tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3698284104163638832024-02-19T04:21:14.134+00:00Kate The Bake"What is food to one man may be fierce poison to others"
Lucretius. 95-55 B.C.<br>
----------------------------------kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-51655309386910576362015-07-01T14:41:00.000+01:002015-07-01T14:48:58.070+01:00Riddle and Finn, Brighton. <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In addition to being coeliac I have some other food allergies which make eating out a bit of a pain, and catering for me bit of a nightmare. So the pleasure I take in writing this review might be a bit understated. I have an anaphalactic reaction to most nightshade foods. This family of foods includes potato, tomato, vegetable peppers (the fresh red, green and yellow ones), chilli, paprika and aubergine as well as more obscure ingredients such as nicotine, physallis and goji berries. Anaphalaxis (in my case) is that one which makes your throat swell up and stops you breathing so an incident could be catastrophic (if this sounds like you or someone you know, there is a useful article on Foods Matter's site <a href="http://bit.ly/1CEPrn2" target="_blank">here</a>).</span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xt_oBJYslE0/VZGJ_5gCDZI/AAAAAAAAAdM/f3_CdANeIes/s1600/riddle%2Bfront%2Bwindow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="218" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xt_oBJYslE0/VZGJ_5gCDZI/AAAAAAAAAdM/f3_CdANeIes/s320/riddle%2Bfront%2Bwindow.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I pitched up with a friend to <a href="http://www.riddleandfinns.co.uk/" target="_blank">Riddle and Finns</a> in Meeting House Street in the Lanes in Brighton having spotted and admired their beach outpost earlier in the day. One of my favourite deli clients used to have the shop next door but I don't recall ever noticing Riddle and Finns. I would definitely had been drawn in if I had, perhaps the cases of biscuits and brownies were stacked too high for me to see over. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I never hold out any great expectations if I eat at a restaurant without pre-booking as I am well aware that my allergies make me a pain in the arse for the majority of chefs and establishments. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Riddle and Finn definitely buck the trend. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Advertising themselves as a champagne and oyster bar, the restaurant menu covers a comprehensive range of fish and seafood, with light bites such as whitebait and oysters, seafood platters and main courses. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are 3 vegetarian main courses on this current menu and a couple of those looked to be gluten free (I didn't check this). </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The decor and menu reminded me of Randall & Aubin at Brewer St in Soho, though I found it a lot easier to order and eat safely at Riddle and Finn. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I owe a debt of gratitude to the best waiting staff you can possibly imagine - and complete shame on my part for not having got the dark haired guy's name who served us with such care and intelligence. But across all the staff we encountered, no one in a restaurant has ever gone out of their way to make a meal more safe for me. </span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2NqM0AAgPqY/VZGLVln2JbI/AAAAAAAAAdk/SDG6RGgVuA4/s1600/P1000415%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2NqM0AAgPqY/VZGLVln2JbI/AAAAAAAAAdk/SDG6RGgVuA4/s320/P1000415%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We arrived on day one of a new menu so the staff were not completely familiar with all the ingredients but they did an amazing job. No gluten free bread? </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(my bad, i usually bring my own), but i</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">t's ok, we'll make you blinis with buckwheat flour. They took a list of my allergies and reported back to the kitchen, bringing me back a clearly amended menu listing the available options for me. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2NqM0AAgPqY/VZGLVln2JbI/AAAAAAAAAdk/SDG6RGgVuA4/s1600/P1000415%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the meantime, we had been served bread / blinis, mackerel pate, chilli mayo and horseradish (a nice touch for a cover charge of £1/head), along with a decent though slightly sweet (my bad choice) Rose from the wine list. Alerted to the ingredients in the dips, I was more than happy with blinis and butter.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The room is white-tiled floor to ceiling with high marble slab tables. We were sat on comfy bar stools at a table seating 8, just wide enough to allow some privacy with your companion seated next to you. Looking round at the other customers, most seemed to be opting for oysters or the large platters of fruit de mer, which looked delicious. I was very tempted by the razor clams on the small bites menu, but am saving that for my next visit.</span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lrdN_HdfAQU/VZGNtojfv0I/AAAAAAAAAd0/uyamU-7lEXY/s1600/IMG_0252.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lrdN_HdfAQU/VZGNtojfv0I/AAAAAAAAAd0/uyamU-7lEXY/s320/IMG_0252.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We watched unabashed as our neighbours opposite on the shared table devoured and slurped their way through huge and amazing looking wok-fried crabs with unreserved enjoyment. Half a dozen of the sweetest (hence the bad wine choice), plump fresh oysters arrived, and disappeared almost as quickly. It was only once we had eaten them I realised that I should have been taking pictures, hence the photo of the empty shells.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I ordered the pan-fried cod and my friend had the wild sea bass. I had added a side salad, which turned out to be completely unnecessary in terms of volume. Both mains were served perfectly cooked. The cod was served with crispy kale on a bed of garden peas with smoked lardons in a cream sauce. The cod was perfectly cooked with soft creamy flakes of fish, the peas were filling and the sauce well-seasoned balancing the salty bacon.</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vdrRUbCm7KE/VZGNrni1gXI/AAAAAAAAAdw/w9hD8Pqgf88/s1600/IMG_0253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="309" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vdrRUbCm7KE/VZGNrni1gXI/AAAAAAAAAdw/w9hD8Pqgf88/s320/IMG_0253.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The wild sea bass was served with leeds fondue, confit tomatoes, grilled spring onions, r</span><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">ö</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">sti potatoes and herb oil. I can only report the silence that accompanied this dish being eaten as the reference for the dish. It disappeared pretty quickly.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Presentation was simple but pretty. A matching palate between the 2 plates, which quite appealed to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We skipped dessert because we were plenty full but had a decent strong coffee before heading out. The bill was £88 including service. Venue photos were provided by Riddle and Finn's (because mine were awful!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was an absolute surprise to be welcomed into a busy restaurant and have the staff spend time understanding and helping me order. I felt safe and confident which made the experience of eating at Riddle and Finn's so much more enjoyable. </span></div>
kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-19196046647424934342013-10-13T16:20:00.000+01:002013-10-13T16:43:51.708+01:00apple cinnamon cup cakes, gluten free I have just upped sticks and moved north away from family and friends to study. In doing so, I have left behind the family home and swapped my shiny new (and almost perfect) kitchen for a rented and shared 2 bed back-to-back terrace with a 9'x5' kitchen. Gone too are almost all my cookbooks, baking equipment and ingredients. I have kept what I hoped was the right few bits, the bare minimum of working. multi-purpose items. So far, I am not impressed with my selection!<br />
On this damp, grey, very autumnal day I have just been exploring the 7 miles of walking tracks and trails that pass my front door. In one direction, a woodland trail to the city centre, my daily walk to uni. In the other, parkland and trails head north out of the city to the moors and farmland beyond. Perfect for walking, running and lazing (come next summer).<br />
Basking in a warm glow of self-congratulatory praise on this choice of location, I pulled out my baking kit with an urge to bake apple cake. My pleasure at my selection of 'essential' items is not so warm. But I have managed to knock these up after a quick trip to Waitrose (finally, one of those within walking distance too!).<br />
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<a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4821890206_89565edf72.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="apple cinnamon cupcakes by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="apple cinnamon cupcakes" border="0" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4821890206_89565edf72.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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These are super easy to make. I used the blend of flour in the recipe simply because I have run out of rice flour, this blend does taste very nice but can equally be made with 110g each of rice flour + 110g buckwheat flour or 110g sorghum flour or 110g millet flour, or even another 110g rice flour - though this may be slightly gritty. If you want to make these with wheat flour, use 220g Self Raising wheat flour with an additional 1.5tsp baking powder, and omit the xanthan gum.<br />
The recipe made 18 cupcakes.<br />
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<a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4821929858_4922fb4577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="apple cinnamon cupcake 1 by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="apple cinnamon cupcake 1" border="0" height="240" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4821929858_4922fb4577.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Ingredients<br />
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<li>300g apples (either dessert or cooking apples are fine)</li>
<li>1.5 tsp ground cinnamon </li>
<li>80g dark muscavado sugar</li>
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<li>120g rice flour</li>
<li>35g millet flour</li>
<li>35g sorghum flour</li>
<li>35g buckwheat flour</li>
<li>4.5 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>0.5 tsp xanthan gum</li>
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<li>180g soft butter</li>
<li>180g light muscavado sugar</li>
<li>3 large eggs </li>
<li>1 tsp vanilla extract</li>
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<li>Line muffin tins with cup cake liners and preheat the oven (fan) to 165°C. </li>
<li>Core and grate the apples (don't bother to peel them unless you really want to).</li>
<li>Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a medium sized bowl then add the apple and combine thoroughly, before setting aside.</li>
<li>Sieve all the dry flour ingredients together and set aside. </li>
<li>Beat the butter and sugar together using a hand or stand mixer until they are soft, pale and creamy.</li>
<li>Add the vanilla extract and beat to blend thoroughly. </li>
<li>Add the eggs, one at a time, beating thoroughly before adding the next one. If the mix begins to curdle add a tablespoon of the flour mix and beat again.</li>
<li>Now add the flour mix to the creamed mix and beat again until just combined.</li>
<li>Put a spoonful of cake batter into each cupcake liner spread and levelling the mix across the base of each liner, which should be just less than half full (I found a heaped dessertspoon worked for me).</li>
<li>Give the apple and sugar mix a good stir to mix the juices back in, then grab a teaspoon and put a heaped spoonful of mix on top of the cake batter in each liner.</li>
<li>Bake in the preheated oven for 15 mins, then rotate the tray(s) and bake for a further 5 minutes before removing from the oven.</li>
<li>Leave the cupcakes to cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from the trays and placing on a cooling rack until cold.</li>
<li>Dust with icing sugar once cold.</li>
<li>These cupcakes can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days but can't be frozen (due to the fresh fruit).</li>
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<a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4821889706_77329515b1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="apple cinnamon cupcake 2 by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="apple cinnamon cupcake 2" border="0" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4821889706_77329515b1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-37177227968273450842013-04-30T18:27:00.002+01:002013-04-30T18:35:29.401+01:00Pizza Express, at last!<span style="font-size: small;">The announcement by <a href="http://www.pizzaexpress.com/" target="_blank">Pizza Express</a> that they were launching a gluten free menu caused much exciteme<span style="font-size: small;">nt in our house</span>, so launch day saw us making an inpromptu visit there, foregoing our planned movie afternoon for a taste of proper pizza. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">The staff in out local branch in Hastings were genuinely delighted to be selling gluten free pizzas on their launch day and seemed to know their stuff about the options available. There was a bit of a hunt to locate the delivery of gluten free lager, but the wait was worth it, a very light and refreshing <span style="font-size: small;">drink, perfec<span style="font-size: small;">t with <span style="font-size: small;">(<span style="font-size: small;">a</span>nd before) pizza</span></span></span>. </span><span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">The gluten free pizzas are <span style="font-size: small;">served on black board<span style="font-size: small;">s w<span style="font-size: small;">hich helps waiting staff identi<span style="font-size: small;">fy the<span style="font-size: small;">m and will no <span style="font-size: small;">doubt be really usef<span style="font-size: small;">u<span style="font-size: small;">l <span style="font-size: small;">for busy evening and week<span style="font-size: small;">end visits. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">All the standard (Romana) pizzas are available on the bespoke gluten free bases. There are a few topping elements that are gluten-containing </span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">(more on that below) </span>which would rule out a couple of the options, but you can make substutitions to get a pizza you can eat. <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K2Nzr6KEFYo/UX_9eUFkdfI/AAAAAAAAAK0/Xh8CBecdFrE/s1600/cappriciosa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K2Nzr6KEFYo/UX_9eUFkdfI/AAAAAAAAAK0/Xh8CBecdFrE/s320/cappriciosa.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: small;">I ordered a Cappriciosa. I can't eat tomato so had an extra smear of garlic butter on the base and omitted the tomatoes from the toppings. The base was crisp and light, the toppings fresh and the egg had a perfect runny yolk to dip the crust into. It was<span style="font-size: small;">, I hate to say, bet<span style="font-size: small;">ter than my home made <span style="font-size: small;">version!</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">My daughter had an American wh<span style="font-size: small;">ich <span style="font-size: small;">is a Margar<span style="font-size: small;">ita with pe<span style="font-size: small;">pperoni</span></span></span></span>. The bases - like so many gluten free breads - are slightly sweet. This was more prominent with a tomato topping, leading my daughter to say that she preferred my, more savoury, tomato-free pizza. </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AHpU2XAPRrE/UX_9auU8MeI/AAAAAAAAAKs/YgR1yTXX6gI/s1600/american.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="196" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AHpU2XAPRrE/UX_9auU8MeI/AAAAAAAAAKs/YgR1yTXX6gI/s320/american.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">The product developers have done a pretty good job. They have developed a few bespoke gluten free items for the menu so it is possible to eat a 3 course meal there. We did feel that they have missed a trick in not putting gluten free garlic bread on the menu using the same gf pizza base but hopefully this will follow before too long. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">I think much has already been made of the fact that Pizza Express are only using gluten free flour to dust their bases in the restaurants, to avoid airborn contamination. I am a bit confused as to how they mix their regular wheat bases, which I thought were made in-house, but judging by the attention to detail, I trust they have this covered.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">A visit to Pizza Express still needs a bit of homework before you go. The list of <a href="http://www.pizzaexpress.com/our-food/gluten-free/" target="_blank">gluten-containing products and ingredients</a> is only available on the website so you need to read this in advance, or hope your phone gets a signal once you are there. I<span style="font-size: small;">t</span> really needs to be printed on the menu. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">There are lots of items on the menu that are, or rather could be, gluten free by the omission of wafers or dough sticks. This could be more clearly marked too as that would give an even wider choice. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I tweeted @pizzaexpress before we went to get the base ingredients (maize starch, modified tapioca starch, rice flour and potato protein). It would also be really helpful if Pizza Express could list all product ingredients on their website rather than just a table of selected allergens. This table has not yet been updated to reflect the new menu which is a bit confusing too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">These niggles aside, it was so refreshing to be able to order off a standard menu (and use a discount code!) to get really tasty gluten free and safe food in a comfortable and welcoming environment. Next time - and there<span style="font-size: small;"> will definitely be a next time - </span>we will leave enough room to try the gluten f<span style="font-size: small;">ree </span>chocolate brownie!</span><br />
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<br />kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-83159804434996398842010-08-28T00:01:00.000+01:002010-09-01T17:30:15.910+01:00Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice cream & Daring Baker's Baked Alaska<script type="text/javascript">
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">The August 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Elissa of 17 and Baking. For the first time, The Daring Bakers partnered with Sugar High Fridays for a co-event and Elissa was the gracious hostess of both. Using the theme of beurre noisette, or browned butter, Elissa chose to challenge Daring Bakers to make a pound cake to be used in either a Baked Alaska or in Ice Cream Petit Fours. The sources for Elissa’s challenge were Gourmet magazine and David Lebovitz’s “The Perfect Scoop”.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">After quite a gap where I have struggled to find motivation, this month's daring baker challenge grabbed me and enticed me to try a recipe that has intrigued me since I was a little kid. I think it was the most read recipe in one of my childhood cookbooks right at the back with surprisingly clean pages! The recipe called for both shop bought ice cream and cake rather than making them from scratch. I didn't even realise that you could make ice cream at home back then. Although as a kid I read the recipe with lustful regularity, I never attempted to make it, it didn't make any sense - how on earth could you bake ice cream without it melting? Madness!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/katethebake/4931505943/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="halved baked alaska by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="halved baked alaska" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4931505943_b7c00be0ee.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span><br />
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</i></span><span style="font-size: small;">Anyway, yesterday, clad in shoes and a jumper for warmth for the first time this summer, the grey windy and rainy day provided a perfect backdrop for ice cream making and baking. I was glad of the diversion from the miserable weather. After much negotiation with the teen, the ice cream flavours were decided as i) chocolate and peanut butter & ii) banana. </span><span style="font-size: small;">The daring baker challenge called for us to make 2 types of ice cream from scratch along with a browned butter pound cake which would provide the base to build the baked alaska on. I decided to make individual versions with the ice cream frozen into small French tumbler-style wine glasses lined with cling film. Once the ice cream was un-molded and sat a'top the cake base, a simple meringue could be piped over the whole thing and then The molded ice cream is set upon a gluten free chocolate sponge base before being topped with a piped vanilla meringue which is baked or browned using a blow torch. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">The meringue was a very simple recipe of 2 large egg whites and 100g castor sugar whisked together with a teaspoon of vanilla extract folded in at the end. I piped this quickly using a star nozzle over the ice cream bases and then blasted them with a blow torch - I am yet to dare to bake ice cream!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I was persuaded to flavour the cake base with chocolate as well although for me, that has proved one step too far - it will some time before I eat chocolate cake again.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/katethebake/4931513431/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="pair baked alaska gr by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="pair baked alaska gr" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4931513431_b13e0d7b21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">This dessert is rich beyond belief and even my baby French wine glasses proved way too big for the finished individual servings of baked alaska - if there is a next time, shot glasses will be used. There was no need to serve a main course, this was a dessert-only dinner which had to be followed by a 5k run to settle my stomach!</span><br />
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</span><span style="font-size: small;">Much as I love a rich creamy ice cream (and for a simple flavour like vanilla I would definitely stick to the original recipe) for this combination of chocolate and peanut butter, I reduced the egg content of the recipe and used my own fall-back recipe for a (slightly) lighter ice cream. This ice cream has been a regular for us all summer, we love the combination of salty crunchy peanut butter with a creamy sweet chocolate ice cream. When I am making this for 'normal' consumption, I would not add the peanut butter mix until the ice cream has almost finished churning so that the peanut butter ends up rippled through the ice cream rather than fully combined. However for this baked alaska, I have fully mixed it in so that the ice cream will be consistently frozen throughout. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: small;">Chocolate & Peanut Butter Ice cream:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-size: small;">100g 70% Belgian chocolate</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">240ml / 1 cup double (heavy) cream </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">3tbsp dutch processed cocoa powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">240ml / 1 cup double cream </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">125g crunchy unsweetened peanut butter</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">a pinch of sea salt </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">30g agave nectar or sweet freedom</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">360ml / 1.5 cups whole milk</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">140g or 2/3 cup white sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">3 large eggs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">1 tsp madagascan vanilla extract </span></li>
</ul><ol><li><span style="font-size: small;">Break up the chocolate and place in a microwaveable bowl with 1 cup double cream. Heat on high for 45 seconds then stir until the chocolate melts into the cream. Whisk in the cocoa powder and set aside.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Mix the peanut butter with the second cup of double cream, the sea salt and the sweetener, set aside. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">In a heavy-bottomed pan, gently heat the milk and sugar stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat as soon as this happens.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Whisk the eggs in a large heatproof bowl. Keep beating the eggs whilst pouring over the warm sweetened milk. Beat until thoroughly combined, then pour the whole mixture back into the pan.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Add the chocolate and cream mix to the pan and stir to combine. Heat the whole chocolate custard mix very gently, stirring constantly until the custard is thick - do not let this boil, nor stop stirring until the custard is ready. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">To check whether the custard is done, use your finger to draw a line through some cooked custard on the back of the spoon or spatula you are using to stir - when the bare line remains clear through the custard, then the mix is ready. The custard will be thick and creamy but with a slightly jelly-like consistency, this is due to using whole eggs rather than simply egg yolks. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">To cool the custard, you can simply place the whole pan in an ice bath or a sink or washing up bowl half-filled with cold water. Make sure that you don't splash water into the custard as it cools - but don't put a lid on the pan as that will slow down the cooling process. Change the water 2 or 3 times until the custard is at room temperature. Now you can chill the custard in the fridge for an hour or so before freezing it.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Once the custard is lightly chilled, add the peanut butter mix in large dollops but don't mix in too much (the churning will do this) and now you can churn the mix as per your ice-cream maker's instructions. If you don't have an ice-cream machine, you can decant the custard into a freezer-proof box and place in the freezer for 3 hours. After three hours, take the box out and stir vigorously with a fork to break up the ice crystals. Repeat this process hourly until the mixture is thick and creamy and too difficult to stir, at which point - if you are making baked alaska - you can decant the ice cream into the mold for freezing.</span></li>
</ol>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-9753666916104254392010-05-27T00:01:00.001+01:002010-05-27T00:01:00.332+01:00gluten free pièce montée (Daring Bakers May 2010)<script type="text/javascript">
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>The May 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Cat of Little Miss Cupcake. Cat challenged everyone to make a piece montée, or croquembouche, based on recipes from Peter Kump’s Baking School in Manhattan and Nick Malgieri.</i></span><br />
<br />
So, this month's Daring Baker challenge was to make a pièce montée or croquembouche. This is an epic 3-D dessert of French and Italian origin and are served as wedding and baptism cakes in France.<br />
A proper croquembouche (and mine is not quite) is a gravity defying pyramid of choux pastry puffs filled with sweet pastry cream and drizzled in caramel or maybe chocolate to provide some glue for construction purposes. When I first figured out that the puffs were constructed around an inedible cone I was a bit disappointed, much the same as I when I (finally) realised that the 'celebration' cakes that languish in the windows of some bakeries are actually foam-filled moulds - Pah, humbug!<br />
I decided that I wanted my version to be all edible though as a result, it is slightly less impressive than the architectural cone or cocktail stick versions.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4642465100_e9b04a2160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="piece montee full SM by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="piece montee full SM" border="0" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4042/4642465100_e9b04a2160.jpg" width="337" /></a></div><br />
The challenge recipe did not provide a gluten free alternative recipe so I used a recipe that I have been working on. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3408/4641852479_57e061d509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="unfilled choux puffs SM by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="unfilled choux puffs SM" border="0" height="320" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3408/4641852479_57e061d509.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><br />
It isn't quite perfect or foolproof yet, so whilst the piped shapes puff up beautifully, they are not completely hollow inside. Since I need to be able to fill the puffs with pastry cream, I cut a little hole out of the bottom of each puff and picked out the filling (which tends to sit on the bottom of the puff) then piped the filling in and replaced the bottom. <br />
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<a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4642465454_cce206f489_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4052/4642465454_cce206f489_m.jpg" width="197" /></a><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4642465850_6515fd8d77_m.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4056/4642465850_6515fd8d77_m.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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I used the suggested recipes for the sweet pastry cream which were chocolate and vanilla so filled half the choux pastry balls with each variety. I like the element of surprise with different fillings, though last time I made this dessert with a raspberry mousse filling which was lovely too. <br />
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The most fun however, was in the decoration: spun sugar. It was a damp day when I made the decoration which is not the best weather to be working with this delicate confection, you really need a dry tim environment, not Spring time (or any other time) in England. I had to work fairly quickly to make the shapes then build the dessert and photograph it before the sugar softened. I had no more than a couple of hours before the sugar began to soften and warp and the dessert began to gently collapse. I got a bit carried away with the sugar spinning and made loads more than I needed. Luckily the teen feels a need for empty calories (her definition) today so is crunching her way through it now!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4641899041_6cdfd34e4b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4641899041_6cdfd34e4b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
And there we have it, a really fun daring baker challenge. I will publish the recipe once I have put the finishing touches to this gluten-free choux pastry recipe, then you should have a go at making one too.kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-20697909885043348102010-05-24T18:55:00.000+01:002010-05-24T18:55:17.413+01:00gluten free ginger bread spread (speculoos a tartiner)<script type="text/javascript">
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I love speculoos biscuits. I mean, I really really love them! I used to get excited every time I discovered one of those slim, delicately spiced and caramelised biscuits nestled on the saucer almost hidden by my coffee cup. Until quite recently, though, I could only experience that thrill in Europe, not at home in the UK. Now times have changed and I could, if I wanted, buy bulk packs of speculoos in my local cash and carry (though in the UK they are just called caramelised biscuits, or some such). And now of course, even if I wanted to eat them, I couldn't, because they contain wheat.<br />
So, when food blogger and writer <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2010/05/speculoos_a_tartiner_gingersnap_paste.html">David Lebovitz</a> wrote a post on speculoos spread I was envious and intrigued in equal measure. I read the post a couple of times and then carried on as normal ignoring the faint pangs of jealousy growing in the pit of my stomach. Ignoring, that is, until one morning a few days later when the sun was shining, my kitchen was quiet and I, for once in a very long time, actually felt like cooking.<br />
I searched around the internet until I found an ingredients list for the Lotus brand of 'Speculoos a Tartiner'. It made me laugh to read it - 57% crushed biscuits, sugar and vegetable oil to make a sweet smooth spread. Duh, how obvious!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3320/4621808314_c53e054e7a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="358" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3320/4621808314_c53e054e7a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Somewhere in the depths of my freezer I had a gluten free half batch of David Lebovitz's Chez Panisse Ginger Snap dough which needed to be eaten. I figured that I could mix up some speculoos spices, sprinkle over the dough, knead it in and bake the revised version. This might on be an unorthodox way to make Speculoos but in this case, imperfections don't matter as I am going to grind up them up anyway!<br />
One of my favourite memories of speculoos is the blend of spices mingling with the rich caramel flavour, so I decided that since I was already going to use my food processor to grind the biscuits, I might as well also make some caramel and grind that up to make caramel powder to use instead of sugar. So by 8.10 in the morning I was pouring a cup and a half of nut brown caramel onto my lined baking sheet to cool and preparing my spices to add to the defrosting log of ginger biscuit dough. One day, I may come back to this recipe again and create a proper gluten-free speculoos biscuit from scratch, but for now the buttery spicy dough of David's Chez Panisse ginger snap recipe is definitely delicious enough to satiate my immediate desire for this sweet creamy spicy spread.<br />
I added extra spices to the dough to give a touch of speculoos fragrance to the ginger and cinnamon of the cookie dough. My mix contained white pepper, coriander, nutmeg, clove, cardamom seeds and anise but you can add or remove spices to suit your palate (or dig out your favourite speculoos recipe and bake those, of course!). You can of course use shop-bought speculoos biscuits instead but if you do you might need to reduce the caramel powder to 90g as speculoos are a bit sweeter than the ginger biscuits I used.<br />
The spread will go through a strange "Oops, I've failed" phase as you mix it together. In fact, it looked so odd that I didn't even bother taking photos of the method as I was so sure that it had gone wrong! But I persevered and I was very glad I did as the crumbly lumpy mess slowly transformed into a smooth creamy spread. <br />
There is, of course, a flaw in my plan: I have absolutely no idea what the original 'speculoos a tartiner' tastes like so I have nothing to compare my own version to. I can however confirm that it is delicious: gently spicy, sweet and smooth but with a few crumbs for texture. If you can resist tasting this for a day or two, you will be rewarded with an even richer, more rounded flavour.<br />
At the end of the day when the teen appeared, I mentioned that I had been messing around the kitchen but got no reaction (that's teenagers for you!) so I was amazed to discover the contents of the jar had almost disappeared the next morning ... I am now mixing up the next batch of cookies, I'll be making two jars this time!<br />
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ginger bread spread recipe (to make 1 jar)<br />
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ingredients:<br />
<ul><li>160g speculoos cookies or ginger snaps (as per details below) </li>
<li>120g ground caramel powder</li>
<li>90g sunflower oil (or other neutral oil)</li>
<li>60ml water </li>
<li>15g nutritional soya lecithin (this will stop the spread separating once mixed & stored in the jar, it is great if you happen to have some but it is by no means essential)</li>
<li>15ml lemon juice </li>
<li>1/4 tsp sea salt </li>
</ul>method - spread<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3303/4621201967_8ccde17815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3303/4621201967_8ccde17815.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><ol><li>weigh 160g cookies into a food processor and process to a fine-ish powder, make sure there are no chunks left.</li>
<li>add 120g powdered caramel (or 90g depending on your taste) and process again to combine.</li>
<li>sprinkle in the lecithin (if using) and process again till fully combined. </li>
<li>leave the processor mixing and add 1/4 tsp sea salt through the feeder tube.</li>
<li>now pour in 90g oil and let the mix process to a rough puree</li>
<li>pour in the lemon juice and don't panic when the mix turns into thick pasty lumps, it is OK (promise!)</li>
<li>gradually tip in the water watching the mix as it becomes smooth and homogenous. stop adding water when you think you have the consistency you want - if you are using wheat-flour biscuits you may find you need slightly less water than with gluten free.</li>
<li>stop the processor and taste the spread, add a little more lemon juice if you like.</li>
<li>decant into a sterilised jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.</li>
</ol>speculoos biscuits:<br />
<ul><li>a half batch (with extra spices) of David Lebovitz's<a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2007/10/chez_panisse_gi.html"> chez panisse ginger snaps* </a></li>
<li>extra spices ground in coffee grinder: 3 white peppercorn, 1 black peppercorn 1 cardamom pod, 2 clove, a good grating of nutmeg, 1/2 star anise. </li>
<li>if you are making your own biscuits, add the extra spices at the same time as those in the recipe and follow the method as shown.</li>
<li>* to make the recipe gluten free replace the flour in the recipe with 260g rice flour PLUS 1/2 tsp xanthan gum or use your favourite gluten free mix.</li>
</ul>ingredients: caramel powder<br />
<ul><li>200g white sugar</li>
<li>135g water</li>
</ul>method: caramel<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4621201377_ff8c904495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4039/4621201377_ff8c904495.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><ol><li>line a large heavy baking sheet with non-stick baking paper and set aside. <br />
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<li>take a large heavy based saucepan, sprinkle the sugar and water into the pan and it on a gentle heat without stirring.</li>
<li>leave the pan on the heat allowing the sugar to dissolve and the syrup to boil gently.</li>
<li>keep an eye on the gently boiling syrup as it begins to colour, leaving it until it is a rich middling brown colour.</li>
<li>pour the syrup onto a lined baking sheet and leave it to set.</li>
<li>once the caramel is cold and set, break it up into small pieces and place them in a food processor.</li>
<li>whizz until the caramel becomes a fine yellow powder, then tip out of the processor and store in an airtight jar.</li>
</ol>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-34622298835438149552010-04-27T00:01:00.004+01:002010-05-24T18:25:24.683+01:00gluten free jam roly-poly, Daring Bakers April 2010<script type="text/javascript">
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</script><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The April 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Esther of <a href="http://lilackitchen.blogspot.com/">The Lilac Kitchen</a>. She challenged everyone to make a traditional British pudding using, if possible, a very traditional British ingredient: suet. </span> <br />
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It is unseasonably warm and blue outside so making such a traditional winter pudding seems a little anachronistic as I watch my courgette seedlings stretch up towards the sunlight, growing at least a centimetre a day. The Daring Baker challenge for this month was to make a pudding of suet pastry, suet was the only required ingredient, so this could have been anything from steamed treacle pudding to a wintery steak and kidney savoury pudding. I was at a loss for an idea of what to make until I found this, in a local junk/kitchenalia shop and when I found the original instructions inside, then my mind was made up - a jam roly poly in its' own proper tin.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4545961522_75aa6df847.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="jam roly-poly -2 by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="jam roly-poly -2" border="0" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4545961522_75aa6df847.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4545966100_bf0f90dbc1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="392" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4033/4545966100_bf0f90dbc1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Jam roly-poly is the epitome of proper English puddings, a suet pastry roll filled with sweet jam and cooked by a combination of steaming and baking, this pudding would be a familiar item to any school pupil educated in both state and private schools in the UK last century (and yes, of course that includes me!).<br />
I compared the recipe supplied with the tin to the version that appears in the 1923 copy of Mrs Beeton's Cookery that was given to my Grandmother in that year and they were almost identical, Mrs B suggested less baking powder and more salt so I tweaked the recipe a little to find some middle ground.<br />
A quick glance at more modern recipes revealed that very little else had changed, so I was ready to roll! Apparently jam roly-poly is also known as Dead Man's Leg, which is slightly less appetising I think. From that nick-name, the pudding then became known as Dead Man's Arm as house-wive's used the sleeves of their husband's old shirts to contain the pudding for baking, personally I think I will stick with roly-poly!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4545961928_b51014c10c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="jam roly-poly in tin by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="jam roly-poly in tin" border="0" height="297" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4070/4545961928_b51014c10c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Creating a gluten free version took a little thought. I think that if I was really keen on this type of pudding, I would spend a little more time developing the pastry recipe. In an ideal world, the pastry would be more flakey and layered than my version, which is slightly softer in crumb than I would aspire to. The pastry for the pudding is not sweet, there is a touch of sugar to hint at the direction of the filling but the sweetness is supplied by the jam filling.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4545328565_97457092f3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="whole jam roly-poly by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="whole jam roly-poly" border="0" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4036/4545328565_97457092f3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I used, quite literally, the first jar of jam I could find in my store cupboard. Now I have to own up that I have 3 batches of jam made last year, all of which were stashed in a cupboard quickly and label-less. I know, big sin! So when I grabbed the first jar, I was hoping for a thick strawberry jam with lots of fruit (and possibly a tad to much pectin) which would have remained in a thick layer between the rolls of the pudding. Unfortunately I grasped a jar of quince jelly, sweet yet gently acidic but soft rather than sticky in texture. The jam, as you can see in the picture, has soaked into the pastry a little, so the roll effect of the pastry is slightly less defined than I would like. This doesn't detract from the taste at all, and with a slick of home made custard, this makes a delicious and filling winter pudding. The pudding only takes about 15 minutes to put together, and an hour or so to cook, so it is not a difficult recipe to try (once the weather is cooler!).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4545332001_b8caf02bfb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="jam roly-poly, gluten-free pudding by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="jam roly-poly, gluten-free pudding" border="0" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4005/4545332001_b8caf02bfb.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Jam Roly-Poly <br />
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Ingredients<br />
<ul><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2532/4545963784_98d0402c62.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2532/4545963784_98d0402c62.jpg" width="200" /></a>
<li>95g rice flour</li>
<li>50g corn flour</li>
<li>50g tapioca starch</li>
<li>1dsp arrowroot flour</li>
<li>1dsp psyllium husks</li>
<li>2 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt</li>
<li>40g castor sugar</li>
<li>100g gluten free (or butcher's) suet</li>
<li>120ml milk</li>
<li>150g jam </li>
</ul>Equipment<br />
<ul><li>Mixing bowl</li>
<li>baking paper</li>
<li>foil, </li>
<li>baking or roasting rack that fits inside a roasting tray</li>
</ul>Method<br />
<ol><li>Cut and grease a piece of baking paper approx 30cm square.</li>
<li>Cut a piece of foil of a similar size (not needed if you have a roly poly tin).</li>
<li>Preheat the oven to 200°C.</li>
<li>Mix together all the ingredients except the jam to create a firm pastry.</li>
<li>Tip the pastry out onto a floured surface and roll out to create a rectangle of pastry approx 15cm x 30cm (with the short side nearest you).</li>
<li>Spread the surface of the pastry with all the jam.</li>
<li>Roll up the pastry from the short end facing you, to create a roll 15cm by about 8cm deep.</li>
<li>Using a couple of spatulas, lift the roll onto the greased baking paper and roll the baking paper loosely around the pudding (the pudding needs room to expand as it cooks).</li>
<li>Fold the ends to create a tight seal, if you have a proper tin then pop the wrapped pudding into the tin and close. If not then wrap the pudding loosely in a piece of foil, again sealing the ends tightly but leaving room for the pudding to expand.</li>
<li>Place the wrapped pudding on a roasting rack in a roasting pan filled with water to a level just below the roasting rack, loosely cover the pan with foil and place in the pre-heated oven for 1 hour.</li>
<li>When the pudding is cooked remove the pan from the oven, and unwrap the pudding carefully, beware of any build up of steam.</li>
<li>Cut the pudding into slices about 2cm wide and serve each slice with custard, cream or ice cream.</li>
</ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4545331505_4678be7344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="gluten-free jam roly-poly & custard by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="gluten-free jam roly-poly & custard" border="0" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4545331505_4678be7344.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-28586825187016583672010-03-27T01:00:00.003+00:002010-03-27T19:22:59.793+00:00Daring Bakers March 2010 Orange Tian<script type="text/javascript">
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</script><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">The 2010 March Daring Baker’s challenge was hosted by Jennifer of Chocolate Shavings. She chose Orange Tian as the challenge for this month, a dessert based on a recipe from Alain Ducasse’s Cooking School in Paris.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span></i>This is my third challenge and I feel as though I have got the hang of the concept. I have read enviously as other daring bakers amended recipes and thought up interesting flavour combinations as variations on the published recipes. Whilst I had some wild ideas and great ambitions for variations on this month's theme, I have a bad back at present which means I can only stand for a few minutes at a time. So instead of being an opportunity to get creative, simply the act of making this was the challenge this month! <br />
I live gluten free I also adapted the pastry recipe to create a gluten free version. I based this recipe on a version that I found <a href="http://macuisinesansgluten.mabulle.com/index.php/2007/02/18/45543-tarte-aux-pommes-sans-gluten-pate-sablee-a-la-poudre-d-amandes">here</a> and was delighted to discover, at the same time, another gluten free blog to read (thanks Natascha!) and another reason to brush up my French. To make my life a bit easier, I substituted the marmalade for the <a href="http://bit.ly/a4iZed">orange and cardamom marmalade</a> that I made recently. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4462403279_f825cee6ca_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4462403279_f825cee6ca_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
Preparation time:<br />
- Pate Sablee: 20 minutes to make, 30 minutes to rest, 15 minutes to roll out, 20 minutes to bake<br />
- Orange segments: 20 minutes, overnight to sit<br />
- Caramel: 15 minutes, overnight to sit<br />
- Whipped Cream: 15 minutes<br />
- Assembling: 20 minutes<br />
- Freezer to Set: 10 minutes<br />
<br />
Equipment required:<br />
• Cookie cutters . Ideally, you should have about 6 cookie cutters to build the desserts in and cut the circles of dough (see photo). The cookie cutters will be the size of your final dessert, so they should be the size of an individually-sized tart mold. If you don’t have round cookie cutters you could use an individually-sized cheesecake mold without its base.<br />
• A food processor (although the dough could be made by hand too)<br />
• A stand-up or hand mixer<br />
• Parchment paper or a silicone sheet<br />
• A baking sheet<br />
• A rolling pin<br />
<br />
For the gluten free pate sable - my recipe is <a href="http://katethebake.blogspot.com/2010/03/gluten-free-sable-pastry-recipe-sweet.html">here</a><br />
<br />
For the Marmalade:<br />
<br />
* 100g freshly pressed orange juice<br />
* 1 large orange used to make orange slices<br />
* cold water to cook the orange slices<br />
* 5g pectin<br />
* granulated sugar: use the same weight as the weight of orange slices once they are cooked<br />
<br />
1. Finely slice the orange and place in a medium-sized pot filled with cold water. <br />
2. Simmer for about 10 minutes, discard the water, re-fill with cold water and blanch the oranges for another 10 minutes.<br />
3. Blanch the orange slices 3 times. This process removes the bitterness from the orange peel, so it is essential to use a new batch of cold water every time when you blanch the slices.<br />
4. Once blanched 3 times, drain the slices and let them cool.<br />
5. Once they are cool enough to handle, finely mince them (using a knife or a food processor).<br />
6. Weigh the slices and use the same amount of granulated sugar.<br />
7. In a pot over medium heat, add the minced orange slices, the sugar you just weighed, the orange juice and the pectin. <br />
8. Cook until the mixture reaches a jam consistency (10-15 minutes).<br />
9. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge.<br />
<br />
For the Orange Segments:<br />
<br />
* 8 oranges<br />
<br />
1. Cut the oranges into segments over a shallow bowl and make sure to keep the juice. <br />
2. Add the segments to the bowl with the juice.<br />
<br />
For the Caramel:<br />
<br />
* 200g granulated sugar<br />
* 400g orange juice<br />
<br />
1. Place the sugar in a pan on medium heat and begin heating it.<br />
2. Once the sugar starts to bubble and foam, slowly add the orange juice. <br />
3. As soon as the mixture starts boiling, remove from the heat and pour half of the mixture over the orange segments.<br />
4. Reserve the other half of the caramel mixture in a small bowl — you will use this later to spoon over the finished dessert. <br />
5. When the dessert is assembled and setting in the freezer, heat the kept caramel sauce in a small saucepan over low heat until it thickens and just coats the back of a spoon (about 10 minutes). You can then spoon it over the orange tians.<br />
<br />
[Tip: Be very careful when making the caramel — if you have never made caramel before, I would suggest making this step while you don’t have to worry about anything else. Bubbling sugar is extremely, extremely hot, so make sure you have a bowl of ice cold water in the kitchen in case anyone gets burnt!]<br />
<br />
Set cream<br />
<br />
* 200g heavy whipping cream<br />
* 3 tbsp hot water<br />
* 1 tsp Gelatine<br />
* 1.5tbsp orange marmalade (see recipe above)<br />
<br />
1. In a small bowl, add the gelatine and hot water, stirring well until the gelatine dissolves. Let the gelatine cool to room temperature while you make the whipped cream. <br />
2. Combine the cream in a chilled mixing bowl. Whip the cream using a hand mixer on low speed until the cream starts to thicken for about one minute. Increase the speed to medium-high. <br />
3. Whip the cream until the beaters leave visible (but not lasting) trails in the cream, then add the cooled gelatine slowly (discarding the water) and beating continuously. <br />
4. Continue whipping until the cream is light and fluffy and forms soft peaks. Transfer the whipped cream to a bowl and fold in the orange marmalade.<br />
<br />
Assembling the Dessert:<br />
Make sure you have some room in your freezer. Ideally, you should be able to fit a small baking sheet or tray of desserts to set in the freezer.<br />
Line a small tray or baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone sheet. Lay out 6 cookie cutters onto the parchment paper/silicone.<br />
Drain the orange segments on a kitchen towel.<br />
Have the marmalade, whipped cream and baked circles of dough ready to use.<br />
Arrange the orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter. Make sure the segments all touch either and that there are no gaps. Make sure they fit snuggly and look pretty as they will end up being the top of the dessert. Arrange them as you would sliced apples when making an apple tart.<br />
Once you have neatly arranged one layer of orange segments at the bottom of each cookie cutter, add a couple spoonfuls of whipped cream and gently spread it so that it fills the cookie cutter in an even layer. Leave about 1/4 inch at the top so there is room for dough circle.<br />
Using a butter knife or small spoon, spread a small even layer of orange marmalade on each circle of dough.<br />
Carefully place a circle of dough over each ring (the side of dough covered in marmalade should be the side touching the whipping cream). Gently press on the circle of dough to make sure the dessert is compact.<br />
Place the desserts to set in the freezer to set for 10 minutes.<br />
Using a small knife, gently go around the edges of the cookie cutter to make sure the dessert will be easy to unmold. Gently place your serving plate on top of a dessert (on top of the circle of dough) and turn the plate over. Gently remove the cookie cutter, add a spoonful of caramel sauce and serve immediately.<br />
Resources:<br />
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-tian.htm (An article about the dessert known as tian.)<br />
YouTube link on how to segment an orange: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZG5mcEEBlcI<br />
To learn more about Pectin: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pectin<br />
What to substitute for Pectin: http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/Dictionary/P/Pectin-6222.aspxkate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-26540197339219585572010-03-26T23:59:00.000+00:002010-03-27T19:14:54.924+00:00gluten free sablé pastry recipe (sweet pastry for desserts)<script type="text/javascript">
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Here is the gluten free sablé pastry that I created for a Daring Baker's challenge.<br />
This is a simple sweet pastry which is great for making sweet tart cases or even simple biscuits to serve with rich desserts. It is based on a <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">combination of recipes - a gluten free sable recipe that I found <a href="http://macuisinesansgluten.mabulle.com/index.php/2007/02/18/45543-tarte-aux-pommes-sans-gluten-pate-sablee-a-la-poudre-d-amandes">here</a> along with my shortcrust pastry recipe <a href="http://bit.ly/8XZPh9">here</a>. This volume of pastry made 8 x 10cm tart cases.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Don't skip the chilling step, it really helps to firm up the dough and makes it much easier to handle. You can freeze the dough either unbaked, at the chilling stage or once the tart case(s) have been baked blind.</span></span><br />
<br />
gluten free sablé pastry<br />
<ul><li>125g rice flour</li>
<li>1/4 tsp xanthan gum </li>
<li>25g glutinous rice flour </li>
<li>25g cornstarch</li>
<li>5g arrowroot flour</li>
<li>60g cold cubed salted butter (if unsalted, add a pinch of salt to the dough)</li>
<li> 60g icing (confectioners) sugar </li>
<li>60g ground almonds</li>
<li>1 whole egg</li>
</ul>method:<br />
<ol><li> sieve the flours together with the xanthan gum</li>
<li>beat the butter and sugar together with the ground almonds and rice flour until you have fine bread crumbs.</li>
<li>add the whole egg and beat again to bring together. if the pastry doesn't naturally form into a ball, give it a squeeze and see if that holds it together - if so then take it out of the mixer and gently knead together to form a ball. If it is still too dry, add a little cold water if the pastry dough and beat a little longer before testing again and kneading in to a ball.</li>
<li>form the kneaded dough into a rectangular slab (more surface area will chill more quickly), wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes or until you are ready to use it.</li>
</ol>Roll out and use as per your recipe, dusting the work surface and pastry with a little rice flour if it is sticky.<br />
<br />
You will need to bake this pastry blind before you fill it. To do this:<br />
<ul><li>roll the pastry out and line your tart tin. </li>
<li>cut a piece of baking parchment to fit the flat base inside your filled tin. </li>
<li>place the paper onto the pastry base. </li>
<li>cover the baking parchment with a layer of dried beans, rice, lentils or baking beans if you have them (ensure that the beans remain on the parchment otherwise they will bake into the pastry base)</li>
<li>bake the tart case for 20 minutes or so until the edges are lightly brown and the base of the pastry case is firm.</li>
</ul>If rolled to 1/4" thickness, bake at approx 175°C for 15-20 minutes until golden. If the centre is a little undercooked, you can remove the beans and the paper and return the case to the oven for 5 minutes. <br />
<ol></ol>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-55825098852552109452010-03-15T09:13:00.003+00:002010-03-15T15:06:54.369+00:00a quick apology<script type="text/javascript">
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<script type="text/javascript">
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</script>I am frustratedly absent from blogging at present, and am very sorry for this. I have been on great painkillers that have made back pain and arthritis completely manageable for the last year or so, but my body has decided that it no longer likes the drugs. So until I can get the painkillers right, or jump the queue for back surgery, I am taking a quiet break. It hopefully will only be another week or so until I have this cracked but until then, under warning from the teen (who will verify that I talk drug-induced jibberish all day), I am banned from blogging! <span style="font-size: x-small;">(By the way, I would like to point out that I consider myself far too young to have arthritis or need back surgery ... since my bio pic of a brownie will not reveal this!) </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.clinch-hill.com/userimages/nat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="http://www.clinch-hill.com/userimages/nat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
In the meantime, check out <a href="http://www.clinch-hill.com/page2.htm">this food photography and cooking course</a> that I hope to do later in the year with one of my favourite photographers, an amazing cook and one of my favourite parts of France - what could be better!kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-44585610123040409562010-03-01T17:22:00.003+00:002010-03-03T18:28:35.662+00:00vanilla ice cream recipe<script type="text/javascript">
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</script>I hesitate to say it, but I think that we may be slowly emerging from this long cold winter. Down here on the south coast, we have been taken aback by the volume and frequency of the snow, and I know even now it is too early to say it is past, merely that we may be over the worst!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4398988938_0364b57597.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="gervais - j'en veux logo by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="gervais - j'en veux logo" border="0" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4060/4398988938_0364b57597.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
The last burst of snow was heralded by the most rapid freeze I have ever experienced, it reminded me of a favourite film, The Ice Storm, and the creeping cracking ice grasping and enrobing everything in its' path. That Wednesday evening, wet rainy roads turned to sheet ice in a matter of minutes and our simple journey from one part of town to another became an epic adventure - sliding backwards down a hill, slipping off the road, into a wall and failing even to get over speed bump due to the lack of momentum and the severity of the ice. Having said all that you might think that our car was written off and we both ended up in neck braces, but no, all these manoeuvres were carried out gracefully at no more than 5 miles per hour, thankfully! The following day delivered an epic walk up iced hills to get to work, I fell over so many times on the way there, far too many times to count during a mere couple of miles walk!<br />
<br />
I don't recollect ever spending a full winter sleeping in climbing socks, pj's, thermals and a fleece under a thick wool blanket and a down duvet. Crazy cold, or crazy susceptibility, at least. Whilst I haven't enjoyed the piercing cold it has, for some reason, awakened an interest in icecream. I have found myself thinking often about methods of making, ingredients and flavours. I have a list of recipes to try, but before I do, I thought that I would indulge in a flavour that I hope will be well received at home.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4398796036_36ebe5192b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="vanilla ice cream scoop 4 by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="vanilla ice cream scoop 4" border="0" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4398796036_36ebe5192b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
There seems to be a sudden fashion in our house for all things peanut butter related. My husband has always snacked on wholemeal toast with peanut butter and the teen could demolish boxes full of Reese's peanut butter cups given the chance, and I have recently become very fond of a bastardisation (or should I say adaptation?) of the Indonesian salad Gado Gado. This recipe isn't actually that far from the real mccoy, but most closely ressembles the gado gado salad that I remember feasting on at Rasa Sayang in Soho more than twenty years ago. I am not sure how authentic that meal really was though it was definitely a great meal in wonderful company. Isn't it funny how the memory of a good meal sticks with you, even down the years?<br />
<br />
Anyway, back to peanuts. They have most recently made an appearance in a chocolate peanut ganache made to fill some not-too-good macarons I made. We decided not to fill them as, although tasty, they were not up to much visually. So with the choc peanut butter ganache on the worktop, I was at a loss for something to do with it. Not for long though, as my ice cream ponderings came flooding back. I mixed up and churned a batch of vanilla ice cream, which in its' naked form is often ignored in our freezer. However I split the mix in half and stirred half a batch of chocolate peanut ganache into half the ice cream before freezing. I have managed to salvage a scraping to photograph whilst the plain vanilla has lingered untouched, so far. I will crunch up the failed batch of chocolate macarons and stir them into this half batch, along with some crushed salted peanuts and grated Galaxy chocolate. I know it won't be hanging round for long after that!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4398129869_cc88ce44da.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4398129869_cc88ce44da.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Vanilla ice cream<br />
<ul><li>5 egg yolks</li>
<li>500g double cream</li>
<li>150g castor sugar</li>
<li>250g whole milk</li>
<li>1 tsp vanilla extract (*please see foot note)</li>
<li>a pinch of sea salt.</li>
</ul>For a proper recipe and method, can I suggest that I have a look at <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/">David Lebovitz's blog</a> and his vanilla ice cream recipe <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/archives/2009/02/vanilla_ice_cream.html">here.</a> My method is not ideal, indeed frankly, it is just lazy and it can easily go wrong!<br />
Still, if you haven't heeded my warning, here is my method:<br />
<ol><li>mix the egg yolks together with the vanilla extract in a 1 pint pyrex jug.</li>
<li>pour the cream, milk and sugar into a thick bottomed pan</li>
<li>heat the pan gently, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved, this will happen whilst the milk is finger-hot if you use castor sugar.</li>
<li>pour about 1/4 pint of the just-warm cream mixture into the jug whilst stirring the egg yolks briskly with a fork, as long as the cream is cool the eggs should mix into the cream without cooking</li>
<li>whilst stirring the pan, pour the egg yolk mix back into the pan.</li>
<li> put the pan back on to the heat and continue to warm the cream mix over a low heat whilst stirring constantly but gently.</li>
<li>keep stirring gently as the cream heats up slowly towards boiling, spluttering a little.</li>
<li>let the cream simmer and continue to stir gently. You should notice the cream thickening gradually, don't stir too vigorously or else the mix can separate.</li>
<li>after 5 minutes take the pan off the heat. now you want to stop the pan cooking and start cooling the custard down as soon as possible. you can do this by putting the pan in a bowl filled with iced water, unless you are like me and never have enough room in your freezer for the quantities of ice required to do this efficiently.</li>
<li>the alternative is to fill your washing up bowl about 1/3 full with some cold water and place your pan into the cold water - don't let go of the handle until you are certain that the pan is not floating & make sure that tap is turned off.</li>
<li>the cold water will begin to cool the ice cream down, change the cold water periodically to speed up the cooling proces. stir periodically to ensure a skin doesn't form (and to help it cool quicker). </li>
<li>on a cold-ish winter's day it took about 40 minutes for my custard to cool down.</li>
</ol>If you summarise that, you warm your milk, cream and sugar, chuck a bit in your egg yolks and stir, pour the yolks into the main pan and stir constantly until the custard is thick. Then cool by putting the pan in water. Top tip - don't be an idiot and leave the tap running whilst the pan is in the water as you might end up with watery custard!<br />
<ol><li>set up your icecream machine and pour the mixture in to churn as per the machine's instructions.</li>
<li>if you don't have an ice cream machine you can pour the cream mixture into a 1L freezer box and place in the freezer. Take the ice cream out every 60 minutes, stir thoroughly then replace in the freezer.</li>
<li>whilst the ice cream is churning, take half a recipe of chocolate peanut ganache and warm very gently in a microwave or bain marie until just melted.</li>
<li>pour in 50g double cream to thin, then add this sauce to the ice cream in the last 5 minutes of churning (if you making this manually, pour the sauce in when the ice cream is quite thick, give a good stir to distribute it like a raspberry ripple icecream, then freeze for a final hour).</li>
<li>store the churned icecream in the freezer until ready for use. take it out of the freezer 10-15 minutes before serving to allow it to soften up before serving.</li>
</ol>I forget how easy it is to make a really top quality ice cream at home, most often because I don't have much room in the freezer to store it. Admittedly our freezer is getting a little bit full now, 2 flavours of ice creams, 2 sorbets and tiramisu - the dessert bug has really bittten me, so watch out for more recipes soon!<br />
<br />
*using vanilla extract - I don't want to be controversial, by all means use a vanilla pod but it does add an extra stage infusing the milk/cream before adding the sugar. I use Nielsen Massey Madagascan vanilla extract and find it excellent in most desserts, especially in sweet cooked/baked products.kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-66058030171568784622010-02-27T07:33:00.001+00:002010-02-27T07:40:38.582+00:00gluten free tiramisu, daring bakers feb'10<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><script type="text/javascript">
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</script><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>The February 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Aparna of My Diverse Kitchen and Deeba of Passionate About Baking. They chose Tiramisu as the challenge for the month. Their challenge recipe is based on recipes from The Washington Post, Cordon Bleu at Home and Baking Obsession.</i></span><br />
<br />
I greeted this Daring Baker's challenge with some degree of trepidation as tiramisu is not a dessert that I have chosen to eat very often over the years. I have never seen a gluten free version which means my memories are even more vague and I am dredging back a long way for a point of reference.<br />
<br />
According to the Daring Baker hosts,<span style="font-size: small;"> Aparna of <a href="http://mydiversekitchen.blogspot.com/">My Diverse Kitchen</a> and Deeba of <a href="http://www.passionateaboutbaking.com/">Passionate About Baking</a></span>, this is the story behind this rich dessert:<br />
<br />
<div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>"The perfect Tiramisu is a balance of flavors of a sweet zabaglione, strong coffee, marsala wine, creamy mascarpone cheese and the dusting of unsweetened cocoa. </i></div><div style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Tiramisu is said to have its origins in Treviso (Italy), and there are quite a few stories about how it came to be created. One story traces the tiramisu as far back as the Renaissance claiming that it was first made in honour of the visit of Grand Duke Cosimo di Medici to Tuscany. Yet another one points to the tiramisu being an adaptation of the "Zuppa Inglese" referring to the sponge cake and cream layered English Trifle. However, experts in this area generally agree that the tiramisu as we know it today, was born in the ‘70s. Some believe that the Tiramisu was created in the the Le Beccherie (a restaurant in Treviso). Others suggest that Tiramisu was first made in 1971 by an Italian baker named Carminantonio Iannaccone in a small bakery in Treviso, Italy."</i></div><br />
I love the fact that two passionate bakers from India are encouraging us to create a multi-faceted dessert from Italy in our many kitchens all around the world. That is the Daring Bakers for you!<br />
<br />
For any-one who cares (and that includes me!) tiramisu, or rather <i>tirami su</i> literally means "pick me up" or "pull me up" in reference to the effects of the sugar and espresso in the dessert.<br />
<br />
There were no shortcuts in this recipe and method, the challenge was made up of 4 technical components, all of which had to be followed in order to successfully complete the challenge. The whole process took me 5 sessions to complete, baking the biscuits and making the cheese in evenings during the week, then starting the zabaglioni and the pastry cream early on a weekend morning before constructing and chilling the dessert later the same afternoon. Of course, as all bloggers know, the dish isn't completed until photographed and written up so that accounts for the final session today. I am very glad that I chose to complete this challenge very early in the month as I think I would have panicked if I had left this to the last minute!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4391047271_6083ab213f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4391047271_6083ab213f.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
As this dish is quite complex, I am going to break down the elements into separate posts which I will add in the next few days: <br />
<ul><li>savoiardi biscuits</li>
<li>home-made marscapone cheese </li>
<li>cooked zabaglioni</li>
<li>pastry cream </li>
</ul>Each component is a valuable technique in its' own right and very useful in a baker's repetoire. Compiling the dish seems a touch bizarre after all the effort that goes into making the elements. Fundamentally, you just mix all the sauce elements together until they are creamy, then layer the cream with the savoiardi biscuits. Ta-daa!! Tiramisu :)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4390623712_588e38e15c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="tiramisu by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="tiramisu" border="0" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4390623712_588e38e15c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-88575765799792075662010-02-18T14:49:00.001+00:002010-02-20T23:18:43.224+00:00orange & cardamom marmalade bars<script type="text/javascript">
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<div style="color: white;"><script type="text/javascript">
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I have been working in the bakery at work for the past couple of weeks. We are busy with new customers so the orders are coming in fast and furiously and it is all hands on deck. At present though, we just don't have enough hands so we are all flat out all day trying to get enough baked and packed to fill the pallets quickly enough. It is always good to be back doing the hands on work but the collapsed discs in my back are screaming out by the end of every day and it is all I can do to swallow some food, painkillers and collapse. It is almost unheardof for me, but twice this week I haven't even had the energy to turn my computer on at home!<br />
I spend my days thinking of healthy sensible recipes that I can make at home which will sustain me during each working day and ensure that I finish the day feeling healthy rather than drained. However, having made marmalade this week, everything I make this week is going to contain this rich bitter jam and so will not rank too highly on the health scales!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4355312005_df52105931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="orange marmalade bars by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="orange marmalade bars" border="0" height="355" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4355312005_df52105931.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
This bar is (yet!) another variation on <a href="http://katethebake.blogspot.com/2010/01/daring-bakers-nanaimo-bars-january-2010.html">Nanaimo bars</a>, but the filling is a blend of bittersweet marmalade and custardy cream. With a crushed chocolate biscuit base and a chocolate topping, it is also a more substantial take on jaffa cakes. I have changed the recipe a bit, to lower the sugar content and take out the raw egg in the base. I am really looking forward to the bitter note of the marmalade cutting through the sweetness of the custardy layer and the chocolate on top. A little piece mid-afternoon should give me just enough ooomph to get me through till the end of the day & see me home with a smile, I hope, and that will definitely make me more popular in my house!<br />
<br />
orange & cardamom marmalade bars<br />
base layer<br />
<ul><li>100g butter</li>
<li>10g ground flax with 30g water</li>
<li>300g gluten free chocolate shortbread crumbs</li>
<li>50g ground almonds</li>
<li>25g icing sugar </li>
<li>1/2 tsp vanilla extract</li>
</ul><ol><li>Line an 8" square baking tin</li>
<li>Melt the butter</li>
<li>Mix flax and water & leave to stand for 5 minutes.</li>
<li>Add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract then stir it all into the butter.</li>
<li>Stir the butter mix in to the crumb then pour into the prepared tin.</li>
<li>Press in to create a firm even base, chill until the middle layer is ready.</li>
</ol>middle layer<br />
<ul><li>100g softened butter</li>
<li>100g marmalade (I used my orange and cardamom recipe here)</li>
<li>25g custard powder</li>
<li>125g icing sugar</li>
</ul><ol><li>beat butter and marmalade together until smooth and creamy</li>
<li>sieve the icing sugar and custard powder together then add to the butter</li>
<li>beat with a hand beater until well combined and smooth</li>
<li>spread over the biscuit base and chill<br />
</li>
</ol>top layer<br />
<ul><li>55g milk chocolate</li>
<li>60g (70%) dark chocolate<br />
</li>
<li>25g butter<br />
</li>
</ul><ol><li>melt chocolates and butter together over a low heat or in microwave</li>
<li>allow to cool (but still liquid)</li>
<li>pour over the middle layer and chill until set</li>
</ol>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-73171179318228377882010-02-15T11:51:00.000+00:002010-02-15T11:51:25.221+00:00gluten free pot sticker dumplings (metric)<script type="text/javascript">
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<script type="text/javascript">
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The teen and I made these as part of our spurious Chinese New Year's Eve feast dinner this weekend so I have finally got round to writing up the metric measures. This time we made the filling with minced chicken thighs (including the fat & a bit of finely chopped skin) replacing the pork, as we were having pork belly elsewhere in the meal, it made a great substitution with a dash of chinese rice wine & an extra pinch of salt.<br />
<br />
Please refer back to the original post for the original filling and method <a href="http://katethebake.blogspot.com/2009/09/dim-sum-gluten-free-yum.html">here.</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/3932027452_541f04cf3c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/3932027452_541f04cf3c.jpg" width="420" /></a></div><br />
Pot sticker wrappers:<br />
<ul><li>175g rice flour</li>
<li>40g tapioca starch</li>
<li>40g corn starch</li>
<li>46g sweet rice flour</li>
<li>1 tsp xanthan gum</li>
<li>1/2 tsp psyllium husks</li>
<li>1/2 tsp kuzu</li>
<li>1/4 tsp salt </li>
<li>1 large egg</li>
<li>120g cold water</li>
</ul>Method:<br />
<ol><li>Sieve all the dry ingredients together.</li>
<li>Beat the egg into the cold water.</li>
<li>Whilst stirring your flour, gradually pour in the water making sure the flour absorbs the water as you go.</li>
<li>Bring the lumps of flour together in the bowl by hand.</li>
<li>If the dough is too wet or sticky add more sweet rice flour, if it is too dry add water 1 tablespoon at a time.</li>
<li>Knead this for a couple of minutes on a work surfaced sprinkled with a little corn starch</li>
<li>Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. Leave all but 1 piece in a bowl under a damp tea towel.</li>
<li>Dust your work surface with corn starch and roll out the small piece of dough until it is between 1/16th" & 1/8th" thick. </li>
<li>Using a 3-3.5 inch round cutter, cut out as many shapes as you can, put the circles to one side under a damp cloth and carry on with each piece of dough in turn. I found that if you collected up the trimmings and sprinkled a couple of drops of water on them, you could combine them into the next piece of dough without any problems.</li>
<li>Carry on until all the pot stickers are cut out. This recipe makes 50 dumpling skins.</li>
</ol><a href="http://katethebake.blogspot.com/2009/09/dim-sum-gluten-free-yum.html">click here for a filling recipe and cooking method</a>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-50631713918214078452010-02-14T16:44:00.000+00:002010-02-14T16:44:56.647+00:00oxtail stew recipe<script type="text/javascript">
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Last week, I spotted oxtail on the butchers counter and bought a few pieces to try it on the family. <br />
The teen grew into a phase of really fussy eating between about 5 and 13, she has slowly eased out of it trying first mussels, then meat with bones in (that was a big one!) but I am yet to persuade her of the flavour and enjoyment to be found in offal and other trimming cuts. But she does love beef, so since it is less than a pace from a rump steak to the tail, I thought I would risk the minimal cost and make an oxtail stew.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2683/4334650795_63e57a8f22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="oxtail stew by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="oxtail stew" border="0" height="280" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2683/4334650795_63e57a8f22.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>This is a very easy and lazy recipe making best use of a slow cooker or aga to gently heat the stew for hours at a time. Early one morning this week, whilst waiting my eyes to focus in the grey dawn and the coffee to brew, I roughly chopped up some celery, carrots & onions and slowly fried them off in a touch of olive oil with a clove or 2 of garlic added. This was piled into the slow cooker with herbs, a few pieces of oxtail, some left over red wine and beef stock. And that was it, slow cooking for 10 hours to create a rich and unctous stew with delicious gravy. <br />
Serve with good crusty bread or mashed potato, a touch of mustard and a glass of red wine or proper beer.<br />
<br />
oxtail stew (per person)<br />
<ul><li>2-3 pieces oxtail</li>
<li>1/2 medium onion</li>
<li>1/2 clove garlic, finely chopped</li>
<li>1 carrot, sliced</li>
<li>1/2 stick celery, sliced</li>
<li>1 tsp rice flour </li>
<li>1/2 sprig thyme</li>
<li>1/2 bay leaf</li>
<li>1/4 pt beef stock</li>
<li>1 glass red wine (or more beef stock)</li>
</ul><ol><li>dry fry the oxtail in a hot pan to caramelise all over then take out</li>
<li>add a dash of olive oil, the chopped onion and garlic to the hot pan, fry over low heat for 5 minutes</li>
<li>add the carrot and celery, fry for another 5 minutes</li>
<li>sprinkle over flour, and fry for a couple more minutes</li>
<li>transfer the contents of the frying pan to a casserole or slow cooker</li>
<li>add the oxtail and herbs</li>
<li>pour over the stock and wine, and stir </li>
<li>if using slow cooker, close lid and turn onto low heat for 10 hours</li>
<li>for casserole, bring to the boil on a hob then transfer to a low oven (140°C) for 3-4 hours</li>
<li>to serve, remove herbs, serve with a green salad and crusty bread or mashed potatoes and mustard. </li>
</ol>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-30162753681190319892010-02-11T20:43:00.002+00:002010-02-12T07:15:54.598+00:00Buy "A Hand for Haiti" E-recipe book NOW!<script type="text/javascript">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxgUzs0M-scwFf-akYai_e9l1iJB-9kBjP5jAxIogXF4LuDr8aU6hkImTrmYpN9aBtnd5Uu9RG-0NBk0a1WvwY1T2ngyg43Af9cRzj-D2COrTV16WNI9BaBXy1kLILvlN3bhlx41T4QA/s220/Haiti+Ebook+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxgUzs0M-scwFf-akYai_e9l1iJB-9kBjP5jAxIogXF4LuDr8aU6hkImTrmYpN9aBtnd5Uu9RG-0NBk0a1WvwY1T2ngyg43Af9cRzj-D2COrTV16WNI9BaBXy1kLILvlN3bhlx41T4QA/s220/Haiti+Ebook+Cover.jpg" /></a></div>Lauren who blogs at <a href="http://www.celiacteen.com/">Celiacteen</a> has pulled together a collection of recipes donated by bloggers from all around the world, which is being sold to raise funds for the Red Cross in Haiti.<br />
<br />
This is a collection of over 85 recipes and more than half of them are gluten free. Every one needs a few gluten free recipes in their collection so what a great way to gain a few new recipes as well as a chance to discover lots of food bloggers from all around the globe.<br />
This is a great cause, and really we are lucky to be rewarded with so many great recipes for such a small donation. <br />
<br />
The book sells for a minimum of $10 Canadian dollars, but when you consider that $15 Canadian dollars is still less than £10, this book is worth at least $15 Canadian dollars of every-one's money.<br />
<br />
PLEASE BUY THIS TODAY - if you buy before the end of FRIDAY 12th FEBRUARY, the Canadian government will MATCH each donation that you make. Really! So, spend a tenner, get a cook book and the warm cosy feeling of knowing that $30 Canadian dollars will be donated to the Red Cross for Haiti.<br />
<br />
There isn't much more to say, <a href="http://www.celiacteen.com/2010/02/haiti-ebook.html">just buy it</a>!<br />
<br />
Thank you :)kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-57055570002516745402010-02-08T07:00:00.012+00:002010-02-09T18:29:38.178+00:00Puy Lentils recipe<script type="text/javascript">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4335394438_7203f9f94a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4335394438_7203f9f94a.jpg" width="291" /></a></div><br />
In the kitchen cupboard we have a good selection of pulses : brown lentils, yellow split peas, chana dahl, chickpeas, kidney beans, black eye peas, cannelini and haricot, just off the top of my head. But I know that not one of these will make an acceptable substitute for her, not today. So the teen thinks she is going hungry and the world is a dark dank place.<br />
<br />
When I was her age, doing A-levels, I attended a college with tertiary and sixth form classes on the same site. The subsidised canteen was run by the City & Guilds catering students, and the food was good (most of the time!). That didn't stop me though, on a quest to save my allowance and part-time wages for the weekends. I would walk the mile and a half each way and eat the cheapest food I could buy there. The canteen sold breakfast sandwiches, 3 course lunches and proper puddings but it didn't take long to work out the cheapest foods on offer. On the average day, it was a heaped plate of plain white rice with beansprouts,which off the top of my head (and we are going back a few years) cost 26p, 15p for the rice, 11p for the beansprouts. I know it sounds as though I was being really tight, and I probably was, but I really enjoyed the food. It was simple, fresh and filling. They had soy sauce behind the counter and with a beg and a smile, a dash of dark rich soy and a bit of fresh salad, this was a fine meal. There was one dark shadow that could spoil the meal though, and I have never, ever understood this. The beansprouts were baked "au gratin". Yes, really. A deep gastronorm tray of beansprouts seasoned then pushed under a grill with a thick layer of sharp catering cheddar-style cheese. You had to avoid the cheese and there was a knack to doing it. The dinner ladies thought that the cheesey topping was the best part of the dish, so they would bestow it with a smile and a heavy hand to favoured students and wouldn't take no for an answer. The only way to solve the problem was to arrive about 5 minutes after the canteen opened. This would ensure that you weren't first in the queue, the staff were fairly busy and would already have bestowed their gift of cheese on earlier visitors meaning you would likely as not get a scoop of slightly softened sprouts missing the dreaded cheese. I have no idea why they made beansprouts au gratin though I am glad to say that I have never seen it on a menu since. If you have, you may well have been eating the food created by one of my north London college alumni (sorry!).<br />
<br />
So back to the task in hand. This is the recipe that the teen was making. These lentils can be served as a side or a vegetarian main, or tossed in a vinaigrette, they can be served as a salad. They are really popular in our house and were eaten with glee by our kids when other vegetables were shunned. The lentils will stay firm if you leave them to stand after they have boiled but if you are pushed for time, you can simmer them a little more (adding a little extra water) for around 15 minutes instead.<br />
<br />
Puy Lentils<br />
<br />
250g puy (small green french) lentils<br />
2 sticks celery<br />
1 carrrot<br />
1 clove garlic<br />
1 bay leaves <br />
1 lemon, zested and juiced<br />
2 sprigs thyme<br />
salt and pepper<br />
2 dsp (2 x 10ml) olive oil<br />
<br />
Method:<br />
<ul><li>Dice the celery and carrots and finely chop the garlic.</li>
<li>Rinse the lentils.</li>
<li>Pour 1 dsp olive oil into a heavy bottomed saucepan with a lid.</li>
<li>Heat gently then add the garlic and vegetables and stir, allowing to soften in the oil, about 10 mins.</li>
<li>Add the lentils and turn in the oil until covered.</li>
<li>Pour on cold water until the lentils are covered, about 2 cm above the surface of the lentils.</li>
<li>Add the bay leaves and thyme, cover with a lid.</li>
<li>Bring to the boil and turn down to a gentle boil for 10 mins.</li>
<li>Turn the heat off after 10 minutes and leave to stand for 30 minutes. </li>
<li>The lentils should cook through but will still have some bite (ie not mushy). <br />
</li>
</ul>To serve hot (rather than use in salad):<br />
<ul><li>Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems. </li>
<li>Bring to the boil again with the lid off.</li>
<li>Add the zest and juice of the lemon and season to taste.</li>
<li>Pour over the 2nd dsp of olive oil and stir through, serve.</li>
</ul>If you are going to use these as a salad:<br />
<ul><li>Drain once cool</li>
<li>Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems. </li>
<li>Add the lemon zest and juice along with the 2nd dsp olive oil.</li>
<li>Season to taste and serve with chopped parsley.<br />
</li>
</ul>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-81281264349508750812010-02-06T18:50:00.000+00:002010-02-06T18:50:52.189+00:00orange & cardamom marmalade recipe<script type="text/javascript">
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</script>During our mammoth kitchen clear-out, I felt it my duty to venture right to the back of (nearly) every cupboard and the fridges to investigate the contents. Right at the very back of the little fridge snuggled a jar with the merest scrapings of its' contents remaining inside. This is a really bad habit of mine. When I am totally in love with a food, I can never bring myself to finish it, in case I forget it, or I am craving the flavour one day. I am not entirely sure of the reason but I know that it reflects an element of my personality that a psych would probably make a mountain out of!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2787/4335422568_ddbbf8ae8f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="orange & cardamom marmalade on toast 2a by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="orange & cardamom marmalade on toast 2a" border="0" height="400" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2787/4335422568_ddbbf8ae8f.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The jar concerned bears a black lid and label with contents almost as dark, and is the remnants of our last jar of <a href="http://www.kushcuisine.com/welcome-to-kushcuisine.html">Kush Cuisine's</a> Orange & Mango Marmalade with Cardamom. When we used to sell at farmers markets in London we would see them at the Blackheath market. I say we, but in fact my alternate Sundays never coincided with them, and it was my husband who attended on those days whilst I was working back in the bakery. And so it was him who came home with this delicious thick marmalade studded with deeply perfumed crunchy cardamom seeds. I love it, and having given up the markets, have had to ration myself to the occassional serving in order to make the jar last longer. And then one day there was one last serving left in the jar and it was pushed further to the back of the fridge to save rather than actually finishing it.<br />
<br />
Today though, I made rice flour drop scones for breakfast and feasted on them with the last of this delicious marmalade, safe in the knowledge that the citrussy smell wafting through our kitchen was heralding the creation of my first ever batch of marmalade, flavoured with cardamom in deference to Kush's masterpiece.<br />
<br />
If you ever find yourself at a <a href="http://www.lfm.org.uk/">farmers market in London</a>, do check out Kush and grab a jar of their delicious marmalade ... alternatively, of course you could have a go at this recipe and see how your own version matches up!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/4335435054_77f54725e4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="cardamom seeds, pods & seville orange 1a by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="cardamom seeds, pods & seville orange 1a" border="0" height="226" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4022/4335435054_77f54725e4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I have based my recipe and method on a combination of this recipe on Delia's site <a href="http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/cuisine/european/english/dark-chunky-marmalade.html">here</a> and a recipe from The Times <a href="http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/food_and_drink/recipes/article1309527.ece">here</a>, have a look (and you will be able to see how my impatience changed the methods!) This can be a bit time-consuming to make and you need to plan in advance. Obviously getting your Seville oranges is the first mission as they are only in season in January and February. If you can lay your hands on some, but don't have time to use them, stick them in the freezer and you will be able to make the marmalade whenever you fancy.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Seville bitter orange marmalade infused with cardamom</b><br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>1.5kg seville oranges</li>
<li>10g black cardamom seeds (after podding)</li>
<li>2kg granulated sugar</li>
<li>2.2l water</li>
</ul><br />
Equipment:<br />
<ul><li>2 large pans with a lid & some foil, 1 x muslin square (I am using a <i>new</i> baby square), big sieve & bowl, jam thermometer or a few chilled saucers, 6-7 x 500g jars with lids & waxed paper to seal.</li>
</ul>Method:<br />
<ol><li>Wash the oranges and scrub with a bit of washing up liquid if they are coated in a shiny layer of wax.</li>
<li>Place in the large pan and fill up with water</li>
<li>Bring to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer. Seal the top of the pan with a piece of foil and then place the lid over.</li>
<li>Simmer at a very low temperature until the oranges are softened by a combination of the steam and hot, hot water - this took about 2 hours for me.</li>
<li>Whilst the oranges simmer, de-seed the green cardamom pods by toasting the whole pods gently in a frying pan until they swelled up in the heat, open the pods with your finger nail or the tip of a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds. There is no denying this is tedious work so if you can find good quality ready-seeded black cardamom seeds, I suggest you use them!</li>
<li>Leave the oranges to sit in the water until cool enough to handle (retain the water afterwards).</li>
<li>Place the sieve over a big bowl. Slice each orange in half, using a spoon scrape out the pith, pips and inners of each orange half into the sieve. </li>
<li>Add all the orange inners to the water your cooked your oranges in and bring this to a rolling boil to reduce by half in about 20 minutes.</li>
<li>Whilst this is boiling, warm your sugar either by placing the sealed bags on your radiator (my lazy method) or sprinkling the sugar into a couple of baking trays and placing in a low oven at about 100°C for 10-15 minutes. </li>
<li>Slice your orange skins into thick or thin strips - depending on what you prefer in your marmalade. For me this is short thick chunks (though thin slivers are much more photogenic of course!). </li>
<li>Once the twenty minutes is up and the orange liquid is reduced by half, place the sieve over your second pan and drain the cooked orange liquid into the clean pan. Scrape through the sieve with a big spoon to extract as much of the juices and goodness into the pan below.</li>
<li>Add the orange peel to the pan of juices along with the cardamom seeds. Bring this to the boil and slowly add the sugar stirring constantly to ensure it dissolves quickly.</li>
<li>Once the sugar has dissolved turn up the heat and boil rapidly for 10-15 minutes.Whilst this is happening, wash your jars and lids then sterilise in the oven at 150°C for 15 minutes. </li>
<li>Check the setting point of the marmalade - if you have a sugar thermometer you are looking for the temperature to reach 106°C (220°F). If you don't have a sugar thermometer grab a chilled saucer and scoop out a spoonful of the syrupy dark juices onto the saucer. Leave to sit for a minute or two then tilt the saucer from side to side. If the liquid is set, the skin will stop the marmalade running across the saucer as you tilt. If not, the liquid will run and needs to boil for another 10 minutes or so.</li>
<li>Repeat the test until the marmalade is ready and once setting point has been reached, take the pan off the heat and leave to sit for half an hour to cool a little.</li>
<li>Ladle the cooled marmalade into your cooled sterilised jars and place a piece of waxed paper over the top before placing a lid on each jar.</li>
</ol>Notes - I found that the oranges were a bit over cooked - when I came to remove the pith and inners the skin fell apart making the whole process very messy. This also made it harder to cut the skin into even shreds so I ended up using a pair of scissors and sandwiching several pieces together to cut.. In future I would only boil for an hour, then leave to cool for a maximum of 2 hours and hopefully this will do the trick.kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-48135111689269102002010-01-31T17:49:00.000+00:002010-01-31T17:49:07.352+00:00gluten free macaroni cheese<script type="text/javascript">
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</script>This recipe is a homage to the macaroni cheese created recently by Helen Graves for Fiona Beckett's bloggers Mac & Cheese competition <a href="http://thecheeselover.blogspot.com/2010/01/macncheese-challenge-best-original.html">here</a> and is, to my mind, the most genius adaptation of a recipe familiar to most of us. You can find Helen's recipe and the story behind it <a href="http://helengraves.co.uk/2010/01/return-of-the-mac/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
I love macaroni, the slightly denser hollow pasta tubes with it's satisfying bite but am yet to find a gluten free version in the UK. In fact, on the day I went to buy pasta for this, I could only find corn & rice fusilli which is certainly not a combination I would choose naturally. But since it was the only pasta on the shelf, it is now the pasta which is enveloped in the most cheesy sauce awaiting baking for tonight's supper (and probably tomorrow night's too).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sG_MrJxRij8/S2W9Qu1ggWI/AAAAAAAAAFg/beQTnhInnfs/s1600-h/mac%27n%27cheese.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_sG_MrJxRij8/S2W9Qu1ggWI/AAAAAAAAAFg/beQTnhInnfs/s400/mac%27n%27cheese.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
The genius behind Helen's mac & cheese is that she cooked her pasta in a ham stock, this was the bit that really grabbed me. So yesterday morning I found myself in a queue ten deep at our local butcher crossing my fingers that no-one else in front of me had read Helen's blog and was also queueing for one of the 3 remaining ham hocks on the platter in the window. I watched a couple of young women in front of me buy the best part of half a pig cut to their requirements: joints, chops, boned belly, mince all packed into big clear plastic sacks and pay the most ludicrously low price for the lot ... all freerange and locally farmed, and all such amazing value. It was also great to watch that their order didn't phase the butchers or annoy anyone else in the queue, in fact it didn't actually seem to slow up the queue very much at all, two butchers diverted to process their order and the other 3 carried on serving the rest of us. I spotted a pack of oxtail which I couldn't leave without buying, along with some lamb steaks for the teen who made marinated shish kebabs, tabbouleh with quinoa, hummous and pitta for supper for us all last night (it was lovely!).<br />
<br />
The ham hocked simmered during the afternoon as we cleaned up around the on-going building works. I left it to cool in the stock over night and today converted it into the most unctuous pasta & cheese bake. The pasta was cooked in the stock for 2/3 of the packet cooking time before draining into a second pan. As I was leaving the pasta al dente (gluten free pasta gets soggy so quickly), it seemed sensible to try to squeeze even more of that flavoursome stock into the dish. So veering away from Helen's recipe I made the cheese sauce with half soya milk and half stock (using the pasta cooking stock). I was trying to capture as much of the flavour of the stock as possible whilst at the same time reducing the dairy content - quite difficult when the recipe calls for 500g cheese! I used a mixture of cheeses, very much what we had in the fridge at the time, which was Sussex High Weald's Ashdown Forrester, Bookham's Sussex Charmer, the tail end of a Wensleydale and also a hunk of artisan Red Leicester. This has made a very rich quite complex flavour though lacking a little bite which 100g of really good cheddar would have added. Next time I will use the same combination but with the cheddar, 100g of each.<br />
<br />
So here we are, I know it taste's great (chef's perks!) even though it hasn't yet been baked in the oven. There is enough pasta and cheese to feed a small army ... or our family for today, and possibly tomorrow! <br />
<br />
<b><br />
</b>Ham hock stock:<br />
<ul><li>1 ham hock </li>
<li>1 celery stick</li>
<li>1 carrot</li>
<li>1 onion</li>
<li>1 bay leaf</li>
<li>6 peppercorns</li>
</ul><ol><li>Cover all of these with water in a large pan, bring to a boil. </li>
<li>Once boiling turn heat down to a simmer, cover with a lid and leave to cook for 2-3 hours. </li>
<li>When meat is tender and flakey, turn heat off and leave the hock to cool in the stock.</li>
<li>Once cold, drain the stock and pick the meat off the ham hock. Chop the meat finely and chill until needed.</li>
</ol>Pasta<br />
<ul><li>1 x 500g gluten free pasta (macaroni if you can get it)</li>
<li>ham stock</li>
</ul><ol><li>Bring the stock to a rolling boil (don't salt). </li>
<li>Add the pasta and cook for just over half the time stated on the pack. </li>
<li>Drain the pasta into a sieve placed over a second pan. </li>
</ol>Cheese sauce<br />
<ul><li>50g butter</li>
<li>30g rice flour</li>
<li>350g soya milk</li>
<li>350g ham stock</li>
<li>500g grated cheese</li>
</ul><ol><li>In a heavy bottomed saucepan, make the bechamel by melting the butter, then adding the flour. </li>
<li>Stir or whisk the two together over a gently heat and keep stirring for 3-4 minutes allowing the flour to cook through. The flour will come together into a thick mass which will then break down again as you continue to cook.</li>
<li>Take the pan off the heat, pour in the soya milk whilst whisking constantly and keep whisking whilst the sauce thickens. Add the hot stock and simmer the sauce gently for a few minutes. </li>
<li>Remove from the heat and stir in the cheeses, stir gently until fully melted. </li>
<li>Sprinkle over the ham reserved from the hock. Taste and season with nutmeg, pepper and / or mustard to taste.</li>
</ol><br />
<br />
Assemble the mac by adding the pasta to the cheese sauce and mixing together. Pour into a large baking dish. Bake at 200°C until hot throughout and browned on the tip. Before baking, if you want to, you can top this as per Helen's suggestion with more cheese mixed with breadcrumbs. However by this stage I was beginning to worry that we might all die of heart attacks whilst eating this (!) so I omitted this crunchy cheesy topping and opted instead to serve with a crunchy chicory & little gem lettuce salad with a mustardy vinaigrette.kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-75245336887075970022010-01-29T07:00:00.001+00:002010-01-29T12:51:27.101+00:00gluten free peanut butter shortbread barsI have been making more than my fair share of exceedingly sweet things this month, as I have completed my first <a href="http://katethebake.blogspot.com/2010/01/daring-bakers-nanaimo-bars-january-2010.html">Daring Baker's challenge</a>. I usually actively try to avoid baking really sugary treats, as I find sugar so addictive that I have to exercise extreme will-power not to eat everything at once. However the rest of the family are rather partial to sugary snacks, so I have made the odd recipe to keep them all happy!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4300651116_fb69ccc4d5_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="peanut butter shortbread by katethebake"><img alt="peanut butter shortbread bars " border="0" height="311" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4026/4300651116_fb69ccc4d5_o.jpg" width="320" /></a>We are having a big, big clear out of our small, small kitchen at present in preparation for a bit of a re-jig to make the workspace a bit more practical. So every evening has seen me with my head stuck right to the back of the cupboards, packing boxes and investigating sell-by dates.<br />
And oh, the shame! One unidentifiable tin was dated 1-10-2003 which means that it has moved house with us at least once and possibly up to 3 occasions. The label was gone and whilst I was quite happy to open and investigate, I was out-voted and the tin was binned. We had the weirdest selection of wafer biscuits and digestifs from central European countries, pasta from East Germany (thank you to the many language student visitors) as well as a random selection of cup-a-soups (some of which are now out of production, does this make them collectors items?) which pre-dated my going gluten free. It is going to take a while for us to get the kitchen re-organised, so I can only apologise for the fact that I will continue to be a bit light on new recipes for the next couple of weeks. Once we are there though, we will christen the space with a roast Rib of Beef from <a href="http://www.paganum.co.uk/">Paganum</a> which is taunting me with it's deep red and creamy white beauty whilst patiently waiting for us to demolish it.<br />
<br />
In the depths of one cupboard languished a huge tub of wholesome peanut butter, dark brown and chunky, with neither salt nor sugar added. It was well within date but the tail end has been neglected in favour of a jar of glowing yellow American Skippy peanut butter recently acquired from Costco. Whilst the flavour of this wholesome version was still great, the contents were drying and lumpy yet too good to chuck, so I looked for a way of using this up. Another find was a box of homemade biscuits - the last of the shortbread that we made at Christmas as gifts but ungiven due to the snowy weather. And when a tin of condensed milk rolled out of the cupboard onto my toe (ouch!), a plan was formed.<br />
<br />
<br />
There are two ways of making this, both are quick and easy but they depend on the ingredients that you have to hand. If you don't have a bunch of biscuits to hand - and to be honest, if you have to buy gluten-free biscuits you probably don't then want to crush them up and use them for something other than dunking in a good cup of tea - you can bake the base fresh, which is quick and easy too. Of course, and as usual, you can substitute the gluten free flour ingredients for wheat flour if you want. You can omit the peanut butter filling and replace it with a jar or tin of ready made dulce de leche for an even quicker recipe. Both the biscuit base and the baked shortbread base can be used for a myriad of other toppings and bar-style cookies so they are both really handy recipes to have in your repertoire.<br />
I made this last night with the crushed biscuit base, the 3 stages took no more than 20 minutes in total with chilling time on top. If you freeze your biscuits before you use them, the chilling time will be reduced.<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
Crushed biscuit base:<br />
<ul><li>100g melted butter</li>
<li>300g crushed gluten free biscuits (digestives, shortbread, any plain biscuits)</li>
<li>25g cocoa powder (if you want a chocolatey base)</li>
</ul><br />
<ul><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2753/4300651312_ec7e2fd1fc_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="peanut butter shortbread by katethebake"><img alt="peanut butter shortbread" border="0" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2753/4300651312_ec7e2fd1fc_o.jpg" /></a>
<li>line an 8"x8" square tin with non-stick baking paper.</li>
<li>crush the biscuits. I chucked the biscuits in to a pyrex mixing bowl, grabbed a flat-ended rolling pin and pounded them with the blunt end as if I were using a big pestle & mortar.</li>
<li>pour over the melted butter and cocoa if required and stir through until fully mixed</li>
<li>press the mixture into the tin firmly and then chill in the fridge until cold and set.</li>
</ul>Baked shortbread base (this is a basic traditional shortbread recipe)<br />
<ul><li>150g rice flour</li>
<li>30g cornstarch or maize meal (subtitute potato starch or millet flour if necessary)</li>
<li>120g salted butter at room temperature</li>
<li>60g sugar</li>
<li><br />
</li>
<li>beat the sugar and butter together</li>
<li>add the flour and mix until you have big breadcrumbs</li>
<li>press the breadcrumbs into the tin to form an even base layer</li>
<li>prick the surface lightly (not all the way through) with a fork every 3cm </li>
<li>bake at 160°C for 20 minutes and allow to cool in the tin before adding the next layer</li>
</ul>Whilst the base is cooling, make the middle layer ...<br />
<ul><li>85g peanut butter</li>
<li>75g condensed milk</li>
<li>20g custard powder (substitute with 20g tapioca starch, 5g sugar & 1tsp vanilla extract if you can't find or tolerate it)</li>
<li>a sprinkling of sea salt</li>
</ul><ul><li>beat the condensed milk and peanut butter together until creamy<br />
</li>
<li>add the custard powder and beat again, the mix will become firmer due to the starch</li>
<li>spread the mixture over the chilled base layer and return to the fridge for about 30 minutes</li>
</ul>Whilst the middle layer is cooling ...<br />
<ul><li>75g plain chocolate broken in to pieces (I used a 70% Belgian bar available from all supermarkets)</li>
<li>65g milk chocolate (in this case - Galaxy)</li>
<li>25g butter</li>
</ul><ul><li>Melt the chocolate ingredients together, keeping the mixture as cool as possible.</li>
<li>Allow the chocolates to cool as much as they can whilst remaining runny </li>
<li>Spread the chocolate over the cooled peanut butter layer</li>
<li>Chill again and allow around an hour before serving.</li>
</ul>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-15417078368340821552010-01-27T00:01:00.001+00:002010-01-27T00:01:00.585+00:00daring bakers - nanaimo bars - january 2010<script type="text/javascript">
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</script><b></b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>The January 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Lauren of Celiac Teen. Lauren chose Gluten-Free Graham Wafers and Nanaimo Bars as the challenge for the month. The sources she based her recipe on are 101 Cookbooks and <a href="http://www.nanaimo.ca/" title="www.nanaimo.ca">www.nanaimo.ca</a>. </i></span><br />
<br />
This is my first attempt at a Daring Baker challenge. The Daring Bakers (and Daring Chefs) are a worldwide collective of foodbloggers who participate each month in a challenge, each making to the same recipe and then posting their experiences and photos of their results. I have followed the Daring Bakers for quite a while and often wished I was taking part, so now I have taken the plunge. On starting Daring Baker, I had been expecting to have to convert each recipe to gluten-free but amazingly, my first challenge is a gluten free recipe - this makes for a very easy life. Lauren who converted this recipe and hosted this challenge is a cool gluten free blogger from Canada, if you haven't come across her site and her recipes you are missing out, so do have a look at her blog <a href="http://www.celiacteen.com/">here</a>.<br />
<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Nanaimo bars originate from a town called Nanaimo in Canada. These were chosen to remind us and celebrate next month's Winter Olympics which are being staged in Canada. I am really looking forward to the Winter olympics and am loving the BBC trail for them too. I will definitely make this recipe again to welcome the games into our house (a lame excuse, I know!).<br />
</div><br />
It may seem complicated or unnecessary to make these biscuits from scratch for the biscuit base, but it isn't. We don't have graham crackers in stores in the UK so it is often suggested to substitute with digestive biscuits, but don't, as there is little similarity. Instead grab your rolling pin and knock up a batch of these, you won't regret it!<br />
By the way, I have deviated from the traditional path a little to create a less sweet and, to my mind, more interesting filling. Hopefully I haven't insulted the folk of Nanaimo in doing this. If it is any consolation, the nut (any nut will do) filling tastes great!<br />
<br />
<br />
Gluten-Free Graham Wafers<br />
Ingredients<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4307627372_8e54198867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="gluten free graham crackers by katethebake"><img alt="gluten free graham crackers" border="0" height="291" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4001/4307627372_8e54198867.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
</div><ul><li>138g glutinous rice flour</li>
<li>100g Tapioca Starch/Flour</li>
<li>65g buckwheat flour or potato starch (the original recipe called for Sorghum flour but it is v.difficult to find a completely gluten free source in the UK, so I have substituted this).</li>
<li>200g dark muscavado sugar</li>
<li>1 tsp bicarbonate of soda</li>
<li>3/4 tsp or 4g salt</li>
<li>100g butter or very chilled dairy free margarine</li>
<li>80g honey</li>
<li>75ml whole milk</li>
<li>30ml (2 tbsp) pure vanilla extract</li>
</ul>Directions:<br />
<ol><li>Chop the butter into a very fine dice then freeze for 30 minutes. If using dairy free margarine, freeze 100g then chop or grate once frozen.</li>
<li>Sieve flours and bicarbonate of soda together.</li>
<li>In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, milk and vanilla. </li>
<li>Combine the flours, brown sugar and salt in a mixer</li>
<li>Blend using the paddle beater to combine, then add the chilled butter</li>
<li>Blend again until the mix is the consistency of a coarse meal (no chunks of butter should be visible).</li>
<li>Add the liquid blend to the flour mixture and mix again until the dough barely comes together. It will be very soft and sticky.</li>
<li>Turn the dough onto a surface well-floured with sweet rice flour and pat the dough into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. Cut in half, bag each piece and chill until firm, about 2 hours, or overnight.</li>
<li>Sift an even layer of sweet rice flour onto the work surface and roll 1 piece of the dough into a long rectangle, about 1/8 inch thick. The dough will be quite sticky, so flour as necessary.</li>
<li>Cut into 2 inch squares, prick with a fork over each biscuit, set on a baking tray.</li>
<li>If the dough is sticky, chill the trays for half an hour before baking (I baked these on the snowiest weekend in early January so didn't need to do this). Gather the scraps together and set aside. Repeat with the second batch of dough.</li>
<li>Adjust the rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat oven to 180°C</li>
<li>Gather the scraps together into a ball, chill until firm, and reroll. Dust the surface with more sweet rice flour and roll out the dough to get a couple more wafers.</li>
<li>Bake for 15 minutes, until browned and slightly firm to the touch, rotating sheets halfway through to ensure even baking. This might take a little longer, but not much, The biscuits will come out soft but crispen on cooling. If they don't get fully crisp pop them back in the oven for another 5 minutes.</li>
</ol>When cooled completely, place 160g biscuits in a food processor and pulse to make crumbs. Another way to do this is to place in a large ziplock bag, force all air out and smash with a rolling pin until wafers are crumbs.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2775/4307626028_a2a65829e8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="nanaimo bars, uncut by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="nanaimo bars, uncut" border="0" height="309" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2775/4307626028_a2a65829e8.jpg" width="320" /></a>For Nanaimo Bars<br />
base layer<br />
<ul><li>115g butter</li>
<li>50g granulated sugar</li>
<li>35g cocoa</li>
<li>1 egg or 8g ground flax with 30g water</li>
<li>160g gluten free graham cracker crumbs (as above)</li>
<li>130g coconut (omitted as I am intolerant of coconut, additional graham crumbs to replace)</li>
<li>55g almonds, finely chopped</li>
</ul><ol><li>Line an 8" square baking tin</li>
<li>Melt the butter, sugar and cocoa together in a double boiler or microwave</li>
<li>Add the egg or flax and stir well until thickened </li>
<li>Stir in the crumb, coconut and nuts then pour into the prepared tin.</li>
<li>Press in to create a firm even base, chill until the middle layer is ready.</li>
</ol>middle layer<br />
<ul><li>70g butter</li>
<li>80g peanut butter</li>
<li>20g custard powder</li>
<li>30g double cream</li>
<li>200g icing sugar</li>
</ul><ol><li>soften butter and peanut butter in a microwave until soft.</li>
<li>sieve the icing sugar and custard powder together then add to the butters</li>
<li>pour over the cream</li>
<li>beat with a hand beater until well combined and smooth</li>
<li>spread over the biscuit base and chill<br />
</li>
</ol>top layer<br />
<ul><li>55g milk chocolate</li>
<li>60g (70%) dark chocolate<br />
</li>
<li>25g butter<br />
</li>
</ul><ol><li>melt chocolates and butter together over a low heat or in microwave</li>
<li>allow to cool (but still liquid)</li>
<li>pour over the middle layer and chill until set</li>
</ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2478/4306884501_fac5e23b49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="nanaimo bar by katethebake, on Flickr"><img alt="nanaimo bar " border="0" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2478/4306884501_fac5e23b49.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><i>Additional Information by Lauren: </i><br />
<i><br />
These bars freeze very well, so don’t be afraid to pop some into the freezer. <br />
The graham wafers may be kept in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks (mine lasted about that long). If making the graham crackers with wheat, replace the gluten-free flours (tapioca starch, sweet rice flour, and sorghum flour) with 2 ½ cups plus 2 tbsp of all-purpose wheat flour, or wheat pastry flour. </i>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-66024764803019850232010-01-24T19:20:00.001+00:002010-01-24T21:12:12.689+00:00garlic confit<script type="text/javascript">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4300650772_eac337cb9f_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4020/4300650772_eac337cb9f_o.jpg" /></a></div>Garlic, this is a staple in most kitchens, a delicious and easily identifiable ingredient that enhances so many dishes that we enjoy. <br />
At home, we have started making a simple garlic confit which makes using this essential ingredient that bit quicker and easier. Of course there are some recipes where the fresh pungent flavour of the whole cloves is still best, but we have found that many, in fact, most of our meals benefit from the lighter touch of a clove or two of confit garlic and a drizzle of its' aromatic oil.<br />
Thomas Keller advocates the use of garlic confit in many of his dishes and gives a method for this, along with other confit concepts in his book <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Bouchon-Thomas-Keller/dp/1579652395">Bouchon</a>.<br />
In our kitchen a jar of confit garlic sits to the right of the gas hob alongside some freerange eggs, a pot of sea salt, a lemon, a couple of lighters (to light our broken hobs), a pepper grinder, some honey and - at present - a jar of fennel-infusing vodka (which really should be stored in a dark cupboard instead). With just a little bit of work every few weeks, it is possibly the most useful ingredient in our kitchen especially as it speeds up the process of making a quick evening meal dramatically. But there are just 3 cloves left at the bottom of our jar, so it is time to make some more.<br />
<a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4299903653_6f43c1a586_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="garlic cloves" border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4012/4299903653_6f43c1a586_o.jpg" /></a>It can be a bit fiddly to make as each clove of garlic should be peeled completely before use, but I have found a slightly easier method of making which at the same time saves your finger nails from the inevitable spikes of garlic skin which wedge just under the nail and hurt like hell as you peel. So get yourself three or four heads of garlic, separate out the heads of garlic into individual cloves and remove the outer layers of paper by rubbing. At this point try your cloves in the jar you are planning to use, to ensure they fit, then wash and sterilise the jar.<br />
Place all the cloves into a large saucepan and cover with boiling water. Simmer for a couple of minutes until you see the odd pieces of skin floating to the surface. Drain the cloves and put them into a bowl. Now the outer skins should separate really easily, so with wet fingers (to stop the skin sticking to you) take the rest of the skins off and pile the cloves onto a piece of paper towel to dry. Soon you will find yourself with a heap of naked white cloves ready to be preserved in oil.<br />
Pop the garlic back into the large saucepan and cover with oil, I use a cold pressed olive or rapeseed oil. If you are a keen user of infused oil, you can add more oil to the pan, perhaps an inch above the level of the cloves. This will give you extra oil to bottle later on.<br />
Heat the garlic and oil until the oil begins to boil, now turn the heat down to a very low simmer. Leave the garlic simmering gently in the oil for around 40 minutes. The cloves should be soft and tender but still pale and creamy. <br />
If you are a fan of caramelised garlic, you can cook the garlic at a slightly higher heat, to create a more caramelised clove. It is very much personal taste as to which you prefer. <br />
We use a spoonful of oil and a clove of preserved garlic in virtually every savoury dish we make. I love the simplicity of use as well as the rounded and more subtle flavour of the preserved garlic, just mash a clove onto the pan using the back of a spoon or spatula and you are done. As it is already cooked, we don't need to worry about preparing and cooking the garlic before adding to a dish and that harsh flavour you can get if the garlic isn't cooked through is no longer an issue. Personally, I don't find caramelised garlic as useful in the kitchen though I love it in it's own right. I certainly couldn't use a whole jar of caramelised garlic withough having to get seriously creative. Occassionally I will roast a head of garlic wrapped in foil in the oven, then keep this in the fridge squeezing the cloves as I need them into sauces, mayonnaise or just onto a cracker for a snack.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4300140443_463389983e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="garlic confit in jar by katethebake"><img alt="garlic confit in jar" border="0" height="368" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4008/4300140443_463389983e.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-928955578135071062010-01-15T16:36:00.000+00:002010-01-15T16:36:00.883+00:00home-made marshmallow recipe I can take not credit whatsoever for this recipe. I was reading David Lebovitz's facebook feed and there it was, a link to the most beautifully indulgent winter-warming concept. The original post is <a href="http://www.foodiewithfamily.com/blog/2009/12/02/hot-chocolate-on-a-stick">here</a> written by Rebecca & Val at 'Foodie with Family' which is a lovely blog and well worth a look.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4276910014_10f1df3c28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="304" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4061/4276910014_10f1df3c28.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
</div>The post is for hot chocolate blocks with marshmallows, a beautiful idea and the subject of some debate in our house. The b contain condensed milk and plenty of chocolate yet you use them by plunging them into hot milk. Far enough, but since they contain milk, why can't you just put them in hot water? We debated whether my husband would notice us using up the last of his milk in a mug of hot chocolate. The teen hates milk (except in hot chocolate) and I don't use it so it is only my husband who would miss the last of the milk in the fridge. But the snow was falling, the temperatures were sub zero outside and frozen snow & ice was sending cars clumsily ice-skating across roads and pavements. The shops had already been stripped of milk (both fresh and powered) and the length of our conversation proved how guilty we felt about the thought of using the last of 'his' milk on a treat. We spent far longer than is healthy talking about hot chocolate before deciding not to go ahead. Instead we said that would look at the recipe in future to see if we could make the blocks milky enough to dunk straight into hot water with a dash of cream.<br />
So, maybe it wasn't the moment to create the hot choc but I was raring to have a go with the marshmallows. I have been collecting marshmallow recipes for a while now, daring myself to have a go, but not quite brave enough! This recipe finally has the weight of the gelatin required, so comforted by the knowledge that weight rather than 'sheets' will give a consistent result, I was ready to go.<br />
The original recipe suggests using an 8"x8" tin - don't, it is too small, and the marshmallow will overflow so use a 9" square or equivalent volume. I had to throw a little bit away as I didn't have any more room to pile any more on top in my 8" tin and so my marshmallows were nearly 2 inches high! Sugar syrup is very hot, so pour carefully and remember that the utensils will be hot and sticky too unless you grease them ...do follow the instructions about greasing. The mix is incredibly sticky so greasing the utensils as well is essential to make the whole process manageable.<br />
<br />
Having made them, I don't think that I quite 'get' marshmallows. I am now faced with 86 pieces of white fluffy sticky air-filled sugariness, possibly the most pointless foodstuff I have ever made. I would like to confirm though, that they are not difficult to make, just sticky, messy and completely superfluous to normal human existence. <br />
Have fun!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">Ingredients:<br />
</div><ul><li><span style="color: black;">21 grams gelatine</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black;"> 125ml cold water</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black;"> 400g granulated sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black;"> 225g glucose syrup</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black;"> 65ml water</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black;"> 1/4 teaspoon salt</span></li>
<li><span style="color: black;"> 15ml vanilla extract (or other flavor extract)<br />
</span></li>
<li>icing sugar</li>
</ul>Method <br />
<ol><li> Line 9 x 9-inch with cling film and lightly oil it using your fingers or non-stick cooking spray. </li>
<li>In the bowl of an electric mixer, sprinkle the gelatin over 125ml cold water.</li>
<li>Leave to soak for about 10 minutes whilst following the next stages.</li>
<li>Combine sugar, glucose syrup and 65ml water in a saucepan.</li>
<li>Bring the mixture to the boil quickly, as soon as it is boiling, allow to boil hard for 1 minute.</li>
<li>Pour the boiling syrup over the soaked gelatin, attach the whisk and turn the mixer on low.</li>
<li>Gradually speed up the mixer until it is running at full speed.</li>
<li>Add the salt and beat for between 10 and 12 minutes, or until fluffy and mostly cooled to almost room temperature.</li>
<li>After it reaches that stage, add in the extract and beat to incorporate.</li>
<li>Grease your hands and a rubber or silicone scraper with neutral oil and transfer marshmallow into the prepared pan.</li>
<li>Use your greased hands or the spatula to press the marshmallow into the pan evenly.</li>
<li>Take another piece of lightly oiled plastic wrap and press lightly on top of the marshmallow, creating a seal. Let mixture sit for a few hours, or overnight, until cooled and firmly set.</li>
<li>Sprinkle a cutting surface very generously with icing sugar.</li>
<li>Remove marshmallow from pan and lay on top of the sugar.</li>
<li>Dust the top generously with sugar as well.</li>
<li>Use a large, sharp knife to cut into squares.</li>
<li>Separate pieces and toss to coat all surfaces with the sugar.</li>
<li>Store in an airtight container.</li>
</ol>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-49077626578994589042010-01-13T18:39:00.000+00:002010-01-13T18:39:28.383+00:00leek tart recipe, gluten free<script type="text/javascript">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4271693068_50a050de44.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4044/4271693068_50a050de44.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
</div>A sudden craving for a satifying smooth savoury custard lead me to making a quick leek tart last night. I hesitate to call this a quiche, as there seems to be so much negativity towards that particular nomenclature. I love quiche, the teen loves quiche, and as a kid this was one of her favourite meals. To be fair, by 'this' I mean that "quiche-lorraine out of a box" (preferably from Marks and Spencers) was her favourite! And as you might expect, my home-made version was looked upon as something of a low-brow affair comparatively. I have no idea whether this was thoroughly justified or just another attempt by the under 8 year olds to besmirch my cooking! Looking back ten years, I recognise that there has been a complete about-turn in the style and quality of my cooking as I have become more and more obsessed by this strangest of art forms. I have cooked since I was a kid but only in these past few years have I gained a real understanding of flavours and structure. I suppose I have only now started to think about food and ingredients, as opposed to eating! So, in reality, the nipper was probably right to reject my quiche of ten years ago!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4271404558_2216003167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4271404558_2216003167.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
</div>I found lots of variations on the theme of this recipe on the internet. Most of these contain cheese which, for me, makes the creamy filling too rich and masks the gentle flavour of the leeks, but then, I am a purist! If you are not a fan of nutmeg, this is equally delicious with a touch of thyme. Add a couple of sprigs to the pan whilst you cook the leeks and pick out the stems before you mix the leeks and the custard. If you want to make this more of a gourmet delight, you can also infuse the cream with a bay leaf (warm the cream with the bay leaf to just below boiling point, then allow to cool before removing the bay leaf & using the cream in the recipe as instructed). Alternatively you could also soak a few saffron stems in a little water and add that to the custard instead.<br />
I was a bit impatient to get this into the oven so didn't leave the pastry to rest for thirty minutes before rolling. I thought I had got away with it until I went to move the smoothly rolled sheet over the pastry case, at which point it fell apart completely! So, whilst I waited for the pastry to rest properly, I prepped the leeks - which is, of course, what I should have planned to do in the first place. This recipe is very easy to make and delicious to eat, so my impatience was quite justified. I had promised myself a chiled glass of manzanilla with the tart (and <i>not</i> before) so that was the real reason for rushing the pastry. <br />
<br />
Whilst sitting down to eat this together, the teen declared her new passion for a vegan diet (forget the eggs and cream in the tart, th enext bit is even better). On tasting this, she followed this statement up without so much as a pause for breath, by suggesting that this tart would be even more delicious with nuggets of crispy smoked bacon or salmon fillet included. Fickle? A teenager's prerogative!<br />
This recipe is just as good served as a summer lunch as a winter supper or snack. Do enjoy it!<br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<ul><li>1/3 recipe <a href="http://katethebake.blogspot.com/2009/12/gluten-free-short-crust-pastry.html">gluten free shortcrust pastry</a></li>
<li>600g leeks (or onions)<br />
</li>
<li>2 tbsp butter, olive oil or rapeseeed oil </li>
<li>250g double cream</li>
<li>5 freerange eggs (medium to large)</li>
<li>nutmeg, salt & pepper</li>
</ul>Method<br />
<ol><li>preheat oven to 180°C </li>
<li>roll out pastry and line a 10" tart plate or loose bottomed tin (or individual tins)</li>
<li>lay baking paper over the base of each tart, cover with baking beans or pulses</li>
<li>bake blind for 20 minutes until the pastry base is cooked through and crisp, but not coloured</li>
<li>whilst the tart case is baking, wash and finely slice the leeks</li>
<li>fry gently with a sprinkling of salt until softened into a thick mass</li>
<li>in a large bowl, whisk the eggs and cream together, season with salt and pepper and a good grating of nutmeg</li>
<li>remove the cooked tart shells from the oven, carefully tip the hot beans off the tart into a heat proof bowl and leave to cool, remove the baking paper too. </li>
<li>once the leeks are cooked, stir them into the cream mix, stirring until the leeks are evenly mixed through the custard</li>
<li>carefully pour the custard into the tart shell and replace in the oven</li>
<li>bake at 180°C for 25 minutes, turning half way through to ensure an even bake</li>
<li>remove from the oven checking the custard is cooked through (just firm to the touch) and allow to rest for five minutes before serving</li>
</ol>kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-369828410416363883.post-45830747552455469642010-01-08T07:00:00.014+00:002010-01-08T13:47:31.929+00:00Orange and apricot cake<script type="text/javascript">
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</script>I am not used to long breaks or holidays, especially not ones that involve extended stays at home. But the Christmas break just passed saw me at home for the best part of two weeks. It was less than twenty-four hours before I started getting cabin fever desperately trying to find things to occupy me. I was further hampered by the need to rest my back after minor surgery so the few days running up to Christmas saw me mostly on the sofa surrounded by cook books with my laptop and a notebook for researching recipes. I found lots and lots though I don't suppose that is any surprise, food-enthusiastics have grasped new technologies with both hands and share recipes and experiences around the world. I did get very distracted trying to find out how to make vietnamese spring roll pancakes (I've not sussed that out yet) which then lead on to glutinous rice dumplings and then ... well, you know how it is. Suddenly you have encircled the globe three times and completely forgotten what you started out looking for.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4256715872_7ac83c20ae.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="orange apricot cake by katethebake"><img alt="orange apricot cake, gluten free and sugar free" border="0" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4006/4256715872_7ac83c20ae.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
</div>I have been thinking about the ultimate orange cake for some time. I want to capture the zingy essential flavour of orange zest in a gluten free cake, with a light texture without any icing. Of course, it also needs to be low fat and preferably sugar free too. I am still working on this holy-grail of cakes but I thought I would share this recipe with you as it has definitely grown on me over the past couple of weeks.<br />
The recipe is originally found here, on the <a href="http://www.bighospitality.co.uk/?page=articles&ID=202419">Big Hospitality</a> website and was created by Christine Bailey who was the joint winner of the Gluten-free Chef of the Year. This is a variation of the theme of "take a whole orange, puree it and fold puree into polenta-based recipe". I like this recipe because Christine has addressed a couple of points that I always see as negatives with this style of recipe. By zesting the orange and then peeling it, discarding the white pith, you omit those bitter notes which can overpower the zesty flavour. Then by adding a gluten-free flour blend to the polenta she has also lightening the consistency of the cake which is great.<br />
This is a sugar-free recipe and that is worth bearing in mind before you take your first bite, even with the added honey, this cake is not sweet. You can address that with the type of apricots you buy. I used run-of-the-mill sulphured supermarket ones which added texture but no real sweetness to the recipe. If you can choose unsulphured, organic apricots, those dark brown, unattractive fruits that tend to get ignored for their bright orange, less flavoursome counterparts (squeeze the pack and make sure they are really squidgy if you can) then you will get a far richer sweeter flavour that will compliment this recipe perfectly.<br />
I have copied the recipe just as Christine has written it though I made mine with dairy free margarine. My mixture curdled completely in the food processor but this makes no difference to the finished cake though, so don't be concerned if it happens to you too. Instead of making one cake I split the mix into 2 x 5" round tins and 3 greased and flour dusted dariole molds. The little ones took 15 minutes to bake and the 5" ones took 21 minutes. I glazed one of the 5" cakes with a fresh orange juice and icing sugar (5 tsp icing sugar to 1 tbsp orange juice, I think) to serve for tea and have eaten the other, unglazed cakes for breakfast and they have been lovely!<br />
I hope you enjoy them too.<br />
<br />
Ingredients:<br />
<ul><li>Zest of two oranges</li>
<li>2 oranges peeled, cut into half</li>
<li>200g dried ready to eat apricots</li>
<li>125g unsalted butter (dairy free margarine*)</li>
<li>3 eggs</li>
<li>3tbsp honey or agave nectar</li>
<li>100g GF flour (75g rice flour + 25g millet flour*)</li>
<li>150g quick cook polenta (fine corn meal*)</li>
<li>2tsp gluten-free baking powder</li>
</ul>Method<br />
<ol><li>Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4</li>
<li>Grease and line a spring form 18-20cm cake tin</li>
<li>Place the orange zest and oranges in a food processor and process to form a thick puree. Add the apricots, butter, eggs and honey and process again until smooth.</li>
<li>Place the flour, polenta and baking powder in a bowl. </li>
<li>Add the puree and beat well. </li>
<li>Place in the cake tin and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until a skewer placed in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack. </li>
</ol>* these are my annotations but otherwise the recipe and method are exactly as Christine's original recipe.kate the bakehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16269216964706360810noreply@blogger.com4