Banana and Peanut Cake

Rear View 

When I drove in the Caribbean I was consistently looking out of my rear view mirror in fear that I would knock something over.  To master those roads is a sport in itself and I am sure one day I will get the hang of it.  This cake reminds me of the incident I had in Barbados, it involved a monkey, a fig tree and my bad driving.  Well looking on the bright side I made this delicious cake. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from Good Housekeeping Magazine (Nov, 2012).

Ingredients:

75g dark brown sugar, 75g butter, 2 large eggs, 3 medium ripe bananas, 75g chopped peanuts,  225g plain flour, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda, ground nutmeg, strawberry jam.

Method:

1. Beat the sugar and the butter until creamy.
2. Beat in the eggs gradually.
3. Mash up the bananas and add in the peanuts.
4. Fold in the flour, salt, soda and nutmeg.
5. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
6. Prepare a loaf tin.
7. Pour the mixture into a loaf tin.
8. Bake for 1 hour.
9. When the skewer comes out clean after being removed from the centre let the cake cool on a wire rack.
10. Glaze with strawberry jam.

Bubble Biscuits

Can’t help but check

Biscuits are not as easy to make as they appear.  I cannot help but check them every few minutes in the oven.  Over bake them and they will be like rocks, under bake them and they will taste like flour.  My bubble biscuits are light so it was difficult to tell when they were done.  I just had to have a whole lot of faith.  My biscuits taste of vanilla custard and taste great with melted chocolate, cream cheese and jam… Not all together of course.

This recipe was adapted from Good Housekeeping Magazine (April, 2012).

Ingredients:

75g butter, 100g caster sugar, 20ml almond milk, 20g custard powder, 1 medium egg, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 200g plain flour.

Method:

1. Beat the sugar and butter until creamy.
2. Add in the almond milk and custard powder.
3. Follow with the extract, baking powder and plain flour.
4. Form to make a dough.
5. Wrap in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
6. Mould biscuits into shapes and place on a baking sheet on a baking tray.
7. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
8. Bake the biscuits for 14 minutes.
9. Chill the biscuits on a wire rack before serving.

Lemon and Poppyseed Buttermilk Cake

Introducing a new day

Sometimes your day does not always go as planned so it is important that you adjust your plans in order to make things work for you, otherwise you will be left annoyed and eagerly waiting for the next day wasting the present that has been given to you.  I as usual gave myself too many tasks in a day so I did not have time to bake a cake.  I was not happy as I really wanted to spend some time in the kitchen.  I decided to perfect the icing ready for the next day.  I was very happy with my new recipe for a cream cheese icing as it could also be used for a red velvet cake.  When I finally made the cake the next day I was full of life and energy.  The texture for this cake is unusual because it is dense in the middle but the outside is light and crisp.

This recipe was adapted from Good Housekeeping Magazine (April, 2012).

Ingredients:

150g butter (softened), 175g caster sugar, 3 large eggs (lightly beaten), finely grated zest and juice of 1 1/2 lemons, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 125g buttermilk, 1 tbsp poppy seeds, 250g plain flour, 2 tsps baking powder, 150g full- fat cream cheese, 75g butter, 350g icing sugar.

Method:

1. Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.
2. Beat in the eggs.
3. Add the lemon juice, vanilla extract, buttermilk and poppy seeds.
4. Fold in the flour and baking powder.
5. Prepare a cake tin and pre heat the oven 180 degrees.
6. Pour the cake mixture into the cake tin.
7. Bake for 40 minutes.
8. While the cake is baking mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl.  Alter to taste.
9. When the skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean leave to cool on a wire rack.
10. When the cake has cooled spread over the icing.

White Cottage Loaf

The Elephant and The Duckling

Based on a real conversation…
My Darling: “Your bread reminds me of a duckling.”
Saffy: “Why my love?”
My Darling: “Because the design of your bread looks cute and sweet and it makes me want to hug you.”
Saffy: “That is lovely my darling.  I thought my loaf was an elephant.”
My Darling: “But it is small.”
Saffy: “Ah yes my love but it took a might effort to make and mould, the outside is hollow but the inside is soft and fluffy.”
My Darling: “Do you mean a real elephant or one of your teddy bears?”
Saffy: What is the difference?”

This wonderful bread recipe was taken from Mary Berry’s Baking Bible (BBC Books, 2009).

Ingredients:

450g strong white flour, 2 tsps fast action yeast, 1 tsp salt, 300ml warm water, 1 large egg (beaten).

Method:

1. Measure all of the ingredients except the egg into a bowl.
2. Work until it makes a soft dough.
3. If it becomes too sticky add more flour, and too dry add more water.  A little at a time.
4. Transfer to a large lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with cling film.
5. Wait for 1 1/2 hours until the dough has doubled in size.
6. Tip the dough onto a floured work surface and work with your hands until smooth.
7. Cut a quarter of the dough and shape into a ball.
8. Roll the rest of the dough into a bigger ball.
9. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.
10. Place the big dough ball on the parchment and the small dough ball on top of the big one.
11. Flour the handle of a wooden spoon or spatula then make a cross shape by hitting the bottom of the tray with the utensil through the dough.
12. Cover the tray with cling film and leave to prove in a warm place for 45 minutes.
13. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
14. Remove the cling film and brush the bread with a beaten egg.
15. Bake for 25 minutes until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when the base is tapped.

Curried Pepper Tofu Balls

Love Dream

I had a very strange dream or early morning fantasy about love.  It was quite ridiculous.  Every time a man ate curried tofu balls he immediately fell into a trance and a passionate rage to have me for himself.  My curried tofu balls started a small war amongst three men.  This would have been a very funny dream had the men not been 32 – 38 with the most annoying personalities.  I adapted a recipe to help me with my creation, may the balls not bring you foolish lovers.

This recipe was adapted from Asda Magazine (May, 2013).

Ingredients:

1 small onion (chopped into tiny pieces), 1/2 red pepper (chopped into tiny pieces and de seeded), 200g quorn (drained), 50g dried breadcrumbs, 1 medium egg (beaten), 2 tsps dried oregano, 1 tbsp balti curry paste, 1/2 tbsp tomato puree, 1 tbsp tomato ketchup, lettuce and chopped carrots to serve.

Method:

1. Mix all of the ingredients into a large bowl.
2. Form into small balls.
3. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes until cooked through.
4. Serve on a bed of lettuce and chopped carrots.

Creole Rice

Secrets

I keep secrets because I find it strange for a person to know so much about me.  I don’t like to give so much of myself to others, but when I cook I feel as though I am sharing my secrets with the world.  This rice isn’t just a side it is a memory of an encounter I once had in Barbados.  The sweet pineapple, sticky coconut rice with spicy kidney beans.  Something that looks so exotic and luxurious but is actually quite fiery.  Regardless of the delicious taste the memory is not so sweet,  I was 14 years old and my life was changed forever.

This recipe was adapted from Asda Magazine (May, 2013).

Ingredients:

1 x can of coconut milk, 300g basmati rice (washed), 1/2 red pepper (chopped and de seeded), 1/2 green pepper (chopped and de seeded), 1 x can kidney beans (drained), 227g can pineapple chunks (drained), 2 tsps hot pepper sauce.

Method:

1. Pour the milk into a large saucepan.
2. Add the rice and bring to a boil.
3. Let the rice simmer in the milk for about 30 minutes.
4. When the rice is almost cooked add the peppers and kidney beans.
5. When the peppers and kidney beans have cooked through add the pineapple and hot pepper sauce.
6. Season to taste.
7. Serve when the rice has cooked and fluff with a metal fork.

Tomato and Pepper Quiche

Chances

Every single person makes mistakes but not every person corrects their mistakes when they get another opportunity to make things right.  Cooking reminds me that although I am not able to go back and correct my mistakes I am able to be better in the future.  My most recent quiche was the best quiche I have made yet.  Everytime I prepare pastry I grow in confidence and my filling was much more balanced and set better than my last.  I used one of my favourite cheeses in the filling and reduced the amount of cream from the original recipe.

This was adapted from Vegetarian Cooking (Coombe Books, 1993).

Ingredients:

100g wholewheat flour, pinch of salt, 50g butter, a little cold water, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 green pepper (finely chopped), 1/2 red pepper (finely chopped), a small handful of cherry tomatoes (halved), 3 eggs, 150ml single cream, 3 – 4 tbsps cheddar cheese with caramelized onion (finely chopped).

Method:

1. Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl.
2. Cut the butter into small pieces and rub into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the water and mix until a ball of dough is formed.
4. Roll out the dough on a pastry board.
5. Prepare a round baking dish.
6. Line the baking dish with the pastry.
7. Prick the bottom of the pastry with a fork.
8. Bake for 15 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven.
11. Heat the oil in a frying pan.
12. Fry the peppers until they have softened.
13. Put the peppers  in the pastry case.
14. Beat the eggs with the cream and pour into the pastry case.
15. Place the tomatoes in after the cream and scatter the cheese over the top.

Saffy’s Suggestions:

1. Serve with a filling vegetable side like lemon buttered cauliflower.
2. Try a variety of different cheese like Parmesan or Gouda.
3. Serve with fresh herbs such as parsley.

Chocolate Cake

The Perfect Icing

I usually become nervous about making icing because I like to try different flavours praying they will work with the cake.  I made a beautiful light chocolate cake which would not have been ruined by a little extra sweetness.  Mary Berry provided the instructions for a lovely simple icing to compliment the cake, I added some icing sugar and water for a little extra sweetness and to loosen the icing so it would not be too thick.  This is one of the best chocolate cakes I have ever made.  I thought it was unusual to use such a high amount of oil and milk but this helped to make the texture so heavenly.

This recipe was adapted from Mary Berry’s Baking Bible (BBC Books, 2009).

Ingredients:

75g plain flour, 200g self – raising flour, 3 tbsps cocoa powder, 1 1/2 tsps bicarbonate of soda, 1 1/2 tsps baking powder, 215g caster sugar, 3 large eggs (beaten), 225ml sunflower oil, 225ml skimmed milk, 200g plain chocolate, 50g milk chocolate, 3 tbsps icing sugar, 100g butter.

Method:

1. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and baking powder into a large bowl.
2. Add the caster sugar and mix well.
3. In a separate bowl or jug mix the eggs, oil and milk.
4. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and mix with a wooden spoon.
6. When the mixture is smooth pre heat the oven to 160 degrees C.
7. Prepare 2 round cake tins, 20cm max.
8. Bake for 35 minutes.
9. When the cakes are well risen and are springy to the touch cool on a wire rack.
10. While the cakes cool melt the chocolate.
11. Beat in the butter.
12. Add the icing sugar and a little water or milk to loosen.
13. Sandwich the cakes together with the icing when cool and spread the icing over the top. 

Cream Cheese and Coconut Pound Cake

A Happy Spirit

I was listening to some beautiful gospel music and it put me in the mood to dance and praise the Lord.  I wanted to do some baking for a few elderly groups for one of my favourite charities. I love cooking for the elderly and learning new tips.  They are the hardest critics.  Anyone that can make cou cou from scratch with a wooden stick is one to be feared.  I practiced my cake making with a cream cheese and coconut pound cake.  It was a great bake and was the perfect consistency and texture.  I flavoured it with coconut and vanilla and topped it with fresh raspberries.

Ingredients:

350g self – raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda, 1/4 tsp salt, 300g butter, 250g cream cheese, 400g granulated sugar, 2 tsps vanilla, 6 eggs, 150g desiccated .

Method:

1. In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
2. In another bowl beat the butter, cream cheese and sugar until creamy.
3. Add the vanilla and whisk in the eggs.
4. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
5. Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees C.
6. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes.
7. When the skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean cool on a wire rack before serving.
8. Serve with fresh fruit and raspberries.

Vanilla Cheesecake

Knowledge and Power

With knowledge comes great power.  I cannot wait to unleash my amazing theories onto the world.  However, when you work as hard as I do sometimes you need to give yourself a little treat or otherwise your brain will go into a total meltdown.  I learnt about this the hard way.  I made a quick no bake cheesecake to relax my ultimate mind.

Ingredients:

250g digestive biscuits, 150g butter, 100g caster sugar, 120g creme fraiche, 200g cream cheese, 2 tsps vanilla extract.

Method:

1. Bash up the digestive biscuits with the end of a rolling pin.
2. Melt the butter.
3. Mix the butter with the biscuits.
4. Press into a cake tin.
5. In another bowl mix the sugar, creme fraiche, cream cheese and vanilla extract.
6. Spoon the topping on top of the biscuit base.
7. Chill for a minimum of 5 hours so the cheesecake can set.