(...putting the shopping away!)
Thursday, 28 February 2008
Vital equipment*
I do believe I mentioned that there was something other than shoes that, in my opinion, a wannabe Domestic Goddess needs, and that is a fantastic apron. Although I have two, the one pictured is specifically my "Domestic Goddess Baking Day Apron" which I save for specially occasions and shall be donning again on Saturday (March 1st, Baking Day is here again!).
And what shall I be wearing with it? Why, my fabulous matching red shoes of course!
* It has occurred to me that while I initially referred to only two pieces of vital equipment I was in somewhat of a shoe induced haze! So I will be extending this list as and when things come to mind - one did whilst making the bread yesterday for example. So you can no doubt expect my musings on other vital equipment (not all as glamorous as red shoes and pretty aprons however) in the future.
And what shall I be wearing with it? Why, my fabulous matching red shoes of course!
* It has occurred to me that while I initially referred to only two pieces of vital equipment I was in somewhat of a shoe induced haze! So I will be extending this list as and when things come to mind - one did whilst making the bread yesterday for example. So you can no doubt expect my musings on other vital equipment (not all as glamorous as red shoes and pretty aprons however) in the future.
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
Lazy bread
Oh we do get through a lot of bread in this flat don't we?!
As I somehow managed to cobble N's lunch together with the last scraps of the seeded loaf (salvaging one measly slice to make sure he had at least something for breakfast) I knew I was in trouble. In about three and a half hours I was going to be wanting lunch, and lunch would mean bread, and oh look, there wasn't any.
Okay, I know that actually bread doesn't take that long to make, especially if I only made a plain loaf that required the least resting and proving. Thing is, I was feeling dopey and lazy this morning and, after the mutant loaf episode, thought that messing around with any dough might be a mistake - especially as I had been planning on making rosemary and sea salt focaccia rolls as my next bread experiment.
Fortunately the combinations of my trusty recipe scrap book and miraculously working memory prevailed. I would make nut and fruit soda bread! *insert 9am sigh of relief here*
Back in the days when we were actually venturing out of the flat on a weekend morning for the papers I had been a regular cutter-outer of the Guardian or Observer recipes if they took my fancy.
One week Dan Lepard had included a recipe for walnut and honey soda bread in his "learn how to bake" column. Knowing that Lepard is very highly regarded in the bread world (yes, his book is on my wish list!) and knowing our joint appreciation of both bread and honey I dutifully cut it out. Although it was a few weeks before I tried it, once I had it became a weekend breakfast regular. Deliciously moist, not too sweet (once I cut down the honey slightly), easily adaptable (hehe, you know me, I just can't resist!) and quick, so quick - it takes less than ten minutes to mix then you can just bung it in the oven immediately for 40 mins, and poof! bread!
I have since tried the recipe with all sorts of things in place of the walnuts, either wholly or in part. Our favourites have been walnut and apricot, and walnut and cranberry with a hint of spice.
Today, lacking walnuts completely I turned to our stockpile of winter unshelled nuts and dutifully shelled the hazelnuts. I still didn't have quite enough so I added dried cranberries to make up the weight. I also dramatically reduced the honey as I wanted a more lunchy loaf. The result was:
Very tasty indeed. It's more like a traditional soda bread when made without the walnut meal and with less honey as the baking powder really comes through, however it is also less dense and sticky, which was exactly what I'd hoped. I was really pleased, not only with the result, but with the fact that I remembered the ole favourite to dig out in times of need. Oh, how I shall never neglect you this long again.
I will still aim to make the focaccia rolls at some point, but for now the soda bread shall reign in the North London Kitchen.
I guess since I've raved about it so much you'll want the recipe. I am posting here the one I actually used, and will post the original (or something more like it - it's bound to have some additions and adaptations!) next time I make it.
Hazelnut and cranberry soda bread (adapted from Dan Lepard's walnut and honey soda bread recipe)
600g wholemeal flour
4tsp baking powder
50g hazelnuts (bashed a bit in the pestle and morter)
50g dried cranberries
50g honey (the clear runny sort)
300g water (plus I needed a bit more when I actually mixed the dough as it was rather dry)
Preheat oven to 200 C
In a large mixing bowl combine together all the dry ingredients. In another microwavable bowl (or in a pan on the stove) mix together the water and honey and warm slightly so they combine together. Then add the water/honey liquid to the dry ingredients and mix together well until it forms a slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured work surface and shape into a slightly domed ball. Place on a baking tray and whack in the oven for 40 mins. It should be crusty and risen once this time is up (I've never needed more or less time remarkably). Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. I ate mine for lunch while it was still every so slightly warm. Delicious!
As I somehow managed to cobble N's lunch together with the last scraps of the seeded loaf (salvaging one measly slice to make sure he had at least something for breakfast) I knew I was in trouble. In about three and a half hours I was going to be wanting lunch, and lunch would mean bread, and oh look, there wasn't any.
Okay, I know that actually bread doesn't take that long to make, especially if I only made a plain loaf that required the least resting and proving. Thing is, I was feeling dopey and lazy this morning and, after the mutant loaf episode, thought that messing around with any dough might be a mistake - especially as I had been planning on making rosemary and sea salt focaccia rolls as my next bread experiment.
Fortunately the combinations of my trusty recipe scrap book and miraculously working memory prevailed. I would make nut and fruit soda bread! *insert 9am sigh of relief here*
Back in the days when we were actually venturing out of the flat on a weekend morning for the papers I had been a regular cutter-outer of the Guardian or Observer recipes if they took my fancy.
One week Dan Lepard had included a recipe for walnut and honey soda bread in his "learn how to bake" column. Knowing that Lepard is very highly regarded in the bread world (yes, his book is on my wish list!) and knowing our joint appreciation of both bread and honey I dutifully cut it out. Although it was a few weeks before I tried it, once I had it became a weekend breakfast regular. Deliciously moist, not too sweet (once I cut down the honey slightly), easily adaptable (hehe, you know me, I just can't resist!) and quick, so quick - it takes less than ten minutes to mix then you can just bung it in the oven immediately for 40 mins, and poof! bread!
I have since tried the recipe with all sorts of things in place of the walnuts, either wholly or in part. Our favourites have been walnut and apricot, and walnut and cranberry with a hint of spice.
Today, lacking walnuts completely I turned to our stockpile of winter unshelled nuts and dutifully shelled the hazelnuts. I still didn't have quite enough so I added dried cranberries to make up the weight. I also dramatically reduced the honey as I wanted a more lunchy loaf. The result was:
Very tasty indeed. It's more like a traditional soda bread when made without the walnut meal and with less honey as the baking powder really comes through, however it is also less dense and sticky, which was exactly what I'd hoped. I was really pleased, not only with the result, but with the fact that I remembered the ole favourite to dig out in times of need. Oh, how I shall never neglect you this long again.I will still aim to make the focaccia rolls at some point, but for now the soda bread shall reign in the North London Kitchen.
I guess since I've raved about it so much you'll want the recipe. I am posting here the one I actually used, and will post the original (or something more like it - it's bound to have some additions and adaptations!) next time I make it.
Hazelnut and cranberry soda bread (adapted from Dan Lepard's walnut and honey soda bread recipe)
600g wholemeal flour
4tsp baking powder
50g hazelnuts (bashed a bit in the pestle and morter)
50g dried cranberries
50g honey (the clear runny sort)
300g water (plus I needed a bit more when I actually mixed the dough as it was rather dry)
Preheat oven to 200 C
In a large mixing bowl combine together all the dry ingredients. In another microwavable bowl (or in a pan on the stove) mix together the water and honey and warm slightly so they combine together. Then add the water/honey liquid to the dry ingredients and mix together well until it forms a slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured work surface and shape into a slightly domed ball. Place on a baking tray and whack in the oven for 40 mins. It should be crusty and risen once this time is up (I've never needed more or less time remarkably). Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack. I ate mine for lunch while it was still every so slightly warm. Delicious!
Tuesday, 26 February 2008
It's all gotten a little bit seedy here.
Yesterday was that time again, we'd run out of bread.
There is something so comforting about bread, and wholemeal in particular just screams homey goodness. (home-meal perhaps? hehe). Our store bought bread of choice was the wholemeal seeded batch and I figured that since we liked it so much from the shops, why not have a bash at adding seeds to the plain wholemeal loaves I'd been making. So I did. N arrived home last week with a nice selection of seeds from a local health food shop and yesterday morning I set to work adding them to the wholemeal mix.
It's worked out pretty well flavour-wise, but the dough didn't rise as much and it very dense, so I think using less seeds next time would probably be better, especially as it is totally packed with them. But still, let the experiments continue!
As you can tell from the dough resting picture it's been pretty sunny here lately. It's still not warm, but it's bright and Spring is definitely preparing itself to make an appearance. It's so wonderful to wake up to sun streaming in. Not long now til the veggies are growing, flowers showing and breakfast in the garden starts becoming something to contemplate. *sighs*
Anyway, enough of that smug contemplation for one post, on to the recipe!
Wholemeal seeded loaf.
10g yeast
300g wholemeal flour
200g strong white flour
10g salt
350g water
150g mixed seeds (this is what I used, but I think 100g is probably enough, use whatever seeds you fancy, I used linseed, pumpkin, sunflower and sesame)
Mix the yeast and flours together, then add the salt, mix again until combined then add the water and seeds. Mix until it forms a dough, then shape into a tight ball and leave to rest covered by a tea towel for 1 hour. Once rested remove onto a floured surface and form into a tight ball again and leave to rest for a further ten minutes. Then transfer into a proving basked (bowl with a well floured tea towel lining it more like) and prove for an hour. Meanwhile put the oven on to 250 C with a baking stone or flat baking tray inside. After the proving hour the dough should have risen to double it's size. Mine hadn't, but I baked it anyway! Place on the stone or tray in the centre of the oven and mist the oven with a water spray and then wet the bread slightly (to encourage a good crust) Bake for the first five minutes at 220 C then turn the oven down and bake for a further 35mins on 200 C. It should be slightly crusty and sound hollow when tapped. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Enjoy!
There is something so comforting about bread, and wholemeal in particular just screams homey goodness. (home-meal perhaps? hehe). Our store bought bread of choice was the wholemeal seeded batch and I figured that since we liked it so much from the shops, why not have a bash at adding seeds to the plain wholemeal loaves I'd been making. So I did. N arrived home last week with a nice selection of seeds from a local health food shop and yesterday morning I set to work adding them to the wholemeal mix.
It's worked out pretty well flavour-wise, but the dough didn't rise as much and it very dense, so I think using less seeds next time would probably be better, especially as it is totally packed with them. But still, let the experiments continue!
As you can tell from the dough resting picture it's been pretty sunny here lately. It's still not warm, but it's bright and Spring is definitely preparing itself to make an appearance. It's so wonderful to wake up to sun streaming in. Not long now til the veggies are growing, flowers showing and breakfast in the garden starts becoming something to contemplate. *sighs*
Anyway, enough of that smug contemplation for one post, on to the recipe!
Wholemeal seeded loaf.
10g yeast
300g wholemeal flour
200g strong white flour
10g salt
350g water
150g mixed seeds (this is what I used, but I think 100g is probably enough, use whatever seeds you fancy, I used linseed, pumpkin, sunflower and sesame)
Mix the yeast and flours together, then add the salt, mix again until combined then add the water and seeds. Mix until it forms a dough, then shape into a tight ball and leave to rest covered by a tea towel for 1 hour. Once rested remove onto a floured surface and form into a tight ball again and leave to rest for a further ten minutes. Then transfer into a proving basked (bowl with a well floured tea towel lining it more like) and prove for an hour. Meanwhile put the oven on to 250 C with a baking stone or flat baking tray inside. After the proving hour the dough should have risen to double it's size. Mine hadn't, but I baked it anyway! Place on the stone or tray in the centre of the oven and mist the oven with a water spray and then wet the bread slightly (to encourage a good crust) Bake for the first five minutes at 220 C then turn the oven down and bake for a further 35mins on 200 C. It should be slightly crusty and sound hollow when tapped. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
Enjoy!
Monday, 25 February 2008
Sunday, 24 February 2008
My new cupcake obsession
We woke up this morning to bright February sunshine and finally the need to turn the heating down slightly. I was even able to open the blinds and let the kitchen flood with natural light. Ah, what a perfect beginning to a Sunday.
Since the temperature is rising slightly and another month draws to a close we knew it was time to get properly started on the garden. However, before we got going with all that I had even more important things in mind: cupcakes!
I have become slightly obsessed with the idea of cupcakes recently. I just love the pretty decorations and outrageous icing colours you can lavish on them. They are also so versatile, there are so many different flavours or combinations of flavours to choose from I don't think you'd ever get bored. So last week I splashed out and ordered some posh paper cupcake cups and a range of exciting sprinkles (I also bought cookie cutters which will no doubt make an appearance sooner or later!). The package of baking goodness arrived yesterday. I tried to hold out until Baking Day - which is next week, so not exactly ages away - but I just couldn't resist.
So this morning whilst listening to Desert Island Disks on Radio Four I began my cupcake experiment:
I had a vanilla cupcake recipe and decided to adapt it to make it chocolate in order to top them with coffee icing and little bear sprinkles. I also thought that to indulge my decorating needs even further I would make some bright red vanilla icing and add some chocolate star sprinkles, thus continuing the red theme I have adopted.
I think the results came out rather well, and they were just the thing with a cup of tea after a hard afternoon's work clearing the garden.
Mocha Cupcakes: (this mix makes 12, but I halved it - there's only so many two people can eat and we're trying to be good!)
For the chocolate cupcake batter:
125g self-raising flour
125g caster sugar
125g soft unsalted butter
2 eggs
1⁄2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
six squares of very dark chocolate (melted)
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons milk, approximately
Preheat the oven to 200ºC/ and line a 12-muffin pan with paper cases. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs one at a time with a little of the flour. Then add the melted chocolate, vanilla extract, cocoa powder and fold in the rest of the flour, adding the milk to get a dropping consistency. It will look as if the mixture is not enough to make 12 cupcakes, but it is as they will rise well so you only need to fill each cup by two-thirds full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the cupcakes are cooked and golden on top (it took me 20 mins for six as the chocolate make the mixture stickier). As soon as bearable, take the cupcakes in their cases out of the tin and let cool, right way up, on a wire rack. Decorate the cupcakes after they’re completely cool.
Mocha Icing:
50g butter (softened)
100g Icing sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla extract
1 Tbsp Camp coffee (or to taste)
Cream together the butter and sugar until stiff and smooth, add the vanilla and mix, then add as much of the coffee as you require for taste.
I also made the plain vanilla icing. This time replacing the coffee with 1/2 tsp of red food colouring.
Ah cupcakes, so many possibilities, so little time!
Saturday, 23 February 2008
This week's new recipe choice goes to...
..."Leeky Welsh Rarebit" by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.
I've been a fan of HF-W for a little while, mostly because of his rational approach to seasonal sensible food. I like the fact that he supports the growing of your own fruit and veg if you can, battles for free-range, organic whenever possible, fair food and good treatment of animals. I could ramble on about all these things for ages, but now is not the time, as I am here to talk about the above goodness that was today's lunch and this weeks new food resolution adventure.*
I was lucky enough to get "The River Cottage Year" for Christmas from N's parents and have thoroughly enjoyed not only the recipes but the writing. The best thing about it though it that it's organised according to months and what is in season. This is particularly perfect for us as our weekly Abel and Cole delivery is also seasonal and so H F-W has helped a lot in knowing what on earth to make with the weird and wonderful veggies that have turned up on the doorstep.
However, having tried all the January vegetable recipe suggestions, I seem to have left H F-W behind this past month. I've also been sidetracked by the Delia Smith "Vegetarian" book N and I picked up on our bonanza book buying weekend. So on Thursday lunch time whilst taking a break from work I decided to return to "The River Cottage Year" and see what delights he suggests for February in case I'd missed anything the month had to offer. Turns out I had. Leeky Welsh Rarebit.
The picture alone was enough to set taste buds going, and the discovery that it included beer made it a total must. So, having made a nice big white loaf for toast, during half-time I frantically threw together butter, flour, beer, cheese and leeks and presented, just in time for the second half, my first ever attempt at rarebit.
It was really nice, and just what a grey late-February lunchtime needed. My only changes next time would be to add some more mustard to the mix and to use mature cheddar (which the recipe suggests, but that we didn't have). We eat it with lashings of Daddies sauce and N dutifully finished off the left over beer; what a trooper.
And so now, all set up for the afternoon we're off to the garden centre for more pots so we can finally get out greenhouse experiments started. Thanks Hugh for inspiration all round today!
*Actually, there was another new food resolution adventure earlier in the week, but it was very minor and less successful, oh and I conveniently forgot to take any photos! I made baked parsnip crisps to have as nachos on Wednesday. However, they didn't cook evenly and shrunk much more dramatically than I had expected. Some were really nice, some were still soggy and some were burnt to a crips. Oops! Another Minor Failure for the North London Kitchen and hence why it didn't make the blog.
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