LMP

Deliciously evil.... mmm.: lemon meringue pies .

Apprentice pastry chef. Amateur blogger.: From cakes to pastry.

Apprentice pastry chef. Amateur blogger.: From cakes to pastry.: We changed topics and finished off cakes with a bang. Now onto pastry and starting with the basics. Prepare and produce pastries 101: Shor...

15 steps to a more successful Easter.

Not sure if everyone remembers my hot cross buns or should I say hot cross rock cakes from last year...

But this year I had much more success... yes a little early but with all these delicious smells in bakery's I couldn't help myself. I used a different recipe and they turned out 100 times better.

And don't they look delicious and fluffy?

The recipe I used was based on one from taste.com.au but changed it slightly as not sure if you know but the one thing I HATE is sultanas... so I used craisins instead which did make the buns not as sweet and less spicy but my alterations have fixed this.

Cranberry Hot Cross Buns

1 1/2 cups of warm (body temp) milk

2 tsp (7g) dried yeast

1/4 cup caster sugar (plus extra one tbs of caster sugar)

60g melted butter

1 egg, slightly beaten

4 1/2 cups of strong bakers flour (plus extra for kneading)

1 tsp salt

4 tsp mixed spice

1 cup of dried cranberries

1/3 cup cold water

1/2 cup apricot jam

1. Combine milk, yeast and the one tbs of caster sugar in a bowl and then set the bowl in another bowl which is filled with warm water (hotter then the milk). This helps active the yeast.
2. Put flour (only 4 cups), salt, mixed spice and sugar in a bowl and add your dried cranberries. Stir to combine.
3. Once the yeast has started to bubbly or change appearance in the milk add the melted butter (not piping hot) and egg and whisk to combine. 
4. Make a well in your flour mixture and pour in milk mixture stirring to combine.
5. Bring together with your hands and turn out onto a dusted surface and knead for 10-15min.
6. Keep warm for 1 hour in a floured bowl covered with a tea towel. Using the same method as in step 1 by placing the bowl with the dough in it in another bowl with warm water in it.
7. Preheat oven to 200 degrees Celsius and grease a 23cm cake tin.
8. Punch dough down and knead for 2-3 min.
9. Divide into 16 pieces and shape into balls.
10. Arrange dough in the cake tin side by side and then set aside for half an hour to rise again.
11. Mix the 1/2 cup of flour and water together to form a paste and pipe down the centre of each row and back the other way to make crosses on each bun.
12. Bake in the oven for 10min then reduce the heat to 180 degrees Celsius and bake for a further 20min. The buns will sound hollow when they are done.
13. Turn out on a cooling rack.
14. Place jam in a saucepan until it melts (approx. 2min). Strain and brush over hot buns.
15. Serve warm with butter or toasted.

Serves 16

Quick heads up.

I have been a busy girl recently with college and not had huge amounts of time to cook through my bookshelf. More cooking through my text books for college instead. This isn't to say I have totally neglected being a bookshelf cook at all, it means I have chosen a few recipes from Jamie's 30min meals book which has taken me no time at all since I have bailed on the desserts and extra sides some of the time. One of my favourite which seriously (no joke) took no time at all was the 'Pregnant Jool's favourite pasta' a sausage ragu. It tastes like it had been stewing for hours but really only cooking for maybe 20min.

You start off by blending in your magi-mix or in my case two batching in osca, spring onions, a carrot, a stick of celery, sausages (any you like), fennel seeds, chilli's (I used dried chilli flakes) and dried oregano until its a mushy mess. Throw it in a large frying pan on high heat with some olive oil and break up while cooking.

Meanwhile add your (penne) pasta to some boiling salted water. Crush garlic cloves into the sausage mixture and add some balsamic vinegar (this is to add sweetness to the dish which cannot be achieved in the short cooking time) and tinned tomatoes, bring to a simmer.

Your pasta should be cooked by now and as always save some cooking water before you drain the pasta. Add your pasta to your sausage ragu. Mix through and add a little of the cooking water if needed. Stir some fresh basil through and serve with some parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Jamie serves this pasta dish with a crunchy chicory and watercress salad and little frangipane tarts for dessert. I only cooked the pasta dish this time as we had a green salad with mum's dressing on top.

Can't beat that dressing with any!!

AA: Trick of the hand.

Apprentice chef (to be). Amateur blogger.: Trick of the hand.: "Bit late on my post about College last week but I've been a busy bee with to be honest, goodness knows what. The job search is still happeni..."

Apprentice chef (to be). Amateur blogger.: Buttery goodness.

Apprentice chef (to be). Amateur blogger.: Buttery goodness.: "Week 3 at college was delicious. The morning started out by collecting our goodies on a large gastronome for boiled rice, Tomato C..."

Check it out! New blog.

Apprentice chef. Amateur blogger.

Not sure if my average reader knows but I am no longer '21 with no direction'. I have started cooking school and I guess will not only be a Bookshelf Cook as my collection is still overflowing but also an apprentice chef. Looking for a job this week so just school at the moment.

Its all very exciting. Check out my first day on my new blog;

Apprentice chef. Amateur blogger.

Vancouver love 2

In Vancouver again and not long to go before I head home to start cooking school (eeek how exciting!). Sad to go as I've made new friends, seen old friends and now have to say good bye again.

Just left Whistler for the 2nd and last time for the trip and much of that was zog's & maccas at early hours of the morning. So I thought I'd post a few pictures of Van city's food which is where we are now.

We've found it hard to find good lunch and breakfast places & thought we'd go for a few suggestions that we're made to us; one from the trusty lonely planet book and the other from Fizzy-pops.

Templeton on Grandville street is a small diner where they serve vegan organic foods. Each booth has it's own mini jukebox and it's all set out like it's an old school diner. Brunch was great! Breakfast bean burrito with Rosemary potatoes... So full after! Thankyou lonely planet.

Fizzy-pops suggestion was Medina cafe on Beatie street. They serve lavender coffee and waffles with raspberry caramel. As we were there for brunch and missed their breakfast menu I had the les mergez which was home made flat bread with a paprika sausage, roast eggplant, haloumi cheese with fresh salsa. Lip smacking yum :) of course we had a waffle with chocolate lavender sauce but that didn't last long enough for a photo.

I have been cooking too not just living in cafe's and diners on this trip. Last night the girls and I cooked two Thai curries for our family dinner party of six. Green curry chicken and a vegetarian red curry AND had the left overs for dinner tonight :) curry always tastes better the next day.

Cannot wait to go to Books to Cooks again and tip my credit card and hand luggage over the edge!! Will keep you up to date on my purchases.

NY

I'm in NY at the moment and it's freezing! Just had a snow storm last night which was so much fun, I've never seen snow fall like that. It was crazy!

It is perfect weather to duck into cafe's and have hot tea and great food. (don't worry trusty followers... I have also done the traditional diner but was too hungry and impatient to wait and take a pic!)

Or cupcakes and cosmopolitan's are also a good way of keeping warm too! :)

Starstruck. Completely.

Me with Donna Hay at MasterChef Live.