have you ever?

i'd offered to make some cupcakes to take to a friend's house warming party on the weekend..i know..that's no big deal..so how come then i got there two hours later than i'd planned..part of the problem was with how i cook..instead of making something i'd cooked before i jumped in with no idea of the final outcome..the other problem was that i'd underestimated how long it would take me..i don't know whether it's because i think i'm better than i really am or that i just have really poor judgement..to make matters worse my cakes really needed to be served on a plate and eaten with a fork so they were unsuitable for the party that my friend had had catered for with delicious and elegant looking finger food..i cringed as i watched people trying to eat my squashy oozy cakes..and i've no idea of how they tasted either because by the time i got there i was so wound up that i couldn't eat a thing..not even all the other delicious looking food on offer..

lemon curd and almond praline cupcakes

tea with hazel

makes 12

ingredients 

cupcakes

125 gms self raising flour sifted

30 gms almond meal

155 gms castor sugar

155 gms unsalted butter

2 eggs

75 mls milk

1 teaspoon (tsp) vanilla extract

lemon curd*

3/4 cup castor sugar
60 gms unsalted butter
4 egg yolks
100 mls lemon juice
2 tsp finely grated lemon juice

almond praline

1/2 cup castor sugar
2-3 tablespoons (tbs) water
1 tsp lemon juice
1/3 cup slivered almonds

method

cupcakes

~ cream butter and castor sugar until pale and fluffy

~ beat in eggs one at a time 

~ add flour, almond meal, milk and vanilla and beat until mixture is smooth

~ place mixture in a 12 hole cupcake case lined tin and bake at 180 deg c for approximately 15 minutes or until golden and cooked in the centre 

lemon curd

~ beat sugar and egg yolks until creamy and thick
~ place in saucepan with other ingredients and cook over a pan of simmering water stirring constantly until just coming to the boil and the mixture is thickened
~ cool before use

almond praline

~ place almonds on baking paper lined tray and cook at 180 deg c until slightly browned
~ set aside to cool

~ place water and lemon juice in a saucepan and stir until the sugar crystals dissolved brushing down the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in boiling water

~ once the sugar has dissolved increase heat and cook until the sugar turns a medium caramel colour

~ remove from heat and immediately pour over the almonds

~ once cooled process the almond toffee finely leaving a few small pieces of toffee

assembly

~ remove a large conical circle of cake from each cupcake
~ trim the cake off close to the cake top, cut shapes from the tops (i used heart and flower shapes), and dust the shapes with icing sugar
~ fill each cupcake to the top with curd
~ sprinkle the curd generously with almond praline
~ dab a small amount of lemon curd on the bottom of each shape and place one in the centre of each cupcake

note: * adapted from stephanie alexander's lemon curd recipe in 'a cook's companion'

have you ever? come on..please tell me i'm not the only one..

comfort food

it hasn't been much fun here lately..first my daughter got sick so i made her a nurturing chicken soup and a cinnamon tea cake..it's her childhood favourite..she got better and went back to work and then i succumbed to the same virus..so i made a curried carrot soup for myself and some passionfruit cupcakes..today for the first time in more than a week i can say i'm on the mend..

passionfruit cupcakes

adapted from 'favourite cake recipes' family circle

makes 15

ingredients cupcakes

2 cups self raising flour sifted
3/4 cup castor sugar
125 gms softened butter
1 teaspoon (tsp) grated lemon zest
strained juice of 3 passionfruit
3/4 cup milk
pinch salt
2 eggs

ingredients icing

2 tablespoons double cream
pulp of 1 passionfruit
1 tsp lemon rind
pure icing sugar

method

~ place dry ingredients into the bowl of a stand mixer and add remaining cupcake ingredients and beat on low speed for one minute
~ increase speed and beat for a further 2 minutes
~ divide the batter between paper case lined patty tins and bake at 200 deg c for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer
~ make a firm but spreadable icing by mixing enough icing sugar with the cream, lemon rind and passionfruit and ice the cupcakes when cool

adaption notes: in the original recipe the passionfruit pulp was not strained but i prefer the texture of the cake without the seeds and i opted for a cream rather than a butter based icing

curried carrot soup

ingredients

1 kg carrots peeled and cut into large pieces
1 large onion cut into large chunks
1 thumb size piece of ginger finely grated
pinch of chilli flakes
2 1/2 litres stock (i used homemade)
2 tablespoons (tbs) organic coconut butter
1 1/2 to 2 tbs curry powder
1 teaspoon (tsp) cumin
2 tsp murray river salt

to serve per bowl

1 tbs lime juice
1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest
1/2 tsp finely grated ginger
3-4 small sprigs of coriander flowers
1/4 cup basmati rice cooked by the absorption method with the addition of coconut butter
extra salt
pepper

method

~ heat coconut butter in a large saucepan, add onion and cook gently until transparent
~ add carrot, ginger, curry powder, cumin, chilli flakes and salt, stir for a couple of minutes, add stock, bring to the boil and then lower heat and cook covered until the carrots are soft
~ puree the soup and adjust seasoning
~ place rice in serving bowl and ladle over hot soup
~ garnish with lime zest and juice, ginger, coriander flowers and salt and pepper to taste


i hope you're well and that you've had a relaxing weekend! x

alpine strawberry

i've tried growing modern hybridized strawberries many times but i've never had much success..that's not the case with the alpine strawberry (fragaria vesca) though because i planted a punnet of them along a vegetable garden border a couple of years ago and they've thrived..they would probably do even better if the soil were in better tilth and if there weren't fruit trees growing next door that leach the soil of moisture and goodness..every couple of days i'm able to pick a small handful of them which i add to cereal, yoghurt or i use them to decorate cupcakes..

strawberry vanilla cupcakes with boiled fudge icing

filled with homemade strawberry jam

are you able to grow modern strawberries and, if so, do you have any suggestions for successful cultivation?

alpine strawberry

chocolate cupcakes with raspberries and vanilla cream cheese custard

i love wintery days when i light the fire and cook all day

yesterday was one of those days

soup and bread was made for dinner

and something sweet was called for too

chocolate cupcakes with raspberries and vanilla cream cheese custard

tea with hazel

makes 8

ingredients

cupcakes

go here for the recipe but replace the milk with 1 tablespoon (tbs) of cassis and omit mahlepi

cream cheese custard

200 mls milk
80 gms sugar
30 gms corn flour
1 large egg
125 gms cream cheese softened and cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon (tsp) vanilla

extras

1/2 cup raspberries marinated in 1-2 tbs cassis
icing sugar

method

cream cheese custard*

~ reserve 4 tbs milk and put the remainder plus the sugar on to heat
~ mix the corn flour with the reserved milk, add eggs, and mix well
~ add a few tbs of warm milk to the cornflour mix and mix well
~ take the milk off the heat and while stirring slowly pour the cornflour mix through a sieve into the warm milk
~ put the saucepan back on the heat and bring to the boil and cook for one minute stirring constantly
~ take off the heat and stir in the cream cheese and vanilla
~ spoon the custard into a bowl, cover with cling film, and leave until cool

assembly**

~ cut a cone shape from the cupcakes trimming away the base to create a flat disk and put aside
~ place 3-4 raspberries and some cassis marinade into the cupcake cavity
~ add a large spoon of custard
~ place the reserved cupcake top on the custard pressing down gently
~ dust with icing sugar

notes
*   this amount of cream cheese custard would be enough for double the cupcake recipe
** best assembled close to serving time

a packet of cream cheese in the fridge inspired me to make the vanilla cream cheese custard..i really liked it but then i'm rather fond of cheesecake and related delicacies..in future i'd like to try other flavours such as lemon, cumquat, orange, tiramisu and pistacchio and rose..just to name a few!

a pie and a cupcake

i didn't grow up eating egg and bacon pie..in fact i didn't even know it existed until i had it at a friend's many years ago but it was love at first bite and my affection for it hasn't waned after all these years.. i don't make it often though because pastry is so artery unfriendly and that's a bit of a problem for me because i just love making pastry..i'll use any excuse to get the rolling pin out and a friend coming for lunch was a good enough reason to make my version of this classic dish..i served it hot with a good quality tomato chutney (maggie beer) and a home grown green leaf (dandelion, rocket, oak leaf lettuce, watercress and nasturtium) salad with edible flowers (marigold, nasturtium, violet and dianthus) and a fresh pomegranate juice dressing..and i made cardamon, currant and candied orange peel cupcakes to have with our bottomless pot of tea..

egg and bacon pie

tea with hazel

ingredients

150 gms diced cold unsalted butter
300 gms plain flour
iced water with a squeeze of lemon juice
1 cup of grated cheddar (i used a cloth bound english cheddar)
1 teaspoon (tsp) chilli flakes
1 tsp salt (i use murray river salt)
12 eggs
6-8 rashers bacon cut into 2-3 cm pieces lightly cooked and drained on kitchen paper
1/4 cup of chives cut fine
1/4 cup parsley cut fine
2 tablespoons milk
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp pepper

method pastry

~ place flour in the bowl of a food processor, add salt and butter, and process until the butter resembles fine bread crumbs
~ add half of the cheese and slowly add water, while using the pulse function, until the dough starts to form a ball
~ remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently
~ divide the dough into a third and two third pieces and shape in flat rounds
~ wrap in cling film and refrigerate for an hour

assembling the pie

~ roll the larger piece of pastry to fit the bottom and sides of a 30 cm diameter pie dish trimming the pastry to the top edge of the dish and then refrigerate while rolling out the remaining pastry to fit the top of the pie
~ sprinkle the base of the pastry with the remaining cheese, add half of the bacon, add eggs and chives, parsley, salt and pepper and then remaining bacon
~ moisten the edge of the pastry with the milk and add the pastry top turning the bottom pastry over the top to form a seal
~ roll out scraps and cut out a rooster
~ brush the top of the pie with milk and place the rooster in the centre
~ carefully pierce the top with the point of a knife a few times avoiding the egg yolks
~ bake at 210 deg c for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 180 deg c and cook until the pie is well browned

cardamon, currant and candied orange peel cupcakes

tea with hazel

ingredients

155 gms unsalted butter

2 tablespoons muscovado sugar together with enough castor sugar to make 2/3 cup in total 

1 1/2 cups self raising flour sifted

2 eggs

1/2 cup currants

3 teaspoons (tsp) finely diced candied orange peel (see recipe here)

2 1/2 tsp powdered cardamon 

1/4 tsp vanilla essence

pinch salt

1 tsp cardamon mixed with 2 tbs castor sugar

method

~ cream butter, sugars and salt until pale 

~ add eggs one at a time mixing well between additions

~ gently fold in flour, peel, currants, essence and cardamon

~ divide between 10-12 cupcake cases and sift the tops with the cardamon/castor sugar mix

~ cook at 195 deg c for 15-20 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer

a cup of tea and a cupcake

a little treat was in order yesterday after two hard days slog
 tidying, rearranging and cleaning so i made cupcakes,
using a well loved recipe, to have with a cup of tea

have a safe and happy easter x

queasy free cumquat cupcakes

a friend of mine and i were travelling around the island of corfu on mopeds many decades ago..one evening after a long day in the saddle we arrived in a tiny village and proceeded to look for sustenance only to find that the only eating establishment in the village had been booked out for a wedding..we hung around the front of the taverna like ravenous beasts sniffing the air as delicious wafts of charcoal roasted lamb floated past our nostrils when one of the wedding party invited us to join them ..i don't remember eating anything that evening although i must have but i do remember having many shots of cumquat liqueur which is a particularly sickly alcoholic beverage and a speciality of the island..and i also recall dancing a lot..

as the last guests left we realised that we hadn't even thought about accommodation and i realised i was missing one of my sandals..who knows when i'd even taken them off..anyway, undaunted, we hopped on to our trusty steeds and zoomed off into the night in search of a suitable place to sleep..

the next bit is really clear to me..i was woken, hungover, by the furnace like heat of the sun..bleary eyed i looked around and saw that we had slept in an olive grove and that in the distance was a small dwelling and emerging from it was an old lady who started walking towards us..i thought she was on her way over to tell us to get off her property but she turned around and disappeared from view..after a while she reappeared and started walking towards us again but this time she was carrying something..

our contrition over trespassing was eclipsed by curiosity so we stayed put and waited for her to reach us..she arrived smiling and talking greek to us with a pail full of just extracted steaming goat's milk which she beseeched us to drink..we didn't want to appear ungrateful and so, despite our hangovers, we took turns to drink from the pail..when she left my friend looked very queasy and she..well..i think you can guess what happened..

queasy free cumquat cupcakes 

tea with hazel

ingredients 

cupcakes

150 gms self raising flour sifted

55 gms plain flour sifted

155 gms castor sugar

155 gms unsalted butter

2 eggs

50 mls milk

25 mls cumquat infused brandy*

1 teaspoon (tsp) vanilla extract

cumquat curd**

2/3 cup castor sugar
60 gms unsalted butter yolks 4 eggs
100 mls cumquat juice
2 tsp cumquat zest

extra

double cream
crushed candied cumquat peel

method

cupcakes

~ cream butter and castor sugar until pale and fluffy

~ beat in eggs one at a time 

~ add flours, milk, brandy and vanilla and beat until mixture is smooth

~ divide the mix between 12 cupcake cases and bake at 175 deg c for approximately 15 minutes or until golden and cooked in the centre 

cumquat curd

~ beat the sugar and egg yolks until well incorporated

~ place in the top of a double boiler with other ingredients and cook until thickened

assembly

~ cut a cone from the centre of each cupcake 

~ place a large tsp of cumquat curd in the cavity

~ top with a tsp of double cream

~ sprinkle with crushed candied cumquat peel

notes

*   a year ago i unfused cumquats with brandy, sugar, a cinnamon stick and a few cloves

** adapted from a recipe in 'a cooks' companion' stephanie alexander 

i made these after a request for cupcakes by a friend as part of a birthday dinner
and
by the way..beware of greeks bearing pails of milk..

violet cupcakes

the idea behind the flavourings for these cupcakes comes from a chocolate called a 'violet cream' made by a south australian company called haighs..while i grew up loving haighs chocolates i was never very fond of their violet creams nor any other sweets or food that had a perfumed flavour..however violet creams were a particular favourite of my mother..

on sunday i had a family lunch where for the first time since my mother died 2 years ago i cooked a chicken pie that was a specialty of hers and that was a favourite of my brother for whom the farewell lunch was organised..and for sweets i decided to interpret her favourite chocolate.. 

violet creams are a dark chocolate with a violet flavoured creamy centre and with a candied violet on top.. so in order to interpret the chocolate i made chocolate cupcakes iced with a violet coloured and flavoured butter cream..i wanted the violet flavour to stand out over the chocolate flavour but at the same time not eclipse it so i added the flavouring in stages and tasted as i went..and on top i popped one of my own candied violets..

i think i got the balance of flavours right because my guests seemed to enjoy them and when i tried one i was surprised by how much i liked the combination of flavours..in fact i loved the violet flavour which suggests that my palate has changed..

and i've since been wondering whether others have experienced such a distinct change in their palate..jane