MAN MADE

LITTLE TARTS

My favorite baked good to have with a cuppa has to be these wee frangipane tarts….

Pastry:350g plain flour, 100g icing sugar, 190g cold butter, zest of 1 unwaxed lemon, 50g chopped pistachios, 1 egg + 1 yolk and some milk if needed.

To make the pastry put the flour, icing sugar and butter (cubed) into the food processor. Blitz until it resembles breadcrumbs and then add the lemon zest, pistachios and egg+yolk. Blitz again until the mix starts to come together, if it doesn’t add some mild splash at a time just until the mixture comes together. take the dough out, flour and work a couple of times before rolling in cling film and resting in the fridge.

Frangipane: 200g butter, 220g caster sugar, 2 eggs, juice and zest of 1 lemon, 1tsp vanilla extract, 220g ground almonds and 2tbsp plain flour.

Beat the butter and sugar together using an electric whisk, one well mixed beat in the eggs 1 at a time then the lemon juice, zest and vanilla. Mix in the ground almonds and flour and your done.

Once the pastry has chilled for about 1hour remove from the fridge, flour on both sides and roll out turning regularly so it doesn’t stick to work surface. You want the pastry to be around the thickness of a 1pound coin. You can roll this in a few batches if the original amount seems to big to work with.

Next you want to cut your tart cases to fit your tin, the tin I used was like a shallow cupcake tin that could make 12 tartlets at a time. I used a pint glass as a cutter to cut the pastry bases out. This recipe will make about 24 tarts. Then fill the bottom of each tart with a teaspoon of raspberry jam and spread into the base.

Put a table spoon of the frangipane into each case and spread to the edge, try not to let the raspberry jam seep out. Level off each tart and top with some more chopped pistachios or flaked almonds.

Bake in a preheated fan oven at 160 for 20 minutes before leaving to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes take the tarts out and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Now eat those wee bad boys!!

If you can’t be assed making them I can sell them to you?!

MAN MADE (DAMN FINE CAKE)

I have just delved into the world of selling my baked goods. Everything is still very new and unknown so will take me a wee while to sort everything out. I will post here on my progress and baking ventures along the way and also how I’m finding the whole experience. you can also follow me and make orders via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/damnfinecake

Here’s my first official bake for a customer…..

Flourless pistachio, orange, rosewater and cardamon cake..I’m making myself one tomorrow because its so flipping good and I was gutted I couldn’t eat any of this one.

MULLED WINE CUPCAKES

Well it was about time I got creative in the kitchen, so with christmas drawing near I have a few different ideas for festive cupcakes. This is the first of 3 cupcakes ideas I currently have all of which are very much a work in progress. 

Mulled wine cupcakes ( a blackberry and orange sponge with a mulled wine inspired spiced cream cheese buttercream. This recipe should make around 18 cupcakes!

SPONGE: 330g plain flour, 320g golden caster sugar, 1.5 tbsps of baking powder, 150g soft butter, 3 eggs, 180ml whole milk, 2 tsp of vanilla extract, 20ml purple food gel (or 10ml red and 10ml purple for crimson wine colour), juice and zest of 1 orange and 250g of blackberries.

SPICED BUTTERCREAM: 200g butter, 400g, cream cheese, 500-600g icing sugar (to taste/piping consistency) 1/2 tsp ground clove, 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg, 1tsp ground cinnamon, 1tsp ground ginger and the zest of 1 orange. These spice amounts can vary, try the buttercream mix and add more spices if you feel its needed.

METHOD: Preheat oven to 170 fan assisted, whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl then beat in the butter until the mix resembles a crumble mix. Add the eggs one at a time and beat into the mix before adding the milk, orange juice, zest, vanilla extract and food colouring. Mix for around 3 minutes until lighter in colour and texture. Mix in half of your blackberries, don’t worry if they break up slightly while mixing. Now fill your cupcake cases about two thirds full trying to get blackberries in each case. Once all the mix is used bake in the oven for 12-15 mins, time could vary so check with knife from 10 minutes on. If a few crumbs come out with the knife thats fine. Leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the buttercream simply beat the softened butter for a couple of minutes before adding the cream cheese, icing sugar, orange zest and spices. Beat until smooth and well combined. Pipe onto cooled buns, If you want the purple edges on buttercream simply run  some of the food colouring down one crease of the piping bag before filling.

If any of these instructions seem cryptic or confusing please get in touch, all feedback is welcome! Happy baking and happy Christmas!

Rockin Around the Christmas Cake! ( Getting to Zero event 2012- World Aids day)

SOURDOUGH BREAD

I have had my sourdough starter for almost a year now and only baked a sourdough loaf about ten times, this saddens me. Sourdough for some people is an acquired taste but a taste that I feel is easily acquired, Makes sense? For me after baking and eating my own sourdough other mass produced breads stuffed with additives and preservatives paled in comparison. Home made bread will have so much more flavour, texture and reward including nutritional value and a great smelling house. Great bread requires a few things, Good flour, good salt and, clean water. Thats it!

You can get these things in Belfast, Nutmeg in town sells doves farm flours and its the cheapest too. doves farm does a wide range of specialist flours and ancient grains that industrial bread production have almost wiped out. Experiment with flours, there is no right or wrong. For example my starter is made of wholegrain rye, then the create the dough I used spelt flour and strong bread flour. 

Different flours give different flavours, crumb, textures and colours to a loaf. I’m only at the stage now where i experiment a little, going off the beaten track with flours but the basics are also very important. The ratio of flour, starter, water and salt will greatly effect the final loaf.

If you want to start making your own bread then get a good book. two I would suggest are

River cottage bread handbook:

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/074759533X/?tag=hydra0b-21&hvadid=9550947189&ref=asc_df_074759533X  

Handmade Loaf by Dan Lepard:

www.amazon.co.uk/Handmade-Loaf-Dan-Lepard/dp/1845333896/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1353016037&sr=1-1 

Both are great covering many different bread types along with how to set up and care for your own sourdough starter! Please if you have ant questions or interests feel free to ask, I would be more than happy to get some feedback. Happy Baking!

TOFFEE PECAN CHOCOLATE ROULADE

Had some leftover pecans and toffee from the salted caramel tarts so thought I would put it to good use. I have pictures to show you the stages of my roulade.

MERINGUE BASE: simply whisk 4 egg whites until thickened then gradually add 200g of caster sugar bit at a time until the mix is very thick and glossy. Line a baking tray and spread out the meringue mix. Bake at 170 for around 15-20 minutes. While the meringue cooks you could put in the pecans (100g) to toast lightly.

The rest is easy, whip up some double cream about 300ml, I add a vanilla to everything these days so feel free to add some, then have your toffee ready (see caramel tart recipe). If the caramel is too hard you can soften it in the microwave.

When the roulade is ready put some baking paper on a worktop and flip the roulade over onto the baking paper. Carefully peel of the underside baking paper. Leave the meringue to cool before spreading on the cream, toffee, melted dark chocolate and then the toasted pecans that have been crushed.

Now the slightly tricky part, carefully roll the roulade up from the narrow part along, be confident rolling it up, it will crack but thats ok. Before the last part is rolled place the paper and end of roulade onto the dish your serving it on then simply roll and slide it onto the plate. DONE! 

Feel free to decorate however yo like and then put it into the fridge for an hour or two before serving! Enjoy and feel free to ask any questions!!

NEW CAKE I MUST BAKE

http://sweetapolita.com/2011/03/dark-chocolate-raspberry-buttercream-cake-with-ganache-drizzle/ I have to try this!

CHOCOLATE GUINNESS CAKE

Try this for a moist yet rich dense chocolate cake. I had to double the cream cheese butter cream mix to comfortably cover the cake.

www.stylist.co.uk/life/recipes/chocolate-guinness-cake 

BAKED CHEESECAKE BARS

So I found another tasty looking American recipe that I converted into the ESV (English Standard Version). This bar has a pecan biscuit base, baked cheesecake in the middle and a cookie top. They tasted pretty good, hope you try them yourself.

PECAN BASE: 150g chopped pecans, 30g sugar, 50g flour, 75g melted butter.

CHEESECAKE: 400g full fat cream cheese, 100g caster sugar, 1 large egg, 1 vanilla pod (seeds scraped out).

COOKIE TOP: 75g soft butter, 80g soft brown sugar, 40g caster sugar, 1 large egg, 90g plain flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 100g chocolate or chocolate chips.

Make the pecan base by blitzing the nuts in a food processer until roughly chopped, add the sugar and flour and then mix in the melted butter. Press this dough into a small lined baking tin, about 25x25cms. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 for 10-15mins. Leave to cool.

For the cheesecake simply mix all the ingredients together until combined.

To make the cookie mix first cream the butter and sugars together, add the egg then sift in the flour and baking powder. The chocolate chips can be added at the end.

Once the base has cooled pour on the cheese cake mix and spread out evenly, scoop the cookie mix on top around the cheesecake mix (its ok if there are gaps as the cookie dough will spread out. Bake at 170 for 30 mins.

Leave to cool and then refrigerate for at lease to hours before cutting.

Successful Tarts!

ahhh haaa. Tarts turned out rather well although the american recipe was slightly painful to follow at times. I’m going to make a british recipe for the tarts along with the Home made Ice cream I made to go with it. 

SALTED CARAMEL COOKIE TARTS

COOKIE BASE: 200g plain flour,30g cocoapowder,140g salted butter, 75g caster sugar, 2 egg yolks, 1tsp vanilla extract,pinch of salt

SALTED CARAMEL: 450g caster sugar, 140ml golden syrup, 200ml double cream, 2tsp vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE GANACHE: 150g 70%dark chocolate, 150g double cream and coarse sea salt to garnish

This is my ESV (English Standard Version) which worked well for me, follow the recipe here for how to make it www.fifteenspatulas.com/salted-caramel-chocolate-ganache-tarts-with-cookie-crust/ The caramel was a bit runny to begin with so i cooked it for longer after adding the cream and butter to thicken it up. You could also chill the base and then roll it out and put into the cases.Enjoy!

The next baking venture

A good friend has asked me to make these,

www.fifteenspatulas.com/salted-caramel-chocolate-ganache-tarts-with-cookie-crust/ 

They look pretty great so will be giving it a go in the next week along with some home made vanilla ice-cream to go with. 

PURE EFFIN BEAUT!

The loaf you see below was this recipe by the way. Quite a tasty recipe giving you a cheat taste of sourdough in a lot less time.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/nov/21/flash-loaf-bread-baking-recipe

The beginning

So the time has come to finally make a food blog. I love all things food and hopefully this blog will help me share my passion with you all. This blog will contain recipes of my own, recipes I enjoy making, reviews of local restaurants and produce along with any other food related things I can think of or that you guys want to share.

                                                            Let the cooking commence!