Vegetable Samosas

For my 40th birthday last year my husband treated me to a one day Hot & Spicy workshop at the The Cordon Vert Cookery School. http://www.seedlingshowcase.com/cv08/cv.aspx
I had a fantastic day learning all about and cooking with chillies and spices and got to work in a professional kitchen which was a big thrill!!
This is one of the recipes that we learnt to cook and because you use filo pastry they are not as fattening as the traditional samosas.

Recipe 

Makes 16 small samosas

Ingredients
1 tsp cumin seeds
3tsp coriander seeds
1tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp oil
225g onion, chopped finely
2 cloves garlic, crushed
225g potato, cooked and diced
50g mung beans, soaked and cooked (100g cooked weight) or lentils
50g peas
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1/2 lemon, juice only
Seasoning
225g filo pastry
50g butter

• Preheat oven to 200C or gas mark 6.
• Dry roast cumin seeds, coriander seeds and mustard seeds. Grind them together with the turmeric, ground cumin and cayenne pepper.
• Fry the onion until softened but not browned. Add all the spices and fry for 1-2 minutes. Add garlic and fry for 1 more minute.
• Add potato and mung beans and peas and fry for another 1-2 minutes.
• Add ginger and lemon juice and season to taste. Cool.
• Cut the filo pastry into 5 cm strips. Melt butter. Take two of the strips of pastry and brush one of them with melted butter. Always cover the rest of the pastry that is not in use with cling film to prevent it from drying out.Then cover with the other strip.
• Put a small spoonful of filling at one end of the strip and fold up in triangles to make a samosa shape.

 

• Place on a baking tray and brush with melted butter. Repeat until all the filo pastry is used.
• Bake in a preheated oven for about 10-15 minutes until golden.

Raspberry & White Chocolate Muffins

This is a great mix of flavours and works well with frozen as well as fresh raspberries.

 

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients

400g self raising flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

100g white chocolate, chopped

100g raspberries

175g caster sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

175ml sunflower oil

175ml semi-skimmed milk

• Preheat the oven to 190C or gas mark 5 and line a muffin tin with 12 muffin cases or you can make your own. Spray your muffin tin with oil and cut 12 squares out of grease proof paper. Push a square down into each muffin hole.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl then mix in half of the chocolate, sugar and the raspberries. 
• Lightly whisk the eggs, oil and milk in a large jug until combined. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix briefly with a large metal spoon until everything is just combined.
• Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and sprinkle with the remaining chocolate and a few raspberries before baking.
• Bake for 25 minutes until well risen. Leave to cool ion the muffin tin for a couple of minutes then remove and cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Daisy Cupcakes

I made these cakes for my mother-in-law's birthday, using a recipe from the Primrose Bakery's cook book. They are really light and moist and went down very well!! You can choose whatever colour and flavour buttercream you want to use. I used vanilla with pink food colouring to make them look a little more girlie!

Recipe

Makes 16

Ingredients

115g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

85g unsalted butter, at room temperature

175g soft brown sugar

2 large eggs,free range, separated

185g plain flour, sifted

3/4 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

250ml semi skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 tsp good quality vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream

110g unsalted butter, at room temperature

60ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 tsp good quality vanilla extract

500g icing sugar, sifted

Few drops food colouring

12 icing daisies, (I made my own but you could always buy them ready made)

• Preheat the oven to 190C or gas mark 5 and line a couple of 12 hole muffin trays with 16 paper cases.
• Break the chocolate into pieces in a basin and melt over a pan of simmering water. Stir until it has completely melted and is quite smooth. Leave to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until the mixture is pale and smooth, which should take 3-5 minutes using an electric mixer. In a separate bowl and with clean beaters, beat the egg yolks for several minutes. Slowly add the egg yolks to the creamed mixture and beat well. Add the melted chocolate and again beat well.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a separate bowl. Put the milk in a jug with the vanilla extract. Add one third of the flour to the chocolate mixture and beat well. Pour in one third of the milk and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks start to form. Carefully fold the egg whites into the batter using metal spoon. Do not beat or you will take all the air out of the mixture.
• Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases, filling them to about two-thirds full. This is a fairly liquid batter, so take care when spooning out as it can end up being very messy. Alternatively, pour the batter into a jug to make it easier.
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. To check they are cooked , insert a skewer in the centre of one of the cakes-it should come out clean. Leave the cakes in the tins for about 10 minutes before carefully placing on a wire rack to cool. Once they are completely cool, ice the cakes.
• In a large mixing bowl (I used a food processor) beat the butter, milk, vanilla extract and half the icing sugar until smooth. Gradually add the remainder of the icing sugar and beat again until the buttercream is smooth and creamy.
• If you want to add colour to your buttercream, always start with one drop of colouring and beat thoroughly. Add carefully drop by drop until you build up your desired shade.
• Pipe an icing swirl on top of each of the cakes and decorate with an icing daisy. I then used decorative cupcake wrappers for an attractive finish.
  

 

Gluten Free Pear and Almond Muffins

I have had a few people ask me recently for gluten or wheat free recipes. This recipe is free from both and is easy to make.

Recipe
Makes 12

Ingredients
200g gluten and wheat free self raising flour
200g ground almonds
2tsp gluten free baking powder
175g caster sugar
200ml sunflower oil
200ml milk
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
200g peeled, coredand chopped pear
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Handful of flaked almonds for decoration

• Preheat the oven to 190C or gas mark 5 and line a muffin tray with 12 muffin cases.
• Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and stir in the ground almonds.
• Lightly whisk the eggs, oil and milk in a jug until combined and then add to the dry ingrdients. Mix briefly with a large wooden spoon then add the pear and vanilla extract. Mix again until everything is just mixed together.
• Spoon mixture into the muffin cases and sprinkle over the flaked almonds before baking.
• Bake in the oven for 25 minutes until well risen. Leave to cool in the muffin tray for a few minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool.

Raspberry Cupcakes

These cakes are make with raspberry jam but I suppose you could use any jam of your choice. Hubbie reckons they are the best cakes I have ever made!!!

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients

110g unsalted butter, at room temperature

180g golden caster sugar

2 large eggs

125g self raising flour, sifted

120g plain flour, sifted

125 ml semi-skimmed milk, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp seedless raspberry jam

To Decorate

1 tsp raspberry jam, 1 for each cake, warmed slightly

250g icing sugar, sifted

80g unsalted butter, at room temperature

25ml milk

a few drops vanilla extract

12 raspberries

• Preheat oven to 180C or gas mark 4 and line a bun tray with 12 paper cases.
• In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar until pale and smooth with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing for a few minutes after each addition.
• Combine the two flours in a seperate bowl. Put the milk in a jug and add the vanilla extract to it. Add one third of the flours to the creamed mixture and beat well. Pour in one third of the milk and beat again. Repeat these steps until all the flour and milk have been added.
• Gently fold in the raspberry jam until most of it is combined.  You just want to have a few jam steaks running through the mixture. Carefully spoon the mixture into the cupcake cases and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until slightly raised and golden brown.
• Remove from oven and leave cakes in the tin for about 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
• Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a food processor or with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla extract to the milk and add to the creamed mixture a little at a time until all is completely mixed in. Continue beating for a little longer as icing will become fluffier.
• Once the cakes have cooled , cut a small hole in the centre of each cake using a sharp knife and fill will a teaspoon of jam.
• Ice the cakes with the buttercream and decorate with fresh raspberries.

Heart Cakes

Here is another Valentine idea for you. For this recipe I used a silicon heart shaped muffin tray with a basic vanilla sponge or you could just use normal cupcake cases. It is then up to you how you wish to decorate them. 

Recipe

Makes 12

Ingredients

125g soft margarine

125g golden caster sugar

125g self raising flour

2 medium eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Decoration

100g red ready roll icing

100g white ready roll icing

Apricot glaze (or jam warmed slighty)

Sugar glue, water or buttercream (to stick decorations on)

• Preheat oven to 180C or gas mark 4. Grease your silicon cake tray with vegetable oil or line a bun tray with 12 paper cases.
• Put all ingredients in a bowl and beat together until smooth.
• Divide the mixture between the heart sections in your tray or cupcake cases, if using.
• Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until springy to the touch. Once cooked leave in tray for 5 minutes before transfering to a wire rack. Leave to cool completely before decorating.
• Using a sharp knife, carefully slice the off the top of the cake to give a smooth flat surface.
• Lightly dust your working surface with some icing sugar and roll out your icing until about 4mm thick. Using a larger heart shaped cutter cut out 6 red and 6 white hearts.
• Brush the tops of your cakes with the warmed apricot glaze and then stick the heart icing on top. Finally, cut out some smaller hearts to decorate and stick on to the icing with sugar glue.

Shortbread Hearts

My hubbie bought me a selection of heart shaped baking cutters etc for our anniversary this week. So over the next few days I will be posting a few Valentine recipes.

Recipe
Makes about 15-20 depending on cutter size (I used 5cm cutter)

Ingredients
200g unsalted butter, softened
110g caster sugar
330g plain flour
1/2 tsp mixed spice
25g dark chocolate

• Put the butter and sugar into a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• Sieve the flour and spice into the bowl and mix in with a wooden spoon. Bring the mixture together with your hands to make a ball of dough then wrap in clingfilm and put in the fridge to chill for 15-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile preheat oven to 180C or gas mark 4 and line 2 baking trays with greaseproof paper.
• Take the dough out of the fridge and roll out on a floured surface until it is about 8mm thick. Cut out the shapes and arrange on the baking trays leaving a gap inbetween them. Re-roll the trimmings and cut out more shapes.
• Bake for about 12-18 minutes until firm and pale in colour. Leave to cool on the trays for 5 minutes to firm up then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
• Break the chocolate into a bowl and place over a pan of hot water until melted. Drizzle the chocolate over the shortbread using a piping bag with a very fine nozzle, a spoon or I used a great gadget my sister brought me for Christmas see link below. Leave for chocolate to set.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lekue-Decopen-Assorted-Colours/dp/B0030BWRNE/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1296770217&sr=8-3

VW Camper Van Cake

It was my hubbie's birthday on Monday and I normally make him a birthday cake. As he is a massive camper van fan I thought I would have a go a making one. He was over the moon with the end result.

Instead of candles I used cake ice fountains which I have never used before. Result...impressive!!