Archive | January 2017

Citrus Syrup Cakes

Jan29

These little citrus syrup cakes are so awesome and packed with flavour you will want to make this recipe over and over again.Ā  I once served them to a chef who stayed at my B &B and he asked for the recipe..I was quite chuffed šŸ™‚

Ingredients:-

  • 113gĀ unsalted butter, softened
  • 113g sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • zest of 1 lemon & 1 lime
  • 160g self raising flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 4 tbsp milk

Syrup:-

  • 2 tbsp lime juice, plus zest for decoration
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice, plus zest for decoration
  • Ā½ cup icing sugar

Preheat oven to 180Ā°C/160Ā°C fan, and butter two cupcake pans.

Method:-

  1. Cream together the butterĀ and sugar, add the eggs one at a time and the zest, beating well.
  2. Fold in the flourĀ and salt gently, then add the milk.
  3. Spoon into the cupcake pans and cook for 20-25 minutes.

While cakes are cooking, prepare the syrup by putting the lime and lemon juices and sugar into a small saucepan and heating gently until the sugar dissolves.

As soon as the little cakes are cooked, take them from the oven and prickĀ them several times with a small skewer.

PourĀ the syrup over them evenly,Ā making sure it isĀ on the edgesĀ as well as the middle.

Let the cakes cook slightly (Ā½ hour or so ), until all the syrup is absorbed.Ā  Don’t leave themĀ for more than an hourĀ otherwise they will be difficult to remove.

Turn out onto a wire rack and decorate them with the lemon and lime zest.

Makes about 10-12…………..Enjoy! Leave a comment below and/or on the Instagram post to let me know how you enjoyed the recipe ā™„

This entry was posted on January 29, 2017, in Recipes.

Roast Lemon & Herb Chicken

Jan23

Ā So easy and so delectable I love one pot dinners ā™„ā™„ā™„

Ingredients:-

  • 1 x free range chicken about 1.5 kg
  • 50g butter softened
  • handful of fresh herbs, thyme, rosemary, tarragon & parsley leaves picked, roughly chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, 1 mashed, the other 3 left whole but squashed
  • 2 lemons
  • 1 onion, roughly chopped
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 250ml chicken stock
  • 2 onions, quartered
  • 2 bay leaf
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 250ml chicken stock

Method:-

  1. Heat oven to 200Ā°C/180Ā°C fan. In a small bowl, mash the butter withĀ half of the herbs, the mashed garlic and the juice of half a lemon. Mix everything together with some seasoning and set aside.
  2. Use your hand to loosen the chicken skin away from the breast, then push most of the butter mix under the skin. Rub the rest of the butter all over the outside of the chicken, then stuff the cavity with the a few lemon halves, remainingĀ herbs and stalks, and the garlic.
  3. Scatter the onion, remainder of lemon halvesĀ and bay leaves over the base of a small roasting tin. Sit the chicken on top, breast-side up, and roast on the middle shelf for 1 hr 30 mins, basting with the buttery juices after about 40 mins. When the chicken is dark golden, crispy-skinned and the juices run clear, remove from the oven and remove to rest on warm plate forĀ 15 mins.
  4. To make the gravy, remove bay leaves and onions, and squeeze the juice out of the cooked lemon halves and discard the skins. Place theĀ pan on a low heat, stir in flour and sizzle until light brown. Gradually pour in the stock and cook for a few mins. If you like a darker gravy, add a splash of soy sauce to the tin. Strain the gravy into a jug and serve with the chicken.

Enjoy!Ā  Leave a comment below or/and on the Instagram page to let me know how you liked the recipe ā™„

This entry was posted on January 23, 2017, in Recipes.