I made the sponge cake recipe I posted the other day and was a little disappointed. In part the underwhelming size of the cake. I used an 8" size and should have used a sponge cake tin, which I think must be at least a 7".
Instead I will post the recipe for the first sponge I made. I was much more pleased with that one.
Friday, 9 July 2010
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Madeleines
I still haven't managed to make the sponge cake I said that I would in the last post but I did finally make madeleines. I went to Paris in 2005 and one of the items I brought back was a madeleine tin. In all those intervening years I have never used that tin! But I have now. Twice!
I used Rick Stein's recipe but checked another recipe after I made the first batch and they didn't come out quite as I expected. Rick Stein suggests that you put the batter in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking. In Paris Sweets, they suggest that you wait a minimum of 3 hours and that you can keep the batter for up to two days. My second batch worked much better than the first so I would suggest waiting.
I had to go to Paris for my tin because at the time they weren't sold in the UK. However, you can now get them at Lakeland for only £7.95. Certainly less expensive than a trip to Paris, though perhaps not as interesting!
Today I promise to make one of the sponges and report back tomorrow!
I used Rick Stein's recipe but checked another recipe after I made the first batch and they didn't come out quite as I expected. Rick Stein suggests that you put the batter in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking. In Paris Sweets, they suggest that you wait a minimum of 3 hours and that you can keep the batter for up to two days. My second batch worked much better than the first so I would suggest waiting.
I had to go to Paris for my tin because at the time they weren't sold in the UK. However, you can now get them at Lakeland for only £7.95. Certainly less expensive than a trip to Paris, though perhaps not as interesting!
Today I promise to make one of the sponges and report back tomorrow!
Monday, 28 June 2010
Sponge Cakes
It has been a long time since I posted here. I seem to have ground to a halt on my writing, which includes my blog writing. I had never made a sponge cake until late May of this year, when I saw a recipe by Hugh Firnly-Wittingstall in the Guardian weekend magazine. I've made it 3 times since and really like it but it isn't as light as I have heard that sponge cakes should be so I am in search of the perfect recipe. Here is my first and I shall make it tonight.
Sponge cake recipe ingredients: Serves 4
Sponge cake recipe ingredients: Serves 4
100g butter
100g caster sugar
100g self raising flour
Vanilla essence
Pinch of salt
2 medium eggs
Sponge cake recipe cooking instructions:
1. Preheat oven to Gas mark 190°C.2. Place the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy.
3. Beat the eggs in basin or cup and add to the mixture a little at the time, with the flour keeping the same smooth and creamy consistency.
4. Making sure the mixtures does not get too wet or dry as you go when you have used all the flour and the eggs.
5. Add the vanilla essence and a pinch of salt, mix for a few minutes.
6. Divide into two lined, or non-stick sponge tins, put into a moderately hot oven, middle shelf.
7. Put into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes (it is important that the oven is well heated).
8. Put to cool on a rack to cool.
9.When cool put one upside down on a plate spread with jam, you can also put fresh cream in at this stage, put the other piece on the top and dust with icing sugar.
I rather like Delia Smith's instructions for her sponge cake so I will try that one later in the week. Now I just have to decide who to give these cakes to so that I don't eat them all myself!!
Sunday, 14 February 2010
Orange and Apple Cake
I thought this sounded good and when I get some marmalade, I will make it. In fact, I think I'll ask Cliff to buy some tomorrow.
220 g of butter at room temperature
210 g brown sugar
4 eggs
250 g whole wheat flour
1 1/2 t of baking powder
1/2 t cinnamon
200 g apples
100 g raisins
125 g marmalade
finely grated zest of orange
Demerara sugar
Cake Tin: 20 cm round cake tin, with removable base
160C / 1hr 15
1. Cream butter and sugar until light.
2. Whisk the egs.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder and cinnamon.
4. Core and roughly chop the apples. Apple sizes should be less than 1 cm square.
5. Add raisins to apples and then mix in the marmalade.
6. Add egg mixture to creamed butter and sugar a little at a time.
7. Gently fold in the flour.
8. Fold in the fruit mixture along with the orange zest.
9. Spoon in to cake pan and sprinkle demerara sugar on top of cake.
10. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until skewer come out with no cake attached.
11. Cool before serving.
220 g of butter at room temperature
210 g brown sugar
4 eggs
250 g whole wheat flour
1 1/2 t of baking powder
1/2 t cinnamon
200 g apples
100 g raisins
125 g marmalade
finely grated zest of orange
Demerara sugar
Cake Tin: 20 cm round cake tin, with removable base
160C / 1hr 15
1. Cream butter and sugar until light.
2. Whisk the egs.
3. Sift together flour, baking powder and cinnamon.
4. Core and roughly chop the apples. Apple sizes should be less than 1 cm square.
5. Add raisins to apples and then mix in the marmalade.
6. Add egg mixture to creamed butter and sugar a little at a time.
7. Gently fold in the flour.
8. Fold in the fruit mixture along with the orange zest.
9. Spoon in to cake pan and sprinkle demerara sugar on top of cake.
10. Bake for 1 1/2 hours or until skewer come out with no cake attached.
11. Cool before serving.
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Eco balls and microfibre cloths
I had a look around after reading Mary Jane's post on cleaning products and thought that I would post some links to some of the products I use. The first is 'Eco Balls", a way of washing your clothes without using any detergent. How could that be, you may ask! I asked the same question four years ago but decided to try them and we have been using them ever since!
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/ecoballs!REG/F/keyword/laundry/product/21756
Next, I discovered microfibre cloths from the same supplier during this summer just gone by. I thought that if the ecoballs work why not try the cloths. Again, you don't need to use detergent with them. And yes, we are still using them 6 months later:
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/F/keyword/microfibre%20cloths
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/ecoballs!REG/F/keyword/laundry/product/21756
Next, I discovered microfibre cloths from the same supplier during this summer just gone by. I thought that if the ecoballs work why not try the cloths. Again, you don't need to use detergent with them. And yes, we are still using them 6 months later:
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/F/keyword/microfibre%20cloths
Saturday, 23 January 2010
About Today's Lunch from Leftovers
To make today's lunch, used leftover turkey chili from the freezer, baking potato from the dark cupboard, spinach from the crisper drawer and low fat sour leftover from New Year's Eve.
Defrosted the leftover chili and kept in warm on stove.
Baked the potato in microwave. Cut it in half and scooped out the white. Mixed it with the sour cream, celery salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Mounded potato back into both skins, making a little trough-like indentation down the centre.
Returned the two potato halves to microwave to warm up.
Mixed some baby spinach leaves with a very light dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar and seasonings.
Put a thin bed of spinach on each of two plates. Set half a potato on the spinach. Spooned warm chili along the trough and then on top of the trough. Sprinkled on some grated Parmesan, chopped fresh cilantro and chopped green onion. Then gave each plate a good grating of black pepper.
We liked it..seemed to suit a wintery Saturday.
Defrosted the leftover chili and kept in warm on stove.
Baked the potato in microwave. Cut it in half and scooped out the white. Mixed it with the sour cream, celery salt, garlic powder and black pepper. Mounded potato back into both skins, making a little trough-like indentation down the centre.
Returned the two potato halves to microwave to warm up.
Mixed some baby spinach leaves with a very light dressing of olive oil, red wine vinegar and seasonings.
Put a thin bed of spinach on each of two plates. Set half a potato on the spinach. Spooned warm chili along the trough and then on top of the trough. Sprinkled on some grated Parmesan, chopped fresh cilantro and chopped green onion. Then gave each plate a good grating of black pepper.
We liked it..seemed to suit a wintery Saturday.
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
About Leftover Basic Black Beans
There's a recipe for Basic Black Beans in a post dated a few days ago. In today's post are some notes about two ways to use leftovers from that recipe. Fr both recipes, you start by pureeing the beans in a blender or food processor.
Then...
Black Bean Soup
Add the purred beans to a few cups of good chicken, beef or veg eatable stock. Season to taste with cilantro, ground cumin and salt. If you've sour cream, a dollop onto the soup in the bowl is a good garnish.
Black Bean Dip
Add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil per cup of pureed beans. As with soup, season to taste with cilantro, ground cumin and salt. Serve with oven baked corn or flour tortillas chips. A lager is a nice accompanying beverage.
Then...
Black Bean Soup
Add the purred beans to a few cups of good chicken, beef or veg eatable stock. Season to taste with cilantro, ground cumin and salt. If you've sour cream, a dollop onto the soup in the bowl is a good garnish.
Black Bean Dip
Add 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil per cup of pureed beans. As with soup, season to taste with cilantro, ground cumin and salt. Serve with oven baked corn or flour tortillas chips. A lager is a nice accompanying beverage.
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