Russ's Restaurant and Recipe Repository

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Sea-Salted Caramel Fudge

Ingredients:
600 g sugar
250 ml double cream (or use sweetened condensed milk)
50 g unsalted butter
Sea salt
You will need a candy thermometer as well, the temperatures are very important for a proper set.
8x8 cake pan lined with parchment or greaseproof paper, NOT foil.

Method:
Melt 200g of the sugar in a pan over a medium heat until golden, not brown, and then beat in 400g more, along with the double cream or condensed milk, butter and 1 level teaspoon of sea salt.

Cook over a medium-high heat, stirring constantly until it reaches 118ºC on the candy thermometer and be careful; boiling sugar is nasty stuff to get on your skin, so take extra care.

Remove from the heat, and beat with an electric mixer on medium until thick.

Pour into the lined cake pan and spread out evenly with a spatula.

Leave the fudge to cool, then chill it in the fridge to set; leave it in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, remember that sea-salt is a lot more intensely flavored than ordinary table or cooking salt, so be sparing.

Cut into 1-inch squares and serve.

 

[Handley_Page]

A little aside

If you ever feel sad, just think of the 'gf of a pal' who peeled 102 garlic cloves for a recipe; it was then she realised it should have been "1 or 2".

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Treacle Sponge & Custard or Lemon Syrup

For the pudding:
175g (6oz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
3tbsp golden syrup
1tbsp black treacle (molasses)
175g (6oz) light brown sugar
3 eggs, beaten
½ lemon, zest only
175g (6oz) self-raising flour
1-2tbsp milk

For the custard:
284ml pot double cream
250ml (9fl oz) milk
Seeds from 1 vanilla pod
5 egg yolks
50g (2oz) caster (confectioner)sugar
1tbsp cornstarch

For the Lemon Syrup:
5 tbsp golden syrup
Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp Lemon Curd or Lemon Cheese
3 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp water

Method: Pudding
1. Grease a 1-ltr pudding basin well with butter and drizzle the golden syrup and molasses into the basin

2. Cream sugar and butter together in another bowl with a whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs a bit at a time and beat well after each addition. Add the zest and flour, and gently fold to combine. Use the milk to loosen the mixture.

3. Pour the mixture into the prepared pudding basin and level. Cover with pleated greaseproof paper, then cover with foil and tie with string. Put in a pan of boiling water, making sure the water is lower than the rim of the pudding-basin and steam for 2 hrs. Remove and let it stand for 10 minutes. Invert the pudding onto a warmed plate. Serve hot with hot custard.


Custard (Crème Anglaise):
Mix the cream and milk in a pan with the vanilla seeds and bring to a simmer. Boil water in another, larger pan.

Whisk the egg yolks with the caster sugar and cornstarch in a bowl.

Whisk the hot milk into the bowl, place the bowl in the larger pan of hot water, making sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the base of the pan; using a soup bow to stand it off the bottom works quite well.

Over a low heat, keeping the water just simmering stir until the custard coats the back of a spoon. If it starts to curdle, remove from heat and whisk until smooth, then lower the heat and return the bowl to the pan, whisking until thickened enough, then remove from the heat and cover tightly to prevent a skin forming.

Lemon Syrup:
Put the golden syrup, lemon zest, water, lemon curd, and juice in a small saucepan and gently heat, stirring occasionally until the mixture just begins to bubble. Remove immediately from the heat, cover tightly and keep warm.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Peanut Butter Chilli Fudge (Caramel au Diable: Devil's Taffy)

Fudge:
850 ml (680g)sugar
80 g butter
60 ml (60 g) golden syrup
250 ml milk
1 tin (385 g) condensed milk
10 ml vanilla essence
Half of a ¼ teaspoon dry red chilli powder
A Candy/Sugar thermometer is essential for correct setting

Topping
300 ml (150g) icing sugar
125 g butter
250 ml (300g) peanut butter (300 g)
10 ml dried chilli flakes, plus extra for garnishing

Method: Fudge
Butter and line a square 25 cm (10”) baking pan very well with baking parchment or greaseproof paper.

Heat the sugar, butter, golden syrup and milk in a saucepan on medium heat and stir to dissolve the sugar. The mixture must not boil at this stage.

When all the sugar has dissolved, bring the mixture to the boil and boil for 5 minutes.

Add the condensed milk and chilli powder and boil, stirring regularly, until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage (118 °C).

Remove from the heat, add the vanilla essence and beat with a wooden spoon until the mixture starts to thicken.

Pour into the prepared baking pan. Cool slightly while you make the topping.

Method: Topping
Heat all the topping ingredients together in a saucepan on medium heat until melted.

Mix well and then spread the topping over the cooled fudge. Sprinkle some more chilli flakes over the fudge before it sets.

Refrigerate and cut into squares or bars as soon as the peanut butter topping is set.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I'm going to have to buy a candy thermometer now...

Blast you, temptress!

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

The cold weather and dark evenings of Autumn are nearly upon us, so here's some comfort food to make and eat while the rain and wind make merry:

Classic Yorkshire Pudding

Method 1:

Ingredients:

75g/3oz plain flour
2 eggs
150ml /¼pint light beer (IPA or similar, not ale)
15-30ml/1-2tbsp oil

Method:
Set oven temperature to Gas mark 7, 220°C, 425°F

In a bowl mix together the flour and eggs, then add the beer and whisk until smooth and slightly thicker than the consistency of melted ice-cream, pour into a jug, cover with film and put in the fridge.

Divide the oil between 4 large or 12 small Yorkshire pudding tins (or use muffin tins) and heat in the oven for 5-10 minutes, or until the oil is smoking hot.

Take the tins from the oven and immediately pour the batter equally into each pocket in the heated tin (do it quickly and make sure the tins don’t cool down too much).

Cook for 20-25 minutes until risen and crisp and golden-brown.

Alternatively, you can use a single broiling tin and make one large Yorkshire Pudding and cut it into portions at the table.

Method 2:

Ingredients:
4 Ounces all-purpose flour
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 eggs
10 ounces milk
4 tablespoons goose fat, lard, or sunflower or canola oil
Cupcake or muffin baking tins

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.

Sift the flour and seasonings into a bowl and whisk in the eggs. Add the milk slowly and whisk until you have a smooth batter. Chill in the refrigerator in a jug until ready to use.

Distribute the fat or oil evenly between the cupcake or muffin pans and heat in the oven until it is very hot and almost smoking.

Pour the batter evenly into the tins as quickly as possible and return to the oven (put the tins over a low heat to keep the oil hot if necessary while you’re measuring the batter into the tins).

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until well risen and golden brown. (Do not open the door while the puddings are cooking or they might collapse.) Leave for a few more minutes if necessary. Prick with a toothpick to allow the steam to escape. Serve immediately.

NB: One can also make a sweet base for ice cream or whipped cream and fruit by omitting the salt and pepper and instead substituting 1/2 tablespoon confectioner's sugar to the batter mix, and piping sweetened cream into the pudding cases and topping with fruit, sprinkles, jam, or fruit conserve for a 5-minute fresh cream dessert

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Classic Toad In The Hole

Ingredients:
100g plain flour
½ tsp English mustard powder
1 egg
300ml milk
3 thyme sprigs, leaves only
8-10 Butcher's pork sausages, depending on their size and how many are sitting down to dinner
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 onions, peeled and sliced
1 tsp soft brown sugar
500ml beef stock (made from a bouillon cube)

Method:

Make the batter:

Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Tip flour into the large mixing bowl and stir in the mustard powder with a good pinch of salt. Make a well in the centre, crack in the egg, then pour in a dribble of milk. Stir with a wooden spoon, gradually incorporating some of the flour, until you have a smooth batter in the well. Now add a bit more milk and continue stirring until all the milk and flour has been mixed together.

The batter is ready; you should now have a smooth, lump-free batter that is the consistency of double cream. Tip it back into the jug you measured your milk in, for easier pouring later on, then stir in the thyme.

Use scissors to snip the links between the sausages, then drop them into a 20 x 30cm roasting tin. Add 1 tbsp of the oil, tossing the sausages in it to thoroughly coat the base of the tin, then roast in the oven for 15 mins.

Cook the batter:

Take the hot tray of sausages from the oven, then quickly pour in the batter – it should sizzle and bubble a little when it first hits the hot fat. Put it back into the oven, then bake for 40 mins until the batter is cooked through, well risen and crisp. If you poke the tip of a knife into the batter in the middle of the tray it should be set, not sticky or runny.

Make the gravy (if required):

Soften the onions with the remaining oil in a large nonstick frying pan for about 20 mins, stirring often, until they are golden brown. Sprinkle in the sugar for the final 5 mins. Add the spoonful of flour, then cook, constantly stirring, for 2 mins, so it coats the onions and there is no dry flour left. Gradually pour in the stock, stirring well to make a smooth sauce. Bubble for 4-5 mins to thicken, then season. Cut the toad in the hole into large wedges and serve with buttery mashed potatoes and garden peas, with the onion gravy spooned over.

EQUIPMENT: Large mixing bowl, measuring spoons, wooden spoon, measuring jug, scissors, 20 x 30cm shallow roasting tin, timer, knife, chopping board, large non-stick frying pan

 

[AloneTooLong]

that is certainly different than the Toad in a Hole my family prepares (Texas recipe).

 

[NotWise]

that is certainly different than the Toad in a Hole my family prepares (Texas recipe).

I just did a quick Google, and it seems like there should be differences. Can you post a recipe for the way your family does it?

 

[AloneTooLong]

sure, you need some nice bread (not that stuff that that most folks purchase for sandwiches), preferably a loaf that has not been cut; brioche is nice.

Slice bread into slices about 3/4" thick, use biscuit cutter to make hole in center of bread; melt some butter in your skillet (a nice medium wt or even cast iron pan).

When butter is bubbly but not burnt, place slice of bread in skillet. You want to medium toast the first side of the bread and you immediately add a cracked, whole (medium or large) egg in the hole. If your skillet is large enough, you can toast the round cut-out piece at the same time.

As the egg begins to cook and before the bottom burns, add a bit more butter to the skillet if necessary, and gently flip the bread/egg over. Cook to the desired 'doneness' of the egg (cooked white/runny yolk is my preference)

Thus the egg is the 'toad' in the hole. You can even add a little grated cheese when you flip the bread/egg if you like, or perhaps some crumbled bacon. Maybe a bit of chopped jalapeno?

 

[NotWise]

sure, you need some nice bread (not that stuff that that most folks purchase for sandwiches), preferably a loaf that has not been cut; brioche is nice.

Slice bread into slices about 3/4" thick, use biscuit cutter to make hole in center of bread; melt some butter in your skillet (a nice medium wt or even cast iron pan).

When butter is bubbly but not burnt, place slice of bread in skillet. You want to medium toast the first side of the bread and you immediately add a cracked, whole (medium or large) egg in the hole. If your skillet is large enough, you can toast the round cut-out piece at the same time.

As the egg begins to cook and before the bottom burns, add a bit more butter to the skillet if necessary, and gently flip the bread/egg over. Cook to the desired 'doneness' of the egg (cooked white/runny yolk is my preference)

Thus the egg is the 'toad' in the hole. You can even add a little grated cheese when you flip the bread/egg if you like, or perhaps some crumbled bacon. Maybe a bit of chopped jalapeno?

That's how I've heard "toad in the hole" done. I like my eggs the way you do, but I might use sliced serrano instead of chopped jalapeño. I'm fond of some heat with eggs.

 

[Rustyoznail]

sure, you need some nice bread (not that stuff that that most folks purchase for sandwiches), preferably a loaf that has not been cut; brioche is nice.

Slice bread into slices about 3/4" thick, use biscuit cutter to make hole in center of bread; melt some butter in your skillet (a nice medium wt or even cast iron pan).

When butter is bubbly but not burnt, place slice of bread in skillet. You want to medium toast the first side of the bread and you immediately add a cracked, whole (medium or large) egg in the hole. If your skillet is large enough, you can toast the round cut-out piece at the same time.

As the egg begins to cook and before the bottom burns, add a bit more butter to the skillet if necessary, and gently flip the bread/egg over. Cook to the desired 'doneness' of the egg (cooked white/runny yolk is my preference)

Thus the egg is the 'toad' in the hole. You can even add a little grated cheese when you flip the bread/egg if you like, or perhaps some crumbled bacon. Maybe a bit of chopped jalapeno?

They're known as 'Egyptian Eyes' here. I just tear the centre of the bread out. Particularly nice when cooked in the fat from home smoked bacon - although they then become a cardiologist's nightmare.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

There's a superstition in rural England that toads are born and live inside stones, and if you crack a large stone open, you'll find a toad inside. There's a few of these "toadstones" in the Natural History Museum and The Horniman Musueum in South London, large lumps of limestone cracked and hollowed out with mummified toads inside, obvious fakes sold to gullible people as the real thing. This is why sausage and batter pudding is colloquially known as 'Toad in the Hole', with the encased sausages being the 'toads'.

Sliced fried bread with fried eggs in the hollowed out centers are known in the UK as 'Gypsy Eyes'.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Southern Peanut Cookies

Southern-Style Peanut Cookies

Ingredients:
1 egg
1 cup (135g) firmly packed brown sugar
1½ cups (180g) all-purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
3 oz (80ml) melted butter
Large pinch of salt
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 ½ cup (225g) roughly chopped roasted peanuts (not crumbed or finely ground; if a lot of nuts are whole it doesn’t matter)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 375 F/190 C/Gas 5, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat, or grease the pan well with butter .

In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer set to ‘Low’ beat the egg and gradually cream in the brown sugar.

Combine the flour, salt, and baking soda in a separate bowl.

Gently add the flour mixture to the creamed egg-sugar mixture a little at a time, beating with the mixer set to ‘Medium’. Add the flour mixture and melted butter alternately, beating constantly until everything has been added.

Gently stir in the vanilla essence and peanuts once the flour, eggs, sugar, and butter are all completely combined, using a soft plastic or silicone spatula to stir the vanilla and mix the peannuts completely through the cookie batter

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet, not too many at a time, the cookies will spread out as they bake.

Bake for about 6 to 8 minutes. Take out of the oven, being careful, the hot cookies will still be soft, let them cool, and as they cool they will become more brittle and cookie-like.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Cajun-Style Fried Apple Pies

Now that Autumn is upon us, and the market-stalls are brimming with apples, here's a hot dessert to warm up any cold night.

Cajun Fried Apple Pie

Ingredients:
16 oz pack of frozen flaky (puff) pastry sheets thawed
425g Granny Smith, Royal Gala, Pink Lady, or any firm sweet apple, or for added tartness, any tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced, and brushed with fresh lemon juice to prevent browning
6 tablespoons brown sugar
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon cornstarch
100g granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
oil for frying

Method:
Cut each sheet of puff pastry into 4 pieces. Place on a sheet pan lined with baking paper.

Place the apples, brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer.

Cook for 6-8 minutes or until apples are tender, then stir in the butter.

Whisk the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water and add to the apple mixture. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until apple filling has thickened.

Spoon approximately 2 tablespoons of the apple mixture onto one side of each piece of puff pastry. Brush the edges with water and fold over to make a rectangle.

Crimp the edges of each puff pastry rectangle properly with a fork.

Chill the pies in the freezer compartment for 20 minutes or so, but don’t let them freeze.

When you’re ready to fry the pies, first heat oil to 350 degrees F. (hot, but not smoking!), don’t try and rush this part, if the oil isn’t hot enough, it will saturate the pie crust and make them too greasy; if you have a jam or sugar thermometer test the temperature, otherwise a small cube of bread should fry crisp and golden in 20 seconds if dropped in the oil, this should indicate the oil is at about the right temperature.

In a small bowl, mix together the granulated sugar and cinnamon.

Cook 2-3 pies at a time, for 4-6 minutes or until golden brown and pastry is cooked through. Remove from the oil, and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar all over each pie as it comes out of the oil. Drain on kitchen paper or a wire rack to blot excess oil.

At this point you should allow the pies to cool somewhat; the apple filling is like molten lava when the pie first comes out of the oil, you really don’t want to be biting into that!

Repeat the frying and cinnamon sugar sprinkling process with all of the remaining pies, and serve hot, but not boiling hot, severe injury could result otherwise. If you want to reserve the cooked pies for later, reheat at 200 degrees F in a deep ovenproof dish with a kitchen foil lid loosely placed over it to maintain crispness: DON’T MICROWAVE THEM, they’ll go soggy!

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Cajun Meatballs in Spicy chunky Tomato Sauce

This is mama's own recipe, a sure-fire warmer on a cold night, or a great tortilla filling at a Summer barbecue.

Mom’s Cajun Meatballs in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:
1/2 cup fresh fine textured breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons milk
1/3 pound ground beef skirt or shin
2/3 pound ground pork
1/4 cup finely minced fresh parsley
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp Cajun Spice
1/3 cup grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten with a fork
Fine sea salt to taste
Coarsely Ground black pepper to taste

Cajun Spice Mix:
2 tsp Salt
2 tsp Garlic powder
2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
3 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
2 tsp Onion Powder
1 large tsp Dried Oregano
1 large tsp dried Thyme
1level tsp chilli powder
2 large tsp soft brown sugar

Tomato Sauce:
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 tsp oil to fry the garlic lightly
1 tsp lemon juice
400ml can Passata, or 400ml can chopped tomatoes
2 tbsp Sweet Chilli sauce
2 tsp hot sauce, Louisiana or Tabasco
1 tsp Cornstarch stirred in 100ml cold water
Ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp chopped parsley or Cilantro
1Tsp salt

Method
Fry the garlic in a small saucepan until the aroma rises, stir all the ingredients and heat slowly to a low simmer, add cornstarch and water to back it down, bring back to a simmer and let thicken. Don’t stir too vigorously, so as not to break up the chunks of tomato.

Meatballs:
Place the breadcrumbs in a small bowl and stir in the milk; allow them to sit for 5 minutes, then stir to combine well and set aside.

In a medium size bowl, add the ground beef, pork, parsley, garlic, spice, paprika, cheese, egg yolk, salt and pepper and the moistened breadcrumbs.

Mix everything with wet hands just until combined. Fry a small spoonful in a frying pan and taste for seasoning.

Use wet hand to form golf ball size meatballs and place them on a lightly oiled, rimmed baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated 325F oven until the meatballs are browned and an instant read thermometer inserted into one of them registers 165F.

Serve as is, or with the tomato sauce recipe above over plain white rice, Cajun Dirty Rice, or in a corn tortilla with shredded lettuce, chopped onion, julienned red pepper, a dash of hot sauce, and sprinkled with grated Monterey Jack or sharp cheddar cheese and a squirt of fresh lemon juice.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Southern-Style Pumpkin Corn Fritters

Southern-Style Pumpkin-Corn Fritters

Ingredients:
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (see below)
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons butter or margarine melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup 100% fresh pumpkin flesh, pulped, de-seeded, and de-stringed
¼ cup fresh corn, scraped off the cob, and including any of the milky liquid that runs out, or use canned if no fresh corn is available
1 cup Pure Sunflower oil

Don’t use the pumpkin pie mix you can buy in supermarkets make this spice mix:

Pumpkin Pie Spice:
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

This equals to 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Method:

In a large bowl whisk together flour, spices, baking powder, salt and brown sugar.

Add eggs, butter, vanilla, buttermilk, corn, and pumpkin.

Mix well with a spoon.

Heat your oil in a skillet till sizzling. I use an ice cream scoop to dip the batter into the oil.

Fry to golden brown on one side, then turn and cook the other side.

Remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

Sprinkle with confectionery sugar while still warm.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I'm stunned! I went looking for a decent brownie recipe on an erotic literature site and couldn't find one.

I'll have to look an a foodie site and see what I can find - unless someone can post something in teh next three hours before I go shopping.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Basic fudgy Chocolate Brownie just for Rusty

Rusty-Proof Chocolate Brownie

Ingredients:
200g / 14 tbsp unsalted butter (1 3/4 US sticks)
200 g / 1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips (7 oz)
1 cup (175g) brown sugar , loosely packed
3 eggs , lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup (75g) plain flour
1/4 cup (30g) cocoa powder (I use Fairtrade, 63% cocoa or better, not milk or drinking chocolate)
Pinch of salt
180g/6oz dark chocolate block/bar (optional) , chopped into chunks rather than shards, (bittersweet or semi-sweet, cooking chocolate)
1.5 cups roughly chopped walnuts or other nuts (optional) Walnuts or pecans go best with chocolate, don’t use peanuts

Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan assisted).
Spray a 20cm/8" square tin with oil and line with baking/parchment paper with overhang
Place butter and chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl, microwave in 30 second bursts until melted. Stir until smooth.
Add sugar and vanilla, mix, then add eggs and mix well until smooth and molten.
Add flour, cocoa and salt and stir until smooth.
Stir in the chopped chocolate, mixing it in thoroughly, then pour it into pan.
Bake 24 minutes for lovely gooey, chocolaty center, or 28 minutes for fudgy but still very moist, or 32 minutes for moist fudge-cake-like.

If you didn't use the extra chocolate for stirring in, reduce cooking time by 2 minutes.
Rest the Brownie for 10 minutes before lifting it out of the pan. Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting.
This recipe will store in an airtight container for 4 days or freeze for 3 months.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Thank you, my Mistress of the Dark Kitchen.

***Edit - the results***

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Wait'll you see what my captive elves have come up with for Christmas...

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

No-Bake Frozen Mango Cheesecake

Ingredients:
250g McVities's digestive biscuits or Graham Crackers
60g unsalted butter, melted
500g cream cheese, softened
150g caster sugar
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
300ml double cream
2 good sized ripe mangoes peeled and sliced (don’t use canned slices or pulp, they’re almost flavorless)
3 passion fruit, pulped and sieved
Pack of Candied Orange & Lemon slices or a scattering of fresh redcurrants (optional)

Method:

Step 1.
Line a 6cm/3"-deep, 20cm/9” round spring-form cake tin with baking parchment, don’t butter the tin.

Step 2.
Place the crackers in food processor, and process until nicely crumbed, but not reduced to dust. Add the butter, and process slowly until combined. Press the mixture evenly over the base of the prepared tin, and place the tin in fridge to let the base set.

Step 3.
Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar and lime zest, and beat for 2 minutes, then add the cream. Beat the mixture for 5 minutes or until the mixture is thick.

Step 4.
Reserve a few slices of mango, and place the rest in a food processor and process until smooth. Chop the reserved pieces into small chunks, and fold both the puréed mango and mango chunks through the cream cheese mixture. Spoon the mixture onto the set cracker base in the tin and smooth the top. Place in the freezer overnight or until firm.

Remove the cheesecake to a plate and let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Top the cheesecake with passion fruit pulp and arrange the candied orange and lemon slices in a neat pattern on top or dot with redcurrants, and serve.

Note:
This method works just as well with most stoned soft fruit, like peaches, plums, and apricots, and also with exotics like Papaya, Pineapple, Guava, or Passion Fruit.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Cinder Toffee (Golden Honeycomb)

Cinder toffee is a traditional brittle candy in the mining communities of North and Northwest of England, but it has managed to make its way all around the British Commonwealth, as far afield as South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, and is popular in Japan, Hungary, and Turkey, too.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons golden sugar syrup
200g/7oz caster or confectioner's sugar
3 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda

Method:
Grease a 20cm (8 in.) square cake tin or slice tray.

In a large saucepan, heat the golden syrup and sugar together, bring to the boil then simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes. Cooking time will vary but test it by dropping a little syrup into water - it should become brittle when ready. Watch it doesn't burn.

Remove pot from heat and add the bicarbonate. Quickly mix it in because the mixture will foam up instantly.

Pour immediately into the cake tin. Leave to set, and score into a regular diamond pattern when firm but not fully set, then break along the score-lines when set, or let fully set then break into bite size chunks.

Honeycomb is best eaten with dairy ice cream, or broken into chunks on top of Eton Mess pudding, or you can do what I do, which is cram as much into my mouth as I can without being noticed…

You can also make your own Chocolate Crunchie bites by dipping the pieces of honeycomb in melted milk chocolate, then letting them set on a piece of greaseproof paper or baking parchment

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Perfectly indulgent dessert for this time of year

Passion Fruit, Pineapple & Mango Mascarpone Parfait with sweet Langue De Chat Biscuits

Parfait:
Ingredients:
250g Langue de Chat biscuits (or make some, recipe below)
250g box biscotti biscuits
100ml Vin Santo or other sweet dessert wine
150g Pineapple chunks
150g Passion fruit
150g fresh Mango (not the canned, sloppy stuff)
250g tub mascarpone
1 tbsp powdered sugar
284ml carton double cream, softly whipped

Method:

STEP 1
Place the biscotti biscuits in a plastic bag and crush them lightly with the end of a rolling pin, leaving them slightly chunky. Tip the crushed biscuits into a bowl, drizzle over the Vin Santo and give it a stir. In a food processor whizz the mango and pineapple until smooth, and pass the resultant coulis through a fine mesh sieve (not metal), then stir in the pulped Passion fruit.

STEP 2
Whip the mascarpone in a medium bowl, then fold in the whipped cream and powdered sugar. If the mixture appears too thick, fold through a little milk.

In parfait glasses or wide trifles glasses sprinkle the crushed biscotti on the bottom and spoon the whipped mascarpone and cream mixture over, and place in the freezer for 1 hour to set firm.

Take the set mascarpone glasses from the freezer and spoon the fruit coulis over, and return to the freezer for 30 minutes to firm up, then garnish with thin slices of Passion fruit and serve with 3 Langue de Chat biscuits. This dessert should be served chilled.


Langue de Chat (Cat’s Tongue) Biscuits

Ingredients:
125g/4½oz unsalted butter, softened
125g/4½oz icing sugar, sifted
125g/4½oz plain flour, sifted
1 Small pinch salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 large egg whites

Method:

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line two baking trays with baking parchment.

Put the butter and icing sugar into a bowl and beat using an electric hand whisk until pale and smooth.

Beat in the flour, one half at a time. Add the salt and vanilla extract and then beat in the egg whites.

Spoon the mixture into a piping bag fitted with a 1cm/½in round nozzle and pipe straight lines of the mixture, about 8cm/3in long, onto the paper. Leave 5cm/2in between each biscuit as they will spread during cooking.

Transfer the trays to the fridge for 15-20 minutes, or until the dough is firm to the touch.

Bake the biscuits for 10 minutes, or until light golden-brown around the edges.

Use a palette knife to transfer to a wire rack to cool (so they don’t stick to the tray).

 

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Cinder Toffee (Golden Honeycomb)

Cinder toffee is a traditional brittle candy in the mining communities of North and Northwest of England, but it has managed to make its way all around the British Commonwealth, as far afield as South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, and is popular in Japan, Hungary, and Turkey, too.
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You can also make your own Chocolate Crunchie bites by dipping the pieces of honeycomb in melted milk chocolate, then letting them set on a piece of greaseproof paper or baking parchment

This is a very popular commercial version.