Monthly Archives: June 2015

9

Pappa Roti Buns aka Coffee Buns 

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Salams all…I think I’m posting more recipes in Ramadhan than I have done since I started the blog 🙈 Having some much needed time off work does help especially in Ramadhan..this is allowing me time to really gain the Baraqah of Ramadhan…anyways I’ve had a lot of requests for the Pappa roti recipe..Prior to making these I had never tasted these buns although I had heard a lot of good things about them and I thought if I can’t get to a Pappa Roti cafe then next best thing is to make them..anyone who hasn’t tried them yet it’s a light and fluffy bun with a lovely buttery filling and has a coffee icing which melts into the bun as it baked…then you can eat it on its own or with different toppings for eg Nutella, cream cheese icing or anything u like..I searched online for a recipe but most seemed very long winded..this recipe was given to me by a friend but there’s also a video online by Steves kitchen giving you step by step instructions here…hope you enjoy them and let me know how you get on.

INGREDIENTS:

Dough:

500g strong white flour (used for breads)

1 Tsp Salt

1 egg (lightly beaten)

60g softened butter

75g brown sugar

2 tsp yeast

270ml warm milk

16 small cubes of butter (freeze in a tray until frozen)

Coffee Icing:

200g soft butter

3 eggs

160g icing sugar

200g self raising flour

2 Tbs coffee mixed with 2 Tbs water

METHOD:

In a stand mixer (or if kneading by hand in a large bowl) mix the flour, sugar and salt, then add the yeast and mix again, then add the milk and egg and mix on high for 8 minutes, add in the butter and mix for an additional 5 minutes until the dough has all come together and is smooth.

Layer a tray with greased roof paper. Divide the dough into 16 equal round balls and leave to rise in the tray for around 10 minutes. Once risen take each ball and flatten with the palm of your hand, turn it over and place a cube of the frozen butter piece in the middle and close the bun by pinching making sure it’s closed completely. Cover and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size so around an hour.

While the buns are rising you can make up the coffee icing.

Mix the icing sugar and butter until soft, then add the eggs gradually and mix, add the coffee mix and then slowly add the flour (use enough to make a soft icing) Fill up an icing bag with a round tip nozzle attached (if you don’t have a nozzle then just snip a bit of the end off) Leave in fridge until needed.

Once buns have risen pipe the coffee icing on top of the bins in a spiral shape and bake in oven at 180 degrees or Gas Mark 4 for 12-15 minutes until golden.

Top with any of your favourites (Mine is obviously Nutella) golden or maple syrup or cream cheese icing.

TIP: These buns can also be frozen without the icing to bake on another day, just defrost and bake as stated in the recipe.

Enjoy 😍
The buns once they have been filled with the pieces of butter and left to rise for 10 minutes

The buns after they have doubled in size

The coffee icing on top of the buns in a spiral shape ( sorry my hands are always wobbly when icing)

 Bake in oven for 12-15 minutes until lovely and golden

 Drizzle (or douse) with Nutella and chopped pecan or hazelnuts

 Also tastes great with golden or maple syrup

  Look at how fluffy and buttery the inside is…mmmm…perfect 😍

10

Heavenly Mascarpone Trifle

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Salams All…wow we are on Day 7 already…alhumdulillah…today I thought I’d post a dessert recipe…to be honest with the short time between Iftar and Sehri we just haven’t had a pudding in Ramadhan yet…there’s either no space in our tummies or just no time to eat it.  This dessert is a lovely refreshing one…the fruits used can be tinned or fresh..also you can use any fruits that you like and doesn’t have to be the ones I’ve put in the recipe. Again this recipe can be made in a larger dish for the whole family to dish out and enjoy as much as they want or individual glasses.  

INGREDIENTS:

2 loaves Mcvities fruit cake (or if you prefer you can also use Any Madeira cake or any plain sponge)

250g Mascarpone cheese

Half tin sweet condensed milk 

1 340ml Nestle extra thick cream

1 large tin of Lychees (chopped)

1 tin Mango Slices (cubed)

1 tin peach slices (chopped)

15-20 strawberries (chopped)

2 packets Halal Jelly (I used Ahmeds strawberry and Lychee mixed together) 

Mixed Chopped Nuts 

NOTE: *Reserve the juices/syrups from the tinned fruit*

METHOD:

Slice the Fruit Cake and layer in a rectangle Pyrex dish.  With a spoon drizzle some of the reserved juice from the tinned fruit onto the cake slices to moisten them.  Evenly distribute half of each type of the chopped fruit on top of the cake slices and then sprinkle with the chopped nuts.

With the reserved juices/syrup from the tinned fruit make up the jelly as per instructions on the box (top up the syrup with water to make up amount needed to make the jelly) pour the jelly into a rectangle dish and leave to cool and set.

Separately in a medium plastic bowl empty the tin of nestle extra thick cream and lightly whisk, then add the mascarpone cheese and whisk again and lastly add the nestle condensed milk and whisk until well combined. 

Once Jelly is set with a spoon take small slivers of the jelly and place on top of the layered fruit cake and fruit that is already in the Pyrex dish until covered.

Now pour the cream/mascarpone mixture on top of the Jelly.

Decorate with the remaining chopped fruit and sprinkle with some more nuts. 

Chill for a few hours in the fridge or overnight.

Enjoy 🍓🍒🍍🍇🍉🍐🍊

 
  

2

Tomato and Pepper Chutney 

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Salams all…just a quick recipe for you guys…seeing as I posted a few savoury recipes , you definitely need a chutney to dip all those lovely things into…there’s no specific measurements to this recipe, it’s all according to taste but I will try and write down what I think is appropriate to taste but you can always add more or less of the ingredients to taste.

INGREDIENTS:

6 Green Peppers (cubed chunky pieces) 

500g Tomato Ketchup

1 tbsp whole Cumin seeds

2 tbsp Achaar Masala

1 tspn Salt (add more or less to taste)

1 tspn Red chilli powder (optional if you want more spicy)

6 cloves garlic 

1 cup vinegar 

Half to 1 bunch Coriander (keep the thin stalks) 

1 tbsp Mint Sauce

METHOD:

Put all of the above ingredients into a blender and give it a whizz until it becomes a nice thick sauce.  Taste for the salt and chillies (Achaar masala) and add more if required.

Fill into a Glass Jar and refrigerate.

TIP: You can also use Red peppers or Both green and red instead of just green…this will give a more reddish colour to the chutney.

Enjoy 😎

  

Ingredients for the chutney  

 Cube the peppers quite chunky

 Put the ingredients into the blender and give it a whizz.  Empty the Chutney into a glass jar and refrigerate and enjoy with your fried or baked savouries  

8

Chicken and Potato Pastries 

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Salams my fellow cooks…sooo alhumdulillah the beautiful month of Ramadhan has finally started…there’s just no other month that gives you a feeling like Ramadhan does..I pray everyone’s first fast has gone ok…

First post of Ramadhan is for these delicious Chicken and potato pastries…past couple of Ramadhans I had been trying out new pastry recipes that was passed on through friends and family but this one is a classic one…and I thought I should just make these this year as they’re easy to make, tasty and is something that the whole family enjoys.

INGREDIENTS:

2 chicken fillets (cubed small)

4 medium sized potatoes (cubed and parboiled)

2 medium sized onions (chopped finely)

50g butter

1 and half tspn ginger/garlic paste 

Handful of coriander and 2 green chillies (chop together in a food processor) 

1 and half tspn Salt (add to taste)

2 tspn coarse Black Pepper

Some more chopped coriander 

Puff Pastry Sheets (ready rolled)

1 egg (beaten) 

For the sauce:

2 mugs water and 4 tbsp Plain Flour

METHOD:

In a large pot add the butter and let it melt on medium heat.  Once melted add the cubed chicken and to that add the the chopped Coriander and chilli mix, salt and pepper and ginger garlic paste. 

Let this all cook together on medium heat until most of the water has burned off.  When there is still a little water remaining add the boiled potatoes and mix gently until everything is combined.  Allow the mixture to cook for a few minutes until the potatoes are cooked and then add the chopped onions and cook together until no moisture remains in the mixture. 

For the sauce bring the 2 mugs of water to the boil in a saucepan (or just boil water in a kettle) make a paste of the plain flour separately with a bit of cold water, once the water is boiled add the plain flour paste and let this sauce thicken, making sure you are stirring all the while and ensuring no lumps remain.  If there are any lumps in the sauce just give it a whizz with a hand blender or a whisk.

Once sauce has thickened add this to the chicken and potato mix, add the chopped coriander and gently stir everything together.

Let the Mixture cool before filling into the puff pastry.  

Bake at gas mark 4/5 or electric 180 degrees until golden brown and puffed up 

Enjoy 😋
 Cook the Cubed chicken with butter, salt, pepper, ginger/garlic and the coriander/chilli mix

  

When a little water remains add the cubed potatoes and cook until potatoes are thoroughly cooked

  After adding onions and letting that cook for a while add the White sauce and coriander and mix well.  Let the mix cool completely 

And now I’ll show how I filled the pastries..I had a large sheet of ready rolled puff pastry which I bought from a local Asian grocers but you can use any you like and fill them however u like 

  Take some of the pastry filling and layer it in a neat row as show, leave some puff pastry on the left side to over lap the mix 

  Over lap the left side of the puff pastry over the mix as shown and then cut, with a knife the right side neatly, leaving some puff pastry on the side 

  Over the right side of the puff pastry ensuring the mix is completely covered and seal well, you can use water or a flour paste to seal of you are a bit wary of it opening up while baking
  Cut into pieces as shown, mine are about 3 to 4 inches wide but you can cut as small or big as you like
  Make small slits on the top with a knife or some holes with a fork and brush with a beaten egg for the glaze and sprinkle some sesame seeds on top
  I also filled some like this, but you can fill however you like 

 All baked and ready for Iftaar…..mmmm