Quire of Pancakes

 

A Quire of Pancakes is like 'A Quire of Paper', meaning a pile or units of thinly stacked paper of the same size, which refers to the delicate and elegant, paper-thin pancakes that this recipe makes for Shrove Tuesday, Pancake Tuesday or Pancake Day.  

Quire of Pancakes

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makes approximately 10 to 12 pancakes

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

freshly grated nutmeg or cardamom, optional

2 3/4 cups milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup butter, melted and cooled

Topping or Filling:

sugar for sprinkling in between pancakes

freshly squeezed lemon juice or zest

golden syrup for drizzling on top of pancakes

fresh or thawed frozen fruit 

non-dairy coconut whip cream or whip cream

greek yoghurt

In a large bowl or mixing jug, whisk together the flour and nutmeg, if using. Create a well in the centre of the flour and add the milk, the lightly beaten eggs and the cooled melted butter. Whisk the ingredients together until the batter is smooth, a few minor lumps are okay.  

Heat a well seasoned or non-stick 8 inch crêpe/pancake pan or a shallow frying pan. Add a small ladle of the batter, approximate 1/4 cup, on to the pan and quickly swirl the pan around so that the batter forms a thin pancake that just about covers the bottom of the pan. After a few minutes gently flip the pancake, it should be nicely golden brown, and cook for about 30 seconds to a minute on the other side. Then remove the pancake from the pan and place on a serving plate. Lightly sprinkle with sugar, if you wish, and continue with the rest of batter until you have a lovely stack of thin pancakes. 

Fill or top or stack and fold each pancake as you wish with suggested toppings and fillings.

  

Cranberry Sauce

Keeping it simple with this tangy orange flavour cranberry sauce; Whether you pour it, spread it or top it over what ever you please this sauce will add some zest to your holiday season cuisine.  

Cranberry Sauce

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2 cups frozen cranberries, thawed

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

zest and juice of 1 orange

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Place all ingredients into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, allowing to boil  until the cranberries pop, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and gently mash the cranberries. Pour the cranberry sauce into a bowl and allow to cool. The sauce will thicken when cool. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend! - JD 

Caribbean Tropical Fruit Loaf

If you to serve something a bit different this holiday weekend, you may enjoy this super moist and deliciously crumbly Tropical Fruit Loaf. I found this recipe in a pile of recipes I seem to be hoarding. It came for the Guardian newspaper therefore the measurements are in grams you will need to do some conversions or if you have a scale, all the better to put that kitchen scale to use, will make it easier for measuring the ingredients. 

Caribbean Tropical Fruit Loaf

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350g dried tropical fruit (mango, banana, papaya, pineapple)

50g caster sugar

200ml white rum

40g crystallized ginger

half a teaspoon allspice

175g unsalted butter, softened

175g caster sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

50g corn flour

200g plain flour

A handful of toasted coconut curls

Soak the fruit in the rum, sugar and about 200ml boiling water for as much as 3 days and as little as overnight.

Preheat oven to 150ºC/300ºF. Prepare a loaf tin about 10cmx20cm, by lightly buttering and flouring it. I also lined the tin with baking parchment paper.

When it comes to making the cake - drain the fruit, keep the liquid, and roughly chop or blitz in food processor - however do not over blitz into small pieces.

Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add the eggs, one by one until totally incorporated. 

Sift the baking powder, flour and cornflour together and fold into the batter (butter mixture). Now turn in the chopped fruit, leaving a little to sprinkle on top of the cake. 

Tip in the mix, sprinkle over the remaining fruit and put int the middle of the oven on a tray. 

Cook for about 1 hour, until it passes the skewer test and as that's happening reduce the remaining rum syrup on the hob in a little pan to a loose glaze.

Fold in the coconut curls into the brown sticky syrup and then once you've taken the loaf from the tin, spoon gently over the top.

NOTES: I didn't have any crystallized ginger so that was omitted. Also I did not chop the soaked fruit as I like larger pieces of fruit. I added grated orange rind to the batter. And to punctuate the rum flavour I added a dash of rum flavouring. I used British mixed spice as I had no allspice. Cornflour, sometimes in British baking it means cornstarch, however reading the recipe a few times and placing it into context I understood it to be actual cornflour not cornstarch or cornmeal. 

As far as the baking time... you may have to allot for more time. I followed the recipe, 300ºF oven for 1 hour, however found that the loaf was not ready and did not pass the skewer test. Back in the oven it went for another 30 minutes and after that another 15 minutes. The loaf baked for the recipes' initial 1 hour plus an additional 30 minutes plus another 15 minutes equalling 45 minutes; making the total baking time 1 hour and 45 minutes in a 300ºF oven.

And because I felt like it... when the loaf was slightly cooled, with a toothpick I gently poked the top of the loaf and squeezed the juice from half of an orange over the top and then made a simple drizzle icing to go over the the top rather than the syrup that was stated in the recipe.

Have a great long weekend everyone! - JD 

Christmas 2014

Christmas Eve: We started with our usual English fry up. I had the more paired down version so to speak. The turkey sausages were exceptionally good.  

Christmas Day: Fresh fruit and a slice of stollen started the morning off, then we decided to have the main Christmas meal just after mid day. Our Christmas feast consisted of Cornish hens with a sweet orange glaze, homemade stuffing with zest of orange and crushed junipers, seasoned roasted potatoes and parsnips, steamed carrots, mushy peas, and a dinner roll. 

After such a feast one wondered if there was any room for a slice of King George cake. 

Later on in the evening there was a snack of cheese, crackers and sliced meats for anyone feeling peckish.

Lavender Shortbread

I do tend to make quite a bit of shortbread over the holidays. It seems to be the one that disappears quickly. And not surprising considering I make many flavours that will tempt any culinary palette. These lavender shortbread are simple, aromatic with a slight hint of sweetness. Which makes them a favourite not just during the holiday season but anytime through out the year. 

Lavender Shortbread
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2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1 cup (1/2 lb) butter, softened
French lavender buds, add as much or as little according to your taste. 
caster sugar for dusting on top   

Turn the oven on to 350ºF. 

Line a baking tray with parchment paper.

Simply cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl.

In another bowl place the flour and lavender. Once combined together add it to the creamed mixture and mix well.

Roll the dough into balls about the size of a walnut and place them on the prepared baking  tray. Pressing gently, flatten with the bottom of a floured glass or a fork. Dipping the glass or fork into flour each time until all are done. Giving a light dusting of caster sugar over the top of each.  

Bake for about 8 - 10 minutes or until pale golden. Once done and while they are still warm from the oven place them on a rack, dust with more caster sugar and allow to cool.

NOTES: I really didn't give a measurement for the lavender because everyone's taste are different. I would say let your eyes do the measuring... if it is your first time using lavender in baking you might want to ease your way into. Use a lighter hand and have a shortbread with subtle flavour and next go a bit more bold. 

This is the lavender I used. On the back of the bottle it states that it is "a sweet floral aroma with a hint of mint and citrus." Looking at the jar now I probably used about 1 tablespoon or 1 tablespoon and a half when making the shortbread. Lavender is distinctive and a little does go a long way. However I enjoy giving the shortbread I make a flavourful punch. 

Have a good weekend everyone! - JW