tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-86262944627094586982024-03-13T13:00:57.818-07:00Food and MeCooking and other important stuffAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04784583483251511698noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626294462709458698.post-91905525109886155002013-01-05T13:28:00.000-08:002013-01-05T13:28:22.043-08:00Cakes<span style="font-size: large;">I have never bee<span style="font-size: large;">n a cake maker</span>, apart from the odd chocolate torte for pudding<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">. However, </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">w</span>hen<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>t<span style="font-size: large;">o my surprise and delight I found <span style="font-size: large;">myself</span> planning <span style="font-size: large;">my wedding in June<span style="font-size: large;">, and</span></span></span></span></span> someone suggested that I should make my own wedding cake<span style="font-size: large;">, I took up the challe<span style="font-size: large;">nge. The </span></span> last fruit cake I had made was from a reduced Waitrose Delia kit after Christmas, and before th<span style="font-size: large;">e</span>n it must have been about 1975<span style="font-size: large;">, so it was not plain sailing.</span></span><br />
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Wedding Cake </span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">After much discussion and dithering I finally made a 10 inch square fruit cake - again a <a href="http://www.deliaonline.com/how-to-cook/baking/scaling-up-cake-recipes.html" target="_blank">Delia recipe</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRS5xrHh2Qo/T1z0aM6HxuI/AAAAAAAAAPY/uiqXhB4hkfE/s1600/IMG_0293.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRS5xrHh2Qo/T1z0aM6HxuI/AAAAAAAAAPY/uiqXhB4hkfE/s320/IMG_0293.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">The quantities were <span style="font-size: large;">huge and I had to mix everything together in <span style="font-size: large;">a washing up bowl. It turned out rather well and I fed it with brandy and <span style="font-size: large;">stored</span> it for a couple of months.</span></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I didn't have the courage to try and decorate it myself but fortunately a friend<span style="font-size: large;">,</span> whom I had first met on a food forum and lives fairly locally,<span style="font-size: large;"> </span>just happen<span style="font-size: large;">s</span> to be a professional cake maker and offered to do it for me. Many thanks to Tracy who is <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Enchantments-Designer-Cakes/27892024861" target="_blank">Enchantment Designer Cakes</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FQVOHnzvxws/T_x9xFdpDhI/AAAAAAAAASQ/tYGs2-_se4A/s1600/IMG_0362.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FQVOHnzvxws/T_x9xFdpDhI/AAAAAAAAASQ/tYGs2-_se4A/s320/IMG_0362.jpg" width="239" /></a></span></div>
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Birthday Cake </span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">In August it was my mother's 80th birthday and, as I now had several cake tins (d<span style="font-size: large;">u</span>e to dithering over what size wedding cake to make), I decided to have a go at making a birthday cake. The one I chose was Lorraine Pascale's <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/i_cant_believe_you_made_90494" target="_blank">I Cant Believe You Made That</a> cake, but my friend Sue L suggested a more interesting cake mix so I used <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/apr/20/lamington-scrolls-australian-recipes-baking?forumid=477655" target="_blank">this one</a> from Dan Lepard. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I <span style="font-size: large;">bought the <span style="font-size: large;">chocolate<span style="font-size: large;"></span> cigarillos and pearls on line and was very pleased when they arrived in<span style="font-size: large;">tact. I bought milk and <span style="font-size: large;">plain</span> and alternated them around the cake<span style="font-size: large;">, fixed on with a simple chocolate g<span style="font-size: large;">a</span>nac<span style="font-size: large;">he. </span></span></span></span></span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I was very pleased with the end result - and it really was easy to make.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VbG323__lr0/UC6byWFIXaI/AAAAAAAAAT8/QA8taWxMgmM/s1600/IMG_0398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VbG323__lr0/UC6byWFIXaI/AAAAAAAAAT8/QA8taWxMgmM/s320/IMG_0398.jpg" width="239" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">And it looked even better when the restaurant served it with cream and ice cream.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TN2PMqTc5L8/UC_TXIBIgOI/AAAAAAAAAUk/mipydduJqM0/s1600/IMG_0402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TN2PMqTc5L8/UC_TXIBIgOI/AAAAAAAAAUk/mipydduJqM0/s320/IMG_0402.jpg" width="239" /></a></span></div>
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Christmas Cakes</span></h3>
<span style="font-size: large;">I then got a bit carried away when it came to planning for Christmas. My parents asked me to make them a cake, and then I saw a recipe for 4" cakes and I have two 4"" cake tins, but the mixture also gave enough for a 6" cake, so I made one of those as well.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VJNY73TGmx4/UM39-9bemKI/AAAAAAAAAiw/surAFReVemo/s1600/IMG_0536.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VJNY73TGmx4/UM39-9bemKI/AAAAAAAAAiw/surAFReVemo/s320/IMG_0536.jpg" width="239" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This time I had a go at decorating them and I am amazed at how well they turned out. The fruit topped one I gave to my parents, and a friend at work swapped the 4" holly cake for a bottle of C<span style="font-size: large;">hateau Neuf du Pape - win!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">The other two cakes are sat in the office: I admire them daily but need to decide what to do with them. </span></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04784583483251511698noreply@blogger.com0Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK53.801279 -1.548567000000048253.501342 -2.1940140000000481 54.101216 -0.90312000000004822tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8626294462709458698.post-76410425369468273742012-12-31T02:49:00.001-08:002012-12-31T02:49:30.086-08:00Mushroom Ravioli and MeatballsIt is the Sunday before New Year and in the fridge a small punnet of exotic mixed mushrooms need to be used before they become dried mushrooms. Leafing through my new Michel Roux cookbook, a Christmas present from Richard, I spot a recipe for Mushroom Cappalletti. I can do pasta, although maybe not the cappalletti shape, but the recipe is a start. I decide to pair it with meatballs to a) add a meat element and b) a sauce. <br />
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The pasta is simple enough because I make it in the Kenwood but, even though I don't have to work one handed whilst turning a handle, I still can't get my pasta to form neat rectangles, but for this recipe it doesn't matter.<br />
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The mushroom mix, bulked up by a couple of finely chopped button mushrooms, is sautéed in clarified butter with finely chopped shallots and parsley.</div>
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I used cutters to make the ravioli - it was easier to use two sizes of
circle to accommodate the filling, which was sealed in with egg wash. <br />
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Filling them was time consuming - I'm glad I was only making a dozen. <br />
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Very pleased they didn't burst open whilst cooking. I thought they could have done with a couple of minutes more but Steve said they were fine.<br />
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The meatballs were from a Nigella <a href="http://uktv.co.uk/food/recipe/aid/516272" target="_blank">recipe </a>which combines beef and pork mince, breadcrumbs, oregano, parmesan and an egg and is formed into tiny meatballs which are chilled in the fridge and then cooked in a simple tomato sauce. I used some ready shredded parmesan which looked a bit odd in the raw state but melted nicely when cooked.<br />
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The meatballs sat in the simmering sauce for half an hour but could have been left longer - just be careful not to break them up when you stir.<br />
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The end result! It was very tasty and not too filling. A bit of a faff but what else to do on a rainy Sunday afternoon?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04784583483251511698noreply@blogger.com3Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK53.801279 -1.548567000000048253.501342 -2.1940140000000481 54.101216 -0.90312000000004822