Chow Down to Eurovision 2015 - United Kingdom

Our third to last country in the #BuildingBrunches Eurovision food tour is the United Kingdom.

There are some dishes in The Chow Down to Eurovision that are not only influenced by the competing nation but by the competing song like 2014's Cake to Bake from Latvia. 

The United Kingdom entry Still in Love With You gave us the sound of the 1920's which makes me think Prohibition which really just makes us all think of alcohol.

So.....

Gin and Tonic Ice Cream Party Bombes

Ingredients

• 6 egg yolks
• 100g sugar
• 700ml milk
• 125ml cream
• 100ml tonic syrup  (I buy Sinkonah tonic not sponsored )

Method

• In a heavy base saucepan add eggs, milk, sugar, cream and whisk.
• Keep stirring over a low heat until the custard thickening enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Be careful not to overcook it or it will curdle.
• Add tonic and stir to combine
• Chill while stiring in a bowl over an ice bath (this will help to make a smoother ice cream)
• Put into ice cream machine and churn as per manufactures instructions
• Fill lined Texas muffin pan with ice cream (recipe makes more ice cream than required, winning!)
• Freeze for a few hours

Lime Gin Jelly
Ingredients

• 200g sugar
• 5 limes zest and juice
• 100ml water
• 100ml gin
• 3 gelatin leaves
• Green food colour if desired

Method

• Soak gelatin leaves as per packet
• Add sugar, lime zest, juice and water to a saucepan
• Simmer over medium heat till the sugar dissolves
• Remove from the heat
• Add the gin and gelatin leave as stir to incorporate the gelatin
• Add a drop of green food colour if desired
• Pour into a bowl and refrigerate till set

Italian Meringue
Ingredients

• 4 egg white
• 200g sugar
• 100ml water

Method

• In a saucepan add the sugar and water
• Dissolve the sugar over low heat and slowly bring up to 120°C
• Beat the egg white to firm peak
• Slowly pour the sugar syrup into the egg whites while constantly beating till cool (a stand mixer is good for this)
• Add meringue to a piping bag 

Chocolate crumbs

1/2 packet chocolate biscuits blitzed in a food processor

If I was on Master Chef I'd probably call this a deconstructed biscuit!

To assemble

• Scoop a well into the middle of the bombes
• Fill the cavity with lime jelly (a piping bag helps)
• Cover with over the hole with ice cream and freeze for 1 hour
• Remove bombes from muffin tin and remove lining
• Cover with chocolate soil
• Pipe with Italian meringue to decorate 
• Serve before melting

Traditionally a G&T doesn't have chocolate but isn't everything better with chocolate

If when you go to blowtorch the meringue find you have run out of gas, just leave them white and say that's how they are meant to be!

G&T and yes still in love with you...

One of the highlights for me in Vienna was the pleasure of meeting the lovely Electro Velvet and Bianca announcing she had seen my video with Carly Findlay about disability and Eurovision, to my obvious shock.....someone watches my videos???

For anyone concerned I do believe that Bianca's handbag did survive our meeting, but it was a close call for a moment there!

I'm sorry Alex I didn't get you anything but you are always welcome to pop in for a G&T anytime you're in town.

Electro Velvet brought a fun change of pace to the Eurovision final with the 1920's inspired I'm still in Love With You which placed 24th.

As I sing along to Eurovision on my daily commute I'm no stranger to be bit of self praise....
"Sounding good Sugar!"

Previous United Kingdom Chow Down to Eurovision:

2014 Valerie's Prawn Shells

2013 Luxury Salmon and Caper Pie

It does look like I basically made the same dish 2 years in a row but that's really nothing new in Eurovision is it??

Chow Down to Eurovision 2014 - Malta

Filgħaxija tajba this is Malta calling and welcome to the start of Semi Final Two in Chow Down to Eurovision 2014.

Last year Malta made it through to the final of Chow Down to Eurovision with tasty little fried white bait, yummo!

This dish was very similar to a Eurovision act with multiple reveals.

I knew that the dish would have pomegranate molasses as I had a beautiful bottle I was busting to use.

Reveal 1 it's going to be an ice cream

Reveal 2 an ice cream sandwich in fact
 
Reveal 3 ditch the sandwich, it's a chocolate podium!

Reveal 4 wish I had thought of it earlier, more seeds and they could be pomegranate mirror balls rather than flying saucers. (next time)

A small insight into how my mind works and the dishes for the Chow Down to Eurovision evolve....ok back to the music.

In 2008 Morena failed to qualify with Vodka, Gin would have been a much better option.....

 

Pomegranate Molasses Ice Cream
Ingredients

• 6 egg yolks
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup cream
• 100ml pomegranate molasses
• Seeds from 1 pomegranate

Method

• In a heavy base saucepan add milk, cream and heat to just below boiling
• Add egg yolks and sugar to a mixing bowl and whisk
• When milk is hot slowly pour into eggs, while whisking
• Once combined return the custard to the saucepan
• Keep stirring over a low heat until the custard thickening enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Be careful not to overcook it or it will curdle.
• Add the pomegranate molasses and stir through
• Pass through a sieve and either chill on ice or in the fridge overnight. (the faster chill the less crystals)
• Put into ice cream machine and churn as per manufactures instructions
• When halfway through churning add the pomegranate jewels (leaving a few for garnish)
• Sweet, yet tart, yet sweet yet tart!

"Chocolate Podiums"
Ingredients

• 125g butter softened
• 125g golden caster sugar
• 1 orange zest and juice
• 1 egg
• 200g self raising flour
• 30g cocoa

Method

• Cream butter and sugar
• Add egg and beat through
• Add zest and juice of orange
• Add flour and cocoa and mix to combine
• Place about 2 tbsp. into a whoopie pie pan
• Bake at 180°C for 8-10 minutes
• Allow to cool completely before assembling, unless you want a puddle
• To assemble put a scoop of ice cream onto the biscuit and sprinkle some seeds....I know it's some really advanced presentation today!

 Coming Home will be performed by Firelight
While there is no mention of risk assessments will they place higher than Dr Gianluca Bezzina's Tomorrow and have the Eurovision trophy Coming Home to Malta?
 
Xorti tajba!

going bananas

The next instalment in the instant gelato range. My love affair with banana gelato continues, almost as good as via Nazionale in a Roma and without the 27 hour flight!
The fancy pants additions are some toasted cake triangles and a raspberry compote.

Instant Banana Gelato

• 4 large bananas
• 200ml thickened cream
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 30g icing sugar (optional or a table spoon of honey)
• juice of half a lemon

Method

• Slice bananas into 1 cm pieces. It is best to try and lay them flat so that when you put them in the food processor they aren't in big clump.  Squeeze over the lemon juice to stop them going brown. Freeze until firm, about an hour, or do it the day before.
• Banana and remaining ingredients to a food processor and blend for 60 seconds, until smooth.

Again so simple and it's fruit so it's healthy right?

I'm turning violet, Violet.

Another in the 60 second gelato range, blueberry cheesecake. With summer on the way and a predicted 38 degrees in Melbourne tomorrow, I am dreaming about anything that's frozen. Oh how I can relate to pastry, I hate the heat!!
Because this is so time consuming at 60 seconds you can spend another couple of minutes and go fancy pants with the plating. The base adds a yummy crunchy crumb, but is optional if you do have the time.

Blueberry cheesecake gelato

• 500 grams frozen blueberries
• 250 grams cottage cheese (or ricotta)
• 100 grams icing sugar
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla essence (optional)

Method

• Blend all together in a food processor till smooth.

Biscuit base

• 60grams plain biscuits
• 30grams almonds
• 50g unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon of golden syrup

Method

• Melt butter and golden syrup together (about 45 second in a microwave)
• Add all ingredients to food processor and blend to fine crumb
• To save on wash up you can make the crumb first, wipe out the processor and then make the ice cream. Use commonsense as if people have nut allergies, that could be an awkward end to a dinner party.
• This recipe is enough for about 6 bases and gelato to spare.

You can plate fancy in a ring mold, put it in a bowl, or just go straight from the processor bowl. I am too embrassased to admit my normal plating scenario, but I'm sure you can figure it out.

I probably need to see someone about my purple obsession.

Ice cream in under 60 seconds

Just like the ice cream this post will be done in under 60 seconds.
Ultra quick and I like to think on the healthier side.
Seriously it too longer to plate and take the photo than to make it.

Mixed Berry 60 Second Gelato

• 500grams frozen mixed berries
• 100grams icing sugar
• 300ml light cream.

Method
In a food processor blend all together for 60 seconds and you're done.
I like the texture of the pips and seeds because it means your eating real fruit and not a fake flavour, but you can blend for longer for a smoother texture.

hola chico's

The fun never stops with ice creams flavours, there truly are no rules. OK maybe the meat lovers was a step to far, as i'm often reminded but somebody had to do it.
AB loves Chicos, every birthday or christmas present is always accompanied by a couple of bags of Chicos, transaction complete.
Chico ice cream was the natural progression.
It follows the base ice cream recipe, with the addition of 3/4 of a bag of chicos stirred through when the custard is hot.

Ice cream base

·         6 egg yolks

·         ½ cups sugar

·         3 cups of milk

·         1/2 cup cream (optional)

Method

·         In a heavy base saucepan add eggs, milk, sugar, cream and whisk.

·         Keep stirring over a low heat until the custard thickening enough to coat the back of a spoon.

·         Be careful not to overcook it or it will curdle.

 

·       Chill on ice or in the fridge overnight.

·         Put into ice cream machine as per manufactures instructions

·         And churn

A few sprinkles and topped with a Chico, must take picture before it melts or gets eaten.

You say gelato I say gelati

My love affair with gelato started on my first trip to Rome and a dish of banana gelato. I had ordered lemon but either the waiter was a little hard of hearing or my Italian wasn’t what it is today, but I ended up with banana. Prior to this my experience of  banana ice-cream was that hideous artificial yellow chemical enhanced iced confection that has never been next to a real banana let alone be made of any.  In one Italian mouthful my world changed, banana, and very little else, real banana.

There are so many variations of the ice cream gelato base recipe; you just need to go with one that works for your tastes. Cream, no cream, whole eggs, just yolks, and the amount of sugar can vary by the cup load.

Christmas was at our house a couple of years ago so for dessert I did a gelato bar. This gave me plenty of practice to find the base I liked, as well as experimental flavours, the highlight was meat lovers!

Lemon lime and bitters gelato

·         6 egg yolks

·         ½ cups sugar

·         3 cups of milk

·         ½ cup lemon lime and bitters butter

Method

·         In a heavy base saucepan add eggs, milk, sugar, and whisk.

·         Keep stirring over a low heat until the custard thickening enough to coat the back of a spoon.

·         Be careful not to overcook it or it will curdle.

·         Pass through a sieve and either chill on ice or in the fridge overnight.

·         Put into ice cream machine as per manufactures instructions

·         Add the lemon lime and bitters butter

·         And churn

Serve with blueberries or just as it is.

Lemon lime and bitters butter (say that 3 times drunk)

·         Juice of 2 lemons

·         Juice and zest of 1 lime

·         2 eggs

·         ½ cup sugar

·         100g chilled unsalted butter, chopped rough.

·         5-10 ml Angostura bitters (about 3-4 bottle shakes)

Method

·         Add all except the bitters to a saucepan and stir over a low-medium heat.

·         Once the curd is at the thickness required take it off the heat and add the bitters.

·         Cool before adding to ice-cream.

It can also be used for toast or as cake filling. I’m not sure how long it will last, it’s never survived overnight in my house