Sunday, February 28, 2016

Chocolate chip Cheesecake.

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake (set method)

Equipment
·      Small round tin
·      Baking paper (to fit in the bottom of tin)
·      Measuring cups/spoons
·      Small mixing bowl
·      Rolling pin
·      Chopping board
·      Whisk/ egg beater

Ingredients
·      Biscuit crumbs (from 7 biscuits)
·      Butter, 50g, melted
·      Cream cheese, 2 Tbsp
·      Icing sugar, 1 heaped Tbsp
·      Cocoa powder, 1 tsp
·      Lemon juice, 1/2 tsp
·      Vanilla essence, ¼ tsp
·      Gelatin, 1 tsp
·      Hot water, 3 Tbsp
·      Cream, ¼ cup, whipped
·      Chocolate chips, 1 ramekin.

Method
1.    Crush up the biscuit with the rolling pin on the chopping board.
2.    Melt the butter in a measuring cup in the microwave and then mix it with the biscuit crumbs.
3.    Line the bottom of the tin with the baking paper.
4.    Pack the buttery biscuit crumb into the bottom of the tin.
5.    Place into the fridge.
6.    Beat the cream cheese, cocoa and icing sugar until they are soft.
7.    Mix the lemon juice, vanilla essence and hot water together.
8.    Dissolve the gelatin in the lemon juice mixture. Heat in microwave if necessary.
9.    Stir the gelatin mixture in with the cream cheese mixture.
10. Fold in the whipped cream.
11. Add the chocolate chips to this mix and pour into the chilled base from the fridge.
12.  Return to the fridge to set for 20-30 minutes.
13. Carefully remove from the tin, cut up and serve.


Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Grilled Steak with creamy Garlic Mushroom sauce.

Grilled Steak with Garlic Mushroom sauce

Equipment
·      Small fry pan
·      Chopping board and sharp knife
·      Measuring cup
·      Tongs
·      Serving plate
·      Ramekin for sauce

Ingredients
·      Rump steak, 2 portions, needs to be trimmed of fat and silver skin
·      Mushrooms, 2, sliced
·      Garlic, 1 clove or ¼ tsp, crushed and diced finely
·      Cream, 1/8 cup (3 Tbspns)
·      Seasonings (salt/pepper/herbs)
·      Butter for mushrooms.
·      Oil for frying

Method
1.    Slice up the mushrooms and crush/dice the garlic.
2.    Heat up the small fry pan (medium heat) and add butter.
3.    Quickly add garlic, then mushrooms.
4.    Toss and fry until soft.
5.    Add the cream, reduce the heat and simmer until thick.
6.    Pour out the sauce into a mixing bowl and keep warm. Season if required.
7.    Clean the fry pan and reheat.
8.    Wait until the pan is hot before adding a small amount of oil.
9.    Fry the steak one piece at a time, waiting for the blood to come through before turning over.
10.  Test for “degrees of doneness” before removing from pan. Poke the meat with your finger.
11. Rest the meat on a plate for 5 minutes before serving with the sauce.

Things to remember:
·      The steak should be at room temperature before cooking (bring out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking).
·      Trim the steak of fat and silver skin.
·      Heat up the pan to medium hot.
·      Add a little oil. Grilled, not deep fried.
·      Season the steak after cooking.
·      Flip only once. Wait for the cooking juice to come through before flipping.
·      Cook to correct Degrees of Doneness
1.    Blue (very rare)
2.    Rare
3.    Medium rare
4.    Medium
5.    Well done
6.    Very well done
See the pictures for a better idea. Also use the finger poke test. Fatter steak will take longer to cook in the middle.

·      Resting the meat for 5 minutes after cooking allows the muscle fibers to relax which means the meat is more tender and easier to cut/chew. This should be applied to all meats after cooking.






Monday, February 22, 2016

Sponge cake.

Sponge Cake

Equipment
·      Large mixing bowls
·      Whisk/ egg beater
·      Measuring cup/spoons
·      Cake tin (round or square)
·      Sieve
·      Baking paper or flour dusting
·      Cooling rack
·      Wooden spoon or spatula

Ingredients
·      Eggs, 3
·      Sugar, 3/4 cup
·      Flour, 3/4 cup
·      Baking powder, 1 tsp
·      Salt, pinch
·      Butter, 25g, melted
·      Cream, 1/4 cup, whipped
·      Jam, 1 Tbspn

Method
Oven on to 1750C.
1.    Beat the eggs and salt together.
2.    Add sugar and beat until thick and foamy.
3.    Sift flour and baking powder together.
4.    Carefully add to egg mixture.
5.    Fold in the butter.
6.    Pour into a greased and lined deep cake tin.
7.    Bake for 20-30 minutes or until cake springs back.
8.    Drop the cake on the bench to knock out some of the air and trap the rest.
9.    Leave for 10 minutes to cool down in tin before turning out onto a cooling rack. Carefully cut in half.
10. Whip the cream.
11. Carefully spread the jam on the top of the sponge.

12.  Serve with the cream.