Irish Foodies January 2011 Cookalong

I'm back!  I know I have been missing in action since the Christmas period so apologies.  I hope you all enjoyed the festive season.  I had a lovely(and tiring) time with family and friends and more food than one person should consume in such a condensed time frame.  I am still feeling the effects of it now but am going to make a big effort to get back into my blogging mojo over the next few days.

As it is the 1st Friday of the month it is time for the Irish Foodies cookalong.  The theme this month is budget or leftover cooking following the excesses of Christmas.  I stocked up on dried fruit before Christmas, I think I was expecting armageddon or something the amount of it I bought so I decided to put it to good use.  As I have a penchant for baking I also have oodles of flour knocking about the presses so I settled for a nice fruit soda bread.  I thought this fitted the bill perfectly for January as it is easy to mix up, is not too naughty but has a hint of sweetness to make the transition from Christmas treats back to healthy eating a little more bearable.

Fruit Soda Bread
This recipe yields 2 x 1lb loaves

450g/1lb Wholemeal Flour
450g/1lb Plain Flour
1.5tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
1tsp Salt
50g/2oz Candied Peel
50g/2oz Crystallised Ginger
50g/2oz Currants
50g/2oz Golden Raisins
50g/2oz Sultanas
600ml/1pint Buttermilk

1.  Grease to 1lb loaf tins and preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7.
2.  Sieve the flours, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl.  Add the dried fruits and toss in the flour mix until evenly distributed.
3.  Make a well in the centre and gradually pour in the buttermilk and mix to form a dough.
4.  Divide the dough between the two loaf tins, flour a large knife and cut a line down the centre.  Place into the preheated oven for 25 minutes.
5.  Turn upside down and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes.  To test if it is cooked tap the base, if it sounds hollow it is ready.
6.  Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Note:
The Irish tradition is to form the dough into a round loaf, cut a cross in the top and then stab each quarter with a knife to kill the fairies within.  I would like to assure you all that no fairies were harmed in the making of these loaves.  Sure why would you want to kill some lovely little fairies, wah?!

Cough Cough (I know, STILL)

I might have mentioned a time or 20 that I have had a bad cough the last couple of weeks.  Well, 15 days on and it still hasn't completely left me.  It would seem it has grown rather fond of me and is reluctant to end our relationship just yet.  I, on the other hand, have had more than enough and Mr Cough and all your little sniffly nose, achy ear, sore head chums, it is OVER.  I'm kicking you to the kerb.  Dumping you. Have you got the picture? 

In an attempt to kill off any last lingering carresses on your part I am sending in the big guns.  Vitamins and minerals shall be coarsing through my system this week, appetite or no appetite, through the medium of large steaming bowls of homemade vegetable soup.  Now it would be rude to eat a big bowl of scrummilicious soup without a little soakage, as it were, to compliment it.  For this reason I have decided the only thing up to this job has got to be a couple of deliciously fresh slices of homemade walnut bread.

*Please read on after the recipe for some notes and observations I made.  The recipe is adapted from a Jamie Oliver one and it is obvious he has minions to run around after him cleaning up his mess, so for a cleaner baking experience and a saner you I have made some amendments after the original recipe.

Walnut Bread

500g Wholemeal Flour
500g Strong White Flour
625ml Tepid Water
30g Fresh Yeast or 3 x 7g Sachets Dried Yeast
2tbsp Sugar
2 level tsp Sea Salt
455g Walnuts Peeled (crush half until coarse and the remaining half to a fine powder)
115g Butter (at room temperature)

1.  Pile both types of flour on to a clean surface and make a large well in the centre.  Pour half of the water into the well, then add your yeast, sugar and salt and stir well with a fork.
2.  Slowly, but carefully, bring in the flour from the inside of the well (be careful not to break the walls of the well so as not to allow the water to escape).
3.  Continue to incorporate the flour into the centre until you get a stodgy, porridgey consistency.
4.  Add the remaining water and continue to mix until it is stodgy again, be a little more aggressive with it at this stage incorporating all of the flour, making the mixture less sticky.
5.  Add in the walnuts and butter at this stage and mix well to incorporate.
6.  Flour your hands and pat and push the dough together (if more water is needed at this time add a little to adjust)
7.  Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes until you have a silky, elastic dough.
8.  Flour the top of the dough, place it in a bowl, cover in cling film and allow it to prove for half an hour until it has doubled in size (ideally allow it to prove in a warm, moist, draught free place).
9.  Once the dough has doubled in size knock the air out of it by giving it a bit of a bashing.  At this stage shape it as required be it into a round, a loaf or smaller individual servings.  Leave it to prove a second time for 30 minutes.
10. While the bread is proving for the second time flour a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
11. Once the dough has doubled in size dust the top with some flour and gently transfer to the prepared baking sheet.  Place in the preheated oven and bake for approx 30 mins until lightly golden (to check that it is cooked tap the bottom, if it sounds hollow it is cooked, if it doesn't pop it back in the oven for a further 5 minutes and check again).
12. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for 30 mins before getting stuck in.

*Above is the recipe and instructions that I followed, but I have to be honest, it was very messy and I got a bit stressed with flour and water going in all directions and then trying to incorporate the walnuts.  The next time I make this bread (and I will make it again because it is completely yum) I will probably do it as outlined below.*

1.  In a very large bowl (use the biggest bowl you have as there is a lot of flour) add both types of flour and the walnuts.  Give them a quick stir to mix them all together.
2.  Make a well in the centre and pour in half of the water.
3.  Add the yeast, sugar and salt to the water and give a little mix to combine.
4.  Slowly start to bring in flour from the inside of the well until you get a stodgy, porridgey consistency.
5.  Make another little well and add the remaining water and continue to bring the remaining dry mix in until you again reach a stodgy, porridgey consistency.
6.  Cut the butter into rough 1cm cubes and dot all over the mixture and then mix thoroughly to incorporate throughout the mixture (make sure your butter is quite soft to make this easier, mine had been out of the fridge for over an hour.  Also I mixed everything by hand so that I could really attack it and give it a good mix).
7.  Place the mixture on to a clean work surface and knead for 4-5 minutes until you have a silky, elastic dough.
8.  Flour the top of the dough, place it in a bowl, cover in cling film and allow it to prove for half an hour until it has doubled in size (ideally allow it to prove in a warm, moist, draught free place.  I popped mine into the hot press).
9. Once the dough has doubled in size knock the air out of it by giving it a bit of a bashing. At this stage shape it as required, be it into a round, a loaf or smaller individual servings and place onto a floured baking sheet. Leave it to prove a second time for 30 minutes. (this recipe yields a monster loaf so if it just for 1 or 2 people I would advise dividing in 2 before baking and freezing one loaf for later use)
10. While the bread is proving for the second time flour preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4.
11. Once the dough has doubled in size dust the top with some flour and place in the preheated oven and bake for approx 30 mins until lightly golden (to check that it is cooked tap the bottom, if it sounds hollow it is cooked, if it doesn't pop it back in the oven for a further 5 minutes and check again).
12. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool for 30 mins before getting stuck in.

Happy Birthday E (7)

A certain little someone I know is turning 7 tomorrow.  I decided to bake her a pretty little pink cake today to kick start celebrations for her birthday weekend.  She is a standard 7 year old who loves all things pretty, princess and pink so I decided to bake her a pink sponge cake with pink frosting and lashings of sparkles and prettiness.  All went well barring the colour of the sponge which remained decidedly un-pink really(after adding 6 drops of red colouring following the milk at stage 6 of the recipe I decided to call it quits and rely on pink frosting to provide a suitable princess themed cake).  It would seem sponge cake requires rather a lot more colouring than frosting and icing so next time I will lace it with the stuff.  It was a rather pretty little cake none the less and the sight of her little eyes lighting up when she saw it was approval enough for me.  Happy birthday E, have a fabulous princess day.

Madeira Cake with Pink Frosting

for the cake

175g/6oz Unsalted Butter (softened)
175g/6oz Sugar
3 Eggs
1tsp Vanilla Extract
225g/8oz Plain Flour
1tsp Baking Powder
2tbsp Milk

for the frosting

80g Butter (softened)
250g Icing Sugar
1-2drops Vanilla Extract
25ml Milk
approx 4 drops of Red Food Colouring (I used liquid colouring in this recipe)

1.  Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3.
2.  Line the bottom of an 8" round cake tin with grease proof paper and grease the sides with butter.
3.  Place the butter in a bowl and cream using a hand held electric whisk.
4.  Add the sugar and beat for a minute.
5.  Add the eggs individually while continuing to beat, and then add the vanilla.
6.  Fold in the sieved flour and baking powder, and then add the milk. (red food colouring was added to the mix at this stage but did not make a difference to the colour after 6 drops so was abandoned)
7.  Transfer the mixture into the prepared tin and place in the preheated oven.  Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
8.  Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
9.  While waiting for the cake to cool make the frosting.
10. Place the icing sugar and butter in a bowl and beat with a hand held electric whisk until well combined.
11. In a seperate bowl combine the milk and vanilla extract and then add to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time.
12. When all of the milk has been incorporated add in 4 drops of food colouring and then turn the whisk up to full speed and beat for at least 5 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.  (if you would like a deeper colour frosting add in more food colouring 1 drop at a time and incorporate fully before adding more)*
13. Once the cake has cooled spread the frosting all over using a spatula or palette knife and decorate to your liking.

* you can use any food colouring of your choice to adapt the cake to be suitable for a boy or an adult.  I have used liquid food colouring as it is what I had available to me but you could use paste, powder or gel colourants and adjust quantities as necessary.

A little pinktastic I know, but for a 7 yr old it was frosted perfection!

Ham and Cheese Muffins: Part Deux

I made some ham and cheese muffins recently from the Hummingbird Bakery book and they were pretty yum but I wanted to try them again with a couple of changes.  This afternoon I decided to give them a go as I fancied someting yummy and savoury to munch on.  The main change I made was to use wholemeal flour instead of plain flour in an effort to make a tasty, healthy snack to be indulged in without guilt.  The second change I made was to omit the onion inclued in the last batch as for my taste I felt it was slightly overpowering. 

I really enjoyed the amended recipe and think that they will be a firm favourite to pop in the freezer and enjoy whenever I fancy a little treat.

Wholemeal Ham & Cheese Muffins
(makes 12)

50g Butter
360g Wholemeal Flour
2&1/2tsp Baking Powder
200g Grated Cheddar Cheese
250ml Whole Milk
1 Egg
80g Smoked Ham(finely chopped)
Salt and black pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 170°C/325°F/Gas 3 and line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2.  Melt the butter and season with some salt and ground black pepper.
3.  Mix the flour, baking powder and cheese in a bowl.
4.  In a seperate bowl mix the milk and egg, add this along with the melted butter to the flour mix and stir well until completely combined.
5.  Add the ham and mix to distribute evenly throughout.
6.  Spoon the mix into the paper cases until 2 thirds full.
7.  Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 mins until golden brown.
8.  Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire cooling rack.

To freeze, individually wrap in cling film and place in the freezer to be enjoyed at a later stage.