Sweet Melissa Sundays: Gingersnaps

Have I told you that I love ginger?  Well I do.  I love it in curry, I love it in crumbles and most of all I love it in biscuits!   Open my cupboard and you'll notice, among all of the random tins and jars ginger is the most stocked item. Stem, chopped, crystallized, ground, then open my fridge and there's a little knobbly finger of the stuff.  You see what I mean...

After my deceleration you'll be very surprised to hear that gingersnaps are my very favorite biscuit.  After seeing it on the SMS list I've been itching to get them baked and right in my cookie jar, but these biscuits just weren't gingery enough for my palate.  They needed something, they needed more!  I added chopped stem ginger and a teaspoon of ginger syrup.  Perfect.  The stem ginger added that extra bite and made a good biscuit into an excellent one!

Check out Gloria's aptly named blog The Gingersnap Girl for the recipe and don't forget to check out the rest of the SMS bakers for their yummy treats.

SHARE:

Newcastle Eat Festival: The Pearly Diner

As I stated in my last post, the Newcastle Gateshead Eat Festival has been celebrating the finest food and drink the region has to offer for the last week and a half, and boy has it been a good one!  There has been some amazing events as well as some very weird and very wonderful delights for us to get our teeth into. One of which I was delighted to be a part of, The Pearly Diner.  The Pearly Diner is a world first event, a restaurant with no menu!  Your imagination is allowed to run wild and the sky is the limit, the only problem is deciding what you want to eat.  If you are among the select few chosen to dine at this other worldly event you were to chose the meal that best suits you. It could be your dream dinner, your favorite food or something that reminds you of a better time.  How exciting!

The Pearly Diner was a secret event organised by some of the North Easts finest chefs, places were allocated via a random lottery which sent the lucky few on a strange and fabulous journey.

I was over the moon when I received my allocation email but also a little confused.  I was told to go to a place called The Bridge Bar & Bistro for 7pm where I would receive a sign.  My first thought was how exciting, closely followed by the remembrance that The Bridge Bar & Bistro is a greasy spoon cafe on the Tyne Bridge, not only that but it had closed down after someone had found broken glass in their fry up.  Not the kind of place I'd have expected for such an amazing evening, but I put my doubts to the back of my mind and focused on getting ready. 

We arrived at the closed Bistro at dot on 7pm only to find the shutters down and other pearly diners milling around outside looking confused.  After about 10 minutes of standing around chatting to the ever increasing number of diners we decided to take matters into our own hands and explore.  We eventually found a sticker shaped like a fork pointing in the direction of the Tyne Bridge.  With nothing to lose we all decided to follow the cutlery.

After a five minute trek that felt like miles for myself and the other 5" heeled women, we found ourselves at the Hilton Hotel.  That's more like it! 

We were asked to enjoy wine on the balcony while we waited to 'check in'.  One by one we were lead into a little white shed which housed a very clinical experience.  A lady named Muriel gave us a name tag and asked us to fill our name and chosen meal into a large gilded book.  We were then let out of the shed and eventually gained entry into the Pearly Diner.

I was instantly taken aback by the beautiful room.  Everything was decked out in white fabric and glitter.  I especially liked the paper roses adorned with the meal choices of all the diners along with the salt and pepper pots filled with tiny pearls.

After our newly empty wine glasses were topped up our complimentary starter was served.  The Soup of Life!  We were never told what the soup actually was but it contained a great deal of milky foam, chicken and pasta.

For my main meal I chose a feta crusted rack of lamb with a tomato and olive sauce to be served with fondant potatoes.  I've always wanted to try a rack of lamb but never seem to see it on menus, so The Pearly Diner was the perfect opportunity.

Kris chose a pan fried duck breast with plum sauce and mashed potato.  The duck wasn't as pink as we would have hoped but never the less it was utterly delicious.

My desert was a caramelized apple tarte tatin.  What I wanted to know was what happened to the rest of it.... 

Kris had a chocolate fondant.  His reason, I've never been able to cook one properly.  I always over cook the pudding leaving the centre solid.  Unfortunately, the chef had succumb to the same problem as I.  The search for the perfect chocolate fondant continues.

I'm so, so glad I was able to take part in this delicious once in a life time opportunity!  I just hope the chefs know how impressed everyone was with all of their efforts.  Cooking 26 individually chosen meals ever night must be no easy feat. 

Thanks Newcastle Gateshead!

SHARE:

Strawberry Ice Cream Cupcakes

Lordy lordy have I been busy today.  The eve of the Newcastle Eat Festival is finally upon us and kitchens all over the North East have been churning out delicious treats, and mine is no exception! I've been baking away since 8.30am and finally I have downed tools for the evening and treat myself to a well deserved cup of Earl Grey.  Phew!

One of my many, many projects for the day is something I've been meaning to make for a long time now.  I did try once before and well, let's just say it didn't quite work to plan..... After my last attempt I have been a little nervous of making these adorable treats, especially for a Pet Lamb event when every failure costs money.  But, since we'll be one of many cupcake companies this weekend, I threw caution to the wind and gave the Ice Cream Cupcake another chance.

Aren't they just so damned cute?!  I just keep opening the box and gazing upon their sweetness.  Wanna know how to make them?  Well read on...

Strawberry Ice Cream Cupcakes
(Adapted from the primrose bakery)

110g butter
125g plain flour
150g self raising flour
225g caster sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
120ml milk
2 free range eggs
12 flat bottomed ice cream cones

Frosting:
110g butter
350g icing sugar
2/3 tsp milk
A few drops of red food colouring
1tsp strawberry flavouring (don't worry about getting the real stuff, you want that synthetic taste to give an authentic strawberry ice cream flavour)

First preheat the oven to 180C or 160C fan assisted and line a muffin tray with flat bottomed ice cream cones.

Cream together the sugar and butter till light and creamy.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating between each addition. Sift together the two flours into a bowl and add the vanilla extract to the milk.

Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the batter alternating with 1/2 of the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the flour.  Fill each cone 3/4 full of the batter making sure not to over fill as the mixture will rise and bubble over the sides.

Bake for 20 - 25 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch.

One cool make the frosting by combining the butter with the icing sugar.  Add the milk, spoon by spoon until you achieve the correct piping consistency.

Add the food colouring, the strawberry flavouring, fill your piping bag and ice away :)

SHARE:

Vegan Carrot Cake

It's May 25th and National Vegetarian Week is upon us.  In honor of this I haven't touched meat since Monday, it's been tough.  Hold on, it's only Tuesday isn't it? Hot damn! I wonder if I'll stay strong enough to make it through.  A few weeks a go I asked a good friend, and one of the best veggie chefs I know, how he came to be such a great cook.  He told me it's all part and parcel with being a vegetarian. Once you eliminate meat from your diet you have to start getting more creative with your tastes and textures, it's the key to sticking it out.   So, till Sunday I will be saying good bye to the meat and hello to the colourful yumminess that is vegetarian cuisine.

To tell you the truth, it's not that tough for me.  I've always been a big meat eater but growing up in a house with 3 boys and a vegetarian mother often meant that I'd be left with the veggie choice while the boys chowed down on sausages and bacon.  Over the years I came to prefer it, and will often go down the none meaty road to full tummyville when given the choice, I just like the taste and texture of meat too much to ever contemplate giving it up.

Anyway, I thought this was a perfect time to post a delicious vegan carrot cake.  Yup, no animal produce what so ever!  This cake was a breeze to make and baked up beautifully and the frosting was to die for.  Also, with no eggs and butter you can almost get away with eating twice as much ;)


Vegan Carrot Cake
(recipe adapted from BBC Good Food)

250g Wholemeal self-raising flour 
1 tbsp Baking powder
1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Ground nutmeg
130g Vegan Marg, I used Pure
130g Light brown sugar
250g Carrots, grated
1 Medium banana mashed
1 Orange, rind zested and juiced

For the frosting I used my cup measures, I'm not too sure why but for some reason to me it made sense at the time...

1/2 cup vegan marg
1/2 cup vegan cream cheese
4 cups icing sugar
1tsp vanilla extract

 
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Lightly grease a 18cm round or 20cm square tin.

Sift the flour, baking powder and spices into a large bowl.

Melt the margarine in a pan, add the sugar and stir until dissolved.

Make a well in the flour mixture, then add the margarine and sugar. Mix in the carrots, banana and orange zest and juice.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top with the back of a spoon.

Bake for around 40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. allow to cool before removing from the tin.

For the frosting cream the marg and cream cheese together till well mixed.

Add the icing sugar half a cup at a time, turning the mixer up to a high speed for several seconds between each addition.


Mix in vanilla extract and spread generously over the cake.

SHARE:

Caribbean Brownies, put a little sunshine in your food!

The sun is shining in Newcastle and we can finally dust off the barbecue and join the alfresco eating craze that seems to be sweeping the rest of the country.  But, along with mountains of sticky ribs, honey roasted chicken drumsticks and haloumi skewers we need something sweet to satiate our ever demanding dessert tummy.  Thanks to Levi Roots' excellent sunshiney book Caribbean Cooking Made Easy, I have found the perfect garden sweet treat, Caribbean Brownies.  Take a pretty normal brownie recipe, add ginger, pecans and the special ingredient rum, yes rum and you've got yourself a special Caribbean brownie treat! Delicious.

So, what are you waiting for.  Drag your barbecue to the patio, give your garden furniture a wipe down and have yourself some fun in the sun.

Caribbean Brownies
Caribbean Cooking Made Easy

250g plain chocolate, minimum 70 per cent cocoa solids, broken into pieces

250g butter

5 free-range eggs 

350g dark muscovado sugar

1-2 tbsp rum (optional)

150g plain flour sifted

125g pecan nuts, roughly chopped

4 pieces of stem ginger (from a jar), chopped 

Icing sifted, for dusting (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Line a 30cm x 20cm/12in x 8in, deep-sided cake tin with greaseproof paper.

Bring a little water to the boil in a pan, then reduce the heat until the water is simmering. Suspend a heatproof bowl over the water (do not allow the base of the bowl to touch the water). Add the chocolate pieces and butter to the bowl and stir until melted and glossy. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar using an electric whisk until pale, fluffy and thick.

Add the melted chocolate mixture and rum, if using, then whisk again until smooth and well combined.

Carefully fold in the flour, using a metal spoon. Add the pecan nuts and stem ginger and fold into the mixture, then pour the brownie batter into the prepared cake tin.

Transfer the brownies to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch but a skewer inserted into the centre of the brownies comes out slightly sticky. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly in the tin.

When the brownies have cooled slightly, cut them into 18-20 squares or triangles and carefully remove from the tin. Pile onto a plate and dust with icing sugar, if using.

SHARE: