Tuesday, 9 August 2011

Caramel popcorn

Seriously more-ish

Popcorn
1/4 c vegetable oil
1/2 cup popping corn


Caramel
125g butter, chopped
3/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped (optional)

Line a tray with baking paper. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 pieces of popping corn. If corn slowly turns around in a circle then oil is hot enough.

Add remaining popping corn. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. When corn starts popping, shake saucepan gently. Remove from heat when corn stops popping. Transfer to a large bowl, discarding any unpopped corn.

Make caramel: Combine butter, sugar and honey in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes or until sugar has dissolved. Bring mixture to the boil. Boil, uncovered, without stirring, for 5 to 8 minutes or until light golden.

Remove from heat. Stir in pecans. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and stir until popcorn is coated. Spread over prepared tray. Set aside to cool. Break into pieces. Serve.

Baked Oatmeal

Want to make this someday...

Serves: 6 generously, or 12 as part of a larger brunch spread

Ingredients
2 cups / 7 oz / 200 g rolled oats
1/2 cup / 2 oz / 60 g walnut pieces, toasted (see page 219) and chopped
1/3 cup / 2 oz / 60 g natural cane sugar or maple syrup, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
11/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Scant 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
2 cups / 475 ml milk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas, cut into 1/2-inch / 1cm pieces
11/2 cups / 6.5 oz / 185 g huckleberries, blueberries, or mixed berries

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375F / 190C with a rack in the top third of the oven. Generously butter the inside of an 8-inch / 20cm square baking dish.

In a bowl, mix together the oats, half the walnuts, the sugar, if using, the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, if using, the milk, egg, half of the butter, and the vanilla.

Arrange the bananas in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle two-thirds of the berries over the top. Cover the fruit with the oat mixture. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the oats. Gently give the baking dish a couple thwacks on the countertop to make sure the milk moves through the oats. Scatter the remaining berries and remaining walnuts across the top.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is nicely golden and the oat mixture has set. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. Drizzle the remaining melted butter on the top and serve. Sprinkle with a bit more sugar or drizzle with maple syrup if you want it a bit sweeter.

Chocolate flapjacks

Need to try making these with B, the local chocoholic.

350g Unsalted Butter
3 tbsp Golden Syrup
175g Light Soft Brown Sugar
175g Light Muscovado Sugar
450g Rolled or Porridge Oats
6 tbsps Green and Black's Cocoa Powder

Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas Mark 2. Use a 17 x 28cm baking tray or roasting tin.

Butter the baking tray.

Melt the butter, syrup and both sugars in the saucepan. Do not allow them to bubble. Mix in the oats and the cocoa.

Use a fork to press the mixture into the baking tray and bake for 18-20 minutes. The flapjack needs to cook to the centre but you don't want them to bubble, otherwise they will be too toffee-like. They should stay moist.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool for about 20 minutes before slicing up. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tray.

Hint: these flapjacks are delicious with 2 tablespoons of dessicated coconut, or a handful of sultanas added with the oats. Equally tasty is 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds, but you will also need a handful of extra oats because the seeds will make the flapjacks oily.

Banana Oat Muffins

These were really good.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup mashed bananas



Combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt.

In a large bowl, beat the egg lightly. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla. Add the mashed banana, and combine thoroughly. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper bake cups, and divide the batter among them.

Bake at 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for 18 to 20 minutes.