We had the Missionary Elders over for dinner the other night. They are always such nice young lads. I love to have them in our home and I do so love to spoil them. I usually try to cook them something which reminds them of home. They both really enjoyed this and have requested the recipe from me so that they can either make it for themselves or pass it on to their mums/girlfriends when they get home.
I think Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables, and cauliflower cheese is one of my favourite things to do with it . . . with a dish like that you don't really need any meat . . . rich and indulgent and very, very tasty.
Today I decided to kick it up a notch or two and added a puff pastry crust. Talk about good . . .
I love pies of any kind. If it's got a crust on top . . . I'm well ready to get stuck in!
I confess . . . I put my hand up. I like hot dogs, and not what passes for hotdogs over here in the UK . . . I mean the frankfurter type of hot dog . . . smoked and from the chiller cabinet, not a tin. Nothing grosser than a tinned hot dog. Trust me on this.
We're usually starving when we get home from church on Sundays. If I've been smart I will have gotten up early enough to get something into the slow cooker, but if I haven't we have to resort to whatever I can come up with at short notice, because . . . we are absolutely famished by that time!
*Chai Cupcakes*
Makes one dozen
Printable Recipe
A delicious cupcake, with spicy warm flavours, and a delicious lemony buttercream icing on top!
For the cupcakes:
8 ounces self raising flour (1 3/4 cups)
1/4 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 TBS chai tea powder
2 1/2 ounces unsalted butter, softened (about 1/4 cup)
5 ounces soft light brown sugar (3/4 cup)
2 large free range egg whites
5 fluid ounces of sour milk
(To sour milk add 1 tsp of lemon juice to a measuring beaker and add
milk to the measure required. Let stand for 5 minutes before using. You
can also use an equivalent amount of buttermilk)
For the Icing:
5 ounces butter, softened (1/2cup plus 2 TBS)
10 ounces icing sugar, sifted (generous 2 cups)
the juice of one lemon as required
a few drops of yellow foodcolouring if desired
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/Gas mark 4. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and chai tea powder together into a medium bowl. In a separate bowl cream the butter and brown sugar together until smooth and light. Add the egg whites, slowly beating them in until the mixture is well amalgamated. Stir in the flour mixture along with the buttermilk, mixing until well combined. Divide the mixture equally amongst the prepared cups. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they test done and the top springs back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pans to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the icing beat all of the ingredients together, adding only enough lemon juice to make an icing of proper spreading consistency. You may or may not need it all. Add 1 TBS at a time. Spread over the tops of the cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with sprinkles if desired. Delicious!
*Lemon Meringue Cupcakes*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe
Delicious cupcakes with a tart lemon glaze, a lovely lemon curd filling and topped with a crispy baby meringue!
For the cupcakes:
4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature (1/2 cup)
4 ounces caster sugar (2/3 cup)
2 large free range eggs
the finely grated zest of one unwaxed lemon
1/2 tsp lemon extract
4 ounces self raising flour (scant cup)
1/2 tsp baking powder
For the glaze:
the finely grated zest of one unwaxed lemon
the juice of one lemon
1/3 cup caster sugar
You will also need:
a jar of lemon curd, homemade or storebought
a container of mini meringues
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/gas mark 4. Line a 12 hole bun tray with 12 cupcake cases. Set aside.
Place all the cupcake ingredients into a bowl. Beat well with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Divide the mixture evenly between the cupcake cases. Bake for 15 minutes, or until well risen and the centres spring back when lightly touched. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack.
Mix the lemon juice, lemon zest and caster sugar for the glaze together, stirring to combine well. While the cupcakes are still warm, and using a melon baller, remove a bit from the centre of each cupcake, and discard. Brush the edges and the centre area with the glaze. Fill the hollow with some lemon curd and pop a meringue onto the top. Serve immediately.
*Lemon and Poppyseed Cupcakes*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe
There is something that is quintessentially delicious about combining lemon and poppyseeds! I'm not sure what it is. I only know it works. Toast the poppyseeds for even more flavour!
225g self raising flour (1 2/3 cups)
175g golden caster sugar (2/3 cup)
the zest of two unwaxed lemons
1 TBS poppyseeds, toasted
3 large free range eggs
100g natural yoghurt (about 1/2 cup)
175g butter, melted and cooled slightly (1/2 cup, plus 1 TBS)
For the Icing:
225g butter, softened (1 cup)
400g icing sugar, sifted (about 3 cups)
the juice of one lemon
few drops yellow food colouring
icing flowers, sprinkles or lemon slice candies to decorate
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, lemon zest and poppyseeds. Beat the eggs into the yoghurt and them tip this mixture into the dry ingredients along with the melted butter. Mix together with a wooden spoon, until lump free. Fill the cake cases about 2/3 full. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a skewer poked in the centre of one comes out clean. Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before icing.
To make the icing, beat the softened butter until really soft. Gradually beat in the icing sugar and lemon juice. Add just enough food colouring to give you a pale yellow colour. Spread on top of the cupcakes in a decorative manner. Top with some decorations. Store in an airtight container.
*Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Icing*
Makes 12
Printable Recipe
Ohhh . . . soft, sticky and moist and chock full of lovely ginger flavour, these cupcakes are real husband *pleasers* . . . and, come to think of it, wife *pleasers* too!
60g butter (generous 4 TBS)
50g soft light brown sugar (4 TBS)
2 TBS golden syrup
2 TBS dark treacle
(If you can't get the golden and dark treacles,
do use 4 TBS mild molasses instead)
1 tsp ground ginger
80 ml whole milk (5 1/2 TBS)
1 large free range egg, beaten
2 pieces of preserved stem ginger in syrup,
drained well and chopped finely
140g self raising flour (1 cup)
For the Topping:
the juice of one lemon
(bring the lemon to room temperature and roll it on the counter
a few times under the palm of your hand before squeezing)
200g icing sugar, sifted (generous 1 1/2 cups)
1 piece of stem ginger in syrup, drained and chopped
1 TBS chopped candied ginger
Pre-heat the oven to 170*C/325*F/Gas Mark 3. Line a muffin tin with paper cakes and then set aside.
Place the treacles (or molasses) butter, sugar and ground ginger into a largish saucepan. Place over medium low heat and heat gently until the butter has melted and all have blended well together. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a bit.
Beat together the milk and the egg. Stir this into the warm mixture along with the stem ginger. Sift the flour over top and fold it in until well combined. Spoon into the muffin cases, dividing it equally amongst them all.
Bake for 20 minutes, or until they spring back when lightly touched, or when a skewer inserted into the centre of one comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Squeeze the lemon juice into a bowl, removing all the pips. Gradually stir in the sifted icing sugar, stirring until smooth and thick, yet still spoonable. Spoon this icing over the cakes. Combine the chopped stem ginger and candied ginger and then sprinkle a bit over the top of each one. Let set before serving.
Today I baked a Fresh Blackberry Tart with Spiked Creme Anglaise recipe from a cookery book I have had for a while by Kelly Jaggers, called Not so Humble Pies. This is blackberry season here in the UK at the moment and they are something that I have a lot of and that I love to use in the autumn.
He's cheeky. He's handsome. He's one of my favourite Princes. He's a ginger . . . and he's turning 30 on Monday, the 15th September. Happy Birthday Prince Harry!
The totally unique and indulgently delicious Luxury Ginger Curd is perfect for celebrating the birthday of our own favourite ginger-haired Royal! Prince Harry will no doubt be celebrating his 30th birthday on Monday with the best and most luxurious food and drink so enjoy a little luxury of your own with The English Provinder Co. Luxury Ginger Curd.
Perfect drizzled over lemon sponge cake or swirled through ice cream, the Ginger Curd is simply heavenly with creamy vanilla cheesecake or meringue. Create your own delicious dessert using the following recipe for a fabulous English Provender's White Chocolate and Ginger Curd Cheesecake It's a winner/winner!
*White Chocolate and Ginger Curd Cheesecake*
Serves 8Place the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water and heat gently, stirring occasionally until melted.
Place the mascarpone in a bowl and whisk in the ginger curd until smooth. Whisk in the melted chocolate. Spoon over the base and chill for 1 to 2 hours.
Carefully loosen and remove from the tin and decorate with grated chocolate or chocolate curls. Cut into slices to serve.
SCRUMPTIOUS!
RRP: £2.49 and available from The English Provender Co.
The two young Missionary Sisters who are serving in the Chester Ward at the moment came over today to do some service in our garden. We just love our Missionaries, we really do.
I did them some grilled cheese sandwiches for their lunch which I served them along with some potato chips and some of my cherished sweet pickles from home that I hoard.
They were really happy with that, but when I cracked open my Chocolate and Peanut Butter Squares, they were just thrilled!
I don't know anyone that wouldn't be thrilled to be faced with a plate of these. Picture it . . . you have a brown sugar, oatmeal buttery nutty fudgy cake type of base . . . partially baked . . .
Slathered with a rich sweet peanut buttery custard filling . . . and then topped with more of that brown sugar, oatmeal buttery nutty fudgy cake base, crumbled this time and mixed with oodles of milk chocolate bits and then baked again until the whole mass melds together . . .
Into something so scrumdiddlyumptious that it will be quite, quite impossible to eat just one. Seriously. Impossible.
I took a bite out of one just so I could show you how very tempting they are . . . ahem . . . tough job but somebody's got to do it!
*Chocolate and Peanut Butter Slice*
Makes 20
Makes 20
350g of plain flour (2 1/2 cups)
1 tsp baking powder
225g of butter (1 cup)
350g of soft light brown sugar (1 3/4 cup)
175g of rolled oats (2 cups plus 3 TBS)
70g chopped walnuts (2/3 cup)
1 large free range egg, beaten
400g tin of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated 14 ounces)
70g peanut butter (6 1/2 TBS)
Preheat
the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 12 by 8 inch
rectangular tin really well, set aside. (Alternately you can line the
tin with baking paper and butter the baking paper. (I like to leave
enough overhang to lift it out with when it is cooled in order to be
able to cut it into even slices.)
Sift the flour and
baking powder into a large bowl. Drop in the butter and rub it into the
flour using your fingertips until you have a mixture resembling fine
bread crumbs. Stir in the brown sugar, oats and chopped nuts to combine
all together well. Remove a quarter of the mixture and set it aside in
a bowl. Stir the egg into the remaining mixture, mixing it in
completely. Press this mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking
tin. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the base is baking, stir the chocolate chips/bits into the reserved crumb mixture and set aside.
While the base is baking, stir the chocolate chips/bits into the reserved crumb mixture and set aside.
Whisk together the condensed milk and the peanut butter.
Remove
the partially baked base from the oven. Pour the peanut butter
mixture over the base, spreading it out evenly. Sprinkle the chocolate
bit crumb mixture evenly over top and press down lightly. Return the
pan to the oven and bake a further 20 minutes, until golden brown.
Allow to cool completely in the tin. Lift out and cut into squares to
serve. Store in an airtight container. Delicious!
She kissed a frog, but it didn't turn into a prince . . . so cute. That Sister Wagner is such a cutie pie.
I don't know who was braver, Sister Jones or the baby frog!
I kinda think it was the baby frog, surrounded by all of us giants. Isn't nature amazing?
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I can still remember the first time I tasted French Onion Soup. It was 1974 and I was attending Acadia University with my then husband. We had a friend named Geoff and he had a girlfriend named Julia who was from Quebec City and who loved to cook. She had a fancy dinner party one night for the four of us, and the first course she served was French Onion Soup. I couldn't tell you what anything else was that she served, but the French Onion Soup bowled me over completely. (No pun intended!)
Rice was not something which my mother ever cooked when I was growing up. I came to love it as an adult and it was something which I used at least once or twice a week when my own family was growing up . . . steamed and as a side dish, or as a delicious main. My children love, loved my Quick and Easy Chicken Fried Rice. And they were oftly fond of Spanish rice as well.
It doesn't take much to mak the Toddster incredibly happy. He's a simple man with simple tastes. Rice pudding does it for him every time. I am one of those cooks who can't leave well enough alone however . . . and today I just about outdid myself with this lovely version of rice pudding I created just for him. I had been sent a lovely jar of Manuka Honey a while back and I decided that it would be perfect for both sweetening and flavouring this delicious dessert.
Don't think I'm getting all hoity toity on you now . . . this really is just a glorified open faced tuna sarnie! But Tartine sounds very special doesn't it? Okay so maybe it is a bit hoity toity . . . but sometimes it's okay to expand your horizons a tad. That's my story anyways and yes, I'm sticking to it!
Today is the Toddster's Birthday. He requested a fruitcake for his birthday. That is his favourite of all cakes. He's just an old fashioned guy with old fashioned tastes.
No chocolate fudge cakes for him . . . no Victoria sponges . . . no raspberry celebration cakes. Just a plain old fruit cake and he's a happy camper.
This is the second dessert I made the other day when I had the Sister Missionaries over and let me tell you . . .
This is the second dessert I made the other day when I had the Sister Missionaries over and let me tell you . . .
I got plenty of oohs and ahhs over these too. Blackberry Pie Squares. Scrumdiddlyumptious!
Picture this . . . a buttery shortbread cookie type of base . . . topped with fresh blackberries . . . topped with a rich sour cream filling . . .
Picture this . . . a buttery shortbread cookie type of base . . . topped with fresh blackberries . . . topped with a rich sour cream filling . . .
and a final topping of the shortbread mixture, crumbled this time . . .
baked until the whole thing melds together in a fabulously moreish bake . . .
baked until the whole thing melds together in a fabulously moreish bake . . .
crisp on the bottom, rich and fruity in the centre, short and crumbly on top . . .
I'll just have a smidgen you tell yourself . . . just a tiny little square . . . and then . . .
You cut yourself another little square . . . and then just a tiny sliver . . . and then you sneak down the stairs at two in the morning and you cut yourself a tiny bit more . . . because . . .
YOU JUST CAN'T LEAVE IT ALONE! It's that good. Yessum! And you are asking yourself . . . who ate all that cake?
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
I'll just have a smidgen you tell yourself . . . just a tiny little square . . . and then . . .
You cut yourself another little square . . . and then just a tiny sliver . . . and then you sneak down the stairs at two in the morning and you cut yourself a tiny bit more . . . because . . .
YOU JUST CAN'T LEAVE IT ALONE! It's that good. Yessum! And you are asking yourself . . . who ate all that cake?
Trust me when I tell you that you are really, REALLY going to enjoy these scrumptiously delicious bars. Resistance is truly futile!
Blackberry Pie Bars
Yield: 16
Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 55 MinTotal time: 1 H & 10 M
Delicious bars with a buttery crumb base and topping, stogged full of beautiful black berries and a sour cream filling. The topping is lightly spiced with cardamom and cinnamon.
Ingredients
For the base and crumb topping:
- 210g of plain flour (1 1/2 cups)
- 165g of sugar (3/4 cup)
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 6 ounces of unsalted butter, very cold, cut into cubes (3/4 cup)
- you will also need 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
For the filling:
- 2 large free range eggs
- 225g of sugar (1 cup)
- 60g of dairy sour cream (1/2 cup)
- 35g plus 2 TBS plain flour (1/4 cup plus 2 TBS)
- pinch salt
- 450g of blackberries (16 ounces or 1 pound)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark . Line an 8 inch square baking pan with some baking paper, leaving an overhang. Spray the baking paper with non-stick spray.
- Put the flour, sugar, and salt for the base into a food processor. Blitz for about 30 seconds to combine ingredients. Add the cubed butter an pulse until you have a crumbly mixture with bits the size of small peas. Remove 115g (3/4 cup) of it and set it aside for later. Pour the rest into the prepared baking dish and press into the pan firmly. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn brown. Cool completely.
- Whisk together the eggs, sugar, sour cream, flour and salt for the filling until well blended. Stir the cardamom and cinnamon into the reserved crumb mixture. Spread the berries into a single layer over the cooled crust. Spoon the sour cream mixture evenly over top. Sprinkle over the reserved spiced crumb mixture to cover evenly. Bake in the heated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the filling is just beginning to turn golden and is set. Cool completely on a wire rack and then chill prior to serving.
- Serve with or without lashings of cream or clotted cream!
We have two sets of missionaries serving here in the Chester area, a set of young women and a set of young men. We love to feed them and endeavor to feed each set at least once a month if we can. Earlier this week we were blessed to feed the Sisters. I usually try to cook them a meal which will remind them a little bit of home. This week it was Chicken Divan Casserole (a great way to get some broccoli into your loved ones) a tossed salad and peas and chantenay carrots. For dessert I baked two things. I will show you the first one today and the second one tomorrow. (I know I do spoil them I do. ☺)
This is Sister Jones from Utah on the left and Sister Wagner from Idaho on the right. (I am always telling Sister Wagner that she looks a lot like Susan Branch. Don't you think she does too?) Anyways this tasty cake got two thumbs up from the girls. You should have seen their eyes light up when they saw the Candy Corn on the top!
Candy Corn is not something which is readily available here in the UK, but I did manage to get my hands on some not so long ago and I used some of it for this cake because I knew the girls would love it. This is a cake that really speaks to me of autumn . . . Cinderella's Pumpkin Cake, called so because one of the main ingredients is cooked pumpkin and as we all know . . . Cinderella rode to the ball in a pumpkin coach!
And the magic doesn't stop there . . . it's moist from the pumpkin and dense and delicious . . . just what a proper autumn cake should be. Nicely spiced with warm baking spices . . . ground cinnamon, ground ginger, freshly grated nutmeg and some ground cardamom . . . but the spiced goodness doesn't stop there . . .
It's frosted with a lightly spiced frosting made from cream cheese, butter, icing sugar and both cinnamon and vanilla extracts. If you can't get the cinnamon extract, just beat in half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Mine is from Star Kay White.
The frosting just adds that extra special touch to the gilding of this pumpkin . . . just like a fairy Godmother waved her magic wand over it, turning this pumpkin cake into something extraordinary! It smells gorgeous when it is baking and it's a great keeper. Stored in an airtight container it will keep for several days . . . if you have it that long that is! It comes Missionary approved!
*Cinderella's Pumpkin Cake*
Makes 16 servings 
To make the icing blend together all of the ingredients until smooth and creamy. You may need to add more sugar. I often do. Frost the cake and sprinkle on the fudge bits before the icing sets.
This is something which I used to make every once in a while when my children were growing up. It started with a recipe I found in an old Shaker Cookbook, but gradually morphed into my own recipe through the years. The original recipe used leftover chicken and had no vegetables in it. I adapted it to include some vegetables as well as poached chicken for tenderness, but do feel free to use leftover roast chicken if you wish.
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