Chocolate Cake Heaven

I realise I am a totally indulgent grandmother and I don’t wish to bore you with grandmother pursuits but there are two very good reasons why I want to share this with you.

One is that anything that encourages young children into the kitchen is worthwhile and with so many mothers busy and holding down jobs, there is an opportunity for grandparents to become teachers.

We have more patience, generally, and time, hopefully, to fill the role.

The other thing I wanted to share with you is this fabulous chocolate cake recipe which is a firm favourite in our family. It is birthday cake, lunch box cake, cupcake and no reason at all cake!

Given to me by my foodie sister years ago it is firmly imprinted in my head. A one bowl wonder that is chocolatey, moist and truly delicious.
Cook it and love it.



Chocolate Fudge Cake

Makes 1 x 23 cm round cake or 18 regular cup cakes

200g plain flour
pinch salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cocoa
150g brown sugar
2 tablespoons golden syrup
2 eggs
150ml oil
300ml milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Sieve dry ingredients in bowl and add the sugar. Make well in centre and add syrup, eggs, oil, milk and vanilla. Beat all together until smooth. Pour into a greased tin/s. Bake @ 170°C for 45 mins to an hour – or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cupcakes – 20 minutes.

Autumn’s gift to Aphrodite ….the Quince

It’s quince season and oh! how I look forward to it every year! For the chefs in the kitchen, it means jars and jars of beautiful pink jelly, packets of delicious quince paste and giant bottles of our pickled quinces which we use on cheeseboards and chopped into aromatic lamb tagines.

To me, one of the greatest pleasures is a chunk of freshly baked bread smeared generously with quince jelly and topped with a wedge of ripe oozing brie – divine!

My mother used to grate them into apple pies and crumbles but as a child I found them tart and uninteresting which surprised me because quince trees are exquisite in blossom and look just as beautiful with the shiny golden fruit hanging decoratively on their branches.

I like to make a SUGAR SYRUP using 1 cup sugar and 2 cups water in a cast iron casserole dish. When the sugar has dissolved, I add 1 cinnamon stick, the juice of a lemon with pith and a vanilla pod which has been split. Peel, quarter and core four quinces, then cut each quarter in half again. Place into syrup, cover tightly with lid and place in oven which has been preheated to 150°C. Bake for 3-4 hours until quinces are ruby red and tender. Cool in syrup.


To make a delicious QUINCE SYRUP CAKE:
50g butter, melted
¼ cup brown sugar
4 quinces poached as above and drained (reserve syrup)
Line a 23 cm round tin with baking paper. Combine butter and sugar and pour into lined tin. Cover with quince segments in a circular pattern.

Make a batter by creaming together:

150g soft butter
1 cup brown sugar
Add 3 eggs, and fold in 1⅓ cup flour, 2 teaspoons ginger, 1½ teaspoon baking powder.
Spoon over fruit carefully so as not to spoil pattern and bake in preheated oven 180°C for 35-40 minutes.

Remove from oven and rest in tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto plate. Pour over 1 cup of reserved syrup and serve with yoghurt, ice cream or lightly whipped cream.

Cook it – love it!

AUTUMN IS WITH US

What a beautiful time of the year - the trees don their ball dresses and display their gold and red leaves and the sunny windless days hint at the chillier days to come. It's a wonderful time to think of preparing warming delicious dishes for those you love - to use the rich, deep flavours we all so enjoy.

What a time we've had! The earthquake in February has changed our lives and I send my heartfelt good wishes to you and your loved ones at this very difficult time. The night of the earthquake I had family and friends gathered at my home and we cooked kedgeree on the barbecue - no power, or water, but it was still wonderful to be able to comfort and share in the way I love best - cooking!

As the days went on we were delighted to help clients and friends from out of town who wanted to help their own loved ones in a practical way - we made up food parcels and beautiful dinners to keep residents of Christchurch going in the darkest of times - and we are still doing this as residents return or we receive the message "more, please!".

We have also had a major change - we've moved into beautiful ground floor premises at 84 Gasson Street in Sydenham - which is going to be the new business hub of Christchurch for some time to come.

Easter weekend is just around the corner - a wonderful opportunity for us all to get together and catch up - families and friends - sharing laughter and the tears as we all do - as well as the chocolate! One of my favourite dishes to prepare when we have a crowd in is a delicious but simple Chicken Marbella. The flavours so reflective of autumn, the combination of the capers and olives so divine with the chicken! Cook it Love it!

Chicken Marbella
12 portions
24 thighs
1 small head of garlic, peeled and crushed
¼ cup dried oregano
Salt and pepper
½ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
1 cup prunes
½ cup pitted green olives
½ capers and some juice
6 bay leaves

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white wine
¼ cup parsley

Arrange chicken in a single layer in roasting dish. Combine garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and bay leaves and spoon over chicken. Marinate overnight, and the next day sprinkle with brown sugar and pour around white wine. Cook at 180˚C, basting occasionally, for 45 minutes to an hour. Sprinkle parsley through before serving.

Here Comes Our Bride!

Photo courtesy of Shar Devine

At White Tie we love weddings. We love being involved in the planning process, helping our Brides and Grooms achieve the look, style and atmosphere they yearn for to make their day of days splendid and memorable – whether it be a private beach ceremony with delicious, perfectly formed canapés and champagne or a dinner party for 200 of their closest friends! We love it all!

It’s even more exciting and gorgeous when it’s one of our own. My beautiful daughter, George, married her Lewis on 21 January at the Rose Chapel followed by a fun filled reception. George has a wonderfully ‘simple is beautiful’ approach to the world – she is overflowing with good humour and warmth, and loves the out of the ordinary – or life with a twist! George and Lewis’ special day reflected all of their attributes for they are a well matched pair… One is a kiwi, the other a Brit and they met in Greece. So to shake things up a bit, we did food stations of New Zealand, England and Greece. Mussels and lamb cutlets for NZ, bangers and mash and bacon butties for England and onion pie and Greek salad for Greece. We had a small intimate family dinner the night before as the formal seated event instead.

Just before her wedding – and my girls don’t believe in long engagements (thanks for the 6 week heads up!), I threw a “Champagne and Chocolate” afternoon for a bridal kitchen party. George adores chocolate and champagne so I combined these two wonderful ingredients and served my guests all things chocolate! Chocolate is a comfort food for most of us so I kept it comfy, clean and simple.

Apart from chocolate lamingtons topped with cream and strawberries (who can resist, and straight from our childhoods), chocolate sponge drops (that smooth soft sponge and the cream!) and chocolate pikelets (posh pikelets!), glamorous chocolate macaroons in two flavours no less – I also served chocolate marbled cheesecake – a real winner for any occasion and an incredibly delicious caramel tart which one of my guests said she wanted to throw herself into the dish and eat the lot! So thought I would share these recipes with you…

Marbled Chocolate Slice
Topping
250g cream cheese
75g extra sugar
5ml vanilla
1 egg
Base
185g butter (melted)
40g cocoa
210g sugar
2 eggs
150g flour

Method
Put cream cheese in a bowl and beat until smooth, add sugar and vanilla. Scrape sides and beat in egg. Beat until smooth. Set aside.
Meanwhile, melt butter and cocoa and beat together. Add sugar and combine. Pour in beaten eggs and mix well then add flour. Mix until well combined. Pour mixture into a 20 cm x 30 cm tin and spread out evenly.
Dollop cream cheese mixture equally over top and swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect.
Bake 150°C for approximately 20 minutes or until set – should wobble slightly. Cool in tin.
Cook it – love it!

Caramel Tarts
Tart cases
60g icing sugar
90g butter
200g flour
30g cornflour
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
1 rounded tablespoon cocoa
Filling
½ tin condensed milk
½ cup sugar
60g butter
1 tablespoon golden syrup
1½ tablespoons flour
1 egg yolk

Method
Cream icing sugar and butter together, add egg and other dry ingredients and mix until combined. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll out pastry thinly and line 24 patty tins. Chill again and then bake pastry @ 180°C for 10 - 15 minutes or until just starting to brown. Place all filling ingredients in a bowl over pot of boiling water and beat until combined and sugar has dissolved. Pour into pastry cases and ice with chocolate icing when caramel has set.
Cook it – love it!

Seven Christmas Inspirations: Fruit Mince; Ice Cream; Mince Slice; Pudding; Tiramisu of Summer Berries; Cake; Frangipane & Fruit Mince Tart

I’ve had lots of emails after my chat with Kerre Woodham on Newstalk ZB last week asking about the Christmas recipes I featured. I know we’re all planning what to take to friends or what to serve at home over the holiday season, and I thought it would be great to share some of the recipes I use at Christmas. Before you read my 7 inspirational recipes for Christmas which I hope you love, have a look at this photo!

This wonderful Bûche de Noël, a dessert served during the Christmas holidays in France and Belgium, was created by one of our wonderful White Tie chefs – Jen Norriss - and served at a recent function. If this inspires you, the cake itself is a chocolate swiss roll filled with chocolate buttercream and iced to resemble a Yule log…

Now, here are 7 fabulous ideas for you - I hope you love them, too!

Christmas Fruit Mince
Yield 1.5kg
4 Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled and chopped
2 cups raisins
1 cup currants
150g butter
2 teaspoons mace
2 teaspoons nutmeg
3 teaspoons spice
2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 cups brown sugar
100ml brandy
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
100ml lemon juice
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Simmer partly covered with lid for 30-40 minutes or until thick. Pour into clean, sterilised jars. Cover when cold.

Christmas Ice Cream
1 cup fruit mince
1 tablespoon brandy
600mls cream
¾ cup caster sugar
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
Combine fruit mince and brandy. Whip the cream with half the sugar until soft peaks form. Beat the egg yolks with remaining sugar and vanilla until thick. Fold in the fruit mince followed by the whipped cream. Pour into an ice cream container and freeze.

Christmas Mince Slice
Base
100g chilled butter
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup flour

Process butter, flour and sugar until breadcrumb consistency and press into lined slice tin. Bake at 160ºC for 10 minutes.

Topping
1 cup brown sugar (not packed)
¼ cup flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup coconut
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup fruit mince
Mix dry ingredients well and add wet ingredients. Place over base and cook for a further 30 minutes. Cool completely before cutting. Dust with icing sugar to serve. An extra egg and more mince can be used to bulk it out.

Christmas Pudding
Makes 2 large or 4 small puddings
500g currants
500g raisins
500g breadcrumbs
6 dessertspoons flour
125g mixed peel
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
500g brown sugar
zest of 1 lemon
8 eggs, beaten
500g butter, melted
1 wine glass brandy
Combine the first 9 ingredients in a large bowl. Add remaining 3 and mix well to thoroughly combine. Divide between 2 greased pudding bowls. Cover and boil 8 hours.

Christmas Tiramisu of Summer Berries
1 large pkt sponge fingers
Marscapone filling
5 eggs, separated
90g caster sugar
500g marscapone
2 tablespoons Marsala
1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat egg yolks with half the sugar until pale and fluffy. Fold the marscapone into the yolks, followed by the Marsala and vanilla. Beat the egg whites until foamy and gradually add the remaining sugar beating until soft peaks form. Fold into the marscapone mixture.
Berry Filling
750g raspberries and sliced strawberries (raspberries may be frozen)
½ cup Marsala or sweet white wine
4 tablespoons caster sugar
Combine ingredients and stand for at least 30 minutes.
Berry Sauce
125g raspberries or strawberries
¼ cup icing sugar
Process fruit and sugar until smooth and strain to remove pips. Chill until needed.
In a large glass bowl, layer sponge fingers, berry filling and marscapone filling in that order. Repeat until bowl is full. Refrigerate overnight and garnish top with extra berries and serve with berry sauce.

Christmas Cake
500g butter
500g caster sugar
500g flour
1.5kg currants
1.5kg raisins
1.5kg sultanas
350g peel
250g ground almonds
30g mixed spice
12 eggs
1 orange – rind & juice
1 lemon – rind & juice
Brandy to taste
Grate rinds of lemon & orange, squeeze juice, melt butter.
Place fruit in a large bowl, add rind & juice. Sieve flour, add spice & almonds. Beat eggs & sugar until light in colour. Stir in flour, almonds & spices. Add fruit mix and butter and mix by hand.
Cook 5 ½ hours, 1 hour at 120°C and the rest 110°C-100°C. When cooked leave ½ hour then make small holes all over cake with a skewer and pour in brandy. Leave in tin to cool 24 hours.

Frangipane and Fruit Mince Tart
Serves 6
Pastry
300g flour
100g caster sugar
100g butter
pinch of salt
1 egg
Mix all the ingredients in a food processor. Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 190°C. Roll out pastry and line a tart tin. Bake blind for 10 minutes, remove blind baking weights and bake a further 5 mins. Cool.
Filling
120g caster sugar
120g butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
120g ground almonds
20g flour
1 tablespoon orange flavoured liqueur (optional)
8 mint leaves, shredded
300g fruit mince
Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients followed by liqueur and mint.
Spread fruit mince over the bottom of the pastry case and top with frangipane mix.
Bake at 180°C for 30 - 40mins serve warm dusted with icing sugar.

Cook them, love them!

Licking the bowl ... STICKY GINGERBREAD

It seems that I am going to be a lot better at teaching my grandchildren to cook than my own children. Probably age has taught me patience but of course we are all so much more aware of the need to teach our children these life skills.



Fortunately, my girls have all turned into great cooks, they say by osmosis, so I am able to enjoy being a guest at their dinner tables. Actually, it’s one of my most favourite things to do in the whole world!

My grandson Mason, is two and we had a lovely day last week baking my favourite gingerbread.

This recipe has been in my book for so long I don’t remember where it came from but it is a pantry staple because of it's versatility.

Great for morning tea, warmed with caramel sauce and ice cream for a quick dessert, served with cheese on a cheeseboard (great with a creamy blue) and a terrific lunch box filler.

It’s a one bowl wonder and a great simple recipe to teach the children. I was quite shocked that Mason wasn’t interested in licking the bowl, so I had to!!

Sticky Gingerbread

180g butter
1 cup water
1/3 cup treacle
2/3 cup golden syrup
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons mixed spice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 teaspoons ground ginger
250g brown sugar
375g flour

Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 9” square tin with baking paper.
Cut butter into pieces and warm with water, treacle and syrup until just melted.
In a small bowl, beat eggs well.
In a large bowl, place the sugar and sift in the flour, spices and soda.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten eggs and butter mixture. Mix well to combine.
Pour into lined cake tin and bake 1-1¼ hours or until a skewer inserted in the middle, comes out clean.
Remove from oven and leave to cool. This cake improves on keeping and is great to freeze.

COOK IT & LOVE IT!

Salad Days are here!

I have just returned from a brief trip to the USA and I was reminded how good they are at making salads.

There has been a real turn around with the weather here and with the asparagus season in full swing and the beginning of the new potato season, we have two great vegetables to use as the base of a salad meal. We all love the satisfaction of preparing healthy and delicious dishes!

Don’t just think of salad as a side dish to a meal, think of it as a meal. Who can resist a platter highlighting summer’s bounty – cucumber, crispy iceberg lettuce, crunchy radishes, perfectly cooked asparagus, tiny new potatoes. You can add as much or as little as you like but think - colour, texture, freshness, crunch, protein content and then, of course, a great dressing, as this can be the difference between an average salad and a great salad.

This potato and asparagus salad is great and feel free to add sliced chicken, chopped walnuts, or diced avocado. Let the creative juices flow!

Cook it and love it.

Potato and Asparagus Salad with Tarragon Verjus Dressing

1 kg asparagus
500g new potatoes
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 cup fresh tarragon
1/4 cup Italian parsley
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1/3 cup verjus
1 teapsoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and briefly cook asparagus for 2-3 minutes. Using tongs transfer to a large bowl of iced water. Drain.
Add potatoes to the pot and cook until tender. Drain and let cool slightly.
In a mini food processor, pulse coriander seeds until crushed. Add tarragon, parsley, chives and process until finely chopped. Add the verjus, mustard and process until smooth. With the processor running add the oil in a fine stream. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice potatoes in half. Place in a bowl with some of the dressing and toss gently. Arrange on a platter with asparagus on top. Drizzle with some of the extra dressing.