Sunday 14 July 2013

51 Days of Summer: Week 2

I have set myself a challenge to take a picture each day of my holiday - to encourage me to do something exciting and help me remember what I've been up to.

Day 8

 Trip doon memories lane ... Making one of my favourites that my Gran use to make
 
Day 9
 
Watched Andy Murray win Wimbledon with a Pimms
and my take on Strawberries & Cream
 
Day 10
 
Having a cosy evening with Em and Bruiser reading ii magazine
 
 
Day 11
Our daily adventures at the back of the dam
 
Day 12
Only sunshine I saw this day, but is rather bonnie
 
 
Day 13
 
Half way with my Aztec quilt, really wanna finish it before the end of July
 
Day 14
 
Baking Dad's birthday cake it is a Rum and Fresh Cherry cake
...using Old Navy's proof rum


Tennis Ice-cream

After watching Andy Murray work his way to the Wimbledon final I decided that my Pimms needed some strawberries and cream to go with it. But I wanted to have a little fun with it so then thought ... ice-cream!
 
When I think strawberries I also think shortbread (very British) so here is what I came up with.
 
Strawberry Cream Shortbread Ice-Cream Recipe
 
 
Ingredients:
600 ml double cream
100 g caster sugar
4 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla paste
150 g shortbread
1.5 punnets of strawberries
1 tbsp jam sugar
 
Method:
First I put the cream and vanilla paste into a heavy bottomed saucepan and put it onto a low heat and brought it to a simmer. Whilst keeping one eye on that I whisked the egg yolks with the sugar until they were pale and fluffy.
 
Once you start to see the milk simmering remove it from the heat and slowly ass it to the egg yolks, whisking all the time. I cheated and used the Kenwood Chef to do this ... as you may no by now Kitchen disasters are a habit for me.
 
Once combined pour it back into the sauce pan and return to the heat continually stirring until it thickens then pour it into a heatproof bowl and cover with clingfilm. Place in the fridge until completely cold and you are ready to use it.
 
Meanwhile cut up the strawberries (as small as you like) put two thirds into a saucepan with the jam sugar and put on a low-medium heat, soften the fruit for 10-15 minutes until it thickens. Put the rest in a separate bowl and set to one side.

Crush up the shortbread and put on a lined baking sheet and crisp up in the oven for 10 minutes then remove and allow to cool.

Once all your ingredients are ready add the custard to your ice-cream machine then when it is almost ready at the raw strawberries and shortbread then at the very end add the strawberry syrup.

And serve xxx

Friday 12 July 2013

Auld School Granny Baking ... Take 2



On Saturday I decided that I needed a peerie nostalgic treat so I made my Granny's Beremeal Bannocks for the first time.



The only recipe that we have is a list of the ingredients with some measurements
so I used my memories
 
Beremeal Bannocks Recipe
 
Ingredients:
         4 oz       beremeal
         8 oz       self-raising flour
         1 tsp      bicarbonate of soda
         1 tsp      cream of tartar
         1 tbsp    treacle
         200 ml  buttermilk (roughly)
 
Mix all the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl and add the treacle. Once combined stir in the buttermilk until it just comes together then turn out on to a well floured surface and roll out. Try not to over work it.
 
Cut the dough into your desired shape then place on a hot griddle (dry frying pan) on a medium heat. Once they puff up and colour turn them over, the timings of this will depend on the heat of your hob.
 

Like my Gran I shaped the dough using my hands
(they look more authentic like this)
 
The wee corners are always a treat for the baker

Eat these with what ever topping you prefer, my two favourites are salt beef &English mustard or rhubarb jam & butter ... splendid!!


If you try these please let me know
what you think
xxx

51 Days of Summer: WEEK 1

I have set myself a challenge to take a picture each day of my holiday - to encourage me to do something exciting and help me remember what I've been up to.

Day 1

Listening to the Rolling Stones at Glastonbury while waiting for the boat North

Day 2
 
Making baileys panna cottas with strawberries

Day 3
 
First walk of the summer with the pack... This is Meg in motion

Day 4
 
Working on the Aztec quilt and its starting to take shape

Day 5
 
Molly decided she was more important and escaped from the boot

Day 6
 
Working my way through my Summer reading here is book #1

Day 7
 
Pimms, Wimbledon and the new Simple Things magazine ... Enough said :0)