Gingerbread house

Thanks to an ex-girlfriend of my son's for this. 
Please read the whole recipie first, as it can be a bit complicated.

You can be as simple or as complex as you like with the decoration, and put windows/doors into the pastry FIRST.  Below is a very simple, but effective design, and one much more elaborate.  You can fill it with lollies, or not - its all up to you.

Mum's Wedding Cake

One of my earliest memories was of my mother icing wedding cakes, and beautiful birthday cakes that were a doll's dress, and wonderful christening cakes of a doll in a cradle and, and.... She was the local cake maker and decorator, and very sought after.  Mum only stopped when her eyesight was not really good enough and her hand steady enough any more.  

I used to love watching the wedding cakes come together with lattice-work or lace around the sides.  She also made her own flowers, the whole kitchen table would be covered in them for the elaborate decoration.  There would always be some sort of bride and groom on the top, and a ribbon at the bottom as that was the fashion then.

Sadly, I do not have any pictures of them, these days they would be on Facebook.  Good memories though.

This is her wedding cake recipie.  It makes two cakes, one a 10 inch cake, and one a 6 inch cake.  Make sure you line the tins with several layers of newspaper on the bottom, then 2 layers of brown paper around the sides, then the baking paper.  I know that mum used greased paper, so you may like to try that.  Note that the measurements are as they appear on the original recipie.  You may not need to wash and dry the fruit, depending upon where you buy it from.

To ensure the cake does not burn, I would begin with foil lightly covering the top, but with a large hole in the middle.  I have found this method works well for any fruit cake, take the foil off about 1/2 way through.  Also, start at 180C, but bring it down to 160C almost immediately, then about 140C for most of the cooking period.

It is important to have the freshest ingredients, particularly the fruit ( in NSW you can buy this at Fardoulis, their store is in Kogarah).  For a wedding, you must make the cake weeks before the cake can be iced.  I think from memory mum had a minimum of 3 weeks.

This picture is of a much bigger cake,but it reminds me of exactly the style of cake my mum would make

Rocky's Chicken Korma

I got this recipie from Rick Stein's program, it is an authentic Indian Chicken Korma and tastes wonderful.  

If you can't get white poppy seeds just leave them out.  I used dessicated coconut as I could not get coconut flesh - it turned out fine.

 

100 year old Bread Pudding

This recipie comes from over 100 years ago, it is the original pudding for using up stale bread.  I have rated it difficult for that reason. Soaking the bread for 24 hours seems a bit excessive ( at least with modern bread ).  I would go for  a much shorter time. 

 I have reproduced the recipie just as it appears in my mothers cook book, but I feel a little topping is required, possibly sugar and nuts, crumble, almonds, shredded coconut,  or some marmalade.   

You could play around with the recipie by adding different fruit, berries,  apples or peaches would be nice.   You could also vary the bread by using raisin or cinnamon bread.

Also,  I think 'meat tin' may refer to a baking dish.  I would break the bread up before soaking.  It states "1 or 2 eggs" - I would go with 2 I think.

Ukranian Varenneky

This is my mother-in-laws recipie, as taken down by my nephew before Katherine died.  He is an expert at making it, me - not so much!  Varenneky are delicious though, and lovely the next day fried in oil and onion.  Definately NOT low cal.

You can make sweet ones by adding sugar to the cheese, and dusting with icing sugar & cinnimon at the end.

A note about the cheese - My mother in law used what she called "farmhouse cheese" the closest is a cream cheese - but not Philadelphia.  It needs to be one you buy from a good deli.  The best cheese to use is Quark if you can get it.

Beef Wellington the Gordon Ramsay Way.

Many thanks to Gordon Ramsay for this recipie.  I first saw it on a TV show, and made it for Christmas.  I have made Beef Wellington before, but this is just wonderfully simple to assemble to the day before.

This serves 4 and is rare - I cook it for longer at the lower heat until it has an internal temp of 65 degrees Cent.  from medium beef (no rareness in the centre) as my family don't like rare beef!


Rating : Difficult (for the advanced cook)
               This requires advanced cling film wrapping and pastry skills.

Ingrediants

400g flat cap mushrooms, roughly chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil, for cooking

750g piece of prime beef fillet

1-2 tbsp English mustard

6-8 slices of Parma ham

500g ready-made puff pastry

Flour, to dust

2 egg yolks, beaten

Read more at http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/164868/Gordon-Ramsay-s-beef-Wellington#sxsVOpdxlA2VJDmz.99

• 400g flat cap mushrooms, roughly chopped
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil, for cooking
• 750g piece of prime beef fillet
• 1-2 tbsp English mustard
• 6-8 slices of Parma ham or prosciutto
• 500g ready-made puff pastry
• Flour, to dust
• 2 egg yolks, beaten

1. Heat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6.
2. Put the mushrooms into a food processor with some seasoning and pulse to a rough paste. Scrape the paste into a pan and cook over a high heat for about 10 mins, tossing frequently, to cook out the moisture from the mushrooms. Spread out on a plate to cool.
3. Heat in a frying pan and add a little olive oil. Season the beef and sear in the hot pan for 30 secs only on each side. (You don't want to cook it at this stage, just colour it.) Remove the beef from the pan and leave to cool, then brush all over with the mustard.
4. Lay a sheet of cling film on a work surface and arrange the Parma ham slices on it, in slightly overlapping rows. With a palette knife, spread the mushroom paste over the ham, then place the seared beef fillet in the middle. Keeping a tight hold of the cling film from the edge, neatly roll the Parma ham and mushrooms around the beef to form a tight barrel shape. Twit the ends of the cling film to secure. Chill for 15-20 mins to allow the beef to set and keep its shape.
5. Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface to a large rectangle, the thickness of a £1 coin. Remove the cling film from the beef, then lay in the centre. Brush the surrounding pastry with egg yolk. Fold the ends over, the wrap the pastry around the beef, cutting off any excess. Turn over, so the seam is underneath, and place on a baking sheet.
6. Brush over all the pastry with egg and chill for about 15 mins to let the pastry rest.
7. Lightly score the pastry at 1cm intervals and glaze again with beaten egg yolk.Put into the hot over (200 degrees C)
8. Bake for 20 minutes , then lower the oven setting to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 and cook for another 15 mins. Allow to rest for 10-15 mins before slicing and serving with the accompaniments. The beef should still be pink in the centre when you serve it.

400g flat cap mushrooms, roughly chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil, for cooking

750g piece of prime beef fillet

1-2 tbsp English mustard

6-8 slices of Parma ham

500g ready-made puff pastry

Flour, to dust

2 egg yolks, beaten

Read more at http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/164868/Gordon-Ramsay-s-beef-Wellington#sxsVOpdxlA2VJDmz.99

400g flat cap mushrooms, roughly chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil, for cooking

750g piece of prime beef fillet

1-2 tbsp English mustard

6-8 slices of Parma ham

500g ready-made puff pastry

Flour, to dust

2 egg yolks, beaten

Read more at http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/164868/Gordon-Ramsay-s-beef-Wellington#sxsVOpdxlA2VJDmz.99

400g flat cap mushrooms, roughly chopped

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Olive oil, for cooking

750g piece of prime beef fillet

1-2 tbsp English mustard

6-8 slices of Parma ham

500g ready-made puff pastry

Flour, to dust

2 egg yolks, beaten

Read more at http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/164868/Gordon-Ramsay-s-beef-Wellington#sxsVOpdxlA2VJDmz.99