Turkey Biryani

Over the vast amount of Christmas dinners there are so much leftovers! After this period of overeating I think it’s time for some healthy options for Curry Thursday. So rather than making a boring sandwich or fajitas I made a Brown Rice Turkey Biryani which is perfect with a little side salad and a dal and it’s perfect as you can make so much of it so it works out to be really cheap and you can have it for lunch the next day.

Serves 8-10 people

This is what you need;

leftover Turkey, diced or shredded (as much or little as you want, I used one breast)
600g brown rice
4 tbsp hot milk with a pinch of saffron
1 red onion
2 cloves or garlic
3 tsp rose water
4 freshly chopped tomatoes
3cm grated ginger
2 fresh red chilies, finely sliced
bunch of fresh coriander
1tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp garam maasala
25g unsalted butter

This is how you do it!
Soak the rice in water for one hour, once done drain, then add 1.2 l of water together with 1 tsp salt and boil for 10 min until the rice is almost cooked. Whilst that is happening chop your onion and garlic and pan fry until soft then add the turkey and all your spices and stir once all the turkey is coated in goodness stir in your chopped tomatoes and fresh coriander. Let this simmer away until you are ready to layer the Biryani, once the rice is done get a heavy base cooking pot or a casserole dish and start building. Start with half the butter and 2tbsp water and then a layer of rice and 1 tbsp saffron milk and then the turkey, repeat this until you are left with the final layer which should be rice, I did 4 layers. Cur out a circle that’s the same size as your cooking pot and put over the rice simmer on a really low heat for 35 min and serve with some fresh vegetables and dal and sprinkle some pistachios on top.

Enjoy x

Christmas Roast

If you, like I, are hosting Christmas this year, make all the preparations so you can enjoy the day.
I’m celebrating Christmas on the 24th so this evening I made the roast which will be used for cold-cuts on Tuesday.

This is what you need;

4.5 kg pork shoulder joint
2tbsp white pepper
2tsbp sea salt
1tbsp cracked black pepper
500g unsalted butter

Preheat your oven to 180 fan or gas mark 4.
If the crackling isn’t already scored do so then put the joint in a roasting tray and put all the dry spices on  then 1/3rd of the butter on top (this will be the base for your gravy) of the pork joint. You will need to roast this in the oven for 1 hour/kg, every 15 min oven the oven and with a spoon pour the melted butter then after 1 hour add the 2/3rd of the butter and so one until you have used all the butter and you have a hard crackling. Once done transfer to a cooling rack and when the pork has cooled a bit wrap it in foil and store in i a cool place, but not the fridge as it dries out.

Once this is done you will have loads of meat juice/bits and butter in your tray, pour all of this into a big saucepan, then add water into the tray and boil so you get all the flavor out and add to the saucepan. Then add twice the amount of water and bring to a boil, in a mug mix 2 tbsp of normal flour and 1/5 cup of water and mix so you don’t have any lumps, if you do it’s fine as you have to strain the gravy later anyway.
Mix little by little of the paste in and whisk until the gravy until it’s as thick as you want it season to taste and put into a container, you can put it in the freezer or in the fridge until you need to heat it up again.

Enjoy x

Almond Toffee (Knäck)

My internet was down yesterday thus no post, but here it is, a Swedish classic that get stuck in your teeth!

Makes 100 (if you are using 25mm cases) 

This is what you need;

250 g double cream
250 g golden syrup
250 g caster sugar
100 g chopped mixed nuts

This is how you do it!

Firstly, put all your cases on a baking trey so you don’t have to fiddle with that. Then put everything into a saucepan, except the nuts, then biol until it reaches 125 c degrees, put to one side and mix in the nuts and use a tsp to transfer the toffee into the cases. Leave to set and then transfer into a jar or cellophane bags to give away.

Enjoy x

GINGERBREAD

THE ultimate Christmas bake!

This dough made about 30 biscuits and a fairytale house.

This is what you need;

225g unsalted butter
12 tbsp golden syrup 200g caster sugar
100g light muscovado sugar
1tsp all spice
2 tsp ground ginger
3 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp milk
900g plain flour
3 tsp bicarbonate soda

This recipe is super easy to make and give quite the result.
This is how you do it;

Preheat the oven to 180 fan, gas mark 4. Put butter, syrup and sugar into a sauce pan, over  medium heat stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the spices, once fully incorporated put your flour and stir vigorously add the milk to make the dough smoother.Leave to cool before you roll out to £1 tick cookies, bake in the middle of the oven  for 9 min, depending on your oven but they burn pretty quick so keep an eye on them.

If you are making a ginger bread house make sure that all the pieces are of equal thickness and make your blueprints before you start. If you want the measurements that I used just email me and I’ll send them over.

For the piping, mix 500g icing sugar, 2 egg whites and 1 tsp lemon juice divide into bowls and add 2 drops of the food colouring of your liking.

This is the perfect past time and if you have kids I can promise that this will keep the occupied for a few hours.
Enjoy x

A little tip, take a straw and make a hole in the ginger bread before baking and they will make fantastic place cards, Tree decorations and Christmas present tags.

Christmas Bread

This is my take on a Swedish staple bread, it’s not Christmas until you’ve had this with a few slices of Gouda and pickle cucumber.

Makes 1 Loaf

This is what you need;

200g rye flour360g strong white flour
1 big pinch of salt
5g fast action yeast
1tsp ginger
1tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp grounded cloves
1tsp dried and grounded Pomelo peel (any citrus fruit works if you can’t get a hold of this)
1 star anise grounded
1tsp cardamom
2tbps black treacle
230 ml tepid water
70ml Guinness (or other kinds of Stout works well too)
10ml olive oil (or 25g melted unsalted butter)
50g raisins (you can have less if you’re not that keen and mix in some almonds and clementine peel to make it extra cheerful)

Let’s get started!! If you are using butter then start by melting this and set to one side to cool.
Put all the dry ingredients in a bowl, make sure to put salt and yeast on each side of the bowl, then make a hole in the middle then add all your wet ingredients in the little well. Mix together but make sure that the yeast gets mixed in before in incorporate the salt. Once everything has come together tip it out on a lightly floured surface and begin the work, you will have to knead for at least 20 min, rye is much harder to to work so don’t give up!
Once you have a smooth dough but it in a bowl and cover it with clingfilm, let it rest and double in side, should take around 1 hour.
Once doubled in size, punch the air out and then make a big rectangle and scatter your raising then roll the dough up into a sausage so it fits into your butter greased bread tin. Leave to rise and double in size, this can take longer than  1 hour depending on the amount of fruit and nuts.
Crank your oven up to max, around 240 and gas mark 9, put a baking trey on the bottom of the oven.
Once the loaf is ready bake it in the oven and add ice water to the baking trey, this will give the loaf an amazing crust!
Bake for 10 min then lower the heat to 210 for an additional 20 min, this forces the loaf to rise even further and you end up with quite the loaf!

Saffron Buns

Today I will start my 12 days of Christmas blogging! And we kick start with a Swedish tradition that’s served on Lucia, December 13th!!

Makes 30

This is what you need:

650g self-raising flour
100g caster sugar
7g fast action yeast
0.5g ground saffron
100g butter (unsalted)
330ml whole milk
1 pinch of salt
60 raisins
1 beaten egg for brushing

Let the Christmas baking commence….

Start by melting the butter and leave to one side, weigh out the dry ingredients and put everything in a bowl. Make sure you put yeast on one side of the bowl and salt on the other. Ground the saffron and add to the butter, then add the milk. Make a hole in the middle if the flour and pour in the liquid, mix everything together. Once everything is incorporated pour out on a lightly floured surface and knead for 10-15 min until you have a smooth yellow dough.
But it back into the bowl and cover in clingfilm, leave in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size.
Once doubled in size, punch the air out and dived your dough into 30 parts, roll out to a thing sausage and then form them into a Lussekat, see below.

Leave them to rest for 1 hour and double in size, whatever is first.
Heat your oven to 220, gas mark 6, when the buns are ready put two raisins in each and brush with the beaten egg, bake in the middle of the oven for 10 min and Christmas has started!!!

Gingerbread And Clementine Cupcakes

Happy advent 1st!
It’s December 1st and I am super excited for this years first Christmas bake.

Makes 25

• For the sponge

170g of self-rising flour
170g soft butter (if it’s still hard, use a fork and mash it until soft)
150g brown sugar
3 medium eggs (room temperature)
1 big tsp baking powder
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp cinnamon
1tsp ground all spice
1tbsp golden syrup

• For the butter cream

450g icing sugar
475 unsalted butter (soft)
2 eggs
2 clementines, zest and juice.

Let’s start baking

Preheat your oven to 180 fan, gas mark 4.5, prepare your cupcake tray and start making the sponge.
Start by whisking butter, sugar and golden syrup, then add the eggs one by one until the butter mix is smooth. Sift flour, ginger, allspice, cinnamon and baking powder into the butter mix.

Divide the mixture into 25 cupcake cases and bake in the middle of the oven for 15-20 minutes.
Whilst this is baking away start making the butter cream.

Put sugar, butter  in a bowl and mix until fluffy, start adding the confectionery sugar gradually once incorporated add the eggs one by one and mix for 3 minutes / egg to create a light and fluffy cream, then pour in your juice and zest and mix well.

Lemon Curd cupcakes

These zesty lemon curd and vanilla cupcakes works perfect as an afternoon tea treat.

Makes 25

This is what you need;

• Lemon Curd

3 Lemons, the zest and the juice.
2 eggs + 1 egg yolk
150g sugar
100g cubed unslated butter

• For the sponge

170g of self-rising flour
170g soft butter (if it’s still hard, use a fork and mash it until soft)
150g granulated sugar
3 medium eggs (room temperature)
1 big tsp baking powder

• For the butter cream

450g icing sugar
475 unsalted butter (soft)
2 eggs
250g Lemon curd

In a heatproof bowl over simmering water, on a medium heat, add your lemon zest and juice, sugar and butter and stir now and then. In a bowl whisk your eggs until combined and set to one side. Once all the butter has melted slowly add your egg mixture and whisk whilst adding, then let it cook for 10 minutes string now and then. After 10 minutes take it off the heat and let it cool,  you should have about half of the mixture left over and you can transfer this into a sterilized jar and keep in the fridge. 

Preheat 180 fan, gas mark 4.5, prepare your cupcake tray and start making the sponge.
Start by whisking butter, sugar and vanilla paste, then add the eggs one by one until the butter mix is smooth. Sift flour, and baking soda into the butter mix and mix well.

Divide the mixture into 25 cupcake cases and bake in the middle of the oven for 15-20 minutes.

Now on to the butter cream.
Put sugar, butter and vanilla paste in a bowl and mix until fluffy, start adding the confectionery sugar gradually once incorporated add the eggs one by one and mix for 3 minutes / egg to create a light and fluffy cream. Now mix ur lemon curd into your butter cream and mix well and it should be ready for piping. 

enjoy!

Banoffee Cupcakes

This is something that always goes down a treat and they just look amazing, if you’re not a cupcake fan you can just make this as a normal cake and serve with whipped cream.

Makes 25

This is what you need;

• For the sponge

170g of self-rising flour
170g soft butter (if it’s still hard, use a fork and mash it until soft)
150g granulated sugar
3 medium eggs (room temperature)
1 big tsp baking powder
100g chopped white chocolate
50g milk chocolate chips
1tbsp cocoa powder

• For the candied Banana

2 sliced bananas, aim for £1 coin thickness
1/4 cup of water
1/2 dark brown sugar

• For the Caramel 

1 cup caster sugar
1/2 cup of double cream
85g unsalted butter (cubed)

• For the butter cream

1tbsp vanilla paste
450g icing sugar
475 unsalted butter (soft)
2 eggs

2 thinly sliced bananas.

Let’s get started…
Start by making your caramel, now it’s really important that you pay attention as the sugar starts to boil really quickly. Put the sugar in a heavy saucepan  together with a thermometer and heat over medium heat, once the sugar starts bubbling you can start stirring with a wooden spoon, keep an eye on the thermometer as you don’t want it to go over 177 degrees as it will burn. Once all the sugar has dissolved and created a dark amber colour start adding the cubes of butter, one at the time, stir until full incorporated. Then take the pan off the hob and start to slowly poor in the double cream and whisk until smooth, set to one side. *Tip – prepare all your ingredients and tools so you can fully concentrate.

Preheat your oven to 200 fan, gas mark 5, in a saucepan put the water and the (brown) sugar  and boil for around 5 minutes. In a shallow greased pan lay out your banana slices and poor over the sugar mixture and put it in the oven for 30 minutes, turning the slices after 15, once done, remove the slices onto a cooling wrack and poor hot water into the pan and back in the oven, this helps dissolving the sugar.

Lower the oven temperature to 180 fan, gas mark 4.5, prepare your cupcake tray and start making the sponge.
Start by whisking butter, sugar and vanilla paste, then add the eggs one by one until the butter mix is smooth. Sift flour, cocoa powder and baking soda into the butter mix then fold in the chopped milk chocolate for extra chocolaty sponge…

Divide the mixture into 25 cupcake cases and bake in the middle of the oven for 15-20 minutes.
Whilst this is baking away start making the butter cream.

Put sugar, butter, salt and vanilla paste in a bowl and mix until fluffy, start adding the confectionery sugar gradually once incorporated add the eggs one by one and mix for 3 minutes / egg to create a light and fluffy cream.

Once the cupcakes has cooled place 2 thin slices of bananas on top then pipe the butter cream, swirl 1 tsp of caramel around the butter cream and then top with a candied banana slice. DONE !

This recipe has a lot of components but just make sure you have everything prepared and use grease proof paper under your cooling racks..

Cracking Chocolate Cookies

These are the nicest biscuits ever!!

Makes 30 biccies

This Is What You Need;

100g Dark Chocolate
100g Butter
100g Caster Sugar
50g Muscovado Sugar
1/2 tbsp vanilla paste
175g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
5tbsp icing sugar (To roll the biscuits in)

Lets get baking!

Start by melting the chocolate by putting a plate over steaming water, not boiling but simmering. Add the chocolate and the butter into the bowl, once completely melted put to one side so it cools.
Whisk the egg, sugar and vanilla, don’t beat it too much but just until combined, then sift flour and bicarbonate soda and roughly incorporated then add the melted chocolate and butter and mix well. Cover the bowl in clingfilm and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 200 fan, gas mark 6.

In a bowl, add the icing sugar and prepare a baking trey with greaseproof paper and divide the dough into 30 little balls, roll them in icing sugar and bake in the middle of the oven for 12 minutes for extra crunch.

Enjoy x