Fruit and Fibre Cups

Snacking on cereal

Many students love snacking on cereal.  So do I.  In 2012 rather than getting my quick fix from chocolates and sweets I sometimes  used dried Fruit and Fibre when I didn’t fancy other relatively healthy alternatives. 1. Because I have stopped eating cereal with milk and 2. Because I would rather have that then other high sugared quick energy foods.  I decided to turn my snack into a more appealing treat.  Now you can enjoy Fruit and Fibre as much as I do.  Maybe not in the same way, but in this recipe you still get all of the flavours from the cereal, plus some oaty goodness and extra Saffy Sweetness. Yes people I had to put oats in one of my last recipes for 2012.  It was a must.

Ingredients:

175g Fruit and Fibre, 25g butter, 2 tbsps honey, 25g oats.

Method:

1. Mash up the cereal in a large bowl.
2. Melt the butter and honey in a saucepan.
3. When melted pour on the cereal.
4. Add the oats and mix everything together well.
5. Divide the mixture into 12 muffin cases then put in the fridge to chill.

Aaliyah Orange Madeira

Try Again

I wanted my last bake to reflect my determination which I had in abundance on the 30th December.  See I was feeling extremely low as I felt that this year I had not achieved all that I wanted, but I thought to myself it is completely unfair to keep treating myself like a failure.  I am sick of it! I work so hard and yet I always put myself down.  In 2012 I made an Orange Madeira cake, it was fantastic,  I always said that I would make it again and do more justice to the decoration and find out how to get it close to perfect.  In this attempt I did another great job.  It wasn’t perfection, but my timing was better and presentation was much more appealing.  I also added honey and sandwiched the cake.  I named it after the singer Aaliyah who sang Try Again because that is what 2013 will be for me, learning from the mistakes I already made in 2012.  I hit the ground running sprinting my way forward losing steam, now my brain is more intelligent and I’m running a marathon, steady but powerful.  Try Again Saffy Try Again.

This recipe was adapted from The Dairy Book of Family Cookery (Ebury Press, 1983).

Ingredients:

175g butter, 175g caster sugar, 3 eggs, 100g plain flour, 150g self – raising flour, 1 large orange (zest and juice), 25g caster sugar (for sprinkling over the top – this is necessary).

Method:

1. Beat the butter and sugar until creamy.
2. Beat in the eggs.
3. Sieve in the flours.
4. Add the juice and zest.
5. Mix everything together very very well.  (No Lumpy Bits.)
6. Pour into a medium-sized prepared round baking tin. (Maximum size 22 inches.)
7. Set the oven at 200 degrees C.
8. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top of the cake.
9. Bake for 50 minutes – 1 hour 10 minutes.
10. The cake will be done when it is firm to the touch.

What Saffy learnt this year:

1. Be a Vulcan! Use your instincts when baking because every oven is different and warms up differently.  Recipes nearly always have to be adjusted so just test your theory when you think something is done.  If you are not sure it is best to follow the recipe and then make your adjustments the next time you choose to make the recipe.  I always make notes in my cookbooks.  I may never get to perfection, but I do aim to be as close as possible.   Such is the girl that I am,  a cooking enthusiast with an obsessive personality.

2. Do U!  If you want to make your cakes purple go ahead and make them purple. Why?  Because cooking is another way to express yourself and tell your story.

3. Work it! When I cook I put all my energy into it. Literally! I don’t do electric mixers very often, because I like beating my eggs to the radio.  Cooking can be great fun, in my opinion it is the best household job.  Therefore, you should make the most of every moment doing what you love.  When I get the kitchen to myself I work it, shake it, mix it, krump it, twist it and beat it.  Be a dancing queen in everything you do because when you’re smiling it really doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks.

Plum & Banana Victoria Sponge

Sponge Cakes in 2012

I do not think I am the queen of sponge cakes but I think that this year I did very very well.  I wanted to round off my year making my final sponge cake for 2012.   I was determined to make the cake as perfect and as tasty as possible.  I of course had to put my own twist on it, but as long as the butter and sugar was creamed well and the mixture was without lumps this sponge was going to be a great round off bake.  I chose a black cherry jam filling and marzipan decoration, as this was for my mother I wanted to make sure I used some of her favourite cake ingredients.

Ingredients:

3 plums (skinned, de stoned and chopped), 1 large banana, 175g butter, 175g sugar, 175g flour, 3 eggs, black cherry jam and marzipan (for decoration).

Method:

1. Put the plums in a medium bowl.
2. Chop up the banana into the bowl.
3. Use a hand blender to mash-up the fruit.
4. In another bowl beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
5. Gradually add the eggs, beating well one after the other.
6. Sieve in the flour.
7. Add the fruit and mix everything together well.
8. Divide into two small round prepared baking trays.
9. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes at 180 degrees C.
10. When firm to the touch and the skewer comes out clean after being inserted in the middle leave to cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.
11. To sandwich the cake spread jam over the top of the cake.
12. Roll out the marzipan then cut out a circle the size of the cake.
13. Place the marzipan on top of the jam and place the over sponge cake on top.
14. Do the same for the top of the cake then crimp the edges of the marzipan with your fingers.

Sweet Potato & Coconut Cream Loaf Topped with Sesame Seeds

Beautiful Mind

When I was a little girl I had an abundance of creative energy.  Unfortunately at during my early years in Primary School my teachers never believed in my abilities and so often shut me down.  But i always knew that deep down inside I had a beautiful mind, meaning that I could dream of the loveliest things and work out how I could turn these joys into a reality.  Expressed through dance, rapping, narrative and now cooking.  I had some left over sweet potato and coconut cream from Christmas and thought it would be wonderful to make a unique bake out of the ingredients.  There is never a dull moment in my mind.  The bread was crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.  Served warm it tastes sweet and divine.  A perfect treat for the end of a festive week.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb Sweet Potato (Peeled, boiled and mashed), 1/2 cup coconut cream, 1/2 cup olive oil,  200g wholemeal flour, 75g plain flour, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 cup sugar, 4 tbsps sunflower seeds.

Method:

1. Mix the potato with the coconut cream in a large bowl.
2. Add the oil and mix well.
3. Sieve in the flours.
4. Add the soda, salt and baking powder.
5. Mix everything well.
6. Add the sugar and mix everything well.
7. Prepare a loaf tin.
8. Pre heat the oven to 200 degrees C.
9. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin.
10. Sprinkle over the sesame seeds and slightly press down into the bread.
11. Bake for an hour.
12. Remove from the oven and leave to cool and firm up.  The loaf will be done when the skewer is clean when inserted into the middle.

Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with a Sage Thyme Basil and Butter Sauce

Italian Inspired Cooking

Before last year I assumed that every chef had a niche or specific type of cuisine and stuck to it, then after my passion for cooking grew I discovered that Chefs use their adventures t make new recipes.  For example Ms Pascale has so many Italian and French inspired recipes in her book which made it hard for me to identify a theme and that is when I realised the theme is simply… life. I do not want my food to be restricted by my culture or a specific type of cuisine, I want it to represent my adventures, triumphs, sad times and narratives I encounter.  Food means the world to me so I hope to put a piece of the world in my food.  Inspired by a fantastic simple pasta I had in Italy I made a quick filling version for my mother.  It was full of herbs and spiced up with a bit of green chilli.  I made it during my essay break.

Ingredients:

150g whole wheat penne pasta, 25g butter, 100g wholemeal bread crumbs, 25g grated cheddar cheese, 150ml sour cream, 4 tbsps sage (chopped), 5 tsps (thyme), 1 tsp dried rosemary, 3 tbsps basil (chopped), 1 small green chilli (chopped and deseeded), herbs of choice to garnish (I used a little fresh coriander)

Method:

1. Cook the pasta to instructions, season water with a little salt when boiling.
2. Melt the butter in a large frying pan.
3. Add the crumbs and cheese.
4. After 2 minutes add the sour cream, herbs and green chilli.
5. After 1 minute of stirring add 20ml of water and keep stirring.
6. After 5 minutes remove from the heat.
7. Drain the pasta then pour back into the saucepan.
8. Pour over the sauce and keep stirring until everything is heated  all the way through.
9. Garnish.

Saffy’s Serving Tips:

1. Sprinkle over some parmesan.
2. Serve with a light salad.
3. Serve with some grilled chicken.

Coffee Victoria Sponge Gateaux with a Black Cherry Jam and Dark Chocolate filling with Coffee and Dark Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Saffy’s Christmas Cook – Off

Chapter 15

Christmas dinners usually have a  showstopper piece and Safiya wanted one in the form of a cake to be served with her ice-cream.  After her trip to Rome she wanted to make something which included coffee.  She thought it would be nice to incorporate some of her travel memories into the meal.  She enjoyed tiramisu so surely coffee could taste nice in a sponge cake too.  She baked for 2 hours, making she the sponge light and fluffy and not too over powered by the coffee.  The filling and butter cream was also fun to make.  Safiya had never made a butter cream before, her partner was great at making butter cream frosting, in fact she thought his version was nicer and less artificial than those served at The Bakehouse in Covent Garden, London.  Sorry Ms Pascale but Saffy was on fire at Christmas, you too may soon have to share a cooking kingdom.

This recipe was adapted from The Dairy Book of Family Cookery (Ebury Press, 1983).

Ingredients:

To make a layered sponge cake you will have to make the cake mixture twice.  You will need two small layered round cake tins which you will divide the mixture into.

Cake:

175g butter, 175g caster sugar, 3 eggs, 175g self-raising flour, 10ml instant coffee. (x2)

Filling and Frosting:

6 tbsps butter, 1 2/3 cups icing sugar, 200g dark melted chocolate, 1/3 cup milk, 5 ml instant coffee, black cherry jam, a handful of walnuts halves.

Method:

1. Prepare the cake tins.  (This includes lining the tins with baking sheets.)
2. Beat the butter and the sugar together until creamy.
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
3. Sift in the flour.
4. Add the coffee.
5. When everything has been mixed well divide the mixture into the cake tins.
6. Bake at 180 degrees C for 20 – 25 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven with the top is firm and the skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle.
8. Leave to cool and remove from the tins ready for decoration.
9. Repeat the process making another cake mixture for a 4 layered cake.
10. For the frosting mix the butter in a bowl until creamy.
11. Add in the icing sugar and mix well.
12. Add a 1/4 of the melted chocolate.
13. Add the milk and melted coffee.
14. When everything has been mixed together taste and alter to your liking.
15. Start layering the cakes.
16. On the 1st base spread dark chocolate.
17. On the 2nd base spread on the black cherry jam.
18. On the 3rd base spread on chocolate and jam.
19. For the topping cover with the butter cream frosting and sprinkle on walnuts over the top.

Vanilla Custard Ice Cream

Saffy’s Christmas Cook – Off

Chapter 14

Safiya’s mother loved ice cream.  She also remembered her grandmother loving it too.  Last year she brought her mother an ice cream maker for Christmas.  Her mother was not too impressed.  Safiya had brought it more as an ode to her grandmother it became important for Safiya to have ice cream  in her mother’s home.  It made her feel safe.  It is funny, the human mind, the things we hold on to in order to maintain the memories of loved ones.  The base of the ice cream was a vanilla custard, a delicious one at that.  Safiya had always wanted to know how to make custard and hated the powdered version.  Each time she had attempted the powdered version it was a cooking nightmare.  There was always too many gloopiness and nasty bits, the lumpiness was just too embarrassing.  Luckily Safiya had found other ways to use custard powder and actually thought that her custard was the best she had ever eaten.  The only thing Safiya ever boasts about is her food, she intended to  keep on doing it.  She thought it’s nice to have something you can brag about.  Every person deserves to have a niche or 8.

Ingredients:

3 egg yolks, 75g caster sugar, 225ml skimmed milk, 225ml double cream, 2tsps vanilla essence

Method:

1. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a glass bowl and beat together.
2. In a saucepan slowly bring the milk to a boiling point.
3. Pour the milk onto egg mixture and beat together.
4. Return the mixture to the pan stirring constantly until it thickens. (Do not let it boil.)
5. Remove from the heat and leave it until it is cold.
6. Stir in the cream and vanilla essence.
7. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the paddle running.
8. Allow to freeze until desired consistency is achieved.

Saffy’s Ice Cream Maker Musts:

1. Leave the Ice Cream bowl in the freezer the night before to get cold.
2. Do not use metal to scoop out the ice cream.
3. Even when you thick the ice cream is at the desired consistency after churning keep checking it and mixing it in the freezer.  It is easy to misjudge the consistency so because you cannot scoop the ice cream back into the ice cream maker it is easier to do the rest by hand.

Herb Roasted Chicken

Saffy’s Christmas Cook – Off

Chapter 13

Saffy actually felt that preparing the chicken was quite therapeutic.  It was so much fun stuffing the chicken and rubbing it down that she cooked with the biggest smile on her face.  Safiya felt free and in control when she cooked.  It was a great escape from her exams, coursework, personal issues and fears.  The best thing about cooking the chicken was not needing to look at the recipe more than once.  A year ago she was scared about preparing a whole chicken and now she was confident as ever.  As the chicken baked in the oven she didn’t feel so down any more.  Her life wasn’t over, she still had a long way to go and a lot to achieve.  Every year she does incredible things so there was no reason to put herself down.  Cooking an entire Christmas dinner was her way of saying “I can do anything, and do it well.”

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appetite Magazine, 2012.

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken, 3 tbsp salt, 1 1/2 tbsps freshly ground black pepper, 6 tbsps unsalted butter( room temperature), 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest, 1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary, 1 tbsp minced fresh sage leaves, 1 tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves, 1 medium onion (quartered), 1 orange (quartered), 1 lemon (quartered).

Method:

1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
2. Rub bird inside and out with salt and pepper.
3.  Using a fork mix the butter, lemon zest, rosemary, sage, and thyme in a small bowl.
4. Rub herb butter over top of chicken and inside cavity.
5. Place the onion, orange, and lemon inside turkey cavity.
6. At 450 degrees roast the chicken, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
7. Reduce oven temperature to 325°.
8. Cover with foil.
9. Baste chicken every 30 minutes.
10. Cook for 1 3/4 hour in total (also depends on the size).
11. Leave to rest 1 hour before serving.

Rice & Peas Caribbean Style

Saffy’s Christmas Cook – Off

Chapter 12

Okay, this is going to sound odd considering how much this girl cooks based on her history but this was the first time she had ever made rice and peas.  The very first time.  Safiya did a fantastic job too, she really felt that she was ready to take on the status of head chef for her future household and family.  She also felt blessed that she had been given the passion to make traditional Caribbean food and that she was on her way to making the recipes treasured by her Caribbean islands.  She used coconut cream and was very careful about the cooking times.  The rice was the one dish which had to be perfect.

  Ingredients:

3 cups wholegrain basmati rice, 1 can red kidney beans (drained), 1 red onion (chopped finely), 1/2 cup skimmed milk, 1 tbsp creamed coconut, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 tsp salt.

Method:

 

1. Simmer the kidney beans in the water. (Do not let them boil.)
2. Add the onion, milk and salt.
3. Add the rice and stir.
4. Cover after stirring for a minute.
5. Let the rice simmer for 15 minutes.
6. Reduce the heat and let the rice cook for a further 10 minutes.
7. Testing the rice with a fork, if wet let it cook for 10 minutes on a low heat, if hard add roughly 1/2 cup of water and cook on a low heat for a further 10 minutes.

Date, Orange & Carrot Salad

Saffy’s Christmas Cook – Off

Chapter 11

Christmas meals do not have to be fattening and daunting.  It is possible to cook healthy alternatives.  Having a few light dishes to accompany the heavier dishes is a great idea because you wont feel so sluggish by mixing fresh and healthy with pure indulgence.  Safiya did make foods she would consider indulgent, but compared to traditional Christmas dinners or Sunday roasts Safiya’s feast was quite healthy without it seeming healthy.  Nobody wants to feel like they are dieting at Christmas.  Once again the Birdspeed way is a darn good way ;).

This recipe was adapted from The Detox Diet Cookbook (Lorenz Books, 2000).