Grandma and Grandad brought a bag of apples with them last time they came, so we now have a large batch of chutney sitting at the back of the pantry. It needs a couple of months to mature, but will then be fantastic with cheese and crackers.
The recipe is unashamedly nicked from the Domestic Goddess herself. It's ridiculously easy, as long as you don't mind a little bit of peeling and chopping.
Makes enough for 3 large jam jars (about a litre). You'll need:
500g cooking apples, peeled and roughly chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 red chillies, sliced
250g sugar (it's nicest with something slightly darker, like demerara)
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cloves (you can leave this one out, if you find the taste a little overpowering)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon of ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
several good grinds of black pepper
350ml cider or white wine vinegar
Chuck everything in a very large saucepan, and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat a little, and simmer for 30-40 minutes, until the mixture's thickened.
That really is it - decant into some clean, sterilised jars (either warm from the dishwasher, or freshly washed in hot soapy water), and make sure the lids are on tight.
Leave to cool (the strange popping noise after an hour or so will undoubtedly be the seal in the lid popping out).
Showing posts with label apple. Show all posts
Showing posts with label apple. Show all posts
11 November 2009
28 September 2009
Apple upside-down cakes
We spent all day at the allotment digging up the potatoes, so we needed a pudding for tea.
Makes 4 muffin-sized cakes. You'll need
1.5 apples, cored and sliced
a good knob of butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
65g sugar
65g butter
65g flour
Stick the oven on at about 180 degrees C, and fish out a muffin tin.
Put the apples, knob of butter and brown sugar into a saucepan on a low heat, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the apples are tender, and the butter and sugar has formed a golden sauce.
Grease the muffin tin, and then place the apples (and a small drizzle of the sauce) at the bottom of four of the holes. Keep the rest of the sauce!
In a food processor, blitz together the sugar and butter, until it's soft and fluffy. Add the egg, and whizz until it's incorporated. Add the baking powder, flour and cinnamon, and blitz again until it all comes together. My egg was on the small side, so I had to add a little extra milk to stop the sponge mixture from being too stiff.
Dollop the sponge mixture onto the apples, and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the sponge has gone golden brown. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, loosen round the edges, and then turn upside down to turn out.
Drizzle over a little extra sauce, and serve with a little creme fraiche or ice cream. Perfect for Sunday tea!
Makes 4 muffin-sized cakes. You'll need
1.5 apples, cored and sliced
a good knob of butter
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
65g sugar
65g butter
65g flour
Stick the oven on at about 180 degrees C, and fish out a muffin tin.
Put the apples, knob of butter and brown sugar into a saucepan on a low heat, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the apples are tender, and the butter and sugar has formed a golden sauce.
Grease the muffin tin, and then place the apples (and a small drizzle of the sauce) at the bottom of four of the holes. Keep the rest of the sauce!
In a food processor, blitz together the sugar and butter, until it's soft and fluffy. Add the egg, and whizz until it's incorporated. Add the baking powder, flour and cinnamon, and blitz again until it all comes together. My egg was on the small side, so I had to add a little extra milk to stop the sponge mixture from being too stiff.
Dollop the sponge mixture onto the apples, and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the sponge has gone golden brown. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, loosen round the edges, and then turn upside down to turn out.
Drizzle over a little extra sauce, and serve with a little creme fraiche or ice cream. Perfect for Sunday tea!
30 August 2009
Apple and blackberry slice
It feels like autumn today - windy, grey and cold. So to celebrate I made apple and blackberry slice to use (a) some of the blackberry mountain from the allotment and (b) the leftover filo pastry from the courgette/chickpea pie experiment.
It went down rather well, with a scoop of blackberry ripple ice cream.
You'll need:
4 or 5 eating apples - peeled, cored and chopped into chunks
a small punnet of blackberries
125 filo pastry
a jolly good squirt of runny honey
a sprinkle of cinammon
15g butter, melted
First of all, stick the oven on at about 200 degrees C.
Sling the apple chunks into a small saucepan with a little water (maybe half a mug). Bring to the boil, then simmer until the apple has turned to a beautiful mush.
Take a small foil tray or whatever cake or loaf tin comes to hand. Brush all over with melted butter, and line with 4 or 5 sheets of filo pastry (each brushed with melted butter), leaving a little overlap hanging over the edge.
Place the blackberries on the pastry, and top with the apple mush. Drizzle over a good squirt of runny honey, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Fold over the overhanging edges of pastry, and then place a couple more sheets of filo on top (brushing with more melted butter).
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
It went down rather well, with a scoop of blackberry ripple ice cream.
You'll need:
4 or 5 eating apples - peeled, cored and chopped into chunks
a small punnet of blackberries
125 filo pastry
a jolly good squirt of runny honey
a sprinkle of cinammon
15g butter, melted
First of all, stick the oven on at about 200 degrees C.
Sling the apple chunks into a small saucepan with a little water (maybe half a mug). Bring to the boil, then simmer until the apple has turned to a beautiful mush.
Take a small foil tray or whatever cake or loaf tin comes to hand. Brush all over with melted butter, and line with 4 or 5 sheets of filo pastry (each brushed with melted butter), leaving a little overlap hanging over the edge.
Place the blackberries on the pastry, and top with the apple mush. Drizzle over a good squirt of runny honey, and sprinkle with cinnamon. Fold over the overhanging edges of pastry, and then place a couple more sheets of filo on top (brushing with more melted butter).
Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
23 May 2009
Fruity flapjack pots
This was rather slung together, to make a quick pudding for Gran and Grandpa (lover of puddings extraordinaire). You could use any sort of sour fruit - rhubarb, gooseberries, redcurrants - as long as you balance it with a little apple.
You'll need:
4 small oven-proof ramekin dishes (those glass ones that Gu puds come in are ideal)
a selection of fruit (ours included three or four stems of rhubarb from the allotment, a couple of gooseberries, half an apple that was leftover from your lunch and a banana)
2 heaped teaspoons of golden syrup (honey would also be nice)
25g butter (ish)
6 or 7 tablespoons rolled oats
Stick the oven on at about 180 degrees C.
Chop up the rhubarb, gooseberries and apple (peeled and cored), and chuck into a small pan. Add a little hot water, bring to the boil, and simmer for 10 minutes, until the fruit has broken down. Spread this mixture at the bottom of your ramekins. I didn't have a huge amount (there wasn't much rhubarb available), so I sliced up a banana as well, and divvied it up among the ramekins.
Melt the butter and golden syrup in a non-stick pan. Add the rolled oats, and stir - you want the oats to become completely covered in the butter/syrup mixture. If it's a bit dry, add a little more butter.
Spoon the oaty mixture onto the top of the fruit, and then stand the ramekins on a baking tray (it makes them easier to get in and out of the oven). Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the flapjack-y top has gone crispy, and the fruit is bubbling underneath.
We ate this with a little cream drizzled on the top (ice cream would also be good).
You'll need:
4 small oven-proof ramekin dishes (those glass ones that Gu puds come in are ideal)
a selection of fruit (ours included three or four stems of rhubarb from the allotment, a couple of gooseberries, half an apple that was leftover from your lunch and a banana)
2 heaped teaspoons of golden syrup (honey would also be nice)
25g butter (ish)
6 or 7 tablespoons rolled oats
Stick the oven on at about 180 degrees C.
Chop up the rhubarb, gooseberries and apple (peeled and cored), and chuck into a small pan. Add a little hot water, bring to the boil, and simmer for 10 minutes, until the fruit has broken down. Spread this mixture at the bottom of your ramekins. I didn't have a huge amount (there wasn't much rhubarb available), so I sliced up a banana as well, and divvied it up among the ramekins.
Melt the butter and golden syrup in a non-stick pan. Add the rolled oats, and stir - you want the oats to become completely covered in the butter/syrup mixture. If it's a bit dry, add a little more butter.
Spoon the oaty mixture onto the top of the fruit, and then stand the ramekins on a baking tray (it makes them easier to get in and out of the oven). Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until the flapjack-y top has gone crispy, and the fruit is bubbling underneath.
We ate this with a little cream drizzled on the top (ice cream would also be good).
07 April 2009
Mini apple pies
We made these in honour of your Dad coming back from London, where he'd been to a conference. In return, he brought us back some of the best croissants in the world from the Eurostar terminal at St Pancras.
This makes enough for about 12-15 pies. You'll need:
2 or 3 large cooking apples
a teaspoon of cinnamon
a couple of tablespoons of sugar (assuming you don't have sweet pastry)
shortcrust pastry (about 250g)
Stick the oven on at about 180 degrees C.
While you wait for it to warm up, peel and core the apples, and chop into small chunks. Put them into a saucepan with the cinnamon, sugar and a little water, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until they've gone mushy. Leave to cool.
Roll out your shortcrust pastry, and get out your biscuit cutters (or a couple of jam jars of different sizes). You'll need a 12-hole muffin tin too.
Cut out large circles, and line each muffin tin. Cut out some smaller circles for the lids (you could get fancy and do it with strips of pastry too). Dunk a teaspoonful or two of the apple mix into each pie (not too much or it'll bubble over and go everywhere), and lay your lids on top. Cut a little slit in the top of each pie to let the steam out.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or so, until the tops are golden brown. They're rather nice hot, dusted with a little icing sugar and eaten with some creme fraiche on the side.
This makes enough for about 12-15 pies. You'll need:
2 or 3 large cooking apples
a teaspoon of cinnamon
a couple of tablespoons of sugar (assuming you don't have sweet pastry)
shortcrust pastry (about 250g)
Stick the oven on at about 180 degrees C.
While you wait for it to warm up, peel and core the apples, and chop into small chunks. Put them into a saucepan with the cinnamon, sugar and a little water, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until they've gone mushy. Leave to cool.
Roll out your shortcrust pastry, and get out your biscuit cutters (or a couple of jam jars of different sizes). You'll need a 12-hole muffin tin too.
Cut out large circles, and line each muffin tin. Cut out some smaller circles for the lids (you could get fancy and do it with strips of pastry too). Dunk a teaspoonful or two of the apple mix into each pie (not too much or it'll bubble over and go everywhere), and lay your lids on top. Cut a little slit in the top of each pie to let the steam out.
Bake in the oven for 20 minutes or so, until the tops are golden brown. They're rather nice hot, dusted with a little icing sugar and eaten with some creme fraiche on the side.
25 March 2009
Pork with date and apple stuffing
Yet another use for cooking apples (Grandma gave us a bag a couple of weekends ago).
You'll need:
pork tenderloin (enough for three)
a good handful of breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
a handful of dates, roughly chopped
a cooking apple, peeled, cored and grated (or finely chopped)
Turn the oven on to about 190 degrees C.
Take your pork tenderloin, place some clingfilm over the top, and hit repeatedly with something heavy - I use my Grandma's old wooden rolling pin. The pork will gradually flatten in a pleasing fashion.
In a bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, grated apple and chopped dates. Add the egg, and a couple of tablespoons of water, and mix everything together into a horrific mess.
Tear off a sheet of foil, and place the flattened pork on top. Dump the stuffing into the middle in a long sausage, then roll up the foil lengthways (which also rolls up the pork). Twist the ends, so that you have a giant meaty shiny Christmas cracker. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes - then open up the foil, and see how well cooked the pork is. If you like a little bit of crispiness to the stuffing and/or pork, roast for another 10-15 minutes in the oven with the foil left open.
We ate this with some steamed green cabbage drizzled in soy sauce, and a mix of carrot and sweet potato.
You'll need:
pork tenderloin (enough for three)
a good handful of breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
a handful of dates, roughly chopped
a cooking apple, peeled, cored and grated (or finely chopped)
Turn the oven on to about 190 degrees C.
Take your pork tenderloin, place some clingfilm over the top, and hit repeatedly with something heavy - I use my Grandma's old wooden rolling pin. The pork will gradually flatten in a pleasing fashion.
In a bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, grated apple and chopped dates. Add the egg, and a couple of tablespoons of water, and mix everything together into a horrific mess.
Tear off a sheet of foil, and place the flattened pork on top. Dump the stuffing into the middle in a long sausage, then roll up the foil lengthways (which also rolls up the pork). Twist the ends, so that you have a giant meaty shiny Christmas cracker. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes - then open up the foil, and see how well cooked the pork is. If you like a little bit of crispiness to the stuffing and/or pork, roast for another 10-15 minutes in the oven with the foil left open.
We ate this with some steamed green cabbage drizzled in soy sauce, and a mix of carrot and sweet potato.
17 March 2009
Apple cake
This is adapted from a Dan Lepard recipe, and never fails - it's always beautifully squidgy in the middle thanks to the ground almonds.
You'll need:
1 apple (about 150g), peeled, cored and chopped into small chunks
a large teaspoon of ground cinnamon
50g ground almonds
150g rye flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
75g butter
50g golden syrup
100g dark brown or muscovado sugar
75ml milk
an egg
Stick the oven on at about 170 degrees C, and find a suitable tin - I use a silicon loaf tin, which is probably a 2lb one.
Toss the chopped apple in the cinnamon, so it's coated all over. Mix together the flour, ground almonds and baking powder in a large bowl.
Pour the golden syrup into a small saucepan, and add the sugar and butter. Melt slowly over a very low heat until everything's dissolved. Take off the heat, and then add the milk, and a beaten egg. It'll look pretty disgusting, but bear with me.
Pour this fairly revolting mixture into the flour/ground almonds mix, and stir really well. Chuck the apple in, and fold in gently. Scrape the lot into your tin, and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. You could sprinkle the cake with some flaked almonds or demerara sugar before you bake it, if you're feeling fancy.
Leave to cool before eating, if you can - it'll slice much better.
Update: pic of cake (with slice missing - wasn't me, honest). It tastes far better than it looks.
You'll need:
1 apple (about 150g), peeled, cored and chopped into small chunks
a large teaspoon of ground cinnamon
50g ground almonds
150g rye flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
75g butter
50g golden syrup
100g dark brown or muscovado sugar
75ml milk
an egg
Stick the oven on at about 170 degrees C, and find a suitable tin - I use a silicon loaf tin, which is probably a 2lb one.
Toss the chopped apple in the cinnamon, so it's coated all over. Mix together the flour, ground almonds and baking powder in a large bowl.
Pour the golden syrup into a small saucepan, and add the sugar and butter. Melt slowly over a very low heat until everything's dissolved. Take off the heat, and then add the milk, and a beaten egg. It'll look pretty disgusting, but bear with me.
Pour this fairly revolting mixture into the flour/ground almonds mix, and stir really well. Chuck the apple in, and fold in gently. Scrape the lot into your tin, and bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. You could sprinkle the cake with some flaked almonds or demerara sugar before you bake it, if you're feeling fancy.
Leave to cool before eating, if you can - it'll slice much better.
Update: pic of cake (with slice missing - wasn't me, honest). It tastes far better than it looks.
08 January 2009
Apple crumble
Made to Grandma's specifications (and Grandad's custard requirements).
For the topping you'll need:
4 oz flour (whatever you've got most of will do)
1.5 oz granulated sugar (brown demerara makes it nice and crunchy)
1.5 oz butter, cut into small pieces
a little cinnamon
Tip the flour, sugar and cinnamon into a large bowl, and mix. Add the pieces of butter, then attack everything with a fork - the idea is to break up the butter and combine it with the flour/sugar mix, until everything looks like fine breadcrumbs.
You'll also need:
4 or 5 cooking apples
a couple of tablespoons of sugar
a splosh of orange juice
Core and peel the cooking apples, and chop into smallish pieces. Shove in the bottom of an oven-proof dish with the sugar and orange juice.
Cover with the crumble topping, and pop in a hot oven (180 degrees C ish) for 20-30 minutes or so, until the apples are bubbling and the crumble top is golden brown (now I come to think of it, it's easier to see this if you've got a glass dish!).
According to Grandad, crumble has to be eaten with custard, preferably Bird's custard. I thoroughly agree - it's the best bit. You'll need to buy a tin of powder, and add milk and a little sugar.
For the topping you'll need:
4 oz flour (whatever you've got most of will do)
1.5 oz granulated sugar (brown demerara makes it nice and crunchy)
1.5 oz butter, cut into small pieces
a little cinnamon
Tip the flour, sugar and cinnamon into a large bowl, and mix. Add the pieces of butter, then attack everything with a fork - the idea is to break up the butter and combine it with the flour/sugar mix, until everything looks like fine breadcrumbs.
You'll also need:
4 or 5 cooking apples
a couple of tablespoons of sugar
a splosh of orange juice
Core and peel the cooking apples, and chop into smallish pieces. Shove in the bottom of an oven-proof dish with the sugar and orange juice.
Cover with the crumble topping, and pop in a hot oven (180 degrees C ish) for 20-30 minutes or so, until the apples are bubbling and the crumble top is golden brown (now I come to think of it, it's easier to see this if you've got a glass dish!).
According to Grandad, crumble has to be eaten with custard, preferably Bird's custard. I thoroughly agree - it's the best bit. You'll need to buy a tin of powder, and add milk and a little sugar.
01 January 2009
Apple galette
We ate this for New Year's Eve dinner, after some rather good haggis.
This makes enough for six greedy people (an A4-sized baking tray's worth).
You'll need:
about 250g puff pastry (you can make your own, but life's too short - I bought a block in Sainsbury's and very good it was too)
about half a large yoghurt pot's worth of apple sauce (enough to cover the base of the galette)
three large cooking apples, cored and sliced thinly (I like mine with the peel still on, but you could go the whole hog and peel them too)
a teaspoon of cinnamon
a tablespoon of butter
a tablespoon of dark brown sugar
Line your baking tray with greaseproof paper or a silicon sheet. Roll out the puff pastry to the size of the baking tray (I rolled the pastry out to about 3mm thick - if you've got any left you can always make some mini galettes or turnovers). Take a sharp knife, and score a border all the way around the pastry, about a centimetre in from the edge.
Liberally spread the apple sauce over the pastry, keeping it inside the border. Then decorate with the apple slices - I did mine in overlapping rows, but you could get far more intricate.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan, together with the cinnamon and brown sugar. Pour over the apple slices.
Bung the whole thing in the oven at about 200 degrees C for around 20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown. You can eat it straightaway with some cream, but it also reheats in the oven for later.
This makes enough for six greedy people (an A4-sized baking tray's worth).
You'll need:
about 250g puff pastry (you can make your own, but life's too short - I bought a block in Sainsbury's and very good it was too)
about half a large yoghurt pot's worth of apple sauce (enough to cover the base of the galette)
three large cooking apples, cored and sliced thinly (I like mine with the peel still on, but you could go the whole hog and peel them too)
a teaspoon of cinnamon
a tablespoon of butter
a tablespoon of dark brown sugar
Line your baking tray with greaseproof paper or a silicon sheet. Roll out the puff pastry to the size of the baking tray (I rolled the pastry out to about 3mm thick - if you've got any left you can always make some mini galettes or turnovers). Take a sharp knife, and score a border all the way around the pastry, about a centimetre in from the edge.
Liberally spread the apple sauce over the pastry, keeping it inside the border. Then decorate with the apple slices - I did mine in overlapping rows, but you could get far more intricate.
Melt the butter in a small saucepan, together with the cinnamon and brown sugar. Pour over the apple slices.
Bung the whole thing in the oven at about 200 degrees C for around 20 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed up and golden brown. You can eat it straightaway with some cream, but it also reheats in the oven for later.
22 December 2008
Apple sauce
This goes really well with the roast pork. You helped me make this - I peeled the apples and you chopped them up carefully into chunks with a sharpish knife. Aside from the odd moment of wafting the knife about a bit too much, you were brilliant.
You'll need:
a couple of cooking apples (we used up some of the stash from Grandma and Grandad)
a couple of teaspoons of sugar
Peel and core the apples, and chop into chunks. Put into a small pan with a little bit of water and the sugar, and leave to bubble away for 15-20 minutes. The apples will turn mushy - splodge them down in the pan a bit if you like a smoother sauce.
Whatever you do, don't forget about the pan once it's on the hob - if the apples boil dry they're an absolute pain to scrub off...
You'll need:
a couple of cooking apples (we used up some of the stash from Grandma and Grandad)
a couple of teaspoons of sugar
Peel and core the apples, and chop into chunks. Put into a small pan with a little bit of water and the sugar, and leave to bubble away for 15-20 minutes. The apples will turn mushy - splodge them down in the pan a bit if you like a smoother sauce.
Whatever you do, don't forget about the pan once it's on the hob - if the apples boil dry they're an absolute pain to scrub off...
13 November 2008
Christmas cake
We stirred this up properly this afternoon, and made a wish - you screwed your face up tight, and wished for snow on Christmas Eve.
The recipe comes from a rather battered page in Sainsbury's magazine, November 2007.
You'll need:
315g butter
340ml apple juice
295g dates, chopped
1 medium cooking apple (about 300g), peeled, cored and grated
350g raisins
315g sultanas
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
150g plain flour
150g ground almonds
lots of freshly grated nutmeg
zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
First of all, stick the oven on at about 150 degrees C.
Then get out a fairly large saucepan (you're going to be boiling up all the dried fruit in it, so it needs to be pretty big), and melt the butter with the apple juice. It'll look very strange...
Stir in the dates, apple, raisins and sultanas, bring to the boil, and simmer for 5 minutes or so. Then comes the fun bit - tip everything into a (large) mixing bowl, and add the bicarb. Once you mix it in, it'll fizz enthusiastically for a while - guaranteed to amuse small children.
Leave everything to cool for 5-10 minutes. Add the flour, ground almonds and nutmeg, and beat until it's all thoroughly combined. Grate in the lemon and orange zest and you're done!
Stick in a large tin (at least 20cm/8in round and 9cm/3.5in deep). This year we've tried a star-shaped silicon tin, rather than having to bother with all that wrapping in baking paper. It seemed to work and was much less faff. (If you haven't got a silicon tin then you'll need to line the tin with baking paper, and also wrap a double layer of paper around the tin itself before it goes in the oven). Lay a sheet of baking paper on the top, otherwise the cake will turn too brown.
Bake for 2.5 hours - it's done when a skewer or long thin pointy thing inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out onto a baking rack.
If you're going to eat it straightaway, dust with some icing sugar, and go off in search of some Wensleydale cheese. If you're keeping it until Christmas, wrap in greaseproof paper, then foil, and place in a tin. You could feed it a little rum/brandy at intervals if you feel like it.
The recipe comes from a rather battered page in Sainsbury's magazine, November 2007.
You'll need:
315g butter
340ml apple juice
295g dates, chopped
1 medium cooking apple (about 300g), peeled, cored and grated
350g raisins
315g sultanas
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
150g plain flour
150g ground almonds
lots of freshly grated nutmeg
zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
First of all, stick the oven on at about 150 degrees C.
Then get out a fairly large saucepan (you're going to be boiling up all the dried fruit in it, so it needs to be pretty big), and melt the butter with the apple juice. It'll look very strange...
Stir in the dates, apple, raisins and sultanas, bring to the boil, and simmer for 5 minutes or so. Then comes the fun bit - tip everything into a (large) mixing bowl, and add the bicarb. Once you mix it in, it'll fizz enthusiastically for a while - guaranteed to amuse small children.
Leave everything to cool for 5-10 minutes. Add the flour, ground almonds and nutmeg, and beat until it's all thoroughly combined. Grate in the lemon and orange zest and you're done!
Stick in a large tin (at least 20cm/8in round and 9cm/3.5in deep). This year we've tried a star-shaped silicon tin, rather than having to bother with all that wrapping in baking paper. It seemed to work and was much less faff. (If you haven't got a silicon tin then you'll need to line the tin with baking paper, and also wrap a double layer of paper around the tin itself before it goes in the oven). Lay a sheet of baking paper on the top, otherwise the cake will turn too brown.
Bake for 2.5 hours - it's done when a skewer or long thin pointy thing inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out onto a baking rack.
If you're going to eat it straightaway, dust with some icing sugar, and go off in search of some Wensleydale cheese. If you're keeping it until Christmas, wrap in greaseproof paper, then foil, and place in a tin. You could feed it a little rum/brandy at intervals if you feel like it.
01 November 2008
Grandma's stuffing (sage, onion and apple)
Just the thing to go with roast chicken, after a day of climbing, icing Halloween biscuits (better late than never) and watching the Curse of the Were-Rabbit.
You'll need:
half a small box of sage and onion stuffing
some breadcrumbs (a slice of stale bread will do, or whatever's in the freezer)
a small apple, grated
a handful of raisins
an egg
some hot water
salt and pepper
Stick the stuffing and breadcrumbs in a small mixing bowl. It doesn't matter if your breadcrumbs are frozen - they'll defrost soon enough, and anyway you're going to be shoving them in a 200 degree oven shortly.
Add the grated apple and raisins, and mix well. Beat the egg gently, and bung in the mixing bowl too, along with a little salt and pepper. Add some hot water from the kettle - you're looking for a fairly sticky mixture, but you need all the dehydrated stuffing mix and the breadcrumbs to be rehydrated nicely.
Fashion into balls - I just dollop them out onto a baking sheet. Bung in the oven for 20 minutes or so, until they're nice and brown. Just stick them in at whatever temperature the oven's on for the chicken - they'll be fine.
You'll need:
half a small box of sage and onion stuffing
some breadcrumbs (a slice of stale bread will do, or whatever's in the freezer)
a small apple, grated
a handful of raisins
an egg
some hot water
salt and pepper
Stick the stuffing and breadcrumbs in a small mixing bowl. It doesn't matter if your breadcrumbs are frozen - they'll defrost soon enough, and anyway you're going to be shoving them in a 200 degree oven shortly.
Add the grated apple and raisins, and mix well. Beat the egg gently, and bung in the mixing bowl too, along with a little salt and pepper. Add some hot water from the kettle - you're looking for a fairly sticky mixture, but you need all the dehydrated stuffing mix and the breadcrumbs to be rehydrated nicely.
Fashion into balls - I just dollop them out onto a baking sheet. Bung in the oven for 20 minutes or so, until they're nice and brown. Just stick them in at whatever temperature the oven's on for the chicken - they'll be fine.
06 October 2008
Gruffalo crumble
We spent the morning in Chopwell woods, searching for brambles. The gruffalos had eaten most of them, but we managed a respectable lunchbox-full, despite being bombarded with shards of nuts from two squirrels who were nibbling away at the very top of a large oak tree.
For a small crumble for three you'll need:
a couple of apples (cooking apples would be best, but I only had dessert ones in the fruit bowl)
some brambles (a small lunchbox full)
a couple of tablespoons of granular sugar
2oz plain flour
a teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 oz butter
3/4 oz sugar
Peel, core and chop the apples, and stick at the bottom of a baking dish. Wash the brambles, and mix with the apples. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of sugar over the top.
To make the topping, rub the butter into the flour, and then stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Tip over the top of the apple/blackberry mixture. If you're really feeling fancy, you could add some flaked almonds on top.
Bake at 180 degrees C for half an hour or so - until the fruit is soft and the top is crispy and brown. Just watch out the gruffalos don't eat it all.
For a small crumble for three you'll need:
a couple of apples (cooking apples would be best, but I only had dessert ones in the fruit bowl)
some brambles (a small lunchbox full)
a couple of tablespoons of granular sugar
2oz plain flour
a teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 oz butter
3/4 oz sugar
Peel, core and chop the apples, and stick at the bottom of a baking dish. Wash the brambles, and mix with the apples. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of sugar over the top.
To make the topping, rub the butter into the flour, and then stir in the sugar and cinnamon. Tip over the top of the apple/blackberry mixture. If you're really feeling fancy, you could add some flaked almonds on top.
Bake at 180 degrees C for half an hour or so - until the fruit is soft and the top is crispy and brown. Just watch out the gruffalos don't eat it all.
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