Peach & Almond Muffins

1 orange
2 peaches,cut into small pieces
handful of almond flakes
handful of goji berries
300 g flour
2 tsp baking powder
100 g sugar
2 eggs
110 ml sour cream or yogurt
110 ml milk
vanilla
50 ml melted butter

Grate the orange zest into the mixing bowl,add the juice of the half orange & goji berries.
Sift the flour & baking powder into the separate large mixing bowl.Add the sugar & almond flakes,mix together.
Preheat the oven to 200C.
Grease a 12 hole muffin tin with butter & line with paper muffin cases.
In a separate bowl whisk the eggs lightly.
Measure the sour cream or yogurt & milk into the jug,add vanilla & butter,mix well.Pour in the eggs.
Pour the egg mixture onto a flour.Quickly & gently mix everything together.Don't over mix.The mixture will be slightly lumpy.
Add the orange juice & goji berries,quickly mix through.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin holes & bake for 20-25 min until golden.
Cool in the tin slightly,then lift on a wire rack to cool.
Use the another half of the Orange for a Glaze:
50 ml dusting sugar
juice of half orange
Mix together.Add more dusting sugar if needed.

Blackcurrant Chocolate Cake

For chocolate sponge:
5 eggs
200 g sugar
vanilla extract
8 tbsp corn flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder

Beat the egg whites with pinch of salt until fluffy,then gradually add the half of the sugar,still whisking until stiff.
Separately whisk the egg yolks with the rest of the sugar until pale in colour.Add the egg whites.
Mix together the flour,baking powder & cocoa powder.Sift the mixture gently into the egg mixture.
Bake in the 23cm(9 inch) spring form cake tin,lined with baking paper at 200C for 25-30 min or until ready.Check with toothpick,if it comes out clean,its ready.
Cool in the cake tin at first under the clean towel,then turn onto the wire rack to cool completely.

Filling:
370 g Blackcurrant Conserve

1-2 cups of blackcurrants,can be frozen(I added some red currants as well)
500 ml double cream
5 tbsp sugar
vanilla extract
100 ml apple juice

Whisk the cream  until until it's stiff,be careful not to over mix or it will turn into butter!
Add the sugar,vanilla & gently mix in the currants.
Filling can be done with gelatin also,if that the case,then you should use ca 4 tbsp of gelatin for this amount of cream.Follow the instructions on packet & stir in along with the berries.

Truffle Ganache:
300 g dark chocolate,chopped
100 g butter
250 ml fresh cream or double
50 g ground almonds
2 tbsp amaretto liqueur or drop of almond essence

Heat the cream & butter until just starts to boil.
Take off the heat & mix in  the chopped chocolate until all melted & smooth.
Add the ground almonds,cool completely.
Add liqueur or essence.

Split the cake in three horizontally.
Place the first slice onto the serving plate,moisten with apple juice & spread with half of the jam then top with half of the cream.
Place the second sponge on top,moisten again & spread with jam, finish with the rest of the cream.
Moisten the third slice with apple juice & lift on top.
Press the cake slightly down,until cream starts to slip out from between layers & with palette knife run around sides to get it tidy.
Cover the top & sides with ganache.Chill for at least 1 hour.
Decorate before serving.

This cake got to be my daughters birthday cake.
Deliciously moist,rich,chocolatey,light,sweet & sour.all in one:)

Chocolate & Blackberry Tray Cake

2 bananas
2 dl sugar
1,5-2 dl blackberries
100-150 g chocolate,chopped
4-4,5 dl flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 dl melted butter
1 egg
juice of half lemon
1 lemon,grated rind
1 orange,grated rind

Mash the bananas & whisk with sugar,lemon juice & rind of lemon & orange.
Mix together the flour,baking powder,cinnamon & chopped chocolate.
Add the banana mix,egg & melted butter.
Gently mix in the blackberries & zest of lemon & orange.
Butter the 25x35cm baking tray.Line with baking paper.
Preheat the oven 200C.
Bake the cake ca 50 min,or until its ready..
Cool.
Can be covered with icing:
170 g soft cheese
1 dl icing sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice

Basil & Cheese Rolls

400 g flour
25 g fresh yeast or 7 g dry yeast
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
30 g butter
250 ml water

For the filling:
handful of basil leaves,
100 g cheddar cheese,grated
2-tbsp mayonnaise or 1 tbsp olive oil

Make dough:
If using dry yeast then follow the instructions on the package.
If using fresh yeast:
Boil half of the water & pour it over the butter,mix until completely melted.
Add the rest of the cold water,you should get lukewarm mixture.
Add flour & salt.
Melt the yeast with sugar & mix everything together.
Knead for 5 min or until dough starts to come off the hands & bowl. Sprinkle over little flour & leave to stand in warm place,covered with cling film or clean towel for 30-40 min or until its doubled in size.
Roll the dough out on the floured surface into the 30x30 cm square.
Spread over some mayonnaise or olive oil.
Cover evenly with grated cheese,sprinkle over the chopped basil.
Roll it up into a big sausage.Cut into ca 12 pieces.
Place the buns onto the prepared baking tray,cut side down.
Cover with clean towel & leave to rise for 30-40 min.
Brush with egg & ,sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Bake at 200C for 20-25 min or until lovely & golden.

Layered Chicken & Vegetable Salad

4 eggs,hard boiled
3-4 potatoes,cooked
2 carrots,cooked
cup of corn,can be from frozen
100 g pineapple pieces in juice
200 g cheese,grated
2-3 chicken fillets,cut into strips or pieces
cup of mayonnaise
handful of pecans

Fry the chicken on the pan with butter or olive oil,season with salt & chilli or paprika.
Grate the potatoes with big grater & place on to the bottom of the serving dish.
Now grate the carrots with big grater & lift onto the potatoes.
Spread some of the mayonnaise thinly over the first layer.
For the second layer scatter the cheese over the vegetables & cover with some mayonnaise.
Now lift in the pineapple pieces & crumbled egg yolks.Cover with mayonnaise.
Next layer will be corn & chicken pieces,spread with mayonnaise.
For the last layer slice the egg whites finely & scatter over the salad.
Decorate with walnuts or pecans & with some greens,like parsley or chives.

Chicken Nuggets & Cold Curry Sauce

600-800 g chicken fillets,slice
0,5 cups of milk
1 cup flour
2 eggs
0,5 tsp salt

Mix the batter ingredients together.
Heat the generous amount of oil on the frying pan.Use the heaviest pan you have for this (cast iron is perfect) as you want something that will hold the heat.

Toss the pieces of chicken in the batter and then lift them into the oil.
Make sure that each piece is completely covered in batter.Don't crowd the pan as this will drop the oil temperature & you will get greasy chicken.
Fry the chicken nuggets turning them occasionally, until they are golden brown all over and crispy.Drain on the paper towels.

For the Curry Sauce:

1 dl sour cream or natural yogurt
0,5 dl mayonnaise
0,5-1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
Mix it all together.

Serve everything on rice or just snack away dipping nuggets into the sauce.

Oven Baked Sausages & Tomatoes

Sausages
1 onion,sliced
5-6 garlic gloves
600 g cherry tomatoes
handful of basil leaves,thorn
olive oil or butter
salt,pepper

In the roasting tin toss everything together & season.
Bake at 200C 20-25 min or until ready.
Serve with mashed potatoes...