Preparation time - less than 30 mins Cooking time - 30 mins to 1 hour Serves - Makes 6 Ingredients For the caramel 1. Sugar - 160 grams/ 6 oz 2. Water - 6 tablespoon 3. Unsalted butter, for greasing the ramekins For the custard 1. Eggs - 4 2. Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon 3. Sugar - 25 grams/1 oz 4. Full fat milk - 600 ml/1 pint/2 cups I made half the recipe for the video. Method
Pre-heat oven 150 C/300 F. Warm the ramekins in the oven, so they are warm when the caramel is poured in. This helps the caramel to spread evenly. In a saucepan, add sugar and water. Dissolve the sugar slowly by stirring occasionally. When there are no sugar granules left, stop stirring and boil until the sugar turns a dark copper color. Brush the sides saucepan with water to avoid crystallization. Once it reaches the desired color, remove immediately from the heat to ensure the caramel does not burn. Quickly pour the caramel into the warmed ramekins. Set aside to cool and become hard. (Do not put in the fridge because the sugar will absorb moisture and go soft and tacky). Once hard, butter the sides of the ramekins above the level of the caramel. For the custard, whisk the eggs, vanilla extract and caster sugar together in a bowl until well mixed. In a saucepan, add milk and cook until you can still just dip your finger in for a moment. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg mixture. Keep whisking while pour milk into egg mixture. Strain the mixture and pour into prepared ramekins. Place the ramekins into roasting pan/ pyrex dish. Pour hot water halfway through the tin. Bake in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes at 150 C/300 F or until set but still jiggly in the center. Cool the ramekins over wire rack completely. Then refrigerate overnight so that the caramel is absorbed into the custard. Run a knife along the side of ramekins then place a serving dish on top of the ramekin and turn upside down. Serves with pouring cream.
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Ingredients For the pastry 1. Plain flour - 250 grams/9 oz 2. Butter - 130 grams/4½ oz plus extra for greasing 3. Cold Water - 3 tablespoon For the filling 1. Golden syrup - 400 grams/14 oz 2. Fine fresh white breadcrumbs - 150 grams/5½ oz 3. Lemon zest of 2 lemons 4. Lemon juice of 2 lemons 5. Egg one beaten, to use as egg wash Method
In a bowl add flour and butter. Rub butter into flour with fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs (alternatively, this can be done in a food processor). Add water and mix to form a dough, wrap in cling wrap and chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF and put a heavy baking tray in the oven to heat up. Grease a 18 cm/7 inch loose-bottomed fluted flan tin with butter. From the dough remove about 150 grams/5½ oz of pastry from the main ball and set aside for the lattice top. Roll the rest of the pastry out thinly on a lightly floured work surface and line the prepared flan tin with the pastry. Press the sides of the pan with your fingers. Cut the extra dough hanging out of the pan. Prick the base with a fork, to stop the base rising up during baking. Chill the pan until filling is ready. Roll out the remaining dough for lattice, cut into 1/2 inch strips. Place the strips in a sheet pan and egg wash the strips. chill it until ready to use. To make the filling In a sauce pan with medium low flame, heat the syrup gently in a large pan but do not boil. Once melted, add the breadcrumbs, lemon juice and zest to the syrup. If the mixture looks runny, add a few more breadcrumbs. Pour the syrup mixture into the lined tin and level the surface. Remove the lattice strips from fridge. Egg wash the edge of the pastry in the tin, and start to make the woven laying lattice pattern over the mixture, leave the strips hanging over the edge of the tin. Once the lattice is in place, use the tin edge to cut off the strips by pressing down with your hands, creating a neat finish. Bake at 400 F for 10 mins, until the pastry has started to colour. Reduce the oven temperature to 180ºC/350ºF for another 25 - 30 minutes until the filling is set. Remove the tart from the oven and leave to firm up in the tin. Serve warm or cold. Recently a friend of mine asked me if I can make a 'Dholak Cake' for her sister's wedding. I made a chocolate cake with raspberry buttercream filling as per her initial request. That didn't turn out well. So I wanted to try some more flavor combinations. I made a chocolate cake, a white cake and yellow cake. I tried out few cake recipes, and I have to say Test Kitchen's yellow cake recipe was perfect. So here it is. Ingredients 1. Cake flour - 2 cups / 8 oz (Add 2 tablespoon cornstarch in a dry ingredient measuring 1 cup, then fill cup with all purpose flour = 1 cup cake flour) 2. Granulated Sugar - 1 & 1/2 cup / 10 ½ oz (divide into 1 & 1/4 cup plus 1/4 cup) 3. Baking powder - 1 teaspoon 4. Baking Soda - 1/4 teaspoon 5. Salt - 3/4 teaspoon 6. Buttermilk - 3/4 cup 7. Egg yolk - 5 8. Egg white - 3 9. Butter melted and cooled - 8 tablespoon 10. Vegetable oil - 3 tablespoon 11. Vanilla extract - 1 & 1/2 teaspoon 12. Cream of tartar - 1/8 teaspoon Method
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9 inch or two 8 inch round cake pan. Whisk flour, 1 & 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, yolks, melted butter, oil, and vanilla extract. Combine dry and wet ingredients. Whisk until there are no lumps. Do not over mix. In a medium bowl whisk egg whites and tartar, until soft and pillowy. Slowly add remaining 1/4 cup sugar, whip to stiff peaks. Fold in the egg whites into batter in batches of three. Divide evenly into pans. Tap to release any air bubbles. Bake for 18 - 22 mins for 8 inch pan and 20 - 25 mins for 9 inch pan. Cool in pan for 15 mins and 2 hours out of pans. This cake best without any frosting or goes best with milk chocolate frosting. Preparation time - over 2 hours Cooking time - 30 mins to 1 hour Makes 1 loaf Ingredients 1. Strong bread flour - 500 grams/1 lb 2 oz 2. Instant Yeast - 7 grams sachet 3. Fine salt - 10 grams/¼ oz 4. Olive oil - 1½ tablespoon 5. Water - 340 ml/12 fl oz 6. Sunflower oil for greasing bowl 7. Egg - 1 plus pinch of salt (egg wash) 8. Extra flour for dusting Method
In a bowl, add flour, olive oil, yeast on one side and salt on the other side. Mix until evenly distributed. Slowly add the water and mix until it forms a dough. Place the dough on to a work surface and knead for about 10 mins. Oil a medium sized mixing bowl and place the dough into the bowl. Cover with cling film and set aside to rise, for about an hour, or until the dough doubles in size. When risen, knock the dough and knead for few mins on a work surface. Weigh the whole dough and divide into eight equal portions. Roll out the portion into a strand about 40 cm/16 inch long. The dough is elastic, hence roll the portions out as much as it goes then rest them for few mins and then try rolling them again. (dough will keep shrinking back if not rested while rolling) Lay the strands out on a surface, fanning out from one central point at the top. Pinch all the ends together at the top. For Braiding I followed this link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RP6j7esQyjk Place the plaited dough onto a baking tray, cover with cloth and leave to prove for another hour, until risen again. Brush the loaf with the beaten egg wash and bake in the oven for 20-25 mins in preheat over at 200°C /400°F. To check the whether its baked, tap the bottom of the loaf, you should here a hollow sound or 195°F or more in a thermometer. Preparation time - 1-2 hours Cooking time - 10 to 30 mins Serves - 10 small Ingredients 1. Strong flour - 220 grams/8 oz 2. Fast action yeast - 1 x 7 gram sachet 3. Salt - ½ teaspoon 4. Sugar - 50 grams/ 2 oz, plus extra for dusting 5. Eggs - 2 medium 6. Milk - 70 ml/ 4½ tablespoon 7. Butter - 100 grams/ 3½ oz , softened For the syrup 1. Water - 200 ml/7 fl oz 2. Caster sugar - 250 grams/ 9 oz 3. Dark rum - 3-4 tablespoon For the Chantilly cream 1. Double cream - 250 ml/9 fl oz 2. Icing sugar - 100 grams/3½ oz 3. Vanilla extract - 1 teaspoon 4. Fresh fruit, for garnish Method
In a large bowl, add flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Mix until evenly combined. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and milk until combined. Slowly add egg milk mixture into flour in parts, until it forms a dough. Knead the dough for about 5 mins until stretchy. Dough will be very sticky. Add room temperature butter into dough little at a time and knead until combined well. Knead the dough until sticky and stretchy. Set the dough aside to rise for at least an hour, until doubled in size. Grease and sugar the four 11 cm/4 ½ in fluted rum baba tins (savarin molds). (Adding the sugar will help the fragile sponges come out of the molds). I used a donut pan. After an hour, knock it back by kneading it a few times. Place the dough into a piping bag. Pipe the dough into the molds. Try to get them all as equal as possible. Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F. Allow to prove for a second time until the dough has expanded almost to the top. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes. When the babas are cooked, take them out of the oven and allow to cool a little before carefully removing the cakes from their tins. They will be very fragile. For Rum Syrup In a small saucepan, add water and sugar and bring it to a rolling boil. Dip the babas into the syrup and allow it to soak the syrup completely. Repeat for remaining babas. Chill them in refrigerator. Meanwhile for the Chantilly cream, whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla extract. The cream must be firm enough to pipe and hold its shape on top of the babas. Transfer the cream to a piping bag and keep in the fridge until needed. Prepare the fruit as necessary. To serve, pipe the Chantilly cream, using a star nozzle, into the middle of the babas. Garnish with the mixed fruit. This is one of the best chocolate cake I have made. It is quite dense cake but it has a unique taste. It tastes even better the next day. It's a simple recipe so my tips will be only to keep an eye on your chocolate while melting. Preparation time - 30 mins to 1 hour Cooking time - 1 to 2 hours Serves - 12 Ingredients 1. Plain chocolate - 140 grams/ 5 oz (I used semi sweet chocolate chips) 2. Unsalted butter - 140 grams/5 oz, softened 3. Caster sugar - 115 grams/4 oz 4. Vanilla extract - ½ teaspoon 5. Eggs - 5, separated 6. Ground almonds - 85 grams/3 oz 7. Plain flour - 55 grams/2 oz For the topping and the icing 1. Apricot jam - 6 tablespoon. sieved 2. Plain chocolate - 140 grams/5 oz (I used semi sweet chocolate chips) 3. Double cream - 200 ml/7 fl oz 4. Milk chocolate - 25 grams/1 oz Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease a 9 inch cake pan and set aside. I used a 7 inch ring placed over greased tray. Melt chocolate in microwave for about 1 minute, mixing after every 30 seconds else the chocolate will burn. Cool the chocolate to room temperature. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cool chocolate and vanilla extract, whisk until combined. Add yolk and mix until combined. Note - If the chocolate is hot it will melt butter and cook the egg yolks Fold in ground almonds and sieved flour. Mix until combined well. In a separate clean dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are stiff. Fold in the egg whites into chocolate mixture in batches of three. The first batch can be mixed in vigorously. Next two batch should be folded in gently without deflating the batter too much. Pour the mixture to the prepared tin and level the surface as its a mixture, it wont take its own shape. Note - It is a thick batter so we need to shape it. Bake for about 45-50 minutes, or until well risen at the top and the cake springs back when lightly pressed with a finger. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes then turn out, peel off the paper and finish cooling on a wire rack. Sieve the apricot jam and brush evenly over the top and sides of the cold cake. Allow to set. Note - If the Jam is very thick. Heat it for few minutes and then brush over the cake. For Ganache, microwave the cream for about 1 min or until really hot. Add chocolate and leave it for about 1 to 2 minutes. Then mix well until completely melted. Hand blender or whisk will work well. Allow the ganache to cool to room temperature or coating consistency. Place the cake over a wire rack placed over sheet tray and pour the ganache over the cake. Spread it gently over the top and down the sides, and leave to set. Note - If the ganache is not cooled enough it will not stick to the cake. For writing Sacher over cake, Melt milk chocolate in microwave for about 30 to 60 seconds. Taking out and mixing every 20 seconds. This step is important else the chocolate will burn. Spoon into a small paper icing bag or polythene bag and snip off the corner. Pipe ‘Sacher’ across the top and leave to set. Note - Milk chocolate has lighter color which makes it easier to see over the dark chocolate. Since its very small quantity chocolate will burn fast so keep close eye, take out every 20 seconds and mix well. Preparation time - 1 to 2 hours Cooking time - 1 to 2 hours Serves - Makes 12 buns Ingredients For the dough 1. Strong white flour/ Bread flour - 500 grams/ 1 lb 2 oz 2. Caster sugar/Small granulated sugar - 50 grams/ 1¾ oz 3. Unsalted butter, softened - 40 grams/ 1½ oz 4. Eggs - 3 5. Instant yeast - 2 packets 7 grams/ ¼ oz sachets 6. Salt - 2 teaspoon 7. Warm milk - 150 ml/ 5 fl oz 8. Water - 140 ml/ 4½ fl oz For the icing 1. Icing sugar - 200 grams/ 7 oz 2. Cold water - 5 teaspoon For the filling 1. Whipping cream - 200 ml/ 7 fl oz 2. Strawberry jam - 100 grams/ 4 oz 3. Icing sugar, for dusting optional Method
In a bowl, add flour, sugar, yeast, salt, eggs, milk, butter and add water slowly to form a dough and knead in the bowl for four minutes. Place the dough on floured work surface and knead for about 10 mins until the dough is smooth and elastic. Return the dough to greased bowl and rest for 1 hour or until the dough double in size. Punch the dough to release gas in the dough. Weight the dough and divide the dough into 12 pieces, each approximately 70 grams/ 2½ oz, then roll into balls and shape into fingers about 13 cm/5 inch long. While shaping, since the dough is elastic. resting and then rolling will help to reach 13 cm/5 inch long. Place the dough fingers onto a greased baking tray, leaving space for them to double in size, then set aside in a warm place for 40 to 60 minutes. They should just touch each other when they’ve risen. Preheat the oven to 220 C/ 425 F .Bake in the oven for 10 minutes then set them aside to cool. For the icing, sift the icing sugar in a wide bowl and gradually stir in the cold water to form a thick paste. Dip the top of the cooled fingers into the icing, smoothing it with your finger, then leave to set on a wire rack. Lightly whip the cream and spoon it into a piping bag fitted with a small nozzle. Spoon the strawberry jam into another piping bag. Sliced the iced fingers horizontally, leaving one long edge intact. Pipe in a generous line of whipped cream into the middle of each finger, then a thinner line of jam. Dust the iced fingers with icing sugar and serve. Preparation time - 30 mins to 1 hour Cooking time - 10 to 30 mins Serves - 8 Ingredients 1. Dark chocolate chips - 175 grams/ 6 oz 2. Eggs, separated - 6 3. Caster sugar - 175 grams/ 6 oz 4. Cocoa powder - 2 tablespoon 5. Double/Heavy cream - 300 ml/ 10 fl oz 6. Icing sugar, to dust Method
Melt the chocolate in microwave for 1 min by mixing after 30 second or using double boil method. Keep it aside to cool. In a medium bowl, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and set aside. Another bowl combine egg yolk and sugar. Whisk with the same mixer (no need to wash) whisk until it turns pale yellow, thick and creamy. Mixture leaves a thick ribbon-like trail when the beaters are lifted. It takes about 3- 4 mins to reach that stage. Mix in the melted and cooled chocolate, until well combined. Fold in the egg white in batches of 3 to the chocolate yolk mixture. The batch batch can be mixed fast. remaining 2 batch should be mixed carefully trying not to deflate batter. Lightly grease a 33 cm x 23 cm/ 13 x 9 inch Swiss roll tin then line the base and sides of the tin with a large sheet of grease proof paper, pushing it into the corners. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C/350 F for 20 to 25 mins. Until risen and the top feels firm and slightly crisp. Cool the roulade over wire rack. Meanwhile for filling, whip the chilled heavy cream until it starts to hold its shape. keep the filling refrigerated until ready to use. When the roulade is completely cooled. Lay a large piece of grease proof paper on the work surface and dust it lightly with icing sugar or cocoa powder. Turn the roulade out on to the paper so its lining paper is on top, then carefully peel off the paper. Spread the whipped heavy over the roulade, leaving 2 cm from all way around edges. With one of the shortest edges facing you, make a cut along it with a sharp knife, going about half way through the sponge.This will help to start the rolling up. Now roll this cut edge over tightly to start with and use the paper to help continue the tight rolling, by pulling it away from you as you roll. Don’t worry if the roulade cracks - that is quite normal and all part of its charm. Finish with the join underneath then lift the roulade onto a serving plate or board using a large wide spatula or two fish slices. Dust with icing sugar. Preparation time - 30 mins to 1 hour Cooking time - 30 mins to 1 hour Serves - Makes 6 pies Ingredients For the hot water crust pastry 1. All purpose flour - 200 grams/ 7 oz 2. Bread flour - 40 grams/ 1½ oz 3. Unsalted butter - 50 grams/ 1¾ oz, cut into cubes 4. Water - 100 ml/ 3 ½fl oz 5. Salt - 1 teaspon 6. Lard/ vegetable shortening - 60 grams/ 2¼ oz For the filling 1. Quail's eggs - 6, boiled 2. Onion - 1 onion small, very finely chopped 3. Pork loin - 350 grams/ 12 oz, finely chopped 4. Unsmoked Bacon - 100 grams/ 3½oz , finely chopped 5. Parsley - small bunch, finely chopped 6. Salt and freshly ground black pepper 7. Egg - 1, beaten with pinch of salt for egg wash For Jelly 1. Chicken stock powder/cube - 1 cube/packet (optional) 2. Boiling water - 150 ml/ 5 fl oz (optional) 3. Gelatine powder/ leaves - 1 3/4 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoon water to bloom or 2 leaves gelatine soaked in water (optional) Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. To make the pastry, add both flour and butter in a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour until the mixture reassembles breadcrumbs texture. In a saucepan, add water, salt, and lard. Boil until the lard is completely melted. Pour the lard and water over the flour mixture and stir to form a dough. Transfer the dough on to a clean work surface and knead to a smooth ball. Tip - If the dough is too soft to knead, let it cool for few minutes and then knead. Lard in the dough will make it tough as it cools. Roll the pastry out to a thickness of about 3 mm/ ⅛ inch. Cut out six 15 cm/6 inch circles and use each circle to line a hole in the muffin tin. Cut six 10 cm/ 4 inch circles for the lids and set them aside. Tip - You can reuse the scrap pieces. Line the muffin holes with six 15 cm/6 inch circles. Press along the sides so the pastry take the muffin hole shape to hold enough filling. Put a small hole on six 10 cm/ 4 inch circles for the lids using piping tip. Set them aside until we make the filling. For Filling Cook the quails' eggs in a pan of boiling water for two minutes then refresh in cold water, peel carefully and set aside. In bowl, add finely chopped pork, bacon, parsley, and season then with salt and pepper. Mix everything until well combined. Assembling Spoon a little of the mixture into each lined pie case, place a quail's egg in the center and spoon over a little more filling. Brush the edge of each pie case with a little egg wash, place the lids on top and crimp the edges together to seal completely. Egg wash the lid tops to get nice shiny crust. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes. Until the top turns golden brown. Cool them for 10 mins Making the jelly Dissolve the stock cube in the boiling water. Switch of the flame and add bloomed gelatin, mix until gelatine is completely dissolved. Pour the gelatine mixture into the hole in the top of each pie until the hollow cavity within the pie is filled. Allow the pies to set in the fridge overnight. Preparation time - less than 30 mins Cooking time - 30 mins to 1 hour Serves - Makes 16 brandy snaps Ingredients 1. Butter - 55 grams/ 2 oz 2. Raw Sugar/ Light brown sugar - 55 grams/2 oz 3. Honey - 55 grams/ 2 oz 4. All purpose flour/ maida - 50 grams/ 1¾ oz 5. Ginger powder - ½ teaspoon 6. Lemon Juice - ½ teaspoon Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F. Line two baking trays with baking parchment. In sauce pan, add butter, sugar and honey. Cook at medium low flame until the butter is melted and the sugar is completed dissolved. This takes about 10 to 15 mins. Don’t let the mixture boil as it may crystallize. Remove from heat and cool for about 2 - 3 mins. Once cooled, sieve in flour and ginger powder. Pour in the lemon juice and stir well to mix thoroughly. Drop about 1 teaspoon of batter each with 4 inch apart from each drop, as it will spread out when baked. Half sheet pan can make about 4- 5 cookies. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 10-15 minutes, or until the mixture is well spread out, looks lacey and is a dark golden color. Once baked, you need to work fast to shape the brandy snaps, so its easier if you bake one tray at a time. Cool for about 1 min or just until it starts coming out of the pan without breaking and soft even to roll. While the cookie is still warm start rolling using a greased knife sharpener/wooden spoon. After rolling leave it on the cooling rack to set. If the cookie turns hard before shaping. Put the tray back to the oven for about 1 min, it will become soft enough to shape once warm. Repeat the same for the remaining batter. When the cookies are cooled enough fill with whipped cream and enjoy. |
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