Spicy Pumpkin Cheesecake...

I had hoped to get this cheesecake out of the oven in time for Halloween, but alas... there wasn't a pumpkin to found in the entire city! Once supply and demand had caught up with each other,  I finally got hold of the perfect pumpkin and created something quite lovely from it.
A lighter and more subtle version of the traditional pumpkin pie.
I suggest you try out the ginger snap base, but of course a digestive base would suffice! 

The ingredients...

250g ginger snap biscuits
65g butter

340g cooked and mashed pumpkin (steamed if possible)

100g brown sugar

125g caster sugar

450g cream cheese

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground ginger

4 eggs

Oven set at 170 C.

Grease the sides of a spring-form tin and line the bottom with baking paper.
Crush the ginger snaps fairly well, add in the melted butter and press firmly into the tin. Bake for  5-7 minutes and put aside.
Beat together the cream cheese and both sugars, then add the pumpkin and spices. Beat the eggs separately and fold into the mix. Pour onto the base, give it little shake to get rid if bubbles and even it out.
Bake in the centre of your oven for 90 minutes (but as all ovens are unique, it pays to check on it after 75 - 80 minutes). You're looking for firm edges and a slightly wobbly centre. If it begins to brown to much before its ready, cover the top with tin foil.
Leave in the oven with the door open. Once completely cooled, put in the fridge.
Serve with a decent dollop of whipped cream.

x

Just my cup a' tea...

 

Growing up, there was always a fresh pot of Earl Grey sitting on our breakfast table. Dressed in its Sunday best, the all familiar mustard tea cosy. I suppose it's because of this, that it is still my drink of choice. To me, a cup of tea is a comforting, calming and cherished ritual. Essentially, it's like a hug in a cup. So you can imagine how over the moon I was to discover this. An Earl Grey Tea Loaf.

May I recommend this recipe to all fellow tea drinkers.  A delicate and fragrant loaf topped with a zesty lemon drizzle. I mixed it up a little, adding a tsp of Blue Lady tea, and I'm sure this recipe could be experimented with even more. Instead of a drizzle, you could incorporate some lemon (or orange) rind into the mix. I think I'll try using chai tea next time..

 

 The ingredients...

2 tbsp of loose Earl Grey tea 

(or 3 bags with tea leaves taken out)

60 ml boiled water

80ml milk

150g butter

150g sugar

2 eggs

200g flour

1 tsp baking powder

Lemon drizzle ...

230g icing sugar

Juice and rind on half a lemon

Oven at 170 C 

Steep your tea leaves in boiling water for about 5 minutes and then add to the cold milk. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and beat in the eggs. Sift the flour and baking powder together and add half of this to the butter mix, then half of the tea. Combine and repeat. Pour the batter into a greased loaf tin and bake for about 40 minutes. Test with a knife, it should come out clean. Don't fret if it's still not cooked in the centre, just cover the loaf with tin foil so the top doesn't burn and keep baking until it's done. If opting for the drizzle, do so once cooled. x

Not baking in the slightest, but....

Tasty, cheap and ridiculously healthy ingredients blended up to make the perfect Autumn weeknight dinner. Squirrel some away in the freezer for a night when you can't be bothered.

Carrot and Red Lentil Soup 

 The ingredients...

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp ground cumin or seed

Pinch of ground chilli or flakes 

900g carrots (peeled and chopped)

150g split red lentils

1.2 L hot vegetable stock

120 ml milk 

Put all ingredients into a large pot, bring to the boil and simmer for about 15 - 20 minutes.
Give it a whizz with a blender and serve.
Bonus: improved night vision from all that vitamin A!

Warming Autumn Treats: Spicy Apple Chutney

After a month of gallivanting around Italy, soaking up the sun and enjoying a predominantly gelato based diet... we were (strangely) pleased to feel the fresh Autumn air chill us to the core, after arriving back home in Edinburgh.
Almost instinctively, thoughts of all things warm, fragrant and spicy sprung to mind... and after such a long holiday, a tight budget had duly been put into practice.
With these two things in mind... A spicy apple chutney sounded like a winner!

Every recipe I read, called for malt, cider or red or white wine vinegar. But I already had a bottle of  distilled vinegar and couldn't justify buying another. So, by using the most humble of ingredients, I managed to produce something that looks and tastes like a chutney should. I understand the storage method is quite an important step, but so long as your jars are clean, dry, hot (from the oven) and have lids with a plastic inner, your preserve should be safe and sound.

The ingredients...

900g tart apples (peeled and cut into chunks)

1 large onion (finely chopped)

1 tbsp fresh ginger (finely chopped)

400g brown sugar

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp mixed spice

1tsp chilli (I used dried flakes)

500ml vinegar

Pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper

Let all ingredients come to the boil in a heavy based pan, then lower the heat and simmer for a good 40-50 minutes. Your entire house will now smell of vinegar... but don't fret, it eventually becomes the sweet scent of successful preserve making! Give it a stir every now and then, keeping an eye on the consistency. Once it's thick enough (draw a spoon through it - no liquid should be left at the bottom of the pan), put it straight into hot sterilised jars, fill right to the top, screw on the lid and tip it upside down for a while. Not sure what that last step does exactly, but I read it somewhere once! Can't hurt...