Tired of baking bread? Here are some other foods you can try.
We are all cooped up right now, and we know a lot of people are passing their time by baking bread. But there's more to the kitchen than that, and Darius Thompson, cook-in-residence at our sister site, WhatsOnStage, has rustled up some perfect recipes for the theater fans who can cook, too.
Recipe One: Another Vodka Stingerrrrrrr
Musical Inspiration: Company
Here's to the ladies who lunch!
In honor of our beloved Patti LuPone, we've pulled together this recipe for Joanne's infamous Vodka Stinger.
So, play the song loud, raid your drinks cupboard, and create this vintage co*cktail. We'll certainly drink to that!
Ingredients:
• 1 shot (50ml) of vodka
• 1 T crème de menthe or
• 1 T peppermint schnapps or
• ¼ tsp peppermint extract
• 1 T water
• ice (enough to fill your shaker)
• something to garnish (olive, mint leaf, etc.)
Equipment:
• co*cktail shaker or
• a jar with a lid
• a strainer/sieve
• a co*cktail glass
Method:
• Fill your shaker (or jar) with ice.
• Add all of the ingredients and shake well.
• Strain the co*cktail into your glass.
• Add your garnish!
• Don your faux-fur coat, take a sip, and have toast to that invincible bunch! Waiter, I'll have another.
Recipe Two: Audrey II Cake Pops
Musical Inspiration: Little Shop of Horrors
Get this straight! These delicious cakes inspired by the Green Mother From Outer Space are the perfect thing to occupy your mind and taste buds this week! They''re super easy to make and are great to get the little ones involved in too as they require no baking.
Grab your greenest outfit, stream the movie (or listen to the cast recording,) and get creative!
Ingredients:
• any pre-made cakes you may have.
• white chocolate
• green food coloring (or a tiny bit of spinach in water with a dash of sugar will also do the trick)
Equipment:
• sticks for the cake pops
• two bowls
• anything else you want to use to decorate the cake pops
• a few sponges
Method:
• Crumble your cakes into a bowl so they are relatively fine, but still malleable enough to form into a shape.
• Roll them into a ball shape, approximately the size of a golf ball.
• Once you have used all of your cake mix, poke your sticks into each one.
• Melt your white chocolate gently (to avoid burning it) then add a drop or two of your food coloring and mix until it's the perfect color!
• Dip each cake pop into the green-colored chocolate and then place the sticks into the sponge so they dry upright.
• Once dry, decorate them to look like Audrey II and send us a snap via Twitter!
Recipe Three: 'The Fish With the Cheese'
Musical Inspiration: Come From Away
On the north-east tip of North America, on an island called Newfoundland, there's a dish called Cod au Gratin.
So, when the sun is coming up and the world has finally come ashore, you'll be a pro at the recipe and you can share it even more!
This recipe will serve two people.
Ingredients:
• 2 cod (or similar white fish) fillets
• ½ T fresh lemon juice
• 1 T dijon mustard
• ¼ tsp onion powder
• salt and pepper
• 1 T chopped dill
• 2 T finely grated parmesan cheese (or any other hard cheese)
For the roux:
• 1 T butter
• 1 T plain flour
• 1 cup of milk
For the gratin top:
• Bread crumbs (panko work the best)
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• ½ T cold water
• grated cheddar cheese
Equipment:
• two saucepans
• whisk
• shallow baking dish
• small bowl
Method:
• If you're using frozen fish, defrost fully before you begin.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F.
• Pat your fish dry and start gently heating your milk in a small pan until hot.
• Once hot, remove the pan from the heat to begin making your roux.
• Create the roux in a new pan. Heat the butter gently first then add in the flour slowly and whisk together with the hot milk until it creates a smooth texture.
• Add the dijon mustard and parmesan cheese then remove from the heat and add the lemon juice.
• Put the fish in the bottom of a baking dish and then get your hands in and cover it in olive oil, salt, pepper and onion powder.
• Pour your roux over the top and add sprinkle with the dill.
• In a bowl combine the bread crumbs, a little bit of olive oil and the cold water.
• Place on top of the roux in the baking dish and then sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top.
• Put the baking dish in the centre of the oven and bake until the top is golden brown.
• Welcome to the Rock!
Recipe Four: Bruce Bogtrotter's 'Cover Yourself in Chocolate Glory' Cake
Musical Inspiration: Matilda the Musical
More!
That's what they'll say, when Cook delivers this delectable, rich, moist chocolate cake to the table.
As long as you enjoy the cake, that's the main thing…
No buts, you haven't got time for buts… eat!
Ingredients:
• 7 oz. of dark chocolate (min 70% cocoa solids) chopped into small squares
• 1 stick of room temperature butter, cubed
• ⅔ cup self-raising flour
• ⅔ cup plain flour
• ¼ tsp of bicarbonate of soda
• 1 cup of light muscovado sugar
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 3 T cocoa powder
• 3 medium eggs
• ⅓ cup buttermilk (or use whole milk if you can't get this)
• grated chocolate to decorate
For the top of the cake:
• 7 oz. dark chocolate chopped into small squares
• 1¼ cups heavy cream
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
Equipment:
• large mixing bowl
• medium mixing bowl
• cake tin (8 in. width approx.)
• bowl for melting chocolate
• saucepan for melting chocolate
Method:
• Preheat your oven to 320°F and then grease your cake tin well with butter on all inside surfaces.
• Put dark chocolate into a bowl with butter and then create a bain-marie by bringing water to a gentle boil and placing your bowl of chocolate and butter on top. Be careful to make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water. Melt gently and then remove from the heat.
• In a separate bowl mix the self-raising flour, plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, light muscovado sugar, caster sugar and cocoa powder together. Make sure that there are no lumps — you may need to sieve these.
• In another bowl, beat together your eggs with the buttermilk and then pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir everything to a smooth, quite runny consistency.
• Pour this mixture into your greased cake tin and bake for about 1hr 30 mins.
• If you push a skewer into the center it should come out clean and the top should feel firm.
• Leave to cool in the tin and turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Cut the cold cake horizontally into two.
• To make the ganache, put other 7 oz. of the dark chocolate in a bowl.
• Pour the heavy cream into a pan, add 2 tbsp of caster sugar and heat until it is about to boil.
• Take off of the heat and pour it over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is completely smooth.
• Cool until it is a little thicker but still pourable.
• Sandwich the two layers together with some of this mixture and then pour the rest over the cake letting it fall down the sides and smooth.
• Decorate with your grated chocolate and then stick your face into, just like Bruce!
Recipe Five: Lulu's Strawberry Dream Pie
Musical Inspiration: Waitress
Mama, it's amazing what baking can do!
This delectable dessert is going to leave your diner (kitchen) smelling of sweet strawberries. And for this recipe, you don't even need the butter or flour – just the sugar.
Ingredients:
• 1 sweet all-butter pie crust
• 3½ cups fresh strawberries
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup water
• 3 T of cornflour
• whipped cream or crème fraîche to serve
Equipment:
• large mixing bowl
• medium mixing bowl
• cake tin (8 in. width approx)
• bowl for melting chocolate
• saucepan for melting chocolate
Method:
• Wash and remove the core from your strawberries (this is easy to do with a straw).
• Crush half of the washed strawberries with a vegetable masher and then add the sugar, water and cornflour. Put the other half of the strawberries aside for later.
• Put the strawberry mixture into a medium-size saucepan and cook over a medium heat. Stir it frequently until it boils.
• Boil the mixture for 1 minute, then remove it from the heat and let it cool completely.
• Thinly slice the remaining strawberries evenly (use a mandolin if you have one) and then place them in an even layer at the bottom of your pie case.
• Pour the cooled strawberry mixture over the top and leave to chill in the fridge for at least two hours.
• When you're ready (or hungry enough), remove the pie from the fridge. Cut into slices and add the whipped creme or crème fraîche.
• This should be eaten on the same day that you make it. Order up!
This article was originally printed on our sister site, WhatsOnStage.com.
