If you’re eating nuggets in a fast food restaurant with dipping sauce and fries on the side, the calories, fat, salt and sugar really start to stack up.
#ad | Looking for the perfect mince pie recipe? Try these Frangipane Topped Mince Pies from our brand ambassador @nevenmaguire using our Simply Better handmade mincemeat from @foodsofathenry and our shortcrust pastry from @rollit.pastry
Frangipane Topped Mince Pies Ingredients (Makes 24) 1 Packet Simply Better All Butter Shortcrust Pastry, thawed Plain Flour, for dusting 1 Jar Simply Better Mincemeat Flaked almonds, to garnish
For the Frangipane 150g Butter 150g Caster Sugar 3 Simply Better Free Range Corn Fed Large Eggs 150g Ground Almonds 1 Tbsp. Plain Flour 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract Zest of 1 Lemon
Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180ยฐC (375ยฐF/Gas Mark 5). Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface to make a large rectangle, then stamp out 24 x 6cm discs (with a cutter or use a glass) and place in greased muffins tins (of course you can do this in batches).
2. To make the frangipane, combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk with an electric whisk for about one minute until you achieve a soft paste.
3. To assemble, add a large teaspoon of mincemeat into each pastry case then top with a tablespoon of the frangipane mixture. Sprinkle over some flaked almonds and transfer to the oven to bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or cold with brandy butter or custard.
You will have just as much fun making and dusting this cake as you will eating it. This deliciously simple recipe comes from Rachel Allen.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
100g (3ยฝoz) butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
350g (12oz) caster sugar
2 eggs
225g (8oz) plain flour
50g (2oz) cocoa powder
ยพ tsp baking powder
ยผ tsp bicarbonate of soda
pinch of salt
225ml (8fl oz) buttermilk or sour milk
For the Meringue:
3 egg whites
150g (5oz) caster sugar
275ml (9ยฝfl oz) double or regular cream
Icing sugar, for dusting
Method
Preheat the oven to 165ยฐC (325ยฐF), Gas mark 3. Line the bases of the cake tins with rounds of baking parchment, brush the sides with melted or soft butter and dust with flour.
To make the cake, place the butter in a mixing bowl and beat until very soft. Add the sugar and one of the eggs and beat again, then add the other egg and mix. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into a separate bowl and set aside. Measure the buttermilk and set aside also.
Now, start the meringue. Place the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until frothy using an electric food mixer or hand-held electric beater. Add in half of the sugar and continue whisking until the mixture holds stiff peaks. Turn off the whisk and fold in the remaining sugar.
Next, go straight back to the cake. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients and the buttermilk, then divide the mixture between the two cake tins, making sure they are level. Divide the meringue between the two cakes and spread out evenly over the cakes.
Cook in the oven for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Take out of the oven and allow to sit in the tin for 15-20 minutes before loosening around the sides with a small, sharp knife, removing the cakes from the tins and allowing to cool completely meringue side up.
When ready to assemble, whip the cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then place one of the cakes (save the best cake for the top) on a cake stand. Spread the whipped cream over the top, then sit the second cake on top of the cream. Dust with icing sugar and serve.