Saturday 31 October 2009







Matthew Walkers Christmas Pudding

The kind people at Matthew Walker's sent me some of their puddings with a challenge to create a great recipe. Well after much deliberation, I thought maybe a fantastic baked Alaska using the pudding! It was great fun to make and looked brilliant on the dining table. The family scoffed it in seconds and I am now going to make it for Christmas day. I hope you like my recipe, which has a slight twist.

Baking Xmas Pudding Alaska,

Recipe:
1 100g Matthew Walker Christmas Pudding or simply use a 100grams from their larger 454g pudding.

1 good scoop of some vanilla ice cream

1 teaspoon of Baileys

Orange zest for half an orange

3 egg whites

1 teaspoon of Lemon juice

9Oz's of caster sugar

First, place the orange zest and baileys in a bowl with the scoop of ice cream and mix well. Now return this to the freezer for 15 Min's. Whisk the egg whites in a bowl until stiff. Now add the sugar in 3 to 4 stages, again whisking as you go. Finally fold in the lemon juice.

Place your Christmas pudding on a baking tray. Take the ice cream and spoon on top. Now using a piping bag, pipe the egg whites around the pudding and ice cream to completely encase it. Put in a oven at 180c for around 4-5 Min's until it has just started to brown.

Remove from oven and serve immediately. You can pour a small amount of brandy over it and set it alight for that extra touch.

Monday 19 October 2009

Simply Home cooking




My blog starts with a mission. Quite simply to bring back those forgotten kitchen skills our parents and grandparents had, such as bread making, filleting fish, butchery etc. We all inspire to create fine dining, but quite often forget the basics. I was amazed quite recently to hear that a radio station had available a hotline so any one cooking Christmas dinner could call and find out how to cook it!

Home made bread is one of the nicest things ever and so easy to make, but for some reason we do not feel it should be made at home?