No, I don't mean the egg yolk, sugar, vanilla, cornflour kind, I mean the Birds kind. And certainly NOT the 'just add boiling water' variety but the 'mix the powder and sugar with a little milk until smooth, boil up the milk (making a right mess of a saucepan and, if unlucky, the top of the oven too), add and stir until you realise it ain't going to thicken so you have to mess up another saucepan by reheating it until it does thicken' variety.
It takes me right back to childhood. It was one of the ways I 'helped' mum in the kitchen when I was quite a little girl - the mixing part, I mean, not the boiling milk bit. That came later. I liked it so much, especially the skin (I know, weird).
Anyway, I was in Morrisons and saw some and had a craving. Old fashioned custard on mince pie, Christmas pudding, over sliced banana . . . mmmmmmm.
Anyhow, enough of the waffle. It's dead easy to make in Thermione.
Just pop the powder, the sugar and the milk in the bowl, add half the milk and give it a good zizz to make a thin paste, then add the rest of the milk.
Heat to 90, speed 4 for around seven minutes (not totally sure about the timing) until it has thickened.
Finally, give it another good zizz before serving.
I've just made some as a test run. It's really nice although I think I will add a few drops of vanilla to pep it up just a tiny bit. And maybe some cream too, bad me!
So that's the Christmas custard sorted!
Tuesday, 23 December 2014
Sunday, 21 December 2014
Christmas with Thermione
I don't make custard very often so when I do it's usually for something special. Making custard in Thermione is a doddle because there's no need to stand and stir and worry about spiltting or curdling or any other custard-disaster that I've created in the past.
This one is a pouring custard rather than a thick-set custard. I used vanilla seeds and some essence because I wanted the pod for vanilla sugar. Must look out for vanilla bean paste though - that sounds the best alternative. Maybe Lakeland or Hobbycraft - or Amazon?
Enough waffle. here's the recipe.
Ingredients:
250g milk
2 egg yolks
beans from 1/4 vanilla bean plus a little bit of vanilla essence (the proper sort) or 1/4 tsp vanilla paste
30g sugar
1/2 tbsp cornflour (or ordinary plain flour is fine, better maybe)
Method
Place all ingredients in the bowl in the order above. Briefly zizz on 6 to mix everything (don't do this if you've added the bean pod).
Cook for 8 mins at 90, speed 4
Give it a good zizz
Serve.
This one is a pouring custard rather than a thick-set custard. I used vanilla seeds and some essence because I wanted the pod for vanilla sugar. Must look out for vanilla bean paste though - that sounds the best alternative. Maybe Lakeland or Hobbycraft - or Amazon?
Enough waffle. here's the recipe.
Ingredients:
250g milk
2 egg yolks
beans from 1/4 vanilla bean plus a little bit of vanilla essence (the proper sort) or 1/4 tsp vanilla paste
30g sugar
1/2 tbsp cornflour (or ordinary plain flour is fine, better maybe)
Method
Place all ingredients in the bowl in the order above. Briefly zizz on 6 to mix everything (don't do this if you've added the bean pod).
Cook for 8 mins at 90, speed 4
Give it a good zizz
Serve.
Sunday, 14 December 2014
Christmas with Thermione: shortbread
This is not my original recipe (is there such a thing for shortbread) but I have adapted (sort of) it for Thermione.
I made this straight but I shall add Christmassy spice to the next batch and perhaps some chopped dried cranberries or pistachios as well.
Ingredients to make quite a lot of little star shaped biscuits.
110g caster sugar (or use granulated and zizz it into caster sugar first)
225g soft butter
225g plain flour
110g cornflour
Line two trays with parchment.
Method.
After zizzing the sugar, if necessary, add the butter, cubed, and briefly zizz on 5 to incorporate. Then add the whisk attachment and whisk at 4 until it is light and fluffy scraping down the sides as needed.
Remove the whisk attachment and scrape off as much mixture as possible back into the bowl.
Add the flour and the cornflour and briefly pulse until all mixed and starting to come together.
Tip out onto a floured surface and bring it all together with your hands - It's very quick.
Deal with half at a time: roll out to about 1/2 to 3/4 cm thickness. Cut into shapes, either using a knife or a biscuit cutter (I used a star cutter). Re-roll and cut the scraps several times, handling the mix as little as possible.
Place the biscuits on two lined trays and chill in the fridge for about half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 170C
Bake the shortbread for about 20 mins or until just turning brown. Cover with parchment if they seem to be cooking too fast.
Leave them on the tray for about 5 mins to firm up, then move to a wire rack. Dust with sugar and leave to cool.
Keep in an airtight container for about 4-5 days.
 |
| These caught a little bit around the edge but they were delicious all the same! |
I made this straight but I shall add Christmassy spice to the next batch and perhaps some chopped dried cranberries or pistachios as well.
Ingredients to make quite a lot of little star shaped biscuits.
110g caster sugar (or use granulated and zizz it into caster sugar first)
225g soft butter
225g plain flour
110g cornflour
Line two trays with parchment.
Method.
After zizzing the sugar, if necessary, add the butter, cubed, and briefly zizz on 5 to incorporate. Then add the whisk attachment and whisk at 4 until it is light and fluffy scraping down the sides as needed.
Remove the whisk attachment and scrape off as much mixture as possible back into the bowl.
Add the flour and the cornflour and briefly pulse until all mixed and starting to come together.
Tip out onto a floured surface and bring it all together with your hands - It's very quick.
Deal with half at a time: roll out to about 1/2 to 3/4 cm thickness. Cut into shapes, either using a knife or a biscuit cutter (I used a star cutter). Re-roll and cut the scraps several times, handling the mix as little as possible.
Place the biscuits on two lined trays and chill in the fridge for about half an hour.
Preheat the oven to 170C
Bake the shortbread for about 20 mins or until just turning brown. Cover with parchment if they seem to be cooking too fast.
Leave them on the tray for about 5 mins to firm up, then move to a wire rack. Dust with sugar and leave to cool.
Keep in an airtight container for about 4-5 days.
Sunday, 7 December 2014
Christmas with Thermione: spiced bread
This came originally from the BBC Good food guide and I have adapted it somewhat for Thermione, making it simpler on the way as Thermomix adaptations so often are.
Here's the original.
I know it looks long and complex but put that down to my comments and so on. Really it is dead easy! Go for it!
It's deeeeeeeeelicious and I am glad I have a loaf and some slices to freeze after scoffing more than I should. It seems to be a very flexible recipe so use what you have.
Ingredients to make two small loaves - I have underlined the ingredients to make then stand out from my comments.
450g strong white flour plus a little extra for kneeding
1/2 tsp salt. The recipe said 3/4 tsp and then specifies unsalted butter. Why??? A lack of common sense here, I suspect.
2 tsp ground cinnamon
85g sugar. The original recipe asked for light muscavado. I didn't have any (ooops, where's my shopping list?) but I had some soft light brown sugar so I used that and the dregs of a pack of golden caster sugar.
2 tsp dried yeast. The kind for breadmakers that doesn't need activating (so much less hassle in this recipe as you will see if you follow the link)
200mls milk. Recipe says whole fat, I only had semi-skimmed. Tough!
50g butter plus extra for greasing. The recipe said unsalted. I fail to see why when you are adding salt so I reduced the amount of salt to 1/2 instead of 3/4 and use what I had - salted butter.
2 medium eggs. I only had large so I reduced the milk a bit.
50g walnut pieces. I'd use pistachios if I had any.
85g dried cranberries. The recipe said raisins. I had cranberries!
1 egg yolk to glaze (I didn't bother)
Method for Thermione.
Into the bowl place the flour, salt, cinnamon, sugar, yeast and butter. Zizz on 4 for a short while to mix everything up and 'breadcrumb' the flour and butter.
Add the milk and the eggs, mix briefly and then knead for 10 minutes.
Turn the dough out, form into a ball and place in a buttered bowl. Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to double in size
Prepare the loaf tins (so you don't get caught out later).
Knock back the dough. Knead in the walnuts and cranberries
Divide the mix into two and shape. Place each loaf into a loaf tin, recover with the oiled film and leave in a warm place until dough reaches the top of the tin
Preheat the oven to 200C (gas 6)
Bake for 20 mins, then cover the top with foil, lower the heat to 180 and bake for another 15 mins or so until done.
Cool on a wire rack.
Eat and enjoy. I did! Very much.
Here's the original.
I know it looks long and complex but put that down to my comments and so on. Really it is dead easy! Go for it!
It's deeeeeeeeelicious and I am glad I have a loaf and some slices to freeze after scoffing more than I should. It seems to be a very flexible recipe so use what you have.
Ingredients to make two small loaves - I have underlined the ingredients to make then stand out from my comments.
450g strong white flour plus a little extra for kneeding
1/2 tsp salt. The recipe said 3/4 tsp and then specifies unsalted butter. Why??? A lack of common sense here, I suspect.
2 tsp ground cinnamon
85g sugar. The original recipe asked for light muscavado. I didn't have any (ooops, where's my shopping list?) but I had some soft light brown sugar so I used that and the dregs of a pack of golden caster sugar.
2 tsp dried yeast. The kind for breadmakers that doesn't need activating (so much less hassle in this recipe as you will see if you follow the link)
200mls milk. Recipe says whole fat, I only had semi-skimmed. Tough!
50g butter plus extra for greasing. The recipe said unsalted. I fail to see why when you are adding salt so I reduced the amount of salt to 1/2 instead of 3/4 and use what I had - salted butter.
2 medium eggs. I only had large so I reduced the milk a bit.
50g walnut pieces. I'd use pistachios if I had any.
85g dried cranberries. The recipe said raisins. I had cranberries!
1 egg yolk to glaze (I didn't bother)
Method for Thermione.
Into the bowl place the flour, salt, cinnamon, sugar, yeast and butter. Zizz on 4 for a short while to mix everything up and 'breadcrumb' the flour and butter.
Add the milk and the eggs, mix briefly and then knead for 10 minutes.
Turn the dough out, form into a ball and place in a buttered bowl. Cover with oiled clingfilm and leave to double in size
Prepare the loaf tins (so you don't get caught out later).
Knock back the dough. Knead in the walnuts and cranberries
Divide the mix into two and shape. Place each loaf into a loaf tin, recover with the oiled film and leave in a warm place until dough reaches the top of the tin
Preheat the oven to 200C (gas 6)
Bake for 20 mins, then cover the top with foil, lower the heat to 180 and bake for another 15 mins or so until done.
Cool on a wire rack.
Eat and enjoy. I did! Very much.
Saturday, 22 November 2014
Christmas without Thermione! Turkey stock
OK, so for once Thermione doesn't feature.
I needed (well, wanted) to make some turkey stock for the gravy and this is what I did.
I bought a turkey leg - one that included the top bit as well, not just the drumstick part. It was £4.49 which seems a lot for stock to make gravy but I got a lot more out of it than just gravy.
I also used some streaky bacon, a dash of old wine and some mixed vegetables (fresh soup mix veg) plus some seasonings - rosebary and bay - from the garden.
First I put the wine, the vegetables and the herbs in a roasting dish, topped them with the two parts of the turkey leg, grated over some pepper and then covered the turkey with the streaky bacon.
It then went into a medium oven to slow roast for a while - I think it was two and a half hours all in, maybe a bit more. The meat was nearly falling off by the end.
As soon as it was all cool enough to handle, I took out the turkey and put the veg and stock into my pressure cooker (you could use an ordinary sauce pan for this bit), removed the bacon (which I crisped up and had crumb;ed over lentil soup), pulled all the meat off the bones and put all the leftovers into the pressure cooker too - skin, nasty bits - the lot. Then I reboiled it under pressure for around half an hour.
Then I strained off all the bits which I discarded and let the stock bubble away for a while to reduce it down a bit before cooling and freezing. I didn't add any salt (apart from what came off the bacon) because I will salt it the other end!
This made a lovely, jellied stock which should make a good accompaniment to the turkey on Christmas day when gravyfied. I will boil up the giblets, etc, beforehand to add to it and there will be some left over to make soup at a later date.
As for the turkey, of which there was loads and loads, I gave half of it to my daughter for her cats who love it and the remaining half made a great turkey curry, some of which is in the freezer for meals later on.
So not bad value at all, was it?
I needed (well, wanted) to make some turkey stock for the gravy and this is what I did.
I bought a turkey leg - one that included the top bit as well, not just the drumstick part. It was £4.49 which seems a lot for stock to make gravy but I got a lot more out of it than just gravy.
I also used some streaky bacon, a dash of old wine and some mixed vegetables (fresh soup mix veg) plus some seasonings - rosebary and bay - from the garden.
First I put the wine, the vegetables and the herbs in a roasting dish, topped them with the two parts of the turkey leg, grated over some pepper and then covered the turkey with the streaky bacon.
It then went into a medium oven to slow roast for a while - I think it was two and a half hours all in, maybe a bit more. The meat was nearly falling off by the end.
As soon as it was all cool enough to handle, I took out the turkey and put the veg and stock into my pressure cooker (you could use an ordinary sauce pan for this bit), removed the bacon (which I crisped up and had crumb;ed over lentil soup), pulled all the meat off the bones and put all the leftovers into the pressure cooker too - skin, nasty bits - the lot. Then I reboiled it under pressure for around half an hour.
Then I strained off all the bits which I discarded and let the stock bubble away for a while to reduce it down a bit before cooling and freezing. I didn't add any salt (apart from what came off the bacon) because I will salt it the other end!
This made a lovely, jellied stock which should make a good accompaniment to the turkey on Christmas day when gravyfied. I will boil up the giblets, etc, beforehand to add to it and there will be some left over to make soup at a later date.
As for the turkey, of which there was loads and loads, I gave half of it to my daughter for her cats who love it and the remaining half made a great turkey curry, some of which is in the freezer for meals later on.
So not bad value at all, was it?
Sunday, 9 November 2014
Christmas with Thermione: Cranberry sauce
I've posted this once already but I rather like the 'Christmas with Thermione' thing and thought it might make a sort of mini-series in here. So here it is again. By the way, I've had it now, with a turkey dinner, and it was lovely. A very soft sauce, not much jellied, really delicious . . .
I might use a cooking apple next time but I just used what I had at the time and that didn't include a cooker. Also some spices.
Here's the recipe, made out of my head, but nothing original except that I have never used Thermione to make a preserve before.
I like smoothish sauces. By that I mean no bits but not a clear jelly. Smooth with texture.
This is what I did.
Ingredients to make one jar of the Bonne Maman size.
200g frozen cranberries (I'd use fresh but they're not in the shops right now)
1 eating apple, washed, any bad bits cut off (and I also remove the stalk and the blossom bit too), chopped. No need to peel and core.
100ml (which is 100g weight) water
juice of half an orange and half a lemon
sugar (I used granulated)
Method:
Place the chopped apple and the cranberries, the orange and lemon juices (no need to thaw them) into the bowl and add a MCful of water (that's 100mls). At this point you could also add spices. I didn't, not this time, but cinnamon, mixed spice or star anise all would go very well.
Cook the fruit (and spices, if using) on 100 for around ten minutes on a slowish reverse speed, about 1/2 - reverse so that if you're using whole spices they won't get chopped to bits. When that has finished, check that the fruit is soft and mushy, take out any whole spices and blitz for around 10 seconds on speed 6.
Remove the lid very carefully (it is hot!) and pour the lot into a fine sieve over a bowl. Push the fruit through and discard what is left in the sieve.
(then put the sieve straight into a bowl of hot and soapy water because if you let it cool it will be the very devil to clean)
Now add the sugar. To be honest, I didn't measure it, I just stirred some in and tasted, stirred more in and tasted, until it was 'right'. As the mixture is hot, the sugar will dissolve quickly.
Pour the mixture back into the thermomix bowl. (I rinsed it out in between but I don't think you actually have to, it was just automatic to put it straight into water)
Put a saucer in the fridge if you use that method to check for set.
Cook on Varoma heat, reverse speed 2 for around 6 minutes, then check for set, removing the bowl from the base as you check. If not set, cook for a couple more minutes and try again. If adding alcohol (e.g. port), add it after setting and give the mixture a few more seconds of stirring.
Pour into a clean, warm jar and seal. Don't forget to label the jar when it has cooled. Keep in a cool, dark place (I will keep it in the fridge)
I might use a cooking apple next time but I just used what I had at the time and that didn't include a cooker. Also some spices.
Here's the recipe, made out of my head, but nothing original except that I have never used Thermione to make a preserve before.
I like smoothish sauces. By that I mean no bits but not a clear jelly. Smooth with texture.
This is what I did.
Ingredients to make one jar of the Bonne Maman size.
200g frozen cranberries (I'd use fresh but they're not in the shops right now)
1 eating apple, washed, any bad bits cut off (and I also remove the stalk and the blossom bit too), chopped. No need to peel and core.
100ml (which is 100g weight) water
juice of half an orange and half a lemon
sugar (I used granulated)
Method:
Place the chopped apple and the cranberries, the orange and lemon juices (no need to thaw them) into the bowl and add a MCful of water (that's 100mls). At this point you could also add spices. I didn't, not this time, but cinnamon, mixed spice or star anise all would go very well.
Cook the fruit (and spices, if using) on 100 for around ten minutes on a slowish reverse speed, about 1/2 - reverse so that if you're using whole spices they won't get chopped to bits. When that has finished, check that the fruit is soft and mushy, take out any whole spices and blitz for around 10 seconds on speed 6.
Remove the lid very carefully (it is hot!) and pour the lot into a fine sieve over a bowl. Push the fruit through and discard what is left in the sieve.
(then put the sieve straight into a bowl of hot and soapy water because if you let it cool it will be the very devil to clean)
Now add the sugar. To be honest, I didn't measure it, I just stirred some in and tasted, stirred more in and tasted, until it was 'right'. As the mixture is hot, the sugar will dissolve quickly.
Pour the mixture back into the thermomix bowl. (I rinsed it out in between but I don't think you actually have to, it was just automatic to put it straight into water)
Put a saucer in the fridge if you use that method to check for set.
Cook on Varoma heat, reverse speed 2 for around 6 minutes, then check for set, removing the bowl from the base as you check. If not set, cook for a couple more minutes and try again. If adding alcohol (e.g. port), add it after setting and give the mixture a few more seconds of stirring.
Pour into a clean, warm jar and seal. Don't forget to label the jar when it has cooled. Keep in a cool, dark place (I will keep it in the fridge)
 |
| Not my photo but it will look like this. |
PLEASE BE VERY CAREFUL.
BOILING JAM IS EXTREMELY HOT AND HURTS IF YOU SPLASH SOME ON YOUR HAND.
I might go back in this blog and look for other Christmas recipes that can be done in Thermione. :-)
Christmas with Thermione: Bread sauce
This is definitely NOT my recipe. It is from the one-and-only Delia's web site and I have used it for years. It is truly delicious, if a bit of a faff.
However, with Thermione it becomes much less of a faff and the dishwasher deals with the rather messy results.
The original recipe is here so I won't post the amounts, and this is what I did.
First of all I zizzed some bread into breadcrumbs. I used what the recipe said but it looked a bit runny half way through so I added more. Next time I will make more to start with and freeze any not used (or keep them for Boxing Day bubbles and squeak patties)
I peeled a large onion and halved it crossways. I used nutmeg so in went a good grating. Sometimes I use both nutmeg and cloves which works really well.
Into the bowl went the milk (semi-skimmed, although full fat would be nice), the bay leaf, the peppercorns and the nutmeg. I also added a little salt but it can always be adjusted at the end, if necessary.
I brought it up to boiling point, staying in the kitchen because I wasn't sure quite how long it needed but I forgot to note how long it actually took. It was on reverse speed 1 as I didn't want to smash the onion, etc to bits.
Once it had reached boiling, I took the bowl off the base, covered it with a towel and left it to steep so the flavours all developed.
When I was ready, I used a slatted spoon to remove the onion, bay leaf and as many of the peppercorns as I could.
Then I tipped in the breadcrumbs and some butter, put the bowl back on the base and gave it 20 mins at 90, stirring speed. Then I checked and felt it was a bit thin so added some more breadcrumbs. Off came the bowl again, back in went the onion and bay leaf and it stood until just before needed.
Finally I removed the onion and bay leaf again, added the remaining butter and some cream, zizzed it briefly and then reheated to 90, speed 1. I checked the seasoning and added a bit more salt and a bit of white pepper.
(In the interests of frugality, I did wonder about re-using the onions in a soup but couldn't be bothered. It's an option though, and the bread sauce bits that cling would help to thicken the soup)
It was scrummy! That's the way for me from now on, for sure! I shall make it the day before and just reheat it in the microwave, I think. That means the very last bit - adding the butter and cream, etc - can be left until then.
And if you've never made bread sauce before - do consider it. It's amazing with turkey (or chicken).
However, with Thermione it becomes much less of a faff and the dishwasher deals with the rather messy results.
The original recipe is here so I won't post the amounts, and this is what I did.
First of all I zizzed some bread into breadcrumbs. I used what the recipe said but it looked a bit runny half way through so I added more. Next time I will make more to start with and freeze any not used (or keep them for Boxing Day bubbles and squeak patties)
I peeled a large onion and halved it crossways. I used nutmeg so in went a good grating. Sometimes I use both nutmeg and cloves which works really well.
Into the bowl went the milk (semi-skimmed, although full fat would be nice), the bay leaf, the peppercorns and the nutmeg. I also added a little salt but it can always be adjusted at the end, if necessary.
I brought it up to boiling point, staying in the kitchen because I wasn't sure quite how long it needed but I forgot to note how long it actually took. It was on reverse speed 1 as I didn't want to smash the onion, etc to bits.
Once it had reached boiling, I took the bowl off the base, covered it with a towel and left it to steep so the flavours all developed.
When I was ready, I used a slatted spoon to remove the onion, bay leaf and as many of the peppercorns as I could.
Then I tipped in the breadcrumbs and some butter, put the bowl back on the base and gave it 20 mins at 90, stirring speed. Then I checked and felt it was a bit thin so added some more breadcrumbs. Off came the bowl again, back in went the onion and bay leaf and it stood until just before needed.
Finally I removed the onion and bay leaf again, added the remaining butter and some cream, zizzed it briefly and then reheated to 90, speed 1. I checked the seasoning and added a bit more salt and a bit of white pepper.
(In the interests of frugality, I did wonder about re-using the onions in a soup but couldn't be bothered. It's an option though, and the bread sauce bits that cling would help to thicken the soup)
It was scrummy! That's the way for me from now on, for sure! I shall make it the day before and just reheat it in the microwave, I think. That means the very last bit - adding the butter and cream, etc - can be left until then.
And if you've never made bread sauce before - do consider it. It's amazing with turkey (or chicken).
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