Burnt Basque Cheesecake (gluten-free)

11th June 202111th June 2021
by thefoodwife

Serves 12

Everything here needs to be at room temperature before you start. This will give you a beautifully smooth cheesecake, so make sure you take your cream cheese and cream out of the fridge half an hour before you start. There is no crust or biscuit base to this, there is also no water bath, it is incredibly easy and the result is a striking dessert that it is oh-so delicious.

The good news is that you can make this ahead of time. Ideally, make it the day before, although it’ll be ok for a good few days in the fridge. And even better, as long as securely wrapped, it freezes so well.

The dramatic burnt top of the cheesecake gives this its signature look, but there should be no real burnt taste. Just yummy, creamy cheesecake.

Ingredients:

800g full fat cream cheese
200g caster sugar
360ml double cream
5 large/6 medium free range eggs
Large pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
40g (gluten-free if required) plain flour

Step 1: Pre-heat the oven to 200c (fan) and line a 9 inch spring release cake tin with baking paper.

Step 2: Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese, sugar, salt and vanilla together until smooth. Add each egg, beating after each addition followed by the cream. Finally add the flour. The mixture should be completely smooth with no lumps.

Step 3: Pour carefully into the lined cake tin and bake for 45 minutes then push the temperate up to 220c for a final
15 minutes to achieve your burnt top.

Step 4: Remove and allow to fully cool
Before refrigerating overnight.

I like to serve slices with a raspberry coulis poured over the top.

Butterfly Cakes

10th March 202110th March 2021
by thefoodwife

Makes 12

As it approaches my little one’s first birthday, cake is on my mind. Butterfly cakes are fun to make and a delicious treat. They’re an excellent addition to a party spread or to accompany an afternoon tea. For dietary requirements they can easily be made dairy-free by switching the butter in the sponge and buttercream to a vegetable fat based block.

We added some coloured sugar sprinkles to make ours colourful, but you can leave them plain, if you wish.

Ingredients:
For the sponges:
160g softened butter or vegetable baking block/spread
160g caster sugar
160g self-raising flour (or the same of plain flour with 3 level tsp baking powder)
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

For the butter cream:
150g softened butter or vegetable baking block/spread
250g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Step 1: preheat the oven to 150c (fan) and line a 12 hole muffin tray with cases.

Step 2: Place all the cake ingredients into a mixer and beat using the paddle attachment, until smooth.

Step 3: Divide evenly between the cases and bake for about 22 minutes. They should be risen and spring back to the touch. Allow to fully cool.

Step 4: Make the buttercream by beating the ingredients together until smooth.

Step 5: Use a sharp knife to cut a circle out of the top of each cake. Leave a centimetre rim around the edge, and angle the knife so that you can pop the circle out to reveal a hollow. Slice each removed circle in half to make two wings.

Step 6: Fill the hollows with your buttercream (using a piping bag will make them nice and neat but you can spoon them in if needs be) and then pop the wings back on. Add any sprinkles or extra decorations as you like.

Apple and Blueberry Muffins (BLW)

14th January 202114th January 2021
by thefoodwife

Makes 12 small muffins

Low-sugar apple and blueberry muffins (easily made dairy free) for my little people to enjoy. Austin (3) and I made them together this morning and he and his 9 month old brother enjoyed them at lunchtime.

They are great to make with little ones as all it requires is a little mixing. Whilst they aren’t too sweet (if you want these for a more adult sweet tooth you can always up the sugar by 50g) they are packed full of sweet juicy fruit.

These are not big muffins, the recipe makes 12 in normal cupcake cases.

Ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
60ml oil
120ml (dairy free if required) milk
200g plain flour
100g caster sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 small eating apples (or one large), peeled and cored then cut in to a medium dice
120g (frozen is fine) blueberries

Step 1: Simply mix all the ingredients together (don’t over mix! It’s the secret to a light muffin) and then equally fill 12 cup cake cases in a muffin tin.

Step 2: Bake in a preheated oven (200c fan) for 22 minutes and then allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool completely.

These can be frozen. Ensure they are suitably wrapped before hand.

Spiced Biscuit Dominoes

4th January 20214th January 2021
by thefoodwife

Makes 12

We’ve just made some vegan dominoes biscuits, with a super simple spiced biscuit dough and white icing. It was inspired by an old 90s Safeway magazine recipe my mother recently passed on to me.

Ingredients:
115g vegan baking block, softened
50g caster sugar
175g plain flour
5g mixed spice

Step1: Rub all ingredients together until you have ‘crumbs’ and then use your hands to bring together into a smooth dough.

Step 2: You can then either roll the dough out until about 1/2cm thick and cut into 12 rectangles, alternatively shape into a rectangular sausage shape, wrap in grease proof and chill until solid. Then simply slice into 12.

Step 3: Place your 12 rectangles on a lined baking tray and bake in a preheated oven at 180c fan for 12 minutes.

Step 4: Allow to cool and then ice with a simple icing sugar and water icing.

Then you can play and/or eat!

It’s Christmassssss!

14th December 202015th December 2020
by thefoodwife

I thought I’d do a bumper post with links to some of my favourite recipes for this time of year. There will be savoury and sweet recipes and plenty of ideas for what to do with all that left over turkey!

If you fancy making your own mincemeat, but are looking for a slimmer version, why not try my Fat-Free Bramley Apple and Vintage Cider Mincemeat my latest batch had the addition of amaretto instead of the rum. Delicious. You can use it in my Mince ‘Pie’ Cupcakes with Custard Buttercream for a festive themed baked treat. On the theme of amaretto, if you’re looking for an alternative showstopper dessert for the big day, take a look at The Food Wife’s Chocolate and Amaretto Italian Cheesecake. Make ahead and easily made gluten-free.

When it comes to the main event, my favourite part of the Christmas dinner is always the ‘stuffing’. Here is my take on it with my Pork and Pear Stuffing. This year I’ll be following the same principles but using dried apricots in place of the pear.

And after the 25th? Well you may well have a lot of left overs. We deliberately buy a bigger bird in order to create some exciting post Christmas meals such as a Vietnamese soup with a post-festive twist, my Turkey Pho or my sticky Korean Turkey Baos. If you’re looking for less fuss then give my Turkey Tagine or Coronation Turkey a whirl.

If Turkey isn’t your bag, then you may have bought a different joint. Pork or Beef will work wonders in my recipes for Ragù.

And finally, wave goodbye to this year and see in the next with my New Year Rocky Road . It won’t disappoint (the rocky road, that is. I can’t guarantee anything about 2021).