Pumpkin Sponge Roll
2014-11-04 03:34:47
Light textured sponge roll makes a delicious pudding
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
20 min
Cake
- 100 g plain flour
- 200 g caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 eggs
- 150 g pumpkin puree
Filling
- 300 ml double cream
- 2 tblsp icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Cut a small pumpkin in half and remove seeds
- Bake in oven for approx 45 mins until flesh is soft
- Allow to cool and scoop out flesh, puree until smooth with stick blender or mash by hand
- Mix flour with baking powder, bicarbonate, salt and spices (cinnamon, ginger, mixed spice)
- Put eggs, sugar and vanilla in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until thick, pale yellow and fluffy (5 to 10 mins)
- Beat in weighed and prepared pumpkin puree
- Gently fold in sieved flour mixture with a spoon
- Spread into lined swiss roll tin
- Bake for approx 20 mins until when pressed the cake springs back
- While still warm turn out the roll onto greaseproof paper dusted with icing sugar and roll. Then leave to cool
- Whip cream with sugar and cinnamon, unroll cake, spread filling and roll again
Notes
- The secret to a good sponge roll is not over mixing when adding the flour as this will knock out the air.
- Also roll when still warm before adding the filling to minimise cracking. However don't worry if the roll does crack as the cream filling will hold it together and you can dust with a mix of icing sugar and cinnamon
Green Nutrition http://www.greennutrition.co.uk/
Halloween Mini Pizza Faces
2014-11-05 00:46:45
Delicious base with creative toppings
Cook Time
15 min
Dough
- 400 g strong flour
- 20 g fresh yeast
- 220 ml warm water
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
Sauce
- 4 rashers streaky bacon
- 1 onion
- 1 400 g tin tomatoes
- 2 tblsp tomato puree
- 3 cloves garlic
Toppings
- Cheese
- Pepper
- Ham
- Pineapple
- Olives
Instructions
- To make sauce chop bacon and onion into small pieces and crush garlic
- Fry in olive oil until bacon in cooked and onion softened
- Add tinned tomato and tomato puree and blend with stick blender or in liquidiser until smooth
- To make dough cream yeast with sugar and warm water
- Pour yeast mixture into flour and salt
- Mix to form a soft dough, turn onto a board and knead for about 5 - 10 mins
- Leave covered in warm place to double in size
- Divide dough and roll into rounds
- Place on greased tray
- Spread with sauce and selected toppings
Notes
- We used the toppings to create scary halloween faces. Change the theme to suit the occasion e.g Christmas, Easter, Birthday or just plain mini snack pizzas.
Green Nutrition http://www.greennutrition.co.uk/
Bread Bones
2014-11-05 00:58:12
Bone shaped soft bread rolls
Cook Time
20 min
Ingredients
- 500 g strong plain flour
- 25 g fresh yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 300 ml water
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Heat water until warm and pour into bowl
- Stir in yeast until dissolved
- Add flour, oil and salt and combine to form a dough
- Turn out onto a board and knead for 5 to 10 minutes
- Leave to rest covered, until doubled in size
- Divide into balls and roll out into approx 30 cm lengths
- Tie a loose knot in both ends and place on baking tray
- Brush with beaten egg white and sprinkle with cheese
- Bake in oven for about 20 mins gas 4 (180c, fan 160c) until they puff and brown
Notes
- Be creative and try forming dough into different shapes e.g feet, bats, snakes
Green Nutrition http://www.greennutrition.co.uk/
Pumpkin Soup
2014-11-05 01:05:39
Warming winter soup
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
30 min
Ingredients
- 2 white onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 750 g pumpkin
- 500 g carrots
- 1 veg stock cube (kallo organic)
- 150 g red lentils
- 1 tblsp cumin seeds
- 1 tblsp coriander seeds
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 ltr water
Instructions
- Slice onion finely and crush garlic
- Peel and chop carrot and pumpkin into small chunks or grate
- Toast seeds and pepper in dry frying pan and then grind with pestle and mortar
- Fry onion and garlic in oil until soft and then add all other ingredients
- Simmer until vegetables are soft and then blend with a stick blender
- Add more water if the soup is too thick
Notes
- You can use butternut squash instead of pumpkin if not available
Green Nutrition http://www.greennutrition.co.uk/
Cheese Fingers
2014-11-05 01:36:27
Halloween Party Fingers. Great snack any time of year!
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
10 min
Ingredients
- 250 g plain flour
- 150 g butter
- 75 g cheddar cheese
- 1 tblsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp dried mustard
- Whole almonds
- Beaten egg
Instructions
- Grate cheese
- Rub butter into flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs
- Add cheese, mustard, salt and paprika
- Bind mixture with enough beaten egg to make a soft dough
- Put in refrigerator for 10 mins to chill
- Cover whole almonds in boiling water and leave to soak for a few mins
- Drain almonds and squeeze gently to remove skins
- Roll out dough and cut into strip and shape into fingers
- Press almond into end of ‘finger’ to resemble the nail
- Bake for 10 mins gas 4 (electric 180 C, fan 160 C) until browned
Notes
- The same dough mix can be used to make 'cheese twists' or 'straws'. You can also brush with egg white and sprinkle with sesame or poppy seeds before baking
- Add some currants to your fingers for warts!!
Green Nutrition http://www.greennutrition.co.uk/
Venison & Ale Pie
2014-11-05 01:44:30
Rich and satisfying pie
Cook Time
20 min
Rough Puff Pastry
- 225 g plain flour
- 150 g butter
- water to bind
Filling
- 2 onions
- 2 sticks celery
- 750 g venison
- 200 ml ale
- 2 kallo beef stock cubes
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tblsp paprika
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
- 2 tblsp plain flour
- 500 ml water
Instructions
- To make pastry cut butter into small pieces and add to flour
- Do not rub in but add enough water to bind
- Wrap and chill in fridge for 10 mins
- Roll out pastry into a long strip and then fold into 3 (like a closed book)
- Repeat the folding 3 times and then chill again for 10 mins in the fridge
- To make filling slice onion finely and chop celery
- Chop venison into chunks
- Fry venison with onion and celery in oil until browned
- Stir in flour
- Add ale, stock cubes and water
- Add spices and thyme
- Simmer until venison is tender
- Add more water while cooking if necessary
- Fill pie cases with venison mix roll out pastry and place on top of pie.
- Brush with beaten egg and bake in oven gas 5 (electric 190C, fan 170C) for approx 20 mins until browned
Notes
- Equally good with beef instead of venison. Try adding mushrooms if you like them.
Green Nutrition http://www.greennutrition.co.uk/
Spooky Cakes
2014-10-04 17:27:19
Spooky Halloween Cup Cakes
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
20 min
Cake Mix
- 200 g butter
- 200 g caster sugar
- 200 g SR flour
- 4 eggs
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp vanilla
Butter Icing
- 110g icing sugar
- 1 – 2 tblsp cocoa
- 110 g butter
Decoration
- Liquorice Catherine wheels
- Liquorice allsorts
- Maltesers
- Various sweets
To Make Cakes
- Cream butter and sugar together
- Crack eggs into bowl
- Add eggs and flour to creamed butter and sugar and mix well
- Add baking powder and vanilla
- Put into cake cups
- Bake gas 4 (electric 180C, fan 160C) for approx 15 mins until risen and brown
To Make Icing
- Cream icing sugar with butter
- Add cocoa
- Add milk to soften
- Ice cakes when cool and decorate as spooky spiders and faces
Notes
- Hooting owl faces look good using maltesers for eyes and a slice off the top of the cakes
Green Nutrition http://www.greennutrition.co.uk/
Potato & Pumpkin Rostis
2014-10-04 17:51:03
Crunchy Autumn Rosti
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
30 min
Ingredients
- 800 g potatoes
- 400 g carrots
- 400 g pumpkin
- 100 g softened butter
Instructions
- Parboil the potatoes with skin in salted water until just tender, but not soft.
- Allow to cool
- Coarsely grate the potatoes
- Peel and grate the carrots and pumpkin
- Mix the grated potato, carrot and pumpkin
- Add softened butter and season with salt and pepper
- Form into flat cakes and place on lined baking trays
- Bake in oven until browned
Notes
- Rostis can also be fried in olive oil instead of baking
Green Nutrition http://www.greennutrition.co.uk/