10 days ago i got a knock on the door and my neighbour handed me a little plastic box filled with a brown goo and a peice of paper with instructions...Herman! I'd never heard of Herman before so I followed the instructions and did a bit of internet research.
4 days later I 'fed' Herman with a mixture of flour, sugar and milk. then again on day 9 then i had the sad job of sperating him into 4 equal parts to share between friends...well i didn't share i decided to make a few different recipes with him and keep him going myself so when i would be able to see my mum and sister and friends that don't live near by and to make more cake :-)
So this morning at 7.30am...seeing as the kids had me up at 6 i thought while they were quietly eating breakfast i'd have a go at baking! i made Herman the cake with more flour, sugar, cinnamon, apples, walnuts vanilla essence ect ect he baked ina massive baking tray and now hes cut and cooled tastes really nice (however not as nice asw the one next door made as she popped a couple of slices over when she had made hers)
So i though why not try something a bit more exciting so currently prooving in the airing cupboard are 2 batches of dough made from my Herman started one lot made into cinnamon whirls and the other i have filled with respberry and flaked almonds. I managed to end up with 2 completly different doughs it turns out i do not understand cups as a meassurement or its conversion into oz as its converted into fluid oz! so i ended up with one nice squashy dough and one quite heavy thick dough that hasnt risen at all but rolled and cut easier than the softer dough.
I'll post the recipes and pictures of the finished product when they've cooked!!
Monday, 21 May 2012
Sunday, 20 May 2012
Potato Bread
Watching Heston one night I saw him using potatoes in doughnuts and then watching the Hairy Bikers I saw them using potatoes in bread. So i thought i'd give it ago.
Heres the recipe i used:
300g peeled potatoes
1tbsp sunflower oil
1tsp sugar
1tsp yeast
1/2 tsp salt
300g strong white bread flour
Fist cut the potatoes into even chunks I used ordinary white potaotes as they were on offer this week! place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and cook for around 20 minutes until soft but not falling apart.
Drain the potatoes over a bowl and save the cooking liquid.
Put the potatoes back in the pan and put over a very low heat and toss until there is no more moisture in there.
Place 75ml of the cooking liquid into a bowl and once cooled but still tepid add the sugar and yeast and stir. set asid for 10 minutes of until a light froff apprears on top.
While this is happening put the oil and salt into the potatoes and mash until they are smooth.
Add the yeast mixture to the potatoes and mix with a wooden spoon. add the flour a spoon full at a time and mix with the spoon until it forms a dough. once this has happened there might still be alot of flour left over...this is normal you now have to knead the flour into the dough it took me around 10 minutes. do NOT add any more liquid you don't need it. once all the flour is kneaded in and the dough is soft and squashy!! place in an oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth or oiled clingfilm and place in a warm place for 45-60 minutes.
Once the dough has doubled in size knock the air out and squash out with your fingers to about 2cm thick and bring the edges up towards the centre i did mine with a twist so it looked all rustic and slashed it several times with a knife. then place on a oiled floured baking tray and leave to proove for around 30 minutes.
Once proved put into a hot oven 220'c or 200 for a fan over and cook for around 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and its cooked really mine was out with 9 minutes to go.
The bread was so soft and airy we ate it with a sausage cassarole infront of the tv it soaked up the sauce really well it would be perfect with soup. I also used it this morning to make eggy bread and it was perfect.
Heres the recipe i used:
300g peeled potatoes
1tbsp sunflower oil
1tsp sugar
1tsp yeast
1/2 tsp salt
300g strong white bread flour
Fist cut the potatoes into even chunks I used ordinary white potaotes as they were on offer this week! place the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and cook for around 20 minutes until soft but not falling apart.
Drain the potatoes over a bowl and save the cooking liquid.
Put the potatoes back in the pan and put over a very low heat and toss until there is no more moisture in there.
Place 75ml of the cooking liquid into a bowl and once cooled but still tepid add the sugar and yeast and stir. set asid for 10 minutes of until a light froff apprears on top.
While this is happening put the oil and salt into the potatoes and mash until they are smooth.
Add the yeast mixture to the potatoes and mix with a wooden spoon. add the flour a spoon full at a time and mix with the spoon until it forms a dough. once this has happened there might still be alot of flour left over...this is normal you now have to knead the flour into the dough it took me around 10 minutes. do NOT add any more liquid you don't need it. once all the flour is kneaded in and the dough is soft and squashy!! place in an oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth or oiled clingfilm and place in a warm place for 45-60 minutes.
Once the dough has doubled in size knock the air out and squash out with your fingers to about 2cm thick and bring the edges up towards the centre i did mine with a twist so it looked all rustic and slashed it several times with a knife. then place on a oiled floured baking tray and leave to proove for around 30 minutes.
Once proved put into a hot oven 220'c or 200 for a fan over and cook for around 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown and its cooked really mine was out with 9 minutes to go.
The bread was so soft and airy we ate it with a sausage cassarole infront of the tv it soaked up the sauce really well it would be perfect with soup. I also used it this morning to make eggy bread and it was perfect.
Monday, 14 May 2012
Cakes!
So these are just a few cakes i've made mainly for special occasions or just because I fancied something indulgent.
This was my sons christening cake. it was just a simple sponge recipe filled with buttercream and homemade raspberry jam and covered in royal icing and the bear on top was made from marzipan.
This is inspired by the cake make on baking made easy by Lorraine Pascale. I didnt follow her recipe as she used chocolate chocolate and more chocolate so i used a chocolate sponge with a vanilla buttercream and used matchsticks around the edge topped with raspberries and strawberries.
While filling the cases with the cake batter you add a spoon of jam in the middle and place more batter on top. The jammy suprise when you bite into them was amazing. they are topped in a merangue style icing.
This looks pretty indulgent and actually its made without any fat its been substituted with courgette. Usually the thought of courgette makes me feel slightly sick i can't stand them (or maybe my dads just never been very good at cooking them) but they just melted away into this chocolate fedge cake.
This was the chistmas cake I made in 2010. My sons first christmas and our first family christmas in our house. My husband helped with the penguins. It was a rich fruit cake recipe from the essential guide to cake decorating. bought for me by my sister the previous christmas.
This is a carrot cake topped with a cream cheese frosting made as a taster for my godsons christening cake.
the finished product. My friend choose a mascapone frosting for the carrot cakes. unfortunatly in transit the cake was knocked about a bit and some of the topping is a bit thin! this carrot cake contained several bananas it was very tasty.
This was my sons 2nd birthday cake another sponge filled with buttercream and jam. Thomas is emerging from the tunnel (he knew it was thomas so thats all that matters!!) he managed to be ill on his birthday so didn't get any of it we made chocolate cupcakes wonce he was better that were just as good!
This was my sons 1st birthday cake, a vanilla sponge with homemade raspberry jame and buttercream filling. its farm themed with choclate buttercream 'ploughed fields' chocolate button 'cow pats' and a chocolate finger fence.
simple lemon cupakes
I had a couple of lemons in my fruit bowl and thought i'd make some form of cakes with them. I came across a recipe for lemon cupcakes and my son was helping me and he was having so much fun whisking that he whisked the mixture for a good 4/5 minutes and the cupcakes were so light and yummy that from now on I whisk them for a good couple of minutes longer than I used too!
This is soo simple and they taste so good.
Lemon Cupcakes
makes 12
100g butter
100g castor sugar
1 lemon
2 eggs
100g self raising flour
heat the oven to 180' or 160 for fan ovens gas mark 4. place 12 cake cases into a muffin tin.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.
grate the rind of 1 lemon into the butter and sugar mix and add the eggs gradually continually whisking.
add a bit of flour if you need to stop it from curdling.
add the flour and whisk for 2-3 minutes.
Spoon the mixture into the cases and bake in the centre of the over for 10 minutes check after this time if they are not cooked put back in for a few minutes. Do not overcook though as they dry out.
I used icing sugar with the juice of the lemon and topped with little icing daffodils. They didn't last long!
I also made these cakes without the lemon and whilst still hot brushed with homemade marmalade and once cool topped with chocolate they were very tasty.
This is soo simple and they taste so good.
Lemon Cupcakes
makes 12
100g butter
100g castor sugar
1 lemon
2 eggs
100g self raising flour
heat the oven to 180' or 160 for fan ovens gas mark 4. place 12 cake cases into a muffin tin.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and creamy.
grate the rind of 1 lemon into the butter and sugar mix and add the eggs gradually continually whisking.
add a bit of flour if you need to stop it from curdling.
add the flour and whisk for 2-3 minutes.
Spoon the mixture into the cases and bake in the centre of the over for 10 minutes check after this time if they are not cooked put back in for a few minutes. Do not overcook though as they dry out.
I used icing sugar with the juice of the lemon and topped with little icing daffodils. They didn't last long!
I also made these cakes without the lemon and whilst still hot brushed with homemade marmalade and once cool topped with chocolate they were very tasty.
boiled leek and onion pudding
I love the Hairy bikers! I found this recipe in their family cookbook mums know best. they are fun they love food and they don't over complicate anything, for that reason I know that if I attempt one of their recipes its going to work. I was going through the bikers books trying to come up with some different ideas for dinners but also budget meals and I found this recipe:
Boiled Leek and onion pudding.
serves 6
25g butter
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 leeks finely sliced
150g fresh white bredcrumbs
200g self raising flour, plus extra for dusting
115g shredded beef suet
1 heaped tsp fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large free range egg
75ml whole milk
Melt the butter with the oil in a large frying pan, gently fry the onions and leeks for 5 minutes or until well softened, stiring regularly. Remove rom the heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
In a bowl mix the bredcrumbs, flour, suet, sea salt and black pepper. stir in the leeks and onions. beat together the egg and milk. add them to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined - the dough should feel light and spongy. turn the dough out onto a floured board, knead very lightly and form into a large ball.
Half fill a large saucepan with water and ring to the boil. Sprinkle flour liberally over a large peice of clean sheeting or a thin drying up cloth. (an old pillowcase can also be cut to size for this job) ( i used a clean muslin cloth) Place the pudding in the middle and gather up the sides. Leave rom for expansion and tie with string.
Carefully lower the pudding into the boiling water. cover and boil for 1 hour. Keep an eye on the water level top it up if necessary.
Turn of the heat and carefully remove the pudding using tongs. Leave it to cool for a few minutes then cut the string and transfer to a serving dish. cut up the pudding and serve.
The Hairy Bikers suggest serving with leftover roast meat and gravy. I served it with roast beef honey glazed carrots and pasnips and beef gravy.
It was like a giant dumpling. I think in future i'll try adding sliced brussel sprouts and lardons or even grating some apple into it.
I halved this recipe to feed myself my husband and my 2 year old and there was some left over. Its definatly something i'd try again maybe with a roasted or boiled gammon.
Boiled Leek and onion pudding.
serves 6
25g butter
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 leeks finely sliced
150g fresh white bredcrumbs
200g self raising flour, plus extra for dusting
115g shredded beef suet
1 heaped tsp fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large free range egg
75ml whole milk
Melt the butter with the oil in a large frying pan, gently fry the onions and leeks for 5 minutes or until well softened, stiring regularly. Remove rom the heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes.
In a bowl mix the bredcrumbs, flour, suet, sea salt and black pepper. stir in the leeks and onions. beat together the egg and milk. add them to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined - the dough should feel light and spongy. turn the dough out onto a floured board, knead very lightly and form into a large ball.
Half fill a large saucepan with water and ring to the boil. Sprinkle flour liberally over a large peice of clean sheeting or a thin drying up cloth. (an old pillowcase can also be cut to size for this job) ( i used a clean muslin cloth) Place the pudding in the middle and gather up the sides. Leave rom for expansion and tie with string.
Carefully lower the pudding into the boiling water. cover and boil for 1 hour. Keep an eye on the water level top it up if necessary.
Turn of the heat and carefully remove the pudding using tongs. Leave it to cool for a few minutes then cut the string and transfer to a serving dish. cut up the pudding and serve.
The Hairy Bikers suggest serving with leftover roast meat and gravy. I served it with roast beef honey glazed carrots and pasnips and beef gravy.
It was like a giant dumpling. I think in future i'll try adding sliced brussel sprouts and lardons or even grating some apple into it.
I halved this recipe to feed myself my husband and my 2 year old and there was some left over. Its definatly something i'd try again maybe with a roasted or boiled gammon.
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