2024 Recipes

I will try (keyword, try) to post a recipe & the outcome once a week.

I am already late so I won’t waste any time.. if you’re interested in the recipe please try it out and let me know how it turned out!

We’re not long past Christmas so I think it’s still fair game to whip up a red velvet cake!

Red Velvet Cake with Ermine Frosting

Yield - 2x 20cm layers.

Prep Time: ~15 mins

Baking - 30-40 mins

Oven temp: 180c (160c fan)

Ingredients

• 250g Plain Flour
• 280g Light brown soft sugar
• 2tsp baking powder
• 1tsp baking soda
• 1tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 150ml veg oil
• 200ml buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2tsp vanilla
• red food gel (at least 15g)

Begin by sifting your dry ingredients (except the sugar) into a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer.

Using a whisk, break up any clumps the sugar has formed so it is smooth.

In a separate bowl or jug combine all the wet ingredients and beat til well combined. It should be a very vibrant red colour at this stage, if necessary at more colour. Be aware it will darken while it bakes!

If using a stand mixer attach the paddle and set speed to low. While beating slowly add the wet to the dry and beat on medium for 4-5 mins.

If using a hand mixer or whisk incorporate all the wet and whisk until well combined about the same 4/5 mins.

Line two 20cm cake tins with parchment paper (really, don’t forget this the cake is VERY delicate and will break if it can’t come out easy), grease with some extra veg oil.

If the paper won’t sit nicely in the tin you can soak it with cold water to make it easier to shape.

Once in the tins evenly give them a bang on the counter to settle them. Bake for 30-40 mins. Once a skewer in the centre comes out clean they’re ready!

Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tin and immediately move to a wire rack to finish. If cakes are left in the tin too long they will become sweaty and sticky.

If you’re struggling to decorate your cake once it’s completely cold, wrap it in cling film and freeze for 1-2hrs. This will help firm it up while you are frosting it.

Ermine Frosting

An interesting frosting I just learned about recently but it’s bloody delicious! It does take some time and patience though.

• 30g plain flour
• 150g caster/granulated sugar
• 225g whole milk (not low fat!)
• 170g room temperature (soft) butter
• vanilla paste to taste

1. combine flour & sugar in a medium sized pot on a medium heat. Toast the flour for 1-2 mins. Do not let it burn!
2. Begin adding your milk whisking constantly. Allow the mixture to cook (non stop whisking) for 3-5 mins or so until it has become thick and paste like. It’ll look sort of like glue at this stage!
3. From here you can either transfer to the fridge to cool down or if you have a stand mixture move to step 5. If you put in fridge to cool lay a piece of parchment paper or cling film on the mixture to stop a skin forming.
4. While your mixture is cooling (or before adding to stand mixer) beat your butter for 4-5 mins until it is light in colour and fluffy.
5. Setup your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Transfer mixture to bowl and beat on low for 10-15 mins. Once the mix is below 25c we can add the butter. Beating constantly add the butter a few spoons at a time. Add your vanilla once butter is all added.
6. increase speed to med/high and beat for 5-6 mins until the frosting is light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as necessary.
7. if your frosting feels dense, buttery/oily it is too cold. Heat it gentle in a ban Marie. If it runny it needs to be cooled down. Once temperatures corrected whip again.

Mystery Egg

Lovely idea. Moving to the main forum as the cooking club is effectively dead. Maybe it's time to resurrect it though?

Anyhow, nice red velvet cake. How did it taste?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121593830#Comment_121593830

Thanks!! and maybe so! 🤔

It was lovely but unfortunately one layer broke in half coming out. :’) that’s why it’s done that way haha.

I’ve made another today and will decorate tomorrow.

Who likes tapenade!? 😎

Black Olive Tapenade

• 200g black olives (pitted)
• 100g Capers (squeezed)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tin of anchovies (rinse the salt off them!)
• small piece of nori if you have it handy.
• Olive oil

combine all Ingredients into a food processor or bowl if you don’t have one. Add about 25g olive oil (3-4 tablespoons or so) and blend on high speed for about 30-40s. You want the tapenade to be textured, rustic, but not pureed or lumpy.

If you have no food processor an immersion (stick) blender works great too. Soon I will post a lovely beginner bread recipe that will pair great with it!

I’m not late, I’m just.. shut up!

Just kidding, I am late, sorry. 🤯 work has been busy. But I have what I think is an absolutely delicious recipe that’s so simple and great for the kids to get involved! Very healthy as well!

(I don’t have a picture to accompany this one just yet but I will add it later on).

Caramelised Oat Bars

• 150g 70% (or better) dark chocolate (you can use milk or white chocolate if you don’t like dark choc).
• 150g butter
• 150g oats
• 200g sugar
• coconut milk

Add your oats to a bowl with just a splash of water, you want them barely moist just to soften that bite.

In the meantime add your sugar to a pan and begin to melt. You can add some water if you’re not confident enough to not burn the sugar. This caramel doesn’t need to be left alone though once the sugar is more than half caramelised you can stir it around etc. the lumps don’t matter here!

Add your oats and stir through the caramel. Cut the heat at this point as the oats will cook slightly in the heat of the sugar. Add two tablespoons of coconut milk and once it’s melted it’s ready to tray up!

Transfer to a tray lined with parchment paper and press them in well, but not too hard. Pop in the freezer for about 30~ mins.

In the meantime, prepare a ban Marie to melt the chocolate. Combine chocolate, butter & a pinch of salt.

Once the chocolate is melted whisk it throughly to make sure the fat is well combined. Your chocolate should be nice and shiny, let it cool slightly, then pour onto your oats and leave to set in the fridge for a couple of hours.

To serve, allow it to stand at room temperature for about 15~ mins. Goes great with some fresh raspberries!

limnam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121593830#Comment_121593830

Definitely I use many of the recipes in there on a regular basis.

i can’t even pretend I’m not late this time. 🤣 sorry!!

I am too tired after work to write out a recipe right now but I will do later or tomorrow.

I am so sick all week it’s horrible.

So sorry but you just get a quick and easy one for now!

Saffron Infused Milk (Kesar Milk)

A very popular drink in India, saffron infused milk is loaded with lovely healthy things. It’s like a lovely little immunity boost! I’ve replaced a second or third coffee in the morning with Kesar and besides noticing my bank account drain faster, my general health seems better!

Anyway to make it (you can have hot or cold!)

Hot Kesar: combine a good pinch (about 15 strands) of saffron to 250ml (a cup) of milk. Bring it to about 65c (not boiling!!) and let it gently work for 5-6 mins.

cold Kesar: combine the same 15 strands or so into 250ml of milk and let it infuse for 15-20 mins. Cover with a lid or something while it’s infusing!

sweeten to taste with sugar, honey or whatever you like! Some cinnamon sprinkled on can give it some lovely warmth with the earthiness of the saffron.

enjoy!

LimerickGray

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121594158#Comment_121594158

I went nuts with this and made chocolate ganache and put it between between the 2 layers and iced whole cake. Your icing is lovely. I made FAR too much ganache but that must have been an accident