Experimentation to find the Best Chocolate Cupcake Recipe – has finally paid off!

April 28th, 2012

I have tried and tried to get a really good chocolate cupcake recipe but either they are too dry, too bitter or too stodgy.  You’ll be pleased to know I have found it and now I just need to get the best icing to go on top.

I think the best recipe I have tried for vanilla cupcake is from The gourmet cupcake company – Her recipe for easy vanilla cupcakes is definitely a never fail recipe – always light and fluffy and just right for a plain cupcake.

After many attempts at the chocolate variety, which i tried varying the basic recipe and replacing 30g of flour with 30g of coca but it wasnt quite right.  So last weekend I made my Devils food cupcake which really after many attempts wins our family’s taste test competition.

I experimented with different toppings and the general consensus was that the cream cheeses frosting was the best for a rich but light chocolate cupcake.  The chocolate topping I made with melted chocolate and caramel just made the experience a little too rich and my boys couldn’t even finish a cupcake!  I will try a version of the chocolate topping with milk rather than dark chocolate to see if this makes it a little less rich but would be happy to take any suggestions here!

The only problem is that I am the one tasting all these different varieties and obsessed with getting it right.  Meanwhile my waist is definitely getting thicker!

An English Dinner Party Menu by John H Glen – MyDish Menu #26

April 21st, 2012

With St George’s Day coming up this week – we wanted to select one of my favourite member’s for a British dinner party menu – He started on MyDish as Astrochef and then “came out” and revealed his true identity – John H Glen who used to work for Lord and Lady Hanson.

This English themed dinner is for a more special occasions.

Starter

Chicken Liver Mousse

Main Course

Pan Fried Breast of Partridge

Dessert

Pears in Red Wine

The Chicken Liver Mousse is made with mushrooms and shallots and a lot of seasoning and can be made in advance which is always important to me when having a dinner party.

Partridge is a stocky type of game and is best cooked and served pink- not rare.  This dish is pan fired and then you add stock, red wine and red current jelly to the pan to make the sauce.   It is best served on top of creamed leeks with black Pudding and rosti potatoes.

As John says this is a “simple yet stylish dessert” it is one of his favourites and “a jolly good way to end a meal”  Pears in Red wine is made by heating the red wine with cinnamon sticks,  vanilla, lemon zest, cloves and some very good cointreau.  The pears are then slow boiled in the juice for at least an hour and left to cool.  Another dish that can be made in advance and served either warm or cold with whipped cream, old fashioned vanilla ice-cream or creme fraiche.

MyDish dinner menu #25 – Greek Style

April 14th, 2012

We have a whole collection of Greek recipes so this weekends dinner party choice is based around a Greek theme.  There are 2 recipes on MyDish that have had an unusually large amount of views, those being Greek potatoes and Spanakopita so I have chosen a menu to include these dishes.

Pre-Starter

Classic Tzatziki

Heavenly Hummus

Starter

Spanakopita

Greek Salad

Main course

Greek style Beef Yiouvetsi

Greek Potatoes

Dessert

Greek Citrus Cake

Wow what a feast!  The Tzatziki and hummus are made in advance and served with drinks when the guests first arrive, before sitting down to dinner. The trick with the tzatziki is to dice the cucumber really small so it can be lifted on your crisp or pitta bread – but don’t mash them! The Hummus is made mainly from chickpeas and variations such as black olives and tomatoes can be added to give a little twist on the original.

Spanakopita is a classic Greek dish made of spinach, feta and filo pastry.  It is great served with a Greek salad on the side.

Daijohn has uploaded a few great Greek dishes – I have chosen this Beef dish (which can also be made with lamb!) but there are loads of different main course Greek recipes  you could select for your Greek dinner.   The casserole is great for entertaining as you are not slaving over a stove when your guests arrive.  It is made with beef, onion, garlic, thyme and oregano and is cooked slowly for 3 hours making the meat fall apart and infused with bags of flavour.  Served of course with our Greek Potato dish.

And then sit back with a slice of Greek Citrus Cake (another recipe from Daijohn!).  This is a light dessert made with fine semolina, ground almonds, whisked egg whits and the rind and juice of oranges combined in the cake mixture to make a tangy moist cake.  When cooled it is drizzled with lemon and cinnamon syrup – yummy!

Don’t forget to tell us your favourite dinner party menu for a chance to win a cooking holiday for 2 and more importantly to add to our dinner party menu collection to provide and share and gain inspiration for your next dinner party.

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