A First Class Recipe

A First Class Recipe

Listen to the Chicken, I mean Chef. 

Mouth-watering pancakes are famous worldwide. I know my family finds them irresistible. They are also so easy to cook, even if you burn everything. The ingredients can be found in any cook’s cupboard. Some have been there for years, so this would be a good time for you to use the flour. Just watch out for mould. Having said that, if you do find the flour is years old, you can find new ingredients in the local supermarket or village. They are crying out to sell their flour and eggs. But usually, they are on tap in your cupboards. They do not really need a special visit to the supermarket or local shop.

This delicious food recipe originated in prehistoric societies worldwide.

The preparation and cooking utensils are easy to obtain and use without any mind-boggling fuss that raises the heartbeat and sends the pulses racing. We don’t want to get doctors and surgeons involved if we can help it.

As I said, all you have to do is retrieve the ingredients that are usually hiding in your kitchen cupboard. Then you can easily access a pan and a grid or just switch on your oven.

A pinafore might be a good idea because of the flour. And, if you have today’s fashion of waist-length hair, you can just put your hair up in an elastic band. But, of course, if you are male, then you can just brush it back; having said that, I have seen quite a few males with shoulder length and longer hair. And why not? They look lovely with their beards as well. So, it is up to you. I mean, it’s nature’s way of keeping us warm. Not me; I’m female, but I do have hair but not a beard, or hair on my chest. Thank goodness.

 But apart from these little tips, it is so easy to produce a pancake. No fuss or bother. The joy of this recipe is that all you need is flour, eggs, milk, and your favourite cooking oil. I use olive oil unless it is rancid, then I do throw it out. You don’t want to poison your family even though you may have been rowing. Olive oil does damage the taste somewhat. But the joy of this recipe is they can be made just from flour, sugar, oil, and fruits. I think that is a repetition, but better to be safe than sorry. It’s just like leaving the pancake in the oven while you take the dog for a five-mile walk. Easily done, though you should warn the Fire Service. But leaving it in the oven for some time does have its advantages; the dog is healthy with the extra exercise. So really, it is something to think about.

But, I am getting away from the subject. The shape of the pancake is usually round unless you like cutting out patterns in the batter, which is almost impossible; if it is runny and only becomes solid after cooking. I find it is off-putting as I have yet been unable to cut patterns in a runny batter. But of course, once the batter is cooked, you will have more joy with cutting patterns in it. It won’t run away, you see.

The pancake can also have differences. Some are fluffy or thin and flat. Again, not much choice, but even then, fluffy ones are flat. They are all a quarter of an inch in depth. To help out here, I have never seen a runny batter with holes cut in it.

Oh, and one more thing, it is exciting to know you can have a potato pancake. I think the French call them pancakes or crepes.

But now, for the really exciting tip, you can choose chocolate or cheese. If you have a special taste, you can put the chocolate and the cheese together in just one pancake!! And wait for it; you can then cover the cheese and the chocolate in strawberry jam. As you can imagine, the pancake can be cooked in so many ways with so many ingredients. I even know one friend who uses seaweed and then coats that delicious ingredient in red jelly. Scrumptious.

Happy eating!


I do hope you enjoyed this post, and that it induced crazy snorting laughter … or at least a glimmer of a smile. Feel free to check out my many other blog posts on WordPress as well as my large collection of novels on Amazon. My books cover a number of genres, such as Regency Romance, Science Fiction, Crime Horror, and fantasy. I am sure you will find something you like. Please click on the link below to visit my US Amazon author page (or search for other regions).

I Just Adore Chocolate Eclairs: Recipe!

Mmmm ,,, chocolate eclairs!

I have always loved cooking choux pastry. It is so easy to do and can be done using just one saucepan.,

I always had flour and eggs in my kitchen cupboards. So, it was so easy just to whip up the choux pastry for profiteroles. This was a delicious treat for my two sons when they arrived home from school.  I also enjoyed the eclairs, but my waistline didn’t. So I just had one profiterole for myself without the cream while they tucked in.

I am always fascinated as to the origins of particular cakes and pastries. On looking up the history of profiteroles, I discovered two interesting facts. The first is, many historians surmise the choux pastry per se dates back to the Italian cook Pantanelli. This particular chef worked for Queen Catherine de Medici of the late 16th century.

 However, the crème puff choux pastry was perfected by a French Chef, Antonin Careme. The pastry is used for those mouthwatering  Profiteroles.

 One interesting point is the name of this scrumptious pastry originates from the French word ‘choux’ for cabbage because of the cream-filled puffs’ shape.

So enjoy using this very simple recipe for delicious pastries.


RECIPE FOR CHOUX PASTRY & CHOCOLATE ECLAIRS.

Ingredients

60 grams/2 oz of plain flour

50 grams/1.7 oz of butter

150ml/¼ pint of water.

2 beaten eggs

Method

1, Sift salt and flour together.

2. Put water into the saucepan and add butter – slowly melt these two ingredients and then bring to the boil.

Switch off the heat and pour the flour into the mixture of water, flour and beaten eggs.

Stir until the mixture becomes a soft ball. Cool slightly by removing from heat. Add the beaten eggs beating briskly until the mixture is firm enough to form soft peaks as you lift with a spoon.

Shape as you wish. I used the shape for chocolate eclairs.

Bake in over mark 6 , 400 f /200 c for 10 minutes. After that, increase the heat to gas mark 7, 425 f /220 C and bake for another 15-20 minutes.

When baked, pierce the pastry to release any steam.

Coat with melted chocolate, and when hardened, fill with whipped double cream to your taste.

I DO HOPE YOU ENJOY THEM.


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The Duke of Medhampton invited Lady Lydia Fowler and Lady Olivia Faversham and their families to a week-long round of festivities. It would be an exciting week of hunting, with dancing and soirees in the evenings. As it was the beginning of the Summer Season, the guests would include an influx of debutantes with handsome dowries and suiters with suitable titles.
On the first morning of their stay, to Lady Lydia’s horror, she discovers her dear friend Lady Olivia brutally murdered in her bed. Lord Sebastian Elton, the fiancé of the slain young woman, is distraught. Overcome with grief, he vows to find and kill the fiend who took the life of his beloved Olivia.


I hope you enjoyed this post. If so, then check out my other many posts or my website:

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Welsh Cakes: A simple yet delicious family favourite.

Welsh cakes are a traditional food for the Welsh.  They are a quite simple sweet flatbread baked on a griddle. Below I offer you the Welsh Cakes recipe that I use.

Welsh Cakes Recipe
Scrumptious little Welsh cakes

They are practical and so delicious. The small round flat cakes gained popularity in the nineteenth century when used as a food supplement for the miners in the coal pits. They were easily wrapped and carried by the miners in their lunch tins. Along with the homecooked meat and fish pies in rich pastry, these delicious fruited cakes were a treat for the miners during their long hours working underground. The cakes were thickly spread with fresh butter and helped fill a hungry miner’s stomach.

A Family Favorite

This recipe has always been a favourite in my family.  The grandchildren also love them. Spread the cakes with fresh butter and eat them warm. You can even add jam/jelly or honey for a sweeter treat.

Using a griddle or bakestone, cook the cakes for about three minutes on each side. If you do not have a griddle or a bakestone, use your frying pan or oven. Keep an eye on the cakes and test for firmness. They should be a light golden colour.

Recipe for Welsh Cakes

230 mgs/8 ounces of self-raising flour

115 mgs/4 ounces of fresh butter, room temperature

2 dessert spoons of currants or other chopped dried fruit to your liking (you can add optional spoon of sugar).

1 fresh egg.

Instructions

  1. Rub the butter into the flour until you get a crumb texture.
  2. Add the dried fruit and sugar, and then gently stir in the egg.
  3. Mix the ingredients and form a ball of dough.
  4. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to about 5mm/1/4 inch thick.
  5. Cut into rounds using a pastry cutter, or the lip of an average mug if you don’t have a cutter.
  6. Butter a frying pan, griddle or bakestone and get the baking surface hot. Cook the dough rounds on the surface for roughly 2-3 minutes each side (eyeball this).
  7. Remove from the pan.

Some people like to coat the cooked cakes with sugar, but I prefer not to.


If you enjoy Regency Romance with Time Travel, take a look at The Price of Love.

Available at Amazon:   US and UK

This book is also available to Kindle Unlimited members.

Please take some time to visit my website, where you will find a gallery of my art and photos, contact details, and details about the many books I have written.

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