Summer in Italy and Sponge Drops

Whoops, I've spent the summer in Italy and, as usual, my poor connection does not let me blog. I have been cooking though and taking pictures so I have lots of catching up to do.

I'll start with these delightful sponge drops as they are one of the foodie memories of my childhood. Soft sponge with a crisp outer shell encasing light fluffy cream and a sharp blackcurrant jam. Utter bliss.

These sponge drops are fairly easy to make and better still, unfilled can be frozen so that when the urge comes upon you that can be filled and, dare I say it, scoffed in an instant.

To make them you will need:
90g Plain flour
3 Eggs separated
90g Sugar
Vanilla essence
Icing sugar for dusting if you want to use it.

Heat oven to 240C. I have found that a fan oven is not good for this type of sponge as the sponge tends to crinkle and get smaller after it has cooked. A top and bottom heat is good.

Start by whisking the egg whites until really stiff. You can do this by putting the bowl over a pan of simmering water to heat the egg whites, or, use the cheats way, which is what I do and put the microwavable bowl in the micro for 10 second blasts. I find that it works a dream. Do be careful not to put it in for longer as you don't want cooked egg.

Break up the egg yolks and vanilla essence up with a fork and fold lightly, but throughly into the egg whites.

Now fold in the flour. Take note, there is no need to use a raising agent as the beaten egg is really all that you need. Be warned, do not be tempted to add any.

Put the mixture into a piping bag with a wide nozzle and pipe rounds the size of a small golf ball (does such a thing even exist) onto the a non-stick mat. They will rise and spread a little while cooking. If you make them bigger than you will just have to eat more so no hardship there.

Cook for about 10 minutes or use your judgement and cook until lightly browned. It will depend on your oven.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Thankfully they don't take long to do this so get whisking while they cool.

The amount of cream that you use is up to you but I found that 125ml was enough to fill about 6 - 8 sponge drops. Whisk the whipping cream in a clean cold bowl until it reaches the stage just beyond soft peak. I think that it has a technical name but I've forgotten what it is. Put into a piping bag and pipe over half of the sponge drops. Top with a dollop of jam of your choice and add the second half. Dust with icing sugar and eat.

Cherry and Chocolate Mile High Pie

Cherry and Chocolate Mile High Pie! If that doesn't set your mouth watering then nothing will.



This pie was born on a day when we had been lucky enough to buy lots of cherries for a song or in reality 5 kg for E5. Now if that's not a song then nothing is. we gorged on them for a day or two and then I just had to make something with them. I don't know if you know this, but black cherries freeze really well and this pie was made with defrosted cherries.

100 g ripe black cherries (fresh or defrosted frozen)
2 tbs sugar (you may need less if the cherries are very ripe and sweet)
2 tsp of cornflour
250 g mascarpone
100 ml double or whipping cream
2 tbs sugar
1 tsp vanilla
grated chocolate
1 cooked pie shell (about 24 cm in diameter.

Mix the cherries with the sugar and the cornflour and cook gently in a shallow saucepan until the juices run from the cherries and the sauce thickens. It will thicken more as it cools.
Beat the cream, sugar, vanilla and mascarpone together until the mixture is firm but not too hard. you are aiming for soft peaks here.
Fold into the pie case alternating with the cooled cherry mixture.
Sprinkle the grated chocolate over the top.
Enjoy.

Tea Time Scones

The sun has been shining today and that really is a surprise, even though it is July. It's the time of year that you should expect a guarantee of sunshine but this year the weather has been dreadful So by way of a celebration we are having tea in the garden with the speciality of the British cream teas: scones.
This one is brimming with cream and home made jam which makes anyone, even those with iron wills, unable to resist taking a mouthful.

To make these scones you will need:

225g/8 oz self-raising flour

1/4 tsp salt

50g/2 oz butter

50g sugar

1 egg

100ml milk, plus extra to glaze

1. Preheat the oven to 220C/425 F/Gas 7. If you are using a convection/fan oven drop the temperature 25 degrees. Grease a baking sheet.
2. Sift the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Rub in the butter and sugar until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Make a well in the flour and break in the egg gradually pour in most of the milk, mixing quickly with the tips of your fingers as you pour. DO NOT ADD ALL THE MILK AT ONCE. You should get a soft but not wet dough. It should look rough. If the dough is too wet it will expand sideways instead of rising straight up.
3. On a lightly floured board, gently bring together the dough and roll or press out until it’s 2.5cm/1 inch thick and stamp out into rounds. I used a 4cm/2 inch cutter and made 7 rounds. In between each stamp, dip the cutter in flour and with a firm shake downwards release the scone directly onto the baking sheet- try not to press with your fingers or you will misshape the dough. It is also important to cut directly down into the dough, if you twist then they will rise unevenly. Another important point is to roll the dough out evenly. If the dough is on a slope before you cut out the scones, then the finished scone will also be like a downhill ski slope.
4. Place on the baking sheet and brush with extra milk. Depending on size bake for 15-20 minutes, or until risen and golden.
   

If you've made them the right way then this is what they should look like. If you haven't then who cares if they are a bit lumpy as they will taste good even if they look like a landslide.

This is one of the simplest creams that I know of and luckily enough it is also delicious.





To make this ambrosial cream take:

250ml of whipping or double cream
250 ml of Greek yogurt - full fat. Don't bother with thin skimmed stuff
a few drops of vanilla essence
about two tablespoons of sugar - use more or less according to the degree of sweetness that you enjoy.

Whip the cream and then fold in the yogurt vanilla and sugar.Put in a bowl and leave for a few hours to stiffen up. Eat with poached fruit. In the photo you will see that I served it with poached mirabelle plums. Yumm!