How to Cook Finnish Apple Pie

This recipe is to cook a fantastic Finnish apple pie. This type of apple pie is slightly different from a traditional English apple pie a few respects as you’ll see throughout the recipe. 

Serves: 6

Preparation Time: 15 Minutes

Cooking Time: 45 Minutes

Ingredients you will need:

• 375g sweet pastry
• 3-4 apples , cut into very thin wedges
• 150ml soured cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 egg , beaten
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

Once you’ve got together all the ingredients above your ready to start cooking.

-          Step 1: Heat the oven to 190C/fan170C/gas 5. Roll the pastry out to pound coin thickness, then line a lightly buttered pie dish and crimp the edges. Fill the pastry crust with the apples.

-          Step 2: Mix together the soured cream, vanilla, cinnamon, half the sugar and egg. Pour over the apples. Sprinkle on the rest of the brown sugar. Bake for about 40-45 minutes until the pastry is crisp and the filling cooked.

This particular recipe goes fantastically with an Oaky New Zealand or Pays d’Oc Chardonnay Wine. 

How to Cook Crispy Onion Rings

Heres another easy recipe to cook that i found on youtube. i was planning on adding my own way of cooking onion but this video sums it up perfectly. Enjoy.

How to Cook Chinese Noodles

This is another recipe i cooked the other day from youtube that i thought i'd share with the rest of the world, check out the uploaders other videos, they have a great selection of recipes.

How to Cook Garlic Shrimp

As you can see this is a youtube video and thus is not ky recipe but i cooked this recipe the other day and thought that it was so fantastic i would share it with you all. Enjoy

How to Make Salad Nicoise

This is a lovely recipe to be had a lunch time on a hot day with a nice glass of wine or freshly squeezed orange juice

Serves: 2

Preparation Time: 20 Minutes

Utensils you will need:

• A Screw topped jar
• Tin opener
• Cooks Knife
• Chopping Board
• Two large salad bowls

Ingredients you will need:

• 2 Little gem or baby cos lettuces 
• 2 Hard-boiled eggs

For Instructions on how to boil an egg visit my How to Cook a Boiled Egg page at:
http://howtocookanegg.blogspot.com/2011/03/boiled-eggs.html

• 8 Baby plum tomatoes
• 200 grams / 7 Oz of drained canned tuna
• 55 grams / 2 Oz of French beans
• 4 Sliced Anchovy fillets
• 12 Stoned black olives
• French bread

Dressing:

• 4 Tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon of Tarragon vinegar
• 1 Peeled and crushed garlic clove
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 Half tablespoon of French mustard
• 2 Tablespoons of chopped fresh tarragon, parsley & chives

Once you’ve got together all the ingredients and equipment listed above your ready to start preparing.

-          Step 1: First make the dressing by placing all dressing ingredients in a jar and shaking vigorously until mixed.

-          Step 2: Cut the lettuces into quarters and arrange in two large bowls. Peel the shells off the eggs and cut into quarters. Place the egg quarters on top of the cut lettuce. 

-          Step 3: Slice the tomatoes, flake the tuna and add to the bowls along with the French beans.

-          Step 4: Scatter the anchovy fillets and olives over the top of it all.

-          Step 5: Pour over the dressing and serve at once with chunks of French bread.

This is a very easy recipe to make and doesn’t take very long to make and as a bonus it’s also very easy to make. Enjoy

How to Make Mayonnaise

Making your own mayonnaise is quite easy to do but many people are nervous about making it as it contains raw egg and that worries a lot of people. But if you are careful and not in too much of a rush the results can be great.

Quick tip: Make sure that the oils and the egg yolks are both at the same temperature, room temperature is best.

Makes 300 Ml / 10 fl oz

Preparation Time: 10 – 15 Minutes

Utensils you will need:

• Mixing bowl
• Electric hand mixer (to speed things along) or a balloon whisk works just as well if you don’t mind spending a bit longer preparing.
• Measuring jug

Ingredients you will need:

• 2 Eggs yolks
• 1 Teaspoon of Dijon mustard
• 1 Half teaspoon of salt
• 300 ml / 10 fl oz of light olive oil
• 2 Teaspoons of white wine vinegar
• Pepper
• Dash of lemon juice (this is optional)

Once you’ve got together all the ingredients and equipment listed above your ready to start preparing.

-          Step 1: Place the egg yolks, mustard and slat in to a mixing bowl and whist vigorously until thoroughly mixed.

-          Step 2: Pour the oil into a measuring jug and then slowly add it drop by drop to the mixture made previously making sure to continue whisking throughout. This is where it becomes easier with an electric whisk. Whisk continuously until the mixture begins to thicken then you can gradually add the oil in slightly larger quantities but make sure not to go to fast. Add the vinegar to help thin the mayonnaise and continue to add the oil until it is all used up.     

-          Step 3: Taste the mayonnaise and add pepper and salt if needed depending on your preferences. If the mayonnaise is too thick you can add a bit of boiling water to thin it out. And same goes for if its not got a sharp enough taste you can add a small amount of lemon juice. 

-          Step 4: Store the mayonnaise in the screw top jar and store in a refrigerator for at least a week to allow setting. DO NOT consume before this week is up.

Sometimes the mayonnaise will curdle but if this happens just start the whole process again and use the curdled mayonnaise as if it were the oil.

How to Cook Onion Tart

This recipe can be used to make either one large onion tart or six small onion tarts. This recipe isn’t the simplest thing to cook and the cooking time is quite high but if done right it is absolutely delicious.

Serves: 6 – 8

Preparation Time: 45 Minutes, plus cooling time

Cooking Time: 30 Minutes

Cooking utensils you will need:

• 25 Cm / 10 Inch flat tin or rectangular baking dish
• Baking sheet
• Cooks Knife
• Chopping Board
• Bowl

Ingredients you will need:

• 225 grams / 8 Oz of plain flour, or half wholemeal flour and half plain flour
• 1 Half Tablespoon of salt
• 115 grams / 4 Oz butter
• 4 Tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening
• 1 egg yolk
• Cold water for mixing
• 675 grams / 1 half lb of peeled and thinly sliced onions
• 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
• Salt & Pepper
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 3 egg yolk. Mixed and beaten well
• 225 ml / 8 fl Oz of double cream

Once you’ve got together all the ingredients and equipment listed above your ready to start cooking.

-          Step 1: Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and gently rub in half of the butter and all the lard until the mixture begins to look like breadcrumbs.

-          Step 2: Stir in the egg yolk and sprinkle in enough cold water to form a soft dough. Wrap in cling film and allow to rest in the refrigerator for 1 – 2 hours depending on the rating of your refrigerator.  

-          Step 3: Roll out the dough to form a circle or rectangle, depending on the shape of your dish. It should be large enough to line it neatly. Carefully line the dish without stretching the pastry, trim around the edges and allow to rest in the refrigerator again for 1 hour.

-          Step 4: Melt the remaining butter with the oil in a large heavy pan over a medium heat and add the onions. Stir until they are well coated and cook making sure to cover for about 30 minutes or until they are soft and lightly golden brown.

-          Step 5: Season well and add a good grating of nutmeg. Allow to cool for a short amount of time.

-          Step 6: Preheat oven to 200 degrees C / 400 F / Gas Mark 6. Stir the 3 egg yolks and cream in to the onion mixture. Pour the filling into the prepared pastry case and bake in the centre of the preheated oven on a heated baking sheet for 30 minutes.

-          Step 7: Remove from the oven and serve hot of cool for the best flavour.  

This is a lovely recipe if done correctly. Enjoy.