Tag: christmas recipe

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Christmas baking recipe

Cinnamon Christmas sablés dipped in dark chocolate

image of a box of biscuits that have been dipped in dark chocolate and the lid on the side of the box with a father christmas on it, you can learn how to make these biscuits at cookery school gourmandises academie, cambridge

Cinnamon Christmas sablés dipped in dark chocolate

image of a box of biscuits that have been dipped in dark chocolate and the lid on the side of the box with a father christmas on it, you can learn how to make these biscuits at cookery school gourmandises academie, cambridge

Ingredients:

1 egg 

125 g unsalted butter 

125 g of granulated sugar 

250 g of plain flour

1 TSP of cinnamon

150 g of dark chocolate

A baking tray lined with baking paper

Cookie cutters, I am using a “petit beurre” cookie cutter, but you can use any shape cutter for this.

Pre-heat your oven at 180º C

 

Method:

In a food processor, mix the dry ingredients first (flour, sugar, butter and cinnamon) then add the egg and mix until your mixture forms a dough. If you don’t have a food processor, rub your dry ingredients into breadcrumbs then add the egg and mix until it turns into a dough, don’t knead it. Once your sablés pastry is ready, add a little bit of flour to your worktop and roll your pastry to a 3 mm thickness.  Then cut the biscuits shape using a cookie cutter of your choice, how about a festive one in this case, place them on your baking tray. Little tip, place your tray in the fridge for 15 minutes, that way your sablés will stick to the tray and stay flat. Only then, place them in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. This mix should make between 25 and 30 biscuits.  Let them cool on a rack. Meanwhile, slowly melt your dark chocolate over a bain marie, once your sablés are cool, dip their tip into the dark chocolate as shown on the picture. They are delicious with a cup of tea, or just wrap them beautifully and treat your friends and family.

Sablé pastry can also be used to make a fruit tart, like a “tarte aux fraises” for example.

Corinne

You may also like to try my festive Butternut squash and cinnamon Bundt cake

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recipe

Butternut squash and cinnamon bundt cake

Butternut squash and cinnamon Bundt cake

Butternut squash and cinnamon Bundt cake

Ingredients:

You will need a Bundt tin, buttered generously (you can use a 9″ tin if not, but you won’t have the wow factor).

400 g of squash

300 g melted unsalted butter

4 eggs (beaten)

200g muscavado sugar

200g granulated or caster sugar

pinch of salt

2 tsp of cinnamon

2 tsp of baking powder

400g self raising flour

2 tbsp of milk

For the icing:

100g of icing sugar and juice of one lemon

Method:

Start by roasting your butternut squash in a 180° C oven, with a little bit of vegetable oil and sprinkle a bit of sugar on top of your squash. Once your squash is cooked and cooled, blend it in a food processor until completely mashed. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a potato masher.

In a bowl, mix your melted butter, squash and sugar, then add your beaten eggs and mix. Sieve your flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt over your mixture and mix until nice and smooth, then add your milk and mix again. Pour your mixture into your tin, and let it cook for a good 45 minutes, test it by sticking a knife into it, if your knife comes out clean, it’s cooked. Mix your icing sugar and lemon and drizzle over the cooled cake. (Note, if your icing is too runny just add a bit more icing sugar, one tbsp at a time, as it needs to be thick enough).

I added some pomegranate for a more Christmassy effect. If you are looking for other easy Christmassy recipes head over here

Corrine x

Categories
recipe

Home made mince meat

Home made mince meat

Ingredients:

1 kg of apples (cored and finely chopped, but no need to peel them)

1 packet of shredded suet

350 g of raisins, sultanas or currants, whatever you prefer, it doesn’t matter

200 g of mixed peel

Juice and zest of 2 oranges and 2 lemons

400 g of dark brown sugar

1/2 tsp of nutmeg

1 tsp of cinnamon

4 tsp of all spice

4 tsp of chinese five spice

You can also add nuts if you fancy

Brandy or any other tipple, I use rum (half a tea cup)

Method:

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients together including the suet. Cover with cling film and let them rest over night in a cool place.

The next day, pre-heat your oven to 140 ° C, place your mince in an oven dish covered with foil and let your mince slow cook for 3 hours. After 3 hours of cooking, your mince will be floating in suet, that’s normal, that’s what will preserve it. Let it cool completely then mix in your favourite tipple. Transfer your mince in sterilised jars and keep in a cool place. Mince lasts forever really, my last batch was 3 years old

 This is also the time of year where I start preparing my Christmas cake, so if you fancy making your own, click here for the recipe.

Also classes have been uploaded until summer 2021, go and have a look.

Corrine x

Categories
recipe

Mushroom beignets with a soy, black pepper and parsley batter

Mushroom beignets with a soy, black pepper and parsley batter

Mushroom beignets with a soy, black pepper and parsley batter

Ingredients:

A punnet of mushrooms

200 g of self raising flour

1 large egg

3 tbsp of light soy sauce

1/2 tsp black pepper

As much or as little parsley as you like (finely chopped)

A bit of water

Vegetable oil

A non stick pan

Kitchen towels

Method:

In a bowl, mix your flour, egg, soy, black pepper and parsley and slowly add a little bit of water, until you reach a thick batter. If you’ve ever made Yorkshire pudding that’s the consistency you want to get.

Finely chop your mushrooms, add them to your batter and stir.

Place some kitchen towels in a plate or even better a tray.

In your pan, add about a 1 cm deep of oil, and heat it up. Add spoonfuls of your mushroom mix to the hot oil. Once cooked place them on the kitchen towels to soak-up the excess oil. And repeat this process until you have no batter left.

Serve warm with a sweet chilli sauce.

If you want to make this recipe vegan, you can easily do so by removing the egg.

If you would like to attend one of our cooking classes, have a browse here

Corrine x