after making pumpkin scones yesterday, i though i'd give buttermilk scones a go. these scones are very good - the best i have ever had. i have always wanted to make scones, but have resisted because there is always talk of one having to have a light touch with them and i guess i didn't want to know what type of touch i had. i'm very glad that i've bitten the bullet and now know i can whip up a batch of scones with the best of them. i actually think that things like scones should actually be tackled with gay abandon - homemade ones should surely beat bought ones any day. so go ahead and be brave - give them a go and surprise yourself, because if i can do it, you can do it too!
2 cups self-raising flour
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
80g butter
100g sultanas (or dates, cranberries, dried sour cherries, chocolate chips)
1 cup buttermilk (or 1 cup milk soured with 1 teaspoon vinegar)
preheat oven to 200 degrees C and line a 20 cm square cake tin with some baking paper.
mix together all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar and salt), then rub in the butter with your fingertips till the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. i very often use my hand held mixer and room temperature butter to do this step - it's fast, and i don't end up with messy hands.
add the dried fruit and toss to coat the fruit with the buttery flour.
make a well in the middle of the dry mixture, then pour in the buttermilk and quickly stir together until you get a sticky dough. sift a little flour onto the kitchen bench and tip the dough onto the flour. sift a little flour over the top of the dough and press the dough lightly to about 4-5cm in depth. dip a 5cm round cutter into some flour and cut out the scones, placing them closely together in the prepared cake tin.
bake for 20 minutes, or until the scones are golden and sound hollow when lightly tapped on the top.
remove the tray from the oven and place a clean tea towel snugly on top of the scones for 5 minutes before serving with some homemade strawberry jam and freshly whipped cream!
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
pumpkin scones by whisks, not flo
whenever people in australia think of pumpkin scones, they think of flo (bjelke-petersen). and never mind the politics of politicians, is there another politician's wife more well known for something other than herself than flo? the names of political wives are flying through my head at the moment - jill wran, tammy fraser, margaret whitlam - the list goes on, but i can't think of anything like the pumpkin scone which makes tham famous. odd isn't it? jill wran (or hickson, if you prefer) is a brilliant woman. i know she has an MBA from AGSM, but this still isn't as widely known as the pumpkin scone. oooh...i just thought of susan rossiter peacock sangter renouf....she's not famous for scones, but she was famous for a time (haven't heard much about her, but then i don't read the gossip magazines unless i have to, ie, at the doctor's surgery) for everything else but scones. she won't be part of my ramblings for another time....
who knows whether it was some cheeky media person who thought it was funny to publisize flo's pumpkin scones as something daggy about the bjelke-petersens, or whether it was some clever well oiled PR machine which thought they would cash in on the wholesomeness of the pumpkin scone and hence the bjelke-petersens' (political) wholesomeness. who knows? but mention pumpkin scone and flo's name pops up. she will forever be famous for the pumpkin scone and the pumpkins scone will be famous because of her. never mind who came up with the idea of putting pumpkin in a scone. flo and that orange coloured piece of baked dough will forever be entwined.
that said, i wanted to find out whether this thing called a pumpkin scone was really worthy of all its fame and glory. was it as good as all that? so i guess in all fairness the pumpkin scone has to be made and put through its paces.
this is the recipe i used:
250 g mashed pumpkin (I used more than this)
2 cups self-raising flour
pinch salt
20 grams butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
milk
preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius.
combine the pumpkin, salt, butter and egg.
add the flour (i don't bother sifting) and mix together with a knife, or in my case, i prefer to use a pair of chopsticks. yes, chopsticks....i know....but hey, it works for me and i think you should use whatever works for you.
mix until the mass becomes a soft dough, then turn it out onto a floured bench.
try not to knead the dough or knead it as little as possible if you must as kneading toughens scones.
sprinkle the top of the dough with a little extra flour and pat the dough until it is about 4 centimetres thick.
flour a 5 centimetre scone cutter, so the scones don't stick while you're cutting them and cut rounds of dough out and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. place the rounds of dough right next to each other so they can support each other while they are baking.......isn't that sweet - scones providing each other with moral support? they bake better this way.
brush the tops of the scones with milk and bake for 10-15 minutes until they are golden brown.
split and butter. and top with whatever you fancy. because you can have these scones sweet OR savoury....with jam or ham, OR sweet AND savoury, with jam AND ham...you can have them however you wish
we spread ours with golden syrup.
verdict? yum. something simple given iconic status by a politician's wife. who would have thought?
by the way, this is flo's recipe, in case you want to try it:
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup mashed pumpkin (cold)
2 cups self raising flour
beat together butter, sugar and salt with electric mixer.
add egg, then pumpkin and stir in the flour.
turn on to floured board and cut.
place in tray on top shelf of very hot oven 225-250c for 15-20 minutes.
who knows whether it was some cheeky media person who thought it was funny to publisize flo's pumpkin scones as something daggy about the bjelke-petersens, or whether it was some clever well oiled PR machine which thought they would cash in on the wholesomeness of the pumpkin scone and hence the bjelke-petersens' (political) wholesomeness. who knows? but mention pumpkin scone and flo's name pops up. she will forever be famous for the pumpkin scone and the pumpkins scone will be famous because of her. never mind who came up with the idea of putting pumpkin in a scone. flo and that orange coloured piece of baked dough will forever be entwined.
that said, i wanted to find out whether this thing called a pumpkin scone was really worthy of all its fame and glory. was it as good as all that? so i guess in all fairness the pumpkin scone has to be made and put through its paces.
this is the recipe i used:
250 g mashed pumpkin (I used more than this)
2 cups self-raising flour
pinch salt
20 grams butter, melted
1 egg, lightly beaten
milk
preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius.
combine the pumpkin, salt, butter and egg.
add the flour (i don't bother sifting) and mix together with a knife, or in my case, i prefer to use a pair of chopsticks. yes, chopsticks....i know....but hey, it works for me and i think you should use whatever works for you.
mix until the mass becomes a soft dough, then turn it out onto a floured bench.
try not to knead the dough or knead it as little as possible if you must as kneading toughens scones.
sprinkle the top of the dough with a little extra flour and pat the dough until it is about 4 centimetres thick.
flour a 5 centimetre scone cutter, so the scones don't stick while you're cutting them and cut rounds of dough out and place them on a baking tray lined with baking paper. place the rounds of dough right next to each other so they can support each other while they are baking.......isn't that sweet - scones providing each other with moral support? they bake better this way.
brush the tops of the scones with milk and bake for 10-15 minutes until they are golden brown.
split and butter. and top with whatever you fancy. because you can have these scones sweet OR savoury....with jam or ham, OR sweet AND savoury, with jam AND ham...you can have them however you wish
we spread ours with golden syrup.
verdict? yum. something simple given iconic status by a politician's wife. who would have thought?
by the way, this is flo's recipe, in case you want to try it:
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup mashed pumpkin (cold)
2 cups self raising flour
beat together butter, sugar and salt with electric mixer.
add egg, then pumpkin and stir in the flour.
turn on to floured board and cut.
place in tray on top shelf of very hot oven 225-250c for 15-20 minutes.
i haven't made flo's recipe yet, but i think it's quite similar to mine except i don't have any sugar in mine.
and just so you know, i sit on the political fence, so don't think i sway either way. especially where pumpkin scones are concerned.
Friday, March 21, 2008
beer bread
really simple and really quick, and makes a great grilled cheese sandwich the next day!
3 3/4 cups self raising flour
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
375 ml can beer
place the dry ingredients in a basin and stir to combine. make a well in the centre, add the beer and use a knife to mix into a soft, sticky dough. turn onto a floured surface and knead lightly.
place into a well greased loaf tin and brush the top of the loaf with milk if desired. bake for about 50 minutes at 180 degrees celcius. the loaf will sound hollow if tapped on the bottom when done.
3 3/4 cups self raising flour
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
375 ml can beer
place the dry ingredients in a basin and stir to combine. make a well in the centre, add the beer and use a knife to mix into a soft, sticky dough. turn onto a floured surface and knead lightly.
place into a well greased loaf tin and brush the top of the loaf with milk if desired. bake for about 50 minutes at 180 degrees celcius. the loaf will sound hollow if tapped on the bottom when done.
Friday, March 14, 2008
sago with mango and grapefruit
this is inspired by a delicious dessert i had when i was in kowloon a few years ago. it was served chilled and was very unusual with the grapefuit scattered through the liquid. chinese sago desserts have tended to have coconut milk as their liquid normally (which i am also very fond of), however, replacing it with orange juice makes the conclusion to the meal much lighter and very refreshing.
sago
4 litres water
1 cup sago
sugar syrup
1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
400 ml water
400 ml orange juice
fruit
1 red grapefruit
1 firm mango
sago
bring the water to a rapid boil. while stirring the boiling water, slowly sprinkle the cup of sago into the water. make sure none of the sago sticks to the bottom of the pan by stirring. once you have poured in all of sago continue stirring and let it boil for 1 minute. turn off the heat and put the lid on and let it sit for 5 minutes. stir the sago and turn the heat back on full for 1 more minute then turn the heat off and let it sit until the pearls are translucent, about 10 minutes. don't worry if you have a few pearls that are still white in the middle. pour the sago into a sieve and rinse under runnng water until the pearls have cooled.
sugar syrup
disslove the sugar in the extra water, then cool the sugar syrup in a fridge.
fruit
peel the grapefruit, remove the pith and then break the segments into small chunks. peel and cut the mango into small cubes.
combine the sago, sugar syrup, orange juice, mango and grapefruit and chill in the fridge before serving.
sago
4 litres water
1 cup sago
sugar syrup
1/2 cup sugar, or to taste
400 ml water
400 ml orange juice
fruit
1 red grapefruit
1 firm mango
sago
bring the water to a rapid boil. while stirring the boiling water, slowly sprinkle the cup of sago into the water. make sure none of the sago sticks to the bottom of the pan by stirring. once you have poured in all of sago continue stirring and let it boil for 1 minute. turn off the heat and put the lid on and let it sit for 5 minutes. stir the sago and turn the heat back on full for 1 more minute then turn the heat off and let it sit until the pearls are translucent, about 10 minutes. don't worry if you have a few pearls that are still white in the middle. pour the sago into a sieve and rinse under runnng water until the pearls have cooled.
sugar syrup
disslove the sugar in the extra water, then cool the sugar syrup in a fridge.
fruit
peel the grapefruit, remove the pith and then break the segments into small chunks. peel and cut the mango into small cubes.
combine the sago, sugar syrup, orange juice, mango and grapefruit and chill in the fridge before serving.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
layered garden salad
this salad is wonderfully tasty and easy to prepare, and as an added bonus, it can be made the day before it is required, which is useful when entertaining.
this recipe can be found in All-Time Favourites from the Australian Women's Weekly and Best Recipes from The Weekly, both sadly now out of print.
i'm really grateful to my friend, kris, for drawing my attention to this salad - if she hadn't, i'd still be in the dark and ignorant to its total yumminess. i was always aware of this salad, but never thought it was so good; i just categorised it as one of those salads which had its heyday in the 60s and 70s and shelved it as such. little did i know ....
1/2 iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 cups frozen peas
2 hard-boiled eggs
250g button mushrooms, finely sliced
1 cup (125g) grated tasty cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbs sour cream
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbs lemon juice
6 spring/green onions, finely chopped
4 bacon rashes, finally chopped
1 large tomato, sliced
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley
Place lettuce into deep 3.5 litre (14 cup) dish; cover lettuce evenly with peas. Place the sliced mushrooms over the peas and push eggs through sieve, sprinkling the eggs evenly over the mushrooms; top with cheese.
Combine mayonnaise, cream, mustard, juice and onions in a small bowl and pour over cheese. Cover and refrigerate.
Before serving, cook bacon in a pan, stirring until crisp and browned; drain on absorbent paper. Arrange tomato slices over mayonnaise layer, and sprinkle with bacon and parsley just before serving.
serves 6 to 8.
this recipe can be found in All-Time Favourites from the Australian Women's Weekly and Best Recipes from The Weekly, both sadly now out of print.
i'm really grateful to my friend, kris, for drawing my attention to this salad - if she hadn't, i'd still be in the dark and ignorant to its total yumminess. i was always aware of this salad, but never thought it was so good; i just categorised it as one of those salads which had its heyday in the 60s and 70s and shelved it as such. little did i know ....
1/2 iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 cups frozen peas
2 hard-boiled eggs
250g button mushrooms, finely sliced
1 cup (125g) grated tasty cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbs sour cream
2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tbs lemon juice
6 spring/green onions, finely chopped
4 bacon rashes, finally chopped
1 large tomato, sliced
2 tbs chopped fresh parsley
Place lettuce into deep 3.5 litre (14 cup) dish; cover lettuce evenly with peas. Place the sliced mushrooms over the peas and push eggs through sieve, sprinkling the eggs evenly over the mushrooms; top with cheese.
Combine mayonnaise, cream, mustard, juice and onions in a small bowl and pour over cheese. Cover and refrigerate.
Before serving, cook bacon in a pan, stirring until crisp and browned; drain on absorbent paper. Arrange tomato slices over mayonnaise layer, and sprinkle with bacon and parsley just before serving.
serves 6 to 8.
Thursday, January 19, 2006
cinnamon scrolls by whisks
these are essentially a glorified scone which i like to make when we need something comforting for afternoon tea and we just don't have the time or patience for a scroll made with yeasted dough.
these are really quick and easy to make. when making these, remember that the less you handle the dough the better they will turn out. once you get the hang of making them, you will find that making them is really no effort at all.
2 cups self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
60 grams butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
60 grams very soft butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
glaze:
1 cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
line a 20cm square tin with baking paper and preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius.
combine flour and salt in a medium sized bowl.
mix melted butter, milk and vanilla together.
pour the liquid into the bowl with the flour and stir quickly and gently with knife just until dough leaves sides of bowl.
tip the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.
sprinkle a little flour onto the top of the dough and roll the dough into a 1 cm thick rectangle about 30 centimetres long and 20 centimetres wide.
spread the dough with the very soft butter.
combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle it over dough.
roll up, starting on long side.
cut into 16 rounds and place rounds, with sides just touching, in the prepared pan.
bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
remove from oven and drizzle with glaze.
serve warm.
for glaze:
combine the milk icing sugar and vanilla and stir until smooth.
these are really quick and easy to make. when making these, remember that the less you handle the dough the better they will turn out. once you get the hang of making them, you will find that making them is really no effort at all.
2 cups self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
60 grams butter, melted
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
60 grams very soft butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
glaze:
1 cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
line a 20cm square tin with baking paper and preheat the oven to 200 degrees celcius.
combine flour and salt in a medium sized bowl.
mix melted butter, milk and vanilla together.
pour the liquid into the bowl with the flour and stir quickly and gently with knife just until dough leaves sides of bowl.
tip the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface.
sprinkle a little flour onto the top of the dough and roll the dough into a 1 cm thick rectangle about 30 centimetres long and 20 centimetres wide.
spread the dough with the very soft butter.
combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle it over dough.
roll up, starting on long side.
cut into 16 rounds and place rounds, with sides just touching, in the prepared pan.
bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
remove from oven and drizzle with glaze.
serve warm.
for glaze:
combine the milk icing sugar and vanilla and stir until smooth.
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
coconut mint crunch kisses by whisks
sounds like a real mouthful, doesn't it? well, i really tried to shorten it down from "chocolate coconut peppermint crunch kisses"!
i made these for miss k to take to her coeliac friend's place this morning. i was actually trying to think of what gluten free treat to make last night, but only came up with this recipe this morning. yesterday, we went to sticky where we got a huge bag of pepermint candy and i was determined to think of some thing gluten free to make with them. initial thoughts were to make a slice with the crushed candies and rice cookies, but the combination just didn't appeal to me, so this is what i came up with. if everything is at hand, and the candies crushed, this really only takes a moment to make - the rest is chilling time - it took me less than 10 minutes (felt like 5) to put together and while it was in the fridge, i had my shower and breakfast. it was then chilled sufficiently to cut and bring to lizzie's place!
375 grams dark chocolate
150 grams butter
300 grams peppermint candies, crushed
1 1/2-2 cups shredded coconut
melt the butter and chocolate on defrost in the microwave. once the mixture starts feeling quite warm, stir until smooth. add the candies and coconut gradually, stirring to coat. pour into a lined 15cm x 26cm tin. smooth the surface and sprinkle with extra shredded coconut. cool, then refrigerate. once firm, use a round 3cm cookies cutter to cut out the kisses to serve.
i made these for miss k to take to her coeliac friend's place this morning. i was actually trying to think of what gluten free treat to make last night, but only came up with this recipe this morning. yesterday, we went to sticky where we got a huge bag of pepermint candy and i was determined to think of some thing gluten free to make with them. initial thoughts were to make a slice with the crushed candies and rice cookies, but the combination just didn't appeal to me, so this is what i came up with. if everything is at hand, and the candies crushed, this really only takes a moment to make - the rest is chilling time - it took me less than 10 minutes (felt like 5) to put together and while it was in the fridge, i had my shower and breakfast. it was then chilled sufficiently to cut and bring to lizzie's place!
375 grams dark chocolate
150 grams butter
300 grams peppermint candies, crushed
1 1/2-2 cups shredded coconut
melt the butter and chocolate on defrost in the microwave. once the mixture starts feeling quite warm, stir until smooth. add the candies and coconut gradually, stirring to coat. pour into a lined 15cm x 26cm tin. smooth the surface and sprinkle with extra shredded coconut. cool, then refrigerate. once firm, use a round 3cm cookies cutter to cut out the kisses to serve.
Thursday, January 5, 2006
corn relish dip by whisks
this is super simple and is super delicious, particularly if you like corn relish. it only takes moments to prepare, so is a great standby for spur of the moment occasions.
1 cup corn relish
2 cups sourcream
mix the corn relish with the sour cream until blended and chill until ready to serve.serve with crackers, or my favourite - potato crisps/chips.
1 cup corn relish
2 cups sourcream
mix the corn relish with the sour cream until blended and chill until ready to serve.serve with crackers, or my favourite - potato crisps/chips.
Tuesday, January 3, 2006
chicken lavosh rolls
i first tried these at what was then the sheraton on the park hotel on elizabeth street as part of their high tea selection. this is really a glorified chicken sandwich which is nice to serve as finger food. i like it because i can prepare it a day in advance and slice it up as i need it.
2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
1 small tub plain thick yogurt
1 onion, chopped and softened in butter
1-2 tablespoons curry powder
salt to taste
1 red capsicum, cut in fine slivers
6 pieces lavosh bread
combine the chicken, yogurt, onion, curry powder and salt. lay out a piece of cling wrap (cut larger than the lavosh bread) on a cutting board and place a piece of lavosh on it. spread about 3/4 cup of chicken filling on the piece of bread. place some of the capsicum slivers along the long edge of the chicken and roll the bred up firmly, using the cling wrap to assist the rolling, wrap the roll with the cling wrap entirely. repeat with the remaining mixture. chill the rolls until required; slice the rolls and garnish with parsley and serve.
2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
1 small tub plain thick yogurt
1 onion, chopped and softened in butter
1-2 tablespoons curry powder
salt to taste
1 red capsicum, cut in fine slivers
6 pieces lavosh bread
combine the chicken, yogurt, onion, curry powder and salt. lay out a piece of cling wrap (cut larger than the lavosh bread) on a cutting board and place a piece of lavosh on it. spread about 3/4 cup of chicken filling on the piece of bread. place some of the capsicum slivers along the long edge of the chicken and roll the bred up firmly, using the cling wrap to assist the rolling, wrap the roll with the cling wrap entirely. repeat with the remaining mixture. chill the rolls until required; slice the rolls and garnish with parsley and serve.
Sunday, January 1, 2006
spring onion pancakes
these are by no means the authentic spring onion pancakes popular in pekingese restaurants and in taiwan. these are my cheat/desparation spring onion pancakes. i wanted to make the authentic ones from scratch, but my dough didn't work out, so i came up with this, which isn't bad and a great way of using up scraps of puff pastry and spring onion.
1 bunch spring onions, chopped
ready rolled puff pastry sheets
salt
oil, extra
cut a pastry sheet in four squares. sprinkle some of the spring onion on a quarter piece of pastry. sprinkle with salt. place another quarter square of pastry on top and roll the two pieces of pastry together to created a thin "pancake".
heat a frypan with a little oil and carefully place the prepared pastry in the pan. fry until crisp and golden on one side and flip with a spatula to crisp the other side.
serve cut in wedges.
1 bunch spring onions, chopped
ready rolled puff pastry sheets
salt
oil, extra
cut a pastry sheet in four squares. sprinkle some of the spring onion on a quarter piece of pastry. sprinkle with salt. place another quarter square of pastry on top and roll the two pieces of pastry together to created a thin "pancake".
heat a frypan with a little oil and carefully place the prepared pastry in the pan. fry until crisp and golden on one side and flip with a spatula to crisp the other side.
serve cut in wedges.
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
cabbage, ham and potatoes
i'm in the middle of reading angela's ashes by frank mccourt and i had to try cooking this because of the following excerpt:
Every morning Grandma cooks Bill's dinner and takes it to him at the lime kiln. Mam wonders why he can't take it with him in the morning and Grandma says, Do you expect me to get up at dawn and boil cabbage and pig's toes for his lordship to take in his dinner can?
Mam tells her, in another week school will be over and if you give Frank sixpence a week he'll surely be glad to take Bill Galvin his dinner.
I don't want to go to Grandma's every day. I don't want to take Bill Galvin his dinner all the way down the Dock Road, but Mam says that's sixpence we could use and if I don't do it I'm going nowhere else.
You're staying in the house, she says. You're not playing with your pals.
Grandma warns me to take the dinner can directly and not be meandering, looking this way and that, kicking canisters and ruining the toes of my shoes. This dinner is hot and that's the way Bill Galvin wants it.
There's a lovely smell from the dinner can, boiled bacon and cabbage and two big floury white potatoes. Surely he won't notice if I try half a potato. He won't complain to Grandma because he hardly ever talks outside of a snuffle or two.
It's better if I eat the other half-potato so that he won't be asking why he got a half. I might as well try the bacon and cabbage too and if I eat the other potato he'll surely think she didn't send one at all.
The second potato melts in my mouth and I'll have to try another bit of cabbage, another morsel of bacon. There isn't much left now and he'll be very suspicious so I might as well finish off the rest.
What am I going to do now? Grandma will destroy me, Mam will keep me in for a year. Bill Galvin will bury me in lime. I'll tell him I was attacked by a dog on the Dock Road and he ate the whole dinner and I'm lucky I escaped with being eaten myself.
Oh, is that so? says Bill Galvin. And what's that bit of cabbage hanging on your gansey? Did the dog lick you with his cabbagey gob? Go home and tell your grandmother you ate me whole dinner and I'm falling down with the hunger here in the line kiln.
She'll kill me.
Tell he don't kill you till she sends me some class of a dinner and if you don't go to her now and get me a dinner I'll kill you and throw your body into the lime there and there won't be much left for your mother to moan over.
Grandma says, What are you doin' back with that can? He could bring that back by himself.
He wants more dinner.What do you mean more dinner? Jesus above, is it a hole he has in his leg?
He's falling down with hunger below in the lime kiln.
Is it coddin' me you are? He says send him any class of a dinner. I will not. I sent him his dinner.
He didn't get it. He didn't?
Why not?
I ate it.
What?
I was hungry and I tasted it and I couldn't stop.
Jesus, Mary and holy St. Joseph.
She gives me a clout on the head that brings tears to my eyes. She screams at me like a banshee and jumps around the kitchen and threatens to drag me to the priest, the bishop, the Pope himself if he lived around the corner. She cuts bread and waves the knife at me and makes sandwiches of brawn and cold potatoes.
Take these sandwiches to Bill Galvin and if you even look cross-eyed at them I'll skin your hide.
Of course she runs to Mam and they agree the only way I can make up for my terrible sin is to deliver Bill Galvin's dinner for a fortnight without pay. I'm to bring back the can every day and that means I have to sit watching him stuff the food into his gob and he's not one that would ever ask you if you had a mouth in your head.
Every day I take the can back Grandma makes me kneel to the statue of the Sacred Heart and tell Him I'm sorry and all this over Bill Galvin, a Protestant.
i don't know about you, but i love reading books which refer in some way to food; they add some reality and human aspects. in angela's ashes, the references are there because they're starving and too poor to buy food (but not a pint), and the dish frank describes here is basic, not fancy in any way. we aren't starving, maybe sometimes hungry because it's close to mealtime, and we still find the appeal of this dish. it is comfort food in the truest sense. i cannot imagine what torture frank must have had to endure on the days following the first delivery of bill's lunch. he couldn't resist the smell the first day, what happened on the days following? he had had a taste already. if you do get a chance to try this, i'm sure your heart will go out to frank and be grateful for never knowing what it must be like to go through what he did as a child.
i used a ham bone, sliced carrots, whole potatoes and shredded cabbage, added just enough water to cover the potatoes and left it to simmer until the potatoes and carrots were cooked through.
miss c and miss k thought it was delicious, and considering the ease of getting the whole thing together, i thought it was excellent winter fare. told them that traditionally the leftovers were used to make bubble and squeak and they thought that that sounded pretty good, having heard of it before, but never having tried it. next time, they want me to make more so there'll be leftovers.....so there'll be bubble and squeak! i can't wait.
just think. we thought this was delicious. frank must have felt like he died and went to heaven when he ate bill's dinner....
Every morning Grandma cooks Bill's dinner and takes it to him at the lime kiln. Mam wonders why he can't take it with him in the morning and Grandma says, Do you expect me to get up at dawn and boil cabbage and pig's toes for his lordship to take in his dinner can?
Mam tells her, in another week school will be over and if you give Frank sixpence a week he'll surely be glad to take Bill Galvin his dinner.
I don't want to go to Grandma's every day. I don't want to take Bill Galvin his dinner all the way down the Dock Road, but Mam says that's sixpence we could use and if I don't do it I'm going nowhere else.
You're staying in the house, she says. You're not playing with your pals.
Grandma warns me to take the dinner can directly and not be meandering, looking this way and that, kicking canisters and ruining the toes of my shoes. This dinner is hot and that's the way Bill Galvin wants it.
There's a lovely smell from the dinner can, boiled bacon and cabbage and two big floury white potatoes. Surely he won't notice if I try half a potato. He won't complain to Grandma because he hardly ever talks outside of a snuffle or two.
It's better if I eat the other half-potato so that he won't be asking why he got a half. I might as well try the bacon and cabbage too and if I eat the other potato he'll surely think she didn't send one at all.
The second potato melts in my mouth and I'll have to try another bit of cabbage, another morsel of bacon. There isn't much left now and he'll be very suspicious so I might as well finish off the rest.
What am I going to do now? Grandma will destroy me, Mam will keep me in for a year. Bill Galvin will bury me in lime. I'll tell him I was attacked by a dog on the Dock Road and he ate the whole dinner and I'm lucky I escaped with being eaten myself.
Oh, is that so? says Bill Galvin. And what's that bit of cabbage hanging on your gansey? Did the dog lick you with his cabbagey gob? Go home and tell your grandmother you ate me whole dinner and I'm falling down with the hunger here in the line kiln.
She'll kill me.
Tell he don't kill you till she sends me some class of a dinner and if you don't go to her now and get me a dinner I'll kill you and throw your body into the lime there and there won't be much left for your mother to moan over.
Grandma says, What are you doin' back with that can? He could bring that back by himself.
He wants more dinner.What do you mean more dinner? Jesus above, is it a hole he has in his leg?
He's falling down with hunger below in the lime kiln.
Is it coddin' me you are? He says send him any class of a dinner. I will not. I sent him his dinner.
He didn't get it. He didn't?
Why not?
I ate it.
What?
I was hungry and I tasted it and I couldn't stop.
Jesus, Mary and holy St. Joseph.
She gives me a clout on the head that brings tears to my eyes. She screams at me like a banshee and jumps around the kitchen and threatens to drag me to the priest, the bishop, the Pope himself if he lived around the corner. She cuts bread and waves the knife at me and makes sandwiches of brawn and cold potatoes.
Take these sandwiches to Bill Galvin and if you even look cross-eyed at them I'll skin your hide.
Of course she runs to Mam and they agree the only way I can make up for my terrible sin is to deliver Bill Galvin's dinner for a fortnight without pay. I'm to bring back the can every day and that means I have to sit watching him stuff the food into his gob and he's not one that would ever ask you if you had a mouth in your head.
Every day I take the can back Grandma makes me kneel to the statue of the Sacred Heart and tell Him I'm sorry and all this over Bill Galvin, a Protestant.
i don't know about you, but i love reading books which refer in some way to food; they add some reality and human aspects. in angela's ashes, the references are there because they're starving and too poor to buy food (but not a pint), and the dish frank describes here is basic, not fancy in any way. we aren't starving, maybe sometimes hungry because it's close to mealtime, and we still find the appeal of this dish. it is comfort food in the truest sense. i cannot imagine what torture frank must have had to endure on the days following the first delivery of bill's lunch. he couldn't resist the smell the first day, what happened on the days following? he had had a taste already. if you do get a chance to try this, i'm sure your heart will go out to frank and be grateful for never knowing what it must be like to go through what he did as a child.
i used a ham bone, sliced carrots, whole potatoes and shredded cabbage, added just enough water to cover the potatoes and left it to simmer until the potatoes and carrots were cooked through.
miss c and miss k thought it was delicious, and considering the ease of getting the whole thing together, i thought it was excellent winter fare. told them that traditionally the leftovers were used to make bubble and squeak and they thought that that sounded pretty good, having heard of it before, but never having tried it. next time, they want me to make more so there'll be leftovers.....so there'll be bubble and squeak! i can't wait.
just think. we thought this was delicious. frank must have felt like he died and went to heaven when he ate bill's dinner....
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
cauliflower soup
this has to be one of the easiest soups around, and one of the nicest ways to enjoy cauliflower. cheese croutons or cheese toast round this off as a light meal.
1 head of cauliflower, washed and trimmed of the green leaves
1 onion, chopped
4 rashers bacon, trimmed and chopped
1 rib celery, sliced
1 cup stock (or water, if stock is not on hand)
300mls cream
parsley, to garnish
place the cauliflower, onion, bacon, celery and stock in a pot just large enough to hold everything snugly. bring to the boil over a medium flame. reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is very tender. remove from heat and blend with a handheld blender until smooth. stir in the cream and return to the stove until heated through. sprinkle with a little parsley prior to serving.
sometimes, i add a little stock powder (less than 1/4 of a teaspoon) just to bring the flavour out, but that is purely optional.
1 head of cauliflower, washed and trimmed of the green leaves
1 onion, chopped
4 rashers bacon, trimmed and chopped
1 rib celery, sliced
1 cup stock (or water, if stock is not on hand)
300mls cream
parsley, to garnish
place the cauliflower, onion, bacon, celery and stock in a pot just large enough to hold everything snugly. bring to the boil over a medium flame. reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the cauliflower is very tender. remove from heat and blend with a handheld blender until smooth. stir in the cream and return to the stove until heated through. sprinkle with a little parsley prior to serving.
sometimes, i add a little stock powder (less than 1/4 of a teaspoon) just to bring the flavour out, but that is purely optional.
Sunday, April 24, 2005
brazilian cheese puffs
i love these cheese puffs, in fact, i don't know anyone who doen't like them. even miss k, who doesn't like cheese, loves them! they are also great because you can serve them to those who don't eat wheat for whatever reason.
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups tapioca starch
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
2 eggs
preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius.
bring the milk, salt, and butter to a boil.
remove from heat.
add tapioca starch, stirring constantly until thoroughly mixed.
add the eggs, and then the cheese.
mix until combined. i actually find it easier to mix the dough/batter with a knife or chopsticks.
form into walnut sized balls and place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
bake until golden brown, approximately 15 minutes.
eat while hot.
these puffs can be frozen and reheated successfully in a hot oven for about 5 minutes; thaw them beforehand to make sure they heat through.
alternatively, the dough can be made up a day or two in advance, refrigerated, then baked before serving.
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups tapioca starch
1 1/2 cups grated cheese
2 eggs
preheat oven to 200 degrees celcius.
bring the milk, salt, and butter to a boil.
remove from heat.
add tapioca starch, stirring constantly until thoroughly mixed.
add the eggs, and then the cheese.
mix until combined. i actually find it easier to mix the dough/batter with a knife or chopsticks.
form into walnut sized balls and place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.
bake until golden brown, approximately 15 minutes.
eat while hot.
these puffs can be frozen and reheated successfully in a hot oven for about 5 minutes; thaw them beforehand to make sure they heat through.
alternatively, the dough can be made up a day or two in advance, refrigerated, then baked before serving.
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
porcupines
these are groovey looking meatballs with "something extra"- the rice pops up during cooking so the meatballs look like little porcupines! real old fashioned comfort food. i've suggested minced beef and tomato soup here, but the choice of meat and soup can be varied to suit individual tastes. i'll give you some examples to get you started:
chicken with cream of chicken
lamb with vegetable
beef with cream of mushroom
i'm sure you get the idea.
also, this is easily translated to an oven ready meal by using a casserole dish instead of a frypan, and popping it into the oven heated to 180 degrees C for an hour. easy, really.
1/2 kg minced beef
1/2 cup uncooked regular rice
1 finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can tomato soup
1 cup water
combine minced beef, rice, onion and seasonings together.
form tablespoonfuls into meatballs.
arrange meatballs in a single layer in a non stick frypan.
stir together the tomato soup and water and pour over the meatballs gently.
cover the pan with a lid and place over medium heat, then simmer for 45 minutes.
Uncover and simmer for another 15 minutes.
serve over extra rice, if desiredrice.
makes 4 to 6 servings.
chicken with cream of chicken
lamb with vegetable
beef with cream of mushroom
i'm sure you get the idea.
also, this is easily translated to an oven ready meal by using a casserole dish instead of a frypan, and popping it into the oven heated to 180 degrees C for an hour. easy, really.
1/2 kg minced beef
1/2 cup uncooked regular rice
1 finely chopped onion
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 can tomato soup
1 cup water
combine minced beef, rice, onion and seasonings together.
form tablespoonfuls into meatballs.
arrange meatballs in a single layer in a non stick frypan.
stir together the tomato soup and water and pour over the meatballs gently.
cover the pan with a lid and place over medium heat, then simmer for 45 minutes.
Uncover and simmer for another 15 minutes.
serve over extra rice, if desiredrice.
makes 4 to 6 servings.
Friday, February 18, 2005
crunchy chocolate peanut slice
this slice is delicious, no doubt about it and to think that it came about from a decent, but not favourite biscuit. on the 4th, i made chocolate peanut biscuits which had to take a back seat to the hokey pokey biscuits. since i couldn't let the perfectly good biscuits go to waste, and also to satisfy my desire to try out a new slice recipe, i hit two birds with one stone and put them together and the result was a great new slice!
this process also lead to a new discovery - i thought it might be better to refresh the week old biscuits by microwaving them. well, warm biscuits simply crumble with gentle agitation - no need for a food processor of rolling pin here. do make sure it is gentle agitation as anything too rough will render tough crumbs rather than tender ones, or just crumble the biscuits with your fingers.the plain biscuits i thought were a necessary addition to add texture, as without them, the slice is very dense and rich - the crunch gives the whole a another dimension.
this, again, is a very easy slice - just melt and mix, really, and you can't have it any easier than that. quite delectable.
200g butter
300g chocolate peanut biscuits, crumbled
100g plain biscuits, chopped roughly
6 tbsp golden syrup
4 tbsp cocoa powder
line a 20cm square baking tin with baking paper.
melt the butter and syrup in a pan. stir in the cocoa, then thoroughly stir in the biscuits.
spoon into the tin and press down firmly with the back of a spoon.
chill until set.
slice as desired.
this process also lead to a new discovery - i thought it might be better to refresh the week old biscuits by microwaving them. well, warm biscuits simply crumble with gentle agitation - no need for a food processor of rolling pin here. do make sure it is gentle agitation as anything too rough will render tough crumbs rather than tender ones, or just crumble the biscuits with your fingers.the plain biscuits i thought were a necessary addition to add texture, as without them, the slice is very dense and rich - the crunch gives the whole a another dimension.
this, again, is a very easy slice - just melt and mix, really, and you can't have it any easier than that. quite delectable.
200g butter
300g chocolate peanut biscuits, crumbled
100g plain biscuits, chopped roughly
6 tbsp golden syrup
4 tbsp cocoa powder
line a 20cm square baking tin with baking paper.
melt the butter and syrup in a pan. stir in the cocoa, then thoroughly stir in the biscuits.
spoon into the tin and press down firmly with the back of a spoon.
chill until set.
slice as desired.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
whisks' marinated feta
a few days ago, while doing my groceries, i walked around the cheese selection at woollies and was very tempted by the marinated feta, but a quick calculation suggested i could make a more economical version at home.
i bought a good quality plain feta soaked in brine, drained it well, being careful not to touch it with my fingers, or anything else for that matter, for fear of contamination. as i don't have a herb garden ast the moment, i used dried herbs in the marinade: ground sage, ground oregano, thyme, smoked paprika and cracked peppercorns (one is granted liberties here; whatever herbs and combinations one desires would make for an exciting flavoured cheese - my future attempts may involve celery seeds or chillies. one variation i fully intend to work on will involve lemon grass- just think of the endless possibilities!). i then drowned the whole container of feta and herbs with a fruity extra virgin olive oil: first cold pressing, early harvest. the result was spectacular (would have made it into the stratospheric had i access to finer herbs and given it the liberty of a few days to really soak in and mature). the olive oil was just so delicious i could have had just that on woodfired bread. miss c just couldn't stop eating it, and has not stopped devouring it after school these last few days.
the ideal situation would perhaps be to be well prepared and allow the feta to marinate a while, so, in a way, preparing a double (or triple portion, if one is so inclined) and having the extra on hand (for after school snacks or whatever glamourous occasion may arise).
just a note, do not be alarmed that the olive oil goes cloudy and solidifies in the refrigerator - it is just an indicator that it is olive oil, as canola retains the golden liquidiness when refrigerated (hence purchased marinated feta will be inferior to one's own effortless creation as canola or vegetable oils are used to give them shelf appeal).
from this lazy concoction, a myriad of opportunities arise:
black olives can be partnered with the cheese and strewn over the simplest of lettuce leaves, or progress to a more elaborate salad with avocados, tomatoes, roasted capsicums and cucumber
antipasto platters
quiche, frittata and savoury tart fillings
as a filling for rolled lamb or chicken
cut into small finger sized batons and rolled inside finely sliced prosciutto, drizzled with the flavoursome oil (i had this when i was in france, and it was very good)
my favourite though, is to have the cheese very simply on rustic italian bread so the divine melded flavours of the cheese, herbs and oil can be appreciated very simply.
i bought a good quality plain feta soaked in brine, drained it well, being careful not to touch it with my fingers, or anything else for that matter, for fear of contamination. as i don't have a herb garden ast the moment, i used dried herbs in the marinade: ground sage, ground oregano, thyme, smoked paprika and cracked peppercorns (one is granted liberties here; whatever herbs and combinations one desires would make for an exciting flavoured cheese - my future attempts may involve celery seeds or chillies. one variation i fully intend to work on will involve lemon grass- just think of the endless possibilities!). i then drowned the whole container of feta and herbs with a fruity extra virgin olive oil: first cold pressing, early harvest. the result was spectacular (would have made it into the stratospheric had i access to finer herbs and given it the liberty of a few days to really soak in and mature). the olive oil was just so delicious i could have had just that on woodfired bread. miss c just couldn't stop eating it, and has not stopped devouring it after school these last few days.
the ideal situation would perhaps be to be well prepared and allow the feta to marinate a while, so, in a way, preparing a double (or triple portion, if one is so inclined) and having the extra on hand (for after school snacks or whatever glamourous occasion may arise).
just a note, do not be alarmed that the olive oil goes cloudy and solidifies in the refrigerator - it is just an indicator that it is olive oil, as canola retains the golden liquidiness when refrigerated (hence purchased marinated feta will be inferior to one's own effortless creation as canola or vegetable oils are used to give them shelf appeal).
from this lazy concoction, a myriad of opportunities arise:
black olives can be partnered with the cheese and strewn over the simplest of lettuce leaves, or progress to a more elaborate salad with avocados, tomatoes, roasted capsicums and cucumber
antipasto platters
quiche, frittata and savoury tart fillings
as a filling for rolled lamb or chicken
cut into small finger sized batons and rolled inside finely sliced prosciutto, drizzled with the flavoursome oil (i had this when i was in france, and it was very good)
my favourite though, is to have the cheese very simply on rustic italian bread so the divine melded flavours of the cheese, herbs and oil can be appreciated very simply.
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
pineapple biscuits
these biscuits are crisp and crunchy, with a chewy surprise of dried pineapple. the weetbix added another dimension to the texture (airiness) and flavour (maltiness). all in all, a good, easy biscuit to add to one's repertiore.
miss c and miss k had them in their lunchboxes today as a surprise, and i dare say they were delighted. delight yourself and those around you and make a batch soon.
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 egg
125 grams butter, melted
1 cup self raising flour
6 crushed weetbix
3/4 cup dried chopped pineapple
preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius.
line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
use a whisk to combine the sugars, vanilla, egg and butter in a bowl.
add flour, weetbix and pineapple.
stir thoroughly until well combined.
drop tablespoonfuls of mixture onto the prepared trays.
bake for 20 minutes or until light golden.
leave the biscuits on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool. they need this time to settle and compose themselves, otherwise they'll crumble and fall apart. they're delicate like that. but once they've cooled a little bit, they're fine.
these are already delicious to eat as they are, but if you want to make them look really fancy, the following icing may be spread over the cooled biscuits, then sprinkled with more of the dried pineapple.
pineapple icing.
1 3/4 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
2 teaspoons melted butter
1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple
combine the icing sugar, pineapple juice and melted butter in a bowl and use a whisk to stir it until smooth. spread over the biscuits and sprinkle with pineapple and allow to set.
miss c and miss k had them in their lunchboxes today as a surprise, and i dare say they were delighted. delight yourself and those around you and make a batch soon.
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 egg
125 grams butter, melted
1 cup self raising flour
6 crushed weetbix
3/4 cup dried chopped pineapple
preheat the oven to 180 degrees celcius.
line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
use a whisk to combine the sugars, vanilla, egg and butter in a bowl.
add flour, weetbix and pineapple.
stir thoroughly until well combined.
drop tablespoonfuls of mixture onto the prepared trays.
bake for 20 minutes or until light golden.
leave the biscuits on the trays for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool. they need this time to settle and compose themselves, otherwise they'll crumble and fall apart. they're delicate like that. but once they've cooled a little bit, they're fine.
these are already delicious to eat as they are, but if you want to make them look really fancy, the following icing may be spread over the cooled biscuits, then sprinkled with more of the dried pineapple.
pineapple icing.
1 3/4 cups icing sugar
2 tablespoons pineapple juice
2 teaspoons melted butter
1/2 cup chopped dried pineapple
combine the icing sugar, pineapple juice and melted butter in a bowl and use a whisk to stir it until smooth. spread over the biscuits and sprinkle with pineapple and allow to set.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
chocolate peanut butter dreams by whisks
these are surprisingly good, especially when you consider how easy they are to make. they're fudgey and they don't heat up the house too much since they're a stovetop creation, so no oven required! they are quite rich, so don't go overboard eating them, unless your constitution can handle it (how many times can i keep saying they/theyare/they're?). i made mine by pouring the mixture in a loaf tin lined with baking paper and slicied bars off as required, rather than making little mounds of mixture.
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
3 cups quick oats
1 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1 teaspoon vanilla
put the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. allow to boil for one minute, then remove the saucepan from the heat.
add the oats, peanut butter and vanilla and mix well. this can be done with a wooden spoon, or if you don't have the energy, an electric mixer.
at this stage, you can either drop tablespoons of the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper, or pour the mixture into a lined cake tin to set in one piece so you can slice it up to serve.
leave the mixture to cool before serving. refrigerating the mixture will make it fudgier. your call - i like it fudgier.
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
3 cups quick oats
1 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
1 teaspoon vanilla
put the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. allow to boil for one minute, then remove the saucepan from the heat.
add the oats, peanut butter and vanilla and mix well. this can be done with a wooden spoon, or if you don't have the energy, an electric mixer.
at this stage, you can either drop tablespoons of the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper, or pour the mixture into a lined cake tin to set in one piece so you can slice it up to serve.
leave the mixture to cool before serving. refrigerating the mixture will make it fudgier. your call - i like it fudgier.
Wednesday, February 9, 2005
ginger crunch by whisks
ginger crunch is wonderful - a crunchy biscuit base smothered with ginger flavoured icing topped with little bijoux pieces of crystalised ginger. it's a very old fashioned slice popular in both new zealand and australia, and whilst it has ginger in it, it is only mildly spicy and is much loved by lots of people - miss c and miss k bring it to school and have friends clambering for it, and when i bring it for the life line volunteers, i suddenly have the lovely ladies there hugging me.
it seems to turn out best when the base has been baked a beautiful golden colour - if the oven doesn't heat evenly, consider rotating the baking tin to acheive an even gold.
125 g butter, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1 cup self raising flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
icing
90 grams butter
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
2 teaspoons ground ginger
10 pieces crystallized ginger, chopped
preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
cream the butter and sugar in a medium sized bowl.
add the flour and ground ginger and mix well.
lightly press the mixture into a shallow sided baking tin measuring approximately 27cm x 17cm or 20cm square, lined with baking paper. be gentle when pressing the base into the tin - you don't want the base to be rock hard - you want it to have some crunch and still melt in the mouth.
bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
during the last few minutes of baking, combine all the icing ingredients in a small saucepan and melt over a low-medium heat, stirring constantly. i like to use a whisk to mix the icing so there aren't any lumps. i love using a whisk.
remove the biscuit base from the oven and immediately pour the hot icing mixture as evenly as possible over the hot base. try to distribute the crystallised ginger evenly on top.
remove the slice from the baking tin when it has cooled by lifting the baking paper up and using it to help slide the slice onto a cutting board.
cut the slice into pieces as desired.
share the ginger crunch with someone - it's a nice thing to do and it makes the slice taste even better.
it seems to turn out best when the base has been baked a beautiful golden colour - if the oven doesn't heat evenly, consider rotating the baking tin to acheive an even gold.
125 g butter, softened
1/4 cup white sugar
1 cup self raising flour
1 teaspoon ground ginger
icing
90 grams butter
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tablespoon golden syrup
2 teaspoons ground ginger
10 pieces crystallized ginger, chopped
preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
cream the butter and sugar in a medium sized bowl.
add the flour and ground ginger and mix well.
lightly press the mixture into a shallow sided baking tin measuring approximately 27cm x 17cm or 20cm square, lined with baking paper. be gentle when pressing the base into the tin - you don't want the base to be rock hard - you want it to have some crunch and still melt in the mouth.
bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden.
during the last few minutes of baking, combine all the icing ingredients in a small saucepan and melt over a low-medium heat, stirring constantly. i like to use a whisk to mix the icing so there aren't any lumps. i love using a whisk.
remove the biscuit base from the oven and immediately pour the hot icing mixture as evenly as possible over the hot base. try to distribute the crystallised ginger evenly on top.
remove the slice from the baking tin when it has cooled by lifting the baking paper up and using it to help slide the slice onto a cutting board.
cut the slice into pieces as desired.
share the ginger crunch with someone - it's a nice thing to do and it makes the slice taste even better.
Friday, February 4, 2005
chocolate peanut biscuits
while i was in london, julia asked me to find a recipe for these biscuits. julia had tried them when we were at high school. debbie gates' mother had made them and julia had never quite gotten over the delicious peanutty, chocolatey crunchiness. she did get the recipe, but has since lost it. my mission, should i chose to accept it, and i have, was to endeavour to recreate or find a recipe for such a biscuit. hmmm....chocolate, peanuts AND crunchy....
unfortunately, these aren't IT, but they are very nice nonetheless - it just gives me an excuse to try out other variations until i achieve THE biscuit.
125 grams butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
pinch salt
1 cup peanuts
1 1/4 cups self raising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
cream the butter, sugar, salt and egg in a medium bowl with a mixer.
add the nuts and cocoa.
mix, then add flour. combine well.
form the dough into walnut sized balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. press the balls down lightly with a fork or the bottom of a glass dip in sugar (so the dough doesn't stick to the glass).
bake for 15-20 minutes.
unfortunately, these aren't IT, but they are very nice nonetheless - it just gives me an excuse to try out other variations until i achieve THE biscuit.
125 grams butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
pinch salt
1 cup peanuts
1 1/4 cups self raising flour
2 tablespoons cocoa
preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.
cream the butter, sugar, salt and egg in a medium bowl with a mixer.
add the nuts and cocoa.
mix, then add flour. combine well.
form the dough into walnut sized balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. press the balls down lightly with a fork or the bottom of a glass dip in sugar (so the dough doesn't stick to the glass).
bake for 15-20 minutes.
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