http://www.cakeoperaco.com/cakes
Thursday, 8 September 2011
Art in cake
One of my favorite sites i like to visit and stare in wonder at the beauty of cakes is definitely cakeoperaco.com.
http://www.cakeoperaco.com/cakes
http://www.cakeoperaco.com/cakes
Monday, 29 August 2011
It has been a couple of weeks since my last post, it's all been quite busy i've just relocated from London to Marrakech with only 3 weeks to prepare! So as you can imagine i haven't had a whole lot of time for a spot of baking, saying goodbye to family and friends this past week was by far the hardest part, it all feels quite strange with all the excitement that comes with starting something new and then there's that moment that comes when it all really hits you.
So i arrived yesterday afternoon, after a restless night ( it's just so hot it's hard to sleep without waking up every few hours) i'm slowly starting to settle myself in to my new place. The first thing i did on my arrival yesterday was go straight to the kitchen, now it's all pretty traditional but nice and simple and sufficient enough, although the oven is a little on the small side i'm sure i'll manage!
So i promise i'll be back in the kitchen in a few days and exploring around the city!
So i arrived yesterday afternoon, after a restless night ( it's just so hot it's hard to sleep without waking up every few hours) i'm slowly starting to settle myself in to my new place. The first thing i did on my arrival yesterday was go straight to the kitchen, now it's all pretty traditional but nice and simple and sufficient enough, although the oven is a little on the small side i'm sure i'll manage!
So i promise i'll be back in the kitchen in a few days and exploring around the city!
Monday, 15 August 2011
The Satisfaction of home made ice-cream
Sunday afternoon, bored, hot and wondering what cake to bake i came across something i've never ventured into before...ice-cream! I know a lot of people who regularly make their own ice-cream experimenting with different flavors and others who don't think it's worth the hassle. That's what i thought too, i was always a little intimidated by making my own and sometimes put off by all the complex looking recipes, but on this day not only was i craving ice-cream, i had found a great recipe for a caramel flavored one and i had all the ingredients to hand, the last bonus was there was a brand new unused ice-cream machine waiting in the freezer.
My first attempt didn't go entirely to plan even though i followed every word in the recipe, i ended up burning the caramel twice...in two separate pans, i tried to get as much caramel flavoring as possible into my single cream and milk mix, failing that the pans went in the sink and the caramel flavor ice-cream was abandoned, it would be simple vanilla instead! So i added a few drops to my cream and milk mix, let it all cool down then poured it into the ice-cream machine to churn for 30 minutes, then in the freezer until i was ready to eat it.
I have to say i was quite surprised by the outcome, it was light and creamy although not as sweet as i would have liked, having followed the caramel flavor recipe i didn't replace it with the necessary amount of sugar.
I think i will definitely be giving this a go again and this time experimenting with different flavors maybe even some fruit and yoghurt, once you get the hang of it it's quite easy! I've posted the original recipe i used below for the caramel flavored ice-cream , from Tessa Kiros' book 'Falling cloud berries'.
Caramel Ice-cream
4 egg yolks
150g caster sugar
500ml warm milk
250ml single(pouring) cream
1)Place the caster sugar in a saucepan on medium heat until it starts to turn to caramel, a dark golden colour and thick texture. Don't stir the caramel just swirl it around in the pan gently and watch carefully to prevent any burning.
2) Take the pan off the heat and slowly add the warm milk and single cream to the caramel, mix it all through.
3) Whisk the egg yolks until pale and fluffy. Add a little of the milk mix to the yolks while continuing to whisk to stop the eggs from scrambling, slowly add the rest of the milk mix, whisking all the time.
4) Once all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed in together leave to cool completely.
5) Set up your ice-cream machine following the manufacturer's instructions. I left mine to churn in the machine for 30 minutes and then poured it into another container ready for the freezer. I would take it out of the freezer 5-10 minutes before you want to eat it to allow it to soften up so you have a creamy flavorful texture.
My first attempt didn't go entirely to plan even though i followed every word in the recipe, i ended up burning the caramel twice...in two separate pans, i tried to get as much caramel flavoring as possible into my single cream and milk mix, failing that the pans went in the sink and the caramel flavor ice-cream was abandoned, it would be simple vanilla instead! So i added a few drops to my cream and milk mix, let it all cool down then poured it into the ice-cream machine to churn for 30 minutes, then in the freezer until i was ready to eat it.
I have to say i was quite surprised by the outcome, it was light and creamy although not as sweet as i would have liked, having followed the caramel flavor recipe i didn't replace it with the necessary amount of sugar.
I think i will definitely be giving this a go again and this time experimenting with different flavors maybe even some fruit and yoghurt, once you get the hang of it it's quite easy! I've posted the original recipe i used below for the caramel flavored ice-cream , from Tessa Kiros' book 'Falling cloud berries'.
Caramel Ice-cream
4 egg yolks
150g caster sugar
500ml warm milk
250ml single(pouring) cream
1)Place the caster sugar in a saucepan on medium heat until it starts to turn to caramel, a dark golden colour and thick texture. Don't stir the caramel just swirl it around in the pan gently and watch carefully to prevent any burning.
2) Take the pan off the heat and slowly add the warm milk and single cream to the caramel, mix it all through.
3) Whisk the egg yolks until pale and fluffy. Add a little of the milk mix to the yolks while continuing to whisk to stop the eggs from scrambling, slowly add the rest of the milk mix, whisking all the time.
4) Once all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed in together leave to cool completely.
5) Set up your ice-cream machine following the manufacturer's instructions. I left mine to churn in the machine for 30 minutes and then poured it into another container ready for the freezer. I would take it out of the freezer 5-10 minutes before you want to eat it to allow it to soften up so you have a creamy flavorful texture.
Wednesday, 10 August 2011
Baking eggs...crazy or chic?
The website was cute and pretty, not really explaining the point of baking eggs or why they were better than normal eggs, but filled with lovely cupcake recipes and tea time treats. They tell you where you can buy them from, local supermarkets such as sainsbury's but not anything about the price. I'm sure these are more expensive than regular and organic eggs, which leads me to ask are these a great new product designed to improve our home baking or just an overpriced gimmick? Are they necessary? or would good quality free range fresh organic or non organic eggs do the same thing? I'm not going to completely knock these before i try them, so next time when i go shopping i think i will pick up a pack for testing and judge for myself, i'll be sure to post the results!
Saturday, 6 August 2011
The Village of Eternity
Campodimele, a small village in the Lazio region of central Italy has long attracted the attention of scientists and doctors around the world who have been known to refer to it as 'the village of eternal youth', now Journalist Tracey Lawson is on a journey to unveil the mystery of this village that has sparked the interest of so many worldwide.'A year in the village of eternity' is about this small village whose inhabitants are known to be in very good health and have a long life expectancy, the book follows Tracey and the people she meets through to the food she discovers, home grown and fresh produce, could this be the key to good health and a long life?
A travel book and cookbook, this is filled with wonderful simple recipes and some very interesting history about this village as well as the colorful characters Tracey writes about so dearly. The emphasis is very much on fresh simple food with a few key ingredients, meals that are nutritionally balanced, easy to prepare and seasonal, no preservatives, no additives, just simplicity. Eating seasonally is something very few of us do or don't quite know how to when our supermarkets shelves are piled high with fruits, vegetables, canned good and frozen foods available all year round, what's in season or not doesn't cross our minds. This book teaches us that learning to eat fresh and seasonally is far more healthy and nutritious for us than any canned or frozen good could ever be.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Year-Village-Eternity-ebook/dp/B0058RE09C
A travel book and cookbook, this is filled with wonderful simple recipes and some very interesting history about this village as well as the colorful characters Tracey writes about so dearly. The emphasis is very much on fresh simple food with a few key ingredients, meals that are nutritionally balanced, easy to prepare and seasonal, no preservatives, no additives, just simplicity. Eating seasonally is something very few of us do or don't quite know how to when our supermarkets shelves are piled high with fruits, vegetables, canned good and frozen foods available all year round, what's in season or not doesn't cross our minds. This book teaches us that learning to eat fresh and seasonally is far more healthy and nutritious for us than any canned or frozen good could ever be.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Year-Village-Eternity-ebook/dp/B0058RE09C
Saturday, 30 July 2011
A Middle Eastern affair....
Unfortunately my hopes of having a week dedicated to chocolate & Baking didn't turn out quite the way i wanted, but i won't disappoint for long and i promise a chocolate & Baking week will be on the cards very soon so continue to watch this space.
Today i took inspiration from the cuisine of the middle east and North Africa from Lebanese style pizzas, Falafel
eggplant dips to delicately perfumed pastries with sweet nutty fillings. One of these pastries, originally from Morocco known as 'the snake' or 'M'hanncha', was particularly delicious and fun to make. M'hanncha is typically made of a sweet buttery almond filling wrapped up in filo pastry and then coiled in the shape of a snake!
Although the recipe may look hard do give it a try, it's well worth it.
The recipe i used is based on the one i found in Jamie Does....cookbook, which i tweaked a little and instead of making one big M'hannca as shown in the picture below, i decided to make 6 little ones, the result was still excellent just individual portions for everyone!
Here is my slightly tweaked version of the recipe:
M'hanncha with Date sauce - makes 6 individual portions
350g butter, at room temperature
350g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
3 large eggs
350g ground almonds
1 tablespoon plain flour
5 tablespoons rose water
12 sheets of filo pastry
For the date sauce:
150g dates, stoned and roughly chopped,
450ml orange juice
1) Preheat your oven to 180c/gas mark 4.
2) cream the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl until soft and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, gently folding them into the butter mix.
3) Add the ground almonds and flour and rose water and combine everything together.
4) Lay two filo sheets, one on top of the other in front of you, spoon some filling in a line along the long edge closest to you, leaving a border all the way.
5) Carefully, starting at the edge closest to you, fold the pastry over the filling. Keep rolling it tightly until you have a long sausage.
6) quickly and carefully starting at one end, roll the pastry around to form a small coil, make sure the ends are neatly tucked in.
7) Follow this way with the rest of the pastries. Place them on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 45 min, until the pastry is crisp and golden.
8) Leave to cool, while you continue with the sauce.
9) Put the dates and orange juice in a small pan and bring to the boil,then reduce the heat and simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Leave to cool for a few minutes then blitz in a food processor for a smooth and thick sauce.
10) Dust the M'hanncha's with icing sugar, drizzle over the date sauce and a scoop of good quality vanilla ice-cream. Enjoy!
Today i took inspiration from the cuisine of the middle east and North Africa from Lebanese style pizzas, Falafel
eggplant dips to delicately perfumed pastries with sweet nutty fillings. One of these pastries, originally from Morocco known as 'the snake' or 'M'hanncha', was particularly delicious and fun to make. M'hanncha is typically made of a sweet buttery almond filling wrapped up in filo pastry and then coiled in the shape of a snake!
Although the recipe may look hard do give it a try, it's well worth it.
The recipe i used is based on the one i found in Jamie Does....cookbook, which i tweaked a little and instead of making one big M'hannca as shown in the picture below, i decided to make 6 little ones, the result was still excellent just individual portions for everyone!
M'hanncha with Date sauce - makes 6 individual portions
350g butter, at room temperature
350g icing sugar, plus extra for dusting
3 large eggs
350g ground almonds
1 tablespoon plain flour
5 tablespoons rose water
12 sheets of filo pastry
For the date sauce:
150g dates, stoned and roughly chopped,
450ml orange juice
1) Preheat your oven to 180c/gas mark 4.
2) cream the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl until soft and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, gently folding them into the butter mix.
3) Add the ground almonds and flour and rose water and combine everything together.
4) Lay two filo sheets, one on top of the other in front of you, spoon some filling in a line along the long edge closest to you, leaving a border all the way.
5) Carefully, starting at the edge closest to you, fold the pastry over the filling. Keep rolling it tightly until you have a long sausage.
6) quickly and carefully starting at one end, roll the pastry around to form a small coil, make sure the ends are neatly tucked in.
7) Follow this way with the rest of the pastries. Place them on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 45 min, until the pastry is crisp and golden.
8) Leave to cool, while you continue with the sauce.
9) Put the dates and orange juice in a small pan and bring to the boil,then reduce the heat and simmer and cook for 20 minutes. Leave to cool for a few minutes then blitz in a food processor for a smooth and thick sauce.
10) Dust the M'hanncha's with icing sugar, drizzle over the date sauce and a scoop of good quality vanilla ice-cream. Enjoy!
Monday, 25 July 2011
Chocolate & Baking
I've decided to dedicate this week to chocolate and baking, I'm going to be testing out new recipes and digging out old favorites with the main ingredient being chocolate of course!
Today i've made a Rococo Chocolate cake, it's similar to the classic French chocolate cake, dark, dense, moist and very rich. There is no flour or raising agent in this cake, just eggs, chocolate, sugar and ground almonds.It's quick to prepare and can be served simply as it is or dressed up with fresh summer berries such as raspberries or strawberries, dusted with cocoa powder and icing sugar and served with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice-cream.
Rococo Chocolate cake
200g 70% dark chocolate
25g unsalted butter
5 large eggs, seperated
175g caster sugar
125g ground almonds
2tbsp milk
icing sugar and cocoa powder
1) preheat the oven to 180c, 160c fan oven, gas mark 4.
2) slowly melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted.
3)With an electric whisk beat the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add the sugar until you have a stiff mixture.
4)Finally add the milk. Pour into a round 25cm spring form tin and level the surface.
5) Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until firm to the touch. Allow to cool completely, then dust with icing sugar and cocoa powder.
6) Cut into thin slices and serve with vanilla ice-cream or fresh fruit.
Today i've made a Rococo Chocolate cake, it's similar to the classic French chocolate cake, dark, dense, moist and very rich. There is no flour or raising agent in this cake, just eggs, chocolate, sugar and ground almonds.It's quick to prepare and can be served simply as it is or dressed up with fresh summer berries such as raspberries or strawberries, dusted with cocoa powder and icing sugar and served with a scoop of good quality vanilla ice-cream.
Rococo Chocolate cake
200g 70% dark chocolate
25g unsalted butter
5 large eggs, seperated
175g caster sugar
125g ground almonds
2tbsp milk
icing sugar and cocoa powder
1) preheat the oven to 180c, 160c fan oven, gas mark 4.
2) slowly melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, Remove from the heat and stir in the butter until melted.
3)With an electric whisk beat the egg whites to soft peaks, then gradually add the sugar until you have a stiff mixture.
4)Finally add the milk. Pour into a round 25cm spring form tin and level the surface.
5) Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until firm to the touch. Allow to cool completely, then dust with icing sugar and cocoa powder.
6) Cut into thin slices and serve with vanilla ice-cream or fresh fruit.
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