Wholegrain Mustard and Ginger Sausages

I saw this recipe on a Nigella Lawson's Christmas special a week before Christmas. We made them for Christmas day and again after because they were so yummy.

Ingredients

100g ginger jam or conserve
100g wholegrain mustard
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon garlic infused oil (I used olive oil with a teaspoon crushed garlic)
Sausages (we used chipolatas - small sausages but you could cut up long skinny sausages)

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a medium zip lock bag.
2. Place sausages into the bag and move around to cover the sausages.
3. Place in fridge for at least half hour.
4. Cook in oven in a lined tray until cooked.

So simple and tastes wonderful.

Lemon Teacake with Lemon Syrup

Ingredients

60g butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla essence
1/2 cup castor sugar
1 egg
180g (just over 1 cup) SR flour
1/3 cup milk
juice of 1 lemon (approx. 2 - 3 tablespoons)
zest of 1 lemon

Syrup
1/4 cup lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup castor sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 deg cel. 
2. Grease a 20 cm round cake pan, cover base with baking paper (place the cake pan on top of the baking paper, draw the base and cut it out). Grease the paper in the pan.
3. Place butter and essence in a bowl and beat on medium speed with electric beaters until light and creamy.
4. Gradually add sugar and beat until soft and creamy.
5. Add egg, lemon juice and lemon zest and beat.
6. Stir in half the flour and half the milk and combine (don't beat).
7. Stir in the rest of the flour and milk and beat with wooden spoon until combined.
8. Place the mixture into the prepared pan and cook until brown and away from the sides (around 20 minutes).
9. Cool for 2-3 minutes then turn onto cooling rack. 

While the cake is cooling, make the syrup.

1. Place the lemon juice and sugar in a saucepan on the stove on medium high.
2. Stir with a wooden spoon until boiled and the syrup will thicken.
3. Take off the heat and put lemon zest into saucepan.
4. Place cake on cooling rack and brush all of the syrup over the cake.
5. Serve slightly warm (this is a personal preference of mine but perhaps I just don't want to leave it any longer because it smells so good).

Moroccan Pumpkin Soup

Ingredients

500g butternut pumpkin
1 medium onions chopped
3 1/2 cups water
chicken or vegetable stock
2 large carrots diced
Moroccan seasoning (I used MasterFoods)
1 tin crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic

Method

1. Chop all vegetables
2. Place onions and garlic (optional) and with small amount of olive oil and cook until onion is soft
3. All other ingredients into pot including spices (add the amount of spices depending on personal taste)
4. Boil then simmer until cooked (around 30-45 minutes)
5. Blend and serve with a squeeze of lemon

German-style Pretzels

Ingredients


1 1/2 cups warm water (110 - 115 degrees)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 package dried yeast (7g)
22 oz (4 1/2 cups) all purpose flour
2 oz (60g) unsalted butter (melted)
Veg oil for bowl
10 cups water
3/4 cup baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)

Method

1. Combine 1 1/2 cups warm water, sugar, salt and sprinkle with dried yeast, allow to sit for 5 minutes
2. Add flour and butter, using a dough hook, mix on low speed until combined. If not using a mixer, knead until elastic.
3. Change to medium speed and knead 4-5 minutes.
4. Remove from bowl, cover bowl with oil then place the dough back into bowl. Cover with plastic wrap for 50 - 55 minutes.
5. Divide mixture in 16 even pieces and roll into a long sausage, create a pretzel shape.
6. Bring 10 cups of water and bicarb soda to the boil (will only be gentle boil). 
7. Place each shaped pretzel into the boiling water for 1 minute. 
8. Place on prepared baking tray, sprinkle with sea salt and cook for 12 - 14 minutes.
9. Place on drying rack until cool.

Hot Cross Buns

As you are getting ready for Easter, here is my 'Tested and True' Hot Cross Buns recipe. Although it is easy to purchase these, it is so satisfying to make them yourself.

There looks like a lot of steps but the original recipe I use only has 6 steps. I just like to work with recipes that have it listed in more steps (I don't like reading a step 5 times for 5 things to do).

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (375ml) warm milk
2 tsp dried yeast
1/4 cup caster sugar
60g butter, melted
1 egg, lightly whisked
4 1/2 cups plain flour (I usually use a little more)
1 tsp salt
3 tsp mixed spice
1 cup sultanas
1/4 cup currants
1/4 cup mixed peel
1/3 cup cold water
1/2 cup apricot jam

Note: instead of sultanas, currants and mixed peel I usually just use packet dried fruit or just sultanas (but make sure if you just use sultanas to put 1 1/2 cups)

Method

1. Combine milk, yeast and 1 tbs of sugar in small bowl. Set aside in warm, draught-free place for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Combine the milk mixture, butter and egg in a jug and whisk to combine.
3. Combine 4 cups of flour, salt, mixed spice and remaining sugar. Add sultanas, currants and mixed peel and stir to combine.
4. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk mixture and use a wooden spoon to stir until just combined then use your hands to bring the dough together.
5. Turn into a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
6. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl covered with a tea towel in a warm, draught-free place or 1 hour or until dough doubles in size.
7. Grease a 23cm square cake pan. 
8. Punch the dough down with your fist. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 2-3 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic.
9. Divide dough into 16 even pieces and shape each portion into a ball. Arrange side by side in prepared pan. Set aside in warm draught-free place for 30 minutes or until dough has risen 2cm. Preheat oven to 200 deg. 
10. Meanwhile, mix the remaining flour and water together in a small bowl until a smooth paste forms. Place in a small plastic bag (zip lock bags are stronger), and snip off a corner. 
11. Pipe a continuous line down the centre of each row of buns length and width to create the cross.
12. Bake in preheated oven for 10 mins then reduce the temp to 180 deg for a further 20 mins. Bake until golden brown.
13. Turn onto a wire rack. Place the jam in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook, stirring for 2 mins or until jam melts. Strain through a sieve. Brush hot jam over the buns. 

Brioche

"Brioche (pronounced: [bʁi.ɔʃ]) is a highly enriched French pastry, whose high egg and butter content give it a rich and tender crumb. It is "light and slightly puffy, more or less fine, according to the proportion of butter and eggs"^[1] It has a dark, golden, and flaky crust, frequently accentuated by an egg wash applied after proofing. "

Referenced from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brioche

While home at on my Christmas holidays I found this recipe for Brioche in a cookbook of Mums. I have always wanted to cook it so I thought I would spoil the family for breakfast. I love dipping brioche into a strong coffee, soooo good.

Ingredients

7g dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup lukewarm milk
3 cups plain flour (I had to use plenty more)
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup (200g) butter, cut into small pieces and softened

Egg wash:
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk (I used the whole egg, not just yolk).

Method

1. Mix the yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar, and the milk in a small bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes until frothy.
2. Combine the flour, remaining sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, milk and yeast mixture.
4. Gradually draw the flour into the eggs and yeast mixture with a plastic spatula. Mix until you have a soft dough (until 15 minutes).
5. (see note below) Work small pieces of butter into the dough with your hands, rubbing and squeezing the butter in.
6. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 15 minutes.
7. Form into a ball and place into an oiled bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel and leave for 2-3 hours, until doubled in size. (Make sure the room temperature is no more than 24 degrees C).
8. Punch out the risen dough, turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 2-3 minutes.
9. Return to the bowl, cover and place in the fridge overnight.
10. Next day, divide the dough into 18 pieces (around 57g each), three quarters and a quarter.
11. Roll into balls, place into prepared muffin or brioche molds (quarter ball on top).
12. Cover and leave to rise for about 20 minutes.
13. Lightly glaze the brioche tops with the egg wash.
14. Preheat the oven to 220 deg C.
15. Bake for around 8-10 minutes. If the top starts to burn, cover with foil. Cook until when a a skewer is inserted into the center it comes out clean.
16. Remove from the mold immediately and let cool on a rack.

Note: This step was very messy and I ended up with a buttery blob. I kneaded the mixture for 15 minutes before adding the butter in case it was a mess. Next time I will roll out the mixture and place the butter in it, fold it over and roll again (like making croissants) then cover and prove for the first time.

This recipe is from The Golden Book of Patisserie, McRae Books

Roast Pumpkin and Baby Spinach Salad

Here is a salad to start your new year challenge - a new recipe each week.

This salad a friend of mine made a few months ago and I love it. The dressing is very special as it has maple syrup in it. This salad was a hit on Christmas Day.

Ingredients

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons seeded mustard

Salad:
Washed baby spinach
Fetta (crumbled)
Pine nuts
Roast pumpkin
(any other salad ingredients, I put halved cherry tomatoes and cubed cucumber)

Method

1. Roast the pumpkin with olive oil.
2. Cool the pumpkin slightly before putting in the salad.
3. Wash the baby spinach and put in a bowl.
4. Crumble the fetta and put the pumpkin and pine nuts on top.
5. Place all dressing in a bottle and shake.
6. Pour dressing over the salad and serve.