The Thorngrove Table

The Internets are broken (or at least my webhost is)

Sorry for the interruption in eyecandy, but the host for my photos and website, Lycos Tripod, has gone into liquidation and all services have been terminated. This means that until I find a new host, transfer my domain, re-upload all my pictures and pages, and THEN edit all my links, none of my photos will be showing. ARRRGGGHHHHHHH!

Joy (or at least Cake) to the World! [Christmas Cake, Pt.2]

Bullfrog inspiration aside, a great deal of the fun of Christmas cakes is icing it yourself. It isn't actually all that hard and there are some good tutorials on the internet (or just ask your mum or gran!).

Christmas cake with the top sliced off and levelled, ready to be slathered with Ouse Valley's delicious Gooseberry & Elderflower Jam

I heartily recommend Cook UK's photo tutorial on how to ice a Christmas cake. It's in two steps, firstly:

How to marzipan the cake
then
How to ice the cake with rolled icing

They also show you how to do it 'the traditional way', i.e. with an icing sugar/water combo, but I can't say I've ever seen a Christmas cake done using that type of icing myself.

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Measuring the cake for the two side pieces

I used about 3 Tb of jam, one packet of marzipan (225gm) and one packet of ready roll Royal Icing (450gm) on the cake. The above tutorial uses about twice that amount and you can go thicker, but huge fan of marzipan though I am, I find any thicker to be too sweet for me. With those amounts you get a layer of marzipan aprox 2mm thick and a layer of icing about 2-3mm thick. A layer of 4-5mm of pure sugar is enough for anyone I think!

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The marzipan layer covering the cake

With memories of last time's wobbly wording, I bought an icing stencil to make the letters this year. I think they turned out pretty well, though I must admit it took me as long to cut the words out and place them as it did to actually ice the cake! About an hour and a quarter I guess. Getting the letters so they were firm and crisp took a little trial and error. It turned out the best way to do so was roll to the icing out thinly (about 1.5 - 2mm), let it stand for a little while so the 'dough' had started to harden a little, and then cut the letters out of it.

The only other decoration (I like my cakes simple) consisted of a plastic sprig of holly. I also bought some rather gorgeous white pearlescent powder and covered the white of the cake with it. Unfortunately it photographed horribly and came out looking grey, so the last photo shows the cake before being powdered. You just have to imagine it with a beautiful irridescent sheen to it. And yes, it tasted as good as it looked!

Christmas Cake 2008

Traditional Christmas Fruit Cake

One of the things which make Christmas Christmas for me is cake. Fruit cake, to be exact. When I was a child, every year Christmas dinner was finished off with a piece of heavy, decadently-rich and treacley fruit cake, the top guarded by a diabetes-inducing layer of jam, marzipan and a quarter inch of stiff white icing. The vast majority of fruit cakes you buy in the shops are either suety bricks of stodge, or dry bland offerings filled with tasteless fruit. I am firmly convinced the only fruit cake that truly deserves the appellation 'Christmas Cake' is one made at home with fresh ingredients, care and love.

The recipe my mother has used for years is one she says is originally from Good Housekeeping (my mother's cooking bible). It's served our family on special occasions for over 40 years - as Christmas cake, Wedding cake, Christening cake and Birthday cake. This is only the second time I've made it myself, and although one 'corner' crumbled a bit on me it has the right consistency, weight and divine fruity scent of my childhood, so I shall declare myself satisfied and look forward to consuming it at Christmas with my friends.

By rights this should be made early November (as mine was) so it can 'ripen' and you can add a thimbleful of brandy to it every couple of weeks. It's such a rich cake however, you can make it the week before and it still tastes wonderful.

Creamed butter and sugar

Nevin Family Christmas/Wedding/Birthday Cake

1lb 14oz (850gm) mix of Sultanas, Raisins & Currants (omit the currants for a lighter tasting cake)
5oz (140gm) Glacé Cherries (red and/or green)
3oz (85gm) Mixed Peel
3oz (85gm) sliced or chipped Almonds
12oz (340gm) Plain Flour
½ tsp Mixed Spice
½ tsp ground Cinnamon
A pinch of Salt
10oz (285gm) Butter
10oz (285gm) Sugar
Grated rind of ½ Lemon
5 large Eggs
3 Tablespoons Brandy (optional)

7" square or 8" round Cake Tin/Silicon Bakeware
Baking Paper
Newspaper

Preparing the bakeware

If you are using a tin: Cut 2 sheets of greaseproof paper to cover the base with a small turnup. Cut a length of doubled-over greaseproof paper long enough to line the inside wall of the tin with a small overlap and secure with a small pin. Brush all with oil or melted butter. At the same time prepare a length of doubled-over (or 2 sheets) brown paper to wrap around the outside and extend approximately 3 inches above the sides of the tin. Prepare a piece of brown paper to cover the top of the cake. Another double sheet of brown paper or newspaper should be placed underneath the tin when it is put on the shelf in the oven. This will prevent burning the fruit.
If you are using silicon bakeware: Prepare a length of doubled-over (or 2 sheets) brown paper to wrap around the outside and extend approximately 3 inches above the sides of the tin. Prepare a piece of brown paper to cover the top of the cake. Another double sheet of brown paper or newspaper should be placed underneath the tin when it is put on the shelf in the oven. This will prevent burning the fruit.

Making the cake

1. Make sure the fruit is clean and then mix (excluding lemon rind) into the flour, salt and spices.
   
   
   

   
   Mixed fruit and flour
   
   
   
2. Cream the butter and sugar and lemon rind until pale and fluffy.
   
   
   

   
   Creamed butter and sugar
   
   
   
3. Add the eggs, a little at a time, and beat well after each addition.
   
   
4. Fold in ½ the flour and fruit to the creamed mixture with a tablespoon. Mix well. Fold in remaining flour and fruit and if you use brandy add it at this stage. Mix well.
   
   
5. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin pushing it into any corners and making sure there are no air pockets. Working from the centre raise the level of the cake’s surface so that the sides are higher than the centre.
   
   
   

   
   Cake mixture spooned into the bakeware
   
   
   
6. Bake at 150*C, 300*F or Mark 2(gas). Place on a shelf in the lower part of the oven to allow the air to pass freely over it. Put the sheet of brown paper over it for the first 2 hours and then remove to allow browning.
   
   
   
   

   
   Ready to go into the oven, with brown paper surrounds and topper
   
   
   
7. It should take 2 ½ to 3 hours but this can vary depending on your oven. It is cooked when the sides of the cake are starting to come away from the paper and a skewer or knitting needle poked through to the bottom of the cake comes back with only the moistness of the fruit on it.
   
   
8. Remove from the oven and stand until cool.
   
   
   

   
   Letting the cake cool
   
   
   
9. Turn out onto a cake rack. Peel the greaseproof paper off carefully.
   
   
   

   
   Christmas Fruit Cake
   
   
   
10. To store the cake wrap it in clear plastic film. If a richer taste is desired holes may be made in the top of the cake with a skewer or thin knitting needle and 1-2 sherry glasses of brandy poured into the cake. 2-3 months storage improves the taste.

Wrapped in Cling film for storage

Scottish Morning Rolls

As requested, here is the recipe for the really good breakfast rolls:

Scottish Morning Rolls

Ingredients:
450gm/1lb/4 cups unbleached plain white flour; plus extra for dusting
10ml/2tsp salt
20gm/¾ oz fresh yeast (or dry yeast equivalent)
150ml/¼ pint/ 2∕3 cup lukewarm milk
150ml/¼ pint/ 2∕3 cup lukewarm water
30ml/2Tb milk, for glazing
Oil/Butter for greasing

Equipment:
2 Baking Sheets
Cling Film


To Make 10 Rolls:

1. Grease 2 baking sheets.
2. Sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
3. Mix the yeast in with the lukewarm milk, then mix in the lukewarm water.
4. Add to the centre of the flour and mix together to form a soft dough.
   
   
5. Knead the dough lightly in the bowl, then cover with lightly oiled clear film.
6. Leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
7. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knock back.
   
   
8. Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces.
9. Knead lightly and, using a rolling pin, shape each piece into a flat oval 10 x 7.5cm/4 x 3", or a flat round 9cm/3½".
   
   
10. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spaced well apart, and cover with oiled cling/clear film.
11. Leave to rise in a warm place, for about 30 minutes.
    
    
12. Preheat the oven on to 200°C/400°F/GM6.
13. Press each roll in the centre with three fingers to equalise the air bubbles and prevent blistering.
14. Brush with milk and dust with flour.
15. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
16. Dust with more flour and cool slightly on a wire rack.
17. Serve warm.

Shellfish & Seaviews

I am sitting on the train, watching overcast English skies drizzling rain down - a somewhat depressing view - so I am attempting to cheer myself up with the thought the clouds bring to mind these Greenport oysters I ate during mine and Jenny's birthday celebrations.

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Platters of Greenport Oysters and clams

Although not the largest or plumpest oysters I've ever eaten, nor be singled out as having a particularly unique taste, nonetheless they were rich and some of the freshest I've ever had - a real gulp of the ocean. Clams, I hadn't eaten in years although they rate quite highly in my List of Preferred Seafoods, and these were particularly tasty little morsels. Accompanying these were various sauces, including a delightful shallot & vinegar Mignonette (see here for similar recipe).

It wasn't entirely sunshine for our birthday weekend however, as you can see from this photo across Greenport Harbour to Shelter Island.

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View across Greenport Harbour to Shelter Island

Sittin' on the dock of the bay

Finally this weekend I received a spot of summer! In what has otherwise been the most dismal English summer I can remember - though I must point out I'm currently in another country. A wonderful day spent in Greenport, Long Island, NY with my twin and brother-in-law; blazing sun, lovely blue sky, warm ocean breeze, and seats at Claudio's seafood restaurant on the dock, right beside the water. Lunch consisted of a starter of delicious raw oysters, a dozen split between the three of us. Fresh and tasty, they slipped down easily in no time.

For my main I ordered a side salad - which had a very tasty house dressing and the interesting (and successful) addition of julienned daikon/mooli - to go with an appetizer of crab cakes. These were solid little patties of fantastically fresh and scrumptious crab pieces - just the thing you want to be eating when you're sitting on the dock of the bay! I also ate several of Jenny's spiced, chilled and still-shelled shrimp; delicious, though a little more labour intensive.

After lunch we wandered into the outdoors bar - the one with the sign reading "Stray kids will be fed to the sharks" (I'm sure they're talking about goats) - and listened to an excellent covers band doing CCR, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Chris Isaak, U2, Peter Gabriel and others for an hour or so before heading out to Bedell Cellars to try their latest (and extremely nice) wines. Why can't all summer Sundays be like this?

Bread, glorious bread

This past little while my weekends and spare time have mostly been spent on jewellery-making and craft projects, however I have been continuing my bread making. Here's what came out of the oven:

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Scottish Breakfast Rolls: These were light, slightly chewy, soft and milky-tasting. The ideal breakfast food. My best first effort so far.

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Sundried Tomato Italian Bread: This was supposed to be Olive Bread, but I discovered a complete dearth of black olives in my cupboard and wasn't quite ready to toss my precious anchovy- and almond-stuffed green olives into a baking experiment. This turned out delicious nonetheless, although next time I won't use quite as many tomatos as they overpowered the bread a bit. This had a good crust, tasted great and lasted much better than the rolls. I'm going to try and get this one perfected.

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Cheese Rolls: Mmmmm. Who doesn't love cheese bread? Some butter and a slice of Port Salut on top, paired with a glass of cold cider - perfect weekend picnic. These went stale pretty quickly but were good toasted.

How-To-Kill-Your-Housemate Cupcakes

I've come to the conclusion cake just tastes better with banana in it - more moist, texturally more interesting, fuller bodied and with a greater depth of taste. Unfortunately Mark is allergic to bananas, so rather than sending my housemate into anaphylactic shock (an action not conducive to smooth relations at home - quite aside from the fact he hasn't signed that Life Insurance Policy for Tanya yet), half the cupcakes I usually now make at the weekend are not banana offerings. Tanya and I just get more of those for ourselves. We aren't really complaining! Here's the recipe I use:
 

Banana Cupcakes with Almond Cream Cheese Icing & Silver Dragees

Banana & Stuff Cupcakes
Makes 10 - 12 cupcakes

1 cup self-raising flour, sifted
½ cup caster sugar
½ cup (or 4 Tb) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla essence
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground cinnamon
2 eggs
2 old soft bananas, mashed
½ cup coconut or chopped walnuts or other nuts

1. Preheat the oven 175C/350F/GM4 & place 10 paper cases in cupcake/muffin tins.
   
2. Combine all ingredients except the bananas & coconut/nuts together in a bowl.
   Note: the coconut/nuts add necessary texture to the recipe.
   
3. Beat until smooth.
   
4. Mix in the mashed banana, with as few strokes as necessary.
   
5. Mix in the coconut/nuts, with as few strokes as necessary.
   
6. Spoon the batter into the cases. I find filling them to 2/3 is best.
   
7. Bake for 20 minutes.
   
8. Remove and check. A toothpick should come out cleanish from the centre. If there are lots of crumbs sticking, put the cupcakes back in the oven for another 3 minutes. Repeat until cupcakes are cooked.
   
9. Remove cases/tins from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
   
10. Remove the cupcakes from the cases/tins and cool on a rack.
    
11. Ice if you wish (and if something goes wrong with the almond icing, it's even more aptly named)

Rye Sourdough baking attempt #1

In my ongoing campaign to teach myself to bake (or rather, to bake well), one of my prime goals has been to learn to bake bread. Sourdough has long been one of my favourite types of bread and I was fortunate a couple of months ago to receive some sourdough starters (one rye, one wholemeal) from Johanna of The Passionate Cook (thank you very much Johanna!).

Below are the results of my first attempt which, whilst not an unqualified success, was certainly a great deal better than I was expecting. I used a very basic recipe by S. John Ross, from here and used a mix of rye and wholemeal.

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Rye Sourdough Loaf

The bread took a long long time to rise - in fact due to its sluggishness I turned the oven onto 'Warm' and left the dough on the bench overnight, and the next morning it had risen. This actually works out better for me for future sourdough making, as the 'whole day bread making' shtick is logistically awkward for me, as I'm sure it is for anyone else who spends 12 - 13 hours a day away from home during the week.

During baking, the bottom didn't seem to want to harden, so I baked the loaf on its back for the last five minutes - which, although it probably isn't recommended, did the trick.

The resulting loaf was quite dense and heavy with a good rye flavour and sour taste. I ate mine with a skimming of butter and thick slices of Red Leceister cheese, and it was very yummy (in addition to the warm glow of self-satisfaction). I gave half to Tanya (tatanatanya), who as a native of East Europe was brought up on the stuff, and she said it was a bit too dry, but the taste and texture were really good.

I came to the same conclusion. When I was kneading the dough (which was a lot more fun than I expected, except for the part where my mother rang me up right in the middle) I thought it wasn't elastic enough, but lack of experience made me unsure - and cookbook photos and You-Tube can only be useful to a certain point. So next time, definitely more liquid.

I think I'll also try with a lighter flour/s (I didn't have any strong flour other than rye and wholemeal at the time) and use a lesser portion of rye if included. On the whole however, I think I can definitely rack this one up as a step in the right direction.

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Cut Rye Sourdough Loaf

Wonderful Wagashi

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Sakuranbo (Cherry Jelly)

I went to a rather splendid RA exhibition of Cranach the Elder's work last month and having time (and money) to kill, indulged myself by visiting state-of-the-art Japanese confectioners, Minomoto Kitchoan, down the road. There I bought myself (and tatanatanya) several seasonal wagashi.

Tanya ate the Iwamura (Plum Jelly) wagashi, which she thoroughly enjoyed. Somewhat unsurprisingly, my first choice of treat was the Sakuranbo, or Cherry Jelly (photo above). This was almost too beautiful to eat, however when I did it was delicious. The jelly & cherry were light, sweet and delicately flavoured and scented. I loved the dissolving sensation of the jelly in my mouth.

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Wagashi in their wrappers, in front of the accompanying green tea
Back row, L-R: Yuka (Citron Jelly), Iwamura (Plum Jelly), Sakuranbo (Cherry Jelly).
Front row, L-R: Ayaichigo (Strawberry Jelly), Kurizutsumi (Bean Cake).

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~Yuka (Citron Jelly)

Yuzu (japanese lemon) has a distinctive taste that is wonderful in both sauces and sweets. And with the aid of a little colouring, was the most amazing vibrant shade of greenish yellow as you can see (although admittedly I Photoshopped the shadows in a sudden fit of artsiness). There were little curls of yuzu rind in this very tasty wagashi and it smelt divine.

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~Kurizutsumi (Bean Cake)

This was an Azuki (Red) Bean & Chestnut Paste-filled pastry, topped with Sesame Seeds. The Japanese do such fantastic things with chestnuts - one memorable dish being chestnut icecream at Toku, the Japan Centre restaurant, last year. Slightly more filling and solid than the other wagashi but just as yummy.

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~ Ayaichigo (Strawberry Jelly)

OK, it may look like some type of Gelatinous Monster from Star Trek, but it's actually another kanten/agar agar sweet (yes, I am inordinately fond of those). This proved to be my favorite offering. The innards were a stawberry paste that managed the oft-difficult trick of combining a distinctive but delicate scent, a fresh strawberry flavour and a pleasurably smooth paste texture into one highly enjoyable combination.