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Cuisine Explorer

American Strawberry Pound Cake Slices

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Serves 8

Preparation 30 mins

Cooking 1.5 hours

Skill Level: MID

Ingredients

250g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

200g caster sugar

3 large free-range eggs, beaten

170ml Lakeshore Rapeseed Oil

170ml milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

Icing sugar, for dusting

For the strawberries:

500g strawberries, hulled & halved

4 tbsp caster sugar

Juice of ½ lemon

½ tsp vanilla bean paste

 

Method

  1. For the strawberries: Place all the ingredients for the strawberries in a medium bowl and toss until completely coated. Allow the strawberries to sit and maserate while the cake is made. If you’d prefer them slightly softer you can bring to a steady simmer in a small saucepan and remove from the heat to cool completely.
  2. For the cake: Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a 450g/ 1 lb loaf tin with a removable base and line with parchment paper.
  3. Sift the flour, sugar and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.
  4. Place the wet ingredients into a measuring jug and whisk together. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the contents of the jug. Beat together by hand or with an electric hand-mixer until you have a smooth mixture.
  5. Place the mixture in the prepared loaf tin and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until risen and firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave to cool before transferring to a wire rack until completely cool.
  6. For the whipped cream topping: while the cake cools, prepare the topping by placing the double cream in a bowl with the sugar, vanilla bean paste, sea salt and whisking until soft firm peaks form. Gently whisk in the sour cream until incorporated.
  7. Once cooled, dust the cake with icing sugar before serving in slices with a generous dollop of whipped cream and the softened strawberries and their juices.

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Cuisine Explorer

Lebanese Date Cookies

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Serves 48

Preparation 45 mins

Cooking 30 mins

Skill Level: EASY

 

Ingredients

2 cups semolina flour

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon ground mahlab

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup clarified butter, at room temperature

5 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 teaspoon active dry yeast

4 tablespoons orange blossom water, or more as needed

10 tablespoons date paste (such as Ziyad®), cut into small pieces

2 tablespoons powdered sugar, or to taste

 

Method

  1. Mix semolina flour, all-purpose flour, mahlab, and salt together in a large bowl. Work clarified butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until thoroughly incorporated. Cover bowl and let dough rest at room temperature, 8 hours to overnight.
  2. Pour milk into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until just warm, about 15 seconds. Stir in sugar and yeast until dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  3. Pour yeast mixture and orange blossom water over the dough and mix until evenly moistened. Pinch off a piece of dough and roll into a ball; it should hold its shape without cracking. Add more milk or orange blossom water if needed. Cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
  5. Sprinkle some flour over the ma’amoul molds and tap out the excess. Pinch off a walnut-sized piece of dough and roll into a ball. Press your thumb into the ball to create space for the filling. Work the edges with your fingers so the sides are even and fairly thin. Drop in a piece of date paste and pinch dough over it to seal.
  6. Place cookie into the mold cavity seam-side up. Press down so that the top is flush with edges of the mold. Trim off any excess dough. Invert the mold and tap it against your work surface to release the cookie. Repeat with remaining dough and date paste, arranging cookies 1 inch apart on the baking sheets.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until edges and bottoms are golden but tops are still mostly pale, about 15 minutes.
  8. Sift powdered sugar over the cookies while still slightly warm. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

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Cuisine Explorer

Korean Ginger Minced Pork Rice Bowl

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Serves 4

Preparation 5 mins

Cooking 6 mins

Skill Level: EASY

 

Ingredients

1 pound ground pork

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon rice cooking wine

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

4 stalks scallion, chopped

1 tablespoon roasted sesame seeds

4 cups cooked white or brown rice

 

Method

  1. Whisk together sugar, rice cooking wine and soy sauce in a small container.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add ground pork and grated ginger, cook 2-3 minutes or until pork has turned brown (make sure to crumble the meat as it cooks).
  3. Stir in the seasoning mixture, mix until well combined, allow it to simmer for 2 minutes.
  4. Toss in sesame oil, roasted sesame seeds and chopped scallion, cook another 30 seconds before removing from heat.
  5. Place rice in a bowl, spoon some ginger minced pork on top to serve and enjoy!

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Cuisine Explorer

Italian White Mushroom Pizza

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Serves 8

Preparation 15 mins

Cooking 15 mins

Skill Level: EASY

 

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

16 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

1 pound pizza dough, homemade or store-bought

8 (1-ounce slices) Wisconsin fresh mozzarella cheese

1 cup Wisconsin ricotta cheese

 

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Lightly coat a baking sheet or pizza pan with olive oil. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
  2. Stir in mushrooms, thyme and oregano. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and browned, about 5-6 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  3. Working on a surface that has been sprinkled with cornmeal, roll out the pizza into a 12-inch-diameter round. Transfer to prepared baking sheet or pizza pan.
  4. Top with mozzarella, dollops of ricotta and mushrooms. Place into oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the cheeses have melted. Serve immediately.

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