Daring Bakers April 2009 Challenge: Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake

The April 2009 challenge is hosted by Jenny from Jenny Bakes. She has chosen Abbey's Infamous Cheesecake as the challenge.

I was very excited when I saw this month’s challenge was cheesecake. I adore cheesecake but find ones you have out are often disappointing. Often they are not what I consider ‘proper’ cheesecakes. Many are just mascarpone mixed with sugar and shaped into a mould or even worse – set with gelatin. However, this cheesecake sounded perfect – lots of cream cheese, a proper biscuit base and baked in the oven – hurrah!

This recipe was given to Jenny by her friend Abbey T. Jenny says it is her favourite cheesecake and thought it would be the perfect recipe for this months Daring Bakers challenge and after making mine, I applaud Jenny for her choice – it’s fantastic!

We were given a lot of free reign on this challenge. All we had to do was follow the basic vanilla cheesecake recipe and modify it in any way we desired. The hardest part of this challenge was choosing what flavour to do, so many great ones kept popping into my head – apple, salted caramel, double chocolate, Amaretto, Coffee, fruity… you get the idea. In the end I decided to make a raspberry ripple cheesecake as I wanted to keep the smooth creamy flavour of the vanilla cheesecake but also include a vibrant fruity ripple of raspberry as a contrast.

When I bought the raspberries they looked so plump and had such a wonderful aroma that I bought two packs and stirred one pack through the cheesecake batter just before placing in the tin, meaning it baked with little pockets of juicy raspberries hidden inside. I am so pleased I did this, as they intensified in flavour and looked so pretty when the slices were cut.

For the ripple effect I pureed the remaining pack of raspberries and sieved out the seeds as I wanted a smooth coulis. I then boiled it with some sugar to make it thick and jammy before swirling it over the top of the cheesecake. The colour of the coulis dulled a little on baking, but the flavour intensified and it tasted wonderful.

The texture of the cheesecake itself was heavenly. With 750g of cream cheese I thought it was bound to be a bit heavy and dense, but it turned out amazingly light and creamy whilst still retaining the body of a baked cheesecake. It was also fantastically deep – just look at how high and creamy it is! It sort of melted on your tongue, coating your whole mouth with vanilla and raspberry flavours. Mmm just divine. The worst part about it was that it tasted so light that it meant you could eat more of it without any trouble – pleasurable but rather detrimental to the figure. I made sure to divide it up amongst my family for fear of eating it all myself.

I served the cheesecake with some leftover raspberries and extra coulis which added a vibrant colour and zingy sweet flavours which went perfectly with the creamy cheesecake. I can’t wait for an excuse to make this cheesecake again and to experiment with other flavour variations. Check out the Blogroll to see what other Daring Bakers did with their cheesecakes. Thanks Jenny for such a divine recipe!

Raspberry Ripple Cheesecake
Ingredients – for the base
180g digestive biscuits
115g butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients – for the cheesecake
750g cream cheese
210g caster sugar
225ml double cream
3 eggs
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla
100g fresh raspberries

Ingredients – for the raspberry coulis
150g fresh raspberries
1 tbsp lemon juice
100g caster sugar
½ tsp raspberry extract

Method – for raspberry coulis
Place the raspberries in a microwaveable bowl and cook for 1 minute. The raspberries should not be soft and releasing juice. Crush them with a fork and then pass the liquid through a fine sieve to remove the seeds.
Place the raspberry juice, sugar and lemon juice into a small saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.
Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until syrupy.
Remove from the heat and stir in the raspberry extract if using.
Allow to cool and thicken before using.

For the cheesecake
Preheat the oven to 180C.
To start, make the base. Place the biscuits into a strong plastic bag and crush into fine crumbs using your fingers. Melt the butter, stir in the vanilla and pour over the biscuit crumbs.
Mix well to ensure all the biscuit crumbs are evenly coated in butter and press firmly into the base of a deep 8inch/20cm springform tin.
In a very large bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until soft and smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each one.
Pour over the vanilla, lemon juice and cream and mix well.
Gently fold in the fresh raspberries and pour the mixture on top of the biscuit base, smoothing down the top. Tap the tin a few times on a work surface to remove any trapped air.
Drizzle half of the raspberry coulis over the top of the cheesecake and swirl in into the mixture using a skewer or small knife. Don’t mix too much as you want a rippled effect to remain.
Wrap the base and sides of the tin in foil, making sure to use one large sheet rather than lots of little ones, as you want it to be water tight.
Place the wrapped tin into a deep baking tray and half fill with boiling water from the kettle. Carefully transfer the cheesecake to the oven and top up with a little extra water is necessary.
Bake for 60-70 minutes until the outside is set and the middle remains fairly wobbly. Give it a small jiggle to test it. Once ready, turn off the heat but leave the cheesecake in the oven to cool down gradually. It will continue to firm up during this time.
After an hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven and from its water bath. Leave to cool to room temperature before refrigerating overnight.
The next day, run a thin hot knife around the edge of the cheesecake and release it from the tin.
Serve in generous slices with extra coulis and fresh raspberries.
Indulge and enjoy. Makes 1 very deep 8inch/20cm cheesecake.

Panettone Bread Pudding & the Beginning of the End

As this week draws to a close it marks the beginning of the end of a momentous period in my life. Earlier this week I handed in my final year dissertation that I have been working on for the past 5 months. What a rollercoaster of a ride that piece of work turned out to be – interesting, stressful, fun and a few sleepless nights but in the end a piece of work I feel proud of. Then today is my very last lecture at uni EVER! By tonight I will only have a month of exams left, after which my 4 years of uni will be finished for good. Not only that, but today also happens to be my birthday! My friends and I are going out for lunch for a triple celebration.

So where does panettone bread pudding come into all this? Well, it doesn’t really. I made it this week to use up some leftover panettone and very tasty it was too. I adapted a recipe for normal bread pudding by removing the sugar and currants from the recipe as panettone has enough of those already. Bread pudding is denser and stodgier than the better known bread and butter pudding, which is softer and contains more custard. Bread pudding is the traditional way of using up stale bread and tastes great cut into thick slices and served hot or cold. Using panettone in place of normal bread added a wonderful citrusy flavour and made it that little bit more indulgent.

Panettone Bread Pudding
Ingredients
200g stale panettone
200ml milk
2 tsp mixed spice
50g butter
1 egg
25g plain flour
½ tsp baking powder

Method
Tear the panettone into small chunks and place in a bowl with the mixed spice.
Pour over the milk and push the pieces of panettone into the liquid. Allow the bread to absorb all the milk for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease the sides of a 1lb/400g loaf tin.
When the panettone has absorbed the milk and gone soggy, sift over the flour and baking powder and mix together well.
Melt the butter and beat in the egg. Pour the mixture over the bread and stir together ensuring everything is evenly coated. Press the soggy bread mixture into the loaf tin and press down lightly.
Bake for 30-35 minutes until crisp and browned on top. Leave to cool for an hours before serving in thick slices.
Store any leftovers in the fridge.
Serves 4-6

The Cake Slice April 09: Chai Cake with Honey & Ginger Cream

Wow! This cake is A-MAZ-ING! Regular readers will know I love my cakes and desserts with a bit of spice, well this cake definitely ticked that box. The cake layers were light and fluffy with a strong warming spiciness thanks to the use of a generous amount of Chia tea infused milk as well as some added cinnamon and ground cardamom. It’s a spicy taste sensation! If that wasn’t enough the cake is filled and topped with a sweet and creamy cream cheese frosting flavoured with sweet honey and freshly grated ginger. This may sound like a lot of flavours, but they all worked together in harmony. The spiciness coming in first, followed by the honey and ginger swooping in and cleansing your palate, ready for another bite. It’s truly fantastic.

I used blossom honey which added a nice subtle floral sweetness and went with the fresh ginger perfectly. I was really surprised how much the small amount of ginger shone through. I plan to use fresh ginger in icing again; I bet it would be wonderful in the frosting for a carrot or chocolate cake.

The only changes I made to this cake were to reduce the amount of sugar in the cake batter from 500g to 350g as I thought 500g was a bit excessive. The resulting cake was still perfectly sweet. I might try reducing the icing sugar in the cream next time too as the honey made it more than sweet enough. The only problem I encountered was when making the honey and ginger cream. The resulting cream was quite thin and oozy, even after an hour in the fridge so unfortunately the sides of my cake look a little patchy – didn’t stop it tasting amazing though!
I loved how tall the cake turned out and the contrast between the pale creamy icing and the dark spicy cake within. Click here to view the blogroll for the other Cake Slice Bakers cakes.

For those who don’t know, Chai tea is an Indian spiced tea comprising of strong Black Assam tea mixed with a combination of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, citrus and cardamom. It is traditionally brewed with milk and served strong.

Chai Cake with Honey & Ginger Cream
For the Chai cake
300ml milk
6 Chai tea bags
4 eggs
2 egg yolks
2 tsp vanilla extract
330g American cake flour OR 270g plain flour with 50g cornflour
500g caster sugar (I only used 350g)
4½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp salt
220g butter

For the honey & ginger cream
310g icing sugar
175g cream cheese
75g butter, softened
175g runny honey
1 tsp fresh grated ginger

Method – cake layers
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line the base of three 8inch/20cm cake tins with greaseproof paper.
Heat the milk until just hot, either in a saucepan or the microwave, add the tea bags and leave to infuse for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and cardamom in a large bowl.
Remove the tea bags from the milk, squeezing out all the moisture.
Place the eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and 75ml of the milk into a jug and beat together until combined.
Add the remaining milk and the butter to the flour and beat well until a smooth batter is created.
Add the egg mixture, in thirds, beating well between each addition.
Divide the batter between the three cake tins and bake for 26-28 minutes until risen and springy to the touch.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tins and leaving to cool completely before filling and covering with the honey and ginger cream.

Method – cream
Place all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Transfer to a bowl and chill for an hour before using to fill and cover the cake layers, allowing any excess to drizzle down the sides.
Decorate as desired.
Make one triple layer 8inch/20cm cake

Kellogg’s Nature’s Pleasure Baked Muesli

A few weeks ago I was asked by Kellogg’s if I would like to review some of their new baked muesli. I’m a big muesli lover and even eat it for lunch if I’m in a rush to get to Uni and so happily said yes. I was expecting maybe one or two sample packets to try, so I got a great surprise when a huge parcel turned up on the doorstep containing a lovely wooden chest containing a full sized box of each of the four new mueslis (two fruity ones and two nutty ones), complete with my own bowl and spoon with which to eat them with! I couldn’t wait to taste them and ended up opening all four boxes at once.

The muesli base is a mix of oats and barley, sweetened with honey and a little sugar and baked into small clusters. Baking toasts the grains making them taste wonderfully nutty with a good crunch that remains crisp even after a few minutes soaking in milk. The honey adds just the right amount of sweetness, making the baked muesli a sort of less sweet take on granola.

I was really impressed with the generous quality and quantity of the added fruits and nuts. They were in big chunks rather than little pieces and full of flavour. They have also been more adventurous than your standard muesli, including ingredients such as dried blackcurrants, freeze dried cherries and cashew nuts. There was also no small dusty bits lurking in the bottom of the packets as can sometimes happen with muesli.

The packaging also impressed me. The boxes are made of a sort of rough cardboard that gave them a wholesome natural appearance. The ingredients were also clearly displayed and I was pleased to see that the list was short and contained nothing I didn’t have in my kitchen cupboards. The colour is kept simple with the pictures on the front making it clear what each box contains. I couldn’t wait to get tasting, and my opinions are listed below.

Apple & Blackcurrant
The oats were golden in colour and stayed nicely crisp and crunchy in the milk. They had a nutty toasted flavour with sweet hints of honey and a generous sprinkling of mixed spice. As you chewed, the flavours developed filled your mouth with a wonderful spiciness that went perfectly with the apple. My idea of heaven! I loved how the dried apple slices were in nice big pieces and that the red skin had been left on which gave a very natural look. They softened in the milk and had a great sweet flavour while the occasionally dried blackcurrant added a good sharp fruity burst. I have never had dried blackcurrants before so they were a nice surprise. This one was by far my favourite. Whoever came up with this combination of fruits and spices for muesli is a genius, I couldn’t stop eating it.

Raspberry & Cherry
This one was nicely sweet with a strong toasted oat flavour. It had large pieces of freeze dried raspberry and cherry along with a few cranberries mixed in. The raspberries and cranberries were quite sharp and at first I was a little surprised by this, but the more I ate the more it grew on me and now I love it. I thought the addition of pumpkin seeds added a nice crunch and I loved how the milk turned a pretty shade of pink from the fruits.

Almond, Pecan & Cashew
The first thing I noticed was how nice and big the pieces of nut were. The cashews and pecans were in generous chunks and the almond cut into slivers. It all looked golden in colour and smelt nutty. This one was slightly less sweet than the other mueslis, as it had no added fruit, so would be a good choice for nut lovers. The nuts added a subtle creaminess as you chewed and a lingering nutty flavour. Despite this, I felt it needed another texture, as every mouthful ended up tasting the same. The nuts used are naturally softer nuts than say hazelnuts or bigger chunks of almonds and as this muesli is a fruit-free-zone there was no contrasting texture. It still tasted great but for me I felt it needed lifting, maybe with the addition of some flaked coconut, spice or even chocolate chips. But it’s bound to be a hit with purists.

Almond, Pecan & Raisin
I really enjoyed this one. It had the creamy nuttiness of the mixed nut one, but with the addition of some fat chewy raisins. Great flavour and a great take on the traditional classic muesli.

Overall I was very impressed and I am sure the boxes will be a regular feature on my shopping list, particularly that apple and blackcurrant one with the mixed spice – yum! Click here for more info.

Chocolate Five Spice Cupcakes with Easter Egg Nests

We were having some family round for the afternoon and I wanted to make something fun and Easter themed for afternoon tea. Chocolate is always a sure fire hit with everyone and I initially thought of the chocolate rice krisipe nests I made last year, but I decided to make something different this year. I then thought of chocolate cupcakes but these felt a bit boring, so I hit upon the idea of combining the two – a chocolate cupcake topped with mini rice krisipe nests. As I was out shopping for ingredients, I discovered some adorable mini chocolate eggs, miniature mini eggs! They are about the size of a large pea and perfect for sitting in the mini chocolate nests.

As I was mixing together the cupcake batter I decided to add some cinnamon into the mix as a nod towards the traditional spicy hot cross bun, but on opening the spice cupboard my eyes lit on a jar of Chinese five spice. It smelt wonderful, warming and aniseedy so throwing caution to the wind I added some the cupcake mix. As they were baking in the oven, the five spice smelt really strong and I was a little concerned I may have overdone it and people wouldn’t like them, but I carried on anyway. I spread them with a little Nutella buttercream and topped them with the mini chocolate nests.
They went down well with all the family, the colourful cupcake cases and miniature nests and eggs giving them a fun and cheerful appearance and evoking fond memories of childhood Easters gone by. I didn’t mention about the added spice, some of my family aren’t too adventurous, but the cupcakes received mmm’s (whew) and arrrr’s as people tried to guess the secret ingredient. I was really pleased how they turned out and will definitely be experimenting with Chinese five spice again, but I’ve learnt its quite intense – a little goes a long way!

Chocolate Five Spice Cupcakes with Easter Egg Nests
Ingredients – for the cupcakes
110g self raising flour
120g caster sugar
120g softened butter
20g cocoa powder
2 eggs
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp Chinese five spice powder

For the frosting
50g softened butter
100g icing sugar
1 tbsp Nutella
1 tbsp milk

For the chocolate nests
135g plain chocolate
35g butter
1 tbsp golden syrup
100g rice krispies
Miniature mini eggs for decorating

For the cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 175C. Line a muffin tin with paper cases.
Beat together the butter, sugar until smooth and then beat in the eggs.
Sift over the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and Chinese five spice and beat until well combined.
Add the milk to slacken the mixture before spooning into the muffin cases, using a tablespoon, filling each case half way.
Bake for 22-24 minutes until risen and springy.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire wrack to cool.
Makes 10-12 cupcakes

For the Nutella frosting
Beat the butter until smooth. Sift over the icing sugar, in two batches, and beat into the butter until well combined and fluffy.
Beat in the Nutella and thin down with a little milk.
Spread generously over the top of the cooled cupcakes.
Makes enough for one batch of cupcakes.

For the chocolate nests
Place 25 mini muffin cases on a baking tray and set to one side.
Melt the chocolate, butter and golden syrup together in large saucepan, over a gentle heat.
Stir occasionally until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
Turn off the heat and immediately stir in the rice krispies, making sure they all get coated in the chocolate.
Quickly divide the krispie mix into the paper cases using a teaspoon. Top each mini nest with 3 miniature mini eggs.
Allow them to set at room temperature before removing the nests from the muffin cases and using to decorate the cupcakes. Store the extra nests in an airtight container.
Makes around 25 mini chocolate nests.

Apple & Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns

To me, hot cross buns are as much an integral part of the foodie festivities sounding Easter, as chocolate eggs are to other people. Shops are full of hot cross buns around this time of year but nothing beats the taste and enjoyment of making your own. This also means you can flavour them with whatever takes your fancy – chocolate chips instead of fruit – why not? Orange and cranberry combination – go ahead. For me, it has to be (unsurprisingly) apple and cinnamon hot cross buns.

This recipe started life as a normal hot cross but recipe and over the years I have adapted it into something I now believe to be my perfect hot cross bun. It’s packed with a generous amount of cinnamon and a grating of nutmeg for a lovely spicy note and contains a whole grated apple, skin and all for sweetness and flavour. I have also added some dried apricots into the fruit mix and substituted white sugar for light soft brown which gives the buns a real depth of flavour and seems to accentuate the subtle spiciness. This also makes the dough a lovely spicy brown colour, but as the buns bake and become bronzed and look the same as normal buns, until they are sliced which reveals their soft and spicy interior.

The smell as the hot cross buns baked was amazing; it filled the whole kitchen with a fruity spicy aroma that lingered on until the evening. They taste wonderful when still warm from the oven and spread with a little butter, soft, tender and full of flavour. They are not overly appley but I think the apple adds a moistness and sweetness to the buns and the little flecks of rosy red skin are always pleasing to see. They are also delicious slightly toasted and spread with a little jam. The perfect Easter treat.

Apple & Cinnamon Hot Cross Buns
Ingredients - For the Starter

1½ tsp dried yeast or 20g fresh yeast

1 tsp light soft brown sugar

100g white bread flour

200ml warm milk

For the Dough

400g white bread flour

½ tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1 red eating apple

50g butter, softened

50g soft light brown sugar
50g raisins
50g sultanas
75g dried apricots

1 egg

For the Crosses

2 tbsp plain flour
2 tbsp water

½ tbsp runny honey for glazing

Make the starter: In a large bowl mix together the yeast, sugar and flour. Stir in the warm milk and mix to a smooth batter. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave to rise for 20 minutes until the surface is covered with large bubbles. (You can prepare the rest of the ingredients in the meantime).

For the dough: Sift together the flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the raisins and currants along with the dried apricots cut into small pieces. Core the apple, leaving the skin on and coarsely grate it into the mix. Add the sugar and the soft butter give it a gentle mix with your fingers.

Lightly beat the egg and add it to the starter along with the flour mixture once the 20minutes resting time is up. Mix everything together to a soft dough. Tip the dough on to a lightly floured surface; knead for five minutes until smooth and no longer sticky. Knead in more flour if it is still sticky after five minutes, as the type and size of your apple will add varying amounts of moisture.

Leave to prove in a greased bowl for 45minutes to 1hour until nearly doubled in size. Knock the dough back and divide it into 9-10 equal pieces and roll them between the palms of your hands into a ball. Lightly grease a baking tray and place the dough balls, a little apart, in a three by three formation. Oil a strip of clingfilm and gently lay it over the top of the buns and leave to rise for 1½ hours until they have doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 210C.
To make the crosses, blend the flour with the cold water to make a paste. Put the paste in a small food bag and snip off one corner. Pipe a cross on the top of each bun. Bake the buns for 16-18 minutes until risen and golden brown.

Gently warm the honey until runny. Transfer the buns to a cooling rack and brush immediately with the honey glaze, then leave to cool.

Makes 9-10 hot cross buns. The buns also freeze well.

A Sheffield Foodie Find – Creamy Coffee Chinese Bakery

At the weekend I suddenly got the urge to eat a sweet Chinese bun and decided to try and see if there were any Chinese bakeries in Sheffield. I found out there was one a few miles away, out the other side of the city from where I live. As it was a nice day I decided to go for an investigative walk and see what I could find. I managed to find quite easily and it’s amazing! It is run by a very friendly group of Chinese people and it only sells Chinese buns and pastries, of which they had a fantastic selection. I got there around 11am in the morning and they were just bringing fresh buns out from the back and the whole shop smelt amazing. I wanted to try them all, but managed to restrict myself to three!!

I got a cocktail bun: A long soft sweet bun filled with a creamy sweetened desiccated coconut mixture and sprinkled with sesame seeds. The flavour of this one was wonderful and very fresh tasting. It was warm when I got there and I could hardly wait to get it home and have a taster. I’ll be getting this one again.

Next I tried a sesame red bean ball: A glutinous rice ball with a filling of red bean paste, rolled in sesame seeds and lightly fried. This was tasty, especially the red bean filling but I found it was a bit sticky and dense for my liking. But this was the first time I had tried glutinous rice, so I’m not used to the texture, but I’m glad I tried it.

Finally I chose a custard and almond bun – A round sweet bun encasing a generous amount of crème patisserie and topped with flaked almonds. Wow this one was divine!!! The bun was soft and tender and the filling so creamy and luscious. I ate it and even thought I was full I wanted another one straight away. No, I didn’t eat all three at once, I just had tasters of each. I’m just so annoyed I had never found the bakery before. I have lived in Sheffield on and off for uni for 4 years and never knew of its existence. I only have two months left until I finish uni for good and than I'll be moving away. I’m going to be going back on a weekly basis at this rate! I love exploring and finding new foodie places. Address below if anyone else is in the area and fancies a few sweet treats. Anyone got any other Chinese pastries they recommend I try?

Creamy Coffee Chinese Bakery
151 London Road
Sheffield
South Yorkshire
S2 4LH

Daring Bakers March 2009 Challenge: Homemade Spinach Pasta, Béchamel & Ragu Lasagne

What a fun and tasty challenge this month’s recipe was. It really pushed me outside my comfort zone – I have never made my own lasagne sheets before, let alone ones containing spinach! But to me that just made the challenge all the more exciting – who doesn’t enjoy giving their skills and technical ability a little work out in the kitchen? The main part of this challenge was making our own spinach pasta lasagne sheets which we then had to layer with a white sauce (Bechamel) and ragu of our choice to create a lasagne. We were provided with recipes but I made my own Vegetarian style ragu in place of the meat one provided. I have however, also included the meaty ragu recipe below, in case you want to give it a go. All the recipes below (apart from the Vegetarian Ragu) are from The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food by Lynne Rossetto Kasper.

Not having a pasta machine I made my lasagne sheets by hand. I real work out for your arm muscles! The dough starts off hard and tough but the longer you knead it the softer and more pliable it becomes. Thankfully I made it one weekend while I was home and my mum and I took turns at working the dough. It was worth the effort though and produced a silky, springy dough that was a lovely shade of green. The next challenge was rolling out the dough thin enough to cut into sheets. This was a little more tricky with just a rolling pin, but I found by only using a quarter of the dough at a time it was manageable.
For my Vegetarian ragu I decided to go with mushrooms and aubergine for their slightly meaty texture and ability to add a rich deep flavour. Along with other assorted veg I also included a tin of brown lentils which helped enhance the brown meaty appearance of the ragu. I’m not saying I wanted my ragu to taste like meat, but I did want to create a ragu that resulted in a traditional looking lasagne when layered with all the other components.

Once layered and baked it had a lovely golden surface and smelt wonderful. It sliced beautifully too, the individual layers all showing up well. Looking at them made all the hard work worth while and the colours were almost like the Italian flag of green, white and red (well reddy brown). My spinach lasagne sheets seemed to have swollen slightly during baking and were a little on the thick side, but still perfectly acceptable, and the veggie ragu was full of flavour with the Béchamel sauce keeping everything soft and creamy. All in all I was happy with my lasagne and my family seemed to enjoy it too. Well worth pushing the boundaries of my comfort zone and I may even attempt fresh pasta again now.

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge. Thanks for choosing such a fun and challenging recipe guys – it was great to attempt something so outside my comfort zone. Don’t forget to check out the Blogroll.

Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna (Lasagne Verdi al Forno)

9 litres salted water

1 recipe Spinach Pasta (recipe follows)

1 recipe Bechamel Sauce (recipe follows)

1 recipe Country Style Ragu or Vegetarian Ragu (recipes follow)

125g freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or other cheese

Working Ahead

The ragu and the béchamel sauce can be made up to three days ahead. The ragu can also be frozen for up to one month. The pasta can be rolled out, cut and dried up to 24 hours before cooking.

Spinach Egg Pasta (Pasta Verde)

Makes enough for equivalent to 1 pound (450g) dried boxed pasta.

2 large eggs

300g fresh spinach, rinsed dry, and finely chopped; or 170g frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

400g plain flour (double zero or pasta flour preferred)

Method – By Hand

Mixing the dough:

Mound the flour in the center of your work surface and make a well in the middle. Add the eggs and spinach. Use a wooden spoon to beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well’s sides may collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don’t worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump.

Kneading:

With the aid of the scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove any bits of hard flour on the work surface – these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. Its consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. If it is too sticky to move easily, knead in a few more tablespoons of flour. Continue kneading about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and let it relax at room temperature 30 minutes to 3 hours.

Stretching and Thinning:

If using an extra-long rolling pin work with half the dough at a time. With a regular-length rolling pin, roll out a quarter of the dough at a time and keep the rest of the dough wrapped. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins outs, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat. Do twice more.Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.Repeat the two processes as the disc becomes larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can clearly see your hand through it and see colours. Cut into rectangles about 4 by 8 inches (10 x 20 cm). Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag if not using straight away. Hand rolling is not necessary if you have a pasta machine.

Bechamel Sauce

60g unsalted butter

60g plain flour

approx 570ml milk

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Freshly grated nutmeg to taste

Method

Using a medium-sized saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and a hint of nutmeg.

Country Style Meat Ragu’ (Ragu alla Contadina)

Makes enough sauce for 1 recipe fresh pasta or 1 pound/450g dried pasta

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

60g pancetta, finely chopped

1 medium onion, minced

1 medium stalk celery with leaves, minced

1 small carrot, minced

125g boneless veal shoulder or round125g pork loin, trimmed of fat, or 125g mild Italian sausage

250g beef skirt steak, hanging tender, or boneless chuck blade or chuck center cut

30g thinly sliced Prosciutto di Parma

160ml dry red wine

375ml chicken or beef stock

500ml milk

3 plum tomatoes from a can, drained

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch (30cm) skillet (frying pan) over medium-high heat. Have a large saucepan handy to use once browning is complete. Add the pancetta and minced vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, 10 minutes, or until the onions barely begin to color. Coarsely grind all the meats together, including the prosciutto, in a food processor or meat grinder. Stir into the pan and slowly brown over medium heat. First the meats will give off a liquid and turn dull grey but, as the liquid evaporates, browning will begin. Stir often, scooping under the meats with the wooden spatula. Protect the brown glaze forming on the bottom of the pan by turning the heat down. Cook 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown. Turn the contents of the skillet into a strainer and shake out the fat. Turn them into the saucepan and set over medium heat.Reducing and Simmering: Add the wine to the skillet, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Then pour the reduced wine into the saucepan and set the skillet aside.Stir ½ cup stock into the saucepan and let it bubble slowly, 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another ½ cup stock. Stir in the last 1/2 cup stock along with the milk. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook 1 hour. Stir frequently to check for sticking.Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.

Vegetarian Lentil, Mushroom and Mixed Veg Ragu
400g tin green or brown lentils, drained
200g chestnut mushrooms
400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 onion
2 carrots
½ large aubergine
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp tomato puree
6 fresh basil leaves
1tsp dried mixed herbs
350ml vegetable stock

Method
Peel and finely dice the onion and carrots, about 1cm dice. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and carrot. Cover with a lid and leave to sweat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, crush the garlic and finely dice the mushrooms and aubergine. Once the onions have softened, remove the lid and add the mushrooms, aubergine and garlic.
Allow to cook for 10 minutes before stirring in the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, stock and herbs.
Cook on a gently heat for 10 minutes before stirring in the lentils. Allow to cook, uncovered, for around 15-20 minutes until the veg is soft and the sauce slightly reduced and thickened. Season to taste.
Allow to cool to room temperature before using.


Assembling the Ingredients Have all the sauces, rewarmed gently over a medium heat, and the pasta at hand. Have a large perforated skimmer and a large bowl of cold water next to the stove. Spread a double thickness of paper towels over a large counter space. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Have an approx 3 litre shallow baking dish at the ready.

Cooking the Pasta

Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Drop about four pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes. If you are using dried pasta, cook about 4 minutes, taste, and cook longer if necessary. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cool, lift out and dry on the paper towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

Assembling the Lasagne

Spread a thin layer of béchamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of about four overlapping sheets of pasta over the béchamel. Spread a thin layer of béchamel (about 3 or 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of the ragu. Sprinkle with about one and a half tablespoons of the béchamel. Repeat the layers until all ingredients are used, finishing with béchamel sauce. Top with a generous covering of freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or other cheese (I used cheddar). The assembled lasagne can wait at room temperature, 20 degrees Celsius, for about 1 hour before baking. Do not refrigerate it before baking, as the topping of béchamel and cheese will overcook by the time the center is hot.

Baking and Serving the Lasagne

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the centre (test by inserting a knife – if it comes out hot, the dish is ready). If you like a browned top then do not bother with the foil. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve.
Serves 6 to 8 as a main meal.

The Daring Bakers have also got a new logo and top notch website. Don’t forget to drop by and take a look!

Cappuccino Cupcakes

When I was in my teens I used to really dislike coffee. I found it far too bitter and to me it tasted like trying to drink a bonfire and I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to drink it. While studying for my A-Levels I got a weekend job working in the café/restaurant of a local garden centre and one of my jobs became being in charge of the coffee bar. The coffee bar was quite modern and used to grind the coffee beans fresh for every cup, and I made so many cappuccinos, mochas and lattes that I was permanently immersed in a cloud of coffee aroma. I used to find this quite off putting, but one day I suddenly realised I had grown to actually liked the smell, loved it in fact, breathing in the earthy smoky aroma of strong fresh coffee mingling with the childhood smell of hot frothy milk. I tried a cup of coffee when I went back home and really enjoyed it – I didn’t even need sugar and no one was more surprised than me. I suppose being around it for so long that I grew accustomed to it. I have heard that your main sensory flavour detectors are in your nose and based on my experience I can believe it.

Unfortunately my new found love of coffee had some drawbacks – it turns out caffeine and I do not mix well. If I have even one coffee after midday I am still buzzing from its effects by the time I go to bed and as a result I don’t sleep. I don’t go loopy or bounce off the walls, it just keeps me wide awake. One of my flatmates always has a coffee right before going to bed – I don’t know they do it! I still drink coffee, but only if I really need to stay awake. I know you can get decaffeinated coffee and I do have this if I go out, but I never make it myself as the rest of my family and friends all drink regular coffee and its easier just to avoid it. That being said, I love coffee used in cakes or desserts and find I can eat them without suffering long lasting caffeine effects (just don’t feed me tiramisu in the evenings!). Coffee cake is one of my favourites and so I decided to make some coffee cupcakes. I topped them with some creamy vanilla buttercream and a dusting of grated dark chocolate to remind me of the drink that got me into coffee – the cappuccino. Anyone else find caffeine really affects them? These cupcakes are yummy and the perfect mid-morning pick me up.

Cappuccino Cupcakes
For the coffee cupcakes
115g self raising flour
115g butter
115g caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp instant coffee

Vanilla Buttercream Topping
75g butter
130g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
10g dark chocolate for decoration

Method
Preheat the oven to 175C. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper cases.
In a small bowl, dissolve the coffee in half a tablespoon of hot water and set to one side to cool.
In another bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each one.
Mix in the flour and baking powder. Pour over the dissolved coffee and beat until well combined.
Spoon into the cupcake cases, filling half way.
Bake for 22-25 minutes until risen and springy to the touch. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Meanwhile make the buttercream, beat the butter until soft and then sift over the icing sugar in small batches, beating well between each addition until you have a smooth icing.
Add the vanilla and beat again.
Once the cupcakes have cooled, place the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a small star nozzle and pipe small blobs over the surface of the cupcakes.
Using a fine grater, grate the dark chocolate over the top of the cakes to create a dusted effect.
Makes 10-12 cupcakes

The Cake Slice March 09: Triple Lemon Chiffon Cake

This was such a good choice for the Cake Slice Bakers this month – a lovely and light and zesty lemon cake. Perfect for the arrival of spring, lighter days and the hope of warmer weather. Plus its National Lemon Chiffon Day on the 29th March in the U.S. how fitting is that! It’s also Mother Day this Sunday in the UK and this cake would make the perfect afternoon treat to share with your mum. I gave mine to my mum as an early Mother Day treat and it looked lovely on the table next to some daffodils – picked fresh from the garden. I love the appearance of these bright and cheerful flowers, they always reassure me that spring is on the way.

Anyway, onto the cake itself. If you like lemons this is the cake for you. In total it uses around 5 lemons which results in a wonderful lemon hit. The chiffon cake was incredibly light and tender with a sort of marshmallow, springy meringue type consistency thanks to the use of so many whisked egg whites into the mix. It’s similar in texture to an angel food cake, but the egg yolks are also included, giving it a little more substance. The cake layers were delicately lemony and provided a great background to the zingy lemon curd we made to sandwich it together. Wow that lemon curd was so good – fresh, zesty and zingy and when paired with the sweet airy light sponge and the creamy frosting it was divine and so easy to make that I’ll definitely make it again. I had some lemon curd leftover and ate it spread on slices of crusty bread – heavenly.

I thought the cake looking a little dull left plain and so I coloured a little of the cream yellow and piped it on in a series of flowers and dots, which I think made it look a lot more sunny and spring-like. I think next time I might up the lemon zest in the cake for an even bigger hit. So for all you lemon lovers out there, this cake is a sure winner and guaranteed to give your taste buds a tingle. Click to see the other Cake Slice Bakers lemon cakes.

Triple Lemon Chiffon Cake
(Adapted from Sky High Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes by Alisa Huntsman and Peter Wynne).
Lemon Chiffon Cake
8 eggs, separated
55ml sunflower oil
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp lemon zest
75ml water
½ tsp cream of tartar
225g and a separate 110g caster sugar
210g cake flour (180g plain flour and 30g cornflour)
½ tsp baking powder

Method – for the cake
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line the base of three 9inch/22cm cake tins.
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, oil, water, lemon juice and zest.
In another large bowl, whisk the egg whites with the cream of tartar until light and frothy. Slowly add the 100g of caster sugar, whisking until soft peaks form.
Sift the flour(s) and baking powder over the egg yolk mixture, add the remaining caster sugar and beat to create a smooth paste.
Add a quarter of the whisked egg whites to the flour batter and beat in to slacken the mix.
Fold in the remaining egg whites gently, until no streaks remain but no longer than necessary to retain as much air as possible.
Divide the batter between the three tins and bake for 15-18 minutes until risen, puffy and springy when gently pressed.
Remove from the oven and immediately run a sharp knife around the rim of the tins to release the cake. They will shrink and deflate slightly on cooling.
Once cool, turn out the cake and carefully feel away the greaseproof paper ready for assembly.


Lemon Curd
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
110g caster sugar
115ml freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
Grated zest of 3 lemons
50g butter, at room temperature

Method – for the lemon curd
Whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and zest in the base of a saucepan. Gently heat the mixture, whisking constantly until it begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Continue to whisk until the mixture is a thick spreadable consistency and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow to boil.
Remove from the heat and pass the mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl. Whisk in the butter while the curd is still warm before covering the surface with cling film, so it touches the curd and prevents a skin forming. Refrigerate until cool.


Lemon Cream
330ml double cream
3 tbsp of the lemon curd
2 tbsp icing sugar (optional)

Method – for the lemon cream
Whip the cream and icing sugar (if using) until it starts to thicken. Add the lemon curd and whisk until soft peaks form.
(You don’t want it too stiff or it won’t spread over your cake easily).

To assemble the cake
Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate and top with a quarter (4tbsp) of the lemon curd. Place another cake layer on top and spread over another quarter of the curd and top with the final cake layer.
Cover the top and side with a generous layer of the lemon cream. Decorate as you wish and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving to allow the cream to stiffen.
Makes one 9inch/22cm cake. Serves 10-12