this Nigella Lawson Malteser Cake is soo simple to make that every family birthday we celebrate with this recipe.
Delicious!
Chocolate Malteser Cake
150g soft light brown sugar
100g caster sugar
3 eggs
175ml milk
15g butter
2 tablespoons horlicks ( i use ovaltine)
175g plain flour
25g cocoa, sieved
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda Icing
Icing
250g icing sugar
1 teaspoon cocoa
45g horlicks
125g soft unsalted butter
2 tablespoons boiling water
2 x 37g packets maltesers
Take anything you need from the fridge out & allow to come to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 170c.
Butter & line two 20cm loose-bottomed sandwich cake tins with baking paper.
Beat together the sugars & eggs while you weigh out the other ingredients.
- you can use a stand alone mixer to help here
Heat the butter, milk & horlicks in a saucepan until the butter melts, and it is hot but not boiling. remove from heat.
When the sugars & eggs are light & frothy, beat in the horlicks mixture and then fold in the flour, cocoa, baking powder & bicarb of soda.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the two tins & bake for 25 minutes, the cakes will spring back when touched when ready.
Let them cool on a rack for 5-10 minutes & then turn onto a rack to cool completely.
Put the icing sugar, cocoa & horlicks in a food processor & blitz to remove any lumps.
Add the butter & blitz again. Stop, scrape down the sides & start again, pouring the boiling water down the funnel until you have a smooth buttercream.
Sandwich the cakes together with half the mix & put the rest on top then finish off with a ring of maltesers around the edge.
one simple tip though - sift the flour it make for a less spotty cake
PICS COMING - promise
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Easy Peasy Pesto
This is a Jamie Oliver recipe and one of the simplest, versatile and satisfying food to make. Trust me you don't need a fancy food processor (although it will make it a little easier) grab your pestle and mortar and get cracking!
Ingredients
1/2 clove of garlic chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
3 handfuls of fresh basil
Handful of pine nuts
Handful of fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Pound garlic with a pinch of salt and the basil leaves in a pestle and mortar, or pulse in a food processor. Add pine nuts and pound again. Put into a bowl and add half of Parmesan. Stir in gently and add olive oil. Season to taste, then add some of the remaining cheese and more olive oil. Repeat until desired consistency. If you want you may add a squeeze of fresh lemon to add a little “twang” Try it with or without and see which you prefer.
lets just say I like the WITH LEMON JUICE version but everybody is different!
You can use this pesto with pasta - just stir through, on sandwiches, pizza, as a dip, a marinade...the list goes on!
pics on there way just have to make another batch
Ingredients
1/2 clove of garlic chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
3 handfuls of fresh basil
Handful of pine nuts
Handful of fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Extra virgin olive oil
Pound garlic with a pinch of salt and the basil leaves in a pestle and mortar, or pulse in a food processor. Add pine nuts and pound again. Put into a bowl and add half of Parmesan. Stir in gently and add olive oil. Season to taste, then add some of the remaining cheese and more olive oil. Repeat until desired consistency. If you want you may add a squeeze of fresh lemon to add a little “twang” Try it with or without and see which you prefer.
lets just say I like the WITH LEMON JUICE version but everybody is different!
You can use this pesto with pasta - just stir through, on sandwiches, pizza, as a dip, a marinade...the list goes on!
pics on there way just have to make another batch
Monday, April 02, 2007
My sisters Chickpea & Mint Dip
this is soooooo good and Sooooooo healthy. not too mention very easy to prepare!
ingredients
Tinned Chickpeas (I use organic)
Juice from one lemon (to taste)
handful of mint finely chopped
salt& pepper
2 tsp olive oil
I use a pestle and mortar I just love to bash things...very therapeutic! you can use a food processor.
Place chickpeas in the pestle & mortar and bash until you form a thick paste place paste into bowl add mint, salt & pepper and mix through slowly add Lemon juice to taste. add olive oil mix through. Serve with grilled mountain bread! YUM!
(pictures are coming...by the time I grabbed my camera this dip was gone!)
ingredients
Tinned Chickpeas (I use organic)
Juice from one lemon (to taste)
handful of mint finely chopped
salt& pepper
2 tsp olive oil
I use a pestle and mortar I just love to bash things...very therapeutic! you can use a food processor.
Place chickpeas in the pestle & mortar and bash until you form a thick paste place paste into bowl add mint, salt & pepper and mix through slowly add Lemon juice to taste. add olive oil mix through. Serve with grilled mountain bread! YUM!
(pictures are coming...by the time I grabbed my camera this dip was gone!)
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Spinach & Ricotta Pie
This is My Favourite pie, such a great recipe that is quick & easy to prepare and tastes sooo good. I got the base of this recipe from SS & Discoman and have tweaked it over the years.
INGREDIENTS
Puff pastry 2 sheets
FILLING
250g defrosted Frozen Finely Chopped Spinach (you can use fresh Spinach steamed)
500g low Fat Ricotta
(Fetta crumbled to taste- just make sure you check your seasoning as Fetta is very salty)
handful of chives finely chopped
1 tsp garlic
Squeeze of lemon Juice (to taste)
1 egg yolk
Salt & pepper
Pinch Cayenne Pepper
METHOD
Preheat oven to 200' Grease Pie Tin or baking dish
Combine Ricotta (+fetta), spinach, egg yolk, garlic, Lemon juice, chives in a mixing bowl. Season with Salt and pepper.
Line Pie Tin (baking dish) with Pastry pour mixture into pie dish and cover with another sheet of pastry. egg wash pastry (meaning using a pastry brush lightly brush top and sides of pastry with lightly whisked egg)
Place into oven for 30 mins or until top is golden brown.
Enjoy!
you can serve this cold or hot. Be careful how wet your mixture is before placing onto pastry as the base can go soggy, even if this happens the pie still tastes great!
INGREDIENTS
Puff pastry 2 sheets
FILLING
250g defrosted Frozen Finely Chopped Spinach (you can use fresh Spinach steamed)
500g low Fat Ricotta
(Fetta crumbled to taste- just make sure you check your seasoning as Fetta is very salty)
handful of chives finely chopped
1 tsp garlic
Squeeze of lemon Juice (to taste)
1 egg yolk
Salt & pepper
Pinch Cayenne Pepper
METHOD
Preheat oven to 200' Grease Pie Tin or baking dish
Combine Ricotta (+fetta), spinach, egg yolk, garlic, Lemon juice, chives in a mixing bowl. Season with Salt and pepper.
Line Pie Tin (baking dish) with Pastry pour mixture into pie dish and cover with another sheet of pastry. egg wash pastry (meaning using a pastry brush lightly brush top and sides of pastry with lightly whisked egg)
Place into oven for 30 mins or until top is golden brown.
Enjoy!
you can serve this cold or hot. Be careful how wet your mixture is before placing onto pastry as the base can go soggy, even if this happens the pie still tastes great!
run down
I am a vegetarian, I personally do not like the taste or texture of meat and fish. My boyfriend is not vegetarian so majority of my recipes are quite versatile as I am often cooking two versions of the same meal. I generally do not have trouble cooking with meat, Buddha is always around to taste test for me to correct the seasoning.
I believe the best vegetarian meals are ones cooked by a vegetarian as this is what we eat it is not a side dish and must be flavoursome.
So Give some of my recipes a go and let me know what you think.
I believe the best vegetarian meals are ones cooked by a vegetarian as this is what we eat it is not a side dish and must be flavoursome.
So Give some of my recipes a go and let me know what you think.
Chicken & leek Pie
This is Buddhas Favourite Chicken pie. I don't eat meat personally but find something about making this pie quite satisfying.....
INGREDIENTS
Puff Pastry
50g butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1kg chicken thigh fillets, chopped coarsely
3 rashers bacon, chopped coarsely
1 large leek, sliced thinly
1/3 cup (50g) plain flour
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water
METHOD
Heat butter and oil in large saucepan. Cook chicken in batches until golden brown set aside
Add bacon cook for 1 min then add leek to the same pan cook until bacon is crisp and leek softens. Return chicken to pan add the flour cook stirring for about 1 minute. Scrape your spoon along the bottom of the pan to loosen up the flavours and add the stock gradually stirring continuously when it reaches the boil reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 mins or until chicken is cooked through. take off the heat and place in another bowl to allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 220°C
when mixture has cooled, Line your pie dish with the puff pastry, spoon the mixture into pie dish and cover with pastry. Cut 3 incisions into the top of the pie to allow steam to escape.
Brush top with egg wash. Bake in pre-heated oven 40 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and pie is heated through.
INGREDIENTS
Puff Pastry
50g butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1kg chicken thigh fillets, chopped coarsely
3 rashers bacon, chopped coarsely
1 large leek, sliced thinly
1/3 cup (50g) plain flour
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water
METHOD
Heat butter and oil in large saucepan. Cook chicken in batches until golden brown set aside
Add bacon cook for 1 min then add leek to the same pan cook until bacon is crisp and leek softens. Return chicken to pan add the flour cook stirring for about 1 minute. Scrape your spoon along the bottom of the pan to loosen up the flavours and add the stock gradually stirring continuously when it reaches the boil reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 10 mins or until chicken is cooked through. take off the heat and place in another bowl to allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 220°C
when mixture has cooled, Line your pie dish with the puff pastry, spoon the mixture into pie dish and cover with pastry. Cut 3 incisions into the top of the pie to allow steam to escape.
Brush top with egg wash. Bake in pre-heated oven 40 minutes or until pastry is golden brown and pie is heated through.
SERVE!
unfortunately something I have not yet mastered is serving up my pie, the puff pastry makes life difficult but hey nothing wrong with it looking homemade!
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Heart Shaped Biscuits
This is very kitsch, I love it!
60g Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Icing Sugar mixture
1 egg separated
1/2 cup plain flower
1/2 cup Self Raising flour
2 teaspoons milk
you can add some choc chips, nuts or sultanas for a little something extra
grab a small bowl and place the butter, extract, icing sugar and egg yolk and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Sift flours into bowl and add just enough milk to make a soft dough.
Lightly flour your bench and knead the dough until smooth cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 20 mins.
Roll dough between sheets of baking paper until about 3mm thick. Cut with heart shaped cutters and place on greased oven tray about 3 cm apart.
Bake in mod oven for about 12 mins or until lightly browned. cool on trays. Delicately ice with coloured icing!
Enjoy!
60g Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Icing Sugar mixture
1 egg separated
1/2 cup plain flower
1/2 cup Self Raising flour
2 teaspoons milk
you can add some choc chips, nuts or sultanas for a little something extra
grab a small bowl and place the butter, extract, icing sugar and egg yolk and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Sift flours into bowl and add just enough milk to make a soft dough.
Lightly flour your bench and knead the dough until smooth cover with cling wrap and refrigerate for 20 mins.
Roll dough between sheets of baking paper until about 3mm thick. Cut with heart shaped cutters and place on greased oven tray about 3 cm apart.
Bake in mod oven for about 12 mins or until lightly browned. cool on trays. Delicately ice with coloured icing!
Enjoy!
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