Christmas Food!

Mini Focaccia

500g strong white bread flour

2 tsp salt

2 sachets of yeast

2 tbsp olive oil

400ml cold water

 

Chilli flakes, garlic and rosemary to garnish

 

Place the flour, salt, yeast, olive oil and 300ml of the water into a large bowl. Gently stir to form a dough then knead for ten minutes, gradually adding the remaining water. Cover and leave to rise until doubled in size. Divide the dough into roughly twelve equal balls then leave to prove for one hour in the mini loaf tin. Preheat the oven to 220C/gas 7. Drizzle the loaves with oil, sprinkle with fine sea salt and the garnishes then bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

 

Christmas Viennese Jam Tarts

Short crust pastry

Jam of your choice

 

150g unsalted butter

150g plain flour

30g cornflour

30g icing sugar

 

Cut out pastry circles to fit the tart tin. Fill each tart with a spoonful of jam. For the Viennese whirl topping, cream all the ingredients together and pipe onto the tarts. Bake at 180C/gas 4 for 15-20 minutes.

 

Irish Cream Trifle

This is my favourite dessert of the festive period.

Chocolate cake or chocolate Swiss roll

Big slosh of Irish cream

1 carton of custard

140g chocolate

600ml double cream

 

Break up the cake into a trifle dish. Soak with Irish cream. Top with the custard. Melt the chocolate and leave to cool. Whip the cream until peaks form. Set half the cream aside and whisk the chocolate into the remaining half. Layer the chocolate cream mix into the dish then top with the cream. Decorate with biscuits or chocolate of your choice.

Edible Christmas Gifts

Chocolate Vodka

240g chocolate (I used Galaxy)

150 ml cream

400 ml vodka   

Heat the chocolate and cream together on a low heat until the chocolate has melted. Pour into the vodka bottle and shake for two minutes.

 

Chocolate Fudge

525g milk chocolate

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

1 tbsp vanilla extract

 

Heat all the ingredients together until the chocolate has just melted. Do not overheat. Pour into a lined tin and leave to set in the fridge for at least four hours. I added nuts and dried fruit to half the mix to give more texture and flavour.

 

Chocolate Oat Cookies

150g unsalted butter

150g plain flour

150g light brown sugar

150g oats

Glug of golden syrup

100g chocolate chips

 

Beat all the ingredients together until well combined. Use your hands to shape into golf ball size balls. Press the cookies down slightly before baking at 180C/gas 4 for 10-15 minutes until golden brown.

The Basement, Padstow, Cornwall

 I had an amazing meal the other night at The Basement, Padstow for my works Christmas party. I had...

 

Salmon terrine with pickled vegetables and mustard dressing

Slow braised lamb with butternut, kale, sweet potato and redcurrant jus

Chocolate tart with pistachio ice cream

 

All for £19.50. Great value and the staff were so accommodating. Definitely worth a visit.

http://www.thebasement.co.uk/

Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

Really yummy and quick loaf cake.

160g self raising flour

160g butter

160g caster sugar

2 eggs

80g chocolate chips

Splash of vanilla extract

Splosh of milk

 

Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Cream the butter and sugar together until light a fluffy. Add a spoonful of flour, the eggs, milk and vanilla then whisk until aerated. Fold in the rest of the flour and the chocolate chips then pour into a loaf tin. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.