Coconut & Jam Traybake

☼ Happy Sunday! ☼ 
First things first, lets address the elephant in the room.. I know I've been MIA for a while, in truth I'd found myself in a bit of a bad spot but I'm finally ready to think positive and get back to things I enjoy. To be a little philosophical, we as humans are hardwired to be persistent, which is great when life is treating you well but can really sabotage your happiness if things are moving in a negative direction and it can be difficult to pull yourself out of the rut.

And with that lets conclude my melancholy musings and discuss happier things, like this delicious cake. Now I know that desiccated coconut is not everyone's cup of tea (p.s. this cake is amazing with a brew) but this ingredient was hovering near the top of my list of 'things to bake with'. Although I personally don't like dried coconut chips either because I imagine its akin to chewing on sawdust, I did have a pretty amazing coconut cake this one time and I've been meaning to recreate it ever since. 

If I'm honest, this turned out even better than I could have hoped! I added in some strawberry jam to the cake batter which adds a unique element to the standard coconut cake and the sweet strawberry flavour cuts through the fragrant coconut perfectly. Also because I was feeling a little fancy I made a strawberry icing to drizzle on top and then I sprinkled on some more desiccated coconut because why not. 
I've actually made this cake in its big traybake form twice now and both times the entire thing has been consumed in a matter of days and I'm making it again this weekend for my mum's friend's uncle (no joke). Apparently he said its best coconut cake he's ever had (once again, no joke), a glowing recommendation which I was more than chuffed with. Therefore ♪ if you like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain ♪ (sorry, couldn't help it) then do give this recipe a try. 

To make the coconut and jam traybake you will need a few ingredients:

1.   Butter

2.   Caster sugar

3.   Self-raising flour

4.   Eggs

5.   Vanilla

6.   Desiccated coconut

7.  Strawberry jam

8.  Coconut milk

9.   Baking powder

Measure out 262g of margarine and 262g of caster sugar - this is the ideal amount for this traybake, however the recipe can be easily doubled if required.

Beat the butter/margarine until pale and fluffy which will take around 3 minutes, thats why I love using a stand mixer because you just leave it to do all the work whilst you prepare the other ingredients. P.s. this is the KitchenAid that I use, I got it for my birthday and its my absolute favourite thing.

Next add in 4 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition - you can add in a small amount of flour if the mixture starts to separate. Stir in 2 tsp of vanilla extract.

Then mix in the dry ingredients - 300g of sifted self raising flour, 1.5 tsp of baking powder and 115g of desiccated coconut. Alternate with 3 tblsp of coconut milk, although whole milk can be substituted here if required.

Grease and line a traybake tin then spread out half of the cake batter. Follow this with some strawberry jam (you can spread it out or have a few dollops so you get a jammy surprise now and then) - I warmed my jam up in the microwave slightly, which loosens it up. Then pour on the remaining batter and spread it out so the jam is all covered. 
Pop this into a oven preheated to Gas Mark 4 and bake for around 35 minutes or until golden brown and springy to the touch. 

To make the strawberry icing, stir together 200g of icing sugar and 2 tbsp of boiling water followed by 1 tblsp or jam. Alter the amounts depending on the consistency of icing you want.

Leave the cake to cool slightly, then drizzle on the icing topped with a final flourish of desiccated coconut. To serve, slice into squares and get your hands messy.

😋

Enjoy!

 Q x 

Homemade Samosas

Impromptu trips to pretty places are one of favourite things ever and although I don't get to jet of to far-flung locations every other weekend, we still do alright. For instance, the other day I went to a beautiful estate nestled just outside of the Peak District, not too far from where I live.

It was gloriously sunny and there were gardens, moorland, mansion and deer park, oh and we had a picnic by the lakeside with samosas still warm from being cooked in the morning, it was really nice (for lack of better adjectives).

Now if upon hearing the word 'samosa' your response is to say bless you and offer a tissue (true story) then boy are you missing out, because I would assume you've never tried them and these crispy little pastry parcels packed with the most delicious filling are sent straight from culinary heaven. I exaggerate not.
I have a memory from years ago when we went on holiday, we had them from the bazaar and the stall vendors would give them wrapped in newspaper and they were warm and spicy. Nowadays when my mum can get us all in the same place at one time we all help out and form a sort-of production line; I make the dough balls, mum rolls and cooks the 'roti', my sister (and me) make the samosas and my dad fries them. Bit tiring but the end result is worth it and its a rare treat, so worth the little bit of extra effort. 
The batch that we make is pretty big, not enough to feed a small army kinda big (only because you can't stop at one!) but it still means that you're dealing with large quantities of ingredients. Now my mum is a pro at this and she knows how to easily upscale quantities for her recipes, in fact it is almost instinctual.. meaning no accurate measuring involved (!) this makes it difficult for me to apply my meticulous baking methodologies but here's the good thing. Its pretty easy to not go overboard with the spices, taste test and alter as you see fit. 

So without further ado, to make the samosa filling you will need:

1.   Potatoes

2.   Peas

3.   Onions

4.   Chicken mince (optional)

5.   Spices and flavouring: tandoori masala, chilli powder, chilli flakes, garam masala, salt, dried fenugreek, lemon juice, corriander

To start with heat 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large pan, once its sizzling throw in two chopped onions and cook this on medium heat until the onions have softened slightly. To this add 1+1/2 tablespoons salt and 2 tsp red chilli powder and stir to incorporate.

 Meanwhile peel and chop up some potatoes, these form the majority of the filling so you need quite a lot (10 large potatoes). 
Then once the onions have softened add in the potatoes and about 400g of frozen peas, keep on medium heat and stir to combine.

To this mixture add in 1+1/2 tblsp coarse garam masala, 1 tbsp chilli flakes and cook until the water released from the potatoes has evaporated and they are soft.

If you are wanting to add some meat to your samosas, you can do this by combining 1 kilo chicken mince with one cup of water in a separate pan and cooking this on low heat, stirring continuously so that no lumps form. In terms of flavouring just add 2 tbsp tandoori masala and 1/2 tsp salt, as the majority of the spices are already in the potato mixture. Cook this until all water released has evaporated and the meat is well cooked and coloured. 

Meanwhile stir in a handful of both dried fenugreek (methi) and chopped coriander to the potato and pea mixture.

All thats left to do is combine the chicken to the potato and peas mixture; add in a dash of lemon juice and taste test. You can then adjust as you see fit i.e. add more salt and chilli flakes if required.
Side note: this filling can be used in not only samosas, but toasties, sandwiches, spring rolls or pitta bread!

If you're feeling brave (or not so lazy) you can make a quick dough by combining plain flour with a pinch of salt, then pour in enough water to combine it all together - knead until it is soft and stretchy.
If you're not so good at dough making aka me, you can use store bought dough, samosa strips or pastry.

In the case of dough, make small balls and knead them in the palm of your hand until they are smooth. Place onto a floured surface and roll it out into a circular shape (or attempt to at least).

Then place this onto a hot tawa or a flat ungreased pan, flip once the middle region begins to look cooked. Do not overcook the roti (unleavened flatbread) at this stage because we want them to have some structure but the majority of the cooking will occur at the frying stage later on. Create a stack of roti before you progress onto the next stage or if you have helpers and you're adopting the production line method you need not worry about that. 

Making the actual samosa is ridiculously easy (as depicted); just cut a roti in half, place some filing in the centre, brush some water on all edges, fold and seal one half then wrap across the other half, then crimp together the edges and voila.

The samosas can be frozen at this stage or if you actually want to eat your handiwork then heat up some oil and fry they samosas until golden brown and crispy. Serve with a spicy chickpea salad and some mint sauce.

I hope you give this recipe a go and wish you a relaxing Sunday and week ahead.
 😋

Enjoy!

 Q x 

Peaches & Cream Cupcakes

In the food realm peaches and cream are a pretty iconic duo and rightly so as they compliment each other perfectly, but what's better than a duo? a trio, obviously. So I thought to add cupcakes into the equation, now I haven't ever tried adding moist fruit to cake batter before but I deemed it worth the risk as I'd already envisioned a pretty splendid scenario in my head. 
Involving an almost sound of music-esque scene, think grassy meadow, sunshine and of course peaches and cream cupcakes. Now although I'm very far from Salzburg, sunshine and Julie Andrews, the cupcakes turned out delicious and so it was worth it in the end. They're also perfect for a bank holiday weekend and an ode to spring even if the weather doesn't decide to comply.

In terms of moistness (undisputedly the grossest word ever) I decided to go all out and added peach syrup to the batter in addition to small peach pieces, all in all it was very peachy. The cupcakes themselves turned out so soft and light; I paired with some cream whipped to a ricotta like consistency and topped with a peach piece. I should also own up to the fact that I used canned peaches in fruit juice rather that their fresh counterparts, the reason being that I take easy over complicated when given the choice. However you can use fresh peaches and soak them for a few hours, but snobbery aside canned is preferred in this instance because it also comes with the peach syrup. 
I'm also very (peachy) keen on the recipe itself as its very easy and uses equal quantities of margarine, sugar and flour. 

So to make these peaches & cream cupcakes you will need a few ingredients:

1.   Margarine

2.   Caster sugar

3.   Self-raising flour

4.   Eggs

5.   Canned peach slices in light syrup

6.   Double cream

7.   Icing sugar  

To begin with, cream together 115g of margarine and 115g of caster sugar until light and fluffy, then crack in two medium sized eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition.

Then sift in 115g of self-raising flour and fold into the mixture (ensuring you don't make as much mess as I do).

Take around 250g of canned peach slices and chop them into pieces. Mix this into the batter along with 1 tablespoon of the light peach syrup.

Spoon the mixture into paper cases, about three quarters of the way full (these were actually muffin cases and so the cupcakes were slightly larger than they should be).

Bake in a Gas Mark 4 preheated oven for 25 minutes until golden brown. These cupcakes won't have as much of a rise or a domed appearance but thats expected because of the heavier ingredients.

To make the topping just whip 125ml of double cream and 1 tablespoon of icing sugar until the desired consistency is reached.
You can either either spoon or pipe this onto the cupcakes, then decorate with an additional peach slice.

These cupcakes make a very light fragrant dessert, meaning its so easy to eat more than one.
 😋

Enjoy!

 Q x   

Pomegranate Oat Cookies

I have the tendency of basing my recipes & what I’m going to bake on the ingredients I have to hand. Reminiscent of the challenge portion on the early 2000s show ‘Ready Steady Cook’ where the contestants had to cook a meal from a bag of ingredients (anyone else remember that?), although if I’m honest I’d be completely terrible at that and that’s mostly due to my inability to function too well under pressure.

Anyway, today a rummage through the freezer unearthed a bag of arils from a long finished batch of pomegranates and I really wanted to use them. I’ve previously snacked on them, put them in muesli, ice cream and they’re particularly yum in sweet yellow rice; however this time around I wanted to add them to a bake. Enter the humble oat biscuit, I’ve had this particular recipe in my repertoire for the longest time, in fact it’s the very first recipe in my notebook – my mum’s friend gave it to her years and years ago and I adopted it. Since the early days I’ve made it a great deal of times and I love altering it a little bit every now and then.

This time I added in the pomegranate arils along with some chopped up walnuts and almonds, the combination of crunch from the nuts and tangy bursts from the pomegranate compliment the soft oat cookies quite well. 

In terms of the recipe I've always used cup measurements - it makes it really easy and you can increase or decrease the amount accordingly. 

So to make these oat cookies you will need a few ingredients:

1.   Margarine

2.   Granulated sugar

3.   Oats

4.   Plain flour

5.   Bicarbonate of Soda

6.   Cinnamon

7.   Honey

8.   Pomegranate arils & chopped nuts 

To begin with, combine 2 1/2 cups of regular oats, 1 1/2 cups of plain flour, a pinch of cinnamon and 1 cup of granulated sugar in a bowl - mix it all together and put the dry ingredients aside.

To prepare the raising agent, dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda or baking soda in 2 tablespoons of water (or milk). 

Stir the soda water into melted margarine (1 cup) and to this add 3 tablespoons of honey - golden syrup is also an option but honey adds the right amount of stickiness and sweetness without being unhealthy; this concludes the required wet ingredients.

The final step is to add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix well to combine, its good to press the ingredients together with your hands to form a dough (add a splash more water or margarine if required).

Then mix in your chopped nuts and pomegranate arils, mine were still quite frozen at this point but that's completely fine.

Make small sized biscuits and flatten in the palm of your hand - place then evenly spread apart on a lined baking tray.

Cook in a Gas Mark 7 oven for around 8-10 minutes, do not over bake if you want a soft chewy biscuit, as these cookies do have a tendency to harden upon cooling. 

Enjoy with a hot drink at tea-time or as a quick but filling breakfast. Either way I hope you give this recipe a try, its highly adaptable i.e substitute the nuts for chocolate chunks or the pomegranate for dried cranberries?

😋

Enjoy!

 Q x 

Lemon Drizzle Loaf

I’m excited because I’m finally back at it, by ‘it’ I mean writing {p.s. apologies for being awol, it was unintentional but life got in the way and I was also procrastinating a little bit, oops}. 

This past weekend the weather was glorious but I still wanted to bake something, resulting in the difficult decision of deciding on whether cake was worth the hassle of turning on the oven – the cake won obviously. But in a bid to justify myself I did opt for a summery flavour; lemon. For me lemons just embody the essence of good weather, maybe because they’re yellow or perhaps I associate lemonade with summer or it could even just be the fresh, zingy flavour – either way I think I made the right choice because I get to end my day with a cuppa and some cake.

I have made this particular version of lemon cake a lot, its my go-to and it comes out great every time, I also like the fact that its super easy and the mixture can be whipped up in no time because the ingredients are always to hand.

So to make my lemon drizzle loaf you will need:

1.   Margarine/butter

2.   Caster sugar

3.   Eggs

4.   Self-raising flour

5.   Baking powder

6.   Lemons

7.   Milk

To start with, beat together 225g of margarine and 225g of caster sugar until light, pale in colour and fluffy - this is enough for one traybake or two loaves so if you want just one then halve all measurements accordingly (also, debut appearance of my new Kitchen Aid, I love it so much).  

Add in four eggs, beating well after each addition - at this point you can add in the zest of one lemon and a generous dash of lemon juice.

In the last step, sift in 275g of self raising flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder alternating with 4 tablespoons of milk. Mix well until a smooth consistency of batter is achieved.

All that's left to do is spoon the mixture into greaseproof paper lined loaf tins and top with a sprinkle of demerara sugar. Place the tins into an oven preheated to Gas Mark 4 and bake until golden brown (around 30 mins but keep an eye on it as timings may vary).

Nearing the end of the baking time prepare the lemon drizzle, this is just a simple syrup consisting of demerara sugar and fresh lemon juice - I never measure the ratios of the two ingredients but just alter as I see fit. Personally I don't like a lot of drizzle as it creates more of a 'wet' layer on the cake so I add in less lemon juice.
As soon as the loaf comes out of the oven prick it all over with a skewer and pour on the syrup, then let it cool in the tin.

Slice up and serve with a side of sunshine (side note: still tastes great even when its raining, this I can attest to).

😋

Enjoy!

 Q x