Pina colada ... The Five Recipes Of Christmas #4

So, pina coladas is one of my favourite alcoholic drinks, and is my favourite cocktail. I go on holiday in June/July 2014 so I'll be knee deep in different cocktails, so maybe my mind will change.
Its sweet, but in all the right ways. The basic flavour of a pina colada is the mix of pineapple and coconut, which even individually are beautiful flavours!

Ingredients:
100ml pineapple juice,
50ml cream of coconut,
40ml coconut liquor,
40ml white rum,
Pineapple/cherry to garnish.

Alternative Recipe

100ml pineapple juice,
50ml cream of coconut,
50ml white rum,
2 tbsp double cream/ 1 tbsp advocate.

Virgin Pina Colada

150ml pineapple juice,
75ml cream of coconut,
3 tbsp double cream,
Pineapple, shredded coconut or cherry to garnish.

Method:
Mix all the liquid ingredients together and top with a chosen garnish! Simple and easy!
Serve with 1/2 cup- 1 cup ice.

French Florentines :) The Five Recipes Of Christmas #3

One of favourite little nibbles! They're delicious and an amazing treat!
They'd be amazing as little wrapped up Christmas presents! CUTE!

The best Florentines I get my hands on are from my very own, TESCO! For £2.69 which is great because they're divine. They're almond florentines by Jules Destrooper.
http://www.tesco.com/groceries/Product/Details/?id=277684635

 
Here's a little recipe I found, edited and modified...

Ingredients:
25g butter (salted or unsalted it doesn't matter)
50g caster sugar,
15g light brown sugar,
1tsp orange zest,
10g plain flour,
65ml single cream,
75g flaked almonds,
20g whole almonds, (chopped rough and small)
30g chopped pecans, (optional)
1/3 tsp vanilla,
1 tbsp honey,
1/4 tsp salt,
1 tbsp orange juice,

50g white chocolate,

50g milk chocolate, 

50g dark chocolate.

Method:
In a saucepan melt the butterand honey, add the flour and sugar (continuously stirring) over a low heat being cautious not to burn. 

Gradually add the cream at this stage, slow so the mixture doesn't seize up. 

Add the remainder of the ingredients except for the chocolate. 

Scoop about teaspoon sized florentines onto a lined baking sheet and make sure they're slightly flat. (They need to be about 2/3cm apart so the mixture can spread)

Flatten then slightly and bake for around 10-12 minutes, keep an eye on them after about 9 minutes.

Then melt all the chocolate individually ( I recommend using the heat proof bowl over saucepan of simmering water technique) -this way it will melt a lot more evenly than a microwave.

Then dip each florentine about a third over the florentine. Place onto a lined baking sheet and leave to set for a minute. Then re-dip the florentines (if the bowl of chocolate had set/thickened just set it back onto the off saucepan) allow to cool on the baking sheet again. 

Then re-dip again and allow to cool. 

For thing like this I'd recommend using good quality chocolate, you don't have to spend megabucks, but maybe your supermarket's finest range. You won't regret it.

Eggnog ... The Five Recipes Of Christmas #1

Don't drink too much! ;)

ingredients:
1l milk,
300ml single cream,
2 cloves,
1/2 tsp nutmeg,
1 tsp cinnamon, (level)
1/4 tsp mixed spice,
2 tsp vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla pod,
4 egg yolks,
100g sugar.

method:
In a saucepan, heat up the milk, spices, sugar, and if your using a vanilla pod pop that in now. Don't let it boil. Set aside.
In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks. Add about half a cup of the hot mixture to the yolks whisking vigorously just to get it started. Then slowly add the rest and whisk. Add the whole mixture back to the saucepan and simmer on low heat for 3 minutes. Strain the pod and cloves.
Allow to cool fully.
Stir in the chosen alcohol, cream and vanilla (if extract)
When serving sprinkle with a little brown sugar and nutmeg.

Enjoy <3 data-blogger-escaped-br="">

I tried this recipe with whatever ingredients I had in... I divided it all by 4 (by yolks) just to try it.
It ended up making the amount of about 2 Jack Daniel's whiskey glasses. I only have Jack in at the moment so ending up using about a tablespoon of Jack and I thought it ruined it completely. I then discovered I seriously didn't like Jack Daniels and it just wasn't for me. It ended up tasting like sickly bananas! I hate bananas with my whole soul and I thought the Jack ruined my drink!
So I recommend using a bourbon or brandy of your liking or something. 

Christmas 2000 view give away

So I said almost 1000 views back that at 2000 I might do a 2000 view give away or something!
I've done some research and came up with doing something related to my blog subject. Cooking/baking.

So here's the deal.
I'll be giving a little hamper away with little goodies in.
How? All you need to do is bake/cook something cool and presentable. Take a picture and email my blog email.

Rules?

• Entries need to be in before 10th January 2014. 
• There must be at least 1 picture of your finished product!
• Best looking wins!
• It can be anything you have cooked&decorated.
• You can be any age
• You need to reply with your address maximum of 7 days after the winner is chosen&emailed.

If you need my blog email it is on the contact me page.

Chocolate Chip cookies for christmas :) The Five Recipes Of Christmas #2

Giving food that you've made for friend and/or family is a lot more personal and tastier than picking something up from the shop.
Whether you want to add something to the current present your giving or just want to give cute wrapped collections of cookies.

Ingredients:
1 cup butter,
1/2 cup dark brown sugar,
1/2 cup light brown sugar,
2 eggs,
1 tsp vanilla extract,
2 1/2 cup plain flour,
1/4 cup corn flour,
1 cup chocolate chips,
1/2 tsp salt,
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda,
1 tbsp golden syrup,

Method:
In a bowl cream together the butter and sugars. Add the eggs, vanilla and syrup to the butter mixture.
In a bowl mix together the flours, salt, chips and soda with a whisk to just combine.
Fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture making sure you don't over mix.
Line a large baking tray/s and using a medium sized ice cream scoop, scoop and scrape the dough onto the tray/s.
bake for 10-12 minutes until slightly golden, crispy at the edges and soft in the centre.
Allow to cool for around 10-20 minutes or 5 minutes before removing from the tray.

Substitutes&extras:
instead of as well as chocolate chips- caramel/toffee cubes (chopped) & corse sea salt on top before cooking.
Add some coarsely chopped pecans, mmm my favourite!
Add chopped walnut/chopped peel, 1 tsp mixed spice, 1/2 cinnamon and sprinkle with ginger.
1/2 cup raisins/sultanas if you like them
1/3 cup sliced almonds with 1/2 tsp almond extract!
2 level tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Enjoy :)

Spiced chicken breast :P

So i whipped this up one night for my mum and dads anniversary meal i cooked them just from thinking up what could work.

Ingredients: (for 2 people)
2 x chicken breasts,
2 tsp garlic powder,
2 tsp onion powder,
1 tsp paprika & 1 tsp smoked paprika, (or 2 tsp paprika)
A good 1/2 tsp of salt,
1/2 tsp white pepper,
1/3 tsp black pepper,
1/2 tsp curry powder.

Method:
In a bowl mix together all the spices&seasonings. If need be brush your chicken with 1/2 tsp milk (just a very small amount to give the chicken moisture for the spice mixture to stick to.) rub in the spice mix evenly onto the chicken making sure to use it all.
Heat up a grill frying pan (i usually brush about 1/2-1 small tsp of rapeseed oil onto the pan.) you can use any flavourless oil you want -i use rapeseed because its healthier.
Then when its hot enough to sizzle a little add the breasts on the grill and DO NOT MOVE THEM! If you move them you won't have them little grill lines!
I usually fry on medium-high heat (so you can ear the frying a lot) for 5-7 minutes. Then flip over for another 5 minutes. Then another 5 minutes again and flip and repeat until the colour is a dark golden red colour, the lines are dark and the meat is cooked in the middle.

I usually cook a couple of minutes longer just to make sure it is cooked (depending on the thickness of the chicken)

I usually serve with garlic potatoes and any vegetables I have in that I feel like.

Enjoy :)

New Year Macarons!

So I've seen a few sites with things like this on as New Year approaches. 
These then gave me the inspiration to think up a little something. I always write up simple things that are easily edited either by me or users of the recipe.

These are great for gift in packs of 4/5 in plastic wrap with a bit of curled golden ribbon :)

Ingredients:
Macarons

3 large egg whites,
1/2 cup white sugar,
150g ground almonds,
150g icing sugar,
pinch of salt,
pinch of cream of tartar (optional) I'd usually need an extra lift from this.

Filling

1/4 cup melted white chocolate,
1/3 cup softened unsalted butter,
2 cups icing sugar,
1/2 cup champagne.

Method:
In a bowl sift and whisk together the almonds, icing sugar, salt and tartar with a hand whisk just to remove any lumps. Macarons is probably the only thing I actually sift, anything else where it isn't necessarily crucial, I leave.
Then in a separate very CLEAN and dry bowl whisk the egg whites until foamy. Then gradually add the sugar as you are whisking until stiff peaks occur. This can be tested by lifting the whisk and if the peaks on the whisk and in the bowl stand up stiffly then they're done!
Gently fold in about 1/3-1/2 of the dry mixture to the egg whites, Fold in gently until marbled- this is when you can add the rest of the dry mixture.
Add about 1/3 of the mixture into a piping bag (if you put a third in rather than half or all the mixture you won't me handling the mixture so much.)
You'll need a big baking tray, if not a couple! Lay down some greaseproof paper (I recommend flipping it over, drawing equal circles with a stencil of some sort. Then flipping over so you can just see them) This is helpful so you can get the macarons as equal as possible. 
Fill a piping bag with plain wide tip, twisting the end.
Pipe onto the tray- when piping hold upright and straight and gently press out some mixture. Then relieve the pressure and when lifting the piping bag from the macaron swirl it off -this way you won't have a peak!
Tap the trays about 10 times to get rid of any excess air bubble that may disturb the macarons surface when cooking.
Place in the fridge for half an hour and out of the fridge for 15-30 minutes.

Then place in a 140oC oven (fan) or 160oC (conventional/gas) for 7-8 minutes.

Set aside until completely cool. 

Gently remove from the tray and pair them together according to size.

To make the filling:

Cream the butter. Melt the chocolate and set aside for a minute
to slightly cool.
Add to the butter. In a separate bowl mix together the icing
sugar and champagne. Add about 1/3 cup of the champagne
mixture to the butter mixture. When combined add the
champagne mixture gradually to the butter mixture whilst
whisking.
If its not the correct consistency (soft peak) add a little icing
sugar. (The filling will set a little bit due to the melted chocolate
and icing sugar.) 
Add about 1/2 tsp of the filling in between the macarons. You
should be able to just see the filling at the side but it shouldn't
be gaping or dripping!

Extra: With the size of a large drop of the end of a tooth pic dab it on the top of the macaron. Then I have these decorative mini strawberry heart hard candies, they're so cute and have a lovely massive burst of strawberry flavour! ....STRAWBERRIES AND CHAMPAGNE!

'pretty woman fan girling!' 

i heart baking!: hello kitty mini cupcakes with purple bows

i heart baking!: hello kitty mini cupcakes with purple bows: Along with the purple Hello Kitty birthday cake that I made for my daughter's 3rd birthday last year, I also made these mini cupca...

I'm back :)

So obviously i have a phone and since i stopped using Blogger, i deleted the app... I've just charged up my ipod and saw my blogger app on here which brought back all the joy i got from food blogging.
I have made quite a few cakes since, some on here and some to be posted later from my phone.
I hope any viewer who see's this has been well and have been blogging (if you do blogging)
I have a quite a few written, tried, tested and edited recipes to share, and i remember how much i loved just writing about food!!

<3 chow for now :) fellow food-eaters x