CHRISTENING CAKE

Madeira cake with Vanilla Buttercream and Strawberry Jam, decorated with
Fondant Icing and handmade Sugarpaste flowers

CELEBRATION CAKE WITH SUGARED FLOWERS

Coffee and Walnut Cake with Coffee Buttercream, Fondant Icing and
crystalised Primroses.

JUST MADE CELEBRATION CAKES, MADE TO ORDER

An Orange and Vanilla sponge sandwich with vanilla buttercream, covered in Fondant Icing and topped with crystalised Primroses and Violets and piped Royal Icing.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Spicy Roast Squash with Stir Fried Coconut Pork

Serves 4

For the pork:

500g pork loin
small can coconut cream
1 tsp coriander stalks
1 tsp salt
halt tsp white pepper
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
dash dark soy sauce
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tbsp vegetable oil

For the squash:

1-2 dried red chillies
1 tsp coriander seeds
half tsp ground cinnamon
salt and pepper
1 large squash like Butternut, or 
2 small squash (this recipe works with any type of squash)

For the dressing:

1-2 limes, zest and juice
1 tbsp soy sauce 
1 tbsp soft brown sugar
1 red chilli, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
5 spring onions, finely sliced
1 bunch coriander, finely chopped

1. For the pork: Mix all of the ingredients together in a medium sized bowl, cut the pork into strips, and coat in the marinade. Leave in the fridge for at least three hours.
2. For the squash: In a pestle and mortar, grind together the dry ingredients until fine. Pour a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil into deep sided baking tray, add the spices and mix into the oil.
3. Slice the squash into even sized pieces, place in the tray and coat well with the spiced oil. Put in the oven at 180*c for 45 minutes to an hour, until it is nice and soft and easy to mash. This leaves plenty of time to make the dressing and to stir fry the pork.
4. For the dressing: In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients until well combined and taste to see if it needs more lime, sugar or soy. It needs to be reasonably punchy to compliment the sweetness of the pork and squash.
5. For the pork: Heat a wok until very hot, around 10 minutes before the squash is ready, and fry off the pork in its marinade until cooked. The marinade should create a delicious sauce that will keep the pork moist as you cook it.
6. Take the squash out of the oven and chop roughly but do not mash. Place on the plate and pour a generous amount of the limey dressing over it. Place the pork on top of the squash and spoon over some of the coconut sauce.

Just Made now make Celebration Cakes ...

This cake was designed for an 18th birthday, made to specification. Please email us or give us a ring if you are interested in ordering one of your own, for any occassion.

Coffee and Walnut Cupcakes ...

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Pancakes

No surprise really, seeing as its Pancake Day and all. This is very much a tried and tested recipe, taken from Mrs Beeton's Cookery and Household Management.

Serves 4

Image by Laura Porter, taken from http://golondon.about.com/od/februaryannualevents/ss/pancake_day.htm

225g plain flour
half tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 pint milk
butter for frying

+ a flavouring of your choice

1. Prepare the batter by whisking all the ingredients together in a bowl. Leave to stand for about half an hour.
2. Put a good chunk of butter in a small pan and heat the pan until it begins to smoke. Making sure the bottom is well greased, pour enough batter in to thinly coat the bottom of the pan.
3. Make sure the pancake is loose around the sides before turning it over. If you're nervous about flipping it, I find a palette knife is the best utensil to use.
4. Once brown on both sides with no sign of a sticky centre, flip the pancake out of the pan and serve with the topping of your choice.

Just something I threw together ...

Chocolate Chip and Vanilla Fairy Cakes, both topped with marshmallows.

Ready for a buffet.

Red Berries and Vanilla Sponge Slice.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chorizo and Chestnut Soup with Irish Soda Bread

A delicious, rich soup served with a really easy to make loaf of soda bread.

Serves 4

For the soup:

200g chorizo, chopped into small-ish chunks (save 50g for garnish) 
350g chestnuts, cut into even-sided pieces
1 large onion, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 celery stick, diced
2 medium potatoes, diced
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp thyme (dried or fresh)
2 small dried chillies
1 tin canned tomatoes, drained of their juices
1 litre chicken stock
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper

1.  In a deep pan or casserole dish, fry three quarters of the chorizo along with the onion, celery, carrot and potato, for around 20 minutes until quite softened.
2.  In a pestle and mortar, crush the garlic cloves with a teaspoon of salt and the cumin, thyme and chillies. Add to the pan and cook for a further couple of minutes.
3.  Add the drained tomatoes and the chestnuts, stir well, and add the chicken stock along with the bay leaves. Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and leave to simmer for about 40 minutes.
4.  Take the soup off the heat and remove the bay leaves. With a blender, puree the soup until smooth, then pass through a fine sieve. Check for seasoning and reheat.
5.  Meanwhile, fry the remaining chorizo until crispy and serve sprinkled on top of the soup.

For the Soda Bread:
(Taken from 'The Christian Aid Book of Bread')

This is honestly a really easy loaf of bread to make, you dont need any experience in bread making and it only takes a few minutes because it doesn't need kneading or time to rise.


225g plain white flour
225g wholemeal flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp caster sugar
30g butter or lard
175ml water mixed with
175ml natural yogurt

1.  Preheat the oven to 190*c/375*f/gas mark 5. Cut a piece of baking parchment to fit a baking tray, and grease with a little oil. 

2. Sift all the dry ingredients together into a large bowl, and add the butter or lard. Rub the mixture between your fingertips to create a breadcrumb effect and add the yogurt and water once there are no big chunks of fat left.
3.  Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined then shape the dough in the bowl into a round. Place onto the prepared baking tray and flatten slightly so the round is about 2 and a half inches thick, then mark the top with a large, deep cross. Dust with a little flour and bake in the oven for around 35-40 minutes, until risen and nicely browned.

This is delicious served warm with butter and is a tasty accompaniment to this soup and many others, as well as with cheese, sliced thin with scrambled eggs or with some pate.

Practice Packaging ...

We're trying to come up with a nice range of packaging for some of our cakes, to be sold separately or as part of a lunch bag. Here's some trials for slices of sponge and cupcakes ...

 

 

 

 

 

A selection of some of the cupcakes made for a party ...

Plum cupcakes with vanilla mascarpone icing, glazed plum slice and white chocolate shavings.

Chocolate cupcakes with white chocolate chips and a milk chocolate buttercream icing.

Orange and poppy seed with orange buttercream icing.

 

Black Forest Trifles ...

Individual trifles with a thick layer of berries and chocolate sponge soaked in a cherry juice reduction, topped with fresh whipped cream and lots of white and milk chocolate shavings ...

Sponge cake and tray bakes ready for a buffet ...

We produce numerous different cakes to order for buffets or for your own private consumption! Here's a couple of trays ready for a buffet: one platter fits twelve generous slices of sponge cake or squares from a tray bake such as Flapjack or Bakewell Tart, shown below.

Lovely Light Luscious Delectable Cakes ...

Clockwise from top: Victoria Sponge with raspberry jam; Coffee and Walnut Sponge with Coffee buttercream; Orange and Poppy Seed with Orange buttercream; Chocolate Sponge with milk chocolate buttercream.

Coffee cake topped with roasted hazelnuts.