Recipe - Chocolate, Cherry & Honeycomb Parfait

Ingredients

200g chocolate - I used milk as I'm not a massive fan of dark chocolate but the choice is yours!
85g blanched almonds
150g margarine
85g glace cherries
100g dried cranberries

For the honeycomb:

5tbsp granulated sugar
2tbsp golden syrup
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Method to the madness

Begin by making the honeycomb. Generously grease a baking tray with vegetable oil. Melt the sugar and golden syrup in a saucepan over a low heat. Once it has all melted together turn up the heat until it bubbles into a gorgeous caramel colour.

Whisk in the bicarbonate of soda. The syrup will foam up and once it has pour it immediately into the greased baking tray and set aside in the fridge for 20 minutes.

Once set whack with a knife until you have broken it all up.

Line a loaf tin with enough clingfilm so there is some clingfilm hanging over the edge and try to make it as crease-free as possible. Roughly chop up the almonds before moving on to the chocolate mix.

Break up the chocolate into a glass bowl and add the margarine before heating over a pan of simmering water until they are melted together.

Take the bowl off the heat and stir in the chopped honeycomb, almonds, cherries and cranberries.

Spoon the mixture in to the tin and fold the overhanging clingfilm loosely over the parfait and pop in the freezer for an hour.

Remove from the freezer and transfer the parfait to the fridge until completely set. Once you're ready to serve, carefully lift the parfait from the tin, unwrap the clingfilm and cut into slices.

I think the second time I make this I will pour the mixture straight from the pan into the tin and freeze. I let the mixture cool for too long and as such the butter slightly separated itself. The mixture is a gooey, sticky sugary, melty taste explosion and I would recommend making this.

C x

Granny's Pie - Recipe

Whenever I go to Portugal my Granny always makes a very scrumptious cold meat pie. Unfortunately I don't go as often as I'd like so I asked her for the recipe so I could make it myself rather than having to wait years! And because I love you all I am sharing it with you too....

Ingredients

For the pastry (that's right I didn't cheat like normal!)

600g plain flour, plus extra for rolling etc.
260g chilled unsalted butter
140g vegetable fat
180ml iced water
Salt

For the filling

1 onion, minced
1 pack of pork mince
8 sausages - it doesn't matter what kind, be creative!
1 teaspoon lemon juice
20g fresh parsley
1 large egg
Breadcrumbs (from 1 slice of bread)
2 chicken breasts
4 rashers of bacon
Salt and Pepper

You will also need a 24cm springform cake tin (the one with the clip at the side), about 6cm deep.

Method to the Madness

First order of the pie is to make the pastry. Sieve the flour into a large bowl with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, then add the butter and vegetable fat. Rub this into the flour with your fingers - bit messy.

When it is a rough crumbly texture, gradually stir in the sufficient iced water until the mixture begins to come together.

Turn it out on to a floured board and push the pastry together with the heel of your hand.

Cut off just under a third of the mixture and reshape the 2 pieces you have into flattish disks (this doesnt need to be neat).Wrap them in clingfilm and pop them into fridge whilst you make the filling.

Heat a small pan, add oil and cook the onion until soft before setting aside to cool. Put the pork mince in a large bowl (I used the same one I did the pastry in to save on washing up!). Cut the sausages out of their skins and put the sausage meat in the same bowl. Add the onion, lemon juice, parsely, and season with salt and pepper, before mixing together with a wooden spoon. Add the breadcrumbs and half the beaten egg and set aside. Slice the chicken breasts and trim the fat off the bacon.

Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F or Gas Mark 4. Take the pastry out of the fridge, dust your work surface and roll out the larger piece into a circle 32.5-35cm. Grease your tin and carefully lower the pastry into it. Press the pastry against the edges of the tin, the edges should come up quite high in the tin as its meant to be a deep pie.

Put half of the sausage mixture in the base of the pie and press down firmly.

Lay the bacon over the sausage mixture and brush with a little of the beaten egg, then layer the chicken pieces on top before finishing with the remainder of the sausage mixture, pressing down firmly.

Dust the work surface with flour and roll the remaining pastry to a circle about 24cm in diameter. Brush the exposed edges with beaten egg and lay the pastry on top of the pie. Press the edges together until all that meat is sealed inside. Brush the top of the pie with  egg and cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape.

Put the pie in the over for 1 hour and 40 minutes before removing from the oven, wait a few minutes before carefully releasing the spring clip and removing the tin. Brush the sides with even more beaten egg, and return the pie to the oven for 10-15mins until the sides are golden too.

Leave your pie alone. Pop it in the fridge overnight and try to forget about it (yes I know its hard!) In the morning cut into that delicious meaty-ness and enjoy with salad and homemade chips. 

I am so proud of this pie, you have no idea! It's one of the best things I have ever made I think,and its so good!

C xxx    

Sausage, Bacon, Chicken and Sundried Tomato Roll - Recipe

Ingredients

1 large skinless chicken breast
3 rashers of bacon
3 sausages
6 sundried tomatoes
1 pack of pre-rolled puff pastry
1 egg, beaten
2 tsp mixed herbs
1 garlic clove
25g sesame seed

Method to the madness

Take the skin off the sausages and drop the meat into a food processor along with the chicken, bacon, sundried tomatoes and mixed herbs, with some salt and pepper seasoning. Whizz it for a few minutes until combined.

Roll the pastry out on a floured surface and cut in half length ways. Spread the meat out along one half, leaving a 2cm gap around the outside.

Brush the edge with the beaten egg and then place the other half of the pastry on top. Press around the outside with a fork to seal and cut a few slits across the top.

Heat the overn to 200c/180 fan/gas 6. Place the roll on some baking paper, brush with more egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds before popping into the oven for 20 mins, until golden brown.

 This is so tasty, hot or cold and with a salad on the side. Enjoy!

C xxx

Chicken Soup - Recipe

If you are a regular follower then you will know that I am a fan of broths instead of thick soup. With that in mind with lots of cold and sniffles going around what better than a little chicken broth to make you feel tip top. It's so simple to make and tastes lush.

Ingredients

2 onions, peeled and sliced  
2 sticks celery, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
25g plain flour
55g butter
1.2 litres chicken stock
1tsp of ginger
500g cooked chicken, skinned and shredded
1 tbsp freshly chopped spinach
salt and freshly ground black pepper

  

Method to the madness

  

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat and gently fry the onions, celery and carrots until they start to soften.

 

Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring the mixture to the boil, stirring as you do so. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering and simmer for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

 Add the cooked chicken and cook until heated through. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. 

Stir in the parsley and serve.

 xxx

Sausage and Egg Pie - Recipe

Ingredients

6 eggs
800g sausages
Mixed herbs
500g puff pastry
A beaten egg
Salt and pepper

Method to the madness

Bring a pan of water to a boil and boil the eggs for 4 minutes. Plunge directly into cold water and leave. Then skin the sausages and mix with the herbs and season with salt and pepper.

 

Peel the eggs carefully - this took me forever! I don't think there is any quick way, but let me know in the comments if there is!

Divide the pastry in half and roll half of it into a rectangle that fits in a baking tray. Grease the tray with butter and lay the pastry on top. Add a layer of sausage meat, leaving a little space around the outside. Put the eggs down the middle, making a little groove with your thumb as you go for added stability.

Next build the remaining sausage meat around the eggs.

Roll out the other half of the pastry. Brush the edges of the first sheet with beaten egg and lay the other sheet of pastry over the top, pressing to stick and crimping to pimp. Now brush all over with egg and make a few slits in the top. 

Preheat the oven to 200C. Brush with a beaten egg or milk before baking for 25-30 minutes until a light brown in colour. Try not to eat in one sitting.

xxx