Marraqueta Bread
- 500g/1.1lb. flour
- 300ml/10.6fl ozs. lukewarm water
- 10grams/0.35ozs. salt
- 8g/0.28ozs. instant dried yeast
Step 1 - Mix the water and salt together until dissolved. Mix the water with the flour and yeast and knead until elastic. Allow to prove in a warm, draught free place for 1 hour until double its size. Cut into 100g/3.5ozs balls and roll into a ball. Place on a lined baking tray and place two next to each other. Allow to rise again for 30 minutes.
Step 2 - Preheat oven to 200C/400F and place a tray of water in on the shelf above with half an inch of water in it. Using a lightly floured stick (a clean paintbrush or chopstick will do), press an indent into the dough. Bake for 20 minutes until golden and cooked through.
Pulmay
- 1.5 cups pippies or clams
- 1.5 cups mussels
- 2 or 3 chicken marylands (thigh and drumstick)
- 2 chorizo sausages, whole
- 2 slices spare ribs smoked on the bbq or smoked speck (if the smoked speck is too salty, soak in water in the fridge overnight and change the water a couple of times)
- 3 potatoes, whole and unpeeled
- 1 bottle white wine (we used pinot gris)
Step 1 - Layer everything in a slow cooker along with the white wine. Cook in the slow cooker for one and a half hours.
Tres Leches Cake
A three day process, the results are absolutely worth it. This is the Peruvian version that is topped with strawberry jam. You can also top this with meringue.
- 10 eggs, at room temperatures
- 10 tablespoons caster or superfine sugar
- 10 tablespoons plain all purpose flour
- 450ml/15.9fl ozs. pure cream
- 395g/13.95fl ozs. jar evaporated milk
- 395g/13.95fl ozs. tin sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam
For pastry cream
- 500g/17.66 ozs. milk
- 100mls/3.5fl ozs. cream
- 50g/1.7ozs sugar
- 50g/1.7ozs. cornflour
- 4 whole eggs
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Line three 20cm/8inch round baking trays with parchment on the base. Whisk the eggs and sugar for about 8 minutes or so until very thick and fluffy. Measure 10 tablespoons of flour and then sift this in at a height. Fold until the flour is incorporated but make sure not to deflate the sponge. Scoop into the prepared tins. Bang the tins on the table gently to get rid of the large air bubbles. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool completely and then cover with cling film and rest overnight.
Step 2 - The next day make the pastry cream. First mix a bit of the sugar with the cornflour and then mix it thought a bit of milk, it will prevent it from forming lumps. Boil the cream and the sugar and the rest of the milk. Whisk the eggs and the cornflour. Once the milk, cream and sugar boils, add the cornflour and egg mix to the boiling milk but strain it as you add it in. Then stir until it comes to a boil again, and then cover in cling film and cool in the fridge until ready to use.
Step 3 - Mix the cream, evaporated milk and sweetened condensed milk together until well combined. Take a round cardboard cake base and place under the first sponge. Ladle some of the milk cream over it. You want to use less than a third of the milk mix as the bottom layer will soak up the most milk naturally. Poke holes into the cake vertically, don't do this at an angle or you may break up the cake. Spread some pastry cream over this layer. Repeat with the second layer making sure not to poke the skewer to the bottom, only through the second layer. Repeat but do not put the pastry cream on the top layer. Instead spread with strawberry jam. You can also use meringue and torch the meringue.