Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake

Never cooked/baked with Poppy Seeds  before and I thought I would give it a go. The combination of poppy seeds and lemon worked really well. Plus super easy to make. 

Need a 20cm square cake tin

50g Poppy Seed

200ml Whole Milk

225g Caster Sugar

3 Eggs

350g Self Raising Flour

225 Butter

1 Lemon, Juice and Rind

Topping

300g Icing Sugar

5 tbsp Lemon Juice

Poppy Seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted. Grease the cake tin with greaseproof paper.

2. Cream the butter and caster sugar together. Then add the eggs and give a good mix. Then the milk and mix.

3. Gradually add the flour and mix. When fully mixed add the juice and rind of the lemon and poppy seeds. Once all combined put the cake mixture in the cake tin. Put in the oven for 40-50 minutes in the centre of the pre heated oven. Check if its baked all the way through by checking the centre of the cake is fully baked. 

4. Once baked leave out on a wire rack to cool. Mix the icing sugar and lemon juice 1 tbsp at a time. You should get a thick consistency. Spread on top of the cake when cake has cooled. Sprinkle on poppy seeds. Serve

Garlic Flatbread (V)

Who doesn't love garlic bread? If someone says they don't they are either lying or they are people you shouldn't associate with. Or you could tempt them with this recipe

Makes 1 (Can serve 2)

100g Plain Flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp Dried Yeast
1 tsp Salt
75ml Lukewarm Water
Olive Oil

25g Salted Butter, at room temperature
1/2 a Bulb of Garlic
A few Parsley Leaves, roughly chopped

1. Put the oven on 200c/180c fan assisted. Wrap the garlic bulb in tin foil and put in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.

2. Mix the plain flour, dried yeast and salt. Make a well in the centre. Then add the lukewarm in the centre and mix, You should be able to form a ball shape. If too dry add more water, if too wet add more flour. Knead for 10 minutes. Then in a bowl rub olive oil around the bowl and add the dough and cling film. Leave to prove for 45 minutes - 1 hour. It should double in size.

3. While the dough is proving make the garlic butter. The garlic will be soft and can be pushed out of the cloves into a bowl. Mix with the butter and parsley. Season.

4. Once proved knead a bit to push out the air. Then roll thinly but don't let the dough rip. Then spread the garlic butter on top. But on a tray in the centre of the oven for 10 minutes. Serve as a side dish.

Crempog (V)

Made these on Shrove Tuesday. Different from your average pancake. They are surprisingly light and fluffy. Serve with your favourite fruit and golden syrup.

Makes 10-12 Pancakes

Mixture
450ml Buttermilk
50g Unsalted Butter
275g Plain Flour
75g Caster Sugar
1tsp Bicarbonate Soda
2 Eggs
Pinch of Salt
1 tbsp Vinegar

Knob of Butter

1. Heat water in pan and place a bowl over the water. Add the butter and buttermilk. Heat through until the butter has melted and mixed together.

2. Remove the bowl from the heat and add the flour and mix well. Leave the mixture till it has cooled down.

3. In a separate bowl add the remaining ingredients and beat well until combined. Add this to the mixture and mix until you get a smooth batter.

4. To cook the pancake take a baking stone or frying pan and heat a bit of butter. This should be over a medium heat. You will need about half a serving spoon of mixture for a pancake (don't want the the pancake too thick). Cook until each side is golden brown (roughly about 5 minutes on each side).

5. You can have them with lemon and sugar, Nutella or my personal favourite blueberries and golden syrup (or whatever you want, your pancakes, your way)

Stack them Up!

Pepperoni Stuffed Crust Pizza

My 100th Post! Time to celebrate with some Pepperoni pizza. Let's make it stuffed crust. Obviously pick and choose your favourite toppings. 

Makes 1 Pizza

Base
175g Strong Bread flour, extra for dusting

100ml Lukewarm Water
1 tsp Yeast
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt

Crust

Butter

1/2 Cloves of Garlic

6/8 Hot Dog Sausages (depending on length)

Tomato Base

250ml Passata 

Basil Leaves, torn

1 Clove of Garlic

1 tsp Oregano

Toppings

Mozzarella Cheese, grated

Pepperoni

Salt and Pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 220/200 fan assisted. Take a circular baking tray or normal baking tray and line with baking paper. For the base add the flour, yeast and salt to a mixing bowl and stir. Make a well in the centre of the bowl and gradually add the water and mix. Once the water is gone add the olive oil and mix. The mixture should be soft and be able to stay together. If too dry add more water, if too wet add more flour.

2. Tip the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes. Then put back in the bowl and leave to prove for 30 minutes (cover with cling film)

3. While it is proving, make the sauce by mixing the tomato ingredients with seasoning in a measuring jug.  Also for the crust melt the butter and mix the garlic. 

4. After it has proved tip onto a floured surface and foll out to a circular shape. If you want to be adventurous try some pizza tossing as this makes it quicker to get the round shape. Then put on the tray. If making stuffed crust make sure it is big so you can overlap the dough over the hot dogs. 

5. Begin with the hotdogs and place them near the edge of the dough. Then cover with the dough so you can't see the hot dogs. Then wash with the melted garlic butter. Then ladle on the tomato sauce, layer the pepperoni and finally add the grated mozzarella cheese. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.

6. Put in the oven for 20-25 minutes. The dough should be cooked through and the cheese golden. Leave to cool for 5 minutes. Serve with green salad, garlic mayo dip, chips, garlic bread or anything you want to party.

Fig and Honey Tartlet (V)

Give this recipe a go while the figs are in season. A nice light dessert after any greek lamb meal. I would also like to say I do not endorse any supermarkets or brands with the photo on the right.

Makes 4

250g Puff Pasty
Clear Honey
4 Figs, for each cut in half lengthways, then slice
Flour for dusting
Greek Yoghurt
1 tsp Cinnamon
Icing Sugar (Optional)


1. Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan assisted.  Flour the surface and roll out the puff pastry to about half a cm. Cut into circles approximately 10cm (I used the lid of yoghurt pot). Place on a greaseproof paper and then on a baking tray.

2. Arrange the fig slices on the puff pastry. Then put 1-2 tsp of honey on each tartlet. Then sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon.

3.  Put in the oven for 20 minutes till the pastry turns a golden brown. Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with greek yoghurt.

Italian Bread (V)

I haven't baked much bread before so I thought I would give it a go. I wanted to make this one a bit different. I had some olives and Sundried tomatoes left over and thought they should go in and eventually it turned into something delicious.

Makes 1 Loaf

500g Strong White Flour
2 Sachets of Yeast
300ml Warm Water
75g Sundried Tomatoes, quartered
100g Green Olives, quartered
100g Black Olives, quartered
Drizzling of Olive Oil
Few Sprigs of Rosemary
Salt and Pepper

1. Add the flour, yeast, salt and pepper to the bowl. Stir it all together. Create a well at the bottom of the mixing bowl.

2. Gradually add the water into the well in the mixing bowl and stir as you go along. It will become doughy then you will be able to kneed the dough. If the dough is too dry; add more water and if its too wet; add more flour.

3. Knead the dough for about 10 minutes. Personally I find it quite relaxing and is a good way to relieve stress. Put cling film over the bowl and leave for about an hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 220/200 fan assisted. After leaving the dough to rise its time to add the olives, tomatoes and olive oil. You begin by flattening the bread out and putting about a third of the olives and tomatoes onto the dough. Then you begin to knead so the ingredients mix into the dough. Continue doing this until your out of olives and tomatoes.

5. Add olive oil to the dough and knead in. Begin to shape the dough into a long cylinder shape (See below). Add the rosemary sprigs to the top of the dough and make 3 cuts along the top. Sprinkle with a bit of flour and put in the over for 35 minutes.

Tip:

• Dip in a mixture of balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
• Want to give your bruschetta that bit more depth, toast the bread and top with the tomatoes, red onions etc.
• Makes lovely bread for sandwiches and adds that extra flavour. 
• The oil from the olives and Sundried tomatoes can be used on the bread instead of using olive oil. 

Chocolate Teacake (V)

So was watching the Great British Bake Off and thought I could make those but made some changes to the recipe to make it my own. With a biscuit base, marshmallow and jam centre coated in a chocolate sphere. Interesting fact, there was a legal battle over whether the Chocolate teacake is a biscuit or a cake. The European court ruled that the Teacake was not, in fact, a biscuit but a cake.

Makes 6 Teacakes

Biscuit
50g Wholemeal Flour
50g Plain Flour, shifted
30g Caster Sugar
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
25g Butter, left at room temperature
2 tbsp Milk
Pinch of salt

Marshmallow
3 Medium Free Range Egg Whites
150g Caster Sugar
6 tbsp Golden Syrup
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Sphere
400g Milk Chocolate (good quality chocolate is needed).
Half Sphere Silicone Moulds
6 tsp Raspberry Jam

1. Preheat the oven to 170c/150c Fan assisted. Grease a baking tray.

2. For the biscuit, put the flours, caster sugar, baking powder and salt into a mixing bowl and rub together with the butter. Add the milk and make into a small ball.

3. Flour a surface and roll out the dough with a rolling pin. The dough shouldn't be too thick, around 1/4 inch thickness. The biscuit should cover the moulds, I used a medium size wine glass to cut the biscuits. Chill in the fridge.

4. While the biscuits are chilling in the fridge, its time to melt the chocolate to make the spheres for the teacakes. Melt 300g of the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Once the chocolate has melted, line the moulds with the chocolate. Use the smooth side of a spoon to help spread the chocolate evenly around the mould. Set a side to let it set.

5. Place the biscuits on the baking tray and put in the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Don't let them burn. Let them cool on a wire rack.

6. For the marshmallow, put all the ingredients in a large bowl over a large pan of simmer water. Whisk for 10 minutes using an electric whisk. It should double in size and should be a thick consistency.

7. Spoon the marshmallow mixture into a piping bag. Pipe the mixture into the now cooled chocolate domes.

8. Melt the remaining chocolate. Coat the biscuits in the chocolate and leave to cool on the wire rack.

9. When the marshmallow has set, put a teaspoon of raspberry jam on top of the marshmallow. Place the biscuit on top of the marshmallow and jam. Then with the remaining chocolate seal any open areas between the biscuit and the chocolate sphere. Leave for a few minutes to let the chocolate cool.

10. Carefully remove the teacakes from the mould. It should be easy to remove from the moulds. Enjoy!

Tip: Having trouble finding the moulds: Click Below

Viennese Whirls (V)

A lovely biscuit which is delectable with a nice cup of tea. Tried and tested on friends and family.

Makes 15 Biscuits

Biscuit
250g Butter, at room temperature
50g of Icing Sugar
250g Plain Flour, shifted
50g Cornflour
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Filling
100g Butter, left at room temperature
100g  Raspberry Jam
1/2 vanilla extract
200g Icing Sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/180c fan assisted oven. Grease a baking tray and line with grease proof paper.

2. In a food processor put all the biscuit ingredients in and blend until smooth. This will take a couple of minutes. Make sure you put all of the mixture from the processor into the pipping bag with a large star nozzle (Pipping Bag I used can be seen at the bottom of the post).

3. When pipping the mixture onto the tray make sure the pipping bag is at a 90 degree angle to the tray and squeeze the mixture out a medium size rosettes of dough. Make sure they are spread out so they don't stick together when they bake. Put in the oven and make for 12 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Leave the biscuits to cool on a wire rack. While they are cooling, make the butter icing by mixing the butter, icing sugar and the vanilla extract in a bowl. Mix with a fork until fully combined.

5. Once the biscuits are cooled put a small teaspoon of jam on the smooth side of the biscuit, butter icing and top with a biscuit. Repeat the process until you are out of biscuits. Dust with some icing sugar and serve.

Lemon Drizzle Cake (V)

A lovely light cake which is always good with a nice cup of tea.

Makes 1 Cake

150g Self Raising Flour
125g Caster Sugar
1 Lemon, juice and zest
2 tbsp Lemon Curd
Dash of Milk
1 tsp Baking Powder
2 Medium eggs
75 Unsalted Butter

Drizzle
2 tbsp Granulated Sugar
1 Lemon, zest and juice

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c Fan assisted

2. Butter a loaf tin and line with baking paper.

3. Beat the butter and caster sugar together using either a wooden spoon or electric whisk. This should take about 10 minutes.

4. Once the mixture is light and fluffy add the eggs, lemon juice & zest, flour, lemon curd, milk and baking powder. Mix well.

5. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 40 minutes  To test the cake is cooked through poke a skewer through. If it comes out clean then it is cooked through.

6. While the cake is in the oven prepare the drizzle. Mix the juice, zest and sugar together. Once the cake is out of the oven evenly pour the drizzle over and leave to cool for about an hour. Serve with a nice cup of tea .

Hyper Smash

Nain's Apple Pie (V)

One of the people that got me interested in cooking/baking was my Nain. Her Sunday dinners were the best. And this was my favourite pudding that she makes.

Makes 1 pie

Filling

1kg Bramley apples, peel, core and slice them.
2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp runny honey
4 tbsp caster sugar
Lemon Juice

Pastry
60g Brown Sugar
225g Unsalted Butter (left at room temp)
2 Eggs (save half an egg to brush the pastry)
350g Plain Flour



1. For the pastry, mix the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg. Then gradually add 100g of plain at a time, continuously stirring.

2. Begin to mix the dough in with your hands. Put in a ball, then wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge for half an hour.

3. Stew the apples, by covering a base of a pan with water, and a squirt of lemon juice. Add the apple to the pan and put on a medium heat on the hob for about 10-15 minutes.

4. Take the pastry out of the fridge and divide into two. Begin to roll the dough and cover the base of a pan/dish. Trim the edges and keep the excess pastry aside.

5. Pour in the apples. Add the honey and 3 tbps of caster sugar to the apples. Roll the other pastry and cover the apples. Trim the excess of pastry.

6. Use the excess to decorate your pie (example below). Using the rest of the egg and a bit of water brush the top of the pastry. Sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar. Put in a preheated oven at 200c/180c fan assisted for 30 minutes. Serve with ice cream or double cream.

Shortbread (V)

Was thinking earlier today what would be good to put on the blog. And then it occurred to me that I had been drinking more tea recently. Then I thought, what goes well with a cup of tea (apart from the Victoria Sponge)...Shortbread! A lot of the ingredients will be in your cupboard and tastes better than the shop bought.

Makes between 20-30 pieces

200g Butter
325g Plain Flour, shifted
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
120g Caster sugar, plus 2 tbps
3 Medium egg yolks

1. Mix the butter and sugar together until smooth. Then add the flour.

2. Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract to the mixture. The mixture should be doughy. If too dry add a bit of water. Or if too sticky add flour.

3. You can either roll in cling film and then cut into slices OR roll on a floured work top and cut into fingers.

4. Put the cut dough onto a tray and put in the fridge for 30 minutes.

5. Sprinkle the 2 tbsn of caster sugar over the dough. Put in the oven for 15 minutes on 200/180c fan assisted.


6. Put on wire rack to cool down. Serve with a cup of tea.

Savoury Pancakes

Shrove Tuesday! Time to flip some pancakes... or in my case will fall to the ground.

Makes roughly 10 Pancakes

150g Plain flour
250ml Milk (Add about 50ml of water)
2 Medium Eggs
Olive oil or butter
Pinch of salt

1. Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add salt.

2. Create a small well in the centre of the mixing bowl. Crack the eggs into the centre of the bowl and begin to whisk.

3. Gradually add the milk/water mixture to the bowl while whisking. The mixture should be a nice smooth consistency. Leave on the side for 15 minutes

4. Add a bit of butter to a frying pan. Add a ladle full of batter to the pan. Swirl around the frying pan until covered. Cook on one side for just under a minute Using a fish slice, flip the pancake over (Or if you want to look fancy flip using the frying pan). Cook for a further 30 seconds. This can be served with a sweet filling or savoury

For the filling, I chose to have a savoury filling; brie, cranberry and bacon. Such a lovely combination of flavours.

Salmon Fishcakes

An easy recipe that tastes nice and doesn't burn a hole in your wallet.

Serves: 4 /Makes about 8 fishcakes

300g Potatoes (Maris Piper preferably)
1x Can Red Salmon
Pepper
1 Lemon (Juice and Rind)
Butter
Parsley
Bit of Beaten Egg

To Coat the Fish cakes
White Flour
Bit of Beaten Egg
Breadcrumbs (About 3 slices of white bread blitzed in a blender)

1. Boil the potatoes until soft enough to mash

     2.  Add the mash to the mixing bowl with the salmon, black pepper, lemon juice, lemon rind, a bit of butter and parsley.

    3.   Stir the mixture while adding the egg so that it binds together.

    4.   Pick up a bit of the mixture and shape into a cake (Making sure it isn't too thick so that it doesn't  break apart when cooking). Dip the cake in flour, egg and then the breadcrumbs.

    5. Fry one one side for a few minutes. Flip and fry for a few minutes. It should be golden on both sides

Serving Suggestions: Veg and Tartar Sauce