Monthly Archives: March 2010

hot cross buns

31 Wednesday Mar 2010

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It’s that time of year. But in my book, any time of year is fine for these babies. I make them all year round. I just dont put crosses on them if it’s not Easter because a) I’m too lazy, and b) …well actually a) pretty much covers it!

I like my easter buns with fruit, not this modern day chocolate chip nonsense. I have made them with chocolate chips (use cocoa instead of spices, and choc chips instead of fruit) but I am so over chocolate, and they just dont taste right with butter. Hot X Buns NEED butter. It’s the law. Seriously.

If you want to have them for breakfast, just set your alarm clock two hours earlier and slave away in the kitchen while everyone else slumbers. OR you can make the dough the day before. After the dough has risen and you punch it down, you can then put the dough in the fridge (or shape it into the buns and place on a tray first). Just bring it out in the morning and place in a warm spot for half an hour before placing in the oven.

Also this recipe has the method for using a mixer… but my mixer is too gutless for heavy dough mixtures so I do it by hand. Just knead away for 5 minutes adding flour to stop dough sticking.

Finally, if there are three hungry teenage boys (and many more hangers-on) in the house, you may need to wear protective body armour when these come out of the oven.

makes 18

Dough
1 sachet dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
60 gm melted butter
1 1/4 cup luke warm milk
3/4 cup water
4 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons ground spices (for example, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/4 teaspoon cloves, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg)
2 tablespoons sugar, extra
2 tablespoons powdered milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried fruit (sultanas, currants, mixed peel – you choose)

Crosses
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup water

Glaze
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon gelatin

Method


Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl and allow to stand in a warm place until mixture begins to froth. (about 10 mins).

Insert dough hooks into the mixer. place sifted dry ingredients, including fruit into a large mixing bowl. On low speed, gradually add yeast mixture, scrape down sides with rubber spatula. Knead on medium speed for 4 mins. Continue the kneading process until all ingredients are well mixed and the dough forms a ball. Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top of dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (approx 1 hr).

Preheat oven to 220.C

Punch down dough and fold sides to the centre and turn dough over. remove the dough from the bowl and place onto a well floured surface. lightly knead the dough with the palm of your hands until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into 18 equal portion and shape into round smooth balls. Grease oven tray. position dough balls closely together on the tray. Cover for about 10-15 mins.

For the crosses, combine the flour and water to form a batter and pipe crosses on the tops of the buns.

Bake for about 20-25 mins until golden brown.

Whilst the buns are baking prepare the glaze. Place the water, sugar and gelatin into a small pot and stir over medium heat until sugar has dissolved, approx 2 minutes. Glaze buns while they are still hot.

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beef and guinness stew

28 Sunday Mar 2010

Posted by in Main Meals, Recipes

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I know, I know. I should have had this up for St. Patricks Day a couple of weeks ago. So I’m a bit behind the times. But it doesn’t have to be St Paddys day to enjoy this dish. And besides, I didnt make it myself until St Paddys day… and it will make the perfect warming food for those cold winter evenings which will be upon us soon.

The day I made this delicious stew, the aroma was permeating through the house by the time the kids came home from school and I faced the inevitable question. ‘Whats for dinner Mum?’… so I reply ‘Beef & Guinness Stew’.

They were horrified! Absolutely disgusted.

And this is why. In our house the word Guinness does not mean this…

It means this…

So yeah…you can imagine what they were thinking. Poor kids. I really do torment them sometimes.

Anywayyyyyyyy, it was delicious! And there were requests from the family to make it again. And even Guinness got to eat some too!

Try it. And if you have to buy the Guinness especially for this recipe and you can’t buy single cans, never fear! I have a few other Guinness recipes for you. Including Guinness Chocolate Cake.

Mmmm Mmmmmmmmmmmmmm……….

• 1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
• 1.5kg stewing steak (blade, chuck or gravy beef) cut into 3-4cm pieces
• 2 stalks coarsely chopped celery
• 2 chopped carrots,
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 50g tomato paste
• 1 tbs plain flour
• 1 cup (250ml) red wine
• 440ml can Guinness
• 3 cups (750ml) beef stock
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 200g bacon, cut into strips
• 12 (300g) small shallots, peeled
• 150g button mushrooms
• 1.5kg potatoes, chopped into equal sized pieces
• 100g butter, chopped
• 1 cup (250ml) cream or milk

Preheat oven to 160°C. Heat 1 tbs oil in a dutch oven over high heat. Brown the beef, in two or three batches. Remove beef from pan and set aside.

Add 1 tbs oil to dish and cook celery, carrots and onion for 8 minutes. Stir in paste then flour. Cook for 1 minute then add wine and Guinness. Simmer until reduced by half.

Add beef stock and simmer again until reduced by half. Return beef to pan with bay leaf and bring to a simmer.

Cover dish with lid, transfer to oven and cook for 2 hours or until meat is tender. Heat the remaining oil in a small frying pan. Add bacon and shallots and cook, stirring, for 8 minutes or until shallots are softened. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until soft. Add bacon and shallot mixture to main dish with beef and return to oven for 30 minutes.

For the creamy potato mash, steam or boil potatoes until tender. Drain well in a colander. In the pot, add butter and cream (or milk) and heat until boiling. Add the potatoes and mash. To get them really creamy you can use electric beaters and beat until smooth.

Serve stew on bed of mash, scattered with freshly chopped parsley.

Devour. Go back for seconds.

chocolate chocolate chip cookies

27 Saturday Mar 2010

Posted by in Baking, Recipes

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Chocolate fix anyone? These will do the trick.

250g butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. of table salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius.

Cream butter, sugar, and brown sugar until it is nice and fluffy. Add both eggs and vanilla and beat for an additional 2 minutes.

Add baking soda, salt, cocoa powder), and flour until cookie batter is well combined. Finally add chocolate chips until well distributed. The cookie batter should be somewhat thick.

Drop batter in clumps (about two tablespoons full) onto a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until tops of cookies are slightly firm to the touch. You still want the cookies to be soft in the middle so they are gooey and chewy when you eat them. Remove from heat and allow the cookies to stay on the cookie sheet for an additional 2 minutes. Pick up the baking paper with the cookies still on top and transfer to a cool non-porous surface. Allow the cookies to cool on the paper for at least 3 minutes before serving.

Follow all instructions again from beginning to make a second batch because they were so good that there aren’t any left!!!