This sauce is dead easy and perfect for pizza. I'm not going to take any credit for this recipe, belongs to a good friend and baking fiend, they know who they are.
2 Tins Chopped Tomatoes
2 Garlic Cloves, 1 if you prefer less, finely chopped
Large Pinch of Sugar
Squirt of Tomato Puree to taste
Herbs, whatever you like, I use dried mixed Italian herbs
Mash the tomatoes, add all other ingredients and simmer until thick. Its that easy. If like my family, you prefer a smoother sauce, blitz the tomatoes and garlic in a blender and then add all the other ingredients. Use as much or as little as you like on your pizza, add your toppings, bake and eat.
Sunday, 21 April 2013
Bread
I've just mastered bread. It's something that takes time and really doesn't allow for short cuts, but if you can be patient you'll reap the rewards.
500g Strong Plain Flour
7g sachet Quick Yeast
300ml Warm Water
Slug of Olive Oil
1tsp Salt
200°C, 400°F, gas mark 6
Put your flour, yeast and salt into a large bowl, being careful not to mix the salt and yeast. Add the olive oil and start to combine, you can use a mixer with a dough hook or dive in with a hand. Slowly add your water, mixing all the time. Once you have a soft elastic dough, tip out onto a work surface and knead for a good 10 minutes until you have a smooth ball of dough. Return to your bowl and cover with cling film. Now leave to rise, it needs to double in size and may take a couple of hours. Once risen, tip out, knock back and briefly knead again. Shape and place onto a baking sheet or stone. Loosely cover with cling film and rise again. Heat your oven and place a tray of water in the bottom. Once the dough has doubled in size, bake for 25 minutes. When done it should be a nice dark golden colour on top and make a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. Leave to cool on a rack and don't be tempted to cut it before its cold.
This basic bread recipe can be used for pizza base. After the first rise, knock back, divide into 4 and roll out to the desired size and thickness. No need for a second rise. Add your pizza sauce and toppings and cook in a hot oven for around 10 minutes. Thinner bases take less time so keep an eye on things.
500g Strong Plain Flour
7g sachet Quick Yeast
300ml Warm Water
Slug of Olive Oil
1tsp Salt
200°C, 400°F, gas mark 6
Put your flour, yeast and salt into a large bowl, being careful not to mix the salt and yeast. Add the olive oil and start to combine, you can use a mixer with a dough hook or dive in with a hand. Slowly add your water, mixing all the time. Once you have a soft elastic dough, tip out onto a work surface and knead for a good 10 minutes until you have a smooth ball of dough. Return to your bowl and cover with cling film. Now leave to rise, it needs to double in size and may take a couple of hours. Once risen, tip out, knock back and briefly knead again. Shape and place onto a baking sheet or stone. Loosely cover with cling film and rise again. Heat your oven and place a tray of water in the bottom. Once the dough has doubled in size, bake for 25 minutes. When done it should be a nice dark golden colour on top and make a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom. Leave to cool on a rack and don't be tempted to cut it before its cold.
This basic bread recipe can be used for pizza base. After the first rise, knock back, divide into 4 and roll out to the desired size and thickness. No need for a second rise. Add your pizza sauce and toppings and cook in a hot oven for around 10 minutes. Thinner bases take less time so keep an eye on things.
A Slight Change of Name
Well what a slacker I've been. I started this with good intent and then fizzled it out. Well I'm back and because I want to include other things I've made a slight name change. Cakes will dominate so don't worry.
So, I've had a few ideas of late plus a few suggestions sent my way. I'd love to have a stall at the local farmers market once the weather picks up and I'm in the process of designing a small sticker to put on any cakes I make so that you guys can give me a call if you'd like more.
So, I've had a few ideas of late plus a few suggestions sent my way. I'd love to have a stall at the local farmers market once the weather picks up and I'm in the process of designing a small sticker to put on any cakes I make so that you guys can give me a call if you'd like more.
Sunday, 7 October 2012
Really Lemony Drizzle Cakes
If you like lemon you'll love these.
250g pack of butter, softened
400g caster sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
250g self raising flour
zest and juice of 3 lemons, unwaxed
Heat your oven to 160c/140c fan/gas 3.
This recipe works best with a deep 12 hole bun tin with large cup cake cases.
Using an electric hand mixer, mix the butter, 250g of the caster sugar, eggs, flour, zest of 2 lemons and juice of 1 lemon until just combined, try not to over work it. Divide the mixture between the 12 cases, they will be quite full. Bake on the middle shelf for 30 mins, until a skewer/cake tester comes out clean.
Cool for 10 mins, and then transfer to a cooling rack placed on a tray. Place the remaining sugar, juice of the 2 remaining lemons and zest of one lemon into a small saucepan, stir until thoroughly combined and heat gently for a few minutes to reduce the sugar's grittiness. Poke holes into the cakes with a cake tester/skewer and pour the lemon syrup over each cake. Leave to cool.
These cakes will keep for up to a week in a tin or airtight container, that's if they last that long!
250g pack of butter, softened
400g caster sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
250g self raising flour
zest and juice of 3 lemons, unwaxed
Heat your oven to 160c/140c fan/gas 3.
This recipe works best with a deep 12 hole bun tin with large cup cake cases.
Using an electric hand mixer, mix the butter, 250g of the caster sugar, eggs, flour, zest of 2 lemons and juice of 1 lemon until just combined, try not to over work it. Divide the mixture between the 12 cases, they will be quite full. Bake on the middle shelf for 30 mins, until a skewer/cake tester comes out clean.
Cool for 10 mins, and then transfer to a cooling rack placed on a tray. Place the remaining sugar, juice of the 2 remaining lemons and zest of one lemon into a small saucepan, stir until thoroughly combined and heat gently for a few minutes to reduce the sugar's grittiness. Poke holes into the cakes with a cake tester/skewer and pour the lemon syrup over each cake. Leave to cool.
These cakes will keep for up to a week in a tin or airtight container, that's if they last that long!
Sunday, 24 June 2012
Auntie June's Pineapple Fruit Cake
I'm yet to make this cake, but my aunt assures me it's easy and delicious. I will be making it and will note any tweaks I make.
4 slices of pineapple (fresh if you can) finely chopped
12oz self raising flour
8oz unsalted butter
8oz brown sugar
12oz mixed fruit
2oz glace cherries, chopped
2 large eggs (free range) beaten
Deep cake tin, greased and lined
Preheat the oven to 170°C, 325°F, gas mark 3
Place all the fruit into a large mixing bowl and mix. Melt the butter and sugar over a low heat and then add to the fruit, mix thoroughly and allow to cool. Sift the flour and add to the fruit along with the eggs. Mix well using a wooden spoon. Pour into the cake tin, level making a dip in the middle so the cake rises evenly. Bake for 2 hours, test cake with a cake tester, if it comes out clean you're done.
4 slices of pineapple (fresh if you can) finely chopped
12oz self raising flour
8oz unsalted butter
8oz brown sugar
12oz mixed fruit
2oz glace cherries, chopped
2 large eggs (free range) beaten
Deep cake tin, greased and lined
Preheat the oven to 170°C, 325°F, gas mark 3
Place all the fruit into a large mixing bowl and mix. Melt the butter and sugar over a low heat and then add to the fruit, mix thoroughly and allow to cool. Sift the flour and add to the fruit along with the eggs. Mix well using a wooden spoon. Pour into the cake tin, level making a dip in the middle so the cake rises evenly. Bake for 2 hours, test cake with a cake tester, if it comes out clean you're done.
Dr Hopwood's Really Good For You Flapjack
One of our lovely anaesthetists brings us these rather yummy flapjacks on a Sunday if we have the misfortune to be working.
6oz self raising flour
2oz linseeds
8oz jumbo oats
2oz pumpkin seeds
4oz of whatever! Dessicated coconut, dried cranberries, apricots, peanuts, chopped stem ginger, raisins, walnuts etc - you decide what you fancy.
8oz unsalted butter
6oz demerara sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup.
2 greased swiss roll tins or similar
Preheat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, gas mark 5
Put all the dry ingredients (not the sugar) together in a large mixing bowl. Melt together the butter, sugar and syrup over a low heated. Add the melted ingredients to the dry and mix well. Split between the two tins, spread evenly and press down but not too firmly. Bake until golden, Dr Hopwood never me gave the exact cooking time, but at a guess around 20-30 minutes, I usually check at 20 and take it from there. Mark into bars or squares on removing from the oven. Remove from the tin when cooled.
6oz self raising flour
2oz linseeds
8oz jumbo oats
2oz pumpkin seeds
4oz of whatever! Dessicated coconut, dried cranberries, apricots, peanuts, chopped stem ginger, raisins, walnuts etc - you decide what you fancy.
8oz unsalted butter
6oz demerara sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup.
2 greased swiss roll tins or similar
Preheat the oven to 190°C, 375°F, gas mark 5
Put all the dry ingredients (not the sugar) together in a large mixing bowl. Melt together the butter, sugar and syrup over a low heated. Add the melted ingredients to the dry and mix well. Split between the two tins, spread evenly and press down but not too firmly. Bake until golden, Dr Hopwood never me gave the exact cooking time, but at a guess around 20-30 minutes, I usually check at 20 and take it from there. Mark into bars or squares on removing from the oven. Remove from the tin when cooled.
Lucy's Quick and Easy Cheesecake
This is one of those desserts which is fantastic but requires very little effort. I always make it the night before as it becomes a little firmer, but you can still make it on the day and it'll be just as good.
90g unsalted butter
300g biscuits, use whatever you fancy really. I like Hobnobs.
250g white chocolate. I've found if you buy the bags of kiddies supermarket own choc drops, not only are they cheaper but melt a lot quicker too.
375ml double cream
200g full fat cream cheese (Philadelphia is best)
Punnet of raspberries
Start by greasing the base of a spring form cake tin, 8" would be good. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over a low heat. Once melted, remove from the heat to cool slightly. Crush the biscuits in a large mixing bowl and then add the melted butter. Mix thoroughly and transfer to the cake tin. Spread the mixture out evenly and press down with the back of a spoon to make a firm base for the cheesecake. Chill in the fridge.
Place the white chocolate in a heatproof basin. Sit the basin over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring the water does not touch the basin. Gently melt and then set aside to cool. Whilst the chocolate is cooling, whip the double cream until it is thick but not over-whipped. Add the cream cheese and beat in on a slow setting if using an electric whisk. Now add the melted chocolate, again mixing on a slow setting. Finally add the raspberries, gently stirring in using a large metal spoon.
Remove the base from the fridge and spoon the cheesecake topping into the tin, spreading it evenly to cover the base. Return to the fridge to chill until required.
If you don't fancy raspberries give something else a try. I've used a large bag of Malteasers before, just opened the bag and tipped them in.
90g unsalted butter
300g biscuits, use whatever you fancy really. I like Hobnobs.
250g white chocolate. I've found if you buy the bags of kiddies supermarket own choc drops, not only are they cheaper but melt a lot quicker too.
375ml double cream
200g full fat cream cheese (Philadelphia is best)
Punnet of raspberries
Start by greasing the base of a spring form cake tin, 8" would be good. In a small sauce pan, melt the butter over a low heat. Once melted, remove from the heat to cool slightly. Crush the biscuits in a large mixing bowl and then add the melted butter. Mix thoroughly and transfer to the cake tin. Spread the mixture out evenly and press down with the back of a spoon to make a firm base for the cheesecake. Chill in the fridge.
Place the white chocolate in a heatproof basin. Sit the basin over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring the water does not touch the basin. Gently melt and then set aside to cool. Whilst the chocolate is cooling, whip the double cream until it is thick but not over-whipped. Add the cream cheese and beat in on a slow setting if using an electric whisk. Now add the melted chocolate, again mixing on a slow setting. Finally add the raspberries, gently stirring in using a large metal spoon.
Remove the base from the fridge and spoon the cheesecake topping into the tin, spreading it evenly to cover the base. Return to the fridge to chill until required.
If you don't fancy raspberries give something else a try. I've used a large bag of Malteasers before, just opened the bag and tipped them in.
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