Ladurée - Sucré - My Cookbook Obsession

The Book

I think I mentioned before that I am collecting cookbooks - what I didn't mention is that I am obsessed with them. It is very hard to admit but so far I haven't sought out any help. Can't imagine myself standing up in front of a group and saying ' Hi, I am an addict'. Anyway, I went to Waterstones yesterday - just to kill time - and snooped around the cookbook section (I know, I should avoid this section but I was too weak) and I saw the most beautiful cookbook I have laid eyes on in years. Ladurée, Sucré - The Recipes. It came in a box, folded in silk paper with a velvety cover - what an experience opening a cookbook. Carefully did I open the book and started turning the pages - 1 by 1 with the most care I could master.... I can't explain the emotions that overcame me.

The photos that accompany the recipes showed what could be if I just got this one book - imaginations running wild how I would try these recipes and re-create the photographs - but I knew nothing could do these photos and recipes justice.

Even their website is beautiful - I can't describe it any better. They are offering an online shop and the site is available in English - more temptation for me....


Sucre features 100 sweet recipes from Laduree Pastry Chef, Phillipe Andrieu. The cafe itself was opened first in Paris in 1862 as a bakery by Louis Ernest Ladurée, a miller. The bakery was transformed into a bakery when the Garnier Opera was built. In 1993, David Holder and his father Francis Holder bought  this Parisian institution, and have since promoted and enlarged the famous “Maison”. In September 1997, a new prestigious Ladurée address both a restaurant and tea room opened on the Champs-Elysées. The mission of the President David Holder is to bring back the great classics, which have contributed to the reputation of the ‘salon de thé’, as well as create an environment for gastronomic creativity in Paris. With him, Ladurée will be a tea salon, pastry shop, restaurant, chocolate shop and an ice cream parlor.

Did I buy the book ???? - not yet but be ensured the desire is burning and since I am weak, I will do it soon.

Cookbooks - A History in Recipes

I love cookbooks - I even collect them. I read them like other people read novels and I have a bit over 100 (I never really counted them and the number includes also the thin Australian Women Weekly's) by now.

Cookbooks were originally just a collection of recipes for kitchen personnel in high class houses and passed on to junior cooks to train them how to cook the favourite dishes for their employers. Of course, mothers took notes of the dishes they cooked to provide their daughters with the necessary skills to fulfil their 'duties' as a young housewife. These collections don't give much insight of the social or cultural standings other than the way the different classes were cooking.

The oldest known collection of recipes in Europe that has survived is the De re coquinaria which was written in Latin. Written in 1390, the oldest printed cookbook in the world contained 196 recipes from the kitchen of Richard II of England and a recipe from this book 'GEESE IN HODGEPODGE' starts like this: 'Take geese and smite them into pieces. Cast them into the pot and do thereto half wine and half water'. A lot has changed since I'd say :-).

At the start, cookbooks were just simply a collection of recipes - some had a few drawings in them - photos in later times. Most of them weren't poetic or anything but recipes - today, we have wonderful writers like Nigella Lawson, Denis Cotter & Tessa Kiros whose books are a wonderful mirror of their love of food. Food stylists & professional photographer are now involved to show the food in its best light. Awards are given out for best food writer - you don't have to be a chef to write a cookbook these days. Every magazine and newspaper has now their own food correspondent and everyone seems to be a food critic. Blogs like this are shooting up like mushrooms and the passion around food seems to be growing.

The modern cook will find recipes online, RTE food,  Delia Online and BBC Good Food are just a few examples. If you have a smart phone or an iPad - you can download online recipe collection from almost every chef.

Despite all the online sources, nothing will replace my beloved cookbooks. Do you have a favourite cookbook??? Let me know which one.

Farewell Dinner in Augustine's

The news broke about 2 weeks ago that Augustine's were closing their wonderful restaurant in the Clarion Hotel and that the last dinner was held on Saturday 25th. The event was of course booked out within minutes of the news breaking but I was lucky enough to be squeezed in on Friday night by Carol. 

The shock sits deep and one wonders why you would close on the height of your success - and I am not sure if they even have reached the height yet as I was hoping for the first Michelin Star for Cork. The only hope one can have is that Brendan and Carol are staying in Cork with a new adventure ahead of them.

The 3 course dinner on Friday was excellent and I didn't expect any less from Brendan and his team. The amouse bouche was a fresh petit pois & mint soup served in a little espresso cup. It left the desire for more. The bread basket came and my senses started to tickle as I love the small bread rolls packed with lots of flavour - the black olive ones especially. 

Risotto with poached duck egg

My starter was a goats cheese roulette - I still wonder how the soft goats cheese was rolled up in the delicate pastry and then fried without breaking. It was accompanied by a leafy salad with honeycomb and beetroot slices. Fresh, light and satisfying. Mr T had the celeriac soup with white truffle and honey - a revelation. One of the best soups I have ever tasted (yeah, I know I shouldn't pick from other people's plates but I can't help it). Mr T chose the pork belly as his main and I didn't hear him talking until the plate was clear (didn't dare try to pick anything from his plate this time) and I was happy out with my lovely risotto with fresh herbs and a Parmesan tuille and a perfectly poached duck egg.

We shared a dessert of Panna Cotta with Blood orange fondue - no need for more words here.....as we both had that silly but happy look on our faces that you only get once in a while.

I can only wish Brendan, Carol and their amazing team all the best for the future and to keep fingers crossed that this talent is not lost to Cork.

Calories on Menues - A Rant

I love to rant - about anything and nothing really (just kidding) and in the last few weeks I have been ranting about the latest fab idea of Food Safety Authority of Ireland  (also knows as FSAI) who are planning to force all restaurants to display calories on their menus. 

This might work for restaurants like Luigi Malones that never really changes their menu but what about restaurants like Fenn's Quay, Cafe Paradiso & Jaques who are changing their menus regularly. They will have to create their daily menu months in advance and hire a nutrionist to calculate the calories. Yeah, I can see that working out nicely.

I understand and appreciate that the minister for health, Dr. Reilly (who in my opinion could loose a few pounds himself) and FSAI are trying to improve obesity in Ireland (and it is needed) but lets face it, we are not overweight because we don't know the calories of the dishes we eat in restaurants. Going out for a meal is a treat and who is eating out every day (apart from critics)?? When I treat myself or get treated I don't want to feel guilty about cause the cream sauce in my pasta is actually made of cream. 

Obesity has different reasons, people need to understand food - we need to get a healthy relationship with the food we eat. And for that, education is the key. How many kids do actually know that Taytos crisps are actually potatoes (and that it is easy to make at home)?? And which child has drank proper milk from the farm. Can they difference between the types of vegetables? Would they recognise some of them if they saw them in the garden?? Here is where we have to start - eating habits start when we are young. Petra - one of the girls who joined our baking class - said that she gave her 2 daughters the sliced pan  for years because it was convenient and now she is trying to get her girls to eat proper food - they don't like it because they got used to the tasteless bread of the supermarket.

Our Minister of Health - A picture of health??

People like Lucy Hyland of Food for Living have the right approach. Teach rather than preach. We should be listening to them rather than some office poopers (sorry for the bad language) who don't even do what they preach.

Let's face it, it is the fast food chains that need to be overhauled. As restaurants are treats, fast food outlets are the norm. It is easy, fast and still cheap enough.Convenient for the busy mum and dad - and who could blame them (ok I do but that is a different rant altogether). Educate the kids and you have half the battle won. 

Phew, I could go on and on and on.....but have your say yourself. Go onto www.fsai.ie and fill in the questionnaire and please let me know what you think

The Ultimate Fingerfood - Onion & Goats Cheese Tartlet

Fingerfood is a brilliant way of entertaining at a party without being away from your guests. Most fingerfoods can be prepared well in advance and you can look all glam when serving them. One of my favourites - and the favourites of my friends are Onion & Goats Cheese Tartlets. You can serve them as starter with a normal tart size or serve them as fingerfood with small tarts. They are a hit either way - and so easy to make. 

I recommend using young, rindless goats cheese - you want the cheese to compliment the sweetness of the onions and not overpower them. Iago in the English Market sells a lovely Crottin which goes perfectly with the onions but choose any type you like as long as it is young and mild. Also, when making your shortcrust pastry, exchange some of the flour with ground hazelnut - it gives the pastry another dimension which also goes well with the cheese and the onions (Denis Cotter of Cafe Paradiso used to serve it this way)

You will need

• Shortcrust pastry (enough to fill 2 tins of 12 hole muffin tins or 4 of 12 mini muffin tins)
• 4 Red Onions (thinly sliced)
• 4 heaped tbsp of brown sugar (soft dark goes well)
• 4 tbsp red wine vinegar or Balsamic
• Goats Cheese (mild)

Make the pastry and chill in the fridge for at least 30 mins. Preheat the oven to medium heat (about 160-180C).

In the meantime make the onion mixture. Heat some olive oil over a low heat. Add the sliced onion and let them caramelising slowly. Don't rush this stage as you want the sweetness and not the burned effect. When the onions are translucent (with slow cooking them, they won't get colour), add the vinegar and the sugar, mix well and let it get all jammy (that might take a while), stirring now and then to avoid it sticking to the pan. 

Roll out the pastry and line the tin you have chosen. Blind bake for a few minutes (depending on the size of your tin - don't let it get too dark). Remove from the oven - at this stage you can leave the tarts cool and put into an airtight container and the onions into a sealed container and leave it for up to 2-3 days (don't assemble them if you don't use them within a few hours).

Divide the onion mixture between the tartlets and top with a small slice of the goats cheese - pop back into the oven (or under the grill for a few moments) and bake until the goats cheese has a slight browning.

Arrange nicely on platters and tell your guests that these are your specialty - they'll think you spend hours on them.

Bon Appetit

Sunday Brunch - Mini Scotch Eggs

A Sunday Brunch is normally a laid back affair so you don't want to sit around a table but walk around freely and chat away to everyone. The best way to ensure that you have plenty of free time is to prepare as much as possible ahead of time. 

Taken from Trissalicious

Scotch Eggs are a great item to add to your brunch. It can be prepared ahead, is a great fingerfood and tastes yummy if homemade. Fortnum & Mason in London claim to have invented the Scotch Egg in 1738 and they still sell it. Most supermarkets offer one version or another but nothing can be compared to a freshly made Scotch Egg.  For a little change, I used quail eggs and used minced chicken rather than sausage meat. 

You will need:

• 20 quail eggs (you can get a pack of 20 in the English Market)
• 600g skinned chicken breast (minced)
• 2 tbsp herbs (I only had parsley but chives go very well with it)
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• plain flour to toss the eggs in
• 2 eggs (beaten)
• 100g dried breadcrumbs
• oil for deep-frying

Boil quail eggs until done (put the eggs in cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 mins). Leave to cool. In the meantime, put the chicken, herbs & mustard into a bowl and mix well.

Peel the eggs and toss in the flour. Using damp hands (the meat will stick to your hands otherwise), wrap enough chicken mixture around one egg to cover it completely (dividing the mixture into 20 beforehand makes it easier to get the right amount of meat). Brush each wrapped egg with the beaten egg (or dunk it) and roll in breadcrumbs.

Heat the oil to 180C (or until the oil sizzles when you add some breadcrumbs). Deep-fry the coated eggs until golden brown. Drain on kitchen towel to get rid of the excess fat and continue with the rest of the eggs.

You can serve these hot or at room temperature. When serving the eggs as a starter, serve 3 eggs per person on a plate with a mustard mayonnaise and a herb salad.

Bon Appetit

Sunday Brunch - Pork & Chicken Terrine

'Feeding is almost over'

A bread wheel

It was my birthday last week and since it is has been ages since I had all the girls together, I thought a Sunday Brunch was in order. I love lazy Sunday mornings with a glass of prosecco and a good breakfast. A brunch of course includes also a glass (or 2) of prosecco but involves a lot more work. 

Cheese & Cold Meat Board - all local produce

Help yourself makes sure you have time on your hands

I didn't want to spend the time with my friends tied to the cooker, so I prepared a lot in advance and over the week I will be posting some recipes. I made bread & bread rolls (you can still sign up for a breadmaking course - next one is coming up in April), a cheese & cold meat platter with homemade chutneys, pork & chicken terrine (which I forgot to place on the table), mini scotch eggs (went down a storm), onion & goats cheese tarts, homemade granola & yogurt, potato & feta patties, homemade chocolates & lemon pots. 

A brunch is a great idea if you don't want a late night - preparation is the key and most of the recipes can be made in advance. The Pork & Chicken Terrine can be made 2 days earlier (don't make it on the same day) and is easier than it looks. But you do get a wow reaction from your guests (I just forgot to serve it). It is also a great starter served with a leaf salad and chutney.

You will need:

• 220g bacon (this is to line the tin. I used streaky bacon)
• 360g chicken breast (skinned, boned)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (to drizzle)
• 220g lean pork mince
• 3-4 spring onions (chopped)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley
• 1 tbsp salt
• oil

Preheat the oven to 160C.

Lining the tin with the bacon strips

Put the bacon on a board and stretch it using the back of a knife. Arrange the bacon strips along a 2 pound loaf tin, overlapping each other and hanging over the rim of the tin.

Cut half the chicken breast into strips and sprinkle with lemon juice. Put the rest of the chicken in a food processor and blitz it quickly. Add the pork mince and onions and process until smooth. Add the egg, parsley & salt and process again briefly. Spoon half the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface. 

Arrange the chicken strips on top and spoon in the rest of the mixture, levelling the top. Give the tin a knock on the table to remove any air bubbles (air bubbles can result in breaking the terrine when turned out later). Cover the top with the overhanging bacon strips making sure that the strips are covering the meat completely.

Ready to get covered up and off into the oven

Filled almost to the rim

Take a piece of tin foil (aluminium foil) and brush it with some oil, cover the loaf tin (oiled side down) and place it into a roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the roasting pan to cover half of the loaf tin. Place in the pre-heated oven and bake for 45-50 mins.

Leave the terrine to cool in the tin. Place a weight on top (I use a brick) and leave to rest for a few hours (can be made up to 2 days in advance). Remove the foil and turn the terrine onto a plate. Serve as a starter with a side salad and chutney.

Looking good after turning

Perfect Texture - a little beauty

Bon Appetit

Pancake Tuesday - Easiest Pancakes Ever

Tomorrow is Pancake Tuesday and the shops are full of 'Special' offers for Pancake Batter, Pancake Pans and lemon juice in a squeezy bottle..... I have read the ingredients of the ready-made batter and have to say that pancakes are so easy to make that it is a crime (or should be) to buy the ready-made stuff. Who needs stabilisers or mono- and di-glycerides of fatty acids (emulsifiers)???  And to be honest, it takes about 5 mins to mix all ingredients for homemade pancakes and about 3 to mix the ready-made stuff. That is a time saving of 2 mins.....wow....

So here is the - the easiest recipe for pancakes ever (Please send me photos from your homemade pancakes to biasasta@hotmail.com and I will publish them either on our facebook page or on this blog)

• 200g plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 250ml milk

Mix all ingredients together until lump free. Leave to stand for about an hour (or not - you can use it straight away). Heat some butter in a frying pan and pour enough batter into the pan to cover the bottom of the pan (swirling the batter around to cover). Pan-fry for a few mins until the pancake comes loose from the bottom and turn (I never flipped a pancake in my life - hence the clean ceiling) and fry until down.

Et voila you have a wonderful pancake. Sprinkle with sugar and lemon juice for the traditional pancake or try some of the suggestions below.

• Mixed berries tossed in sugar
• Pan-fried mushrooms for a savoury twist
• Nutella
• Maple Syrup
• Lemon Curd

Bon Appetit

 

Happy Valentine's Day

Right from the Heart

So much has been written about Valentine's Day and so much money has been spent over the years. Wedding proposals, expensive dinners, overpriced flowers - it could put you off the day for good. But no - not me. I love Valentine's Day - it's the same as Mother's Day & Father's Day - a celebration. And I always want to make the day special for the special person in my life. No no, I am not taking him out (and don't expect him to take me out - see above for reasons) but I spend a lot of time making gifts. 

A box of delights

Since Mr T loves chocolates (he still blames me that he always finds my stash of chocolate - apparently I am not hiding it well enough) so I decided to make him a whole box of special chocolates. Just in time, I received a parcel from my very good friend Susanne from Germany with some new chocolate moulds - and since she is a romantic, she sent heart shaped moulds. 

Rambling through my store cupboard I found peanut butter, hazelnut spread and orange liquor. So, the decision was easy, he got 3 different flavours. So I was mixing and stirring and melting and pouring - trying to get the consistency right and hide it all from Mr T. The finished chocolates looked the part (apart from the triangles, they looked even professional).

My Italian friend (yes, I could open the United Nations in Grenagh) brought me a box of Italian sweets from a trip to Italy (yes, I shared them with Mr T) and I thought back then that the box would come in handy and was I right. I snuggly place the chocolates into the box and the only thing missing is the perfect card - that is private now...... but it was a perfect card...

Happy Valentine's Day

By the way, I will be giving a chocolate workshop before Easter. Email me on biasasta@hotmail.com if you are interested. Details to follow soon

Little Treat on a Friday Evening

Sometimes, I don't feel like big cooking but still fancy something tasty. And let's face it, sometimes you just deserve a little treat. I came home the other day and was dead tired (it was a long week). I had to finish some baby cards for a friend and was thinking how to treat myself after such a long week. 

The perfect little treat

A trip to the fridge solved that dilemma. A Camembert was smiling at me and I understood what he was saying with his smile - EAT ME. Since it was in his little wooden box, I just removed the plastic wrap, turned the cheese back into its little home and stabbed it (with lots of tender loving care of course), drizzled some good olive oil over it and sprinkled it with thyme (yeap, fresh from the garden - the warm weather is great for my herbs), shuffed it into the oven and baked it for 15 mins.

The result was a gooey Camembert fondue - I still had bread left from the day before and a glass of red completed my Friday afternoon treat. 

The week didn't look that long and hard anymore :-)

L'Atitude 51

Emmanuelle and Beverly opened L'Atitude51 to great acclaim last night and I was lucky enough to receive an invite for the official opening. L'Atitude 51 is located on Union Quay - formerly An Cruibin and has gotten a gentle make-over. They kept the atmosphere and just freshened the interior where it needed.

I know Emmanuelle from Bubble Brothers where she not only shared her knowledge about wine but was also a great contact for customers. She also started the Wine Cert Course again. Beverley & Emmanuelle met when they both studied wine and rightfully thought that Cork needs a proper Wine Bar & Cafe. They both created a wonderful wine list and what I love most about it is that it is not divided into Red & White but into taste. 'A Hint of Spice' or 'For Meditation' 'Something Sweet' are just a few options. I saw some lovely Portuguese wines on the list - can't wait to go back to try them (I was told by a Portuguese girl that Portugal is keeping their good wines to themselves). You want to know which wines???? - Go and check it out. You won't be disappointed.
 
They will also offer light meals and based on the food we were served last night - you will be in for a treat. I loved the fact that the wine is the main attraction and that the food is complemented the wine rather than the other way around.

The staff on duty last night was excellent. Smiling, informative and attentive - that's a recipe for success. I will write a bit more about L'Atitude when I go back for a proper visit and I am sure I will be in for a treat.

L'Atitude 51 is not only a wine bar but also a 'Wine-University'. You can attend workshops and learn all there is to learn about wine. Can't wait for their program to come out and see what they have planned.

Do we need another bar???? Not sure - but we DO need L'Atitude 51. I wish Emmanuelle & Beverly all the best for the future

Vanilla Fudge - Still Sweet Week????

Making fudge is not as hard as I thought and not as easy as I hoped. Everytime I see the mountain of fudge at the market stall of The Man of Aran, I think I should make my own (save a lot of money as well). 

Stirring and stirring

There are different recipes out there. Some telling you to use a sugar thermometer, others will tell you that it is hard, some use full fat milk, some use evaporated milk - you get the drift....here is the easiest I could figure out and all you need is a pan, a spoon and your eyes and the result is as good as any fudge you can buy (not talking about the cheap stuff tho). You will need to stir quite a bit as it tends to stick to the bottom of the tin and you will get brown flecks in your fudge. The stirring is the hardest part as you will need to stand there for a while - you will even think that it never turns the colour you are waiting for but trust me, it will - eventually. The taste is worth the effort tho and Mr T was a happy man after having a few squares (I can only eat one or two - it is quite rich and sweet). Next time I might try to use the fudge as a filling for my chocolates.

You will need:

375g condensed milk (that's a small jar)

1 tsp vanilla essence (the real stuff - you might want more)

250g caster sugar

50g butter

Cooling in the tin

Finally - stirring has paid off

In a saucepan mix together the milk, essence, sugar and butter. Heat gently, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth. Bring to a boil and boil until mixture turns a goldish caramel colour (that might take a while, don't stop stirring tho). 

Remove from the heat, beat until smooth (careful, it's damn hot) and pour the fudge into a lined tin.

Allow to cool completely and set before cutting it into squares

The Final Result - Yummy

Let me know if you tried it

Bon Appetit

The perfect way to cook rice

Rice is so versatile. I just love it. My favourite of course being risotto. But sometimes - just sometimes - risotto seems to much of an effort. This is when my own version of fried rice comes in. 

Cooking rice couldn't be easier - yes you could use the 'Boil in the Bag' but it is much cheaper to by loose rice and cook it as needed. With my method you will have fluffy rice anytime. 

First, boil the kettle. Next chop some onions or shallots and heat some olive oil in a pan (it needs to be big enough to hold the double amount of rice you put in). Sautee the onions until translucent. You don't want it browned. Next add the rice and stir so that all grains are coated in the olive oil. Keep stirring for about a min. Add double the amount of hot water (I always use a teacup for measure) and just give it a quick stir. Put the lid on and let it cook over a low/medium heat for 15 mins (don't be tempted to stir anymore). A glass lid will make it easy to see when the rice is done. The water should be absorbed after 15 mins, if not, put the lid back on and wait for 3-4 more minutes. This method has never failed me in over 20 years. 

Fried Rice - My way

Having the water hot before adding it is crucial as well as leaving the rice alone. 

To have a good fried rice, make sure the rice is cold before frying it. I love a combination of rice, peas, sweetcorn, turmeric and garlic butter. But if you like to do the Chinese version (the one with the egg), make sure that you scramble the egg separately and only adding it to the rice at the end.

Bon Appetit

Stingy Sunday Roast

Can you cook a nice Sunday Roast without breaking the bank??? Yes, you can. We had friends over for Sunday lunch and I didn't have time to prepare a big bash. So I settled for roast chicken - €5 in a supermarket (yes, it was an Irish chicken) - so I thought we need to pep this one up a bit. So I was scrambling through my cupboards. Found honey and had a lemon. I read somewhere about lemon honey and thought - yeah that's a great idea. Zested the lemon and heated the honey with the zest and let it infuse for a 2 hours. 

I didn't stuff the chicken as I couldn't make up my mind - so I just drizzled some olive oil over the chicken and placed it breast side down in a roasting tray. Roasted the chicken on a medium heat for about 40 mins - basting it from time to time with the juices. After 40 mins I turned the chicken up, basting again and roasting it for 30 mins more - turning up the heat a bit. After about 15 mins I started to brush the lemon honey over it - repeating several times. That gave a lovely colour to the chicken and help caramelising the skin nicely.

Depleted Chicken

When the chicken was done (check by pricking a skewer into the deepest part of the chicken and if the juices are clear, you can serve the chicken). Took the chicken out and set it aside, covered in foil. Chopped some shallots and placed the roasting tin on a ring on high heat after draining the fat from the tray. Adding the onions I started to scrap the residue from the tray making sure to get all the tasty bits. When the onions started to caramelise I added a cupful of white wine and let it bubble away until the wine reduced 2/3. Then I added hot chicken stock and let it bubble away again until it reduced. You can decide yourself how much you want it to reduce and if you want to thicken the sauce (I didn't as I loved the consistency as it was). You can thicken the sauce by adding some cornflour. 

I served the chicken with creamy mash potatoes, red cabbage and carrots (cooked in a bit of orange juice) and et voila, a stingy Sunday Roast that looked and tasted amazing. 

Forgot to take a photo when the chicken came out - so you see what was left over 

Bon Appetit

Pizza - Who needs Goodfellas

Pizza is one of my weaknesses and I love a good one. The chipper in Blarney makes a wicked one but now and then it is nice to make your own. You have to plan it as the dough needs a bit time to rise - just like bread but the result is worth the effort. You can make your own tomato sauce or use red pesto (brush it thinly over the base as it might have an overpowering flavour). The hardest part after kneading the dough is to choose what you put on your pizza. The following recipe is based on an idea I got from Jamie Oliver - he replaces part of the strong flour with semolina. This combination gives you a nice crisp finish to the base - it is also easier to roll out thinly (I personally love the thin base rather then the deep one). 

Who needs Goodfellas - Enjoy

Today I made my cheat tomato sauce - I simply took a tin of chopped tomatoes and smashed them up, adding a few herbs and et voila your own tomato sauce. Of course you can go the mile and make a proper one. I used mozzarella and Boursain cheese on mine and salami, chorizo, blue cheese and mozzarella for Mr T. A nice glass of red and we were ready to have a lovely and easy meal.

You will need:

• 400g strong bread flour
• 100g semolina
• salt
• 1 sachet of dried yeast (or 25g of fresh yeast)
• 325ml warm water
• 1tsp caster sugar
• toppings of your choice

Mix the flour and semolina with the salt into a bowl. Stir the yeast and sugar in the warm water and set aside until spongy.

Mix the water-yeast mixture into the flour and mix to form a loose dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and start kneading until it forms a smooth ball. 

Put into a bowl and cover and leave to rise near a warm place - about an hour - until it has doubled in size.

Knock back and knead again until smooth. Roll out on a floured surface and put dough round onto a floured baking tray. Cover with your toppings and bake at 180C for about 15 mins or until done (time depends on the amount of topping you have).

Slide onto a plate (I love to use round wooden boards), pour yourself a glass of wine and enjoy and wonder why you ever bought a frozen pizza.

Bon Appetit

Sweet Week - The END

I took a break yesterday but today is our last day of Sweet Week - my waistline seems to be relieved. I went through my larder and found a pack of semolina...I can hear you, but trust me this recipe is really nice and when it is finished, you won't believe it is semolina...trust me on this one. I used heart moulds - since we are close to the special day again - yeap I am saying the Valentine's word - ups....

You will need:

Semolina Heart - to good to give away

• 250ml milk
• 75g caster sugar
• Vanilla essence (use the real stuff or vanilla pods)
• 40g semolina
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 sheets of gelatin (soaked in cold water)
• 40ml Cointreau (more or less - it's up to you)
• zest of 1/2 orange
• 250ml whipped cream

Bring the milk with the sugar and vanilla to a boil. Stir in the semolina. Keep stirring on a medium heat for about 4 mins, take off the heat. Squeeze the excess water off the gelatin and add to the semolina with the egg yolk - all the time stirring. Add the Cointreau and orange zest. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens, then add the whipped cream - don't beat just stir. 

Fill forms or moulds with the mixture and chill for about 2-3 hours. 

I served it with a mixed berry coulis..... yummmmmm

Sweet Week - The Healthy Way

Ok, 2 people at home can only eat so many desserts. So, I thought it was time to bring a bit of health back - almost. Something small that can be snacked throughout the day and doesn't fill you up too much. I made these little clusters a few months back for a charity event for Marymount Hospice and received positive feedback. The clusters don't look indulgent although they are held together with white chocolate. A hint of cinnamon adds an interesting note to the clusters and you keep eating them just to make sure you got all flavours. Even kids like them (I always add a bit more of the white chocolate for kids) and they get s good portion of healthy nuts and seeds (just don't tell them that it is a healthy option to crisps or they'll never eat them). They are dead easy to do - the most difficult task is to melt the chocolate and then to drop them into the paper cases (you can drop dollops of the mixture onto parchment paper and when hardened put them into an airtight tin).

Little Gems

You will need:

• 225g white chocolate
• 50g sunflower seeds
• 50g flaked almonds
• 50g sesame seeds
• 50g raisins
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Melt the chocolate in a bain marie until smooth. Mix all other ingredients into a bowl and stir in the melted chocolate. Working quite quickly, drop dollops into little paper cases on on a sheet of non-stick parchment paper. When dried - store in an airtight container.

Told you it was easy - happy snacking

Sweet Week - Continued

Mr T is starting to complain about the desserts (the weight word came up) - but saying that, he ate the entire Mandarin tart and most of the biscuits - so he might have a point but when I took the chocolate tart out of the oven, I could see that his love for chocolate was taking over again.

I tried a baked chocolate tart with a hint of orange (needed to use one up - and infused the cream with it) but the risk is always that the top cracks - which it did this time as well. But the tart was perfect otherwise. A little crust on top and gooey in the middle - chocolate heaven I may say. This tart is definitely a treat, rich, velvety and gooey - just as a treat should be. 

A slice of chocolate heaven

You will need:

• Sweet pastry
• 375g cream 
• 7 egg yolks (told you, it's a treat)
• 200g Caster Sugar
• 175g dark chocolate (I used 55%)
• Zest of one orange

Line a 10" pastry case and blind bake for about 15 mins. Brush the pastry with egg white and return to the oven for another 5-10 mins. Set aside

Whisk together egg yolks and sugar. In a separate bowl break up the chocolate.

Bring the cream with the orange zest to a boil - be careful not to burn the cream, remove from heat and pour half of the cream over the chocolate and add the other half to the egg mixture. Stir the chocolate to melt and when smooth mix both mixtures together. Pour into the pre-baked pastry case and bake at 160C for 25 mins. (if doing individual tarts - reduce the baking time by 10 mins).

It tastes fantastic when it is still slightly warm (the chocolate will even be more gooey) but is best served at room temperature.

Bon Appetite