weezl and friends Phase 4 - recipe testing christmas treats!

Lesley_Gaye

Hi all, well WI AGM lunch yesterday was very good. My friend and fellow caterer on the committee did a rich bolognese style sauce, which we had with pasta and salads.

I did a pud called Darkest Ginger Chocolate Pudding. It is a ginger biscuit base, then on top you mix half 70% choc with milk choc, stir in some ginger wine and rum, some fromage frais and double cream and chopped preserved ginger and some ginger syrup from the jar, then leave to set. We served tiny slices of it with 3 slices of kiwi and a little spoon of cream.

When it was served, it went very quiet as everyone tucked in and soft mmmming noises were heard, several people asked for the recipe, which is always gratifying. I even did a dairy free version for 2 members who can't tolerate lactose. It is a completely irresistable concoction.

I really shouldn't eat it for all sorts of reasons, including that the caffeine in it meant I couldn't sleep at all and finally got up at 3am until 6am, then went to bed for a few hours and manged to sleep, so will be ok today now

we're having spicy parsnip soup for lunch with HM rolls made using cheapy flour, only 2p each. Then tonight, we're having the smoked salmon pasta but with bacon instead of salmon, and poss 80g pasta, rather than 100g and maybe a few veg

what are you guys having

Boodle

Hi all Thanks for the thoughts for my girls x LIttle on'es rash is calming with each flare but eldest's chick pox seems to be lasting ages and poor thing just doesn't know where to put herself.

Will keep checking in when I can x

That pud sounds delish Lesley. I would be interested in the recipe for the dairy free version if you are able to share - would make a nice treat over the Xmas period perhaps

Lesley_Gaye

Base
175g ginger nuts, finely crushed
50g melted butter, or any fat you want to use

Top
2 x 200g bars plain choc (I tend to use half 70% and half CDM)
50g icing sugar
3 pieces stem ginger chopped very fine
plus 30ml of the stem ginger syrup
45ml dark rum (I used half ginger wine, half rum, but any alcohol would give it that nice hum. Or if it is for kids too, you might want to use milk)
200g fromage frais
142ml double cream, lightly whipped

plus 142ml double cream, lightly whipped to serve


oil the base and sides of a 20cm loose-based cake tin and line the bottom with greaseproof paper

melt the butter and stir into the ginger nut crumbs. Press firmly onto the base of the tin

melt the choc in a basin over warm water. Add the icing sugar, stem ginger and syrup, the alcohol or milk. Stir all together

When cool, beat in the fromage frais and fold in the whipped cream

pour it on the top of the ginger nut crumbs and leave to set

For the lactose free version, I substituted a dairy free chocolate from the health food shop and a dairy free soya cream, that was quite thick, for the fromage frais and double cream. I didn't add the icing sugar, as the choc I used was quite mild, and the soya cream was quite sweet. I used Vitalite in the base instead of butter.

The overall taste of the dairy free was almost identical to the original and the 2 ladies who had it soon made it disappear

this will make 8 portions, at the WI lunch, we cut it into 12 portions which was fine at lunch time. We served it with 3 slices of kiwi and a little spoon of cream, would go well with ice cream, maybe a ginger one
the instructions say it can be made up to 4 days in advance and that it will freeze

Allegra

We are having the CFR winter squash risotto tonight, made with HG BNS

Lesley_Gaye

Allegra wrote: »

We are having the CFR winter squash risotto tonight, made with HG BNS [/QUOT


we used to grow various types of pumpkin at our old house, but haven't at this one much, haven't found room yet

might be able to squeeze one in somewhere next year, you never know

shanks77

Ex is cooking again tonight so no dishes for me :j. We are having mince, tatties and skirlie so not a CFR recipe but been quite frugal making the mince last a few meals for a change.
Carrot cake is nomnom and doesnt really taste of carrots but is nice and sweet and i love the spices that are added to it. Aless is correct that the topping that you get on "shop bought" ones are great but you can make your own if you fancy. Let us know how you get on love hearing about peoples efforts

katkins78

Well I braved the wind and rain and pulled my twisty carrots. Followed the recipe faithfully..and...the carrot cake does not taste like carrots at all, but is lovely and raisiny and spicy and warming, just the thing for this time of year.
Admittedly I did find the taste of the garam masala a little strange to begin with but soon got over that! I am pretty sure I'll be making it again- although maybe I'll push the boat out and make some cream cheese frosting too.
Oh no, perhaps I'll make Lesley's chocolate and ginger pudding!
What a quandary!

Lesley_Gaye

heh heh, we'll get you into our evil cake making ways Katkins

my DP loves the carrot cake, we don't use the spice tho

soozywooz

Lesley_Gaye wrote: »

For the lactose free version, I substituted a dairy free chocolate from the health food shop and a dairy free soya cream, that was quite thick, for the fromage frais and double cream. I didn't add the icing sugar, as the choc I used was quite mild, and the soya cream was quite sweet. I used Vitalite in the base instead of butter.

Thanks so much for this, my son is dairy free and i am always looking for yummy recipes to do for him.

domesticgoddess789

Allegra wrote: »

We are having the CFR winter squash risotto tonight, made with HG BNS

I LOVE the winter squash risotto, Allegra. I have a couple of portions tucked away in the freezer for when I cannot be bothered to cook too