Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake Recipe

To serve 8

Ingredients (for the cake):
250g self raising flour
1 tsp Bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp mixed spice
pinch salt
250g Light Muscovado sugar
200 ml sunflower oil
300g carrots peeled and grated
zest and juice of half a lemon
75g pistaccio nuts (or walnuts), roughly chopped
3 eggs

Ingredients for the Frosting:
200g full fat cream cheese
50g butter
grated zest and juice of one lemon
300g icing sugar sifted
25g pistaccio nuts or walnuts roughly chopped (to decorate)

Method:
1.   Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees (160 for a fan oven)
2.  Grease a 20cm cake tin or tray and line with baking parchment
3.   Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, salt and spices
4.   With an electric hand whisk, beat the oil and sugar together in a separate bowl until well creamed
5.   separate the eggs
6.  add the egg yolks to the oil and sugar and mix well
7.  Add the grated carrot to the mixture then the lemon zest, juice and the nuts
8.  Fold in the flour
9.  Beat the egg whites until light and stiff then fold into the cake mixture with a rubber spatula
10.  pour the cake mix into the prepared cake tin.  Cook on a low shelf for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean

If you have any excess cake mixture divide it between muffin cases and pop in the oven with the large cake to bake but remove the muffins after 15-20 minutes.

 While the cake is cooking combine the ingredients for the frosting until smooth and creamy, cover and place in the fridge to chill

When the cake is baked remove from the oven and stand on a wire cake rack for 5 minutes

Remove the cake from the tin and leave on the wire rack until completely cool

Spread the frosting over the cake and sprinkle with the chopped nuts

If not serving immediately keep refrigerated in a tupperware container for up to 4 days.

Leek and Bacon Quiche

Leek and Bacon Quiche

Serves 4

Ingredients:
8oz shortcrust pastry
800g leeks, washed and sliced into rings (weight after topping / tailing)
200g streaky bacon, diced
olive oil for frying
3 eggs beaten
100 ml single cream
2 oz cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper

Method:
1.  Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees (170 fan oven)

2.  Roll the pastry and line a greased flan tin

3.  Prick the pastry with a fork all over

4.  Place a large circle of baking parchment inside the pastry case and fill with baking beans

5.  Blind bake the pastry case in the oven for 20 minutes

6.  Take the pastry case out of the oven and, using a spoon, carefully remove the baking beans

7.  Take the parchment paper out and dispose

8.  If the pastry is still a little damp in the middle pop the pastry case back in the oven for a further 4 or 5 minutes until it is dry and cooked through

9.  Drizzle a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan and fry the diced bacon over a high heat until crispy and pinky brown

10.  Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the frying pan and place in a small bowl until required.  Leave the oil in the pan

11.  Turn the heat down to medium low and fry the leeks until soft and turning golden

12.  Layer the leek and bacon over the bottom of the pastry case

13.  Mix the beaten egg and single cream and season with salt and black pepper

14.  pour the egg and cream mixture over the bacon and leek until it reaches just below the top of the pastry case

15.  Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of the quiche and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the mixture is risen and golden brown.

16.  Serve hot with baked potatoes and baked beans or serve cold with new potatoes and salad

Minestrone Soup Recipe

Chunky Minestrone Soup

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 Large Onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 carrots
2 leeks
1 large potato
150g bacon diced
olive oil
100g frozen peas
2 pints of beef stock
2 tbsp tomato puree
2 tsp dried basil
4 plum tomatoes
100g small pasta e.g. maccaroni
50g rice
salt and pepper (to taste)

Method:

1.  Chop the onion and finely peel and slice the carrots and potatoes, slice the leeks.

2.  Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the onion and crushed garlic.  Add the chopped bacon and cook for five minutes

3.  Stir in the carrots, leeks and peas and cook for a further five minutes

4.  Add the potatoes, tomatoes, stock, tomato puree, basil and seasoning and bring to the boil.  Cover with a lid and simmer for five minutes

5.  Stir in the pasta and rice and simmer for 15 minutes

Serve with warm crusty bread