Blackberry Velvet Cupcakes

Makes 12

Ingredients

60g Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature

150g Caster sugar

1 Egg

10g Raw Cocoa Powder

20ml Blackberries, blended and sieved 

10ml purple food colouring

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

120ml milk

150g Plain flour

Pinch salt

1/2 teaspoon Bicarbonate soda

1 Tablespoon rice wine vingear

For Frosting:

300g Icing Sugar

50g Butter

125ml Cream Cheese 

1 Tablespoon Milk

5ml Food Colouring, of your choice

12 blackberries

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170C.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until pale.
3. Add the egg and mix until well combined.
4. In a small bowl add the cocoa powder, food colouring, vanilla and blackberry juice. Mix until combined. Add to the egg mixture. 
5. Add the vinegar to the milk and add in alternation with the flour to the batter. 
6. Finally put in salt and the bicarb.
7. Mix until everything is combined. Bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
8. While the cakes are cooling, make the frosting. Add the icing sugar and butter and mix until it looks like breadcrumbs.  Add the cream cheese and mix, add the milk to allow everything to combine.
9. Use a star tip in your piping bag. Stripe your food colouring of choice on the sides on the piping bag,  and spoon in the frosting.
10. Swirl the frosting over the cooled cakes and add a blackberry to each.
11. Enjoy!

Showstopper Blackberry Forest Gateau

Serves 12

Ingredients 

For the sponge:

6 Large Eggs

150g Caster Sugar

100g Self-Raising Flour

50g Raw Cocoa Powder

For the filling:

850g Blackberries

300g Caster Sugar

1 Lemon, Juiced

4tbsp Cornflour

1/2 tsp Blackberry essence 

1/2 teaspoon Monin Blackberry syrup 

750ml whipped cream

For the decoration:

150g Dark Chocolate 

75g White Chocolate

100g Blackberries

Instructions

Start by cooking the blackberry jam: 

1. In a large saucepan add the blackberries, sugar and lemon and heat on low until the sugar is dissolved.
2. In a small bowl add the cornflour, and 4tbsp of the juice from the pan.  Stir to combine and add the pan.
3. Keep mixing until the cornflour is dispersed add the essence and syrup.
4. Bring to the boil, and stir.
5. Pour into a shallow dish and cool.

Make the chocolate bark:

1. Line a cookie sheet with a non stick sheet. ( I use this: Non-Stick-Icing-Sheet )
2. Melt the dark chocolate slowly over a ban-marie stir constantly.
3. Meanwhile, melt the white chocolate in intervals of 15 seconds in the microwave stir in-between.
4. Pour the chocolate over the sheet and lever to your preference. 
5. Spoon the white chocolate over in random blobs.  Take a knife and swirl until desired marbled effect.
6. Place in the fridge for 2 hours.
7. Take the bark out of the fridge and smash up into shards.

Make the chocolate sponge:

1. Grease 4 20.5cm round cake tins or 2 23cm and cut each cake in half after baking.
2. Heat the oven to 180C. 
3. Break the eggs into a large bow along with the sugar and mix on high until doubled in size and lighter in colour.
4. Sift the flour and cocoa powder and fold into the egg and sugar mixture.
5. Divide the mixture between the prepared tins.
6. Cook for 15 minutes and allow to cool throughly. 

Decorating the cake:

1. Once the cake is cooled, whip your cream to soft peaks.
2. Place your first layer onto a icing turntable ( I use this: Icing-Turntable )
3. Add a generous layer of jam, and then cream.  Repeat this twice.
4. Add the top layer, and add leave the cake to set for 20 minutes.
5. Cover the sides and top with the rest of the whipped cream.
6. Add your shards of chocolate to cover the sides of the cake.
7. Add blackberries to the top.
8. Enjoy!

How to grow your own vegetables

Part 3: Onions

Onions are the most useful and popular vegetable in the kitchen, and growing them in your garden is easy and makes sure you have plenty on hand.

Onions can be grown from seed or from small bulbs called sets. Onions need an open sunny site to grow. 

For White onions:

• Plant in humus-rich, moist but well drained soil in a sunny position.  
• Lay onions out to dry a day before harvesting.
• Make sure your planting area is well prepared beforehand in a necessary amount of compost fertiliser. 
• Water plants well before planting out and afterwards if the soil seems dry.
• Remove plants from soil by pushing through from the underside. 

For Red onions:

• Plant outside, spacing 15cm (16in) apart in rows 30cm (12in) apart in humus-rich, moist but well drained fertile soil.
• Water well if the weather is dry.
• Again, Make sure your planting area is well prepared beforehand in a necessary amount of compost fertiliser. 
• Water plants well before planting out and afterwards if the soil seems dry.
• Remove plants from soil by pushing through from the underside.

Desriable Elderberry and Blackberry Cordial

Ingredients 

45g Elderberries

115g Blackberries

150g Caster Sugar

1 Teaspoon Lemon juice

1/2tbsp Red Wine Vinegar 

200ml Water

Instructions

1. Add all the ingredients into a pan and heat on low, stir occasionally. 
2. Once the majority of the berries have burst, push it through a fine sieve over a bowl.
3. Add 200ml of water to the pulp to make sure all the juices have been sieved.
4. Place into a air tight bottle and it will keep up to 2 months.  Once opened store in fridge. 

Heartwarming Italian Meatballs

Ingredients 

For the meatballs:

200g  minced beef

200g minced pork

1 teaspoon italian herb seasoning

pinch of salt & pepper

2tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra to serve

For the pasta sauce:

2 x 400g tins of chopped tomatoes

250g of roasted on the vine cherry tomatoes

2 cloves of garlic, peeled

1tbsp spicy chorizo, chopped

1 teaspoon of tomato puree

1 teaspoon of granulated sugar

1tbsp olive oil

pinch of salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Place all the meatball ingredients into a large bowl and mix to combine.
2. Heat a large pan with oil.
3. Mould your meatballs into the size of golf balls, a ice cream scoop works wonders.
4. Place your meatballs into the warm oil and cover with a lid and cook on low for 1 hour.
5. Meanwhile, you can start cooking your tomato pasta sauce.
6. Preheat the oven to 190C, and arrange your cherry tomatoes in a roasting dish, and cook for 20 10 minutes, or until split.
7. Add the oil and the garlic cloves and cook for a minute, or until the garlic cloves look softer.
8. Pour the tins of chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, sugar and seasoning.
9. Bring to a Simmer and cook for 1 hour. Once your cherry tomatoes are cooked take the off the vine and place them into your sauce, if you prefer a smoother sauce, blend them up just before you put them in.
10. Once you meatballs are cooked place them into your pasta sauce and let them combine with the sauce for 5-10 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, boil your pasta.
12. Put everything to together on a plate, grate over some more Parmesan and serve!

Irrestible Banana Bread

Ingredients

220g plain flour

1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

75g caster sugar 

80g brown sugar 

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, plus extra for decorating

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 

2 eggs

125ml vegetable oil

3 mashed bananas 

Demerara sugar, to decorate 

chopped walnuts, to decorate

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 160C.
2. Grease a loaf tin and line with greaseproof paper.
3. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, both sugars, cinnamon and vanilla extract. 
4. Make a well in the centre, add the eggs, vegetable oil and the mashed bananas and mix until combined.
5. Pour the batter into the loaf tin. Sprinkle cinnamon, Demerara sugar and walnuts over the top.
6. Cook in the oven for 60 minutes.

Flavoured Double Chocolate Twirled Cake

Marble cakes, such intricate and memorising masterpieces. To me they have always stuck in my mind as a childhood favourite, because what is not to love about them? It's the best of both worlds.. vanilla and chocolate. For any chocolate lover this is a MUST HAVE as it takes on both a rich, sharp chocolate and a simply sweet chocolate.  

Ingredients

For the cake:

250g Unsalted Butter

250g Caster Sugar

250g Self-Raising Flour

4 Large Eggs

1 Tablespoon Raw Cocoa Powder

1 Teaspoon of French Almond Extract

75g Green & Blacks Dark Chocolate

75g Green & Blacks White Chocolate

Splash of Grand Marnier

1 Tablespoon of Orange Zest

For the frosting:

25g Butter

15g Raw Cocoa Powder

2 tbsp Milk

100g Icing Sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 190C.
2. In a electric mixer blend the butter till smoth. Then add the sugar until slightly pale and thick.
3. Add one egg at each time and blend well. If it looks a little split add a sprinkle of flour for each egg.
4. Add the flour and a pinch of salt and blend until just combined. 
5. Transfer half of the mix into another bowl.
6. Melt the chocolate over a bain-marie. Allow to cool for a minute. 
7. Add the raw cocoa powder,melted dark, the Grand Marnier and orange zest chocolate to one bowl.
8. Add the french almond extract to the other bowl. 
9. Add the mixture randomly into a greased loaf tin and swirl around with a knife. (You may not need all the mixture as this cake will rise)
10. Cook for 40-50 minutes.  Keep an eye on this loaf as all ovens vary. *
11. While the cake is cooling melt the butter in a pan, once it has melted add the raw cocoa powder and mix until smooth. Take it off the heat an add the icing sugar and milk and blend until combined.
12. Once the cake is cooled, drizzle over the top.

* You could even do this in a cupcake/muffin form which I have done many of time.  Just cook for 20 minutes!

My Sunday Roast Tips and Tricks

A Sunday roast to me is a meal that will heat you up from the inside out.  Many people are afraid of cooking a roast due to the amount of effort and time you have to put into it.  Therefore, i'm going to share with you of my tips and tricks to make it just that little bit easier.

1. Give yourself plenty of time

I always start cooking way before you think you have to. This gives you more time for any mistake that might occur, and trust me, something always goes wrong!

2. Chop and peel everything before

This is a great little trick as you save so much time, if you chop and peel your potatoes and vegetables before you start cooking you don't find yourself in such a frenzy mid cooking while trying to get everything on the table at the same time.

3. Prepare all your meat rubs before

Just the same as above, if you pre mix and blend your meat rubs before you start cooking it just gives you that little bit extra time to sit down and relax while your food is cooking. 

4. Make fresh and freeze sauces

If you make your sauces months in advance they can last up to three months in advance depending on how your deep freezer.  This is a great little hack I use everyday, as the sauces are frozen fresh you just defrost when needed. 

5. Ultimate potatoes

The best trick I have ever learnt is how to make crispy, fluffy roast potatoes that are irresistible. Part boil your potatoes for 4 minutes.  Meanwhile add a good heap of Goose fat to your roasting tin and allow to heat up in the oven. Drain your potatoes and put them back into the pan with the lid on and shake them around.  Add a good sprinkle of plain flour and shake again.  Tip onto the roasting tin and cook for 1hour 40minutes. The slow roasting of the potatoes really gives it that crisp outer and a  soft fluffy inside.

6. Make your dessert ahead of time

If you're like me and think crumble is a staple dessert for a Sunday roast then this little hack could be of use to you.  I always make my crumble the night before and at this time of the year I make my delicious Blackberry, Apple and Cherry crumble which can be found here: fail safe sunday crumble. Just reheat at 190C for 25 minutes when you need a little fix.

7. Easy cheesy cauliflower

A cauliflower cheese is another staple must have on my table.  Use a basic white sauce recipe, soak it onto the cauliflower florets.  Add another layer of cheese (yes this is necessary) and bake on 180C for 1 hour.  Slow cooking it this way really gives it that creamy and moreish desire. 

Using any of these tips will really save you time and definitely make it more enjoyable for you!

Fail Safe Sunday Crumble

Apple, Blackberry and Cherry Crumble

Ingredients

For the filling:

60g Butter

60g Demerara sugar (plus extra to sprinkle)

2 large Bramley apples

20 cherries 

250g blackberries

For the crumble:

100g butter

75g rolled oats

50g caster sugar

200g plain flour

50g barley flakes (You don't have to add this, just gives it another texture)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 170C.
2. Melt the butter and sugar in a pan slowly.  Until it turns a light caramel colour.
3. Core the apples and chop into chunks.
4. Core the cherries and chop into half.
5. Add the apples to the melted butter and sugar and cook for 2 minutes.
6. Add the blackberries and cherries.  Cook for a further 1 minute.
7. Put the filling into an ovenproof gratin dish. Allow to cool while making the crumble
8. Put the flour, oats, sugar and butter in a bowl, rub in with your fingers until it combined.  At this stage you can add a sprinkle more of oats.
9. Spoon the crumble mixture over the fruit.  Make sure no fruit is visible as it could make the juices of the fruit overflow. 
10. Sprinkle over some Demerara sugar.
11. Cook for 40-45 minutes... or until the crumble is crisp and you can see the juices of the fruit bubbling over.  

How to grow your own vegetables

Part 2

Tomatoes need sunshine, so choose an open, warm site. They do fantastically well in a greenhouse but you can gain very good results outside in a container against a warm wall. They need a well drained, fertile soil, that doesn't dry out too quickly.

If growing in containers, use a specially formulated grow bag or good quality potting compost.

• Plant out tomato plants using a stake for support.
• Cut out any side shoots, as they appear to keep to a central stem.
• Water and feed regularly  with a liquid tomato.
• Pick the fruit as soon as they ripen.
• If frost is forecast, harvest the tomatoes green and allow to ripen in doors.
• Tomatoes are definitely best picked fresh but, if do need to store a glut, perhaps consider cooking, pulping and freeze for a burst of summer in the winter months.

We have lots of recipes using this base tomato sauce!

How to grown your own vegetables

Part 1: Potatoes

Anyone can grow potatoes, even if you are living in the city and don't have a garden!  

There is something quite special about growing your own organic produce, harvesting and then eating.

I've used the plastic potato sacks (3 in a pack with carrying handles … reusable) from the garden centre.  You could use a thick black bin liner, an old tin drum etc.  Just make sure there is drainage holes.  Seed potatoes are available from the garden centre, spring to autumn.

• If you plant the seed potatoes in intervals, 4-6 weeks, you can harvest over a longer period.
• Each shop bought planter is suitable for about 5 seed potatoes.
• Line the planter with good quality potting compost to 4cm.  Place the seed potatoes with the shoots facing upwards and cover with a further 6cm of potting compost.
• Keep the soil damp but not waterlogged.  Feed with a high potash/ low nitrogen feed.
• If there is danger of frost, then cover with a fleece until this has passed.
• When the shoots have grown 7cms high add another layer of compost,  so it covers the tips by a couple of CMS.  Continue to do this until the shoot are CMS above the planter.
• Now leave the plant to grow.  Watering when its dry but not too saturate the soil. Feed as before, periodically.
• The plant should produce small flowers and once these have died then then potatoes are ready to harvest.  
• Some varieties don't flower but start to die off.  Just feel beneath the soil to see if there is any hidden treasure… there probably is so its time to harvest!
• Tip the bag out, collect your treasure and wash.
• Wash out you bag, if you used a commercial one and plan your Maris Pipers for Christmas lunch.
• I've just planted mine today. (27 Aug 15)

Winter warming Lobscouse

This stew is traditionally made with lamb or beef, which originated from Northern Europe by the sailors. You can easily adapt the recipe to other meat, but personally I prefer chicken.  It is full of nutrients and very heart-warming, therefore perfect for the cold weather, or when your feeling a little bit under the weather.   

Ingredients 

1/2 swede

4 large carrots

1 large onion

3 large sweet potatoes

3 leeks

3 cloves of garlic

2 skinless chicken breast

5 OXO vegetables cubes 

1.5 L of boiling hot water

Salt and pepper to taste

Sprinkle of chilli flakes 

Instructions

1. Peel and chop all the vegetables into bite sized chunks.

2. Chop the chicken breast into large chunks

3. Heat oil in a large pot.

4. Add the chopped onions, leek and garlic, and cook until soft.

5. Add the sweet potato and swede and cook for a further two minutes.

6. Add the carrots, and cook for a minute.

7. Crumble over the stock cubes and add the chicken.

8. Add the water, you may need a little extra, just make sure the vegetables and chicken are covered.

9. Season with a salt and pepper, and a sprinkle of chilli flakes.

10 . bring to the boil, and then set on a low heat for 5 hours. (you can speed up the process by letting it simmer, just make sure the vegetables are soft and the chicken is cooked)

11. Serve with crusty bread and Enjoy!