Mini Lemon Meringue Pies - GBBO Botanicals Week

It was Botanicals Week on The Great British Bake Off and for the signature challenge I decided to bake Mini Lemon Meringue Pies instead of a large one as they are much better for portion control purposes, and also more appropriate for afternoon tea which was when my family would get to devour them.  I cooked the meringue in the oven, no blow torches in my kitchen, so I think Mary Berry would approve. 

I used the Nutri Ninja Complete System that I had been sent to review to make the pastry.  It whipped up the pastry in a flash! So quick and easy to just bung all the ingredients for the pastry into the machine and whizz it for a few seconds.  

I also made my own lemon curd, and used the leftover egg whites for the meringue.  Such a delicious afternoon tea treat, and no waste as all of the eggs were used and I also used some lemons that were looking rather tired in our fridge.

Mini Lemon Meringue Pies - Makes 24

To make the pastry cases:

330g plain flour
3 Tblsp caster sugar
175g cold butter, cubed

Cold water

Put the flour, sugar and butter into the bowl of a processor, add 1 tablespoon full of ice cold water and mix until the dough comes together.  If you need to add more water do so one teaspoonful at a time until the dough comes together.  Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in clingfilm then chill in the fridge for at least half an hour.  

To make the dough by hand: Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs. Stir through the sugar before adding the a little water. 

I add a tablespoon of cold water then add more, if necessary, a teaspoonful at a time. Mix to a firm dough and press out to a disc shape. Wrap the dough in cling film and leave it to rest in the fridge for half an hour before you attempt to roll it out.  Whilst the pastry dough rests, make the lemon curd.

Lemon Curd

200g butter
225g caster sugar
Grated zest and juice from 3 lemons
4 free range eggs

Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Whisk the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and eggs into the butter until well combined. Keep whisking continuously whilst the curd thickens and comes to the boil. Remove from the heat just as it is about to boil vigorously. Pour into a bowl to cool for a couple of minutes then put a piece of clingfilm over the curd, touching the surface so that a skin doesn’t form. When the curd has reached room temperature, transfer it to the fridge. You can store the lemon curd in a the fridge, just keep it covered. I put mine into sterilised jars topped with cellophane and a band. The curd will thicken considerably in the fridge and will keep for 2–3 weeks.

To make the meringue:

Make the meringue by whisking the egg whites with half the sugar until stiff peaks form. Gradually add the remaining sugar and the cream of tartar whilst whisking. You should end up with a very stiff meringue mixture. Carefully spread the meringue over the cake, make sure you cover the lemon curd completely and that the meringue forms a seal around the edge of the cake. Rough up the meringue with a spoon to make peaks on the top. Cook for about 8 minutes, until the meringue is golden. Keep an eye on it as it can go from golden to burnt very quickly. Cool for 10 minutes then chill in the fridge for half an hour to an hour before you serve it as this makes it much easier to cut neat slices.

Assembling and baking the mini pies:

Take one half of the pastry out of the fridge and unwrap it.  Roll out into an even shape, on a lightly floured surface, to about the thickness of a £1 coin. 

Grease two 12 hole muffin tins and cut large circles out of your dough before placing them into the prepared muffin tin holes. Prick the bottom of the pastry well with a fork and bake in a preheated oven set to 180C/160C Fan/350F/Gas Mark 4 for 10 minutes.  Repeat with the second batch of dough.

Once the cooked pastry cases have cooled, dollop some lemon curd into each one. I usually fill them about 3/4 full.  You can then pipe your meringue on top of each tart.  I make sure that I completely cover the lemon curd.

Bake the tarts in an oven preheated to 220C/200C Fan/425F/Gas Mark 7 and cook the tarts for approximately 10 - 15 minutes until the edges of the meringue start to turn golden.  Keep an eye on the tarts after 10 minutes as the meringue can brown very quickly.

Leave a Comment Basics, Cakes, GBBO, Jam, Party, Puddings, Vegetarian

Rhubarb and Vanilla Jam

My husband and three daughters with just some of our glut of rhubarb

We've recently starting sharing an allotment with another family and there is an enormous glut of rhubarb.  I shall be posting other recipes using rhubarb later this week but thought I would share this delicious jam recipe which I whipped up yesterday.  

Rhubarb is low in pectin which is what helps jam set so I have added lemon juice and used lemon pips in a muslin bag to increase the pectin levels to ensure the jam would set.  I don't use the jam sugars with added pectin as I don't like the way it effects the taste of the finished jam. 

Rhubarb and Vanilla Jam

1kg rhubarb, cut into 1cm slices

1kg sugar

120ml freshly squeezed juice
Pips from 2 of the lemons (tied up in a small muslin bag)

1 vanilla pod or 1 Tblsp vanilla bean paste

Firstly sterilise the jam jars.  Wash the jars in soapy water and rinse in clean warm water.  Allow them to drip-dry, upside down, on a rack in the oven set to 140C/Gas Mark 1.  Leave them there for at least half an hour while you make the jam.

Combine the rhubarb, sugar and lemon juice in a large bowl then leave overnight to infuse.   The next day pour the contents of the bowl into a large preserving pan, adding the small muslin bag of lemon pips.  Split the vanilla pod in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds.  Put the seeds and vanilla pod into the preserving pan, or alternatively add the vanilla bean paste to the contents of the preserving pan.  Stir over a low heat to dissolve the sugar, brushing down any sugar crystals from the side of the pan with a wet pastry brush.  Once the sugar has completely dissolved, bring the mixture to the boil and skim off any pale froth.  Cook over a medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture becomes transparent and thickens.  This should take about 20 - 30 minutes.  Check that the setting point has been reached after 15 minutes then every 5 minutes after that. 

The setting point for jam is 105C so a good way to test for setting point is to have a sugar thermometer clipped to the side of your pan, with the end dipped in the boiling jam mixture.  Once the boiling mixture has reached the correct temperature then your jam should set.

You can also check for setting point using the saucer test.  Before cooking the jam put 3 or 4 heatproof saucers in the freezer.  Once your jam has boiled for several minutes, take the pan off the heat and carefully spoon a little jam onto one of the cold saucers.  Let it stand for a minute then push the blob of jam with your finger, if the surface of the jam wrinkles then it has set, if it is still quite liquid then put the pan back on the heat and boil the jam for another 3 to 5 minutes before testing again.  

Pectin can be destroyed by boiling your jam for too long so make jam in a large saucepan (the fruit and sugar mixture should not come more than one third up the side of the pan) so that the mixture boil rapidly, and start testing the setting point fairly early.

Once setting point has been reached remove the muslin bag of lemon pips and the vanilla pod from the jam and leave the jam to cool for 10 minutes..  Ladle the jam into sterilised jars, almost to the top, then seal.  The jam will shrink back a little as it cools.

We enjoyed the jam with some mini scones and cream as an after school treat

I am  submitting this recipe to the Recipes for Life challenge over at Bangers & Mash because our three ingredients with which to create culinary brilliance this month are rhubarb, lemon and spice.  

I am also linking up this recipe to the Simple and in Season monthly blog event over at Ren Behan's beautiful blog, her photos are always stunning.  The challenge is two years old this month and is one of my favourites to link up with.

And of course I am joining the Credit Crunch Munch blog hop with my frugal and tasty jam recipe.  Jars of jam keep for ages and make great gifts, there's nothing like a personal, homemade and delicious gift to brighten the day of someone you care about.  Credit Crunch Munch is a monthly blogging event created by Helen and Camilla.  The lovely Farmer's Girl Kitchen is hosting this month.

5 comments Basics, Gift Ideas, Jam, Vegetarian

Lightly Spiced Dried Fruit Chutney

Homemade gifts are a fab way to save money at Christmas time.  This chutney is SO simple and fairly quick, you'll have people thinking you are a domestic goddess in no time at all!  It tastes fab and you can make it as spicy or as tame as you like.  Don't buy chutney for hamper gifts, make your own!

250g dried apricots

250g sultanas

250g dates

250g dried apples

1 litre of boiling water

500ml cider vinegar

440g brown sugar

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 - 1 tsp mild chilli powder

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1 crushed clove of garlic

Chop the dried fruit into smallish chunks then cover with the boiling water, cover with clingfilm and leave overnight to soak.  Don't be too bothered about chopping the fruit really small as you can blend the chutney later on.  When you are ready to make your chutney, combine the undrained fruit mixture with all the other ingredients in a large saucepan or preserving pan.

Stir over a medium heat until the sugar has all dissolved then turn up the heat and bring to the boil.  Simmer the mixture fairly hard for about 1 hour 15 minutes until the mixture is thick. 


I blended the chutney on the right side of the pot, the left side of the pot is still chunky  



The blended/whizzed up chutney

At this point I whizzed mine to a chunky pulp with a handheld blender, don't make it too mushy, leave a few chunks in it. Once the chutney is blended to your satisfaction, put the chutney into sterillised jars. I normally wash, dry and heat the jars in the oven for the last 30 minutes of the chutney simmering time.



All ready to find a home!

This recipe has been submitted for the Let's Make Christmas - Foodie Blogger Gift Swap organised by the most fabulous cookbook author and blogger Vanessa Kimbell.

3 comments Basics, Christmas, Gift Ideas, Gluten-free, Jam, Vegetarian

Spicy Apple Chutney

I was given a large bag of cooking apples and decided to make chutney out of them.  Jars of homemade preserves make great homemade Christmas gifts and this chutney recipe is really easy and requires little effort. 

1kg cooking apples, peeled and diced

2 onions, finely chopped

500ml cider vinegar

2 cups chopped pitted dates

2 cups sultanas

4cm piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated

4 cups demerara sugar

1 Tbsp salt

½ tsp chilli powder

Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan or preserving pan. Gently bring the ingredients to the boil, stirring it until the sugar has completely dissolved.

Once boiling, turn the heat down and simmer the mixture faily hard, stirring it regularly, for about 1 hour 15 minutes or until the liquid has reduced and the mixture has thickened.

Have sterilised jars ready, mine were heating in the oven for the last 30 minutes that the chutney was boiling.  Spoon the cooked chutney into sterilised jars and seal the jars well.  Store the jars of chutney in a cool dark place a one month before you use it to allow the flavours to mature.



This recipe has been submitted for the Let's Make Christmas - Foodie Blogger Gift Swap organised by the most fabulous cookbook author and blogger Vanessa Kimbell.

1 comment Basics, Christmas, Gift Ideas, Gluten-free, Jam, Vegetarian

Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam - Breakfast Club

I came across the Breakfast Club on Fuss Free Flavours.   This month Breakfast Club is hosted by Sonia’s Kitchen.

The theme this month is conserves.  To take part, simply make a breakfast using conserves, or make some jam, jelly, marmalade or nut butter.  Go on, give it a whirl!



Here's my entry:

 Strawberry and Rhubarb Jam

For every 500g of strawberries you have, add 250g of rhubarb and 125g of sugar.  Cut the rhubarb to roughly the same size as the strawberries and cover all of the fruit with half of the sugar and leave it overnight.  I just put mine in a very large plastic cake box-type container and rested a lid on top without clipping it down. 

By leaving the fruit and sugar overnight you draw the liquid out of the strawberries and help dissolve the sugar.  This saves time the next day, and I'm all for making things a little easier!

The next day, add the rest of the sugar to the mixture and then heat, stirring until all of the sugar has dissolved.  Make sure the mixture doesn't boil until all of the sugar has dissolved.  Once it has, bring everything to the boil and don't stir it.

Boil your jam for 10 minutes, before even thinking about checking the set.  It may be necessary to boil it for another 5 - 10 minutes.  If you can't be bothered skimming the scum off the top, wait until your jam is cooked and off the heat, then stir in a knob of butter - the foam will disappear. A BIG thank you to one of our elderly church members for that very helpful tip.
.

To test the set of your jam use a sugar thermometer (jams usually set around 105C), or by putting a little onto a chilled saucer.  Leave to cool in the fridge for a minute or two and then push your finger through it.  If the jam wrinkles, it's ready, so take it off the heat.

I taste the jam on the saucer at this point to check the flavour.  If it's too sweet then I add a squeeze of lemon juice to lessen the sweetness.  Don't add too much as you don't want it to taste of lemon.

Pour your jam into sterilised jars, seal them up and store them in a cool dark place.

This is my finished jam, it's a bit chunky, but tastes fab with a rich flavour.  I think next time I might cut the strawberries and rhubarb smaller so that it's a bit less chunky.  It would make a great accompanyment to pancakes and waffles, filling for small tarts or delicious pasrty turnovers though! You could even stir some through plain yoghurt or even rice pudding.  Now there's a yummy thought . . .

Leave a Comment Basics, Breakfast, Gift Ideas, Jam, Vegetarian

Rhubarb and Apple Jam

We have 3 apples trees in our back garden that are fully laden and my family get rather sick of homemade crumbles and turnovers.  I do freeze loads of cooked apple for later on in the year but I needed another way to use up some of the apples.  I decided, after making strawberry jam, to give rhubarb and apple jam making a try.  The jam is a light caramel colour and is not too sweet with a slight tang from the rhubarb.  It tastes fab on freshly made crumpets or pancakes!

Here's how to make Rhubarb and Apple Jam

500g finely chopped rhubarb

1kg of peeled and thinly sliced apples

125ml (1/2 cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice

125ml (1/2 cup) water

approximately 1kg of sugar

Put the rhubarb, apples, lemon juice and water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil.   Reduce the heat and let the fruit simmer for around 20 minutes or until the fruit is pulpy.  I used my stick blender to blend the fruit until it was smooth at this point because I wanted a nice smooth jam at the end, but you could leave it chunky if you wanted to.

Measure the amount of fruit you have then add 3/4 cup of sugar per 1 cup of fruit mixture.  Put the fruit mixture back into the saucepan with the amount of sugar your fruit requires and heat it gently, without boiling, until the sugar dissolves.

Boil the jam uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes or until jam sets to a spreading consistency when tested. 

Pour the hot jam into hot sterilised jars and seal them whilst everything is hot.

This recipe made approximately 1.75 litres of jam.

2 comments Basics, Gift Ideas, Jam, Vegetarian

Easy Strawberry Jam

I was recently given a massive amount of strawberries, around 4kg of them.  I decided to make sorbet, icecream and jam with the free strawberries I'd been given.  I'll blog the dessert recipes in later but decided to post my strawberry jam recipe.

There are some really detailed blog posts about making jam that give excellent step-by-step instructions and tips so I won't go into all that in this post.  Check out Hannah's Homebaked Online blog post with answers to preserving questions and also Katie's Jam Masterclass for a Total Beginner blog post. They are both really fab!


Strawberry Jam

1kg of strawberries washed, drained and hulled, then cut into quarters

1.1kg Sugar (You can use jam sugar with extra pectin added or just normal white sugar)

80ml (1/3 cup) Water

125ml (1/2 cup) freshly squeezed lemon juice

Put a saucer in the freezer.  Combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice and water in a large saucepan.  Stir over a medium heat, without letting it boil, until all the sugar has dissolved. 

Once all the sugar has dissolved, bring the jam to the boil.  Boil it, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes.  Check that the jam has reached it's setting point.  To test the jam for it's setting point, spoon a little jam onto the cold saucer.  After a couple of minutes gently push your finger through the jam and if the surface wrinkles it is ready. If not, return the jam to the boil for 2 - 3 minutes, then re-test it.

Once the jam is ready, pour it into sterilised jars and seal the jars whilst both the jars and jam are hot.

  Homemade jam is an excellent inexpensive gift idea and makes great use of excess fruit. Give it a go!

3 comments Basics, Gift Ideas, Jam, Vegetarian