Coq Au Vin

So I got a new toy for the kitchen. The time saving slow cooker! For my first outing, I decided to make Coq Au Vin.

Serves 4

600ml Red Wine
300ml Chicken Stock
4 Large Chicken Thighs
150g Smoked Bacon Lardons
2 Bay Leaves
2 Cloves Garlic
2 Sprigs Rosemary
2 Sprigs Thyme
150g Baby Chestnut Mushrooms
4 tbsp Plain Flour
8 Shallots, peeled and left whole
2 Carrots, chopped
25g butter

1. Put the flour in the bag with the salt and pepper. Add the chicken thighs to the bag and shake well till the thighs are covered.

2. Take the pot out of the slow cooker and put on a medium heat add the butter till melted and covers the base of the pot. Add the chicken thighs and flour and fry to seal the chicken (all sides should be white). Add the bacon to the pan and fry for a further 2-3 minutes.

3. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot, return to the slow cooker and put on a low heat for 7 hours. If the sauce is too watery then add flour and leave for 20 minutes.

4. Serve with mashed potatoes

Simnel Cake

A light fruit cake served traditionally around Easter. Hope you are sitting comfortably, time for a religion lesson (fun, right?!?!). Traditionally the number of balls on top of a simnel cake represents Jesus 12 apostles minus Judas. Some have 12 balls of marzipan to include Jesus with his apostles minus Judas. Lesson over, time for cake.

Makes 1 Cake

Cake Mixture
500g Dried Mixed Fruit (must include candied peel)
100g Glace Cherries, halved
200g Butter
200g Dark Brown Sugar
2 tsp Mixed Spice
5cl Cointreau
Juice and zest of a lemon
3 Eggs
225g Self Raising Flour
50g Ground Almonds

Topping
500g Ready Roll Marzipan
2-3 tbsp Apricot Jam
Icing Sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 170c/150c Fan assisted. Line a 20cm Cake tin with greaseproof paper. Cream butter and sugar together. It should be well combined. Then gradually add the eggs till its all mixed together and a runny consistency.

2.Then add the Cointreau, juice and zest of a lemon, dried mixed fruit and cherries, mix well. Add the flour, ground almonds and mixed spice and again mix well. It should be of a thicker consistency. Pour into the cake tin and bake for 1 hour and 15 mins. Test the cake by poking a toothpick through the centre. When pulled out it should be clean. If not put in for 5 minute intervals until baked through, Leave to cool on a wire rack.

3. For the topping, cut 2/3 of the block. Dust the surface with icing sugar and roll the portion out and cut into a circle. With the remaining marzipan make into 12 balls (I made one bigger to put in the centre). Warm the apricot jam in a pan on the hob. Base the cake with the apricot jam and apply the rolled out marzipan. Then dab each ball with apricot jam and arrange on top of the marzipan.

4. Preheat the grill and put the cake under for 5 - 6 minutes until the top is golden brown.

Lemon, Lime and Coconut Cake

You put the lime in the coconut and you eat them all up. This delight has been given rave reviews from people who don't like coconut; 'I don't like coconut but this tastes amazing', 'Very Moist'.

Makes 1 Cake


1 Zest and Juice of a Lime
1 Zest and Juice of a Lemon
250g Caster Sugar
225g Butter, cubed
225g Self Raising Flour
3 Eggs
50g Dessicated Coconut
1tsp Baking Powder

Filling/Topping
Lemon and Lime Marmalade (see my own version here)
250ml Coconut Cream
75ml Double Cream
1 tbsp Icing Sugar
Desiccated Coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted. Grease 2x20cm Cake Tins.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together. When combined add the eggs. zest and juice of the lemon and lime and mix.

3. Then add the flour, baking powder and coconut then mix till combined. Divide the mixture between the two cake tins. Put in the centre of oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and if you can poke a toothpick through the cake and it comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

4. While the cake is cooling whisk the coconut cream, double cream and icing sugar in a mixing bowl until it thickens.

5. Layer the cake with cream, marmalade and the other half of cake. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut.

Lemon and Lime Marmalade (V)

Zesty flavour for your toast or even for sandwiching between 2 pieces of cake. Everyone loves some homemade marmalade. Made too much? Put some in small pots! Make excellent gifts

Makes about 1.25l

4 Limes

2 Lemon

1.5l Water

1.3kg Granulated Sugar

(Ideally you need a sugar thermometer and you will need Muslin bag)

Also Jars to store the Marmalade

1. Put the muslin bag in a large pan. Scoop out the flesh of the lemon and lime and put it in the bag (including pips). Slice the rinds of the lemon and limes thinly and put in the pan (not the muslin bag). Add the water and leave to soak overnight.

2. Tie the muslin bag. Put the pan on the hob on a high heat. Bring to the boil and leave to simmer for 2 hours. The water should have been reduced by a third and the rind should have softened. If not leave, leave to simmer for 10 minute intervals, until rinds have softened.

3. Take out the muslin bag and put in a sieve and place it over the pan to get all the juices. Add the sugar to the pan and give a stir till dissolved. Then increase to a high heat, so it is boiling. It shoudl boil for about 5 - 10 minutes. To test the marmalade check the temperature on the thermometer (it will need to reach 105c/220F). If you don't have a thermometer (or want to double check the marmalade) take a cold plate and take a small bit of marmalade from the pan drop it on the plate. After a minute, if you poke it, it should set and give a slight jiggle. When it has reached that point give the marmalade a final stir and take off the heat.

4. Before putting the marmalade in the jar, they need to be sterilized. To do this, give a clean in hot soapy water. Give them a dry and put in the oven at about 140c/120c fan assisted for 10 minutes or longer until the jars are completely dry. IMPORTANT: If they have plastic bits on the jar remove these before putting in the oven as they will get damaged. 

5. Pour the marmalade in the jars. Give another stir so the rind is evenly distributed. Will keep for about a month once jar has been opened. Keep refrigerated when opened.