This is the pudding that I came up with for the recent foodbloggers’ Masterchef cookoff with Miele.    When planning a menu it is perfectly normal and reasonable to come up with a pudding first and then plan a main course to go with it?   I wanted a very summery pudding using my homemade elderflower cordial;  it also had to be very quick to make, impossible to mess up and hopefully delicious.   I think that I have attained all 3 requisites here.   Looking back over my archives it would also seem that possets will freeze well too.

As these possets have extra liquid from the cordial added to them I used extra thick double cream to make sure they set.

Lime & Elderflower Possets (makes 4 – 6)

284 ml carton extra thick double cream
2 oz sugar
juice and zest of one lime
1tbs (15ml) elderflower cordial

Simply scrape the cream into a saucepan and bring to the boil keep a close eye on it as  it can very rapidly (and messily) boil over.  While the cream heats zest the lime into the pan.   Once it boils, add the sugar, lime juice and cordial.   Simmer for a minute stirring well until the sugar has dissolved.     Pour into serving dishes – 4 ramekins or 6 espresso cups.   Chill until set before serving.    I made these and they were set in under an hour.

I served with strawberries marinated in elderflower cordial and Irish lace biscuits (recipe to come)

I have not seen my friend Sue for seemingly eons, so I texted her yesterday and asked her over for brunch.   She is having a work crisis but said she would love to pop by for an hour.   As she is a self confessed chocoholic I designed these muffins just for her.

These follow my usual muffin recipe;  but in these the orange zest reacts with the baking powder when you mix the wet and dry ingredients together giving the batter a fluffy almost moussy consistency.     We scoffed these when they were still warm, enjoying the still molten chocolate chips.   The photos are not going to win me any prizes, obviously we were keen to eat them as soon as possible.

Double Chocolate Cranberry and Orange Muffins (makes 4 medium muffins)

“Dry” Ingredients
4.5oz plain flour
1.5oz  sugar
0.5oz cocoa powder
Finely Grated zest of one small orange
1 Large tbs chocolate chips
1 tbs cranberries (I snipped the larger ones in half)
1tsp baking power
pinch salt

“Wet” Ingredients
4.5oz  milk (I use soy)
1.5oz  sunflower oil

Whisk the oil and milk mixture with a fork.   Mix the dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together (the batter should be lumpy and mixing should take no more than 15 folds).   Bake at GM5/190C/375F in your favourite muffin pan for 20 – 25 mins until risen.

A very happy Easter to everyone. Normally Fuss Free Flavours is mainly fairly healthy, but Easter is upon us and a sinful pudding is allowed once in a while, and frankly the weather is London is so dreary that I think that a sinful pudding is mandatory for everyone. And it is Easter and this is a very easy fuss free pudding.

I never have really been a fan of bread and butter puddings as I have always had a bit of a texture problem with the eggy bread that to my mind is slimey and really not at all nice (I also cannot eat Chinese egg soups for a similar reason. But lots of people adore bread and butter puddings and I was determined to give them another try. For 4 people (well 3 greedy people) I only used one egg that seemed to do the trick in making a lovely custardy sauce that did not have a hint of eggyness or slime. I think I am converted.

Caramel Croissant (Bread) and Butter Pudding (Serves 4 – or 3 depending on greed)

Sauce
6oz / 170 g single cream
6oz / 170g soft dark brown sugar
3 oz / 85g butter
2tbs / 30ml brandy or rum

1  egg beaten
pinch salt

3 day old croissants
pat of butter

Mix the egg into the cream, put all the sauce ingredients into a pan and heat gently stirring until the butter and sugar are melted and you have a thick golden caramel sauce I heated mine slightly too much and it curdled, but this did not effect the taste at all.

Diagonally slice the croissants (to give bigger slices) and arrange in a greased oven proof dish and pour the hot sauce over. Bake at GM5 / 190C / 375F for about 30 mins. The sauce should have soaked into the croissants and be lovely and gooey and the croissant crusts should be crisp. Serve immediately with more cream. Resolve to exercise the next day!

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

It seems like I am constantly playing Daring Bakers / Cooks catch up so yet again I am a few days late.  Apologies once again to the lovely Daring Bakers hosts who tirelessly host these challenges.

I was delighted to see that the challenge was for Apple Strudel, something that I have never made before, and something that; compared to some of the more indulgent challenges is relatively healthy – even counting towards my 5 a day!

I actually found this a very easy challenge to make, I was suprised at how easy I found the stretching of the dough to be (I worked on a large tea towel which I could rotate on the work surface).  For my filling (I had run out of bread to make crumbs from) I used a layer of  homemade apple butter (if you have not made this then I higly recommend it as it is delicious) topped wtih a layer of bramley apples that had been tossed in a demerara sugar and cinnamon.   

This is definately on my to cook again list – I can see an apple and mixed berry strudel for autumn or an apple and ginny damson strudel to use up the damson gin damsons!

Having just posted the full recipe I have realised that I somehow managed to leave out the vinegar from the strudel dough!

Many thanks to Linda and Courtney for choosing and hosting a great challenge.

The full recipe is below:

Preparation time
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes – 3 hours 30 minutes

15-20 min to make dough
30-90 min to let dough rest/to prepare the filling
20-30 min to roll out and stretch dough
10 min to fill and roll dough
30 min to bake
30 min to cool

Apple strudel
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

2 tablespoons (30 ml) golden rum
3 tablespoons (45 ml) raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, melted, divided
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) fresh bread crumbs
strudel dough (recipe below)
1/2 cup (120 ml, about 60 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
2 pounds (900 g) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)

1. Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.

3. Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper). Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches (8 cm) from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.

4. Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.

5. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.

Strudel dough
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.
Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.

2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.
Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).

3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.
Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.

4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it’s about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.

I wanted to make a zesty pudding  for spring so used a combination of lemon and cardamon, being egg and diary free this pudding is also chlorestrol free, making cream an almost guilt free addition (this being the same logic that allows a pizza after the gym!).  The addition of the carrot adds extra sweetness and colour and by contributing to one of your 5 a day adds to the guilt free aspect of the pudding!

Lemon & Cardamon Steamed Pudding (Serves 4)

Lemon Cardamon Syrup
10 cardamon pods
4oz white sugar
1 lemon

Lightly crush the cardamon pods and remove the seeds, discard the cases.   Zest the lemon, then cut into quarters (you can juice it but boiliong the leomon quarters in the sugar syrup will extract all the flavour and save you the time of squeezing the lemon and then washing the squeezer).  Add to a saucepan along with the cardamon seeds and sugar, add 1/3pt water, bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 mins. Cool, squeeze the lemon rinds and discard.

Whilst the sauce is simmering prepare the pudding.

Pudding
Wet Ingredients
2oz sunflower oil
1oz lemon juice*
3oz milk (I used soy)

Dry Ingredients
4oz plain flour
2oz sugar
zest of one lemon
1 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 medium carrot finely grated.
6 cardamon pods – lightly crush – discard the outside and crush the black seeds.

Place the wet ingredients into a jug and whisk.  

Place the dry ingredients into a basin, mix well, pour the wet into the dry and stir well until you have a smooth batter with no lumps.

Grease a pudding basin, add half the lemon syrup, carefully pour the batter over, making sure the syrup is covered.  Cover with cling film and pierce once or twice.

Then microwave on full power until done It took 4 mins in mine, but as all microwaves are different cook in 1 min bursts until it it risen (I use a galss basin so I can see the pudding rise as it cooks) and a cocktail stick inserted into the middle comes out clean.    When cooked let it stand for a min or two.  Run a knife round the base, put a plate over the bowl and flip. the pudding should turn our, pour the rest of the syrup over and serve immediately.

 Note:  I adore cardamon and this pudding does taste strongly of it, so you may want to use slightly less than I have.

* Fuss Free Tip:  Freeze any left over lemon juice in an ice cube tray, each lemon cubeis perfect for adding to baking or for salad dressings.

I love gyoza and whenever I go to Chinatown I buy a few packets of wrappers to keep in the freezer until I next have a gyoza craving, I could make my own wrappers, but frankly life is far too short and the ready made ones are delicious, cheap and fuss free. Gyozas (or potstickers) are little pastry wrapped parcels that are fried and then steamed and eaten with a dipping sauce.

Gyozas are usually savoury, but recently I saw sweet gyozas on the menu at Root-Master and thought that it was a brilliant idea and set about recreating it at home. I filled them with stewed apple and blueberry and served them with a warm peanut butter sauce.

Apple and Blueberry Gyoza (makes about 20)

1 packet Gyoza wrappers

2 apples

1 tbs sugar

Handful blueberries (2 or 3 for each gyoza)

Stew the apples by peeling, coring and chopping and cook with the sugar and a dribble of water until they are soft and mushy I usually do this in the microwave. Allow to cool.

Stuff each wrapper with a teaspoon of apple and a couple of blueberries, wet the edge of the pastry and fold over and crimp and pleat to close (video here). I have a gyoza press (photos wtih a different filling) that I bought very very cheaply at the Japan Centre. Put the stuffed gyoza on a board, pressing down lightly to give it a base so it sits upright.

To cook the gyoza fry them in oil (light olive or sunflower) until they are browned on the base and both sides (I find it easier to work with 2 smaller frying pans), stand them up in the frying pan turn the heat right up and carefully pour about 1/3 mug of water over them. The water will furiously bubble and turn to steam, when the water has all evaporated the wrappers will start to look translucent. Take off the heat and serve immediately.

Hot Peanut Butter Sauce

Equal quantities of: (I used one heaped dessert spoon of each)

Peanut butter (smooth of crunchy)
Sugar (I used soft brown)
Marge or butter (I used Pure Soy)

Gently heat stirring all the time until the marge/butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved. Serve warm.

Spare uncooked gyoza can be frozen.

I have been very lax about my blog and the Daring Bakers for the last few months. Being sick at the end of last year did not help, and I have got out of the blogging rhythm and an also not really certain where I have been going with it. However I have actually completed most of the challenges but have not had the energy to post them.

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE’s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.

Wendy and Dharm chose a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan, to be served with home made ice cream.

I was very unsure about this recipe, I read it and went out without a list to buy everything and came back with the correct ingredients and several packets of ground almonds as I was convinced that a flourless chocolate needed them. Upon rereading the recipe I was somewhat surprised to see that it really did contain only butter, eggs and chocolate. Upping the Daring ante I cooked the cake and make the ice cream when away from home, staying with my boyfriend’s parents’ and with the help of his 3 year old nephew and 5 year old niece!

I was amazed at how much my two assistants could do; both regularly cook at home, and they were more than happy to weigh, measure and mix and all of the credit for folding the chocolate mix into the egg whites has to go to 5 year old H.

Chocolate Valentino

16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.

2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.

3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.

4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).

5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.

6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.

7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter.

8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C

9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C. Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.

10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

The recipe was very easy to make, I weighed the chocolate and butter into a bowl; set up as a bain marie and let 5 year H, gently stir and keep watch as I whisked the egg whites up. I have a feeling that we may have added the chocolate to the egg whites rather than the other way round. It certainly did seem to take quite a bit of folding.

Temperature probeless I baked the cake until it seemed done and got it out of the oven, once it had cooled a little I realised that it was in fact still liquid inside and really was not going to firm up so I broke all the rules of baking turned the oven back on and put it back in.

3 year old F who regularly helps me to make a smoothie with a stick blender; telling me that it is “quite tricky”, helped with the ice cream; I made Nigella’s Bitter Orange Ice Cream as I wanted an easy child friendly recipe and partially because I had been wanting to try it for some time as I could not believe that a not churn; mix and freeze recipe would work. Happily it did and was delicious.

The finished cake was enjoyed at a Sunday lunch party and greatly appreciated by all including the children present who really did not believe that it was a “silly cake” with no flour and only 3 ingredients. The bitter orange ice cream went very well with the cake and was loved by all.

I don’t think that I was sufficiently wowed by the cake to make it again; if I want a flourless chocolate cake I will probably stick to making Nigella’s Chocolate cloud cake, but I enjoyed making it and the challenge and stepping outside your comfort zone is what the Daring Bakers are about!

So many thanks to Wendy and Dharm and apologies for my tardy posting.

Pavlova was created in either Australia or New Zealand (sources disagree) in honour of the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova.

Pavlova is a meringue case, filled with whipped cream and topped with fruit. In my opinion the perfect Pavlova will have a crisp outside and a soft marshmallowly filling.
Chocolate Pavlova (Serves 4)

3 egg whites
6oz white sugar
2 tbs Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar

Thick Double Cream

Fruit to decorate – Berries, Tropical, Nectarines – to taste

~~~000~~~

Preheat oven to GM2/150C/300F

Whisk the egg whites until stiff and in peaks, slowly spoon in the sugar and cocoa and vinegar whisking all the time. When mixture is glossy and standing in peaks – this will take about 5 to 10 minutes, turn out onto a sheet of parchment on a flat baking tray.

With the spoon shape into a circle about 6” across and build the sides up to hold the cream and fillings.

Place in the preheated oven and immediately turn down to GM1/140C/275F.

Depending on the oven, weather, size of egg the Pavlova will take between 40mins to an hour to cook – when done it will be crisp and hard when tapped, but still soft in the middle. Turn the oven off and leave the Pavlova in it to cool. I usually leave it overnight.

Up to an hour before serving, peel the Pavlova from the baking parchment, fill with whipped cream and top with your choice of fruit. A non filled Pavlova will keep for several days in an air-tight tin.

A mix of cream and chestnut puree topped with toasted nuts makes for an indulgent alternative filling.

~~~000~~~

Some recipes include a spoon of cornflower as well as the vinegar I have tried all combinations and personally do not think that it makes any difference to the finished pudding, the balsamic is included here for colour and flavour. For a non chocolate Pavlova I leave it out.

The left over egg yolks can be used for a Spanish omelette or tortilla; or freeze egg whites when you are using yolks in a recipe. They freeze well, but need to be at room temperature to whisk.

Read more about how easy making pavlova is here.

Fresh fruit and a hot sauce are perfect for those dull and damp summer evenings, when you want a hot pudding but also want to pretend to be healthy. This quick and easy pudding can be cooked in just a few minutes is very good for using up odd bits of fruit that are starting to turn – nectarines, bananas and apples would all work.

I used “stone clinger” peaches – those peaches that are overripe on the outside and still hard in the middle.

Ingredients (serves 2)

1oz butter
1oz soft light brown sugar
1tbs honey
Peaches, apples, nectarines, bananas or other fruit. 2 pieces per person is perfect.

Put the butter, sugar and honey into a saucepan (to save time and washing up just use a wooden spoon to approximately measure the honey) and heat on a medium heat stirring from time to time. Meanwhile cut the fruit into segments ready to add to the sauce.

When the sauce has thickened and is golden and bubbling add the fruit, stir for a minute until heated through.

Serve straight away, either by itself or with cream or ice cream.

Pure comfort food and perfect on ice cream. I am a great fan of piping hot sauces on ice cream I love the contrast of hot and cold, and the memory of when I used to go home for lunch in my first year at primary school my mother would; for a treat; give me vanilla ice-cream topped with hot homemade jam. All that sweet hot jammy goodness over the half melted cold ice-cream. Bliss.

This fudge sauce is unbelievably easy to make from just 3 ingredients and tastes wonderful and is incredibly moreish. I have made another batch of this immediately after scraping the pan clean on more occasions than I should admit. Any leftovers can be stored in a jam jar in the fridge and microwaved in the jar (minus lid) or eaten straight from the jar with a spoon.

Hot Fudge Sauce

Unsalted butter
Soft light brown sugar
Double cream

I use my electronic scales and weigh straight into the saucepan.

Variations

Use soft dark brown sugar for a more treacly sauce, or add half a cup of espresso for a coffee fudge sauce, but the cooking time will be longer.