TEST TEST..

I can't remember when but I know it's probably like 3 months ago I was watching 'The River Cottage' tv show. There was this one episode Hugh and his other chefs were making fried pancakes that has different fillings. I was like "DAMN! Gotto try making those!" So I did. I went for Gill's steak and kidney filling. It was awesome. Only trouble I had was getting the pancake to stick to each other. :) I didn't use red wine just extra beef stock or you can use grape juice and i only use steak. Couldn't find kidney and add couple of red chillies.

RIVER COTTAGE CRISPY PANCAKES

Servings:

Each of the fillings should do about four pancakes, so if you make all three, you’ll have enough for 12.

For the pancakes

• 165g plain flour

• pinch of salt

• 1 small egg

• about 300ml whole milk

• sunflower oil for frying

To make the pancakes, put the flour and salt in a bowl. Break the egg into the centre, then start whisking it into the flour, gradually incorporating the milk. Keep adding milk and whisking until you have a smooth batter the consistency of single cream. Rest the batter in the fridge for 30 minutes. Heat a little sunflower oil in a small frying pan – we used one about 15cm in diameter - over a high heat, until almost smoking. Pour in a small ladleful of the pancake batter, immediately swirling the batter around to form a pancake (don’t make it too thin – these need to be a little more robust than your standard crepe). Cook for a minute or two, until the pancake is golden-brown underneath. Flip it and cook the other side for another 30 seconds or so. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter. (Do not worry if your first pancake is a disaster – this is the mysterious law of pancake making at work.)

For Gill's steak and kidney filling

• 2 tbsp sunflower or rapeseed oil

• 500g ox kidney, finely chopped

• 500g ox shin, finely chopped

• 4-5 shallots, finely chopped

• 2 tsp thyme leaves

• 2 tbsp plain flour

• 1 glass red wine

• 1 glass beef or chicken stock

• salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make Gill’s steak and kidney filling, season the chopped kidney and shin well. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat, add all the meat and brown well all over. Add the thyme leaves, then sieve over the flour and stir well so it coats the meat. Add the wine and stock, stir well, then bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer very gently for 1-2 hours until the meat is completely tender and the sauce is nicely gloopy. Check the seasoning. Leave to cool.

For the final assembly

• 6 tbsp plain flour

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

• 200g fine white breadcrumbs

• a little paprika (optional)

• a little turmeric (optional)

• sunflower oil, for frying

To assemble, take one pancake and spoon some of your chosen filling on to one half of it. You only need a tablespoonful or so – don’t overfill the pancakes. Brush some beaten egg around the edge of the pancake and sprinkle on a little flour to form a natural glue. Fold the pancake over to make a half-moon shape, and press the edges to seal. (Or you can try Hugh’s method – which is a little trickier – of running a little uncooked batter around the edge of the pancake, folding it over and returning it to a hot pan to seal it.) For final assembly and frying, put the flour in a deep dish and season well with salt and pepper. Put the beaten eggs in a second dish, then the breadcrumbs in a third. Season the breadcrumbs, if you like, with paprika and turmeric – this helps to achieve the trademark orange colour. Heat a 1mm layer of sunflower oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the breadcrumbed pancakes a few at a time, for about 3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and piping hot in the middle. Drain briefly on kitchen paper, then serve straight away.

I've always wanted to try this recipe from Nigella. It looked super duper easy so wanted to see if its true. And I'll tell ya', super duper easy!!!! Got to try it! 

CHOCOLATE CLOUD CAKE 
Serving Size : Serves 8–12.

250g dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids

125g unsalted butter, softened

6 eggs: 2 whole, 4 separated

175g caster sugar

grated zest of 1 orange (optional)

23cm springform cake tin

for the cream topping:

500ml double cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder for sprinkling

1.	Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
2.	Line the bottom of the cake tin with baking parchment.
3.	Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or a microwave, and then let the butter melt in the warm chocolate.
4.	Beat the 2 whole eggs and 4 egg yolks with 75g of the caster sugar, then gently add the chocolate mixture, the Cointreau and orange zest.
5.	In another bowl, whisk the 4 egg whites until foamy, then gradually add the 100g of sugar and whisk until the whites are holding their shape but not too stiff.
6.	Lighten the chocolate mixture with a dollop of egg whites, and then fold in the rest of the whites. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes or until the cake is risen and cracked and the centre is no longer wobbly. Cool the cake in its tin on a wire rack; the middle will sink as it cools.
7.	When you are ready to eat, place the still tin-bound cake on a cake stand or plate for serving and carefully remove the cake from its tin. Don’t worry about cracks or rough edges: it’s the crater look we’re going for here. Whip the cream until it’s soft and then add the vanilla and Cointreau and continue whisking until the cream is firm but not stiff.
8.	Fill the crater of the cake with the whipped cream, easing it out gently towards the edges of the cake, and dust the top lightly with cocoa powder pushed through a tea-strainer.