Creme caramel heaven and Dim Sum

Hello there! How are we all doing? Here in England it's quite a chill time, no honestly, it's pretty chilly, lol. With a big chill comes the need for warm and comforting dishes. I have two recipes for you that don't really go together but I happened to have made them on the same day and thought you might like to have a peek and try them too.
So first things first, the main dish is Chinese dim sum, buns to be precise. They are similar to bao buns but not sure if they are the real deal. Whatever they are, they are tasty and easy to make at home with a few ingredients.
Here is what you will need for the buns:

1 tin coconut milk
2 tins (empty coconut milk tin) self raising flour
Good pinch of salt
16 Muffin cases
Steamer basket or bamboo steamer

You will need the following for the filling:

Chicken or beef
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
A pinch of salt
1/2 Tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine)
1 tsp cornflour, diluted in a little water
Oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 spring onion, chopped

Here's what you do:

Cut the beef or chicken quite thinly and fry in hot oil. Add crushed garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and mirin. Mix well and add a little water so it doesn't stick. Sauté until the meat is cooked then add the cornflour slurry to thicken things up. Cook for at least 2 minutes after adding the cornflour. Take off the heat. Mix in the chopped spring onion.

In a food processor, mix the tin of coconut milk with two tins of self raising flour and the salt.  Process until the ingredients come together, forming a loose ball of dough. At this point, switch off the processor and take out the dough and put it on a floured surface. Flour your hands as you knead as the dough is sticky. Knead to form a rough sausage and cut it in 8 equal parts.
Flatten each part with your fingers and place some of the chicken or beef mixture in the middle, pinching the dough upwards to close the bun. Reserve the juices from the chicken or beef for dipping the buns.
Put each bun in a double layer of muffin cases.
In a large pan or wok, boil a good amount of water and lay the steamer on top. Place the muffin cases filled with buns in the steamer and cover. Steam for about 12 to 15 minutes. Enjoy while warm with some chili sauce and the reserved sauce from the meat.

Now for the dessert bit, let's talk caramel creme. Everyone likes those...they are oozing caramel and they are sweet and velvety. However, most people who make caramel creme at home make it with milk, sugar, eggs and vanilla. I have tried making it another way and it turned out lovely and just a tad tangy. Here's what I used:

One cup creme fraîche
Whole milk to top up to 300ml
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp caster sugar (you can use one Tbsp white caster and 1 Tbsp golden caster)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1 Tbsp water

Proceed like so:

In a Pyrex small jug, or any other heat resistant jug, mix the granulated sugar with the water. Put in in the microwave on high for 2 minutes and then check that the caramel is coming on nicely every 10 seconds. Have a bowl of cold water ready to place the jug in to stop the caramel burning once it is done.  The caramel is done when it's an amber colour but not dark brown.
Pour the caramel into a heat proof dish to cover the bottom completely.
Using a hand whisk or electric whisk, beat the eggs, milk and caster sugar together. Add the vanilla essence and beat again. Make sure the sugar is nearly or completely dissolved into the liquid.
Pour the mixture over the caramel into the heat proof dish.
Boil the kettle and put some boiling hot water into a deep and bigger oven dish than the one containing the dessert mixture. Now place the dish containing the egg/milk into the bigger container with the hot water. This will help the custard cook gently using the technique known as bain marie.
Cook in a preheated oven at 170 degrees C for about an hour to an hour and 10 minutes. It's ok if the middle is still wobbly. Once it's cooled, put in the fridge to set fully. Enjoy cold or at room temperature.

Enjoy the recipes and ask if you want any clarification....see you all soon, time to do homework with my daughter:))

Curry Puffs: Weekend Treat

Start the weekend with these curry puffs and everything will seem better going forwards:)
They are easy to make and even easier to eat with a melt-in-the-mouth pastry. What's great is that they are mild enough to eat for breakfast so if you feel like an early start on the weekend, you could have them ready in an hour.
If you follow my recipe, you really can't fail these.

You will need for the filling:
a quarter of a small onion, chopped finely
a small bunch of coriander (cilantro for you my American friends)
a pinch of fenugreek seeds
a quarter teaspoon of ground coriander seeds
a quarter teaspoon turmeric powder
half a teaspoon of garam masala
2 curry leaves
Salt to taste
a handful of green beans cut in small chunks
one clove garlic and a small piece of ginger
a glug of oil

In a mortar and pestle, crush together the garlic, ginger, coriander leaves and stems. Keep aside.
Heat the oil in a frying pan or sauté pan on medium high heat; put in the curry leaves then the onions. Fry for a couple of minutes before adding the garlic/ginger/coriander puree. Fry for just a minute then add a small amount of water to prevent the garlic from burning. Add the spices to the pan; fenugreek seeds, ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala and a pinch of salt. Finally add the green beans and fry until tender (should take 5 minutes). Add a little water if it gets too dry. Leave this aside for now. Let it cool down.

For the dough you will need:
100g plain flour
50g butter
1 small egg
Salt

In a mixing bowl, rub the butter in the flour until you get a coarse breadcrumbs consistency. Add a little sprinkling of salt and mix it in. Make a well in the centre of the flour/butter mixture. Then, add beaten egg, a little at a time, until you have added just over half of the egg. Mix with a fork until it all comes together then swap the fork for your fingers. Do not knead this dough; just bring it all together and shape it into a disc. Wrap this in cling film and put in the fridge for no less than 30 minutes. When 25 minutes have passed, preheat the oven to 190C. Roll out the dough on a floured surface, cut out discs of roughly 12cm diameter and fill with the curried beans then, fold in half and press with a knife on the edge to crimp and secure the filling inside the puffs. Prick the dough on the top to allow steam to escape while baking. Make an egg wash with the rest of the beaten egg by adding a small amount of water to it. Use this to brush the puffs; this will make them golden, crispier and tastier. Bake a baking sheet lined with foil for about 15 minutes.

 

Take out and let them cool down slightly before tucking it.

Enjoy and let me know how you got on.

Back to Work, Back to School!

School is back in full swing and so is work (I work in a school, lol). It's great to be back in the routine though. Too much of a good thing and it's not good anymore.
Being back to work means things get busier and there is less time to do chores and hobbies. Here are a few tips to clean easily and effortlessly (or with minimal effort;)).
For instance, the shower head...if you live in an area of hard water especially, the shower head soon looks horrible and most of the little holes become blocked. One way to clean the shower head is to pour some vinegar in a zip-lock bag and dilute it a little if you want but pure will do the job faster. Insert the shower head inside the bag and lock as much as possible and leave all day while you are at work. When you come back, take the shower head out of the bag and rinse. Job done!
The tiles in the bathroom also can be sprayed with diluted vinegar (you can add some lemon juice for the nice smell) before you leave the house and scrub a little and rinse when you get back. It will make future cleaning easier as long as you do this regularly, about once every two weeks.
At least once a week, put your pillows near an open window if you live in a flat (apartment) like me. This will aerate them and prevent them from smelling. If they can be put in the washing machine, do this once a year at least.
Keep outdoor shoes for outdoors and have slippers or flip-flops for inside the house. This will help keep the floors cleaner for longer.
Clean as you cook; let me explain. Don't leave all the mess to be cleaned or cleared after you finish cooking. While you are cooking, put things to soak, load the dishwasher or do the dishes by hand while the sauce is simmering or the roast is in the oven. This will leave you with very little mess after dinner.
I hope these tips are helpful and let me know if you want specific tips about particular subjects.
Until next time:)
Have a blast this weekend!!

It's finally the holidays!

Hey, how are you all doing? I am feeling light and happy because it's not until the 7th of January that I will have to think about work again!😊 Then ten days later it will be my birthday, when I will turn 41. Justine broke up on the same day as I and that was so helpful. Have you sorted all your cards and presents? I am slowly getting there...I know, I am late this year, especially with cards. I am known to have wrapped all my presents by November 1st, lol. You must be thinking "Get a life!" but I believe some level of organisation in some areas are quintessential while in some other areas, spontaneity is the key.
Anyway, I would not be true to myself if I didn't pen off after giving you a recipe or recipe idea;) so here goes: try crispy chicken with golden potato wedges and vegetables of your choice.

To be honest, I had planned on making crispy chicken using seasoned flour and breadcrumbs but I was low on all-purpose flour (aka. AP flour) so I decided to venture into new realms...I used fine polenta mixed with the little flour I had left and seasoned it with salt and pepper and a little bit of chicken seasoning mix. I never measure any of these ingredients when making the seasoned flour so just use logic and put in what looks reasonable. I cut my chicken breast quite thin so it would take a very short time to fry. I only shallow fried them after dipping (I think the correct term is dredging) each piece in the seasoned flour/polenta mix. They looked so lovely and golden due to the polenta, it was hard to wait to eat them!
For the wedges, cut each potato in half first (this makes it easier to cut wedges afterwards) then cut each half into wedges but not too thick. The trick to get them all crispy and golden is to use a mixture of coarse polenta, a pinch of garlic powder, salt, pepper and a pinch of onion powder on the wedges. First you need to coat the potato pieces with oil (I use rapeseed a lot for frying and general cooking because it is good for you and it has a high smoke point). After coating them in oil, dredge them into that polenta mixture and bake on a baking sheet in a preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius (that's about 375 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 35 to 40 minutes (just keep an eye on them past the 30 minutes mark).
As for the vegetables, you can cook (boil, steam or roast) whatever you like to go with your dinner but I have an idea for divine green beans. Use fine green beans to be quick but any will work. Cut the beans into short chunks then fry them on a medium high heat into a skillet that has a small amount of hot oil in it. Season with salt, pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Continue frying for 5 minutes and take off the heat; they are best served immediately.
Enjoy the ideas and good luck with all the festive preparations, decorations and visits! See you again soon...don't forget to eat mince pies and drink hot chocolate;)

Sorry I look like I just woke up (I had just woken up...lol)

Christmas is fast approaching!!

How ready are you for Christmas? Got some presents, food, drinks, cards sent? I cannot say I can tick all the boxes myself...oops! ;)
I have most of the presents sorted, some of the food, no drinks yet and very few cards sent. Looks like I have to get going!
While all the festive stuff is happening, life still carries on alongside it so I thought of just making this short and sweet post to update you about what we're up to and still slip in a recipe for you to try.
Christmas is a busy period so it helps to save time when possible. This is a fast and delicious breakfast recipe that will keep your energy up but that doesn't compromise on taste...
...you will use:

• Yogurt (full fat has more creaminess and taste)
• One heaped teaspoon marmelade or jam of your choice 
• One teaspoon flaked almonds (or any nuts you like)
• One heaped teaspoon mixed dry berries (raisins do fine too)

Mix everything together and enjoy!
Happy festive season....I will drop back in soon for another post!

Black Friday...

What is Black Friday?

All it is, is the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the United States of America (Thanksgiving being the fourth Thursday of November). It is one of the busiest shopping days in the whole year because it sort of marks the official beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

Grabbing Black Friday Deals: Clever or Silly?

Whether it is silly or clever to grab deals on Black Friday and any other day for that matter, depends on whether you need those items you are buying. If you only buy something because it is on sale, it is not so clever. For instance, I needed to buy my Secret Santa gift and some other gifts for my colleagues and I got myself some juicy deals and I say that's a win situation!:)

What are you up to this Friday?

I happen to be off work today and my daughter and myself plan to spend the day at home mostly, if not entirely. What are you all up to? I guess most people are working...on the plus side, it's nearly the weekend!:)) This morning, I made crepes (thin pancakes) and I need to share (or re share) the recipe with you because they turn out perfect and light every time. 

The amount of ingredients below makes about 6 small pancakes or 4 large ones.

You will need:

50g all purpose flour (sifted to remove lumps)

150ml milk (I use whole milk)

1/2 Tbsp. melted butter (melt it in a small bowl in the microwave on the low setting) - plus some butter for the pan

1/2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg (beaten)

Vegetable oil for the pan

How you make the pancakes:

Beat the egg with the sugar in a small bowl.

In a jug, put the sifted flour and half the milk then beat well and then slowly beat in the rest of the milk. Now add the egg and sugar mixture and beat well. Pour in the vanilla and mix in well, along with the melted butter. Let your batter rest for at least half an hour in the fridge before cooking them, if you have time. 

When you are ready to cook the pancakes, heat up your pan on medium high and pour in a 1/2 tsp. oil plus a little butter. As it sizzles, pour some batter to evenly coat the surface of the pan and cook for about a minute on one side then flip and cook for 30 seconds. You can put some hazelnut chocolate spread on the pancakes or squeeze some lemon and sprinkle some sugar on them. Both are delicious. 

Enjoy guys!

Perfect light and fluffy pancakes

If any of my friends or family members visit my blog, here is a picture of Justine (my eight year old daughter) - this was taken yesterday on the way to school...

Justine wrapped up warm; it was -1 degree after all!

I guess I better start on some housework...long overdue! 😆 Ok everyone, enjoy your weekend if I don't check back in here for a few days. I will keep you posted about what we are up to and give you plenty of interesting ideas for the holidays!

Big kiss and warm hugs...xoxo

It is beginning to feel a lot like....

...Christmas! With this special time of year just round the corner, the pressure is on to get all Christmassy and festive, to think of gifts for loved ones and to think of ideas for the Christmas meal.
I personally like to include a little personalised something when I give away my gifts to friends and family. Already I feel like I left it a bit late to get crafting those personalised somethings but I will try my best to get them done;)
One item I found last year (to be repeated this year definitely!) is a cute crochet 3D puffy heart. So adorable! Take a look...

They are quick to make and are always loved by the receivers. Look for 3D crochet heart free patterns online and you will find an array of websites that offer a free pattern. I have tried a few and they all work fine.

Soon we will be baking gingerbread cookies. Apparently saying gingerbread 'men' is wrong nowadays and we are supposed to say gingerbread 'person', lol, can you believe the nonsense?! I am sure my little Justine will be eager to help me decorate these gingerbread men (oh yes, I will say it the way I like! lol).

A short but sweet post and hope you are all well and kicking:) Day off today for me so a spot of shopping, a spot of cleaning and a lot of relaxing I hope. Tomorrow is another day, make the most of the present time. Happy Wednesday everybody!