Pumpkin Spice Granola

I told you I was on a bit of a pumpkin kick at the moment, didn't I?  This time I've added my favorite vegetable to my breakfast routine, pumpkin spice granola.  I make my own granola quite regularly, there's something about the process I really enjoy.  I have to admit, I think this one is my very favorite.

When the lovely people at Vita Coco offered to send me out a few samples of coconut oil I thought I'd incorporate this good-for-you fat into my recipe instead of my usual rapeseed oil.  It gives a wonderful nutty taste you just don't get using oil, this is a swap for life.

 The best thing about making your own granola is how unbelievably easy it is, and it gives you a sense of smug satisfaction every morning knowing exactly what has gone into your breakfast.  Extra kudos if you eat breakfast at work and can brag about your morning achievement.  "Oh, I see you admiring my delicious granola.  I made it myself!" Self high five!

Keep your eyes peeled for more pumpkin themed treats over the next few weeks.

Pumpkin Spice Granola
Makes around 10 servings

Ingredients:

300g rolled oats

150g pecans, chopped

50g pumpkin seeds

3tbsp brown sugar

2tsp cinnamon

2tsp ground ginger

1/2tsp alspice

1/4tsp nutmeg

2tbsp coconut oil

75ml maple syrup

100g pumpkin puree

Method:

Preheat the oven to 170C.

In a small saucepan set over a low heat melt the coconut oil, maple syrup and pumpkin puree together.  Set aside.

Mix the oats, pecans, seeds, sugar and spices together in a large mixing bowl and pour over the wet ingredients.  Stir till everything is coated with the pumpkin syrup and spread mixture over two baking trays.  Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden.  Stir the granola around half way though the baking process, you can leave it quite chunky or break it up depending on how you like it.

Allow to cool completely before transferring to a large jar.

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Pumpkin Pie Bars

It's finally October! Autumn is my favorite time of year, both sartorially and culinary. The month of cosy jumpers without the need for a coat, cute ankle boots with thick black tights and wide brimmed hats. I love it

 More than that, it is finally season appropriate to start putting pumpkin in everything.  From drinks to cakes to a hearty risotto, there's barely a meal goes by in my home that doesn't feature those sweet orange gourds.  I can't be the only one, right?!

Pumpkin pie bars are the perfect way to ease you into the season. Soft and delightfully spiced with a nip of dark rum, these cosy bars will have you dreaming of orange leaves and crisp afternoon air.

Pumpkin Pie Bars

(From Primrose Bakery Christmas)

Ingredients:

Base

140g light brown sugar

100g rolled oats

120g plain flour

150g unsalted butter, cold

Topping

1 can of pumpkin puree (I used Libby's)

2 large, free range eggs

110g caster sugar 

30g self raising flour

1tsp ground nutmeg

1/2tsp ground cinnamon

1/4tsp ground cloves

1/2tsp ground ginger

1/2tsp salt

50ml dark rum

1tsp vanilla extract

flaked almonds

Method:

Preheat the oven to 160C and grab a 33x23cm disposable foil tray (try these) 

To make the base place the sugar, oats and flour in a large bowl and stir together.  Add the butter in and rub together with your fingertips till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  Press this mixture into your tray and bake for around 18 minutes, until golden brown.  Set aside to cool while you make the topping.

To make the topping put all of the ingredients, except the almonds, into a large bowl and beat until combined and smooth.

Pour the pumpkin mixture on top of the cooked and cooled base, spreading it out into an even layer and sprinkle with a handful of flaked almonds.  Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, until firm to the touch.  Leave to cool completely before cutting into bars and serving.

I'm submitting this recipe to Lavender & Lovage and The Hedgecombers October Tea Time Treats. 

 

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Malted Chocolate and Oreo Ice Cream

I hate the Summer!  There, I said it!  I spend the vast majority of the sunshiny months in an epic huff, demanding that people stay out of my personal space and frowning angrily while clutching an ice cold bottle of water in my clammy little hands.  Luckily my nearest and dearest know how to handle me when the mercury starts rising.  More often than not, I can be tamed with a simple ice cream cone at the breezy Northern seaside.

This summer, work commitments and insane storms have meant I've been unable to make many trips to the coast;  the few evenings and afternoons I've had spare have seen thunder and lightning like I have never seen before.  This means I've had to make my own ice cream, plop it in a waffle cone and happily lick away while watching the heavens light up from the comfort of my living room.

Normally, if I'm out, I'd never go for a chocolate ice cream.  I'll always favour a fruity number over a chocolatey one, but homemade chocolate ice cream is different.  It's so much more delicious than a store bought variety, richer and smoother.  I seriously can't sing its praises enough, add some chocolate stuffed Oreos into the mix and this baby is just heavenly.  I can see a lot more home made ice cream in my future, I just hope you'll allow me to share my frozen adventures.

Malted Chocolate and Oreo Ice Cream

Ingredients:

750ml whole milk

250ml double cream

6 large egg yolks

140g caster sugar

100g milk chocolate, chopped

100g plain chocolate, chopped

150g Ovaltine

1 pack of chocolate stuffed Oreo cookies chopped into small pieces

Method:

To make the base custard bring the milk and cream to a simmer in a small saucepan. Once the milk is simmering whisk the egg yolks with the sugar till creamy. Pour the warm milk onto the eggs, whisking constantly.  Pour the custard back into the saucepan and cook over a low heat for 10 minutes, whisking constantly.  The custard is ready once it's thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Once thickened, place the chopped chocolate in a large bowl and pour over the hot custard. allow the chocolate to melt and stir in, add the Ovaltine and mix until combined.  Pop the bowl in the fridge for a few hours to cool completely.

Once cool churn the custard in an ice cream machine, following the manufacturers instructions.  Once thick and creamy, transfer to a freezer proof container and freeze until ready to serve.  

If you don't have an ice cream machine just pour the custard into a large freezer proof container and place in the freezer.  Every two hours stir the ice cream with a fork, after around 6 hours the ice cream will be ready.

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Jack Daniels and Coke Cupcakes

You guys don't half love a boozy bake.  Whenever I look at my blog stats one particular post always stands out in terms of popularity, my gin and tonic cupcakes.  I've seemed to shy away from cupcakes on my blog; probably because I bake them at work all day, every day, but that's enough of that.  What a way to reintroduce cupcakes than with these super kick-ass Jack Daniels and Coke blighters.  

These delightfully squiffy babies consist of a cola sponge, hollowed out and filled with a Jack Daniels spiced chocolate ganache. They're then topped with a swirl of Jack Daniels butter cream, followed by more ganache and a jelly cola bottle.  I'd recommend these cupcakes for any adult occasion but I can't help but notice how perfect they'd be for Fathers Day, what a coincidence that it's coming up next week!

I'm already planning a bit of a cuptail (that's a cocktail cupcake to you and me) series for my blog, combining my passion for cake and a good old booze.  What cocktail would you like to see magicked into a cupcake wrapper?

Jack Daniels and Coke Cupcakes

Adapted from How to be a Domestic Goddess

Makes 20 - 24 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:

250ml full fat Coke

250g unsalted butter

85g cocoa powder

220g plain flour

400g caster sugar

2tsp baking powder

2 large eggs

250ml soured cream

For the ganache:

600g plain chocolate

300ml double cream

4tsp Jack Daniels

For the Buttercream:

250g butter, softened

750g icing sugar

4tbsp Jack Daniels

4tbsp milk (more if needed)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 175C and line two cupcake trays with liners.  In a large saucepan bring the coke and butter to a simmer until melted together.  Sift in the cocoa powder followed by the sugar, whisk until combined.

In a large jug whisk together the eggs and soured cream until smooth, slowly add the egg mixture to the cola, whisking constantly.  Add the flour and baking powder, fold together till everything is smooth and silky.  Fill the cupcake cases 3/4 full and bake for twenty minutes.

While the cakes are baking prepare the ganache.  Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a bowl, set aside.  In a small saucepan bring the double cream to a simmer, once small bubbles start to form pour the cream over the chocolate and leave for two minutes.  Stir till smooth and combined before stirring in the Jack Daniels.  Set aside to thicken slightly while you await your cupcakes.

Once your cupcakes are baked and cooled use an apple corer, or a sharp knife to hollow out the centre of each cake.  Fill each hollow with ganache and set aside while you make your butter cream.

For the butter cream place the butter and icing sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer, cover with a tea towel and mix on a medium speed.  Once combined add the Jack Daniels and the milk and mix, again on a medium speed.  If the frosting is still too thick to pipe add a splash of milk until you reach a good consistency.  Pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake before dolloping some more ganache on top followed by a jelly cola bottle.

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Homemade Chicken Gyoza

My name is Katie and I'm a gyoza addict!  Barely a week goes by when I don't fill my greedy little face with these delicious dumplings.  Sadly going to Wagamama numerous times a week was getting a little expensive, what with the sides of noodles and katsu (that you simply must order with your gyoza) so I bought the book and set about making my own at home.

 The great thing about this recipe is it makes an absolute truckload, or thirty five if you prefer numbers, and they freeze perfectly so you always have access to dumplings.  Simply pop the finished dumplings on a tray in the freezer for an hour before portioning them up into little bags and stashing for later munchies. 

I do have a lazy girl hack when it comes to folding your gyoza, buy one of these.  Who has the time, or skill, to stand and hand crimp thirty plus dumplings, not me!  This little gadget saves so much time and ensures your dumplings all look beautifully uniform.  If you do want to try your hand at the authentic way here's a great link for perfecting your technique.

These babies are so tasty and so easy, if you're a gyoza addict like me I implore you to fill your freezer.  There is nothing more comforting than knowing you have frozen gyoza (and frozen cookies) at hand for any hangry emergencies.

Chicken Gyoza

(Adapted from Wagamama Cookbook)

Ingredients:

200g free range chicken breast, minced or chopped in a food processor

2 garlic cloves

1tbsp grated ginger

100g chinese leaf

100g white cabbage

100g water chestnuts

2tbsp soy sauce

1tbsp sesame oil

1tbsp fish sauce

1tsp sugar

2tbsp chopped chives

salt and pepper

gyoza skins (buy them frozen from your local chinese supermarket)

Method:

Blitz the ginger, garlic, chinese leaf, cabbage and water chestnuts in a food processor till finely chopped.  Mix with the remaining ingredients, except the gyoza skins, till everything is evenly distributed.

Place a teaspoon of the mixture in the middle of each gyoza skin, dampen the edge with a little water before folding and crimping either by hand or gadget until you've used all of your chicken mixture.  You should get around thirty five dumplings.  Now, either cook them up or you can freeze them in smaller portions for future use.

To cook, get a large heavy bottomed frying pan and heat 1tbsp oil over a high heat.  Place no more than five dumplings in the pan and fry for two minutes to get that delicious crispy bottom.  Pop three tablespoons of water into the pan and immediately cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat down to medium and allow to steam for two minutes.  Once the two minutes are up remove the pan from the heat and allow to steam for a further two minutes.  Your dumplings are now ready to eat, serve with a little soy sauce and chilli oil.

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