Tag Archives: recipes

Black Forest Gâteau

A gorgeously retro celebration cake to cook for a special occasion

Black Forest Gateau recipe taken from The Dairy Book of Home CookeryServes 8–10
Preparation 50 mins
Cooking 25 mins
Per portion 613 kcals, 44g fat (24.3g saturated)
Suitable for feezing
Suitable for vegetarians

150g (5oz) butter, melted
6 eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
225g (8oz) caster sugar
50g (2oz) plain flour, sifted twice
50g (2oz) cocoa powder, sifted
4 tbsp Kirsch liqueur
450ml (3/4 pint) double cream
410g can black cherry pie filling
Chocolate curls (made with vegetable peeler)

1 Grease and flour bases and sides of three 20cm (8in) sandwich tins.

2 Strain melted butter through muslin or use Clarified Butter (page 183).

3 Whisk together eggs, vanilla and sugar over a saucepan of hand-hot water for 8–10 minutes or until mixture is thick and texture of softly whipped cream. Remove bowl from saucepan and continue whisking for a further 5 minutes.

4 Gently fold in flour, cocoa powder and melted butter, using a metal spoon.

5 Divide mixture between prepared tins. Bake at 180°C (350°F) Mark 4 for 10–15 minutes.

6 Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes in tins, then place on a wire cooling rack to cool thoroughly.

7 Prick cooled sponge cakes all over with a skewer. Spoon Kirsch over cakes and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

8 Whip cream until softly stiff. Sandwich cakes together with some of the whipped cream and pie filling. Spread top with cream and spoon pie filling in the centre.

9 Decorate top with chocolate curls. Serve at once.

Yorkshire Pudding

No roast dinner can be complete without a Yorkshire Pudding

Serves 6–8
Preparation 5 mins
Cooking 40-45 mins
Per portion 150 kcals, 8g fat (4.3g saturated)
Suitable for vegetarians

110g (4oz) plain flour
Pinch of salt
1 egg
300ml (½ pint) milk
40g (1½oz) butter

1 Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Break in egg.

2 Gradually add half the milk, beating to form a smooth batter.

3 Pour in remaining milk and beat until smooth.

4 Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) Mark 7. Put butter into a 25 x 30cm (10 x 12in) baking tin. Heat for 10 minutes or until a faint haze just appears.

5 Pour in batter.

6 Bake just above centre of oven for 40–45 minutes.

 

Small Yorkshire Puddings 

1 Follow recipe and method for Yorkshire Pudding.

2 Place butter in a 12-section bun tin and heat as step 4.

3 Pour in batter and cook for 15–20 minutes.

 

Recipes taken from The Dairy Book of Home Cookery. 2012 edition

Chinese New Year Recipes

Chinese New Year recipes

It was a little hectic in the office last week, ensuring that all the final 2013 Dairy Diary proofs were checked and signed off before the start of Chinese New Year (when our factory shuts down for a fortnight).

Thankfully everything is done now, so we can relax and think about the other products, such as the pocket diary, calendar, new letterheads etc. etc.

Several people have asked me how I work on a diary all year round, but with only two of us in the office we get involved in everything and the work is never finished!

I noticed in the diary that it’s the Chinese year of the dragon, which sounds pretty exciting.

I thought I would do a bit of research and find out what that is supposed to represent. According to Chinesenewyear2012.net: In 2012, the Dragon is welcomed back after the 2011 year of the Rabbit. Each of these animals are thought to bestow their characteristics to the people born in their year.

While the Year of the Rabbit was characterized by calm and tranquility, the Year of the Dragon will be marked by excitement, unpredictability, exhilaration and intensity. The Rabbit imbues people with a sense of cautious optimism, but people respond to the spirit of the Dragon with energy, vitality and unbridled enthusiasm, often throwing all caution to the wind.

So, I am intrigued to find out what animal I am.
I have checked out my birth year and I am a rabbit. Apparently, I am ‘affectionate, co-operative and pleasant, with lots of friends. But can get too sentimental and seem superficial. Ideal careers areas include law, diplomacy or the stage.’ I don’t know if my other half would agree with the co-operative bit!! And I seem to be in the wrong career. After some research, I have decided that I was born in the wrong year. I am definitely a rat, but would prefer to be a monkey! ‘Rats are said to be imaginative, charming and very generous to those they love – although they do have a tendency to be quick-tempered and over-critical. They are supposed to make good writers, critics and publicists.’

‘If you are born in the Year of the Monkey, you are very intelligent, well-liked by everyone, and will have success in any field you choose.”

Have a look at your birth year on chinese.new-year.co.uk

or you could just enjoy Chinese New Year by having a go at one of our delicious, Chinese-inspired recipes:

Sweet & Sour Lamb 
Special Fried Rice 
Lemon & Garlic Chicken 
Duck with Plum Sauce

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Duck with Plum Sauce

Duck with Plum Sauce recipe from Just One Pot

A bed of noodles with rich and succulent duck breasts and fruity sauce.

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 15 minutes
Calories per portion 733
Kcal Fat per portion 21g of which saturated 3.9g
Serves 2

For the plum sauce
Red plums 200g (7oz), halved, stoned and quartered
Cinnamon stick 1, halved
Dried red chilli 1, crumbled
Preserving or granulated sugar 75g (3oz) (or to taste)
Red wine vinegar 3 tbsp

For the duck
Olive oil 2 tbsp
Red onion 1, peeled and finely chopped
Root ginger 5cm (2in) piece, peeled and chopped
Skinless, boneless mini duck fillets 225g packet, or larger fillets, sliced
Pak choi 3, trimmed and sliced
Straight-to-wok noodles 300g packet

1 For the plum sauce, cook the plums in a wok with the cinnamon, chilli and sugar over a gentle heat for a minute or so. Then add the vinegar, stir well and simmer for 5–10 minutes or until the plums are tender and the liquid has reduced. The exact time will depend on the ripeness of the plums. Stir often to prevent the mixture from sticking to the wok. Tip into a bowl and remove the cinnamon stick. Rinse the wok.

2 To cook the duck, heat the oil in the wok, add the onion and ginger and stir-fry for a minute or so. Then add the duck and stir-fry for about 6 minutes or until the meat is golden and tender. Add the pak choi and noodles and stir-fry for 2 minutes.

3 Add half the plum sauce, mix well and serve on warm plates with the rest of the plum sauce in a separate bowl.

Cook’s tip 
Oriental food specialists Amoy make great straight-to-wok noodles. After cooking your stir-fry ingredients, you just add to the wok and cook for 1–2 minutes.

A Just One Pot  recipe.

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Lemon & Garlic Chicken

Lemon Garlic Chicken from Just One Pot

Sweet and tangy oriental-flavoured chicken with leaves and broccoli.

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 9 minutes
Calories per portion 316 Kcal
Fat per portion 9g of which saturated 1.3g
Serves 2

Skinless, boneless chicken breasts 2, cut into thin strips
Lemon 1, grated zest and juice
Clear honey 2 tsp
Light soy sauce 1 tbsp
Garlic 2 cloves, peeled and finely chopped
Cornflour 4 tsp
Purple sprouting broccoli 8 spears, trimmed
Vegetable oil 1 tbsp
Pak choi 1, trimmed and shredded
Chinese leaves ¼ head, trimmed and shredded
Chives small bunch, snipped

1 Place the chicken strips in a shallow dish. Mix the lemon zest and juice into the chicken along with the honey, soy sauce, garlic and cornflour. Set aside. Cut the broccoli spears into thin, even-sized slices down the length of each piece.

2 Heat the oil in a wok until hot. Drain the chicken, reserving the juices, and add to the wok; stir-fry for 5 minutes, until well sealed. Add the broccoli and continue to stir-fry for a further 2 minutes.

3 Finally, add the shredded pak choi, Chinese leaves and reserved juices and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes until the leaves have just wilted. Serve immediately, sprinkled with snipped chives.

Cook’s tip
Tender young sprouting broccoli spears are ideal for stir-frying, but use small florets of broccoli when they aren’t in season.

A Just One Pot recipe.

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Special Fried Rice

Special Fried Rice from the Dairy Diary

A wonderful rice dish that tastes as good as it looks

serves 2
time 40 mins
440 calories per portion
14g fat of which 1.7g is saturated
suitable for vegetarians
suitable for freezing

Sunflower oil 2 tbsp
Red onion 1, peeled and finely sliced
Finely chopped ginger 1-2 tsp
Red pepper 1, halved, de-seeded and cut into thin strips
Corn on the cob 1, kernels removed
Peas 75g (3oz), cooked and drained
Cold, cooked basmati rice 350g (12oz)
Pak choi 2 heads, trimmed, halved and sliced
Soy sauce to serve

1 Heat sunflower oil in a large wok or frying pan, add red onion, ginger and pepper and stir-fry until softened, but not browned.

2 Add corn, stir fry for 2-3 minutes, then add peas, rice and pak choi and continue stirfrying for another 4-5 minutes, or until thoroughly heated through and piping hot.

3 Add soy sauce to taste and serve immediately.

Cook’s tip
This recipe is perfect for using up leftover rice. If precooking rice, put 110g (4oz) basmati rice into a saucepan, add 300ml (1⁄2 pint) water and 1⁄2 tsp of salt. Bring up to boil, cover pan, reduce heat to very low and cook for 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked. Remove from heat, and leave until cold.

A Dairy Diary recipe.

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