Sticky Toffee Cake
Recipe:
220g Self raising flour
1 teaspoon Bicarbonate of Soda
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
175g Dates (chopped)
150ml Boiling water
175g Dark brown sugar
110g Butter (softened)
3 Eggs
100g Treacle
Few drops vanilla essence
Sauce:
120ml Cream
60g Brown Sugar
50g Butter
Icing:
175g Butter (softened)
300g Icing Sugar
Method:
Line a 2lb loaf tin with parchment paper
Heat Oven to 170 degrees C.
Mix the Cinnamon through the flour.
Add the chopped dates to a bowl with bicarbonate of soda and add boiling water. Allow to soak for 15 minutes. Then blitz with a blender.
In a separate bowl add softened butter and sugar and cream using a mixer. Add the eggs one at a time followed by the flour, vanilla and treacle. Mix until smooth.
Add the dates mix and fold both mixes together.
Transfer to a tin and bake for 50 mins too 1 hour until baked.
Allow cake to cool.
For the sauce:
Add ingredients to a pot and bring to the boil. Boil for 3 minutes with occasional whisking. Sieve the sauce and allow to cook.
To the make icing:
Cream the butter with a mixer and slowly add the sieved icing sugar followed by 4 tablespoons of toffee sauce until all is mixed and light.
Assemble:
Decorate the cake by spreading or pipping the butter cream on top of the cake. Drizzle with remaining toffee sauce. Option to garnish with chopped roasted walnuts or honeycomb.
Spiced Parsnip & Leek Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients:
5 Large Parsnips – peeled & chopped
1 Leek sliced (White only)
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1 Bay Leaf
1 Onion, diced
Small knob of ginger, grated
50g butter
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garam masala spice
1 litre Milk
1Litre Vegetable Stock
150 ml Cream
Method:
Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
Sweat the onion, garlic, bay leaf & ginger for a few mins to soften. Add the leeks and sweat for 5 more minutes.
Add the parsnips & leeks and sweat for couple of minutes. Then add the cumin & garam masala and sweat for 4 minutes until parsnips are soft. Pour in the milk and simmer then add the hot vegetable stock. Simmer for 15 minutes on a low heat stirring occasionally.
Add the cream and bring to the boil once then switch it off.
Blitz the soup until it is really smooth.
Brian's Tips
Serve with toasted cumin seeds on top or chopped coriander
Great with toasted sourdough & melted parmesan on top
Christmas Pudding
Makes two by 2lb puddings.
Ingredients:
200g Dark Brown Sugar
200g Butter
3 Eggs
80g Strong Flour
1 teaspoon mixed spice
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Nutmeg
250g Raisins
250g Mixed Peel
100g Glace Cherries
2 Chopped Apples
100g Bread Crumb
250ml Stout
Brandy or Whiskey
Zest of 1 Orange
Method:
Soak all the fruit in the stout for at least 2 hours.
Sieve the flour and combine with dried spices.
Cream together the butter & sugar, add the eggs slowly.
Add the flour & spice and fold into the mix. Add the breadcrumbs and orange zest.
Fold the soaked fruit & stout into the mix.
Add a shot of Whiskey
Fill the pudding bowls and place in a deep tray. Half fill tray with boiling water.
Wrap the top of the tray in cling film and then tin foil and place in oven at 130 degree C and steam for 3 hours.
When cool brush with a little more whiskey if you wish.
Pudding will keep in airtight container for at least 3 months.
Great with brandy butter or custard.
Step Up At Home Curry Special
Serves 4-5
Ingredients:
400g chicken breast Cut into Cubes
Marinade:
1 fresh red chilli
Thumb Size Piece fresh ginger
2 clove garlic chopped
1 tablespoon Rapeseed Oil
1 pinch paprika
1-tablespoon garam masala
1-teaspoon tomato puree
3-4 sprigs of fresh coriander
Sauce:
1 Red onion diced
1 pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground coriander
1 pinch turmeric
1 red pepper Diced
100 ml plain yoghurt
400 g tinned tomatoes
50 ml single cream
50g Ground Almonds
Method:
To make marinade blend the chili, garlic, ginger and half the oil in food processor. Then add the paprika, garam masala & tomato puree. Put paste in bowl and add the cubed chicken. Allow to marinade as long as you can or even overnight.
In some oil, fry the onions, peppers and remaining spices cooking gently for about 5 minutes then add the tomatoes and the yoghurt, Add the chicken pieces and simmer for 12 -15 minutes
Just before serving add the cream and serve with chopped coriander leaves and ground almonds sprinkled over the curry.
Brian’s Tip: Make the paste in advance or double the recipe for the paste as it keeps for weeks in the fridge.
Fragrant pilau rice
450g Rice
1 onion, finely chopped
20g butter
6 cardamom pods
8 ground cloves
1 cinnamon stick
pinch saffron threads
2 bay leaves
Pinch Salt
600ml/1 pint hot chicken stock, vegetable stock or water
Method:
To make sure you get lovely fluffy rice, wash it in several changes of cold water, then leave to soak for about 10 minutes in fresh cold water. If you're in a hurry, place it in a sieve and wash under the cold tap for a minute.
Cook the onion in the butter for around 5 minutes until softened. Add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick and saffron with bay leaves and cook for a couple more minutes. Add the rice and stir then add in the stock.
Bring to the boil and then cover with a tight-fitting lid. Turn the heat down low and leave to cook for 14 minutes before turning off the heat.
The rice should have absorbed all the water and will just need fluffing up with a fork. Add a knob of butter before serving.
Spiced Cauliflower
Ingredients:
1 Head of Cauliflower
2 table spoons medium curried powder
3 tablespoons rapeseed oil
1 fresh red chilli sliced
Pinch Seas Salt
Fresh Coriander
40g Parmesan Cheese grated fresh
Method:
Heat the oven to 180°C and warm a roasting tray in the oven.
Prepare the cauliflower by cutting into florets and place in a bowl.
Add the oil and toss the cauliflower.
Add the curry powder, salt, and chilli. Toss in the bowl.
Remove the hot tray from the oven and spread the cauliflower onto the tray.
Return to the oven and roast for 30 minutes or until caramilised
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with grated cheese and add the chopped coriander to serve.