Soya Citrus Cake

Alternative

I first encountered baking liquid in the sale section at the supermarket.  I was shocked because I didn’t know there was such a thing.  It seemed rather bizarre.  Why would you use baking liquid when you could just use butter? Or butter milk and a fatty oils?  But then I thought maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing to have alternatives.  I was therefore inspired to make my own fatty alternatives, especially as I refused to use baking liquid.  My alternatives to fat came in the form of cream cheese, nutella and peanut butter.  As an alternative to milk I used soya milk and to make things even wilder I made a citrus syrup.

My Time

This is one of the most unusual cakes I have ever made.  I had reservations before adding all of the ingredients together, but this was my time.  It was then or never.  I am young and ready to make mistakes.. mistakes with some thought behind them and a creative touch.  My risks paid off.  The cake tasted interesting and had a distinct taste.  This tastes like nothing in the shops, a winner for sure.  I divided the cake into different sections to make it easier to follow and to show my designing process.

This recipe was adapted from Stork baking recipes.

Ingredients:

1st mixture:

175g butter, 175g self – raising flour, 175g caster sugar, 3 medium eggs, 1 level tsp baking powder, 2 tbsps soya milk.

2nd mixture:

1 large heaped spoon peanut butter, 1 tbsp soya milk, 1 egg, 2 heaped spoons flour, 1 tbsp caster sugar.

3rd mixture:

115g caster sugar, the juice from a lime and lemon.

4th mixture:

100g cream cheese, 180g white chocolate (broken into small pieces), 2 spoons of lemon juice, 1 spoon nutella, slices of lemon and lime, white icing (for decoration).

Method:

1. Using the 1st mixture beat the butter and sugar until creamy.
2. Add the eggs beating well after each addition.
3. Sieve in the flour and baking powder and mix in.
4. Add the milk and mix well.
5. Pour into prepared round baking tin.
6.  In another bowl milk all of the ingredients from the 2nd mixture and fold into the tin with the other cake mixture.

7. Bake for an hour at 180 degrees C until the bake is firm to the touch and the utensil comes out clean when inserted into the centre.
8. Heat up the 3rd mixture in a saucepan to make a syrup and pour over the cake.
9. Melt the cream cheese from the 4th mixture in a saucepan then add the rest of the ingredients apart from the lemon and lime slices.
10. When the cake is cooled top the cake, making your own decoration with the nutella chocolate cheese mixture.
11. Decorate the cake with white icing and citrus slices.  I spread the icing sugar on top of the nutella mix.

Messy and Sexy Cheese on Bread

Lick Ya Fingers!

It was 3pm, I had lectures and study periods for 5 hours straight, 2 of which included a dance session. I needed food.  Good food. I wasn’t in the mood for something too heavy, but I did want instant satisfaction.  I did not want sweet indulgent rubbish.  I wanted hot fiery cheesy goodness with lots of seasoning.  My cheese on bread is all these things, plus it is finger licking good. Sweet chutney, Worcestershire sauce, fiery hot ketchup and melted cheese.  Yuup Saffy did it again!

Ingredients:

2 slices soya and linseed bread, sliced mature cheddar cheese, 2 tbsps sweet chutney, 1 tbsp hot fiery pepper sauce and 2 tsps Worcestershire sauce.

Method:

1. Toast 1 side of the bread.
2. Before grilling the other side spread both slices with the 1 tbsp of chutney and pepper sauce.
3. Layer on the cheese.
4. Drizzle on the Worcestershire sauce.
5. Grill the toast until the cheese has melted.
6. On a plate mix the chutney and pepper sauce.
7. Serve the cheese on bread on the the plate with the sauce.

Philly Quorn Dog Pasta

Incredible Cheese Sauce

Up until now I only used Philadelphia in cheesecake or as a spread but now I am eccentric that I have found a new sauce that is just so incredibly sumptuous you will find yourself fighting the urge to double dip.  My tip….. have 6 small spoons at the ready.  To bring the best flavours out of my sauce I used a good quality whole grain mustard and fresh basil leaves.

This recipe was adapted from Kraft Philadelphia recipes.

Ingredients:

whole-wheat fusilli pasta, 3 tsps oil, 4 quorn sausages, 1 onion (finely chopped) 3 small garlic cloves (finely chopped), 150g light Philadelphia, 2 heaped tsps whole grain mustard, 75ml vegetable stock, a handful of fresh basil leaves, 2 tsps mixed herbs.

Method:

1. Cook the pasta according to instructions and drain when ready.  Do this while making the sauce.
2. Chop up the sausages.
3. Fry them in 1 tsps oil until browned.
4. In a saucepan heat 2 tsps oil, then fry the onions and garlic until soft.
5. Add the light soft cheese to the onions.
6. Add the stock and mustard then stir until the cheese melts.
7. Stir in the herbs, basil leaves and sausages.
8. Divide the pasta into bowls and serve the sauce on top.

Toasted Oat Raspberry Honey Greek Pot

Statue

The night before I made this I dreamt of statues which came to life.  They followed me saying nothing.  I at first thought it was a nightmare, but it could not have been because I was not scared.  In fact I remember in the dream I felt calm.  As I walked down the road with the statues following me a hole suddenly appeared in the pavement and I  fell and collapsed through the hole into a field which smelled of raspberries.  When I woke I realised it was my hand cream, I smiled and knew exactly what I was having for breakfast that morning.  A crunchy, delicious and filling greek yoghurt pot with my first ever toasted oats, the food represents the smells, textures and sights I encountered in my dreams.

Ingredients:

55g greek yoghurt, a large handful of raspberries, 1 tsp peanut butter, 1 tsp sunflower seeds, 1 tsp clear funny honey, 3 tsps porridge oats.

Method:

1. Mix the yoghurt, raspberries, peanut butter, seeds and honey.
2. Toast the oats in a pan on a very low heat for 2 1/2 minutes or until slightly browned.  Keep your eye on the oats to prevent burning or over browning.
3. Gently fold the oats into the yoghurt mix.

Parmigiano Reggiano Savoury Snaps

Delightful, Crisp and Perfect

“Delightful, crisp and perfect” just a few words to describe my cheesy snaps which can be served as an appetiser or snack.   The method is so simple and easy I had to keep checking back at the book to make sure I hadn’t missed something.  Mix the ingredients, spoon and let the cheese melt. I’ll definately be making these again, perhaps when me and my partner are next entertaining.

This recipe was taken from ‘New Ways With Parmigiano Reggiano’

Ingredients:

100g Parmigiano Reggiano, 25g plain flour, black pepper.

Method:

1. Grate the Parmigiano Reggiano finely and place in a bowl.
2. Mix in the flour.
3. Sprinkle in black pepper.
4. Spoon the mixture into circles on a baking sheet in a grill tray. Make sure they are spaced apart and flattened down.
5. Grill for 2 minutes until the cheese has melted.  Be sure to keep an eye on them.
6. When they have begun to brown let them cool slightly before removing from the baking sheet with a palette knife or carefully with another utensil.
7. Repeat with all the mixture and serve it your way.

Saffy’s Top Tips:

1. Try adding cumin or poppy seeds, there is room to play.
2. Dip the snaps in sweet chutney or a flavoured mayonnaise or both.

Peperonata

Sweet Peppers

Peperonata may be a summer dish, but the vibrant colours remind me of the autumn leaves.  When the sun shines through the trees and the rays gleam upon the golden and red leaves on the ground. Hot peperonata with some meaty sausages on a windy autumn day is a great treat.

This recipe was adapted from ‘Asda Magazine’ (July 2012).

Ingredients:

3 tbsps olive oil, 1 large red onion (sliced), 2 garlic cloves (crushed), 1 tsp rosemary, 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp light brown sugar, a variety of small sweet peppers (4 chopped and deseeded), 400g chopped tomatoes, a handful of basil leaves, sausages of your choice (to serve).

Method:

1. Put the olive oil into a pan and heat up.
2. Fry the onion and garlic.
3. Add the peppers and cook for 12 minutes.
4. Add the chopped tomatoes.
5. Add the oregano, rosemary and sugar.
6. Leave to simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Before serving scatter over the basil leaves.
8. Serve with sausages.

Brilliant Beans

Old and New

Beans make me happy! I loved them as a child, with mashed potatoes, fish fingers… all that childish stuff.  My mother and I were discussing the things I loved to eat and as I walked through the supermarket I wondered if my palette had changed now that I am a young woman on bold new cooking adventures where no Saffy has gone before.  I realised that I still really love the childhood favourites and as the old saying goes you should be proud of your roots.  So from Gran Gran’s wonderful cooking to the mushy peas, mash volcanoes and baked beans I didn’t see anything wrong with re inventing the classics.  I made a jazzed up version of baked beans.  A happy snack for a happy me.

Ingredients:

1 can of baked beans, 1/2 tsp sunflower oil,  1/2 onion (chopped finely), 1 garlic clove (crushed), 1 heaped tsp mixed herbs, 1 heaped tsp oregano, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp fiery chilli ketchup, 2 tsps lea and perrins sauce, 2 pieces wholemeal seeded batch bread and butter (to serve).

Method:

1. Heat up the oil in a saucepan.
2. Fry the onion and garlic until soft.
3. Add the baked beans.
4. After 2 minutes add the herbs, pepper and sauces.
5. When heated through serve on toasted wholemeal bread and butter.

Carrot and Orange Soup

Sunbeams

I love cooking soup.  Many people avoid drinking soup due to the “boring” connotations but I believe in making the most out of everything.  The reasons why my soups taste so good is because I put so much love, flavour and animation into every batch.  The autumn showers had grown heavier so when I made this soup for my mother I imagined I was creating sunbeams.  Orange is associated with sunshine so I wanted my soup to be as bright as possible using only natural flavours and organic fruits and vegetables.

Stunning and Sweet

I originally thought that the cream would clash against the citrus flavours as the oranges I used were very bitter, however I added a pinch of nutmeg and used a good quality gluten-free vegetable stock.  The soup tasted delicious and although can be drunk without cream, the cream does add another warm comforting feeling and blends perfectly with the nutmeg. I would recommend blending the soup s the flavours can really infuse together, however it is quite nice to keep in little slices of carrot.

This recipe was adapted from The Best of Sainsbury’s Vegetarian Cooking (London: Reed Consumer Books Limited, 1993).

Ingredients:

25g butter, 500g carrots (peeled and sliced), 1 onion (peeled and chopped finely), 900ml vegetable stock, a pinch of sugar, salt and pepper, the juice of 4 oranges and the grated rind of 1, 1 tsp ground nutmeg, 142 ml carton single cream.

Method:

1. Melt the butter in a pan.
2. Add the carrots, onion and cook for 10 minutes (make sure they do not brown).
3. Add the stock, sugar, salt and pepper to taste.
4. Bring to the boil.
5. Cover and simmer for 50 minutes (the carrots should be tender after).
6. Blend the soup in batches until smooth or use a hand blender.
7. Stir in the orange juice, rind and nutmeg.
8. Leave to cool slightly before adding the cream.

Thursday Chocolate Fruit and Nut Cheweys

Superb

With the help of Aggie MacKenzie I made these amazing chocolate treats.  Sweet, chewy, fruity, nutty… too darn tasty.  This is for people who can’t wait until Friday and want their weekend to start earlier! Why Wait! Live Now!

Texture

My cooking has taken me on some pretty exciting journeys, each with its own unique lesson.  One day I hope to travel the world in search of new tastes, smells, sights and textures.  But every adventure starts in the home.  I had never used flour without a certain quantity of wet ingredients,  I was nervous that the mixture was going to be too heavy.  I should have known better then to doubt the women who loves clean homes.  I added my own unique touch by sprinkling mixed spice and nutmeg over the top.  I think these treats are quite sophisticated, I recommend sharing them over a cup of tea mid-week.

Ingredients:

125ml runny honey, 75g caster sugar, 200g mixed fruits and nuts, 100g plain flour, 200g white chocolate (melted), ground mixed spice and ground nutmeg.

Method:

1. Gently heat the honey and sugar then put aside.
2. In a mixing bowl sift in the flour and add the mixed fruit and nuts.
3. Pour in the honey sugar mixture and melted white chocolate.
4. Though it will be a stiff texture mix everything really well making sure there are no clumps of flour.
5. Sprinkle a tsp of mixed spice and ground nutmeg on the top.
6. Press into a square baking tin.
7. Bake in the oven at 160 degrees C for 25 minutes.
8. Cool and then cut into big square chunky bits.

Strawberry Marmalade Cupcakes With Mascarpone

“So Beautiful”

I was listening to the song So Beautiful by Musiq Soulchild and as I was paring the marmalade with a variety of ingredients to see how I could make the most of it I thought to myself wouldn’t it be lovely to re-create the flavours from my Mascarpone Strawberry Marmalade Flutes in cupcakes. Light heavenly cupcakes so beautiful that you take a breath before each bite to create a new food memory.  I cannot describe how overjoyed I was when I tried one.  I am really getting good at pairing ingredients and making my own recipes.  Something may really come out of this. I hope my grandparents are smiling.

(Makes 12 cupcakes)

Ingredients:

170g butter, 170g castor sugar, 3 eggs, 170g self – raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 10 strawberries (chopped), 2 tbsps marmalade (and a little more for the topping), 2 tsps syrup, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 4 tbsps mascarpone.

Method:

1. Beat 1/2 the butter and 1/2 the sugar into a mixing bowl until creamy.
2. Add the eggs, beating well after each addition.
3. Sift in the self- raising flour and baking powder, mix well and set aside.
4. Put the remaining butter and sugar into a saucepan and melt on a low heat.
5. Add the strawberries, marmalade, syrup and vanilla essence.
6. Melt everything and mix well to create a syrup.
7. Leave to cool for 5 minutes then add the wet ingredients to dry ingredients.
8. Mix everything together then prepare the muffin cases into a 12 holder muffin tray.
9. Spoon in the mixture to the top of the cases.
10. Bake in the oven at 170 degrees C for 30 minutes.
11. When the cupcakes are risen, golden brown and firm to the tough leave to cool for 10 minutes.
12. When cool cut the tops off the cupcakes and slice the tops in half.
13. Spread mascarpone over the flat surface of the cupcakes.
14. Add a tiny bit of marmalade on the top of the mascarpone and layer the halved cupcake tops to make a lovely presentation.