Mini Egg Tiffin

So I have tried some Tiffin and thought, I need to get in on this game. So I was browsing the aisle and thought why not Mini Eggs (or Sugar shelled chocolate eggs, just in case legal gets involved). But here is my recipe and you can make it whenever you like because they put out the Easter stuff just after Christmas so there are plenty of Mini Eggs to go around. Doesn't require the oven.

Makes 12 Pieces of Tiffin

100g Unsalted Butter
3 tbsp Golden Syrup
175g Milk Chocolate
180g Mini Eggs, smashed up into pieces
200g Chocolate Digestives, lightly crushed

Topping
200g Milk Chocolate
90g Mini Eggs, lightly smashed (so a few pieces have some big chunks)

1. Grease a 20cm Square cake tin.

2. Melt butter, golden syrup and chocolate over a low heat. Mix until combined and all melted. Then add the biscuits and smashed mini eggs to the mixture, give a good stir and remove off the heat. Tip in the tin and press down. Leave ti chill for about half an hour.

3. Just before the biscuit base has cooled, melt the milk chocolate  over a bain marie. Once melted tip over the biscuit base and spread over evenly. Then sprinkle over with the mini eggs evenly then leave to cool. Once cooled, cut into squares.

Infused Apple and Cinnamon Gin (V)

This is one of the presents for a close friend of mine. He loved it. Drink straight or with lemonade. Excellent gift idea for the gin loves. For infusing alcohol you will need a Kilner jar and a sterilised bottle to store the Gin. It's' super simple.

Equipment
1 x 750ml Bottle
1x Kilner Jar (Need a big one as you are putting pieces of apple in it)

Ingredients
750ml Gin (doesn't matter about the quality, choose which ever is on offer)
75g Caster Sugar
2 Braeburn Apples, cored, cut into wedges
1 Cinnamon Stick

1. Sterilise your kilner jar (You do this by cleaning your jars with warm soapy water and putting them in the oven at 200c/180c fan assisted for 5 minutes).

2. Put in the Sugar and Apples. Then pour in the gin. Put the lid on the jar and give a shake. Allow to infuse for about 3 weeks. Give a shake throughout the 3 weeks. Store in a cool and dry place.

3. After 3 weeks add the cinnamon stick and once again shake. Leave this for a week.

4. After the final week, take the infused gin and pour into a measuring jug with a sieve to get the bits out. Sterilise the bottle. Remove the cap and give a clean with warm soapy water and dry. Then put in the oven at 200c/180c for 5 minutes. Allow to cool. Then carefully pour in the liquid. Cap on. Label up. Gift or Drink Up!

Moroccan Root Vegetable Stew (V)

I'm at it again with the slow cooker. Let combine this with something Vegetarian (also realised it's Vegan too). After mulling over I came up with this spicy yet fruity concoction. It's sure to warm you up in the cold nights. Key to cooking vegetarian is to utilise herbs and spices to amplify flavour. Should contribute to your 5 fruit and veg a day (So bonuses all round).

Serves 6

Olive Oil

1 Onion, diced

2 Garlic Cloves, crushed

½ tsp Ground Coriander

½ tsp Cumin

½ tsp Cayenne Pepper

1 tsp Ground Ginger 

1 Cinnamon Stick

Few Strands of Saffron

1 Large Sweet Potato, peeled and diced

3 Medium Carrots, peeled and diced

3 Parsnips, Peeled and diced

Small Butternut Squash, peeled and diced

400g Can Chickpeas, drained

1.25ml Vegetable Stock

½ Mug Sultanas

3 tbsp Plain Flour

3 Handfuls Spinach

1. In a frying pan/removable pot in the slow cooker heat olive oil over a medium heat on the hob. Add the onion, garlic, flour and spices to the pan. Cook until the onions have softened.

2. Add the rest of the ingredients apart from the spinach and sultanas to the slow cooker. Give a stir. And leave for the following:

- Low - 7 - 8 Hours
- Medium -  5 - 6 Hours
- High - 3 - 4 Hours

3. An hour before the food is done add the sultanas and spinach to the slow cooker and give a stir then leave to cook.for the final hour. Then serve. 

Glamorgan Sausages (V)

These are very tasty. Vegetarians Approved and Meat Eater Approved. This is a recipe originating from Wales (Glamorgan in particular). These would be ideal with a nut roast (plugging).

Makes 6 - 8 Sausages

1 Medium Leek, sliced

160g Breadcrumbs (80g to coat, 80g for the sausage)

1 tsp Thyme

1 tsp Parsley

½ tsp Mustard Powder

2 Eggs (1 for Sausage, 1 for Coating)

Salt and Pepper

125g Caerphilly Cheese, grated

1 Garlic Clove, crushed

4 tbsp Plain Flour

Knob of Butter

1. Preheat the oven to 200c/180s fan assisted. Melt a know of butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and leek to the frying pan. Cook until softened. Allow to cool. 

2. In a mixing bowl. Add 80g of breadcrumbs, thyme, parsley, mustard powder, 1 egg, Caerphilly cheese and the leek & garlic with salt and pepper, give a good mix. Shape into sausages. Then put on a plate and put in fridge for ½ an hour.

3. Place whisked egg, breadcrumbs and flour on individual plates. Take Each sausage and coat with the flour, egg and breadcrumbs (in that order). Then place on a baking tray and put in the oven for 25-30 minutes until the breadcrumbs are a golden colour.

Lumberjack's Yule Log

I made a Yule Log for Christmas. Easier than I thought. Plus if you can't find any last minute, give this a go.

Makes 1 Festive Yule Log

Log Recipe

6 Egg Whites
55 Caster Sugar

6 Egg Yolks
100g Caster Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste
50g Cocoa Powder, shifted

Icing/Filling

200g Good Quality Dark Chocolate, in pieces
275g Icing Sugar, plus extra for dusting (optional)
250g Butter, cubed at room temperature, cubed


1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted. Grease a Swiss roll tray or baking tray with greaseproof paper.

2. In a large bowl whisk the egg whites until begin to turn white and begin to stiffen. Then gradually add the 55g caster sugar and continue to whisk. It should be a thick white consistency which leaves peaks.

3. In a second bowl, whisk the 6 egg yolks and 100g caster sugar. Should give you a pale colour and be of a thick consistency. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla bean paste. Should be a really thick consistency.

4. Incorporate the cocoa egg yolk to the the egg whites and fold in until you have used up the egg yolk cocoa. Until you get a smooth brown mixture. Pour onto tray and spread evenly. Put in the oven for 20 minutes.

5. To make the filling/icing. Melt the chocolate in a Bain Marie or microwave until completely melted. Allow to cool slightly. Mix the icing sugar in food processor and then add the butter until combined. Then add the cooled dark chocolate and mix.

6. After the sponge has baked, leave to cool slightly then flip onto another sheet of greaseproof paper. Trim the edges. Then spread about a third of the icing on the cake. Lengthways, roll the cake towards you. Use the greaseproof to help roll. Make sure its tightly rolled otherwise it flop out. Transfer to a plate, board etc to ice.

7. You can cut the ends of the cake in an angle and add these pieces to the side of the log to make it look more of authentic log. Cover with leftover chocolate icing. Spread using a spatula or palette knife. Allow to cool. Then sprinkle with icing sugar to give it a snow effect.

Chocolate and Hazelnut Cheesecake

Its nearing Christmas...I hear you. Not everyone loves a Christmas Cake, Pudding or Mince Pie. Some people call you nuts. And that's what I thought... Hazelnuts. So here is an alternative pudding for Christmas or to enjoy the year round. Plus doesn't require any baking so can get the kids to help. 

Makes 1 Cheesecake

275g Chocolate Digestives

75g Butter, room temperature

400g Chocolate and Hazelnut Spread ( You know the one i mean or the shop brand)

100g Hazelnuts, chopped

500g Cream Cheese

75g Icing Sugar

Drop of Vanilla Essence

1. Grease  the base of a 20cm Cake tin with greaseproof paper. Blitz the Biscuits, 25g of the Hazelnuts and Butter together.Once blitz together pour into tin and press down firmly. Then put in the fridge.

2. While in the fridge make the topping. Mix a bowl/mixer mix the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla together. Once combined add the chocolate spread. Mix together til fully combined. Should have a light brown colour. Top the biscuit base and spread so it is even. Then sprinkle with the remaining hazelnuts. Put in the fridge til the cream cheese has firmed (4 hours or overnight). Take out of tin and serve. 

Nut Roast (V)

So Christmas is fast approaching. You have guests coming for Christmas Dinner and your friend or family member is vegetarian. You want to make them something equally special so why not make them a nut roast. Can be prepared the night before so no rush, stick in the oven on the day. You will need a 2lb loaf tin.

Makes 1 Loaf

1 Onion, diced
2 Celery Sticks, diced
2 Garlic Cloves, crushed
200g Chestnuts, cooked and ready to use
200g Mixed Nuts
100g Breadcrumbs
100g Stilton, Smoked Cheese OR cheese with a strong flavour, grated or crumbled
1 Egg, beaten
2 tsp Sage
Butter
Salt and Pepper
Small savouy Cabbage, 6-8 leaves
1 Small Potato

1. Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan assisted. Line a loaf tin with tin foil. Grease with butter.

2. In a frying pan add a knob of butter, fry the celery, onion and garlic until softened. Allow to cool slight and add to a large mixing bowl.

3. Blanch the cabbage in a pan of boiling water for about 2 minutes, take out the leaves should still have some firmness. Line the leaves. Leave some over hang.  Add the potato to the pan and boil until you can mash it. Add this to the mixing bowl.

4. Blitz the chestnuts and mixed nuts in a blender or with a hand blender until you get small pieces. Doesn't matter if there are a few bigger pieces. Then in the mixing bowl add the nuts, egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, sage and plenty of salt and pepper. Give a good mix until combined. Add this to the loaf tin. Cover with the savoy cabbage.

5. Cover with foil and cook in the oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil then cook for a further 5 minutes. Slice and serve with vegetables.