Waffles for waffle maker

 

Best flapjacks

 

Roast chicken with peppers & feta

 

• 1 garlic bulb, separated into cloves, 3 crushed, remainder left whole
• 2 tbsp chopped oregano
• 2 lemons, juice of 1, the other cut into wedges
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 chicken (about 1.6kg/3lb 8oz)
• 3 large red peppers, deseeded and cut into large chunks
• 3 small red onions, cut into wedges
• 4 large courgettes, cut into thick wedges
• 3 tbsp chopped mint, plus a few sprigs to serve
• 200g pack feta cheese, crumbled into chunks
• 400g can chickpeas, drained
• crusty bread, to serve (optional)

1. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the crushed garlic and oregano with the lemon juice and 3 tbsp of the oil to make a dressing. Season. Make a few slashes in each chicken leg, then put the chicken in a large roasting tin and rub with 2 tbsp of the dressing. Stuff the squeezed lemon shells inside the body cavity. Roast for 30 mins.

2. Meanwhile, tip the peppers, onions, whole garlic cloves and courgettes into a large bowl, and toss with the remaining oil and some seasoning. After 30 mins, pile the veg around the chicken, drizzle with half the remaining dressing and roast for 1 hr.

3. Remove the chicken from the oven, lift onto a platter, cover with foil and leave to rest. Check the roasting tin, and if the chicken has rendered a lot of fat, pour it off, skim and return the juices to the tin. Stir the lemon wedges, mint, feta, chickpeas and remaining dressing through the veg and juices, then return to the oven for 10 mins to warm through. Pile around the chicken, scatter with mint sprigs and serve with bread, if you like, to mop up the juices.

Chicken Thigh Curry

Pre heat over to 180 degrees. Fry chicken skin side down first for 5-8 mins.  Remove from pan and remove all but 1tbsp oil.  Fry onion cut into half moons.  When transparent,  add garlic and ginger.  Add tomatoes, curry powder, lime juice,  honey and chilli powder.  Then add half a can off coconut milk.  Place chicken back on top and oven bake for 20 minutes.  

Served with bombay potatoes,  mint raita, and yoghurt flatbread. 

Crumble mix

100g plain flour

50g caster sugar

25g muscavado sugar (can use 75g granulated of don't have the other 2)

50g cold butter

Pizza sauce

1 can chopped tomatoes

1 carton passata

garlic

oregano

sugar

salt and pepper

Slow cooker on low for 6 hours.

Pizza Dough

1kg 00 flour

200g plain flour or strong white bread flour

2 x 7g packs of yeast

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp caster sugar

650ml warm water

Mix salt, yeast and sugar into water, leave for a few minutes. Sift 00 flour into large bowl ( kitchen aid), make a well and mix flour into the middle with a fork. Once dough formed, mix with kitchen aid dough hook until smooth. Heavily flour bowl and put dough back in. Flour top and put a damp cloth on top before proving for an hour in a warm space.

Knock back and add in a fair bit of the additional flour before deviding up. Can use straight away or place cling filmed in fridge until ready to use. Roll 20 minutes before use.

Old School Chocolate Cracknell

• 
  
  150g cornflakes
• 200g golden syrup
• 120g butter
• 75g dried milk powder
• 25g cocoa powder

1. Measure out the cornflakes in large bowl and put aside.
2. Melt the golden syrup and butter in a saucepan on a very low heat.
3. When just melted, remove from heat then add the dried milk powder and cocoa powder, and whisk.
4. Add back on heat and stirring all the time for about 3 minutes on low heat.
5. Remove from heat and pour over cornflakes, mixing very well until all covered.
6. Then with a large ice cream scoop press cornflakes into it and then put on a baking tray.
7. Chill in fridge for an hour then enjoy

Old School Iced Sponge

250g butter

250g granulated sugar

4 eggs 

250g self raising four

1 tbsp milk

300g icing sugar

Sprinkles 

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time. Sift and fold in flour and add milk. Pop into lined tray and cook for 25 minutes on 170 degrees.

American pancakes. The best!

Ingredients

• 350g/12oz self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 200ml/7fl oz buttermilk (can be made with mixing normal SS milk with 1tbs lemon juice.)
• 400ml/14fl oz semi-skimmed milk
• 2 free-range eggs
• 85g/3oz unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for frying
• 12 rashers smoked streaky bacon
• 50ml/2fl oz maple syrup

Method

1. In a bowl, sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, salt and sugar.
2. In a separate bowl or jug, mix together the buttermilk, milk, eggs and butter. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir to combine. Do not overbeat – stir just to combine.
3. Melt a small knob of butter in a large frying pan. Using a ladle, pour some batter into the pan to make a pancake. Depending on the size of the pan, you may be able to make more than one pancake at a time, or if you are confident you can use two pans at the same time.
4. Cook the pancakes for about a minute, or until the underside is golden brown and the top is bubbling. Turn them over using a palette knife or fish slice and cook for another minute. Keep the pancakes warm in a very low oven while you cook the remaining batter.
5. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium–hot. Lay the bacon on a grill tray lined with foil and brush with some of the maple syrup. Grill until one side of the bacon is crisp. Turn over and brush the other side with maple syrup and cook until crisp.
6. Serve the pancakes stacked on top of each other, topped with grilled bacon and drizzled with maple syrup.

Bombay potatoes

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into largish cubes.
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 onion, finely diced
2 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp curry powder
1 red chilli (optional)
2 tsp olive oil

Boil potatoes on water and turmeric for 20 mind until cooked.

Meanwhile heat oven to 180 degrees.

Mix potatoes with tsp salt, mustard, curry powder, chilli and oil.

Lay on baking tray and cook for 40 minutes.

Tempura Cauliflower

1 small cauliflower, cut into medium-size florets

100g plain flour

2 eggs, separated

2 tbsp vegetable oil

vegetable oil for deep frying

Method

1. Cook the cauliflower in boiling water for 2 mins. Tip into a colander, rinse under the cold tap, drain well and set aside.
2. Put the flour in a large bowl with a pinch of salt. Whisk the egg yolks and 175ml iced water together, then whisk into the flour with the oil to make a smooth batter. In a separate, clean bowl whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the batter.
3. Heat the oil in a deep fryer or large wok to 190C. Coat some of the cauliflower in the batter then use a slotted spoon to carefully lift into the hot oil. Deep-fry the cauliflower for 2-3 mins until golden and puffy. Drain on kitchen towel and continue with the rest in batches. Sprinkle the cauliflower with salt and serve with a bowl of aïoli or mayonnaise.

Custard

I used half skimmed and half full fat milk

Banana loaf

Used plain flour and had with custard instead of iced.

Crispy chicken wings - in the oven!

10 full wings, cut into winglets and drumlets
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
hot sauce
sour cream

Pre heat oven to 120 degrees.

Pay down chicken & pop into a bag with the baking powder and salt and shake to coat.  Place wings skin side up on a wire rack over a baking tray covered in foil.

Cook for 30 minutes on low heat to render down the fat.

Turn oven upto 210 degrees and cook for a further 40 minutes, rotating the tray half way through but not turning over the wings.  They should be a golden brown colour when cooked & ready to toss in hot sauce & serve with sour cream.

Creamed spinach

Serves 2

12g butter

1/2 small onion

1 garlic clove

1 tbsp plain flour

100ml whole milk

200g bag spinach

50ml single cream

40g cheddar

Salt and pepper

Finely chop onion and garlic and soften in butter over a low heat. Add flour and then add milk gradually until you have a roux. Allow to.thicken. Meanwhile, boil the kettle and poor over the spinach to wilt. Stir into roux mix along with cream. Poor into oven proof dish and top with cheese.  At this point you can refrigerate until ready to cook. When ready, heat in oven at 180 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes. 

American style chocolate chip cookies

Preheat oven to 180 degrees c (fan)

Mix the followong using a food mixer.

3/4 cup caster or granulated sugar
3/4 cup soft brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 egg
1 tbsp baking powder

When all mixed together. Add 2 1/4 cup plain flour and hen finally 200g chopped chocolate. (I used half dark.and half milk).

You should have a thick dough that can be formed into 1" diameter balls. Place them on a baking tray and push down gently to flatten. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Good butter icing

150g unsalted butter, soft 340g icing sugar, sifted 3-4 tbsp whole milk/milk infusion/juice/other liquid

Whip butter for at least 5 minutes and then add sugar in parts.

Double quantities to ice and cover a normal size sponge.

Toffee Apples

• 8 apples
• 400g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vinegar
• 4 tbsp golden syrup
• Water, boiled & non boiled
• Decoration (I used, sesame seeds, coloured sugar, & pretzels).

Place apples in a large bowl & cover with boiling water to remove any wax.  Dry thoroughly & twist of stalks.  Push a wooden skewer into the stalk end of each apple (or a fork if you don't have any)!

Lay out a sheet of baking parchment and place the apples on this, close to your stove.  Tip sugar into pan along with 100m cold water & set over a medium heat.  Cook until the sugar dissolves (5 minutes or do) & then add the syrup & vinegar.

Set a sugar thermometer in the pan & boil to 150 degrees C 'hard crack' stage.

Working quicky, dip & roll each apple in the toffee until covered.  let the excess drip away & if using any decoration, dip the apple in now before setting on the parchment to set.

Cinder Toffee

• 250g golden syrup
• 250g caster sugar
• 1 tbsp bicarbonate of soda  (maybe don;t use all)

Melt sugar & syrup together until it reaches 149 degrees 'hard crack' stage, this will take a good 10 minutes. When the temperature is reached, add the bicarb & stir with a wooden spoon.  This will bubble up quickly.

Pour into a large lined pan & had additional greaseproof paper around the edge ready for overspill