Salted sultana & rum fudge

December 31, 2015January 26, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ 6 Comments

Oh I do love an edible gift don’t you? Not that I’ve ever received one (sigh) but I imagine it’s rather lovely. I tend to be the edible gift maker myself but don’t feel too sorry for me, being the maker has it’s perks. First of all, it’s the only way you can give someone a cheap gift without them them thinking you’re a tight – which you are. Secondly, it allows you to buy a nice new pair of trainers for yourself with the savings.
Now, I know Christmas already feels like a distant memory but edible gifts aren’t just for Christmas. You can of course be a cheapskate all year round.
“Are those new trainers?”
“Why yes, yes they are” you say.
“Oh and thank you so much for the fudge, what a thoughtful gift.”
“Oh not at all, I’m a very thoughtful person, glad you liked it” you say smugly looking down and admiring your new trainers. Mwah ha ha ha!
So Happy New Year to all, may your gifts be edible and your purse brimming with precious stones.

Salted sultana and rum fudge
Makes 1 slab / Hands on time 40 mins / Total time 40 mins + 2 hrs cooling / V Gf
You’ll need: Electric hand whisk, 1 large or 2 small deep baking trays, baking paper and ice
Rapeseed oil spray
120g sultanas
3 tbs dark rum
1 can condensed milk
2 tbs golden syrup
175ml whole milk
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped out
1 tsp vanilla extract
800g granulated sugar
¼ tsp sea salt
250g unsalted butter

Method
1. In a small bowl, soak the sultanas in the rum and put to one side.
2. Line a large baking tray with baking paper and spray with oil.
3. Set a small bowl of iced water near the stove, you’ll need it later.
4. In a large heavy bottomed pan over a low heat, add the butter, milk, sugar, condensed milk and golden syrup. Bring to the boil stirring continuously.
5. Once boiling, continue to stir until the toffee goes a golden colour – this will take between 12-15 mins. To test it’s ready to whisk, drop a small amount of mixture into the iced water – if it solidifies it is ready (you should be able to pick it out with our fingers).
6. Take off the heat, add the vanilla and whisk with an electric whisk for 5 mins – it’s the whisking that turns toffee into fudge.
7. Once the fudge has the consistency of loose peanut butter, fold in the soaked sultanas, rum and salt. Pour into the lined tray and set in the fridge for a maximum of 2 hrs – the fudge will become too hard if left for longer.
8. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 4 weeks.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V – Vegetarian. Gf – Gluten free

Perfectly poached eggs

December 14, 2015January 26, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ 1 Comment

My quest to cook the perfect egg continues with ‘poaching’ – aka, the scariest of all the egg cooking methods. But why are we so afraid? I think poaching an egg always seems like the riskiest option, especially when you only have two eggs left. No no, better play it safe and fry them instead.
But if you want to take a chance, then you have to make some tough decisions. To vinegar or not to vinegar? To swirl the water or not to swirl? Frying pan or saucepan? Refrigerated or room temperature eggs? Boil or simmer? AGHHH FORGET IT!
Poaching an egg can be a very stressful time in ones life. I don’t blame you for frying but if I told you there’s a way of poaching eggs that won’t make you run for the hills would you do it? This is where my story begins…
One blustery but warm Autumnal morning, I rise from my sleeping quarters to find my housemate Isabelle in the kitchen. It’s a small kitchen, with a blue tiled floor which feels cold on the soles of my feet. She delicately stirs a spoonful of sugar into her tea, I can’t help but notice her slender bird like hands. There’s a small frying pan simmering away with what look like two cloudy white orbs floating on the surface, like two boats on a calm sea… But they are not boats, oh no, Isabelle is making poached eggs!
“Are you poaching eggs? I say, bemused. “How are you doing that?”
“Yeah, it’s easy, I’ll show you” she says and she did, so now I will show you. Hold onto your hats, it’s going to be wild!

Perfectly poached eggs
Serves 1 / Hands on time 10 mins / Total time 10 mins / V Gf* Df
You’ll need: Small shallow frying pan, ramekin, slotted spoon, kitchen roll (optional)
2 medium eggs, refrigerated or room temperature
Toast and smashed avocado to serve (optional)

Method
1. Boil a kettle and pour the boiled water into a small shallow saucepan, leaving 1cm from the top. Bring to the boil, before reducing the water to a low simmer.
2. Crack one of the eggs into a small ramekin and gently pour it into the water – don’t panic if the white spreads out bit, this is normal. Repeat with the second. If the eggs look like they’re merging together this is also nothing to worry about.
3. The eggs won’t take long to cook once in the water to keep a close eye on them. Now is a good time to toast the bread.

NOTE: If the egg yolks are poking out the water, use a slotted spoon to gently push them under the water until the tops of the yolks look set (see image below).

4. After about 2 mins, move a slotted spoon gently underneath each egg to make sure they’re not sticking to the bottom. This is also a good opportunity to lift one of the eggs out and inspect the whites. If they’re set then check the yolks – if you like your yolks a little harder return to the water to cook for longer.
5. Once cooked, remove one egg at a time with the slotted spoon, allowing any excess water to drain through the spoon back into the frying pan. Serve immediately on toast.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V – Vegetarian. *Gf – Use gluten free bread. Df – Dairy free

Apricot & chocolate granola

December 5, 2015March 22, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ Leave a comment

Most of you may know that granola isn’t exactly the slimmers breakfast but for those of you that didn’t and have been happily chomping on it for years, then I’m surprised you have any teeth left. I’m by no means anti-sugar, it makes things taste great but the amount of sugar in most shop-bought granola is ridiculous. You might as well have a bowl of Crunchy Nut Cornflakes with a dollop of double cream like my dad used to do.
‘But it’s only 120 calories per serving’… If you have the recommended portion size which is basically the size of a teaspoon.
‘But it’s full of nuts and seeds so it must be low fat right?”… Healthy is not the same as low fat.

So anyway, I couldn’t find a low sugar granola that didn’t taste like bird food, so I had to come up with my own. I’ve added a bit of chocolate powder to give the illusion of indulgence but it’s only sweetened by four spoonfuls of honey and dried fruit.

Apricot and chocolate granola
Makes 6 portions / Hands on time 20 mins / Total time 50 mins / V
You’ll need: 2 baking trays, baking paper
4 handfuls rolled oats
2 handfuls mixed seeds
1 handful walnuts, roughly chopped
1 handful pecans, roughly chopped
1 handful desiccated coconut
3 tsp Green and Black’s Organic cocoa
¼ tsp sea salt flakes
4 tbs honey
2 handfuls dried apricots, roughly chopped
1 handful raisins
Greek yogurt or milk to serve (optional)
Lemon zest and blackberries to serve (optional)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C fan/325°F/gas mark 3. Line a couple of baking trays with baking paper and put to one side.
2. Combine the oats, seeds, nuts, coconut, cocoa and salt in a large bowl before heating the honey in a small saucepan, over a low heat until warm and runny
3. Mix the the warm honey into the dry mixture with a wooden spoon. Spoon out evenly onto the baking trays and spread evenly and as thinly as you can.
4. Bake in the oven for 5 mins before removing and turning with a spatular. Continue to bake for a further 15 mins but removing and turning every 5 mins (granola burns easily, so it’s important to keep turning it).
5. Remove from the oven and evenly sprinkle over the apricots and raisins. Return to the oven for 5 mins before removing and turning. Continue to cook for a further 5 minutes.
6. Leave to cool on the baking trays before serving with milk, yogurt and a grating of lemon zest (optional). Store in a glass jars or an airtight container. Consume within a month.

If you’ve had a go at making any of my recipes, I’d love to hear from you. Follow me now @corrieheale and tag your recipe pictures using #corriesrabbitfood.

V – Vegetarian

Easy peasy festive cupcakes

December 1, 2015January 25, 2020 ~ Corrie ~ 1 Comment

Need an excuse to stock up on Curly Wurlys? These festive treats are it. Put your baking colleagues to shame by whipping out one of these bad boys. Ha!

Vanilla cupcakes
Makes 12
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
190g caster sugar
Pinch of salt
115g unsalted butter
2 large eggs
120ml full fat milk
1tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
2. Put the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar in a bowl and give
it a good stir. Add the butter (preferably at room temperature) and blend with an electric mixer until combined. If you don’t have an electric mixer, a wooden spoon and a bit of elbow grease should do it. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until combined.
3. Add the vanilla extract to the milk, then add to the cake mix a bit at a time.
4. Spoon the batter evenly into the cake cases and bake for 15 mins.

Vanilla Icing
60g unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp double cream
350g icing sugar
4 tbsp full fat milk. Beat the butter until smooth, then mix in the milk, cream and vanilla extract. Beat in the sugar bit by bit until you get a firm glossy frosting.

Chocolate Icing
60g unsalted butter
3 tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder l 1/2 tsp salt l 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
250g icing sugar
2tbsp full-fat milk
2tbsp double cream. Beat the butter and cocoa together until smooth. Mix in the salt, vanilla, milk and cream until combined. Beat in the sugar bit by bit until the frosting is thick. And now to decorate…

The Snowman: 1 rolo for the hat, Sainsbury’s black icing to cover hat & for eyes, a dried apricot cut into a tiny triangle for nose, a chocolate button for hat, 2 coconut sweets for snowman body, a cocktail stick to hold coconut sweets together and dessicated coconut for sprinkling

The Reindeer: 1 red smartie for the tip of the nose, a curly wurly cut into antlers, Sainsbury’s designer icing for eyes, 2 white chocolate buttons for eyes, one large chocolate button for the base of the nose and silver balls for eyeballs

The Santa: 1 strawberry – remove the stalk and cut in half. Turn upside down and squirt whipped cream on base of the strawberry. Top with the other half and finish with a small squirt of cream. Whipped cream and Sainsbury’s black designer icing for eyes & buttons