SPICED CRESCENT COOKIES: egg-free, indulgence, easy, kid-friendly, make-ahead

Glorious irresistible melt-in-the-mouth cookies...

updated 11/25; first posted 2021

Lovely in the festive season but also in the sunshine, licking icing sugar or chocolate off your fingertips

These cookes are fabulous but so rich some may have to restrict themselves when they're within reach.

They were made on the spur-of-the-moment when 67 had two meetings to attend and needed something absolutely scrumptious but quick and easy.  The spiced crescents, giant sized, filled the bill magnificently.

The recipe was adapted from classic German Christmas crescents but 67 made them bigger - much bigger!   

They went down a charm, with the size a winning factor! 

Well-packed in a bed of serviettes in a stiff-sided container, they'll be great for Christmas/Hannukah gifts or spring picnics.

Cost:£2.70 (4/24)

Makes: 12-24

Ingredients 

114g/4oz soft unsalted dairy or vegan butter *see tips below

50g/1.75oz icing sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

40g/1.75oz ground almonds

1.5 teaspoons vanilla

110g/3.9 oz plain white flour +

 40g/1.4oz brown flour  

    OR 150g/5.3oz plain white flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ginger

1/8 teaspoon powdered Cardamon

One generous pinch cloves 

One generous pinch five space

Garnish:  more powdered sugar and/or melted chocolate

Method

MAKE THE MOST OF SUMMER FRUITS

Now is the time to take advantage of the gluts of summer fruits and berries.  Two things to remember:

• Freeze Berries in Summer for Winter: inexpensive tips for freezing berries now to brighten up meals later

• Almost instant jam/compote Easy peasy method of making jam/compote in minutes for breakfast OR making lots and freeze for use later 

B Lee/Bright Sun Enterprises accept no liability for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  This advice  has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.

SPARKLY SWIRLY FREEZER COOKIES, make ahead kids' delight ; spelt option

Christmas biscuits that could stand in for baubles on a tree...older kids will love making them. 

first published as Christmas Swirl Cookies in 2018

A hint of peppermint, a pretty swirl, sparkly bits - kid/ults will love these
'If they came in a packet, I would eat the entire lot in one go'.'Very delicious. Great texture; not dry or hard.'

Crumbly and crunchy, breaking easily for dunking, these are first class American-style freezer cookies for the Christmas season.  

The cookie dough is made in advance, popped into the freezer, then, when needed, sliced (from frozen) in the quantities needed, baked and decorated.  The still-frozen dough goes back into the freezer immediately after slicing for another day.   

The swirly bit on these lovelies takes a teensy bit more work than a standard freezer cookie but hey, it's for Christmas!  

The dough itself is easy; older kids could handle it with ease.  Everyone else will love forming the dough into a spiral and, when cooked, rolling the biscuits in icing and sparkly coloured bits.  

Note that the recipe involves two different coloured doughs; therefore the recipe must be made TWICE in order to achieve the swirl!!

The blog is not a fan of artificial food colouring but Waitrose sells several basic colours without 'E' numbers.  However, the colour is not intense; 67's dough needed a good 2 teaspoons of Waitrose red colouring before it took on a pink hue; even then the finished product didn't show pink at all...

Still, no one noticed!

Cost: £4'ish without decorative flourishes (Nov 24)
Makes: 40-50 (2 good-size freezer rolls)

Ingreds: make this dough TWICE, one plain; one pink (see batches below)

   75gm/2.6oz unsalted dairy or plant butter that's not too cold or too warm; in cubes

   150gm/5.2oz white common flour  
     75gm/2.6oz granulated sugar
     pinch salt

     1 med egg
     1 well-cooked cooked egg yolk (left in boiled water at least 10 mins)

     Batch 1: 1/2 tsp vanilla
     Batch 2: 1/2 tsp essence of peppermint 
                  2-2.5 tsp red food colouring (or until dough takes on pink colour)

Icing:
   1/4 cup powdered sugar
   1 tbsp cherry brandy (adults) or water or dairy/plant milk plus 1/2 tsp water

   coloured sugar or other decorative bits: stars, coloured balls, hundreds & thousands (opt)*

Method:

1. Mix flour, sugar & salt
2. Add butter; roughly process or rub between fingers until mix is the size of peas 
3. Add raw egg, flavouring & well mashed egg yolk; work in with processor or hand mixer until well combined and coming together
4. Wrap in cling film; refrigerate 30 mins
5. Repeat with second batch of dough, colouring it pink 
6. When ready, turn white dough out onto lightly floured large piece of cling film; cover with similar sized cling film
7. Roll out to a thickness of 1/3inch/3mm to an 11x8inch/28x20cm rectangle  - this is your base; return to fridge until 2nd batch of dough is ready 
8. Repeat with pink dough but cut away 1/4inch on all four edges; centre the pink layer on top of white 
9. Roll up tightly along the long edge; wrap in cling film, twisting the ends to help the cookies take on a circular shape OR shape into a square or triangle & wrap in cling film
10. Bake within 3 days or freeze until ready to use
11. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 200c/180fan/375f
12. Cut in 1/4 inch/1cm slices using a sharp serrated knife (the dough can be sliced from frozen with the remainder going back in the fridge)
13. Place on baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper or a silicone mat, leaving a bit of space in between
14. Bake 10 mins, turning tray from back to front if one side browns quicker than the other
15. Cool on a baking rack

When completely cold:

1. Mix icing, spread on a flat plat 
2. Sprinkle coloured sugar on another flat plate
3. Take each cookie; roll the edges only in the icing, then in coloured sugar
4. Place on cooling rack until icing has set

*Waitrose, M&S, Morrisons

Comments:

• 'If these came in a packet, I would eat the entire lot in one go.  Good & crunchy; cute to look at as well.  I like the sparkly things.' Political Agent
• 'Very delicious.  Really good nice sweet biscuit with the sparkly bits adding a contrasting flavour. Great texture; not dry and hard.' Campaign manager.

Tips:

• 67 used white common flour & granulated sugar to keep the colours 'clean' but anyone concerned about sugar highs could substitute 75% white flour and 25% wholemeal and use light brown sugar.  The cookies  would also work with spelt flour.
• sadly neither of my guinea pigs could taste the peppermint but the un-iced ones at home had a noticeable peppermint flavour
• small households could make just one batch and divide it into two.
• 67 has not had a chance to test this recipe with plant margarine but has had excellent resuolts in other baking recipes using the plant margarine Tomor.  Work is underway on a spelt flour version of this recipe.

More on NavBar: Recipes I/Cookies

                              Please leave a Comment in the box below 

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission. 

CHICKEN KOFTAS, with an Asian Twist

Asian-inspired chicken koftas: delightful twist on the usual MidEast flavours...

Chicken Koftas, with an unusual Asian twist: low-fat, stuffed with fibre
'Yummy spicing fills the mouth with flavour.' 'Red vinegar dip is fantastic.'

These unusual - and delicious - Chicken Koftas are satisfyingly healthy.  Minced chicken/turkey team with high-fibre bell pepper, tinned bamboo shoots and green onions.  The spicing is Asian classic ginger and garlic with an enhancing layer of 5-spice powder or 67's Savoury Spice Blend.   

The photo shows cocktail-size Chicken Koftas but larger cigar-shaped ones will also work, as will wrapping the mix around skewers. (Soak wooden skewers in water before cooking.)     

The koftas are light in texture - none of that firmly-packed meat bullets here.  Before baking, they should be refrigerated a few hours or preferably overnight to help them keep their shape.

67 liked the koftas hot but tasters raved about the cold/room temperature offerings.  

Two sauces are offered (below). Ginger & Red Wine Vinegar is a thin but knock-out dipping sauce.  A piquant thick, creamy Green Onion Ginger Dressing works better for koftas stuffed into pittas or wraps with salad.

Cost: £5 min
Makes: 25'ish cocktail sized koftas

Ingreds:

  500gm/17.6oz minced turkey or chicken, thighs or breasts
  2 tbsp cornstarch

  2 egg whites (freeze yolks for custards or lemon curd) 

  2 tbsp dry sherry/shao shing rice wine/white wine/white grape juice
  1.5 tbsp toasted sesame seed oil
  1.5 tbsp soy sauce

  1 tbsp 67 Savoury Spices or 1.5 tsp 5-spice powder 
  1.5-2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
  1.5-2 tsp fresh peeled ginger, minced
  zest of a lemon

  3 tbsp green onions, green included, finely sliced
  2 tbsp fresh parsley
1/3 cup bell pepper, finely diced  
1/3 cup finely diced tinned bamboo shoots

Sesame seeds (opt)

See Dips below

Method:

1. Using two forks or light hands, break up mince in a good-sized bowl
2. Add cornstarch; combine
3. In a med bowl, beat egg whites till frothy, add liquid ingredients plus garlic, ginger & 5-spice or 67 Savoury Spices; blend well.  Add to mince; stir thoroughly.
4. Add scallions, bamboo shoots, bell pepper & parsley; distribute evenly throughout the meat
5. Line a tray or plate with cling film
6. Take 1.5 tablespoons of the meat mix.  With gloved or wet hands, form into a barrel shape about 2in/5cm long then roll just the bottoms with your palms to form a gentle point at both ends.  They'll look like elongated pointy eggs (see below)
7. Refrigerate several hours or overnight
8. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 180c/350f
9. Move koftas with a fishslice to a tray lined with greaseproof paper; sprinkle half with sesame seeds(opt)
10. Bake 15 mins or until the middle is no longer pink
11. Serve hot or cool with Asian Dipping Sauce and Spring Onion Ginger Sauce plus, if you like, a bowl of hoisin sauce 

Pointy, egg-shaped Asian Chicken Koftas,
ready for the fridge

Asian Dip (for dipping and drizzling) 

   2 tbsp minced garlic

   3-4 tbsp reduced salt soy sauce (Amoy/Pearl River Bridge)

   8 tbsp red wine vinegar or white vinegar

   1 tsp sugar (opt)

   1 tbsp toasted sesame oil 
   pepper 

Mix well and serve in a bowl

Ginger & Scallion Sauce (thicker for pittas & wraps)

  3 tsp grated ginger
  6 tbsp finely chopped white spring onions
  1 generous tsp grated garlic (opt)

  1 tbsp groundnut/peanut oil

  2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  150gm/5.2oz strained thick 0-fat Greek yoghurt
  1.5tsp reduced salt soy sauce 
  

Put ginger & spring onions plus garlic if using in heatproof bowl; heat oil until very hot and pour over - the ginger and spring onions will sizzle. Cool a little; add to yoghurt with toasted sesame oil & soy sauce.  Blend.  

Comments:
''Nice meaty snack; eaten cold, the flavours were strengthened.  Delicate spicing fills the mouth leaving a pleasant aftertaste. Vinegar sauce very good but would love creamy sauce, too.' Political agent
'Very tasty; light, a summer food.  Nice strong vinegar & ginger dipping sauce.' Campaign Manager

Tips:

• if older or toddler-sized family members prefer a very soft texture, the koftas can be steamed.  
• if using the Ginger & Scallion Sauce for pittas or wraps, line the bottom with a good layer of lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers to stop the sauce soaking the bread

More poultry Nav Bar: Recipes I/Chicken

Please leave a comment

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.   

CHRISTMAS SWIRL FREEZER COOKIES, seasonal kid/ult indulgence

So pretty they could stand in for baubles on a tree...

A hint of peppermint, a pretty swirl, sparkly bits - kid/ults will love these
'If they came in a packet, I would eat the entire lot in one go'.'Very delicious. Great texture; not dry or hard.'

Crumbly and crunchy, breaking easily for dunking, this is another of the very handy American-style freezer cookies which sit nicely frozen until you're ready to bake them in the quantities required.  

The dough is made in advance, popped into the freezer, then sliced and decorated when needed.  And, yes, the swirly bit takes a teensy bit more work than a standard freezer cookie but the dough itself is so easy-peasy, older kids could handle it.  

And it is Christmas.  And the kids will love them -- both rolling the biscuits in icing and coloured bits.  And the eating of them!

The blog is not a fan of artificial food colouring but, thankfully, Waitrose sells several basic colours without 'E' numbers.  However, the colour is not as intense; 67's dough needed a good 2 teaspoons of W/R red colouring before it took on a pink colour; even then the finished product didn't show pink at all...

Cost: £4 without decorative flourishes
Makes: 40-50 (2 good-size freezer rolls)

Ingreds: make this dough twice, one plain; one pink (see batches below)

   75gm/2.6oz unsalted butter that's not too cold or too warm; in cubes

   150gm/5.2oz white common flour  
     75gm/2.6oz granulated sugar
     pinch salt

     flavouring - see Batches below

     1 med egg
     1 well-cooked cooked egg yolk (left in boiled water at least 10 mins)

     Batch 1: 1/2 tsp vanilla
     Batch 2: 1/2 tsp essence of peppermint 
                  2-2.5 tsp red food colouring (or until dough takes on pink colour)

Icing:
   1/4 cup powdered sugar
   1 tbsp cherry brandy (adults) or water or milk plus 1/2 tsp water

   coloured sugar or other decorative bits: stars, coloured balls, hundreds & thousands (opt)*

Method:

1. Mix flour, sugar & salt
2. Add butter; process or rub between fingers until mix is the size of peas 
3. Add egg, flavouring & well mashed egg yolk; work in with processor or hand mixer until well combined and coming together
4. Wrap in cling film; refrigerate 30 mins
5. Repeat with second batch of dough, colouring it pink 
6. When ready, turn white dough out onto lightly floured large piece of cling film; cover with similar sized cling film
7. Roll out to a thickness of 1/3inch/3mm to an 11x8inch/28x20cm rectangle  - this is your base; set aside
8. Repeat with pink dough; cut away 1/4inch on all four edges; centre pink layer on top of white 
9. Roll up tightly along the long edge; wrap in cling film, twisting the ends to help the cookies take on a circular shape OR shape into a square or triangle & wrap in cling film
10. Bake within 3 days or freeze until ready to use
11. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 200c/180fan/375f
12. Cut in 1/4 inch/1cm slices using a sharp serrated knife (the dough can be sliced from frozen)
13. Place on baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper or a silicone mat, leaving just a bit of space in between
14. Bake 10 mins, turning tray from back to front if one side browns quicker than the other
15. Cool on a baking rack

When completely cold:

1. Mix icing 
2. Sprinkle coloured sugar on flat plate
3. Take each cookie; roll the edges only in the icing, then in coloured sugar
4. Place on cooling rack until icing has set

*Waitrose, M&S, Morrisons

Comments:

• 'If these came in a packet, I would eat the entire lot in one go.  Good and crunchy, and cute to look at as well.  I like the sparkly things.' Political Agent
• 'Very delicious.  Really good nice sweet biscuit with the sparkly bits adding a contrasting flavour.  Great texture; not dry and hard; breaks easily.' Campaign manager.

Tips:

• 67 used white common wheat flour & granulated sugar to keep the colours 'clean' but anyone concerned about sugar highs could substitute 75% white flour and 25% wholemeal and use light brown sugar.  The cookies  would also work with spelt flour.
• sadly neither of my guinea pigs could taste the peppermint but the un-iced ones at home had a noticeable peppermint flavour
• small households could make just one batch and divide it into two.

More on NavBar: Recipes I/Cookies

                              Please leave a Comment in the box below 

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission. 

SKINNIER OATMEAL DATE & ORANGE BARS, lower-sugar

A skinnier, healthier version of Oatmeal Date & Orange Bars is lower in sugar but just-as-nice as the original...

Healthier, Lower-sugar Date & Oatmeal Bars with Blueberries
Photo 24/5/17 

Oatmeal and Date bars were a favourite in school lunch boxes in Canada.  Because they're so easy to make and so good for you, they would follow kids through university, into early adulthood and eventually to parenthood.  

Though a bit unfashionable now, the bars are high in oatmeal (labelled a wonder food) which helps lower cholesterol and maintain fibre levels. 

That said, the Oatmeal, Date & Orange Bars are an indulgence - dried fruit packs a lot of sugar.  They do, though, give a good energy boost after intense physical activity. 

The original recipe was designed for large groups and provided too many tempting leftovers.  

The revised version: 

• replaces some sugar with unsweetened dried coconut
• reduces the amount of dates
• replaces some dates with blueberries to counteract sweetness and add goodness
• cuts the recipe one-third overall to provide fewer leftovers
• uses spelt flour instead of common wheat flour (though common wheat can still be used)

There's not much that could be done about the butter levels but we must all make sacrifices!

The bars will keep in an air-tight container for a week but frankly eating them on the day they are baked is an experience not to be missed. 

Cost: £3.00

Feeds: 16-20 (recipe halves nicely)

Ingred: 

   170g/6oz pitted dates, chopped coarsely
   1/2 cup water, incl juice of orange
   1/2 tsp vanilla 
   
   zest and juice of small orange

   1 cup/120gm/4.2oz rolled oats or Uber Granola  (67 used English cup measures)
   1 cup/142gm/ 5oz plain spelt (or common wheat) flour (a 50-50 mix with wholemeal is also good) 
   1 pinch salt
   1/2 tsp baking soda
   2/3 cup/127gm/.5oz light brown sugar less 2-3 tbsp
   2-3 tbsp dried unsweetened coconut 

    3.8oz/110g butter, softened 

     couple of handfuls blue or other berries (opt)

Method:

1. Pour boiling water over dates to remove preservatives; leave for 2-5 mins depending on how 'dry' the original dates are; drain
2. Remove pips if necessary; also the tough stalk; chop coarsely
3. Bring dates, water, orange juice & vanilla to the boil; turn down heat; simmer until mix is thick, gloopy and the dates have nearly broken down (maybe 10-15 mins) This step can be done a day in advance. 
4. Preheat oven to 350f/180c/170fan/gas4; line a 8x8 inch (20cmx20cm) tin with greaseproof paper
5. If butter isn't completely soft, zap it in the microwave on high at 20 sec intervals until it is, or pop it into the pre-heating oven for a minute or so 
6. In a large bowl, blend dry ingred, making sure the sugar is lump free; stir in zest, distributing evenly
7. Add butter; rub or stir together as if you were making crumble until butter is the size of peas
8. Spread under two thirds of the crumble mix in the pan, levelling the top with the spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup
9. Add the dates, spreading as you go; level with a spatula
10. Scatter over blueberries, if using
11. Cover with the final third of the oats, taking special care with the edges; cover the dates as evenly as you can
12. Bake 30 mins or until beautifully browned; half-way through you may wish to bring the back of the pan to the front for even browning
13. Place on a cooling rack; wait half an hour then use a sharp knife to cut into fingers or squares

Tips:

• If the budget doesn't stretch to blueberries, replace with coarsely chopped segments of orange, pith and membranes removed
• The Blogger has not yet tested spelt flakes instead of oatmeal but there is no reason why they would not work.  You might have to add a touch more butter                                                                  

                                                                     
                                                                                More bars on NavBar: Recipes I/baking 

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

SWOTTERS' TREATS: LOWER-SUGAR OATMEAL-DATE ENERGY BARS, good fibre

Oatmeal Date & Orange Bars went down like a storm when first posted but some found them way too sweet.  Here's a Skinnier, lower sugar but just-as-nice version...

Healthier, Lower-sugar Date & Oatmeal Bars with Blueberries
Maybe even more tasty than the original

The original recipe for these wonderfully energising Oatmeal Date Bars was designed for large groups and provided too many tempting leftovers for families or small gatherings.  

The revised version: 

• replaces some sugar with unsweetened dried coconut
• reduces the amount of dates
• replaces some dates with blueberries to counteract sweetness and add goodness
• cuts the recipe one-third overall to provide fewer leftovers
• uses spelt flour instead of common/ordinary wheat flour (though common wheat can still be used)

There's not much that could be done about the butter levels but we must all make sacrifices!

It was tested on tasters who raved over the first version; they loved each of the 3 subsequent versions including this 'final' product.

Cost: £3.00

Feeds: 16-20 (recipe halves nicely)

Ingred: (67 used English cup measures)

   6oz/170g pitted dates, chopped coarsely
   1/2 cup water, incl juice of orange
   1/2 tsp vanilla 
   
   zest and juice of small orange

   1 cup rolled oats or Uber Granola
   1 cup plain spelt (or common) flour;  a 50-50 white & wholemeal mix is good 
   1 pinch salt
   1/2 tsp baking soda
   2/3 cup light brown sugar less 2-3 tbsp
   2-3 tbsp dried unsweetened coconut 

    3.8oz/110g butter, softened 

     couple of handfuls blueberries

Method:

1. Pour boiling water over dates to remove preservatives; leave for 2-5 mins depending on how 'dry' the original dates are; drain
2. Remove pips if necessary; also the tough stalk; chop coarsely
3. Bring dates, water, orange juice & vanilla to the boil; turn down heat; simmer until mix is thick, gloopy and the dates have nearly broken down (maybe 10-15 mins) This step can be done a day in advance. 
4. Preheat oven to 350f/180c/170fan/gas4; line a 8x8 inch (20cmx20cm) tin with greaseproof paper
5. If butter isn't completely soft, zap it in the microwave on high at 20 sec intervals until it is, or pop it into the pre-heating oven for a minute or so 
6. In a large bowl, blend dry ingred, making sure the sugar is lump free; stir in zest, distributing evenly
7. Add butter; rub or stir together as if you were making crumble until butter is the size of peas
8. Spread under two thirds of the crumble mix in the pan, levelling the top with the spoon or the bottom of a measuring cup
9. Add the dates, spreading as you go; level with a spatula
10. Scatter over blueberries
11. Cover with the final third of the oats, taking special care with the edges; cover the dates as evenly as you can
12. Bake 30 mins or until beautifully browned; half-way through you may wish to bring the back of the pan to the front for even browning
13. Place on a cooling rack; wait half an hour then use a sharp knife to cut into fingers or squares

Tip:

• If the budget doesn't stretch to blueberries, replace with coarsely chopped segments of orange with the pith and membranes removed
• The Blogger has not yet tested spelt flakes instead of oatmeal but there is no reason why they would not work.  You might have to add a touch more butter.

                                                                  
                                                                      
                                                                               For more bars, go to Recipes II on NavBar 

Please leave a Comment in the box below

This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.  

MAKE AHEAD NO-KNEAD CINNAMON ROLLS: opt for freezing

A gift for the busy cook - cinnamon rolls easily prepared in advance...

There's not much better than home-made cinnamon rolls and the easy prep is a bonus!
'The best I've probably ever had' These are really good' Tasters

These wonderful mind-blowing rolls* - no-knead and pretty simple to put together - are  brilliant.  And so wallet-friendly.

Prepare them the night before they're needed and bake in the morning, serving them warm, if not hot.  

Although the recipe looks complicated, the steps are simple and easy to follow.  The results are worth it; you'll marvel at how soft and yielding -  how tasty! -  the cinnamon rolls are.    


Note on baking tins:

After making this recipe several times, the blogger found that baking them in a large (9inx13in/31.5x23.5cm) pan can leave the centre buns slightly underdone and the outer buns slightly overdone.   

The blogger now uses two 6.5x11.5 inch/17x29.5cm pans, forming the dough into 16 - not 12 - buns and bakes them 8 to a tray.  The buns are smaller but just as light and fluffy and, to the blogger's mind, easier and nicer to eat.

The pans are disposable, though they can be washed and re-used, and are not expensive.   

Cost: £3.00
Makes: 12 or 16

Ingred:
   
   250ml lukewarm whole or skimmed milk
     50g melted, cooled, unsalted butter
     1 tsp vanilla

     2 room temperature eggs, beaten with fork  

Yum! Homemade cinnamon rolls

  1 tbsp/9gm instant yeast
   2 tsp sugar 
   125 ml warm water

   600g/20oz plain white flour (not bread flour)
   3-4 tbsp sugar
   1 1/2 tsp salt

Extra quarter cup flour - maybe a little more - for shaping buns
  
Filling:    
        1/4 cup soft butter (opt)
        100gm/3.5oz brown sugar
         2tbsp cinnamon
         
         (OR for Christmas) fresh cranberries or dried cranberries or blueberries, blanched in boiling water and dried  PLUS/OR chopped walnuts and pecans
         
Icing (this recipe is for a light glaze but multiples easily) 
    70gr/2.5oz sifted icing sugar
    1.5-2 tbsp lime, lemon or orange juice 
     zest of half a lime, lemon or orange juice (opt) or for Christmas - bourbon, whiskey or brandy)

Method:

Buns

1. Gently heat milk & butter in a small saucepan over med-low heat until butter is melted; do not allow it to boil; set aside
2. Place yeast & 2 tsp sugar in a bowl; add warm but not hot water; mix with a fork, cover & rest 5 mins in warm place until frothy (if yeast does not froth up, start again)
3. Beat eggs well with a fork; set aside
4. Mix flour & salt in a large bowl stirring to distribute evenly
5. Make a well in the centre; add milk mix, eggs & yeast mixture.  Stir/whisk till completely combined; the dough will be thick & sticky.  Cover bowl with a clean, damp tea towel; place in a warm place free of draughts (near but not next to a heater is fine or in a cold oven) 2 hours until tripled in size 
6. Line a baking tin/s with greaseproof paper which rises above the rim, cutting corners to fit.  
7. When first rise is complete, punch down dough to deflate; have a small plate of flour ready.  The dough may be a little 'wet'.   
8. Dust work surface with flour; scrape dough onto it; roll lightly with a rolling pin that's been dusted with flour to flatten.  Sprinkle a little flour on top, working it into the dough with floured hands, adding a little more each time until the dough is soft and pliable and no longer sticky.  It's hard to gauge this; half a cup of flour may be needed 
9. Shape into a 8x12inch/20x30cm rectangle about 1/2inch/2cm thick.  Lightly spread the softened butter over the surface (opt)  Mix brown sugar & and cinnamon plus nuts & fruit if using; strew liberally over surface, leaving a 1/2 inch/2cm border 
10. Roll up into an even shaped log.  Cut into 12 or16 equal pieces.  Arrange in baking tray/s with a little space in between.  Spray surface of buns with veg oil; cover with cling film leaving room for buns to rise; refrigerate overnight or min 4 hours
11. Remove buns from fridge; take off cling film, rest in warm place until nearly double in size (30-45 mins).  Preheat oven to 180C/350f/gas 4.5 
12. Bake 25 mins till golden; the rolls sound hollow when tapped but remember to check the underside -- you may need to turn the buns upside down and bake a further 5-10 minutes
13. Cool 10 mins in pan/s then firmly grasp the greaseproof paper to place buns on a cooling rack
14. When completely cold, cover with a thin layer of icing 

Icing

1. Measure out & sift icing sugar, pushing any lumps through with the back of a spoon
2. Add 1.5 tbsp chosen juice or alcohol; stir; aim for a pourable but non-sloppy consistency
3. Add up to half a tbsp more of liquid if necessary
4. Dribble over buns 

Comments:

“The cinnamon buns are the best I’ve probably ever had, the texture is slightly moist and somehow dreamy, like eating a delicious pillow, and the glazing is just WOW! They also have the benefit of being very filling which means you don’t eat half a dozen before realising it like with most other cinnabuns. All in all I would give them a 9.6/10.  I really enjoyed them and am wondering how I can make these.

P.S. I never rate 10/10, not even with my own cooking. The best rating I’ve ever given something was a 9.7/10 (my dad’s lentil Dahl).' 13-yr-old Schoolboy

Tip:

• Use two forks to separate the rolls
• For a more sophisticated take, scatter coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts over the sugar cinnamon mix before rolling up; for the icing, replace juice with bourbon, whiskey or brandy
• OR freeze, double wrapped in cling film then a layer of foil; when ready to serve, defrost overnight; if you like, cover with more icing before serving (photo)

* adapted from Recipe Tin Eats for which many thanks (bottom page)

**How to Prepare Tins for Baking

 More bread on Nav Bar: Recipes I/Baking

This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  

SIMPLE HOISIN GLAZED WINGS, frugal, easy, kid-friendly

A Super easy wings recipe that's high in flavour but lower in fat...

updated 11.25; first posted 2018

The easiest, most satisfying wings ever 

Kids will love these; they're crispy, smokey, sweet and very more-ish.

It's another wallet-friendly recipe that's a doddle to put together.  Seldom has something so deliciously layered in flavours been so easy to make.

As always, buy the best chicken you can from a source you trust.

Save time and energy -- make double the recipe and put one lot aside for an away-day picnic.

Cost: £3'ish (11/25)

Serves:


Ingred:
    750gm/26oz chicken wings

    3-4 tbsp Hoisin sauce* 
    
    sesame seeds

   2 oranges, cut into 6 wedges

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180c/350f/gas5
2. Arrange wings on a rack in a baking tray 
3. Cook in the top of the oven 20 mins
4. Remove from oven, paint with hoisin sauce, return to oven but in the centre this time
5. Bake 15-20 mins, brushing twice more with sauce; on final brush, sprinkle generously with sesame seeds
6. Arrange on serving platter and squeeze the juice from the orange wedges over the wings 

Tip:

• save energy by baking new potatoes that have been lightly oiled at the same time 

                                                                                                                                             *67 uses Lee Kum Yee

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For more wing recipes go to NavBar/Recipes 1: Chicken...

This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.       

IRISH STEW (ARCHIVE), Low-fat, budget-friendly, healthier

A classic family dish, with good reason...it's stonkingly delicious!

Low-cost lamb & lots of root veg equals an intensely savoury meal

'A great hearty winter meal, cooked to perfection.' Taster

11/11/15

This gorgeous intensely flavoured budget-friendly dish is quintessentially Irish.  

Neck of lamb, some bones and a few hours provides a wonderfully tasty, warming stew thick with meat, veg and exquisite broth.

Classic Irish stew requires time and good stock, preferably made from lamb bones. It takes at least 24 hours for best results.  And that would seem a lot of bother were it not for the cook's best friend, a slow cooker.  

Slow cookers make life easier and the stew richer, tastier and more satisfying. And more than worth the effort.  

The slow cooker can even simplify the cooking method though 67the 2-step method, for 67, wins hands down.

Traditional Irish stew is heavy on the potatoes; 67 replaced some of them with swede and celeriac but parsnips are good, too.

Three cooking methods are offered: if time and funds permit, option 2 is recommended. 

Cost: £4-6
Feeds: 6