Carrot Hummus

Hopefully the weather will start warming up and we can think about weekend picnics, and packed lunches for outings.  I've been experimenting with different dips and spread recipes recently to change up our usual picnic fare.  Carrots were very cheap recently, 1kg bags were 30p, and I had some miso that needed using up, so I thought why not add some to my usual hummus recipe for a delicious savoury flavour hit.

The dip is really tasty, and great for spreading thinly on flatbreads when making salad wraps.  I've even mixed some leftover dip with vegetable stock to make a quick cup of soup.  It's also rather tasty spread on a fresh white bread roll filled with lettuce and fish fingers.

Carrot Hummus 

500g carrots, thinly sliced (I don’t bother peeling them, just give them a good wash)
3 Tblsp oil
2 cloves garlic
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground ginger
2 Tblsp water
1 tsp salt
400g tin chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tblsp miso paste or 1 Tblsp Marmite/Vegemite
1 Tblsp lemon juice
2 Tblsp water
dash of sesame oil

Put the carrots, oil, garlic, cumin, ginger, water and salt into a saucepan over a low/medium heat. Cook until the carrots are very soft, it usually takes around 20 - 30 minutes. Alternatively steam the carrots, etc in the microwave until very soft.  Once the carrots are soft, add the chickpeas and stir to combine, cook for another few minutes. in the chickpeas and heat through. 

Add the rest of the ingredients then either use a stick blender or pour the mixture into a food processor to blend the dip until smooth, adding a little more water if necessary to get the consistency that you prefer.  Serve with crackers and crudites.

2 comments Basics, Dairy free, Gluten-free, Live Below the Line., Lunches, Party, Vegan, Vegetarian

Victoria Sandwich

I baked a Victoria Sponge as a technical challenge for the last episode bake along in the latest series of The Great British Bake Off.  I used the 'all in one' method which makes it such an easy cake to whip up.

My family managed to wait until I had finished taking photos before they pounced on the cake and devoured the lot, I had to be quick taking the photos though as they were hungrily circling.  It went down very well with the hungry hordes and they now want it added to my regular baking sessions.  

Victoria Sandwich

4 large free range eggs
225g/8oz caster sugar
225g/8oz self-raising flour
2 tsp baking powder
225g/8oz baking spread or soft butter at room temperature

To serve:

Jam, I usually use raspberry

Whipped Cream

Preheat your oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.  Grease and line 2 x 20cm/8in sandwich tins.  Grease the inside of the tin then line the bottom of each of the tins with a circle of non-stick baking paper.  

Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, then add the rest of the cake ingredients.  Beat with an electric mixer until combined.  Don't over mix the batter, as soon as everything is blended stop mixing.   

Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and gently smooth the surface of the batter.  Place the tins on the middle shelf of the preheated oven and bake for 25 minutes.   The cakes are done when they’re golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins. The centre of the cakes should spring back when gently pressed.

Remove the cakes from the oven and set aside to cool in the tins for five minutes.  Turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack that has been covered with a clean tea towel.  This stops the cake tops from being marked by the wire rack.  

Once the cakes have cooled completely you can assemble the sandwich.  Place one cake upside down onto a plate and spread it with plenty of jam then spread over plenty of whipped cream.  Top with the second cake, top-side up.  Dust with icing sugar to serve.  

Leave a Comment Basics, Cakes, Party

Giant Chocolate Chip Birthday Cookie

I baked this as an experiment and oh my goodness was it delicious! My daughters said it would be great decorated like a Birthday Cookie that a certain cookie retailer sells.  Baked as one of 10yo's birthday cakes, this giant cookie cost £1.87 to make, without energy and decorating costs.  The High St retailler version costs £14.99 or more depending on your choice of decoration.  My version is 8 times cheaper!

I used a simple icing sugar and water icing to decorate the cookie, coloured with gel colours.  Cost of icing was 60p for the icing sugar, I had the gel colours already but you can purchase them for around £1 and they last a very long time as you don't need to use much.  You could of course use 30g cocoa (30p) to make chocolate icing, and save on cost.

Giant Chocolate Chip  Birthday Cookie

175g softened butter (56p)

200g granulated sugar (11p)

1 large free range egg (16p)

2 tsp vanilla bean paste (30p)

250g self raising flour (8p)

2 tsp baking powder (6p)

100g dark chocolate chunks, I chopped up a chocolate block (30p)

100g milk chocolate chunks I chopped up a chocolate block (30p)

Preheat your oven to 200C/Fan 180C/400F/Gas Mark 6.  Grease and line a 23cm/9 inch non-stick, loose based flan tin or springform cake tin.

Cream the butter and the sugar in a large bowl until pale and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla then beat again until completely combined.  

Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl, then gently but thoroughly mix it until a soft cookie dough forms.  Add the chocolate chips and stir to distribute them evenly through the cookie dough.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared flan tin then spread out evenly, ensuring the top is level.  

Bake in the preheated oven for bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out free of crumbs or dough.

Allow to cool in the tin and gently turn out the cookie before serving in slices.

1 comment Basics, Biscuits, Budgeting Tips, Cakes, Party, Vegetarian

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

Chocolate Viennese Whirls

When I discovered that they were baking Viennese Whirls on The Great British Bake Off this week I knew I had to give them a go. Of course I had to bake a chocolate version! Deliciously buttery and light biscuits sandwiched together with a rich dark chocolate ganache, how could I not bake them?!

I made sure my butter was very soft indeed so that the mixture was easy to pipe, and that I used a fairly big nozzle. I probably should have put the piped biscuits into the fridge for half an hour or so to ensure the piped biscuits looked more professional, but I'm not that bothered and they tasted totally scrumptious, so why faff if there's no need. I can just see the look of dismay on Paul and Mary's faces.

This batch of Chocolate Viennese Whirls cost £3.66 to make, or approximately 30p per Whirl.  Cost breakdown, exclusive of energy costs, is as follows: £1.02 butter, 25p icing sugar, 13p free range egg, 40p cocoa powder, 11p plain flour, 90p chocolate, 85p double cream.  You could serve the Whirls as plain biscuits and not sandwich them together with ganache, in which case the batch would cost £1.91 or 8p per biscuit for 24 biscuits.

Chocolate Viennese Whirls

300g very soft, but not melted, unsalted butter
1 cup icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 free range egg
2 1/2 cups plain flour

Chocolate Ganache
300ml double cream
400g dark chocolate, finely chopped

Beat the butter and icing sugar together until pale and flufffy, I used hand held electric beaters.  Carefully beat in the cocoa powder then the egg.  Mix in the flour by hand, using a wooden spoon, until completely combined  

Preheat your oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4/350F.  Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.  Put the biscuit mixture into a large piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle.  Pipe biscuits about 2 inches in diameter onto lined baking trays, allowing a little room for the biscuits to spread.

Bake in the preheated oven for 12 - 15 minutes.  Leave to cool on the trays for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the ganache

Heat the cream until almost boiling then add the chopped chocoalte.  Stir until completely combined.  Leave to cool until mixture reaches spreading consistency.  

Spread a the underside of a biscuit with a generous amount of chocolate ganache then place another biscuit on top. I managed to get 12 biscuit sandwiches from this recipe.  

I'm entering my Whirls into The Great Bloggers Bake Off, hosted by Jenny at Mummy Mishaps.

And also The Bake Off Bake Along co-hosted by Rhyme and Ribbons and This Particular.

15 comments Basics, Biscuits, GBBO, Party, Snack, Snacks

Cheats Churros Boats with Mojito Soaked Fruit Salad

After making these delicious Beef Fajitas using mini Stand ’N’ Stuff tortillas from Old El Paso, I decided to try making a sweet recipe that would make a great party dessert.  The mini tortillas are available in packs of 12 from all major supermarkets with a RRP of £2.39. For more delicious recipe inspiration visit the Old El Paso website or find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using @oldelpasouk and the hashtag #MiniMexican.

The little boat shaped soft tortillas, perfect for little hands to grab, and great for party food, were just begging to be brushed with melted butter and coated with cinnamon sugar.  I baked them until crisp and filled them with a delicious fruit salad that had been soaked in a mojito inspired syrup.  When topped with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream they were a very welcome tasty pudding treat on a very hot summer evening.  

You could of course make them more healthy by skipping the syrup and using natural yoghurt instead of ice cream on top of the fruit but I wanted decadent deliciousness not virtuous and low calorie. 

Cheats Churros Boats 

with Mojito Soaked Fruit Salad

12 Mini Stand and Stuff Tortillas

75g butter, melted

100g sugar

1 or 2 tsp ground cinnamon

3 or 4 cups of fresh fruit, peeled if necessary, cut into small chunks

100ml lime juice

100g sugar

50ml water

50ml white rum (optional)

small sprig of fresh mint.

Mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a bowl.  Melt the butter. Brush the mini tortillas with melted butter and then toss in cinnamon sugar to coat.  Place on a lined oven tray and bake at 200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 6 for 7 - 10 minutes.  The mini tortillas will crisp up as they cool.

Mix together the lime juice, sugar and water.  Heat gently, stirring until sugar dissolves, add the mint, then leave to cool completely.  Mix in rum, only if serving to grown ups.  Pour the syrup over the prepared fruit, just enough to lightly coat the fruit, and leave to soak and chill in the fridge for around half an hour.  Any leftover syrup can be used to make mojito cocktails.  

Put the syrup soaked fruit into the crisp mini tortillas then top with a scoop of ice cream and freshly grated lime zest.  Serve immediately.

**Recipe commissioned by Old El Paso**

1 comment Party, Puddings, Vegetarian

Giant Jaffa Cake (Vegan)

We enjoy watching The Great British Bake Off and trying out the bakes that the contestants have to make each week.  This week one of the tasks was to bake some Jaffa Cakes.  On the show they made standard small Jaffa Cakes but I thought that would be too much faff and decided to make a Giant Jaffa Cake instead.

I had to remake my jelly as the first batch didn't set firmly enough, but apart from that it was a fairly straight forward bake.  My family devoured some for pudding this evening, and there's still some leftover for a treat with a cuppa tomorrow.  

Giant Jaffa Cake (Vegan)

Sponge:
125g plain flour
125g caster sugar
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2tsp tsp salt
125ml dairy free milk
30g oil (I used vegetable/rapeseed oil)
4tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste

Jelly:
400ml orange juice
5g Agar Agar

Topping:
400g Dairy free Dark Chocolate, chopped/broken into small chunks

To make the sponge:

Preheat oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas Mark 4  Grease and line a 20cm/8inch cake tin

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl.  Mix the wet ingredients together in a jug until completely combined.  Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Pour the cake batter into your prepared tin and level the surface.

Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cake is golden and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the jelly:

Bring the fruit juice to the boil in a pan and sprinkle the agar agar powder on top. Stir in and boil for 2-3 minutes then remove from the heat, pour into a lined 20cm/8 inch cake tin, and leave to cool and set.

Carefully turn out the jelly onto the top of the sponge cake.  Put in the fridge to chill whilst you prepare the topping.

To make the topping:

Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water.  Once completely melted, leave to cool slightly then pour over the cake.  

I've added this post to the We Should Cocoa linky over at Tin and Thyme.

I'm entering this bake into the Great Bloggers Bake Off linky, hosted by Mummy Mishaps.

12 comments Basics, Cakes, GBBO, Party, Vegan, Vegetarian

4 Ingredient Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are SO quick and easy to make! Gluten free and dairy free, perfect for picnics or a snack after a play session at the park.  My children love these and can whip up a batch themselves, which is great school holiday entertainment with the added bonus of a delicious elevenses or afternoon tea treat.  

Peanut Butter 30p

Free range egg 17p

Caster Sugar 10p

Plain Chocolate 15p

Cost of batch of 24 cookies = 72p 

Each delicious cookie costs 3p to make, excluding energy costs.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup peanut butter

3/4 cup caster sugar

1 large free range egg, beaten

3/4 cup chocolate chips, or chocolate bar chopped into small chunks 

Beat the peanut butter and sugar together in a bowl. Mix in the beaten egg thoroughly, then mix in the chocolate chips. The mixture will be quite stiff. I usually use my hand held electric mixer.

Roll tablespoonfuls into balls and put on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper. Flatten firmly with a floured fork.

Bake at 180C for 15-18 minutes until the biscuits are cooked and lightly browned. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely then store in an airtight container.

Leave a Comment Basics, Biscuits, Dairy free, Gluten-free, Kiwi Recipes, Party, Snack, Snacks, Vegetarian

Spicy Mini Falafels

Those who know me know that I really like a challenge. I have teamed up with Heinz to create a recipe in celebration of the launch of their new [Seriously Good] Mayonnaise,  The new mayo is superbly rich, smooth and creamy, made using simple, high quality ingredients, with absolutely no added colours, flavours or artificial thickeners. I was challenged to create a seriously good spoonful, a delicious recipe creation that would fit on a spoon. I decided to make falafels as our whole family enjoy them, you can make them as spicy as you like, and they make a delicious vegetarian canape on a spoon with lettuce and a little mayo.

Spicy Mini Falafels 

Makes around 24, depending on size

2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp mild chilli powder (optional)

1 free range egg

1 Tblsp mayo

Preheat your oven to 210C/410F/Gas Mark 7.

Put all the falafel ingredients into a food processor and blitz until a chunky puree forms.  scrape down the sides of the food processor and blitz again until a fine puree forms.  Line a baking tray with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.  Take heaped teaspoonfuls of the falafel mixture and gently form into balls. Place on to the prepared tray.

Put a frying pan over a moderate heat and add a couple of tablespoons of oil.  Cook the falafel in batches until golden on the outside.  Place back onto the prepared oven tray.  Bake the falafels in the oven for 10 minutes to ensure they are cooked all the way through.  

Check out some more #seriouslygoodspoonfuls from my food blogger friends:

Rainbow Devilled Quails Eggs by Claire 

Mayo Mash with Steak and Ale by Kevin

Potato Canapes with Bacon and Asparagusby Elizabeth 

Coronation Chicken with Mayo Croutons by Rebecca

Micro Quail Egg and Smoked Ham Open Danish Sandwich by Camilla

Nori Wrapped Hot Smoked Salmon Cubes with Miso Mayonnaise by Kavey

1 comment Basics, Lunches, Meatfree Monday, Party, Salad, Snack, Snacks, Vegetarian

Savoury Biscuits - Poppy Seed, and Sun-dried Tomato and Parmesan

My 15yo daughter baked these delicious morsels to practice for her GCSE Food Technology practical session.  They are very moreish and would be perfect for lunchboxes with hummus or herbed yoghurt dip, an after school snack, or with drinks at a party.  These biscuits are based on a Paul Hollywood recipe altered to suit our tastes.

Savoury Biscuits

375g plain, all purpose, flour

1 tsp salt

125g unsalted butter, softened

2 medium free range eggs

2 Tblsp poppy seeds

50g Parmesan, finely grated (or a vegetarian hard cheese)

1 Tblsp sun-dried tomato paste or tomato puree

Put the flour, salt, butter, one of the eggs and 40ml cold tap water into a bowl.  Mix to combine the ingredients then get your hands in the bowl and squish the dough together.  Turn out on to your work surface and lightly knead for a minute or two until a smooth dough forms. 

Divide the dough in half.  Put each portion of dough into a mixing bowl.  Add the poppy seeds to one portion of dough and the tomato paste and Parmesan to the other portion of dough.  Knead the flavour additions into the dough.  Mixing the flavour additions into the dough whilst the dough is in a bowl is much less messy than trying to incorporate the ingredients on a work surface.  Those poppy seeds get everywhere if you spill any!

Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.  Lightly flour your work surface and roll out each portion of dough to about 3mm thick, about the thickness of a £1 coin.  Transfer the rolled out dough to the prepared trays and cover with cling film.  Put in the fridge to rest for half an hour.  We used this time to wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen.

Preheat the your oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas Mark 6.  Lightly flour your work surface and transfer the rested dough from the trays to your work surface.  Using a 7cm/2¾ inch round cutter, cut biscuits from the dough.  Re-roll the dough and keep cutting out biscuits until all the dough has been used.  Put the biscuits onto the lined trays.

Bake the biscuits for 10-15 minutes until golden-brown.  Remove the biscuits from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  These biscuits are delicious with hummus or other dips, and are very moreish.

1 comment Biscuits, Gestational Diabetes, Lunches, Party, Snacks, Vegetarian