Elderflower season is nearly upon us!

Elderflower season runs from late May to early June. Elder flowers can help to cleanse the system and relieve hay fever symptoms so what better time to try one of our favourite Elderflower recipes.

Elderflower Champagne

This can be made as a syrup and drizzled over strawberries or cakes, or diluted with fizzy water or prosecco to make elder flower 'champagne'. 

Ingredients:

• 1 kg sugar
• 1.5 litres water
• 3 medium lemons
• Bunches of elder flower heads (about 20-30 bunches)
• 50 grams citric acid

Method:

1. Boil water and sugar in a large saucepan and stir to dissolve sugar. 
2. Remove from heat to cool.
3. Remove flower heads from stems (a little stem won't kill you but may bitter the taste) and add them to mixture.
4. Stir, cover and leave for at least 48 hours. The syrup can be left for up to 4 days.
5. Bring back to boil and remove from heat.
6. Add the zest of one lemon, the juice of all the lemons and the citric acid to the syrup and stir.
7. Strain the syrup through muslin or a fine sieve.
8. Pour into sterilised bottles using funnel, seal and refrigerate.

Equipment:

Large saucepan
Wooden spoon
Large bowl
Lemon zester
Lemon juicer
Muslin or Fine sieve
Glass bottles
Optional labels



Enjoy!! :-)

Victoria Sponge with Fresh Cream and Berries

May is the official start of British berry season - This has put us in the mood for a Victoria sponge filled with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Perfect for an afternoon treat in spring.

Master Class bakeware available here

Our favourite Victoria sponge recipe has to be Mary Berry's, super quick and easy to make and delicious!! See the recipe below with whipped cream and berry extras added by Dentons. All the equipment you need can be found on our website. 


Victoria Sponge with Fresh Cream and Berries

Ingredients:

• 225g soft butter
• 225g caster sugar
• 225g self-raising flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 large eggs
• 200ml whipping cream
• 225g mixed seasonal berries (eg. strawberries & raspberries)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 170°C/gas mark 4. Cut 2 greaseproof paper circles, grease the sandwich tins with butter and put the circles inside. Grease the circles.
2. Place the butter in a large mixing bowl, then add the caster sugar, self-raising flour and baking powder. Crack the eggs one at a time and then add to the bowl.
3. Using the electric mixer on slow speed, beat for 2 minutes until smooth. The mixture will be soft enough to drop off the beaters when you lift them up.
4. Divide the mixture equally between the prepared tins and level the surfaces with a palette knife or spatula. Place in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes.
5. The cakes are ready when they are risen and pale golden. The tops should spring back when lightly pressed. Cool for about 2 minutes; loosen the edges with a knife.
6. Push the cakes out of the tins on their bases, invert them and remove the bases. Cool the cakes the right way up on a rack. Soften the jam with a palette knife.
7. When the cakes are cold, remove the lining papers and invert one cake layer onto a plate. Whip 200ml of fresh whipping cream using electric whisk until thick and spread on top of first layer of cake.
8. Wash, hull and chop selection of fresh berries such as strawberries, raspberries, and cherries, sweeten with sugar (if needed) and layer on top of whipped cream. Top with second layer of cake.
9. Sieve castor sugar on top of cake and decorate with berries.

Equipment:

Master Class cooling rack

2 x Master Class cake pans

Mixing bowl

Electric mixer or Master Class rotary hand whisk

Palette knife

Master Class cooling racks

Sieve

Home made lemonade

Kilner 8 litre drink dispenser & Kilner jars with handles

Summer is fast approaching and it has got us thinking about picnics in the park, summer garden parties and BBQ's. Home made lemonade has got to be one of the most refreshing drinks on a warm day and is really simple and easy to make. Try serving it in one our 8 litre Kilner drink dispensers and these funky Kilner jars with handles.


Here are a couple of our favourite recipes:


Really easy lemonade 
(http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4620/really-easy-lemonade-)

Ingredients:

• 3 unwaxed lemons, roughly chopped 
• 140g caster sugar 
• 1l cold water 

Method:

1. Tip the lemons, sugar and half the water into a food processor and blend until the lemon is finely chopped. 
2. Pour the mixture into a sieve over a bowl, then press through as much juice as you can. Top up with the remaining water and serve with plain ice or frozen with slices of lemon and lime. 

Equipment:

Lemon patterned chopping board

Chopping board

Knife

Scales

Measuring jug

Blender

Sieve

Spoon

Bowl

Home made lemon squash 

(This is made as a squash and can be diluted with still or fizzy water as and when required)

Ingredients:

• 3 unwaxed lemons 
• 1lb sugar 
• 1oz citric acid 
• 1 pint boiling water 

Method:

1. Squeeze the juice of 3 lemons.
2. Add the sugar to the boiling water and stir until dissolved. Add the lemon juice and the zest of the lemons. 
3. Leave to part cool, then poor into a clean glass bottle and finish chilling in the fridge.

Equipment:

Glass lemon squeezer

Chopping board

Knife

Lemon squeezer

Measuring jug

Scales

Saucepan

Spoon

Glass bottle

Now sit in the sunshine, relax and enjoy!!

English Muffins

Once again Our resident Baker Mrs Julie Boulton has tried her hand at her favourite recipe from this weeks Great British Bake Off. This week was Bread week, more importantly it was muffins. Who doesn't love Muffins? I ask you! Who!?

Below you'll find the recipe for the delicious muffins along with the Preparation method. 

Because we at Dentons Catering Equipment love you guys so much we're alos going to tell you what you'll need to bake these lovely muffins and exactly where you can buy them *cough Dentons cough*

Enjoy!!!

Tools

Mixing Bowl

Muffin Pan

Cooling Rack

Mixer

Rolling Pin

Frypans

Ingredients

• 300g/10½ oz strong white bread flour, plus extra for flouring
• 6g fast-action yeast
• 6g salt
• 15g/½oz sugar
• 15g/½oz softened butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 medium free-range egg (about 22g/¾oz), lightly beaten
• 170ml/6fl oz milk (should make a soft dough – you can add up to about 30ml/1floz extra if needed)
• oil, for greasing
• 15g/½oz semolina or polenta

Preparation method

1. Tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the yeast on one side of the flour and the salt into the other side of the flour. Add the sugar, butter, egg and milk, then mix all the ingredients together to form a soft dough.
2. Turn the mixture out of the bowl onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, or until soft, smooth and stretchy.
   Technique: Kneading bread with oil
   Watch technique1:01 mins
3. Lightly grease a large bowl with oil. Place the dough in the oiled bowl, cover and leave to prove for at least one hour to double in size.
4. Tip the dough out onto the work surface and roll out to about 1.5cm/¾in thick. Leave to stand on the work surface for 15 minutes, to prevent the muffins from shrinking.
5. Dust two baking trays with half of the semolina or polenta.
6. Using a 9cm/3½oz straight-sided cutter, cut out eight muffins. Place four muffins, evenly spaced apart on each of the dusted baking trays. Dust the remaining semolina or polenta over the top of the muffins.
7. Leave to prove for another 30 minutes.
8. Preheat the hot plate or a heavy-based frying pan on the hob to a very low heat. Griddle the muffins for approximately 5-6 minutes, then flip over and griddle for another 5-6 minutes on the other side.
   
   
   EAT EAT EAT EAT!!!!!

Dentons Great British Bake Off Favourites!

Angel Food Cake with Lemon Curd

Here at Dentons Catering we love The Great British Bake Off. Glued to our screens on Tuesday night we've picked our favorite recipe. Our very own Julie Boulton undertook the task of creating the Angel Food Cake with Lemon Curd using all the Baking tools you'll find at in store.  






Essential Equipment (Provided by Dentons Catering Equipment)

Angel Cake Pan

Citrus Zester

Hand Whisk

Electric Whisk

Sieve

Glass Jars

Palette Knives

Ingredients

For the cake

• 125g/4½oz plain flour
• 300g/10½oz caster sugar
• 10 large free-range egg whites
• 2 large lemons, grated zest only
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• ½ tsp salt

For the lemon curd (this recipe makes more lemon curd than you need)

• 10 large free-range egg yolks
• 400g/14oz caster sugar
• 4 large lemons, juice only (approximately 200ml/7fl oz)
• 2 large lemons, grated zest only
• 175g/6oz unsalted butter, cubed
• 2 passion fruit

For the topping

• 300ml/10fl oz whipping cream
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

Preparation method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 (fan 160C) and arrange an oven shelf in the bottom third of the oven. Sift the flour and 100g/3½oz of the caster sugar together in a bowl and set aside.
2. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric hand whisk or mixer on a high speed for one minute until frothy. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, cream of tartar and salt and continue whisking for 2-3 minutes, or until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed from the bowl. Increase the speed and add the remaining 200g/7oz of caster sugar, one tablespoon at a time to form firm, but not stiff peaks.
   
   Watch technique0:59 mins
3. Sprinkle over one-third of the flour mixture and fold gently to combine. Repeat with the remaining two-thirds of the flour mixture folding gently to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
4. Transfer the batter to a 25cm/10in angel food cake pan. Gently run a knife through the centre of the batter to remove any pockets of air. Cook for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
5. Remove from the oven and immediately turn upside down onto the tin’s cooling legs, or place over the neck of a wine bottle. Leave to cool for at least one hour.
6. Run a knife around the inner and outer edges of cake to remove it from the pan. Invert onto a plate. Carefully use a palette knife to separate the cake from the base of the pan. Leave to cool on a wire rack.
7. For the lemon curd, mix the egg yolks, sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest together in a large pan. Cook over a low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, making sure to stir the sides and base of the pan. Cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the mixture coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Pass through a sieve into a large jug. Fill two 350g/12oz glass jars with the lemon curd and seal with lids. Cover the remaining curd with cling film and leave to cool.
8. For the topping, whisk the cream and vanilla extract in a bowl until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed. Spoon the topping over the angel food cake and, using a palette knife, coat the top and sides of the cake, smoothing as you go.
   Watch technique0:48 mins
9. Cut the passion fruit in half and scoop out the seeds. Stir the passion fruit into the reserved, cooled lemon curd and drizzle over the angel food cake before serving. You may want to use just one of the jars of lemon curd to serve with the cake and save the other to eat separately.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   We're going to be having our resident Baker making our favorite Recipe from each week of The Great British Bake Off and sharing with you exactly what tools you'll need and where to get them.
   
   
   
   

Dualit Stand Mixer

Known as the kitchen experts for over 67 years, Dualit are to set to launch their long-awaited Stand Mixer this June. This powerful 1000w machine will delight baking enthusiasts and style aficionados alike with its good looking retro design and flawless functionality. Dualit’s Stand Mixer offers the perfect solution for every bake off challenge - from weighty bread doughs and fluffy cupcakes to perfectly peaked meringues.

Want to achieve baking precision? It’s easy with the dynamic digital timer. The intelligent mixing programme counts down to your set mixing time, allowing you to get on with other kitchen tasks. When the mixing is complete your intuitive mixer beeps to let you know. The versatile timer can also count up, allowing you to follow recipes and make note of mixing times for future creations. You can even indulge in a quick taste test or add extra ingredients with the unique instant pause feature – this makes easy baking an instant reality.

The recipe for baking success is at your fingertips with planetary mixing technology. When used in combination with the curvaceous concave base mixing bowl, you’ll get perfectly combined mixtures every single time. It may disappoint bowl lickers, but with the baker’s secret advantage, you are sure to mix up a masterpiece, with not a single drop wasted.
Choose from multiple mixing attachments including the beater, dough hooks, whisk and spatula beater. With 12 variable speeds, Dualit’s Stand Mixer makes light work of kneading and mixing, to ensure your dough and batters always rise to the occasion. The possibilities are endless – from fresh homemade focaccia to mouth-watering macaroons.

Key features:

• Multi-functional LCD display with count up and count down timer
• 12 variable speeds with unique instant pause
• 1000W direct drive motor
• Pouring chute with splash guard
• 4.8L stainless steel dual-handled mixing bowl
• Spring assisted mixer head lift with auto off
• Carry handles and cord storage
• Planetary mixing action
• Attachments: beater, whisk, dough hooks and spatula beater

Sure to make a stylish statement in your kitchen, Dualit’s Stand Mixer boasts full metal construction, a robust die-cast body and an extra wide base for stability. Avid bakers rejoice - it even comes with a five year motor and two year parts guarantee for baking peace of mind.
Dualit’s Stand Mixer joins the Food Preparation family, which already includes versatile food processors and hand blenders, hardy hand mixers and a sleek juice extractor.The Dualit Food Preparation family contains everything you need for preparing meals at home – from lazy Sunday breakfasts and bake off challenges to sophisticated dinner parties with friends.

LORRAINE PASCAL IS HERE TO HELP

Are you Hopeless in the Kitchen? Or do you know someone who is? The BBC are looking for people who genuinely lack confidence in the kitchen but would love to cook a surprise meal for family and friends.

Lorraine Pascal is well known for her simple and fresh recipes. In this new series for BBC2, she will be sharing her expertise and ideas with people who want to cook a special meal for someone, but have the fear when it comes to cooking. If you fit the mould, please contact the BBC.

To Apply:
Go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/beonashow
Email them directly @ lorrainepascal@bbc.co.uk
Closing Date - Friday 16th August 2013
Age Limit: Applicants must be 18 years or older.


Please include your name, age, contact details and reason for needing Lorraine's help when you apply.