EASY PEASY CHRISTMAS CAKE

EASY PEASY CHRISTMAS CAKE

This year why don’t you make your own Christmas cake, not only is it better value for money but it will impress your family and friends too. I like to make 4 or 5 cakes as they make great Christmas gifts.

Make this Christmas extra special this year and bake your loved ones this beautifully rich Christmas fruit cake. 

INGREDIENTS 

- 850g Mixed fruit & peal (Asda sell 500g smart price bags)
- 50g Glacé Cherries, chopped
- 100ml Brandy
- 225g Plain Flour
- Half teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
- 225g Unsalted butter (Room temp)
- 225g Soft Brown Sugar 
- 4 Large Eggs (Room temp)
- 50g Chopped Almonds
- 1 tablespoon black treacle
- Grated zest of 1 Lemon and 1 Orange

HOW TO:

1. First things first, pour mixed fruit and cherries into a large bowl and mix in 100ml of Brandy. Cover with cling and leave over night and let the fruit drink up all the brandy. 

2. Next day: Pre-heat oven to 120cFAN/140c/Gas1. Measure out all the ingredients and line a tall sided 9” or 10” cake tin with parchment paper. Delia Smith has some great tips on how to line cake tins:-http://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/baking/how-to-line-a-cake-tin.html

3.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. 

4. Sift the flour, salt, mixed spice into the butter and sugar mixture and mix till its roughly combined. 

5. Beat eggs into separate bowl and add them into the butter, sugar and flour mixture little by little while beating. Its ok if it curdles a little, its a very dense cake. 

6. Fold in fruit, almonds, lemon/orange zest and black treacle (grease the spoon and will help the treacle to slide off the spoon)

7. Pour the mixture into the lined cake tin, spread out evening and bang the tin on the kitchen surface a few times to release any trapped air bubbles. Also a little tip to get a level top when baked is to make a little delve with the back of a spoon in the middle of the mixture. 

8. Before placing the cake into the oven, cover the cake tin with a double layer of parchment paper, make a hole in the middle to let out steam. This will protect the cake from catching during its long slow bake.

10. Bake on the lowest shelf in the oven and bake for around 4.5 hours. Check the cake after 4 hours with a knife or skewer by probing it into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean then its done if not leave it in longer.

11. Let the cake cool for 30 to 40 minuets and then remove from the tin and place onto a wire rack to finish cooling. 

12. Using a skewer make small holes in the top and base of the cake, then brush brandy all over. Feed one side of the cake brandy every 1 and a half weeks and turn the cake over until your ready to ice or eat it.

RICH CHOCOLATE ORANGE MOUSSE

RICH CHOCOLATE ORANGE MOUSSE

Perfect for those fellow chocoholics! Its so rich and thick it will make you cross eyed! >_< 'joking of course'. Serving size - 4 dishes

INGREDIENTS

- 450ml Double Cream
- 4 Gelatine Leaves
- Zest of 1 Orange
- 80g Caster Sugar 
- 6 Eggs Yolks
- 80g Dark Chocolate 50% - 70%
- 80g Cocoa Powder
- 300ml Whole Milk
- 6-8 strands of Candied Orange Peel

HOW TO: Chocolate Orange Mousse.
1. Soak the gelatine leaves in cold water and leave to bloom.

2. In a separate bowl mix egg yolks and sugar together till combined.

3. Pour 300ml of the double cream and 300ml of whole milk along with the orange zest into a pan and gently bring to a boil. As soon as its starts to boil take off the heat and leave it 3-4 mins to cool slightly.

4. Pour the mixture onto the egg yolks and sugar then return to the pan and cook on a low heat until mixture thickens a little.

5. Remove from the heat. Finely chop the chocolate and stir in, along with the gelatine (Squeeze all the cold water out of the leaves before adding them) and cocoa powder.

6. Place the pan in a bowl of very cold water. Meanwhile, whip the remaining 160ml double cream to soft peaks.

7. Leave the chocolate mixture till comes down to room temperature, fold in cream until fully combined and pour into serving dishes. Leave to set in the fridge for 2 hours.

HOW TO: Candied Orange Peel.
1. Using an ordinary vegetable peeler, peel the zest off the oranges and using a sharp knife cut into strips. Place peel strips in large saucepan and cover with 50ml of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes longer. Drain. Repeat this process two more times.

2. In a medium saucepan, heat sugar and water over high heat until boiling. Place peel in sugar mixture, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes, until sugar is dissolved. Remove peel with slotted spoon and dry on wire rack overnight. Store in airtight container.

CHOCYWOKY EASTER CAKE

CHOCYWOKY EASTER CAKE

This year don't buy those cheap horrid "so called" chocolate easter eggs! Treat your family and friends with this rich decadent chocolate cake that I promise won't fail to impress. Follow my instructions carefully, if you get stuck.. leave a comment below and I will message you right back :) Good luck and Happy Easter! x

INGREDIENTS:

  Double Chocolate Cake.

- 250g Light Muscovado Sugar

- 250g Plain Flour

- 250g Unsalted Butter (Room Temp)

- 3 Large Eggs (Room Temp)

- 250ml Milk

- 100g Cocoa Powder

- 2 tsp Baking Powder

- 1 tsp Cornish Sea Salt 

- 50g Melted Dark Chocolate (Anything above 50% cocoa solids)

- 50g Milk Chocolate Chips

- 4 Cadbury's Cream Eggs (I'd buy more just incase they F*^K up when you cut into them)

  Chocolate Ganache.

- 400ml Fresh Double Cream

- 400g Dark Chocolate 

- 2 tsp instant coffee granules 

  Chocolate Mirrored Glaze.

- 300g Caster Sugar

- 200g Fresh Double Cream

- 250g Liquid Glucose (I use SliverSpoon Liquid Glucose)

- 20g Gelatine Powder (Bloomed in 90g Cold Water)

- 90g additional Water

- 100g Cocoa Powder

YOU WILL NEED:

- 20cm Cake Board

- 2 x 20cm Cake tins

- Parchment Paper

- Scraper (or credit card 'cleaned & sterilised')

- Weighing Scales

- Measuring Jug

- Pallet Knife

- Cling Film

- Thermometer

- Metal Sieve

HOW TO:

    Double Chocolate Cake.

1. Preheat oven to 180c/160c Fan/Gas4. Cut 2 circles out of parchment paper (approx 18cm each) and grease two 20cm cake tins with oil, place the parchment circles at the bottom of the tins. This will prevent the rich chocolate cake from sticking and should be super easy to remove.

2. Either in a free stand mixer, hand mixer or good old wooden spoon, Cream together the butter and sugar with 1tsp of Salt (I prefer using Cornish Sea Salt, its not as harsh tasting as normal table salt and it's actually good for you!) until light and fluffy.

3. Sift together the cocoa, flour and baking powder and set aside. Add eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, after each egg add 1-2 tsp of the flour & cocoa mixture and beat till combined.  (Using room temperature eggs stop the butter from going hard which will cause the mixture to curdle).

4. Melt 50g of Dark chocolate on a bowl over simmering water (don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water as this will burn the chocolate and turn it grainy). Let the melted chocolate cool a little.

5. Fold in the melted chocolate and half the dry ingrediants, mix till well combined. Add the rest of the dry ingredients followed by the milk, add enough to give a soft dropping consistency, then add 50g Chocolate Chips.

6. Divide evenly between two cake tins and bake for about 25 - 30 minuets, until firm in the centre. Let cakes cool completely, then pop into the freezer for an hour.

    Chocolate Ganache.

1. Break up 400g of Dark chocolate into a large bowl.

2. Measure 400ml of Fresh Double Cream & 2 tsp of Instant coffee granules and add to a heavy bottomed sauce or milk pan. Gently heat till it reaches a boil and pour over the dark chocolate. Leave for 4-5 minuets to melt before stirring with a spoon. Let the ganache set a little in the fridge (approx an hour) before applying to the cake. If its too stiff pop it into the microwave and blast it 20 seconds a time till it becomes soft but not runny. 

    Chocolate Mirrored Glaze.

1. Mix 20g Gelatine with 90g cold water and set aside.

2. Heat 300g Sugar, 200g Fresh Double Cream and 90g of water until it reaches a boil.

3. Remove from the heat, add 250g Liquid Glucose and sift in 100g of Cocoa Powder.

4. Carefully stir in the gelatine, try not to mix quickly as this will cause bubbles to form. 

5. Strain through a metal sieve into a easy pour jug, place cling film directly on top of the glaze to stop it forming a skin. side aside to cool a little. The perfect temp for pouring should be 24c - 26c.

DECORATION:

1. Take the cake from out of the freezer. Using a serrated bread knife, Level the tops of the cakes and then place them on top of each other and cut around the edges (keeping the knife straight). This should help achieve super straight top and sides when applying the chocolate ganache.

2. Using a hot sharp knife, cut the cream eggs in half (Easier said then done believe me! but its worth it) then scoop out the inners into a bowl. Place the egg halves onto parchment paper and place in the fridge.

3. Apply a tbsp of Ganache onto a 20cm cake board and place one half of the cake onto the board. Apply a generous amount of chocolate gauche and also the cream egg icing. Place the other half of the cake on top, making sure its upside down so it has a nice flat top, gently press down.

4. Apply the rest of the Ganache on top of the cake, using a Pallet knife smooth the ganache, letting it fall down the sides of the cake and gradually start rotating the cake with one hand while spreading the ganache around the side. 

5. Using the scraper tool or credit card (cleaned & sterilised). Hold it up to the side of the cake, rotating the cake board as you go and even out the sides and top. I'm a little OCD about getting my lines perfectly straight and smooth, so it takes me a good 20-30 mins. 

6. Place the Cream Egg halves on top then place the cake into the freezer for 30-45 minuets to set. 

7. Take the Glaze out of the fridge, remove cling film. Place into the microwave and give it a quick 30 second blast, then stir. Do this a few times, checking the temperature each time, when it researches 24c to 26c its ready to use. Take the cake from out of the freezer, place it on top of a cooling rack or something similar with something under to catch the excesses glaze.

Pour directly in the middle, then over the eggs, then finally around the edge. Making sure all of the cake has been covered, if not you can use a warm pallet knife to help direct the glaze before it sets. Let it stand at room temperature for an hour before taking it off the rack and then place into the fridge to set. The glaze should be tacky and not runny when set. 

APPLE CRUMBLE CAKE

APPLE CRUMBLE CAKE

Whats not to love? Apple Crumble Meets Fluffy Rich Cake.. I know right! match made in heaven. Even better with a generous dollop of British clotted cream! 

INGREDIENTS

- 225g Self Raising Flour
- 225g Unsalted Butter (Softened-Room temp)
- 225g Soft Brown Sugar
- 225g Granny Smith Apples & 225g Bramley Apples
- 4 Medium Eggs (Room temp)
- Juice & Zest of 1 lemon
- 25g Ground Almonds
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
- 1 tsp Cornish Sea Salt

CRUMBLE TOPPING

- 110g Unsalted Butter
- 110g Demerara Sugar
- 180g Plain Flour

  

THINGS YOU WILL NEED

- Clean hands
- 500g Loaf Tin.. Greased & Lined through the middle with a rectangle sized piece of parchment so its easier to   lift the cake out. 
- Large mixing bowl 
- Wooden Spoon
- Whisk 
- Scales
- Cooling rack

HOW TO:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan160°C/gas 4. Lightly greasy a 500g loaf tin and cut a approx 30 by 8cm piece of parchment and place it down in the middle of the tin. This will make it easier to get the cake out of the tin without making a mess.

2. Peel, core and slice apples into 1cm chunks. Toss in lemon juice to stop oxidation and retain freshness.

3. With a whisk, cream together the unsalted butter, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, adding a little flour with each addition to keep the mixture smooth.

4. Sift the remaining flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon into the bowl and fold in with the ground almonds. Drain the apple pieces well, then stir into the mixture.

5.  Pour into the prepared loaf tin and gently using a spatula or spoon level the top.

6. CRUMBLE TOPPING In a separate bowl rub the butter into the flour and sugar till it resembles coarse bread crumbs. Sprinkle a generous amount on top of the cake batter. 

7. Bake in the oven for 45 minuets to 1 hour. Check with a knife or skewer at around 40 minuets in, if it comes out clean then its done, if not give it couple more minuets.

8. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 20 minuets to avoid the cake falling apart. Pull the cake out by the parchment paper instead of tipping it upside down ( dont want to loose all of that yummy crumble topping ).

Best served with good quality clotted cream or creme fresh or even salted caramel sauce with vanilla ice cream nom! nom!

SOFT WHITE BREAD BUNS

SOFT WHITE BREAD BUNS

I make these at least twice a week for the family. The trick to getting equal sized buns is to weigh the bread dough and divide the number by 10 then weigh each ball of dough, sounds quite fiddly, but its worth it I think. Before proving I like to brush the buns with a little egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds.

INGREDIENTS

- 500g Strong white bread flour
- 1tsp Salt ‘Preferably fine sea salt’
- 1tsp of Sugar
- 7g Fast Action Yeast
- 30g Unsalted Butter Cubed
- 75ml Warm Milk
- 250ml Warm Water
- Oil for greasing

THINGS YOU WILL NEED

- Clean hands
- 1 large baking tray lined or greased
- Damp tea towel
- Cling Film
- Warm place to prove the dough 
- Mixing bowl
- Scales
- Measuring jug

HOW TO:

1. Using a whisk mix together dry ingredients, the whisk helps break up any lumps in the flour. 

2. Rub the cubed butter into the dry mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

3. Mix the warm milk with the water, make sure its not too hot before adding as this will kill the yeast. It should be blood temp.

4. Add the milky liquid to the flour mixture and mix together with your hand until the dough is well combined. Bring the dough together into a ball.

5. Flour your hands and knead the dough on a clean work surface for 25 minuets ( or in a mixer with a dough hook on medium speed for 15 minuets). Will feel like for ever but the outcome is worth it! The dough should become smooth and elastic.

6. Lightly oil a large bowl and place the dough into the middle and cover with a damp tea towel or cling film. Set aside for 1 and half hours in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size. 

7. Knock the dough back while still in the bowl, turn out onto a lightly floured surface.

8. Separate the dough into eight parts (I usually weigh the whole thing and divide the number by 10) Roll each into a ball and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Place 2 rows of 5 dough balls snuggled together on a baking tray and flatten once again. Oil a sheet of cling film and cover the dough, place back into a warm area for an hour till they have doubled in size.

9. Preheat oven to 220C/425F/Gas7. Place a baking tray at the bottom of the oven and fill a jug with water.

10. Place buns into the oven, pour water into the baking tray that's at the bottom of the oven, this will create lots of steam and will help the buns stay soft and give a better rise. Bake for 8-10 minuets or until golden brown and sound hollow when tapped.

THE HEART SHAPED EGG

THE HEART SHAPED EGG
I came across this idea by mistake while doing some research and immediately thought I HAVE TO TRY THIS RIGHT NOW!
Apparently molding hard boiled eggs is quite popular in Japan. They mold them into all sorts of shapes.. including hello kitty! 

YOU NEED
- Hard boiled egg
- Thick hard board
- Round pen 
- 2 rubber bands

The egg is best to mold while its still warm and leave to cool before releasing it from the mold. These would look great on top of a salad, kids pack lunch or even deviled. 

ULTIMATE YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS

ULTIMATE YORKSHIRE PUDDINGS

Here at the Hamilton house hold, we have these puddings at least twice a week. The recipe is my mothers and she says the secret to getting light and fluffy puddings is to rest the batter in the fridge for a few hours or even make it the night before. Also the oil in the tin needs to be smoking hot before pouring the batter.

INGREDIENTS

- 200ml Milk
- 140g Plain Flour
- 4 Eggs
- Pinch salt & pepper
- Quarter of a tea spoon of mustard powder
- Cooking Oil

HOW TO:

1. Preheat oven to 210cFAN/230c/GAS 8. Pour a tea spoon of oil into each hole of a muffin tin or Yorkshire pudding tin.

2. Whisk flour, eggs, mustard powder, salt and pepper until smooth. Gradually add 200ml of milk while whisking. Pour the batter into a easy pour jug.

3. If the oven has reached temperature, open the oven door (the oil should be smoking slightly) and slide the shelf half out and pour the batter into the tin (it should sizzle). 

4. Place the tins back in the oven and leave undisturbed for 20-25 mins until the puddings have puffed up and browned. Serve immediately. You can now cool them and freeze for up to 1 month.