Potato Boulangère - Cooked in a Steam Combination Oven For Christmas 2015

I've made this Jamie Oliver recipe numerous times, it's quick, easy and a healthier option to the usual potato dauphinoise.  Potato Boulangère is simply thinly sliced potatoes, onions and stock layered up in a dish.  I like Delia's recipe too......

When I chose my new kitchen the purchase of a steam combination oven was an indulgence, especially as I had no idea if I was going to be happy with it but now I don't know how I managed without it. The advantage of cooking in this type of oven using the fan/steam mode is food doesn't dry out and also cooks quicker, I cooked this dish in just over 30 minutes at 200°C Fan/Steam.

Steam ovens have to be used with caution, when I first used mine I had one or two nasty burns and I learnt very quickly that my best friend was going to be a set of of double oven gloves that have an extra long cuff, a protective steam layer and don't let the heat through.  I'd recommend C'est Ca because they never let me down.

Adapted Recipe:
750g maincrop potatoes
1 onion, sliced
sage leaves
200ml vegetable stock
Parmesan cheese
butter

Conventional Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Peel and thinly slice the potatoes, add a layer over the base followed by a layer of onions, season. Build up the layers finishing with a layer of potatoes.
3. Pour the stock over the potatoes, season. Grate the Parmesan over the potatoes, top with a few fresh sage leaves. Top with a few pieces of butter. Cook for an hour until golden and the potatoes are cooked through.

The original recipe is on the Jamie Oliver website.

Raspberry and White Chocolate Brioche Pudding - Recipe For Christmas 2015

I love this pudding, it's easy to make, you don't need to spend loads of time in the kitchen and it's perfect for this time of the year when we are all beginning to feel festive. It's lightweight to eat compared to panettone pudding and I've substituted some of the cream for semi-skimmed milk to cut down on calories.I bought a pack of 8 brioche rolls from the shop that sells everything for a £1, they are really light and perfect for this pudding, I only used four of the rolls and popped the remaining four into the freezer for another day.

White buttons are best or white chocolate chips because the chocolate needs to melt quickly.When I came to make the pudding I found I had ran out of buttons and used chunks of chocolate.

I used frozen raspberries, which have a good amount of tang to them compared with fresh and for some Christmas spirit I marinated the frozen raspberries in brandy for a few minutes!

Serves: 4

You will need:  150ml semi-skimmed milk, 150ml whipping cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 eggs, 4 brioche rolls sliced horizontally into two, 100g frozen raspberries, 1 tbsp brandy, 25g white chocolate buttons

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 170°C.  Butter a dish which is large enough to take four brioche rolls.
2. Whisk the eggs, milk, cream and vanilla extract together.
3. Tip the frozen raspberries into a small bowl and stir in the brandy.
4. Place the cut brioche into the dish and pour the egg mixture over. Sprinkle over the raspberries and chocolate.
5. Place the dish in a roasting pan. Pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until just set.
6. Dust with icing sugar.

Heinz Chilli Sauces For Christmas 2015

You work long hours, its gloomy outside and you've come home from work to be greeted by a few pieces of uninspiring chicken in the fridge. What can you do to spice things up a bit and perhaps your own life too while you’re at it :)

Well put down your oven gloves and look no further than the video to see how to add more zing to that chicken than you’d even dare to imagine.

From the video it looks like Heinz has gone all exotic on us! So cast away your HP Sauce and whilst you’re there, turn a blind eye to the Ketchup, and indulge yourself in the latest cult sauces from Heinz which will solve any dinner time dilemma.

Heinz has revealed some fabulous sauces for the taking. Whether you want to marinate, dip as you go, or just do a quick glaze on a piece of chicken under the grill, Heinz have found an imaginative way to help spice up even the most everyday meal, so you get more bang from your buck at home.

You love Sweet Chilli – you got it! How about packing a real punch on the side with a Jerk BBQ sauce - yep, you've got it! Or how about a super zingy Peri Peri Hot Pepper Sauce – well it’s all yours for the taking!

We’ve got our Heinz sauces in and started experimenting with them, so let us know how you get on with your own culinary adventures.

Disclaimer: This post has been sponsored by Heinz, all thoughts are our own.

Meringue Roulade with Elderflower Infused Strawberries - Recipe For Christmas 2015

Strawberries from the garden, egg whites from the freezer, chocolate from the store cupboard - I only had to buy the whipping cream.  I nearly got away with a free dessert!

The slightly adapted recipe is by Mary Berry and one I have used many, many times and in true Mary Berry style - I cut the finished roulade in half and put one half in the freezer for another day.

I serve my meringue with lots of macerated strawberries

I'm very sad but I always feel happy when I line a tin neatly

Remove the lining paper and dab meringue into the four corners (this secures the lining paper)
place the lining paper into the tin and then add the meringue

The cooked meringue 

Now for the recipe:
4 egg whites
225g caster sugar
pinch cream of tartar
300ml whipping cream
1tsp vanilla extract
icing sugar for dusting
dark chocolate for decoration

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/180ºC Fan. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment.
2. Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar until stiff. Add the sugar a teaspoon at a time, until the egg whites are stiff and glossy.
3. Spread the egg whites evenly on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and cool on a baking rack for 10 minutes.
4. Take a large sheet of baking parchment and dust with sifted icing sugar.  Turn the meringue over onto the baking parchment.  Remove the paper from the base of the meringue.
5. Whip the cream and vanilla extract to soft peaks.
6. Spread the cream over the meringue, roll the meringue from one of the long ends, using the parchment paper to help with the rolling. Dust with icing sugar.
7. Melt a few pieces of dark chocolate and drizzle over the meringue.
TIP: The cream of tartar helps stabilise the meringue and prevents weeping too.

Elderflower Infused Strawberries
200g fresh strawberries
1 tablespoon elderflower cordial
1 tablespoon caster sugar

1. Wash the strawberries.
2. Cut the strawberries into quarters.
3. Pour over the elderflower cordial, sprinkle over the caster sugar.
4. Mix together.
5. Cover and place in the fridge overnight.

The swiss roll tin I used measures 34x24x2 and is part of the range of The Bakers Dozen James Martin Bakeware by Stellar Cookware which I reviewed in a previous blog post.

Christmas Tree Cupcake Recipe [Updated]

Christmas dessert recipes - Christmas Tree cupcakes

How to make easy Christmas tree cupcakes. These are a great dessert for any Christmas party you're going to.

Items used in these Christmas tree cupcakes:

• cupcakes
• sugar ice cream cones
• green buttercream with Wilton tips 352 and 18
• white buttercream

• shredded coconut
• candy covered sunflower seeds
• star sprinkles

Procedure:

Using the white buttercream, cover the top of the cupcake. Dip the edges of the cupcake into the shredded coconut and press the sugar cone into place in the centre of the cupcake. Using the green buttercream, starting at the bottom, cover the sugar cone in "branches" using an elongated branch affect (stretching the tip by pulling out away from the cone). While the buttercream is still soft, add the chocolate covered sunflower seeds as lights around the tree and a star sprinkle on the top.

Christmas Tree Cupcakes Recipe For 2015

Christmas Dessert recipes - Cup Cakes

Learn how to make these Christmas tree cupcakes using ice cream cones and marshmallows. You can also use them as centerpieces or for trees in the front yard of a gingerbread house! These use the same technique as the chrysanthemum cupcakes that are popular all over the web. This is not a recipe but rather a how-to.

What you'll need To Make Christmas Tree Cupcakes:

1. cupcakes - any flavor will do
2. butter cream frosting 
3. sugar cones for ice cream
4. mini marshmallows (approximately 35-40 for each tree)
5. jelly candy - I used Truly Fruit by Seneca

Cut the mini marshmallows in half, diagonally, and place into a zip top bag with green colored sugar. After a few are cut, shake bag to coat the cut portion of the marshmallows. Remove from the sugar and place into a bowl. Only do a few at a time so as to not let the cut marshmallow dry out in which case the sugar will not stick.
Take a sugar cone and coat with a thin layer of butter cream frosting. Layer the sugared marshmallows in rows, starting at the bottom, going around the cone with the flat side of the marshmallow in the frosting with the point facing down. Continue all the way up until the top (8-9 rows). Take a jelly candy and cut into the shape of a star and secure on the top of the tree with a dab of butter cream. Let dry 4-6 hours to firm up enough to handle.
Frost the top of a cupcake and carefully place the tree on top, slightly pushing down to secure the ice cream cone into the butter cream. Let set up a few more hours to make sure the tree is secure on the top of the cupcake. Enjoy!

Christmas Fruit Cake Recipe

Looking For Christmas cake recipes ?

Christmas fruit cake recipes?Christmas baking recipes ?

Here is a Christmas Cake with many cute Santas made from strawberries and cream! This is a very nice recipe with very nice taste and fun for making! I hope you can enjoy this recipe and have a HAPPY CHRISTMAS!


SIMPLE WHITE CAKE:

***Ingredients***

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk

***Directions***

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x9 inch pan or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth. Pour or spoon batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven. For cupcakes, bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cake is done when it springs back to the touch.


STURDY WHIPPED CREAM FROSTING:

***Ingredients***
1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream
cheese, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups heavy cream

***Directions***
1. Combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth. While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak.

Peppermint Candy Recipe For Christmas 2015

Ingredients

1. 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2. 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk, divided
3. 1 cup white baking chips
4. 3 teaspoons peppermint extract
5. 2 to 3 drops green food coloring

Directions For Pepper Mint Candy Recipe

1. In a small saucepan, melt chocolate chips with 3/4 cup condensed milk over low heat, stirring occasionally. Line an 8-in.-square dish with waxed paper; butter the paper.
2. Spread half of melted chocolate mixture into pan; chill for 5-10 minutes (let remaining melted chocolate mixture stand at room temperature).
3. In another saucepan, melt white baking chips. Stir in remaining condensed milk until smooth. Remove from the heat; add extract and food coloring. Refrigerate until set. Spread over chocolate layer; spread with reserved chocolate mixture. Refrigerate until set. Cut into 1-in. pieces. Yield: about 1-1/2 pounds (64 pieces).