Category: Recipe Index

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Raspberry Bakewell Tart Recipe

Raspberry Bakewell tart with shortcrust pastry and almonds


Serves 10-12 Adults

Ingredients
• 1 roll premade shortcrust pastry
• 125g butter
• 150g caster sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 125g self raising flour
• 125g ground almonds
• 2-3 drops almond flavouring
• 200g raspberry jam
• 125g flaked almonds

Method

1. Preheat the fan oven to 160 degrees Celsius.

2. Line a baking tin with the pastry. Patch up any holes – you can see here that my roll of pastry wasn’t the right shape but that was grand. Prick the pastry, then line with some baking parchment. Pour some baking beans/dried beans/clean coins into the baking parchment. Spread evenly. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes remove from the oven and set the tray to one side while you prepare the filling.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until combined, then add the eggs. Beat again. Next add the flour and ground almonds, followed by the almond flavouring. You will be left with a stiff batter.

4. Spoon the raspberry jam into the par-baked pastry case, spread evenly. Gently spoon the cake batter on top, making sure there are no gaps in the tart for the jam to escape.

5. Smooth the top of the cake batter. Sprinkle the flaked almonds on top of the cake batter and gently press the almonds onto the top so that they stick to the batter.

6. Bake in the oven for 35-40 minutes until the cake area is cooked through. It should be golden on top and if you use a skewer or a cocktail stick to test, it should come out clean.

7. Remove the tart from the oven and leave it to sit to one side for at least 15 minutes before removing from the tin, slicing, and serving.

8. Enjoy with lashings of tea, maybe some cream on the side.

Recipe Notes:
Yes this freezes so it’s a perfect make in advance tart.
Use whatever jam you prefer.
I only use free range eggs because that’s my preference.
The tin I use here is 30cm x 12cm with a removable base.
If you have a nut allergy you can substitute the 125g of ground almonds for more self raising flour. Do not use the almond flavouring

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Slow Cooker Fudge Recipe

chocolate fudge with vanilla

Ingredients
1 tin sweetened condensed milk
500g chocolate, chopped (I prefer milk chocolate only, but dark is also fine and gives a richer flavour)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
I recommend placing a heatproof dish or jug inside your slow cooker to make this recipe. Simply because it makes it easier to lift out the contents when the ingredients are melted together, you can make this recipe by placing the ingredients directly into the cooker.

Pour the condensed milk and chopped chocolate into the cooker/container and stir.

Put the slow cooker on low. Stir the contents every 15 minutes or so, making sure to scrape down the sides of the container.

After 1 hour, all your ingredients should be melted together and combined. If not, allow for a further 15 minutes.

Turn off the slow cooker and remove the lid, allowing any steam to escape. Line a 20cm square baking tin with non-stick baking parchment. Pour the fudge mixture into the tin and leave to cool on the counter, uncovered (this prevents condensation on top).

Once cold, cover the tin and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before tipping out the contents and slicing them into fudge cubes. Allow the fudge to come to room temperature before serving.

Recipe Notes: This fudge will keep in a sealed tin in a cool, dark space for up to 3 months. It may crystalise a little if stored for over a month. I prefer to make it about a week in advance of gifting. Place in a pretty glass jar decorated with ribbon to give as a Christmas gift, and expect loads of oohs and aahs at how clever you are to make your handmade fudge!

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Beef Cheek Ragout

stewing beef, onion and peppers

feeds a hungry family of 4


This recipe is perfectly suited to long slow cooking or a blast in the pressure cooker. I get my beef cheeks from my butcher as they’re not the kind of ingredient you tend to find in a supermarket. There’s a lot to be said for the knowledge that your local craft butcher has about cheaper cuts of meat and the best way to cook them. You don’t get that kind of advice from packets on a fridge shelf.


Double up or treble up your ingredients for an easy batch cook.


Ingredients

1 trimmed beef cheek
1 chopped large onion
2 chopped peppers
2 chopped sticks of celery
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
4-5 cloves of crushed garlic (more or less if you prefer)
1 teaspoon each of salt, white pepper, paprika, sugar, and dried oregano
1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar


Method

Combine all the ingredients in the slow cooker pot and stir well. Cook on high for 8 hours or until the beef cheek is fall-apart tender. If cooking in a pressure cooker this dish will take about 3 hours.


To serve, break up the meat with a spoon and stir in some freshly cooked pasta. Garnish with chopped basil.


To make this meal stretch further add a drained can of chickpeas at the start.

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Baked Chicken & Rice Recipe

Serves 6 hungry adults

Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
700g chicken thigh fillets (boned and skinless)
Salt & Pepper
1 large onion, diced
1 pint vegetable or chicken stock
2 large peppers, diced
2 tablespoons Tikka Masala Spice Paste
300g basmati rice
1 tin coconut milk
Flaked Almonds to serve


Method
Take a heavy bottomed pan (with a lid) and heat to medium with oil in the bottom. Sear off the chicken in the pan until coloured then remove the chicken and put to one side on a plate.
Cook the onions until a little softened in the pan juices, add a little vegetable stock to help loosen the caramelised pieces. Then add the peppers and tikka masala paste. Stir well so that the paste begins to cook out on the heat.

Pour the dry rice directly into the pot and cook dry ( this is important) so that the rice begins to toast slightly in the heat. Turn off the hob. Pour stock into the pot and stir, make sure that the liquid is not boiling or simmering. Add the coconut milk and stir slowly until combined. If the liquid is too hot the milk will split.

Add the par-cooked chicken to the saucepan and stir one last time. Put the lid on and cook in the oven at 170 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

Toast the flaked almonds on a dry pan until golden.
Serve the rice dish with the flaked almonds on top. Fresh coriander if you have any as well.
I like to stir in some frozen peas for the last 3 minutes of the cooking process but you might prefer spinach or eating it plain as it is!

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Triple Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

100g dark chocolate
2 eggs
100g caster sugar
50g plain flour
50g cocoa powder/drinking chocolate (your preference)
1 teaspoon baking powder
150g chocolate chips


Method
Preheat the (fan) oven to 170 degrees Celcius. Line a square brownie baking tin well.


Melt the dark chocolate either in a bowl sitting over steaming hot water (bain marie) or by zapping in a pyrex bowl in the microwave at 30 second intervals. Stir after every 30 seconds until you have all the chocolate melted.


In a second bowl whisk the eggs and sugar until they are light and frothy. Once the chocolate is melted, carefully whisk it in bit by bit. Don’t put it in all at once or you’ll end up with scrambled eggs!


Finally, blend in the remaining dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder and baking powder) into the whisked egg, sugar, and chocolate froth. I use a stand mixer so just turf them all in together and whisk quickly until they are combined. Chocolate chips on top are optional but I do recommend them!


Bake the batter in the oven for 25 minutes. Then leave to cool completely before slicing and serving. It is very squishy

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Lemon Drizzle Cake Recipe

cake with a lemon drizzle

Make a large batter for twice the joy.
Ingredients
* 227g unsalted butter *
* 350g caster sugar *
* 6 free range eggs *
* 400g self raising flour *
* 3-4 organic lemons *
* 250g icing sugar for the drizzle *

~ Method ~
Preheat a fan oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Beat together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Slowly add the eggs, one-by-one, until combined. Add half the flour, beat and then add the second half. Grate the rind of 2 lemons, add to the batter and mix. Squeeze in the juice of 2 lemons (that you grated the rind off). Mix well. Pour your batter into 2 baking tins. This is the perfect amount for 2 large loaf tins. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes until a skewer test comes out clean. Allow to cool before icing. To make the icing combine 250g of icing sugar with lemon juice until you get a dropping consistency – see the video for how this should look. Ice and slice

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Crispy Pancakes Recipe


Ingredients

50g butter
100g plain flour
300ml warm milk
200g grated cheese (cheddar is the best but whatever you have to hand is fine)
100g chopped ham (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste
Method
Get a large saucepan onto a medium heat.
Melt the butter in the saucepan. Stir in the flour and slowly add the warm milk bit by bit to prevent lumps. Stir until it has thickened.
Turn off the heat, add the melted cheese and ham. Stir this into the sauce mixture – it will get THICK. Spoon the mixture onto a plate or bowl and allow to come to room temperature before covering and chilling until later.

For the pancakes… Check out the recipe before this on my profile for crispy pancakes! Or make your own panckes like normal, make double quantities and hold half the batch to one side to fill.
Put a large tablespoon or two on half of each pancake. Fold in half and seal the edges with some beaten egg or milk. Put the filled pancakes onto a baking sheet and freeze or chill for an hour.
To assemble the giant Crispy Pancakes! You will need 2 medium eggs, 200g seasoned plain flour, 200g panko breadcrumbs. dip the partially frozen pancakes in seasoned flour, then egg, then panko breadcrumbs.
Bake in the oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 25 minutes until the centre is heated through and the outside is golden brown. Enjoy with a leafy green side salad

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Swiss Roll Recipe


*Note this is probably the only recipe where I use imperial measurements as this is a legacy recipe from both my grandmothers.


The ratio for making fatless sponge is 1 egg:
1 oz caster sugar: 1 oz self raising flour and a tiny amount of vanilla extract at the end. You increase the quantities to get more sponge.
This makes it very adaptable to whatever you are baking.
For the sponge you see today this is what I used…


Ingredients
5 medium eggs
5 oz caster sugar
5 oz self raising flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling: 200g of raspberry jam Additional caster sugar for rolling the sponge


Method
Preheat your oven to 170 degrees celcius. Line your tin with baking parchment, ensuring that there is plenty of overlap.
Put the eggs and sugar into the mixer and using the whisk attachment whisk until pale, light and fluffy. Its volume should at least double in size. Turn off the mixer and sieve the flour/baking powder directly onto the baking parchment.
Now gently pour half the flour into the egg/sugar mixture and fold with the metal spoon. Taking care not to knock the air out. Repeat with the remaining flour.
Pour the mixture into the lined baking tray. Bake in the oven for approximately 22 mins or until golden.
Remove from the oven when baked and leave to cool for 5 mins on a cooling rack.
Sprinkle a piece of baking parchment with caster sugar and tip the sponge upside down on top of the sugar. Next peel off the baking parchment gently.
Taking the edge of the baking parchment together in your hands, tightly roll together until you reach the short edge of the sponge.
This part is not unlike rolling sushi. Use the teatowel/parchment to force the sponge to roll onto itself tightly.
Keep on rolling until you reach the end of the sponge. Now cover the sponge with the parchment, then the damp teatowel and twist like a Christmas Cracker.
Leave the roll to cool for approximately 15 mins before filling with jam, serve and eat on the day that it is baked for best results

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Homemade Jambons


Ingredients
· 50g butter
· 100g plain flour
· 300ml warm milk
· 200g grated cheese (cheddar is the best but whatever you have to hand is fine)
· 100g chopped ham (optional)
· Salt & Pepper to taste
· 1 roll readymade puff pastry
· 1 beaten egg for glazing


Method
Get a large saucepan onto a medium heat.
Melt the butter in the saucepan. Stir in the flour and slowly add the warm milk bit by bit to prevent lumps. Stir until it has thickened.
Turn off the heat, add the melted cheese and ham. Stir this into the sauce mixture – it will get THICK. Spoon the mixture onto a plate or bowl and allow to come to room temperature before covering and chilling until later.
Once cool, preheat a fan oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Take a sheet of puff pastry and divide it into 6 large squares or have fun and divide into many small squares.
Spoon a generous amount of the filling into the centre of each square. Then pull the corners into the centre to sit on top of the filling mixture. Brush the top of the squares with beaten egg.
Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and baked through. Allow to cool a little before eating as the filling gets very hot

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Pickled Onions


You can make as much or as little of these punchy pickled onions as you like. They taste better over time but my jar lasts about a fortnight in the fridge. The jar I use is a 500ml jar, half these ingredients if you are using a classic jam jar.


Ingredients
• 3 sliced red onions
• 1 heaped teaspoon sugar
• 1 heaped teaspoon salt
• 150ml hot water
• 150ml white vinegar
• Spices/Seasonings of your choice – here I used fennel seeds, coriander seeds and cumin seeds


Method
Combine the sugar and salt in a jug with the hot water until fully dissolved. Add the vinegar to the hot water mixture and stir well.
Put your spices/seasonings of choice into a large jar. Stuff in as many onions as you possibly can.
Pour the pickling mixture into the jar on top of the onions until you reach the top of the jar