Happy Yorkshire Day

Yorkshire born and bred - we are a special breed us Tykes!  Associated with real ale, whippets, flat caps and ferrets, Yorkshire folk are reknowned for being "careful with their brass"!  In other words we spend wisely.....

The county of Yorkshire is divided into North, South, East and West and, combined, is the largest county in England. Referred to as "Gods own country" it is certainly a diverse and special location. It's a wonderfully friendly place to visit and has many traditions and folklore peculiar to the area.  To learn more visit www.yorkshire.com

Each year on 1st August we celebrate Yorkshire Day.  This particular recipe, a personal favourite, is not widely available outside of the North East of the county and the Yorkshire Dales.

Yorkshire Curd Tart

Yorkshire Curd Tart is a specialty tart from the beautiful county of Yorkshire in Northern England. This variation of cheesecake is made with fresh curd as a way to use up left over fresh curd from the cheese making process. The Yorkshire Curd tart is also filled with currants, and egg as makes a delightful teatime treat or warm as a filling and delicious pudding.

Fresh curds can be bought from a dairy but are becoming more difficult to get hold of, however, making your own is easy. To successfully make curds you will need to plan ahead as the best are achieved overnight.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1.2 litres/2 pints full cream milk
• 2 tbsp rennet
• 4 oz/100g unsalted butter, softened
• 2 oz/50g fine/caster sugar
• 2 medium eggs, well beaten pinch of salt ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• pinch salt
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• 1 rounded tbsp fresh white breadcrumbs
• 2 oz/50g plump, seedless raisins
• 2 oz/50g currants
• FOR THE PASTRY
• 4 oz/125g all purpose/plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 2oz/ 55g butter, cubed or an equal mix of butter and lard
• 2 - 3 tbsp cold water

Preparation:

Making Curds

• Place the full cream milk into an Executive Saucepan and gently bring to blood temperature (98°F/37°C). Remove from the heat and stir in the rennet and leave in a cool place (not the fridge) to set.
• Once cooled and set, gently break up the mixture using a fork, into large chunks. Line a large sieve or Colander with fine muslin or cheesecloth and place over a large bowl.
• Spoon the chunks of curd into the sieve or colander and leave to drain for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Pastry

• Heat the oven 325F/170C/Gas 3
• Place the flour, butter and salt into a large Stainless Mixing Bowl.
• Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, working as quickly as possible to prevent the dough becoming warm.
• Add the water to the mixture and using a cold knife stir until the dough binds together, add more cold water a teaspoon at a time if the mixture is too dry.
• Wrap the dough in Clingfilm and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes.

Tart

• Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured board to ¼ inch/5mm thick. Grease and then line a 1½”/4cm deep, 8 inch/20cm deep tart tin with the pastry. Prick the base all over with a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
• Line the tart case with baking/greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans. Cook for 15 minutes or until the pastry is a pale golden color. Leave to cool.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and light and pale in color.
• Tip the curd mixture from the sieve/colander into the creamed butter; add the beaten eggs, salt, nutmeg, allspice and beat well until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Finally stir in the breadcrumbs, raisins and currants.
• Pour the curd mixture into the prepared tart case and bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown.
• Leave the tart to cool, then serve.

Yorkshire Curd Tart is best eaten slightly warm. Always eat the tart within 24 hours of making. 

Recipe taken from   http://britishfood.about.com

Gingerbread Henna Hand

Gregory's Gingerbread Henna Hand

Great job Greg - high five!!!!!

Ingredients

• 350g/12oz plain flour plus extra for rolling out
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
  
• 2 tsp ground ginger
  
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 125g/4½oz butter
• 175g/6oz light soft brown sugar
  
• 1 free-range egg
• 4 tbsp golden syrup

To decorate

• writing icing (Henna colour)
• cake decorations

Method

• Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, ginger and cinnamon and pour into the 4ltr Stainless Bowl.
• Add the butter and rub together until the mix looks like breadcrumbs. 
• Using the Small Mix n Scraper stir in the sugar.
• Lightly beat the egg and golden syrup together using a Bamboo Spoon, add to the Stainless Mixing Bowl and stir until the mixture clumps together. 
• Tip the dough out, knead briefly until smooth, wrap in clingfim and leave to chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. 
• Roll the dough out to a 0.5cm/¼in thickness on a lightly floured surface. 
• Using cutters, cut out the gingerbread shapes and place on Rectangle Baking Stone, leaving a gap between them. 
• Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden-brown. Leave on the stone for 10 minutes and then move to a Stackable Cooling Rack to finish cooling. 
• When totally cooled decorate with the writing icing or cake decorations.

Cookie Monster!

Cookies galore...

Sweet or savoury it doesn't matter - with a twist, and a twist, and a twist you've got a plate full of scrummy cookies..... so easy with the Cookie Press, it's child's play!  Great job Imogen.

All Occasion Cookies

300g butter – softened

10ml or 2tsp vanilla extract or almond extract

115g icing sugar

350g plain flour

Method:

• Preheat oven to 180oC / 350oF / gas 4
• Cut butter into 1” chunks and place is ClassicBatter Bowl – soften in microwave (DO NOT COMPLETELY MELT.)
• Allow butter to stand and continue to soften for 1 – 2mins.
• Using Stainless Whisk, whist butter until smooth, creamy consistency which is pourable.
• Add vanilla or almond extract and icing sugar, whisk until smooth.
• Add flour and mix with Bamboo Spoon.
• Fill Cookie Press fitted with your favourite disk.
• Press dough onto Baking Stone.
• Bake for 13 – 15 mins or until lightly golden.
• Cool cookies for 3 mins on stone, then remove to Stackable Cooling Rack using Mini Serving Spatula.

Makes approx 48 cookies.

Decorate cookies.   

Dip into melted chocolate, sandwich two together with jam or butter cream.   

Add sprinkles etc.

Ice using either the Easy Accent Decorator or the Decorator Bottle Set.

Sun Dried Tomato and Basil Muffins

The weather forecast isn't too bad for the weekend so why not take Mum out for a picnic on Mothering Sunday?  This savoury muffin treat is delicious either hot or cold - it's guaranteed to raise a smile!  Served with something chilled and fizzy, and a huge cuddle, even better.....

Ingredients: 

• Vegetable Oil (for lightly oiling stoneware muffin pan)
• 85 g/3 oz sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil; drained and chopped
• 60 ml/4 tbsp fresh basil; finely chopped
• 300 g/10 1/2 oz plain flour
• 20 ml/4 tsp baking powder
• 1.25 ml/1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 85 g/3oz fresh Parmesan cheese; finely grated, using Course Microplane Grater
• 85 g/3 oz butter; melted
• 250 ml/9 fl oz milk
• 2 large eggs; beaten

Method:

1.   Preheat oven to 200 degrees C/400 F/Gas 6.  Lightly spray cups of stoneware muffin pan with vegetable oil using Kitchen Spritzer; set aside.  Drain tomatoes on absorbent kitchen paper.  Chop tomatoes and basil using Utility Knife; set aside.

2.   Combine flour, baking powder and pepper in Classic Batter Bowl; stir in tomatoes and basil, using Small Mix N Scraper.  Add grated cheese to bowl; stir to mix.

3.   Place butter in Large Micro Cooker.  Microwave on high 40-50 seconds or until melted. Whisk butter, milk and eggs in Small BatterBowl; gently stir into flour mixture.

4.   Spoon mixture into prepared Stoneware Muffin Pan using LargeScoop, dividing mixture evenly between each cup.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until risen and golden brown. Cool slightly; serve warm.  Makes 12 muffins.

If using Deluxe Mini Muffin Pan, do not oil cups, and use Small Scoop.

(Thank you to bbcgoodfood.com for this recipe)

 

Berry hearts

Sunday afternoons are meant to be lazy, leisurely events... A cup of tea in the sunshine and these attractive - and very simple to make -  Berry Hearts make me think of long summer days and the delicious juicy fresh flavours that are so abundant!  Once again this recipe is from Debbie at Slimming World and is absolutely scrummy!

Serves: 4

Syns per serving:   5.5 Syns on Extra Easy, Green or Red

Ingredients 

100g/3½oz puff pastry
100g/3½oz fat free natural fromage frais
57g/2oz quark
2 tbsp artificial sweetener
a few drops of rose water
340g/12oz mixed berries
icing sugar to dust

• Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7. 
• Divide the pastry into 4 equal portions and using the Baker's Roller, roll each one to make a 4-5in square. 
• Cut a heart shape from each pastry square and place on a Rectangle Stone.
• With a sharp Utility Knife score a border, about  ¼ - ½ inch from the edge of each heart. 
• Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes until the pastry has risen and is slightly golden. 
• Remove from the oven and place on the Stackable Cooling Rack to cool, push down the centres of the hearts gently to make a case for the filling.
• Place fromage frais, quark and sweetener into Classic Batter Bowl and using the Double Balloon Whisk beat them together.
• Measure the Rose Water using the Adjustable Measuring Spoons and add to fromage frais mixture.
• Using the Easy Accent Decorator pipe mixture onto the bases of each heart. 
• Top with the berries and serve dusted with a little icing sugar (use the Flour/Sugar Shaker to do this for ease).

Chef's tip: Prepare the pastry case and the creamy filling in advance, and then assemble when you are ready to serve.

Strawberry Fromage Fraise Cheesecake

Even though this is a scrummy weekend recipe is not as wicked as it looks!

Debbie from Slimming World was kind enough to share this recipe with me.  It contains 6 Syns per serving in Red, Green or Extra Easy! (Is that some sort of secret language?)

  

Serves: 8

113g/4oz ginger nut biscuits
28g/1oz butter, melted
1 sachet + 2 level tsp gelatine
5 tbsp boiling water
227g/8oz strawberries
340g/12oz Quark (skimmed milk soft cheese)
227g/8oz fat-free natural fromage frais
Artificial sweetener, to taste
Strawberries, for decoration

Method

• Using the Food Chopper, crush the biscuits with a and then mix in the melted butter. Press evenly over the base of a 20 cm/8 in Springform Pan and pop into the fridge to chill while you make the filling.
• Dissolve the gelatine in the boiling water, stirring it well, and then leave it until it is cool.
• Meanwhile, purée the strawberries quickly in the Manual Food Processor or mash roughly using the Mix n Masher – the purée should have some texture and not be too liquid.
• In a bowl, beat together the Quark and fromage frais and, using the Small Mix n Scraper, fold in the puréed strawberries and the cooled gelatine, mixing well. Sweeten to taste with artificial sweetener.
• Spoon the cheesecake mixture over the chilled biscuit base and chill in the refrigerator until set (about 1 hour).
• Serve sliced, decorated with strawberries.

Slimming World Tip:   

• You could save 1½ Syns per serving by mixing the crushed ginger nuts with a beaten egg white instead of using butter. However, it would have to be baked in a moderate oven for 10 minutes and then cooled before adding the cheesecake mixture.
• Agar agar can be used instead of gelatine if preferred.

Vanilla Muffins

Ingredients:

• Oil or meled butter for greasing
• 280g plain white flour (up to 50% can be swapped out for plain wholemeal flour)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ bicarbonate of soda if using buttermilk or yoghurt
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 115g sugar (brown or white)
• 2 medium eggs
• 9 fl oz milk (can substitute buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, cream, coconut milk, fruit juice or fruit puree)
• 6 tbsp sunflower oil or 85g butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat the  oven to 200oC or 400oF or Gas mark 6.

Grease 12 cup muffin pan or Muffin Pan and line with paper cases

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt into 4lt Stainless Mixing bowl.

Stir in  sugar.

In Classic Batter Bowls. beat together eggs, milk and oil.

Make well in dry ingredients and pour in liquid ingredients

Gently stir together until just combined using Silicone Scraper – it’s important not to overmix

Put a generous Large Scoop of batter into each well of the prepared muffin pan

Bake for 20 minutes until well risen, goldlen and firm to the touch

Leave to cool for 5 minutes and transfer to Stackable Cooling Rack

When muffins cold, split and spoon in some jam or icing if desired and dust with icing sugar.

(If icing required, put cream cheese and butter in a bowl and sift in icing sugar

Beat together until light and fluffy

Chill until ready to serve.)

Gregory's Bear Biscuit - decorated cookie

A big thank you to Miss Lamb at school for teaching Gregory to decorate his bear biscuit beautifully. He had so much fun! (It was yummy too.....)  Check out Miss Lamb's cake creations, she's very clever!

Cookies

Ingredients

• 250g/9oz unsalted butter, softened

• 250g/9oz golden caster sugar
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten

• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 500g/1lb 2oz plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200g/7oz ready-to-roll fondant icing
• 1 tbsp apricot jam, warmed with 1tsp water

Preparation method

1. Beat together the butter and sugar in a 4lt Stainless Mixing Bowl, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
2. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract (measured with Adjustable Measuring Spoons). (If the mixture looks a little curdled, add a spoonful of the flour.) If you’re using food colouring, add a few drops to the mixture.
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder in a separate bowl. Stir the flour into the butter mixture and work into a dough using floured hands. Turn onto a floured work surface and knead into a ball (the dough will be quite wet). Divide the dough into two portions, wrap in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for at least one hour.
4. Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3..
5. Roll the dough out to a 0.5cm/¼in thickness on lightly floured work surface. (It’s best to roll out one portion of the dough at a time, leaving the remainder in the fridge.) Cut shapes out with the your favours shaped cutters.
6. Place the cookies onto a Rectangle Stone or Medium Sheet Pan, leaving a gap between them in case they spread a little.
7. Bake for 12-15 minutes, leave on the tray for 10 minutes and then move to a Stackable Cooling Rack to finish cooling.
8. Once cool, let your imagination go crazy!
9. Using the Bakers Roller, roll the fondant icing out to a 0.5cm/¼in thickness on a work surface dusted with icing sugar and cut out shapes using the same cutters as the cookies.
10. Using the Chefs Silicone Basting Brush, brush the cookies with the warmed apricot jam and stick the icing onto the cookies.

Carrot Cake Muffins

Ingredients:

• Basic Muffin mix
• 1 tsp ground mixed spice
• Use  dark brown sugar
• 200g grated carrot
• 50g coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans
• 50g dried mixed fruit
• 1 orange
• Zest or nuts for decoration

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200oC or 400oF or Gas mark 6.

Grease the Stoneware 12 cup muffin pan or line with paper cases

Sift together flour, baking powder, measure the mixed spice and salt using the Adjustable Measuring Spoons and add into 4lt Stainless Mixing bowl.

Using the Course Microplane Grater, grate carrot and stir in, along with sugar, walnuts and dried fruit.

In Classic Batter Bowl beat together eggs, milk, oil, orange rind and orange juice.

Make well in dry ingredients and pour in liquid ingredients

Gently stir together until just combined using the Small Mix n Scraper – it’s important not to overmix

Put a generous Large Scoop of batter into each well of the prepared muffin pan

Bake for 20 minutes until well risen, goldlen and firm to the touch

Leave to cool for 5 minutes and transfer to cooling rack

To make icing, put cream cheese and butter into the 2ltr Stainless Mixing bowl a bowl and sift in icing sugar

Beat together until light and fluffy using the Double Balloon Whisk

When muffins cold, pipe on icing using the Easy Accent Decorator and decorate with orange zest or chopped unts

Chill until ready to serve.

Basic Muffin Mix

This fab Basic Muffin Mix recipe can so easily be adapted for many other Muffin recipes both sweet and savoury.  When I refer to the Basic Mix, this is it!

Ingredients:

• Oil or meled butter for greasing
• 280g plain white flour (up to 50% can be swapped out for plain wholemeal flour, bran, oats, oatmeal, oatbran, wheatgerm or polenta)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• ½ bicarbonate of soda if using buttermilk or yoghurt
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 115g sugar (brown or white) – for savoury muffins omit the sugar
• 2 medium eggs
• 9 fl oz milk (can substitute buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, cream, coconut milk, fruit juice or fruit puree)
• 6 tbsp sunflower oil or 85g butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

This basic mix or "base recipe" can be used to adapt as required and you will see me refer to it in future postings.

Molten Camembert Muffins

I love the idea of warm muffins for breakfast and these savoury treats tick all the boxes for me!

MOLTEN CAMEMBERT MUFFINS (March 1 2012)

3 tablespoons sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing

1 round (250 g) ripe Camembert cheese (about 10–11 cm in diameter)

250 g plain flour
60 g wheatgerm
65 g Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, finely grated
5 tablespoons snipped fresh chives, divided
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 pot (284 ml) buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tablespoon milk
20 g walnut pieces, coarsely chopped

Method:

ð Preheat oven to 180ºC/fan 160ºC/Gas 4.

ð Brush wells of Muffin Pan or Stoneware 12 Cup Muffin Pan with sunflower oil using Chef’s Silicone Basting Brush; set aside.

ð Cut rind off sides only of Camembert cheese using Utility Knife (leave rind on top and bottom of cheese); discard rind.

ð Cut trimmed cheese into twelve 2-cm cubes; set aside. Save remaining cheese for another use.

ð Combine flour, wheatgerm, Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, 4 tablespoons of the snipped chives, the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in Stainless 4-Litre Mixing Bowl; mix well.

ð In Small Batter Bowl, combine buttermilk, eggs, milk and remaining 3 tablespoons sunflower oil; whisk together well using Stainless Whisk.

ð Stir buttermilk mixture into flour mixture using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®, using as few strokes as possible until just combined. (Mixture will have a slightly lumpy, wet appearance. Do not over-mix.)

ð Using Large Scoop, place one generous scoop of mixture into each well of prepared pan, dividing mixture evenly.

ð Gently press one cube of Camembert cheese into centre of each muffin. Using Small Spreader, spread mixture over cheese cube to cover; sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

ð Bake 15–20 minutes or until risen and firm to the touch.

ð Remove pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack; let stand 5 minutes.

ð Carefully remove muffins from pan; sprinkle with remaining snipped chives. Serve warm.

Alternative ideas:

Oak-smoked mature Cheddar cheese, extra mature Cheddar cheese or ripe Brie can be substituted for the Camembert, if desired. These muffins are best eaten warm on the day they are made.

Pampered Chef recipe (Spring/Summer 2012)