Chilli Jam with Garlic and Ginger

Chilli Jam

This isn't technically baking, but oh well! This jam is based on Lorraine Pascal's Asian Chilli Jam recipe, but having make it before this time I've upped the chilli, garlic and ginger content to give it more of a kick.

It's great on toast, with cheese and biscuits, with salad or stirred through a stir fry. Or if you're feeling generous it makes a really cute present with a loaf of home made bread!

It keeps for a couple of months, but once opened keep in the fridge and eat within a month - which isn't difficult to do!

Chilli Jam with Garlic and Ginger

Before reduction

Makes 4 small pots, easy to divide or multiply as required

Ingredients:

900g tomatoes

6 medium chillis (roughly chopped - with seeds unless you'd like something more mellow)

6 cloves garlic (peeled and roughly chopped)

3cm ginger (peeled and roughly chopped, or 2tsp ginger paste)

500g granulated sugar

120g balsamic vinegar

seasoning to taste

Mid-reduction

4 small jam jars, cleaned and labels removed

Method:

1. Put all of the ingredients (apart from the sugar) in a food processor and blitz until all finely chopped.

2. Put into a pan with sugar and heat to a rolling boil. Boil for 25/30 minutes until it becomes syrupy and thick. To test it's consistency put a small spoonful on a plate, chill in the fridge for approx 5 minutes and then pull your finger through the jam; if it's a spreadable, jam-like consistency turn off the heat and leave to cool for 20 minutes, if not boil for another 5 minutes and test again.

Pouring jam into jars

3. Whilst the jam is cooling for 20 minutes put your jam jars in the oven at 130oC for 20 minutes to sterilise them.

4. Once the jam has cooled and the jars are sterilised ladle the jam into a jug and then pour it into the jars. Leave to cool for 10 minutes then put the lids on tight and leave to cool completely.

This jam is a great alternative to sweet chilli sauce, and you can make it as hot or mellow as you like by varying the chilli and chilli seed content.

It's a good place to start with jams and chutneys, so have a go!

Happy Baking,

The Baking Ginger xx

The Classics: Victoria Sponge with Jam and Cream

Sometimes the classics are the best, and you can’t go far wrong with a Victoria Sponge with raspberry jam and freshly whipped cream. I made this for our neighbour at our student house to say thanks for bringing our bins in for the past two years, and giving us vegetables from his garden.

It’s an all in one sponge, so is dead easy – literally put all of the ingredients in in one go and you’re done! The trick is not to mess around, I believe the key to a light and airy sponge is just to get on with it, so read the recipe first so you know what’s coming up.

Victoria Sponge with Jam and Cream

Classic Victoria Sponge

Ingredients:

6oz self raising flour

6oz caster sugar

6oz marg

1.5tsp baking powder

1 capful vanilla essence

3 eggs

Splash of milk

Filling/Topping:

caster sugar to dust

2/3 tbsp jam (raspberry is my fav)

250ml double cream (whipped)

2 x 8 in diameter cake tins (at least 2 inches deep), greased and lined

170oC fan oven, 180oC for all other ovens

Method:

1. Put the flour, sugar, marg, baking powder, vanilla essence, eggs and a splash of milk into a large mixing bowl.
2. Using an electric whisk (if you haven’t got one a wooden spoon and elbow grease will do!) beat the ingredients into a smooth batter, shouldn’t take longer than 2/3 minutes. I think the secret to a really light, moist sponge is not to over work the batter at this stage, so once everything is combined, stop mixing!
3. Evenly divide the mixture between your two greased and lined tins, cleaning the bowl out with a spatula so as not to waste anything. Using a palette knife smooth out the surface of the batter, and make a slight indentation in the centre of each to ensure an even rise.
4. Place side by side into the middle of your preheated oven for 15 minutes.
5. To test if the cake is ready insert a sharp knife into the centre of each cake (or, if you’ve got one, I use a knitting needle to leave as small a hole in your cake as possible), if it comes out clean it’s ready, if not put it gently back into the oven for another 5 minutes then test again.
6. Once cooked turn out of the tin onto a wire rack and leave until completely cold.
7. Once they’re completely cold pick which cake you want to be on top (I usually go for the one with the most even colouring/less visible holes from the knitting needle). On the cake making up the bottom of your sponge gently spread the jam, then move it to the plate you’re going to keep the cake on. You can also use a cake tin lid for this, and then use the tin upside to keep your cake in.
8. Whip the cream into soft peaks and spread over the jam. Put the top cake gently on top of the creamed cake, sprinkle generously with caster sugar (using a teaspoon and tapping the handle is the easiest way to get an even sprinkling). 

Like I said, you can't beat the classics, and there really is nothing better than a slice of this iconic cake with a cup of tea! 

Once you're happy with this basic recipe you can start to experiment with flavours, decorations and combinations of the two, but that's for another time!

Happy Baking,

The Baking Ginger xx

Portable Crumbles

I made these to take on our trip to Mull after Dad asked me to use up some cornflakes he didn't want, so they were a pretty spontaneous amalgamation of recipes I found from a quick Google. They were the surprise hit of the holiday and were the first tin to be emptied!

They're a lovely combination of a cornflake and oat crumbly shell encasing a sweet mouthful of fruity jam - they really are perfect for afternoon tea, but I think they'd be just as good with a healthy portion of custard too!

Cornflake and Oat Crumble Bakes

Cornflake and Oat Crumble Bakes

Makes 12, easy to double

Ingredients:

3oz butter

4oz plain flour

0.5tsp baking powder

2oz oats

2.5oz demerara sugar

2oz cornflakes (crushed)

6 heaped tsp jam (any fruit jam, marmalade or even lemon curd also works well)

12 hole bun tin

170oC/340oF/Gas mark 4 fan oven, 180oF/360oF/Gas mark 5 for all other ovens

Method:

1. Put the flour, baking powder and butter into a large bowl and run into breadcrumbs.
2. Add the sugar, oats and crushed cornflakes and mix well.
3. Thoroughly grease the bun tin.
4. Use your hands to compress a small handful of the oaty mixture into a disc and press it into one of the holes in the bun tin. Repeat until all 12 holes are filled and half of the oaty mixture remains in the bowl.
5. Place a headed tsp of the preserve of your choice into the middle of your 12 oaty discs.
6. Again use your hands to compress a handful of the oaty mixture into a disc and sandwich it over the preserve, in a lid-esque style, and seal the two together. Repeat for all 12 bun tin holes.
7. Bake in the middle of a preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until they’re a golden brown colour and you can hear the preserve inside bubbling.
8. Once cooked remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin – it makes them an awful lot easier to remove! Once cooled remove and enjoy with a cuppa!

 They travel well, and will keep for up to a week in an air tight container.

I'll leave you with another picture of the beautiful Mull scenery!

Happy Baking!

The Baking Ginger xx

A view from Ulva