Category: Weekend Wildcard

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Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe

chocolate fudge with vanilla

Ingredients
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
500g chocolate, chopped (I prefer milk chocolate only, but dark is also fine and gives a richer flavour)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
I recommend placing a heatproof dish or jug inside your slow cooker to make this recipe. Simply because it makes it easier to lift out the contents when the ingredients are melted together, you can make this recipe by placing the ingredients directly into the cooker.

Pour the condensed milk and chopped chocolate into the cooker/container and stir.

Put the slow cooker on low. Stir the contents every 15 minutes or so, making sure to scrape down the sides of the container.

After 1 hour, all your ingredients should be melted together and combined. If not, allow for a further 15 minutes.

Turn off the slow cooker and remove the lid, allowing any steam to escape. Line a 20cm square baking tin with non-stick baking parchment. Pour the fudge mixture into the tin and leave to cool on the counter, uncovered (this prevents condensation on top).

Once cold, cover the tin and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before tipping out the contents and slicing them into fudge cubes. Allow the fudge to come to room temperature before serving.

Recipe Notes: This fudge will keep in a sealed tin in a cool, dark space for up to 3 months. It may crystalise a little if stored for over a month. I prefer to make it about a week in advance of gifting. Place in a pretty glass jar decorated with ribbon to give as a Christmas gift, and expect loads of oohs and aahs at how clever you are to make your handmade fudge!

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Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe

cake with a lemon drizzle

Make a large batter for twice the joy.
Ingredients
* 227g unsalted butter *
* 350g caster sugar *
* 6 free range eggs *
* 400g self raising flour *
* 3-4 organic lemons *
* 250g icing sugar for the drizzle *

~ Method ~
Preheat a fan oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs, one-by-one, until combined. Add half the flour, beat and then add the second half. Grate the rind of 2 lemons, add to the batter and mix. Squeeze in the juice of 2 lemons (that you grated the rind off). Mix well. Pour your batter into 2 baking tins. This is the perfect amount for 2 large loaf tins. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until a skewer test comes out clean. Allow to cool before icing. To make the icing combine 250g of icing sugar with lemon juice until you get a dropping consistency – see the video for how this should look. Ice and slice

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Gin & Grapefruit Cranberry Sauce Recipe

grapefruit juice and cranberries and gin mashed together

Ingredients

Juice of 1 & half grapefruits
600g fresh cranberries
Good glug of decent gin
150g sugar

Method
Take the juice of 1 & a half grapefruits and place into a large saucepan on a medium heat. Add the cranberries, cover the saucepan and wait until the contents begin to bubble lightly. You will hear the cranberries begin to pop in the pan. Add a glug of decent gin and the sugar. Stir so that all the ingredients are combined.

Simmer for 10 minutes before mashing. Mash until all the cranberries have popped. Simmer again for a further 6 minutes. Decant the sauce into a warm, sterilised jar, allow to cool completely before placing the lid on top. This sauce will keep for up to 10 days in the fridge

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Last Minute Limoncello Recipe

lemon vodka and sugar

You only need 4 days to make this incredible zingy limoncello which makes the perfect handmade Christmas gift. Makes just over 1 litre of limoncello in total. I decant it into 100ml bottles for gifts.

Ingredients
6 organic lemons (washed)
70cl bottle of vodka
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Method
Peel the lemons, taking care to cut as little of the white pith as possible. Place the lemon peel into a large jar. Pour the vodka on top. Put the jar into a cool dry place for 4 days.

After 4 days, combine 1 cup of sugar with 1 cup of water in a saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer until all the sugar has dissolved and allow to cool.

Decant the cooled sugar syrup into a large jug, strain the lemon vodka into the jug. Mix until well combined. Fill up bottles of your choice.

Serve neat over ice or diluted with soda water. Always drink responsibly.

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Pancakes/Crepes



Whatever you do make this batter the night before. It makes life so much easier on you. Yes, when you take it out of the fridge it may look a little split, just give it a quick whisk before adding about 50g of melted butter. That will add a depth of flavour to your pancakes and prevent them from sticking to a non-stick pan. No need to add any oil at all to the pan.

Ingredients

· 250g plain flour
· 3 medium eggs
· Decent pinch of salt
· 450ml of whole milk
· 50g of melted butter

Method
Combine the flour, eggs, salt, and milk together in a large bowl. Whisk well. Don’t worry about small lumps, these will settle overnight. Once you have a light batter, cover the bowl and leave it in the fridge to rest for about 10 hours.

The following morning, take the bowl out and whisk in 50g of melted butter. Cook each pancake on a medium heat. Use your fillings/toppings of choice

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Crispy Pancakes Recipe


Ingredients

50g butter
100g plain flour
300ml warm milk
200g grated cheese (cheddar is the best but whatever you have to hand is fine)
100g chopped ham (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Method
Get a large saucepan onto a medium heat.
Melt the butter in the saucepan. Stir in the flour and slowly add the warm milk bit by bit to prevent lumps. Stir until it has thickened.
Turn off the heat, add the melted cheese and ham. Stir this into the sauce mixture – it will get THICK. Spoon the mixture onto a plate or bowl and allow to come to room temperature before covering and chilling until later.

For the pancakes… Check out the recipe before this on my profile for crispy pancakes! Or make your own panckes like normal, make double quantities and hold half the batch to one side to fill.
Put a large tablespoon or two on half of each pancake. Fold in half and seal the edges with some beaten egg or milk. Put the filled pancakes onto a baking sheet and freeze or chill for an hour.
To assemble the giant Crispy Pancakes! You will need 2 medium eggs, 200g seasoned plain flour, 200g panko breadcrumbs. dip the partially frozen pancakes in seasoned flour, then egg, then panko breadcrumbs.
Bake in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes until the centre is heated through and the outside is golden brown. Enjoy with a leafy green side salad

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Homemade Jambons


Ingredients
· 50g butter
· 100g plain flour
· 300ml warm milk
· 200g grated cheese (cheddar is the best but whatever you have to hand is fine)
· 100g chopped ham (optional)
· Salt & Pepper to taste
· 1 roll readymade puff pastry
· 1 beaten egg for glazing


Method
Get a large saucepan onto a medium heat.
Melt the butter in the saucepan. Stir in the flour and slowly add the warm milk bit by bit to prevent lumps. Stir until it has thickened.
Turn off the heat, add the melted cheese and ham. Stir this into the sauce mixture – it will get THICK. Spoon the mixture onto a plate or bowl and allow to come to room temperature before covering and chilling until later.
Once cool, preheat a fan oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Take a sheet of puff pastry and divide it into 6 large squares or have fun and divide into many small squares.
Spoon a generous amount of the filling into the centre of each square. Then pull the corners into the centre to sit on top of the filling mixture. Brush the top of the squares with beaten egg.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and baked through. Allow to cool a little before eating as the filling gets very hot

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Pickled Onions


You can make as much or as little of these punchy pickled onions as you like. They taste better over time but my jar lasts about a fortnight in the fridge. The jar I use is a 500ml jar, half these ingredients if you are using a classic jam jar.


Ingredients
• 3 sliced red onions
• 1 heaped teaspoon sugar
• 1 heaped teaspoon salt
• 150ml hot water
• 150ml white vinegar
• Spices/Seasonings of your choice – here I used fennel seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds


Method
Combine the sugar and salt in a jug with the hot water until fully dissolved. Add the vinegar to the hot water mixture and stir well.
Put your spices/seasonings of choice into a large jar. Stuff in as many onions as you possibly can.
Pour the pickling mixture into the jar on top of the onions until you reach the top of the jar

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Maccaroons

Ingredients
200g caster sugar
2 medium egg whites
300g dried coconut


Method
Preheat a fan oven to 170°C. Line a baking tray with a sheet of non-stick greaseproof paper.
Combine the sugar, egg white and coconut with a fork in a large bowl, until you get a sticky paste.

Wet your hands and shape the mixture into balls. Space the eight balls of mixture on the baking tray.

Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until golden. Allow to cool before lifting them off the paper, otherwise they will stick.

Dip in chocolate and drizzle with chocolate if you like.