Jaffa Cake Pudding

I came across this recipe in Best's 'Just For Kids' recipe collection, however I changed the make up slightly as I thought is was a bit fiddly.

Ingredients:

1 Orange Jelly, cut into squares
375ml Orange Juice
1 x 10in Sponge Base
275g Plain Chocolate
350ml Double Cream

Heat 150ml orange juice until boiling and use to dissolve jelly, add remaining juice. Leave to cool and partially set for a few hours - jelly should be quite thick but not completely set.

Spread jelly onto the sponge flan case and refrigerate until set.

Break chocolate into a bowl and add half the cream. Set over a bowl of hot water and stir until dissolved. Leave to cool.

Whip remaining cream until it forms soft peaks and fold into chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until set.

A TASTE OF WALES

As tomorrow is St David's Day, here are a couple of my favourite recipes.

WELSH CAKES
250g Plain Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
Pinch Salt
125g Butter
100g Caster Sugar
75g Currants
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tbs Milk

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and rub in the butter. Stir in the sugar and currants. Add the milk and egg until the mixture makes a firm dough. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and roll out to approx 5mm/1/4in thick. Cut out rounds approx 2 1/2 - 3in in diameter.

Heat a little butter in a heavy based frying pan (if you have a bakestone - even better). Cook the cakes for approx 4-5mins on both sides. Transfer to a wire rack and sprinkle with caster sugar. Leave to cool.

BARA BRITH (speckled bread)

225g Mixed dried fruit and chopped mixed peel
225ml Strong Hot Tea, strained
225g Self Raising Flour
1tsp Mixed Spice
25g Butter
100f Brown Sugar
1 egg, Lightly Beaten

Put the fruit in a heatproof bowl and pour over the tea. Cover and leave overnight.

Pre-heat oven to 180'C/Gas Mark 4, Grease a 21b loaf tin (or use a liner).

Sift the flour and mixed spice into a large mixing bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar, then add fruit with it's liquid along with the beaten egg. Stir well to make a mixture with a soft consistency.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared loaf tin and level the surface.

Bake in the oven for approx 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out on to a wire rack and leave to cool.

VALENTINE BISCUITS

1 Medium Egg

50g Caster Sugar

50g Soft Brown Sugar

75g Golden Syrup

80g Butter

1 tsp Mixed Spice

1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

375g Plain Flour

Preheat oven to 180'c. Rub the butter into the flour and then stir in the dry ingredients. Add the egg and golden syrup and bring together to form a dough.

Roll out onto a floured board and cut out hearts using a heart shaped cookie cutter. Arrange on a greased baking tray and bake for approx 20mins, until they are a golden colour.

Decorate with icing or icing pens.

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.

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.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year Everyone - I hope you all had a good Christmas and wish you all the best for the new year!

This Christmas I decided to make my own Christmas cake and Mincemeat. I was really pleased with the mincemeat - the taste was out of this world. But the cake was a little disappointing - it tasted exactly like a bought one, even though there must have been 1/2 bottle of brandy in it. I keep telling myself this is a good thing as at least it didn't taste horrible!

The only problem now is I still have half a cake left and I am supposed to be eating a little more healthily!! - it will keep I suppose, lol

PEAR AND GINGER UPSIDE DOWN PUDDING

Ingredients:

1 x Tin Pears

50g/20z Soft Brown Sugar

Sponge:

100g/4oz Butter

100g/4oz Caster Sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 tbs Ground Ginger

175g/6oz Self raising Flour



Pre-heat oven to 180'C/350'F/Gas 4. Lightly grease a 6 inch/15cm round cake tin. Drain Pears and arrange at the bottom of the tin. Sprinkle over the brown sugar.



Place all the sponge ingredents into a mixing bowl and whisk on high speed for approximatly 3 minutes. Spoon the mixture over the top of the pears and bake in the centre of the oven for about 25 minutes.



Turn out onto a serving plate and serve with custard, cream or ice cream.

Banana Coconut Cake

I wanted to make a Chicken Korma last week and the recipe called for coconut milk. I couldn't get it in our local Tesco so I had to buy dried, which worked just as well. However there was a recipe on the back of the box and it was fantastic. If you can find Maggi Dried Coconut Milk this cake is delicious:

185g Butter

1 Cup Caster Sugar

4 Eggs

2 Cups Chopped Walnuts

3 Cups Self Raising Flour

1 Cup Maggi Dried Coconut Milk

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 Cup Orange Juice

CREAMY HONEY FROSTING:

125g Cream Cheese

30g Butter

1 tbsp Honey

2 Cups Icing Sugar, sifted.

Preheat oven to 180'C. Grease & line a 25cm round cake pan (I used 3 sandwich tins). Cream butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in banana & walnuts. Fold in flour, Coconut milk and cinnamon with orange juice. Spoon into greased tins & bake for 1 - 1 1/4 hours (I baked mine for approx 35 mins as I used sandwich tins). Cool on wire rack. To make the frosting beat the cream cheese, butter and honey together until smooth. Gradually beat in the icing sugar. Use to cover cake (or also use as a filling & topping if using sandwich tins - there is plenty left for this)

EASTER MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS:

300g Plain Flour

1 tbs Cornflour

100g Caster Sugar

100g Sultanas

2 tbs Candied Peel

1 Egg, beaten

175ml Milk

6 tbs Sunflower Oil

100g Marzipan, finely grated

Zest of 1 Lemon

ICING:

200g Icing Sugar

2 tbs Lemon Juice

Yellow Food Colouring

36 Mini Eggs

Preheat oven to 200'c/Gas 6. Place 12 large muffin cases in muffin tray. Sift flour with baking powder and caster sugar, add sultanas and candied peel.

In a separate bowl combine egg, milk and oil then add marzipan and lemon zest. Combine with dry ingredients until just mixed together (do not over mix).

Divide mixture between the 12 muffin cases and bake for 20 mins. Allow to cool.

Sift icing sugar and add lemon juice and yellow food colouring to make icing. Use to decorate muffins and top with 3 mini eggs on each one.

IRISH SODA BREAD

450g Plain White Flour
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
400ml Buttermilk

Pre heat oven to 250'C

Sieve all the dry ingredients and make a well in the centre. Add the buttermilk. Using your hands, mix together until it forms a soft dough.

Turn out onto a floured board and form into a round loaf shape. Cut a deep cross on the loaf and prick with a fork.

Bake for 15mins then turn down oven to 200'C for 30mins until cooked. To test if it is done, tap the loaf - if cooked it should sound hollow. Cool on a wire rack.

Soda bread is best eaten on the day it is made.

CHOCOLATE CHIP TRAYBAKE

Ingredients
250g Butter
250g Caster Sugar
4 eggs, beaten
250g Self Raising Flour
50g Cocoa Powder
150g Plain Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 180'C and grease a 20x30cm roasting tin or cake tin. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Adds eggs a little at a time and add a tablespoon of flour if the mixture curdles.

Sift the remaining flour and cocoa and stir into the mixture. Add the chocolate chips. Spoon mixture into the tin and bake for approx. 30 minutes. Cool in the tin and cut into squares.

ROLO TARTS

Ingredients
1pk Shortcrust Pastry
24 Rolos
24 White Chocolate Buttons

Preheat oven to 180'C. Grease 2 x 12 hole bun tins. Roll out pastry and cut out 24 round or square pastry shapes big enough to cover holes in bun tin. Put one Rolo in each tart. Bake for 10-15 minutes, then immediately put one large white chocolate button on top of each tart. Leave to cool slightly. Eat while warm.

MY FAVOURITE CUPCAKE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

4OZ (100G) Soft margarine

4oz (100g) Caster Sugar

2 eggs

4oz (100g) Self Raising Flour

1tsp Baking Powder

FOR THE ICING

8oz (225g) Icing Sugar, sifted

2-3 tbs Warm water

Sugar Decorations

Pre-heat oven to 200'c/400'F/Gas 6. Place about 18 paper cases in bun tins.

Measure all ingredients and place in a large mixing bowl and beat well for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is well blended and smooth. Half fill the paper cases with the mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 15-20mins until the cakes are well risen and golden brown. Lift the cakes out of the bun tins and cool on a wire rack.

Place the icing sugar in a bowl and blend in warm water until you have a fairly stiff icing. Spoon over the cakes and decorate with the sugar decorations. Leave to set.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

175g Self Raising Flour

1/2 tsp Salt

75g Softened Unsalted Butter

75g Brown sugar

75g Caster Sugar

1tbs Vanilla Essence

1 Egg

125g Chocolate Chips

Stir together the flour and salt. Do not sift. Beat the butter until creamy, then add the sugars and vanilla and stir them in until combined. Add the beaten egg, mixing well. Stir in the flour mixture. Stop the instant it has been incorporated. Stir in the Chocolate Chips until they are distributed evenly. Form the dough into a log, wrap it in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the oven t0 180'C (350'F/gas mark 4) and grease baking sheets.

Cut the dough into thin rounds, place on baking sheets and bake for 10 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden.

VALENTINES CAKE

For a simple Valentines Cake use a basic Victoria Sandwich recipe and bake in a heart shaped tin. You can either make two cakes and sandwich together with jam or make one and use butter cream as a topping (or you could make two cakes AND use butter cream for the topping!).

Decorate with sugar hearts.

TOBLERONE CAKE

A couple of years ago, I bought this lovely little folder to put all the recipes that I wanted to keep from magazines etc. I was handed a recipe for a Toblerone Cake in W.H. Smith of all places. I have never made it but I thought it looked interesting:

Ingredients

200g Toblerone

60z Digestive Biscuits

3oz Butter or margarine

10fl oz Double Cream

Flake or White Chocolate

Method

Melt butter in pan. Pour over crumbled biscuits. Mix and use to line an 8" tin. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Melt the Toblerone. Whisk the cream (not stiff). When the chocolate has started to cool, fold in cream. Pour the mixture over the base. Return cake to fridge for 1 hour. Decorate with flake or white chocolate.

ICED LEMON TRAYBAKE

(for Pixiedust!)

8oz (225g) Soft Margarine
8oz (225g)Caster Sugar
10oz (275g) Self Raising Flour
2tsp Baking Powder
4 eggs
4 tbsp Milk
grated rind of 2 lemons

FOR THE ICING:
about 3 tbsp lemon Juice
8oz (225g) Icing Sugar

Preheat oven to 180'C/350'F/Gas 4. Grease and line a 12 x 9 in (30 x 23cm) roasting tin with greaseproof paper. Measure all ingredients into a large bowl and beat well for approx 2mins. Place mixture in tin and level the top. Bake for 35-40mins until cake has shrunk from sides of tin and springs back when pressed in the centre. Leave in tin to cool.

Mix lemon juice with the icing sugar and spread over cake. Leave to set.
Makes about 21 slices. I have halved this recipe before now and it works just as well.

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES, LEMON TRAY BAKE AND A CHEAP CREDIT CRUNCH SUPPER

As I have now finished crafting for for my Valentine Swap, I decided to spend the afternoon baking and cooking. As I am trying my best to cut costs I made chocolate cupcakes using cocoa powder for the chocolate flavouring - they taste just as good as using real chocolate. I made 18 about 3hrs ago and there are now 11 left!

I also made a huge Lemon Tray Bake (I bake them in my roasting tin) with a view to them lasting all week. Although this rarely happens with my kids around!

The best money saver today though has to be our supper. I made Tomato Pasta using a Jamie Oliver jar of pasta sauce. These are on offer at the moment at Tesco for only 89p a jar. I added a pack of spaghetti costing 49p and topped it all with a little grated cheese. There was more than enough to feed all 4 of us.

I then made pancakes for afters using ingredients from my store cupboard. This has to be the cheapest meal I've ever cooked - I'm now going to see if I can better this one next week!