Upside Down Jam

Make your own Bacon

We make our own bacon, and it is really easy. We buy bacon too. This recipe for quick low salt bacon is really popular in our home because the children love it. And its really easy too. The added knowledge of it being low salt is a bonus really. I'd grill it over a sheet of foil because the sugar content caramelises in the pan, and it can take a long time to clean!

Autumn Chutney

This uses autumnal fruits and is a delicious accompaniment to pork pies and creamy cheeses. You can use any amount of each fruit, there is no rule to how many of each fruit you need to use.

INGREDIENTS
Makes about 5 x 450g jars
1.5kg apples, pears and plums, cored or stoned and chopped into small cube-like pieces
80g chopped dates
100g raisins
450g onions, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, chopped
350g soft brown sugar
550ml malt vinegar
1 level tsp allspice
1 level tsp ground ginger
½ tsp white pepper
1 rounded tsp salt

METHOD
1 Put all the ingredients into the pan on a gentle heat, stir while all the sugar dissolves.
2 Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 1½ hours until the mixture has thickened and has gloss. Stir a couple of times during the cooking time.
3 Pot immediately, label and date.
Leave to mature for 1 week in a cool dark place.

Have Yourself a Chocolate Christmas

Christmas is a time for treating yourself, how often have we said to ourselves and heard others say, ‘ Go on it’s Christmas’.
It is a time to spoil your family and friends as well and making your own chocolate truffles and luxury cakes.

Making your own chocolate truffles is very easy, if a bit messy. They can look very professional and cost a fraction of shop bought ones. You can buy some really delightful little boxes and ribbon to present your chocolates in these days. So have a go and rival that famous high street chocolatier.

You will need apart from the ingredients for the chocolates themselves:

A saucepan and bowl or double boiler to melt the chocolate.
A wooden spoon or silicone spatula to stir the mixture.
A melon baller or 2 teaspoons, this is much easier and less messy than trying to roll the mixture into a ball in your hands.
Some cocktail sticks to pick up the ganache balls to dip into the chocolate or other coverings.
A tray to cool the chocolates and store them until ready to box.
Paper cases, you can buy very small bun cases that are ideal for truffles.

Chocolate Truffle Ganache
Makes about 380g of chocolates

To make the ganache:
200g dark chocolate, at least 70% cocoa solids
180ml double cream
25g unsalted butter

1.Place the cream and butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water to warm.
2.Break up the chocolate into small pieces and when the butter starts to melt in the cream, add the chocolate. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula as this helps stop the chocolate from separating, moving very gently to combine everything .
3.When everything has melted and all combined remove the bowl from the heat and leave to cool and set. When cool put in the fridge to firm up and leave for at least an hour.

If you wish to make flavoured truffles add this when you remove it from the heat and stir in gently. Try adding:

2 tbsp brandy or rum
1 dessertspoon of any liqueur of your choice
1 dessertspoon of instant coffee mixed with a teaspoon boiling water, leave to cool before adding to the ganache
½ tsp vanilla or almond extract

Or if you like it nutty:

Add 3tbsp ground almonds, hazelnuts or walnuts to the ganache before cooling.

5.Make small balls of ganache either using a melon baller or two teaspoons, try not too handle the ganache too much as it melts very quickly.
6.Then use a cocktail stick to lift them up and you may dip them in cocoa powder, ground almond or dip them in more melted chocolate, white, dark or milk. Just have fun both making and eating them!
Store them in the fridge on a baking sheet to cool until you are ready to box them.
7.Place each one in a small paper case. This makes them easier to handle when you are boxing them . Remember to put an ‘eat by’ date on the box.
I use silicone paper to line the box that comes directly in contact with the chocolates and as a covering to protect them.

These will keep fresh for up to 3 weeks if kept in a cool place.