Tag: recipes

One simple batter turns into a 3 layered cake with a top layer of sponge, a middle layer of custard and a fudge-like base. It’s like….magic!

INGREDIENTS
4 eggs, yolks and whites separated (at room temperature)
150g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
125g unsalted butter, melted
115g plain all purpose flour
500ml milk (lukewarm) (full fat or low fat but not zero fat)

To Serve (optional)
Icing sugar (powdered sugar), for dusting
Whipped cream

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 325F/160C

Butter a 8″ x 8″ / 20cm x 20cm square cake tin.

Beat egg whites with a mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and beat until it turns pale yellow – about 1 minute.

Add the vanilla extract and butter and beat until well incorporated – about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Add the flour and beat until just combined.

Pour the milk in slowly while beating, and beat until well combined (or if using a hand held mixer, add 1/4 milk at a time, beating in between).

Use a spatula to fold in the egg whites in the batter, 1/3 at a time, until just incorporated. You don’t want to knock the air out of the egg whites. Don’t worry if there are a few egg white lumps in the batter. The batter should be very thin, almost like a thick pouring cream.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin.

Bake until the top is golden brown and the cake does not “jiggle” when you gently shake the tin – around 40 to 50 minutes. Check the cake at 30 minutes – if the top is already golden brown but the cake is not yet set (i.e. it jiggles), cover loosely with foil and return to the oven, 10 minutes at a time, until set.

Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before serving. To get the cake out of the tin, just turn it out like a normal cake. The custard is set, it is not like super soft jelly. What I do is place a cutting board on top of the tin, flip it upside down (it slips right out) then place a cooling rack on top then flip it again (so you end up with the right side up on the cooling rack).

For the bites:
2.5 cups warm water
1 packet instant yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp melted butter
1 tbsp brown sugar
4 cups flour
3 eggs

For the baking soda bath:
9 cups of water
1/2 cup baking soda

For the cinnamon sugar coating:
1/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 tsp cinnamon

For the cream cheese dip:
4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cup icing sugar

Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Stir together minute until mostly combined.

Combine salt, sugar, butter and stir. Add yeast mix. Add flour, 1 cup at a time, until dough is thick and no longer sticky. Poke dough with finger. It should bounce back. Flour a surface and knead dough for 3 minutes until it forms a smooth ball. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425F/ 220C.

Bring 9 cups of water to a boil and add baking soda.

Pull bite sized pieces from large dough ball and drop into the baking soda bath. Boil 25 seconds. Remove dough bites from baking soda bath and place on a well oiled baking sheet

Beat together your eggs and brush over each pretzel bite.

Place in oven and bake 15 minutes or until pretzel tops are golden brown

Combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each pretzel bite into melted butter then roll in cinnamon sugar mixture.

To make the cream cheese dip, combine butter and cream cheese and blend until smooth. Add icing sugar and vanilla and stir.

To decorate
1 large, thin-skinned orange
50g caster sugar

For the cake
1 small, thin-skinned orange (such as Valencia)
275g self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
275g caster sugar
275g baking spread, from the fridge
4 free-range eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice

For the orange icing
50g butter, softened
175g icing sugar, sieved
250g full-fat mascarpone cheese
2 tbsp orange pulp, reserved from above

For the decoration, peel thick long strips of orange peel from the large orange. Place in a saucepan, cover with boiling water, add half of the sugar and boil for one minute, drain then place on non-stick paper. Scatter over the remaining sugar and toss together, leave in a warm place to dry out for as long as possible or overnight until crisp.

Grease and line the bases of two 20cm/8in sandwich tins with non-stick baking paper. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 (fan 160C).

For the cake, place the whole orange in a small saucepan, cover with boiling water and boil for 30 minutes, or until soft. Leave to cool. When the orange is cold, cut in half and remove any pips. Roughly chop the orange and blend, including the skin, in a food processor until medium-chunky in texture. Transfer to a bowl and set aside, reserving two tablespoons for the icing.

Add the remaining cake ingredients to the food processor and blend until just smooth (be careful not to over-beat the mixture). Remove the blade, carefully stir in the pulp that you have set aside, then divide between the two prepared tins and level the tops.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until well risen, lightly golden-brown and shrinking away from the sides of the tins. Leave to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Peel off the baking paper.

For the icing, place the butter in a mixing bowl and, using an electric hand whisk, gradually beat in the icing sugar until smooth. Add the mascarpone and whisk together until smooth and creamy. Add the reserved orange pulp and mix until smooth.

Slice each cake in half to make four layers. Divide the icing into four and then stack the layers of cake – icing between each layer and finishing with icing on the top. Decorate the cake with the candied orange rind and serve.

450 g flour plus around 50 g for sprinkling
180 ml milk
2 egg yolks (use egg whites for brushing the bread)
8 g active dry yeast
30 g butter
70 g sugar
pinch of salt
200 g chocolate spread

Pour milk into a saucepan and heat it to 30C . When the milk is warm, add yeast, one tbs of sugar and flour and dissolve all ingredients. Let it sit for 15 minutes to activate.

For the best quality of the dough, sift flour through a sieve. Then, in a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients: flour, sugar and salt.

Separate egg yolks from egg whites. Add yolks, butter and yeast to the bowl with dry ingredients. Mix everything with a wooden spoon. Knead dough for about 7 minutes.

Once dough is smooth and just a bit sticky, put it into a bowl, cover with a cloth, and set it in a warm place. Let it rise for around 40 minutes (it should double its size). When the dough is almost ready, you can turn on an oven and heat it to 180C/350F, and put your chocolate spread into a bowl with hot water.

Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Remember to keep some flour for sprinkling at hand. Knead dough for around 1 minute, then divide it into 4 equal parts. Roll the first of four parts into a circle. The dough should be 2-3 mm thick.

Place the dough circle on a piece of baking paper. Take a cake tin and mark it off on the first layer. Cover the marked area with a thin layer of chocolate spread. Roll another layer of dough, place it on the previous one and mark off the cake tin on it. Then, put the chocolate spread on the marked area. Repeat the procedure with the next layer. Roll out last layer of dough. Put it on the previous ones and cover it with a cake tin. Cut excess dough with a knife.

Using a small glass or a coffee cup, mark the center of the cake. Divide the bread into quarters – start cutting from the marked circle (remember to leave the center intact!) Then, divide every quarter into four equal parts. At the end you should have 16 equal parts. Take two parts of the cake in both hands and delicately twist them in opposite directions. Repeat with all pairs to form eight-armed star.

Twist the ends of each arm underneath to create a round shape. Brush surface of the bread with egg white before putting it into the oven. Bake at 180C/350F, for around 15 to 20 minutes. For the first 10 minutes use only lower heater, then turn the upper one too.

Notes: if you want to make your life easier, you can substitute the handmade dough with store-bought sweet puff pastry. Changes the texture completely, but still very good. You can also mix-and-match any suitable combinations of fillings, such as jams and thick custard.

Basil pesto

15g / 2tbsp pine nuts
Pinch of salt
250g fresh basil leaves (pick off as much of the stalk as you can, as this discolours easily)
25g Parmesan, grated
25g pecorino, grated
300ml extra virgin olive oil

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan, and then allow to cool completely. Lightly crush in a pestle and mortar, along with a pinch of salt.
Add the basil leaves a few at a time, and working as quickly as possible, pound them into the mixture until you have a thickish paste.
Work in the cheese, and then gradually incorporate the oil, reserving a little for the top.
Spoon the pesto into a jar, and cover the top with oil. Refrigerate until use.

Roasted red pepper pesto

15g / 2tbsp pine nuts
Pinch of salt
1 jar roasted red peppers (or 3 red peppers, if you want to roast them yourself)
60g fresh basil leaves (pick off as much of the stalk as you can, as this discolours easily)
25g Parmesan, grated
25g pecorino, grated
300ml extra virgin olive oil

Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan, and then allow to cool completely. Add pine nuts, red peppers and cheese in a blender. Blend at low speed and then gradually incorporate the oil, reserving a little for the top.
Spoon the pesto into a jar, and cover the top with oil. Refrigerate until use.

1 tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts, sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp ginger paste
500ml water
200g white rice, rinsed
180ml cup teriyaki sauce + 60ml water
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup broccoli
1 cup carrots
1/2 red bell pepper
Green onions for garnish (optional)

Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for 8 minutes. Add ginger, sauté for 2 minutes until fragrant.

Add 2 cups of water and the rice and stir. Cover the pot and bring water to a boil. Uncover, stir, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Combine water, teriyaki sauce and cornstarch to create a cornstarch slurry. Add the cornstarch slurry to the pot and stir, cooking until the sauce thickens (3-4 minutes).

Garnish with green onions (optional) and serve immediately.

1 chicken breast, butterflied, pounded and divided into 2
Flour
Salt & Pepper
100g cup of slice mushrooms
250ml of Marsala wine
30ml / 2 Tbsp of lemon juice
15g / 1 Tbsp. of butter
1 Tbsp. of parsley

Butterfly, pound and divide one chicken breast into 2 pieces. Combine flour, salt and pepper, and dredge chicken breast in the seasoned flour. Dust off any excess. Fry the chicken in a little bit of oil on a hot skillet/pan. Fry 3 minutes per side. In the same skillet or pan, add the mushrooms. Cook until soft. Add the marsala wine, lemon juice, butter and parsley. Cook until sauce has slightly thickened.

Serve chicken on top of or with pasta/ rice and spoon sauce over. Enjoy!

 

For the mushrooms:
2 tablespoons oil
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 cups mushrooms, quartered
salt and pepper to taste

For the steak:
300g thick-cut sirloin steak
2 tablespoons canola oil
salt and pepper to taste (be generous)

For assembly:
100g cream cheese, softened
2 egg yolks
10g chives, chopped
30g grated Parmesan

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400F/200C.

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Add shallots, cooking until translucent. Add mushrooms, salt, and pepper, cooking until mushrooms are golden brown. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, combine mushrooms, cream cheese, egg yolks, and chives, stirring until evenly incorporated. Set aside.

On a cutting board, season both sides of the steak with salt and pepper.

Cut about 3/4 of the way through the steak, making the incisions 1-inch part.

Pack a spoonful of the mushrooms mixture into each cut in the steak.

Heat the oil in a pan over high heat. Sear the steak for about 30 seconds, then bake for 10-15 minutes, depending on how you like your steak cooked.

2 teaspoons Chili Powder
1.5 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 teaspoon Dried Oregano
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper

24 wonton wrappers
300 grams ground pork
1/2 onion, minced
3 dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted in water and minced
1 egg
1/4 head cabbage
150 ml water
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp potato starch
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger paste
pepper

Cut cabbage into thick shreds.

Combine ground pork, minced onions, shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, sugar, ginger, potato starch, salt and pepper in a bowl. Mix well until sticky.

Fill wonton wrapper with one spoonful of the pork mixture. Fold the wrapper, leaving the top open.

Line frying pan with parchment paper and shredded cabbage. Place the dumplings on top and top each one with a pea if desired. Pour water into the pan, making sure not to
get any water inside the parchment paper. Alternatively, use a bamboo steamer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes on medium-low heat.

Serve the dumplings along with the steamed cabbage and enjoy with a mixture of soy sauce and mustard.