February 2021

Although February can be unpredictable for the weather, the food this month is guaranteed to be topical with Hearts, Pancakes and Chocolate on the menu!

Love is in the air, whether it be red or green hearts. Enjoy your pancakes on Shrove Tuesday.

Love Carol and Heather

“Love is in the air”

Download as pdf

Chicken and Mushroom Pancakes

Melting Middle Chocolate Puddings

Ingredients
  • 125g plain flour
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 egg
  • 250ml / ½ pint milk
  • 1 tbs oil + extra for frying
Filling
  • 25g flour
  • 25g butter
  • 250ml / ½ pint milk
  • 250g cooked chicken
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 125g mushrooms, sliced
  • 25g butter
  • + 25g melted butter for baking
Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 190oC / Fan 170oC / Gas mark 5
  2. Pancakes : Add the egg, half the milk, 1tbs oil to the flour, beat until smooth, then add the remainder of the milk
  3. Brush base of frying pan with a little oil, stand over a medium heat
  4. When pan is hot pour 2-3 tbls batter, just to coat base of pan thinly. Fry until golden, turn with a fish slice. Cook other side until golden. Repeat with the rest of the batter, stacking cooked pancakes with baking paper between layers.
  5. Sauce : Melt 25g butter in a pan, add the flour and stir over low heat for 2 minutes. Gradually stir in the milk, stir continually until boiling, simmer for 2-3 minutes
  6. Sauté the onion and mushrooms in butter until softened, leave to cool before adding chicken and season. Mix with the sauce
  7. Filling: Share the filling between pancakes, roll up and lay them in a heatproof dish. Brush over with the extra butter
  8. Cover with lid or foil and heat through for 15-20 minutes
Ingredients:
  • 100g dark chocolate, broken up
  • 100g butter, diced
  • 1 tbsp brandy (or orange juice)
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 30g plain flour
  • 4 individual pudding basins or ramekins, brushed with melted butter
Method:
  1. Preheat the oven 200oC / Fan 180oC / Gas mark 6
  2. Melt chocolate, butter and brandy in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of just simmering water. Remove from heat and cool slightly
  3. Whisk sugar, eggs, yolks and vanilla in a large bowl until it is thick and leaves a trial over the surface
  4. Pour the melted chocolate mix around the sides of the bowl and sift flour over. Fold in gently using a metal spoon.
  5. Divide mixture between the greased dishes, almost to the top, cover and chill or freeze ready to cook
  • Not chilled ... Cook for 12 mins ... Stand 1 min
  • Chilled ... Cook for 14 mins ...S tand 1 min
  • Frozen ... Cook for 15 mins ... Stand 2 mins
  • Thick stoneware dish ... may need 1 extra min cooking

Green Hearts Biscuits

Valentine Cupcakes

Ingredients:
  • 125g Butter
  • 50g Caster Sugar
  • 175g sifted Flour
  • Green colouring gel
  • Melted Chocolate for drizzling
Method:
  1. Preheat oven 160oC / 140oC Fan Gas 3
  2. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy using a wooden spoon
  3. Add the flour and stir until the mixture binds together, mix in the food colouring a drop at a time until you achieved the required green
  4. Turn out onto a lightly floured board and roll out the dough to approx. 4mm thick
  5. Cut out your biscuits using a heart shaped cutter and place on a lightly greased baking tray
  6. Bake in the oven for aprox 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely
  7. Once cold, drizzle the biscuits with melted chocolate
  8. Makes approx. 12 biscuits
Ingredients:
  • 150g Self-raising flour
  • 1 ½ tbs cocoa powder
  • 150ml buttermilk
  • ¼ tsp food colouring paste
  • 100g unsalted butter, softened
  • 150g granulated sugar
  • 2 medium eggs
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ tsp White wine vinegar
  • ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • Icing
  • 125g unsalted butter, softened
  • 300g tub full-fat cream cheese
  • 75g icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Red sugar sprinkles (optional)
Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 180oC / 160oC Fan / Gas Mark 4
  2. Place paper cases in a 12-hole muffin tin
  3. In a large bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder and pinch of salt and set aside
  4. In a small jug mix the butter milk and food colouring paste and again set aside
  5. In a separate large bowl use a hand held electric whisk to beat together butter and sugar until pale and fluffy
  6. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat again
  7. Next beat in half the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk mixture alternating until both mixtures have been incorporated
  8. In a small cup, quickly mix the vinegar and bicarbonate of soda, then fold through the cake mixture.
  9. Divide the mixture into the cases and bake for 25 minutes or until skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
  10. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely
  11. For the Icing – beat the butter in a large bowl until smooth, add the cream cheese and sift over the icing sugar. Mix until combined. Quickly beat in the vanilla. Pipe or smooth over the cupcakes and scatter the sprinkles (if using) I have chosen red hearts