You can make an almost infinite variety of rocky road bars. The key thing is include lots of different textures.
I used mini eggs because they are basically my crack cocaine. My other more recent addiction is Bishoff biscuits. I’ve used these here, but you can use any type of crunchy biscuit or cookie you prefer.
Ingredients
400 Grams Chocolate (I used half milk and half dark chocolate, but use what you prefer)
125 Grams Bishoff biscuits
100 Grams Marshmallows
250 Grams Mini Eggs
3 Tbsp Golden Syrup
50 Grams Butter
Method
Break the chocolate in to chunks, and add to a microwave proof bowl along with the butter and golden syrup. Microwave for 30 seconds at a time until the butter and chocolate have melted
Place the biscuits in a freezer bag any bash with a rolling pin (if you don’t have one a tin can will do). The biscuits should be be broken into bits but not too small or all crumbs. Put the broken biscuits in a large bowl
Add half the mini eggs to the freezer bag and bash these too. Add to the broken biscuits and add the Marshmallows
Pour two thirds of the chocolate mix into the bowl and stir until combined. Line a 12cm X 18cm dish with baking paper and transfer the rock road mix into it. Spread evenly.
Cover the rocky road mix with the chocolate you held back. I use a wet palate knife to smooth the top (an ordinary knife is fine if you don’t have one, as rocky roads are bumpy)
Sprinkle the remaining half of the crushed mini eggs and refrigerate for a minimum 1-2 hours before cutting into slices
I’ve loved this cake ever since I tasted it in the States years ago. Not only does it have a cool name but your house will smell unbelievable.
This is also a good way to use up over ripe bananas if you can’t face banana bread (this is much nicer). Cinnamon can be swapped for ground ginger if you’re not a fan.
Ingredients
For the cake
130 Gram Tin of pineapple in natural juice (chop the pineapple finely, and keep the juice)
2 Ripe bananas (mashed)
280 Grams Caster sugar
210 Grams Self raising flour
2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
60 ml Pineapple juice (from the tin of pineapple)
170 ml Oil
2 Eggs
For the frosting
60 Grams Butter
120 Grams Cream Cheese
180 Grams Icing sugar
75 Grams Pecan nuts (Chopped)
Grated zest of one lemon (optional)
Method
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees. Lightly grease a 20 cm (8 inch) cake tin and line with baking paper
Add the banana, chopped pineapple and sugar to a large bowl and mix until combined. Add the flour and cinnamon and mix well
Whisk the oil, eggs and pineapple juice together before adding to the banana mixture. Stir until properly combined
Transfer the cake mix to the baking tin and bake for 1 hour or until you can insert a skewer in the centre and it comes out clean. Allow to cool in the tin for another 15 minutes. Allow to cool completely before topping with icing
To make the icing, whisk the butter and cream cheese together (I use an electric whisk). Gradually add the icing sugar and orange zest.
Spread the icing evenly over the top of the cooled cake and sprinkle with pecans
I have to give a shout out to my friend Nuala for turning me into this, and I love it.
If you haven’t used Sichuan pepper before you can by it ready ground in most big supermarkets. You can also buy packets of the whole peppercorns, and are reddish black in colour. While there is some heat, they are also really aromatic and work nicely in lots of other recipes.
This makes a great mid week dinner and is ideal for anyone following a low carb diet. If you’re not then enjoy this with rice or noodles. I used frozen greens to save time.
Ingredients
250 Grams Minced pork
500 Grams Green beans blanched on boiling water
Thumb sized piece of ginger (grated)
2 Cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
2 Scallions/spring onions (finely chopped)
1 Red chilli pepper (finely chopped)
2 Tbsp Soy sauce
1 Tbsp Sesame oil
1 Tsp Ground Sichuan pepper
Method
Blanch the green beans in boiling water and drain
Fry the minced pork in a large frying pan or wok until no longer pink
Add the rest of the ingredients and cook for a further 5 minutes. If the mix starts to catch in the pan you can add a little water to stop this
If you aren’t confident with desserts this is really easy. All the ingredients for the sponge are dumped in a bowl and whisked together before being baked. The topping is simply ready made jam and coconut.
The sponge also freezes really well, so if you’re super organised make a double batch of the mix. Bake two sponges, and when completely cool, wrap one one of the sponges in cling film and freeze, top with jam and coconut once thawed.
I’ve used margarine in this (Mary Berry claims it’s better for sponge cakes, and who am I to argue), it’s also cheaper. Feel free to use butter if you prefer
Serve with custard for the perfect comforting dessert.
Ingredients
For the sponge
225 Grams Self raising flour
225 Grams Sugar
225 Grams Margarine
4 Eggs
For the topping
200 Grams Jam
25 Grams Dessicated coconut
Method
Add all the ingredients for the sponge in a bowl. Mix with an electric whisk for 5 minutes until light and fluffy
Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees
Line a 30cm x 18cm square cake tin with baking parchment. Transfer the sponge mix into the tin and spread evenly with a spatula
Bake for 25 – 30 minutes, and allow to cool
Stir the jam and if it’s too thick to spread add a table spoon of hot water and mix well
Spread the jam evenly across the sponge and sprinkle with coconut
I don’t make soup that often (some soups are a little dull).
Anything with cheese in it gets my vote, and this is rich and satisfying.
Ideal for anyone following a low carb diet, this is also delicious with crusty bread. I made this with vegetable stock so it’s suitable for vegetarians but you can use chicken stock if you prefer.
You’ll need cream cheese and a stronger flavoured cheese. I used a mix of mature cheddar and parmigiana, blue cheese works really well too, but use what you have.
This rich creamy soup is even tastier topped with crunchy croutons, or crispy bacon (if you’re not vegetarian)
Ingredients
1 Large head of broccoli (roughly chopped)
1 Small onion, or 3-4 spring onions/scallions (chopped)
1 Tbsp Oil
750 ml Vegetable stock (I used a stock cube)
200 Grams Cream cheese
50 Grams Strong flavour cheese (grated)
Salt and pepper
Method
Heat the oil in a large pot, and add the onion. Fry over a medium heat until soft but don’t brown
Add the broccoli and vegetable stock. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes or until the broccoli is soft
Add the cream cheese and stir until it has melted. Using a blender or hand held blender, blitz until the the soup it is smooth (how smooth you make it is up to you)
Return the soup to the pot and add the stronger flavoured cheese. Heat for a further 5 minutes and stir well to make sure all the cheese has melted. Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed
I hate food waste, but like everyone else I’m not perfect.
One of the things I always ended up throwing out was Greek yogurt. The small pots weren’t enough, and the larger containers meant I always had some left over.
A friend told me about this recipe and I love it. Most people are put off making bread bread because it can take time to prove, knead etc. This couldn’t be quicker or easier.
Equal amounts of flour and yoghurt, and like making scones these rolls benefit from not handling to much. This recipe makes 4 rolls, but you can double the recipe if you want more. You can brush the uncooked rolls with egg or melted butter if you want a glazed top, but I just sprinkled with flour.
Soft and fluffy rolls
I haven’t given exact weights. I literally just used a mug to ensure I was measuring equal amounts.
These also freeze really well.
Ingredients
1 Cup self raising flour 1 Cup of Greek yogurt (I used full fat yoghurt as this is what I had, it also gives a softer texture, but use what you have)
Method
Measure out the flour and yoghurt and add to a bowl.
Pre heat your oven to 180 degrees (or around 350 if you’re using Fahrenheit)
Stir with a wooden spoon until the dough is combined and turn onto a lightly floured surface
Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and roll into balls
Place on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until the bottoms sound hollow when tapped
Mardi gras didn’t really happen this year, but this time of year reminds me of New Orleans.
I was talking to a friend last week about places we had really enjoyed visiting and the food that reminded us of them and it sparked a memory of New Orleans.
About a million years ago when I was a student I worked in a US Summer camp and went travelling afterwards. I ended up in New Orleans and everyone recommended I try a visit to Cafe du Mond in the French Quarter. Their signature dish is a little plate of 3 beignets (little oblong donuts, doused in icing sugar) and a cafe au lait. The place is an institution and recalling it had me craving them. I had my very own Marcel Proust moment eating these, it was amazing (Rememberance of Things Past, is quite a dull book but is famous for a passage about how food triggers memories)
This is probably best made at the weekend due to the amount of time you need to prove the dough, but other than that the beignets are pretty simple to make.
I used evaporated milk because I think it makes a richer dough, but ordinary milk is fine if you don’t have it.
N.B. When deep frying, cook at a medium heat. They will brown very quickly because of the sugar in the dough, the first few I made had raw dough in the middle which was disgusting. I cooked the rest at a lower heat and they were fine.
Ingredients
430 Grams Flour, I used strong bread flour, but plain flour is fine
125 ml Evaporated milk (ordinary milk is also fine)
175 ml Warm water (about skin temperature, not too hot or you’ll kill the yeast)
1/2 Tsp Dried yeast
50 Grams Sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Egg (beaten)
30 Grams Butter (melted, and allowed to cool a little)
Icing sugar for dusting
Vegetable oil for frying
Method
In a large bowl, add half the water, a teaspoon of sugar, and the yeast and stir, leave in a warm room (I use an airing cupboard because there are drafts) for 15 mins. The mix start to form a froth on top.
Mix in the rest of the water, sugar, salt, milk and the egg and mix well
Stir in half the flour, and then add the melted butter and remaining flour and mix well. The douch will be pretty sticky so transfer to a greased bowl and cover with cling film and keep in a fridge over night or at least 3 hours
After dough has proved in the fridge its time to roll out. I’ve tried flouring the surface and rolling pin and found it stuck really badly. So the next batch I tried using a thin layer of oil on the surface and rolling and for me it worked better (I know some people prefer using a floured surface so work with what works for you
Roll the dough in to an oblong and trim the edges. I use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 18 oblongs (you can use a knife, but I found this worked well
Heat your oil, until its warm enough that a cube of bread will sizzle when you drop it in. Cook the beignets in small batches, turning after a minute or two. You really need to pay attention to these as the colour very quickly. As I said early don’t let your oil get too hot or you’ll end up with raw dough in the middle
Drain the cooked beignets on kitchen paper as soon as you take them out of the oil and then sprinkle liberally with icing sugar for a proper taste of New Orelans
I love the spring rolls I usually get from my local Chinese take away, but am conscious that they are deep fried and probably not great for my first waistline.
I wanted to make a slightly healthier version, so these are packed with vegetables and using filo pastry which can be baked rather than deep fried. This version is vegan, but you could also add cooked chicken or prawns if you wanted to add more protein. I used shop bought filo pastry which makes things quicker (anyone who makes their own probably needs to get out more), and is a great way to use up left over veggies.
Stir fried veggies
The dipping sauce was a bit of store cupboard throw together, (my favourite dip is usually shop bought sweet chilli sauce). I have a friend who is much more experienced cooking Asian cuisine and she told me that all good dipping suaces should include sweet, sour, salt, and heat. I’m definately making this again. These are great as a starter or side dish, but I enjoy them as a snack along with a cold beer.
Ingredients
For the spring rolls
270 Gram Pack Filo pastry
1 Onion (finely sliced)
1 Carrot (cut into matchsticks)
1 Red Pepper (finely sliced)
2 Handfuls Cabbage or any greens you prefer (I used some left over cooked cabbage I had, but if using raw cabbage make sure it’s very finely sliced)
4-6 cm Knob of ginger (grated)
2 Cloves of garlic (grated or finely chopped)
1 Tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
2 Tbsp Oil
1 Tbsp Sesame seeds (optional)
For the dipping sauce
1 Tbsp Sesame oil
1 Tsp Chilli flakes/fresh chilli
1 Clove of garlic (grated or finely chopped)
1 Tsp Honey
1 Tsp Soy sauce
1 Tbsp Warm water
1 Tbsp Vinegar (if you have rice wine vinegar is probably best, I didn’t have this so used red wine vinegar and it was fine)
Tuck and roll
Method
Heat a tablespoon of oil in a pan/wok, and add the vegetables, cook lightly for a few minutes and add the Chinese 5 spice powder, garlic and ginger, fry for another minute or two until the vegetables start to soften. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely before trying to assemble the spring rolls
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees. Open your packet of pastry, most packs recommend that you cover the pastry with a slightly damp tea towel if you are not able to work quickly. This prevents the pastry from drying out and becoming brittle and difficult to work with
I cut sheets of around 8-10 cm long and 6-8 cm wide (you can make smaller rolls if you prefer). Lay a sheet on your work surface and brush or spray with oil (those low cal oil sprays now a available are really handy, but just brush lightly with oil if you don’t have this) and top with another sheet of pastry, and repeat until you have 3 layers of filo pastry
With the pastry lengthways in front of you, lay a good heaped tablesoon of your vegetable filling and place near the right hand corner of the pastry. Tuck short corner of the pastry over the vegetables and tuck on the sides and roll (as shown in the photo)
Brush/spray the rolls with oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds if you are using them and place on a baking tray. Place in your heated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until crisp and golden
The dipping sauce is strainght forward, simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir before checking the taste (you mighy want more heat, sweetness etc). Put into separate serving bowls, Serve along side the spring rolls
I’m lucky enough to have a very kind friend Bronagh, who’s husband enjoys hunting. She never arrives empty handed and on a recent visit brought me some delicious venison.
Venison is one of the healthiest meats you can eat. This recipe uses meat that requires long slow cooking. Other cuts of venison like the loin need to be served rare or else they’ll become tough.
The meat should be tossed in seasoned flour
When you have a really great ingredient like venison you don’t need to do a lot to it. About 10 minutes prep at the start and the oven does all the work for you. I love this served with greens, and velvety butter bean mash. It’s also fantastic with mashed potatoes or crusty bread to mop up all the delicious gravy.
Seal the flour coated meat to add flavour and colour, the flour will also help thicken the sauce
1kg Venison (cut into 3-4cm chunks)
1 Large Onion (peeled and roughly chopped)
2 Carrots (peeled and roughly chopped)
2 Parsnips (peeled and roughly chopped)
2 Stalks of celery (cut into chunks)
250ml Red wine (optional, but replace with the same amount of stock if not using wine)
750ml Beef stock
3 Tbsps Plain flour
25 Grams Butter
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Tomato purée
1 Tbsp Dried thyme
Salt and pepper
Cook vegetables and tomato puree before adding red wine
Method
Add the flour, salt and pepper to a plate and mix. Toss the chunks of venison in the seasoned flour
In an oven proof dish heat the oil and butter. Cook small batches of the venison chunks being careful not to overcrowd the pan so that the are sealed
Remove the venison and set to one side. Add all the vegetables (I like to keep them chunky) and tomato puree for 5 minutes stirring occasionally
Add the wine and cook for a further 5 minutes to allow the alcohol to burn off. Stir well to deglaze the pan, then add the thyme and beef stock cover with a lid and move to oven (this can be cook stove top, but I think then gives a more even heat)
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees, and cook for one and a half to two hours until the meat and vegetables are tender
I tried these out these because I misjudged the amount of rice pudding I was making (in my never ending quest to use up things that have hanging around my cupboards).
The up shot is that I had a big load of rice pudding that I didn’t want to throw away so I came up with these as a way of using it up. Turns out pretty much any type of fried carb is delicious. These also make a lovely dessert for anyone who needs a gluten free option. Yes, they might be a bit of work but you can make the rice pudding ahead of time. I would class this as weekend cooking.
Getting ready to coat the rice balls, cornflour, then egg, then rice crispies.
Just like making the savoury version, the rice needs to be cold. I tried a couple of different versions with different centres. If you’re a chocolate lover, I tried one’s with a chocolate button in the middle which were really good. However, for my favourite ones I added a teaspoon of jam for the centre, but feel free to experiment with other fillings.
Ingredients
For the rice pudding
200 Grams Pudding Rice
500ml Milk
300ml Condensed milk
For the coating
2-3 Tbsps Corn flour
1-2 Eggs (beaten)
150 Grams Rice crispies or puffed rice (put in a plastic bag and scrunch up to crush the cereal into finer pieces, but not dust)
Oil for frying.
Method
Add the rice, milk and condensed milk to a pot with a lid. Bring up to just before boiling point, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Stir regularly to prevent sticking, cook until soft (the rice I used took just over an hour, but other brands of rice may not take that long. Depending on the rice you use you may need to add more milk/water, but the pudding should be pretty thick
When your rice is cooked, you can enjoy some rice pudding right away. The rest of it should be allowed to cool before transferring to an air tight container and refrigerate (ideally overnight, but at least for a couple of hours)
Take a large tablespoon of chilled rice pudding and flatten in the palm of your hand. Add whatever filling you are using to the centre of the mix and form the rice around it until you make a ball (wetting your hands stops the rice sticking to them)
When you have finished making all the balls, place on a plate and refrigerate for an hour to allow them to set
To prepare the balls, first of all heat your oil (I don’t know the exact temperature to tell you, but my go way to check the temperature is to drop in a cube of bread if it start frying right away you’re probably good to go. Be careful the oil doesn’t get too hot or else the centre of the rice ball will be cold)
In separate dishes, lay out the cornflour, egg and crushed rice crispies
Roll each ball in first the cornflour, then the egg and finally in the rice crispies.
Add to the oil in batches and fry until golden brown (don’t be tempted to cook too many at one time). These are gorgeous served with vanilla ice cream.
Seaneen's Sunnyside Kitchen 