Sinful Popcorn

Red Velvet Popcorn

Ingredients

• 8 cups popped popcorn, 1/2 cup unpopped kernels
• 3 cups red velvet cake crumbs
• 0.56kg white cooking chocolate

How to Make

1. Pop the popcorn using an air popper into a large bowl.
2. Melt your white chocolate according to package directions.
3. Pour the melted white chocolate over the popcorn. Stir to coat completely.
4. Pour the popcorn onto a waxed paper lined counter and sprinkle with your red velvet crumbs.
5. Let dry completely before eating.

Recipe adapted from Cookies and Cups

Lennox Cafe

Hidden away in Dublin's Portobello is the delicious Lennox Cafe which kindly played nurse to my Sunday morning hangover brunch. A haven for foodies and a delight to passer-bys this cafe and bistro showcases the best in modern international cuisine sourced from local ethical providers. I opted for the french toast with wild berries and ice-cream which served as a comforting embrace from a sweet stack of carbohydates with a hint of sharp berry zing.


The bistro is off the main road offering a sense of peace and serenity away from the city hustle. Despite it's almost invisible appearance Lennox Cafe boasts a reputation of excellance which is relfected in its wide range of electic customers. I would advise you to book ahead as crowds are known to gather in line outside the establishment. A must on your next visit to Dublin that's well worth a detour off Camden Street.

Oreo Cupcakes

The artistry behind cupcake baking in modern kitchens around the world never ceases to amaze me. The imagination and creativity that spurs such unique and adorable results as those pictured above demonstrate some of the variety and scope that comes with the mere addition of Oreos to the mix! I would like to show you my own attempts but I feel I shouldn't show you how my Oreo pandas got so disfigured, dismembered and destroyed on my first go. Next batch, honest!

Blau x

Images via theworldsbestever, toostinkincute

Macaron Mistress

A sweet meringue-based confectionery, crisp on the outside, and chewy-moist on the interior, these treats need no filling to be absolutely delicious but when you let you imagination run wild who knows what heaven your taste buds could meet! Here is a selection of the most mouth watering bites of temptation that can be found over on  baking mecca Tartlette.

  

Blau x



Blau Bakes

I got bored last night and happened to have dark cooking chocolate, cherries, ground cinnamon and rice crispies lying around.

Blau x

Blue Velvet

I really dislike mince pies so this Christmas lets make red velvet and blue velvet cupcakes instead.....

Ingredients

CAKE:

2 cups Sugar
2 sticks Butter, Room Temperature
2 whole Eggs
1-½ Tablespoon Liquid Blue Food Coloring
1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
1 drop Violet Gel Food Coloring (optional)
2-½ cups Cake Flour
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Buttermilk
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
½ teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar

FROSTING:
1 pound Cream Cheese, softened
2 sticks Butter, Softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 cups Sifted Confectioners Sugar


Preparation InstructionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cupcake pan(s) with paper liners.
Cake:
In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter, mix until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time and mix well after each addition. Mix cocoa and food coloring together to form a paste, and then add to sugar mixture; mix well. Sift together flour and salt. Add flour mixture to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Blend in vanilla. In a small bowl, combine baking soda and vinegar and add to mixture.
Pour batter into cupcake papers. Batter will be thick! Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy. Frost the cupcakes with a butter knife or pipe it on with a big star tip.

Blau x


Recipe from SprinkleBakes

Baileys Cheesecake

Ingredients

Base
300g Packet Chocolate Digestive Biscuits (crushed)
125g/4oz Butter
Topping
50g/2oz Toblerone Chocolate (or plain or milk chocolate)
200ml Fresh Cream
450g/1lb Philadelphia Cream Cheese
125g/4oz Icing Sugar
1 Measure of Bailey’s Irish Cream

Method
1.Lightly butter a 23cms/9” springform or loose bottomed cake tin.
2.Melt the butter. Add the biscuits and mix until butter is absorbed.
3.While warm, spread mixture into the base of the prepared tin using the back of a spoon. Press down well. Leave in fridge for about an hour until 'set'.
4.Meanwhile, grate the chocolate, using coarse side of grater.
5.Whip the cream until it forms soft peaks. In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is soft. Beat in the icing sugar and the Bailey's.
6.Fold in the cream and chocolate until the mixture is smooth, spread evenly over the biscuit base.
7.Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight.
8.Decorate according to taste e.g. whipped cream, grated chocolate, fruit etc.

Recipe via Odlums,
Blau x

A Cuppa A Day...

Organic Herbal & Medical Tea's; tea blends for health, nourishment and recuperation. These delicious tea's serve to not only help restore your own personal health, but they are exceptionally good for the environment when added to compost pile or to your plants! Check out some of the wonderful and medicianl teas from Garden of Cures such as; Organic Hoorah Hyssop - Chest Decongestant Tea, Organic "Ease 'n' Cheer" Pain Relieving Tea Formula, Organic Cats Claw "RESILIANCE" Immune Decoction Tea, Organic " Liven Up Liver" Cleanse Formula, Organic Holy Basil & Spices Tea - For Colds or Organic "No Pressure" Tea for High Blood Pressure.


Grab a teapot, a caffetiere or your tea making equipment of choice.
Scoop 1 -2 teaspoons of herbal tea leaves, roots, seeds or flowers for you and the same for each of your friends into a pot and add boiling water.
3 cup tea pot = 3 / 6 teaspoons of herbal tea.
Let the tea infuse for 15 minutes.
Simply pour the brewed tea into cups and serve.
Breathe, sip your tea and relax

Blau x


Image via We Heart It

Tomato Bread

Bread is my guilty pleasure, my downfall, that addiction I have to stash away in the toilet cistern away from judging eyes. I love it in any shape or form and love it even that little bit more toasted. I'll easily eat an entire loaf in one go and it doesn't even need to be buttered. That stall at the farmer's market that I make a straight line for on my moment of arrival, yeah you've guessed it; the bakers stall. Right now my favourite is tomato bread and I'm gonna settle down next to the fire and listen to the wind and hail outside the darkened window whilst tucking into a freshly baked loaf of tomato bread. I just so happened to have found this little recipe to follow.

Blau x

Making Moussaka

I don't know what it is about the weekend that makes my mouth water, oh yes having the time to cook! Tonight I'll be working from this Antony Worrall Thompson recipe for a marvellous moussaka.

Ingredients

• 75ml/6fl oz olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 675g/1½lb lamb mince
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1.25ml/¼tsp cinnamon
• 1.25ml/¼tsp allspice
• 2 x 400g/14oz tin of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp fresh, soft thyme leaves
• 175ml/6fl oz white wine
• 4 medium aubergines, cut into 1cm/½in slices
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Plain flour, for dusting

For the topping.

 

• 85g/3oz unsalted butter
• 85g/3oz plain flour
• 900ml/1½pt milk
• 85g/3oz parmesan, grated
• 115g/4oz gruyère, grated
• 2 free-range egg yolks
• 1 free-range egg

Preparation method

1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large casserole dish. Add the onion and cook gently for 10 minutes or until the onion is soft, but not coloured. Brown half the lamb in a frying pan and add to the onion. Add the garlic and break up the meat with a wooden fork until it has a loose texture. Brown the remaining lamb.
2. Stir the cinnamon, allspice, chopped tomatoes, oregano, bay leaves and thyme into the casserole. Add the rest of the browned lamb and de-glaze the pan with white wine. Pour straight into the casserole dish, reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 1 hour.
3. Place the aubergines in a colander, sprinkle with salt and leave for 30 minutes. This draws out any bitter juices.
4. Meanwhile make the béchamel sauce. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan and stir in the flour. Take off the heat and gradually stir in the milk. Return the pan to the heat and stir continuously until the sauce thickens. Simmer over a gentle heat for 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in 55g/2oz of the parmesan and 55g/2oz of the gruyère cheese and season with salt and pepper.
5. Rinse the aubergines and pat dry. Dust the aubergines with flour and fry in batches in the remaining olive oil until golden on both sides, about 8 - 10 minutes. Drain on kitchen paper. Set aside until ready to construct the moussaka.
6. The white sauce should now have cooled enough to whisk in the egg and egg yolks.
7. Cover the base of an ovenproof dish (30 x 20cm/12 x 8in) with a third of the mince then cover with half the aubergine slices. Repeat the layers, ending in the last of the mince, then pour over the cheese sauce. Sprinkle over the remaining parmesan and gruyère. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C/350F/Gas4 for 50-60 minutes, until bubbling and golden. Allow the moussaka to settle for 5 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
8. Serve the moussaka with a chunky tomato, cucumber, parsley and mint salad and crusty bread.

Blau x

Pretty Pretty Pavlova

It's not a dessert I'd ever order from a menu but I just love to make and eat a summer fruit Pavlova. 
A meringue-based dessert named after the Russian ballet dancer Anna Pavlova created in honour of the dancer either during or after one of her tours to Australia and New Zealand in the 1920s. The above was my hangover cure the other morning. With its with a crisp crust and soft, light inner texture it also makes for a delicious treat.So here's the recipe I like to use;


Ingredients:

• 4 large egg whites at room temperature
• 1 cup of Castor sugar, also known as "Berry sugar"
• 1 tsp of white vinegar
• 1/2 Tbsp of cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cups of whipping cream
• Fresh fruit such as strawberries, raspberries, kiwi fruit, passionfruit, bananas, blueberries
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 275F (140C) and place the rack in middle of the oven. Line a baking tray with foil and draw a 7 inch circle on the foil with the blunt edge of a knife (don't tear the foil). Set aside.
2. In a clean, medium-sized metal bowl, beat the egg whites with a clean electric mixer on medium speed. Beat until the whites form soft peaks.
3. Gently sprinkle the sugar into the egg whites, one teaspoon at a time. Don't just lump the sugar in the bowl and never stop beating the eggs until you finish the sugar. Your egg whites should now be glossy stiff peaks.
4. Sprinkle the cornstarch and vinegar on the meringue and fold in gently with a plastic spatula. Add the vanilla and gently fold the mixture again.
5. Now gently spread the meringue in the circle on the foil to make a circular base. Make sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher then the center so you have a very slight well in the middle.
6. Bake the meringue for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until it goes a very pale, pinkish egg shell color.
7. Turn the oven off and leave the door slightly ajar to let the meringue cool completely. As the meringue cools, it will crack slightly.
8. Just before serving, take the meringue out of the oven and remove it gently from the foil and place on a plate.
9. Whip the cream with the vanilla extract until it forms peaks. Prepare the fruit by washing and slicing.
10. Gently spread the cream to the top of the meringue with a spatula and arrange the fruit on top.

Blau x


Recipe via http://australianfood.about.com

L.O.L.A....Lola

Lola's is best known to some as that pit stop of tasty heaven on the ground floor of the Oxford Circus branch of Topshop. Victoria Jossel and Romy Lewis grew up in the same area of London when their families moved from South Africa in the early 90’s. Their relaxed and warm South African families love entertaining - so growing up life revolved around food and desserts. Victoria graduated in Computer Science and worked for Goldman Sachs for five years. She always felt like she could be much more creative, and started a simple website to take orders for cupcakes from her home kitchen. Demand was so high that she approached Romy, a Journalism graduate, about coming on board to help set up LOLA’s in 2007. The rest as they say is hostory!

Lola's use only the finest natural ingredients and they're always baked fresh on the day of delivery.
Blau x

Porridge

You might be thinking that it's far to sunny and hot for an oatmeal start to your day but I've been loving my fruity porridge these past few weeks. Oats are a great source of protein and contain vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin E, Selenium, copper, magnesium and zinc. This breakfast will also lower your risk of developing heart disease by reducing the bad cholesterol (without lowering the good cholesterol) in your body and is proven to fight against IBS and even cancer.

So get your oats in the saucepan and add some milk! Serve into bowl, let cool slightly and then sprinkle a layer of ground cinnamon (which will help stabilise your blood sugar) and add a chopped banana. Add anti-oxidants via fist-sized portions of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, dried cranberries and a handful of goji berries. Repeat after me; 'mmmmmm'.

Blau x

Image via We Heart It

The Wholesome 'Brownie'

What is it about sunshine that triggers that innate want and desire to 'go healthy' and detox, to make your body a temple and cleanse it of all those nasty toxins? Ah yes, having to show off more skin than normal. Well, I've decided to embark on a life of nutrition and exercise with the first step being to 'go brown'; brown bread instead of white and wholegrain pasta. With its darker and more moist whole wheat perfection I love it with a softly boiled egg, it's a better start to the day than my usual.

Ingredients.

320g Wholemeal Flour
260g Irish white flour or unbleached flour
80g Wheat germ
2 teaspoon Honey
½ teaspoon Bread soda
½ teaspoon Salt
3 teaspoons Butter, at room temperature
1 Large egg
0.5 litres Buttermilk or sour milk

Method.  

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC/Gas Mark 6). Do not start until the oven is hot.

• Spread the wheat germ on a baking tray and place in the hot oven for 3-5 minutes until it is lightly toasted. In the meantime mix all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk together the egg, oil, honey and about ¾ of the milk.
• When the wheat germ is done, leave it for about 2-3 minutes to cool a little then mix it in with the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into small pieces and with the tips of your fingers rub it into the flour.
• Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in the milk mix. Quickly and bring the flour in from the edges and mix with the milk, until all the ingredients come together into a soft slightly wet dough. It should not be overly sloppy, you should feel you could pick it up without it running through your fingers, but it should be soft enough that it sinks slowly down and takes on the shape of the bowl. If it is too dry add a little more buttermilk. There is no need to knead this dough.
• Put into a 9″ x 5″ loaf tin, the inside of which has been smeared with a little butter or oil. Place in the oven. Bake for 50 minutes. The bread should be nicely browned, have a good crust and sound hollow when you tap it. If it seems a little underdone, put it back in for 10 minutes.
• Allow the bread to cool in the loaf tin before turning it out.
• This bread keeps for a few days, and is much easier to slice thinly if you wrap it in aluminium foil and keep it until the next day.

Recipe from dochara.com

Blau x

Keep Calm and Curry On

If there's one thing that I've really grown to love the past year it's curry, my top pick being the Thai Green variety. So here's Jo Pratt's recipe for Thai Green Chicken Curry that I almost know off by heart.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp Thai green curry paste (according to taste)
• 1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
• 1-2 thick stalks lemongrass, fat ends bashed with a rolling pin (optional)
• 750g/1½lb skinless, boneless chicken, cut into chunks (use breast and/or leg meat)
• 6-8 kaffir lime leaves, torn into pieces (if unavailable, use the grated zest of 1 lime)
• 400ml/14fl oz coconut milk
• Good shake of Thai fish sauce or light soy sauce
• Small handful of coriander, roughly chopped
• ½-1 lime, juice only

Preparation method.

Heat the oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the green curry paste and sugar and cook over a fairly high heat for about a minute, stirring with the lemongrass, if using. Reduce the heat slightly and stir in the chicken pieces and lime leaves or zest until coated in the paste. Add the coconut milk, fish sauce or soy sauce and bring to a simmer, cooking for 25-30 minutes until thickened slightly. Stir in the coriander and lime juice. Check for seasoning, adding more fish sauce or soy sauce if needed.

The curry is now best left to sit for a few minutes so the sauce becomes creamier. You will also taste the true flavours of the curry paste ingredients when it's slightly cooler. Serve with lots of fragrant Thai jasmine rice.

Blau x

Black Forest Cupcake

I do so love a deliciously rich dessert...

 

Ingredients.

15 oz  can pitted cherries (sweet) in syrup 

4 oz  bittersweet (dark) eating chocolate - coarsely chopped

5½ oz  butter - coarsely chopped

11 oz superfine(castor) sugar

2¼ fl oz cherry brandy

5 oz all-purpose (plain) flour

2 tblsp self-raising flour

2 tbls cocoa powder

1 egg

Decoration.

6 fl oz thickened cream, whipped

2 tsp cherry brandy

4 oz (100g) block of bittersweet (dark) eating choclate

Method.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 335oF (170oC).

2. Line a 12 cupcake pan, with cupcake papers.

3. Drain the cherries and reserve the syrup.

4. Take ½ cup of cherries and ½ of syrup and process in a food processor, until smooth.

5. Cut the remaining cherries in half and reserve. Discard the remaining syrup.

6. Place the chocolate, butter, sugar, brandy and cherry puree into a saucepan. Over a low heat, stir until chocolate has melted.

7. Pour into a large bowl and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

8. Whisk in sifted flours and cocoa.

9. Then wisk in the egg. It will be runny - but that is correct.

10. Divide the mixture evenly between the cake cases. You will probably find that you fill the cases close to the top (don't worry, they don't rise a lot).

11. Bake for 40-45 minutes until firm to touch.

12. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.

Decorate.

1. Allow cakes to cool completely.

2. Mix the brandy into the whipped cream.

3. Top each cake with some of the remaining cherry halves.

4. And top this with some of the cream.

5. Using a vegetable peeler, scrap along the side of the block of chocolate to create curls. (You made need to clean the peeler from time to time.) And decorate the top of each cake.

Previous recipes include; French toast, red velvet cupcakes, and sinful Oreo cheescake.

Blau x

Soup's Up

So given that its January, time of all things clean and healthy, I've been souping it up at home. I've always been slightly intimidated by the idea of souping from scratch, but given the amount of time I've spent studying noodle soup in my local vientnamese, I realised its far simpler then meets the eye, and pretty much open to interpretation.

Try this one

Fry garlic, ginger and spices with oil, adding a little water to make a paste if they start to stick. Add stock, nam pla, lime juice, red chilli and coconut cream. Bring to a gentle boil.Add noodles to stock, cook for a further 4 minutes.Divide the prepared vegetables between two bowls. Top with broth and noodles. Add lime wedge to broth and serve.

Now, unfortunatly, in my house we are not ones for measureing things, prefering the 'pinch of this', 'splash of that' rule. But that way, you get to really personalise it for your own taste, and learn about what you're cooking.

They are usually low fat, packed with vitimins and easy to make. Plus you get to sing the Soup Crimp from The Mighty Boosh. Get involved.

Soup, Soup - a tasty soup, soup
A spicy carrot and coriander, chili chowder!
Crouton, crouton - crunchy bread in a liqid broth
I am gaspachio - uh! I am a summersoup - mm!
Miso, miso - fighting in the Dojo
Miso, miso - oriental prince in the land of soup!

Ezzie x

Dreamcatcher

I've always been intrigued by Native American culture and dream catchers fascinate me. Traditionally, the Ojibwa made dream catchers by tying sinew strands in a web around a small round or tear-shaped frame of willow. The result hung above the bed, is used as a charm to protect sleeping children from nightmares. Only good dreams would be allowed to filter through. Bad dreams would stay in the net, disappearing with the light of day. Good dreams would pass through and slide down the feathers to the sleeper.

I managed to make my very own about eight years ago but have since lost it. I feel nows the time to make another...

Blau x

Image via We Heart It