Slow Cooker Apple Bread Pudding

This cozy dessert is a snap to prepare — less than 10 minutes of prep time, and your slow cooker takes care of the rest!

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

• 8 slices raisin bread, cut into cubes (about 5 cups)
• 2 medium tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled and sliced
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 cup sugar
• 11/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.) unsalted butter or margarine, melted
• 1/4 cup apple juice

Directions

1 Grease slow cooker lightly. In large bowl, combine bread cubes, apples and pecans. Mix well to blend and spoon into slow cooker.

2 In the same bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg, and blend well. Add eggs, half-and-half, butter and apple juice, mixing until thoroughly blended. Spoon over bread mixture.

3 Cook, covered, on low setting, for 3 to 4 hours, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and dry. Spoon into bowls and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Slow Cooker Apple and orange Bread Pudding

This cosy dessert is a snap to prepare — less than 10 minutes of prep time, and your slow cooker takes care of the rest!

Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients

• 8 slices white bread

• 2 medium tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled and sliced

• 1 cup sugar

• 11/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 4 large eggs, beaten

• 2 orange juice

• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp.) unsalted butter or margarine, melted

Directions

1 Grease slow cooker lightly. Butter bread and cut off crusts. Layer half in slow cooker. Sprinkle with a little of the sugar.

2 Layer apples on top and sprinkle with more sugar.

3 Cover with half remaining bread and butter, sprinkle with remaining sugar.

4 Place remaining bread and butter on top.

5 Mix eggs, cinnamon and orange juice and pour over bread and butter. Stand for half an hour so the bread soaks up the eggy mix.

6 Cook, covered, on low setting, for 3 to 4 hours, or until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean and dry. Spoon into bowls and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Beltane celebration cake

Accounts of the Beltane festivities mention a Beltane Cake. This spicy cake was prepared on the last day of April in readiness for the evening’s festivities.  The cake was broken up and distributed to the crowds.  

Here is my version adapted from a recipe I found online. 

Ingredients: 

12fl oz milk

3½oz oats

4oz butter

½ teaspoon salt

8oz sugar

2 eggs

2 eating apples, cored, peeled and sliced

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

7oz S.R. flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Method:
 In a saucepan, heat the milk with the oats, butter and salt. 
Cook until thickened then leave to stand until it reaches room temperature. 
Mix in the sugar, eggs and vanilla.
 Add the flour,  and spices and mix well.
 Grease a 9 inch x 13 inch baking tray and pour in ½ the mixture.
 Place a layer of apple slices.
 Pour over rest of cake mixture.
 Bake in the centre of the oven pre-heated to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas mark 4 for 30 mins.
 After cooling to room temperature the cake should be covered tightly until ready to serve.
 When ready to serve the top of the cake can be dusted with icing sugar then cut into squares.

 

I know that traditionally apples are used to celebrate Samhain, but as I am currently planting a small orchard of fruit trees using apples in my cake seemed appropriate. I am hoping for a good fruit harvest.

Steaming puddings in your slow cooker

Any recipe for steamed pud can be steamed in your slow cooker.

Turn your slow cooker onto full to heat up.

Prepare your recipe as normal.

Place in a greased pudding bowl.

Grease a piece of baking parchment and fold in half so that the greased sides are together.

Next fold about 10cm over again and crease strongly.

Open up the main area of parchment leaving only this final fold closed on top of your paper.

This pleat will allow your pudding to rise.

Place your greased baking parchment over the top and tie with string.

Place (carefully) an upside down saucer in the bottom of your slow cooker.

Place your pudding basin on top of the saucer.

Carefully pour in boiling water until you are halfway up the side of your basin.

Place the lid on your slow cooker and steam for 2 hours.

I guarantee you will never steam puds any other way again.
Here's my recipe for:-

Chocolate steamed sponge recipe

Ingredients

100g (4oz) margarine

100g (4oz) caster sugar

2 medium eggs

2oog (7oz) self-raising flour

25g (1oz) cocoa powder

2x15ml spoon milk

Method

Cream margarine and sugar; beat in the eggs one at a time with a little flour.

Fold in remaining flour and milk.

Once cooked serve with custard.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Not just for Thanksgiving, this quick and easy pumpkin pie will soon become a firm favorite. 

-->ingredients

175g granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp ground cloves
2 eggs 

300g pumpkin purée (tinned or fresh)
350g evaporated milk(soya cream)
1 unbaked 23cm/9in deep-dish pastry case (or line a deep 23cm/9in tart tin with shortcrust pastry)

-->

     Fresh winter squash purée

      winter squashes or sugar pumpkins
spring water or filtered water
large jellyroll pan or baking dish

     Step 1: Pre-heat oven to 400ºF. Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds.
Step 2: Place squash cut side down in the pan. Add enough water to the pan to measure about 1/4″ up the sides of the pan. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until very tender (the baking time will depend on how big or how old the squash is).
Step 3: Remove from oven and place cut side up on a cutting board. Let cool for 10 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Place squash in a food processor and process until coarsely puréed. Scrape sides of the bowl and if the flesh is a bit dry, add a little water, 2 tablespoons at a time. Continue to process until the purée is silky-smooth.
Step 4: Once completely cooled to room temperature, refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.

-->method

1. Preheat oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7.

2. Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl.

3. Beat the eggs lightly in large bowl.

4. Stir the pumpkin purée and sugar-spice mixture into eggs.

5. Gradually stir in the evaporated milk.

6. Pour into the pastry case.

7. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.

8. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

9. Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours.

10. Serve immediately or chill.

Do not freeze.

PREP/COOK
INFORMATION:

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Serves: 4

Chocolate puddle pudding

A really more-ish chocolate and prune pud coated in a delicious sauce and served with a dollop of cream or Greek yogurt. 

Serves: 4-6

Skill level: Easy peasy

Ingredients

100g butter (softened)100g caster sugar 

100g self-raising flour 

25g cocoa powder (sieved) 

2 medium-sized eggs (beaten) 

1 x 425g can of prunes 

25g cocoa powder 

25g muscovado sugar 

1 x 170g can of evaporated milk

To serve:

Icing sugar, with cream or Greek yogurt

Method

Put the softened butter, caster sugar and self-raising flour in a mixing bowl with the sieved cocoa powder and beaten eggs. Mix well until all the ingredients are combined. 

Drain, stone and mash the prunes. 

Add the prunes to the pudding mixture and combine thoroughly. Smooth the mixture into a 1-litre ovenproof dish.
Whisk the cocoa powder and muscovado sugar into the evaporated milk. Pour all the sauce over the pudding mixture and bake for 30-35 mins at 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 until firm on top.

Serve warm dusted with icing sugar, with cream or Greek yoghurt.

Chicken and potato casserole

The pics the original one before I converted it to cook in a slow cooker

An easy casserole dish that'll feed the family. A hint of cider and apple give it extra flavour.

 Cooking time: slow cooker  

Serves: 4  

Costs: Cheap as chips

Ingredients

You can include more winter vegetables, such as parsnips, turnips and swedes, to make this a real winter warmer.

350g (12oz) new potatoes, scrubbed and halved  

2tbsp olive oil  

4 chicken boneless portions  

1 celery soup  

150g (5oz) baby carrots  

225ml (8fl oz)cider  

1 chicken soup  

2tbsp freshly chopped thyme  

Salt and black pepper  

1 bunch spring onions, cut into 3cm (1in) pieces  

1 apple, sliced

Method

Brown chicken

Add everything to slow cooker and cook on high for 6 to 8 hrs.