Wednesday 28 March 2012

Hot Spiced Pears

A little longer  to prepare but I'm including this recipe as it's drool worthy:

Preheat the fan oven 180 degrees. Peel some pears & leave whole in a heatproof dish & place 2 star anise & a cinamon stick (snapped into 2 pieces) on pears along with 6 chopped dates or a handful of sultanas.

In another pan heat 150ml(quarter pt) red wine with 4tbsp orange juice, 35g(1&half oz) soft brown sugar, stir & bring to boil (or microwave 3 mins). Mash a banana & blend into the mixture. Pour this mixture over the pears spooning over a few times to coat the pears well. Cover the dish & bake up to 50-60mins until pears are soft. Remove pears & fruit & place upright in your serving dish.

Discard spices from the red wine liquid mixture & bring to boil stirring until reduced & thickened (around 4 mins). Spoon over pears & dribble with delight.





Thursday 22 March 2012

Fruit & Spice Loaf (your bloke will love this)

Put 250ml (8.5fl oz) strong cold tea into a bowl with 4tbsp marmalade & 175g (6oz sultanas) & leave to stand for 1 hour. After an hour add 225g (8oz) billingtons unrefined light muscovado sugar, 375g (13oz) allinson wholemeal SR flour, 2 med beaten eggs, 1tsp mixed spice & mix well. Put mix into a 2lb loaf tin 150c, 300f, gas2 on oven middle shelf for 50 minutes. Check it is cooked using a metal skewer in centre of loaf, if it comes out clean it is cooked. Bake longer if necessary.

Use a portion of the above cake for a super pud
Blueberry Fruit Loaf with Sauce
Use an inch slice of the loaf to make blueberry & fruit loaf with sauce by placing blueberries on top of slice & put under grill 3 mins til the blueberries start to split & soften. Make sauce by putting some blueberries into a pan with 3tsp sugar & 2tsp water, heat gently til sauces thickens slightly. Pour sauce over prepared fruit loaf slice, top with cream or ice cream.

Another Berry rich anitoxidant pudding CRUNCHY BERRY CRUSH

Readers' weekend favourite treat HONEY CHOC BREAKFAST BARS



Sunday 11 March 2012

Crunchy Berry Crush

Mix together 400g fromage frais, 200g natural yoghurt, & 2tbsp icing sugar.  Spoon in 50g meringue nests which have been lightly crushed, reserving a little for decoration. 

In a separate bowl mix drained canned fruit consisting of 290g sizes - raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, blackcurrants taking care not to break them up.  Spoon a little of the berries into the bottom of 4 glasses.  Add a layer of fromage frais mixture, repeating with alternating layers of berries & frais, reserving a few berries for decoration.

Finish with fromage frais, then chill.  Serve decorated with meringue & berries.

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants click for more information on the importance of ANTIOXIDANTS

Monday 5 March 2012

Deep Dark Chocolate Cupcakes

Preheat oven 180c, gas 4. Put cupcases in 12 hole muffin tins. Sift 2 & quarter cups flour, three quarters cup cocoa, 1 & half tsp baking soda & 1 & half cups castor sugar into a large bowl, then stir in three quarter cup of coconut.

In another bowl, mix in three quarters cup of veg oil, 1 & half cups cold coffee or water & 3tbsp vinegar.

Combine other bowl contents & pour mix into cupcake cases & bake 20 mins. Leave to cool 5 mins then turn out onto rack to cool.

Ice with choc icing (previous blog post when cool):

Alternative: Bake in 23cm cake tin for 45 mins. Flavour improves the after baking.

Chocolate Weetabix Slice with Cocoa Icing

Preheat oven 160c. Line a tin with baking paper with overhang to lift the whole thing out.

Melt 125g butter (or marg or flora cuisine equivalent) in a large pot, let it cool briefly then add three quarters cup brown sugar, 1 egg, 1tsp vanilla, 2tbsp cocoa, 1 cup SR flour, half cup dark chocolate chips, three quarters cup shredded coconut, 2 crushed weetabix (or 12 fruit & nut weetabix minis), 1 tbsp milk & mix well. Press firmly into prepared tin, bake 20 mins or til a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely.

For icing:
Sift 2tbsp cocoa powder & 1 cup icing sugar into a bowl. Add half tsp vanilla & 3tbsp milk. Add more milk if its not runny enough. Spread over the slice & cut when set.



Sunday 4 March 2012

Honey Choc Breakfast Bars

Put 125g butter, half cup peanut butter, half cup honey & quarter cup brown sugar in a saucepan & melt gently together.  Simmer 5 mins. 
Place 1&half cups toasted muesli, 2 & half cups rice krispies, and half cup each of dessicated coconut & chopped nuts & dried fruit & dark chocolate chips in another bowl.  Add the melted mixture.  Press into tin lines with foil, cool for 10 mins then put in fridge.  Slice into desired portions size.
Store in fridge in airtight container.

Alternative: white chocolate chips & dried apricots are a good combination instead of dark chips & dried fruit.

Saturday 3 March 2012

Pineapple dessert


Whizz 2 tbsp crushed, tinned pineapple in a blender with 1 tbsp ground almonds, a ripe banana and a cup of frozen raspberries for a smoothie that will double equally as well as a breakfast or dessert.

Thursday 1 March 2012

Easy chocolate fudge

Line base & sides of shallow 20cm square tin with baking paper. Put 25g butter, 275g castor sugar, 150ml evaporated milk, half tsp vanilla flavouring, pinch salt in pan & stir over a low heat til sugar dissolves. Bring to boil then simmer 6 minutes. Remove from heat & add 75g mini marsh mallows & 200g milk chocolate drops stirring til melted. Place in prepared tin & leave 2 hours, Cut into 20 squares.