Baking - Profiteroles

Paula in our catering group made delicious profiteroles for us to enjoy this week!

 

Baking

Katie, catering trainee made this lovely Courgette & Orange cake and served it with some lovely fresh peppermint and raspberries from our centre garden!

 

Keep Learning - Pancake Challenge

CTC Cookery Corner - Orange & Poppy Seed Muffins

Recipe by Mairead

CTC Cookery Corner - Beef Meatloaf

Why not try out some cooking or baking over the weekend with these delicious recipes sent in from our Catering Tutors Emma and Mairead 😋

Recipe by Emma

Baking - Yogurt Cake

 Katie, Trainee from the Catering Department is busy baking this week.  She sent in this lovely photo to Mairead of a Yogurt Cake she baked and decorated.  Well done Katie, it looks delicious!

CTC Cookery Corner - Honey Cake

Thanks to Katie, Catering Trainee for sending in this beautiful recipe she made with her Mum 😋

CTC Cookery Corner - Tangy Lemon Cake

Recipe by Mairead

CTC Cookery Corner - Coconut & Lime Cake

Recipe by Mairead

CTC Cookery Corner - Raspberry Jam Muffins

Recipe by Lisa (Chef)

CTC Cookery Corner - Apple Pie

Apple Pie

Ingredients

600g Bramley Apples
100g Sugar
2 Cloves

Sugar Pastry for 1 Pie
1 Medium egg
50g Sugar
115g Margarine
200g Flour
Pinch of salt

Method

1.    Peel, core and slice the apples.

2.   Cook gently with in a small ammount of water, sugar and cloves. Remove cloves and let cool once apples are soft.

3.   Sieve the flour and salt , add the sugar. Lightly rub in the margarine to a sandy texture. 

4.   Make a well in the centre. add in the beaten egg. 

5.   Gradually incorporate the flour and mix to a smooth paste. Rest pastry in fridge before using.

To assemble Pie:

1.   Half the pastry. Roll out half of pastry on a floured surface. 

2.  Place on a greased oven proof plate. Remove any air pockets.

3.  Trim with a sharp knife. Add cooled apple in the centre. spread a few drops of water around edge of place to help the two layers of pastry to stick.

4.  Roll out other half of pastry place on top of apple covering edges of plate. Seal the two layers of pastry by pressing down fingers, trim the edges with a knife. 

5.  Make 3 small incisions on top of pastry to release steam during baking, egg wash pie top and bake at 180^oC for 30 minutes.

Recipe by Emma

Sligo CTC Cookery Corner - Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients
8oz Butter
8oz Sugar
1 Egg
12oz Self-raising flour
4 drops Vanilla essence
3oz Chocolate chips

Method 
1. Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together.
2. Add the beaten egg, sieved flour and chocolate chips.
3. Place baking paper on a baking tray.
4. Add a tablespoon of cookie dough at a time on the baking sheet.
5. Bake at 170oc for 12 minutes.
6. Let cool on the baking tray before lifting off.

Recipe by Emma

Sligo CTC Cookery Corner - Pork and Apple Meatballs

Pork and Apple Meatballs

Meatballs
• 500g lean pork mince (5% fat or less)
• 2 medium apples, finely grated
• 1 small onion, finely chopped (I use red its sweeter)
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or dried parsley
• Salt and Pepper

Tomato Sauce
• 2 tbsp. Olive oil (I use spray oil it's healthier)
• 110g/4oz onion, diced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tsp caster sugar (it helps break down the acidity in the tomatoes)
• 2 x 400g cans tomatoes
• Salt and Pepper

Method:
• Preheat oven to 180oC.
• Put the mince, apples, onion, worcestershire sauce, garlic and parsley in a food processor and blitz until just combined. Season, with salt and pepper then divide into 16/18 portions and shape each into a meatball.
• Place in an oven proof dish and set aside.

Sauce:
• Sauté (fry) the onion and garlic until they get soft.
• Add the 2 tins of chopped tomatoes and cook for about 5 mins.
• Add the sugar and season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the sauce over the meatballs.
• Cover with tinfoil and place in the oven for approx. 45/50 mins.
• Remove from oven.
• Serve with spaghetti and enjoy!

Recipe by Lisa (Chef in the CTC kitchen)

Sligo CTC Cookery Corner - Lemony Roast Chicken Couscous

If you want to keep busy over the May bank holiday weekend why not cook or bake some of the delicious recipes on the Sligo CTC cookery corner.  For something light on these nice sunny days why not try Mairead's refreshing Lemony Roast Chicken Couscous.  Thanks to our chef Lisa who sent in a family favourite 'Meatballs' or maybe bake some of  Emma's yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies. Enjoy 😋

Lemony roast chicken couscous

Ready in only 15 minutes!

Ingredients - Serves 4 Adults

• 4 cooked chicken breasts, sliced
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 30ml of olive oil
• 300g of couscous
• 400ml of hot low-salt chicken stock
• 250g of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 50g of toasted pine nuts

Method

1. For the dressing whisk together the lemon zest and juice, and olive oil.
2. Place the chicken in a bowl and pour the dressing over it.
3. Cover and leave to marinade in the fridge for 10 minutes.
4. Place the couscous in a bowl and pour over the hot stock.
5. Leave for about 10 minutes until the stock has absorbed.
6. Mix in the tomatoes, pine nuts and chicken with the couscous and serve. 

 Recipe by Mairead

CTC Cookery Corner - Sausage Rolls

Ingredients

450g minced pork

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 - 2 tsp thyme, marjoram, basil and rosemary, mixed and chopped

1 egg, beaten

150g soft breadcrumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

For the pastry

300g (10oz) puff pastry (you can buy frozen pastry for convenience)

1 egg, beaten

A little milk

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Combine all the ingredients for the  sausages together and mix well. Fry a little of the mixture in a pan to check the seasoning, adjust if necessary.
2. On a floured work surface, roll the pastry out into a big rectangle, a little thicker than a one euro coin, and cut length ways into two long, even rectangles. You can spread a thin layer of relish along the two rectangles.
3. Roll the sausage mixture into sausage shapes with your hands and lay along the centre of each rectangle. Mix the egg and milk and brush the pastry with the mixture, then fold one side of the pastry over, wrapping the filling inside. Press down with your fingers or the edge of a spoon to seal.
4. Cut the long rolls into the sizes you want and space them out on a baking tray. Brush with the rest of the egg wash and bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until puffed, golden and cooked through.

Recipe by Mairead

CTC Cookery Corner - Shortbread Biscuits

Shortbread Biscuits

Makes 12 biscuits

Ingredients

150g (6oz) Flour

100g (4oz) Butter or margarine  (soft)         

50g (2oz) Castor sugar

Pinch of salt

Method

1. Sift the flour and salt.

2. Mix in the butter or margarine and sugar with the flour.

3. Combine all the ingredients to a smooth paste.

4. Roll carefully on a floured table or board to a round or rectangle shape, (¼ inch) thick. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet.

5. Mark into the desired shape and size. Prick with a fork.

6. Bake in a moderate oven at 180-200Oc (gas 4-6; 350-400Of), for 15 minutes. 
Cool, and then dust with icing sugar.

     

At stage 3 you can add 2 tablespoons of grated chocolate to make chocolate shortbread biscuits or grated lemon or orange for fruit flavored biscuits. 

Recipe by Emma

CTC Cookery Corner - Easter Brownie Bites

Tucked inside these scrumptious brownie bites are mini eggs - they're a perfectly sized sweet treat that's fun to make over the Easter holidays 😋

PREP: 15 MINS COOK: 15 MINS
Makes 24 mini Brownies

175g butter chopped

150g dark chocolate

250g light brown soft sugar

85g self-raising flour

50g cocoa powder

3 large eggs beaten

100g milk chocolate chips

24 mini chocolate eggs, plus extra to decorate

Method

1. Heat oven to 180^oC/160^oC fan/gas 4. Line 24 holes of a mini muffin tray with paper cases. Put the butter, dark chocolate and sugar in a pan and heat it very gently, stirring all the time until the butter and chocolate have melted. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for a few mins.

2. Meanwhile, sift the flour, cocoa and a good pinch of salt into a large bowl. Stir in the warm, melted chocolate mixture and the beaten eggs, then add half the chocolate chips and mix until just combined. 

3. Divide the mixture between the cases and place a mini egg into the middle of each muffin, pushing down gently. Bake for 12-15 mins until cooked but still gooey in the centre – they will continue cooking a little as they cool down. Leave to cool for 10 mins in the tin before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Melt the rest of the chocolate chips in short bursts in the microwave, or in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring frequently. Leave to cool until it is quite thick, then dot a small amount on each cake and stick on some more mini eggs.

Recipe by Mairead

CTC Cookery Corner

We hope to bring you some recipes and tips every Thursday in our new CTC Cookery Corner.  These recipes are created by our very own talented Catering Tutors Mairead from Sligo CTC and Emma from Leitrim CTC.  Thanks girls for sharing your recipes and for giving us all a chance to put our culinary skills to good work and allow our creativity to shine.  We are going to start this week with delicious Wholemeal Scones.  I hope you all enjoy 😋

Ingredients

100g Wholemeal flour

100g Self-raising flour

5g Baking powder
Pinch of salt

50g Butter

50g Caster sugar

95ml Milk

20g Mixed seeds (optional)

1 Egg for glazing

Method

·       Sieve the baking powder, salt and flour together.
·       Rub in the butter to a sandy texture, add mixed seeds and sugar and mix again.
·       Add the milk a little at a time.
·       Sprinkle a little flour on your work surface and roll out scone mixture 1/2 inch thick.
·       Cut out 8 portions using a scone cutter or by hand and place on a lightly floured baking tray.
·       Whisk the egg and lightly egg wash each scone bake at 180^oC for 15 mins.
·       When cooked let cool on a baking wire.

To make savoury scones just add 25g of grated cheese, scallion or diced bacon

Bread Making

Edele from St Angela's made some lovely cinnamon bread today in the kitchen with the catering trainees

Spotlight on Catering - Baking