Cooking For The Month

JULY 2014
From savouries to sweets, beautiful and delicious dishes were very precious as they were shared with family and friends

The cake pops were for the grandkids, they come for a visit during school holiday, and they enjoyed the slow-cooked lamb, which I served with tomato rice.  It is so appropriate to have a rice dish at Nana's.

Cake Pops

Cake Pops for The Grand Kids

Chicken Ballotine in Brioche
 One of my winter baking was very successful, it's stuffed brioche: chicken ballotine in brioche, a savoury brioche and it's served with vegetables or salad.

Baked Chicken Ballotine in Brioche

Chicken ballotine in brioche served with baked sliced potato and mustard sauce.

The family enjoyed the chicken ballotine in brioche, and it was plenty to be shared around with friends. The leftover was sliced, warmed up and served with my garden musclan salad.

Sliced cold chicken ballotine in brioche

Musclan salad with sliced chicken ballotine in brioche

Currant Scones
Another baking which surprised me was the scone - current scones.  The scones were very light and delightful, and I share the recipe.

Currant Scones
2 cups self-rising flour
30 g butter, softened
(mix the flour with butter together)
2 tablespoons currants (you could have more if you wish)
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup milk
extra flour for kneading
Method
Place the flour and butter mixture in a large bowl, the sugar and the currants.
Add in the milk all at once and mix them together quickly
(the mixture is slightly wet and sticky)
Rub your fingers with some flour, transfer the scone mixture onto the floured board, pat and knead lightly to make a soft dough.
Roll the dough lightly onto a thin dough, and cut them to small rounds with a scone cutter
Brush the scones with egg mixture (lightly beaten egg mixed with milk)
Bake in the preheated hot oven at 200 degrees C, for 11 minutes.
To serve
Split the scone into two, butter or top them with jam.

Scones are brushed with egg mixture before baking

Freshly baked currant scones

The scones were soft with fine crumbs, a new variation of my scones.  Adding extra liquid is the answer to get a smooth texture.  Family and friends love this goodie, so I will be using the recipe from now on; indeed, it is my very own recipe.

Chocolate Malt Cake
It based on my moist Milo cake, decorate with extra melted chocolate and Maltesers.  Simply bake onto a square tin, cut the onto the rectangular shape, dust with icing sugar. Another way to serve the moist Milo cake.

Freshly Baked 

Sliced and dressed

I believe friends loved them, but some of them did not even try as they are on a special diet.  The cake was good.


Christmas In July.

Most families are having Christmas celebration in July, but we did not; however we had enjoyed our Christmas cake for morning tea today.  It baked seven months ago.

The morning tea was excellent, the cake was delightful,  it's very mature, moist fruit cake, complemented by the freshly brewed Earl Gray tea.



July is an important month for us, two birthdays within our family,  that is often the reason I do good cooking.


Thinking of you, Susan, have a pleasant weekend, and I hope to see you soon.


Today is the first day of August, a new month, a new story to tell a new recipe to share.



Until Next Post
Susy