CHOCOLATE, RASPBERRY AND ALMOND MACAROONS

CHOCOLATE, RASPBERRY AND ALMOND MACAROONS

I had nothing to do with the making of these, but I had a lot to do with the tasting, and I can vouch for their total deliciousness - along with the wow factor... I mean they look and taste incredible... so if you're looking to add something to impress on the Christmas table this year - then look no further.

This was very much a father, daughter afternoon, I think I may have still been in bed with the papers (you do have to cherish those rare beautiful moments)

I asked Holly to write this down for me, so I will pass on your messages of blame if all goes wrong - she is normally rather brilliant in the kitchen (not that her school would agree ... I've just received an email from her housemistress complaining of over burnt mince pies, an emergency evacuation of the house, and a whole load of beautiful firemen (I knew there would always be a good reason!)..

INGREDIENTS

(To make about 30)

170g icing sugar
160g ground almonds
120ml egg whites (approx 4 eggs) - divide this mixture into 2
160g granulated sugar
1/2 tsp red food colouring

FOR THE FILLING
120g double cream
110g dark chocolate, finely chopped
25g unsalted butter
75g raspberry jam

Put the icing sugar and ground almonds in a whizzer until completely combined, and then sieve it through into a fresh bowl (chuck the left over bits in the sieve - it has got to be smooth).  Add the first batch of egg whites and mix to make a thick paste - then put aside.

Tip the other batch of egg whites in a clean dry bowl.  Put 50ml water and the granulated sugar in a pan and bring to boil over medium heat until it makes a syrup (don't stir).  If you have a sugar thermometer, then use it! and wait till it reaches 110 deg C... if you don't - then just sort of guess (as long as your sugar mixture is syrupy - you should be fine... Once it starts looking syrupy, take it off the heat and then you get whisking your egg whites on a high speed.  When they are stiff, slowly pour your sugar syrup down the side of the bowl.  Don't pour directly under your moving whisk.  Carry on whisking until you have a shiny peaked meringue mixture - then add the red colouring.

Tip the meringue mixture into your almond mixture, and fold together.  Don't over mix.

Heat oven to 170 deg/150 deg.  Line 3 baking trays with baking paper... and transfer your mixture into a piping bag with a plain nozzle.  Pipe rounds of about 2.5cm and then leave in the fridge for around half an hour, until they develop a skin (you can see why I stayed out of the kitchen - it did kick off just a few times).

Bake them for about 14 mins (they need to be perfect, so maybe taste one) Take the baking paper off tray and lay on a cool work surface for a few mins before removing the macaroons.

And now for the easy bit...
To make the filling, place the cream in a saucepan and once it is just about to boil, pour it over the finely chopped chocolate in a bowl.  Add the butter and then stir until it is all mixed, then leave till it has thickened.  Pop it into a clean piping bag and pipe around the sides of half the macaroons.. pop a little raspberry jam in the centre, and then sandwich them together with the other halves.

PHEW!!! I NEVER SAID IT WAS EASY!!!

I promise I will return to far less complicated recipes again, as I feel exhausted just typing it ... but how good do they look? - Who needs Laduree when you have Holly and Mike?

PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

PEANUT BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

SO.... my obsession with peanut butter continues - not a good thing obviously in large doses, but if you can control yourself in the food department, you are definitely on to a surefire winner here, and doing better than me.

I did make extra for the neighbours - but they've literally vanished - I knock on their door at all hours, so either they are on holiday, or they are definitely avoiding me ... hmmm.

Holly phoned me from school last week, and her obsession with peanut butter is developing nicely.  This was totally her idea, so you only have her to blame when you see the Hayes family featuring on "Too Fat to Fly" (my new favourite programme - something quite comforting eating vasts amount of cake and chocolate whilst watching someone on telly considerably larger than you - the joy!)

We are now on soft food at the moment - Max had his braces put on today, so I must embrace it, as the next time we shall be eating soft food is when my children are watching some underpaid slave in the local nursing home, chuck it at my mouth in the hope that I don't eat into their non-existent inheritance for too much longer..... (They have warned me!)

Anyway, back to the peanut butter cupcakes - TOO RIDICULOULSY GOOD -so here we go.....!

INGREDIENTS

00g unsalted butter - soft
100g crunchy peanut butter
60g smooth peanut butter
220g brown soft sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla essence
150g plain flour
large teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
3 fluid ounces milk

ICING
120g smooth peanut butter
120g crunchy peanut butter
100g cocoa powder
60g unsalted soft butter
400g icing sugar
Add milk to get to right consistency
(I added a little cooled melted dark chocolate into my piping bag - but only because it was greedy - you don't have to!)

Turn oven on to 180 degrees, and then using your hand mixer whizz the sugar, peanut butter and butter together until it's all light and fluffy.  Add the eggs one at a time, and once all mixed (smell that peanut butter!), then add the vanilla essence. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt in another bowl and then fold half of it in to the nutty nectar... then add the milk and the rest of the flour.

Pop them into pretty cupcake cases (or in my case cheap supermarket ones, and fill them 2/3rds full... Put the cupcake cases into baking trays with holes in them.  Then, bake in the centre of the oven for about 10 or so minutes (they may need 15 mins, but just keep a beady eye on them)..

Meanwhile, whizz up all the icing ingredients, and try not to eat too much, as trust me, it makes you want to reach for maternity wear.  If you have a piping bag, then you can do magic things on the top of your cooled cupcakes, but if you don't possess one, then just spread it on thickly.

Holly and Mike also made almond and chocolate macaroon's yesterday (the result of too many late nights and too many lazy afternoon's..) I will post them tomorrow .... but didn't want them to outdo me tonight..



Have a good Monday ...

I did do a double take at Tesco's tonight - this should spice up your night!

xxx

PUMPKIN AND CHOC CHIP LOAF

PUMPKIN AND CHOC CHIP LOAF

I know, I know, you are all done with Halloween... and I'm way too late with this recipe - but if you don't have any pumpkin flesh left over for for your seasonal soup, then you can substitute a cup of pumpkin for some variety of squash, and it will taste just as delicious..
Although, for all you Americano's - there is always Thanksgiving to prepare for...
Couldn't post a pumpkin recipe without showing you the carving we did for Max (he's about to have braces next week, so we just thought we'd show him how best to wear them)..

This is a sort of breakfast loaf, but can be eaten as cake for tea, or pudding for after supps, or just snacking in general... (even at 4.30am on a Saturday morning, when you find yourself still talking nonsense).

I made two - one for the neighbours, (kind of wanting it back now), and one for us... thank god that my brilliant cousin and her man, who are eating for 3, appeared impromptu on Sunday morning, along with a  whole host of terribly hungover guests, and finished the remaining crumbs as a pre-amble to bacon, eggs, black pud (all courtesy of the Ginger Pig) - cooked up by THE Mikey Hayes himself.

Being a Halloweeny, Thanksgivingy sort of recipe.. I have measured out the ingredients in cups - so all very easy if you have no scales to hand..

INGREDIENTS

Half a pack of butter (Half a cup)
1 1/4 cup caster sugar
3 large eggs (beaten)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup pureed pumpkin flesh (or if not - you can buy canned - or use squash)
1 3/4 plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate soda
Half tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin spice (impossible to find - but just mix equal quantities of cinammon, ginger, nutmeg and all spice)
1/3 cup milk
1 cup choc chips (dark or milk)
3/4 cup bashed up walnuts and pecans

Grease a loaf tin (actually this makes two - so obviously one at a time if you only have one).  I put baking paper on the bottom, but if you grease it well, it should be fine..
Turn oven on to 180 deg.
Mix the butter and sugar until all creamy (best with a hand mixer) and then add the eggs slowly, and then the vanilla extract and the pumpkin.
In another bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, bicarb, salt and spices.

Blend both bowls of ingredients together, I add the dry to the wet.. but do it slowly, then you can add the milk, the choc chips and the nuts.

If you think it may be a little too runny, I add a bit extra of self raising flour, but I have played about with the quantities, and I think it should be okay.

I mean, seriously, how easy is that? Definitely worth a go..

Pour evenly into both loaf tins, and cook in the centre of the oven for about 50- 60 mins.  Check with a skewer - and if it comes out clean, you know it's done.

Cool for 10 or so mins, and then remove loaf from pan - THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST EATEN HOT STRAIGHT FROM THE OVEN - it's all in the timing I say.

Eaten with or without lashings of butter.

Anyway, I've had a slightly exhausting weekend, half term has come to an end (I mean, it's been weeks) - and I'm thinking of pouring myself an extra large glass of vino to celebrate normality resuming.  If only I had more cake... I must send Mike over to have a serious word with the neighbours,