Baked Nectarines with Almonds and Sultanas

Tonight’s pudding was baked nectarines with flaked almonds and sultanas… perfect for when the weather is wet and wild like tonight!

A real easy pudding to assemble…

1. Half the nectarines and take the stones out
2. assemble in an ovenproof dish
3. fill the holes where the stones came out with brown sugar
4. sprinkle with sultanas and flaked almonds
5. bake in the oven
6. serve with a good vanilla ice cream… or clotted cream… or double cream

 

Enjoy :o)

Little Frangipane Tarts

Ingredients :~

• 6 small shortcrust pastry cases (i used pre-rolled Shortcrust dough & cut into circles then baked)
• 1 egg
• 100g ground almonds
• 100g butter
• 90g golden caster sugar
• 1 Orange
• 1 x tablespoon vanilla paste or extract
• 1/2 jar good quality raspberry jam
• 1 x 250g tub creme fraiche to serve

Method :~

1. Put the 6 pastry cases on to a baking tray.   Make a frangipane mixture by cracking an egg into a mixing bowl and adding 100g almonds, 100g butter and 90g of golden caster sugar.   Grate over the zest of 1/2 an orange and add 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract or paste, use a spoon to mix everything together.
2. Spoon a small teaspoon of jam into each pastry case, top with a heaped teaspoon of frangipane, add another small teaspoon of jam, then finally add another teaspoon of frangipane.
3. Put the tray in the oven on the middle shelf and set the timer for 18 minutes exactly.
4. When the tarts are golden and cooked, turn the oven off and take them out.
5. Serve warm with a dollop of creme fraiche on the side.

Oven temperature : 190 degrees C / 375 degrees F / Gas Mark 5

Recipe courtesy of Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals ISBN 978-0-718-15477-6

p.s. another winner with the family on this one everyone gave it the thumbs up 😉

Rocky Road Crunch Bars

I bought a few new recipe books last week and this recipe was in one of them the book reference and ISBN number will be at the bottom of the page.

So this tray of goodness has been calling my name all day, and I just finished crafting in my workshop tonight via Ustream with Karen, Ellen and Laura .. so this recipe is for you girls… enjoy  🙂

RoCkY RoAd CrUnCh BaRs

Ingredients:~

• 125g Soft Butter
• 300g best quality dark chocolate (minimum 70% cocoa solids) broken into pieces
• 3 x 15ml tablespoons of Golden Syrup
• 200g Rich Tea Biscuits
• 100g Mini Marshmallows
• 2 teaspoons Icing Sugar for dusting

Method:~

1. Melt the butter, chocolate and golden syrup in a heavy based saucepan.   Scoop out about 125ml of this melted mixture and put to one side
2. Put the biscuits into a freezer bag and then bash them with a rolling pin.   You are aiming for both crumbs and pieces of biscuit
3. Fold the biscuit pieces and crumbs into the melted chocolate mixture in the saucepan, and  then add the marshmallows
4. Tip into a foil trey 24cm (i used a silicone pan); flatten as best you can with a spatula.   Pour the reserves 125ml of melted chocolate mixture over the marshmallow mixture and smooth the top.
5. Refrigerate for about 2 hours or overnight
6. Cut into 24 fingers and dust with icing sigar by gently pushing through a tea strainer or small sieve.

Pour your self a cup of tea and enjoy 🙂

Makes 24

Recipe courtesy of Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson ISBN 978-0-701-18184-0

 

Portuguese Tarts

I made these as a pudding for after our dinner tonight and they are absolutely beautiful, the troops gave them 10/10 and i’ll  be making more of them soon 🙂

Ingredients :

• Plain flour for dusting
• 1 x 375g pack of pre-rolled puff pastry
• Ground cinnamon
• 125g Creme fraiche
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 tablespoons golden caster sugar
• 1 orange

Method :~

1. Dust a clean surface with flour.   Unroll the sheet of puff pastry, then cut it in half so you end up with two 20cm x 20cm squares of pastry (put one in the fridge for another day)
2. Sprinkle over a good few pinches of cinnamon, then roll the pastry into a swiss roll shape and cut into  rounds.   Put these into 6 of the holes in a muffin tin and use your thumbs to stretch and mould the pastry into the holes so the bottom is flat and the pastry comes up to the top.   Put on the top shelf of the oven and cook for around 8 to 10 mins or until lightly golden.
3. Spoon the creme fraiche into a small bowl and add the egg, vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of golden caster sugar and the zest of 1 orange.   Mix well
4. Take the muffin tin out of the oven and use a teaspoon to press the puffed pastry back to the sides and make room for the filling.   Spoon the creme fraiche mixture into the tart cases and return to the top shelf of the oven.   Set the timer for 8 mins.
5. Put a small saucepan on a high heat.   Squeeze in the juice from the zested orange and add 4 tablespoons of golden caster sugar.   Stir and keep a good eye on it, but remember caramel can burn badly so dont touch or taste!
6. Pour some caramel over each tart (They’ll still be wobbly but thats good).   Put aside to set

Serve with double cream or ice cream.

Recipe talken from the book Jamies 30 Minute Meals ISBN 978-0-718-15477-6

Apple, Pear & Passionfruit Crumble

I made a yummy crumble today and thought I would post the recipe here.

It’s also a frugal crumble, because I picked up the apples, pears and passion fruit at my local supermarket reduced:

A bag of 5 Granny Smith Apples for 60p, 4 x passionfruit for 30p, and a bag of 6 pears for 23p

So not including my storecupboard essentials the crumble cost  50p!

Recipe:

• 2 x Passion Fruit
• 5 x Pears
• 1 x Granny Smith Apple

For the Crumble Topping :

• 60g / 2oz Rolled Oats
• 175g / 6oz Plain Flour
• 110g / 4oz Unsalted Butter
• 110g / 4oz Demerara Sugar

Method :

1. Peel & Chop pears and apple into an ovenproof dish
2. Cut the passion fruit in half and scoop the insides over the chopped apple and pears
3. Put all the crumble ingredients into a food processor and blitz
4. Cover the fruit with the crumble mix
5. Cook in the oven at 180 degrees C for about an hour or until the juices bubble up around the edges of the crumble
6. Serve with Custard, Cream or Ice Cream

Have to say it was rather yummy and everyone enjoyed it 🙂 so 10/10 and would make it again

Cheese Scones

Well autumn has arrived and the tree’s are starting to turn beautiful shades of red and yellow, and it’s this time of year I love, It makes me want to bake 🙂

Cheese scones were beckoned by the oven today, and I found this wee recipe in one of my many cook books called “Porridge” by Margaret Briggs ISBN 978-1-86147-069-0.

I have quoted the original recipe below and then my modification to the recipe in bold alongside it, because when I added the milk and egg to the mix it was too runny.    If you wanted a smaller batch of scones, i’d suggest adding half the milk and keep to the original recipe.

You will need :

• 120g (4oz) Oatmeal
• 120g (4oz) Plain Flour (I used double the quantity of flour 240g / 8oz )
• 60g (2oz) grated, mature cheese of choice
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• pinch of salt (I would recommend a big pinch)
• pinch of paprika (I used a pinch of chilli powder as i’d run out of paprika)
• 40g (1.5oz) Margarine
• 1 Egg (2 x small pekin Bantam Eggs courtesy of Brenda)
• 150ml (1/4 pint) Milk

Method :

1. Preheat the oven to 230 Degrees C / 450 degrees F or Gas Mark 8
2. Sift the flour, salt, pepper and baking powder and mix with the oats
3. Rub in the margarine, then mix in the grated cheese
4. Mix the beaten egg with the milk and add to the rest of the ingredients to make a soft dough
5. Knead lightly, turn onto a floured board and roll out to about 2cm (3/4″) and cut into 5cm (2″) rounds with a cutter or small glass.   Knead the offcuts of dough gently
6. Brush with milk and bake for approximately 12 minutes.   Serve warm

Nutty Plum Crumble

This recipe is courtesy of  “The Best of Mrs Beeton’s Christmas” ISBN 978-1-898-80176-4

Serves 4-6

Ingredients :

• 675g Plums, halved and stoned
• 50g Sugar

Topping :

• 175g Plain Flour
• 75g Butter or margarine
• 25g Demorara Sugar
• 1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 75g Chopped Hazelnuts, toasted

Set the oven at 180 degrees C / 350 Degrees F / Gas Mark 4   Place the plums in an ovenproof dish and sprinkle with sugar

Make the topping.   Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter or margarine until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.  Stir in the sugar, cinnamon and hazelnuts.

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the plums, pressing it down very lightly.   Bake the crumble for about 45 mins, until the topping is golden brown and the plums are cooked.   Serve with custard, cream or vanilla ice cream.

Fruit & Nut Loaf

The recipe I used for this loaf was actually titled Sultana Loaf, but I didn’t have enough sultanas in the store cupboard and had to improvise, I used cranberries and chopped nuts to make up the shortage on the sultanas, it turned out ok, but I think I should have added a splash of milk to the mix because it turned out rather dry, still edible tho 🙂

Ingredients :-

• 170g / 6oz butter
• 170g / 6oz soft light brown sugar
• 3 room temperature eggs, beaten
• 285g / 10oz self raising flour
• 340g / 12oz sultanas (I only had 170g the rest was made up with cramberries and nuts)
• grated zest of 1 orange
• 1 teaspoon mixed spice

Method :-

1. Heat the oven to 180 degrees C / 350 Degrees F / Gas Mark 4
2. Take a 2lb loaf tin and pop in one of those fab loaf liners you get from lakeland
3. Cream the butter in a large bowl using an electric beater until it is soft.   Add the sugar and beat until pale and fluffy
4. Add beaten eggs a little at a time, beating well between each addition.   If the mixture starts to curdle, beat a little of the measured flour.
5. Fold in the flour, sultanas, orange zest, mixed spice and mix well.
6. Put into the prepared loaf tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 1-1 1/4 hours.   If the cake starts to get too dark, cover it with a sheet of greaseproof paper and turn the oven down to 150 degrees C / 300 Degrees F / gas Mark 2.   Extend the cooking time if necessary.
7. The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.   Allow the cake to cool for 10 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Courtesy of Leiths Baking Bible ISBN 0-74765-8189-4

Chocolate Chip & Toffee Chip Muffins

I made a batch of muffins this evening…. there is nothing better than a hot mug of tea and a chocolate muffin to warm the cockles of your heart… especially when April Showers are pouring down outside..

Ingredients :-

• 250g Plain Flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tablespoons of cocoa
• 175g caster sugar
• 150g chocolate & toffee chips
• 250ml milk
• 90ml vegetable oil
• 1 large egg (i used a medium & a bantam egg)
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla essence

Method :-

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C or Gas Mark 6
2. Fill a 12 bun muffin tray with paper cases (I used 2 x 6’s)
3. Measure out the dry ingredients into a large bowl
4. Pour all the liquid ingredients into a measuring jug
5. Mix both together, remembering that a lumpy batter makes the best muffin
6. Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases
7. Bake for 20 Minutes or until the muffins are dark, risen and springy.

Now Pour that cuppa and have a yummy muffin and put your feet up 🙂

Happy Easter x

Banana Loaf

• 150g Dried fruit, I used the Berry, Cherry & Sultana’s mix from Asda
• Rind of 1 Lime
• 100g Soft unsalted butter
• 125g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 large ripe bananas
• 200g self raising flour

Method :-

1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees C / Gas Mark 3 – bake for 55 mins
2. Grate the zest of the lime
3. Cream the butter and sugar in the mixing bowl,
4. add eggs, and mix well,
5. then add dried fruit and lime zest,
6. add mashed bananas & flour.
7. Place in a 2lb loaf tin and bake for 55 mins