Friday 17 January 2014

Pink Posset and Pistachios

There were a number of blood oranges in my veg box last week. I always find them rather alarming when cutting into them and they tend to spurt red juice everywhere... well all over the work surface, down my front and on my new oven gloves to be precise. I wasn't wearing oven gloves to cut the oranges by the way I just hadn't hung them up... that'll teach me!
 
 
Anyway, as the family decided they were a little on the sharp side I decided I needed to find a way of using them. Now after the event, I'm thinking marmalade but at the time I didn't think marmalade but more posset. Although after my last posset post I'm loathed to call it that as the name seemed to put people off!

 
So I made some "Blood Orange Posset Creams".
I followed the same recipe as before but added the juice of two oranges... which I then discovered is the same as Raymond Blanc's recipe. However it tasted a little bit too sweet so I added the juice of a lemon too (what does Raymond Blanc know?)*

 
I'd put them in the fridge to set where they caused much concern. They were such an awful artificial pink colour that Joe thought I'd dropped my standards and I'd made Angel Delight... as if!!!* But once they were taken out and decorated with some segments of orange...

 
and accompanied by more pistachio shortbread, they passed muster and were devoured with relish... despite appearances. And very good they were too!

 
Which brings me to the point of this post (does there need to be a point?)... to give you the shortbread recipe which I promise will be one of the best you have tasted!
 
Pistachio Shortbread
200g plain flour
225g unsalted butter, softened
125g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
150g ground almonds
50g unsalted pistachios, chopped 
 
Cream together the butter and sugar. Gradually work in the vanilla, flour and almonds, adding the pistachios as the mixture starts to hold together. This can be done in a food processor (or a shiny new red mixer!) but be careful not to overwork the dough, adding the pistachios at the end as they can become oily if ground too fine. Wrap the dough in cling film and rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes... don't skip this step! Heat the oven to 180 deg C. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured board, to about 7 mm thick and cut out biscuit shapes. Place onto cookie sheets lined with baking parchment leaving plenty of space around each biscuit as they do spread. Prick lightly with a fork and bake for 15 -18 mins until just starting to colour. Sprinkle with caster sugar and allow to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container... or eat but they do make about 24 biscuits so that might be too much in one go.

 
I've got a weekend of family here for lunch, more arriving for dinner, birthday cake and rehearsals for me (more about that another time). Hope your weekend is good!

* I should say that in the interest of accuracy and avoidance of law suits that Raymond Blanc actually knows quite a bit about cooking and Angel Delight contains no artificial colours.. Phew!

10 comments:

  1. Angel Delight, now there's a blast from the past!! :) Its been a few years since I had some of that.
    Thanks for sharing the shortbread recipe!
    Happy weekend Gina,
    V xxx

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  2. lol at your last comments Gina. Am I being dim? what is vanilla paste? I must admit, the blood oranges do look slightly off putting and I would be the last person to criticise but the recipe does sound very tasty.

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  3. Lols! Thank you for changing the name. :-). It sound much more appetising than baby icky. Lol

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  4. Do they still make Angel Delight? Have not had that since I was a child and I detested it... or maybe that was just the way my Mum made it? She was never an adventurous cook. I think the pink posset would have sent her running from the kitchen but it looks pretty good to me!X PS New oven gloves ? Hmm... You know how to have a good time don't you?...

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  5. Oh, Gina, I chuckled aloud when I read your comment about the artificial pink and Angel Delight. I used to love that stuff when I was a child, mainly, probably, because my mother did not stock it in her larder, alas!

    I will most definitely try your delicious recipe. I just know the children would love them very much.

    Happy weekend to you,

    Stephanie

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  6. I'm copying that shortbread recipe Gina. It sounds perfect.

    And happy new year - I finally got over here for a visit. Glad to see that you are still blogging.

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  7. I love the lawsuit comment!! :) xx

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  8. Hee! Hee! I used to love Angel Delight, especially the butterscotch variety.I ate it mainly at friends' houses as mum didn't really approve!

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  9. Haven't heard of Angel Delight......but your creams look delish!

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  10. I always found blood oranges dry and sour, but they would probably make great marmalade - imagine the colour! I think angel food might be the old mellah desserts in Oz - that was bought stuff thoroughly disapproved by my mother, but eagerly eaten at friends' houses! The shortbread recipe looks good. Cheers

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