Recipe - Pumpkin Pie

I'm not a coffee lover so you will never find me with a PSL (Pumpkin Spiced Latte) over the autumn months even though I'd love to try one. Something else that I have never tried but thought, 'why the hell not give it a shot!' is Pumpkin Pie.

Making use of the leftovers from carving that pumpkin this is a sweet treat way to make sure nothing goes to waste. The spices make it taste just like my favourite season should and it will be a struggle not to eat the whole thing. Maybe just one more slice, I must say I don't know why I had never given it a go before!

Ingredients

Sweet Shortcrust Pastry

110g butter
300g flour
80g caster sugar
1 egg

Pumpkin Pie Filling

750g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into chunks
350g sweet shortcrust pastry
plain flour, for dusting
140g caster sugar
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fresh nutmeg, grated
1 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs, beaten
25g butter, melted
175ml milk

Method to the Madness

Make up pastry by rubbing the flour and butter together until in crumbs. Add the sugar and egg and bring together into a soft dough.

Place the pumpkin in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil. Once tender drain the pumpkin and let cool.

Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a loose-bottomed tart tin. Pop in the fridge to chill for 15 mins. Line the pastry with baking parchment and baking beans, then bake for 15 mins. Remove the baking beans and paper, and cook for another 10 mins until the base is pale golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

 Increase oven temperature to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Push the cooled pumpkin through a sieve into a large bowl. In a different bowl, combine the sugar, salt, nutmeg and half the cinnamon. Next mix in the beaten eggs, melted butter and milk, then add to the pumpkin purée and stir to combine.

Pour into the pastry shell and cook for 10 mins, then reduce the temperature to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.

Continue to bake for 35-40 mins until the filling has just set. If you fancy take out after 20 minutes to add some pastry decoration.

Leave to cool, then remove the pie from the tin. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon. Serve chilled.

Happy Halloween!
C x

Recipe - Coconut Macaroons

I love coconut and I love condensed milk so this recipe might just be one of my favourites. Crisp on the outside and chewy in the middle these macaroons are quick to make and keep for while (if they last that long!)

Ingredients

400g sweetened shredded coconut
200ml condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs whites
120g milk chocolate

Method to the Madness

Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line two trays with baking paper.

In a medium bowl, mix together the shredded coconut, condensed milk and vanilla extract.

Separate the yolks and whites carefully!

  
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.

Fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture.

Using two spoons, form heaped tablespoons of the mixture into mounds on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and the bottoms and edges are deeply golden.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave, stopping and stirring every 30 second intervals so it doesn't burn. Dip the bottoms of the macaroons in the chocolate and return upside down to the trays.

Place the macaroons in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so the chocolate to sets then eat the whole lot with a cup of tea.

C x

Prawn & Chorizo Paella

This recipe is a firm favourite on my dinner table and it just so happens to contain two of the best foods, prawns and chorizo!

Super easy to make and ready in 30 minutes you need to give this one a try! Make sure you click the picture below to link through to the Youtube video:

C x

Recipe - Party Ring Biscuits

Sunday biscuit time! Recipe makes a whole heap of biscuits with a crunch, and who doesn't love pink icing! Perfect for making and keeping in a jar to sneak one every time you walk past.

Click on picture to link through:

C x

Recipe - Coconut Ice

Sticky, pink and coconuty, this sweet treat is perfect for keeping in the fridge and sneaking a piece or two every time. So simple to make and it only requires three ingredients and some chilling time!

Let's get started:

Ingredients

250g condensed milk
250g icing sugar
250g unsweetened desiccated coconut
couple of drops of pink food colouring

Method to the Madness

Mix the condensed milk, icing sugar and coconut in a bowl

Until you get a dough...

Separate out into two equal balls and press one lump into a square 20cm tin lined with greased cling film

Add a few drops of pink food colouring

And layer on top of the white mixture, using the back of a spoon to smooth out the top

Leave in the fridge to set, preferably overnight. Once set cut into bite-sized chunks and marvel in it's pretty pinkness!

 

Enjoy!

C x

Broccoli, Walnut and Stilton Tart

One of my favourite things to eat is tart. Savoury or sweet, I do love a filling in a pastry case. Try this easy and tasty tart which is perfect for lunch paired with a salad.

Click the picture to link through to the video. 

C x

Recipe - Double Cheese Straws

One of the most simple things that I bake and also one of the most popular. These cheese straws are quick to make and just as quick to be wolfed down. You might want to double up on the recipe because believe me one batch probably wont be enough!

Click on the picture to be linked through to the video!

C x

Hosting a Christmas Dinner Party

Every year my friends and I have a Christmas meal together and this year it's my turn. Que carefully planned preparation. ... except it isn't like that at all which is why I have prepared this handy guide to getting round the kitchen with ease for those parties that I'm am sure you will be having!

It's always a good idea to sit down before and plan. Make a list of all the food you will need and when you are going to prepare and cook the meal. Luckily I have the day off before our meal so will be doing a ton of prep work and pre-cooking to help me out before the main event. If you don't have the whole day off then try and do bits in stages when you are free in the evening. I have also enlisted the help of my friends as feeding for thirteen is no easy task and not particularly cheap either! One couple are bringing desserts, whilst another are bringing carrots, another tray of potatoes and a big, fat meaty bird to add to the 3 others that I have cooked. Don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it!

To make sure I get all my timings right I have created a grid so I know how long everything needs to be cooked for. I need it to be all ready to go at the same time so this should help. How much do you want to bet that I still have to microwave something though?!

If you are having a dinner party for anyone over 4 people then it might be an idea to make a seating plan. Seating plan politics are not something that you should take on lightly. I spent a LONG time trying to seat everyone and opted for the separate the couples option which should enable people to break out of their comfort zones a little bit and be paired with new people for the games,

Speaking of games, it is always fun to have a few lined up. We normally tend to play Taboo, Cards against Humanity and Heads Up when we get together and they are always competitive! This year I've also bought some really brilliant Dinner Party Napkins which have games like battleships and drawing activities printed on them - you can get them here. Try and think of a few games to play after the main meal and before dessert.

Create your playlist for the evening. As it's Christmas this was particularly easy for me as I already have one on my Spotify ready to go each year. It includes old classics, choir pieces and some pop songs too. A Spaceman came travelling is my favourite Christmas song.

Decorate the house! Try and fill it with messages of goodwill and fortune and the odd piece of tinsel. We will be eating in our Kitchen/Dining Room which currently isn't particularly festive so I will be hanging a few homemade snowflakes from the ceiling and stringing up some garlands.

Remember not to stress. At the end of the day if you ply your guests with enough drink they won't care anyway! Cheers!

C x