Chocolate crazy cake (no milk, butter or eggs)

I'm I've always been one to bake a cake with all the well known ingredients to creating a light fluffy sponge. Until I came across an old fashioned recipe online the contained no milk, butter or eggs! 

At first thought I began thinking how on earth can you create a fluffy sponge without the usual egg milk and butter?!?!

Curious to know if Infact this would work I tried it out and I have to say was my far the best cake I have ever made! Delicious, light and fluffy! So I would like to share the recipe with you. Perfect for anyone looking for a dairy free cake recipe! 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup of sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp white vinegar

1 cup water

3 tbsp cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder.

5 tbsp vegetable oil

Icing ingredients:

1/2 cup icing sugar

1 tsp coca powder

Approx 2 tsp of water

Method:

Mix all dry ingredients together with a whisk to loosen any lumps and combined  them.  Make a well in the centre of the dry mix and add all your wet ingredients and stir together until it forms a smooth mixture. Transfer into a square baking tin approx 8". 

Baking in preheated oven of 200C for about 35 minutes or until the sides come away from the tin and when proded with a  toothpick comes out clean. 

Allow to cool completely then Mix your icing sugar, coca powder together with a small amount of water. Until you create a thick paste like icing. Then smooth over the top of your sponge with a palette knife to finish. 

Bacon carbonara

Portioned for 2.

Ingredients:

150g fettuccine pasta

2 rashers smoked bacon or can use lardons

125ml cream

1 garlic clove

20g cheese

75ml White wine (optional)

1/4 thinly sliced and diced onion

Fresh parsley

Method:

Bring a pan of water to the boil and add a good pinch of salt.

Add your fettuccine and cook for approximately 10 minutes until al dente. Then place your pasta into cold water to refresh. 

Sauté your bacon or lardons in a little oil and add your chopped garlic. Once your meat is cooked add the White wine and reduce by half. When you have achieved this add in your cream and allow to simmer gently. 

Place your pasta back into boiling water once it has begun to heat through drain and add in your cream mixture to the pasta. 

Add in your parsley gently stir then serve.

Garnish with parsley and ribbons of cheese  

Food trip to Liverpool's Almost Famous Burgers.

When it comes to dining out I like to try different food establishments each and everytime. So when it came to planning an evening out I was stuck for any places I haven't already been. Until a relative of mine mentioned a place called Almost Famous in Liverpool. Quoting he had the best burgers ever from there...Now I was curious.

Located on Parr street Liverpool only a few minutes walk from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. When travelling to Almost Famous I initially walked straight past! As a newbie to this place I had no idea of their logo! And spent a few minutes walking the wrong way up the street. No name signifying the establishment on the outside of the building. Which I later noticed a few customers did scan the outside to see if they were in fact at the right place. Maybe this could be a future plan for the company. 

My first thoughts on the layout was very colourful! Plenty of staff attending to other customers with plenty of smiles on their faces! Nice to see!

After sitting down and viewing the menu I loved how minimal it was! Not too spoilt for choice but well varied to suit different tastes with pretty reasonable prices. I eventually decided to order a River Phoenix burger and pig n waffle fries! 

Once decided on the food I would be consuming, ordering at the bar, staff where very pleasant and helpful whilst deciding upon drinks to accompany my meal. The room began to fill up rather quickly considering it was close to dinnertime. Hungry faces swarmed in as others where tucking into their delicious looking food that where placed infront of them. Quoting a gentlemans comment of absolutely lovely! I looked forward to devouring mine! 

From order to serving  it took 10 minutes! I was very impressed! At first sight of the meal put before me I felt like I was in an episode of Man vs Food!!! 

River Phoenix burger contained:

Double 100% freshly ground beef steak pattys, Cheese, Bacon, Bbq fried onions, frazzles, chipotle ketchup, bacconaise, bbq sass and fresh chillies. 

Pig 'n' waffle fries contained:

Waffle fries, pulled pork, redneck bbq and bleu cheese sauce, jalapeño and onions.

I know! Not a meal for any diet goer!

But what a delicious meal this was! Dripping in sauce and succulent beef a perfect burger! Colourful, flavoursome and packed with different textures. I thoroughly enjoyed my dining experience at Almost Famous Burgers! 

Will most definitely be dining there again!

Theredheadchef x

 

Fish tapas

For a different take on regular tapas we are served today. This dish consists of plaice goujons, tuna fish balls and tempura prawns. Show off culinary skill for friends and family. 

Ingredients:

1/2 hake fillet

1 egg

75g flour

75g breadcrumbs 

2 tiger prawns

65ml soda water 

1/2 beaten egg 

30g plain flour

1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Tuna pieces 

1 tbsp olive oil 

Chopped flat leaf parsley

1tbsp breadcrumbs

8g onion, finely diced

1/4 tsp grated lemon rind

1/2 tbsp milk

Method:

Cut the fillet into strips and pané in flour, egg and breadcrumbs and set aside in the fridge until required. 

For your tempura batter put soda water into the freezer until it comes ice cold but not frozen. 

Run a sharp knife down the back of each prawn and rinse. Pulling away the dark cord, pat dry and put into the fridge to chilled until required for deep frying. 

Place your tuna, onion and garlic onto the chopping board and chop into a coarse paste. Mix in the breadcrumbs, flour and lemon rind until well combined.

Add the egg, parsley, salt and pepper to taste. With moist hands shape your mixture into walnut size balls. Toss into some flour and shallow fry until cooked. 

For the prawns mix together the soda water water, bicarb, flour and beaten egg. Dip prawn into the batter then deep fry until prawns are pink and float to the top of the oil. For goujons cook Until coating is golden brown and float the same as the tempura prawns.

 Serve either hot or cold. 

Pork cordon bleu with tagliatelle

Ingredients:

1 pork fillet

4 slices of honey roasted ham

4 slices of mature cheddar cheese

Breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg, beaten

Large knob of butter

Vegetable oil

Method:

Cut your fillet lengthways and into 4 equal pieces. Lay one piece in between two sheets of cling film and using a rolling pin, bash the pork so that it flattens out not too thin though. Set it aside and repeat with the remaining pork.

With each piece of flattened pork lay the ham followed by the cheese and seasoning to taste. Fold over just short of half way and enclose  Press down firmly. 

Carefully with each escalope dip into the beaten egg then drain excess and the press into your breadcrumbs.

Cover and chill until required.

Preheat the oven to 190 C / Gas 5.

Heat two frying pans with a little butter and oil for frying. 

 2 escalopes per pan and gently brown on each side. 

 Add more oil if needed. 

After about 5 minutes remove and place on a baking tray.

Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Serve immediately with freshly cooked tagliatelle.

Cannellini bean curry

Ingredients:

1 onion, finely sliced

2cm of fresh ginger, grated

Pinch of dried chilli flakes

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp curry powder or paste, mild

400g cannellini beans

5 tbsp of homemade tomato sauce or bottled ketchup is fine

Juice of Half a lemon

Handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped

Method: 

Heat a little oil in a frying pan over a medium to low heat. Add your onion and sweat for around 8 minutes until translucent without colour.

Stir is your ginger, garlic, chilli flakes and curry powder and fry to release the aromas for approximately 1-2 minutes.

Add you cannellini beans, tomato sauce and enough water to loosen and stir to combine all ingredients. (Will eventually thicken throughout cooking).

Simmer gently until beans become tender and sauce has reduced.

5 minutes before serving add you lemon juice.

Serve with a sprinkling of coriander.

Braised Rice (to accompany chilli con carne)

Ingredients:

25g butter
15g onion, finely chopped
50g long grain rice 
100ml vegetable stock
Sheet of greaseproof paper 

Method:
Prepare you ingredients and cut a circle put of your greaseproof paper to fit into the inner part of your saute pan and grease with a little butter. Set aside till needed.

Place 1\2 the butter into a small saute pan allow to melt without colouring.
Add your onion cook gently without colouring for 2-3 minutes, add your rice again cook for 2-3 mjnutes. 

Add twice the amount of stock to rice. Season, cover with your buttered paper and being to the boil.

Place in a hot oven for approximately 15 minutes. Remove immediately into a cool bowl and add remaining butter.

Season and serve with chilli con carne.

chilli con carne

Ingredients:

100g Lean mince beef
50g onion, finely chopped
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1 TSP chilli powder
1\4 TSP oregano
1\4 TSP cumin
1 TSP tomato puree
250ml brown stock (beef)
Tinned kidney beans


Method:

Once you have prepared all your ingredients, heat a little oil in a saucepan and quickly sweat your onion and garlic until golden brown.

Add your beef mince and fry off until brown, drain off as much fat from this as possible. Add chilli powder, oregano and cumin and cook for a few more minutes.

Stir in your tomato puree and slowly add your stock. Gently simmer for approximately an hour. If you find your chilli becomes too dry in the process add a bit more stock. 

Drain off your beans and rinse.

Add to the meat and leave to simmer until beans are tender.

Serve hot with rice and any preferred extras such as garlic bread etc.

Bread rolls

Portions 6

This is more of a sweet tasting bread roll that I think works well with soup especially. You can alter the ingredients to suit your fancy I.E removing the milk powder and sugar and margarine and go for a more basic yeast tasting roll.

Ingredients: 

240g strong flour

8g milk powder

Pinch of salt

8g castor sugar

15g margarine

15g yeast

1/4 pint of water 

Method:

Preheat your oven to 190C 

1. Sieve your flour into a large mixing bowl then add your salt, milk powder and sugar to it.

2. Rub the margarine into your dried mixture until resembling fine breadcrumbs.

3. Create a bay in the centre of your mixture. And in another bowl place your yeast into Luke warm water and mix together until yeast dissolves.

4. Add this to your flour and fat mixture, combine well.

5. Knead your mixture into a smooth non-sticky type dough. And the it becomes elastic.

6. Once your have achieved this place back into the bowl and cover with a sheet of cling film good and tight over the bowl and leave in a warm place until it doubles in size usually about 30-35 minutes for me. 

7. After proving take out of your bowl gently and knock back the dough (removing air from the dough but do this gently).

8. Then divide the dough into 6 amounts and roll into a ball using the palm and heel of your hand.

9. Place on a greased and flours baking tray big enough to accommodate your dough with place of space for it to spread and grow in the oven.

9. Before you bake cover the rolls over with a damp tea towel and allow to double in size again. Once this happens  give a light coat d milk over the tops of the dough rolls but not over the sides as it will not rise in the oven. Then you may bake. For 30 minutes, or until golden brown in colour and sounds hollow when tapping the underside of the roll. 

Allow to cool.

Choux paste (profiteroles)

Ingredients for choux paste:

150ml water

Pinch of salt & sugar

50g butter

65g strong flour

2 eggs

Ingredients for filling

600ml/ 1 pint double cream (whipped)

For the chocolate:

100ml/3½fl oz water

80g/3oz castor sugar

200g/7oz good-quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Method:

Preheat your oven to 220C and place a tray of water in the bottom. (Bain Marie)

1. Bring your water to the boil, add your sugar, salt and butter. Stir well.

2. Once butter has melted into the water and other ingredients dissolve remove from the heat.

3. Add your sifted flour and mix with a wooden spoon.

4. Return your pan to the heat and stir continuously until your mixture leaves the sides. (Creating a roux)

5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool before adding your beaten eggs as this will only scramble them almost instantly if they come into contact with a hot mixture.

6. Once cooled slowly begin adding your eggs and mix well.

Your mixture should now be of dropping consistency.

7. Transfer into a piping bag. Your choux paste should hold within the bag without leaking.

8. Lightly grease baking paper and place onto a baking tray to accommodate the amount of choux  paste balls you are baking.

9. Pipe small balls onto the baking paper roughly the size of 1/2 a walnut.

10. Bake at 220C for about 30 minutes. Once risen remove from the oven and pierce a hole in the bottom of each pastry case and place back into the oven for a few minutes no longer than 5. But keep an eye they do not burn.

11. Once done leave on a cooling rack till completely cold.

Method for topping and filling:

Lightly whip up your cream until soft peaks form. Use a piping bag to fill the choux cases.

For your chocolate sauce, add the water and sugar into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and put your chocolate into a heatproof bowl and set over the pan. Heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Take the pan off the heat, pour the syrup mixture into the chocolate and stir until smooth and well combined.

To serve put your stuffed profiteroles into a large dish and dizzle over your chocolate sauce. Serve either hot or cold.

Honey and oat twist loaf (white)

Ingredients:

500g strong white bread flour, extra for dusting

10g salt

10g instant yeast

30g unsalted butter, softened

320ml cool water

Olive oil for kneading

Squeeze of honey

Half a handful of oats (rolled oats)

Method: makes 1 loaf

Preparation time 3 hours

Cooking time 30 minutes

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Sift your flour into a large mixing bowl, add the salt and yeast, make sure they are placed on opposite sides of the bowl. Then add your butter and ¾ of the water you have measured out (always best to do it a bit at a time, you can always add more but never take away), begin moving the mixture around using your fingers. Slowly add more water until all the flour and all dry ingredients are well combined. When the dough is soft and smooth it is ready to turn out onto a lighty oiled surface. I hear you say oil! This is an idea I found Paul Hollywood doing and it works so much better to get the perfect loaf!

 Before you do that move your dough around the bowl to clean the sides of all mixture.

Cover your work surface with a little of your olive oil and then begin to knead the dough.

 Knead for 5 to 10 minutes.

Youll find the dough will become sticky but this is ok keep kneading and it will slowly get less sticky and more silky and soft. 

Once you have achieved this it's 1st proving time! 

Put your soft dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl and cover with a damp tea towel. When it has risen to at least double the size it was when you first placed it in the bowl and the dough springs back at a touch and shiny it is ready. This takes at least 1-2 hours but can be left for 3 hours max.

Line your baking tray with silicone paper or baking paper.

Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball by knocking the air out of the dough and is smooth. Flatten your dough out slightly and spilt into 2 separate lengths, joining up one end.

Then twist the lengths over and over each other until you finish then tuck the end under the loaf to secure. 

Once you achieve this, attach the two ends together creating a sort of crown look.

The dough is ready for the 2nd proving. Place it on your baking tray and place this in a clean plastic bag. Leave for about 1 hour, until it has at least doubled in size.

Whilst the dough is doubling in size switch on your oven to preheat to 230°C.

Put your bread into the oven, and bake for 30 minutes or until it is cooked and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. Whilst still hot glaze over your honey and sprinkle over your oats and place back into the oven for a few minutes .Leave your loaf to cool on a wire rack. 

Slow cooked shin beef stew with dumplings

As a mother I try to get my son to eat as much varied food as possible. When it comes to slow cooked meals I tend to put in as many different vegetables in, dish permitting of course! 

This quick and simple recipe will help you create a delicious meal easy to prepare, tender to eat for both parent and child. 

Ingredients for stew:

• 2 celery sticks, thickly sliced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, halved lengthways then very chunkily sliced
• 3-4 bay leaves 
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 beef stock cubes, crumbled
• 850g diced shin beef (featherblade or brisket works well cut into nice large chunks)

Ingredients for dumplings: (serves 6)

• 250 g self-raising flour

• 125 g butter, really cold

• sea salt

• freshly ground black pepper.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Method for beef stew:

  
  

  If using the oven with a crock pot, Heat to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Put the kettle on. Put the celery, onion, green pepper, carrots, bay and 1 thyme sprig in a pan with 1 tbsp oil and the butter. Soften for 10 mins, then stir in the flour until it browns on the meat, followed by the tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock cubes.

  
  

  Gradually stir in 600ml hot water, then tip in the beef and bring to a gentle simmer. Transfer to your slow cooker or casserole dish. Cover and  put it on low heat for as long as you like unless in the oven cover and cook for 2hr 30 mins then uncover and cook for 30mins – 1hr more until the meat is really tender and the sauce is thickened.

Method for dumplings:

• Put your flour into a mixing bowl 
Using a coarse grater, grate your cold butter into the flour. Add salt and pepper.

Then using your fingers, gently rub your mixture together until they resemble small breadcrumbs. Add some cold water to the dough mixture just to help combine it into a soft dough.

Begin dividing your dough into small pieces and gently roll each into a ball. The dumplings will suck up quite a bit of moisture so if your stew looks low on gravy liquid - add a touch of boiling water and give it another stir.

• Place the dumplings on top of your cooked stew and push them down gently until the are half submerged.

Cook in your slow cooker or crock pot (oven) with the lid on at a medium heat for 30 minutes

Garlic roast chicken with honey-glazed baby vegetables

Ingredients for roast chicken:

• 1 whole chicken leg

• 1/4 lemon

• 1 tbsp rock salt, or to taste 

• 1/2 bulb garlic, cut in half across the centre

• 1/4 onion, halved, skin left on 

• freshly ground black pepper

• olive oil, for drizzling

For honey-glazed baby vegetables:

• 25g margarine 

• 1 tbsp caraway seeds

• 1 tbsp chopped dried thyme

• 125g carrots, trimmed and blanched

• 125g leeks, trimmed and blanched

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 100ml/3 1/2 oz honey

• tsp balsamic vinegar

Preparation method:

Preheat your oven to 200C400F/Gas 6.

For preparation of the garlic chicken, firstly take the chicken leg and place onto your chopping board. Using the heel of your cooks knife place it half way down the leg and using the palm of your hand bash the leg with the knife until you go through the bone and discard the excess bone you removed.

Place the chicken into a roasting tin. Cut the lemon into 1/4 and squeeze the juice over the chicken and rub in the rock salt.

Place the garlic and squeezed lemon halves and onion into the chicken leg ( under the skin). Season the chicken all over with freshly ground black pepper and drizzle over a little olive oil.

Transfer the tin to the oven and roast for 3/4 hour. Or until the juices run clear When the chicken is pierced with a skewer and it is completely cooked through.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest in a warm place for a few minutes before serving.

For the honey glazed vegetables, heat the margarine until it foams, then Add your caraway seeds, thyme and vegetables. Stir well and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Add the honey and bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, making sure to stir occasionally, until all the vegetables are coated and the honey has thickened.

Just before you serve, take some of the roasted garlic and lemon halves from inside the chicken skin. Drizzle over the balsamic vinegar and stir well.

And serve.

Recipes Coming soon!!!

Coming soon! 

Honey and oat loaf

Sicilian sweet bread

Bacon carbonara 

Bread rolls

Profiteroles

Pork escalope 

Fish tapas 

Paupiettes of plaice bonne femme

Portions 2.

Ingredients: 

• 2 x 50g fillet

• 30ml fish stock

• 30ml white wine

• 1/8 lemon

• 50g mushrooms

• parsley

For the velouté:

• 20g margarine

• 20g flour

• 200ml stock

• 1 egg yolk

• 25g butter

• 1 tbsp cream

Method:

Preheat your oven 200C.

If your buying a fish fresh skin and fillet and rid of any bones.

Butter and season an earthenware dish. Roll your fish fillets up and place neatly into the dish, season with salt and pepper.

 Add lemon juice, wine. Chop your parsley up and add to the dish along with the roughly chopped mushrooms. Then pour over your fish stock.

To stop your dish from burning grease with some butter a piece of grease proof paper and place over the top.

Put into the oven to poach for 5-10 minutes.

Once cooked drain the fish well Saving the juices. This will be your cooking liquor.

Making the velouté:

Put your butter in a pan an let it melt add your flour to the butter once melted this will create a roux (forms a paste that will all combine together in the pan)

Then slowly add your fish stock to the velouté. Once combined bring it to the boil and add cooking liquor.

Once it is a your required consistency pass through a strainer. Mix in your butter, egg yolk and cream. 

Coat the fish with this, garnish and serve.

Steak pie

Ingredients for short pastry:

200g plain flour
50g butter
50g lard
45ml water

Ingredients for steak filling:

200g stewing steak, cut into cubes
Plain flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, for dusting.
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, sliced
1 tsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
1/4 pint hot beef stock

Method:

Start by preparing the pastry, sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. And rub in the butter and lard.
Once the mixture is of breadcrumb consistency make a well in the middle and add your water a little bit at a time and work into a firm smooth dough. Wrap in clingfilm and set a side in the fridge for the butter and lard to solidify becoming better to work with.

Whilst your pastry is in the fridge dust the cubed steak with the seasoned flour.

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan and fry the meat. Stirring frequently until brown on all sides.

Add the sliced onion, herbs, salt and ground black pepper and the stock, bring to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer gently for hour and a half.

Preheat the oven during this time to 190C/375F/Gas 5.

Remove pastry from fridge and roll out.

Transfer the filling into an ovenproof dish, line the rim of the dish with thin strip of pastry. Dampen the pastry rim by brushing with a beaten egg.

Cut a piece of pastry to fit across the top of the dish and place on top of the dish, pressing the edges together to seal. Decorate with pastry trimmings and make a steam hole in the centre of the pie by poking with a sharp knife. Then brush.over the pastry with beaten egg.

Place in the oven for 1-1&1/2 hours. If pastry begins to.colour too much in.that time.cover with foil.

Serve hot

Sheek Turkey Naan

Ingredients for Spiced Turkey:

(All roughly chopped)

• 150g diced turkey 

• 5g coriander leaves and stalks 

• 5g mint leaves and stalks

• 1/2cm piece fresh root ginger

• 1 & 1/2 garlic cloves

• 1/2 green chilli

• 1/4 tsp powdered masala 

• 1/4 tsp ground cumin

• 1/4 tsp ground coriander

• 1/4 tsp chilli powder

• 1/4 tsp turmeric 

• 1/2 tsp lime juice

• 1/2 yellow pepper diced

• salt to taste

Ingredients for naan bread:

•18g sugar

• 1 free range egg

• 200ml whole milk

• 3/4 tsp baking powder

• 1/2 tsp salt

• 375g plain flour

Ingredients for red onion salad (optional):

• 1/2 banana shallot, finely sliced

• 1/2 green chilli, finely diced

• 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

• 1/2 tbsp chopped fresh mint

• 1 tomato, roughly chopped

• 1/4 lime, juice only 

• 1/4 tbsp cider vinegar

Method:

For the sheek turkey, marinate the turkey, coriander, mint, ginger, garlic and chilli together in a bowl.

Then stir in the ground spices, salt and lime juice, check for seasoning by frying a small amount of the mixture until cooked through.

Once correct seasoning has been done cover the mixture with cling film an chill in the fridge for 1 hour minimum. 

For the naan bread:

Preheat the oven 225/450F/Gas 8 and preheat a heavy baking tray in the oven too until it is required. 

Mix the sugar, egg and milk together in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the baking powder, salt and flour to form the dough.

Knead briefly until smooth. Drizzle over vegetable oil onto your dough and cover the bowl with a damp tea towel and set aside to rest in a warm place for 15 minutes.

Once your dough has proved gently roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 4 portions. Roll each piece into a 20cm/8inch circle and brush with melted butter.

Then retrieve your hot baking tray from the oven place your dough onto it and cook for 4-5 minutes( May need to do this in batches)

For the red onion salad, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and drizzle over the liquid ingredients and set aside in the fridge til you serve.

To cook the turkey, preheat the pan on high and make sure the meat is thoroughly cooked all the way through along with yellow peppers.

To serve: place the filling onto a hot plate then the naan on the side topped with a little salad.