Quick Fix Pineapple Upside-Down Pudding

This is the third "quick-fix" pudding I'm posting, and it's likely not to be the last! I had a bit of pineapple that needed using up, and a big craving for some pudding, so decided to experiment with the Quick Fix Chocolate Pudding recipe to make a different variation.

Not the most photogenic pud, but extremely tasty!

The findings of this experiment - that it's incredibly dangerous to know how to make something so tasty in less than 10 minutes!! I think I actually prefer this one to the chocolate version.

A note on cooking times: I'm afraid that as this is a microwave pud, and as all microwaves are different you may find that puddings take a little more or a little less time to cook in your microwave. You'll know it ready because it will come away from the sides of the bowl slights and will be set but still sticky to touch.

Ingredients:
Butter, for greasing.
3 tbsp runny honey (even better if it's in a squeezy bottle!)
8 - 10 chunks of pineapple
50g margarine
50g soft light brown sugar
1 medium egg
50g self-raising flour
2tbsp milk
1tsp vanilla extract

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 3 minutes
Serves: 4

1. Grease a microwavable pyrex bowl, then drizzle the honey around the sides and the bottom. Cut the pineapple into bite-sized pieces, then place these into the bottom of the bowl.
2. In another bowl, add the margarine, sugar, egg, flour and milk and vanilla extract and beat together until combined into a smooth, slightly runny batter.
3. Carefully pour the pudding batter over the pineapple and honey, then put in the microwave on a medium heat for 3 minutes. Allow to rest for at least a minute until turning out onto a serving plate.
4. Best served when still warm, with a little vanilla ice-cream! Hope you like it :-)

Happy Thoughts
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Butter Biscuits

There are certain things that Sundays are made for: laying in bed late, taking walks in the sunshine, long baths, blogging, massive roast dinners, and not to forget tea and biscuits.

These butter biscuits are melt-in-the mouth delicious. The recipe below is just for the biscuits - which taste great on their own with a sprinkling of icing sugar. The taste equally delicious when sandwiched with a little jam and vanilla buttercream, as pictured above! I make these with a biscuit gun I received as a Christmas gift a few years ago, but the recipe works equally well if piped using a standard piping bag and nozzle.

Ingredients:

175g slightly salted butter
50g icing sugar
175g plain flour
1 tsp vanilla essence

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 - 20 minutes
Makes between 30-40 biscuits, (or 15-20 sandwiched biscuits)

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 4 and line a baking tray (or two!) with greaseproof paper.
2. Lightly cream the butter and sugar until smooth and fluffy, then beat in the vanilla essence.
3. Sift the flour into the bowl and then beat into the mixture until you have a smooth, pipe-able dough.
4. Put the dough into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle - or into a biscuit gun if you have one! - and pipe shapes onto the lined baking sheet. 
5. Bake for 15 - 20 minutes, or until golden brown all over, then take out of the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
6. Taste one or two as soon as they are cool enough to handle, because that's chef's perks and it would be rude not to! To serve, eat as they are, dust with a light sprinkling of icing sugar, or sandwich together with your favourite jam and buttercream!

No real reason for this picture, I just like it. As an indicator to how many biscuits you get from the quantities used above, as well as the 27 biscuits pictured above there are another 12 in the oven!

Happy Thoughts
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Quick-Fix Treacle Pudding

Brrr, it's a bit chilly out, isn't it? What an excellent excuse to whip up another "quick-fix" microwaveable pudding. This time I had some leftover treacle I wanted to use up... the results is an incredibly sweet but satisfying pudding, best served with lashings of custard!

As this one is cooked in the microwave, cooking times may vary and I'm afraid the only way you'll find out is trial and error! In my microwave, this take 2 minutes 30 seconds on a medium-high heat setting, but you'll know the sponge is done as it will be set but still sticky on the top. Finally – you will need a microwaveable bowl for this one.

Ingredients:
2tbsp treacle (or golden syrup, if you prefer)

50g margarine

50g caster sugar

1 medium egg

50g self-raising flour

Custard, to serve

Prep time: less than 5 minutes

Cook time: less than 3 minutes

Serves 2-4 (depending how hungry/greedy you're feeling!)

1. Lightly grease a microwavable bowl (I used a frylight spray to give a light coating of oil) then pour your treacle into the bottom of it.
2. Put all of the other ingredients (except the custard) into a mixing bowl and beat until a smooth batter has formed.
3. Pour the batter into the microwavable bowl, being sure to cover all of the treacle, then microwave on a medium-high heat for two-and-a-half minutes, until the pudding is set and spongy, but still a little sticky on top. Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave (careful, it will be hot!) and place on the side to rest for 2-3 minutes, uncovered. (You could use this time to heat up your custard!)
4. Place a serving plate upside-down on top of the microwavable bowl, and carefully (it's still hot!) flip this upside down to turn your pudding out. Let the treacle drizzle down the sides for another minute or so, then serve immediately.

Happy Thoughts
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Sage and Onion Sausage Rolls

I actually feel a little guilty about posting this recipe, as it's a complete cheat. These sausage rolls are so quick and simple, but no one would ever know that because of the way the taste!

Ingredients:
1 medium onion
8-10 sage leaves
A pinch of black pepper
350g pack of good quality sausage meat
1 pack of ready rolled puff pastry
A little beaten egg, to glaze

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25-30 minutes
Makes two large sausage rolls

1. Remove the pastry from the fridge, line a baking tray with greaseproof paper and pre-heat your oven to gas mark 5.
2. Quarter the onion and pop this into the blender with the sage leaves and pepper, then blend until very finely chopped.
3. Tip your sausage meat out into a bowl, the tip on the sage and onion. Mix these together by hand until the sage and onion is evenly distributed.
4. Unwrap the pastry sheet, and cut this in half. Place half of the sausage meat down the centre of each pastry sheet, and wrap or plait the two edges of the pastry around the sausage meat to seal it in - make sure there are no gaps, you don't want all the lovely juices escaping! 
5. Brush the sausage rolls with the beaten egg, then pop them in the oven for 25 -30minutes, until golden brown all over.
6. Once cooked, allow the sausage rolls to cool slightly before cutting into slices. Serve hot or cold - they are good either way!

Happy Thoughts
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Quick Fix Chocolate Pudding

Have you ever found yourself in need of a quick and easy pudding? This recipe is perfect for when you're craving something sweet and naughty, but don't have a lot of time to make it. The recipe is basic and uses basic baking ingredients, (hopefully stuff you have in the cupboard anyway!)

As this one is cooked in the microwave, cooking times may vary and I'm afraid the only way you'll find out is trial and error! In my microwave, this take 3 minutes on a medium-high heat setting, but you'll know the sponge is done as it will be set but still sticky on the top. Finally – you will need a microwaveable bowl for this one.

Ingredients:

50g margarine

50g caster sugar

1 medium egg

50g self-raising flour

3tbsp cocoa powder

2tbsp milk

50g milk chocolate (optional)

Prep time: less than 5 minutes

Cook time: 3 minutes

Serves 2-4 (depending how hungry/greedy you're feeling!)

1. Place all of the ingredients except for the chocolate into a medium mixing bowl, and beat until combined into a smooth, slightly runny batter.
2. Lightly grease a microwavable bowl (I used a frylight spray to give a light coating of oil) then pour the pudding batter into it. Cover with another bowl or plate and microwave on a medium-high heat for three minutes, until the pudding is set and spongy, but still a little sticky on top. Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave (careful, it will be hot!) and place on the side to rest for 2-3 minutes, uncovered.
3. Meanwhile, melt the milk chocolate in the microwave in bursts. Spoon the pudding into serving bowls and then drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of each. Make sure to eat it while it's still warm!

Happy Thoughts
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