Wednesday, October 31

Tim Ryan C12





Tim Ryan C12 collection
Stunning and glamorous
One of Ireland's true Fashion talents
Available through Browns London
........ and I am not sure, sadly if it is currently stocked in Ireland

Friday, October 26

Crab Apple Ice cream

 This year's crop of Crab Apples was not as prolific as last,
but still there were quite a few
I thought about what to do with them
Last year I made Crab Apple Jelly
and while it was delicious the truth is we still haven't worked our way through it all
So inspired by this post 
I poached my crab apples 
and used the syrup to make 
Crab Apple Ice cream
I added yoghurt to my Ice cream mix 
which gives it an added depth of flavour
and I particularly love yoghurt
You can use any basic ice cream mix you like 
and simply swirl in the syrup at the end
I wouldn't really call this a recipe
more like a bunch of stuff that you throw in the ice cream maker until it tastes good.....
If you don't have an ice cream maker then you may want to use another method that adds more air prior to freezing
This one looks particularly good
although I haven't actually made it 
I saw Mary Berry make it last week 
and it looked easy, simple and delicious

To Make the Crab Apple syrup
Place the Crab Apples in a sauce pan
(I left the stalks on because they look pretty and also because it makes them easy to pick up )
cover with equal parts water and sugar
simmer until you get a thickish syrup and the crab apple skins start to split
(about 5 min)
You can keep the Crabapples in some of the syrup in a jar in the fridge 
to serve alongside the Ice cream


RECIPE (If you can call it that)

250g of cream
250g of yoghurt( I use Greek)
Icing sugar to taste
5 TBSP crabapple syrup

combine and pour into ice cream maker
when it is ready 
place in a tub and swirl in about 5 more TBSP of the syrup 
there you have it
Crab Apple Ice cream


Saturday, October 20

No Knead Bread


I have never posted a recipe for this Bread before because well
I felt the blogosphere was inundated with them 
But
I have been asked for the recipe so many times 
and I always add my additional changes
meaning I then have to write out the instructions
That I am finally succumbing and posting the recipe and method.

If you have never heard of Jim Lahey's No Knead Bread.........
WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?
and if you have never made it
then I cannot urge you enough to get out a bag of flour and get baking.
This is so so simple and I tell you it changed my life!!
Strong words, you say
Well after living in New York for 10 years I moved myself and family to a small village
in the middle of Ireland.
Being a lover of food and cooking I romanticised about 
growing vegetables, baking scones, making jams and chutneys
....... and well, really all those dreams came true....
What I had not anticipated was that there were things I would miss
That recipe calling for a pinch of Zatar...... hmmmm
a dash of Sumac........
a fresh baked flaky croissant and of course that Artisan bread that is 
served in every one of my favourite NY eateries
slightly sour with a thick chewy crust........

Well, when I first read about this bread in US Vogue at 11pm at night
 I upped out of my bed ran downstairs in my barefeet and nightie and got cracking

The next day, as I said ...... it changed my life.
Suddenly I felt like we had a little bit of NY here in my kitchen
Friends visited and I baked this bread
and wallowed in their oohs and aahs 
"You really made this?"
This Bread gave me more confidence in the kitchen
It encouraged me to venture into yeast territory
A strange and foreign terrain that I had never before explored with success.
(and just to add I still have a temperamental relationship with)

So, if you have never tried baking bread 
if you are scared of yeast 
if you love bread
if you live in a rural area where it is hard to source a good artisan loaf
....... then this is the bread for you 

NOTES: you will be cooking this bread 18 hours after you start 
so decide when you want to eat it and count backwards

you will need a cast iron crock pot with a lid 
like a le creuset 
you want a 6-8 qt pot


RECIPE
3 cups (430 grms ) flour (you can use bread flour but it is not essential)
1 1/2 cups (345 grams) warm water
1/2 tspn dried yeast 
1 1/4 tspn salt

METHOD*
Add water to flour, yeast and salt
mix together to form a wet dough
cover with cling film 
leave at room temperature for 16-20 hours 
an hour before you are ready to bake turn your oven on full 
which is usually somewhere around 500f or 250c
Place bottom of crock pot in oven to heat up 
after 45 mins to an hour carefully remove your pot 
throw in the dough
sprinkle with a little flour
place lid on 
put in oven and bake covered for 30-40 mins
remove bread from pot and place in oven to bake for a further 10 - 15 mins
you will need to play around with your own oven a bit to figure out what works best 
but this should be a good guideline for most 

remove from oven and allow to cool completely before cutting

Best eaten on day it is baked
except if you are toasting
it will keep as toasting bread for up to a week

*I have adapted the method from the Jim Lahey way as I found it didn't really make a difference if you took the dough out and folded or didn't 
This way is much simpler but if you wish to try the original then you can find it HERE

Thursday, October 18

This month on Instagram

My recent life on 

Life has become very full
very busy 
It is exciting and I will let you all know what I have been up to very soon
Unfortunately though it means I have less time to spend updating the blog
I am however still very active on 


Friday, October 5

Creamy Fudge

This is incredibly creamy and delicious

Very simple to make but you must follow the instructions 
paying special attention to timing 



INGREDIENTS

1lb caster sugar
4fl ozs milk
1 tsp salt
1 Can condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD
line a 6" x 9 1/2" tin with parchment paper
Place the sugar and milk in a heavy bottom saucepan 
stir on medium heat for 2 mins until sugar is dissolved
( stir a little longer 30 seconds, if sugar is still grainy)
Add salt and condensed milk and let it start to bubble
Stir constantly bubbling mixture for 7 mins
it should be a light butterscotch colour
if you feel it is still pale stir for 1 minute longer 
but keep watching so it doesn't burn
gently stir in vanilla essence

**NOW THIS IS MOST IMPORTANT**
pour into bowl and allow to cool for 5-6 mins

when cooled whip for 1-2 mins until thick and creamy 
quickly pour into tin to set
if it starts to set mid pour 
place a sheet of grease proof paper on top and press down to smooth it out
leave to set 10 mins
turn out and cut into squares

this will keep in an airtight container for a good few days


**whipping the mixture while it is still hot will make the fudge grainy and sandy
also transferring it to a clean bowl before you whip it helps cut down on the risk of graininess
if you follow thos 2 instructions you shouls get thick and creamy fudge**

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