Ginger Syrup Cake

If you have never baked a cake before this is a perfect recipe for you. It goes so well with a nice cup of tea. This is so easy to whip up. I think most people that cook regularly will have the few ingredient in their store cupboard.
As with most my cake recipes it can be made by hand so no need to be put off if you don't have a cake mixer.

Makes a square tin 28cm x 18cm

Line with greaseproof paper.

Cooking time 30-40 mins

Ingredients:
200g self raising flour
200g brown sugar
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
50g soften butter
1 egg beaten
2 tbsn golden syrup or honey
240ml hot water

Method:
Mix flour, brown sugar, ginger and bicarb together.
Rub in the butter until the mix resembles breadcrumbs.
Add the egg, golden syrup and water mix well.

Pour the batter in to your prepared tin

Cool at 180oc for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.
Check with a skewer if your unsure

Glaze with cooked and cooled apricot jam (optional).

Top tip. When using golden syrup, honey or treacle that's in a plastic bottle it can be hard to get out evenly for measuring.
Heat gently either in a jug of boiling water or microwave it for 20-30 seconds.

Lasagne My-Way

This may seem a little simple or a bit everyday to put on the blog but what it comes down to is Lasagne is a all time dinner winner for kids and adults.

Everyone has their own favourite recipe or way of making Lasagne some authentic some not.

The only thing I dislike about some peoples Lasagne is some times they make it with the jarred sauces.

It is so simple to make the sauce from scratch and I can personally guarantee it'll taste a million times better.

A few key points to think about before making Lasagne or Bolognese sauce

1. Buy the best quality mince you can afford.
2. Make sure your saucepan/frying pan is very hot when frying the meat to make sure you get good brown colour and the meat doesn't boil or look grey.
3. Remember when using tinned tomatoes you may need to add a pinch of sugar if it tastes acidic.
4. Taste by this I mean taste your food regularly how can you be sure it will taste right at the end if you haven't seasoned it correctly through out each stage.
5. The longer and slower you cook the meat sauce the better it will taste so if you have time it will certainly benefit loads.
6. Be confident if it goes wrong for some reason remember the next time it will be right.

Serves 4-6

Preparation time 30-40 minutes (if you want to cook the sauce longer by all means do).

Cooking time 30 minutes in oven

Ingredients:

450g or 1lb of good quality mince beef

50g pancetta or diced up rashers

1 diced white onion

2 garlic cloves crushed and diced

1 sprig thyme or pinch of dried thyme

1 beef oxo cube crumbled

olive oil 1-2 tbsn

Splash Worchester sauce

Salt and Pepper

Splash red wine (optional) can use water or stock instead

1 tin tomatoes

Pinch sugar to taste

Salt and Pepper

100g fresh Basil

100g grated cheese to top the Lasagne

Bechamel Sauce / White Sauce

Ingredients:

40g butter

20g flour

425ml milk

pinch of nutmeg

salt and black pepper

Method:

Heat a wide base sauce pan or large frying pan on hob with olive oil

To check if its hot throw in a little bit of onion if it sizzles its ready

Add onions,garlic and pancetta

keep stirring until the bacon browns a little be sure not to burn the garlic as the sauce will taste very bitter if you do.

Remove from the pan when cooked and drain off the extra fat

Put pan on hob again with a little oil when hot add the beef mince,

cook until brown if your pot is small cook in batches as the meat will boil and go tastes-less otherwise.

Crumble in the oxo cube and the thyme and worchester sauce and season.

Add the onion,garlic and pancetta back to the pot with mince.

Add red wine and tomatoes.

Bring to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes on a low heat.

At the end taste and season add the pinch of sugar if needed

Finally stir in the fresh basil.

Method for White Sauce:

Melt butter in sauce-pan on a low-ish heat

Add flour to butter and stir around until well combined

This is called a 'Roux'

On a medium heat add the milk drop by drop using a whisk to stir in the milk

As the roux absorbs the milk you know its ready to take the next bit.

Dont be too hasty when it comes to adding the milk or you'll end up with a lumpy sauce.

Also keep whisking and cook for 2-3 minutes to make the flour is cooked out.

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Finally start layering up the lasagna, start with the meat sauce then a layer of pasta then a layer of white sauce,meat sauce and repeat. When all your layers are done top the lasagna with grated cheese of your choice Parmesan or Gruyere even some white cheddar will do just fine.
Bake in a medium hot oven until bubbling and nice and brown.
Will freeze very well.

If you don't have time to make lasanga.
The meat sauce will go lovely with homemade cheats papperdelle pasta. With the fresh lasagna sheets cut them length ways and cook in boiling salted water until al dente, the Italians say the water they cook pasta in should be as salty as the Mediterranean sea that's pretty salty however the water should have enough salt to season the pasta. Also a lot of people put oil in pasta water because they think it stops pasta sticking together this is a myth as if you mix oil and water the oil will always rise to the top so it doesn't benefit from it all and in fact your throwing oil away buy adding it. Paola Tuilo pointed this out at a cookery demo at the cork taste festival.
Al dente means to the tooth and the only way to make sure you have cooked it correctly is to taste it during cooking pasta should still have a bite but not to be too crunchy or too mushy. With fresh pasta this will only take 4-5 mins.
Enjoy !

Beetroot and Hazelnut Cake

This combination sounds unusual for a cake but I took the idea from the carrot and walnut cake, and used these ingredients instead.
Also use gloves when peeling the beetroot as it will stain your hands
Beetroot is very high in fibre which makes this cake relativity healthy.
I've put a cream cheese icing on to the recipe as well if you would like to use it to top the cake.
I just glazed mine with apricot jam.
This cake is lovely and most and keep well for a few days.

Equipment. 2 pound loaf tin or a round 9 inch loose bottom tin.
Baking parchment to line the tin.

Pre-heat oven to 180oc

Preparation time 15 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes
Cooling time 30-40 minutes

Ingredients:

150ml sunflower oil
50ml Hazelnut oil (if you can't find the hazelnut oil use 200 ml of sunflower oil)
250g caster sugar
3 large eggs
200g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
2 tsp mixed spice
3tsp milk
150 g fresh peeled and grated beetroot (net weight )
200g chopped hazelnuts

Glaze: optional if not using cream cheese icing.

4 tsp apricot jam
Splash of water.
Boil up in a pot then sieve into a bowl.
Brush the glaze on top of cooled beetroot cake.



Method:

Whisk the oil and sugar in a bowl until fluffy.
Add the eggs one by one.
Then add the flour, baking powder and mixed spice
Stir well
Add the grated beetroot and milk.
Finally stir in the hazelnuts.
Mix well.
Pour cake batter into your prepared tin
Place in the middle of your pre-heated oven.
Bake for 30 minutes
To check place a skewer in the centre if it comes out clean it's done.
Cool on a wire rack.

Cream Cheese Icing
Ingredients
125g full fat cream cheese
250g icing sugar sieved
1-2 lime juice.
Whole hazelnuts to decorate.

Method:

Beat the cream cheese in a bowl until smooth then add the sieved icing sugar eat again. Finally add the line juice.
When the cake is cooled smear the icing on top.
Decorate with the hazelnuts.

Tomato and Chilli Jam

Perfect with cheese, served as a dip with crab or fish cakes. Mix with mayo for a spicy spread on chicken sandwiches.

I saw a huge bag of not so fresh but still perfect mixed chillies in the market for €1! Couldn't leave them there what a bargain.These chillies are perfect for cooking in jams and chutneys.

You will need 2 sterilised jars for the recipe.

Ingredients.

1 tin of tomatoes
4 red chillies roughly chopped with the stalk taken off
2 cloves garlic
30 ml sweet chilli sauce
1tsp ground ginger
275g granulated sugar
100 ml white or red wine vinegar

Method:

In a food processor whizz the chillies,garlic, sweet chilli sauce and ginger until puréed
Place the sugar and vinegar in a stainless steal pot.
Add tomatoes and chilli purée
Stir well
Bring to the boil and then simmer for 30 -40 minutes until thick and reduced.
Pour in to sterilised jars.
Will keep for weeks in the fridge.
My jar was a little big when making as you will see from the photo.
Enjoy !
Also see my notes on sterilising jars for jams and chutneys on the blog.

Homemade Pizzas

If you can take the time to make these pizzas you won't be dissappointed. The dough is very quick to make. I stress again be meticulous when it come to weighing up your ingredients when baking.
It's one of the key elements in getting the end result perfect.
The amount of dough I'm making seems like a lot and it is.
I always use a kg of flour because you can freeze the half you don't use in balls or rolled out on a round baking sheet separated with grease proof paper.
Ready to use the next time you feel like a pizza.

Makes 5-6 pizzas

Pre-heat oven 220oc really hot.

Ingredients:

650ml tepid tap water
1 sachet or 7g dried yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1kg strong white flour
Bit extra for dusting

To make the dough, pour the tepid water into a large bowl and add yeast, sugar and salt.
Add the flour bit by bit until it all comes together.
The dough should be smooth and springy so if it's too wet add a little more flour.
Dust some flour on a counter top and kneed the dough until it feels smooth and you have a nice even ball.
Dust a bowl with some flour and add the dough ball.
Cover with a tea-towel leave to prove until its doubled in size.
When ready divine the dough up into the size you require and roll out thinly on to a oiled & floured baking tray. If you don't have a round pizza tray use a Swiss roll tin and make a rectangle shape pizza.


( While the dough is proving make your tomato sauce and prepare your toppings).

Sauce Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 red onion finally sliced
2 cloves of garlic crushed
1 Teaspoon chopped thyme or rosemary
1/2 glass of white or red wine
1 jar of passatta (sieved tomatoes)
Some fresh basil torn up
Salt ,pepper
Pinch of sugar to taste

Method:

Heat oil in sauce pan to a medium
Add onion,garlic and herbs
Sauté until soft but not coloured
Add the wine and boil until the alcohol is burned off and your left with little liquid.
Add the tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
Season
Taste add sugar if the sauce is a bit acidic.
Add fresh basil.
( In my opinion tomato sauces always need a little sugar to balance out the acidity in the tomatoes).
Leave the sauce to cool a little before adding to pizza dough.

When your pizza base is rolled out and on the baking sheet.
Smear with tomato sauce.
For the topping on my pizza
I bought 2 O'Flynns
"Hot Italian"sausages took them out of the casing and made mini meat balls out of them.
I also put on some thinly sliced mushrooms, cherry tomatoes and sliced cooked baby potatoes.
I used grated mozzarella to top it off.
Cook the pizza for 10 minutes in the hot oven.
Check them after 6 minutes to make sure it isn't burning.

When cooked I topped the pizza with fresh basil and parmesan shavings.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

I love the dramatic effect of the red velvet cupcake, the blood red colour is such a show stopper.
The famous bakeries in New York whip these up in the hundreds its such a good experience to queue up for one these cupcakes with all the other cakes lovers looking for their daily sweet fix.

They are quiet easy to make but it's vital all your ingredients are weighed up correctly, and you have everything you need before you start.
If you don't like using artificial food colouring by all means use natural or omit it completely.

The recipe calls for white wine vinegar don't be put off by this. Adding the vinegar to the bicarbonate of soda causes a chemical reaction and it will foam up thus making the cupcakes deep red , light and fluffy.

Makes 12 (I used a smaller case so I got 18 baby cupcakes )

Pre-heat oven 180oc
Use a 12 hole muffin tray line with paper cases.

Ingredients :

50g soft butter
150g caster sugar
1 large free range egg
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons of red food colouring
2 heaped tablespoons of cocoa powder
150g plain flour
125ml buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar

Icing ingredients

150g cream cheese
50g soft butter
100g icing sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method for cupcakes

Cream the soft butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs,pinch of salt, vanilla extract and red food colouring.
In another bowl add mix together the cocoa powder and plain flour.
Fold half the flour mix in to the butter mix.
Followed by half the buttermilk
Then repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk.
Until the cake batter looks silky and smooth.
In a smaller bowl add the bicarbonate of soda to the vinegar mix until it fizzes up.
Add this to the cake batter stir well.
Divide the cake batter between all the cup cake cases.

Bake in the pre- heated oven cook for 20-25 minutes.
Check the centre of one with a skewer if it comes out clean they are done place on a wire rack to cool.

While the cakes are cooking make your icing.
Make sure the butter is soft and at room temperature.

Method for icing :

Mix the butter ,icing sugar and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy.
You can use a food processor or cake mixer with whisk attachment or by hand works fine too.

Top the cupcakes with icing you can pipe the icing or just smooth it on with a palette knife.
For decoration I have crumbed up one cupcake and sprinkled the red crumbs on top.
I also used some hundreds and thousands.
You can also leave them plain and will still look great.
Enjoy !

Parmesan, Scallion and Smoked Paprika Muffins

My Savoury Muffins are a lovely alternative to bread and ideal to serve with soups, in lunch boxes and a nice tea time snack.
Best thing about them is you don't need a electric mixer to make them!
The ingredients are easy to remember too.
I have used half Parmesan half cheddar because Parmesan gives the flavour but doesn't have the melting quality a cheddar cheese has.
I've use the listed ingredients but feel free to experiment with cheeses,bacon herbs and spices.
I served them with hot with real Bandon co-op butter and relish.

Special equipment needed; Muffin tray and 12 Muffin cases.

Line your muffin tin with cases and have two tablespoon's ready to help spoon the mixture in with ease 

Makes 12 

Pre-heat oven to 200oc 

Preparation time 10 minutes 

Cooking time 20- 25 minutes 

Ingredients:

200g plain flour 

2 teaspoons of baking powder 

salt 

1-2 teaspoons of smoked Paprika or regular if you cant get the smoked variety 

2 eggs 

200ml buttermilk

100g Parmesan cheese grated ( if you don't have fresh Parmesan please don't use the dried version its just nasty just use all cheddar )

100g Cheddar cheese grated 

2 scallions thinly sliced 

Method:

• After weighing your ingredients add the dry ingredients together & put them in a bowl and mix.
• Whisk your eggs and butter milk together in jug.
• Add the wet ingredients to the flour, baking powder, salt, and paprika 
• Stir quickly with a wooden spoon but don't over beat.
• Fold in the cheese and scallions.
• Put your mix in to the muffin cases that are in the tin.
• Use two spoons to help scrape off the mixture in to each case with ease.
• Place in the middle of the pre-heated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. 
• enjoy!