Madeleines - Chocolate & Lime

Never read Proust, but I love making Madeleines, the little French sponge cakes.

This is my version of the recipe I found on line

I used only half the mixture to make approximately  a dozen of them.  If you do not have a Madeleine tin with the pretty shell pattern you can you a jam tart tin, these are shallower than a muffin tin, but alas you will not get the shell pattern but be assured madeleines taste just as nice!

Chocolate & Lime Madeleines

1 Egg

1 teaspoon of grated Lime zest

1 teaspoon of fresh Lime juice 

62grms (2.5 ozs) Icing Sugar

40grms (1.5ozs) Self Raising Flour (all purpose)

10grms (0.5ozs) Cocoa Powder

62grms (2.5 ozs) Butter

Preheat oven 190 degrees C Gas 5

Grease the madeleine tin.  

(Tip :: grease all over the tin so when the cake mixture rises slightly over the edge of the tin the little cakes will not stick and break when being removed from the moulds)

Melt the butter and set aside to cool

Sift the Flour and Cocoa Powder two or three times.

Beat the egg, lime juice and zest together for about 5 minutes, then beat in the icing sugar for about another 10 minutes.  Fold in the flour and cocoa powder carefully then fold in the melted butter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared moulds and bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

When cooked gently loosen with a knife and place on a cooling rack and sprinkle with icing sugar.

Store in an airtight container.

(Tip :: with the leftover Lime juice and zest, put in to the freezer for another recipe)

Your Sewing Machine not working as it should.............

Just take the footplate off

(the instructions will be in your manual)

and remove the fluff. 

 Put the footplate back and carry on.........

I know what caused this, too much machining felt

Cake Board

I forgot to buy a large cake board while I was out shopping, I didn't want to go out again.......

.......so I found an old broken record

and covered it in foil!

Stuffed Mushrooms - 2

Another Stuffed Mushroom recipe

Four very large mushrooms, preferably not flat ones.

Carefully oil the base of the mushrooms, I find it easier just using my fingers and place on a baking tray.

I a pan gently soften an onion.  When soften add a tin of chopped tomatoes.

Add handful of breadcrumbs to thicken the mixture, I always keep some in the freezer.  

Fill the mushrooms

Add grated cheese

Bake till golden brown and bubbling

Almond Cake

(Click on recipe to enlarge)

I substituted almond essence for a desert spoon water and I used butter in the topping, and used Bertolli margerine to make the cake and added a few glace cherries. 

The recipe is from The Stork Wartime Cookery Book

I am selling a PDF copy of this book here

Make a winding bobbin

Take two dolly pegs

Push them together to form a cross

wind your skein of yarn around the pegs

Garlic Bread Crutons

Take half of a bought garlic bread, cube and place on a baking tray and bake as per the instructions.

When cooked, sprinkle on soup.

This is Brussel Sprout Soup - recipe can be found here.

I used milk instead of single cream