cooking
Cooking in 2020 - Trends under lock down
Google, the all seeing search engine has published the 10 most searched recipes world wide over the last month (although I think they mean America). In Australia, and Victoria in particular, Jamie's 'Keep Cooking and Carry On' seems to be most popular. You can find that one here
Number one on the Google list was banana bread.
Now that has a certain resonance, as bananas are particularly difficult to hoard, and ripe bananas make good breads and muffins. In my house, we have had two batches of banana chocolate chip muffins so far this month.
Here is the taste recipe for banana bread, but please, use Australian butter.
My banana muffin recipe is very flexible. When I didn't have butter, I used light olive oil and they tasted fine.
2 cups of self raising flour (or 2 cups plain flour and 4 teaspoons baking powder)
1/2 cup of sugar (any sort)
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
60gms melted butter or oil or margarine
2 ripe mashed bananas
1 cup choc chips - you can replace these with chopped walnuts, pecans or leave them out altogether and flavour the muffins with vanilla and cinnamon
Put the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix
Melt the shortening in the microwave (or in a small pan on the stove)
Add the wet ingredients including the bananas
Mix until just combined, not too much or the muffins will be tough
Add the choc chips or whatever
Spoon into a muffin tray, greased or lined with paper cases and bake for 20minutes or until done at 200C
Number two on the Google list is pizza dough
Here is a pretty good dough recipe, I make similar but don't use any oil. At the moment flour is hard to come by, but white bread mix works fine.
I also use the same mix to make flat bread, for koftas, tandoori, Mexican wraps or pizza bases. I roll out the dough to an about 25cm round and cook it in a lightly oiled frypan, turning when the bread is puffy and lightly browned. Yum!
Number three was hand sanitiser. Not tasty.
Number four on the Google list is French Toast. This is basically bread soaked in beaten egg and fried. This is what I had for breakfast this morning, and I add nothing to the egg except good wholegrain sourdough bread slices, and I cook it in an ungreased sandwich press. I also cook a rasher of bacon in the sandwich press next to the toast.
More typically the recipe is topped with fruit, syrup and cream. Recipe here
Number five is for a chocolate cake recipe.
Here is one I make all the time. It is dense enough to take some pretty elaborate decorations when used as a celebratory cake. I have even used it as a wedding cake.
Grease and line two deep 20cm cake tins
Add vinegar to milk (this will curdle it but don't worry. The acidity activates the bicarb soda)
Sift the flour, salt, cocoa, soda and sugar into a mixing bowl.
add the melted butter and half the milk and beat well for 2 minutes
Add all remaining ingredients and beat for another 2 minutes
Pour into prepared cake tins and bake for 35-40 minutes until done
Rest for a few minutes then take out of the cake tins. Decorate as you like.
Number one on the Google list was banana bread.
Now that has a certain resonance, as bananas are particularly difficult to hoard, and ripe bananas make good breads and muffins. In my house, we have had two batches of banana chocolate chip muffins so far this month.
Here is the taste recipe for banana bread, but please, use Australian butter.
My banana muffin recipe is very flexible. When I didn't have butter, I used light olive oil and they tasted fine.
2 cups of self raising flour (or 2 cups plain flour and 4 teaspoons baking powder)
1/2 cup of sugar (any sort)
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
60gms melted butter or oil or margarine
2 ripe mashed bananas
1 cup choc chips - you can replace these with chopped walnuts, pecans or leave them out altogether and flavour the muffins with vanilla and cinnamon
Put the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix
Melt the shortening in the microwave (or in a small pan on the stove)
Add the wet ingredients including the bananas
Mix until just combined, not too much or the muffins will be tough
Add the choc chips or whatever
Spoon into a muffin tray, greased or lined with paper cases and bake for 20minutes or until done at 200C
Number two on the Google list is pizza dough
Here is a pretty good dough recipe, I make similar but don't use any oil. At the moment flour is hard to come by, but white bread mix works fine.
I also use the same mix to make flat bread, for koftas, tandoori, Mexican wraps or pizza bases. I roll out the dough to an about 25cm round and cook it in a lightly oiled frypan, turning when the bread is puffy and lightly browned. Yum!
Number three was hand sanitiser. Not tasty.
Number four on the Google list is French Toast. This is basically bread soaked in beaten egg and fried. This is what I had for breakfast this morning, and I add nothing to the egg except good wholegrain sourdough bread slices, and I cook it in an ungreased sandwich press. I also cook a rasher of bacon in the sandwich press next to the toast.
More typically the recipe is topped with fruit, syrup and cream. Recipe here
Number five is for a chocolate cake recipe.
Here is one I make all the time. It is dense enough to take some pretty elaborate decorations when used as a celebratory cake. I have even used it as a wedding cake.
- 1 tablespoon of vinegar
- 1 can evaporated milk
- 2 cups plain flour
- pinch salt (I leave this out)
- 2/3 cup cocoa
- 2 teaspoons bicarb soda
- 1 2/3 cup of sugar
- 250 grams melted butter
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Grease and line two deep 20cm cake tins
Add vinegar to milk (this will curdle it but don't worry. The acidity activates the bicarb soda)
Sift the flour, salt, cocoa, soda and sugar into a mixing bowl.
add the melted butter and half the milk and beat well for 2 minutes
Add all remaining ingredients and beat for another 2 minutes
Pour into prepared cake tins and bake for 35-40 minutes until done
Rest for a few minutes then take out of the cake tins. Decorate as you like.
The number six most searched recipe is for a Dalgona Coffee recipe. Check out the video below for this odd, whipped, sugar laden beverage.
Number seven on the Google list is for Chicken breast recipes. Here is the search link. Make a Mexican spiced or Indian dry chicken curry; make the flat breads as per number two above; and pile the chicken onto the bread with lots of salad and salsa. Winner!
Number eight on the list is carrot cake. Its good for you with all that carrot in it, right??
- 2 cups (250 grams) plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 cups (295 ml) canola or other vegetable oil
- 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
- 1 cup (200 grams) lightly packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 3 cups (300 grams) grated peeled carrots (5 to 6 medium carrots)
- 1 cup (100 grams) coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1/2 cup (65 grams) raisins or sultanas (or leave them out)
- 30 gram unsalted butter, softened
- 80 gram cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
- 1 1/2 cup (240 grams) icing sugar
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, and the cinnamon until together.
In mixing bowl, mix the oil, sugars, and vanilla. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until combined.
Switch to a large rubber spatula. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl then add the dry ingredients in 3 parts, gently stirring until they disappear and the cake mix is smooth. Stir in the carrots, nuts, and raisins.
Divide the mixture between the prepared cake pans. Bake until the tops of the cake layers are springy when touched and when a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes.
Cool cakes in pans for 15 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks, peel off paper and cool completely.
For the lemon cream cheese icing, beat butter, cream cheese and rind with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sifted icing sugar. Ice the cooled cake.
Number nine on the Google list is for Minced beef recipes. Find a link to 44 recipes using beef mince on the Delicious website here. You should be able to find something to make for tea tonight in this list!
Fried rice recipe searches round out the top ten. Fried rice is a tasty way to use up all the little bits left over in the fridge. Cold cooked rice develops resistant starch, so it is even better for you than fresh cooked rice. Here is a link to a google search for recipes.
SOUR DOUGH BREAD MAKING MASTER CLASS with Lisa
Join Lisa Sartori at Dirty Three Wines where you will learn to bake your own sourdough bread from scratch. In this two hour class Lisa will take you through the whole process, turning handfuls of flour into your own warm, crusty loaves.
You will work with Lisa’s 3 year old starter, be taken step by step through the creative process and learn the skills and techniques needed to replicate the baking process at home for the enjoyment of friends and family. This sourdough master class is suited for keen beginners. Junior bakers welcome.
Join Lisa Sartori at Dirty Three Wines where you will learn to bake your own sourdough bread from scratch. In this two hour class Lisa will take you through the whole process, turning handfuls of flour into your own warm, crusty loaves.
You will work with Lisa’s 3 year old starter, be taken step by step through the creative process and learn the skills and techniques needed to replicate the baking process at home for the enjoyment of friends and family. This sourdough master class is suited for keen beginners. Junior bakers welcome.