Rocky Road Pudding

I came up with the idea of this because my lot love Rocky Road and are not that enamoured with Christmas Pudding. You just a mix it all up and bung it in the fridge to set but get it out an hour before serving as otherwise it will be set rock solid.

200g Milk chocolate
50g Dark chocolate
1 tsp golden syrup
80g Popcorn
20g Rice Krispes
15 Marshmallows (halved)
100g Dried cranberries (apricots or sultanas work too)

To Finish
30g White melted chocolate
3 Glace cherries
2 Holly leaves

Melt the chocolate and syrup in a bowl over a saucepan of water, ensuring the bottom of the bowl isn't touching the water. Add all of the other ingredients to the melted chocolate making sure it is all well covered.

Spoon into a 2 pint bowl lined with clingfilm. Once the bowl is full use the cling to push down and cover the top. Chill until firm.

Use the cling to ease out onto a serving plate. Pour over the white chocolate allowing to run down a little. Add cherries and holly leaves.

Christmas Fudge

At 10pm last night I decided I'd quite like to try my hand at making fudge. I have to say that I'm not a huge lover of that real chalky type so I went online and did a little research.

It seems the more you beat it the chalkier it becomes. So here is my take on fudge with a Christmas twist. 

Oh yes, and I use homemade mincemeat so there is a good glug of booze and fab flavours, but if you use shop bought I'd add a shot of something to the mincemeat and the zest of an orange.

1 can of condensed milk (397g)
120ml double cream 
100g unsalted butter
450g soft light brown sugar

For the Christmas-ness-i-ness
150g good mincemeat
Zest of a clementine
50g cranberries
60g chopped pistachio 

In a large saucepan melt the condensed milk, cream, butter and sugar over a low heat until everything has dissolved.

Bring to the boil then simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring continuously making sure to keep scraping the base of the pan. To test the fudge is ready drop a little of the mixture into a jug of ice-cold water. 

A soft ball of fudge should form. Or check with a sugar thermometer (I used my Lakeland spatular one) (about 116°C). For a more crumbly fudge heat to 118 and beat until very firm (see next stage).

Remove from the the heat, add the mincemeat and zest then beat with a wooden spoon until it thickens and starts to firm up. Pour into a lined 2 pint loaf tin and sprinkle with the nuts. Leave to set in the fridge overnight before cutting into pieces. 

Pan-e-ttone

I love panettone but, believe it or not, this is the first one I've ever made. I have my Nan coming over for coffee in the morning so I thought this would be a great time to try making one. I can't tell you how great it smells. It needs a lot of proving because of the amount of egg yolks in it. But please have a go, you won't be disappointed. Just do some jobs or pop to the shops while it does its stuff.

350g strong bread flour
100g cornflour
30g caster sugar
10g easy blend yeast  (1 1/2 sachets)
3 tsp vanilla extract
8g salt
50g cubed softened butter
6 egg yolks
190 ml lukewarm water
150g raisins & sultanas or chocolate chunks
1 heaped tbsp peel paste or mixed peel
zest of an orange and lemon
2 tbsp ground almonds
1 egg white
niblets or crushed white sugar cubes

This is quite a sticky dough so it is best to make in a free-standing machine fitted with a bread hook. Start by adding the flours, sugar, salt and yeast into the bowl of your machine. Make a well in the centre, turn the machine on slowly and start to slowly add the water, egg yolks & vanilla. Once you have a nice wettish dough add your zests, peel and fruit. Knead on the bread hook for about 7 mins. Next add the butter in slowly with the bread hook running, knead until totally incorporated about 2 minutes. Cover the bowl and leave to double in size for about 2-3 hrs. Turn out, knock back and shape into a round.

Place in to a lined 4 inch deep by 8 inch wide tin. Line the tin high with baking paper as the dough will grow over the top of the tin (see picture).  Leave to prove for 2-3 hrs until the dough has doubled. Mix together the egg white and ground almonds. Carefully brush the top of the panettone so not to deflate it. Sprinkle with sugar nibs or crushed sugar cubes. 

Bake in a preheated oven 180 for 35-40 mins or when it sounds hollow when tapped underneath. But keep an eye on it and if it starts to brown too quickly cover with baking paper. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

To make my mini panettone follow the recipe above, but after the first prove divide the dough into 12 balls and pop into panettone cups or cupcake cups, prove until doubled in size (about 45-65 mins in a warm place) Brush with the egg wash with ground almonds then sprinkle with the sugar nibs and bake in a preheated oven 170 for about 20-25 mins

3D Christmas Tree Cake

A few weeks ago I posted this cake on my facebook wall Jo's Blue AGA and promised to blog about it. Well time has been a little on the short side lately, so here I am at 5am writing up the method.

When cutting out the discs try and cut as near to the edges as possible so you get all of them out. There will probably be lots of leftovers, I made cakepops with mine. One other thing, I am making this cake slightly smaller as it was a little unstable at the height it was and I'd hate for it to topple over after all of your hard work.

You will need

1 cake board (at least 6 inches)
3-5 dowels
4 pieces of coloured sugarpaste rolled out and made into small circles and stars for the baubles and one larger star for the top.  I sprayed my stars with gold lustre spray.
2 (10 x 8) trays, greased and lined
Set of cutters starting from 4 inch
preheat the oven to 170
420g S/R flour
350g caster sugar
400g stork margarine
6 eggs
2 tsp Vanilla bean paste
Mix all of the above together in an 'all in one' method. Spoon into prepared tins and bake for 25-35 minutes until golden and when it springs back when touched. Leave for at least a couple of hours to firm up and cool completely. Then start to cut out discs of cake, starting with a 4 inch cutter, then a 3&1/2 and so on finishing with a 1&1/2 inch cutter.

For the buttercream

2kg icing sugar

1kg unsalted softened butter

Green gel colour

2 tsp bolling water

Mix the icing sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Then add the colour, start with a little and work up. Then add the boiling water, whip together until even in colour. Spoon 2 thirds into a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle and put the rest into a bowl to sandwich the cake together and crumb coat.

To Assemble

Buttercream the discs of cake into a pyramid shape. Then add the dowels, cover with a crumb coating of buttercream, and place into the fridge or freeze until firm to touch. I'd do this bit in situ, starting at the bottom of the cake pipe on the tree branches, holding the bag horizontally and pulling towards yourself, moving the cake round as you go. Once the cake is totally covered you can then add your decorations. I've given instruction for sugarpaste baubles and stars but you could let your imagination run wild. Tiny candy canes and gingerbread men would look really cute, along with presents around the base. Also it would work really well with my chocolate mud cake adapted up to fit the tins.

Icing and Decorating Christmas Cakes

I love Christmas! This time of year, when all the lights start popping up all over the place, Christmassy smells wafting from my kitchen, jars of mincemeat all lined up in my kitchen cupboards along with an array of chutneys. 

But the most exciting thing is the star attraction, icing the cake. I'm really not the most creative person so it is quite a simple look. I know lots of you will be far more creative. So here is just a starting point.

Start by gently heating some apricot jam. Brush the cake all over with the jam. Roll out your marzipan, I used 1 pkt (about half a killo) but I'm not a big lover of it and so prefer it on the thin side.

Leave it to dry overnight. The next day brush over the marzipan with a little water. I use a ready rolled packet of fondant, lay the fondant over the cake. (See picture)

Gently pull the icing out and then ease into place (see picture below). Once all the cake is covered and the icing is in place you can use either smoothers or a piece of folded kitchen roll to smooth out any lumps and bumps trimming off the excess.

To make the igloo roll out some flower or gum paste  on a brick texture mat, cut out a circle and line either in a half circle mould or a teacup with it, and leave to set, cut a small oblong of icing to make the opening of the igloo and place over a small rolling pin. To make the bear watch the mini video I've added. To bring the cake together, roll some some balls out of fondant 'glue' onto the top of the cake using a little water with a craft paint brush, roll out a blue circle, brush the underside with a sparse brushing of water, then gently roll into place with a plastic small rolling pin, to give a less uniformed pond, glue the igloo into place with water and then the polar bear. Once everything is dry and firm in place tie with a pretty ribbon and gently brush all over with lustre dust.

Nursery Foods: Chicken Pie & Sticky Toffee Puddings

I really hope you enjoy making and eating these as much as we did.I make individual ones, as my lot all come home at different times and I find it easier to keep in the fridge until they arrive home. 

Chicken Pie

1 leek

3 stalks of fresh thyme

20g butter 

2 tbsp olive oil non virgin

2 rashers of bacon

700g cubed chicken

2 chicken stock pots or cubes mixed into 300 ml boiling water

2 tbsp double cream

a packet of fresh puff pastry or homemade if you have time.

an egg beaten with a fork

Slice the leeks into discs the thickness of £1 coins

Heat the butter and oil in a 10x3 inch frying pan

Snip the bacon into small lardons and fry gently until light pink

Add the chopped leeks and leaves from the thyme salute until really soft

With a slotted spoon remove the leeks and bacon leaving behind the oil.

Turn up the heat and fry the chicken until all the pink on the surface has gone, add the leeks back into the pan. Turn the heat back to medium.

Continue to cook for 5 minutes the add the chicken stock reduce by half. 

Roll out the pastry to just cover the frying pan or pie dish.

Stir in the double cream until well combined. Leave to cool. Transfer into a pie dish or individual ones if prefered. 

Preheat the oven 200˚c

Cover the filling with the pastry and score lines gently making diamond shapes across the top, brush with a little beaten egg, bake for about 25-30 minutes until golden and puffy, serve immediately.  

Individual Sticky Toffee Puddings  

175g soft brown sugar
60g soft unsalted butter
200g self raising flour
3 tbsp golden syrup
2 egg 
300g dried dates/prunes
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
300 ml boiling water

For the toffee sauce:
150g Dark brown soft sugar
100g butter
250 ml double cream                      preheat the oven to 180
8 buttered ramekins

1. Boil a kettle and pour 250ml of boiling water over the 250g of the fruit, cover and leave for 10 minutes.Chop the remaining 50g of fruit and place into the bottom of the buttered ramekin dishes 

2. In a freestanding machine whisk together the sugar and butter, until light and fluffy

3.Turn the machine to slow and add the syrup and eggs

4. Sieve the flour and bicarbonate and add to the mixture whisk until well combined

THEN:

1. Add the bicarbonate soda to the fruit and puree with a hand held blender or in the food processor
2. Add to the batter and spoon into a 8 buttered ramekins
3. Bake for about 30-40 minutes in a preheated oven.
4. For the toffee sauce put all the ingredients into a pan over a medium heat, stir until everything is melted and well combined.
5. Turn out the puddings and spoon over the sauce

Nursery Foods Part 2: Sausage & Mash and Raspberry Rice Pudding Meringues

Now that winter is drawing in I want cosy foods. The sort of food that is like a warm hug on a plate. I think all of us secretly like to be looked after and these are the foods that give you that feeling of being a child and make you feel secure. 

Sausage and Mash, a humble meal but for me it can be fit for a king or at least my 3 Princes! (I use that term loosely as I'm sure no Prince would leave every light on in the house and wet towels all over the floor).

I start with(Per Person):
3 sausages 
Half a peeled red onion 
Half a garlic head

Prick the sausages, chop the red onions into quarters and leaving the garlic in it's skin just chop straight down the middle. 

Place in a large baking tray but don't over crowd as you want a nice baked rather than boiled dinner. 

Drizzle with some Olive oil. I use some thyme infused oil that I make up myself or sprinkle over some thyme leaves. 

Bake in a hot 210c oven until well baked. You may need to finish the onions off on their own.

Whilst my sausages are cooking I peel and boil my potatoes, add a large pat of butter and some cream, mash, then add a tablespoon of creamed  horseradish. 

Whip in with a wooden spoon. Move all of the sausages, garlic and onions to a serving plate to keep warm. Sprinkle some gravy granules into the baking tray then add a splash of water and whisk making sure to mix in all the lovely crispy bits that are stuck to the pan. 

Plate up and serve.

For the Raspberry Rice and Meringue Pud
Years ago I saw this idea on TV. I'm not sure but I think it could have been James Martin. 

Anyway I've wanted to try it but you know how it is. I just cooked and baked in my comfort zone, mainly doing the same stuff week in week out. If I found a thing that cleared the plates I did it until my lot moaned, that is the wonderful thing about the last year I have experimented. 

It has given me the ability to try and experiment and you know what my lot love it. I so wish I'd tried more ideas on them all years ago. For this pudding I know it seems a little amount of sugar in the rice but it really is sweet with the jam and meringue so please trust me.

For the rice pudding

Cover a pyrex dish base with pudding rice

Fill 3/4 full with milk about 2 pints

Add a knob of butter

Quarter of a cup of caster sugar

Cover with a lid.

Put into a preheated oven 220 for 30 mins

Turn the oven down to 100 and bake for 2 and a half hours

Stir in some extra milk if it needs to be loser and the zest of an orange

For the Meringue

4 egg whites 

200g caster sugar

150g raspberries

In a clean bowl of a freestanding machine whisk the egg whites until soft peaks, slowly add the caster sugar little by little.

Reserving 6 firm big raspberries pass the rest through a sieve, discard the pips and put the puree to one side. Spoon the meringue into a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle.

Now divide the rice pudding between 6 ramekin dishes, spoon half a teaspoon of raspberry jam onto the centre of each, then stud with a fresh raspberry, pipe a swirl of meringue onto the top, drizzle with the raspberry puree, bake in a preheated oven for about 18-22 min.

Serve with some fresh raspberries

Nursery Foods Part 1. Cottage Pie, followed by Toffee, Banana and Thyme Steamed Pudding

When I did my poll earlier this week quite a few of you said you’d like me to do a blog on Nursery foods. I love all of those sorts of comforting foods. My favourite being steamed puddings of any kind. 

This week I’m going to start with a toffee banana sponge pudding and cottage pie but will be running lots more blog posts as the idea has really sparked of my flavour for all things comforting. 

Watch out for steamed steak and ale pudding, rice pud, chicken stew and beef casseroles. When I was younger I loved those baked puds that had a pool of sauce around them so that is another... Baked rhubarb and custard with a twist. 

Well I could go on all day but let's get started.

Cottage Pie

My boys all love this one and it is a particular favourite with Daisy my middle sons girlfriend. Some of you who follow me on Facebook may have seen the birthday afternoon Tea I did for her with mini cottage pies. They worked really well and were fab as I could make the day before and just reheat before serving. I normally make the day before letting the flavours develop overnight.

Serves 4

750g lean minced steak

3 slices of streaky bacon diced

4 carrots 

2 leeks

1 large onion

2 oxo cubes

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce

Bouquet garni (I make my own by tying a sprig of thyme, rosemary and 4 bay leaves together)

A splash of olive oil (I use homemade thyme oil, but regular non virgin works fine)

2 tbsp gravy granules

Enough water to cover the meat

1kg potatoes

A knob of butter

A pinch of salt

50g grated cheese

1 egg yolk

50ml double cream

A splash of red or white wine (optional)

Start by either peeling and dicing or peeling and throwing the carrots, leeks and onion into a food processor. Then pulse until you have very small diced pieces. 

In a very large sauce pan add a glug of oil sweat off the vegetables until soft but not coloured. Transfer onto a plate and reheat the pan. Add a little oil and when the oil is hot fry off the bacon pieces. Add half of the meat and fry off. 

Remove to the plate with the veg and fry the other half of the mince. Once browned add back all of the meat and veg. Add the worcestershire sauce, bouquet garni, crumble in the oxo cubes and give a good stir. Then add your gravy granules and enough liquid to cover the meat. Give a good stir, cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for about 3 hours. 

In the meantime peel and chop your potatoes (I use Maris pipers) and cook in a pan drain and mash with the salt, butter, cheese, egg yolk and 40ml of the double cream. Strain the meat and remove the herbs reserving the gravy in a small saucepan. 

Spoon the meat into a baking dish, cover with the mash potato, then drizzle with the double cream (this gives you that great crispy texture). I now like to leave to become completely cold before baking, I find this gives a much nicer texture and more depth of flavour, bake in a really hot oven 210 for about 35-45 minutes or until nice and crispy and golden. 

Toffee, thyme and banana steamed pudding

For this pudding you can leave out the thyme if it really doesn't appeal to you but I promise it really is lovely. It works so well with the banana and toffee.

For the toffee sauce

40g Demerara 

50g unsalted butter

2 firm small bananas

3 tbsp double cream

1 sprig of fresh thyme

In a shallow pan gently melt the butter and sugar together. When they have both melted slice the banana's in nice diagonal slices about half an inch thick and add to the pan. Cover in the sauce. Next add the cream and thyme, reduce down slightly and put to one side.

For the pudding

175g S/R flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

100g soft light brown sugar

75g caster sugar

175g softened unsalted butter

3 eggs

2 tbsp double cream

In a large bowl mix all the above ingredients together until well combined. Grease a 2 pint pudding bowl with a little butter. Pour the toffee and bananas into the bottom. Cover with the pudding batter and cover with a circle of parchment and the a layer of foil. Steam for 2 hours then turn out, remove the thyme sprig and enjoy.

Orange & Poppy Seed Muffins

Ok so it's confession time. I bought this amazing paper that I wanted to use as a back drop for a photo and then these pretty cases came along so I needed a recipe that could use both, also I woke up feeling like I needed to treat myself to something tasty.

I love poppy seeds and muffins, in my humble opinion, are the easiest things in the world to make. That paired with a bowl brimming with big fat juicy oranges, well these little gems were just waiting to happen.

300g Self raising flour
180g caster sugar
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp Bicarb
2 tbsp poppy seeds
zest of a large orange or 2 medium
80g melted butter
260ml milk
80ml orange juice
2 eggs
To Finish
juice of an orange
icing sugar

For muffins literally just weigh all the dry ingredients into a large bowl. Then the milk, melted butter, orange juice and eggs into a jug mix and pour the wet into the dry ingredients.

Fold in with a large metal spoon. Don't overwork as this will result in heavy muffins, spoon into cases, mine made about 18 but theses cases are smallish. Bake at 180 for about 18-25 mins (longer time if using big muffin cases).

Mix together the orange juice and some icing sugar until you have a nice paste then pour over the warm muffins and leave to cool on a wire rack. The muffins are quite sticky to the cases until cool, then they should peel away perfectly. Enjoy x

Around the World, Germany. Mini Apple Cakes Topped with Strudel and Pretzels

As usual these aren't authentic recipes but ones with my twist on them. I know I could research and post somebody else's recipe but I feel a bit of a phoney doing that.

So here we go. The apple cake comes from a big apple cake that my aunty Helen has been making for as long as I can remember. I divided it by 12, used brown sugar instead of white and added sultanas and cinnamon to give it a twist. I thought the nice topping of filo with chopped hazelnuts, cinnamon and butter would be good and it is.

I love them! If you give them a go please post and let me know what you think.

Apple and Strudel Mini Cakes
100g  Soft brown sugar
100g unsalted softened butter
200g S/R Flour
2 eggs
4 dessert apples peeled, cored and diced
A handful of sultanas (can be presoaked in calvados and drained)
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp milk

Topping:
6 sheets of filo
2 tsp ground cinnamon
100g melted butter
100g chopped hazelnuts
Icing sugar to dust                                           preheat the oven to 170

In a freestanding machine or with a hand-whisk mix together the sugar, butter and eggs. Next mix in the flour and cinnamon.

Then fold in the apples and sultanas, add the milk to slacken, spoon into well greased 12 hole muffin tin. Brush a sheet filo pastry with the melted butter on both sides.

Sprinkle with nuts and cinnamon and fold in half. Tear in two and scrunch into 2 balls and pop onto the cake batter. Repeat with the other 5 sheets.

Bake in a preheated oven for about 25- 30 minutes, Place onto a wire rack to cool and dust liberally with icing sugar.

Pretzels
Secondly, I've been waiting to make pretzels for ages. I can't walk past one of those stalls at Westfield without stopping, in fact I was driving home from London the other day and contemplated making a detour just to get one!

Thankfully my greediness was recognised by myself quickly enough for me to drive on.

200g Plain flour
300g Strong white bread flour
8g salt (I use rock)
7g easy blend yeast
10g soft brown sugar
200ml warm water
170 ml warm milk
40g melted butter
Water bath
A mixing bowl half filled with water and 2 tbsp baking powder whisked in

Topping:
1 egg
100g melted butter
2tbsp ground cinnamon mixed with 100g icing sugar                       Preheat the oven 210


I put the flours, salt, sugar and yeast into my Kitchen-aid fitted with the bread-hook.

Then in a jug mix the butter with the water and milk, turn on the machine and slowly add the liquid.

Knead on the hook for about 8 minutes or by hand for 12. Leave to double in size in an oiled bowl.

Mine took about 80 minutes. Knock back and divide the dough into 14 equal pieces, shape into pretzel shapes, dip into the water bath and place onto prepared baking trays.

Leave to stand for 10 minutes, brush with the beaten egg. Bake in a preheated oven for 8-12 minutes, cool on a wire rack until handheld warm, dip into the melted butter and then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.

France Beurre Blanc Sauce & Paris Brest Cakes

A few years ago we went to Biarritz and I loved it. The food was amazing and the people were so understatedly chic. The food markets near by were to die for and I have to say I could easily pack up and go and live there for a good 6 months (I love not-so-sunny blighty so could never go for good!).

My In-laws were living there at the time and took as to loads of fab local restaurants. I know I'm greedy and always remembering foodie things but when they are so good I just can't help it. We had the most amazing beef burgers on the beach, my mouth waters just thinking about them, another memory is this amazing fish in a beurre blanc sauce, it was stunning. Sorry I'm rambling food will do that to me.


Cod (or any white fish)

For the Fish 
I just lay the fillets on a baking tray, slice a lemon and lay on the tray, dot with butter, and sprinkle with salt, cover with foil and bake in a hot oven 210 for about 15 minutes

with Beurre Blanc
¼ glass of white wine vinegar
1 glass of good white wine (only the type you'd drink)
a pinch of rock salt
a pinch of black pepper
¼ glass of chopped shallots
200g cubed cold unsalted butter
Half the juice of lemon

In a large saucepan bring the wine, vinegar, shallots, salt and pepper to the boil and reduce by half, strain and pour back in the pan, bring back to the boil and add a few cubes of butter all the while whisking, continue whisking in the butter until its all added, squeeze in the juice of half a lemon, stir in a few capers and spoon over the fish.

Chocolate and Banana Paris Brest Cakes
200 g plain flour
150 g cubed butter 
350 ml water
1/2 teaspoon of salt
6 eggs
A few Flaked almonds

Method:
Place water and butter in a saucepan heat gently till butter melts 
Sift flour 3 times with salt

When butter has melted turn up the heat bring to the boil

Then turn off the heat beat in flour with a wooden spoon,until a firm paste and comes away from the edges.

Tip on to a plate to cool, (about 10 mins) then beat in eggs a teaspoon at a time start with a wooden spoon.

Then transfer into a freestanding mixer and continue to beat until smooth and silky.

Spoon into a piping bag, pipe 9 rings onto prepared baking trays,then repeat twice more, then pipe 9 blobs, sprinkle with flaked almonds to make the tops, cook in a preheated oven @ 180 for 30 mins. 

Once risen and golden brown make small holes and put back in the oven for 5 mins to dry out.

For the Chocolate and banana filling
200g dark chocolate chopped into small pieces
200ml double cream
2 chopped bananas

Bring the cream to the boil and then tip in the chocolate, stir until silky smooth, fold in the banana pieces and put to one side to firm up slightly. 

To Finish:
300ml double cream 
a little grated chocolate

Whip 300ml of double cream and spoon into a piping bag fitted with an open star nozzle. 
To assemble, Spoon the chocolate and banana cream into the centre of the cakes, pipe around with the whipped cream, fill the choux buns with cream, sprinkle grated chocolate over each cake and top with the choux bun.

Giraffe/Tiger bread (Tigraffe)

I for one agree with the little child that said Tiger bread looks more like Giraffes. My boys always like to give me a challenge and never like me to sit still for more than 5 seconds. How do I know this ? Not just by them asking me to make cookies on Monday evening and then wanting Tiger bread as soon as the cookies were made, but by the 18 shirts Billy has put into the washing basket for me to wash and Iron in my spare time. He also asked if I could nip to the shops for him today!! Dylan no doubt will want something I haven't got in my food ladened smeg I swear you couldn't get as much as a layer of filo in there but he will say there is nothing to eat!!

For 2 loaves of delicious Tigraffe Bread:
750g strong white bread flour
10g Maldon salt
12g caster sugar
7g sachet yeast
25g Olive Oil (non virgin)
500 ml lukewarm water

In a free standing machine fitted with a bread hook add the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Make a well in the centre, in a jug mix together 510ml of water with the oil, turn on the machine and add the liquid. Now you want a nice wet dough, so if your dough seems a little too dry add a small amount of extra water until you have a soft damp dough, continue knead for about 7 minutes,  oil the bowl then cover and leave to double in size, about an hour.
Turn out your dough knock back and knead for about a minute, shape into 2 loaves and pop onto oiled baking trays.

For the magic:
120g rice flour
110ml water
6 tbsp sesame oil
2tbsp sugar


For the tigerish topping, mix the above ingredients together, you want the consistency of double cream, spread carefully over the tops of each loaf, leave to prove for about 90 minutes. Bake in a very hot preheated oven about 210˚c for about 22 minutes, be careful as the top can catch easily. Leave to cool on wire racks.

Around The World Part 4: My take on Apple Danish and Rye Bread

I know these aren't the original recipes but they are my take on them. With the Danish I wanted to try and simplify the recipe but you could always use the laminated pastry instead of the ready made pastry by clicking HERE .

The Rye bread isn't that dark bread but a much lighter one that I tried, using double cream for the fat content. It worked really well and I think I'll be trying that again.

1 packet of ready roll puff pastry (brought to room temp)
3 dessert apples peeled, diced and cored
A large knob of butter +some for greasing
40g Demerara sugar
2-4 tsp ground cinnamon
2-4 tbsp warmed sieved apricot jam
100g icing sugar
a little fresh apple juice

In a salute pan melt the butter along with the sugar and cinnamon, add the apples and gently fry until soft, put to one side to cool.

When the apple is cooled unroll the pastry and spread over the apple mix, then roll into a long cylinder and chop into about 10 rounds, grease 10 holes of a muffin tin and pop each round into the holes.

Cook in a preheated oven 200 for about 16-22 mins or until well baked and golden, leave to cool slightly in the tins (about 5-10 mins)

Then transfer onto a wire rack, brush with the warmed jam and leave to set. In the mean time mix the icing sugar with enough apple juice to make a glaze then drizzle over The pastries:

Rye Bread:
300g white bread flour
180g Rye Flour
15g sugar
8g sea salt
7g sachet yeast
300 ml lukewarm water
30ml double cream

In a freestanding machine (fitted with a bread hook) or a large bowl, put the flours, sugar, salt and yeast in.

Mix together the water and cream in a jug, make a well in the centre of the flour and gradually add the liquid with the machine running or bring together with your hands. If it is too wet add a little more flour but I try and keep my dough as wet as poss as I have found this makes the nicest bread.

Knead on the bread hook for 8 mins or by hand for 12, oil the bowl and cover leave to prove until doubled in size and springs back when touched, about an hour, turn out and knead for about a minute, shape and put into a buttered 2lb loaf tin.

Cover with oiled cling and leave to prove in a warm place for an hour. Uncover and brush with egg wash Bake in a preheated oven at 210 (I always put a couple of ice cubes in the bottom of the oven at the same time as the bread) for about 25-30 mins, turn out onto a wire rack, leave to cool before slicing.