MONKEY BREAD FOR THE BREADMAKER

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE BREAD

1/4 Cup Warm Water

3 1/4 Cups Flour

1 Egg

1 tsp Salt

1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

3/4 Cup Warm Milk

25g Margerine/Butter

1 Sachet Dried Yeast

FOR THE COATING

115g Butter, melted

1/2 Cup Chopped Mixed Nuts

2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

3/4 Cup Demerara Sugar

FOR THE DRIZZLE ICING:

1/2 Cup Icing Sugar

Enough milk to make a thin icing



Place all the ingredients into the bread maker in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Set breadmaker to dough programme.



Preheat oven to 180'c. Grease and flour a bundt pan (a large sandwich tin works just as well).



Place the chopped nuts, cinnamon and brown sugar into a small bowl and mix. Place melted butted into another bowl.



When the breadmaker has finished, pull pieces off the dough and roll into 1/2 inch balls, roll the balls into the butter and then roll in the nut mixture to cover. Arrange in the pan in a circle.



Bake for approx 20 - 25 minutes or until browned and the bread sounds hollow when tapped underneath.



Leave to cool. Make the icing by sieving the icing sugar and mixing with enough milk to form a runny consistency. Drizzle over the bread and leave to set.

AMERICAN:ENGLISH CONVERSION CHART

I own lots of American recipe books, but some of the measurements have often been awkward to work out. I do now have a set of cup measures, but this chart still comes in handy for liquid & butter measures etc.

LIQUID MEASURES

1 Cup US = 275ml

1 Pint US = 550ml

1 Quart US = 900ml

SPOON MEASURES

1 Level Tablespoon Flour - 15g Flour

1 Heaped Tablespoon Flour - 28g Flour

1 Level Tablespoon Sugar = 28g Sugar

1 Level Tablespoon Butter = 15g Butter

SPOON MEASURES

1 Cup Rice US = 225g Rice

1 Cup Flour US = 115g Flour

1 Cup Butter US = 225g Butter

1 Stick Butter US = 115g Butter

1 Cup Dried Fruit US = 225g Dried Fruit

1 Cup Brown Sugar US = 180g Brown Sugar

1 Cup Granulated Sugar US = 225g Granulated Sugar

QUEEN OF PUDDINGS WITH COCONUT

INGREDIENTS

150g Stale White Bread or Brioche


Vanilla Extract


1 tbs Caster Sugar


Finely Grated Rind of 1/2 Lemon


200ml Milk


50g Butter + Extra For Greasing


300ml Coconut Milk


4 Eggs, Separated


2 tbs Bramble Jelly


100g Caster Sugar


Salt





Preheat oven to 180'C (350'F) Gas Mark 4. Grease a medium sized oven proof dish.





Process the bread crumbs and tip into a mixing bowl. Add a few drops of vanilla essence with the tablespoon of sugar and the grated lemon rind.





In a small pan, heat the milk with the butter. Just before it boils, pour the hot milk over the breadcrumbs, then add the coconut milk. Lastly beat in the egg yolks.





Pour the mixture into the greased baking dish, put into the oven and bake for about 30mins. The cream should be just starting to set.





Warm the jelly gently and spread it over the cream, when it has cooled a little. Whisk the egg whites until stiff with a pinch of salt, add the sugar (reserving 2 tsp) and whisk again. Spread the meringue over the cream, sprinkle with the remaining sugar and put in the oven for about 15 minutes, just long enough for the meringue to brown in places. Serve hot.

A FEW OF MY FAVOURITE THINGS!

Just recently I seem to have accumulated one or two 'things' - what with Christmas and everything and just wanted to show them off.

The first things are a lovely red polka dot tea pot, 2 make up bags and a matching 2 tier cake stand. The were meant as Christmas presents but arrived too late. I couldn't possible send them back now could I? Lol!

The other thing I had was a set of cookery books in a hat box. Each little book was given such appetising name such as Strawberry & Guava, Apple & Pear and Orange Flower Water & Violet. I am planning to do some of the recipes from these in the next couple of days - I just don't know which ones to do first!

There is also nothing nicer than something for free and I had this gorgeous little sewing tin as a free gift with a magazine - so no more lost scissors.

COFFEE AND WALNUT CAKE

2 tbs Coffee Essence (eg Camp)
175g Butter, softened
175g Caster Sugar
3 Medium Eggs
175g S.R. Flour
100g Walnuts
For The Filling
125g Butter, softened
250g Icing Sugar
2 tbs Coffee Essence (eg Camp)
8 Walnut Halves

Pre-heat oven to 180'C/Gas Mark 4. Grease and flour 2 x 7in sandwich tins. Place all the ingredients into a bowl and beat until smooth. Divide between the sandwich tins and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until just firm to the touch in the centre.

Remove the cakes from the oven and cool in the tins for 5-10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the filling, beat together the butter, icing sugar, and coffee essence until smooth, adding 1tbs boiling water if the mixture is too thick. Use to fill the cake and spread on top. Use walnut halves to decorate.