The new ice cream – the decadent optional extras!

Never let it be said that I don't try to think of everyone and cover every base.

One of my favourite additions to the standard vanilla ice cream is to add salted caramel sauce. Some may say it might be a step too far and they may be right, however I think it's personal choice and after all, it is meant to be a summer treat!

The fast option - use a jar of salted caramel sauce (260g) – easily available at most large supermarkets – fold into the mixture to give a marbled effect with your chocolate and pecan blobs.

The “fastish” option. If you'd like to make your own salted caramel sauce here's my recipe :

110g/4oz unsalted butter

225g/8oz soft dark brown sugar

275ml/10 fl oz double cream (or whipping cream)

1½ tsp salt

Heat together the butter and sugar. When dissolved add the salt and whisk in the cream.

Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring.

One batch of the recipe produces approximately 539g of the sauce and you can portion and freeze for convenience. Yippee – more for another time!

Finally … the sprinkles.

My favourite home-made sprinkle is praline – used largely for adding to and flavouring cream, ice cream, butter cream or whatever takes your fancy. You can use it in large pieces or shards or blitzed into a coarse powder. It keeps well so long as you transfer it into an air-tight jar. Should the mood take you it can even be blitzed into a paste.

Praline

75g/3oz almonds, unblanched

75g/3oz caster sugar

Place the sugar into a frying pan (I used a pan measuring 28cms/11” in diameter) and then the almonds on top. Heat the sugar and almonds on as low a heat as possible. Resist the urge to prod/stir/mess with! Patience is eventually rewarded the sugar begins to melt and when the almonds begin to “pop”, and your sugar is a good colour - turn it out onto a non-stick sheet (or oiled slab if you want to be posh). The melting of the sugar takes approximately 20 minutes.

Leave the praline sheet where it is until it is well and truly set. You can then break it up and blitz into a coarse powder or as you wish. It's stating the obvious I know – you'll get 150g/6oz of praline.

Please note that when blitzing you will need ear plugs and warn anyone nearby that isn't totally deaf they soon will be – it's worth the noise – the result - tiny bits of twinkling toffee – the ultimate sprinkle.

I did say they were decadent optional extras!

What did the taste testers say?

...”You've done it again – another yummylicious ice cream … it takes time to savour the vanilla ice cream before you nibble away at the pecan nut and chocolate … very moreish but not too much as it's very satisfying - a little goes a long way … no sneaking out to the garage with a teaspoon for this ice cream!”

Coming up – chilli con pollo

A catch up with the “back burner” bits and pieces

To recap, before the Christmas in June and New Year in July ideas I'd given you a trio of treats – Sweet white miso ice cream, Miso Caramel Sauce and Banana Cake.

I left it that I was sending out the trio of treats to my taste testers - off went my goodie bags and I waited with baited breath! My testers love ice cream so it was hopefully going to receive a good review.

My friend Morag invented the Lip Smackingly Good category and I'm delighted to say the trio achieved that rating! Morag had never tasted sweet white miso delights which is all the more reason for me to ask her to give her opinion. “... a sweet hit followed by a salt hit – delicious - the combination of warmed cake and the miso caramel sauce with cold sweet white miso ice cream was so good, a huge tick”.

Thank you Morag!

On the strength of Morag's rating I've included the miso caramel sauce and the ice cream in a menu for an upcoming birthday gift, serving them with fresh seasonal raspberries and a side option of rocky road, just for the fun of it – I'll report back.

Next up, I've mentioned more than once our dear friend Sally who has been poorly, having suffered a stroke, I'm happy to report she is now at home recovering and doing very well. We've both been dropping off food treats to cheer her up each week. We all know that home cooked favourites are what we crave when we're not feeling 100% and it's wonderful to be tempted with goodies, especially when you're adding a huge dollop of love!

Morag, Sally and another friend Anita are regular visitors to the MiamMiam Cookery School and so we all know our respective likes and dislikes.

Here's one of Sally's favourites ...

The doorstep treat verdict …

Just before the verdict, here's a copy of the delivery note :

The Birthday Menu - delivery note!

Cream Cheese & Cashew Nut Paté

with soda bread

The bread was made this morning – it's meant

to be dense and hopefully you'll enjoy with the

paté – any leftovers are very good toasted -

with loads of butter of course!

Cheese, Potato and Onion pie

I've lightly baked the pastry lid – pre-heat oven

on 180fan/200c/Gas 6 to warm – cover the pie

with foil – it'll need 20 minutes, then remove the foil

for a final 5 minutes

with coleslaw

Flourless Chocolate Cake

if you prefer soft, warm and squidgy cake then

microwave for 20 seconds

with Raspberry Coulis and clotted cream

The verdict is in!

“...we had some of your bread yesterday … it was yummy! Looking forward to the feast tonight! Thank you again for such a thoughtful present.

Thank you again for the dinner. Every part of it was amazing, so tasty and moreish I doubt I'll eat for a very long time. The paté is gorgeous! The slaw was the best I've had … great mayo! The pie cooked perfectly and we all kept tucking in for more. The dessert was divine – with the addition of the clotted cream which is my favourite, thank you so much.

The next evening … we finished the chocolate cake tonight – it's the gift that keeps on giving! Yummy! X”

Phew – and breathe!

Which brings me to the whole point of this exercise … and the comment I made at the beginning :

Remember the days when we had a social life and family and friends came to visit? I hardly dare say this but, if all goes accordingly to plan, may be we'll be able to cook for our family and friends again – do you remember how? I'm not sure I do so the birthday menu is a dress rehearsal!

In the overall scheme of things it doesn't matter what you cook – it's being with your nearest and dearest that matters but you'll still want to eat and you'll want it to be delicious and effortless – which is why I've illustrated how you can do that. When I chose the menu options it was tailored entirely around my friend's favourite dishes. I now realise that the only element that required attention, other than placing on the table, was the pie – all you need to do is set your timer!

Whatever you choose to serve think about yourself too – don't stress – use your time between now then to create your favourite food. If you plan ahead not only will everything work superbly you'll be right where you should be – smack in the middle with everyone else and not doing a very good impression of a piece of chewed string - or a wet lettuce if you prefer.

If we've learnt anything in the last year it's life is too short ...

Coming up – a cream tea but not as you know it!

The ice cream feedback!

As usual, the best I can do is to give you an extract of an email from Morag headed “Yummylicious”

“... Well about the ice cream – I think the heading says

it all, we thoroughly enjoyed it - how do you describe it?

Creamy smooth lovely texture not grainy little nuggets

of dark chocolate with … ? It was subtle … yet again

another winner!”

I replied :

“...Love the name! I was hoping you'd enjoy it and if

a “yes” then suggest you give it a name and thank you -

you've done just that! It's chocolate orange fudge, dusted

in cocoa, cut into tiny irregular pieces and folded into

the basic vanilla ice cream recipe. The orange element

is Valencian orange extract. Two for the price of one -

fudge if that's your bag and an ice cream too!”

We are now well and truly snowed in – hopefully not for long and my once a week grocery shopping trip is a no-go!

I'm so glad I decided after the debacle with “loo-roll gate” during the first lockdown that I would pay proper attention to my own store cupboard and have gradually, not greedily, created a spin-off store cupboard separate from the norm with basics and staples. I didn't expect that it would come into its own because of the weather – it's bad enough being in lockdown – snowed in too really puts the tin hat on it!

It's time for the pie fillings …

The cheesecake and the doorstep delivery

As you know from recent posts I'd made the salted caramel cheesecake … there's only one problem when you've “road-tested” a dessert that has a limited lifespan you need to give it away, consequently my deliveries increased!

The doorstep delivery began and I realised quickly that the best feedback comes from random taste testing.

I posted the comments after delivery of the first two slices - here's what happened with the rest :

a slice each to my friends who'd had a package

as a gift. One friend couldn't indulge but her husband could …

… the next day – I didn't tell him he'd got cheesecake

• he has a smile on his face and uttered “mmm mmmm mmmmm”.

• Thank you x

I collected my meat order from the butcher and on my

way home popped in to say good morning to the other recipient …

“that was the best cheesecake I've ever tasted”

another slice to my best friend and running buddy when

I delivered her Christmas package – I knew she'd share

the cheesecake with her daughter …

… message received later that day – “absolutely

scrumptious”

later that week, on a run – the cheesecake was

mentioned again - “your best dessert ever”

My intention was to make people smile and I think I did.

I have a feeling that the cheesecake will be back – it would be a great addition to a summer gathering – hopefully we'll be able to celebrate by then!

Next … a Christmas gift

After Christmas …

I delivered the first package on the 8^th December. It worked out better than I'd expected – everyone is so busy rushing around with last minute lists that they don't have time to cook or organise food so the delivery of the package gave bits and pieces to create a supper or a lunch with sweet treats to follow. Who'd have thought that cheese scones would be so popular, they aren't exactly what I'd call festive fare but may be that's the secret of the scone and a cheese version in particular! The relish had a part to play and I suppose produced what I'd call a posh ploughmans.

Neither was I prepared for the reactions and am very happy to report that the idea was a success. The next two packages were delivered on Monday 21^st December and soon after I received the following :

“Thank you so much – your cranberry and onion relish

is delicious and perfect with cheese, ham and pork pie.

As for the cheese scones my Grandson loves them and

has already ordered two for lunch tomorrow”

On the sweet side, Rocky Road always seems to be popular but the standout has been the tiffin – what I'd consider to be an old fashioned treat, then I noticed that a well known supermarket had pinched my idea – how rude! The only difference being they added Christmas Trees made out of chocolate to the top – too much chocolate!

I'm waiting for feedback on the last package delivery, which looks more like a traditional hamper – have a look :

 

Here's a Rocky Road delivery – you can make the smallest of gifts look pretty :

When I had the Brown paper packages … Christmas Box idea I didn't realise it would require the planning and organisation that it did, probably because what began as a gift for Margaret but then grew into four more! In addition to which there were the smaller one off gifts.

Further news to follow …

A doorstep delivery and a taste test …

My plan is to do a doorstep delivery to a couple of friends – what can possibly go wrong - at least my friend won't have to make dessert for the evening meal. I cut a slice for H – here I'm on dangerous ground – cheesecake isn't his favourite but if he enjoys it then I'm in with a chance. When I served the slice I said “... I know it's huge just give it a try and leave what you can't finish”. Silence is good – an empty plate even better!

I received a message from my friends, here it is :

“... Wow, that dessert was awesome, each layer was

delicious. We have never tasted such a cheesecake,

well done and thank you”.

If you're a fan of cheesecake and salted caramel then this is a match made in heaven.

It has to be said I'm not a dessert person – but even I enjoyed my taster - it was the salted caramel that did it!

Now all your plans have been tipped upside down here's a thought – you could make the cheesecake and do a doorstep delivery giving a slice to people who have a sweet tooth and are now on their own?

Here's to a happier and safer New Year and, as you'd expect, there's more to follow.

With love

Pasty gate – the verdicts

Margaret reported in as promised – short and to the point … “delicious – again please!” I'll take that, thank you!

Then I had a light bulb moment! In these troubled times I've heard, already, that Christmas celebrations are hanging in the balance. There's also the question of gifts. Off the cuff I asked Margaret what she thought about making a list of her favourite food treats I could give her for Christmas – that went down very well.

I suspect the list already includes, apart from a pasty or two (note to self, halved and easy therefore to freeze and take a portion when the mood takes) lemon drizzle syrup, cheese scones – I could go on, the final choices coming soon!

News just in and a direct quote from my other tester friends - “we saved the precious cargo until today ...”.

“... really loved it, especially the pastry – recipes by email please! I'll try it and let you know how I go.”

I should explain that my friend lives in the USA and is a student too – a very good one – the recipes will be winging their way across the sea to North Carolina. I've taken the liberty of saving him time and sourced a supplier for lard and a veggie shortening alternative in the US – his favourite place to shop – Walmart. I should have known!

If you have spare apples in your fruit bowl …

Pasty gate – vindication!

I appreciate it means work at home in your own kitchen and you might think it defeats the object of a “takeaway” but it's worth it. I'll gladly pay for quality but I hate the anticipation of a treat and being disappointed. More irritatingly these pasties do not contain expensive ingredients.

Despite the fact that I'm recommending making your own pasties you can make it work for you – you can make the pastry on a day when you've time and ditto with the filling, then fridge and use or freeze.

I'm not comfortable criticising M&S but it was such poor quality it had to be done. It shouldn't matter whether it's a humble pasty or a fillet de boeuf en croute – each should be given the same care and attention.

I can only assume that either the test kitchens and/or the quality control departments weren't up to scratch on that day.

Rocket science it ain't!

Then there's the verdict … my elderly friend Margaret visits for coffee once a week – distanced I might add and I gave her a lunch treat taken from my freezer – half a pasty, which, once defrosted in the fridge would be ready to warm so a takeaway treat for her. I unwrapped the pasty parcel to show her and explain warming. I have to say this bodes well – on unwrapping and therefore cold the savoury waft of the pasty made our mouths water. Hold that thought.

It's important to get a tester's opinion. I loved these pasties but that doesn't mean a whole lot – I need to know I'm not on my own.

I then gave a whole pasty to two friends for their lunch treat. This will definitely be the ultimate test – one of my friends is a Northern boy and takes his cheese and onion pasties very seriously so his opinion counts all the more.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed – that's two thoughts to “hold”!

A hug but the dumpling doesn't fit in a mug …

We had the soup and a dumpling each with the fresh bread and butter for supper. I packed up boxes of the soup and took a risk – I divided the remaining dumplings into quarters and packed into a microwave box – it matters not that they have been lifted from the soup and have soggy bottoms!

My friend called in to collect … I explained that the dumplings were a risk but hey, it was worth a shot.

What did my friend and her husband think?

They loved their lunch – the bread in particular and made it last two days. An unexpected bonus – the tiny leftover dumplings were microwaved on high for 10/15 seconds – light as a feather – note to self – in future make enough dumplings for second helpings to microwave.

It's hard for me to critique my own food but I loved all of it, the bread in particular – it does exactly what it says in the recipe albeit tweaked sensibly and it looks amazing – the Food Stylist did a good job!

Now for the sweet treat …

The Guinness and Treacle Soda Bread … the verdict

Before I begin I should say that recipes are meant to be a guide, though it does say “it's wonderfully simple”.

Here's the verdict.

Omit the greasing and lining of the baking tray – as I said I've never done either when baking bread.

The instructions given in the final paragraph of 1 - “... In a jug or second mixing bowl … this will take a little while, but stir patiently ...” are, I think, poor. Taken in the recipe order – Guinness, yogurt and treacle – the Guinness and the yogurt are easy enough, now try measuring the treacle and adding it to the other two ingredients - black treacle is dense, sticky stuff and quite difficult to weigh - you can't retrieve it if you've added too much if it's already submerged in Guinness and yogurt!

By the time you've managed to combine the three “wet” ingredients – always providing you've not jettisoned the mixing bowl and its contents all over the kitchen floor and you've lost the will - any anticipation of a glorious loaf of soda bread has evaporated.

In certain cooking circumstances you can wing it or fly by the seat of your pants. With baking this is not the case – it's important to be accurate and weigh ingredients - your end product will sink – sorry about the pun - if you don't.

I'm not sure whether it's an incomplete recipe or badly written. Is it deliberately vague - surely you want your readers to succeed in their efforts? It's such a pity - with a little more care in the explanation of the method for the “wet stuff” it would make life so much clearer for devoted readers and bakers!

If you glance at my photo guide – separate jugs makes life easy – weighing the black treacle directly into a mixing bowl means you're ready to go - it might not be hands free but you have control of the mixing bowl. By trickling the Guinness into the treacle it loosens quickly. The rest, as they say, is history – or easy peasy!

Next … the taste testing

Fast Fish Mornay – the method plus hints and tips

When you're ready to assemble, preheat your oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

You can use foil trays – 24x24cms to serve 4 or smaller if you want individual servings, otherwise a square casserole.

Open up your foiled fish and tip it into a large mixing bowl. Break the fish into chunks, gently, then season with black pepper. If you're using cooked, peeled prawns, now is the time to add them. There will be jelly from the cooked fish – discard or include – it's all flavour and will combine with the sauce you've made. If you've not used any smoked fish then you may want to add a sprinkle of salt. Add your Mornay sauce and fold to mix, gently.

Tip the mixture into your tray or casserole.

Add the sliced cooked potatoes, add a knob or two of butter and ground black pepper. If you're feeling really decadent then sprinkle grated Parmesan over the top.

Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.

Serve with vibrant fresh veggies, preferably steamed or, dare I say, with a coleslaw or, if feeling really Northern, mushy peas!

Back to the three negative comments about fish.

Some may say it's extravagant to use cod loin in a fish pie – they'd be right. However if you're trying to convince your family to eat fish it would be a good idea to use a fish that doesn't have any bones. Using smoked fish with non-smoked gives a far less “fishy” taste. The disguise is the delicious strong cheese sauce. Tick, tick and tick!

Oh and by the way the Dijon mustard is optional but it does give an excellent zing.

Fish Mornay Fotos coming up …

Time for feedback …

… remember the Christmas gift with a difference - The Cheese, Potato and Onion pies for my two friends? I said then that the idea was the pies could be eaten on the day or frozen to eat later. One of my friends ate it that same evening – loved it and wants the recipe. My other friend said …

“... I forgot to say thank you for the pie – I had to freeze it, we're going to have it tomorrow.

Your pie was delicious. Thank you so much – well worth the wait for it – two very happy tummies, yum yum! A lovely gift.”

I got a huge hug and another recipe request!

Then there was the halloumi sandwich for Lucas … after the holidays he sent me an email …

“... It's so easy and better than a lot of the chain restaurants serve! Not squeaky or cold but fresh and melty with a fantastic coating – very hard not to eat the whole block. Which I did. A kinda “why have I not done this before now!” moment when you throw it into a wrap with some hot sauce and hummus and marvel in that it took next to no time to make!”

Finally, there was the “Get Well gift” of the Chicken and Mushroom Pie …

“... Yum, yum, yum that was soo delicious. Have I got the recipe? We loved it. Love you, thank you. P.s. Please forward menus!”

My work here is done and it was worth every minute.

Coming next … more elements for you to make and freeze when you have spare time, so you can assemble home-made food – fast - it's worth it!

Pastizzi bonus bits and the feedback

Pastizzi freeze very well. If you'd prefer this method then place the uncooked pastizzi on a tray lined with baking paper. Freeze for 2/3 hours or until firm and then transfer into a strong freezer bag. They will keep for up to a month – if they last that long!

To cook from frozen, pre-heat your oven as mentioned previously. Flour the two baking trays and place the frozen pastizzi, bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

It just so happened that my friend Kerry was with me when I took the pastizzi out of the oven so I enlisted a new veggie taste tester. Verdict – lovely, light as a feather. I'll take that.

Later on that day I popped in to see other friends, Joss and Leanne and delivered the same treat. Shortly after leaving them I received a text … “yummy scrum”. I'll take that too.

My friend Morag just loves a PPS … “I have discovered that a puff pastry sheet is not just for Christmas and making sausage rolls, it's for making pizza puffs and cheese and onion slices to gain brownie points with friends, pay in kind – not in cash”.

I think Morag is going to be a very happy girl!

If you want to produce savoury morsels quickly, whether for entertaining at home with drinks or, as we've been talking about of late, for picnic or portable food but fast, then pastizzi definitely fits the bill. The joy of using a puff pastry sheet is the big fat tick it gets for those of us who have a limited amount of time or, more to the point, no time at all!

I don't think you'll be disappointed.