Archive for the 'Goodies' Category

French Crepes are delicate pancakes and are the most wonderful pancake. I first experienced when on holiday in Brittany as a child. I adored them, and quickly realised that my own family´s pancake was much more like the traditional french crepe than the British. To this day we do not understand why this was the case – that said, it could have been because my family were into economising rather than any gastromic intent!

The following recipe will make around 15 crepes.

Ingredients
2 cups Flour
2 1/2 cups Whole Milk
4 Eggs
2 tbsp. Butter (melted and slightly cooled)
Pinch of Salt
1/2 Vanilla Stalk or Few Drops Vanilla Extract
Oil (for coating pan)

• Sift flour into a bowl and add the salt.
• Make a well and pour in the beaten eggs. Stir thoroughly.
• Slowly pour in milk whilst continuing to stir, and continue to do so until small bubbles form on the surface.
• Stir in Butter.
• As with any pancake never use too much oil, they will be ruined. Pour a little vegetable oil on a folded paper towel, and wipe the pan evenly. Keep this towel to hand just in case you want to give the pan another wipe.
• Pour in 2 – 3 tbsp. of batter and quickly move pan around, ensuring that the batter spreads evenly. It should be a very thin even layer – as the crepe is thin and delicate – much much thinner than both the British and American.
• Let cook for aound one minute. Flip the pancake, and cook other side – this should take no more than around 30 seconds.

Serve crepes folded into quarters. Delicious topped with just Lemon and Sugar, as with the British/Traditional Pancake. But absolutely devine served as a desert in the form of Crepes suzette (one day I will post my recipe for this delightful dish I promise).

Whilst I do maintain that British or Traditional Pancakes will always be my firm favourite, I also believe that there is a time and place for every type of pancake. American Pancakes are so good on a morning, and they are (for me) the perfect comfort food when accompanied with a large knob of butter and a substantial drizzle of rich sweet maple syrup. One of my favourite breakfast indulgences is what we Brits term as the American Breakfast – where this lovely combination is joined with a couple of rashes of bacon. Delightful!

Ingredients

135g/4¾oz plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp caster sugar
130ml/4½fl oz milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp cooled melted butter

Method

• Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar into a large bowl. Ensure you hover the sieve above the bowl so as to give it a good airing.
• In a jug, lightly whisk together the milk and egg, then whisk in the cooled melted butter.
• Make a well in the center of the flour and pour the milk mixture into the well and, using a fork, beat until you have a smooth batter.Do not worry too much about lumps in the early stages as they will soon disapear with a thorough mixing.
• Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and add a knob of butter or small drizzle of oil. Add a ladle of batter into the center. The pancake batter should be fairly thick.
• Leave until the top of the pancake begins to bubble, gently tease up the outside and check the color – if slightly golden then proceed turn it over and cook until both sides are golden brown and the pancake has risen to about 1cm thick.
• Keep pancakes warm in a low oven if you are doing a large quantity – but if its just you and a friend eat as soon as finished!

My Favourite Toppings.

1. Maple Syrup & Butter
2. Maple Syrup & Streaky bacon
3. Sliced banana & Maple Syrup
4. Blueberries (superb mixed in with batter) and er, maple syrup.
5. For god sakes, I just cannot have American pancakes without lashings of Maple Syrup – did you notice?

Forget Valentines Day, February is all about pancake day for me!

My family always honoured this tradition, and it is one I have never stopped following. Today I am going to provide two of my favourite pancake recipes – British & American. I will also suggest a perfect array of toppings to go with each – both sweet and savoury – to suit your tastes!

Firstly we are going to kick off with what our family refer to as “Traditional Pancakes”, which are British.

Ingredients

For the pancake mixture:

220g/8oz plain flour, sifted
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 pint of milk
50g/2oz butter

Method for making the batter

• Sieve the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. The sieve must be held high above the bowl so the flour gets a really good airing.
• Create a well in the centre of the flour and break the eggs into it.
• Whisk the eggs making sure any bits of flour from around the edge of the bowl are throughly mixed in with the egg.
• Gradually add small quantities of the milk, whilst continuing to whisk.
• Whisk until the batter is smooth and  with the consistency of single cream.
• Melt a small quantity of butter (although in Spain I tend to use Oil now with equally good results).
• Spoon around 2 tbsp of the melted butter or oil into the batter and whisk it in.
• Leave the batter to stand for at least 30 minutes.
• Your pan must be really add. Place a small quantity of butter or oil into the spam and wipe over with  piece of kitchen towel to distribute and coat the pan.
• Add about 2 tablespoons of the batter mixture and as soon as it hits the pan swirl to get the pan evenly coated. It should be a nice thin pancake – slightly thicker than a french crepe but significantly less than an American pancake
• With real care lift the edge of the cooked pancake with a palette knife to check if it tinged gold at the bottom
• Flip the pancake over with a  palette knife to begin cooking the other side – you could flip it if you wish, and I am rather practiced at the art, but do be prepared to lose a few if you do!
• Stack the pancakes as you make them between sheets of greaseproof paper on a plate. We tend to have a slightly warm oven and keep them in there until all are ready

Favourite Toppings

Sweet

1. Lemon Juice & Sugar. Absolute Divine.
2. Orange Sauce. (my own recipe). Place 1/2 a litre of orange juice in a pan with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Bring to boil and reduce heat, then simmer gently until thick.
3. Cherry Sauce. Destone fresh cherries or buy a tin. Heat in a pan with around 2 tablespoons of sugar until thick. Served with vanilla ice cream.
4. Chocolate Sauce
5. Toffee Sauce

Savoury

1. Melted Cheese
2. Soft Goats Cheese & Mushroom

One of the things I believe I will miss most about Spain is the Roscon de Reyes – a rich sweetbread served on the night before or morning of the last day of christmas – the day of the kings.

It has now become traditional to fill these wonderful christmassy treats with sweet cream, custard or “trufa”. All of which are delicious when served with traditional hot chocolate. My personal favourite is a slightly crusty version filled with crema de trufa – a chocolatey cream that can add inches with a single glance.

It occured to me most recently that soon I will need to learn to make my own if I am to continue this now beloved tradition.

Ingredients:

* 4 cups flour
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 oz yeast
* 2/3 cup mixed lukewarm milk and water (of equal parts)
* 6 Tbsp butter
* 6 Tbsp sugar
* grated rind of 1 lemon
* grated rind of 1 orange
* 2 eggs
* 1 Tbsp brandy
* 1 Tbsp water
* 1 egg white, lightly beaten
* candied fruit pieces, cherries, oranges, etc.

Method:

Serves eight to ten people (and much less if they are greedy)

Sieve the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Make a hole in the center.

In a small mixing bowl, stir and dissolve the dry yeast in the lukewarm milk-water mixture. Once it has thoroughly dissolved, pour the dissolved yeast into the center of the flour. Stir in just enough flour from around the bowl to make a thick batter (about the thickness of double cream).

With your hand, take about a teaspoon of the flour from the side of bowl and sprinkle it over the top of batter. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and leave in a warm draft free place. Leave batter about 15-20 minutes or until it becomes “spongey”

In a medium-size mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or whisk together the butter and sugar. The mixture should be smooth and creamy. Set to one side.

Add the grated orange and lemon rinds, eggs, brandy and water to the bowl with flour misture. Mix well. The dough will be sticky in consistency.

Beat the flour mixture until it is elastic and smooth. Add butter-sugar mixture and mix until the dough is smooth. Dough should be formed into a ball, then covered with oiled plastic wrap. Re-cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel and leave it again in a warm place and allow to rise until it has roughly doubled in size. Usually takes about two hours.

Grease a large baking sheet with olive oil and set aside for use later.

Once dough has risen, remove the plastic wrap and punch dough down. Lightly flour a clean space of your counter / cutting board and place dough on it. Knead for a couple of minutes. Then, using a rolling pin, roll dough into a long rectangle, about 2 feet long and 5-6 inches wide.

Roll the dough on the long side into a long sausage shape and carefully place the dough onto the large baking sheet, connect the ends together, thus forming a ring. If you wish to be really traditional hide a bean or a small foil-wrapped, ceramic figurine under the dough. Cover with oiled plastic wrap again. Leave in a warm place and allow to double in size. This will take about an hour.

Heat oven to 350F degrees. Lightly beat an egg white in a small bowl. Uncover the dough and brush the top of the cake. Decorate the ring with the candied fruit pieces, and spinkle with sugar. Gently push them into the dough slightly so they do not seperate during cooking. Place in oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden.

Once done allow to cool on a rack.

If you do wish to fill with nata (cream), trufa (chocolate cream) or natilla (custard) this is the time to do it. Slice in half and fill the middle like a sandwich.

Serve with copious amounts of thick hot chocolate.

For me this time of year is all about Bonfire Night, Halloween and TOFFEE. Learn how to make your own with my recipes. Would love to post photographs in my blog but camara broken, and its going to be a while before I can afford a new one.

Ingredients:
½ lb black treacle
½ lb golden syrup
½ lb butter
3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp water
2 tsp vinegar
4oz fruit (sultanas, raisins or both)
1oz finely chopped nuts (walnuts work well, but others too)

Method:
Butter 11 x 7 inch tin

Put the treacle, golden syrup, butter, milk, water and vinegar into a large heavy-based saucepan set over a medium heat, stir until the sugar has dissolved, before turning up the heat and bringing up to the boil

When the toffee has come to the boil, immediately turn down the heat to very low and cook, without stirring, until a teaspoon of the hot toffee mixture forms a ball and sinks to the bottom when dropped into a jug of cold water

Spread fruit and nuts on a lightly buttered tin. Pour over the mixture. and leave to cool for about 10 minutes, mark into squares with a sharp knife and leave to go completely cold

Turn out of the tin, break into pieces and keep in an airtight candy jar

Ingredients:
230 grams Demerara sugar
110 ml water
½ tsp vinegar
3 tbsp golden syrup
30 grams butter

6 dessert apples
6 ice lolly sticks

Method:
Dissolve the sugar in the water over a moderate heat
When dissolved stir in the vinegar, syrup and butter
Bring to the boil and cook without stirring until it reaches 138 degrees Celsius – or hardens into a ball when dropped in a jug of cold water
This will take 10 minutes or so
Meanwhile, pierce each apple with a wooden stick
When the toffee is ready, dip each apple into the hot toffee, turning it around in the syrup until fully covered in caramel
Place on a lightly oiled tray to harden before serving
If made in advance, wrap in cellophane

Ingredients:
7 oz whole blanched almonds – skinned
3½ oz flaked almonds
14 oz unrefined golden granulated sugar
Zest of an orange – very finely grated

Method:
Set the oven to 180° Celsius

Spread the almonds onto a baking sheet and gently roast in the oven until they are a light golden brown

Place the sugar into a saucepan and heat until it dissolves to a liquid and turns a golden/amber colour – keep a close eye on the sugar and swivel around the pan often

When the mixture reaches the caramel stage, immediately remove from the heat and stir in the almonds and orange zest

Pour the mixture onto a baking tray lined with parchment and flatten slightly

Leave to cool – it will set solid – break into pieces and store in an airtight tin

Ingredients:
1 cup of soft brown sugar
2/3 cup of light corn syrup (equivalent Golden Syrup)
1½ cups of single cream
1½ squares of chocolate unsweetened – melted
1½ tbsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt

Method:
Combine the sugar, golden syrup, and 1/2 cup of cream in a large saucepan set over moderate heat, stir the mixture until the sugar dissolves completely

Insert a candy thermometer, reduce the heat to low, and cook the syrup, stirring frequently, until the thermometer registers 238 degrees Fahrenheit

Blend in another half cup of the cream, which will cause the temperature to drop, and continue to cook and stir until the thermometer reaches 236 degrees Fahrenheit or until a bit of the hot toffee dropped into a little cold water forms a soft, pliable ball.

Mix in the remaining half a cup of cream and the melted chocolate

Cook the toffee, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes quite thick – a drop
should firm up quickly in cold water

(Important note – do not rely solely on the thermometer, if the toffee firms up in cold water but temperature doesn’t exceed 230 degrees Fahrenheit, immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour into the prepared tin

Quickly mix in the vanilla and salt then pour the toffee into a well-buttered 8” square, 2” deep tin

Cool the toffee completely then cut it into 1” squares, wrap each one in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Makes 64 candies

Ingredients:
2lb dark soft brown sugar
1 cup of cold water
2 tsp of bicarbonate of soda

Method:
Put the sugar and water into a large deep saucepan and bring to boil over a medium heat for about 20 minutes

To test whether the toffee is done – drop a little into a bowl of cold water – the toffee should be hard and brittle – remove from the heating while you are checking

When done, remove from heat and stir in the bicarbonate of soda

The mixture will froth up in the pan

Pour into a buttered tin and leave for about 5 minutes, using a sharp knife mark into bite size pieces

When cold dip in melted chocolate – either dark or milk and put on baking parchment or greaseproof paper to dry

Tempering Chocolate – if you are melting chocolate to be used as a decoration or for dipping and you want it to stay glossy, you will need to temper it first. Tempering involves melting the chocolate, cooling it, then reheating it again before use in order to stabilise the cocoa butter crystals

Melt the chocolate – following the tempering instructions above – dip the cinder toffee into the melted chocolate – then place on baking parchment or greaseproof paper to allow the chocolate to set

Ingredients:
1 cup of butter
2 cups soft dark brown sugar
1 x 14-ounce tin sweetened condensed milk
1 cup of golden syrup
Pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon anise extract

Method:
Line a baking tin with foil and lightly butter

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan, stir in sugar, sweetened condensed milk, golden syrup and salt

Continue stirring until the mixture reaches 245 degrees Fahrenheit (using a sugar thermometer). This will take about 15 to 20 minutes

Remove from the heat and stir in anise extract – quickly pour the toffee into the prepared baking tin. Put to one side until set

Lift the toffee from the pan and peel off the foil (discard). Cut the toffee with a sharp buttered knife into 1” squares (or bite size pieces)

Wrap in wax paper and store in an airtight tin