tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31233022527301544872024-03-13T00:06:40.766+00:00Ciao Amore Ciaoalicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-5702786676994050492011-08-15T07:00:00.002+01:002011-08-15T07:00:04.695+01:00A simple chard sauce to go with pasta<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This recipe was born a few months ago (I'm a bit behind on my blogging aren't I?!) when we over-ordered rainbow chard from our organic farm and there was half a pot of cream sitting in the fridge fantastically close to going off. It's amazing how something thrown together with the intentions to merely using things up can become a favourite and something we'll come back to three more times in the following fortnight. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We ate it each time with pasta. This sauce would also work well with spinach, turnip or broad bean tops or any other wild greens. If you prepare all of the vegetables before you start cooking, your input into the sauce will take no more than a few minutes.</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Creamy rainbow chard sauce for pasta (serves 3)</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2tbsp olive oil</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 cloves garlic, crushed</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">250g rainbow chard, finely sliced</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 courgette, sliced</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">200ml double cream</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">200ml hot vegetable stock</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Salt and pepper to season</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Heat the oil over a medium heat and add the crushed garlic. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cook for two minutes until just browning and throw in the courgette slices and strips of chard. Stir to coat in the garlicy oil and allow to the chard to wilt. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pour the cream over, followed by the stock. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Turn up the heat to medium-high and bring to the boil.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Turn the heat down a little and simmer for 5minutes, stirring otter , until the sauce has reduced.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Season generously with salt and pepper and toss through pasta.</span></div><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-2841301229706260232011-08-02T13:57:00.000+01:002011-08-02T13:57:15.533+01:00Summer Holidays<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NjHHc1QzTog/TjfvUkzUaEI/AAAAAAAAAZo/BtLSBu14xEU/s1600/P1040852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NjHHc1QzTog/TjfvUkzUaEI/AAAAAAAAAZo/BtLSBu14xEU/s640/P1040852.JPG" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It's been a blissful couple of weeks. 10 days of holidaying - a sandwich of Florence-Home-Paris - that has left me refreshed and smiling again.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A few days with L, M and Nonno and Nonna in Florence were not unbearably hot, but sadly filled with the buzz of mosquitosand I have come home with a rather furious allergic reaction to their bites that almost puts me off wanting to go back in the summer. We saw all of our favourite sights, drank in our favourite cocktail bar and ate in our favourite restaurants. Then, we went off in search of some new adventures and took M on her first train journey to Pisa and then piled into a little car with Nonno behind the wheel, driving all over the road and ignoring the lanes as Italians seem to do, up to Fiesole, where ancient Roman ruins hide amongst more traditional Italian buildings that overlook the whole of Florence. I took my camera everywhere, looking like a proper tourist, and soon I hope, the restaurant will have a few of my shots up on the wall. One day soon, with the trip fresh in my mind, I will write a dedicated 'Things to do while you're in Florence' page and with any luck, if you ever visit, you'll see us sipping our drinks too across the room filled only with Italian voices.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UgKD9FxeOOw/Tjfy0CgWPeI/AAAAAAAAAaA/E1-Wig5GeCE/s1600/P1040724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UgKD9FxeOOw/Tjfy0CgWPeI/AAAAAAAAAaA/E1-Wig5GeCE/s640/P1040724.JPG" t$="true" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A few days at home left lots of time for work in the garden, especially picking all of the dwarf and broad beans that had popped up whilst we were away. We also arrived just in time for the start of the blackberry season and got our hands stained picking one and a half kilos in just two days. We enjoyed the novelty of having our own fresh fruits from the garden but I couldn't help but make something a little bit special with them too while I had time. This blackberry, orange and hazelnut tart was so enjoyed by the three of us that I had little choice but to make it again for the restaurant as a special.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RqvdEiEK8Z0/TjcV5AEjNWI/AAAAAAAAAZk/MjL-k7mNTkA/s1600/P1040872.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RqvdEiEK8Z0/TjcV5AEjNWI/AAAAAAAAAZk/MjL-k7mNTkA/s640/P1040872.JPG" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We had barely scraped our plates clean when it was time to jump back into the car in the small hours of the morning to make a second trip down to Bristol airport that week.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This trip however, I was to be alone and I fought the tears back as I waved goodbye to L and M to spend the longest time away from them I have ever done. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">All this to travel to Paris to pick up sister E, who you may remember has been au-pairing for the last year just outside the French capital. What a year she has had! Aside from phone calls, postcards and facebooking, I've been following </span><a href="http://eleanorwratten.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">her little blog</span></a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> and was really looking forward to seeing everything she has been telling me about. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N2UkzbamQFg/TjfybTF_bTI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/qTTVHlxLJfA/s1600/P1040745.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N2UkzbamQFg/TjfybTF_bTI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/qTTVHlxLJfA/s640/P1040745.JPG" t$="true" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As her family had gone off camping for the weekend, we were left to our own devices and took the chance to visit some of E's favourite new haunts. I see why she has fallen in love with the city. I think I re-fell in love with France and the French, something I'd forgotten about in my wonderful little Italian inspired world.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There were many highlights to our weekend: pressing my face up against patisserie windows, an hour and half wait to see the riders approach the Champs-Elyses on their last stage of the Tour de France, the best falafels I have ever eaten in the Marais, </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jh7cQLt6yps/TjfwiQre90I/AAAAAAAAAZ0/19UrI6ssHUw/s1600/P1040761.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Jh7cQLt6yps/TjfwiQre90I/AAAAAAAAAZ0/19UrI6ssHUw/s640/P1040761.JPG" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">mint tea in the Paris mosque and a couple of visits to Pierre Herme for macarons and a tarte infinement vanille. Of course we indulged in some culture too; a trip to Musee Rodin and then to l'hotel des invalides to see Napoleons enormous tomb - as well as visits to Paris' rich areas where we were well and truely ripped off having a hot drink sitting on a bar terrace. At the end of our weekend alone, we were greeted by E's French family who welcomed me as if I had known them as long as E had. </span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SXtBR3EyCkc/TjfwIQPHYDI/AAAAAAAAAZw/x_wBGGPkx-Q/s1600/P1040820.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SXtBR3EyCkc/TjfwIQPHYDI/AAAAAAAAAZw/x_wBGGPkx-Q/s640/P1040820.JPG" t$="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AfEr44pT2k4/TjfvssBpZhI/AAAAAAAAAZs/WXhudltjkFs/s1600/P1040824.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AfEr44pT2k4/TjfvssBpZhI/AAAAAAAAAZs/WXhudltjkFs/s640/P1040824.JPG" t$="true" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We cooked, spoke French, watched two very excitable young girls put on their dance shows and then got up the next morning to play even more before the inevitable trip to the train station came along with its tears and goodbye hugs, kisses and promises to be back very, very soon.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It was total bliss, perhaps being an au pair would be a great thing to do for a year given the chance, especially if you end up with a family as warm and generous as E's.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Blackberry, orange and hazelnut tart</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">400g sweet shortcrust pastry</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">50g toasted chopped hazelnuts</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 large egg</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">100ml creme fraiche</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">zest 1 orange</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">300g fresh blackberries</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">a little butter to grease a 23cm springform tin</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 180C. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and transfer carefully into the greased springform tin.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Place a sheet of greaseproof paper over the top and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for 15minutes until the pastry is cooked though and just golden.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Whisk together the egg, creme fraiche, half the hazelnuts and orange zest in a small bowl.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When the pastry is cooked, carefully remove the baking beans to their tub to cool down again and take the greaseproof paper away. Fill the pastry case with blackberries and pour the creme fraiche mixture over.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Scatter the remaining hazelnuts over the dish and return to the oven for 20 minutes until the creme fraiche mixture has a little colour and is cooked through.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Serve warm or cold as you like.</span></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-77645414573825693742011-07-11T16:37:00.000+01:002011-07-11T16:37:22.369+01:00More Cupcakes......<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Just another little announcement post today. I have been cooking too, but this is far more important and something I really want to tell you all about.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bella Torta is now hosting cupcake decorating classes! This week, as a thank you to all the girls who work for us (and because L is a little mean and doesn't take them out at Christmas!) I hosted a trial cupcake decorating class. Something I've loved the idea of doing, ever since I went on one myself.</span><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It was (I think) a great success and all the girls went away with 12 cupcakes that they spent a delightful afternoon decorating.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In case you're interested, and maybe even might like to come on one of the courses that I'm offering the details are all listed below. As ever, I'll be updating the <a href="http://www.bella-torta.co.uk/">Bella Torta website</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bellatortahereford">facebook page</a> with more dates and more styles of classes in the next few weeks. Please feel free to come and visit me in the restaurant premises for a really fun way to spend a day!</span></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Birds, Buds and Bows Cupcake Decorating Class!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Monday 8th and Monday 22nd August</span><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Join us in our relaxed restaurant environment for 5 hours of cupcake decorating bliss, from 10.30a.m. until 3.30p.m. where you will:</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Gain confidence using two types of icing</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Use professional icing colour gels, equipment and techniques</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Style a gorgeous large ruffled bow and make delicate yet full sugar roses</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Use florist paste to make bespoke bows, birds and flowers</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Learn how to top cupcakes with smooth or embossed sugar paste for all your decorations to sit neatly upon</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Get a chance to have all of your decorating questions answered and dilemmas solved</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Take home a unique box of 12 cupcakes that you have decorated from scratch</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">• Be inspired to go home and make more cupcakes just to decorate them!</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The class is just £90 and includes course notes, all ingredients, equipment and materials. Please bring your own packed lunch.</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Our cupcake classes are suitable for beginners and we hope that by the end of the class, your head will be full to bursting with ideas and inspiration. If you have any questions before you book, please call in to Ponte Vecchio or call Bella Torta on 07521 161547 or email <a href="mailto:ciao@bella-torta.co.uk">ciao@bella-torta.co.uk</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Booking facilities are available at <a href="http://www.bella-torta.co.uk/">http://www.bella-torta.co.uk/</a></span></div><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-61629307661354887912011-06-25T16:53:00.000+01:002011-06-25T16:53:10.167+01:00Che Bella Torta!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xO-cI7Ai7tQ/TgYDYrSfROI/AAAAAAAAAY4/SPQidNCeUrw/s1600/P1030688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="640" i$="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xO-cI7Ai7tQ/TgYDYrSfROI/AAAAAAAAAY4/SPQidNCeUrw/s640/P1030688.JPG" width="480" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In all my excitement trying to eat all of the raspberries in the garden (they are still going), I have forgotten to let you in on my latest piece of news.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It's an idea that has floated around in my head for as long as I can remember, but it has only been since my visit to the Blue Door Bakery that I began to question why I wasn't doing what I really wanted to do with my life. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Have you guessed yet?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I've opened up my own little cake making and decorating company! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After weeks of careful consideration and a lot of suggestions, </span><a href="http://www.bella-torta.co.uk/"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bella Torta</span></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"> was born! The last couple of months have gone in a whirlwind of buying new equipment, testing out cake recipes, making sugar flowers and decorations and fussing about over a new website. I must just publicly thank my uncle I and aunty C for helping design such a fun little logo that now takes pride of place on a few aprons, letterheads and a rather fantastic self inking stamp. <em>(No, I have not stamped </em>everything<em> in sight......).</em></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CNNUbPMvcKo/TgYCRlvN9uI/AAAAAAAAAYw/i819_sTnxGY/s1600/Bella+Torta+Logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CNNUbPMvcKo/TgYCRlvN9uI/AAAAAAAAAYw/i819_sTnxGY/s320/Bella+Torta+Logo.png" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I've already completed my first order - a box of cupcakes with buttercream swirls and various tiny handmade drugs for a doctors birthday and Ill be decorating a wedding cake this week with a very interesting theme. Pictures to follow..</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Anyway, I'd really love for you to go and check out my website </span><a href="http://www.bella-torta.co.uk/"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">www.bella-torta.co.uk</span></a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> or </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Legend-of-Zelda-Twilight-Princess/112139085465448#!/pages/Bella-Torta/210159322349844"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">facebook page</span></a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> to see what I've been up to. Of course, I wouldn't complain if you decided to put in an order either! Keep checking back too, because in the next couple of weeks I've got a very exciting piece of news that I'm finding it really, <em>really</em> hard to keep quiet about.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div> <a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r1WMBrl5DZg/TgYC9myB--I/AAAAAAAAAY0/fQuNWhyt-4c/s1600/P1030830%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" i$="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r1WMBrl5DZg/TgYC9myB--I/AAAAAAAAAY0/fQuNWhyt-4c/s640/P1030830%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-80319967052830462002011-06-16T16:25:00.000+01:002011-06-16T16:25:31.124+01:00An Abundance of Raspberries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nQ--g45NNeY/TfobHpVv87I/AAAAAAAAAYo/buta_GT6KUw/s1600/P1030927%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nQ--g45NNeY/TfobHpVv87I/AAAAAAAAAYo/buta_GT6KUw/s640/P1030927%25281%2529.jpg" t8="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We are drowning in raspberries. Every other day we are <em>forced</em> into the garden with a bowl to full with more and more of the little red jewels. It also seems that <em>someone</em> is fed up with the abundance of our new favourite fruit, and is less interested in picking and eating and more interested in squelching and stamping them into the floor. Oh dear.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QhZU2k3EvQ8/TfoZ-VHY12I/AAAAAAAAAYc/zuKANrg2NaY/s1600/P1030957%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QhZU2k3EvQ8/TfoZ-VHY12I/AAAAAAAAAYc/zuKANrg2NaY/s640/P1030957%25281%2529.jpg" t8="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Thankfully, I was able to get her to eat some in yet another raspberry and apricot themed dessert. This time, a galette without any sugar in the pastry to allow the natural sweetness in the fruits to shine through.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Raspberry and Apricot Galettes <em>(apapted from Tartlette. Makes 5)</em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ingredients</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em>For the pastry dough</em><br />
70g unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
2 egg yolks</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">pinch salt</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">210g plain flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 tablespoons milk</span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the fruits</span></em><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">5 apricots</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 tablespoons sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 stems lemon balm</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">100g raspberries</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">75g caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">6 leaves lemon balm</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 egg, beaten</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>For the pastry</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In a mixer, whip the butter on medium speed until light and airy. </span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add the egg yolks and pinch of salt and beat well after each addition, scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary. </span></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Mix in all of the flour and mix briefly to form breadcrumbs. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add enough milk to bring the dough into a ball.</span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in cling film and refrigerate for an hour.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>For the fruits</em></span></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">While the dough is resting, place the apricots, sugar and lemon balm stalks in a pan with enough water to cover them. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Set over a high heat and bring to a boil before reducing the heat and poaching the apricots until just </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">tender. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Remove from the heat, strain, discarding the cooking liquid and now almost slimey leaves and let them cool on a clean kitchen towel. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Once cooled, peel and halve them, remove the stones and slice the peaches thin.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rGiHFjMFqhk/TfoaX6ORLDI/AAAAAAAAAYg/-YTGCS6E9ew/s1600/P1030949%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rGiHFjMFqhk/TfoaX6ORLDI/AAAAAAAAAYg/-YTGCS6E9ew/s640/P1030949%25281%2529.jpg" t8="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em>To assemble</em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preheat oven to 180C.</span></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When the dough is nice and cold, roll it out on a lightly floured board. If the dough tears while you roll, just patch it with your fingertips. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cut eight 4-inch rounds, I used a saucer, rerolling and using the dough as you go (ig it gets too soft, just refrigerate for a few minutes as you fill the other galettes with fruit).</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Arrange the slices of a whole apricot in the center of each round and gather the edges, pleating as you go with your fingertips (don't worry about being even - these are free form). Add the raspberries on top and sprinkle with sugar and some freshly chopped lemon balm leaves.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Place all the galettes on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush with beaten egg and bake for about 30-35 minutes</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Y7Vv-whwVg/TfoavqM9w6I/AAAAAAAAAYk/Ex3Mr65Hm3k/s1600/P1030945%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0Y7Vv-whwVg/TfoavqM9w6I/AAAAAAAAAYk/Ex3Mr65Hm3k/s640/P1030945%25281%2529.jpg" t8="true" width="480" /></a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
<a href="http://www.bella-torta.co.uk/"><span style="color: white;">www.bella-torta.co.uk</span></a></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-30078423776649619552011-06-08T16:54:00.000+01:002011-06-08T16:54:05.706+01:00A Raspberry and Apricot Upside Down Cake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3p8HoVaQAFg/Te-WfxV3CeI/AAAAAAAAAYM/II1s0m7jQY4/s1600/P1030881%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3p8HoVaQAFg/Te-WfxV3CeI/AAAAAAAAAYM/II1s0m7jQY4/s640/P1030881%25281%2529.jpg" t8="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Suddenly, we are well and truly in the throws of summer. We wear short sleeves during the day, sometimes walk home from the restaurant in the light and are eating the first if the produce from our new garden. I have already mentioned how lucky we are to have bought a house with such an established garden. We have enjoyed the last of the years rhubarb now but our herbs are still very alive despite all the picking we do. It is not uncommon for one of us to take M out into the garden and come back with a few roses from one of the 18 bushes we have inherited (yes, you did read that right!) or a bunch of sage, thyme, marjoram to name a few.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-woJuZ0-ZKaY/Te-W2xklD3I/AAAAAAAAAYQ/BeQAvq-yoD8/s1600/P1030884%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-woJuZ0-ZKaY/Te-W2xklD3I/AAAAAAAAAYQ/BeQAvq-yoD8/s640/P1030884%25281%2529.jpg" t8="true" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Last week we gleefully noticed that our raspberries were deep red and bursting with juice. We ate them greedily straight off the bush.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This week we had been more restrained and managed to put off picking any for a few days so I would have enough to use them in something special. In the end, we had too many anyway, so found ourselves hoovering the remainder up while we waited for our cake to bake.</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N5UUvIPCWRY/Te-YktoYmHI/AAAAAAAAAYU/1_KBASNMpdU/s1600/P1030905%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N5UUvIPCWRY/Te-YktoYmHI/AAAAAAAAAYU/1_KBASNMpdU/s640/P1030905%25281%2529.jpg" t8="true" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Raspberry and apricot upside down cake</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">5 ripe apricots</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">100g ripe raspberries</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">225g unwanted butter at room temperature</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">225g caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3 large eggs</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2tbsp almond extract</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">300g self raising flour</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to gas Mark 3 1/2/ 170C.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Butter and flour the sides of a 25cm springform tin and line the base with greaseproof paper.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Beat the sugar and butter together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add the eggs, one at a time, each with a tbsp of flour and beat well.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Quickly beat in the almond extract, followed by the flour.</span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Halve and stone the apricots and lay then cut side up into the springform tin. Fill in the gaps between them with the raspberries, making sure the fruit is in a single layer.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gently spoon the cake mixture out over the fruits.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bake for 1 - 1 1/4 hours until a skewer comes out clean and the top is golden and springs back to the touch.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Rest the cake in it's tin for 5minutes before turning out onto a wire rack.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Peel the paper off once cool and serve with yogurt or cream and some chopped pistachios or almonds.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-63bKljSPO3Q/Te-Zhv2zY5I/AAAAAAAAAYY/qOs16GteXaI/s1600/P1030908%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-63bKljSPO3Q/Te-Zhv2zY5I/AAAAAAAAAYY/qOs16GteXaI/s640/P1030908%25281%2529.jpg" t8="true" width="480" /></a></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-72054814921356036602011-05-30T18:13:00.001+01:002011-05-31T12:45:23.865+01:00Knock, Knock at the Blue Door Bakery<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AsNTNuqM2f0/TePPta8pBhI/AAAAAAAAAYI/uYJ69jmfc98/s1600/P1030644%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-AsNTNuqM2f0/TePPta8pBhI/AAAAAAAAAYI/uYJ69jmfc98/s400/P1030644%25281%2529.jpg" t8="true" width="316" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A month ago now I found myself taking a deep breath before I knocked on the dark blue door of a house in Hagley, just outside Birmingham. Inside, I was sure that there would be several friendly faces waiting for me, but I was nervous nonetheless. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You have to understand that I am quite shy and rarely venture out alone. This was going to be different though. I knew that everyone I met here today was going to share one of my passions and that we would at least have something to talk about. Phew. I find uncomfortable silences so, well, uncomfortable.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A smiling woman opened the door</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"You must be Alice, you're the last to arrive" (I wasn't late - everyone else was early.)</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"What a fantastic jumper!" I had worn one of my favourites and it was highly topical. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">"Do you want some tea or coffee? There are some biscuits on the table too if you're peckish."</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I instantly relaxed and realised I was going to be okay and that I was probably going to have a lot of fun.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I had arrived at the home of Sarah Barnes, owner of the Blue Door Bakery and I was going to spend the next few hours learning about decorating cupcakes! </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">All seven of us students sat down around a table and examined the mountain of equipment in front of us -cutters, plungers, foam mats, rolling pins and not forgetting a large selection of gel colours. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We spent the day learning about how to make different swirls from the fluffiest vanilla buttercream and how to make sugar roses and all about the proper use of florist paste.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AkD2wRDPCIc/TePO53KfZDI/AAAAAAAAAYE/oZgle01B3Mc/s1600/P1030646.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AkD2wRDPCIc/TePO53KfZDI/AAAAAAAAAYE/oZgle01B3Mc/s640/P1030646.JPG" t8="true" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I was back again a couple of weeks later to learn some more tricks too. It's highly addictive stuff, sitting around, practically relaxing, while you learn all these skills from someone with as much enthusiasm for her work as Sarah. It has ignited a pre-existing passion in me for sugarcraft and cake decoration much more than I could have imagined that it would have done; and since then, well, let's just say I've <em>made a lot</em> of cupcakes and invested <em>a lot of time</em> into decorating them!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If you're happy to sit and look at photos of gorgeous cupcakes, take a trip to the blue door bakery's website </span><a href="http://www.bluedoorbakery.co.uk/"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">here</span></a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> or check out their </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.214295095269600.59539.210159322349844&saved#!/bluedoorbakery"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">facebook page</span></a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. Click on the 'parties and classes' cucpake icon to see if there are any courses you'd like to go on too - but book quickly, these spaces sell like hot cakes!</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h8Hhnrex7ys/TePOKJra_8I/AAAAAAAAAYA/f78TBYRiSx4/s1600/P1030648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-h8Hhnrex7ys/TePOKJra_8I/AAAAAAAAAYA/f78TBYRiSx4/s640/P1030648.JPG" t8="true" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My finished box of cupcakes, and that jumper.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-78219484165901608662011-05-02T18:04:00.001+01:002011-05-31T12:45:59.348+01:00Italian Classics : Torta della Nonna<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-px6TxdKQeZE/Tb7joXDGyVI/AAAAAAAAAX8/d27xjeIXQkE/s1600/P1030611%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-px6TxdKQeZE/Tb7joXDGyVI/AAAAAAAAAX8/d27xjeIXQkE/s640/P1030611%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Isn't it amazing how powerful and evocative a smell can be? Pine trees, cloves and oranges at christmas. Freshly cut grass and sweet blossoms in spring. Or the simple smell of a custard tart in the oven reminding you of your favourite Italian pasticceria and instantly transporting you back to countless holidays in Florence.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This torta is no exception. Make it and your whole house will smell like a professional bakery. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When I chose to put this on as the restaurant's dessert special for April, I had no idea it would be quite so popular. It is surprisingly simple to make and totally appropriate for our restaurant. L had great fun telling everyone it is a dish that originated in Florence itself.</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ChbGfFbn7bc/Tb7i3tgqqTI/AAAAAAAAAX4/VWvnsBnJS94/s1600/P1030609%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ChbGfFbn7bc/Tb7i3tgqqTI/AAAAAAAAAX4/VWvnsBnJS94/s640/P1030609%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Torta della Nonna</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></div><em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the pastry</span></em><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">150g plain flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">60g caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">80g unsalted butter</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1tsp baking powder</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 egg yolk</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">zest 1 lemon</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1tsp vanilla extract</span><br />
<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the custard</span></em><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">4 eggs</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">80g caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">500ml whole milk</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">49g plain flour</span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">zest 1 orange</span></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">50 grams of pine nuts</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Icing sugar to dust</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--7LqibWU6oc/Tb7icObG19I/AAAAAAAAAX0/qJDlsJoFUWM/s1600/P1030592%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" j8="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--7LqibWU6oc/Tb7icObG19I/AAAAAAAAAX0/qJDlsJoFUWM/s640/P1030592%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the pastry</span></em></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Soften the butter at room temperature. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and add the lemon zest and vanilla extract.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Divide the butter into small pieces and rub into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add the sugar and egg yolk and mix together with your fingers until combined, trying not to over work the dough.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Use a little butter to grease a 26cm springform tin.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Roll the pastry out to the thickness of 5mm on a lightly floured surface. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Transfer it to the tin using the rolling pin to lift it, and press gently in. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Prick the base all over with a fork before placing in the fridge to rest.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Perheat the oven to 150C.</span><br />
<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the custard</span></em><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Place the milk and orange zest into a heavy bottomed saucepan and just bring to the boil over a medium heat.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Meanwhile, put the egg yolks with the sugar in a bowl and whisk. Slowly add the sifted flour with the remaining vanilla. Very slowly, and using a fine sieve, pour the hot milk in while stirring constantly to prevent lumps. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pour this mixture back into the saucepan, and stir constantly over a medium heat until it boils. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Stir for another 2-3 minutes while it thickens to get rid of the raw flour taste that might remain.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Remove the pastry from the fridge and pour the custard over it, spreading it out a little to cover the dough.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sprinkle with pine nuts and cook in the oven for around 35 minutes until the custard has just set and is just going golden in a few places.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Unmold the cake onto a serving plate and let cool. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dust it with icing sugar to serve.</span>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-53389690883231410752011-04-27T08:19:00.001+01:002011-05-31T12:47:35.126+01:00Orange and Kumquat Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xIS7tY3g0f4/TbfCqyidLCI/AAAAAAAAAXs/_5eziCPjFUM/s1600/P1030613%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xIS7tY3g0f4/TbfCqyidLCI/AAAAAAAAAXs/_5eziCPjFUM/s640/P1030613%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It's a universal fact that we Britons love our tea. If there's ever a problem, no matter how big or small, a cup of tea will surely solve it. I won't get into the nitty-gritty of all of it - should the milk be put in first or last? A slice of lemon in place of the milk? Should there be one teabag in the pot per person and then one for the pot too?</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Essentially, it's all down to preference. I will drink any type of tea apart from the regular ones, prefering a slightly floral note as opposed to a greener or smokier one . No milk, no lemon and certainly no sugar. I get my sugar fix from whatever I decide to take with my tea.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iuoL8cmEfYg/TbfCO0OcC_I/AAAAAAAAAXo/UWPGsx39QO8/s1600/P1030628%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iuoL8cmEfYg/TbfCO0OcC_I/AAAAAAAAAXo/UWPGsx39QO8/s320/P1030628%25281%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Last week, after I had made the candied kumquats, I could resist putting them into some orange cupcakes and sharing them with everyone at work. I am on a bit of a cupcake high - this week I am off on a days cupcake baking course and I could not be more excited. With any luck, I'll be able to post some pictures of what I learn in the next few weeks.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vA4wkDNZfBQ/TbfDMqTOvgI/AAAAAAAAAXw/bu03HQb3ZS4/s1600/P1030623%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vA4wkDNZfBQ/TbfDMqTOvgI/AAAAAAAAAXw/bu03HQb3ZS4/s640/P1030623%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a><span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Orange and candied kumquat cupakes <i>(adapted from Cupcakes from the Primrose Bakery, makes 12 cupcakes)</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the cupcakes</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">110g unsalted butter</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">225g golden caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 large eggs </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">150g self raising flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">125g plain flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">90ml milk</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">grated zest 1 orange </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 batch candied kumquats</span><br />
<i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the icing</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">115g unsalted butter, at room temperature</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">500g icing sugar</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 170C/ gas mark 4 and line a 12 hole cupcake try with paper cases.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cream the butter and sugar together in a free standing mixer until pale and smooth. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add the eggs, one at a time, with a tbsp of the flour and beat well.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add a third of the flours and beat again. Pour in half of the milk, mix well and add another third of the flour and beat well. Add the remainder of the milk, beat and the remainder of the flour, the orange zest and beat well a final time. <br />
Spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, placing a kumquat slice in the centre as a surprise filling if you wish.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack.</span><br />
<i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the icing</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sift half of the icing sugar into a large bowl and beat together with the butter and orange juice until smooth. Gradually sift the rest of the icing sugar over the buttercream and beat again until smooth and creamy.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Once the cakes are cool, ice with the orange buttercream and decorate with the remaining candied kumquats.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EsiwOw7uT5w/TbfBwDfhosI/AAAAAAAAAXk/Y6y-d6fLWxE/s1600/P1030629.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EsiwOw7uT5w/TbfBwDfhosI/AAAAAAAAAXk/Y6y-d6fLWxE/s640/P1030629.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-64408962565240311972011-04-19T11:32:00.000+01:002011-04-19T11:32:12.274+01:00A Trip to Birmingham<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--X40TvxhKuM/TarZeKAJV0I/AAAAAAAAAXY/hoqclR6_9p8/s1600/P1030576%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--X40TvxhKuM/TarZeKAJV0I/AAAAAAAAAXY/hoqclR6_9p8/s640/P1030576%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A few weeks ago, L suddenly realised his passport was close to running out. Just fill in the appropriate form, sign a cheque and send it off, you say?</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wrong!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">L of course, has an Italian passport, which means trips to the Italian embassy are in order. But, even then, it's not a simple process - our marriage and M's birth have to be registered, as does our change of address. Once certificates have been authenticated and translated, only then can he make the trip down to Lodon to actually apply for his passport. What a chore it has been - and we're only half was through the process!</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">L could have made the return journey to the Birmingham embassy in three hours and been home in time for Lunch. But then I am not one to miss out on an opportunity to go and visit the Birmingham food markets.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">With M on my back in the papoose, we embraced the crowds and the sights and smells of the stalls. We watched baby lobsters scuttle across the counters of the fishmongers, pulled disgusted faces at the chicken feet at the butchers and listened to the days offers from all of the stallholders. I wished I had taken more cash with me. There were so many new and exciting things to try and many things I couldn't even name. In the end we came home laiden with lemons, tomatoes, kumquats, plantain, figs, purple anya potatoes, radishes and a cho-cho.</span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--sm3jcf-IA8/TaragkbT45I/AAAAAAAAAXc/S5MjUBAuqqk/s1600/P1030579%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--sm3jcf-IA8/TaragkbT45I/AAAAAAAAAXc/S5MjUBAuqqk/s640/P1030579%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We also stepped very briefly into the Bullring shopping centre itself and spent forty-five minutes going up and down the escalators in Selfridges. L had to tear me away from my favourite pair of Louboutin shoes that they were selling for £505.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Thank goodness I don't have a credit card.</span></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">While I have plenty of ideas for what I'm going to do with all of these things, the kumquats had to be dealt with first. Of course, a few many have found their way into my mouth, but the majority were candied to be used a few days later, in the recipe that I'll post next time.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><img height="96" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C_oY2J-IxoI/TarbdWOV3BI/AAAAAAAAAXg/mQBYUe0AxQs/s320/P1030590%25281%2529.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 522px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 1040px; visibility: hidden;" width="85" /><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C_oY2J-IxoI/TarbdWOV3BI/AAAAAAAAAXg/mQBYUe0AxQs/s1600/P1030590%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="cssfloat: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-C_oY2J-IxoI/TarbdWOV3BI/AAAAAAAAAXg/mQBYUe0AxQs/s640/P1030590%25281%2529.jpg" width="572" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Candied Kumquats</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></div><span style="color: #666666;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">50ml water </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">40g caster sugar </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">100g fresh kumquats, cut into threes</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Place the water and sugar in a heavy medium sized saucepan and bring to the boil.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add the kumquat pieces, turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 10 -15 minutes until the kumquats are tender and a thick syrup has formed around them. Stir frequently to avoid sticking.<br />
Remove from heat and leave to cool.<br />
Poured into a sterilised jar, these will keep for up to one month in the fridge.</span></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-27622808054948740652011-04-13T14:33:00.000+01:002011-04-13T14:33:18.950+01:00Leonardo's Rhubarb Obsession<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YyGr35tXqFA/TaMP58wAiyI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/_TtwQO9sQJY/s1600/P1030559%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YyGr35tXqFA/TaMP58wAiyI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/_TtwQO9sQJY/s640/P1030559%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Rainbow Chard. </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I love it. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If I see some at the farmer's market I simply cannot buy fewer than two bags. I love it steamed, the younger leaves in a salad, sauted with olive oil and garlic and now like this, with my least favourite vegetable, rhubarb. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have only recently rediscovered that rhubarb is a vegetable. I'm sure I learnt it a long time ago but pushed it right to the back of my mind. It's a shame, it would have made a great quiz question for the few that I've put together for various family members over the last few years.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">L and I sit on opposite sides of the fence when it comes to rhubarb. I would quite happily dig the plant up or just let it go to seed whereas L has been on my case ever since we moved: 'Please could you make a crumble or a pie tonight?' 'Why don't I go and pick some rhubarb for you to cook tonight?' </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">So I have humoured him and he has had one crumble, some rhubarb and cinnamon muffins, a huge batch rhubarb and custard ice cream for the restaurant and rhubarb stewed with blood orange and some meringues that I whipped up using the egg whites left over from the ice cream. I have also been thinking about making some rhubarb and white chocolate macaroons.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Mostly however I have been freezing the pink stalks ready to use later in the year.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And then of course, on rediscovering that the bitter pink stalks are a vegetable, I decided to use it as much as possible in savoury cooking. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This little contorno is all I've been able to do so far, but as soon as I spotted in it Jamie Oliver's magazine (which I only bought because it was the Italian issue), I knew I had to make it. It was delicious. A sort of Italian sweet and sour. Jamie uses spinach for this, but I think that the chard adds a bit more colour, especially if your rhubarb isn't the bright pink forced kind like mine.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4QAxi0uTNFA/TaMQZerl7PI/AAAAAAAAAXU/ZsztzFeIwQw/s1600/P1030546%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4QAxi0uTNFA/TaMQZerl7PI/AAAAAAAAAXU/ZsztzFeIwQw/s640/P1030546%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">Warm Rainbow Chard and Rhubarb Salad <em>(serves 2)</em></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">200g rhubarb, diagonally sliced</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">40g sugar (I used Xylitol)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1tbsp white wine vinegar</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">200g rainbow chard, leaves chopped in three</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3tbsp extra virgin olive oil</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Put the rhubarb and sugar in a large frying pan and add 150ml water. Bring to a boil and simmer for two minutes, until the rhubarb is just tender.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Remove the rhubarb to a serving dish with a slotted spoon.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add the vinegar to the pan and turn up the heat to reduce the liquid to about 2tbsp. Pour the reduction into a jar and whisk in the olive oil. Season to taste.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Put another drizzle of olive oil into the pan and tip in the rainbow chard. Cook until wilted, about 3 minutes, stirring occassionally, before tipping it onto the serving dish with the rhubarb.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Mix the two together a little before drizzling with the dressing and serve warm.</span></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-62484115501927014692011-04-11T14:45:00.000+01:002011-04-11T14:45:29.728+01:00The Kitchen Courtyard<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bwKhEJlcWl8/TZsVGumTzmI/AAAAAAAAAXM/VNYxhO2hXXs/s1600/P1030538.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bwKhEJlcWl8/TZsVGumTzmI/AAAAAAAAAXM/VNYxhO2hXXs/s640/P1030538.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The Ponte Vecchio courtyard is looking rather sorry for itself at the moment. The pots are empty and devoid of anything except their compost and a few winter pansies that are leggy and look a little lost having survived the long cold winter we are finally out of.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At this time of year, I start getting excited about the seeds I will sow for the coming summer months. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We will fill most of the boxes with tomato plants, not one of them to produce a red tomato though - only yellow and purple ones here. Last year I also started to experiment with edible flowers and we put nasturtiums, borage and radish flowers in salads. </span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This year I hope to continue along these lines, perhaps with a few herbs and some alpine strawberries to add to the collection. </span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For now, this is the courtyard, bare and grey; but we hope to update the pictures over the coming months so you can see the progress and some of our courtyard produce in action.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3gxJuZIctNk/TZsTjK5SClI/AAAAAAAAAXA/bNkRnixeEgY/s1600/P1030532.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3gxJuZIctNk/TZsTjK5SClI/AAAAAAAAAXA/bNkRnixeEgY/s640/P1030532.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BArE7eZId_0/TZsUE2C8DUI/AAAAAAAAAXE/9XwldMlPNbg/s1600/P1030533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BArE7eZId_0/TZsUE2C8DUI/AAAAAAAAAXE/9XwldMlPNbg/s640/P1030533.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vFBwWGeJ0t8/TZsUlHJrBeI/AAAAAAAAAXI/ONYWLTlKdjE/s1600/P1030534.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vFBwWGeJ0t8/TZsUlHJrBeI/AAAAAAAAAXI/ONYWLTlKdjE/s640/P1030534.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-86354607907566641492011-04-04T22:28:00.000+01:002011-04-04T22:28:00.789+01:00Just Like Bruno Used to Make....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pviVaGUmrsY/TZot2BXsIBI/AAAAAAAAAW4/xwc9_6g8Aac/s1600/P1030514.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" r6="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pviVaGUmrsY/TZot2BXsIBI/AAAAAAAAAW4/xwc9_6g8Aac/s640/P1030514.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pizza is something we indulge in roughly once a fortnight. We all love it. Although we still eat it at the table, it is a less formal meal than usual. No cutlery or napkins, just kitchen roll and the pizza slicer; no tablecloth or tablemats, just our plates the board that the pizza sits on; no water jugs or expensive carefully matched bottles of wine, just a cold Peroni each and of course some juice for M.</span></div><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Of course, we all have our own favourite topping too - spinach and olives for M; mushrooms, red onion and chilli oil for L and more often than not, four cheeses for me. Each and everytime we have pizza, I make it from scratch. At around four o'clock, you'll find me in the kitchen and a dining chair at my side with my little helper on tiptoes trying to pour the flours into the kitchenaid bowl and stirring the yeast into the warm water. She is the second generation of Hereford-based pizza makers in the Pavi Degl'Innocenti family and already takes the preparation just as seriously as the eating. Though she is not prehaps old enough to understand that its not necessary to eat the preparation before it is cooked.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Nonno Bruno is of course the first generation and is famous throughout Hereford. 16 years as the face of Ristorante Pizzeria Firenze, you know before he speaks that he is Italian and that he takes his food very seriously. A large part of his repertoire is exactly how 'mamma used to make it', although he can definitely claim pizza as his own. </span></div><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oTMD_jbPjZY/TZotYJ3GLqI/AAAAAAAAAW0/Qmcn06SLx4s/s1600/P1030519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" r6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oTMD_jbPjZY/TZotYJ3GLqI/AAAAAAAAAW0/Qmcn06SLx4s/s640/P1030519.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Imagine sitting in the pizzeria with its green walls and informal lively atmosphere watching those famous hands form your dough base and then scatter on your toppings. Children used to clamber up to the marble worktop to get a closer look and sometimes a piece of dough to knead for themselves.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Firenze days are ones that we all treasure, and it shows in the number of people we meet in town who pull us to one side just to ask how Bruno is.</span></div><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For those of you who ever dined at Firenze, remember this, Bruno's signature pizza, the 'Firenze'? Hand stretched bread dough with tomato, gorgonzola piccante, artichoke hearts, chilli and garlic. Next time you have pizza, try this one, it will become your usual.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bruno's Firenze Pizza (makes 3 8'' pizze)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the dough</span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">300ml lukewarm water</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">7g sachet dried yeast</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">250g wholegrain spelt flour</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">250g strong bread flour</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1tsp salt</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1tbsp olive oil</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the chilli oil</span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">vegetable oil</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">dried chilli flakes</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>For the topping </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">up to 6 tbsp tomato passata</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 400g can artichoke hearts in water, drained</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">250g gorgonzola, piccante if possible</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">homemade chilli oil</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">6 cloves garlic</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em>For the chilli oil</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Mix together some vegetable oil and chilli flakes in a jar. Do this to your own tastes, put the lid on and give it a good shake. Keep in a cool dark place for 2 months and use as you please.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em>For the dough</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Mix the flours and salt in a large bowl and make a well in the middle using the back of a spoon.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dissolve the yeast in the water and leave for five minutes to foam a little.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pour this into the well along with the olive oil and combine until a dough has formed. Knead for 5 minutes in a free standing mixer until the dough is silky and elastic.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cover with a tea towel and leave to rise for two hours until doubled in a warm place</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to as high a temperature as it will go - gas mark 9/250C.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On a well floured surface, divide the dough into three and roll out each dough ball to 7'' - 8'' onto three lightly greased baking sheets and transfer them over using the rolling pin to help.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"><em>To top</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Spoon up to 2 tbsp of the passata into the centre of each base and using the back of the spoon, circle the passata around the base until it has covered all but the outer inch of the dough.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Crumble the gorgonzola piccante amongst the pizze and pull apart the artichokes before scattering the leaves onto the top. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sprinkle with chilli oil to your taste and c</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">rush the garlic cloves evenly over the pizze.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Place into the oven for about 10 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the vegetables are golden on their edges.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Eat immediately, washed down with Peroni or any other Italian lager.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q8KHQ9vThMc/TZouaZ5hfcI/AAAAAAAAAW8/ghd6hiie0CQ/s1600/P1030505%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q8KHQ9vThMc/TZouaZ5hfcI/AAAAAAAAAW8/ghd6hiie0CQ/s640/P1030505%25281%2529.jpg" width="450" /></a></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-54732961419209976222011-03-27T08:10:00.001+01:002011-03-27T08:10:00.351+01:00Mets la Main a la Pate!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-g_x06qzmtSo/TY3fDp5m6zI/AAAAAAAAAWg/gwPTi2U3rZM/s1600/P1030456%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-g_x06qzmtSo/TY3fDp5m6zI/AAAAAAAAAWg/gwPTi2U3rZM/s640/P1030456%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The March 2011 Daring Baker’s Challenge was hosted by Ria of Ria’s Collection and Jamie of Life’s a Feast. Ria and Jamie challenged The Daring Bakers to bake a yeasted Meringue Coffee Cake. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'd never heard of this type of cake until this challenge. It was a great recipe and one I'd urge you to try - very versatile and surprisingly simple to make.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I decided to have a go at two fillings - a red pesto, aubergine and mozzarella one, and a lightly spiced chocolate and blood orange one. Both were delicious, but I think I prefered our savoury option, which we enjoyed warm from the oven with a simple salad. We took the chocolate cake to L's cousin, who we were visiting that weekend and in our haste to eat it for breakfast, I forgot to take some photos, so you'll just have to imagine the pieces of orange glistening between the swirls of the dough and the chocolate.</span></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-PMgzhXLyKyE/TY3gIBkTrGI/AAAAAAAAAWk/gEBlagM0ogk/s1600/P1030469%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-PMgzhXLyKyE/TY3gIBkTrGI/AAAAAAAAAWk/gEBlagM0ogk/s640/P1030469%25281%2529.jpg" width="512" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">FILLED MERINGUE COFFEE CAKE</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Makes 2 round coffee cakes, each approximately 10 inches in diameter</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The recipe can easily be halved to make one round coffee cake. I made two batches of this - one sugar free for savory versions of the cake.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the yeast coffee cake dough:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">600g flour</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">55g sugar</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">¾ teaspoon salt</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 package (2 ¼ teaspoons / 7 g) active dried yeast</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">180ml whole milk</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">60ml water</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">135g unsalted butter at room temperature</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 large eggs at room temperature</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the meringue:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3 large egg whites at room temperature</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">¼ teaspoon salt</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the filling:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Savoury version:</span></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1/2 aubergine, sliced and fried in olive oil</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3 tbsp red pesto</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">150g mozzarella</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">handful sliced olives</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sweet version:</span></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">150g Maya Gold Green and Blacks chocolate</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 blood orange, zested, juiced, peeled and thinly sliced</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Egg wash</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 beaten egg</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GcoQjkYlNms/TY3glmp4a7I/AAAAAAAAAWo/6kc6e8zdV0Y/s1600/P1030460%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-GcoQjkYlNms/TY3glmp4a7I/AAAAAAAAAWo/6kc6e8zdV0Y/s640/P1030460%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Directions</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Prepare the dough:</span></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 ½ cups (230 g) of the flour, the sugar, salt and yeast.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In a saucepan, combine the milk, water and butter and heat over medium heat until warm and the butter is just melted.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">With an electric mixer on low speed, gradually add the warm liquid to the flour/yeast mixture, beating until well blended. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes. Add the eggs and 1 cup (150 g) flour and beat for 2 more minutes.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Using a wooden spoon, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a dough that holds together. Turn out onto a floured surface (use any of the 1 ½ cups of flour remaining) and knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth, sexy and elastic, keeping the work surface floured and adding extra flour as needed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Place the dough in a lightly greased (I use vegetable oil) bowl, turning to coat all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise until double in bulk, 45 – 60 minutes. The rising time will depend on the type of yeast you use.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Prepare your filling:</span></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar for the filling if using. You can add the chopped nuts to this if you like, but I find it easier to sprinkle on both the nuts and the chocolate separately.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Once the dough has doubled, make the meringue:</span></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In a clean mixing bowl – ideally a plastic or metal bowl so the egg whites adhere to the side (they slip on glass) and you don’t end up with liquid remaining in the bottom – beat the egg whites with the salt, first on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high and continue beating until foamy and opaque. Add the vanilla then start adding the ½ cup sugar, a tablespoon at a time as you beat, until very stiff, glossy peaks form. If making a savoury version, just omit the sugar - it wont make much difference to the meringue itself.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Assemble the Coffee Cakes:</span></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Line 2 baking/cookie sheets with parchment paper.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Punch down the dough and divide in half. On a lightly floured surface, working one piece of the dough at a time (keep the other half of the dough wrapped in plastic), roll out the dough into a 20 x 10-inch (about 51 x 25 ½ cm) rectangle. Spread half of the meringue evenly over the rectangle up to about 1/2-inch (3/4 cm) from the edges. Sprinkle and spread your filling of choice evenly over the meringue.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now, roll up the dough jellyroll style, from the long side. Pinch the seam closed to seal. Very carefully transfer the filled log to one of the lined cookie sheets, seam side down. Bring the ends of the log around and seal the ends together, forming a ring, tucking one end into the other and pinching to seal.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife (although scissors are easier), make cuts along the outside edge at 1-inch (2 ½ cm) intervals. Make them as shallow or as deep as desired but don’t be afraid to cut deep into the ring.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Repeat with the remaining dough, meringue and fillings.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cover the 2 coffee cakes with plastic wrap and allow them to rise again for 45 to 60 minutes.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Brush the tops of the coffee cakes with the egg wash. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until risen and golden brown. The dough should sound hollow when tapped.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Remove from the oven and slide the parchment paper off the cookie sheets onto the table. Very gently loosen the coffee cakes from the paper with a large spatula and carefully slide the cakes off onto cooling racks. Allow to cool.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">These are best eaten fresh, the same day or the next day.</span></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-83425095480112043712011-03-22T08:00:00.001+00:002011-05-31T12:44:40.102+01:00Italian Classics : Minestrone<div align="justify" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tUb2nGgP-jk/TX_sqW14WvI/AAAAAAAAAWU/nBSS7ojB3eQ/s1600/P1030443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" q6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tUb2nGgP-jk/TX_sqW14WvI/AAAAAAAAAWU/nBSS7ojB3eQ/s640/P1030443.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After a weekend heavy on entertaining, wine and cheese, L and I both felt the need for a simple meal. We always have all the ingredients in the fridge and cupboard for a basic minestone. Three bowls of this and at least 3 of our recommended five-a-day later, our desires were completely fulfilled and our bodies refuelled in the most healthy way I know.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Minestrone is one of the most fundemental dishes in Italian cooking, yet so easy to get wrong. For me, simplicity is key - the best quality ingredients you can afford and not too many of them. I want to taste each vegetable in each spoon. The most important thing however, is the stock you add to the soup. It's got to be vegetable stock and it has to be absolutely exceptional. Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon vegan stock powder - the reduced salt version, is the stock of choice in this house. My secret ingredient? A small bay leaf and a tiny bunch of sage freshly picked to boost all the flavours and provide their own distinct scent.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Oh, and another thing. Although I have always suspected that I go to sleep thinking about food, we had confirmation of this the evening after we ate this. M woke up unhappily in the night and we decided to bring her into bed with us. She refused to settle and in my dreamy state I mumbled to L:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">'Would you please go and get her minestrone?' </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">'Huh?'</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">'Go and get her tomato.'</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">'What?'</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">'Her bottle. I think she'd like some milk...... Oh dear, I think I need to go back to sleep.'</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">And I rolled over, bringing M closer to my chest.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Sure enough, when L returned, M and I were fast asleep in each others arms. No need for a bottle. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Of milk, tomato or minestrone.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oNXoaWPsY0o/TX-Vl1YowpI/AAAAAAAAAWM/n08refQ6hIw/s1600/P1030439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" q6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oNXoaWPsY0o/TX-Vl1YowpI/AAAAAAAAAWM/n08refQ6hIw/s640/P1030439.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Minestrone</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3tbsp olive oil</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 onion</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3 cloves garlic</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 medium potatoes</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 medium carrots</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">8 outer leaves savoy cabbage</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 410g tin haricot beans, drained</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 courgette</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">150g frozen french beans</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2l hot vegetable stock</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 small bay leaf</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 small branch sage - about 3 leaves</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">salt and pepper to season</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat and roughly chop the onion. Fry until transparent, stirring frequently.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Slice the garlic cloves into pieces 2mm thick and add to the onions. Fry for a further three minutes.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Peel the potatoes and carrots and chop into 1cm cubes. Add both to the onions and stir to coat in the oniony oil. Add the bay and sage and stir again.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pour over the hot vegetable stock, stir and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 10minutes until the vegetables are beginning to soften. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In the meantime, chop the courgettes into 1cm cubes.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Remove and discard the tough stalks from the cabbage leaves and chop the leaves into pieces no large than 2cm.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add the courgette, cabbage, haricot and french beans and cook for a further 5 minutes until all the vegetables are tender. Season with salt and pepper.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Leave the soup to rest for five - ten minutes before you serve it so that it is warm, rather than hot and all the flavours have had one final chance to mingle.</span></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-38699259301000300952011-03-15T16:27:00.001+00:002011-03-15T16:40:04.617+00:00New Beginnings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-gYHHTi89MBI/TX-SXfjLizI/AAAAAAAAAWI/-l_mU98hLCk/s1600/P1030404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-gYHHTi89MBI/TX-SXfjLizI/AAAAAAAAAWI/-l_mU98hLCk/s640/P1030404.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">March. Our new favourite month in our wonderful new house. Did I say house? I meant home. It is already a home to all three of us. Only four boxes sit untouched in the study waiting to be unpacked. M has taken to the new house like a duck to water, which is just as well really, considering we are only a few minutes walk from the duckpond, her new favourite haunt. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Curtains are up, books are on their shelves and pictures hang proudly on the walls. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">You know I'm not kidding when I confess that the kitchen was the first room to be unpacked. I've at last got an eye level oven with glass doors. But if anything I've been watching the contents of the oven more than ever. M likes to pull a chair through from the dining room and clamber up to watch me cook.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">L is enjoying building fires on our new multifuel burner and sitting with his book in his chair. The cat has already found some spots warmed by sunbeams to spend her lazy afternoons. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We are all happy here.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Plenty of friends have appeared on our new front door, eager to see the house that almost got away from us. We are more than happy to show them around and this weekend, for anyone who popped over, a cup of tea and a slice of some Irish Tea Bread were included as post-tour refreshments.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-wCDbesskl-8/TX-R15G2izI/AAAAAAAAAWE/2msdJo2aLW8/s1600/P1030452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-wCDbesskl-8/TX-R15G2izI/AAAAAAAAAWE/2msdJo2aLW8/s640/P1030452.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Irish Tea Bread <i>(adapted from Delia Smith's How to Cook Book One)</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">250g raisins</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">225g currants</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">225g sultanas</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">150g demerara sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">100g soft light brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">275g hot Lady Grey Tea made using two teabags</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">100g pecan nuts</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 large egg at room temperature, beaten with 2tbsp water</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">400g self raising flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">50g wholegrain spelt flour</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Begin this the evening before by placing all the fruits, including the candied peel, in a bowl, then dissolve the sugar in the hot tea, pour this over the fruits, cover the bowl and leave it overnight so the fruits become plump and juicy.<br />
The next day, pre-heat the oven to gas mark 3, 325°F (170°C), then place the nuts on a baking sheet and pop them into the oven for 5 minutes (use a timer, as they burn easily). Then, when they're cool, roughly chop them. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Line two 1lb loaf tins with greaseproof paper.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Next, add the beaten egg mixture to the bowl containing the fruits. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then sift in the flours, add the toasted nuts and give everything a really good mixing. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now divide the mixture between the prepared loaf tins and bake them in the centre of the oven for 1¼-1½ hours, until they feel springy in the centre. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then straight away, loosen them with a palette knife and turn them out on to a wire rack to cool. Then have patience – it won't be long before you can taste some.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This tea bread lasted four days and was brilliant spread with lots of unsalted butter.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bY8OaVpoGqw/TX-RERzakTI/AAAAAAAAAWA/ntTd9oMUeY8/s1600/P1030447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bY8OaVpoGqw/TX-RERzakTI/AAAAAAAAAWA/ntTd9oMUeY8/s640/P1030447.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-80979842596148271852011-02-22T22:55:00.000+00:002011-02-22T22:55:56.117+00:00The News We Have Waited Six Months For<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2poHpUVzknc/TWKHCCW7EAI/AAAAAAAAAVw/P12WzVmtH6Y/s1600/P1030360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-2poHpUVzknc/TWKHCCW7EAI/AAAAAAAAAVw/P12WzVmtH6Y/s640/P1030360.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Last Friday we found ourselves smiling, shouting and almost jumping for joy when our solicitor called and said "We've exchanged, you'll be moving next Monday!" </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Overjoyed is not the word. This house sale has been six irritating months in the making and we have pestered those acting on our behalf, considered trashing the house for the next owners and almost cried ourselves to sleep when we discovered that yet another moving date was postponed because the other parties involved were not acting as fast as we would have liked.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We have entertained, lived and loved among these walls as much as we could. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E7-nVSGup9M/TWKHUz3jETI/AAAAAAAAAV0/_kM5oS7_OQo/s1600/P1030357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E7-nVSGup9M/TWKHUz3jETI/AAAAAAAAAV0/_kM5oS7_OQo/s640/P1030357.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We are moving from a Victorian terrace to a Victorian semi detatched cottage with the extra space we craved and a beautifully established garden. We are looking forward to a glut of eight types of summer and autumn fruits and long summer evenings spent amongst the fragrant herbs already established. We are so eager to get into the house that we have already done a lot of packing and are picturing where all the furniture will go. Little diagrams illustrating where all the kitchen equipment might go litter the dining table. We have chatted about paint to go on the walls and the possibility of a few changes to the house. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It has a new kitchen that is only slightly bigger than our current one but has a huge window and seems so light and airy. L has already started planning a house warming for once the boxes are unpacked. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There are some very busy and exciting times ahead for the three of us. We know it's going to be stressful and a bit mad for a couple of weeks, and so this will be my last post for a fortnight or so. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm busy trying to empty the freezer and found some puff pastry lurking at the back. All three of us seem to be tomato mad at the moment, so plenty of ripe ones had to match it somehow. A few days before I threw the words 'tarte tatin' into a conversation with L at the dinner table who confessed he'd never tried one. Okay, okay. I know this is not a traditional one with apples and a beautiful sticky caramel sauce oozing around them, but it's a start and L and M both loved it. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tUF7RWrI6Bs/TWKH7IyfgXI/AAAAAAAAAV8/w1r4I8oPvwQ/s1600/P1030350.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tUF7RWrI6Bs/TWKH7IyfgXI/AAAAAAAAAV8/w1r4I8oPvwQ/s640/P1030350.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tomato Tarte Tatin</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">500g ready-made puff pastry <br />
40 cherry tomatoes </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">pinch sea salt </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">freshly ground black pepper </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 tsp runny honey</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">plain flour, for dusting </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 free-range egg, lightly beaten </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">small bunch fresh basil </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil</span></div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="color: #666666;"></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to gas mark 5. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pack the tomatoes tightly into a 20cm/8in ovenproof frying pan or cake tin with the olive oil, salt and pepper and drizzle over the honey.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On a well-floured work surface, roll out a circle of puff pastry the same size as the top of the frying pan. Place the puff pastry over the tomatoes, tucking it around them so the tomatoes are encased. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Brush the top of the pastry with the lightly beaten egg.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bake in the oven for 35 - 40 minutes, until the puff pastry is well puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to sit for a few minutes, then carefully tip away the excess liquid and put a large plate upside down on top of the frying pan. Using oven gloves, press the plate down hard and then quickly flip the whole thing so the frying pan is upside down and the plate is on the bottom.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Remove the frying pan. Once the tart is cold, rip up some basil leaves and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil. Add salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wqV44jYNao/TWKHkwHx8OI/AAAAAAAAAV4/rKHxOOL_jL4/s1600/P1030353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6wqV44jYNao/TWKHkwHx8OI/AAAAAAAAAV4/rKHxOOL_jL4/s640/P1030353.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-40373485522632523162011-02-13T16:07:00.000+00:002011-02-13T16:07:28.236+00:00Bread for Life<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NTDFNH36EAU/TVf7VDXbxnI/AAAAAAAAAVc/yD9FKe1-T-w/s1600/P1030307%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NTDFNH36EAU/TVf7VDXbxnI/AAAAAAAAAVc/yD9FKe1-T-w/s640/P1030307%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Bread making seems to have become an unintentionally fulfilled new years resolution. I have made a variety at least once a week since 2011 began. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It's one of those things I always promise to make more but never seem to commit to properly. We eat so much bread, probably too much, but having it by the side of your plate at most meals to mop up sauces or salad dressings seems to be an integral part of the Italian side of the family. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Lately, we have had pizza (or course), three seed and oat soda bread, basic loafs and rolls. I ran out of yeast and flour within a few weeks and so enjoyed a little trip to the wholefoods shop to restock the cupboard with umpteen different varieties of flour and have my eye on a few more.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I am particularly itching to try Kamut flour, a wholegrain bread flour grown by the pharoahs of ancient Egypt, that is also great for making your own pasta. Being a bit of an ancient Egypt fanatic, to me there's something very magical in indulging in the same basic grain the great Kings once wore their teeth down on. I'd love to hear if anyone has used it before.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Kamut is a little pricey, so it will have to wait for another time. Wholegrain spelt flour however, seems to be very in vogue at the moment and is quite a bit cheaper too. I've used it with great success in sweet and savoury crumbles, pastry and cakes. For me though, bread is where it really seems to shine. It adds a nutty taste, even when, as below, a recipe doesn't use it as the main ingredient.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">While I try to wean Leo on to brown bread, I use a 1:1 ratio of white bread flour to wholegrain spelt flour. He can tell by the doughs colour that I've been messing around with a recipe <i>again</i> (somehow a stray fennel, parsnip, jerusalem artichoke or swede often ends up in his meal, much to his disgust but he eats it anyway to set a good example for M and to make me happy), but this is one variation he seems to enjoy - especially with a good lump of creamy salted butter to pour all over it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">We ate these with a hot batch of homemade lemony chickpea burgers and all the trimmings. Delish!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K-bVRnys3wc/TVf6n_0NQcI/AAAAAAAAAVY/u8EkEGdRVOk/s1600/P1030317%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K-bVRnys3wc/TVf6n_0NQcI/AAAAAAAAAVY/u8EkEGdRVOk/s640/P1030317%25281%2529.jpg" width="554" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Seeded Wholegrain Spelt Bread Rolls (makes 8)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 7g sachet dried active yeast</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">300ml lukewarm water</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1tbsp olive oil</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">250g strong white bread flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">250g wholegrain spelt flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1tsp salt </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">100g mixed seeds</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Method</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Stir the packet of yeast into the warm water and leave for 10 minutes until the yeast is visibly foaming and creamy.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Measure out the flours and seeds and salt into a large mixing bowl and give it all a quick stir. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When the yeast mixture is ready, pour it and the oil into the flours and stir to form a dough. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When the dough has come together, gently knead by hand for 8 minutes, or for 4 minutes using the dough hook in a freestanding mixer. It is ready when it is silky smooth, elastic and bounces back when you push a finger into the dough.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Place in a large bowl, loosely cover with a teatowel and leave in a warm place for an hour or until doubled in size.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When risen, knock the air out of the dough and place on a well floured surface. Knead for another 2 minutes before dividing into 8 equal pieces.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Shape into balls and place on an oiled baking tray, closely together and leave for another half an hour to rise by the oven which you should at this point preheat to gas mark 5.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Place the slightly risen rolls in the oven for 25 - 30 minutes until they are browned, crispy and sound hollow when you tap the bottom of them.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">As with all homemade bread, this is best served warm.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yXLRiSamc-s/TVf7vtAeNBI/AAAAAAAAAVg/e5A8L5poM5w/s1600/P1030311%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yXLRiSamc-s/TVf7vtAeNBI/AAAAAAAAAVg/e5A8L5poM5w/s640/P1030311%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-71277384055978589412011-02-05T15:57:00.000+00:002011-02-05T15:57:39.451+00:00World Nutella Day 2011<div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TU1jOGEtW7I/AAAAAAAAAVU/K_rb_Ig_7dg/s1600/P1030262%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TU1jOGEtW7I/AAAAAAAAAVU/K_rb_Ig_7dg/s640/P1030262%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A bowl of defrosting raspberries has been sitting in the fridge for two days now. L took them out by accident and I forgot to put them away again. </span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They look so beautiful sitting in all their crimson juices that I almost don't want to use them. Defrosted raspberries have the unfortunate luck of immediately losing all physical structure when you try to use them. No matter how gentle you are, they turn to mush.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">It's been a funny little week to - we are tired even though we don't seem to have done anything and a busy night ahead means I know I want to eat them with minimal preparation involved.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In case you hadn't noticed, it's world Nutella day today. L is overjoyed that such a celebration exists and has been telling customers about it all week. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">'Make sure to eat lots of Nutella on Saturday!', he has called after people leaving the restaurant. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">What better than stealing a bowl or two of the restaurants Nutella ice cream supply to devour the raspberries with? The mere thought of eating a pudding for once (it's been a few weeks since we ate more then fruit after a meal) restored my energy and I made a little framboise syrup and some oatbran florentines to accompany. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I love finding that all the ingredients I need are already in the cupboard. Do try the Florentines on their own one day too. I like mine slightly undercooked so they are chewy but L prefers them crispier and with a snap as you break them with your teeth.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TU1iKkgKQRI/AAAAAAAAAVM/SGSZi9O325E/s1600/P1030252%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="480" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TU1iKkgKQRI/AAAAAAAAAVM/SGSZi9O325E/s640/P1030252%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Florentine Cookies <em>(a</em></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>dapted from the Nestle website)</em></span><span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients<br />
75g unsalted butter</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">80g oatbran</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">115g granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">40g plain flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">30ml agave nectar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">30ml golden syrup</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">30ml whole milk</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 tsp vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">pinch of salt</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preheat oven to gas mark 5. Prepare your baking sheet with silpat or parchment paper</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Melt butter in a medium saucepan, then remove from the heat. </span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">To the melted butter add oats, sugar, flour, agave nectar, golden syrup, milk, vanilla and salt. Mix well. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Drop a tablespoon full, three inches (75 mm) apart, onto your prepared baking sheet. Flatten slightly with the back of your tablespoon, or use a spatula. They mixture spreads <em>a lot</em> during cooking.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bake in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, until cookies are golden brown. Cool completely on the baking sheets. If you wish to neaten yours up like I did, after five minutes, press a cookie cutter firmly down into the florentines to neaten up the edges.</span></div> <br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Framboise Raspberries</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">250g defrosted raspberries</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 tbsp sugar still in their storage bag</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 tbsp Framboise liqueur</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method<br />
Carefully sieve the raspberries over a small saucepan so none of the juices are wasted. Don't try to squeeze them so they stay as intact as possible.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Remove the raspberries to a bowl.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add the sugar and Framboise to the raspberry juice and bring to a rapid boil.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Simmer for about 4 minutes, stirring often, until reduced and syrupy. Set aside to cool.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Serve Nutella ice cream drizzled with the syrup and the raspberries, using the florentine as a spoon as and when necessary.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TU1imMTzpzI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/p7Dra2DK-DY/s1600/P1030254%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TU1imMTzpzI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/p7Dra2DK-DY/s640/P1030254%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-26759514861648754992011-01-27T07:00:00.005+00:002011-01-27T07:00:03.946+00:00A Most Daunting Task<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTBjWyAw83I/AAAAAAAAAUs/bbKREIfpq6Y/s1600/P1030170%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTBjWyAw83I/AAAAAAAAAUs/bbKREIfpq6Y/s640/P1030170%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The January 2011 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Astheroshe of the blog accro. She chose to challenge everyone to make a Biscuit Joconde Imprime to wrap around an Entremets dessert.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">After a lot of umming and ahhing, I finally decided that I <em>would</em> do this months challenge.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On paper, or screen I suppose, this was the most daunting of all the challenges I've been involved in.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">A sponge with a pattern inside? How? What could I do? I settled for a simple pink diagonal line in the end. Not out of laziness (I know that other DBs have done some very intricate patterns.), but more so as to not detract from the eventual beauty of the completed dessert.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">There was a lot of room for creativity with this task, both with flavours and design, so I decided on something I've been hankering after for weeks now - Isaphan - Pierre Herme's legendary combination of raspberry, rosewater and lychee.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I filled my joconde imprime with a raspberry-rosewater mousse topped with a lychee mousse.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I had been debating glazing the top too, when the decision was made for me by M.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">'Mmmmmmmm.' she exclaimed as ''miss-perpetually-interested-in-the-contents-of-the-fridge'' stuck a finger into the Lychee layer. Although my attempts to re-smooth the layer were successful, the surface lost its shine and I was forced to attempt a Framboise gelee. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It worked. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It improved it.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hurrah!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Thank you M; I will let you help me with the baking more often in future!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTBi0h7OjzI/AAAAAAAAAUo/MHzXAUCPSWw/s640/P1030180%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Isaphan Biscuit Joconde Imprime</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Joconde Sponge</em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients<br />
85g ground almonds</span></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">75g confectioners' (icing) sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> 25g self raising flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3 large eggs</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3 large egg whites</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">10g white caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">30g unsalted butter, melted</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In a clean mixing bowl whip the egg whites and white granulated sugar to firm, glossy peeks. Reserve in a separate clean bowl to use later. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sift almond flour, confectioner’s sugar, cake flour. (This can be done into your dirty egg white bowl) </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">On medium speed, add the eggs a little at a time. Mix well after each addition. Mix until smooth and light. (If using a stand mixer use blade attachment. If hand held a whisk attachment is fine, or by hand. ) </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Fold in one third reserved whipped egg whites to almond mixture to lighten the batter. Fold in remaining whipped egg whites. Do not over mix. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Fold in melted butter. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Reserve batter to be used later. </span><br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Patterned Joconde-Décor Paste</span></em><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">50g unsalted butter, softened</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">50g icing sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">50g egg whites</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">55g self raising flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Christmas red food colouring gel</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (use stand mixer with blade, hand held mixer, or by hand) </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gradually add egg whites. Beat continuously. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Fold in sifted flour. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tint batter with coloring to desired color.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preparing the Joconde - How to make the pattern: </span></em><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Spread a thin even layer of décor paste approximately 1/4 inch (5 millimeter) thick onto silicone baking mat with a spatula, or flat knife. Place mat on an upside down baking sheet. The upside down sheet makes spreading easier with no lip from the pan. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pattern the décor paste – Here is where you can be creative. Make horizontal /vertical lines (you can use a knife, spatula, cake/pastry comb). Squiggles with your fingers, zig zags, wood grains. Be creative whatever you have at home to make a design can be used. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>OR</strong> use a piping bag. Pipe letters, or polka dots, or a piped design. If you do not have a piping bag. Fill a ziplock bag and snip off corner for a homemade version of one. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Slide the baking sheet with paste into the freezer. Freeze hard. Approx 15 minutes. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Remove from freezer. Quickly pour the Joconde batter over the design. Spread evenly to completely cover the pattern of the Décor paste. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bake at gas mark 7 until the joconde bounces back when slightly pressed, approx. 10 minutes. You can bake it as is on the upside down pan. Yes, it is a very quick bake, so watch carefully. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Cool. Do not leave too long, or you will have difficulty removing it from mat.</span> <br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Flip cooled cake on to a powdered sugared parchment paper. Remove silpat. Cake should be right side up, and pattern showing! (The powdered sugar helps the cake from sticking when cutting.) </span><br />
<br />
<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preparing the MOULD for entremets:</span></em><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Start with a large piece of parchment paper laid on a very flat baking sheet. Then a large piece of cling wrap over the parchment paper. Place a spring form pan ring, with the base removed, over the cling wrap and pull the cling wrap tightly up on the outside of the mold. Line the inside of the ring with a curled piece of parchment paper overlapping top edge by ½ inch. CUT the parchment paper to the TOP OF THE MOLD. It will be easier to smooth the top of the cake.</span> <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Preparing the Joconde for Molding:</em> <br />
This is a very good demo of the joconde and filling the entremets:</span></span> <br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca4eLDok-4Q"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca4eLDok-4Q</span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Trim the cake of any dark crispy edges. Decide how thick you want your “Joconde wrapper”. Traditionally, it is ½ the height of your mold. This is done so more layers of the plated dessert can be shown. However, you can make it the full height. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Once your height is measured, then you can cut the cake into equal strips, of height and length. (Use a very sharp paring knife and ruler.) </span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Make sure your strips are cut cleanly and ends are cut perfectly straight. Press the cake strips inside of the mold, decorative side facing out. Once wrapped inside the mold, overlap your ends slightly. You want your Joconde to fit very tightly pressed up to the sides of the mold. Then gently push and press the ends to meet together to make a seamless cake. The cake is very flexible so you can push it into place. You can use more than one piece to “wrap “your mold, if one cut piece is not long enough. </span></div><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The mould is done, and ready to fill. </span><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Raspberry-Rosewater Mousse</em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">200g raspberry puree</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">200ml double cream</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 1/2 gelatine sheets</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">50g <span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">granulated sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2tbsp rosewater</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Soak gelatin sheets in cold water until they are soft.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Put the fruit puree, granulated sugar and rosewater into the pan. Cook until it boils and set aside.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add the gelatin sheets into the pan, mix well and transfer to another bowl. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Whip the cream until soft peaks form. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gently fold in the fruit puree mixture until well combined.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pour into the mould so it comes halfway up and put it in the fridge at least for 3 hours to set.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><em>Lychee Mousse</em></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">150g fresh lychees, peeled and stoned</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">200ml fresh cream</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">50g granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 1/2 gelatine sheets </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Soak gelatin sheets in cold water until they are soft.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Put the fruit puree and granulated sugar into the pan. Cook until it boils and set aside.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add the gelatin sheets into the pan, mix well and transfer to another bowl. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Whip the cream until soft peaks form. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gently fold in the fruit puree mixture until well combined.<br />
Pour into the mould so it comes halfway up and put it in the fridge at least for 3 hours to set.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Framboise Gelee</span><span style="color: #666666;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1tbsp framboise liqueur</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1tbsp water</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1tbsp caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1tbsp glucose syrup</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1/2 sheet leaf gelatine</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Place the sheet of gelatine in a bowl of cold water for five minutes to soften.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Place all of the above ingredients into a small saucepan and heat gently to dissolve the sugar. Add a little red food colouring if you're bot happy with the colour of the gelee.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Remove from the heat and stir in the gelatine leaf to dissolve it.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Leave to cool for ten minutes without settling and finally pour onto the top of the mousse. Return the dessert to the fridge for two hours until the gelee has set.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTBj9nCjb8I/AAAAAAAAAUw/mALK1ybi5oo/s1600/P1030160%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTBj9nCjb8I/AAAAAAAAAUw/mALK1ybi5oo/s640/P1030160%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-12115182167075745322011-01-23T15:00:00.000+00:002011-01-23T15:00:35.435+00:00New Series : Italian Classics<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTxA2oVTfPI/AAAAAAAAAVA/pcNyjHldDNs/s1600/P1030236%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" s5="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTxA2oVTfPI/AAAAAAAAAVA/pcNyjHldDNs/s640/P1030236%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I'm sure it's been done before, but there's no harm in my posting a mini series about the Italian classics. It is after all my forte, my work and after all these years still the most fascinating cuisine for me. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Time and time again, you can find me in the restaurant kitchen at the end of the night with my Italian food dictionary out. I scribble away as ideas leap out of the pages and images of Italy are evoked by the sensory descriptions of what each region does with their ingredients. I <em>long for the different foods to be in season</em> and in front of me at that very moment so that I might recreate some of my visions. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This week I've been thinking about what to grow in the restaurant courtyard garden and in a few months time, maybe I'll have some of these lovely ingredients to play around with at last.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It seems fitting that the for the first installment, I present a Saltimbocca recipe. It is the only recipe in Italy that is made the same up and down the country. In 1962, deep in the heart of Venice, it became the only main course recipe in Italian cuisine whose recipe has been officially approved and laid down. So no changes okay!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Saltimbocca alla Romana is traditionally made with veal escalopes. For want of a good <strong>rose veal</strong> supplier in Hereford, we use chicken and it works very well indeed. So if like us, you decide to make your Saltimbocca with a different meat, I'll understand and won't rush to report you to the Italian food police!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTxBHBUKJrI/AAAAAAAAAVE/WUQgD_1VFZI/s1600/P1030228%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" s5="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTxBHBUKJrI/AAAAAAAAAVE/WUQgD_1VFZI/s640/P1030228%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Saltimbocca (serves 1)</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Ingredients</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 thick slice of Parma ham, cut in half</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 free range chicken breast</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">4 fresh sage leaves</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1tbsp vegetable oil</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">50g butter</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">100ml white wine</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">lightly seasoned flour for dusting the meat</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Method</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">On a clean board use a large knife to cut the chicken breast in half horizontally. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Place the fresh sage leaves on top of the two halves, followed by the Parma ham.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Use a cocktail stick to fasten the ham to the chicken.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Dust in the seasoned flour.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook both sides of the chicken over a medium heat until golden and the Parma ham has begun to crisp.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Pour the wine over, being careful of a stray flame leaping up if you're cooking on gas, and simmer the chicken for a few minutes each side to cook through.</span></div> <span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Check that the chicken has cooked before turning the heat up to high and letting the sauce reduce and thicken.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Serve immediately with your choice of vegetables and potatoes or even polenta to help mop up the rich, flavoursome sauce.</span></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-58820623759217116282011-01-16T22:02:00.000+00:002011-01-16T22:02:21.800+00:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTHPNFSBgUI/AAAAAAAAAU0/xhE8Y2C7mKc/s1600/P1030209.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTHPNFSBgUI/AAAAAAAAAU0/xhE8Y2C7mKc/s640/P1030209.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">How late am I at saying that? I really hope you all enjoyed a very happy Christmas and New Year.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We certainly did. A family filled Christmas and a whole six days off in the new year. I feel very rested and ready to get stuck back into juggling family life, work and of course this little blog.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I've not stopped cooking of course; there are still hungry mouths in the house, but things have toned down after the excesses of the season. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Simple soups, fresh bread, crisp winter salads and lots of bean based recipes have graced our table lately. And pasta of course. Not a week goes by where we don't have pasta at least once.</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Amongst the wonderful gifts I received over the holidays was a recipe book by the people at 'Seeds of Italy'. My habit of turning down pages long over, I have been furiously ripping up scraps of paper and putting them inbetween the pages of recipes I'd like to try. Of course, this prompted M to rip up some paper of her own and leave it all over the floor for us to pick up. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">This is not the first time we have found her immitating a paper shredder - indeed, we have lost three pages to some of her favourite and most worn books; and while we wait for her to lose interest in her new hobby, those books and our most prized works, sit as high out of reach as possible, only coming down during naptime or to be used in the kitchen, like this recipe below:</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTHPqja8DRI/AAAAAAAAAU4/oVWxFfE6bxI/s1600/P1030207.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTHPqja8DRI/AAAAAAAAAU4/oVWxFfE6bxI/s640/P1030207.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Torta di Spinach</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">500g puff pastry</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3 or 4 handfuls fresh spinach, washed</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">2 tbsp olive oil</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">1 large onion</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3 cloves garlic</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">25g parmesan</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">3 large eggs</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">salt and pepper</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 and grease a loose-bottomed flan tin with a little oil.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In a small pan, gently wilt the spinch with a little water.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">When cooked, strain and push as much of the water out of the spinach before setting aside.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">In a frying pan, heat the oil over a medium heat. Roughly chop the onion and cook for 4 minutes until they begin to become see through. Crush the garlic over the pan and fry for another minute. Turn off the heat and stir in the spinach, parmesan and season to taste.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Push the spinach mixture into the pastry case and gently pull the sides up around to seal the filling in.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Beat the eggs in a medium sized bowl with a little salt and pepper and pour them over the spinach.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Use a pastry brush to drag some of the beaten egg over the pastry to glaze.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Bake for 40minutes until the egg is cooked and golden and the pastry flaking.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Serve hot or cold with a crisp green salad and a lemony dressing.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTHQGtCijsI/AAAAAAAAAU8/ZAuxVT76Twg/s1600/P1030213%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TTHQGtCijsI/AAAAAAAAAU8/ZAuxVT76Twg/s640/P1030213%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface to 4mm thick. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Carefully transfer to the flan tin using the rolling pin and push in. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Trim the pastry so 3cm are over hanging the edge of the tin.</span></div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-2622278163118747632010-12-26T14:09:00.000+00:002010-12-26T14:09:13.039+00:00Wake Up and Smell the Stollen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TRdMaFU9Y8I/AAAAAAAAAUk/ecfLZU8CYQE/s1600/P1030135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TRdMaFU9Y8I/AAAAAAAAAUk/ecfLZU8CYQE/s640/P1030135.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The 2010 December Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by </span><a href="http://www.sweetsadiesbaking.com/" jquery1291211520342="33" title="Sweet Sadie's Baking"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Penny of Sweet Sadie’s Baking</span></a><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">. She chose to challenge Daring Bakers’ to make Stollen. She adapted a friend’s family recipe and combined it with information from friends, techniques from Peter Reinhart’s book.........and Martha Stewart’s demonstration.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For some reason, I particularly remember eating stollen in our tiny Oxford kitchen. Maybe it was the first time I had tried it and the memory of a fruited bread with a swirl of marzipan in it is impossible to erase. I was surprised at how easy it was to make - even more surprised at how much Stollen the recipe made. I got one large wreath, one small wreath, one log and six stollen buns. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Maybe this has something to do with leaving it in the fridge for three days. I'm not complaining. This has provided many breakfasts and several afternoon tea treats with friends.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I really hope everyone had a lovely Christmas day and long may your festivities continue!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Stollen Wreath</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Makes two large wreaves. Serves 15 people</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Ingredients</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">60ml lukewarm water</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">14g active dry yeast</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">240ml milk</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">140g unsalted butter</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">770g plain flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">115g caster sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">¾tsp salt</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1tsp cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">3 large eggs, lightly beaten</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Grated zest of 2 oranges</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">2 tsp vanilla extract</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">1 tsp lemon extract or orange extract</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">135g mixed peel 170g dried cranberries</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">juice 2 oranges</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">100g flaked almonds</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Melted unsalted butter for coating the wreath</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Icing sugar for dusting wreath</span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Method</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In a small bowl, soak the raisins in the orange juice and set aside to get plump overnight.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Pour 60 ml warm water into a small bowl, sprinkle with yeast and let stand 5 minutes. Stir to dissolve yeast completely.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In a small saucepan, combine milk and butter over medium - low heat until butter is melted. Let stand until lukewarm, about 5 minutes. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lightly beat eggs in a small bowl and add lemon and vanilla extracts. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of an electric mixer with paddle attachment), stir together the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, orange and lemon zests.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then stir in the yeast/water mixture, eggs and the lukewarm milk/butter mixture. This should take about 2 minutes. It should be a soft, but not sticky ball. When the dough comes together, cover the bowl with either plastic or a tea cloth and let rest for 10 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Drain the cranberries of the orange juice.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Add in the mixed peel, soaked fruit and almonds and mix with your hands or on low speed to incorporate. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sprinkle flour on the counter, transfer the dough to the counter, and begin kneading (or mixing with the dough hook) to distribute the fruit evenly, adding additional flour if needed. The dough should be soft and satiny, tacky but not sticky. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Knead for approximately 8 minutes (6 minutes by machine). The full six minutes of kneading is needed to distribute the dried fruit and other ingredients and to make the dough have a reasonable bread-dough consistency. You can tell when the dough is kneaded enough – a few raisins will start to fall off the dough onto the counter because at the beginning of the kneading process the dough is very sticky and the raisins will be held into the dough but when the dough is done it is tacky which isn't enough to bind the outside raisins onto the dough ball. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the bowl, rolling around to coat it with the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Put it in the fridge overnight. The dough becomes very firm in the fridge (since the butter goes firm) but it does rise slowly… the raw dough can be kept in the refrigerator up to a week and then baked on the day you want. </span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Shaping the Dough and Baking the Wreath</span></em><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Let the dough rest for 2 hours after taking out of the fridge in order to warm slightly.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Preheat oven to moderate 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4 with the oven rack on the middle shelf.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Punch dough down, roll into a rectangle about 16 x 24 inches (40 x 61 cms) and ¼ inch (6 mm) thick. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Starting with a long side, roll up tightly, forming a long, thin cylinder. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Transfer the cylinder roll to the sheet pan. Join the ends together, trying to overlap the layers to make the seam stronger and pinch with your fingers to make it stick, forming a large circle. You can form it around a bowl to keep the shape.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Using kitchen scissors, make cuts along outside of circle, in 2-inch (5 cm) intervals, cutting 2/3 of the way through the dough. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TRdKsvBA_dI/AAAAAAAAAUg/Q9x68-iSOe4/s1600/P1030114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" n4="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TRdKsvBA_dI/AAAAAAAAAUg/Q9x68-iSOe4/s640/P1030114.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Twist each segment outward, forming a wreath shape. Mist the dough with spray oil and cover loosely with plastic wrap. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Proof for approximately 2 hours at room temperature, or until about 1½ times its original size.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Bake the stollen for 20 minutes, then rotate the pan 180 degrees for even baking and continue to bake for 20 to 30 minutes. The bread will bake to a dark mahogany color, should register 190°F/88°C in the center of the loaf, and should sound hollow when thumped on the bottom. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Transfer to a cooling rack and brush the top with melted butter while still hot.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Immediately tap a layer of powdered sugar over the top through a sieve or sifter.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wait for 1 minute, then tap another layer over the first.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The bread should be coated generously with the powdered sugar.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Let cool at least an hour before serving. Coat the stollen in butter and icing sugar three times, since this many coatings helps keeps the stollen fresh - especially if you intend on sending it in the mail as Christmas presents! </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When completely cool, store in a plastic bag. Or leave it out uncovered overnight to dry out slightly, German style.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The stollen tastes even better in a couple of days and it toasts superbly…. so delicious with butter and a cup of tea….mmmmm</span><br />
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<em><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Storage</span></em><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The more rum and the more coatings of butter and sugar you use the longer it will store.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The following is for the recipe as written and uses the 45 mls of rum and two coatings of butter and icing sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Stollen freezes beautifully about 4 months.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The baked stollen stores well for 2 weeks covered in foil and plastic wrap on the counter at room temperature.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">One month in the refrigerator well covered with foil and plastic wrap.</span>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-88186806822867132632010-12-21T09:16:00.000+00:002010-12-21T09:16:27.390+00:00Brown Paper Packages Tied up with String<div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TQ9sl4wdSDI/AAAAAAAAAUU/jp88LEi2Eg8/s1600/P1030122%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TQ9sl4wdSDI/AAAAAAAAAUU/jp88LEi2Eg8/s640/P1030122%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The only real way to pay back generosity is to be just as generous in return. </div></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Nonno and Nonna are always and have always given more than it seems possible to repay, and although they want for little, it is always nice to feel as if you've done something for them.</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For those of you reading who are familiar with Hereford, do you remember Firenze? </div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Of course you do.</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">More specifically, do you remember Firenze at Christmas time? </div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When D so carefully decorated the restaurant and pizzeria and B adorned the shelf above the bar with colourful boxes of pannetone and pandoro; and hid a fee sneaky trays of ricciarelle biscotti for his afternoon snack. If you happened to be passing by and he had finished making the evenings pizza dough, he would always invite you in for a chat, cappuccino and one of these sweet morsels at the bar.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Since Firenze shut, B a always asks us to get him some Traditional festive Italian treats, but this year we couldn't buy any ricciarelle. So once again, I leap at the chance to try making something new. Even better that these are great for using up egg whites! This would be a great recipe to do with children. Maybe next year, M will making them for B with me!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TQ96jaQtu4I/AAAAAAAAAUY/H0kEigivOJc/s1600/P1030125%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TQ96jaQtu4I/AAAAAAAAAUY/H0kEigivOJc/s640/P1030125%25281%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a> <br />
Ricciarelle (makes 26walnut sized biscotti)<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
2 large egg whites<br />
Pinch salt<br />
225g caster sugar<br />
1/2tsp vanilla extract<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2tsp almond extract (or amaretto liquour if you feel so inclined)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">300g ground almonds</div>Icing sugar to dust<br />
Method<br />
Line two baking sheets with greaseproof paper or silicon mats.<br />
Whisk the egg whites with the salt in a clean grease-free bowl until they reach stiff peaks.<br />
At this point, gradually add the sugar and whisk until stiff and glossy.<br />
Quickly whisk in the vanilla and almond extracts along with the ground almonds until a paste has formed. You may want to use you hands to bring the dough together at the end. <br />
Take walnut sized pieces of the dough and shape into diamond shapes, using your thumb to flatten them a little bit. They should be no more than half an inch thick. <br />
Place them onto the baking trays with a few centimetres between each to allow for any spreading. <br />
Leave on the kitchen counter overnight to dry out.<br />
The next morning, rush downstairs and preheat the oven to gas mark 1. Cook the ricciarelle for 30 minu.tes until just golden.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">When cooked, transfer to a cooling rack and dust with icing sugar to finish</div></div><div style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TQ9rwf4NFhI/AAAAAAAAAUM/XDJUBBmNg2s/s1600/P1030121%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TQ9rwf4NFhI/AAAAAAAAAUM/XDJUBBmNg2s/s640/P1030121%25281%2529.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3123302252730154487.post-82264997288366760942010-12-13T08:00:00.016+00:002010-12-13T08:00:00.450+00:00A Day with the Opera<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TQVDmBxK7zI/AAAAAAAAAUE/bXemnfLRUk4/s1600/P1020928.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TQVDmBxK7zI/AAAAAAAAAUE/bXemnfLRUk4/s640/P1020928.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I admit that this recipe has not only an exhaustive ingredients list, but a rather exhausting method too. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I'll also admit that by the time I had finished waiting for various layers to cool down and assembling the Opera, that well over half of my day had disappeared. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It was worth it though; L, R, M and E's faces said it </span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">all</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">! </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Only one, a much smaller L wasn't impressed with my day's work - but he is only 3, and he settled for an oatcake instead - so I suppose I won't take it to heart!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">L and I are both suddenly terribly excited for Christmas. It seems M is bringing out the children in both of us. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Our advent candle is burned each day and this week, we put the Christmas tree and decorations up at the restaurant and have Christmas songs playing while we work. Don't worry though - I don't mean Slade or Mariah Carey. I mean classics like Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">At some point in the next week or so after L's birthday, I will mull some Hereford cider for us and we will dig out Elf to watch one evening after work, curled up together on the sofa. We will quote the film for weeks afterwards, and probably even watch its inevitable screening on TV over the festive period. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">I bet we are not the only big kids who think that this film is worth its weight in Christmas cheer!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TQVEH4gi9tI/AAAAAAAAAUI/9ukC1nIvnA0/s1600/P1020941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_UDh1A6BDIgQ/TQVEH4gi9tI/AAAAAAAAAUI/9ukC1nIvnA0/s640/P1020941.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Mango and Passionfruit Opera</span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">For the joconde sponge</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">6 large egg whites<br />
2 tbsp granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">225g ground almonds</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">250g icing sugar, sifted</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">6 large eggs</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">70g plain flour</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">45g unsalted butter, melted and cooled</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Preheat the oven to gas mark 7. Line 3 35cm x 23cm shallow oven tins with greaseproof paper (or only one if like me, that's all you have!)</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Whisk the egg whites in a kitchenaid or other processor until they form soft peaks. Gradually add the granulated sugar and beat until the peaks are stiff and glossy. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Scrape the meringue into another bowl and set aside. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Wash the used bowl ready for the next task.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Beat the ground almonds, icing sugar and remaining eggs until they have increased in volume and are lighter in colour.<br />
Add the flour and continue to beat on low speed until mixed.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Carefully fold the meringue into the almond mixture and then fold in the melted butter. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Divide the batter between the pans and spread it evenly to cover the entire surface of each pan. (If like me, you only have one tin, put a third of the mixture in at a time, relining the cake tin for each cake.)</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Put the sponge in the oven and cook for about 7 minutes until it springs back at a touch and is just beginning to colour.<br />
Once cooked, cool in the pan for three minutes before carefully unmoulding from the tin and cooling on a cooling rack to room temperature.</span><br />
<br />
<i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">For the syrup</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">125g water</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">65g granulated sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">1tbsp orange juice</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Place all three items into a small pan and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat slighty and simmer until the liquid has thickened to a syrup</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"></span></span><br />
<i><span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">For the mango buttercream layer</span></i><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">100g egg whites</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">100ml water</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">200g sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">300g unsalted butter</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">75g pureed and sieved mango</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Combine the sugar, water in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat just until the sugar dissolves. Watch this stage the whole time, swirling the pan if necessary, but do not stir! Cook until the syrup reaches 240◦F on a thermometer. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Remove the syrup from the heat.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">While the syrup is heating, begin whisking the egg whites at high speed in a mixer until stiff peaks form.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">When the sugar syrup reaches 240◦F reduce the mixer speed to low speed and begin slowly pouring the syrup down the side of the bowl being very careful not to splatter the syrup. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Increase the speed to medium high and whisk for around 5 minutes until the mixture is cool to the touch.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Cut the butter into small pieces and add a few pieces at a time, combining well with each addition.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">When all the butter has been mixed in, turn the whisk up to high and beat until the buttercream is shiny.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>For the passionfruit mousse layer</i> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;">200g white chocolate</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">230g and 3 tbsp double cream</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Sieved pulp of 4 ripe passionfruit</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Melt the white chocolate and the 3 tbsp. of heavy cream in a small saucepan.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Add the passionfruit and stir to combine before setting aside to cool.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In the bowl of a stand mixer, whip the remaining 1 cup of heavy cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate to form a mousse.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="color: #666666;"><i>To assemble the Opera</i><br />
Place one square of cake on a baking sheet or serving plate and moisten it gently with the orange syrup. Spread one third of the buttercream on top, smooth slightly with a warm palette knife and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to harden. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Spread a third of the mousse on top of this and gently press the second joconde layer on top. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Moisten with a little more of the syrup and then spread another third of the buttercream layer , smoothing slighty once again, before returning to the fridge; this time for an hour.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Finally, spread another layer of the mousse on top, followed by the last joconde layer, moistened once more.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Spread the last buttercream on top, smooth slightly and follow with the end of the mousse. Smooth this top layer with a warm palette knife and refridgerate for several hours to allow the cake time to firm up. It will be much easier to serve this way.</span><br />
<span style="color: #666666; font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">If you wish, make up an arrowroot glaze (follow the instructions on the back of the packet) and spread over the top of the cake to finish it off.</span>alicehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15915953651109668596noreply@blogger.com13