Christmas Mincemeat

Mincemeat:
175g - currants
175g - raisins
175g - sultanas
175g - dried cranberries
100g - mixed peel
1 - cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely chopped
125g - butter, cut into cubes
225g - light muscovado sugar
½ tsp - ground cinnamon
1 tsp - mixed spice
1 - Lemon (Juice and Zest)
200ml - Brandy or Whisky

Measure all of the ingredients except the alcohol into a large pan. Heat gently, allowing the butter to melt, then simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes. Allow the mixture to cool completely then stir in the brandy, rum or sherry. Spoon the mincemeat into sterilised jam jars, seal tightly, label and store in a cool place.

Combine with the Short Crust Pastry Recipe to form the pies:
https://www.nobadfoodlab.org/recipes/2021/1/10/short-crust-pastry

Roux Lemon Tart

Lemon Tart Mix:
4 - lemons (Zest and Juice)
9 - large eggs
375g - sugar
300g - heavy cream
icing sugar for dusting

Mix the Egg and the Sugar together then add the lemon juice/zest and the cream the refridgerate for 24hrs.

Pastry:
264g - plain flour
108g - icing sugar (confectioners' sugar)
Small pinch - salt
217g - unsalted butter, softened
2 - large egg yolks

Crumb the butter with the flour sugar and salt until a fine bread crumb texture is achieved. add the eggs then form into a dough and rest until needed.

Roll the dough out and line a tart ring with the pastry. Blind bake the pastry with baking beans. Brush egg yolk onto the pastry and bake again. Pour the lemon tart mixture into the pastry lined ring then bake at 180C for 1 hour. once cooked the middle of the tart should wobble like jelly. allow to cook for 1 hour before cutting.

Mr Roux would then make us dust the slice of tart with icing sugar and torch it a la burlee. Served with raspberry coulis. Crumb and Raspberry Sorbet.

Chocolate Fondant

125g - Butter
150g - Sugar
125g - Dark Chocolate
3 - Eggs
35g - Flour

In a bowl melt the chocolate and butter over a pot of boiling water. Once melted add the Sugar Flour and Eggs and mix very well.

Lemon Cake

250g -Butter
250g - Sugar
250g - Self Raising Flour
240g - Eggs
22g - Milk
2 - Lemons (Zest Only)

Cream the Butter and Sugar together until well creamed. Add all of the other ingredients and lightly mix until well combined.

Bake at 170c for 1 hour or until a knife comes out clean.
once baked brush with a simple syrup with lemon juice added.

Gingerbread

250g - Self Raising Flour
2 tsp - Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp - Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp - Bicarbonate of Soda
1 pinch - Salt
200g - Golden Syrup
125g - Dark Muscavado Sugar
125g - Butter
2 - Eggs
240ml - Milk

In a mixing bowl add Flour, Ginger, Cinnamon, Bicarb, Salt.
In a sauce pan add Golden Syrup, Sugar, Butter.
Whisk the Eggs and milk Together.
Add the Golden Syrup mixture and the Milk mixture to the Flour mixture and mix well.

Bake at 180C for 30 - 40 mins

Choux Pastry

250 - Milk
Pinch - Salt
10 - Sugar
125 - Butter
140 - Flour
220 - Eggs

Put the Milk, Salt and Sugar and Butter in the pan and bring to the simmer. Once the butter has melted add the flour and cook out “a la roux” untill the mix forms a ball and cleans the sides of the pan. once cooked out remove from the heat. allow the ball of dough to cool then add the eggs one at at time while mixing.

The Choux is now ready to be piped onto a baking tray. Bake at 180C for 20mins

Sugar Temp

Sugar Temperatures - NoBadFoodLab

Stage - Temp - Sugar Concentration
Thread (Syrup) - 110 to 112 °C (230 to 234 °F) - 80% Sugar Concentration
Soft Ball (Fudge) - 112 to 116 °C (234 to 241 °F) - 85% Sugar Concentration
Firm Ball (Soft Caramel Candy) - 118 to 120 °C (244 to 248 °F) - 87% Sugar Concentration
Hard Ball (Nougat) - 121 to 130 °C (250 to 266 °F) - 90% Sugar Concentration
Soft Crack (Salt Water Taffy) - 132 to 143 °C (270 to 289 °F) - 95% Sugar Concentration
Hard Crack (Toffee) - 146 to 154 °C (295 to 309 °F) - 99% Sugar Concentration
Clear Liquid - 160 °C (320 °F) - 100% Sugar Concentration
Brown Liquid (Liquid Caramel) - 170 °C (338 °F) - 100% Sugar Concentration
Burnt Sugar - 177 °C (351 °F) - 100% Sugar Concentration

The names come from the methods used to test the syrup before thermometers became affordable. The "thread" stage is tested by cooling a little syrup, and pulling it between the thumb and forefinger. When the correct stage is reached, a thread will form. This stage is used for making syrups. For subsequent stages, a small spoonful of syrup is dropped into cold water, and the characteristics of the resulting lump are evaluated to determine the concentration of the syrup. A smooth lump indicates "ball" stages, with the corresponding hardness described. At the "soft crack" stage, the syrup forms threads that are just pliable. At the "hard crack" stage, the threads are brittle.

This method is still used today in some kitchens. A candy thermometer is more convenient, but has the drawback of not automatically adjusting for local conditions such as altitude, as the cold water test does.

Once the syrup reaches 171 °C (340 °F) or higher, the sucrose molecules break down into many simpler sugars, creating an amber-colored substance known as caramel. This should not be confused with caramel candy, although it is the candy's main flavoring.

Scones

1350g - Self Raising Flour
90g - Baking Powder
Pinch - Salt
150g - Sugar
300g - Butter
6 - Eggs
100g - Milk

For Fruit Scones Add:

300 Raisins

Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together until the mix looks like fine bread crumbs. Add the eggs then slowly add the milk (might not need all) until the desired consistency is reached.

Cut and Freeze

Bake at 160C for 23mins allow to rest before serving

Gluten Free Granola

GRANOLA

600g - GF Oats
28g - Cinnamon
Pinch - Salt
50g - Sugar
100g - Coconut Oil
100g - Honey
100g - Maple Syrup
1 - Vanilla pod (Seeds Only)
300g - Golden Raisins
100g - Coconut Shavings

Toast the oats until golden then mix with the other ingredients.

Yogurt Mousse

30g - Gelatin Sheets

150g - Water (cold)


480g - Heavy Cream


315 g - Whole Fat Yogurt

315 g - Crème Fraîche

2 - Limes (juice & zest)

360g - Egg Yolks


180g - Egg Whites

90g - Granulated Sugar


Bloom the gelatin in cold water. Whip the cream to soft peaks and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, crème fraîche, juice, and zest until smooth.. Add the bloomed and drained gelatin to the hot mixture to dissolve, then cool down over an ice bath until 18°C. Make a Swiss meringue with the egg whites and sugar. Fold the meringue into the cooled yogurt mixture in 1/3 increments followed by the whipped cream in 1/3 increments.

Elderflower Mousse

30g - Gelatin Sheets

150g - Water (cold)


480g - Heavy Cream


750g - Elderflower Syrup

390g - Champagne

180g - Lemon Juice

360g - Egg Yolks


180g - Egg Whites

90g - Granulated Sugar


Bloom the gelatin in cold water. Whip the cream to soft peaks and set aside. Whisk the elderflower syrup, champagne, juice, and egg yolks over a water bath until light and thickened. Add the bloomed and drained gelatin to the hot mixture to dissolve, then cool down over an ice bath until 18°C. Make a Swiss meringue with the egg whites and sugar. Fold the meringue into the cooled elderflower mixture in 1/3 increments followed by the whipped cream in 1/3 increments.

Pâte Sablé

300g - Butter
180g - Powdered Sugar
5g - Salt
80g - Egg Yolks
510g - Plain Flour

In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and salt. Add the egg yolks one at a time. scrape down the bowl periodically to ensure that the mix is well incorporated. Add the sifted flour and mix just until combined. Roll the dough into logs and then wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour. Slice into discs and bake at 170C for 20 mins until cooked but very blonde. Sprinkle with sugar while still hot. Allow to cool before eating.

Short Crust Pastry

100g - Eggs
50g - Whole Milk
500g - Cake Flour
15g - Salt
20g - Castor Sugar
350g - Butter (diced and cold)

Whisk the eggs and milk together. Mix together the dry ingredients and butter until you achieve a bread crumb texture. Add the liquid and mix until the dough begins to come together. Turn the dough out on to a lightly floured work surface. Gently shape into desired sized rounds. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour then its ready to be rolled out and used. bake at 180C for 20 mins or until fully cooked.

If you are baking a tart then you will want to blind bake the pastry without filling first.

Fennel Shortbread

200g - Plain Flour
150g - Butter Room Temp
100g - Icing Sugar
Pinch of Salt
2 - Egg Yolks
Fennel Pollen

Mix together the Flour Butter and Sugar until the consistency resembles bread crumbs. add some Fennel Pollen, Salt and Yolks then kneed into a dough. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour then roll into logs.

This Mixture can now be frozen as logs to be baked later or can be baked straight away.

Pre-heat the oven to 170C then bake for 20 mins until cooked but still blonde. Sprinkle with Sugar and Fennel Pollen while still hot to finish. Allow to cool before eating.