Grantham Gingerbread Recipe Revisted

I posted this recipe four years ago, but I thought it demands a re-visit due to it's simplicity of biscuitiness! Now I'm not a huge fan of the gingernut, but the balance of ginger in these Grantham Gingerbreads is just right!

These aren't strictly gingerbreads as we know them - they are more like crunchy biscuits. But that's what they're called, so I'm gonna go with it! Either way, they are a real treat with a cuppa!

Dark Chocolate Mousse

What's this? A indulgent, dark chocolate mousse that isn't packed full of sugar? A mousse that only has two ingredients? Could you nearly say it's good for you? Well that's the line I'm going with! Because there's certainly nothing wrong with a dark piece of chocolate and an egg. And what's even better is - you can make this yummy dessert in super quick time. This is nearly health food!

To make this mousse, get a good quality 100g bar of 70% chocolate. My favourite at the moment is Asda's Extra Special Organic Dominican Republic Dark Chocolate. And at only £1.29, I think it's a great bargain.

The Ultimate Pancake Recipe

Pancake Update!!!

We are having a Pancake-Off. Me and Mr Mean are going head-to-head in the pancake-making stakes in the ultimate breakfast fluff test. He should win. After all, he does make a batch every weekend. But has he become complacent? Has his methods become sloppy over all these weeks? 

These aren't strictly traditional pancakes, like the French crepe, but a great alternative. They are a light and fluffy Scotch pancake - also known as drop scones.

Well, the verdict's in. And I'm the winner! Yes! Sorry Mr Mean. I followed my recipe to the letter, except that I forgot I was making a double batch and added half the milk which resulted in a super thick and fluffy pancake. Very cheeky! So here's the recipe for my Super Thick Award-Winning Pancakes!

Spanish Omelette

I've been super organised and made a meal planner for the week. I even did some prep in advance to make this Spanish Omelette super quick. So when I had a spare few minutes yesterday, I chopped the spuds, sliced the onions and cooked them. Once cool, I put them away in the fridge until I needed them today.

Miso Ramen Noodles with Smoked Mackerel

I have a disclaimer before you make this tasty miso ramen noodle recipe, packed with yummy smoked mackerel. I have never been to Japan. I am not Japanese. I have been to a Japanese restaurant, and I do have friends that have lived in and visited Japan. My recipe might not be 100% authentic, but it sure is tasty! Let me know what you think. 

My children love noodle dishes, and this is a great way to get them trying ingredients they might otherwise not want to try. All the different elements seem to be attractive to kids too. They feel like they are being given a choice of what to eat.

How To Make Yorkshire Pudding

I've been making Yorkshire Puddings for years now, as I should be too, being a Yorkshire lass. But they really are pretty easy to make - easier than going to the supermarket and buying that muck from the freezer section!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Nutella Icing

When you need a chocolate hit but don't have any actual chocolate in the house - these little beauties are the way to go. The only problem once you've made them is to stop eating them!


Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
160g plain flour
65g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
125g unsalted butter
225g caster sugar
3 large eggs
100ml milk

For the icing:
100g soft butter
100g icing sugar
2 tablespoons of Nutella

HOW TO MAKE

Cream the butter and the sugar together until pale and fluffy, add the eggs - one at a time. Add the sieved dry ingredients alternating with the milk until you have a smooth batter. Line a muffin pan with the cupcake cases and fill each case two thirds full. Bake at 180ºC for 20-25 minutes.

Once the cakes are baked and cooled completely on a wire rack, make up the icing. Beat together the sugar and butter. Once it's lovely and smooth, add the Nutella and beat again. You could be posh and pipe it on, or you could just smear it on and enjoy!

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Drop Scones Recipe

I have tried many drop scones (Scotch pancakes) recipes in my time, but this is by far the very best one I've come across. Hugh has really done it with this one! I find these tasty drop scones are great for a special breakfast. I think I first came across this recipe in the Guardian.

I've been making drop scones on our budget weeks because I've always got these ingredients kicking around the kitchen and kids absolutely love them - it feels like a real treat. They are just right for little ones finding their way around finger foods. My little girl loves the soft texture and can easily chew away with her two little teeth. They are also perfect for Pancake Day as an alternative to the usual flat crepe-style pancake.

I can't remember if Hugh uses plain flour with baking powder, but they are great made with just self raising flour. I always make double this recipe too because we're very greedy, but they are great to save for the next day if you have any left over. Just give them a quick toast and they're as lovely as they were the day before!

The kids love to help when it comes to making drop scones. My oldest is even flipping them in the pan now! If you want them a little thicker and fluffier, I always add a little less milk. As you are using rising agents, always make sure you start cooking the batter as soon as you have made it to ensure you get fluffy, gorgeous pancakes.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's Drop Scones Recipe

Serves 4
Ingredients:
125g (4.5oz) self raising flour
pinch of salt

25g (1oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
100ml (4floz) milk
25g (1oz) melted butter

HOW TO MAKE:

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, stir in the sugar and make a well in the centre, pour the eggs in and add a little of the milk. Start to beat and gradually add more milk until you have a smooth batter that drops reluctantly off the spoon. Stir in the melted butter.

Heat a heavy-based pan over a medium heat and grease with a smear of butter or oil. Drop tablespoons of the batter onto the pan, leaving room for it to spread. When bubbles start to form, flip them over and cook for a few more minutes.

Serve with golden syrup, jam, fruit compote, yoghurt, Nutella - anything you feel like!

Madeleines

For some reason, Mr Mean is a lot better at making Madeleines than me (I'm not complaining!) - so here's his trusted recipe. You can't beat one (or ten) of these fluffy little cakes first thing with a latte!


Ingredients:
120g icing sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest
100g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
115g butter

HOW TO MAKE
You will need Madeleine moulds for this recipe. I use a silicone mould, which saves a lot of time when it comes to greasing and flouring - because you don't have to.

Preheat oven to 190ºC. In a bowl, beat the eggs, vanilla and lemon zest (try lime zest for an alternative) with a hand held whisk until they are pale. Gradually add the icing sugar to the mix, still whisking, until the mixture is thick and forming ribbons.

Now gradually fold in the sifted flour and baking powder. When all the flour is incorporated, fold in the melted and cooled butter. Spoon the mixture into the moulds, being careful not to fill over ¾ full.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are lovely and golden. Leave to cool in the moulds for a couple of minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack. They are best eaten straight away.

Christmas Cake Recipe

I love a bit of Christmas Cake but does anyone actually eat it anymore? Most recipes nowadays seem to be for something light and fluffy. I'm not interested in a light and fluffy Christmas Cake, I want a dark, fruity, rich and gooey cake.

When I was heavily pregnant with my first son (I was due on December 28th), I decided it would be a great idea to make everyone a hamper for Christmas. So after making a lot of onion marmalade, fudge and chocolates, I thought it would be great to make individual Christmas Cakes for everyone. Whilst ignoring my swelling ankles and aching hips, I set about making nine Christmas Cakes. After icing them and making them look gorgeous, only four made it as presents. I ended up eating the rest. I don't know if it was the booze or it was the only thing keeping me regular! Maybe it was the energy I needed for the impending 82 hour labour. Merry Christmas!

You won't find any mixed peel in this recipe- purely because I don't like it. And you certainly won't find any glacé cherries either - never! You can omit the booze - but I'd always add more if I can. To speed up the cooking process, the fruit is lightly simmered with the all the wet ingredients. This makes the fruit all lovely and plump.

Ingredients

Dry Mix

200g plain flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon fresh nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

100g ground almonds

Wet Mix

200g raisins

175g currants

175g sultanas

250g ready to eat prunes, chopped

100ml orange juice

50ml brandy

175g butter

200g light muscovado sugar

1 tablespoon black treacle

grated rind of 1 orange and 1 lemon

3 eggs

HOW TO MAKE

Preheat oven to 140ºC.

 

Put all the wet ingredients into a big pan and simmer on a low heat for 15 minutes until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved and the fruit is looking lovely and plump. Leave to cool for 30 minutes.

While the wet mix is cooling, grease and double line a 20cm/8 inch round tin or 18cm/7 inch square tin with greaseproof baking parchment. 

Next, sieve the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl  and stir in the wet mix and eggs. Spoon into prepared tin and tap on work surface to get rid of any air bubbles. Place a square of double greaseproof baking parchment on top of the cake mixture with a hole the size of a fifty pence piece. Place on the bottom shelf of the oven and bake for a minimum of 2 hours. When the cake is ready, test with a skewer. Poke it into the middle of the cake and if it comes out clean - the cake is done. Leave to cool completely before icing.

 Music to listen to whilst making this: Frank Sinantra's Jingle Bells

 

Annabel's Lemon Verbena Dessert

I hear you asking "Who is Annabel?", well Annabel is my sister and appeared on Britain's Best Dish with this recipe - fame in the family!! Anyway, this is a lovely recipe for a special pud. If you can't find lemon verbena, just leave it out, it'll still be as yummy. Try adding vanilla instead.

If you can't get your hands on rhubarb, try a compote of plums or apples or summer fruits.

Ingredients
Lemon Verbena Custard:500ml double cream
4 sprigs of lemon verbena
5 medium eggs
100g caster sugar

Rhubarb Compote:750g of forced rhubarb, chopped into 4inch pieces
½ bottle of orange muscat
zest of one orange
1 vanilla pod
150g caster sugar

Pistachio Biscuits:35g softened butter
30g finely chopped pistachio nuts
10g ground almonds
1 egg white
60g caster sugar
2 tbsp plain flour

For the lemon verbena custard:
Preheat the oven to 170°C / 150°C fan.
Place the lemon verbena and cream in a pan and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat and let it steep for at least 15 minutes. Whisk together 5 egg yolks with the sugar and slowly add the cooled cream. Pass the mixture through a sieve. Place ramekins in a roasting tray and fill with the custard.  Pour a little cold water into the bottom of the roasting tray (to prevent the ramekins cracking) then place in the oven and pour boiling water into the tray to create a hot water bath. Bake the custards for 20 minutes. When done they should be slightly wobbly in the middle. Cool in the fridge for 1 hour.

For the rhubarb compote:
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan. Put all the ingredients in a shallow baking dish. Place the dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Cool in the fridge. Pour a little of the rhubarb juice into a pan and reduce slightly to produce a syrup.

For the pistachio biscuits:
Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan. Finely chop the pistachio nuts by hand. In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the almonds or ¼ tsp almond extract and egg wh and egg white and mix until smooth but not frothy. Sieve the flour into the mixture and fold in the pistachios. Spoon 1 teaspoon of mixture onto a Teflon mat and spread out to create 2 inch rounds (make sure you keep each round 3 inches apart). Bake for 5 – 8 minutes until golden around the edges. As soon as they come out of the oven, curve round a rolling pin to shape, then cool.

Place a baked custard on the plate then about 4 strips of the rhubarb on the side. Rest a biscuit or two on the side of the custard dish and garnish with a couple of lemon verbena leaves on top of the baked custard.

What a fancy dessert! It appeared on Britain's Best Dish on September 15th 2009! http://www.itv.com/lifestyle/food/britainsbestdish/recipes2009/lemonverbenawithbakedcustard/default.html