''Full moon, half moon, total eclipse''...everyone of a certain vintage will know what I'm talking about. No..not lunar waxings and wanings. No...not a rather more detailed version of the Bonnie Tyler classic Total Eclipse of the Heart. I'm taking cake. Jaffa cakes to be persise. Everyone will remember the ad with the teacher using a teaching moment as an excuse to stuff her face with the little rounds of cakey, orangey loveliness. EVERYONE loves jaffa cakes. EVERYONE. I've yet to meet someone who doesn't. Even people who don't like the combination of orange and chocolate somehow adore these cake creations.
Even QI covered them in an episode, explaining why they are cake and not biscuit (FYI it's because they get hard when they're stale, unlike biscuits which get..for want of a better word..flaccid).
They're a work of baking genius. The proportions are just right. Any more chocolate and it would swamp the base. Any more tangy orangy jelly and it would be too bitter, any more base, and it would be too dry.
And everyone has their own way of eating Jaffa Cakes. You could be the type that pulls off the chocolate painstakingly, even when it cracks into tiny little shards. Then peels off the orange jelly layer and eats that. And finally eats the base, or dunks it into tea. You could be the person who eats the whole thing in one go. You could be the dipper, the one who dunks it into tea and lets the chocolate melt slightly before eating it. You could be the ''eclipser'' - the one who does it like in the ad ( it was a lunch time craze in our school for anyone who brought jaffa cakes - incidentally, those little snake packs were the bomb, especially if you were lucky enough to get the extra one they sometimes snuck into them).
They are viciously addictive though. Because they're so light and small, you think an extra one won't hurt. Except then you find yourself crying into the empty box, because low and behold, you've eaten the entire package. I also think they bring out the worst in people, no one likes to share jaffa cakes. You're always worried that the other person will get more than you.
Hm. Anyway, I would exactly have the patience to make jaffa cakes for everyday occasions, but you cannot deny that the combination of orange and chocolate is a good one ( it was always one of my favourites in the tin of Roses). So instead of fiddling around with cutters and measuring tapes, I decided to combine the sticky gooiness of the orange layer, the decadent richness of the chocolate layer and the soft cumbliness of the base layer in another way. In an actual cake. Well, a loaf to be more exact. This Jaffa drizzle cake is perfect for sharing and for when one small jaffa cake wouldn't do the trick. It keeps surprisingly well, doesn't dry out and is lovely with a cup of tea or coffee or as a dessert served sliced with vanilla ice cream. you will need: 140g butter softened 200g self raising flour 1.5 tsp baking powder 200g caster sugar 3 large eggs 6tbsp milk finely grated zest of one orange To finish: juice of half an orange 50g caster sugar 50g dark chocolate Method: 1. Heat oven to gas 4/ 180C. 2. Butter and line a 1.2 lt loaf tin (or use liners) 3. Put all the cake ingredients into a large bowl and beat with a hand beater until liight and fluffy (about 5 mins)
Pour into the tin
4. Bake for 40-50 mins until golden brown and a squewer comes out clean.
5. Heat the orange juice and sugar in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
6. When the cake is cooked, remove it from the oven and spoon over the orange mix. Leave to cool in the tin and then remove and cool completely on a wire rack. 7. Break up the chocolate and melt in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. 8. Drizzle over the cake and leave to set.
When I was younger I liked Winnie the Pooh. Not the voice you understand. That was beyond creepy. Such a pervy voice on such a cute cuddly bear. It just wasn't right. So I'd usually watch the cartoons with the sound turned down.
And one of the things that Winnie the Pooh made me crave was honey. It looked FANTASTIC. All gooey, golden goodness. I was sorely disappointed when I took a spoonful of honey out of the jar one day. It was too sweet and gloopy and I didn't really like the flavour. It was like the peanut butter episode all over again.
While the honey hating passed quite quickly (As I realised you didn't need to eat it by the spoonful to enjoy it) it did lead me to try other baking cupboard syrups. Namely golden syrup and black treacle. The thing is, the two cans are icons of kitchen design. Everyone will recognise the Lyle's tins and they instantly evoke baking memories for me. Even though we never used them that often, there was always a tin of each in the cupboard.
The golden syrup tasting experiment went ok..I just wasn't a fan of the stickiness. The black treacle on the other hand...the bitter taste has stayed with me since. It was like eating melted liquorice without the aniseed taste. Not all the tea or toothpaste could get ride of the flavour. It took days. So when my Dad brought home a cake of treacle bread one day from the Food Shop in Claremorris, I was more than a little dubious. Who would want to eat bitter tasting bread? Why ruin a perfectly good soda loaf? (FYI the food store is a fabulous Butchers and food shop and if you're ever passing through Claremorris it's well worth stopping)
Oh how wrong I was. It was heaven in a slice of bread. I was instantly addicted. Imagine the texture of gingerbread. Then imagine a deep, rice caramel flavour. Then combine them into a bread. Sheer delight.
The particular cake from Claremorris came studded with plump sultanas, which had been soaked in the treacle mixture and added even more to the sheer gluttony in each slice. I've tried and failed, over the years to replicate the perfect treacle bread, but with no real success. Until today. This recipe, from scouring the Internet and recipe books seems to include everything that would make a perfect treacle-ly cake. This cake is perfect for an afternoon snack with a large pot of tea and lashings of real butter. you will need: 2 tbsp black treacle 1 egg 300ml buttermilk 450g plain flour 1 tsp salt 1tsp bread soda (bicarb of soda) 30 g sultana's or raisins (optional) Method: 1) Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 8 (230C) 2) Heat the treacle in a small saucepan until it starts to run, take off the heat. Whisk the egg and add to the treacle. Mix well. Add the buttermilk and mix well again. If using the fruit add to the liquid at this point to allow them to soak up some of the flavour.
3)Sieve the dried ingredients together in a large bowl
4) Make a well in the flour and add most of the liquid. Mix to form a soft dough.
5) Turn out onto a floured surface and shape into a round. Cut a cross on top 6) Place on a baking sheet and put into the oven, baking for 30 mins or until cooked
I've been remiss in keeping this blog going over the last month or two, what with the Christmas and New Year period, my cousins wedding (congrats again Heather and Ciarán) and a general whirlwind of work and exercise blitz in order to lose the Xmas pounds, laziness set in and I stopped writing . But, now back from a week in Rome, I'm rejuvenated (well, at least until I go back to work) and inspired. I've always liked Italian cooking, and incorporated many of the basics into everyday cookery. Anyone who knows me, knows I've a bit of a problem with garlic. In my opinion, you can NEVER have enough garlic. Ever. Period. This doesn't always work in favour of my love life (who likes garlic breath?) but if you can't handle the garlic addiction, then I guess you're not for me.
Apart from garlic, basil, oregano, thyme, tomatoes (cooked) parmasean and all types of cured hams were a store cupboard staple. I'd never been the biggest fan of pasta, mainly because of it's tendency to bloat (and the Irish obsession of adding cream to every sauce that isn't tomato based) but after my trip I've learned a few things..both about food and Roman life in general.
So, if you're ever going to spend any time in Rome, here are some tips and observations picked up by a sunburnt Irish girl abroad. 1) Rome is fabulous. (this doesn't need explanation, if you've been you'll understand, if not, book your flights now!) 2) Rome is the most policed city in Europe. Apart from the carabinieri, you have the city of Rome police, the Vatican police, Swiss guards, the army who wear navy uniform, the army who wear camouflage uniform, the army who get to wear Napoleonic hats, secret police and finally (though not strictly police) the numerous security guards on every shop and building. Funnily enough they don't seem to have traffic wardens.
3) Which brings me neatly to point number three..Driving. It's an art from and a necessary survival skill in Rome. The grace of taxi drivers swerving in and out of lanes, avoiding buses and pedestrians is an sight to behold..just don't stand around in the road to watch it. Also..crossing the road is a bit like taking your life in your hands..not quite as bad as Sicily, but still terrifying on your first day, there are no hard and fast rules. You may be on a pedestrian crossing and a car will still shoot right up to within an inch of your legs, you have a pedestrain crossing with lights..that doesn't give you protection either, a scooter will shoot of a side lane and graze your backside as it skirts dangerously close to you. TIP: hold your head up high, step right onto the road and walk it like a cat walk.
4) Taxis in Rome are funny old things. Relatively good value after a long day traipsing around historical site, beware of where you pick one up. I'm sure they're meant to have a set rate, but sometimes there will be a rouge one outside a popular momument that will trip you off. Also, 90's Britpop is huge with taxis in Rome. I don't think I've head All Saints so much since 1999. 5) Priest like to window shop. Except its not for what you or I might shop for. But things like vestments, crucifixs and alter wine. One of the biggest photo regrets I have is not to have taken a picture of the seven or eight priests and monks checking out the newest chalice in a shop window
6) DO NOT EAT IN RESTAURANTS WHERE THE MENU IS IN ENGLISH. This goes for pretty much any country. If the locals won't eat there, neither will I. (plus they also tend to be poor quality, over-priced, reheated rubbish) 7) DO NOT EAT OUTSIDE. by this I mean, if you stop for a coffee/beer/wine, order inside at the counter and wait for it to be served. Then take a seat inside the cafe. If you sit outside, you will be paying for the service. Usually at least double the price. Yes, you will most likely be serve some kind of antipasto or nibbles but if your watching the pennies/ literally only want a drink then do like the locals and go inside (plus, most places have air conditioning so your not going to roast)
8)Italians don't seem to dress salads before they come to your table. They leave you to your own devices with the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. I don't really like it, but when in Rome.
9) L'etto on menus means per hundred grams - useful info to know when you're ordering meat. 10) Order cappuccino in the morning, and never after midday. The look of scorn and derision you'll get just isn't worth it.
11) The Roman populace consider 18-20 degrees cold. Or at least it would appear that way. Wrapped up in layers of (admittedly stylish) clothing, enough for a poplar explorer, they couldn't understand why an Irish girl was wearing sun dresses every day.
12) Don't get caught out by the new hotel tax. Its two euro per day, per person and has to be paid in cash. 13) A lot of places outside of the tourist centre don't display menu's outside, don't be put off, this doesn't mean that they're trying to hid awful food - also, side dishes are ordered separately. To the Irish mind at least, this is unusual, as even in the most upmarket of restaurants you're given veg with your main. When you order saltimbucco in Rome, that's exactly what you get, Veal. Nothing else.
14) For those of you with Tinder..check it out. You won't be disappointed.
15)Pinot Grigio for some reason tastes completely different from the variety you get at home. And different in a good way. Usually I'm a red wine girl but give me a glass or two of that any time.
16) Supermarkets don't seem to really exist in Rome, bar the odd Spar. People still seem to shop at their local butchers/delis and with good reason. The prices might be expensive, but the quality is second to none. 17) Italian men are ridiculously stylish. I've never seen so many well dressed men in my life. This must be down to the plethora of men's clothing shops all over the city. Much more so than womans. Even my father who usually has to be dragged into a shop every two years was starting to get interested in fashion. Another week and he'd have been buying couture.
18) It is a must to visit a food market. It would make you despair about the quality of fresh fruit and veg here in Ireland. Yes, I know, we don't have the weather to grown all year around but it really does put the limp supermarket cabbage to shame.
19) Don't even try to figure out the bus system. It's not worth the hassle. 20) And finally,a restaurant recommendation. La Familia, on Via Gaeta near the Termini is a hidden gem. Down a side street, bursting at the seem with locals, the quality, variety and service to too notch. And in case you're worried about taking a recommendation for a random internet person, this restaurant comes recommended by Paulo Tulio, Irish Italy chef, restaurateur and food critic. It's his go to place in Rome and you can see why.
Now, after all that a recipe. After I arrived home I was feeling inspired (and hungry - a Ryanair flight that was delayed and had no food on board meant I hurtled back to the rain of Ireland tired and ravenous) This recipe was an amalgamation of Italian flavours which you probably will have in your cupboards. The only things I had to buy was the chicken and mushrooms. you will need: 3 chicken fillets, chopped 150g mushrooms - halved 300ml of passata (or a tin of chopped tomatoes) dried basil, thyme, oregano and paprika 2 tsp of fig chutney 1 glass of red wine 1 tbsp of balsamic vinegar for the bruschetta: 6 slices of medium cut ciabatta pesto fat garlic clove cut in half olive oil Mozzarella sliced thinly small amount of Gorgonzola , crumbled Method: 1) Preheat the oven to Gas 6 2)Heat some oil over a medium heat and toss in the chicken. Cook until golden brown, add a 1/4tsp basil, smoked paprika, oregano to the pan and toss to coat. Take off the heat. 3) In a small sauce add the rest of the ingredients (not the mushrooms). Bring to the boil and let simmer for about 10 mins until slightly reduced. 4) Put the chicken into an oven proof dish, cover with the sauce and add the mushrooms. Put in the oven to cook for about 30 minutes. To make the bruschetta 1) Heat the grill to high. 2) drizzle olive oil into the slices of bread 3) Grill until golden brown. 4) Remove, let cool for a minute or two, then rub each slice with a piece of the garlic. 5) Smear on some of the pesto 6) Put a slice of mozzarella and some of the crumbled Gorgonzola on each slice. 7) Put under the grill again until the cheese has melted. 8) Drizzle with some balsamic vinegar Serve the chicken with the sauce and the bruschetta on the side. A taste of Italy on these cold,wet Irish spring evenings.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
