Cupcakes, Sausage & Mash Bake, Vegetable Risotto and Chocolate Caramel Cake Bars...

Sorry I haven’t updated the blog in a few days. I have been busy cooking but I just haven’t got round to uploading everything. It’s a bit of a hassle getting the pictures on as I have to put my memory card in Kennys laptop to then put them on my usb key to then put on my laptop. It’s a chew on. I was hoping my new camera was going to arrive so then I can upload them straight onto my laptop but it hasn’t due to the postal strikes boo hoo so I’ve had to use my camera that Kenny bought me about 7 years ago that is literally falling apart!
.
I decided to spend Sunday making cupcakes for a few special people. I made some for Clare because she’s about to pop out bubba number 2, I made some for Wendy because she had her hand blown up at a camp fire (I’d upload the photo that Mel sent me but I don’t think I’m cruel enough to subject you to it. It literally made me go dizzy), I made some for Helena after her nasty bump on the head and I made some for my mum because she kept calling me to see if I got the empty box she posted back to me so in the hope that I’d send some more ha ha!
.
I used the Martha Stewart cupcake recipe and the Hummingbird Bakery frosting. I wrapped them all up and shipped on Monday morning but was worried that they would take forever to get there because of the postal delays but luckily 3 of them were delivered today. I hope the Helenas box arrives safely and quickly.
.
Here they are...
.

All wrapped and ready to ship...

.
Kenny took me for a lovely dinner at The Butchers Hook on Monday night. It was so nice to get out the flat and spend some time with him. We had cod goujons and chicken liver parfait to start. Kenny had pork shoulder with mashed potatoes and cabbage and I had a shepherds pie, which was disappointing. It was far too tomatoey for me - my shepgerds pie is ten times better. Dessert was HEAVEN though! We shared 2 scoops of Hokey Pokey ice cream and it was to die for! Hokey pokey is a nick name for honeycomb or cinder toffee. It was caramel flavoured with chunks of the crunchy honeycomb in. It was soooooo flipping good!

.

For Tuesday’s dinner, I made a lovely sausage and mash bake. It was cheap and cheerful and very tasty. I forgot to take a photo of it when it came out the oven but I did take a shot before it went in!
.
Sausage & Mash Bake:
Source: Essentials Magazine
.
Ingredients:
.
1 kg Floury Potatoes (such as King Edwards)
Small bunch chives, finely chopped
3 – 4 Spring Onions, chopped
8 Traditional, Herby Sausages (I used Toulouse)
2 Onions
1 x tbs Thyme
.
50g x Butter
50 ml Whole Milk
½ x tsp Olive Oil
1 x tbs Balsamic Vinegar
1 x tbsp Redcurrant Jelly
100 ml x Red Wine
400 ml x Chicken Stock
2 ½ tsp x Cornflour dissolved in 1 tbsp cold water
.
1. Boil the potatoes and mash with the butter and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Stir through the chives and spring onions.
2. Heat the oven to gas mark 4 / 180 C.
3. Heat the oil in a pan and fry the sausages for 3-4 messages until brown. Cut into chunks and put into an oven proof dish.
4. For the gravy, fry the onion for 6-8 minutes, add the balsamic, jelly and wine and bring to a boil. Add the stock and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the cornflour and add in the thyme.
5. Pour the gravy over the sausages and top with the mash.
6. Bake for 45 mins to an hour until golden and bubbling.
.

.

Kenny is out with the boys tonight so for dinner I decided to cook a vegetable risotto. It’s great because you can literally use all the things that are sitting in the bottom drawer of your fridge!
.
I like to add a cup of dry white wine usually but I didn’t have any so chicken stock had to do.
.
Risotto has to be constantly stirred and it’s best to keep the stock hot in a separate pan if you can.
.
Mrs Hackneys Recipe for Vegetable Risotto:
.
Ingredients:
.
1 x Cup of Arborio Risotto Rice
1 x Chicken Stock Cube dissolved in approx 400 ml of water
1 x Cup of White Wine
Vegetables – I used ½ courgette, ½ onion, ½ bag of sugar snap peas and 7 mushrooms!
Salt & Pepper
Olive Oil
1 tsp dried parsley (or use fresh if you can)
2 x Garlic cloves, crushed
.
1. Dice the onion and fry in a tsp of olive oil, add one clove of the crushed garlic
2. Add in the rice and stir for 2 – 3 mins
3. Add in the cup of white wine. It should really sizzle and bubble.
4. Add in ½ cup of stock until it’s all absorbed. Keep stirring constantly.
5. Keep adding stock once the previous lot has been absorbed.
6. Cook for around 10 – 15 minutes.
7. Taste a bit of the rice. When it’s nearly ready (still has a bite to it) add in the vegetables.
8. Keep adding stock until the rice is cooked and the vegetables are still al dente.
9. The mixture should be thick but not runny or soupy.
10. Stir through some fresh parmesan and serve.

.

.

I watched an old taped episode of Rachel Allen on my Sky Plus last night and my mouth started to water when she made her Chocolate, Caramel Cake Bars. I just had to make some today.
.
Chocolate Caramel Cake Bars
Source: Rachel Allen
.
Ingredients:
For the chocolate base200g/7oz butter50g/2oz cocoa powder300g/11oz caster sugar2 free range eggs, beaten225g/8oz plain flourFor the hazelnut caramel layer125g/4½oz butter1 x 397g/14oz tin condensed milk2 tbsp golden syrup75g/3oz caster sugar125g/4½oz toasted and halved hazelnutsFor the chocolate topping200g/7oz dark chocolate, chopped1 tbsp sunflower or vegetable oil
.
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3 and line the base of or grease, a small Swiss roll tin measuring 20x30cm/8x12in.

2. In a medium sized saucepan over a medium heat, heat the butter for the chocolate base, stir in the cocoa powder and then the sugar and mix until smooth.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in the eggs until mixed and then the plain flour.

4. Spread the chocolate base over the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 20 minutes until firm on top.

5. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool while you make the hazelnut caramel layer.

6. In a medium-sized saucepan over a medium heat, melt the butter and then add the condensed milk, golden syrup and sugar. Turn the heat to low and stir continuously for 12-15 minutes until the mixture is dark caramel in colour (do not let it burn).

7. Remove from the heat and stir in the nuts. Spread evenly over the chocolate base and allow to cool.

8. Melt the chocolate in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water. When it is melted, stir in the oil and then pour over the caramel layer and smooth out, leaving to cool and set.

9. To serve, cut into squares. These will keep for a week in an airtight container.

.
Mrs Hackneys Notes:
* It takes a good couple of hours for the caramel to cool and set so don’t melt the chocolate straight away.
* If you have a sister with a nut allergy, line a square ramekin, cut out a square of the biscuit base when ready and sit on the bottom of the ramekin. Finish the recipe as advised.
* Wrap in cello bags and tie with a ribbon. Post to people you love :-)

.

Enjoy :-)

The BEST cupcake recipe ever!!

.

I'm very excited today as my best friend Sharon is having a 4D scan done of baby Jack! We will get to see what he looks like before she pops him out! How exciting! I'm not meeting her until 6pm tonight so will let you know how it went later.

.

To mark the occasion, I decided to make her a batch of blue and cream cupcakes.

My lovely hubby bought me Marha Stewarts 'Cupcakes' book on honeymoon so I thought I'd try her yellow cake recipe. Oh my word it is the BEST recipe for cupcakes EVER!!!

.

You have to make these! Granted, it's pretty hard to track down buttermilk. The Sainsburys and Somerfield near us don't sell it. Planet Organic below us used to sell it so I spoke to the manager last month and they have started stocking it again! You see, it just goes to show that if you don't ask, you don't get. :-)

.

I also love domed cupcakes rather than the ones that bake flat. I read a trick on the Internet and gave it a try and hey presto it worked! Simply pre-heat your oven to 400 F. Put the cakes in, close the door and turn it back down to 350 F.

.

These cupcakes are not overly sweet, which I think is best when frosting with creamy butter cream. My favourite butter cream recipe is the one I posted a few days ago by Hummingbird Bakery. Again, this is not overly sweet either. The cake had a delicate but firm, moist crumb.

.

You have to make these!

.

.

Recipe:

.
Makes 36 (and it really did make exactly 36!)

.
3 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted (see my note about cake flour below)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
9 ounces (2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups sugar
5 large eggs plus 3 large yolks, room temperature
2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

.
Directions

.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy.

.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.

.
Reduce speed to low. Mix remaining wet ingredients in a bowl. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with wet ingredients and ending with dry. Scrape sides of bowl.

.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each full.

.
Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks.
.

TIPS:

If you want the cakes to dome, pre-heat your oven to 400 F. Put the cakes in, close the door and turn it back down to 350 F.

.

I make my cake flour by putting 2 x table spoons of cornflour into a 1 cup measurement. Then I fill the rest of the cup with plain flour. This gives you 1 cup of cake flour!

.

Use an ice cream scoop to put the batter into the cases. This ensures all cakes are the same size.

.

I domed my cakes so only baked for 18 minutes and they were perfect.
.

Boxed and ready to go :-)

Cupcakes for the giver of life

One of my mums favourite sayings is ''you wouldn't be here if it wasn't for me'' and since I sent her some cupcakes for mothers day, she has been hounding me for some more!

.

So today i decided to try out a new recipe. It's from Hummingbird Bakery.

.

Cupcake Recipe:

.

120 g Plain Flour
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

40g Unsalted Butter

Pinch of Salt

120 ml whole milk

1 Medium Egg

1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

.

In a mixer blend the sugar, baking powder, salt and butter until it resembles sand.

(I don't have a mixer sob sob, so I did this in my food processor. If you have an overwhelming urge to buy me one, see my wish list ha ha!)

..

Add in half the milk and mix.

.

Whisk together the egg, vanilla and the rest of the milk and add this in until just combined. Do not over mix.
.

Spoon the mixture into cake cases and fill until two thirds full.

.

Bake for approx 20 - 25 minutes until light golden and when the sponge bounces back when touched. (Or put in a cocktail stick and if it comes out clean then they are ready)

.

Decorate with buttercream icing (recipe below) and sprinkles and / or icing decorations.

..

Buttercream Recipe:.

250 g Icing Sugar, sifted

80 g unsalted butter at room temp

25ml whole milk

A few drops of vanilla extract

.

Beat the sugar and butter until it's well mixed.

.

Add in the vanilla and milk and beat until fluffy.

.

The cupcake recipe made enough for 8 standard cupcakes.

The icing recipe gave me enough to add a good sized swirl to each cake.
.

Tips:

• 1 tsp is 5ml
  
• It's really hard to cream the butter and sugar by hand so I had to add in the vanilla and some of the milk to help it along. I also only needed to add in 20ml of milk.
  
• Use an ice cream scoop to fill the cases to ensure that all cupcakes are the same size.
  
• Don't worry about using every last drop of the mixture. Only fill 2/3 as they do not dome, they are flat so it will just spill over the edges of the cupcake liner. (I've learnt my lesson)
  
• I used a 1M tip by Wilton
  
• I used sugar flowers that I bought off Ebay.
  

These are filled a bit too much

Use gel food colouring

Disposable icing bagsll the way!

Sugar decorations, kept between layers of kitchen roll

.
This is how I wrapped them:

.

.

.

I hope she likes them!