Hi Kim,
This isn't something I've tried, but I would say that pancakes are best made fresh. You could make earlier in the same day you plan to eat them, wrap in foil and then when ready to eat, remove foil and reheat on low heat in
the pan or oven. Hope this helps. Thanks,Debbie x

Hi Annemieke, apologies for the late reply. I hope you made the cake for your daughters birthday and that it turned out well. The sugar is a light brown soft sugar, packet says: natutal unrefined cane sugar. I hope this helps. Thanks, Debbie x

Hi Celeste, thanks so much for taking the time to leave your lovely comment. So glad you enjoyed the recipe 😊 Debbie x

Thanks so much for your lovely comment Jessie 😊 Debbie x

Hi Michael, thanks for your comment and good spot. My video is a little out of date and I didn't realise......apologies. experience of making this recipe has taught me that its better not to boil before hand. Hope this helps. Debbie x

Hi Shibani, I haven't tried with all purpose flour......I don't believe its something we have here in the UK. However, I think it should be OK to replace one with the other. Let me know how it turns out. Debbie x

I want to use all purpose flour for the dough instead of bread flour. Would this work as well?

Hi Sandy, sorry to hear this. I am based in the UK so measure in grams. The conversion to cups is just a guide to give you an idea of the equivalent amount in cups. So for 0.63 cups you could assume this is about 2/3 of a cup.i hope you revisit and give the recipe a try. Debbie x

Thanks for your lovely comment Jennifer. Spicy Italian sausage sounds like a great addition.....I'll have to give this a go myself 😋 Debbie x

thank you so much! I will try making it this week 🙂

Hi Rona,
Thanks for getting in touch. Yes you can replace with brown or white sugar. The colour of the chutney maybe slightly different as this will depend on the colour of the sugar. Hope you are able to have a go at making some. Enjoy! Debbie x

Hello, yes you can replace with white sugar. The chutney will be the same but maybe slightly lighter in colour. Hope you enjoy it 😁 Debbie x

Hi Kev, no problem, I hope you've managed to get the amount you wanted. Let me know if you make the curry with it and how it turns out 😊, Debbie x

Hi Kev, glad to hear you enjoyed the paste. I do hope you've hot around to making some yummy curry with it. If you check the video for this post you see that amount of ingredients more than filled a small 110ml jar, which I estimated to be about 6 tablespoons. But to be super clear it is around 110ml worth of paste, depending on how much water you add. Hope this helps. Thanks, Debbie

Hi, enjoyed making up this masala paste, but at the end of the instructions it states that it should yield approximately 6 tablespoons of paste, however obviously there is realistically much less, possibly 2 tablespoons going by the recipe above it?
Unless I'm missing something, which of course is quite likely! But I would ask if you could correct me on this please, many thanks.
PS looking forward to the tikka masala link

For a crumbly crumble, I'd recommend mixing the sugar in to the crumble mixture and doing equally quantities of butter and flour.

Hi Stephanie, yes you can freeze. Just allow leftovers to cool fully before transferring to container with lid. Freeze for up to 3 months. Before reheating defrost thoroughly then transfer to a pan and gently heat until piping hot throughout. Hope this helps. Thanks, Debbie

Hi Wesley, I first made this recipe as an alternative to Chipotle sauce as it was a while ago when I couldn't get hold of any Chipotle myself. However, as this is now easy to buy online the recipe may need updating but perfectly OK to add this in yourself if you wish and reduce some of the fresh chilli already in the recipe. Many thanks, Debbie

Hi Annice, so pleased to hear you enjoyed the parkin recipe, it's one of my favourites 😊 Debbie x

Hi Leigh, sorry that the ads were an annoyance for you. I do understand that this may be frustrating however, I try to minimise ads whereever possible and without them I cannot make an income, which ultimately means that I can't keep producing recipes for this site. I hope you visit again and understand the need for advertisements on a site where recipes are free to access. Many thanks, Debbie x

Hi Ashley, so pleased to hear that this turned out well for you. Addition of prawns sounds like a great idea. Calories are per person yes. Let me know if you try with prawns 😊 Debbie x

Hi Julia, thanks for taking the time to comment, so pleased to hear you enjoyed the recipe 😀 Debbie x

Thanks for your comment Kiyah, glad you enjoyed the recipe 😀 Debbie x

Hi Rachel
I've just popped my cakes into the oven and like you my mixture was quite wet. How did your cake turn out (if you can remember!) Did you need to leave it in longer? Thanks.

Hello! Do you think it would be possible to make a sugar free version of this using natural alternatives? I want to make something for my daughter's 1st birthday that she can have a small taste of. I am an absolute novice at baking I might add!

Just out of curiosity, 833 calories per person? Or total?

Thanks 👌🏼

Hi Mr Dewale, so pleased to hear you made your parkin buns and that they worked out for you 👍🏻👏
Thanks for coming back and letting me know. Hope you continue to make them for your daughter ☺️ Debbie x

hi debbie ive made the parkin buns with your recipe ,just made.the buns it only takes 25 min in casees ,thanks

Hi Mr Dewale, thanks so much for your kind comment and question about baking parkin in bun cases. I haven't actually tried this myself so won't be able to give tried and tested advice. However, definitely give it a go.....I'd maybe try baking for 20 minutes at first and then check the buns by placing a skewer into the middle of one or two, if the skewer comes out clean then the buns are cooked if it appears that the buns are still gooey in the middle then return to the oven and check again every 10 minutes until the skewer comes out clean. I Hope this method works for you. Please do come back and let me know how you get on. Happy baking!! Debbie x

Thanks for taking the time to comment Rosemary. So glad you like the paste recipe 😀 Debbie x

Hi Zoe, yes per portion. Thanks, Debbie x

Hi Sophia, thanks for your feedback, sorry to hear that the flavours and level of spice weren't to your liking. May I suggest adding a couple of pinches of salt to the cooking water when cooking the lentils. Alternatively add more seasoning or spices to the dahl and taste until you're happy. You could also try adding in a stock cube. Level of spice is completely upto you and can be achieved with more or less chilli powder, chilli sauces or fresh 🌶. Hope this helps and I hope you give it another go. Let me know if you do! Thanks, Debbie x

Hi Zoe, yes nutritional info is per serving. Thanks Debbie x

Hi Donna, so pleased to hear that you and your husband enjoyed the soup and that you were able to adapt it to suit you 👍🏻😁 thanks for taking the time to leave a comment 😊 Debbie x

Thanks so much for your lovely comment. I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and found the tips useful. Debbie x

Hi Allison, glad you enjoyed the soup. Seasoning is always down to personal preference and yes cubes or stock will probably change the flavour slightly. I'd suggest trying and adding more seasoning if needed before serving.
Thanks so much for your comment, I hope you try the recipe again!! Thanks, Debbie x

Hi Madison, yes I usually cool, transfer to sealed containers and freeze for upto 3 months. Defrost in the fridge over night then reheat in a pan until piping hot throughout. Hope you enjoyed the recipe, thanks for your comment!! Debbie x

Hi Sue, like a Christmas cake these muffins should keep well for at least a month as long stored well in a dry, sealed container. Hope you enjoyed them!! Debbie x

The post contains useful info about making the recipe. However, if you want to skip this you can by clicking the jump to recipe button at the top of the page

How long will these keep please.

Thanks for taking the time to comment Lauren 😊 Glad to hear you enjoyed the soup!! Debbie xx

Oops, I see my question was answered already.

Hi Claire, yes I think that sounds like a great idea. I'd just fold in the almonds when you add the fruit. Hope you enjoy the cake! And Happy Christmas! 😊 🎄 Debbie x

Hi Caroline, thanks for your question. The best replacement for coconut milk in terms of consistency and flavour is cream. This can be a little heavy so you can also use yogurt or milk depending on your preferred taste. If using milk I would recommend adding flour (mix with a bit of water to make a paste before adding) as well, to help keep the sauce thick. Hope this helps, let me know how it turns out. Debbie x

Hi Deb, Thanks so much for your question. I havent actually tried this recipe with dried figs, so couldn't be sure of exact quantities or how it would turn out. However, I would go for less dried figs as they contain a higher amount of sugar and less moisture. So maybe around 300g. You may also want to reduce the amount of muscovado sugar added to the recipe so it's not overly sweet. Also I would suggest soaking the dried figs in warm water for a few minutes to help rehydrate and plump up before draining and adding to the chutney. Hope this helps, do let me know if this works out for you.

Hi Susan, yes you can certainly freeze any leftovers from this recipe. I'd usually choose to freeze in a microwave safe or oven proof dish for easy reheating. Defrost overnight before reheating and then rehest in microwave, oven or in a pan, stirring frequently until piping hot throughout. Hope this helps. Debbie x

I am definitely making it again this year !!!

Hi Louise, thanks for your comment. I haven't tried this recipe with self raising flour but I think it should work.....the texture may be slightly different but I wouldn't think it would ruin the cookies. If you do use self raising I would leave out the bicarb of soda. And yes salted butter and muscovado should be fine but just be aware that this will alter the flavour and the colour, but neither of these things are necessarily a bad thing. Do let me know how it goes and how your cookies turn out. Thanks 🙂 Debbie x

Hi Sue, thanks so much for your comment. Yes you can omit the alcohol without issue but you may want to wait to nearer Christmas before you make the cake as the alcohol does help to preserve. So maybe end of nov/beginning Dec. You can also use apple or orange juice as a replacement and feed the cake weekly with a couple of tablespoons of juice to help keep it moist. Hope this helps! Thanks, Debbie x

Thanks Vicki,and yes.....agree...Great idea from Emma 🙂

Thats so clever. Never thought of that.
And great recipe!

I cook but very seldom do I bake. This recipe is excellent . Easy to follow, loaded with important tips. My Tiramisu turned out perfect. My egg whites were not coming to stiff peaks ( I must have had some yolk in them) so I just separated some more eggs. I used Starbucks Italian roast instant packets and just added them to the Tia Maria. I can’t tell you how pleased I was with my final product! Everyone raved on about it being the best they had ever had and my guests were all recent visitors to Italy. Thank you so much for this thorough recipe,I am a man that cooks about 6 dishes really well. Desserts kind of scare me. I now have confidence to try other recipes on your site.I couldn’t find castor sugar so I put my regular sugar in the blender.I highly recommend this recipe for someone with little experience,simply read threw completely a couple of times.This is the best Tiramisu ever. Everyone asked for the recipe and said how authentic it was.

'Mixed spice' the name given to a sweet spice blend in the UK, and maybe other places too... cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and a bit of cloves usually, maybe some coriander too.

Thanks so much for all the helpful tips Joan. I'm sure others will find this extremely useful:-) Debbie x

Hi Maureen, thanks so much for your lovely comment. Mixed spice is a commercially prepared blend of sweet spices, usually including cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. I believe its similar to pumpkin pie spice in the USA. If in doubt just replace half with cinnamon and half with nutmeg. Thanks, Debbie x

While I do like to butter in the batter and of course spread on the fresh hot pancakes, I do not use it in my pan. The milk solids in the butter start to brown or burn and your pancakes will stick. Plain oil will help you get better results. Also, make sure your pan is properly heated before starting to cook the pancakes. I usually make my batter then let it rest while my pan heats. This allows the flour to absorb all the moisture. That way I can see if I need to add a splash of milk to thin the batter slightly.

When adding any desired extras like blueberries or chocolate chips, just sprinkle them directly onto your batter as soon as you’ve poured it into the pan. Things that are super juicy though should be put in the batter or I’ll make a compote to serve over the finished pancakes.
Stewed apples are a nice treat.

Hope these ideas help. Pancakes are super easy and delicious.

Thanks
Mystifiedme

Hi Sarah, I'm so sorry to hear that didn't find this recipe clear. For the paste its not really possible to only make 2 tablespoons, so the paste recipe is for making a small jars worth of paste (2 tablespoons worth just wouldn't be possible to place in a blender). Also a further tablespoon of paste is required for the main part of the masala recipe. If you look on the recipe for the paste you will note that I mention in several places that the recipe is for 6 tablespoons or 1 small 110ml jar. I also mention that the jar of paste can be kept in the fridge for up to one month once made, so if not using it all its easy to store the rest. The actual tikka masala recipe does state that its just 2 tablespoons to be used in the marinade and a further tablespoon to go into the main curry (this is stated in the recipe ingredients, the recipe method and in the step by step photo instructions in the main body of the post). I'm sorry if you missed this or felt it wasn't clear, but I have just checked and the recipe and post does state this.
I understand that you were confused about the two tablespoons of paste but if you could clarify what else you felt wasn't clear and I would be happy to amend to help you and other users in the future. I hope that you will try this recipe again - should you find that the instructions are clearer on a second attempt please do let me know and alter your star rating accordingly. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Debbie x

Hi Paula, thanks so much for leaving such a lovely comment. So pleased to hear that you get so much use out of this recipe. I also add meat to it to get my husband to eat it 😂 usually leftover shredded chicken and it always goes down a treat. Hope you continue to enjoy it!! Debbie x

Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment Marilyn. So pleased to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and made it your own 😃 Debbie x

Hi Andrew! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment, glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe 😀 Debbie x

Thanks so much for this detailed and helpful comment Marianne. So pleased to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and great that you've adapted and made it your own. Hope you continue to enjoy every Easter 😊😋 Debbie x

The first time I followed it to a tee, but we like a more traditional hot cross bun so skipped the chocolate chips and increased currants the second time. I also didn't make the chocolate sauce, but piped butter cream crosses on top.

Finally, I found that the dough was too sticky. The first time, I didn't add all the milk/butter because I could tell it was heading that way. They came out a tad dry. The second time, I added all the wet and then gradually added flour as I kneaded. They came out perfect.

Hi Silvi, Thanks so much for your comment. Yes this is mincemeat in this recipe. I usually use this type: https://amzn.to/3JSsB4y . To clarify mincemeat is a mixture of chopped dried fruits and sweet spices, which is used as a filling in dessert pies at Christmas. For clearer understanding please see the step by step photos of the recipe methods which you can find in the main body of the post. Or alternatively watch the video of the mince pies being made, which you can find in the recipe card here: https://properfoodie.com/cranberrymincepies/#recipe-video
I do hope this helps and that you get chance to have a go at making the mince pies. Thanks for visiting! Debbie x

Hi Jana, So pleased to hear that this turned out so well for you. And yes, freezing in cube moulds is a fantastic idea. Hope it gives you plenty of yummy curry meals 🙂 If you get chance I would be extremely grateful if you could add a star rating to your comment. Many thanks, Debbie x

I just eye balled the amounts and the paste and subsequently tikka masala curry turned out absolutely flipping amazing. I will be freezing the paste in stock cube moulds to have it at hand just like another person suggested here. Thank you very much!

Hello there , I wondered, is it realy mincemeat or is it something else and did not understand well. Thank you.Nice day.

So pleased to hear this Chris 🙂 glad you enjoyed it and thanks for commenting. Debbie x

Thanks so much! Glad you found it easy to understand 🙂 Debbie x

Hi Meggy, Thanks so much for the lovely comment. So pleased that you liked the soup and that the recipe worked well for you 🙂 Debbie x

Hi Meera, thanks for getting in touch. The cookies aren't overly sweet but the addition of chocolate chunks does make them sweeter. You could try with less chocolate or smaller chocolate chips. Reducing the actual sugar content could affect the bake of the cookies. So I wouldn't recommend this. Debbie x

Oh so pleased you and your husband both enjoyed the recipe 😋 thanks for the lovely feedback! Debbie x

Thanks so much for your lovely comment Margaret. So pleased to hear that the recipe worked for you, hope you enjoyed the mince pies! Debbie x

Heyy, can you please tell me how sweet the cookies turn out? And what happens if i want them less sweet, how can i reduce the sugar? Thank youu❤️

Hi Elora, So pleased to hear you are going to make this pumpkin soup - it really is delicious and perfect for the winter months! Yes you could definitely make this a day ahead. Once made leave to cool then transfer to sealable containers and chill in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to eat, reheat in a pan over a low heat until just simmering. Do not boil. Hope you enjoy it 🙂 Debbie x

Thanks so much for your comment Ian. So pleased to hear that you enjoyed the recipe and also added your own twist! Love mustard mash!! 😋 Debbie x

Hi Chris, I'd keep feeding every week right up until you ice it, so your cake stays nice and moist. The alcohol will also help to preserve your cake (as well as adding to the flavour). You could even fit in a extra feed just before you ice. Apricot jam is the traditional flavour to use with Christmas cake, but you can use any flavour you like, I'd always recommend using a smooth seedless jam so you don't get any lumps of bumps. The marzipan is optional but without you may not get as smooth a finish as theres one less layer between the fruit cake and icing. Also, the icing may discolour due to the dark coloured liquids and oils in the cake.......this usually takes a couple of weeks to occur though so shouldn't be a problem if you are icing within a week of Christmas. I hope this is helpful and I hope you enjoy your cake! Happy Christmas!! Debbie xx

Hi Debbie
I'm planning on icing my cake the weekend before Christmas, when should i stop feeding it?
Can I use any flavour of jam to help the icing to stick? Also can i leave out the marzipan layer?
Chris

Thank you for your reply

Hi Christine thanks for getting in touch. So pleased to hear you've made this Christmas cake. As you've made the smaller one you may just want to drizzle over 1 tbsp rather than 2, but I still recommend you do this once a week. The weekly feeding helps keep the cake moist. I do hope you enjoy the cake! And Happy Christmas for nearer the time 😀🎅 Debbie x

I really love Thai flavours as well! Theres always room in our weekly menu for a quick Thai curry 🙂 Hope you get chance to have a go at a Thai recipes soon! SO worth it 🙂

Thanks so much for your comment 🙂 I love to make my own paste as well, just can't beat the fresh flavour you get. Ah yes - simple is always the best 🙂

Thanks so much for the lovely comment. So glad to hear that you enjoyed the soup and I love the sound of your baby spinach substitution 😋 Debbie

Hi Becky, mixed spice is a blend of sweet spices usually including ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, ground coriander, caraway seeds and cloves. I believe pumpkin spice is a good alternative. Hope this helps! Thanks, Debbie

What spices are in “mixed spice?” Thanks! The recipe sounds delicious!

Hi Nicole, great to hear that you enjoyed the soup 🙂 its definitely one of my favourites. I can certainly look into working out the calories minus the bread for you. I'll get back to you with an answer as soon as I can. Thanks, Debbie

Hi Debbie!

I just made the Tuscan Ribbolita soup and it was delicious! Would you happen to know the calories per serving without bread? Thanks

Hi Brian, Yes I would add cabbage at the same time as you would for kale. Both will over cook if you add them too early, so loosing colour. Hope you enjoy the recipe. Thanks, Debbie

Hi Martin, Thanks for taking the time to visit my site and leave a comment. However, please do reread the recipe post and notes. You will see that I mention that the addition of flour is optional and to leave out if you prefer a thin consistency or if you are making gluten free version.The addition of flour is to my own preference as I like it a little thicker. The recipe notes also provide other options for thickening such as mixing with rice etc. I have tried to provide as much information as possible so that the reader can make this recipe as they would like it, including making to a thin consistency. As for flour clumping and adding an unwelcome taste.....yes this is the case if you add it directly and don't give it time to cook out. However, i suggest adding a bit of water and making into a paste before adding gradually and stirring until thickened (and therefore cooked out). Like all recipes everyone has their own slant and preference. I always add optional extras to my recipes in the hope that I will give people the opportunity to make the recipe in the way they prefer. AND I always state when these things are optional......as is the case here with the flour. I hope you do give the recipe a try and leave out the flour (as to your own taste). Debbie

Hi Ana, Thanks for your question. This recipe used ground ginger and mixed spice. Hope this helps and hope you enjoy the recipe.
Thanks, Debbie

Hi Chiamaka, thanks for your question! Just replace the almonds with the same amount of flour. If you want you could add a tsp of vanilla extract to make up the flavour that the almonds would have provided. Hope this helps and hope you give the recipe a try! Happy baking! Thanks, Debbie

Hi Ross, Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Sorry to hear this didn't work out for you. If you could please expand on your comment and let me know what went wrong or if there was something in particular you weren't sure about? I'd be happy to clarify. Theres also a video for this recipe. Please do have a look at this to see if it helps you out at all. Thanks so much for visiting. Hope you give the recipe another go. Debbie

Hi Taff, Thanks for your comment. Yes definitely keep an eye on the lamb and add more liquid if needed. 150C is a very low oven temp and so this should be low enough to not burn the lamb. But it is worth checking every hour or so. Give it a stir and pop in more water or stock if the gravy looks like its drying up. Thanks,

Debbie

Hi Dan, Thanks so much for getting in touch and letting me know that you like the recipe. Great to hear that you've been using it, the traffic to this page hasn't been that great so I felt that it needed an update. Hopefully the chimichurri recipe is now improved and the recipe instructions are easier to follow. However, I do appreciate that you were happy with the older recipe and so you can use the link below to access the older version:
Original Steak and Chimichurri recipe 2016 (please feel free to download and save this so you always have a copy).
Hope this helps and that you continue to make and enjoy the recipe 🙂
Debbie

Duude! thanks for the info on Irish coffee. Please note that this recipe is 'Baileys Coffee'. This is clearly stated in the title and throughout the post.
Debbie

So glad to hear you tried and enjoyed this recipe 🙂
Debbie

Hi Dani,

Thanks for your question. I haven't actually tried this in the pressure cooker. However, if you want to try it I would suggest cooking the filling on the stew setting of a pressure cooker for 30 minutes. Let me know how it turns out if you do give it a go 🙂

Thanks, Debbie

Hi Debbie,

Great to hear you enjoyed the chicken and leek recipe. I imagine mixing some tagliatelle in the sauce would work really well, although i haven't tried this. I also have a creamy mushroom pasta recipe - you could try this and add cooked chicken?

Thanks for trying out my recipe - let me know if you make the mushroom pasta 🙂

Debbie

Hi Kelly,
Thanks for your question. Yes you could definitely replace the garlic clove with garlic paste, this shouldn't make any difference. However, for the coriander the recipe already uses 1 tsp of dried coriander, the fresh was just to add extra flavour and a hint of green to the paste. If you don't have any fresh coriander to hand then I would just leave it out completely. Replacing with more dried coriander would be too overpowering and wouldn't have the same flavour as fresh.

In terms of portions, I recommending using 3 tsp of tikka paste when making a tikka masala curry for 4 people. 1 small jar should therefore be enough to make 4 batches of curry (each batch serving 4 people).

Hope this helps and makes sense. Any further questions please do let me know 🙂
Thanks,

Debbie

Hi Simon, Thanks for your comment and for pointing this out. This was a error that has now been corrected. This recipe does not use nutmeg, ginger, peel, currants or chocolate, but instead uses mixed spice and sultanas (amounts are listed for these). Of course you could use the former if you wished. The following linked recipe, which uses the same dough, does include these ingredients: https://properfoodie.com/mini-hot-cross-bun-tear-and-share/
For ease I have listed the amounts I would use in replacement of mixed spice and sultanas if you wished to do this:

This recipe: 2 tsp mixed spice and 150g sultanas
Substitute with: 1 tsp mixed spice, ½ tsp ground nutmeg,½ tsp ground ginger, 50 g dried mixed peel, 50 g currants, 70 g chocolate chunks/chips (add the mixed spice, nutmeg and ginger to the flour (dry ingredients). Add the peel, currants and chocolate to the dough after first prove (see above when sultanas are added).

Hope this makes sense. Let me know if you have any further questions. Hope you make the recipe and that you enjoy it 🙂
Thanks,

Debbie

Hi how many portions does one small jar use please? And could I use dried coriander and garlic paste instead of fresh?

Recipe looks good, but 'nutmeg, ginger, peel, currants and chocolate chunks (dry ingredients).' mentioned in instructiions but not in ingregients???

Can you suggest amounts please

Thanks

Hi Sandra! Thanks for your comment. I havent actually tried this recipe with dried figs, so couldn't be sure of exact quantities or how it would turn out. However, I would go for less dried figs as they contain a higher amount of sugar and less moisture. So maybe around 300g. You may also want to reduce the amount of muscovado sugar added to the recipe so it's not overly sweet. Also I would suggest soaking the dried figs in warm water for a few minutes to help rehydrate and plump up before draining and adding to the chutney. Hope this helps, do let me know if this works out for you. Debbie x

Hi Juliana, thanks for getting in touch - great to hear you're hoping to use this recipe in one of your classes. You could just use a masher to crush some of the cooked veggies and beans. The beans and carrots should mash up really well and still give that creamy texture. Hope this helps! Do let me know how it goes! 🙂 Debbie x

Hi Laura, thanks so much for your comment. Yes you could certainly cook the beef in a slow cooker instead. I would cook for at least 4 hours on high or at least 8 hours on low. Hope this helps. Let me know how ot turns out 🙂 thanks, Debbie x

Hi Cat, yes you can freeze this curry. Just wait until its fully cooled then pop in a sealable container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost on the side overnight or in the microwave then reheat over a low heat in a pan until piping hot throughout. Hope you enjoy it!
Debbie

Hi Elaine! Thanks for your comment. Yes this can be water bath processed if you prefer.
You can always check if jars are sealed properly by pressing the lid, - it wont depress further if sealed correctly.
Sealing can just be whilst the chutney is still hot and jars should be sealed immediately. As the chutney cools a vacuum will form, pulling the lid in nice and tight.

You can then check the lid - If it does depress and a seal hasn’t formed you will need to use a water bath to ensure proper processing. But you can just skip straight to the water bath if you prefer.

Hope this helps! Thanks,
Debbie x

Can this be water bath processed?

Thanks for your comment Taryn! Great to hear that you are enjoying cookies 🙂

Hi Jean and Gloria, mixed spice is a blend of Cinnamon, Coriander Seed, Nutmeg, Clove, Pimento, Ginger. its a ready mixed spice available in the UK:
If you aren't in the UK I would just replace this with a mixture of ground cinnamon and nutmeg. Hope this helps. Thanks, Debbie

Ditto that question, whatbis mixed spice?

Hi Nancy - so pleased to hear that you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment. Debbie

Hi Melinda,
Thanks so much for your comment and for notifying me of the inactive link. I've now replaced the link with some preserving guidelines from Riverford, which I hope will be useful.

I terms of this particular recipe the 400ml of vinegar and 350g of sugar should be enough to preserve the chutney for at least 6 months. This is assuming that both vinegars have an acetic acid content of at least 5% and that the chutney is brought to boiling point during cooking and kept there for 30 minutes. The chutney should also be transferred to sterilised jars whilst it is still hot and jars should be sealed immediately. As the chutney cools a vacuum will form, pulling the lid in nice and tight. You can check this by pressing on the lid to make sure it doesn't depress any further. If it does depress and a seal hasn't formed you will need to use a water bath to ensure proper processing or alternatively store in the fridge for 4-6 weeks.

Once opened, after proper sealing, refrigerate and eat within 1 month.

Thanks so much for stopping by and taking a the time to leave a comment. I do hope you make and enjoy the chutney - let me know 🙂

Debbie

Thank you for your quick reply. I happen to have both in my pantry at the moment, now no excuse for not making them.

Hi Josephine, this recipe uses golden syrup but maple would also work.
Hope you enjoy the recipe!!

Hi Amrita! I use golden syrup. Hope this helps. Debbie

Thanks for your comment Pat - great to hear that you enjoyed the recipe:-)

Thanks so much katerina 🥰

In that case id definitely try just blending it for longer and not straining it. If you have a sieve with really tight netting you will end up with alot of the soup getting stuck - the idea is to smooth not to take away or to thin. But blending for longer would do the same job. I think originally I was just trying to eliminate any stringy, fibrous bits of celery - but this could also be achieved by lightly peeling the celery beforehand. Hope you give it another go as it's really fantastic if you get the right consistancy 🙂 thanks!! Debbie x

Thanks Debbie i enjoyed the soup. My elderly mother, a Cordon Bleu cook back in her day thought by straining i was wasting the soup, making it too thin. She is a farmhouse kitchen kind of a cook. I enjoyed the soup but it was a little to thin, like a consomme or Brown Windsor. On the other hand it was flavoursome, and the mistakes are all mine.
Thanks again, Justin.

Hi Justin, thanks for your comment, I do hope you enjoyed the soup. The remains can just be thrown away or added to your food compost. Sieving is optional and isn't really necessary. Sieving will just provide a super smooth consistency but will obviously result in some waste and some loss of some of the more fibrous bits of the veg. I would suggest blending the soup for as long as possible (at least 5 minutes on high), which will provide a really smooth soup anyway. And if you do sieve it after this, most of the soup should pass through, leaving minimal waste. Thanks so much for stopping by. Debbie x

Hi Kathleen, So great to hear that you enjoyed the sweet potato burger recipe 🙂 Thanks for the comment, Debbie x

Thanks for your comment Glenda! Pleased to hear that you enjoyed the recipe! Debbie x

Hi Emma! Thanks so much for your comment - so pleased to hear that you are enjoying the paste. Freezing in an ice cube tray is a great idea 🙂 Debbie x

Hi Julie, thanks for your comment - did you mean to leave this under a particular recipe? If you want to let me know which one? Tarragon is quite sweet with an aniseed flavour so fresh fennel or fennel seed would be a good substitute, but this is quite a strong flavour so maybe use half as much. Or if you want to keep the green fresh look you could try basil - and still get the sweet flavour.
I love chestnut mushrooms and use these in place of standard mushrooms all the time. However, the above does depend on which recipe you're making. Do get back to me. Thanks 🙂
Debbie x

Hi Julie, Thanks for stopping by and for sharing - sounds fabulous - I'll definitely have to try it out this way 🙂 I do love a proper cheese sauce though 🙂 Debbie x

Hi Chinazor, thanks so much for your comment. Yes definitely try reducing the cocoa if this wasnt to your taste. Cocoa is quite strong and dark so can be a bit over powering. Just replace the amount of cocoa you remove with the same amount of flour. Reducing sugar can affect the texture of a bake and less sugar can also mean a dryer cake. However, you could try replacing some of the sugar with ground almonds, which will help with the texture and the taste. Do let me know how it goes! And thanks so much for giving the recipe a try 🙂 Debbie x

Can i leave out the cocoa powder and maybe cut down on the sugar? It makes my muffins bitter.

Hi Debbie,

Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment. So great to hear that you and your husband have enjoyed the soup. I've actually added leftover chicken to this soup before and that seems to work well - so you could maybe try that next time 🙂 Hope this will now make a regular appearance on your dinner table 🙂 Debbie x

Hi there, thanks for your comment. I usually leave the skin on as its easier and quicker and means that theres still chunks of apple in the finished chutney. With the skin off the apple would break up and spread throughout the chutney - so just depends on your taste and if you would prefer chunky chutney (skin on) or smoother chutney (skin off) - hope this helps and that you enjoy the chutney! Thanks, Debbie

So pleased you like it Natasha! 🙂 Hope you enjoy the cake!! Have a lovely Christmas!! Debbie x

Hi Sierra,
Thanks for your comment! Great to hear you will be trying this out next week. It's one of my favourite soup recipes!!
I have added chicken to this recipe before and it worked really well. It's usually leftover chicken from a roast that I use - so i just shred the cooked meat and add at the end to heat through before serving. Sausage meat also sounds like a great idea though and i imagine definitely worth a go. Let me know if you do add a meat and how it goes hope you enjoy it:-)
Debbie

That’s great, thank you!

Hi Katie! Thanks so much for your comment - it's a good point and I should make this clearer above. I usually use the small 110ml jars and this recipe fills about 10 of those. If you have larger, standard size jars it will probably fill around 6 of these. I've made this chutney for Christmas gifts a few times and always love giving them out 🙂 thanks!! Debbie

I do also have a beetroot hummus recipe if you're a fan of hummus: https://properfoodie.com/beetroot-hummus/

Hi Glyn, thanks for your message. I dont currently have beet or parsnip soup recipes on properfoodie but happy to suggest a few ideas. For parsnip I'd peel and slice parsnips into chunks, drizzle with oil and roast for half an hour. In a pan sweat down chopped onion and garlic, add the roast parsnip and if you want a curry or spicy soup add in 2 tsp of curry powder or 1tsp of cumin and 1 tsp of ground coriander. then add enough stock to cover the ingredients and simmer for 5 mins.Then use a hand blender or transfer to a blender and blitz until smooth. Taste and add salt if needed. Add a dash of cream for a creamy version.
Beetroot soup - trim beets and chop into small cubes. In a pan, fry onions and garlic in oil until soft, add beetroot and continue to cook for 5 minutes. Cover with stock and simmer for 20 minutes or until beetroot is tender. Blitz until smooth in blender. Taste and season.
Tip: when blending add the chunky bits then add the stick gradually until you're happy with the consistancy.
Both soups will also work well with potato added or apple added. And for extra flavour you can also add chopped carrot and chopped celery when frying the onions. Beetroot is also great served with a bit of horseradish. Hope this helps!!
Debbie

Hi Leigh! Thanks so much for your comment. I usually use the 110ml jars for storing my chutneys and this recipe usually fills around 10 of these. So if you are using bigger jars I imagine it would fill around 5. Hope this helps and that you enjoy the recipe!! Debbie x

Thanks supriya!! Hope you do get chance to give them a go and that you enjoy them! Do let me know 🙂
Debbie x

Hi Jamie,

No sorry - this recipe was before I was making videos. I may get around to making videos for older recipes at some point though.

Debbie

Hi Mary! Thanks for your comment, pleased to hear you like the look of this soup - it is a good one!! Yes theres around 1220mg of potassium per 820g serving.
If you scroll to the notes section under the recipe card you will see a blue link that says 'click here for traffic light nutritional info' this allows you to download a pdf of the detailed nutrients, including potassium. This is included on most of my recipes. Hope that's helps!! 🙂 thanks!! Debbie

Thanks Steven!! Hope you enjoy it 🙂

Omg I’m doing the same recipe!!! Hope it was good.

Hi Gail, thanks so much for your wonderful comment. So pleased to hear that you enjoy this recipe! Your beef wellington adaptation sounds amazing!! I'll have to give that a try myself 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment!
Debbie x

I use this recipe often to cook the lamb filling - so simple and absolutely delicious! After separating the meat and gravy (and cooling the meat completely) I wrap it into store bought puff pastry in a beef Wellington plaited style. I cant explain how amazing the dish is served with the heated gravy. 5 stars. Thank you!!!

Hi Shirley,
I hope you are having a lovely day. Apologies that you are having trouble with the printing. This seems to be working fine on my laptop. Could you let me know exactly what the issue is and I'll try and get this fixed for you. There should be 2 print buttons visible on each post. One is at the top of the post and the other is on the actual recipe card. What happens when you click either of these? You should get the printed version appearing?? Do let me know and if I can't sort it I would be happy to email you pdf versions of any of the recipes you are interested in.
Thanks so much for stopping by and I hope to hear from you soon.
Debbie

Thanks so much Keith! And welcome!! I hope you enjoy the recipes!! 🙂

Hi Petri! So pleased to hear you will be trying out this recipe! It's a good one and perfect for this time of year when peas are in season.
Yes I think your adaptions will work really well with this recipe, do let me know how it turns out 🙂 happy cooking!!
Debbie

Pro primo: due to budgetary constraints and failures in our balcony herb gardening again, I'm going to use mint instead of basil. Can't afford parmesan so shall use grana padano, which is not only cheaper, but also gentler. Will be different, but should be OK.

Pro secundo: in this kind of dishes, spaghetti is not ideal. I prefer fusilli and gnocchi.

Pro tertio: pasta should be cooked in ample water, for 350 grams I'd use 2 litres.

I'm really looking forward to my dinner!

Thanks so much for your lovely comment 🙂

Thanks Karly! It's definitely one of those recipes that's easier to explain with photos:-)

Hi Suzanne,
Thanks for getting in touch. Great question! I usually prepare these prawns in advance anyway. Cook them off then transfer to a container. Once they are fully cooled I cover the container then store in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When I'm ready to serve I usually put them in a hot oven, on a baking tray, for 5 minutes or back in the pan for 5 minutes until they are sizzling.
However, they would be perfectly fine to serve cold straight out of the fridge. Just make sure they are cooked properly in the first place, fully cooled before you put them in the fridge, and in the fridge for at least an hour before you serve. If you do reheat, make sure they are piping hot before serving. Hope this helps 🙂 Do let me know how they turn out when served cold 🙂
Thanks so much for stopping by!!

Debbie is it possible to serve these sticky honey glazed prawns cold. I wanted to do some nibbles that I could serve with cocktail sticks and these look delicious but would be easier if they were cold ....

So glad to hear that you enjoyed the soup Tilly! Its one of my favourites 😀

Hi Cassidy! Thanks so much for visiting! Hope you enjoy a change up to a red curry a little more often now 🙂 and so glad the information is of use to you!! 🤗🤗

oh yesss!! so glad it worked out and that you enjoyed it 🙂

Low and slow yes.....top tip! really enjoying the site my beef was best I have ever made thank you so much Leigh

Aww thanks Jacqui! Hope you managed to have a go at making this 😁

Thanks Corina 😀

Hi Leigh! Thanks so much for your comment. I usually cook the brisket for 4 hours and will check and baste it at around 2 hours. Depending on the level of stock I may also add a bit more water at the 2 hour point as well. But only if it's looking low. However, covering with a lid means that basting isnt essential.
Low and slow is the key here. Just keep cooking until the meat is ready to fall apart. Hope you enjoy it!! Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Hi! Thanks for your comment regarding the butternut squash soup. It's just 5 leaves, no stalks. Sage is a very strong flavour so you don't need very much, otherwise it will overpower the dish. Hope you enjoy!! 😀

Am confused as to how much sage to use.
Is it 5 leaves, roughly chopped (stalks removed)
OR
the leaves from 5 stalks (however many that may be)?

Thanks!

Hi Susan! Thanks so much for your comment - so pleased you like the look of the ragu!! Hope you get to give it a try! Ahhh yes - hob/stove - is it stove in America? And mince/ground. Noted!! I'll try to be more aware in future!! Thanks for pointing it out! To make it even more confusing we call mince pie filling mincemeat as well 😂

Thanks Corina!! Yes i love to have a good recipe ready for leftovers - And I am actually looking forward to there being plenty of leftovers because this is a particularly good soup 🙂

Thank you for your lovely comment midge- hope you get chance to give it a try 😁

Thank you Monika! Yes we did get quite giddy about picking all 3 of our apples 😂 and then making something with them 😁

Thanks Kat!!

Thanks Corina!! Yes I love that it's ok to have this for breakfast! Definitely one of my faves - might be a contender for Christmas day breakfast!!

Fig jam recipe now published: https://properfoodie.com/fig-jam/
🤗

Hi Doris, Thanks so much for your comment - I hope that you managed to make the chutney and that you are now enjoying it. Yes once the hot chutney is in the sterilised jars, screw the lids on immediately (i use marigold gloves to protect my hands from the heat). Then as the chutney cools a tight seal will form between the jar and lid. Once cooled you can check its fully sealed by pressing in the centre of the lid. If a tight vacuum seal has formed the lid shouldn't depress further. If it does depress then the seal hasn't formed, which means you will need to place in a water bath for shelf storage. Or keep in the fridge and use within 6 weeks. Hope this helps! FYI - I'm due to post a fig jam recipe this week, if you have any extra figs leftover 🙂 Thanks!

Debbie

Thanks so much Sammie!! So glad you stopped by to take a closer look! and yes - I agree - proper autumnal. Its a lovely one to make on drizzly, autumn sunday afternoon 🙂

Thank you Angela!! Yes I think Chocolate would have been my go too cake as well - accept, shockingly, my other half doesn't like chocolate cake!! Ridiculous I know. But it does mean I have to try come up with alternatives that are just as good 🙂

Thanks Rebecca - I do hope you get chance to make them - I agree - I love eating with my hands too!! 🙂

so pleased to hear this Midge - To be honest I think I prefer wraps as well 🙂

Thanks so much Jo - Can't believe its actually been a year 🙂 Still plenty to learn in the video area though :-S Yes - the cream is definitely 'the icing on the cake' 🙂 🙂

hahaha - yes - the humble banana needs its chance to shine 🙂 Thanks so much for you're lovely comment 🙂

Thanks so much for your lovely comment Jacqui - it is amazing how much you can learn and take on in just a year. Hope you do get chance to make this - Definitely one of my favourite desserts now 🙂

Hi Caz, Thanks so much for your kind comment - so glad to hear that you've made this soup and that you like it 🙂
In relation to the nutritional info - the info that was displayed was based on a previous nutrition calculator that I was using back in 2016. Since then I have created my own nutritional analysis calculator which is a lot more accurate and uses the UK McCance and Widdowson nutritional database. This soup was one of the recipes to still be updated with my new calculator. I have now updated this and have worked out the nutrients for both with and without toppings - I hope this helps. In the actual recipe displayed above shows the amounts without toppings. Above this recipe you will now see 2 links which will bring up the full nutritional analysis for both with and without toppings. I have assumed 20g of nuts and 25g feta per person. Please do let me know if you need any further information. Thanks so much for stopping by 🙂

Thanks Rebecca - oooh yes please do give it a go - let me know how it turns out 🙂 - I'd love to link to you version if it goes well

ahhh thanks so much Anca - Can't believe its been a year 🙂 Yes I quite agree - can't beat a bit of banana in your cake 🙂 unless its sticky toffee pudding - which is always amazing. Maybe a banana sticky toffee pudding should be next on my hit list 🙂

Thanks Cat - review is now up 🙂

hahah - i hope it works Michelle 🙂 Thanks so much!!

thanks so much Angela - squidgy dough is just the best isnt it 🙂

Thanks Corina - yes I agree - they aren't lasting long at all - a cake is the only answer 🙂 haha

Thanks Corina - yes it does make pizza night extra special when you've made it your self. Funnily enough I only like garlic bread and not pizza when I was a kid 🙂 - not the case now of course - funny how our taste buds change. But I did remember my childhood dislike when I was making this (thought I was a one off - haha) but because of this the recipe here also includes garlic bread and even garlic dough balls!! 🙂

Thanks Jacqui:-) Oh yes - definitely great for mid week - who doesn't love a quick and easy filling meal 🙂

Thanks Kat - really pretty isnt it 🙂

Thanks so much Jo - me too - always good when I know this is stock piled in my freezer 🙂

thanks for your lovely comment Alison - so glad to hear that this recipe has been helpful for you 🙂 And fab that its going in your recipe folder 😉 Great idea to use your coffee grinder!! Ive never thought to do that!! 🙂

Oh wow - how fabulous that you grew up on a farm - not jealous at all. A field full of peas sounds pretty ideallic too!! I also love them straight from the pod- so sweet and crunchy!! Thanks so much for stopping by Corina and as always thanks for hosting!!

Oh my goodness - - thank you for your kind words 😀 Really hope you get chance to give the skewers a go 🙂

Nothing wrong with cooking skewers inside - I think thats one of the great things about them - BBQ or Oven - they work a treat 🙂 Thanks Corina 🙂

Aww no way 🙂 They really are very handy products to have in the cupboard - especially when you're in a rush. All of the flavour and none of the panic 🙂 And thanks so much for your kind words about the photography - learning constantly 🙂

haha - I was quite pleased with chutney topping idea 🙂 Thanks so much Eb 🙂

Oh I really hope so Corina - although our fence at the side of the oven has just decided to fall down - so final finishing stages for the oven are now on hold 🙁 But hopefully we will get it all sorted before the end of summer. Yes - I also have a dangerous weakness for cheese sauce - I could have it every night 😀

Thanks Corina!! Yes Ive suddenly developed a need to start making beetroot hummus after not ever making any before, Homemade guacamole has also happen a few times recently 🙂

Thanks so much Corina! So glad that you enjoyed it, and thank you for all your hard work with #cookonceeattwice such a great link up and there's always so much variety 🤗👍🏻

Thanks so much Monika - and thanks for noticing the new look - took me a while (up until 4am one night!!!) the things we do eh 🙂

thanks Eb - yes one of those genius ideas that popped into my head in the shower 🙂 🙂 Best thinking time when I'm in the shower - hahaha

Thanks Cat! yes I really wanted to make the most of getting to add spices to bread 🙂

hahaha - thanks Rebecca. I know what you mean - this really didn't last long 🙂

Thanks Corina! Yep the chocolate sauce definitely 'had me at hello' as well 🙂

ahh thanks so much Helen - so glad you like the idea and that you think your kids would approve 🙂

Thanks Monika!! Highly recommend swinton!! Check secret escapes for deals!! X

Hi Sarah! Do you know I haven't - but that sounds like a great idea!! I'm not sure if the rice would fair ok though?? Freezing and reheating rice can be a bit risky!! But I have frozen just the shredded chicken mixed with the sauce - which makes things much quicker.Thanks so much for the suggestion though -definitely one to thing about.

Hi Christine!! oooh no thats not right!! Thanks so much for letting me know, I'll correct it now 🙂

Hi Melanie! Yes you can!! Keeps well in the freezer for at least 3 months 🙂

Hi Amanda!! ooh how exciting!! Congratulations 🙂
We absolutely loved our day at Torciano! and really can't recommend them enough. The wine tasting is absolutely worth it just on its own but add in the truffle hunting and the cookery course and it really is a very special experience. And if you're heading in that direction I highly recommend a quick look around the nearby towns: San Gimignano and Volterra - if you haven't already got these down 🙂
Have the best time!! xx

Amanda

Thank you so much 🤗

Thank Corina! Yes the whole breadcrumb, cumin, nigella combination was something that just happened - my original recipe was just the seeds - so glad I decided to try it with the breadcrumbs though 🙂 Completely agree that this can quite easily take the place of any comfort food 🙂 Thanks for hosting!!

aww Michelle - we're right there with you on the weather front - I'm near Manchester in the UK and winter can definitely drag on way into April. So glad that you like the look of this recipe though 🙂 Its one I make over and over again just because its so good and so quick 🙂

Thank you for your lovely comment Angela. Yes, well, I couldn't just make a plain old mince pie could pie 🙂

aww thanks so much for the fab comment Eb - so glad you like the look of these 🙂 I love frangipane too so I think all my mince pies will look like this from now on 🙂

haha - I'm hungry constantly looking through my own and other peoples food photos 😀 Thank you!!

Thanks Helen 🙂

Thank you Corina! Yes the biscuit addition was a last minute thought - so glad I added them though 🙂

Thanks Corina - oooh yes definitely a good one for a quick meal for a group of people - and to get the fridge cleared out as well 🙂

Thanks Kat - I'd highly recommend doing a pasta course - particularly if you happen to be in Italu!! So much fun 🙂

Aw thanks so much Kat - I was going for a festive, glowing look 🙂

Thanks Corina - I'm a massive fan of chutney so absolutely love making my own. Its so simple as well 🙂 I must get around to doing some jams at some point as well 🙂

Thanks so much Monika - and thanks for pinning. Yes cant wait to give mine out this year and see what people think 🙂

Thanks Jacqui - oooh that sound like a great night! I'm definitely going to have to do that!! 🙂

Thanks so much Corina! I do actually have a pasta machine but much prefer to use the rolling pin. Plus I used a rolling pin in the pasta making classes ive done in Italy:-) Its always a super large one though which is why I purchased the longest one I could find 🙂 Yes - I bet it really great to make with kids - I imagine they would love it 🙂

aw thanks Helen - and it is super easy 😉 Thank you for hosting 🙂

Thanks Julie - completely agree. They keep really well also 🙂

thank you Julie! definitely one I'll be doing most Christmases from now on 🙂

Thank you Julie!! Yes I cant go back to just plain old cranberry now - at the very least it has to have a dash of nutmeg in there 🙂

Thank so much Julie 🙂

Hiya Leels, thanks so much!! And thanks for the tip about the couscous - we only have one brand in our supermarket that stocks this type of couscous and they call it giant couscous. Maybe it's ownership/country thing? Anyway I used Merchant Gourmets giant couscous. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Thanks Ben!! We certainly enjoyed it and it is very very tasty (in my humble opinion) 😃

Eb!! Thank you - as always you have me beaming with pride over your lovely words😊 thanks for commenting, hosting, sharing 😊😊

Hi Rachael, thanks so much for your lovely words and for taking the time to comment. It really means a lot. So glad that you enjoyed the recipe 😀 Ben likes things super spicy - which is why it's nice to make your own and adapt to your own tastes 🙂

Thanks Corina. Yes it's still really tasty and I do love a good meatball 😊

Aww fantastic Michelle- hope you enjoy it all. It's definitely a new favourite in our house 😀

Thank you Helen!! And thanks to hosting as always

So lovely to meet you too Jacqui and I really hope we get to meet again soon. As I said - I'm not against a trip down to London! 😀

Haha - that's amazing Corina. I love my sarsons - but maybe not quite that much 😂

Thank you Corina! Yes it's such a shame that pumpkins aren't a year round thing. Love it so much. I definitely need to hunt out a more varied selection of squash.

Hahaha - he'd be more thank welcome. Yes we loved the truffle hunting. So clever how they train the dogs.

Fabulous!! Hope you get chance to make some 😊

Thanks for sharing with #WeShouldCocoa.

aww yes Jacqui we must definitely have another get together and a proper chat. Completely my fault that we didn't have longer on Friday - always too busy for my own good 🙂 But I would love to arrange another meet up soon 🙂
Thank so much - I was pretty pleased with the way my Parkin turned out in the end - an annual thing for sure now 🙂

Thanks Angela! Yes most of my grandmas recipes were in her head as well. We were lucky with this one though 🙂 But just gives me more of a reason to keep going with the blog and recording my own recipes;-)

an absolute pleasure to be involved Angela - and thanks so much for organising and hosting 🙂

You're so right, dates are amazing in puddings and bakes - but for some reason sometimes I feel as though they're very much under-rated! Thankyou for joining in with #BakingCrumbs, it's great to have you there 🙂
Angela x

Thanks Corina! Grandmas must know all the best recipes 🙂

Thanks so much for you're lovely comment Caroline 🙂 Hope you do get chance to give them go 🙂

Thanks Kirsty! Hope you managed to make some spooky pumpkins and maybe some muffins as well 🙂

Thank you Angela! I think dates are so good in puddings so I just had to add them in to these muffins 🙂

Thank you Kat 🙂

Thank you Jo!! oh I know - really loving the pumpkin muffin at the mo 🙂

Thanks so much Corina! Yes the dates really add something extra special - really love the texture 🙂

Thanks so much 🙂

Caroline x

You should definitely give it a try then!!! 😀😀

Honey would probably work instead of the syrup - or for a little more flavour you could try black treacle xx

Hi Christine! Thanks for pointing that out - I used golden syrup xx

Thanks Kirsty - it really was a very special day 🙂

Thank you! its definitely very creamy 🙂 thanks for stopping by 🙂

ooh you should definitely have a go at making it then 🙂 Hope you get the chance - let me know!! 🙂

So glad to hear that Corina - its definitely worth stopping by if you happen to be near by! Great day and I'm sure we'll be returning ourselves

Thank you Kat! 😊

Thanks for hosting!! 🤗

Hahaha - yeah it's ok I guess 😀 thanks Monika!!

Thanks so much Helen - glad you enjoyed the read! It really was a very special day 🙂

Aw thanks Helen!! And wow 33 years!! Congrats to you too!!

Thank you Eb!!! And thank you for sharing my video!! It was stuff of dreams!! So wish we could do it all again. I almost want to go back and be a guest at my own wedding 😂😂

Aw Thank you Corina!! It really was a very special day 🙂 I know - Ive always put white wine in my risottos!! All change from now on though 🙂

Thanks for pointing this out Jim! Bake at 180 degrees C (fan).

Thank you Jacqui!! Ahh yes videos!!! It's taken me so long to do this and it's only through the help of a friend that I've managed to getting going with them. Still plenty more to learn though 😄 thanks for hosting and sharing!! Xx

Thanks Helen!! 😀

Thank you so much Angela!! And thanks for setting up baking crumbs!! 😀 looking forward to sharing lots more bakes!! A healthy chocolate muffin is next on my list!! 😀 xx

Love the little videos too. So pro! I really must get my gear into action when it comes to video.

Thank you for linking to #CookBlogShare

Thanks so much!! 🙂 Yes I agree that its a perfect summer dish 🙂 - hope you get chance to give it a try!! Thanks for stopping by

Ahh thanks so much Milena, glad you liked the video 👍🏻🤗

Thanks Corina! haha - yes I'm counting down the days until I can get away with making them again 😀

Thanks Corina!! yes its definitely a good thing to have handy in the fridge - makes a last minute curry night really straight forward 🙂

Hi Karen, oooh yes definitely give it a go - the sauce is so easy and no need to get the blender out 🙂

I didn't know you could!Thankyou x

Thank you Jen!! Yes this is sooooo handy to have in the fridge - or even the freezer if you want to preserve it for a little longer 😀

Completely agree, that's why your curry is so much better than any takeout:)

Thanks Monika!! Yes and sometimes the cream and oil can all be too much and ruin the dish!! Nothing worse than and sickly, overfilling curry that you get half way through and then have to leave 😱

Yes definitely Jo! I always have curry powder in the cupboard and i find I use it in quite a lot of dishes - such a useful spice 😀

Thanks Helen and thanks for hosting

hahaha - its horrible isn't it 🙂 Thanks so much - hope you do get to give it go 😀

Thanks Monika 🙂

The toppings are my favourite bit I think - really make the dish 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and for hosting Corina!!

thanks Jacqui! haha - I can imagine making it over and over again got quite frustrating - the change in beans definitely helps mix things up a bit 🙂 haha - yeah I think I used to be a bit of a chilli wimp too!! but over the years my chilli has gradually got hotter and hotter - the mascarpone is essential for when ive over done it a little with the heat 🙂

haha - so glad you approve Eb 🙂

As for the degree of chilli. I'm a but of a chilli wimp but my family like it hot. so they add extra chilli sauce to theirs but in future I think I will give them some fresh raw chilli to sprinkle and Ill stick to the avocado only on mine.

Thank you for sharing on #CookBlogShare

Thanks for your lovely comment and for stopping by 🙂 they were perfectly crispy with lovely creamy mash inside 🙂 hope you get chance to try them out!!

Thanks Albert! I love the hot smoked salmon and mackerel too - also go amazingly well in an omelette!! Really quick and simple, as well as being really tasty and healthy 🙂 Thanks for stopping by, hope you do get chance to try out the fishcakes and mayo 🙂

Hi Corina - thanks so much - I think I actually prefer these to the pancetta ones!! 🙂 Hope you get to give these a go as well

Thanks Eb! I know what you mean - fishcakes always seem like a big task, but theyre actually pretty easy and quick to make. I might start freezing up batches so its even easier 🙂

Awww thanks Katie - these really are the best pies I have ever made and were so so good:-) well worth the effort

Thanks Petra!! Definitely a lot of flavour packed into these 😀😀

Thanks so much Lucy!!! They really were amazing pies!!!

Thanks so much Jen 😃

Thanks so much Jacqui 🙂

Thanks so much Jo. I do love a bit of piped mash 🙂

Haha would be good if we can magic up whatever was on the screen wouldn't it 😃 nezt generation blogging maybe 😂 thanks so much Eb and yes it was extremely hard to not eat it all before making pies. Still not sure how I did it.

Thanks corina! Yes I completely agree that the slow cooker lamb is pretty great just on it's own 😀😀 thanks for stopping by and for hosting!!

Brilliant! That's great, thanks so much for joining in. It's lovely to find some new blogs with slow cooker recipes!

Aww thanks so much for your lovely comment Karly!! Hope you get to give it a go!! It definitely is a great one for big family dinners!! Thanks for stopping by ☺️

Thanks Corina! I know I never thought about until i went to Italy......ordered Bolognaise and got a shock 😂

Thanks so much Lucy!! Ooh your linky sounds good. I'll definitely have a look at that. I've just done a full week of slow cooker recipes so I'll have plenty to link up over the next few weeks!! Thanks for getting touch and letting me know about it ☺️☺️

Thanks Kirsty!! Yes it was an incredible experience and I highly recommend booking on a course if you're ever in Bologna

my pleasure Choclette, thanks for stopping by and for hosting we should cocoa 🙂 I really enjoyed looking through your roundup and reading about all the other great cocoa recipes 🙂

Aww Jenny thank you so much - your comment really means the world to me. I'm really trying so hard with my photography at the moment and its nice to get such amazing feedback 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and for hosting #bakeoftheweek xx

My pleasure Corina, thanks for stopping by and for such a lovely comment 🙂

Thanks so much for your lovely comment Jacqui 🙂

I know what you mean - I think this has to become an year round thing for me now 🙂

Thanks so much Helen!! They really are very tempting! So easy to eat 3 or 4 in one go ☺️ So pleased you like them enough to pick for the feature☺️ And your paw patrol cake looks incredible!

Thanks so much Kat 🙂

Thank you Eb! Yes the hazelnut really does add something special 🙂

Thanks so much Jenny!! They were amazing! and so easy to make as well 🙂

Thanks Mandy!! you should definitely give hazelnut and white chocolate a go 😊

Thanks so much Caroline!! Yeah the Baileys fudge is amazing!!! I'm clearly not promoting healthy eating at the minute 🙂

Thanks Corina, I know what you mean,I gave away most of these and then instantly wished I'd made a lot more 😂

Glad you approve Kirsty!!! Happy to share 😊👍🏻Hope you get chance to give them a try. My other half is a big fan of the standard pie, so wasn't sure how well these would be received. But he loved them so I would definitely recommend if you're trying to get around pastry or pie craving ☺️

Thanks so much Corina. They really did turn out amazingly well......just so long as the aubergine is properly dehydrated first, they work a treat 😊 Thanks for stopping by!!

Thanks Eb! Wow....studied Italian!! I'm so jealous. I wish I could speak Italian but I usually come up with every excuse under the sun to not actually sit down and try to do it.
Pienza is most definitely one of my favourite place in the world 😊 Tuscany as a whole is pretty spectacular though. And yes the Italians certainly know their aubergines. Happy to be a part of the #cookblogshare!! I've been meaning to figure out the whole link thing for a while now 😊 Thanks so much for visiting😊

Awww fab midge hope you all enjoy it 😊 Just had a sneaky peek at you site: looks lovely, I'll definitely be having a proper look through your recipes later on. Thanks for visiting 🙂

Thanks for your lovely comment Charlotte! Ooh yes cranberry sauce is my favourite at Christmas!! Especially now that I make my own 😊 So it just had to go in my mince pies!! Have a lovely Christmas!!

Thanks Charlotte!! Theyre a lot quicker to make as well.....win-win 😊 Also Bens not a massive fan a marzipan so these are great as you can customise each one!!
Oooh yes the sugared pecans are so Moreish! This is my first year making them but will definitely be repeating them!

Hi May! Thanks so much for your comment - only just seen it as it went into my spam for some reason. Ooooh I like the idea of adding chilli - my other half would love that 🙂 Can't wait to open mine - trying to wait until Christmas eve 🙂 Have a lovely Christmas!!

Thanks so much Hijackedbytwins. Just had a sneaky peek at your website - lots of lovely recipes on there 🙂 I'll have to give your link up a go as well - only just getting into the habit of using these. Thanks for stopping by 🙂

Hi Jeremy,

Thanks for getting in touch - so nice to hear that my tips are coming in useful:-)

Yes I definitely agree about adapting to your own tastes. The almonds and chocolate powder are additions I made a couple of years ago that will definitely be repeated every year from now on. Yes icing and marzipan can definitely be very overpowering on a cake that is already super sweet, I always try to keep my icing and marzipan as thin as possible for this reason. But I would probably ditch as well if I was just making for myself. However - I also have a post on christmas cake muffins - these are fantastic as you can decorate each one differently to satisfy a multitude of tastes. I think I actually prefer these 🙂

Ahhh yes - the eggs! I've learnt the hard way that its just best to go as slow as possible and make sure they are well whisked before adding. But I have a machine - and I know that with a handheld whisk its a lot harder and so tempting to just dump the whole lot in. The only saving grace is the addition of a few tablespoons of dry ingredients if it looks like the mix is about to split - this usually saves it and allows you to continue. I would never crack the eggs directly in one at a time - the mixture just can't take it and will more than likely split.

For the feeding I only add 2 tablespoons each time and do this every one to two weeks. But I use sherry which I think is a bit lighter in taste than rum, brandy or whisky - plus it reminds me of my Grandmas sherry trifles 🙂 I don't usually feed the week before Christmas as I like the cake to have dried out thoroughly before icing. I think the idea is to keep the cake moist and the sugar and alcohol is meant to help stop the cake from going off. So I always try to spoon over a bit of sherry at least every fortnight. However, a cake that is well wrapped in clingfilm and kept in a tin will probably be ok anyway.

Yes cooking times do vary from oven to oven. The old skewer test is probably the only way to gauge it and each person has a fairly good idea if their oven runs too hot or not hot enough. For an 8 inch cake I always check it after 2 hours 15. More than likely that it won't be done but I can possibly guestimate how much longer it needs.

Hope your cake is a success this year - and maybe give the muffins idea a go - they really are a great way to share out Christmas cake. Have a lovely Christmas !! Thanks for stopping by!! 🙂

Thanks for the tip about mixing in the eggs. That is always my weakness in making Christmas cake. I have always found that the mixture splits when adding the eggs, but I was adding it in a thin stream within about 8-9 minutes (I thought that was long enough and my arms were aching from holding the handheld whisk). Now I see that it takes a substantially longer time to mix.

What would be the difference in cracking the eggs one by one and adding them straight from the shell? Also, I'm interested in how much feeding it takes to make a cake bitter from the alcohol? I've always stopped at a few tablespoons.

Ps - I've found there to be a massive difference in cooking time between different ovens. We have a range cooker with one big oven and one smaller. Time in smaller was 2hrs 43mins one year and 4hrs in the big oven this year! (My own recipe)

Thanks Agata - Ive adapted the recipe over several years so its taken a while to get it just right, but I'm really pleased with it this year 🙂

Thanks Agata - Ive adapted the recipe over several years so its taken a while to get it just right, but I'm really pleased with it this year 🙂

thanks sarah 🙂 the decorations are so easy to make as well

Thanks!! They really are a great treat for Christmas...perfect for sharing 😊

Thanks Jess, and yes do pass along to your mum....hope she gets to make them 🙂

And that the beauty of making individual little cakes 😊 But you never know, if you do make some you might change people's minds. Thanks for the lovely comment ☺️

Thanks Hann 😊

Thanks for the lovely comment Sarah. Jags yes the icing thing can be difficult to gauge ......looks so much neater if the edge of the case can hold it all in place though😊 Hope you do give them a try!!

No problem😊 Hope you get chance to try them out

Thanks Jazz

Thanks so much, so glad you like the photography.....slowly trying to learn and improve each day 😊

I know jessica!! Really getting into the spirit of things with all the Christmassy cooking 😀

Hope you get chance to give them go.....super easy to make 😊

Thanks so much Dannii! Hope your cake turns out well and you find this post of some help 😊

Thanks Jasmin! I know - Christmas cake isn't top of most people's favourite desserts. It's taken a few years for me to get to a recipe that I really enjoy 😊

Thanks Sarah! It really is a great way to liven up your prawns:-)

Thanks Liz! I'm a massive fan of Indian food too....and this dish is really quite healthy, so it's win win 😊 Hope you enjoy it!!

Thanks Jo 😊

Hi LIzzie,

Thanks for pointing out the mistakes.

For poaching eggs I bring the pan to a rapid boil and then reduce the heat so the water is barely at a simmer (I find if its boiling to much the eggs break up). At a gentle simmer I find that the whites are fully cooked with a runny yolk at around 3 minutes. However, I don't time this exactly as this will differ depending on the size of the eggs and how many eggs are in the pan, which affects the temp of the water. I check the eggs regularly whilst they are cooking by either wobbling the pan to see if the eggs are appearing to harden up or by lifting out with a slotted spoon and pushing gently with my fingers on the yolk.

A little white wine vinegar in the poaching water can also help hold the eggs together (but only a splash) as well as spinning the water with a spoon prior to placing in the egg. However,allow the spin to slow right down otherwise the yolk can separate out from the white.

Yes, apologies - I reheat the cooled eggs for around 30 seconds in boiling water - I've added this to the recipe.

Hope you get chance to try out the recipe 🙂

Thank you Anne!! I love them too 🙂 Hope you get chance to try them out youself!

3 to 4 minutes to poach an egg? I give them 90 seconds to 2 minutes.

And did you take them straight from the ice bath and pop them on top of the kedgeree? Or did you warm them first, which would be a lot more sensible?