trays for a couple of minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack. These should be stored in an airtight container. I have no idea how long these keep as they have not been in the house for more than 24 hours before being consumed. Very very moorish.
When I made these the other day I decided that they would almost certainly be even better with a drizzle of plain chocolate over them. I was right. Melt about 50g of dark chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler and then drizzle over your cookies as required. I usually do around half with chocolate and leave the other half plain.
Enjoy.
On opening I discover the book in question is "The Great British Book of Baking". This book is to accompany the BBC series The Great British Bake Off which I have been watching avidly for the last few weeks. The whole series has been inspiring me to cook even more than usual which seems to please everyone!
Well on opening this book last night, I spy the first recipe is Stem Gingernuts. Had a quick glance through the ingredients and thought excellent, have all the ingredients, lets give that one a go.
The ingredients are as follows.
350g self raising flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
200g caster sugar
115g unsalted butter
85g golden syrup
1 medium free range egg, beaten
2 pieces of stem ginger, drained and finely chopped
3 baking trays, greased with butter.
Method
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C
Sift the flour, ground ginger, bicarbonate of soda into a mixing bowl.
In a saucepan melt the butter along with the syrup, be fairly gentle with this.I boiled my mixture last time and the cookies seemed none the worse for it. Pop this mixture to one side to cool slightly, or a lot if you over did it like me!!!
Once it has cooled a little chuck it in to the bowl with your dry ingredients, add your egg and your chopped ginger and mix away. It does seem a little dry at first but it will mix don't worry.
Once you have mixed your bits together you need to make around 24 walnut sized ball of mixture and pop them onto your prepared trays. Not too close together, give them a bit of room to spread. With the best will in the world I have never managed to get 24 perfect walnut sized balls of cookie dough, usually I end up with between 18 and 26. Funnily enough they are rarely the same size! If this happens to you try and put the larger ones in the top of your oven and the smaller ones lower down, that way hopefully things will cook relatively evenly. That said it is definitely worth checking them frequently. Depending on your oven you may need to turn them around halfway through cooking to get an even bake.
These cookies can take anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes so check regularly. No wandering off and multi tasking as I did last week. Best bet, make yourself a cup of tea and by the time it is cool enough to drink your cookies may very well be done.
Get the little beauties out and leave them to cool on their baking trays for a couple of minutes before transferring them onto a cooling rack. These should be stored in an airtight container. I have no idea how long these keep as they have not been in the house for more than 24 hours before being consumed. Very very moorish.
When I made these the other day I decided that they would almost certainly be even better with a drizzle of plain chocolate over them. I was right. Melt about 50g of dark chocolate in the microwave or over a double boiler and then drizzle over your cookies as required. I usually do around half with chocolate and leave the other half plain.
Enjoy.
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Chocolate and orange marbled loveliness
These follow the same format as my previous cake but as you can tell from the title have different flavouring! It's not rocket science after all!!!
Once I have a basic fairy cake mixture I split it into two bowls. In bowl number one we add some chocolate essence (a reasonable splash) and a tablespoon or so of cocoa powder. Any more than this and the mixture can get on the sturdy side. I have never heard the word sturdy used in anything other than a negative fashion!
In bowl number two we are going to add the grated zest of an orange, the juice of around half of it and if you have it a splash of orange essence. I find that the essences/extracts are a really useful way of adding flavour without too much slop. Have a little taste of these mixtures if you can manage raw egg. You can then adjust the flavouring perfectly.
Now to mix them into marbled loveliness. You need to GENTLY blend the two mixtures just enough to create a marbled look in the bowl. A few gentle folds should do it. Once you have done this you can spoon the mixture into your waiting muffin cases or cake cases. This mixture should give you enough for 10/12 cakes. Pop them into your oven as my previous recipe for around 18 minutes or as per your oven.
These lovely little cake really benefit from a chocolate orange buttercream that you can either pipe on if you are feeling creative or dollop as you see fit.
I don't have a particular recipe for buttercream, it is very much an add to the bowl mix,taste and see type of thing.
Usually I have a couple of oz's (50g or so) of softened unsalted butter in a bowl. To this I add around 4oz (100g ish) icing sugar and a splash of hot water. Give this a good mix with preferably an electric whisk for a good few minutes till it becomes pale and fluffy. Taste and add more icing sugar and or butter. Once you have your ideal buttercream you can add the flavourings of your choice. For a chocolate buttercream you can add a spoonful of cocoa powder and some chocolate essence. If you would rather have an orange buttercream you can simply grate the zest of an orange into the basic mixture. Add a splash of orange essence and a little juice (not too much you don;t want a runny mix). You can even combine the two and create a marbled icing if you are feeling particularly adventurous.
Once you have your buttercream, decorate to your hearts content. a few chocolate sprinkles and a little grated zest of orange and you are done.
Plate up and watch them vanish.
Happy Baking xoxox
Once I have a basic fairy cake mixture I split it into two bowls. In bowl number one we add some chocolate essence (a reasonable splash) and a tablespoon or so of cocoa powder. Any more than this and the mixture can get on the sturdy side. I have never heard the word sturdy used in anything other than a negative fashion!
In bowl number two we are going to add the grated zest of an orange, the juice of around half of it and if you have it a splash of orange essence. I find that the essences/extracts are a really useful way of adding flavour without too much slop. Have a little taste of these mixtures if you can manage raw egg. You can then adjust the flavouring perfectly.
Now to mix them into marbled loveliness. You need to GENTLY blend the two mixtures just enough to create a marbled look in the bowl. A few gentle folds should do it. Once you have done this you can spoon the mixture into your waiting muffin cases or cake cases. This mixture should give you enough for 10/12 cakes. Pop them into your oven as my previous recipe for around 18 minutes or as per your oven.
These lovely little cake really benefit from a chocolate orange buttercream that you can either pipe on if you are feeling creative or dollop as you see fit.
I don't have a particular recipe for buttercream, it is very much an add to the bowl mix,taste and see type of thing.
Usually I have a couple of oz's (50g or so) of softened unsalted butter in a bowl. To this I add around 4oz (100g ish) icing sugar and a splash of hot water. Give this a good mix with preferably an electric whisk for a good few minutes till it becomes pale and fluffy. Taste and add more icing sugar and or butter. Once you have your ideal buttercream you can add the flavourings of your choice. For a chocolate buttercream you can add a spoonful of cocoa powder and some chocolate essence. If you would rather have an orange buttercream you can simply grate the zest of an orange into the basic mixture. Add a splash of orange essence and a little juice (not too much you don;t want a runny mix). You can even combine the two and create a marbled icing if you are feeling particularly adventurous.
Once you have your buttercream, decorate to your hearts content. a few chocolate sprinkles and a little grated zest of orange and you are done.
Plate up and watch them vanish.
Happy Baking xoxox
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
The Evolution of my Mother's fairy cakes
Anyone that knows me will not be surprised, that I have just pulled out of the oven, a tray of twelve, dinky, little fairy cakes. They are now cooling down, awaiting probably a dusting of icing sugar as the offspring have decided that that is the most appropriate topping. Keep it simple they say.
As this is my first ever blog I think I will keep this simple also.
The basic recipe I used for these little cakes is the recipe my Mum taught me when I was little. I have then tinkered with it to create these perfect little gems ( modest aren't I!! )
Basic fairy cake recipe.
100g/4oz unsalted butter (softened)
100g/4oz caster sugar
2 medium free range eggs
100g/4oz self raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
Method.
Cream the sugar and butter together till the mixture is pale, light and fluffy. You can use an electric mixer for this or a wooden spoon and some muscles!
Next, in a jug beat your eggs. To the eggs add the vanilla extract.
Then slowly add the egg and vanilla mix to the sugar and butter mixture. You can add a spoonful of the flour to this as you go to make things a little easier (it stops the eggs curdling the mixture).
Now is the time to gently fold in the flour. Mix gently and speedily until combined.
This mixture could now be spooned into little fairy cake cases and baked in a fairly hot oven, 180ºc for around 15 minutes.
This recipe is perfectly acceptable and I used it for many years very successfully. I based all of my children's birthday cakes on this recipe and have made several 100 (probably) teeny,tiny,iced fairy cakes. My Mum used to say to me all you need to remember is 4,4,4 and 2 (it doesn't trip off the tongue quite so nicely with the metric system!!!) and you'll be sorted and she was right. Cocoa can be added ( replace 25g/1oz flour with same cocoa) glace icing can be lovingly poured on top or butter icing generously splodged, jelly tots and chocolate buttons for decoration or whatever my offspring had not already consumed!
However times move on and the offspring became teenagers and I now have more time to experiment. I also like to bake for grown ups and also for cash for charity. Cakes are now made on a weekly basis for my colleagues who gladly (it seems) pop money in the tin in exchange for cakey goodness.
I digress, no surprise there!!!!!
The fairy cake recipe I detailed above was waiting for a little tweaking. I found that when you have incorporated the flour you can add a good dollop or two of buttermilk to the mixture and stir in, this adds a lightness to the cakes, not really sure of all the technical reasons why, I am sure Heston Blumenthal could enlighten us but all I know is it works a treat and on pretty much any cake or muffin that I bake.
To make these cakes lovely lemony almondy yumminess you need to add a dash of almond essence to the egg/vanilla extract stage and also replace 50g/2oz flour with ground almonds. You will also need to add 1 tsp of baking powder to help give these cakes a lift as you have reduced the flour. To add lemon flavour grate zest 1 large lemon into the mixture and fold in the juice. You can also add a few drops of lemon extract if you really want to give it some welly! The mixture will be quite sloppy but this is good.
Pop the mixture into cake cases, I actually find muffin cases are the best, a bit more room for all that lovely cake mixture. Bake as before again for around 15 minutes but as always with cakes check and give more time or less depending on your oven. My oven can take round 18 minutes for these but have taken less in other ovens.
When these cakes are done pop them onto a cooling tray and leave to cool (if you can, 1 or 2 of mine are usually eaten long before we have even thought about toppings) Once cool my youngest recommends a light dusting of icing sugar. Serve with raspberries if you are feeling a little Nigellery! or just scoff till gone.
This is my first ever blog/recipe so please be gentle with me.
Happy Baking
As this is my first ever blog I think I will keep this simple also.
The basic recipe I used for these little cakes is the recipe my Mum taught me when I was little. I have then tinkered with it to create these perfect little gems ( modest aren't I!! )
Basic fairy cake recipe.
100g/4oz unsalted butter (softened)
100g/4oz caster sugar
2 medium free range eggs
100g/4oz self raising flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
Method.
Cream the sugar and butter together till the mixture is pale, light and fluffy. You can use an electric mixer for this or a wooden spoon and some muscles!
Next, in a jug beat your eggs. To the eggs add the vanilla extract.
Then slowly add the egg and vanilla mix to the sugar and butter mixture. You can add a spoonful of the flour to this as you go to make things a little easier (it stops the eggs curdling the mixture).
Now is the time to gently fold in the flour. Mix gently and speedily until combined.
This mixture could now be spooned into little fairy cake cases and baked in a fairly hot oven, 180ºc for around 15 minutes.
This recipe is perfectly acceptable and I used it for many years very successfully. I based all of my children's birthday cakes on this recipe and have made several 100 (probably) teeny,tiny,iced fairy cakes. My Mum used to say to me all you need to remember is 4,4,4 and 2 (it doesn't trip off the tongue quite so nicely with the metric system!!!) and you'll be sorted and she was right. Cocoa can be added ( replace 25g/1oz flour with same cocoa) glace icing can be lovingly poured on top or butter icing generously splodged, jelly tots and chocolate buttons for decoration or whatever my offspring had not already consumed!
However times move on and the offspring became teenagers and I now have more time to experiment. I also like to bake for grown ups and also for cash for charity. Cakes are now made on a weekly basis for my colleagues who gladly (it seems) pop money in the tin in exchange for cakey goodness.
I digress, no surprise there!!!!!
The fairy cake recipe I detailed above was waiting for a little tweaking. I found that when you have incorporated the flour you can add a good dollop or two of buttermilk to the mixture and stir in, this adds a lightness to the cakes, not really sure of all the technical reasons why, I am sure Heston Blumenthal could enlighten us but all I know is it works a treat and on pretty much any cake or muffin that I bake.
To make these cakes lovely lemony almondy yumminess you need to add a dash of almond essence to the egg/vanilla extract stage and also replace 50g/2oz flour with ground almonds. You will also need to add 1 tsp of baking powder to help give these cakes a lift as you have reduced the flour. To add lemon flavour grate zest 1 large lemon into the mixture and fold in the juice. You can also add a few drops of lemon extract if you really want to give it some welly! The mixture will be quite sloppy but this is good.
Pop the mixture into cake cases, I actually find muffin cases are the best, a bit more room for all that lovely cake mixture. Bake as before again for around 15 minutes but as always with cakes check and give more time or less depending on your oven. My oven can take round 18 minutes for these but have taken less in other ovens.
When these cakes are done pop them onto a cooling tray and leave to cool (if you can, 1 or 2 of mine are usually eaten long before we have even thought about toppings) Once cool my youngest recommends a light dusting of icing sugar. Serve with raspberries if you are feeling a little Nigellery! or just scoff till gone.
This is my first ever blog/recipe so please be gentle with me.
Happy Baking
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