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Thursday, 28 September 2017

Coffee Cake

I'll let you into a little secret....I absolutely HATE tea and coffee buuuut I adore coffee desserts (as long as there is no alcohol!! I hate alcohol in my desserts....only in a glass please!) and this cake will take you to cake heaven. I mean, who doesn't love cake?? I most certainly do....chocolate, coffee, lemon, Victoria sponge, marmalade, marble.......I just love cake and this coffee cake will not disappoint...it's my own recipe so do let me know what you think.


Ingredients:
  • 250g softened butter
  • 250g caster sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 250g self raising flour
  • Instant coffee
  • Dark chocolate (to decorate)
  • 250g icing sugar
  • 80g unsalted butter at room temperature 
  • 25ml milk
Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.


Line two cake tins with baking parchment.


Cream the butter and the sugar together until pale in a food processor/Kitchin Aid, then beat in the eggs.


Slowly add the sifted flour and mix well.


Put the kettle on to boil and in a small bowl, add 4 teaspoons of coffee and add a little of the boiled water to make a thick consistency coffee. Add to the cake mixture to taste.


Once you have the right amount of coffee flavour, spoon the mixture between the two cake tins. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.


Once cooked, cool on a wire rack.





Meanwhile, time to make the icing! Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a mixer. Once well combined, add the milk and vanilla extract.

If you have more coffee left over then add to the frosting, bit by bit to taste. If you used it all up then boil more water and make more coffee paste.

Once the cakes have cooked, sandwich together with half the frosting then cover the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting. Grate some dark chocolate and sprinkle over the cake.



Friday, 1 September 2017

Lemon Pesto Cod with a Parmesan Crust


One thing I love about summer is eating fresh fish and keeping it simple but packed full of flavour.

This dish is so effortless to rustle up, only requires one dish to cook everything thus leaving less to wash up....result! 

I made this dish whilst on holiday at my parents and wanted something quick to make as I wanted to spend more time in the sun than in the kitchen!

Serves 4.

Ingredients:
  • 4 pieces of cod (or any other meaty white fish)
  • 16 new potatoes 
  • Grated zest of half one lemon
  • Parmesan
  • Fresh basil
  • Olive oil 
  • Fresh salt & pepper
  • Breadcrumbs 
Thinly slice the potatoes (raw with the skins still on) and place into a large roasting tin. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Mix well then place in a preheated oven (180C fan) for 20 Minutes, turning half way through.

Whilst the potatoes are cooking, prepare your lemon pesto. I used all the leaves of a medium basil plant. Put the basil into a small mixer, add some olive oil, Parmesan, lemon grind and salt & pepper to taste. Mix well until you have the consistency you want. Keep adding more oil, Parmesan and seasoning if needed.

Once the potatoes have been cooking for 20 minutes, take out the oven and and make some space for the fish. Place the fish in the dish, season then spoon the pesto onto each fish and top with breadcrumbs and sprinkle Parmesan on top. Bake in the oven for a further 30 minutes.

Once ready, plate up and enjoy!

Bon appétit!!