Pesto and Tomato Bites and Bacon and Chedder Straws

2 in one post, I only took 1 picture so here are both recipes in one :b

I made these both for our family Christmas Eve party, everyone seemed to love them, and my dad is slightly crazy about them!

The pesto squares are my own recipe, and the bacon straws are a wonderful Lorraine Pascale recipe, find at :http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/bacon_and_mature_cheddar_58920

Pesto Squares (makes about 20)

1 jar or a good amount of homemade pesto

20 cherry tomatos, sliced in half

1 block of ready made puff pastry

100g chedder, grated

1 egg, to brush

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Roll out the puff pastry to about 1 cm thick

2. Cut into equal squares

3. Place squares on baking tray and prick the centres with a fork to stop them puffing up

4. Spoon 1 tsp of pesto onto each square and spread it around, then top with the cherry tomatoes. Sprinkle the cheese on the top.

5. Bake for 15-20 mins or until golden.

Chocolate Marshmallow Whoopie Pies

I made my first whoopie pie when I was about 12 and they were the ‘new craze’. I had no marshmallow fluff so the filling was properly sad and they were very strange. There are 2 things that put me off making them.

1. They have plain yoghurt in. Now I like yoghurt, but they don’t sell it in the corner shop and we never just have it in the fridge so it means I have to be organised. I’m not organised. So I never have the right ingredients…

2.They have a ridiculous name. I’m sorry, but which creative person made up the name ‘whoopie pie’? Its not even a pie! It annoys me no end. Some one eats one and asks what they are, how stupid do you sound saying, ‘oh its a whoopie pie’. One of my pet hates. Such a stupid name for an awesome food. The spell checker won’t even accept it, that’s how rubbish it is.

Moans aside, this attempt was so much better. Almost cookie like, soft centred cake sandwiched together with fluffy marshmallow cream. So yummy, took them to youth group and had to hoover up the crumbs but it was worth it

I found marshmallow fluff so hard to come by, I can’t believe they don’t sell it in normal UK supermarkets! I think the should…

For the Sponge

1 large egg

150g (5.5ozs) Caster Sugar

125g (4.5ozs) Plain yoghurt

25ml (1fl oz) whole milk

¼ tsp vanilla essence ( I used extract)

75g (2.5oz) melted unsalted butter

200g (7oz) Plain Flour

80g (3oz) Cocoa Powder

¾  tsp bicarbonate of soda

¼ tsp baking powder

Filling

170g (6oz) unsalted butter

280g (10oz) icing sugar

220g (8oz) vanilla marshmallow fluff

Method

1/ Using a mixer cream the egg and sugar until fluffy. Pour the milk, yoghurt and vanilla essence into a bowl and mix together. Then add this mixture in with the beaten egg an sugar. Finally add in the melted butter and mix in thoroughly.

2/ Sift together the remaining dry ingredients, and then to the creamed mixture and mix well on a medium speed.

3/ Now place the batter mix in the fridge to rest for 20-30 minutes.

4/ Pre-heat the oven to 170C (325F), Gas Mark 3 and cover two baking trays with baking parchment.

4/ Once rested, spoon or pipe onto the baking trays making 8-10 mounds per tray. These need to be 2-3 cm spaced apart and around 3 -5 cm in diameter.

5/ Bake for 10-13 minutes or until they spring back when touched.

6/ Remove from the trays and place on a wire rack. They need to be completely cool before adding any filling to them.

7/ To make the filling mix the butter and icing sugar together using a hand whisk or standing mixer.  Once this is blended add the marshmallow fluff and then mix on a high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes as this will firm up the mixture slightly.

8/ To sandwich the pies, take one sponge and spread a tablespoon of filling on one flat side. Follow this with sticking another sponge, flat side down onto the filling to make a sandwich. Continue this process to make the other whoopee pies.

Chewy Speculaas Blondies

These blondies are so yummy, like a brownie but more sophisticated. Instead of using white chocolate, they have more of a butterscotch flavour from almost melting the brown sugar before baking it. The spices make it taste really Christmassy, and even though its not Christmas, its a great excuse for Christmassy flavours. They are really chewy as well, so many brownies say it but don’t deliver but these are so toffee like.

Chewy Speculaas Blondies

225g unsalted butter

1 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg(I used dried and reduced the amount)

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/8 tsp ground cardamom pods

400g light brown sugar

2 eggs

250g plain flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

80g chocolate,chopped

80g hazelnuts chopped

1.Preheat the oven to 180C(160C fan)gas mark 4.Grease and line a 23 x 33 cm baking tin and line with a strip of baking parchment,leaving a 5cm overhang along the edges to make removing the blondies easier.

2.Melt the butter in a pan over a medium high heat,add the spices and cook for a couple of minutes.Next add the sugar and cook for a further 5 minutes,stirring constantly before taking the pan off the heat.

3.Leave to cool for 5 minutes.Next whisk in the eggs and fold in the flour ,baking powder and salt.Stir in the chopped chocolate and hazelnuts,then pour the batter into the prepared tin.Bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

4.Once cooked,allow to cool in the tin completely and to set for a few hours in the tin

This is an Edd Kimber recipe, who I have met!

Salmon and sweet potato fish cakes

I love these fish cakes. The recipe is from Lorraine Pascale’s Home Cooking Made Easy programme or book. Honestly lovely when served in a warm pitta bread, makes me smile.

Recipe

• 500ml vegetable or fish stock
• 400g sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 3 smallish ones)
• 200-250g salmon or trout fillets, skin removed and each one cut in half
• Large pinch of paprika
• Squeeze of lime juice
• 1 bunch of fresh chives, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• Oil for shallow frying or oiling
• 1 lime cut into quarters to garnish (optional)

Coating

• 1 egg lightly beaten
• 100g dried breadcrumbs

The fishcakes can be either shallow fried in a little oil for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat or baked in a pre-heated oven for  20-30 minutes at 180c/160c fan/Gas 4

1. Pour the stock into a saute pan and bring to the boil.  Add the sweet potato chunks and fish and cover with a lid.  Cook for about 10 minutes (although this may vary according to the thickness of the fish) until the sweet potato and salmon are cooked.
2. Take the pan off the heat and drain well into a colander, then return the fish and sweet potato back to the pan, add the paprika, lime juice, chives, salt and pepper and the beaten egg, then mash.
3. Divide the mixture into four to six and then shape into fishcake shapes.
4. For the coating, put the egg in one bowl and the breadcrumbs in another.  Dip a fish cake into the egg, spooning the egg all over to ensure it is completely covered then dip it in the breadcrumbs.  Repeat with the other fish cakes.
5. If you are going to shallow fry then, refrigerate for an hour first to allow them to keep their shape when cooked.  Shallow fry in a little oil for 2-3 minutes over a medium heat.
6. If you are baking them, they can go straight on to a very lightly oiled baking tray and into the oven for 20-30 minutes.

Ideas?

Hey everyone,

I’ve got my district round of the young chef of the year coming up but I’m really stuck for recipes!

Anyone have any great sophisticated recipes for starter, main or dessert? I need to show skill, it needs to be relatively healthy and the total cost within £15. And of course be tasty…

Any ideas I would really welcome!

Happy new year!

Hope you all have a great 2012! This years resolutions I will probably break tomorrow…
1. Fit in baking around studying at least once a week (becoming tricky to find time to cook)
2. Actually get properly excited about the Olympics coming to London, I’m not really a sports fan so I find it slightly overrated. I’ll do my best though…
3. To get on well with my younger sister
4. To smile as much as possible
5. To read a book other than cook books
6. To help as many people as I can
7. To keep these resolutions!

Sticky, fudgy, flour and nut free (so gluten free) brownies!

I must say, I am so impressed with these brownies. My grandma is gluten intolerant and this Christmas I don’t want her missing out on a thing, especially not my favourite cake, the dark chocolate brownie. So there I was looking up gluten free brownie recipes. I didn’t have any gluten free flour so most of them were off the list, but just a few were completely flourless. I found this wonderful website:http://princessmisia.com/blog/?p=986

I was very sceptical looking at the recipe, how can you get a great brownie from a recipe of just butter, chocolate, sugar and eggs? I couldn’t see a way for it to bond together without flour or at least ground almonds. I was expecting the worst to be honest, but it worked! I made the recipe, put the mixture in the oven still doubtful, but it came out with a chewy, slightly crunchy top and a soft, fudge-like centre. I was so pleasantly surprised and it has turned out to be one of the best brownie recipes I have made to date. They are so simple too, I sprinkled mine with fudge chunks just before coming out of the oven.

Ingredients

350 gram pure chocolate

225 gram butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

200 gram sugar (I made mine with half light brown sugar because I ran out if caster, I think it worked better because it added chewyness)

3 eggs, slightly beaten

Method

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a square tin (24cmx24cm) with baking paper.

Put the chocolate and butter in a small pan, place it over a bigger pan of simmering water (au bain marie) and allow to melt.

Remove the melted chocolate and let it cool off for 5min. Stir in the sugar. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture in the prepared tin. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes (when you take it out the top should be firm while the inside should stay soft).!

Merry Christmas!

Oh my word, I hope everyone has had a great christmas!

My parents are amazing, this years family present:

I love my family, I really do.

Liebster Blog Award!

Thank you so much to Vered from http://eatnowtalklater.wordpress.com/ for nominating me for first place in her awards! She’s supported me right from day 1 when I started the blog and has some really unusual, inspiring recipes that are very tasty, have a look.
Here is a bit about the award:
The award is all about recognising your fellow bloggers for how awesome they are!

Here’s a little of the official information about the award:

“The Liebster Blog Award is given to up coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers.

The Meaning; Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kindly, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

The rules for the Liebster Blog Award are:

1. Thank your Liebster Blog Award presenter on your blog.

2. Link back to the blogger who awarded you.

3. Copy & paste the blog award on your blog

4. Reveal your 5 blog picks.

5. Let them know you choose them by leaving a comment on their blog.”

Really hard to choose, but here goes:

1.  Wee Eats - http://wee-eats.com/ I just couldn’t not pick this blog, the recipes are just mouthwatering!

2. Edible Substance-http://ediblesubstance.wordpress.com/ Such an interesting food blog with delicious recipes too, love it!

3.  Try it you might like it-http://tryityoumightlikeit.wordpress.com/ Great festive Christmas recipes here, and really yummy food.

4. Valuptuous Vittles-http://valuptuousvittles.wordpress.com/ Really interesting recipes

5.Musketnuss-http://musketnuss.wordpress.com/Great photography and lovely yummy recipes

Mince pies, with a twist…

Christmas is coming, so what better time to make mince pies? A little secret; I don’t actually like mince pies… I don’t know what it is, but I’m just not a fan of the taste. I love the look, and the smell when they are baking in to oven, and I usually love all things Christmas-y but the well loved mince pie just doesn’t do it for me. However, my parents do like them so I had a go, but also sneaked a cheeky nutella and peanut butter pie in for me.

For the Pate Sucrée (Sweet Pastry)

100g Soft Margarine

150g Plain Flour

1 egg yolk

2 tbs caster sugar

1. Rub the margarine into the flour with fingertips. Whilst rubbing in, lift it so it becomes aerated. When it becomes like breadcrumbs, stop.
2. Add the sugar and mix
3. Add the egg yolk and stir with a knife, it looks like it won’t come together but it will!
4. Make an almost kneading motion with your hand to bring the breadcrumbs together
5. Wrap the dough in cling film and refrigerate

That’s the basic recipe; once done roll out, cut with cutters and place in a well oiled small pie tin. Fill with whatever filling takes your fancy, whether it be mince meat or Nutella! Put the lids over the filling, seal and coat with an egg wash.

Had a small disaster with a nutella pot whilst making these, dropped a half used large glass pot of nutella onto stone floor. Didn’t end well and more nutella is needed….