Millionaire's SHORTBREAD WITH ROSEMARY-INFUSED SALTED caramel

From this link.

Ingredients

225g plain flour

85g caster sugar

315g unsalted butter

1 x 397g tin sweetened condensed milk

4 tbsps golden syrup

2 sprigs fresh rosemary

1 tsp Maldon sea salt

200g good-quality plain chocolate (at least 70pc cocoa solids)

Method

The rosemary-salted caramel is revolutionary. You would never think to pair the two ingredients, but rosemary adds a mature depth to this normally too-sweet treat. And the basic shortbread recipe is fantastic on its own, too.

Makes: 16 squares

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes

Cooling time: 1 hour

1Pre-heat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3. Line a 23cm square brownie tin with greaseproof paper. Put the flour and sugar into a bowl and rub in 200g of the butter -- the texture will be sandy but malleable enough to form a ball shape when pushed together. Press this sandy shortbread mixture into the tin and smooth it with your knuckles. Prick it with a fork and bake for five minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 150°C/Gas Mark 2 and cook for a further 30 minutes, or until pale golden and no longer doughy. Let it cool in the tin.

2Melt the remaining 115g butter in a pan over a low heat for two to three minutes, then add the condensed milk, golden syrup and rosemary sprigs.

3Whisk the mixture well until the butter is thoroughly incorporated. Bring it to a slow simmer then, keeping the temperature even, cook for 10 minutes, stirring continuously, until thickened and light golden-brown in colour (this mixture can burn very easily, so never take your eyes off it). Very carefully remove the rosemary from the pan, then pour the sauce evenly over the cooled shortbread. Sprinkle with the salt and leave it to set.

4 Break the chocolate into pieces and place in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave for one minute and 45 seconds on high, or until fully melted, stirring halfway through. Leave to cool for five minutes, then pour and spread the melted chocolate evenly over the toffee mixture and leave to cool in the fridge for one hour. Once set, cut the caramel shortbread into 16 squares.

The squares can be stored in the fridge, but if you keep them at room temperature for a while the caramel goes lovely and gooey!

Olive Oil / Coconut Oil Lotion

Lotion

2 cups melted coconut oil
1 cup olive oil
10 drops each:
tea tree oil
lemon oil
lavender oil
5 drops oregano oil

Use your own combination of essential oils for the qualities you need and/or the scent you desire.

Chinese Dumplings (Jiaozi) Demo on Youtube

On this link.

Foolproof mayonnaise

From this link

Description

You can make this recipe with a whisk instead of in a food processor.

Ingredients

2 free-range egg yolks
1 free-range egg
1 tbsp French mustard
½ lemon, juice only
½ tsp caster sugar
400ml/14¼fl oz vegetable oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Blend all the ingredients except the oil in a food processor for 10-15 seconds, or until well combined. While the motor is running, pour the oil into the food processor very slowly until the well combined and the mixture is thick and glossy.
2. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Tip: You can play around with the recipe and add lemon or lime zest for a citrus mayo or garlic to make a garlic mayo.

Rum babas

From this link

Ingredients

115g/4oz unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing 75g/2½oz currants or mixed dried fruit
4 tbsp dark rum
2 tbsp cold water
225g/8oz plain flour
1 x 7g sachet easy-blend dried yeast
½ tsp fine sea salt
4 large free-range eggs, beaten
4 tbsp milk
1 tbsp clear honey
For the syrup
400g/14oz caster sugar
400ml/14fl oz water
3 tbsp clear honey
4-6 tbsp dark rum
To serve
double cream

Method

1. Grease a deep 12-hole muffin tin or 8-10 metal rum baba moulds set on a baking tray.
2. Place the currants in a pan with the rum and cold water. Place over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Once boiled, remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the yeast and salt. Whisk the beaten eggs in a separate bowl with the milk and honey until well combined. Gradually mix the egg mixture and the 115g/4oz butter into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. Beat for about 4-5 minutes, or until smooth and glossy.
4. Drain the currants, reserving the rum, and stir the currants into the batter. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and set aside in a warm place to rise for about an hour, or until the mixture has roughly doubled in size. The batter should reach the top of the muffin tins.
5. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5. Bake the rum babas in the oveb for 12-15 minutes or until risen and golden-brown.
6. Meanwhile, for the syrup, place the sugar into a saucepan with the cold water and heat gently, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a simmer, then add the reserved rum, the additional four tablespoons of rum and the honey. Simmer for a few more seconds, then remove from the heat and set aside.
7. Remove the rum babas from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for five minutes. Loosen the sides with a blunt-ended knife and turn the rum babas out into a large, shallow ceramic dish.
8. Pour half of the syrup slowly over the rum babas. Set aside for five minutes to allow the syrup to be absorbed.
9. Carefully turn the rum babas over in the dish. Pour over the remaining syrup, reserving a few tablespoons for serving, and leave the rum babas to stand for a further ten minutes. Turn them over one final time, then cover the dish with cling film and chill in the fridge for at least two hours before serving. (They will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge.)
10. To serve, spoon one rum baba per person onto a serving plate and spoon over a little bit of the syrup in the dish and a few spoonfuls of double cream.

Key Lime Pie

From this link

Ingredients

For the base
175g/6oz digestive biscuits
80g/3oz butter
50g/2oz caster sugar
For the filling
3 large free-range eggs, separated
2 limes, finely grated zest
125ml/4½fl oz lime juice
210ml/7½fl oz condensed milk
80g/3oz caster sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
pinch salt
½ tsp cream of tartar
To serve
handful fresh blueberries
whipped cream

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. For the pastry base, finely crush the biscuits by placing into a plastic bag and bashing with a rolling pin (alternatively, pulse to crumbs using a food processor). Transfer to a mixing bowl.
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then pour over the biscuit crumbs. Add the sugar, then mix well to combine. Evenly spread the biscuit mixture in a 23cm/9in pie case, making sure to cover the sides of the tin as well. Level off any excess biscuit mixture.
4. For the filling, whisk the egg yolks in a bowl until pale and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice and condensed milk until smooth and creamy, then mix into the egg yolk mixture. Pour the mixture into the pie case.
5. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Gradually fold in the sugar, vanilla extract, salt and cream of tartar, then whisk again until stiff peaks form. Spoon the meringue mixture over the filling in the pie case, using a fork to form the meringue into peaks.
6. Bake the pie in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the meringue is golden-brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Place into the fridge to chill completely before serving.
7. To serve, cut slices of the key lime pie and serve with a scattering of blueberries and a few spoonfuls of whipped cream.

Traditional rice pudding

From this link

Ingredients

100g/3½oz sultanas
1 mug hot strong black tea
1.3 litres/2 pints 7fl oz milk
300ml/10½fl oz double cream
200g/7oz pudding rice
100g/3½oz golden granulated sugar
pinch freshly ground nutmeg
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out
clotted cream, to serve
jam, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/320F/Gas 2.
2. Place the sultanas in a bowl and pour over the hot tea. Set aside to soak for ten minutes, then drain (discard the tea).
3. In a large casserole dish or rice pudding dish (roughly 30cm x 20cm/12in x 8in), mix together the milk and cream. Stir in the rice, sugar and a pinch of nutmeg. Add the vanilla pod and seeds, then stir in the soaked sultanas.
4. Cover the dish with a lid or sheet of aluminium foil, then cook in the oven for 1½ hours. Remove the lid or foil and cook for a further 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the top is lightly golden and has formed a skin.
5. To serve, spoon the rice pudding into serving bowls and serve with spoonfuls of clotted cream and jam.