Wednesday 26 August 2015

Chocolate, Banana and Nutella Cake

Easy peasy Chocolate, Banana and Nutella cake

This is an extremely quick and easy cake put together one rainy afternoon when I had a friend due over for a play date and I needed to make us something yummy to cheer us up about the weather.
We also both needed the sugar/carbs to get us through an afternoon with 4 under 4's in a small confined space battling to play with the same toy!

Incidentally, I hadn't set out to combine these particular flavours.

The chocolate aspect of the cake was purely to satisfy a craving I had that day.
The banana aspect was to use up an old banana that would have otherwise gone in the bin.
The Nutella was only used as I didn't have quite enough icing sugar/butter to make butter icing and I couldn't pop out to the shops due to a baby sleeping upstairs.

Plus:
  • It had to be prepared/baked/decorated and still allow time to make kitchen spotless in less than an hour. 
  • It couldn't be a banana loaf as I had made one the last time the same friend came over.
So this is what I came up with:



Ingredients:

6oz self raising flour
6oz caster sugar
6oz margarine
3 free range eggs
1 tsb baking powder
1 heaped tbsp cocoa powder
1 large 'going brown overly ripe banana rescued from the bottom of my nappy bag that would have gone in the bin had it not been for this cake! '

Lots of Nutella to spread on top of cake when baked and to use to sandwich cakes together 

Something of your choice to sprinkle on top. I used flaked almonds (toasted in the oven for a few mins first). But I think chocolate buttons or crushed up cadburys flake would work well? 

Method:

  1. Line or grease the bottom of two 8 inch sandwich tins and pre heat oven to 160c (fan oven).
  2. Using the 'all in one' sponge method. Weigh out the flour, cocoa and baking powder and sieve into a large roomy mixing bowl. Add the butter and sugar then break the eggs into the bowl and mix. I use an electric hand whisk, but a wooden spoon is fine. A Magimix mixer would be wonderful but I haven't got one!
  3. Mash the banana and add to the cake batter. Give one last mix. 
  4. Divide the mix equally between the two sandwich tins using a palette knife to smooth over.
  5. Put both tins on the middle shelf of your oven and set timer for 17 mins. From experience this is the perfect amount of time for my oven. You may need slightly longer. But no longer than 20 mins. Nothing worse than an overcooked cake.
  6. When cooked turn out of sandwich tins onto cooling rack and leave to cool.
  7. When cool (but can still be slightly warm to touch) spread one of the cake halves generously with Nutella and sandwich together. Then place on a serving plate or cake stand and spread the top with Nutella and sprinkle with the topping of your choice.


Put the kettle on and serve with a cup of tea. It is such a delicious cake. The banana keeps the sponge moist and despite being a gamble, the Nutella works well.  


Tuesday 25 August 2015

Cherry and Almond Marzipan Cake



This is probably my absolute favourite cake and I am always asked for the recipe by friends.

As you will see from my recipes, I am not a fan of lots of icing or fussy decorative cakes. So traditional fruit cakes like this are much more my thing.

It is filled with glace cherries and has a layer of marzipan in the middle for a lovely combination of flavours. So when you cut out a slice, the marzipan should run perfectly through the middle like a filling.

It is the type of sponge that once baked, you only have to sprinkle with icing sugar. Or I sometimes drizzle with icing and sprinkle with cherries and toasted flaked almonds. You don't even need to do anything, it is fine on its own.

The cake doesn't require any skill or artistic talent (things I lack). So it most definitely qualifies as a minimum effort, maximum output recipe.

The cake keeps well for approx 6-7 days and is perfect with a cup of tea.

Ingredients:

Oven temp 160c fan oven (180c non fan oven)
Required: 1 x round movable bottom cake tin 8 or 9 inches approx

200g (8oz) Self raising flour
200g (8oz) Caster Sugar
200g (8oz) Stork Margarine or (soft unsalted butter)
4 free range eggs
100g (4oz) Ground almonds
200g glace cherries (chopped into half if you like, or whole or chopped into 1/8s - it really is up to you)
250g marzipan (half a shop bought packet)
200g flaked almonds


Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180c (160c fan).

2. Roll out the marzipan into a flat circle so it is ready for when needed.
Using the base of the cake tin as a guide, place the marzipan on the base of the tin and use a rolling pin to roll out into a circle spanning the entire diameter of the cake tin, but not over lapping.
Put to one side.

3. Prepare the cherries. I like to cut mine in half, but if you prefer chopping them into smaller pieces feel free, then place in a bowl to one side.

4. Line an 8-9 inch round cake tin. Line the bottom and the sides. Or for 'minimum effort maximum output' use a silicone coated cake liner. I buy them from poundland. The Jane Asher range has cake tin and loaf tin liners in packs of 15 for £1!


5. The sponge:

There are two way of making the sponge. When I make a sponge, I generally follow the Delia 'all in one' method. However, if I have time, I always like to follow the Victoria sponge method, which I think results in a lighter sponge. I have tried and tested both ways and there is not a massive difference. So choose based on your personal preference or what you are used to and works!

All in one:

1. Weigh out the flour, then sieve from a height into a large roomy mixing bowl. 
2. Weigh out the sugar, butter and ground almonds and add to the bowl along with the eggs.
3. Give a good mix with an electric whisk or a good old wooden spoon. 
4. Scatter in cherries whilst mixing to get them evenly dispersed into the mix.

Victoria Sponge:

1. Weigh out the sugar and butter and put into a large roomy mixing bowl. Cream them together with a wooden spoon or electric hand whisk.
2. Beat the eggs in a small measuring jug. Then very slowly add the beaten eggs to the butter and sugar mixture whilst mixing with a spoon. A tiny bit at a time is fine. Too much and the mix will curdle. 
3. Then when the egg is incorporated. Weigh out the flour and sieve it slowly into the cake batter, mixing as you go. 
4. Add the ground almonds and place cherries and mix slowly to get the cherries evenly dispersed into the mix.

6. Now put half of the cake mix into your prepared tin. Place the rolled out marzipan circle on top of and place the remaining mix on top.

7. Lastly, scatter the top of the cake evenly with flaked almonds. You will probably need 1/2 of the amount specified. But entirely up to you.

8. BAKE for approx 1 hour 15mins. My own oven cooks the cake in 1 hour 15mins perfectly. But I have tried it whilst on holiday in a slower oven and it needed 10 mins longer. So I would say: Set the timer for 1 hour 15 mins. Then check on the cake, covering in foil if the top of the cake and almonds are brown, but the cake fails the skewer test. Then bake for no more than 1 hour and a half.

When the cake is baked, place on a wire rack in the tin to cool for approx 20 before removing from tin. I once tried to cut a slice as soon as it came out of the oven. The marzipan was quite liquid and it was a gooey mess!

When cool enough to eat. Dust with icing sugar, or if you fancy, drizzle with white water icing and add more flaked almonds (toasted lightly first). You can't have enough almonds in my opinion!

ENJOY!

Thursday 20 August 2015

BBQ Pork Ribs

LUSHIOUS JUICY STICKY 'FALL OFF THE BONE' BBQ RIBS RECIPE. 

I absolutely love pork ribs and I have for years tried to find the ultimate recipe.

It seems so obvious now, but the main secret is to cook them for a long time. Duh! But cooking is a learning curve and I never used to slow cook anything until I had children and now I slow cook most things. I just assumed ribs would be tender if I cooked for 40 mins but had marinaded for 24 hours, but it is not the case.

I have had many a discussion with friends about the ultimate rib recipe, and it appears that most people have their way of doing it. A bit like a spag bol.
So, I think you could add or substitute many of the ingredients to suit your own taste, but this is 'my way' of doing it. Again like most of my recipes it is a store cupboard kind of sauce. I tend to buy decent ribs when I see them on offer and freeze them. Then I can defrost them when I need them.
Plus the sauce can be made in a matter of minutes and you are literally chucking ingredients together. Plus once they are in the oven you can forget about them!

Ribs are a great weekend meal. I often make the sauce when I have a child free moment and put it in the fridge. Then around kids teatime I put the ribs in the oven. Then once the kids are bathed and asleep I come downstairs and dinner is already cooked! How about that for minimum effort maximum output?!

They also work well on the BBQ and you can have them in oven slow cooking before your guests arrive and you can finish them off the BBQ for that charcoal taste.

Or I often cook them if we have friends over for dinner as a finger food starter.

My recipe has been mainly inspired by Alex Hollywood (wife of Paul!). She posted a recipe on twitter that I tried as was curious about her suggestion of adding orange juice.
It was well worth a try as it works a treat keeping the moisture in the meat as well of adding a lovely natural sweetness.
But I have put my own twist on her recipe as you will see below:

INGREDIENTS:

Oven temp 140-160c.
Cook for approx 3 hours.

Pork ribs: Approx 750g of baby back ribs/spare ribs for 2 people.
Or 1 rack of ribs per person if easier. I have bought all varieties.

Sauce:

1 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp runny honey or maple syrup if you have it
2 tsp english mustard powder
2 tsp muscavado sugar
1 tbsp of worcester sauce
Dash of balsamic vinegar
A generous squirt of tomato ketchup
1 tsp 5 spice
1 tbsp chopped ginger
2 cloves of crushed/chopped garlic
2 x red chilli chopped (optional) great for colour.
Squeeze of a lemon
Juice of 1 orange (this was Alex Hollywood's suggestion that has changed everything)

Method:

1.Place the ribs in a deep oven proof dish.
2.Then in a mixing bowl put each of the sauce ingredients in and give it a really good mix with a spoon. It is important to taste as if too acidic add more honey/sugar and you might want to season well with salt and pepper.
3.Pour the sauce over the ribs and use some tongs to turn ribs over ensuring they are evenly coated with the sauce.
4.Cover the dish securely with foil and place in the oven.
5.Check on the ribs after 2 hours turning over and basting with sauce. Then cook for another hour possibly 2 if the sauce stick needs thickening. You can add more orange juice as you can go along if needed.
6. Enjoy your amazingly tender tasty ribs! You will need napkins and possibly a bib :-)









Oat and Raisin Cookies

Spatch's yummy 'can't go wrong' oat and raisin cookies.

A great recipe to make with children. My eldest enjoys mixing and rolling them into a ball. Plus he enjoys adding the raisins to the mix, whilst eating lots in the process.

The basic ingredients are things I always have in the cupboard. Plus; start to finish time is under 30 mins. Which means I can make these with my 3yo, whilst my 1yo naps. Then sit the 3yo in front of the TV eating biscuits whilst I run around doing washing and housework. Parent of the year!

I had never been able to find a perfect recipe for these. So it is a 'Katie special' as my friends say. I.E I've made up the recipe hoping for the best. But luckily it turned out ok!




Ingredients:

Makes about 25 ish
Oven temp: 160C fan oven (gas mark 3)

150g self raising flour
100g porridge oats
50g ground almonds (this is something I add because I love the flavour - you can add 50g more oats instead if you are not a nut fan)
175g caster sugar
10g bicarbonate of soda (a level tea spoon)
150g butter (you can use baking margarine like stork if you don't have proper butter)
60g golden syrup.

I generally add a handful of raisins or sultanas. But you can add other chopped dried fruit like cranberries, cherries or chopped dried apricots. Choc chips are also great. Or my personal favourite is flaked almonds or chopped hazelnuts.
Or the biscuits are lush without adding anything at all. Or if you are feeling fancy you could drizzle melted chocolate artistically over them?

1. Pre heat the oven and then line a flat baking tray or two (if you have two) with greaseproof paper.

2. Measure out the flour, oats, ground almonds and sugar into a mixing bowl. Give it a quick mix with a wooden spoon (the children can do that whilst you do the next bit).

3. Melt the butter, golden syrup and bicarb gently in a saucepan. Then when all melted pour over the flour mixture (that your children have probably spilt on the floor by now!).

4. Mix together slowly adding any dried fruit (I didn't specify qty because I think it depends on personal taste. 75grams is about enough).

5. Roll small amounts of the mixture between the palms of your hands making flat ball shapes. Then pop onto the baking sheet and flatten with a fork. The size is completely up to you. I usually fit 9 on each baking tray and I bake them in batches until I have run out of mix. Be careful that they are not too close together on baking sheet because they will stick together.



6. Put baking sheet in oven for approx 10 mins. Keep an eye on them. My oven is quite quick, so 8-10 mins is fine. However you might want to leave them for 12 mins. Set timer for 8 mins and check on them. I usually do about 3 batches, they are usually all different sizes and a completely uneven bake. Paul and Mary would not be impressed! Some nice and golden, others slightly browner etc... but they will all taste wonderful!

7. Use a palate knife to un peel from greaseproof paper and transfer to cooking rack asap. They will firm up as they cool.

8. Eat whilst warm but firmed up. Enjoy a delicious soft but chewy oaty biscuit or 2, or 3.



* TOP TIP Remember to pretend that you only made about 10 when other half comes home. So he doesn't question why there are only 2 left out of a 30 batch recipe!