When buying cheese at supermarkets, always compare the prices of smaller sizes against that of the larger sizes. For reasons best known to themselves (but perhaps not unrelated to their opinion of their customers) they almost always price cheese so that is cheaper to buy, for example, 2 x 250g than 1 x 500g.
This applies to many other products as well. It is always possible that this is incompetence, but I suspect it is something a little more rude.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Quick lemon cake
Ingredients
2 cups self-raising flour
½ cup caster sugar
Finely grated zest 1 lemon
Juice 1 lemon
3 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup milk
½ cup olive oil (not extra virgin)
SYRUP
1/3 cup icing sugar
Juice 1 lemon
Method
1. Preheat oven to moderate, 180°C. Lightly grease a 20cm round cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper.
2. Sift flour into a large bowl. Stir in sugar and zest. (Children can be very helpful at this stage.)
3. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, lemon juice and oil. Fold into dry ingredients.
4. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until cooked when tested. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate while stil slightly warm..
5. SYRUP. Meanwhile, sift icing sugar into a small bowl. Add enough juice to make a smooth, spreadable consistency. Drizzle over cake. Stand until icing sets. Serve in wedges topped with lemon strips.
2 cups self-raising flour
½ cup caster sugar
Finely grated zest 1 lemon
Juice 1 lemon
3 eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup milk
½ cup olive oil (not extra virgin)
SYRUP
1/3 cup icing sugar
Juice 1 lemon
Method
1. Preheat oven to moderate, 180°C. Lightly grease a 20cm round cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper.
2. Sift flour into a large bowl. Stir in sugar and zest. (Children can be very helpful at this stage.)
3. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, lemon juice and oil. Fold into dry ingredients.
4. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until cooked when tested. Stand in pan for 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate while stil slightly warm..
5. SYRUP. Meanwhile, sift icing sugar into a small bowl. Add enough juice to make a smooth, spreadable consistency. Drizzle over cake. Stand until icing sets. Serve in wedges topped with lemon strips.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Tarte Tatin
Ingredients
5 medium apples
70g unsalted butter
60g caster sugar
1 sheet ready-rolled frozen puff pastry (defrosted)
1 high-sided pie dish/tin (for 6, 20cm diameter)
Method
1. Peel and core apples, and cut them roughly into quarters.
2. Place butter sugar and apples into a large frying pan and fry over medium heat, turning apples until all sides are cooked and desired colour of caramel is reached.
3. Whilst the apples are cooking cut the pastry to slightly larger than the pie dish.
4. When the caramel has reached the desired colour, place the apples in the pie dish, side by side with the curved side down. Pack apple quarters into any gaps. Cover with caramel mixture from pan.
5. Place the pastry on top of the apples and then place in an oven at between 180 and 200° for approximately 1/4 of an hour or until pastry is puffy and golden brown.
6. Once cooking is over, take out of the oven and allow to stand for a few minutes. Place a serving dish over the pie dish and flip it upside down quickly to turn it out.
Simply serve as it is, that’s it.
5 medium apples
70g unsalted butter
60g caster sugar
1 sheet ready-rolled frozen puff pastry (defrosted)
1 high-sided pie dish/tin (for 6, 20cm diameter)
Method
1. Peel and core apples, and cut them roughly into quarters.
2. Place butter sugar and apples into a large frying pan and fry over medium heat, turning apples until all sides are cooked and desired colour of caramel is reached.
3. Whilst the apples are cooking cut the pastry to slightly larger than the pie dish.
4. When the caramel has reached the desired colour, place the apples in the pie dish, side by side with the curved side down. Pack apple quarters into any gaps. Cover with caramel mixture from pan.
5. Place the pastry on top of the apples and then place in an oven at between 180 and 200° for approximately 1/4 of an hour or until pastry is puffy and golden brown.
6. Once cooking is over, take out of the oven and allow to stand for a few minutes. Place a serving dish over the pie dish and flip it upside down quickly to turn it out.
Simply serve as it is, that’s it.
Finger Paint
Ingredients
1 part cornflour (1/2 cup)
3 parts water (1 1/2 cups)
food colouring
Method
1. Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat.
2. Dissolve cornflour in a little cold water and add to hot water, stirring constantly. Boil until clear and thick (about one minute). Add desired colouring.
3. This mixture will be very smooth. Allow it to cool a little before giving it to your child to paint with.
4. A tablespoon of glycerine may be added to make it glossy.
Notes: this will make quite a lot of paint so you might want to divide it into four or five bowls before adding food dye. A 1/4 cup of soap flakes may be added to give finger paint a lumpy texture.
1 part cornflour (1/2 cup)
3 parts water (1 1/2 cups)
food colouring
Method
1. Bring water to boil in a saucepan. Remove from heat.
2. Dissolve cornflour in a little cold water and add to hot water, stirring constantly. Boil until clear and thick (about one minute). Add desired colouring.
3. This mixture will be very smooth. Allow it to cool a little before giving it to your child to paint with.
4. A tablespoon of glycerine may be added to make it glossy.
Notes: this will make quite a lot of paint so you might want to divide it into four or five bowls before adding food dye. A 1/4 cup of soap flakes may be added to give finger paint a lumpy texture.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Cooked Playdough
Ingredients
2 cups of plain flour
1 cup of salt
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups of water
4 teaspoons cream or tartar
Food colouring
Method
1. Mix all ingredients together and cook in a microwave oven on a medium low power setting for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Further cooking maybe required for 1 minute on low power.
2. Alternatively, this can be done in a saucepan on the stove stirring continuously until it comes together well.
3. For both methods knead well.
Notes: this method is great for children to play with whilst it is still warm. Add glitter at the kneading stage to make it beautiful for little girls.
2 cups of plain flour
1 cup of salt
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups of water
4 teaspoons cream or tartar
Food colouring
Method
1. Mix all ingredients together and cook in a microwave oven on a medium low power setting for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Further cooking maybe required for 1 minute on low power.
2. Alternatively, this can be done in a saucepan on the stove stirring continuously until it comes together well.
3. For both methods knead well.
Notes: this method is great for children to play with whilst it is still warm. Add glitter at the kneading stage to make it beautiful for little girls.
Cinnamon Stars
Ingredients
175g finely ground almonds / hazelnuts
10ml ground cinnamon
½ tsp lemon zest
40ml egg whites (1 59g egg)
pinch salt
190g icing sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
Method
1. Stir together the almonds, cinnamon, and lemon zest until combined.
2. Beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Slowly sift in the icing sugar, continuing to beat until the mixture is stiff. Set aside 1/4 cup of the egg white mixture for the glaze. Fold in the almond mixture.
3. Preheat oven to 170 C / 325 F. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
4. Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a surface that has been sprinkled with icing sugar. Using a 2 1/2-inch star cookie cutter, cut out the biscuits and place them on the lined baking tray.
5. To make the glaze, add the lemon juice to the reserved egg white mixture, stirring until smooth. Brush the tops of the biscuits lightly with the glaze. (If the glaze starts to thicken, add a few more drops of lemon juice.)
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. When done, they will be light brown and soft in the center. Remove and cool on wire racks.
175g finely ground almonds / hazelnuts
10ml ground cinnamon
½ tsp lemon zest
40ml egg whites (1 59g egg)
pinch salt
190g icing sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
Method
1. Stir together the almonds, cinnamon, and lemon zest until combined.
2. Beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. Slowly sift in the icing sugar, continuing to beat until the mixture is stiff. Set aside 1/4 cup of the egg white mixture for the glaze. Fold in the almond mixture.
3. Preheat oven to 170 C / 325 F. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
4. Roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness on a surface that has been sprinkled with icing sugar. Using a 2 1/2-inch star cookie cutter, cut out the biscuits and place them on the lined baking tray.
5. To make the glaze, add the lemon juice to the reserved egg white mixture, stirring until smooth. Brush the tops of the biscuits lightly with the glaze. (If the glaze starts to thicken, add a few more drops of lemon juice.)
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. When done, they will be light brown and soft in the center. Remove and cool on wire racks.
Banana Cake
Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped dates
4-5 over-ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups self-raising flour
Method
1. Combine sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add eggs and cinnamon then Whisk mixture until fully combined.
3. Stir mashed bananas and dates into the mixture.
4. Finally add flour and mix well.
5. Pour into a greased cake tin and bake at 180C / 350F / Gas 4 until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out dry (approx 1hr and 5 mins).
6. Allow to stand in cake tin for a few minutes before transferring to a serving plate. Can be eaten warm or cold, with or without butter.
Notes: over-ripe bananas can be frozen in their skins successfully, so you can accumulate them over weeks and use them when you have sufficient. The flour does not need to be sifted.
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped dates
4-5 over-ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups self-raising flour
Method
1. Combine sugar and oil in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add eggs and cinnamon then Whisk mixture until fully combined.
3. Stir mashed bananas and dates into the mixture.
4. Finally add flour and mix well.
5. Pour into a greased cake tin and bake at 180C / 350F / Gas 4 until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out dry (approx 1hr and 5 mins).
6. Allow to stand in cake tin for a few minutes before transferring to a serving plate. Can be eaten warm or cold, with or without butter.
Notes: over-ripe bananas can be frozen in their skins successfully, so you can accumulate them over weeks and use them when you have sufficient. The flour does not need to be sifted.
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