Melina’s 24th Birthday
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Maddie
Cecily
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Melina
Em Em
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Flo
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Ria
Alexa
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B O O K
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R E C I P E
To our amazing chef Melina, Happy 24th Birthday! Here are some of our favourite recipes. Lots of love from the girls
Contents
Main Courses
Rianna’s Chunky Artichoke, Spinach k Feta Dip Jess’ Hangover Club Sandwich Mel’s Shakshuka (Vegan) Beth’s Ratatouille k Halloumi bake Cecily’s Harissa-Marinated Beef Sirloin with Preserved Lemon Sauce Amber’s Base Gede – Bumbu Kuning (Balinese Yellow Curry Paste) Amber’s Jukut Urab (Coconut and Bean salad) Flo’s Nuoc Mam Cham Papaya Salad Laura’s Mexican Street Food Feast Maddie’s Mob Kitchen Pick – Halloumi k Cauliflower Curry Emma’s General Tso’s Chicken Emily’s Mascarpone k Butternut Squash Pasta
Desserts
Alexa’s flappin’ flapjacks Jess’ Lychee Iced Tea Jess’ Best Lemon Bars in the Whole World Laura’s Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake! Beth’s Carrot k Walnut cake Flo’s Spiced Carrot, Pistachio k Almond cake Mel’s Pear k Chocolate Cake
Main Courses
Rianna’s Chunky Artichoke, Spinach k Feta Dip
A chunky funky, hearty, warming, yummy Freida-special I think you’ll love
ingredients
preparation
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1 medium onion
Soften finely diced onion and garlic in a large heavy-bottom
2 cloves of garlic
frying pan
1 can of artichokes
Drain artichokes of liquid, then squeeze and slightly squash (with
120g of feta cheese
thumb and forefingers) artichokes one by one to remove excess
1 bag of spinach
liquid. Add to softened onion and garlic mixture in the pan Gently cook until artichokes break up easily. Cook with lid off if mixture is too wet, or lid on if artichokes were well drained Cut feta into small cubes and add to pan. Cook until feta starts to soften Cut spinach with scissors whilst in the bag - (this ensures your dip doesn’t have long stingy bits in!) and then dry with kitchen towel. Add spinach to pan and gently cook with lid on until spinach wilts. Lightly mix together (you want it to stay chunky so don’t go turbo mode) and season with salt and pepper Serve with warm pitta or tortilla chips as a snack or dinner party starter
Jess’ Hangover Club Sandwich
Hopefully this will speak to your Michelin side – a boujie take on a breakfast sandwich
ingredients
preparation
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2 tablespoons lightly salted butter
Bang the butter in a saucepan with ¼ of the garlic clove and thyme
1 garlic clove
over a medium heat. Cook until the butter has melted, remove from
1 spriggy of fresh thyme
heat and let sit for 5 mins before straining it (discarding garlic and
balsamic vinegar
thyme)
6 slices of thinly sliced prosciutto (no rules
Cut the red pepper long ways, and oven road with olive oil, salt
– use parma ham / salami / whatever you
and pep. I have no idea how long for just until they’re ready
like)
Heat the prosciutto and ham in a heat proof pan (skillet?) for
3 slices of thin sliced honey ham
approx. ten mins. I actually have no idea how long you do this for
fresh mozzarella, 1.4 inch thick
but I do it until they look crispeh
handful of rocket
Brush your bread with the infused butter and place on the skillet.
1 red pepper
Cook until golden brown both sides
2 eggs
Top the bread with meats and mozzarella, cook until the
bit of parmesan
mozzarella begins to melt
high quality baguette style bread
Take the bread out and add the roasted red pepper and rocket
salt and pepper
Fry 2 eggs, put a sprinkle of parmesan on top and season with
ketchup / siracha / any condiment you like
salt and pepper ENJOY Writing recipes for someone that certainly knows their caviar from their korma was a challenge, but I’ve picked some of my favourite’s that are pretty fool proof. Wishing you the happiest of birthdays you absolute Queen, love you millions! Jess x
Mel’s Shakshuka (vegan)
ingredients
preparation
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2 aubergines
Place the aubergines in salty water for 15 minutes. Squeeze dry
1 onion
them with a cloth
1 can chopped tomatoes
Fry them until they are golden brown. Put in a bowl
½ tsp sugar
Gently fry chopped onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Add tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic
and sugar. Cook for 10 minutes. Mix it with the aubergines. Keep
a pinch of salt
them in the fridge, as this is usually served as a cold meze. When
a little bit of fresh coriander
ready to serve, add the coriander and sprig onions
finely chopped spring onions can be used
If you want to turn it into a full vegan meal rather than a meze,
as a garnish
serve with rice or salad
(you could add a chilli if you like the spice)
If veggie, it goes very nicely with slightly melted goats’ cheese
Beth’s Ratatouille k Halloumi Bake ingredients
preparation
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2 peppers (1 red and 1 yellow), deseeded
Preheat the oven to 220˚C/fan 200˚C
and cut into roughly 2 cm chunks
Place the peppers, eggplant and onion in a bowl, add 2 tablespoons
1 medium aubergine (around 250 g), cut
of the olive oil and season with sea salt and ground black pepper.
into roughly 2 cm chunks
Toss everything together well then scatter into a shallow baking dish
1 medium onion, peeled and cut into 12
and bake for 25 minutes
wedges
Remove the dish from the oven, turn the vegetables, then cook for
3 tbsp olive oil
a further 5–10 minutes, or until well softened and lightly browned
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Remove the dish from the oven, stir in the garlic, basil and
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes with herbs
tomatoes, arrange the halloumi on top, drizzle with the remaining
(If you don’t have canned tomatoes with
oil, season with more ground black pepper and return to the oven
added herbs, simply stir ½ teaspoon dried
for a further 15 minutes, or until the halloumi is hot and lightly
oregano through the tomatoes before
browned
adding to the vegetables)
Scatter with more fresh basil to serve
225g block halloumi cheese, cut into 8 slices a handful fresh basil leaves (around 10 g), thinly sliced, plus extra to serve
Amber’s Base Gede – Bumbu Kuning (Balinese yellow curry paste) ingredients
preparation
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10 shallots
Disclaimer: there are a LOT of ingredients to prep… sorry – but it
15 cloves of garlic
goes along way and I promise it’s worth it…
1 heaped tablespoon of galangal paste
Slice and remove seeds from hot and red chillies
1 heaped tablespoon of ground ginger 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder 2 hot chillies 3 red chillies 4 macadamia nuts 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds 1 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper ½ teaspoon of nutmeg powder 2 cloves 1 tablespoon of palm sugar 1 stalk of lemon grass 2 bay leaves 2 teaspoons of shrimp paste (if not available, 1 teaspoon of fish sauce) 3 tablespoons of coconut oil
Finely chop the shallots, garlic, macadamia nuts, red chillies and hot chillies Blend the chopped ingredients with the coriander seeds, nutmeg, cloves, turmeric, ginger, galangal and shrimp paste until it forms a fine paste Sauté the paste in coconut oil Crush the lemongrass stalk and then add this along with the pepper, palm sugar and bay leaves to the paste Sauté for about 7 minutes on a low heat This paste can be refrigerated for 1 – 2 weeks. It is most commonly used as a base for a chicken curry or mixed into turkey/ chicken mince for kebabs. It can also be used in the recipe on the next page
Amber’s Jukut Urab (Coconut and Bean Salad) ingredients
preparation
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2 tablespoons of Base Gede (recipe on left)
Chop the beans into centimetre long pieces
¼ kilo of green beans
Boil the beans
½ a whole fresh coconut
Grate the coconut (I use a conventional food processor – it does
1 tablespoon of coconut cream (not coconut
the job and is much quicker)
milk)
Mix the beans, coconut, coconut cream, Base Gede, palm sugar
1 tablespoon of palm sugar
and salt
1 lime
For serving squeeze the lime over the top and sprinkle the fried
1 tablespoon of deep fried shallots
shallots
½ tablespoon of salt
Note: Best served cold Melina, I hope you enjoy making my favourite recipe ever. I must say, it does take me like half a day (at least) to make lol… that’s because I’m not a master chef like you (it will probably take you no time at all). However, the food is SOSOOO worth it. I have eaten a lot of food in my time, but I must say when I first made these dishes in Bali, it is to this day some of the best food I have ever eaten and I had to share the recipes with you! Enjoy! xoxo
Cecily’s Harissa-marinated beef sirloin with preserved lemon sauce ingredients
preparation
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1½ tbsp harissa
Brush the harissa into the meat, season with a quarter-teaspoon
2 300g beef sirloin steaks, trimmed
of salt and some black pepper, and leave to marinade for at least an
salt and black pepper
hour (or in the fridge overnight)
2 large yellow peppers
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Cook the peppers under a hot grill
2 tbsp olive oil
for 20-25 minutes, turning twice, until charred all over. Place in a
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
bowl, cover with clingfilm until cool, then peel them and cut into
400g tin chopped Italian tomatoes
long, thin strips. Discard the skin and seeds
½ tsp flaked chilli
Heat the oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Fry the
¼ tsp sweet paprika
garlic for 30 seconds on medium heat, add the tomatoes, chilli,
1 tbsp preserved lemon skin, thinly sliced
paprika, a quarter-teaspoon of salt and some black pepper, bring
2 tbsp chopped parsley, plus extra to garnish
to a simmer and cook for seven minutes. Add the pepper strips, preserved lemon skin and parsley, and cook for seven minutes, until the sauce thickens but is still easy to pour. Set aside and allow to come to room temperature Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°C/gas mark 5. Place a ridged griddle pan on a high heat and, when smoking hot, add the steaks and cook for a minute a side. Transfer to a baking tray and cook for eight minutes, until done to medium. Serve warm or at room temperature, sliced into thin strips, with sauce spooned on top and sprinkled with parsley, if you like
Flo’s Nuoc Mam Cham Papaya Salad
I made this for the first time recently and wow it absolutely blew my mind. Its a summer salad with so much flavour, and you can use the sauce for marinades or a dip too!
ingredients
preparation
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3 or 4 large carrots, sliced
You can make this salad just with veggies or it works with salmon
1 large papaya, can be up to 30cm
or prawns too if you want a bigger meal
1 cucumber a large handful of green beans 200g salmon fillet (optional) 200g cooked tiger prawns (optional) a handful of roasted cashews or peanuts a handful of coriander leaves 5 mint leaves 1 red chilli, sliced For the Nuoc Mam Cham sauce (makes about 250ml) 3 tbsp fish sauce 2 tbsp white vinegar
For the sauce, put the fish sauce vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan, with 125ml water. Place over medium heat, stir well and cook until just before boiling point is reached. Remove the pan afrom heat and allow to cool. (Can put it in the fridge) Before serving add the garlic chilli and lime juice. If there is any leftover you can keep it in the fridge and it lasts for a week. But for this salad I usually just wack it all in there cos it tastes so good! For the salmon, coat the salmon with the marinade - garlic, sugar and fish sauce & chilli for 30 minutes Then chargrill on high heat for 3 minutes or until it is well coloured from the outside. Allow to rest for 5 minutes
2 tbsp sugar
For the salad, Peel the papaya, then cut it into fine julienne strips
2 garlic cloves
(Melina this is your moment RIGHT here)
1 red chilli, thinly spiced
Combine all the veggies, sliced herbs, optional prawns or salmon
2 tbsp lime juice
into a large bowl, mix well Add 3 table spoons (or as many as you see fit) of the Nuoc Mam
Salmon marinade 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 tsp caster sugar 1 ½ tablespoon fish sauce 1 red chilli
Cham sauce. Mix well and serve on a nice platter or in a bowl
Laura’s Mexican street food feast
These recipes will give people something to taco ‘bout. People will be jalapeño business trying to find out what makes it so good...
Roasted Corn Salsa ingredients
preparation
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olive oil
Heat a dash of olive oil in a pan on a high heat. Add the sweetcorn
100g sweetcorn (fresh or frozen and
and fry until golden brown. Remove from the pan and allow to cool
defrosted)
a little
½ a red onion
Meanwhile, peel the onion and finely dice with the chilli, then put
1/3 of a fresh red chilli
in a bowl. Grate in the lime zest and squeeze in the juice, pick and
1 lime
chop the coriander leaves and add to the bowl
2 sprigs of fresh coriander
Once cooled, add the sweetcorn and a good drizzle of extra virgin
extra virgin olive oil
olive oil. Taste and add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, extra chilli and lime, if needed
Spinach & Feta Taco Filling ingredients
preparation
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olive oil
Heat a dash of oil in a pan, peel the onion and finely dice with the
1 red onion
chilli and add to the pan with the cumin seeds and thyme sprigs.
½ a fresh red chili
Cook until the onion is soft, stirring occasionally
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
Add the tinned tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon,
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
and the fresh baby spinach, then cook until it’s wilted but still bright
½ x 400g tin of plum tomatoes
green
250g fresh baby spinach
Rip the mint and tarragon leaves and add to the pan. Finely grate
2 sprigs of fresh mint
in the lime zest and squeeze in the juice, stir and add a pinch of sea
3 sprigs of fresh tarragon
salt and black pepper, if needed
1 lime
Top your homemade tacos with the spinach mix and crumble the
50g feta cheese
feta over the top
Laura’s Mexican street food feast part 2 Chipotle chicken ingredients
preparation
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2 cloves of garlic, peeled
Grind the garlic, oregano, cumin seeds, dried chilli and salt to a
2 teaspoons dried oregano
paste, then rub into the skin of the chicken
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
Marinade for 20 minutes or cook it immediately.
2 dried chillies
Heat oil in a pan on a medium heat, add the chicken skin-side
4 free-range chicken thighs, skin on,
down and fry until golden on both sides
bone in
Mash up the chipotle chilli and add to the pan with the passata,
a splash of olive oil
sugar and vinegar. Cover with a lid on low heat for 10 to 15 minutes,
2 teaspoons smoked chipotle chilli
or until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and
500ml passata
shiny
2 teaspoons caster sugar
In the pan, shred the chicken from the bone with two forks,
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
discard the bones and mix the chicken into the sauce. Taste and add
a pinch of salt
some sea salt and black pepper, if needed
Guacamole ingredients
preparation
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1 ripe avocado
Halve the avocado and carefully remove the stone with a spoon.
½ a fresh red chilli
Scoop the flesh onto a board, roughly chop and put in a bowl
1 spring onion
Trim the spring onion and finely chop with the chilli, pick and
2 sprigs of fresh mint
roughly chop the herbs leaves and add to the avocado
2 sprigs of fresh coriander
Carefully mix or mash together until you get the consistency
1 lime
you’d like. Squeeze in the lime juice and season to taste with a little sea salt and black pepper, if needed
Maddie’s Mob Kitchen Pick Halloumi and Cauliflower Curry (can also add chicken if you want a bit of meat hehe)
Notes: Make sure you brown off the halloumi before adding the slices.
ingredients
preparation
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2 blocks of halloumi - £3.00
Cooking Time (Includes preparation time): 45 Minutes
chilli powder - £0.85
Feeds: 4 People
turmeric - £0.85 garam masala - £0.85 1 cauliflower - £0.70 1 bunch of coriander - £0.70 basmati Rice - £0.50 400ml of coconut milk - £0.50 2 tins of plum tomatoes - £0.60 2 brown onions - £0.32 tomato puree - £0.50 2 garlic cloves - £0.30 knob of ginger - £0.17 total cost - £9.84 – WHAT?! So cheap?!
Chop Halloumi and cauliflower into bite-size pieces. Cut onion into slices Heat a large pan. Add a splash of vegetable oil. Add your onions. Cook on a medium-high heat so they start catching on the pan and softening. Once the onions are beginning to brown, add your cubes of Halloumi As the Halloumi starts to brown, add 2 grated garlic cloves, a grated knob of ginger, a heaped teaspoon of turmeric, 1 1⁄2 heaped teaspoons of chilli powder and 2 teaspoons of garam masala. Mix everything together, add your cauliflower and 1 1⁄2 tablespoons of tomato puree. Mix it in Pour in your tinned tomatoes and your coconut milk. Stir everything together Get your rice on (follow pack instructions) Cook on a medium heat until the curry is nice and thick Serve the curry on top of your steaming rice. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander (or don’t because coriander is gross)
Emma’s General Tso’s Chicken ingredients
preparation
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300 g chishang or jasmine rice
Put 1 mug of rice in a small saucepan with 440ml of water and a
4 boneless free-range chicken thighs, skin
good pinch of sea salt. Cover and cook for 20 mins on a medium-low
on, cut each thigh into 8 pieces
heat. Remove from the heat and leave to steam for 15 mins
vegetable oil
Mix the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, stock and sugar together in
2 cloves of garlic
a small bowl. Spoon half of the marinade into a small bowl and set
5 cm piece of ginger
aside
3 spring onions, 1cm pieces at an angle
Mix the potato starch with 2 teaspoons of cold water and mix
1 handful of dried red chillies
with the remaining marinade, then pour over the chicken in a bowl
sesame oil
and mix well. Leave to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
chilli oil (optional)
In a pan with a drizzle of veg oil, carefully transfer all the chicken pieces bit by bit into the second hot frying pan
For the Marinade 2 tablespoons low-salt dark soy sauce 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 4 tablespoons organic chicken stock 1 tablespoon golden caster sugar 1 teaspoon potato starch For the Cabbage 3 cloves of garlic, peeled & thinly sliced 1 white cabbage, cut into 1cm chunks 50 g smoked higher-welfare bacon 2 dried red chillies 1 teaspoon golden caster sugar
For the cabbage, put a wok over a medium heat and fry the bacon for 5 minutes, until golden brown and crispy, then add the garlic and whole chillies and fry for a couple of minutes. Add the cabbage and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle in the sugar and cook for a further minute When the chicken is crispy and golden, add the dried chillies to the empty pan and fry for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Add the chillies to the chicken with the garlic, ginger, and the white parts of the spring onions and cook for a further minute. Pour in the reserved marinade and toss together Transfer the chicken to a serving plate, drizzle with 1 teaspoon of sesame oil and chilli oil, if using, and sprinkle over the finely sliced green tops from the spring onions. Serve with the rice and cabbage
Emily’s Mascarpone k Butternut Squash Pasta ingredients
preparation
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butternut Squash, peeled, deseeded and cut
Drizzle and butternut squash with olive oil, season with salt
into small cubes
pepper and olive oil. Place in the oven at 200 °C for 20/25 minutes
olive oil
(until soft and brown in places)
chilli flakes (optional)
Once the butternut squash is cooked, cook the spaghetti as per
spaghetti
the instructions
2 cloves of garlic (I usually use like 4/5
Meanwhile, heat some olive oil gently in a pan and add the garlic,
though because I love garlic), finely chopped
cooking on a low heat for a few minutes. (Be careful not to burn it
spinach
as it goes bitter)
mascarpone
Add the tub of mascarpone to the pan and stir until melted (I
grated parmesan
sometimes add some pasta water to loosen it up Add the spinach until wilted, and then add the butternut squash. Season to taste Stir in the spaghetti Serve with grated parmesan cheese and some black pepper
Desserts
Alexa’s Flappin’ Flapjacks
I used to think flapjacks were boring AF but since lockdown (and the bulk buying of oats) they have become my favourite.
ingredients
preparation
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100g light brown sugar
Preheat oven to 180°C (fan)
250g oats
Melt the butter and sugar on a low heat in a large pan, once
2-3 tablespoons of golden syrup
melted together add the golden syrup
125 butter
Once all combined, add in the cinnamon
1sp of cinnamon (or 1bsp if you like)
Chuck in your sultanas if using and get them all covered in the
large handful of sultanas (or choc
gooey mixture
shavings)
Add your oats If using, add in your choc shavings Grease a smaller square tin with butter and then line with baking paper Spoon in your gooey oat mixture Place in the oven for 15 minutes - they should come out a little wet but they will garden after you take them out! ENJOY
Jess’ Lychee Iced Tea
I lived off these in Indonesia, and if you’re feeling freaky, they’re easily spiced up with a spirit of your choice. Really hope you like lychees.
ingredients
preparation
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2 tea bags (any kind)
Put a large empty pitcher in the fridge to chill
500ml hot water
Bang the tea bags in the hot water and let it sit for 10 mins, then
1 can of lychee in syrup (international food
discard the tea bags
shops / Waitrose probably has them. Or
To make the sugar syrup, combine the sugar and water, stir to
any kind of like West Indian corner shop
dissolve
that you find yourself in before a night out
Chop the lychee into small bite size pieces
buying road bevvies)
Put everything in a large pitcher, mix in the sugar syrup, lychee in syrup and tea together
For the Sugar Syrup
Serve over ice
55g sugar
Boom
60ml hot water
*NB optional: add vodka
Jess’ Best Lemon Bars in the Whole World
I know you’re not a baker but these are absolutely sensational. This is a JRob original freestyle and so there is some room for error but even if they aren’t perfect they’re still great. Just like me x
ingredients
preparation
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230g slightly salted butter, softened
Preheat oven to 175 °C
105g fine white sugar
Medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 105g fine white
275g plain all purpose flour
sugar. Then sift in 275g of flour (this is for the biscuit base, we don’t
4 eggs
want no lumps)
300g golden caster sugar
Add some lemon zest and press this mixture into the bottom of a
35g plain all purpose flour
9x13 inch pan (I measured mine)
3 lemons, juiced
Bake for 15 to 20 mins in the preheated oven, until firm and
2 lemons worth of lemon zest
golden In another bowl, mix golden caster sugar and 35g plain flour. Whisk in eggs and lemon juice, add a bit of lemon zest and pour over the baked crust Bake for additional 20 mins in preheated oven Bars will firm as they cool. Serve with bit of icing sugar on top Boom
Laura’s Lemon Drizzle Loaf Cake! ingredients
preparation
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For the Cake
Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C Fan - grease and line your 2lb
250 g unsalted butter/stork
loaf tin!
250 g caster sugar
Beat together your butter and sugar together till light and creamy!
250 g self raising flour
Add in your flour, eggs and lemon and beat again till combined.
5 medium eggs
It’ll be a smooth cake mixture!
zest of 2 lemons (2tsp lemon extract)
Add the mix into the cake tin and bake. This can take 55-65 minutes - but check from 50 minutes onwards
For the Drizzle
Towards the end of baking - in a bowl, mix together your 75ml
75 ml lemon juice
lemon juice and 75g caster sugar together
75 g caster sugar
Once the cake is baked, drizzle this over the cake, whist still in the tin. Let the cake cool fully
For the Decoration
Once the cake is cooled, remove from the tin
50 g icing sugar
If you want to decorate, mix in lemon juice to your icing sugar till
2-4 tsps lemon juice
you reach the desired consistency
lemon zest
Drizzle this over the cake, and sprinkle on some lemon zest for decoration! Enjoy!
Beth’s Carrot k Walnut Cake ingredients
preparation
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250 ml sunflower oil
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease two deep 20cm round sandwich
4 large eggs
tins and line the bases of the cake tins with baking parchment
225 g light muscovado sugar
Put the oil, eggs, and sugar into a large mixing bowl. Whisk until
200 g carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
the mixture is well combined, lighter, and noticeably thickened. In
300 g self-raising flour
a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the cake mixture as
2 tsp baking powder
shown below. Spoon the mixture evenly between the tins
1 tsp ground mixed spice
Gently fold the carrot into the cake batter, then stir in the flour,
1 tsp ground ginger
baking powder, mixed spice, ginger, and chopped walnuts until
75 g walnuts, shelled and chopped, plus 8
evenly blended
halves to decorate
Put the cakes in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes, or until golden brown, risen, and shrinking away from the sides of the tins.
For the Icing 50 g butter (room temperature) 25 g icing sugar 250 g full-fat cream cheese (room temperature) 3 drops of vanilla extract
Transfer to a wire rack to cool For the Icing, measure the butter, icing sugar, cream cheese, and vanilla extract into a bowl and whisk using a hand or electric whisk until smooth and thoroughly blended. 6. Spread half the icing on one cake, sit the other cake on top, and spread the remaining icing on top to make a swirl pattern. Decorate the top of the cake with the halved walnut
Flo’s Spiced Carrot, Pistachio k Almond Cake
I have had a lot of carrot cakes in my time but my golly this really is the best one I have ever tried, and made myself! Its a Persian recipe and it has so much flavour! AND its gluten free!
ingredients
preparation
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3 large free range eggs
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line a 23cm/9 inch springform cake
200g caster sugar
tin with baking paper. I always butter the tin first then put the
2 tsp vanilla extract
baking paper in after to help the paper stick to the sides of the tin.
200g ground almonds
You don’t have to butter the inside of it as there are lots of oils in the
100g desiccated coconut
cake already so it shouldn’t stick!
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract together in a mixing
150 unsalted butter, melted
bowl or an electric mixer. Add the ground almonds, coconut and
2 large carrots, grated
cinnamon and stir. Then add melted butter. When it is mixed well,
100g shelled pistachio nuts, chopped
add the grated carrots and pistachios and mix by hand. Pour/spoon
Icing sugar, for dusting
the mixture into the tin and bake for 1 hour - or until you put a knife/skewer into it and it comes out clean
For the Rosewater cream: 300ml double cream (½ pint) 2-3tbsp rosewater 3-4 tbsp icing sugar A few chopped pistachio nuts
To make the rosewater cream, whip the double cream along with the rosewater and icing sugar by hand or in an electric mixer. When the cream is thick, drop a dollop next to the slice of cake and top it with some pistachios! Gorgeous and yummy! If you can’t find rosewater its just as good with yoghurt or cream on the side too!
Mel’s Pear k Chocolate Cake ingredients
preparation
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100g ground almonds
Mix butter and sugar together
140g self-raising flour
Add eggs and mix
140g caster sugar
Then add the flour and ground almonds
175g butter
Make sure the mixture is smooth, with no lumps
2 large eggs
Peel the pears, then chop them into small pieces and add to the
Between 3-5 conference pears (size
mixture
dependent)
You can keep some until the end to do a pretty pattern
100g dark chocolate, cut into chunks
Add the chocolate chunks. Gently stir in Bake for approximately 60 minutes at 160°C (keep an eye though)
@floatypixels MMXX