Month: April 2014

Easter Sunday Hot Cross Buns!

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Hello again everybody, how are we all keeping? Good I hope! Again I shall apologise for the lack of posting and that I hope you understand I am currently in the process of preparing for a set of 8 examinations that are going to shape my future! But let’s avoid the subject of school and education, and move onto a more fruity and spicy subject of hot cross buns. These are seriously one of my favourite things at this time of the month, soft, fruity and full of flavour! The idea of a lazy Sunday based around a few of these toasted with butter and a cup of tea with a magazine of choice makes the perfect combination. I found that the addition of apple to hot cross buns makes them less dry and adds a subtle apple pie note due to the cinnamon that is present. I am currently letting my hot cross buns have there second prove overnight in the fridge as I was going out earlier and had no time to bake them! Before you all go, we have always been told to keep bread dough in a warm dry place and away from dampness, I have to tell you that all the fridge is doing is slow down the action of the yeast therefore developing a more complex flavour within the dough. This is how proper brioche should be made. Rested overnight in the fridge to allow the yeast to work slowly and develop flavour and texture and to allow the gluten in the flour particles to relax. Although if you should choose to follow this fridge proving method, I would allow a 3rd proving to allow the dough to come back up to room temperature again before baking. So let the baking commence!!

INGREDIENT’S:

300ML FULL FAT MILK.
75G CASTER SUGAR.
50G BUTTER.
75G SULTANAS
ZEST 1 ORANGE
1 APPLE PEELED CORED AND CHOPPED FINELY.
500G STRONG WHITE BREAD FLOUR.
1 TSP SALT.
7G FAST ACTION YEAST
1 BEATEN EGG.

FOR THE CROSS:
3 TBSP PLAIN FLOUR.
2 TBSP MILK

FOR THE GLAZE:
75G SIEVED ORANGE MARMALADE.

METHOD:

Place the milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the butter and leave to cool until hand temperature.
Place the flour salt sugar and yeast into a bowl and make a well and then pour in the warm milk mixture and with your hands bring the dough together then add the egg and mix again.

Flour a work surface and the tip out the dough and begin to knead the dough for 5 mins until smooth and elastic. Then place in a clean oiled bowl and leave to prove for 1hr until doubled in size.

Prepare the fruit and cinnamon then with the dough still in the oiled bowl take the fruit and incorporate them in. Then re cover the dough and prove for a further 1hr. *this is the chilling in the fridge stage.

Tip out the dough and roll into a sausage shape before cutting into 15 75g balls. Then take a baking tray lined with baking parchment and place the balls side by side! Cover loosely with a piece of oiled cling and then leave to prove again for an 1hr. Then make up the paste for the cross by combining the milk and flour together until you achieve a thick paste. Paint a cross over the top of each bun.

Preheat the oven to 220c gas 7 and then slot in the buns and bake for 15 – 20 minutes until golden brown. Remove and brush with a coating of marmalade and leave to cool on a wire rack!

Enjoy!

Ryan…

PS picture tomorrow!!

Urgent Apology!! (next post 19th Apr)

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Hello folks, I am sorry very very very sorry to you all!! I have been 6ft under with sheets of paper and textbooks currently and I really have no time to post at all. I will promise that when I get a spare patch of time which will be the 19th Apr, this Saturday!

I really do apologize,

Thank you sincerely,

Ryan!

Raspberry Vacherin! My Sweet Savior…

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Hello again everybody, ha it feels like a decade since we last met! Studying is the culprit I swear. With these examinations creeping up ever so quickly, the spare time I have on my hands is usually spent communicating with friends so I don’t lose my mind and go into a sort of  dysfunctional state. I can guarantee that it won’t happen as long I keep baking and taking well deserved breaks. Tonight’s post comes of a recent email I received from a patisserie in Lyon, France. It was alerting me to the fact that they introducing these new meringue sculptures made from fresh fruit, meringue and cream.. Some look absolutely beautiful! So there I was gazing out the window into the dismal white clouds, when the thought came to me that I could possibly recreate these sculptures at home on a much smaller scale than in France.
 
The idea that I am going to share with you this evening is based on the concept of  mille-feuille (pastry of a thousands layers), these are usually filled with creme patissiere and soft summer berries and built up in layers. A vacherin is the same concept, except it is made using meringue instead of puff pastry and the creme is replaced with whipped cream. When brought to the table, it will for sure, light up your friends/families faces. I am specifically not going to provide a photo, as I want to let your imaginations run free for once!! I sometimes opt for the traditional straight rectangle approach or large circle disks. If you really want to push the boat out you could do mis shapes and create a sort of jigsaw feel! Remember the layers must be identical… avoir de plaisir mes amis!!
 
Serves 10 or 5 greedy people!
 
INGREDIENTS:
 
3 egg whites.
 
175g caster sugar (white).
 
1 tsp cornflour or potato starch.
 
25g 70% dark chocolate, grated.
 
Filling:
 
175g 70% dark chocolate, broken up into smaller cubes. Plus extra for decorating.
 
450ml whipping cream, whipped to just above the soft peak stage. must hold!
 
300g fresh raspberries or blackberries.
 
METHOD:
 
Preheat the oven to 140C / gas mark 1. Draw on parchment paper a stencil of the desired shape of your meringue. You must have 3 layers of meringue. You will need about 2 baking sheets for this, or bake in batches.
 
Whisk the egg whites (in a scrupulously clean metal or glass bowl that has been wiped out with lemon juice to dissolve any grease), until they are at soft peaks, then gradually add the sugar spoonfuls at a time until very stiff and glossy. Gently fold in the cornflour and the grated chocolate with a metal spoon, or palette knife.
 
Spoon the meringue into a piping bag and from then on the worlds your oyster!
 
Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hrs. changing the position of the trays halfway to ensure even cooking, the meringues must not colour in any way. 
 
Leave to cool and then peel off the baking paper and leave aside until needed. 
 
Now take a piping bag and fill with the whipped cream. Take the bottom layer of the vacherin and then pipe the cream in the shape of your design on top. Place each raspberry inline with the cream and then drizzle over some melted chocolate (oops forgot to mention, to melt the 175g chocolate), then pop on another meringue layer and repeat until the very top of the vacherin is topped with cream, fruit and chocolate!
 
Enjoy,
Ryan!
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