Chocolate & Chilli Fudge

Ingredients 

• 550g unrefined caster sugar
• 550ml double cream 
• 75g liquid glucose
• 150g melted dark cooking chocolate 
• ½ teaspoon chilli powder

Put the sugar, double cream and liquid glucose in a deep pan.  Slowly heat together, stirring continually, until the sugar melts then fast boil until the thermometer reaches 118^oC.  Turn off the heat and add the chocolate and chilli powder, mix really well and pour into a 22cm square non-stick tin quickly.

Leave the fudge overnight to set then turn out and cut into squares.  Delicious!

Brussel Sprout & Gorgonzola Tart

Ingredients

• 300g brussel sprouts, cut in half or broccoli
• 4 eggs
• 200ml crème fraiche or double cream
• handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 25cm tart case, baked blind
• 150g crumbled Gorgonzola or Stilton

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

Steam the brussel sprouts until just cooked, leave in the colander to dry.

Mix together the egg and cream, add the chopped parsley and season.  Spread the cooled broccoli over the base of the tart case.  Add the Gorgonzola to the tart, packing it into the gaps and making sure the tart is nice and full.  Pour over just enough of the egg mixture to reach the rim of the case.  Bake for 20 minutes, until just set.

Remove and leave to cool slightly before serving.  Serves four.

Dan Lepard's Mulled Wine Plum Jellies

 

Ingredients:

• 500g dark plum flesh, skin on, stones cut out, chopped 
• 250ml red wine
• 500g granulated sugar, plus extra
• ½ tsp each ground cinnamon and nutmeg
• Pinch ground cloves (optional)
• 50ml of lemon juice, about 1 small lemon
• 125ml liquid pectin

Line the base and sides of an 18cm square cake tin with nonstick baking paper.

Put the plums and wine in a blender and purée until smooth but with flecks of peel visible. Tip into a saucepan with the sugar, spices and lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Skim off any froth that comes to the top, and then boil for approx 25 minutes, stirring often with until it hits 105C.

Remove from the heat, stir in the pectin, return to a boil and cook for 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until it reaches 106C. Pour into the tin and leave to cool for three to four hours.

Cut the jelly into cubes, roll in sugar and place on a baking tray lined with nonstick paper. Turn the oven to its lowest setting (40-50oC), leave the door ajar and dry them out for an hour and a half to two hours (alternatively, the jellies will dry if left at room temperature for a few days).

Remove, roll carefully in extra sugar and leave to cool.

Enjoy with cheese after dinner or with dark chocolate!

Harpenden!



Taken from the top of the best sledging hill in Harpenden



Gingerbread Men - Felt Christmas Tree Decorations

Design and cut out paper template for men.

Cut out two men from felt, ie, front and back of man.

On one piece, sew on eyes and shirt buttons.

Blanket stitch both front and back together using white embroidery thread.  Start on the side of the face, when you are at the other side of the face, fill man with toy stuffing, fold a piece of ribbon and place the cut edges in between the felt, sew through ribbon and blanket stitch to start.

Hang!

Fruit & Nut Biscotti

Ingredients

• 250g spelt flour
• 170g - 250g unrefined muscovado sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
• 3 medium organic eggs, lighted beaten
• 55g plump sultanas
• 55g dried cherries, cut in half
• 55g pitted dates, chopped
• 75g shelled pistachio nuts
• 55g whole blanched almonds
• 55g of shelled hazelnuts
• finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 180c. 

Mix the flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl.  Add half the beaten eggs, and mix well.  Then add more egg little by little until the dough takes shape (you may not need all the eggs).  If it's too wet add some more flour.  Add the fruit, nuts and lemon zest and mix well.

Divide the dough into six and roll each sixth into a sausage shape, about 3cm in diameter.  Place at least 6cm apart, on baking parchment on baking trays.  Wetting your hands when rolling out helps to prevent the dough sticking to your hands.  Lightly flatten the sausages and bake until golden brown, about 20-30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and leave for 10 minutes to cool down and firm up. 

Reduce the oven temperature to 140c.

With a serrated knife, cut the biscotti on the diagonal into 5mm slices and lay these on the baking trays to cook for a further 12 minutes.  Turn the biscotti over and cook for the third time for 10-15 until pale golden.  When ready remove from the oven and place on cake racks to cool.

Enjoy!

St Paul's to the South Bank

Following the wonderfully festive St Paul's Family Christmas Service, a walk was required to defrost the feet and to find the best mulled wine in the South Bank Gourmet Market.

Everyone along route was either taking photographs of the snow or throwing it about!

Some super snow people about, especially locally, where the snow has not been trashed or started to thaw.

Cranberry Chutney

Christmassy Cranberry Chutney 

•  25g olive oil or butter
• 350g onions, chopped
• 450g cooking apples, peeled and sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
• 350g cranberries, fresh or frozen
• 450g unrefined sugar
• 425ml white malt vinegar (or apple cider, or a mixture)

In a large very deep saucepan, add the oil, onions, apples and spice and cook until the onions are soft (about 20 minutes).

Add the cranberries and sugar and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the vinegar, bring to the boil and stir occasionally (to stop it sticking to the bottom of the pan).

Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 – 1 ½ hours, until it is reduced to a thick consistency.

Spoon into sterilised jars and cover with vinegar-proof lids. Label and stores for 4-6 weeks before using. When open, keep refridgerated.





Frozen Regent's Park

It's been below zero for a week now, and the lake has albeit frozen over.  A few tiny patches where running water have prevented the ice over.  Most of the ducks, geese and gulls have been practicing their slip-sliding away.  The Siberian winds have kept the park almost devoid of people.



Sub Zero in Regent's Park

A scene more akin to Eastern European than to Central London, frozen icicles cascading down struggling water fountains in the Avenue Gardens.  Only those with non-slip boots and arctic gloves were brave enough to stop and admire natures sculptures.

 

   

New Ceramicist on the Block

Jolie Fortuna, an exceptionally talented ceramicist had her first show at the Camden Arts Centre this Saturday, 27th November 2010.

The pieces for this exhibition were based on the Dutch artist René Daniëls, who is currently showing Painting on Unknown Languages upstairs at the centre, Arkwright Road, London NW3 6DG.

Jolie has been working to complete this sensational body of work since September.  Unfortunately, the show has ended, but keep your eyes open for this VYBA (Very Young British Artist).

Freeze the balls on a brass monkey!

A quick sharp walk across Regent's Park, due to the caustic weather not encouraging meandering or the stopping of movement to admire the last of autumn.  Hibernation imminent.

 

The few snow flakes that fell this afternoon in Central London were witnessed by waiting parents desperate to pick up their charges and head for the warmth of homes.  Time to get out the thermal underwear and snow boots. 

Halloween Again!

Strange, eerie fog again.  One almost expects Sherlock Holmes to come round the corner.  And the clip-clop of hooves drawing their carriages for two and six!

Local Pea Soup!

Another atmospheric day with dense fog. It feels like the edge of the world is just up the road, and then it's a freefall into space!

Pea Soup in Regent's Park!

After several days of high winds and it raining cats and dogs, it was a welcome relief to find it bitterly cold and foggy!

A leisurely stroll through Regent's Park saw hardened dog owners and runners trying to get fit before the onslaught of Christmas mince pies and chocolates.

Tis the season for Salt Dough!

2 cups cheapest all-purpose flour
1 cup salt
1 cup cold water

Mix salt and flour together in a bowl.  Gradually add 1/2 cup of water and mix to a dough.  Knead the dough on a flat surface, add water as needed.

If you want holes, pierce the dough with a matchstick after cutting shapes.

Shapes will dry in a couple of days.  Paint with acrylic paints and varnish all sides.

Rat @ Kenwood House Lake

A lovely bright day to go squelching in the woods at Kenwood House.  Remember never to wear shoes with holes in, in deep mud!  By the lake we saw a rat.  It was inquisitive and tame.  Ratty came right up to feed from our offerings of cranberries and unsalted nuts!  And then, it squirrelled them away one-by-one for the winter.

Princess of Wales Conservatory, Kew Gardens

A lovely time exploring the conservatory, sniffing out the Titan Arum, searching for the remaining butterflies (two) and watching the steam come down onto the lily pads of the Victoria Amazonica (giant waterlily).

 

 

 

Honey and peanut butter booster bars

This is a 'Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall at River Cottage' receipe.  It's a great snack bar.  However, it can't go in packed lunch boxes as it has nuts, but it's super for an after-school snack and as a pick-them-up at the weekend. 

If you don't have any oranges and lemons, it's ok to use a tablespoon of mixed peel.  Same with the dried fruit and mixed seeds, I finished as many bits and pieces as I could find.  A great larder clearer-outer!  Same with the peanut butter, it doesn't matter if it's smooth.
 
Ingredients
125g mild olive oil or unsalted butter
150g brown sugar
125g no-sugar-added crunchy peanut butter
75g honey, plus a little more to finish
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
200g porridge oats (if jumbo, blend a bit to break down)
150g dried fruit, such as raisins, chopped apricots and prunes or dates
150g mixed seeds, such as pumpkin, sunflower, poppy, linseed, hemp and sesame

Grease and line a baking tin, about 20cm square. Put the oil, sugar, peanut butter, honey and grated citrus zests in a deep saucepan over a very low heat.  Leave until melted, stirring from time to time.

Stir the oats, dried fruit and three-quarters of the seeds into the oil mixture until thoroughly combined.  Spread the mixture out evenly in the baking tin, pressing down and smoothing the top as you go.

Scatter the remaining seeds over the surface and trickle with a little more honey.  Place in an oven preheated to 160°C/Gas Mark 3 and bake for about 30 minutes, until golden in the centre and golden brown at the edges.

Leave to cool completely in the tin, cut into 16 squares.  These bars will keep for 5-7 days in an airtight tin.

Variation: Banana booster bars
Replace the peanut butter with 1 medium ripe banana (about 175g), mashed.  Stir it in after all the other ingredients have been combined.

Regent's Park

It doesn't really look like Regent's Park but this is taken from the bridge between the mosque and the playing fields, near the boating lake.  It's has a slightly Japanesy feel to it, but the plastic bottle floating in the water (which I have airbrushed out) places it in England.

Autumn

It's definitely autumn and I'm itching to go to Kew Gardens to see all those magnificent trees turning their russets, golds and bronzes.  In the mean time all those crispy, crunchy leaves underfoot and the creeping walls will have to be enjoyed.

A glimpse of sun in Regent's Park, London