Bûche de Noel (our Boxing Day treat)

Bûche de Noël Recipe

Ingredients

• For the cake
• Butter, for the pan
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• Pinch of sea salt
• 3 extra-large eggs
• 1/3 cup light muscovado or dark brown sugar
• Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
• For the chocolate chestnut mousse
• 3 1/2 ounces dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into pieces
• 13 ounces unsweetened chestnut puree
• 1/4 cup light muscovado sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

Directions

• 
  
• 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Butter a 10-by-13 inch jelly roll pan, line it with parchment paper, and butter the paper as well.
• 2. Sift the cocoa into a bowl and add the salt. Whisk the eggs and muscovado or brown sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture is pale and mousse-like, 8 to 10 minutes. Lightly fold in the cocoa in two additions. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and smooth it using an offset spatula. Give the bottom of the pan a couple of sharp taps on the work surface to eliminate any air bubbles. Bake the cake for 8 to 10 minutes, until set and springy to the touch.
• 3. Place a clean kitchen towel on your work surface and sift a fine layer of confectioners’ sugar on the towel. Carefully turn the hot cake onto the towel. Starting at one short end, carefully roll the cake up with the towel and the parchment paper. You should end up with a short, fat roll. Let cool for 40 to 60 minutes.
• Make the chocolate chestnut mousse
• 4. Gently melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Let cool to room temperature.
• 5. Beat the chestnut puree, sugar, and vanilla in a food processor until creamy. Add the cooled chocolate and mix until combined.
• 6. Beat the cream until it forms soft peaks, and then gently fold it into the chocolate chestnut mixture in two additions.
• 7. Carefully unroll the cake and peel off the parchment paper. Spread the top of the cake with half of the chocolate chestnut mousse, then roll the cake up again and transfer it to a platter, seam facing down. Smooth the rest of the mousse over the exposed surface of the cake. If desired, using the tines of a fork, make lines along its length to replicate tree bark, swirling the ends to create a log effect, and making a few knots on the log, too.
• 8. Refrigerate the cake for at least an hour. If keeping it for longer than this, loosely cover the cake with plastic wrap and let set at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
• 9. Just before serving, shower the bûche de Noël with confectioners’ sugar.

from Green and Black

Starter Mix for Pancakes and other things

Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients:

6 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter

Instructions:
1. Measure the sifted flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Use a wire whisk to blend thoroughly.

2. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter until thoroughly incorporated. Store refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 months.

Cottage Pie / Shepherd's Pie

Cottage Pie / Shepherd's Pie


• 1kg lamb mince / mixture of beef and pork mince

• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

• 1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped

• 2 sticks of celery, trimmed and roughly chopped

• 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

• 50g pancetta, roughly chopped

• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

• a small bunch of fresh rosemary, leaves picked

• 1 x 400g can of plum tomatoes, chopped

• 250ml lamb or vegetable stock

• 1kg potatoes

• 200ml milk

• 2 knobs of butter


Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/gas 5.


1. Heat a large pan and, when it’s nice and hot, add the olive oil and mince and fry until browned all over. Add the onion, celery, carrot, pancetta and garlic to the pan, and throw in a large pinch of rosemary leaves and the tomatoes. Pour in the stock and stir well so the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Leave in the same pan or transfer to an ovenproof dish, cover and bake in the oven for an hour.

2. Peel the potatoes, boil them in salted water until cooked through, then drain well. Heat the milk gently then pour over the potatoes. Add a knob of butter and mash well until smooth and creamy.

3. Melt the remaining butter in a frying pan. When it starts to bubble, throw in the rosemary and fry until crisp. Drain, and add the rosemary to the mashed potatoes with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

4. Take the mince out of the oven, spoon over the mash, then turn up the temperature to 200°C/400°F/gas 6 and bake for about 20 minutes or until bubbling and crispy and brown on top.

Pork Stir Fry

Ingredients (This is a recipe for 2 but can easily be doubled)
2 nests medium egg noodles
2 tsp cornflour
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp sunflower oil
250g/9oz pork tenderloin , cut into bite-sized pieces
thumb-sized piece ginger, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced
100g mange tout
1 tsp sesame seeds

• 1. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the noodles following pack instructions. Meanwhile, mix the cornflour with 1 tbsp water, then stir in the soy sauce and honey, and set aside.
• 2. Heat the oil in a wok over a high heat. Add the pork and cook for 2 mins until browned all over. Add the ginger, garlic, pepper and mangetout, and cook for a further 2 mins. Reduce the heat, then add the soy and honey mixture, stirring and cooking until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Divide the drained noodles between 2 bowls. Top with the pork and vegetables, and finish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.

Shortbread for Christmas

Shortbread

130g/4½oz butter, softened
60g/2½oz caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
130g/4½oz plain flour
60g/2½oz rice flour
pinch salt

Preparation method

1. Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Add the plain flour, rice flour and salt, and stir well until the mixture is smooth and uniform. (I find it easiest to keep pressing the mixture against the side of the bowl to mix it.)
2. Bring the mixture together and press into a 20cm/8in loose-bottomed cake tin, smoothing it with the back of a spoon. Crimp the edges by pressing with the tips of two fingers, then score into eight pieces with a knife and prick each triangle three times with a fork. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes to firm up.
3. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3.
4. Remove the shortbread from the fridge and bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.
5. Remove the shortbread from the oven and sprinkle over some caster sugar. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes before removing it from the tin and cooling on a wire rack.

Hot Apple Cider

Ingredients

• 2 (4-inch) cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 2 to 3 whole cloves
• 3 to 5 whole cardamom pods
• 5 coin-size pieces fresh ginger (optional)
• 2 (1-inch) strips fresh orange peel
• 2 (1-inch) strips fresh lemon peel
• 5 cups cold water
• 4 bags tea
• 3 cups apple juice, clear
• 1 orange, juiced

Directions

Lightly crush the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom pods in a mortar and pestle or on a cutting board with the bottom of a saucepan. Transfer to a medium saucepan, add Combine the ginger, citrus peels. Put the crushed spices in a medium saucepan and add the water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, until aromatic, and the cinnamon stick opens a bit, about 10 minutes. Add the tea bags, immediately remove from the heat, and steep for 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove the tea bags, and add the cider and juice of 1 orange. Return the pan to a medium heat and warm, taking care not to let the tea boil. Serve hot.

Copyright 2004 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.

Muffins for the Christmas Kitchen

In Egham where I live, the local churches run a Community Kitchen every Wednesday and in the week or so leading up to Christmas.  It is run by church members and the food provided by the congregation and members of the public.  This year, Naomi and I are going to make muffins.  I have just finished baking one of the recipes for blueberry muffins.  Tomorrow I'm going to make Christmas Cranberry Muffins.  However, thanks to a trip to Canada recently, I discovered muffin tops and so, instead of baking the muffins in tins, I am going to make them on cookie sheets.  I think they look far more appealing!

Christmas Cranberry Muffins

(Though this recipe is in American measurements, it is easy to convert by remembering that American cups are 8 oz.  Just use a regular measuring cup for the dry ingredients as well as the wet.)


Ingredients
1 cup cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 egg, beaten
1/4 teaspoon orange rind
3/4 cup orange juice
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup nuts, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Coarsely chop cranberries, sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar & set aside. Preheat oven to 375 F, prepare pans.

Combine flour, 2nd measure sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon & allspice. In another bowl combine egg, orange rind & juice and melted butter. Add dry mix to wet mix & stir to moisten. Fold in cranberry mixture & nuts.

Spoon into pans & bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden.

Blueberry Muffins (These have just come out of the oven!)

Ingredients

2 cups (approx 280 grams) self raising flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup (approx. 67 grams) sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
4 tbsp butter, melted
3/4 cup (175 ml) milk
2 cups (approx. 300 grams?!?) blueberries, well-dried
optional: 1 tsp grated orange or lemon rind muffin pan lined with muffin papers (i use one 12 cup and one 6 cup pan)

Method

1. Wash the blueberries and drain. Sprinkle a tea towel with flour and roll the blueberries in it. Wrap the now lightly floured berries and leave for a good 30 minutes or so to dry completely.
2. Preheat oven to 425F/210C/Gas Mark 7.
3. Sift the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add the melted butter and then the milk.

5. Quickly stir the liquid ingredients into the dry, confining yourself to only 10-15 strokes. Leave the lumps as too much handling will result in tough muffins.

6. Add the floured blueberries and the optional rind if you are using. Briefly fold in the berries. Spoon into the prepared muffin pans, allowing the mixture to fill about 2/3 of the cup. Bake in the hot oven for 15-20 minutes. Muffins will be a light golden colour when fully cooked.

7. Remove at once from their tins. Serve with plenty of butter. To really make this a meal, scramble some eggs to eat with the muffins!