Fish Trip Cafe

Blue Monday –– Today is the most depressing day of the year, according to British psychologist Cliff Arnall.

Hmm… maybe that’s true.

It’s always a good idea to make bread when I feel depressed.
Kneading and punching the dough is a stress buster, the smell and taste of fresh and warm bread makes me happy.

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— Cinnamon Rolls (makes 12 rolls) —

50g butter

200ml milk

500g strong white flour, plus extra for working

2 tablespoons caster sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2/3 teaspoon salt

7g fast action dried yeast

1 egg, beaten

vegetable oil for greasing

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 – for filling –

100g brown sugar

2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

100g butter (softened), plus extra for brushing

70g raisin

50g walnuts, chopped

*****

– for cream cheese topping –

50g cream cheese

80g icing sugar

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon milk

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Place the butter and milk in a small sauce pan over a low heat. Warm until the butter has melted, and let it cool until it’s lukewarm.

Place the flour, caster sugar, brown sugar, salt and fast action dried yeast in a large  bowl and stir together. Mix in the milk mixture and the beaten egg.

Knead the dough on a flour surface board for 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape the dough into a ball and place in the oiled bowl, cover the dough with cling film and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Transfer the dough onto a flowered surface board and Punch down. Roll out to 30cm x 40cm.

To make the filling, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon. Evenly spread the softened butter onto the dough and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar mixture, and then the raisin and walnuts. Starting from the long edge, roll up the dough to form a log and slice into 12 pieces.

Place on the lightly oiled baking tray, cover with cling film and allow them to rise for about 45 minutes in a warm place.

Preheat the oven 200C / 400F.

Brash the rolls with a little malted butter and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

To make the topping, mix all the topping ingredients in a small bowl, mix together until smooth. Drizzle the topping over the rolls.

Dug up the buried yummy Guinness stew, yay! Happy New Year.

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— Steak & Guinness Pie (serves 4) —

800g braising beef steak, cut into chunks

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 black pepper

2 tablespoons plain flour

3 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

300ml Guinness

200ml beef stock

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

5 springs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

400g Puff pastry dough

1 egg, beaten

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Season the beef with the salt and black pepper, sprinkle with the flour and toss around until coated.

Heat the butter in a heavy-based pan. Add the beef and fry until browned.

Add the onion and fry for 3 minutes, then add the carrot, celery and garlic, cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the Guinness, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaf in the pan. Stir well and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for about 2 hours until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened.

Remove from the heat and place into a deep pie dish and leave to cool completely.

Heat the oven to 200C / 400F.

Roll out the Puff pastry on a floured surface until slightly larger than the pie dish. Cut off a thin strip of pastry, brash the rim of the pie dish with beaten egg and stick the pastry strip around the rim, pressing it down. Brush the pastry rim with more beaten egg and lay the pastry lid on the pie. Seal the pastry edges with a folk, cut a couple of holes in the pastry to let the steam escape. Brash all aver with the remaining beaten egg.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is golden.