These are a gorgeous, not-too-sweet cookie. Sparkly with sanding sugar, subtly hot with candy hearts, sweet with vanilla icing. They are like that perfect kiss. Continue reading “Recipe: Vanilla Cookies with a Cinnamon Kiss”
Recipe: My Amazing BBQ Chicken Wings
This recipe is a work-in-progress that can change depending on what you are in the mood for and what you have available in the cupboard. All good summer BBQ recipes are like this – making them more versatile for spur-of-the-moment picnics, backyard barbeque parties and cottage fare.
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Recipe: Apple “Puff” Pancake
This is a delicious way to treat yourself to a decadent but extremely simple breakfast. It would also make a delicious dessert, served perhaps with a dollop of maple whipped cream.
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Recipe: Sushi for Kids
Making sushi at home is way better than you’d think. It makes an excellent Sunday lunch and there are so many foodie lessons you can incorporate into the making and eating of sushi (lessons on flavour, texture, culture…etcetera.)
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Simple Samosas
Making samosas with phyllo dough may be a clash of two cultures, but I never worry about that. Phyllo makes making them so simple you are willing to make them for dinner or lunch at any time. Serve these with a light cucumber raita as a dipping sauce and you’re all set. Continue reading “Simple Samosas”
Recipe: Spiced Up Shortbread
Shortbread is my favourite cookie. Citrus-scented, chocolate-dipped or plain, I love every rendition I’ve ever had. These are slightly spiced up with cinnamon, but perfect to decorate with sprinkles and share with a 3 ½ year old boy. Continue reading “Recipe: Spiced Up Shortbread”
Recipe: Spicy Seared Scallops
These scallops are perfect cottage-fare. Light, easy to prepare, few ingredients and oh-so-tasty. And you can make them in massive quantities, if you need to serve an army of cottagers.
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Recipe: Apple Caramel Cake
This moist, rich cake is lighter than a chocolate cake – the perfect dessert to have with coffee mid-afternoon. Come to think of it it would be delicious after dinner too… or even for breakfast. It’s that good.
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Recipe: Lemon Chicken Rolls (with citrus dipping sauce)
These rolls were pretty good — but I love any kind of Asian-style rolls… the only ingredient that I couldn’t taste was the potato. The lemon, chicken and cabbage held their own but the potato matchsticks did not… oh well.
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Chocolate Gingerbread
This cake is moist and delicious with it’s decadent combination of molasses and chocolate. Add to it a ginger-ale/chocolate icing and you get what I would consider the best gingerbread I have ever had.
Ingredients:
Cake:
- 175 grams unsalted butter
- 125 grams dark brown (muscavado) sugar
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 200 grams golden syrup
- 200 grams molasses
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 2 eggs
- 250 ml milk
- 275 grams all-purpose flour
- 40 grams cocoa
- 175 grams chocolate chips
Icing:
- 250 grams icing sugar
- 30 grams unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon cocoa
- 60 ml ginger ale
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 170 C or 340 F. Line the bottom and sides of an 11″ x 9″ x 3″ (or thereabouts) pan with foil or parchment paper.
- In a large saucepan melt the butter along with the sugars, syrup, molasses and spices. In a separate bowl dissolve the baking soda in the water.
- Remove the pan from the heat and beat in the eggs, milk and baking soda in its water. Stir in the flour and cocoa and beat with a wooden spoon to mix. Fold in the chocolate chips, pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 45 minutes – until risen and firm to touch. Remove to a wire rack and cool in the pan.
- Sieve the icing sugar. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the butter, cocoa and ginger ale. Once the butter is melted, whisk in the icing sugar. Leaving the gingerbread in the pan, pour the icing over the top of the slightly warm cake and leave to cool. Cut into large hunks and serve when cooled and set.
After-Thoughts:
Nigella instructs you to remove the cake from the pan to ice but I found it easier to ice and then transport by leaving it in the pan. This also kept it nice and moist.
(For recipe conversions.)
Recipe Origin:
Recipe from Nigella Lawson’s Feast”
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