Rapunzel Carrot Tower Cake.

Rapunzel Carrot Tower Cake.

The girls got very excited about mummy making fairy tale themed cakes. I've so far done Cinderella and Snow White and I hope I don't disappoint with this carrot cake. This cake is so moist and delicious, it's one of my best bakes, but it's very difficult to pretty the appearance after. 

Thank you Rosie for the eggs, the reason why the cake is so delicious.

Equipment:

4x15cm square cake tins, lined with baking paper.

     For the cake.

Use an electric mixer, beat

-250g butter, at room temperature,

-400g self raising flour,

-400g caster sugar,

-2tsp baking powder,

-5 eggs,

-3tbsp milk,

-1tsp vanilla bean paste,

-pinch of salt.

Beat to combine the ingredients.

Stir through 200g grated carrots.

Spoon into the prepared tins.

Oven 180s fan forced.

Bake 20- 25 minutes, skewer should come out clean.

Leave to cool completely in the cooking tins.

      For the cream filling.

Use an electric mixer, beat

-250g mascarpone cheese with 

-600ml double cream,

-3tbsp icing sugar,

-1tsp vanilla bean paste,

-zest of 2 oranges.

Beat together until the cream just holds its shape. Leave aside.

       Sugar Crunch.

In a small saucepan, put in,

-100g caster sugar,

-4tbsp water.

Cook on low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Turn the heat up and cook without stirring until the syrup has turned golden brown.

Drizzle the caramel on a piece of baking paper. This is going to represent Rapunzel's golden hair.

Leave to set.

       To assemble.

Place the first layer of cake on a serving plate.

Spoon on cream filling.

Place the second cake layer on top.

Spoon on cream filling.

Place the third layer of cake on top.

Spoon on cream filling.

Top with the last layer of cake.

Encase the cake tower with the rest of the cream.

Press 100g grated carrots on the outside.

Top with the sugar crunch.

Note: one of my daughters thought the cake was very pretty.

Breakfast Bake.

 

Breakfast Bake.

Serves 4.

Combining breakfast ingredients, with a few added extras, into a delicious and complete dinner that doesn't require much work.

In a large frying pan, on low heat, brown 

-6 sausages. They don't need to be cooked through. Leave aside.

Wipe the pan clean and put it back on the heat.

Fry 

-1 sliced onion, with

-1 clove chopped garlic,

-50g sliced Chorizo,

-2 rashes sliced bacon,

-salt/pepper.

Cook, stirring until the onions have softened. Add

-2tbsp tomato purée,

-400g Cannellini beans,

-100g thickly sliced mushrooms,

-400g tinned plum tomatoes,

-100ml water,

-sausages,

-2tbsp chopped parsley.

Stir and leave to simmer with a lid on for 10 minutes.

Spoon into an oven proof dish.

Crack in 4 eggs.

Top with 150g grated cheese.

Bake in 180c fan forced oven for 30-40 minutes or until the cheese is golden brown.

Serve with hash browns and/or bread and butter.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

We normally have friends over every Wednesday, I wanted to make something fun and yummy for the little ones (and mums). The name is just a bit of fun and it's also book week. Hope to come up with more fairy tale cakes.

Equipment:

2x   30x15cm cake tins, or

2x20cm springform cakes tins, lined with baking paper.

In a saucepan, melt

-300ml double cream, with

-150g dark chocolate.

Cook, stirring on low heat until the chocolate has melted.

Leave aside.

       For the cake.

Use an electric mixer, beat

-250g butter, at room temperature, with

-400g caster sugar,

-400g self raising flour,

-2tsp baking powder,

-50g cocoa powder,

-5 eggs,

-1tsp vanilla bean paste,

-pinch of salt.

Stir through,

-melted chocolate.

Spoon into the prepared tin.

Bake in 180c fan forced oven for 20-25 minutes. The skewer should not come out clean.

Leave to cool completely in the cooking tins.

        Cream Topping.

Use an electric mixer, beat

-600ml double cream, with

-3 tbsp icing sugar,

-1tsp vanilla bean paste.

Beat until the cream just holds its shape.

Refrigerate until needed.

        To assemble.

Place the first layer of cake on the serving platter.

Spoon on 1/2 cream mixture. Spread evenly.

Place the second layer on top.

Spoon on the rest of the cream.

Make the Seven Dwarfs with around 100g M&Ms.

Courgette Puff Pie and Mackerel Puff Pie.

Courgette Puff Pie and Mackerel Puff Pie.

This is perfect when you are catering for both meat eaters and vegetarians as almost all ingredients are shared.

In a large frying pan, fry

-350g chopped leeks, with

-350g sliced courgettes,

-salt/pepper.

Cook, stirring until the leeks have softened and slightly caramelised.

Add 1 tbsp chopped parsley. Stir and turn off the heat.

Line 2 large oven trays with baking paper.

Place 250g puff pastry on each.

Spoon 1/2 of the leeks on to 1 pastry.

Add 150g flaked smoked mackerel.

Dollop 100g cottage cheese on the pie.

Top with 100g grated cheese.

Spoon the rest of the leeks along with the courgettes on the other pastry (this is the vegetarian pie).

Dollop 100g cottage cheese on the vegetarian pie.

Top with 100g grated cheese.

Bake in 200c fan forced oven for around 25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cool on rack for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Oyakodon.

Oyakodon.

Serves 4.

It means "parent and child rice bowl". The parent being the chicken and child being the egg. Now we know the chicken came first...

      For the Marinade.

In a large bowl, put in

-4cm sliced ginger,

-2 cloves chopped garlic,

-1 1/2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine (use Sake if you happen to have some),

-1tbsp Mirin,

-2tbsp light soy sauce,

-1tsp sesame oil,

-2x chicken thigh fillets + 2 chicken breast fillets.

Stir well and leave to marinade, at least an hour.

When you are ready.

Put a large frying pan on high heat.

Fry the chicken pieces, skin side down. Cook until the chicken is nicely browned. It  doesn't need to be cooked through.

Leave to rest and get on with the next bit.

Drain off any excess oil and put the pan back on the heat, fry

-2 sliced onions, 

While you wait for the onions to cook through..

Slice the chicken into bite sized chunks.

Add the chicken pieces to the onions, add

-250ml chicken stock,

-the marinade.

Leave to simmer until the chicken is almost cooked through, add

-3 whisked eggs.

-2 sliced spring onions,

Cover with a lid.

Spoon on to a bowl of hot steaming rice.

Sprinkle over some sesame seeds (optional)

Note: This smelt so wonderful, I think it was the combinations of Mirin, Shaoxing and ginger and garlic.

Deliciously and unmistakably Japanese.

Cinderella Chocolate Cheese Pie.

Cinderella Chocolate Cheese Pie.

After a few ugly bakes, I thought this pie beautiful enough to be named Cinderella.

Equipment:

25cm loose bottomed tart tin.

     Sweet Pastry.

In a food processor, put in,

-250g plain flour,

-125g chilled butter,

-2tbsp icing sugar,

-1 egg yolk (reserve the egg white).

Process well to combine. If there are too many dry crumbs left add 

-cold water, a tablespoon at a time.

Tip on to a floured surface, knead briefly to bring the dough together.

Roll out to fit the tart tin, about 1/2cm in thickness. Prick the base with a fork. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Oven 180c fan forced.

Bake the chilled pastry for 15 minutes (there's no need to blind bake).

Take the pastry out of the oven, brush with the reserved egg white.

Bake 5-10 more minutes. The pastry needs to be completely cooked.

In a heatproof bowl, over a pan of gentle simmering water,

Melt 170g dark chocolate, with

-300ml double cream,

-1 1/2tbsp icing sugar.

Cook, stirring until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth.

Leave aside.

     For the raspberry coulis.

In a small saucepan, put in

-100g frozen raspberries, with 

-1tbsp caster sugar,

-1tsp arrowroot,

-1tbsp water.

Cook on low heat until the fruits have softened and broken down.

Pass through a sieve and leave aside.

      For the cream filling.

Use an electric mixer, beat

-250g mascarpone cheese with 

-300ml double cream,

-2tbsp icing sugar,

-1tsp vanilla bean paste.

Beat together until the cream just holds its shape. Leave aside.

    To assemble.

Pour the melted chocolate into the tart case. Leave to cool completely.

Spoon on cream mixture.

Spoon on raspberry coulis.

Use a skewer to swirl the coulis around.

Scones.

Raspberry Scones (without Raspberries).

Makes 10.

These scones suffered serious wardrobe malfunction. They had gone into the oven before I realised the raspberries were still on the work surface

In a large bowl, put in

-480g self raising flour, with

-2tsp baking powder,

-pinch of salt, rub in

-100g chillies butter, until coarse breadcrumbs form, add

-284ml buttermilk,

-3tbsp milk.

Gently stir together.

Oven 200c fan forced.

Tip on to a floured surface.

Gently roll out to around 2cm in thickness.

Use a 7.5cm cookie cutter to stamp out 10 discs.

Place on 2 oven trays lined with baking paper.

Brush with milk.

Bake 15 minutes.

Cool completely on rack.

Serve with raspberry jam and cream.

       Cream filling.

Use an electric mixer, beat

-250g mascarpone cheese, with

-300ml double cream,

-2tbsp icing sugar,

-1tsp vanilla bean paste.

Beat to combine the ingredients. Refrigerate until needed.