no-knead Dutch oven bread

AUTHOR: GIRL VERSUS DOUGH (BASED ON JIM LAHEY'S ORIGINAL METHOD)

PREP TIME:  8 HOURS 40 MINS

COOK TIME:  1 HOUR

TOTAL TIME:  9 HOURS 40 MINS

YIELDS: 1 LARGE ROUND LOAF

INGREDIENTS

·         3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping

·         2 teaspoons sea salt

·         1 teaspoon Red Star active dry yeast

·         1½ cups warm water (about 110 to 115 degrees F)

DIRECTIONS

1.     In a large bowl, whisk flour, salt and yeast until well mixed. Pour in warm water and use a wooden spoon to stir until a shaggy dough forms. The mixture will be wet and very sticky to the touch.

2.     Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place 8 to 18 hours until dough rises, bubbles and flattens on top.

3.     Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Once oven is preheated, place a 6-quart Dutch oven (with cover) in oven 30 minutes before baking.

4.     Punch down dough. Generously flour a sheet of parchment paper; transfer dough to parchment and, with floured hands, quickly shape into a ball. Place dough on parchment paper and sprinkle top lightly with flour. Top with a sheet of plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes.

5.     Remove Dutch oven from oven. Uncover dough and carefully transfer to Dutch oven, with or without parchment paper beneath (if bottom of Dutch oven is not coated with enamel, keep parchment paper beneath dough). Cover Dutch oven and return to oven.

6.     Bake bread 45 minutes covered, then another 10 to 15 minutes uncovered until dough is baked through and golden brown on top. Cool slightly before slicing

Pumpkin Soup with Parmesan

Ingredients

·         50g butter

·         1 onion, chopped

·         About 1kg pumpkin or butternut squash, deseeded and cubed

·         2 garlic cloves, crushed

·         2 bay leaves

·         75ml white wine

·         900ml fresh stock, hot

·         15g Parmesan rind, plus thin slivers of Parmesan to garnish

·         2 tbsp double cream (optional)

·         Truffle oil, to serve

    Method

1.     Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the onion and pumpkin and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and bay leaves and cook, stirring, for a further 5 minutes.

2.     Add the wine, bubble for a few minutes, then add the stock and Parmesan rind. Increase the heat, bring the soup to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes or until the pumpkin is really soft. Set aside to cool slightly, then remove and discard the bay leaves and rind.

3.     Purée the soup using a stick blender, or in batches in a blender, until really smooth. Return the pan to a medium-low heat (or transfer to a clean pan), and loosen the soup with a little water if it’s a little thick. Stir in the cream, if using, and season. Gently reheat until hot.

4.     Ladle the soup into 6 warmed, shallow soup bowls. Top each with a few thin slivers of Parmesan and drizzle with truffle oil, to serve.

--Recipe Taken from Delicious Magazine--

Chocolate Choux Buns

Choux pastry can be difficult to make, so follow this easy chocolate choux bun recipe to ensure success.

FOR THE CHOUX PASTRY

Ingredients

·         50 g (2oz) butter, cut into cubes

·         150 ml (1⁄4 pint) sparkling spring water

·         1 level tbsp golden caster sugar

·         65 g (21⁄2oz) plain flour, sifted on to a sheet of greaseproof paper

·         2 medium eggs, lightly beaten

FOR THE FILLING

Ingredients

·         284 ml carton double cream, whipped with 1tsp vanilla extract and 1 level tsp caster sugar

FOR THE TOPPING

Ingredients

·         200 g (7oz) plain chocolate, melted with 75g (3oz) butter

Method

1.    Melt the butter with the water and caster sugar in a heavy-based pan.

2.    Bring to the boil, turn off the heat and immediately tip in all the flour.

3.    Beat thoroughly with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a smooth ball in the centre of the pan.

4.    Turn the ball into a bowl and cool for 15min. Preheat the oven to 220°C (190°C fan) mark 7.

5.    Gradually whisk in the eggs a little at a time until the mixture is shiny.

6.    Sprinkle water over a non-stick baking sheet. Put eight large spoonsful of the mixture on to the baking sheet.

7.    Bake for 30min until risen and golden brown. Turn off the oven.

8.    Pierce each bun. Leave in the oven for 10-15min. Cool on a wire rack.

9.    Halve buns and fill with cream. Top with warm melted chocolate.

Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

This Mary Berry chocolate cupcake recipe is pure chocolate indulgence. Children will love to decorate with chocolate strands and chocolate decorations.

Ingredients

Chocolate cupcake

·         4 tbsp Water (boiling)

·         40g Cocoa powder

·         3Egg(s) (free range)

·         175g Butter (unsalted) (softened)

·         165g Unrefined golden caster sugar

·         115g Self-raising white flour

·         1 tsp Baking powder (rounded)

Chocolate icing

·         60g Butter (unsalted)

·         30g Cocoa powder

·         3 tbsp Milk (whole)

·         250g Unrefined golden icing sugar

·         Chocolate decorations

Method

 Line a muffin tin with paper cases. Sift the cocoa powder into a bowl, pour in the boiling water and mix into a thick paste. Add the remaining cake ingredients and mix with an electric hand whisk (or beat with a wooden spoon).

    Divide the mixture equally between the 14 paper cases. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F, Gas mark 6) for about 12-15 minutes until well risen and springy to the touch. Cool in the cases on a wire rack.

      To make the chocolate icing melt the butter and pour it into a bowl. Sift in the cocoa powder and stir in the icing sugar a little at a time to make a glossy and spreadable. If the icing is too thick, gradually add the milk until it reaches the desired consistency. Pipe over the cupcakes, sprinkle with chocolate decorations and leave to set before serving.

--Recipe taken from Mary Berry--