Fish Trip Cafe

I’ve been down with the cold for 2 weeks (well, I went out for drinking few times…),  and I’m very bored to stay at home now.

Lemon & Honey is the famous home remedy for cold. So, I made a Lemon & Honey cake today and eat it a lot with ginger tea.

Go, vitamin C. I really want to go out this weekend… please.

——————————

— Lemon & Honey Upside-down Cake (7 inches round cake tin) —

– for sticky lemon & honey topping –

4 small lemons, thinly sliced

5 tablespoons honey

100g caster sugar

4  tablespoons water

*****

3 eggs

100g caster sugar

100g plain flour

100g ground almonds

1 teaspoon baking powder

120g butter, melted

——————————

Preheat the oven to 170C/340F.

To make the sticky lemon & honey topping: place the sugar, honey and water in a frying-pan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the sliced lemon and simmer for 15 minutes until the syrup became sticky and the lemon is translucent. Transfer the sticky topping into a cake tin (7 inches), arrange the lemon slices slightly overlapping to cover the bottom of the cake tin.

Place the egg and sugar in a bowl, whisk with electric mixer for about 8 minutes until the mixture is thick and tripled in volume.

Place the flour, grated almonds and baking powder in another bowl and mix well to combine.

Add the butter and flour mixture into the egg mixture, stir gently until just combined.

Pour the mixture over the lemon slices and bake for 40 minutes. Turn out onto a plate.

Fluffy puffy cheesy pastries to huffy puffy.

——————————

— Gougères – Cheese Puffs (makes 24 pastries) —

200g plain flour

1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg

1 pinch of salt

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

220ml water

100g butter

4 eggs

100g grated gruyere cheese

——————————

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F.

Combine the flour, nutmeg, salt and black pepper in a bowl.

Place the 220ml water and butter in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. When the butter melt, turn the heat to low and add the flour mixture all at once, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon until it turns into a smooth paste.

Take the saucepan off the heat and let it cool slightly.

Beat in the eggs one at a time until a smooth and glossy dough forms. Then stir in about 2/3 of the grated cheese.

Using a piping bag or tow teaspoons, heap walnut-sized balls onto a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the rest of cheese on the top of the dough balls.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.

I just thought, “maybe there is some nice buildings or pretty trees if I turn right on the street” when I was going back home from the local super market today.

Then I got lost in own neighborhood for 2 hours. Ah, I remember, I have a terrible sense of direction…

I heard that onions are a popular folk medicine to help in boosting memory. So, I had a big bowl of onion soup today for never get lost around my house again.

——————————

— French Onion Soup (serves 4) —

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 medium size white onions, thinly sliced

1 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sugar

100ml white wine

1.5 little vegetable stock or beef stock

4 slices French baguette

100g Gruyère cheese, grated

Some fresh thyme for garnish, finely chopped

——————————

Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large saucepan over low heat.

Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minuets. Stir in the minced garlic and sugar,   keep stirring for 30 minutes.

Add the white wine and stir in the stock and bring to boil. Simmer over low heat for about another 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper if needed.

Toast the baguette slices.

Ladle the soup into 4 bowls, float a slice of toasted baguette in each bowl and sprinkle the grated cheese on the toast. Grill for 2-3 minutes.

Garnish with finely chopped thyme.

What I like about Holland most is “FEBO” (fast-food vending machine). Open the drawer and there is a warm croquet anytime!  :)

I and my friend are very excited when we find it (well, we were a bit drunk…), and decided to eat all kind of FEBO croquettes while we are in Amsterdam.

Hanging around the town and eat FEBO, drink beers and get FEBO, give up the sightseeing and try to find FEBO… All I remember about Amsterdam is FEBO.

This blue cheese croquettes is not the FEBO style croquette, but I always remember the amazing vending machine ”FEBO” when I make croqueetes.

——————————

— Blue Cheese Croquettes (10 croquettes) —

400g potatoes

1 tablespoon butter, melted

100ml milk

Salt and black pepper

80g blue cheese, crushed into small pieces

1 egg, beaten

140g plain flour

160g breadcrumbs

Oil for deep-flying

——————————

Boil the potatoes with skin on until tender. Drain and let them cool down.

Peel the potatoes and place in a bowl and and mash. Add the butter, milk, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix them until evenly combined.

Add the crushed blue cheese in the potato mixture and mix gently.

Divide the mixture into 10 and form into chunky log shapes. Put them on a tray and refrigerate for about an hour.

Heat the deep-frying oil to 350F/180C.

Roll the croquettes in the flour first, then beaten egg and then the breadcrumbs.

Deer-fry the croquettes until golden brown all over.

The Camembert volcanic eruption!

——————————

— Baked Camembert (serves 2) —

150g camembert in a wooden box

1 garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced

A pinch of fresh thyme leaves

A pinch of sea salt and black pepper

1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Baguette or toasted bread to serve

——————————

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C.

Unwrap the cheese and place the cheese back in the wooden box.

Score a circle into the top of the skin, then lift it off and discard.

Lay the sliced garlic on the top, sprinkle thyme leaves and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, drizzle with olive oil.

Bake the camembert for about 25 minutes until golden and nicely melted.

Serve with baguette slices.

If I choose a boyfriend from the fruit kingdom, I’ll choose Mr. Apple.

Mr. Lemon is too fresh,

Mr. Banana is too soft.

Mr. Pineapple seems a little too frisky,

Mr. Kiwi is too hairy.

But, Mr. Apple, he is solid, sweet and sharp, very reliable.

Today’s dessert is baked apples. it makes me feel warm and cozy.

I made the right decision choosing Mr. Apple.

——————————

— Baked Apples (serves 4) —

4 cooking apples, such as Bramleys

40g walnuts, chopped

50g raisin

1 tablespoon butter, softened

50g brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

30g butter, melted

—————————— 

Preheat the oven to 360F/180C.

Wash the apples, remove the cores to 1/2 inch of the bottom.

Combine the chopped walnuts, raisin, 1 tablespoon of butter, brown sugar and cinnamon powder in a bowl and mix well. Stuff the mixture into the apples.

Place the apples in a roasting try, brush the top of apples with melted butter. Pour a few inches of hot water into the tray and bake for 40-50 minutes until the apples are very tender.

The smell of something good baking in my oven. It makes me happy.

——————————

— Baguette Bread Pudding (serves 4-6) —

1 x 20 inch long baguette

60g butter, softened

30g sultanas or raisins

2 eggs

50g sugar

300ml milk

200ml single cream

3 tablespoons honey

Some icing sugar

——————————

Preheat oven to 350F/180C.

Cut the baguette diagonally into 2/3 inch thick slice. Spread the butter over one side of each slice.

Arrange the baguette slices (buttered side up) in a baking dish and sprinkle with the sultanas or raisins.

Beat the eggs, sugar, milk and single cream in a bowl. Pour the mixture over bread slices in dish, gently press the baguette slices into the mixture to soak.

Bake for about 45 minutes.

Drizzle the honey over the top, and dust with icing sugar.

I just needed to make something sweet & cute today.

A lot of terrible and sad things have happened in England the last few days… Enough.

Pink glitter eclairs. It makes me smile.

——————————

— Strawberry Eclairs (about 16)—

110g plain flour

85g butter

3 eggs (medium size)

A pinch of salt

200ml water

20-30 strawberries, hulled and halved 

*****

— for custard cream filling—

2 egg yolks

75g granulated sugar

200cc milk

1 tablespoon plain flour

1 tablespoon corn flour

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

A few drops of vanilla extract

*****

— for whipping cream filling—

200ml Double cream

2 tablespoons granuted sugar

*****

— for topping —

100g white chocolate, finely chopped

A few drops of pink food colouring

A few drops of strawberry flavour extract

——————————

Preheat the oven to 400F/200C.

Put the butter, salt and water in a pan, stirring constantly until butter is melted. Increase heat and bring the butter mixture to the boil.

Reduce the heat, add the flour in the pan at once and stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a stiff ball for about 3 minutes.

Remove from the heat, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Fill a pastry bag with the mixture, pipe out lines of the mixture about 10cm long fingers on a baking sheet.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat temperature to 325F/160C and bake for a further 15 minutes. Transfer the eclairs to a wire rack, leave them to cool completely.

Slice the eclair horizontally in half with a serrated knife, fill the bottom of eclair with custard cream and then the whipping cream, arrange a few strawberries on top, sandwich together with the eclair lid spread the melted pink chocolate on top of the eclair lid and decorate as you like.

*****

To make custard cream: Sift the flour and corn flour together, set aside. Heat the milk and a few drops of vanilla extract in a small sauce pan until warm. Place the yolks and sugar in a bowl and beat them until white, add the sifted flour mixture, mix well. Add the warm milk in the bowl and stir to combine well. Transfer the custard mixture in a pan,  Heat the custard over low heat and stir constantly until thickened. Remove form the heat and add the melted butter and mix well. Leave to cool completely.

To make whipping cream: Place the double cream and sugar, whip until peak form.

To make pink icing: Melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water, turn offo the heat and add a few drops of pink food colouring and strawberry flavour extract, stir to combine.

Nectarine is in season and so delicious right now.

This is a cute rustic nectarine tart, very easy to make!

——————————

— Nectarine Tart (7 inch round)—

100g apricot jam

50g unsalted butter

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

300g shortcrust pastry

3 tablespoons ground almond

3 large nectarines (550g)

1 tablespoon melted butter (for brush)

——————————

Preheat the oven to 400F.

Place the apricot jam, butter, sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan, melt together over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface board into a round about 8 inch diameter.

Place pastry round on a baking sheet. Sprinkle the ground almond evenly over the pastry, leaving 1.2 inch border.

Cut the nectarines (no need to peel), arrange the nectarine in ring on the pastry, leaving 1.2 inch rim around the outside. Roll the rim up around the nectarine.

Brash the rim with melted butter. Drizzle the apricot jam mixture on the nectarine evenly.

Bake for about 40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.

Sweet cigars for me.

——————————

— Brandy Snap Cigars (makes 20) —

100g butter

100g granulated sugar

2 tablespoons golden syrup

2 tablespoons honey

100g plain flour

A pinch of salt

3 tablespoons ground ginger

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon brandy

50g dark chocolate

——————————

Preheat oven to 340F.

Put the butter, granulated sugar, golden syrup and honey in a pan and heat gently until the butter is melted and the sugar is dissolved.

Remove from the heat and stir in the flour, salt , ground ginger, lemon juice and brandy and mix well.

Drop small spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheet, spaced well apart each one as they will spread out.

Bake for about 8 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a minutes before rolling.

Roll them carefully around the handle of the wooden spoon and leave on a rack to cool.

Melt the dark chocolate in a small cup and dip the brandy snaps, leave them on a baking sheet until they are set.

Store in an airtight container.