Cold weather and Orange and Apricot Hot Cross Buns

This winter everyone was expecting another big freeze. I was completely prepared; new hiking boots with not one but two pairs of shoe spikes, all weather tires, waterproof trousers, ski jacket and all the accessories of anti-freeze, scrappers, gloves and scarves. And what happens? It's a hot December, 20 degrees warmer than the year before. So warm in fact that it really didn't feel like Christmas when the 25th finally arrived. However now that it's spring the cold weather has come and what better weekend for snow than when I have flown over to England with nothing but a pair of converse all stars and only enough outfits for a few days. On the up side the snowy weather makes Cambridge look even better than normal.

                    

Cold weather like this always inspires me to bake and this week in the spirit of the forthcoming lent and Easter season I decided to make Hot Crossed Buns, with a little twist of course.

Nothing beats the cold better than a hot cup of coffee and a bun!   

Orange and Apricot Hot Crossed Buns (makes 14)

1 x 7g packet of dried yeast

200ml warm milk
1 tsp Honey
500g Strong flour/Cream flour
1 tsp salt
50g Brown Sugar
2 eggs
50g melted butter
50g Candied orange peel
75g dried apricot

Warm the milk until it is luke warm and then put it in a bowl with the dried yeast and the honey. Mix thoroughly and then leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Sieve together the flour, salt and brown sugar. Melt the butter and beat the eggs into the butter. Once the yeast and milk mixture has formed a frothy top slowly mix in half of the flour. Add the rest of the flour in small sections alternated between small amounts of the egg and butter mixture. Do not add all the flour if the mixture appears to be too dry. Finally flour the fruit and add it to your dough.

Knead your dough, adding small amounts of flour when necessary, until it becomes elastic to the touch and does not stick to the surface or your hands. Place your kneaded dough into a lightly greased bowl and turn it once to get grease on all sides of the dough ball. Cover the bowl with a clean, damp dish-cloth or with cling-film and allow it to proof for 1-2 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.

Once the dough has doubled in size remove it from the bowl and knead it again until it has lost some of it's volume. Form 14/15 even balls of dough and place them on the baking tray. Cover with the cloth/cling-film again and allow to proof for a further 45minutes/1 hour. Preheat your oven to 210 degrees celcius/400 degrees farenheit/Gas mark 6, your oven needs to be well preheated for bread baking. To make the cross form a dough from flour and water ( I also add a spoon of sugar) and roll it into thin strips to be placed on the buns just before they go into the oven. Brush the buns with an egg glaze.

Bake the buns for 15-20mins or until they are browned all over and sound hollow when tapped underneath.

While the buns are cooling brush them with a marmalade or apricot jam glaze. the glaze can be made by heating 2 tbs of the jam or marmalade with a tsp of water in the microwave. Then let the buns cool and finally enjoy them.
Someone asked me yesterday why I would bake when it was cheaper and faster to just buy things from the store. It is actually a fair question in this case considering HCBs are everywhere and v.cheap but honestly the answer is simple; the pleasure of making something from scratch that turns into a delicious and beautiful treat is far more rewarding than any cheap sugar high I could ever buy.

Chocolate Cup-cake for Chocolate cake day

In 2004/2005 I was living in France in a beautiful big house with a extravagant french kitchen, unfortunately I was not allowed to use that kitchen. I was renting a room in this house and as part of the package students renting in this house were allowed use of a separate student kitchen. This was useful on many levels as it gave us a place to keep our food away from the main kitchen and a place to hang out together, which we did and I spent many memorable nights in that kitchen chatting with my friend and drinking tea or water. The down-side of the kitchen however was the fact that it had no oven, or hon, or anything other than a microwave! You can only imagine how difficult this was for a baking fanatic like me!

Never one to let circumstances prevent me from getting what I want I became an expert in microwave baking. I made everything in the microwave, from bread to cakes to scones. Don't get me wrong, microwave baking never replaced traditional baked goods in my heart and my friends who were there can attest to the fact that I jumped at any opportunity to use the real oven and make proper Irish scones. That said there is a great deal of fun and convenience in making cake in the microwave and since it's become popular recently I decided to share one of my favourite chocolate cup-cake (or cake in a cup) recipes. This time picture tutorial style, it's my first time so excuse the roughness.

Chocolate cake in a cup recipe

4-5 pieces of milk chocolate, or dark choc if you prefer
50ml milk
2 tbsp white flour
pinch of baking powder
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp sugar
1 egg yolk

First choose your mug. I like to pick something tall and slim in shape to make the process fast and ensure the cake cooks evenly, remember a microwave cooks from the middle and you will not be able to mix this once you start. I choose this elegant white mug and buttered the inside -

Just like a traditional cake I like to flour the butter to give the cake a nice outside. I used a chai coco powder for a little bit of a spice kick -

Then prepare the cake mix. Many cake in a cup recipes prepare the cake mix in the cup used to bake. I know this saves on washing up but honestly I've found that it can lead to a improperly combined mix and lumps of flour where you do not want them so I mix in a cereal bowl, something most students have, and then put it into the mug.

Break the chocolate into the bowl and add the milk. Melt the chocolate and milk together in the microwave for approx 30 seconds - 1 min. Whisk together the mixture and you can add more milk if it is not runny in texture. To this add the flour, pinch of baking powder, coco powder, sugar (can be removed if using hot chocolate powder instead of cocoa powder) and egg yolk. Then beat the mixture until it is smooth. Pour your mixture into the cup but leave space at the top for rising -

Microwave this on 50% power for 2 and a half to 3 minutes, going one minute at a time with a pause between them. Do not mix and don't panic if any mixture spills over the edge. The mixture will rise over the top and make a lovely little muffin top. At this point you can dig straight in or you can let it cool and ice it



I attempted to make mine look like a cappuccino or some coffee drink using plain and chocolate icing. The cake is delicious and fluffy with lots of chocolate goodness. Hope you enjoy

Suits - quick witted comedy or re-hashed legal garbage?

I must admit I was intrigued by the trailers for the pilot of 'Suits,' the characters appeared to be interesting and the dialogue fast and witty. The basic premise appears to be that a highly intelligent but under-achieving young man, Mike Ross (Patrick J.Adams) somehow finds himself in an interview for a law associate and using his superior memory skills and knowledge of the law to impress his employer, Harvery Spektor (Gabriel Macht) and talk his way into the position. The only problem is that he is not a qualified lawyer, in fact he is a college drop out! As you can imagine hyjinx immediately ensue!!

There is no question that the pilot was fast paced and entertaining. The relationship between the main characters is dynamic and is a perfect example of the mentor style relationship that many people may have experienced or wished they had in their twenties. The scenario is also appealling to a generation of people who are coming out of college and stuck working jobs that neither satisfy them nor often relate to their training. The idea of getting an oppertunity to turn everything around, get the dream job and be appreciated is the perfect escapism for the recession generation. So what's the problem, perfect show right?!

Well I've only two main problems, the first is the legal aspect of the show. The legal scene was done to death in the nineties with dozen of shows revolving around the lawyers offices and their court dates. I can honestly say that these shows also painted a vastly unrealistice view of the life of a lawyer, hinting at the long hours and piles of paper work but focusing on the court-room drama. If you were to ask a lawyer I know you would discover that the majority of time is in fact dedicated to the endless paperwork.

Which brings me to my second problem - the lack of paperwork. The first quarter of the pilot repeates ad nauseaum the fact that this enormous law firm 'only hire from Harvard,' Then we see that Harvey Spektor will lie for the young man and send him to Harvard while he works there, but Mike Ross doesn't even get into Harvard he appears to use his fast wit to sneak in somehow. All-in-all it doesn't sit right with me. I understand that this is a fantasy world in which everything is beginning to fall into place for young mister Ross but somehow this top legal firm and the admission board in one of the top schools in America will ignore the neccessary paper-work and let him in on the basis of his winning charm? It's too good to be true.

However that said the good in this show cannot be ignored. I thoroughly enjoyed the pace, humour and bare-faced cheekiness in this show and will continue to tune in, but possibly have to turn off my brain slightly, to be entertained by this witty and fantastical show. I'd recommend you try it and decide for yourself.

January Blues Beaters part 2

It's that time of the year again; the time to set in motion plans for the year ahead, get back to the routine after the holidays and, for most of us, to work off those extra pounds that the Christmas period bestowed upon us. I sometimes find this time of year a tad depressing and I don't think I am alone. It's all too easy to set your goals, set out full steam ahead and then find that you are not achieving them at the rate you had intended. It's difficult to get back into healthy eating and active living when the holidays were so enjoyable and the weather is still wintery. Last year I attempted to bake my way out of these blues with cookies that can be consumed after a workout. This year I'm upping the anti and baking blues busters that will not bust your trousers, your pockets but which you will very much want to eat (at any and all times of day)

Tempted?

These double layered peanut and almond cookies are delicately drizzled with 70% dark chocolate. They are Gluten free, low in fat (fats used are good fats, in moderation), almost guilt free and high in protein and fiber.

The base is made somewhat similar to the cookies I made last year and the almond layer is made using a method similar to macaroons. The affect of all this is a simultaneously crunchy and chewy cookie that hits all the chocolatey and sweet notes that we continue to crave after the holidays but achieves these without all the refined sugars and unhealthy fats.

Chocolate, Peanut and Almond Protein cookies

Base

100g Organic smooth peanut butter

50g Agave Nectar

1-2 scoops Organic Rice Protein Powder                              

100g Steal Cut Oats

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 tbsp organic brown sugar

Mix together the peanut butter and agave nectar then add the vanilla extract and sugar. Mix the powder into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth (a small amount of fat free milk can be added here to create the smooth texture). Add the oats to the mixture and mix until smooth and slightly sticky and then spoon out into 1 inch balls and par-bake for 5-8mins  or until the tops appear slightly browned.

Almond Layer

3 egg whites - 1 day old if possible

250g ground almonds

1 scoop organic rice protein powder

1 tsp caster sugar

pinch of cream of tartar

1-2 tsp icing sugar

Beat the egg whites until frothy, add the cream of tartar and continue to beat, add the teaspoon of caster sugar and beat until the egg whites form stiff peaks. Sieve the ground almonds, icing sugar and protein powder together and then fold into the egg white mixture. Pipe small rounds onto the bases and cook for another 5-8mins. 

Let the cookies cool and meanwhile (attempt to) temper 100g of 70% dark chocolate. Then when the cookies are cool drizzle the melted chocolate over the cookies, let them dry and enjoy after the gym, or whenever the mood strikes!

An early fresh start and American Horror Story

It has been a while since I posted. A lot has happened in the latter part of this year, including an annoying ailment that prevented me from eating any sweets or cakes but did not prevent me from making them so it's no excuse really. In better news however I finally Mastered Science..... it turns out it's not about food, annoyingly enough! This time last year I made all sorts of resolutions including multiple ones relating to this blog. This year I am making just 4 resolutions but each has a detailed plan with small goals and objectives that can be easily reached. The most relevant resolution for this post relates to this blog where I am determined to improve my blogging skills and consistency....here's hoping for the best and starting how I intend to continue.

American Horror Story

I heard a small amount of hype surrounding AHS before and after it started, mostly on Ellen but I'm sure it received more attention but I hadn't seen it. However almost every promotional piece I saw seemed to be promoting the show on the basis of the frequency that one can see Dylan McDermot's back-side in the nip, and while I will admit that his fantastic physique (the man is fifty unbelievably!) is appealing, there is a great deal more going for this show.

There are a number of interesting and unique elements to this show. Firstly there are only twelve episodes in season 1. This is more common in British series and although it is unfortunate that the season is so short, it makes me think that they spent a great deal of time on each episode and focused on overall storyline rather than making 22/24 episodes which more often than not feel exactly like the one before (not naming any names- Lie to me, What?? who said that?) Another interesting element is that this show is co-written by Ryan Murphy who brought us such horrific thrillers as.......
his back catalog consists of upbeat shows such as Glee and Popular and the screenplay for Eat/Pray/Love and the dramatic Nip/Tuck. This show taught me a great deal about Ryan Murphy, primarily that he has somehow managed to change MSG into a form that can be transmitted through the small screen directly to the optic nerve and the result is television crack. I experienced this phenomenon while watching 'Glee,' week after week I found myself returning despite the fact that I have never managed to watch an entire episode without needing a shot of insulin afterwards. AHS is similar, I wasn't even sure if I liked it at all for the first few episodes but each week I came running back wanting more.

The basic plot (no spoilers) basically follows a family who have moved from Boston to LA to escape their troubles and move into a beautiful historic mansion, only to find that they are being haunted by more than their past. As already mentioned Dylan McDermot plays the (frequently naked) husband struggling to balance his past, his hopes and dreams for the future and his ever present weaknesses. Connie Britton plays the long suffering wife who genuinely wants to move on with her life and be a good mother and wife but is struggling to forget, which mirrors the ghostly characters who cannot ever leave their pasts. Taissa Farmiga plays the classic teenage daughter; depressed, disenfranchised by parents who know nothing, and yet desperately seeking love and acceptance without wanting to ask. She has relatively little acting experience and yet every scene she is in she manages to convey the message and the emotion of the experience without losing any of her 'too cool for this,' attitude. There is one scene in the later episodes where she has a personal revelation and I must say she played this scene very well, the whole scene stuck with me for days afterwards, which is a rare occurrence. The various characters that the family encounter (living and dead) are each individually important to the plot and this show includes powerful performances by Jessica Lange, Evan Peters, Frances Conroy  and Jamie Brewer to name but a few.

Suffice is to say I thoroughly enjoy this show. It is very dark and unrelenting at times in it's exploration of the nastier elements of life, and death. The introduction music alone would dissuade those who are easily disgusted with images of body parts in jars and eerie music that hits all the combination of notes that make your skin crawl. However if you are in any way interested in the creepy and addictive I would strongly suggest looking for this show. Well worth a watch, just not when you're home alone ;)

The addiction that is Biscotti making and why I can't handle it.

I recently posted an apology on my facebook to all my friends saying that I'm sorry for the last year when I became a complete flake or just ignored them, doing a masters and a full-time job isn't the easiest thing ever, and their are people that do all this while being a loving wife and mother, wtf? amazing! Anyway the point is that I think this blog deserves an apology also.
When I sat down to write new years resolutions this year there were actually two resolutions dedicated to this blog, including 'Update every week.'....................erm fail! Anyway the masters took more out of me than I expected and every other area of my life suffered, sorry. This last moonth of August is gonna be the worst because this is the countdown to the big thesis hand-in. I'm not even a hundred percent sure that I will manage to get it in on time but I'm gonna give it my all, which mean, no or very little baking =(

I had been trying to write a post about Biscotti for the last 2 weeks and somehow it hasn't quite happened. I was inspired to make Biscotti after seeing an episode of 'Extra Virgin,' where Gabriele Corcos makes them. Debi Mazar makes fun of him because she says that he has become obsessed with making them, to the point where she has found him in the middle of the night surrounded by flour and cookie dough. That sounded funny, but it's not funny.

Biscotti making addiction is no joke, it's a serious and debilitating condition where the baker has to make biscotti over and over again until they are happy and the biscotti look right. To my dismay I have succumbed to this harrowing condition. I thought I could make one batch and have fun but one turned into two turned into thinking about it day and night wondering if a pinch more or less of baking soda or a little more citrus zest or slightly less chopped nuts would make the difference. I'm not gonna lie, I spend a lot of time thinking about recipes and how I can improve them or tweak them to make something different but this Biscotti thing has become ridiculous. The problem I think lies in the delicate balance between how easy it is to make biscotti and how difficult it is to perfect them. It's actually difficult to tell at any stage whether or not this will be the time until they are completely done and even then the real test is a day later to see how the crunch and taste develops in the air-tight container, because it does, for better or worse it develops.............and now I sound like a crazy person.

Enough is enough, I will keep working on my thesis and hopefully find some time to make another batch of Biscotti that i consider good enough to post here but until then I'm dreaming of better days to come when I can bake and post every week without study to worry about.
Bye =)

A edible centrepiece, classy and cookie?

I saw an episode of DC cupcakes recently that inspired me to want to make a bouquet of cupcakes. So when my boyfriend's parents got me a really cute set of mini cupcake cases it seemed like the perfect opportunity. I think this would be a perfect center-piece for a fancy party or even a wedding when the host wants to be a bit quirky and classy as well. I don't like the idea of putting them in a pot however it feels a little too earthy. Therefore I have gone with a few real leaves and the little rose cupcakes on, well I would ideally use Styrofoam but I didn't have any so I used an orange with the bottom cut off to flatten it. The results were pretty nice and I hope you'll agree.

The cupcake recipe I originally went with had to be altered because when I put it into the mini cases it expanded too much and overflowed, despite the fact that I only filled it 1/2 way full. Therefore I went with a recipe I remember from when I was a child. It's really REALLY basic but then it worked and I used really good ingredients so that they would shine despite the simplicity of the recipe.

Mini-Cupcakes Vanilla with Chocolate Frosting


125g Self Raising Flour
1/8 tsp baking powder
80g caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt
60ml whole milk
25g melted unsalted butter
1 lrg egg
1 1/2 tsp really good vanilla extract (as Nigella Lawson would say)

Frosting

Best ever Chocolate frosting
with added chocolate.

The cupcakes are mixed together using the muffin method surprisingly. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Sieve together the dry ingredients, including the sugar. Whisk together the wet ingredients and then mix them together. Don't over mix, just mix them enough to incorporate everything. Spoon into the cases up to 2/3rd way full and then bake for 15 minutes or until the top starts to brown.
Let the cupcakes cool fully on a wire rack use this time to prepare the frosting. Then pipe it into rose shapes with a star nozzle starting in the center and then going around that in a smooth circular motion.

To assemble the center-piece I used real leaves and washed them thoroughly with soap and water. then I put tooth picks into the styrofoam(orange) and places the cupcakes around the leaves.
Here's some more pictures to get a good look at the overall effect. I would add more cupcakes if I had styrofoam  and maybe do the frosting in white also but I think it looks pretty elegant. Enjoy =)