Slow Cooked Bolognese

Bolognese is one of those mid week meals that we all love. But sometimes making it can be a drag especially after a long day at work.. Sometimes you just want to throw it all in a pot, leave it to cook and then enjoy later. Well lucky for you I have a recipe for slow cooked Bolognese. Fry off a few things then stick it all in the slow cooker for later.

Serves 5-6

1 Onion, Diced
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
500g Minced Beef
100g Bacon Lardons
1 Red Pepper, chopped
1 Carrot, chopped
8 Mushrooms, sliced
100ml Beef Stock
2 tbsp Plain Flour (to thicken)
1 Small Glass of Red Wine
2 Cans of Chopped Tomatoes
2 tbsp Tomato Puree
Splash of Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp Oregano
2 Bay Leaves
1 tsp Thyme
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to season

Serve with a bit of parmesan

1. Take the pot out of the slow cooker and put on the hob. Heat a bit of olive oil, Then add the beef mince and bacon. Cook til browned. Then add the garlic, onions, peppers and mushrooms, cook for a further 2 minutes.

2. Put back in the slow cooker and put on a low heat. Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and give a final stir. Leave to cook for 6-8 hours.

3. Just before the Bolognese is done, boil your favourite pasta (follow the instructions on the pack). Top with grated parmesan and it's ready to serve.

Cherry Bakewell Cake

Dedicated to the first and biggest influence to my baking. All I can say its a lovely cake. Mwynhewch eich bwyd!

Makes 1 Cake

3 Eggs
200g Self Raising Flour
200g Butter, cubed and at room temperature
200g Golden Caster Sugar
50g Ground Almond
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Baking Powder

Topping/Filling

200g Cherry Jam
175g Icing Sugar
6 tsp Water
Handful of Flaked Almonds
75g Glace Cherries, halved (Optional)

1. Preheat the Oven to 180c/160c Fan Assisted. Line 2 20cm Cake tins.

2. In a food processor or by hand cream the butter and the sugar. Once combined mix the eggs and vanilla extract. 

3. Then add the ground almonds, self raising flour and baking powder and mix till combined. 

4. Then divide between the two tins and bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

5. For the topping of the cake take the icing sugar and mix with water. Add a tsp at a time and it should be thick and smooth. If too thick add a tsp of water. For assembling the cake, take a sponge and spread the cherry jam and then other sponge. Add the icing on top, if it spills over the side it doesn't matter (gives it a unique look). Scatter with flaked almonds and optional cherries. 

Dough Balls and Garlic Butter (V)

A good side or starter. Got the idea from having them from a packet by a famous restaurant chain (you know the one).

Makes 20 Balls

Dough Balls
500g Strong White Flour, plus extra for dusting
1tsp Yeast
1 tsp Caster Sugar
1½ tsp Salt 
300ml Warm Water
1 - 2 tbsp Olive Oil

Garlic Butter
100g Salted Butter
Handful of Chopped Parsley
2 Large Garlic Cloves, crushed

1. For the dough balls in a large bowl mix the flour, salt, sugar, yeast. Then make a well in the bowl and pour the water and give a good mix. It should stick together. If too wet add flour and if it isn't combining add a bit more water. 

2. Take out of the bowl and dust a work surface with flour and knead for 10 minutes (gives those shoulders a workout).

3. Clean the bowl and cover the bowl with olive oil by rubbing it to the side. Add the dough to the bowl and cover with cling film. Leave to prove for an hour or until it doubles in size.

4. Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan assisted. While the bread proves, mix the butter, garlic and parsley together in a ramekin.

5. Put greaseproof paper on baking trays. Take the dough give a final knead and split into 20 balls (roll between your hands to get the shape). Then put in the middle of the oven for 15 minutes. Serve Warm.

Rosewater and Almond Biscuits

Never baked with Rosewater before. It turned out perfectly. One person described them as Turkish Delight in biscuit form.

Makes 26 - 30 Biscuits

1 Large Egg

150g Unsalted Butter, cubed at room temperature
150g Caster Sugar
1 tsp Rosewater

½ tsp Vanilla Bean Paste

50g Ground Almonds

300g Plain Flour, sifted

Couple of Handfuls of Flaked Almonds

1. In a food processor beat the sugar and butter till combined. Add the egg and mix. This will give you a liquid mixture. 

2. Add the rosewater and vanilla paste to the processor. When combined add the ground almonds and plain flour. Mix till all combined. If too wet add more flour and if too dry add some milk

3. Take the dough and wrap in cling film and put in the fridge for an hour. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted. Put a piece of greaseproof paper on 1/2 baking trays.

4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface. They should be just under ½ cm deep. I used a 5-6cm flowered cutter but you can make them as big or as small as you want. 

5. Press a few flaked almonds into the pastry and bake for 10 minutes. They should be golden brown. Leave to cool for 10 - 20 mins. 

Garden Birthday Cake

So it was my partners birthday on Friday so I wanted to make a special Birthday cake for him.

Makes 1 Cake


Chocolate Cake
100g Dark Chocolate (Used 70%)
3 Eggs
300g Caster Sugar
250ml Sunflower Oil
25g Cocoa Powder
250g Plain Flour
Splash of Lemon Juice
2 tbsp Nutella

Spinach Cake
3 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Lemons, juice and zest
3 tsp Baking Powder
180ml Olive Oil
300g Plain Flour
250g Caster Sugar
200g Spinach, pureed

Filling
250g Mascarpone

50ml Double Cream

2 tbsp Icing Sugar

Splash Lemon Juice
Nutella

Decoration
Toothpicks
Food Colouring
250g Ready Roll Icing
Writing Icing
Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160 fan assisted. Line 20cm Square Cake tins.

Making the Chocolate Cake

1. Put a pan over water over a hob and heat til it boils and reduce to a simmer. Put a large bowl on top and add the dark chocolate and allow to melt. Take off pan and leave to cool slightly.

2. When cooled enough add the sugar and give a good mix til the sugar and chocolate are combined. Then add the eggs, then the oil and mixing throughout.

3. Then add the flour, cocoa powder and lemon juice and mix well. When combined add the nutella, mix then pour in the cake tin

Spinach Cake

1. Mix the eggs and sugar til combined and then add the lemon juice and olive oil, give another mix. Add the flour, baking powder, and spinach. Then finally the vanilla. Mix throughout this process. This can be done in a food processor. Pour in the cake tin.

Put both tins in the oven for 45 - 50 minutes. Take out of the oven leave to cool before taking out of cake tins.

Filling

1. For the filling whisk the mascarpone with the double cream, icing sugar and lemon juice. . Then have the chocolate cake on the base, layer with nutella, cream then the spinach cake.

Decorate

To make the dirt effect breakup some chocolate cake. For the sugarcraft make sure you have icing sugar if the icing gets too sticky.

Sunflower
For these you need ready roll icing, yellow, brown and green food colouring and some toothpicks. Colour the icing with each colour. Wrap the green icing round the toothpick. For the flower, make a large yellow circle. Using a spoon press into it lightly around the edge to make a petal looking design. Have a smaller brown icing circle in the centre and poke with a toothpick.



Carrot Tops and Cabbage
You need green food colouring and ready roll icing. Mix the two. For the cabbage; shape into a small ball and cut another piece into three small triangles and place below the balls. For the Carrot tops, make 3 small sausage shapes and wrap round each other. Cover with the cake dirt.





Flower
For the flower that dots the I you need red pink food colouring and ready roll icing. Mix the colouring and icing til combined. With the ball of icing shave bits off with the tip of the spoon. Then layer  and eventually create a circular design. Smooth the bottom. Write the message using writing icing or piped icing and place the flower over the i.