Cinnamon & Apple Oat muffin

Dead delicious and considered a much more healthier option than anything you've seen on this blog so far are these delectable and yummy muffins.
This is a more bread like American Style muffin as opposed to a far more sweeter, fattening cake style muffin (such as those at Starbucks) and uses the basic muffin method. I also used fructose instead of sugar too. I can't for the life of me remember where this recipe is from but i do remember searching for the perfect combination of ingredients.

Wet ingredients are then added to the dry ingredients.

All the ingredients are combined until just so - not over mixing

et voila!

Cinnamon & Apple oat muffin
makes 12

ingredients:
300g plain flour
1tbs baking powder
2tsp cinnamon powder
150g brown sugar/fructose
2 med sized granny smith apples - or whatever your preference
125g oats
125g margarine/butter melted & cooled
2 eggs-lightly beaten
185ml milk
large teaspoon honey/maple syrup.

method

• Set oven to 180 degrees C
• Grease muffin tray
• melt margarine/butter & let it cool
  
• Chop/diced apples into small chunks
  
• sift flour, baking powder & cinnamon into a large bowl
• Stir in sugar & chopped apples
• Whisk together cooled melted butter, eggs, milk and the honey until well combined
• Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients until just combined. Do not over mix this stage.
• Spoon mixture into muffin tray & bake for 20-25minutes.
  

I discovered more about baking muffins and amazing flavoured muffins at Joy of Baking, which i'd love to share with you all. This is what Stephanie Jaworski has to say about baking muffins.

BATTERS

The bread-like muffin batter is made using the "muffin method". This batter can be assembled and baked 'quickly', usually in 20-25 minutes. Only two bowls are needed to make the batter. One bowl is used to mix all the dry ingredients together. The second bowl contains all the wet ingredients. The fat used with the bread-like muffins is usually in liquid form, either an oil or melted butter. When the wet and dry ingredients have been mixed together separately, then they are combined. The important step here is not to overmix the batter. However, there is a tendency to over mix because the ratio of liquid to flour is quite high. But mixing too much overdevelops the gluten in the flour which will cause a tough muffin with tunnels and a compact texture. Only 10 to 15 strokes are needed to moisten the ingredients and the batter should be still lumpy and you may still see a few traces of flour. Don't worry about these lumps as the batter continues to blend as it bakes and any lumps will disappear. Note: Over mixing the muffin batter causes it to become very stringy. This is the gluten developing in the flour. Over mixing causes long strands of gluten to form making it hard for the leavener to work and causes long tunnels in the baked good.

The cake-like muffin batter is prepared using the same method as making a cake batter. The butter (room-temperature) and sugar are creamed together. The eggs are mixed in and then the wet and dry ingredients are added alternately. The higher sugar and fat content in this type of muffin act as tenderizers thereby producing a richer cake-like muffin with a softer crumb. The increased fat content also minimizes the development of gluten which again helps to produce a muffin with a softer crumb.

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/muffins/

White Chocolate Cheesecake

Hmmm cheesecake, love cheesecake, love the Cheesecake Factory...

Oh and also love, love, love the Wagamama creamy white chocolate cheesecake with stem ginger too. A while ago I searched high and low for the recipe, but I guess i'll have to make do with an alternative white choc cheesecake, baked and no-bake recipe offerings on the net.
I've decided to go with Gordon Ramsay's version of white choc cheesecake...it's a darn shame i don't have a springform tin though.

Yay, no cracks (too high temp) and perfect creamy not too dense texture!

First is the BBC Food recipe:

Ingredients

450g/1lb soft cream cheese
4 large free-range eggs
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
225g/8oz good quality white chocolate
225g/8oz crème fraîche
butter, for greasing
55g/2oz biscuit crumbs, to dust over the buttered tin (use any type you love - chocolate digestives are good)

Method

1. Beat the cream cheese in a bowl until soft, then add the eggs one by one, along with the seeds scraped from the vanilla pod.
2. Melt the white chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, then fold in the crème fraîche until smooth.
3. Fold the chocolate mixture into the cream cheese mixture.
4. Grease a 25cm/10in cake tin and sprinkle the base with the biscuit crumbs to cover. Pour the chocolate and cream cheese mixture into the tin and bang down on a firm surface to remove any air bubbles.
5. Bake in a low oven, 150C/300F/Gas 2, for 45 minutes-1 hour, or until the centre is just firm.
6. Allow to rest for several hours to firm up, before turning out and serving.

Gordon Ramsay's White chocolate and lemon cheesecake - Timesonline

Makes 12-14 slices

Cheesecakes with chocolate need to be taken out of the fridge an hour before serving to allow the chocolate to soften. The lemon confit can be stored in a screw-topped jar in the fridge for up to 1 month.

300g plain chocolate digestives

100g butter, melted

300g white chocolate

200ml double cream

400g full-fat soft cheese, eg, Philadelphia

3 eggs, lightly beaten

50g caster sugar

Grated zest of 3 unwaxed lemons

Juice of 1 lemon

For the lemon zest confit

250g granulated or caster sugar

6 unwaxed lemons

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Line the base of a 23cm springform tin with baking parchment. Whiz the digestives in a food processor until they resemble breadcrumbs. Pour in the butter, then whiz briefly again. Tip the biscuit mixture into the tin and press down firmly. Bake for 15 minutes, then leave to cool.

2 Turn the oven setting down to 140C/ Gas 1. Chop the white chocolate into small pieces and tip into a large bowl. Heat the cream in a pan until beginning to boil, then pour over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has completely melted, then set aside to cool slightly.

3 Clean the bowl of the food processor. Blend the cheese with the eggs, sugar, lemon zest and juice until smooth. Add the chocolate and cream mixture and whiz briefly again until thoroughly combined.

4 Wrap a double layer of foil, lined with clingfilm, around the base and sides of the tin to make it watertight. Place the tin in a large roasting tray, then carefully pour the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base. Half-fill the roasting tray with boiling water, then bake for 45-50 minutes.

5 For the lemon zest confit, dissolve the sugar in 250ml water over a low heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, increase the heat and boil for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, finely pare the zest of the lemons with a swivel vegetable peeler. Scrape off any pith and cut the zest into thin julienne strips.

6 Blanch the lemon zest in boiling water for 2 minutes, then pat dry. Bring the sugar syrup back to the boil in a small pan. Drop the zest into the pan, return to the boil and simmer for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

7 Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake to cool in the oven for 1-2 hours, with the oven door left slightly ajar. Lift the cheesecake from the water, discard the foil and chill. Spoon the lemon zest confit over the cheesecake before cutting into thin slices.

Next a no-bake Cooks.com recipe submitted by Sara:

1 1/2 oz. (40g) butter
1 packet of ginger nuts (200g)
2 oz. (50g) dark chocolate
1 bar white chocolate (150g)
1 tub curd cheese (Mascarpone) (250g)
1 tub yogurt (200g)
3 oz. caster sugar (75g)
1 tub double cream (284 ml)
cocoa powder for dusting (optional)

Lightly oil an 8-inch loose-bottomed cake tin with sunflower oil. Make sure you grease right up the sides. Next, put the butter in the saucepan with half of the dark chocolate, and melt over a low heat.

Put ginger nuts in a (clean) plastic bag. Then put that bag in another bag. Crush the ginger nuts, until your preferred size of crumb is reached.

Stir all the crumbs into the melted chocolate/butter, until well mixed. That's your base. Just press it firmly onto the base of your tin, and wrap it in the fridge to chill.

Break up all the white chocolate into the bowl, and melt it gently over a pan of simmering water or in a double boiler. The water shouldn't touch the bottom of the bowl. At this point you need to watch like a hawk, and keep stirring.

After the mixture is melted to a lovely sticky goo, take it off the heat and beat in the yogurt, sugar, and curd cheese, until well-blended. Lightly whip the cream, then fold into the cheesecake mix.

Once well-folded, pour it over the chilled base, and grate the remaining dark chocolate over the top in an artistic fashion.

Dust with the cocoa if you feel so inclined. Finally, pop the whole kit and caboodle back in the fridge, and let it chill out for at least four hours, preferably overnight if you can bear to wait !!!!

A no-bake recipe from Waitrose:

Serves: 8

Ingredients

200g digestive biscuits
90g butter, melted
75g white chocolate, broken
200g cream cheese
150g caster sugar
4 eggs, separated (discard 2 whites)
568ml carton double cream
6 leaves gelatine

Method

1. Put the biscuits in a plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Stir in the melted butter. Press the mixture into the base of a 24cm springform, loose-bottomed tin, sides lined with greaseproof paper. To make small cheesecakes, put 8 x 9cm circle cutters (4cm deep) onto a lined baking sheet. Line each with greaseproof paper. Press the biscuit mix into the bases. Chill while you prepare the topping.
2. Put the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of just-boiled water and leave to melt. Whisk the cheese, sugar and egg yolks in a bowl until smooth.
3. Gently warm 100ml of the cream in a small pan. Turn off the heat. Add the gelatine. Leave for 5 minutes to soften. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
4. Lightly whip the remaining cream until it holds soft peaks, then fold in the melted white chocolate.
5. Whip egg whites till stiff. Set aside. Stir the gelatine mixture into the cream cheese mixture. Fold in the cream and chocolate mixture, then the egg whites. Pour over the biscuit base. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
6. To serve, remove the sides of the tin and peel away the paper. For single cheesecakes, transfer to plates using a palette knife and lift off the rings. Serve with kiwi, raspberries or passion fruit and white chocolate shavings.

Cook's tips

Because it contains uncooked egg, this recipe is not suitable for the young, pregnant women, the elderly or those with weak immune systems.

So, which of these recipes tickle your fancy?

Greek diet breadsticks - Kritsinia

Bread plays a huge part of any Greek meal and when the going got tough, frugal living meant a staple diet of bread (psomi), just like rice is for many Asian countries and eating it with cheese or dipped into bean soup (soupa fasolakia).

Nowadays a laid table is not complete without a loaf of freshly sliced bread. On a diet? The alternative to avoiding bread altogether in Greece is dead easy with the fantastic varieties of diet bread snack on offer at the local bakery. Yup, over here it's common practice to get to know your baker, butcher, plumber etc etc well.

A loaf of sliced bread wrapped in plastic just really doesn't cut the mustard over here. At least in Britain the ready made stuff from the likes of Hovis, Warburtons and Kingsmill or even the supermarkets own brand tastes good and the loaf is somewhat squishy. It's really best to get your bread from the local bakery. End of.

So what's been cooking in the Zakharoplastio kitchen this morning? Kritsinia sticks (as opposed to the classic wafer shape). It's a simple snack that can be eaten alone or goes well with cheese and salami. Below, Tina whips these bread sticks up in no time.

Best pick of designer bag/purse cakes

Now the techniques and design of the following cakes are the ones i admire most. I have spent some time scouring the internet for some of the best looking cakes. A lot of time and effort has gone into these beautiful looking cakes. If I have not included yours and you think it looks realistic and incredibly fabulous, do submit your images! I'd love to show them off here.
Enjoy!

All images via: flickr, Ashley's Cakes, Cake Create, House of Cakes, Pretty Sweet Boutique, cupcakeenvy.com, Studio Cake, tineypics, Alexandra Bolos Artisticos

So with all these amazing inspirations, I'd like to one day achieve decorating a purse cake with the skill and expertise as above. I have absolutely no background in cake making/baking/decorating whatsoever, so this shall be an interesting experiment!

Designer bags/purse cakes

Right, i'm on a mission this week. I've never used sugar/fondant icing to decorate a cake let alone decorate a cake. I'm the newbie who's a part of Paradise Kitchen you see and I don't really get involve with the baking process as much as I'd like to. However, I certainly won't stop getting creative. As a massive fan of Eric Lanlard, French Patissier extraodinaire, who own Cake Boy and also Savoir Designs, I've certainly been lucky enough to taste and check out his rather fabulous cakes and cake designs. All I can say is Wow!
He is also current doing a show on Channel 4 (UK) called GLAMOUR PUDS, sounds delicious! More of him another time, but for now, my current obssession lies with cake decorating and designer bag cakes. I'm talking Chanel Cambon tote bag cakes, LV multicolore speedy bag, Chanel 2.55 bag cake... I wanna get my mitts on making or at least decorating a designer cake bag.
Exciting stuff indeed with more photo examples to follow too! Hold your horses i'll be back later today.

Image via Pretty Sweet Boutique

image via Pink Cake Box

These amazing cake designs are from rather skilled and talented cake bakers/decoraters from Pink Cake Box and also Pretty Sweet Boutique. Their cakes are truly spot on in terms of design, accuracy and I bet they taste damn good too! I just want to know what tool they used for the quilting effect on the Chanel 2.55 bag. I've seen other styles of beautiful stitching effect too so very curious indeed.

Hoax or True Story?

So today I came across an interesting read, claiming that a shopper was charged $250 for a cookie recipe... sounds crazy doesn't it? Well the shopper takes revenge on the company by distributing the infamous recipe by email to just about anyone and everyone. Here is the story!

Neiman-Marcus, if you don't know already, is a very expensive boutique

shop (they sell a typical $8.00 T-shirt for $50.00)

My daughter and I had just finished lunch at a Neiman-Marcus Cafe in

Dallas , USA . Because both of us are such biscuit lovers, we decided to

try the 'Neiman-Marcus cookie'. It was so excellent that I asked if they

would give me the recipe. The waitress said with a small frown, 'I'm

afraid not, but you can buy the recipe.'

I asked how much, and she responded; 'Only two fifty - it's a great

deal'

I agreed to that, and told her to add it to my bill.

Thirty days later, I got my Visa statement, and the Neiman-Marcus charge

was $285. I looked at it again, and I remembered I had only spent $9.95

for two sandwiches and about $20 for a scarf. At the bottom of the

statement, it said, 'Cookie Recipe - $250.00'. That was outrageous!

I called Neiman's Accounting Department and told them the waitress had

said it was 'two fifty', which clearly does not mean 'two hundred and

fifty dollars' by any reasonable interpretation of the phrase.

Neiman-Marcus refused to budge. They would not refund my money because

according to them; 'What the waitress told you is not our problem. You

have already seen the recipe. We absolutely will not refund your money.

I explained to the Accounting Department lady the criminal statutes

which govern fraud in the state of Texas . I threatened to report them to

the Better Business Bureau and The Texas Attorney General's office. I

was basically told: Do what you want.. Don't bother thinking of how you

can get even, and don't bother trying to get any of your money back'

I said, OK, you've got my $250, and now I'm going to have $250 worth of

fun. I told her that I was going to see to it that every cookie lover in

the world with an e-mail account gets a $250 cookie recipe from

Neiman-Marcus for free. She replied, 'I wish you wouldn't do that.' I

said, 'Well, perhaps yo

u should have thought of that before you RIPPED

ME OFF!' and slammed down the phone..

So here it is! Please pass it on to everyone you can possibly think of.

I paid $250 for this, and I don't want Neiman-Marcus to EVER make

another penny from this recipe!

NEIMAN-MARCUS COOKIES (Recipe may be halved as this makes heaps)

2 (500 ml) cups butter

680 g chocolate chips

4 (1000 ml) cups flour

2 (500 ml) cups brown sugar

2 tsp. (10 ml) Bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp. (5 ml) salt

2 (500 ml) cups sugar

500 g Grated Cadbury chocolate

5 (1250 ml) cups blended oatmeal

4 eggs

2 tsp. (10 ml) baking powder

2 tsp. (10 ml) vanilla

3 cups (375 ml) chopped nuts (optional)

Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream the

butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with flour,

oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda. Add chocolate

chips, grated Chocolate and nuts. Roll into balls, and place two inches

apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees ( 180 C ).

The above quantities make 112 cookies. Enjoy!

Ok, so i did a little recce on this subject and found Neiman Marcus real recipe for all to share:

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened 1 cup light brown sugar 3 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 large egg 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1-3/4 cups all purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1-1/2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee powder 1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Cream the butter with the sugars using an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy (approximately 30 seconds)
2. Beat in the egg and the vanilla extract for another 30 seconds
3. In a mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients and beat into the butter mixture at low speed for about 15 seconds. Stir in the espresso coffee powder and chocolate chips
4. Using a 1 ounce scoop or a 2 tablespoon measure, drop cookie dough onto a greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Gently press down on the dough with the back of a spoon to spread out into a 2 inch circle. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nicely browned around the edges. Bake a little longer for a crispier cookie.

Coconut pineapple muffins

Coconut Pineapple Muffins

This recipe was super easy and super delicious, i had changed some of the quantities to suit my taste. The result? Bouncy, moist and really yummy muffins.

2 cups flour, sifted with 1 tablespoon baking powder
½ cup desiccated coconut - added a little more 3/4 cup
½ cup caster sugar - i used 3/4 cup
1 egg
¼ cup melted butter - I used 1/2 cup
1/3 cup milk (or use the drained juice from the crushed pineapple) - i used 2/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1x225 gram can crushed pineapple,drained
½ cup slivered almonds

In a large bowl add the flour, coconut and sugar. Stir to mix.

In a small bowl, place the egg, butter milk (or pineapple juice) and vanilla - whisk lightly to incorporate, then stir in the drained crushed pineapple.

Stir this into the dry ingredients until only just combined.

Spoon the batter into prepared muffin pans and sprinkle over with slivered almonds.

Cook in a preheated 180°C oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through.

Recipe from Cook almost anything

Carrot cake is just one of our favourites here at Paradise, but i must admit when i saw the picture and recipe for the Hummingbird cake, i just had to try it out. This one is made with Bananas and Pineapple and has a similar take on the traditional carrot cake.

Hummingbird cake

Prep time: 25 mins
Cook time: 25 mins
Serves: Makes 10-12 slices

Ingredients

• 300g caster sugar
• 3 Eggs
• 300ml sunflower oil
• 270g peeled Bananas, mashed
• 1 tsp Cinnamon, plus extra to decorate
• 300g plain flour
• 1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 100g tinned pineapples, chopped into small pieces
• 100g chopped Pecans, or walnuts plus extra to decorate

Cream cheese frosting

• 600g icing sugar
• 100g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 250g cream cheese, cold

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C/Gas 3.

2. Put the sugar, eggs, oil, banana and cinnamon in an electric mixer or use an handheld electric whisk and beat until all the ingredients are incorporated (don't worry if the mixture looks slightly split at this stage).

3. Slowly add the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and vanilla extract and continue to beat until everything is well mixed.

4. Stir in the chopped pineapple and nuts by hand until evenly dispersed.

5. Line the based of three 20 cm cake tins with greaseproof paper. Pour the mixture into the tins and smooth over with a palatte knife. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and the sponge bounces back when touched.

4. Leave the cakes to cool slightly in the tins before turning out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

5.For the cream cheese frosting Beat the icing sugar and butter together using an electric mixer until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.

6. Add the cream cheese in one go and beat until completely incorporated. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy at least 5 minutes.

7. Place one cake on a stand and spread about one-quarter of the cream cheese frosting over it with a palette knife. Place a second cake on top and and spread another quarter of the frosting over it. Top with the last cake and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides. Finish with pecan nuts and a light sprinkling of cinnamon.

From The Hummingbird Cookbook, published by Ryland Peters & Small
Recipe & image via UKTV Food.

Coconut Cupcakes!

image via: http://jodilynndesigns.com

As a lover of all things coconut, i just had to find the perfect cupcake recipe. I have since sourced 3 different recipes, let the experimentation begin.

This recipe comes from Ina Garten's "The Barefoot Contessa" cookbook, which features recipes from her hugely successful New York take-out store, also named The Barefoot Contessa.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 7-ounce package flaked sweetened coconut, divided
Cream cheese icing

Line 16 muffin cups with paper baking cups, and set aside. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and set oven racks at top and lower middle levels.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugar and butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Turn the mixer speed to low, and add the eggs one at a time, beating 1 minute after each. Beat in the vanilla and almond extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and beat again briefly.

Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately to the butter mixture, beating on low speed after each addition just until combined. Fold in only 1 1/3 cups of the coconut.

Fill each muffin cup almost full with batter. Bake in a 325-degree oven for 11 to 14 minutes on the top and lower-middle racks of oven, then reverse the positions of the two cupcake pans (putting the one from the top on the lower middle rack and vice versa), and bake another 11 to 14 minutes or until the cupcake tops are golden and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely, and then top them with cream cheese icing. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days. If you want to freeze these, store them unfrosted in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 weeks.

To serve unfrosted cupcakes that have been frozen, allow to thaw at room temperature for about 1 hour before serving, then ice and serve them. Makes about 16 cupcakes.

Coconut Cupcake a la Caked Crusader

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:

125g self raising flour
25g desiccated coconut
115g caster sugar
125ml buttermilk - or milk with a table spoon of either lemon juice/white vinegar - mix and leave for a few minutes.
1 egg
1 teaspoon coconut extract
65g unsalted butter, melted

For the coconut icing:

280g icing sugar
70g desiccated coconut
1000g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon coconut extract
1-3 tablespoons hot water


How to make:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.
• Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases.
• Combine the flour, coconut and sugar in a bowl and make a well in the centre.
• Into the well pour the buttermilk, egg, coconut extract and melted butter and mix until all the ingredients are combined.
• Spoon the mixture evenly into the paper cases.
• Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cupcakes comes out clean. Mine took 18 minutes.
• Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing the cupcakes and leaving to cool completely on a wire rack.
• You can make the cupcakes a day in advance if you store them in an airtight tin. Make the icing on the day though.
• Now make the icing: place all the ingredients, except the hot water, in a bowl and mix together.
• Add just enough hot water to make a spreadable consistency.
• Spread the icing over each cupcake and decorate according to taste – I used wafer roses.
• Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
• Eat.

Ok, the bake off is on for the best tasting coconut cupcakes - i've sourced another yummyliscious recipe:

For the cupcakes

• 2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unsifted flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup sour cream (do not use low-fat or nonfat)
• 1 cup lightly packed sweetened flaked coconut

For the frosting

• 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 5 tablespoons (1/2 stick plus 1 tablespoon) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons heavy cream (may substitute coconut milk)
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 5 1/2 cups unsifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 1/2 cups lightly packed sweetened flaked coconut

Directions:

For the cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 standard 12-cup muffin tins with paper cupcake liners.

Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg on a sheet of wax or parchment paper.

Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or a hand-held electric mixer; beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add half of the sugar and beat for 1 minute; add the remaining sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed for 45 seconds each time, then add the vanilla extract. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Reduce the speed to low. Alternately add the sifted mixture in 3 additions and the sour cream in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the sifted mixture. The batter will be smooth and moderately thick. Add the coconut, beating on low until incorporated.

Divide the batter among the cupcake liners, filling them slightly more than half-full. Bake for 18 minutes (start checking at 15 minutes) or until the cupcakes have risen and completely set. A wooden toothpick inserted in the center of a baked cupcake will withdraw with a few moist crumbs attached.

Cool the cupcakes in the pans on wire cooling racks for 15 minutes, then transfer the cupcakes to the wire racks to cool completely.

For the frosting: Combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer or a hand-held electric mixer; beat on medium speed for 1 minute, until creamy and well incorporated.
Add the vanilla extract, heavy cream and nutmeg; beat to combine, stopping to scrape down the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to low; add the confectioners' sugar in 3 additions, beating between additions until thoroughly combined.

Use a flexible palette knife to spread the frosting as thickly as possible on top of the cooled cupcakes, creating a generous 1- to 2-inch cap on top. Sprinkle the frosted surfaces of the cupcakes with the coconut.

Recipe Source:

Adapted from "Baking by Flavor," by Lisa Yockelson (Wiley, 2002).

Coconut pound cake with buttercream

I have been searching for the perfect coconut cake recipe for a long time and have managed to find the mother of all sources for coconut anything at The Caked Crusader - more like Cake saviour me thinks though.

Here is The Caked Crusaders recipe for the yummiest coconut cake ever!

Ingredients:
For the cake:
225g unsalted butter
225g caster sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
115g desiccated coconut
225g self raising flour

For the buttercream:
225g icing sugar
115g unsalted butter, softened
3-4 tablespoons desiccated coconut

1 glace cherry to decorate, optional

How to make:

- Preheat oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/ Gas mark 4 and line either an 18cm round tin with greaseproof paper.
- Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Don’t skimp on this stage as I think it is the foundation of success. Take a tiny piece of the mix and place on your tongue. Press it to the roof of your mouth – if it’s gritty the mix needs more beating. When it’s smooth you can move to the next stage.

• Beat in the eggs, then the coconut, then the flour.
• Spoon into the cake tin and bake for about an hour or until a skewer comes out clean. Mine took about 1 hour 10 minutes but it’s probably worth checking on it after about 45 minutes as ovens vary greatly.
• Leave to cool for 10 minutes in the tin and then remove from the tin and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
• For the buttercream, cream the butter and icing sugar together until very smooth and spread onto the top (and sides if you wish) of the cake.
• Immediately after, sprinkle on the desiccated coconut.
• I tend to make the cake the day before I want it, and then make the buttercream on the morning of the day on which the cake will be served.
• Bask in glory at the wonderful thing you have made.
• Eat

Millionaire's Shortbread by Heston Blumenthal

Love shortbread? Love Caramel? Love Chocolate?

image via: uktvfood.co.uk

Well this might just be the recipe for you. We love a bit of fresh, buttery shortbread and a good old cup of PG Tips. It's entirely up to you how thick you want the chocolate and caramel layers to be - there are no rules here, bake 'em how you like 'em!

This wonderful recipe is by food alchemist extraodinaire, Michelin star chef Heston Blumenthal from The Times.

For the shortbread

100g butter, softened
60g caster sugar
Pinch salt
3 egg yolks
250g flour

For the caramel

1 x 397g tin condensed milk
120g unsalted butter
120g demerara sugar

For the chocolate topping

100g milk chocolate (or plain — depending on personal preference)

To make the shortbread, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the salt and egg yolks, then stir in the flour, using your hands to mix it thoroughly until a soft dough is formed. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and leave to rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Line a baking tray (about 20cm x 24cm in size) with baking parchment. Once chilled, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 0.5cm and press into the prepared tray.

Chill in the refrigerator for a further hour. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 160C/ 325F/Gas Mark 3. Bake the shortbread for about 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin.

While the shortbread is cooking, you can tackle the caramel. Put the unopened tin of condensed milk in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 4 hours, being careful not to let it boil dry. Set aside to cool. Do not open the can while still warm.

Melt the butter in a small pan over a gentle heat, then stir in the demerara sugar. Leave to simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. Whisk in the caramelised condensed milk until the mixture is completely smooth, then pour it over the cooled shortbread base. Spread out evenly, and set aside to cool completely.

Break the chocolate into a bowl, and place the bowl over a pan of boiling water. Stir until all the chocolate has melted. Pour the chocolate over the cooled caramel, smoothing it with the back of a knife. Put the tray in the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to set.

When you are ready to serve, cut the caramel block into your desired portion sizes and indulge.

Banoffee Pie

Banoffee Pie

Seriously one of the best desserts of all time!

Having scoured the website for a decent recipe that doesn't involve too much legwork, we came across this one from Good To Know.

It's really easy to make and tastes rather yummy. Pics to follow soon!

Serves: 8
Takes: 20 minutes plus chilling time of 1 hr 30 mins

For the base:
100g (4oz) butter
250g (9oz) digestive biscuits, crushed

For the caramel:
175g (6oz) butter
75g (3oz) caster sugar
397g can Carnation Condensed Milk

For the topping:
4 small bananas
284ml carton double cream, lightly whipped
Cocoa powder, for dusting

You will also need:
20cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tin, greased and the based lined
Piping bag

1. Use a food blender to crush the biscuits into fine crumbs.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan and stir in the crushed biscuits until the two bind together. Press the mixture into the base and sides of a 20cm (8in) loose-bottomed cake tin. Chill for 30 mins.
3. For the caramel, melt the butter and sugar over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is golden in colour. Add the condensed milk, stirring continuously and bringing to the boil. Keep the caramel boiling steadily for 2 mins, whilst stirring to make a thick golden caramel. Take the caramel off of the heat and cool.
4. Slice the bananas and arrange most of them over the biscuit base then spread the caramel over the top. Chill for 1 hr 30 mins, or until firm.
5. When ready to serve, remove the pie from the tin and place on a serving plate. Fill a piping bag with the whipped cream and squeeze onto the banoffee pie, decorating as desired with the remaining bananas and a light dusting of cocoa powder.

Top tip: For a simple way to make the caramel, put an unopened can of condensed milk into boiling water and poach for 2 hrs. After cooling, the condensed milk will have caramelised and can then be poured over the biscuit base.

Greek feasts, anniversaries, customs

Round loaves of Tsoureki by Paradise Catering

Dusted icing sugar and cinnamon covered Vasilopita by Paradise Catering

Greek feasts, anniversaries, customs

This is something relatively new to me having crossed the pond from London. The only person I can think of right now who could best summarize this in a nutshell is the very talented Vera Alexiadou. This article came from a brilliant website which i use from time to time for Greek Recipes.

I have since met some amazing women from different villages in Greece, each village specializing in particular dishes/meat/traditions, more of that another time. For now let me introduce you to the fabulous Vera Alexiadou.

"Greek cuisine, whether frugal or bountiful, has molded and developed along with the customs, and traditions of the Greek people. It is characteristic of the Greeks to celebrate their joys, to sweeten their sorrows, and to assuage their struggles by eating and drinking in the company of family and friends. Customs also are tied closely to the distribution of special edibles, such as Koufeta (Candy Coated Almonds) at baptisms and weddings, or Koliva (Boiled Wheat) at funerals. Each important feast during the year, such as Christmas, the Annunciation, Easter, and the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, has its own specialty. Orthodox Greeks, as devout people, eat specific foods on fasting days during the year depending on the season (winter, spring, summer,autumn) and depending on what Greek soil has to offer at that particular time of the year. Before Lent, during Carnival time, preparations begin for the most important period of fasting. Meat is allowed during the first week which is referred to as "Kreatinis". Only milk products are allowed during the second week called "Tirinis". A sweet smell of cheese and milk pites permeates the air of the homes of Greek housewives who prepare the pites according to the tradition of their forefathers. Fish and seafood can be eaten during the Annunciation and Palm Sunday, which fall during Lent. Keeping up the tradition, during the feast of the Annunciation, in most Greek homes housewives prepare Bakaliaro Pasto Tiganito ke Skordalia (Fried Salted Cod and Garlic Sauce) for the holiday meal. On Holy Thursday the custom is to color Easter eggs and bake Tsoureki (Easter Sweet Bread). Loaves of tsoureki by Paradise Catering Out of the kitchens a smell of vinegar fills the air since vinegar is necessary for the color to set on the eggs. Some of the colored eggs are used to decorate the Sweet Easter Bread. The others are placed in glass bowls or in baskets on the living room table, filling the house with the spirit of Easter. Another custom which housewives still observe is to refrain from lighting a fire or cooking on Good Friday. The meal, prepared the day before, is quite simple, usually consisting of lentils boiled in plain water, vinegar, and oregano, and served with olives, scallions, and halva, all considered fasting food. Nowhere else in the world can the spirit of the Holy Resurrection of Christ be felt as it is expressed in Greece. All the preparations for Easter: the characteristic foods of this important holiday, the Red-Colored Eggs, the Arni sti Souvla (Lamb on the Spit), the Kokoretsi (Lamb Entrails Grilled on the Spit), the Mayeritsa (Easter Soup),together with the cheerful tolling of the bells, the liturgy in church, the pure white candles with their flames dancing in unison, all this and more, make one feel from within the uniqueness and magnificence of this feast. Easter is the feast that, more than any other, makes the migrating Greeks return to their homeland to roast the lamb on the spit and to crack the red Easter eggs with their families. On August 6th, Transfiguration Day, today in the village churches, one still can see worshippers carrying baskets overflowing with grapes which they bring to be blessed and which later are distributed among the congregation. Before that day no one yet has tasted the sweet fruit. In September, when the grapes are crushed and the must starts to ferment, the housewives in every home bake Moustokouloura (Must Biscuits) and Moustalevria (Fresh Wine Must Pudding). On December 4th, the feast of St. Barbara, many housewives still keep the old custom of distributing among neighbors Varvara, a pudding-like cream made out of wheat, sprinkled with walnuts and cinnamon. Christmas is the most important feast of Christianity after Easter. Throughout the centuries Christmas also has been linked closely to traditional Greek cooking. All sweet shops decorate their windows with mounds of Kourabiedes (Holiday Butter Cookies) and Melomakarona (New Year Cookies). A delectable aroma fills the air of every home kitchen where women make Kataifi, Baklava, Diples, Christopsomo, the traditional Roast Lamb with Potatoes and the Savory Turkey stuffed with chestnuts and pine nuts. A few days before the Christmas holidays are over, preparations begin for New Year's Eve. One of the few customs which is kept just as alive today as in the past in all Greek homes is the cutting of the Vasilopita (New Year's Bread). In the past, despite the fact that people were poorer, the coin in the Vasilopita was always a gold one. Today the gold coin has been replaced by a small, common metal coin. However, each one of us believes in the good fortune that the coin will bring if it happens to be in our slice of Vasilopita. White Chocolate covered Santa Vasilopita by Paradise Catering On New Year's Eve, after eating, every housewife sets her table with scrumptious foods -"Kaloudia"-, foods such as Greek pastries, fresh and dried fruits, and a variety of nuts. This is done so that St. Basil (the Greek Santa Claus) will pass by, taste, and bless the food. His blessings will help keep an abundance of food all through the year in the home. These and many more customs, customs such as the sharing of the "Artoklasia", (the five loaves of bread that the worshippers bring to church to be blessed on their name day), the "Fanouropita" kneaded by the unmarried daughter in the family, who takes the pita to church on the feast day of St. Fanourios, with the hope that he in turn will enlighten her as to her fortune, and the formal dinners celebrating the joys of each family, prove how closely Greek tradition is linked to Greek cuisine". Vefa Alexiadou

Vasilopita cake at Paradisio

White chocolate covered Vasilopita cake at Paradisio

Lemon-roasted potatoes

This is a very common dish served as a side with lots of meat!

Vera Alexiadou shows us how it's done:

2kg potatoes, cut into wedges
5 tbs freshly squeezed lemon juice
pinch of dried oregano
1 garlic clove, finely chopped (optional)
salt and pepper
5 tbs olive oil
65g butter

Put the potato wedges into a bowl. Add the lemon juice, oregano and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and toss well, then let stand for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4. Transfer the potato mixture to an ovenproof dish, drizzle with the oil and dot with butter. Cover the dish with aluminium foil and roast for 1 hour.

Remove the aluminium foil and continue roasting, basting occasionally with the pan juices, for 30 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender and lightly browned. If necessary, add some water during cooking.