Tag: Guide

Rosemary Shrager’s Victoria sponge cake

Goodtoknow TV

Free & easy recipe video: Watch new how-to recipe videos with goodtoknow and Woman’s Weekly see all videos >

Rosemary Shrager makes this classic British cake recipe look effortless with an easy to follow step-by-step guide – so treat the family to this freshly baked cake next time you have an hour to spare.

Makes: 1
Prep time: 30 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins

Plus 10 minutes cooling time
Total time: 1 hr 5 mins
Skill level: Easy peasy
Costs: Mid-price

That’s goodtoknow

This Victoria sponge cake will keep up to a week in an airtight container or you can freeze the individual cake bases without the filling on them, to make the cake at a later date.

Ingredients

220g soft unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
220g caster sugar
4 large eggs
220g self-raising fl our
6 tbsp raspberry jam
1–2 tbsp icing sugar

Method

First prepare two 20cm sandwich tins by greasing them well with butter. Line the base of each tin with a circle of baking parchment cut to fit.
Put the soft butter and the sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat the butter and sugar together until fluffy and almost white in colour. This is easiest with an electric beater but you can also use a wooden spoon.
Lightly whisk the eggs together in a small jug or bowl. Add to the butter mixture a little at a time, beating constantly.
Now sift in the flour in 3 or 4 additions. Fold in the flour each time with a large metal spoon. Be careful not to knock the air out or the cake will be heavy.
Divide the cake mixture equally between the 2 sandwich tins and level the surface. Place on the middle shelf of an oven preheated to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and bake for 25–30 minutes, until well risen and golden brown.
To check if the cakes are done, press one gently in the middle with your finger – it should spring back up. If you’re still not sure, insert a skewer in the centre – if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked through.
Remove the cakes from the oven and leave in the tins for 10 minutes. Then run a knife around the edge of each one to loosen it if necessary. Turn out the cakes on to a wire rack. Leave to cool completely. Peel off the baking parchment and put one of the cakes on a serving plate.
Spread the raspberry jam over the top of the cake. Put the other cake on top of the jam. Then sift the icing sugar over the top through a fine sieve.

By Rosemary Shrager’s Absolutely Foolproof Classic Home Cooking, published by Hamlyn, £18.99.

Cooked this? Upload a picture to our Facebook page

Nutritional information

Guideline Daily Amount for 2,000 calories per day are: 70g fat, 20g saturated fat, 90g sugar, 6g salt.

Loved this recipe? Try these too!

Today’s poll

Are you planning on making food gifts for Christmas this year?

Thanks, your vote has been counted!

We’d like to let you know that this site uses cookies. Without them you may find this site does not work properly and many features may be unavailable. More information on what cookies are and the types of cookies we use can be found here

Incoming search terms:

Chicken recipes

Chicken has got to be one of our favourite meats to cook with. It’s cheap, versatile and is a real crowd-pleaser with the whole family. If you love cooking chicken, take a look at our guide for what type of chicken to buy, how to store, prepare and cook chicken and what tasty flavours you can use to create delicious chicken recipes.

Chicken nutrients

Chicken is not only tasty, it’s full of nutrients that your family needs. As well as being a great source of protein, chicken is also rich in vitamin B6 and B3, which help your body’s metabolism by turning protein into energy. As well as providing a dose of potassium and amino acids, which aid your body’s growth and maintenance, chicken is also full of selenium, which produces antioxidants and has been linked to cancer protection.

Beware of the chicken skin! It may be very tasty but it can almost double the amount of fat in your chicken . Cook the chicken with the skin on but remove before eating to get all the flavours in your meat without all the fat – best of both worlds!

Types of chicken

Fresh or frozen chicken?

Fresh chicken lasts 2-3 days in the fridge so if you’re planning on using it immediately you should go for fresh chicken as it’s easier to prepare. Make sure the chicken feels supple and doesn’t smell funny to ensure it’s fresh. You can freeze fresh chicken buy washing it, patting dry, wrapping in tight parcels and putting in the freezer. Always freeze chicken on the day you bought it.

Frozen chicken is often cheaper so if you’re doing a big shop for the month a bag of frozen chicken will save you some cash. Make sure the chicken is completely frozen and has no liquid in the package – as this means it has defrosted slightly. To defrost a chicken, you need to allow it to defrost in the fridge and not at room temperature – make sure you place it on a plate to collect any of the juices.

Chicken juices can contaminate other foods so make sure, however you store your chicken, that no juices can escape the packaging and get onto other foods.

It is very important to check the sell-by date when buying chicken. Do not buy or eat chicken even slightly past the sell-by date.

Cuts of chicken

Whole chicken. The best way to cook a whole chicken is, of course, to roast it. You can buy it with or without the giblets (organs) inside. The giblets can be used in a stock or gravy for extra flavour but they aren’t for the squeamish! A little oil and lemon is all you need to bring out the flavours in your roast chicken – or you could try something a little different with one of our roast chicken recipes.

Whole chickens are cheaper than buying the parts separately so if you’re feeling brave you can buy a whole one and cut it down into joints. We have a step-by-step guide for how to joint chicken if you fancy giving it a go. If you don’t fancy this, ask your butcher to do it for you.

Chicken breasts. Breasts have the lowest fat content of all cuts of chicken and you can buy them with or without the skin. Chicken breasts are really versatile and can be stuffed, grilled, baked or fried and, when chopped, used in pasta dishes, salads, pies and many, many more recipes.

Chicken thighs. Chicken thighs are a cheaper alternative to chicken breasts and some people say they’re a lot tastier as the meat is a little darker and has a richer flavour. Chicken thighs can be bought boned or boneless and can be used in a variety of different meals – casseroles, traybakes and stuffed are just some of our ways with chicken thighs.

Chicken drumsticks. Similar to thighs in taste and texture, chicken drumsticks are good on the BBQ and are delicious baked with a tasty marinade. They’re wonderfully messy as well so the kids will love eating them!

Chicken wings. The cheapest cut of chicken, wings are quite fatty and have very little meat on them compared to other cuts but they’re delicious on the BBQ and make great party food snacks as you can eat them with your hands.

How to cook chicken

Preparing chicken

When preparing chicken you have to be a lot more careful than with other foods and meats. The bacteria on raw chicken can cause salmonella poisoning so it’s important not to let it touch any other raw food or cooking utensils before it is cooked. When preparing the chicken you need to use separate chopping boards and utensils to other foods – or make sure you wash them thoroughly before using them again. Surfaces and utensils should be washed with warm soapy water to rid them of raw chicken juices. Your hands are equally as important and must be washed regularly when handling chicken to ensure you don’t contaminate other surfaces.

When cooking chicken you need to make sure it is cooked all the way through before serving. If you see any pink areas, it needs to be cooked longer. Thigh and drumstick meat will look a little grey when cooked. To check a whole chicken is cooked, insert a skewer into one of the joints and if the juices run clear, it’s ready.

Ways to cook chicken

Baked chicken is the healthiest way to cook chicken. It allows the juice and flavours to develop so the meat will need less seasoning once done.

Frying chicken is less healthy but is great if you’re in a hurry. Use one calorie oil spray rather than oil or butter if you want to keep the calorie down.

Barbecuing chicken can be delicious but you have to be very careful about making sure it is cooked properly – check our guide for barbecuing chicken.

Poaching or steaming chicken are other, slightly old-fashioned, ways to cook chicken but are also great as a healthier alternative to frying.

Slow cooking. If you overcook chicken in the oven it can become really dry but that doesn’t mean you can’t slow cook it. If you have a slow cooker you can add it to a rich sauce a cook for up to 8 hours for a deliciously rich flavour. See our slow cooker recipes for some ideas.

Flavours that complement chicken

Lemon
Garlic
Chilli
Mustard
Leeks
Pesto
Paprika
Cajun spices
Curry powder
Saffron
Oregano

Incoming search terms:

Biography of a Celebrity Chef

Part restaurant empire-builder, part celebrity, and part sublimely talented chef, Gordon Ramsay is a truly global star in the cooking world.

It all could have been all so different though….

Scottish by birth, Gordon Ramsay was raised in England after his parents moved south to Stratford-upon-Avon. His first career break came while playing football for Oxford United where he was spotted by a Glasgow Rangers scout in a F.A. youth club match. After completing trials he was signed by the Scottish champions at the age of 15. Three years later he had given up professional football and gone back to college to complete a course in hotel management.

Ramsay moved to London, where he joined Marco Pierre White in the early days of Harvey’s in Wandsworth. After a couple of years Ramsay’s moved to Le Gavroche to work alongside Albert Roux. This was followed by three years of working in France in the kitchens of Guy Savoy and Joël Robuchon.

In October 1993, Ramsay became chef of the newly opened Aubergine, where he won many accolades, including two Michelin stars within three years of opening.

Ramsay’s first book, “Passion for Flavour,” was published in October 1996. His second book,”Passion for Seafood,” was published in May 1999. “A Chef for all Seasons” was published in September 2000, followed by “Just Desserts” in September 2001 and “Secrets” in 2003.

In 1998 at the age of 31, Ramsay set up his first wholly owned restaurant, Gordon Ramsay, on the former site of La Tante Claire in Chelsea. A year later he opened Pétrus with his protegé Marcus Wareing as Chef Patron, in St. James’s. Within seven months it had won a Michelin star. In October 2001 Gordon opened Gordon Ramsay at Claridges which gained a Michelin star in 2003.

In June 2000 Ramsay won The Chef of the Year Award at the Cateys. His restaurant Gordon Ramsay was voted the Top Restaurant in the U.K. with a score of 28 in the 2001 London Zagat Survey, and was also named as the best Fine Dining Restaurant in the 2001 Harden’s Guide. These ratings continued in 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005. On January 19, 2001, the original Gordon Ramsay restaurant gained its third Michelin star in the Great Britain & Ireland Red Guide.

Gordon Ramsay Holdings Limited took over the whole of the food and beverage operation at The Connaught Hotel in October 2002 and installed chef Angela Hartnett whose restaurant MENU won its first Michelin star In January 2004.

In 2003 Gordon Ramsay Holdings re-launched The Savoy Grill with Marcus Wareing. The restaurant achieved its first Michelin star in 2004. This was followed with the opening of Boxwood Café at The Berkeley alongside the Michelin star Pétrus, which had moved from St. James’s. Finally, Banquette launched at The Savoy in December 2003.

In May 2004, Ramsay headed “Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares,” a series of four one-hour programs, which was awarded a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts). The show which saw Ramsay attempt to rescue restaurants around the country in need of immediate assistance, was launched simultaneously with Ramsay’s recipe book “Gordon Ramsay Kitchen Heaven.” This was followed by ITV’s “Hell’s Kitchen,” where Ramsay was given two weeks to train celebrities into Michelin-star chefs.

2005 saw a second series of “Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares” followed by the very successful version of “HELL’S KITCHEN USA”. Ramsay also starred in “The F-Word,” a high-octane food show in which the action was set against the backdrop of a full working kitchen. Over the course of the show, Ramsay and his brigade prepared a three-course meal for diners.

Ramsay’s sixth book, “Gordon Ramsay Makes it Easy,” came out in May 2005. Ramsay also launched his eighth restaurant, MAZE, in London’s Grosvenor Square alongside Head Chef Jason Atherton. Winner of a host of awards, the acclaimed restaurant offers a flexible menu focusing on French Cuisine with Asian influences.

In July 2005, Ramsay opened his first restaurant in Japan at The Conrad Tokyo, the city’s newest luxury hotel with Head Chef Andrew Cook heading the kitchen. Topping off an extraordinary year, Ramsay was awarded an OBE (Order of the British Empire) in the New Year’s Honours list.

Ramsay will launch his first New York restaurant next September at the Rihga Royal Hotel. There will be a 100 cover fine dining restaurant akin to restaurant Gordon Ramsay, and also a bar where less formal dining along the lines of Maze For more information about Gordon Ramsay click here: http://www.gordonramsay.com/

Incoming search terms:

https://gordon-ramsay-recipe com/biography-of-a-celebrity-chef