Other people - Giant Jaffa Cake

Hello food.....

Another Jess's Messes Recipe put to good use: Aaron made the Giant Jaffa Cake for a work do. It looks fantastic and was referred to as 'a very tasty cake' - Well done Aaron, it's great!!

Aaron's Giant Jaffa Cake

And then.....

Hello food.....

The previous post - Croquembouche success - ends on a lovely note of chocolatey happiness.

The next misson was to transport this beautiful beast from Lancaster to North Yorkshire, through the Yorkshire dales on a sunny day.

This was the result

SADNESS ALL ROUND. But as Jess's Messes has always preached, it is all about the flavour, not just the look. In this case it also worked, as it was devoured incredibly quickly by all people celebrating my auntie's birthday. I wish it was more beautiful though.... At least it's a story, and I know next time, get people to come to me for the croquembouche, not the other way around!

Croquembouche Success

Hello food.....

The successful Croquembouche

After an absolute Jess's Messes disarrrster  when making Jane's croquembouche for her birthday, ok it tasted nice, but looked insanely bad, I was determined this time round there would be croquembouche success.

And this time..... there was!

I started making the profiteroles and the creme patissiere filling a couple of days in advance. Then on the day I crisped up the profiteroles, filled them and melted the sugar. Oliver (my clever, maths minded brother) made a lovely cone and the assembling began. This was not a process without pain... I still have a few blisters on my fingers and thumbs from boiling hot sugar disasters, however, it was definitely beginning to feel more stable than last time.

As I slowly built up the tower my confidence grew and ther was real hope that this time it could work. Then, it was time to turn it out.....

Tense...

The moment of truth.

I was so excited, and scared but as i cut and peeled away the cone, it appeared to stay, yes it was holding it's shape - SUCCESS!!!

It lasted all night, and in the morning I added some chocolate to give it colour.

A happy, chocolatey end to any story.

Yay!!

Happy days.....

Bread....

Hello food.....

Bread

This is bread. I made it. It is warm and yummy.

This is how I made it:

What do I need?

• 500g Strong Plain White Flour
• 2 tsp Salt
• 7g Sachet of Quick Action Yeast
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• 300ml Water

How do I do it?

1. Place flour, salt and yeast in a bowl and mix. 
2. Make a well in the centre and add oil and water.
3. Combine everything together.
4. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until bread in smooth and silky.
5. Place in an oiled bowl! Leave for 1 hour until doubled in size.
6. Knock the bread back (knock air out of it) shape it into an oval and leave to double in size again for an hour.
7. Score a cross on the top and sprinkle a little dusting of flour if you wish. :)
8. Place in oven at 220c or  Gas Mark 7, for 25 minutes.
9. Check it is cooked by tapping the bottom. It should sound pretty hollow, then serve with butter (if you like it) or Jess's Jingle Jam.

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Recipe of the week - Giant Jaffa Cake

Hello food.....

This Jess's Messes recipe is very easy really, and so effective, so definitely worth taking a little extra time and making a special, stand out cake - rather than a normal victoria sponge/chocolate cake! If you like Jaffa Cakes, this will be yum beyond belief for you and it stops you feeling guilty for working through a whole packet of 'biscuits' in one night, well that works for me anyway! :)

Giant Jaffa Cake

What do I need?

125g Butter

125g Caster Sugar

2 Eggs

125g Flour

300ml Orange Juice

125g Caster Sugar

3 Leaves Gelatine

250g Dark Chocolate

250ml Double Cream

How do I do it?

1.   Place orange juice and sugar in a pan and heat slowly until sugar has dissolved, place gelatine in warm water until soft and then add it to the orange juice, mis until gelatine has disappeared, place in fridge to set. 2.   Beat together butter and sugar until thick and pale. Add eggs and beat in, fold in flour. 3.   Grease and line a cake tin and fill with mix. Place in oven at Gas mark 5/180˚C for 15 minutes. 4.   Meanwhile, break the plain chocolate into a heatproof bowl. 5.   Place cream in a pan and bring slowly to the boil. Pour over chocolate and whisk together until it goes smooth. Place in fridge and leave to set. 6.   When cake is cooked and cooled place on plate. 7.   Cover the middle of cake in set jelly, place back in fridge for 10 minutes. 8.   Cover the jelly and cake in chocolate ganache. This could take a while to make it work properly. 9.   Place in fridge and serve when set! Lovely, lovely! Let me know what you think: jess@jesssmesses.co.uk

 

Recipe of the week: Sizzling Sausage Casserole

Hello food.....

Sizzling is used in this Jess's Messes recipe, not to describe the noise of a sizzling sausage sizzling away in a sizzling pan (sizzling mentioned too many times?), it is in fact used to describe the spiciness of the dish. I made it nice and spicy to take the edge of a freezing cold day in rainy Manchester, but you can easily adjust the amount of Paprika to make it to your taste. I also added loads of vegetables. This is not necessarily essential, just a way of using things up!

What do I need?
(Serves 6)

A Sizzling Sausage

• 1 Tbsp Sunflower Oil
• 6 Sausages (chopped into about 6 pieces each)
• 1 White Onion
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Carrots
• 3 Medium Potatoes
• 1 Courgette
• 1 Red Pepper
• 600g Chopped Tomatoes
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 Tsp Oregano
• 2 Tsp Paprika
• Salt and Pepper

How do I do it?

1. Place the oil in a heavy based pan and heat. Add the chopped up bits of sausage and cook quickly until golden brown. Remove from pan.
2. Dice the onions and crush the garlic - add to pan. Add a small amount of salt and the paprika and cook until onions have softended, but not coloured.
3. Add the roughly chopped: carrots, potatoes, courgette, pepper and the chopped tomatoes and bring to the boil.
4. Return the sausages to the pan and add oregano and bay leaves.
5. Cover and leave to cook ont he hob at a medium heat for 30 minutes (or until potatoes have softened completely).
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.

* You could add lentils if you want to bulk it out a bit! :)

Enjoy.

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November disappearing..

Hello food.....

Halloween is complete, Bonfire Night is over - the next big thing.....


CHRISTMAS!

Make sure you get your Jess's Messes Christmas Hamper orders in asap. Everything is handmade from scratch, with care and love from Jess to my unique recipes! :) They are also delivered in person to you with no extra charge. Easiest Christmas shopping ever!

The deadline is 1st December, and as November disappears before our eyes there are hamper orders flying in. Just click here for more info!

Hamper Packages

1. Ho Ho Ho Humble Hamper (3 beautiful bags, 2 jolly jars) - £12.75
2. Santa's Succulent Snacks (4 beautiful bags, 3 jolly jars) - £16.95
3. Golden Grotto Gift (5 beautiful bags, 4 jolly jars) - £21.00

Choices

Jolly Jars

• Barrowscotch Butterclough Sauce
• Jess's Jingle Jam
• Charming Christmas Chutney
• Ravishing Red Onion Marmalade
• Luscious Lemon Curd

Beautiful Bags

• Excellent X-mas Cakes
• Magical Mince Pies
• Merry Meringues
• Twisty, Cheesy Snackingtons
•  Secret Shortbread
• Giggly Gingerbread People
• Tarts
• Onion and Thyme
• Leek and Stilton

To order one of these exclusive, homemade, hand delivered hampers, just follow this link: http://www.jesssmesses.co.uk/what-does-jess-do/the-hampers/

Or email jess@jesssmesses.co.uk