Recipes from a passionate cook & foodie
If you are a fan of the traditional Victoria sponge then you really need to give Jo Pratt´s recipe for Strawberry & Vanilla Sponge a try! Its incredibly light, fluffy and perfect for that afternoon tea break! http://youtu.be/_UAOOaSbxoM The ingredients list and full instructions are as follows:- JO PRATT’S STRAWBERRY AND VANILLA CREAM SPONGE USING LEISURE RANGE 90 COOKER Preparation time - 20-25 mins For the sponge: knob of butter, melted 225g butter, at room … [Read more...]
It’s very easy to be seduced by the decorative artistry of a cake, the tremendously thick and tasty icing and the beautifully arranged toppings is enough to make anybody’s mouth water. However, just like you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, you shouldn’t judge a cake by its sweet sugary trimmings. As my sincere Grandma use to say without a hint of irony “It’s what’s inside that counts”. I’m the first person to hold my hands up and admit that I have often neglected those … [Read more...]
This cake is absolutely superb and I say this having just sampled a piece. It uses a large quantity of olive oil in place of dairy and, although some of my friends were sceptical of a cake featuring Olive Oil, not one of them was disapointed with the results. Yes, the olive oil is strongly in evidence if you sample the batter, but do not concern yourself - the taste will be delightful. As an added twist I utilised Boyajian Lemon Oil from Boyajian in place of Lemon Juice in the one I used … [Read more...]
A few years ago my mother and I were trying to think of a twist on the traditional christmas cake - during the process this is something we played with - using dried tropical fruits finely chopped in place of some of the more traditional fruits. It was a moderate success. This year we tried again, and have improved the recipe marginally. Each time it gets a little better - but here is the current recipe. One point of note, and I stress this to everyone who is making a traditional christmas … [Read more...]
I realise every daughter says this but my Mum does the best Christmas Cake. Its the most devine thing I have ever tasted, and it wouldn´t be Christmas without it. Served on its own, or with a slice of Wenslydale Cheese... its marvellous. Its uniquely her own because she does a rather unusual thing with the cherries - she puts them in a blender with the brandy and candied peel and whizzes them! It adds the most wonderful flavour to the cake, and it is a tip I would heartily recommend. People … [Read more...]
This is a very delicate cake which requires light handling. Ingredients 25g (1oz) Cornflour 70g (2 1/2 oz) Plain Flour 2 tablespoons of good qualty cocoa powder 225g (8oz) Caster Sugar 1/2 Lemon 10 egg whites 2 pinches of salt 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar For the Icing 50g (2oz) Plain or Bitter Chocolate 40g (1 1/2 oz) Butter 100g (4oz) Icing Sugar 4 tablespoons of milk 1 egg pinch of salt Vanilla Essense Set the oven at Gas Mark 4 (180c or … [Read more...]
I first tasted this cake in a bar in southern spain and enjoyed it as I love almonds and oranges. As the season for Seville oranges is quite short, you have to make the most of them while they are available. 6 large fresh organic eggs (separated) 240 grams golden caster sugar 230 grams finely ground almonds Very finely grated zest of three oranges Juice of 8 Seville oranges A stick of cinnamon Golden caster sugar - amount to taste Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius Line a … [Read more...]
I love coffee cakes, this one is a little different 1 cup butter (room temperature) 8 oz softened cream cheese 1 x 1.25 cups of caster sugar 2 large organic eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 cups plain flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 cup whole milk 1 cup dark chocolate buttons (or Lindt thins, roughly chopped) Topping:- 1/4 cup chopped pecan nuts 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 cup of caster sugar Set the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit Lightly … [Read more...]
One of my favourite fruits - blueberries not only look and taste great but contain antioxidants known as anthocyanidins, some of the strongest antidotes to oxidative stress. Wholemeal Blueberry Cake Ingredients: - 1 cup caster sugar - ¼ cup butter - 2 tablespoons lemon juice - 2 tablespoons lemon rind - 2 large eggs - ¾ cup plain flour - ¾ cup wholemeal flour - 1 teaspoon baking powder - ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda - ¼ cup of ground almonds - 1½ cups fresh blueberries … [Read more...]
Ingredients 8 oz Plain Flour ¼ tps Salt 4 oz butter 1 oz currants 1 oz soft brown sugar – light 3 tbs milk Caster Sugar Method Sieve flour and salt, rub in the butter. Add the currants and sugar. Stir in the milk and about 1 tablespoon of water. Mix to a firm dough. Knead lightly and roll to half an inch thickness. Cut into 2 inch rounds. Place on a greased baking tray, then dredge tops with caster sugar. Bake in a fairly hot oven until golden brown, approximately 15/20 … [Read more...]