Category: Cooking

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Jaffa Drizzle Cake

140g butter, softened

200g SRF

11/2 tsp baking powder

200g golden caster sugar

3 large eggs

6 tbsp whole milk

finely grated zest 1 large orange

Topping

3tbsp orange juice

50g golden caster sugar

50g dark chocolate

Heat oven to 180C fan. Butter and line the base of a 1.2 litre loaf tin. Put all the cake ingredients into a mixing bowl and beat for about 3-4 mins until light and fluffy. Spoon the mixture into the tin and level the top. Bake for about 40 – 50 mins until golden brown and firm to touch, Check with a skewer. Heat the orange juice and sugar gently in a small pan until dissolved. When the cake is cooked, remove from the oven, pierce with a skewer and spoon over the orange mix. Leave to cool in the tin, then remove to cool completely on a wire rack. Break up the chocolate and melt in a bowl over simmering water, or in the microwave. Drizzle over the cake and leave to set.

 

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Rosti-Topped Salmon Pot Pie

300g potatoes peeled, and cut into large chunks

250g sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

450g skinless salmon fillets

450ml skimmed milk

25g butter, melted

2 leeks, sliced into chunks

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

1 tbsp plain flour

100g peas, defrosted if frozen

1/2 x 25g tarragon, roughly chopped

Heat oven to 180 fan. Cook potatoes and sweet potatoes in boiling salted water for about 5 – 6 minutes. Drain well and set aside until they are cool enough to handle. Put the salmon in a saucepan, bring to a simmer. Cook gently for about 4 – 5 minutes, until the fish is opaque and cooked through. Remove the fish and set aside, reserving the milk. Grate all of the potatoes into a large bowl. Pour over half of the butter, mix well, season with salt and black pepper and set aside. Pour the remaining butter into a clean pan, add the leeks and garlic and cook for about 3 – 4 mins until softened. Stir in the flour, then gradually whisk in the reserved milk to make a smooth sauce. Cook over a gentle heat stirring continuously until simmering. Cook for about 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and season. Stir in the peas and tarragon. Flake the salmon and gently fold into the sauce. Spoon the mixture into a deep 1.5 litre oven proof dish and top with the potato mixture. Bake for about 20 – 25 mins until golden. Serve with green vegetables.

 

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Christmas Sugar Cookies

300g caster sugar

140g butter

2 large eggs

1 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp milk

550g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

200g glace cherries, chopped

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter together until pale and creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs, vanilla and milk. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together in a new bowl, then add a few spoonfuls at a time to the butter mixture, stirring with each addition to combine, Fold in the cherries through the dough, then shape into two logs. Wrap the logs in cling film. Freeze one for a later date and chill the other for at least 2 hours. Heat the oven to 180C fan and butter 3 non-stick baking trays. Unwrap the cling film from the chilled log and use a large knife to slice rounds the thickness of a £1 coin. Lay the cookies on the trays and bake for about 5-6 mins. Cool on wire racks. THEY WON’T LAST LONG, YOU HAVE A SPARE IN THE FREEZER.

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Wishing you all a Merry Christmas,

Mr Greedy

 

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Baileys Cheesecake

With the flavours of a coffee liqueur, the creamy Baileys mixture topped with a thin intense layer of black coffee jelly, a must to finish a Christmas meal.

11g pack powdered gelatine, plus 1 tsp

175g shortcake biscuits, crushed to crumbs

85g butter, melted

250g tub quark

250 tub mascarpone

150ml Baileys cream liqueur

142ml pot double cream, lightly whipped

2 large eggs

140g caster sugar

FOR THE COFFEE JELLY

1 heaped tsp powdered gelatine

150ml strong black coffee,

sweetened with 2 tbsp caster sugar

Measure 5 tbsp cold water in a small bowl, sprinkle over the gelatine and leave to soak for 5 mins until spongy. Now stand the bowl of gelatine in a pan of gently simmering water and leave until it turns clear.

Mix the biscuit crumbs and butter together, then press onto the base of a buttered 20 cm loose bottomed cake tin. Use the bottom of a glass tumbler to flatten. Chill. Beat the quark, mascarpone and Baileys together, then stir in the gelatine and fold in the cream. Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until thick, pale and creamy, then fold in the cheese cake mixture and pour onto the biscuit base. Chill for 3 – 4 hours or until set. For the jelly, sprinkle the gelatine over the coffee, then put the bowl in a pan of gently simmering water until dissolved. Cool the mixture. When cold, carefully spoon the coffee mixture on top of the cheesecake to make a thin layer, DON’T POUR IT ON OR YOU WILL DISTURB THE CREAMY LAYER. Chill until set; will keep in the fridge for 2 days. To serve the cheesecake, wrap a hot tea towel around the outside of the tin, then gently ease out the cake. Serve in smaller wedges.

 

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Chocolate and Cranberry Cookies

125g unsalted butter, softened

125g light muscovado sugar

2 med eggs, lightly beaten

2tsp vanilla extract

225g wholemeal SR Flour

25g cocoa

75g dried cranberries

12 pecan halves

100g bar white chocolate, roughly chopped

100g bar milk chocolate, roughly chopped

Heat the oven to180C fan. Put the butter and sugar into a mixer and beat together until soft and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. Remove bowl from mixer and sift in the flour and add the cranberries and chopped chocolate. Mix the dough together with your hands. Knead lightly, then wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30min. Cover 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Divide mixture into 12 and roll into balls. Place on the parchment. Flatten with the heel of your hand and top with a pecan half. Bake for about 15 mins until just firm and leave on the tray to form and serve while still warm. Will keep in an airtight container

 

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Hazelnut Cake

140g butter

200g caster sugar

6 eggs, separated

2 tbsp SR flour, sieved

200g ricotta

200g blanched hazelnuts, roasted, and coarsely ground

3 tsp lemon zest [ about 1 lemon ]

For the glaze

8 tbsp apricot jam

50g dark chocolate, grated

handful of whole hazelnuts

To serve

250g mascarpone

2 tbsp clear honey

Heat oven to 180C. Butter a round 23cm shallow cake tin. In a large bowl beat together the butter and half the sugar. Gradually add the egg yolks and continue to beat until light and fluffy, fold in the sieved flour. In a separate bowl, beat the ricotta with a fork, then add the hazelnuts and lemon zest. Add this to the flour mixture. In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff, then beat in the remainder of the sugar. Fold into the ricotta mixture very carefully. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for about 35 – 45 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool, then remove and place on a cake plate. For the glaze. Put the jam and 2 tbsp water in a small saucepan. Heat gently over a low heat and stir until you get a smooth, fairly runny consistency. Brush over the top of the cake and leave to cool. Sprinkle with the grated chocolate and the whole hazelnuts. Mix the mascarpone and honey together. Slice and serve with the mascarpone cream.

 

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Crisp Fishcakes with Beetroot

500g cooked, mashed potatoes

4 spring onions, finely chopped

200g cooked beetroot, finely chopped

170g can of salmon in brine, drained

1 tbsp sunflower oil

In a large bowl add the mashed potatoes, onions, beetroot, salt and pepper and mash together. Flake the salmon and stir into the mixture. Using your hands make into 8 rough patties. Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan. Fry the fish cakes on both sides until brown and crusty. Cook in two batches if required. Serve with a green salad.

 

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