Around the world Part 1; Austria - Wiener Schnitzel & Austrian Coffee Cake

For me there are so many places out there and such little time (& money). I know that I'm never going to get around half of the places I want to see, or dip my toes in half of the oceans, try the cuisines, but a girl can but dream,

I'd love to go whale watching, see the pyramids, sail along the Nile. I want to experience elephants and lions in their natural habit, I could go on all day and that is without returning to the places I've been to. Top of my to do is St Marks square in the winter. I cried when we left mid-summer it was so magical, it really is the most romantic place I've been to.

I've never been to Austria it is one of the places that I'd love to see, I've been to Geneva and this is how I imagine Austria, all clean and air so crisp you could almost snap it between your fingers.

Well from this post you may guess I want to try new places and experience the cultures, so if Mohammed can't come to the mountain, this for the time being will have to be the next best thing.

For 2 people
2 Boneless pork-chops or 2 chicken breast

2-3 slices of 2 day old bread blitzed in the food processor

1 egg beaten

2 tbsp flour sprinkle of thyme

a pinch of salt

a glug oil 

A pat butter

Bash the meat fillet to flatten, in 3 bowls put the flour, egg and breadcrumbs, with the flour mix a pinch of salt and a pinch of thyme, dip the meat escalope into the beaten egg, then dip into the flour, back into the egg, then into the breadcrumbs, pop onto a tray and chill for at least half an hour in the fridge, heat some oil in a shallow pan over a medium heat, add some butter, when the butter is bubbling add the meat and cook for 3-5 minutes (depending on the thickness) until golden, then flip over and repeat until golden brown and well cooked through. For a delicious accompaniment mix the zest of a lemon with 100g unsalted butter, roll into a cylinder shape and chill, once chilled slice into discs and pop a piece on top of each escalope. 

Austrian Coffee Cake 

300g S/R Flour

250g soft brown sugar

250g unsalted softened butter

6 eggs

4 tsp camp coffee or 4 shots of cooled expresso

50g good dark chocolate chips

150g icing sugar

1 tbsp vanilla bean paste/extract

In a free standing machine mix together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, add an egg at a time, then the flour, divide the mixture into 3, Mix one third with 2tsp of camp coffee, fold the chocolate chips through the second third, and keep the last one plain, grease a 25-27cm Bundt tin and spoon in the chocolate chip mixture, then a long the centre add the coffee third finishing with the plain third bake at 170 for about 45-55 minutes.

When the cake is cooked turn out onto a cooling rack and mix together half of the icing sugar with the remaining camp coffee and a couple of tbsp of water, then drizzle over the warm cake, next repeat but this time using the vanilla, leave to cool completely before cutting.

The Finalist

I want to thank each and everyone who has taken part, an amazing 92 of you have all been fantastic, the standard has been so wonderful, it has been so difficult to pick the 6 finalists we have deliberated for hours,and now chosen our  finalists for all of those who have entered and not made it through please know that all the cakes were stunning and it was a case of having to pick 6 from 92  I’d like to offer  you a 15% discount voucher if you’d like to book a masterclass as Thank you.Lastly just to say I really hope you have enjoyed the competition and cake as much as I have, you are all truly lovely bakers, please email me @ Jowheatley@live.co.uk if you’d like to take your voucher. 

The cakes have been chosen by the myself and 5 other judges, I felt the fairest way to choose was to pick one each and say why, below are our choices and comments.

My choice is Something about cupcakes entry. Looks like a nice even bake,Ganache is good and shiny.

This cake has a wonderfully even bake and the decoration is beautiful. It is just so neat! I'm sure it tastes just as good as it looks. xx

Red is my Favourite colour so June Benson's cake really stood out for me.

A perfectly even bake with wonderfully crafted poppies. If I thought there was a chance of there being any left over, I would be hot footing it round to June's in a flash! Looks delicious! :0)

Laura Chittock's choc cherry cake is not only beautiful to look at (well presented and has a shiny ganache) but also uses one of my favourite flavour combinations. Her cake has inspired me! Simple and beautiful. Though frankly I would have happily eaten a slice of every single entry!

 I love the colours and for me lots of different skills have been used on this bake, I think the macaroons a lovely simply elegant addition to this cake.

My finalist cake is Ryan Carr's beautiful chocolate & strawberry cake. It looks like a exceptional bake, lovely dark rich and moist. The feathering of the chocolate ganache is a lovely touch. Such a well thought out and executed design. Fabulous.

Chicken and Mushroom Pasta

For those of you who know me, you'll know that anything quick and easy to follow is the way I love to cook/bake. Whenever I open a cookery book or read a recipe with a list of instructions as long as my arm it makes me want to run for the hills, so here is my no nonsense pasta.

For each person you will need 1 chicken breast diced, a third of a packet of fresh pasta, 3 large field mushrooms washed and sliced, a sprig of thyme, a quarter of the zest of a lemon, a clove of garlic, a splash of white wine, 1-2 tbsp of double cream, some basil leaves, quarter of a ball of mozzarella, quarter of a spanish onion diced.

A few hours before you're ready to start cooking pop the diced chicken in a bowl with a splash of olive oil, the lemon zest, grate in the garlic cloves, and the leaves of the thyme, give a good mix round cover and leave to marinate.

Put on a large saucepan of salted boiling water, add the pasta, and cook as instructions. Drain.

In a heavy based saute pan heat a tbsp of oil and a knob of butter and saute the chopped onions, when they are translucent add the sliced mushrooms and cook until soft and well cooked, remove to a warmed plate with a slotted spoon.

Add a little more butter to the pan and add the chicken and all the oils, cook until the chicken is nearly cooked and add the mushrooms and onion back to the pan, Add the wine and reduce down until the wine has all but disappeared, followed by the cream and heat until reduced by half, add in the mozzarella and stir.

Toss the drained pasta into the sauce, scatter with ripped basil leaves and serve.