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

Sticky Toffee Pudding (V)

You should know this one. As soon as you mention the name it makes your mouth water. Follow this simple recipe and enjoy something sticky, sweet and incredibly naughty.

Serves 6- 8

250g Dates, chopped

250ml Boiling Water

200g Self Raising Flour, plus extra for greasing

1tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

2 Large Eggs

100ml Whole Milk

125g Unsalted Butter, cubed at room temperature, plus extra for greasing

150g Dark Brown Sugar

2 tbsp Black Treacle

1tsp Vanilla Bean Paste/Essence/Extract

Toffee Sauce

50g Unsalted Butter

175g Light Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Black Treacle

250ml Double Cream

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted. Grease a 2lb Loaf tin with the butter and flour so the sticky toffee pudding comes out easier. Soak the dates in the boiling water for 30 minutes so the fruit plumps up.

2. In the meantime, in a mixing bowl mix the flour and bicarb of soda. Make a well in the centre and add the eggs and milk, mix until combined.

3. In another bowl cream the butter and sugar together. Then add the treacle and combine. Add the treacle mixture to the flour mixture and mix until fully combined. 

4. Drain the dates and add the vanilla and mash them up. Add these to the pudding mixture. It should give a light brown colour. Tip into loaf tin and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes. Should be cooked through. 

4. While the pudding is baking in the oven, make the toffee sauce. In a small pan. Melt the butter over a medium heat. Then once melted, add the sugar and black treacle and stir. Gradually add the cream while stirring. Allow it to bubble away for a couple of minutes and take off the heat. 

Tips:

- Make in advance and warm the sauce in the pan over a medium heat for a couple of minutes and the pudding in the oven for 5 minutes to warm through.

- OR cheat by taking a slice and drizzling the toffee sauce and putting in microwave for about 30 seconds.

Toffee Sauce

Banana and Chocolate Loaf (V)

I have been experimenting to get this bread right for soooo long and think I have it. The Banana isn't overpowering and compliments the chocolate well. Light and such a delight to have with a cup of tea.

Makes 1 Loaf

You can smell the banana and chocolate

2 Ripe Bananas, mashed
100g Unsalted Butter, at room temperature

100g Milk Chocolate Chips

200g Plain Flour

2 Large Eggs

1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

2 tbsp Whole Milk

150g Caster Sugar

Topping

2 tbsp Cocoa powder

125g Icing Sugar

45g Butter, softened at room temperature

5-6 tbsp Whole Milk
Handful of Banana chips (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 170c/150c fan assisted. Line a 2lb Loaf tin with greaseproof paper. 

2. Cream butter and sugar, then add the eggs, bananas and milk and give a mix until combined. 

3. Then mix the bicarbonate of soda, flour, and baking powder. Mix then add the chocolate chips. Then add the 2 tbsp of cocoa powder.

4, Once combined pour into loaf tin. Bake for 55 min to 1 hour.

5 While that is in the oven, make the topping of the loaf. First sift the cocoa powder, icing sugar into a bowl. Then add the butter and 1 tbsp of milk. Whisk (manual or electric) and gradually add the milk until you get a smooth spreadable mixture. If too thin add icing or cocoa powder and it too thick add milk.

6. Blitz the banana chips in a blender until a powder.

7. Once the loaf is finished allow to cool in tin for 10 minutes then move onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled spread the cocoa icing on top. Then top with banana chip powder. Then put in container and put in fridge to allow icing to thicken slightly. Take to bake sale or enjoy a slice with a cup of tea.

Great for bake sales!

Rice Pudding (V)

A dessert from my childhood. Quick and simple to make. Just a small dollop of jam (preferably raspberry). Not everyone likes the skin on top of a baked rice pudding but I do.  Comfort food at its best

Serves 4

750ml Whole Milk
25g Butter
100g Pudding Rice
50g Golden Caster Sugar
1 tsp Nutmeg

1. Preheat the oven to 150c/130c Fan Assisted

2. Butter a roughly 22x14 cm deep ovenproof dish. Add the rice, milk and sugar and stir. Sprinkle the nutmeg over the top so its even covered.

3. Put in the oven for 2 hours. The top should be a light golden brown. Serve with jam

Yummy :D

Blueberry Pancakes (V)

Shrove Tuesday is almost among us and thought I would give you one of my healthier options for the day. Blueberries are such a lovely fruit and if you have any left are perfect in a Greek yoghurt with some honey.

Serves 6-10 Pancakes

200g Self Raising Flour

1 Large Egg

150g Blueberries

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

250ml Whole Milk

Pinch of Salt

Knob of Butter

Maple Syrup/Golden Syrup

1. Add the Self Raising, baking powder and pinch of salt to a mixing bowl and stir. Make a well in the centre of the bowl and whisk the egg with the flour mixture. Then gradually add milk into the bowl, continuously whisking. The mixture should be a thick consistency (If too thin, add more flour and if too thick, add more milk). Then add most of the blueberries (keep some aside to put on the pancakes) and vanilla extract to the bowl and stir.

2. Melt the butter in a frying pan. Take a half ladle full of mixture and pour into the frying pan. It should be a small round shape, you don't want them too thin though. You can do them in batches of 2 or 3 depending on the size of the frying pan. Fry on the first side for about 5 minutes. Then with a spatula flip and fry for another 5 minutes. You can stack them and pour with syrup and add the rest of the blueberries.

Potato, Leek and Bacon Soup

It's still bloody freezing outside even if most of the snow has melted. So here is a lovely cheap warmer for you to enjoy.

Serves: 6

2 Leeks, finely sliced
25g Butter
1 Onion, finely sliced
450g Potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 litre Vegetable stock
4 rashers of Streaky bacon, chopped
100ml Whole Milk
150ml Double Cream, plus extra
3 Extra rashers of Streaky Bacon,

1. Melt the butter in a pan. Add the onion and bacon to the pan and cook until the onions have softened.

2. Add the leeks and potatoes to the pan and reduce the heat. Cook gently for about 10 minutes with the lid is on. Shake the pan occasionally so the contents don't stick to the bottom.

3. Pour in the stock and season. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Cover and leave for about 20 minutes.

4. While the soup is boiling, heat some olive oil/butter and fry the extra bacon until its crispy.

5. After the soup has boiled, use either a hand blender or food processor, blend the contents until it's smooth. Once it's blended add the milk and cream to the pan and stir well. Taste and season. Pour into bowls, top with the crispy bacon and a drizzle of cream. Serve with bread.

Tips:

• Make it creamier by adding a bit more cream

• Make it vegetarian by getting rid of the bacon and top the soup with croutons

Parsley Sauce (V)

A new recipe for a new year. So here it is, a great accompaniment with fish, ham or gammon.

Serves 350ml Delicious Parsley Sauce

50g Unsalted Butter
3 heaped tbsp Plain Flour
Good Handful of Fresh Parsley, chopped up
Salt and Pepper
250ml/300ml Whole Milk

1. Get a pan and melt the butter.

2.  When the butter has melted in the pan add the flour one tbsp at a time. Stir in thoroughly.

3. Gradually add the milk (by about 50ml at a time) to the pan and stir into the butter/flour mix.

4. Once it has add combined add the chopped up parsley to the white sauce. Stir in. Taste. Season to taste. Serve.

Tip: For a creamier taste use cream instead of milk

Custard (V)

A lovely accompaniment to my crumble recipe, pies and a lot of puddings.

Serves 4

3 Egg yolks
25g Caster Sugar
1 Vanilla Pod
2 tsp Cornflour
1 Pint Whole Milk

1. Put a pan on the hob and add the milk to the pan with the vanilla pod. Keep the vanilla pod in the milk until the milk begins to boil.

2. In a bowl whisk the egg yolk, sugar and cornflour.

3. Add the egg mixture to the milk while stirring. Keep over the heat and stir for about 5 minutes

4.  Strain the mixture into another saucepan and keep on the heat until the custard thickens.