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By Anna, 22 February, 2010 6:35 pm

When is fudge called butter tablet? No idea, but this Ballymaloe fudge has become a firm favourite. Slightly more crystalline than the smooth fudge you get commercially, it has a deep brown sugar flavour, a snow-like juddering melt, rich with butter and heady with vanilla. It keeps well in an airtight container in the fridge and is perfect to give as a gift. It even converted a fudge refuser into a fan. That can’t be bad.

My Mum would commit murder to get her hands on this fudge. Worth knowing in case you need someone dispatched.

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By Anna, 6 February, 2010 1:45 pm

Frangipane – that glorious, sticky, rich almond scented paste combined with the deep flavour of Mincemeat, enveloped by layers of butter puff pastry.

It looks like a confection, but is easier than pie. Served hot, warm or cold, alone or with cream or ice cream, it is about the most flattering thing you can do to a packet of butter puff pastry. I say butter puff pastry because the non-butter stuff isn’t very nice. If you’re going to buy pastry, make it the good stuff, hey?

Continue reading 'Mincemeat and Frangipane Jalousie'»

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By Anna, 29 January, 2010 1:52 pm

I love fennel. LOVE it, adore that aniseed vibe, but we do like it finely sliced. I used my mandolin. This was half necessity because it delivers beautifully uniform, thinnest of thin slices and it was half therapy.

A few months ago, I nearly lost my thumb to a mandolin. Well, when I say I nearly lost my thumb, what I mean is that Ian had to administer first aid – and it involved steristrips. He lectured me as well, but huh. Whatever.

So eventually the flap of necrotic thumb flesh sorted itself out (too graphic for a cooking blog? Be brave), but the emotional scars remained. Be cautious dear friend as you brandish your mandolin. It has no brain and will not swerve to one side when you offer it a digit. PTSD (post-traumatic sore digit) is no laughing matter. The last thing you need when operating a mandolin is shaky hands.

Nice recipe though – put all thoughts of repulsive injury from your mind and have a look.

Continue reading 'Fennel and Ham Pasta'»

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By Anna, 27 January, 2010 9:19 am

This month’s Daring Bakers’ challenge was courtesy of Lauren. A Canadian, she wanted to nod towards her heritage and show us this famed Canadian recipe. Lauren has Celiac disease and therefore can’t eat gluten, so the crackers are gluten-free. Luckily for those of us who couldn’t find the flours, or found them too costly, she gave an alternative for plain flour.

If you can get the gluten-free flours, I would have to recommend it because the feedback from those bakers who made both versions has been that the gluten-free was better!

We adored these honeyed graham crackers made with plain flour, so don’t hesitate to try them. They are so crisp, crunchy and well, just so tasty! Dunked into a mug of coffee… well, it not only knocked digestive biscuits into a cocked hat, it rendered them unconscious too.

The Nanaimo bars were nothing like what I expected. Incredibly rich, they only need to be cut into 1″ pieces. The bottom layer is almost brownie, even fudge-like. The middle layer is basically a buttercream – I would half the quantity next time.

So you cut your 1″ pieces.

Then you might find you repeatedly sneak back to the fridge for yet another 1″ piece. Just fab. Thanks Lauren!

Home-made graham wafers, turned into nanaimo bars – OK, so us Brits are not au fait with these. Trust me. You’re going to want to make these.

Continue reading 'Daring Bakers – Nanaimo bars and homemade Graham Crackers!'»

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By Anna, 15 January, 2010 5:31 pm

This tomato soup is so intense; there’s no ‘hint’ of tomato, it screams tomato, but intriguingly, for those of us who don’t like the taste of a cooked tomato on its own, it tastes like tomato soup. Weird.
There is no stock propping up the flavour base, so the flavour is cleaner, yet richer. Probably because stock gives a big background flavour, but inevitably drowns the prime performer.
It’s easy to make too. That has to be a bonus.

Another thought. If this tastes as good as it does with ‘reduced in price’ tomatoes bought from the supermarket in a literally snowy and icy January, can you imagine what it will taste like made with home-grown tomatoes in the height of Summer? Woah. I shall be growing nice, big, fat tomatoes this year!

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By Anna, 10 January, 2010 8:26 pm

Seems like a million years ago since I made these delectable truffles. Hours and hours I must have spent agonising over what to make for Alex’s teachers at school.

I changed my mind a thousand times.

Kept coming back to this recipe though – and I’m glad I did, because as I started making them, I remembered just how good they taste.

I might have to make some more. That’ll really give my new Wii Fit Plus something to whinge about. When you step on the platform it yelps. That’s emotional abuse, you know.

Anyway. On to the truffles! (and yes, I’m back!)

Continue reading 'Melting Middle Truffles'»

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By Anna, 11 December, 2009 9:07 pm

Inhale. Christmas.

That’s all the description it needs really, although I should clarify something. This is actually a Delia Smith recipe that my Mum has made one change too, so in fact it is not so much my Mum’s recipe as Delia’s recipe, and as such I need to point out that My Mum is not Delia – her name is Pat.

Delia, if you stumble across this blog (hey! Stranger things have happened!) don’t worry – you’re not my Mum, but your Mincemeat recipe feels like it is my Mum’s because it’s the one she has used for a long time. K?

‘Tis easy! BTW, this makes 6lb so if you want less, just halve the quantities.

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By Anna, 6 December, 2009 11:17 am

Slightly adapted from ‘The Pastry Queen’, this recipe makes the ultimate cheese scone; served warm with gently melting salted butter, this is the most satisfying savoury tea.

Continue reading 'Bacon, Onion and Cheddar Scones'»

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By Anna, 30 November, 2009 8:51 pm

Little parcels of filo/phyllo pastry.  Some bulging little purses of apple, blackberry and raspberry compote, others oozing with dark chocolate and sweet vanilla chestnut paste.

Topped with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream, these are bites of heaven – smooth, but crunchy, yet silky beneath.

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By Anna, 24 November, 2009 6:16 pm

Quickity quick, sweet, smooth, lemony cheesecake with not the merest hint of an oven to preheat.  I made the cheesecake with Splenda (one of our Sunday luncheon guests has diabetes) and made the sauce with maple syrup (for the rest of us sugar eaters). I’m all about personal responsibility, me.

Puddings are a challenge when one has to limit the sugar in them. You have no idea how tempted I was to just slap an apple on each placemat. Turns out that apples aren’t that great either – it’s all about the berries, you know? Just not the berries with maple syrup on them.

I made another berried dessert that he could eat, but that will have to wait for the next blog entry…

Continue reading 'Unbaked Lemon Cheesecake with Maple Blueberry Sauce'»