Show Mum how much you care this March 14 with one of these wow factor recipes!

Image: Arctic Coffee

If you’re lucky enough to be spending Mother’s Day at home with your Mum this year, it’s the perfect opportunity to cook up a storm. Show her how much you care by donning your apron and tackling one of these tasty recipes. Read on for sweet and savoury inspo for the day!

Spring Mocha Fudge Cake

As an indulgent treat, this luxurious fudge cake is bound to please Mum and it’ll be a showstopper on the table! The gorgeous decorations make us think of spring and the optimism we have for the month’s ahead, and let’s face it, nothing makes us smile more than a chocolate cake!

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 1 carton Arctic Iced Coffee Latte
•  1 tbsp instant coffee granules
• 200g dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 200g salted butter, chopped
• 170g self-raising flour
• 400g light muscovado sugar
• 3 free-range eggs

For the fudge icing:

• 50ml double cream
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 500g icing sugar
• Plus, a selection of Florentines, biscuits, and other Spring themed decorations to decorate

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan. Grease and line two 20cm Victoria sponge tins.

2. Heat 200ml Arctic Iced Coffee in a pan until just steaming and stir in the coffee granules. Retain the rest of the Arctic Iced Coffee for the icing.
3. In a bowl, beat together the cream cheese, mascarpone and icing sugar, then beat in the Arctic Iced coffee mixture until smooth and well combined.
4. Use another  bowl to mix together the flour and sugar, making sure there are no lumps. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl.
5. Pour the chocolate and the eggs into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until everything is combined. Divide the batter between the two tins and bake for 35-40 mins until the cakes are risen and cooked through.
6. Allow the cakes to cool a little in the tins, then turn out onto a wire rack to go cold.
7. To make the fudge icing, heat the remaining Arctic Iced Coffee with the cream until just steaming. Put the chopped chocolate into a bowl and pour the steaming cream mixture over. Stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the icing sugar to the bowl and whisk until thickened.
8. Upturn one cake onto a serving plate and spread with some icing. Place the other cake on top and spread with the remaining icing, spreading evenly down the sides. If the icing is difficult to spread, warm a pallet knife in hot water and use that to spread gently.
9. Decorate the top of the cake selection of Florentines, biscuits and spring themed decorations.

Smoked salmon maki rolls

Image: Petrossian

A journey for your tastebuds, these divine salmon treats really do taste as good as they look.

Makes 6

Ingredients

•  500g wild salmon
• 1 raw beetroot
• Half a black radish
• 2 ripe avocados
• Some edible flowers (optional)
• 8 – 10 sheets of rice paper (spring roll wrappers)

For the dressing:

• 10 cl (3.4 fl oz) rice vinegar
• 20 cl (6.75 fl oz) sesame oil
• A dash of lemon juice

Method

For the maki rolls

1. Cut the beetroot and radish into thin strips. Slice the salmon into ½-inch wide strips. Chop the avocado into slivers about 2 inches thick.
2. Gently soak the sheets spring roll wrappers in warm water, one by one. Once they’re thoroughly softened, lay them out flat on a clean cloth.
3. Towards the bottom of each rice paper wrapper, place a few edible flower petals in the middle with some strips of raw vegetables and wild salmon, and finally some avocado.
4. Fold over the left and right sides towards the middle and roll upwards, pulling slightly to compress the filling as you wrap the roll.
5. Leave to rest in the fridge, uncovered, for 30 minutes, then cover with clingfilm until it’s time to serve.

To serve

1. Whisk the rice vinegar, lemon juice and sesame oil together to make the dressing.
2. Cut the rolls into evenly sized makis.
3. Serve the makis with the dressing and a few edible flower petals.

Classic carrot cake

Image: Miel

Carrot cake is always a popular go-to, especially at this time of year. We love this simple recipe, and are sure your Mum will, too!

Ingredients

For the cake:

• 350g dark brown sugar
• 300ml sunflower oil
• 4 large eggs
• 400g self raising flour
• 2 tbsp mixed spice
• 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 400g carrots, finely grated
• 2 oranges, zest only
• 220g sultanas, soaked in how water for 15 minutes
• 100g desiccated coconut

For the cream cheese frosting:

• 250g cream cheese
• 50g softened butter
• 250g icing sugar
• ½ tsp salt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/175°C Fan. In a large bowl, mix together the sugar and oil and whisk until thick. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking between each addition to combine.
2. Sieve together the flour, mixed spice, bicarbonate of soda and salt and stir into the wet mixture. Add the grated carrots, orange zest, drained sultanas and coconut. Mix well to combine everything and ensure there are no pockets of dry flour.
3. Transfer into a lined 23cm x 32cm rectangle cake tin and place into the preheated oven. Cook for 25 minutes until risen and golden. Leave to settle for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. For the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter together and using an electric whisk, beat until pale and light. Add the icing sugar and salt a little at a time until fully incorporated and whisk until light and fluffy.
5. Wait until the cake is completely cold before frosting using a small spatula or palette knife.

Chouxnuts with Chantilly cream filling

Image: Juliet Sear

These light and airy pastries are similar to an eclair in texture but end up looking like doughnuts when piped into a circle. Mum will love the sweet texture, and we guarantee she won’t stop at one!

Makes 9

Ingredients

For the Crème Pâtissière

• 4 egg yolks
• 60g sugar
• 25g flour
• 2 tsp. corn flour
• 280ml milk

For the Choux pastry

• 225g water

• 110g butter

• 130g plain flour

• 225g free range egg

• Pinch of salt

• 2 tbsp caster sugar

For the Chantilly cream

• 300 ml double cream
• 2 tbsp. icing sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla bean paste

For the fondant icing topping

• 300g Fondant icing sugar
• Water and food colouring of your choice
• Edible flowers of your choice

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190℃ and prepare two baking trays with parchment paper. In a pan heat the water, sugar, salt and butter until completely melted.
2. Add the flour and beat well on the heat for 4-5 mins until the dough comes away from the edges of the pan easily. Transfer the dough into a bowl and leave to cool for 2-3 mins.
3. Slowly add the egg bit-by-bit beating well until the choux is the right consistency. It should be stiff but when you spoon it up in the air it should easily drop off the spoon.
4. Put the choux paste into a piping bag with a medium to large round nozzle. Draw around a circular cutter (size of your choice) onto the parchment paper, flip the paper over and then pipe the circles of choux.
5. Place the trays into the oven; spray some water onto the base of the oven before shutting the door (this creates a steamy environment in the oven which helps the pastry to rise).
6. Bake for 25-35 mins; do not open the door of the oven until at least 25 mins into baking as the chouxnuts with collapse.
7. Transfer the chouxnuts to a wire rack to cool.
8. To make the Crème Diplomat beat the egg yolks and sugar with the flours until pale and thickened. Heat the milk in a pan until just boiling, whisk the milk into the egg mix and then pour back into the pan.
9. Stir continuously until the mixture is thick and boiling. Take off the heat and pour onto a tray and cover with cling film making sure the cling film is touching the crème pâtissière to stop a skin forming.
10. Once the crème pâtissière has cooled, in a bowl whisk 300ml of double cream with the icing sugar vanilla to soft peak stage (this is a Chantilly cream). Gently mix the crème pâtissière into the Chantilly cream until smooth, light and fluffy to make your Crème Diplomat filling.
11. Poke a hole into the base of your chouxnuts with a small knife and then pipe in the cream until you can feel that the chouxnuts are full. You can feel them getting heavy in your hand. Leave the chouxnuts to one side.
12. To make the fondant, weigh 300g fondant icing sugar and slowly add water 1 tsp. at a time until you have a thick icing consistency. (You can colour the icing at this stage if you want to).
13. Using a piping bag, pipe a ring onto the chouxnuts and tap them on the surface to help the icing settle. Then decorate with edible flowers of your choice.

Cauliflower Kedgeree

Image: Extracted from Join The Green Revolution by Ollie Hunter

• Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

For the cauliflower

Cooking time: 5 minutes

• 1 large cauliflower, florets, leaves and stem separated
• 1 tbsp pumpkin seeds
• 1 large pinch of smoked salt
• 1 tsp curry powder
• Locally produced oil of your choice for drizzling

For the rice

• 2 onions, thinly sliced
• 6 garlic cloves, diced
• Large bunch of fresh coriander (cilantro), stalks diced and leaves left whole
• 1 tbsp curry powder
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 4 cardamom ods, split
• 1 bay leaf
• 300 g/10.5 oz/1 23 cups basmati rice
• sea salt

To serve

• 4 eggs
• Black onion seeds
• Homemade yoghurt

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 *C fan/200*C/400*F/gas mark 6. Chop the cauliflower stem into chunks and the leaves into small pieces.
2. Place the cauliflower stem, florets and leaves with the pumpkin seeds in a roasting pan. Sprinkle over the smoked salt and curry powder and drizzle over a little oil. Toss together and then roast for 15 minutes. Set aside until needed.
3. Add the onions to a large saucepan with a lid along with a drizzle of oil. Cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the onions are nice and soft.
4. Stir in the garlic and coriander stalks. Dice the roasted cauliflower stem and add to the pan along with the spiced and the bay leaf. Keep stirring and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Add the rice, a little sea salt and 600 ml’/1 1/4 pits/2.5 cups water and bring to the boil. Mix once to release any rice from the bottom of the pan. Cover the pan with a snugly fitting lid, reduce the head to low and leave to cook very gently for 12 minutes or until the rice is cooked through and the water has been absorbed.
5. Meanwhile, boil the eggs for 8 minutes or until hard-boiled. Drain and run under cold water for a minute, then peel and slice in half. Set aside.
6. Remove the rice from the heat, uncover and remove the bay leaf and cardamom pods. Gently fork through the roasted cauliflower florets, leaves and stalks, and place the lid back on top for further 2 minutes.
7. To serve, top the rice with the boiled egg halves, scatter over some black onion seeds and dollops of yogurt.
8. Garnish the dish with coriander leaves if liked.

Pink lady apple roses

Image: Pink Lady Apples

Makes 6

Ingredients

2 Pink Lady® apples
1 lemon, juice
50g melted butter
1 x sheet – ready roll puff pastry (thawed)
2 tbsp cinnamon
3 tbsp caster sugar
Icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Halve your apples and remove the core but keeping the half apple intact.
2. Thinly slice your apples and put into a microwavable bowl with the juice of the lemon. Cover with cling film and microwave on high for 1 minutes to soften slightly. Leave them to cool.
3. Open up your puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface and gently roll to elongate slightly. Cut the pastry along the width into 6 even strips.
4. Brush each strip with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and caster sugar.
5. Place the apple slices skin side up along the pastry strips overlapping as you go. Leave a small gap, approximately 2 cm, at the end to be able to stick the pastry together.
6. Fold over the remaining pastry to cover the bottom half of the apples. Roll the pastry up to create an apple rose and seal with the excess pastry.
7. Place into a lined muffin tray. Cook in a preheated oven for 30 – 40 minutes at 180°C/Gas mark 4
8. Cool on a wire rack then sprinkle with icing sugar to finish.

Which of these will you be making Mum this Mother’s Day? Tweet us @goodhomesmag or post a comment on our Facebook page!

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