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Sticky Chocolate Brownies

May 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I love brownies, whether they are fudgy or cake like, both are just as good in their own way. This one is wonderful! If you went a light cake like brownie, this is not the recipe for you as it is fudgy; for some reason I am finding it difficult to spell today, so please excuse the errors. Oh … and it has to be sea salt as this enhances the flavour of the chocolate, really … it does.

85 grams dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids (finely chopped)
85 grams orange flavoured chocolate, i.e. Lindt Excellence Orange Intense
170 grams unsalted butter
175 grams light muscovado sugar
3 large fresh egg whites – 20 grams icing sugar, sifted
3 large fresh egg yolks
75 grams plain white flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
30 grams each – milk and white chocolate buttons

  1. Preheat oven to 180ºC, 355ºF, gas mark 4.
  2. Butter a 23 cm round spring-form cake, line with baking paper, butter the paper and lightly dust the top and sides with cocoa, tipping out excess.
  3. Melt the dark chocolate, orange chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasional; when melted stir until smooth..
  4. Stir in the muscovado sugar and leave to go cool.
  5. Beat the whites in a clean grease free bowl until soft peaks form, gradually add the icing sugar while beating until the mixture is stiff and glossy.
  6. When the chocolate mixture is cool, whisk the egg yolks and stir into the chocolate mixture
  7. Sift the flour and salt into the bowl, fold in until blended.
  8. Fold in the milk and white chocolate buttons.
  9. Add a quarter of the egg whites to loosen the batter then gently fold in the remainder
  10. Transfer to the baking tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 40 minutes or until a fine skewer comes out clean
  11. Put the baking tin onto a wire rack and leave until the brownies are cold.
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Simple Peach Cobbler

May 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Many people feel that tinned fruit is in some way inferior and bad quality, not so. Tinned fruit, at least good quality tinned fruit, can be used in many desserts, cobbler being just one.

I worked full time all my adult life, with the exception of a short period for maternity leave – so I know the pressures facing parents who work long hour; preparing family meals using ready made products, i.e. tinned fruit, ready made pastry, meringues when making desserts etc. are a good way to get the meal on the table quickly. Serve with ice cream, chilled cream or custard if preferred; in fact anything that appeals.

Save making from scratch for the week-end, if you feel the need!

2 tins sliced peaches in fruit juice
Scone topping
10 oz plain flour
2 oz unrefined caster sugar
1 tsp baking powder
5 oz unsalted butter, chilled in the freezer for 20 minutes before required
1 large free-range egg, lightly beaten
4 fl oz single cream
1 egg yolk whisked with a little milk
Icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 220ºC
Lightly butter an ovenproof dish

Sift the flour, sugar and baking powder into a baking bowl, grate the cold butter into the dry ingredients, lightly rub in using fingertips only. Put the egg and single cream into a jug, whisk to combine then pour onto flour mixture, mix until combined being careful not to overwork

With floured hands, transfer the scone mixture to a lightly floured working surface and roll out to about 1” thick. Cut the dough into 2” rounds with a biscuit cutter, place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to chill

Drain the peaches, add to the dish and drizzle, pour over 6 fluid ounces of juice. Place the scones onto the peaches, brush the tops of the scones with egg wash taking care that it does not run down the sides

Transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling, allow the pudding to cool a little before serving

Dust with icing sugar and serve with Double cream

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Caramel Bakewell Tart

May 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This is a lovely take on the traditional Bakewell Pudding with the addition of a salted caramel sauce instead of jam or fresh fruit compote. While this is a lovely pastry recipe, I prefer rough puff pastry – recipe at the end. As with all recipes on this site, this suits my tastes, it may not suit yours – so if you fancy using a different caramel recipe, do so!

Preparation – 30 minutes
Baking – 60 minutes

Pastry
120 grams plain white flour
Pinch fine salt
30 grams unsalted butter or block margarine
30 grams lard
1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
2 to 3 tbsp cold water
1 egg white – lightly beaten
Caramel Sauce with Sea Salt
170 grams unsalted butter
170 grams light muscovado sugar
375 grams condensed milk
1/4 tsp sea salt flakes
Filling
150 grams butter
150 grams unrefined caster sugar
3 large fresh eggs
150 grams ground almonds
1 lemon – finely grated zest
Decoration
2 rounded tbsp almond slivers

Preparation

  1. Pastry – mix the butter, lard and zest until blended, wrap in clingfilm and chill in the freezer until firm.

Pastry

  1. Sift the flour and salt into a large baking bowl, remove butter from freezer, while dipping in flour throughout the process grate over the dry ingredients, tossing to coat. Briefly rub in.
  2. Add the lemon juice and water – one tablespoon at a time, using a rounded bladed knife to bring the dough together – add more water if necessary – one teaspoon at a time.
  3. Wrap in clingfilm, chill for 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 170ºC, 325ºF, gas mark 3 and butter a 20 cm diameter deep tart tin.
  5. Roll the pastry out on a lightly floured work surface to 5 mm thickness, use to line the prepared tart tin; prick the base all over with the tines of a fork, cover with clingfilm and chill for 15 minutes.
  6. Blind bake for 10 minutes, remove and brush with the egg white, bake for 5 minutes.

Caramel Sauce

  1. Put the butter and sugar into a saucepan set over a low heat, warm while stirring to dissolve the sugar.
  2. Add the condensed milk and sea salt, stir until incorporated, raise the heat to medium and bring to the boil, immediately take off the heat and place onto a wire rack to cool.
  3. Spread the caramel sauce evenly over the pastry base, place onto a wire rack to cool.

Sponge

  1. Cream the butter, sugar and zest until pale and fluffy, add the beaten eggs and egg yolk one tablespoon at a time, beating well between each addition.
  2. Fold in the ground almonds.
  3. Spoon over the cooled caramel, gently level the surface with a palette knife ensuring an even covering.
  4. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, scatter the almond slivers over the top, bake for another 20 minutes – or until the sponge is set and a light golden colour.

Rough Puff Pastry

120 grams plain white flour
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
90 grams unsalted butter
1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice, strained

Chilled water – to mix

  1. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
  2. While dipping the fats in flour, grate into the dry ingredients, briefly rub in using fingertips.
  3. Mix to a stiff dough with the lemon juice and cold water.
  4. On a lightly floured board, roll the dough into rectangle about 30 cm x 10 cm.
    1. Roll out the pastry dough to a rectangle 3 times longer than wide – 30 cm by 10 cm
    2. Fold one third into the centre, place the opposite side on top
    3. Seal the edges with a lightly floured rolling pin, turn the pastry 90 degrees (quarter turn)
    4. Wrap in clingfilm, chill for 15 minutes in the fridge
    5. Repeat the steps in italics 1 to 4 four more times
  5. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm, rest and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.
  6. After the pastry has been rested roll out to fit a 20 cm (8 inch) fluted flan or tart tin.
  7. Lower the pastry into the tin, while gently pushing it into the base and corners and up the sides, prick the base with a fork and return to the fridge for 20 minutes.
  8. Preheat the oven to 180ºC
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Strawberry Marmalade B&B Pudding

May 16, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Bread and butter puddings are so delicious, and little effort is required to make them. I recently made one using the lovely Seville orange marmalade available in Spain, not a pretty dessert but moreish! This dessert is slightly different in that the marmalade used is strawberry and citrus available from Boddington´s though you can replace with Seville orange marmalade if preferred.

Unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
300 to 350 grams Strawberry citrus marmalade – Boddington´s
1 large fresh unsliced white loaf, 700 grams
4 large fresh eggs
400 ml crème fraîche or double cream
400 ml milk
85 grams golden caster sugar
1 vanilla pod – split lengthways, seeds scraped out
To serve
280 ml double cream
1 to 2 tbsp orange liqueur – Grand Marnier

  1. Generously butter a deep two litre ovenproof dish, spread half of the marmalade over the base.
  2. Trim the crusts from the loaf, cut four slices – lengthways – approx. one centimetre thick.
  3. Butter one side of the bread slices, spread marmalade over two of the slices (on the side without butter).
  4. With the marmalade side facing up, roll up the slices of bread short side nearest you, cut each roll in half.
  5. Lightly press into the dish.
  6. Put the eggs, cream and milk into a bowl, whisk until blended then sieve into a jug, add the sugar and vanilla seeds, whisk until combined, pour half over the bread rolls.
  7. Lightly press the rolls into the liquid, allow the bread to soak up the liquid – at room temperature – then slowly pour over the remainder.
  8. Cover and place in the fridge while the oven comes to temperature.
  9. Preheat oven to 160ºC, 320ºF, gas mark 3.
  10. Uncover the pudding and place into the centre of the oven, bake for 60 minutes – check, the custard should be softly set – if not, cook for a little longer.
  11. Serve with softly whipped cream flavoured with orange liqueur.
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Bananas with Sherry and Honey Sauce

May 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The first time I tasted baked bananas was at my Mother in Law’s home when I was first invited to Sunday lunch. They were baked in a Sherry sauce and were served with Cornish clotted cream, all home made of course, including the Sherry. As far as I know the Sherry sauce was made with just sherry, butter and honey, thickened with arrowroot which gave the sauce a pretty glossy look. I have never managed to create the same taste so there must have been a secret ingredient.

4 large ripe bananas
Juice and finely grated zest of one lime or lemon
60 ml organic orange flower honey (warm just a little if too thick)
60 ml Spanish pale cream sherry
2 tbsp unsalted butter

  1. Grease (with butter) a shallow glass ovenproof dish
  2. Peel the bananas and cut in half lengthways, place into the prepared dish in a single layer
  3. Whisk the lime juice, lime zest, sherry and honey together, pour over the bananas, toss to coat
  4. Dot with the butter then bake in a preheated oven for twenty minutes, basting with the sherry sauce every five minutes
  5. Serve with lightly whipped double cream or Cornish clotted cream

Alternately, serve with a Syllabub

140 ml white wine
1 tbsp pale cream sherry
1 tbsp Cognac
Juice and zest of 1 unwaxed lime or lemon
170 grams unrefined caster sugar
284 ml double cream

  1. Pour the wine into the bowl of an electric mixer (or a mixing bowl if make by hand), add the Sherry and Cognac, grate in the lemon zest; add the lemon juice, cover and chill overnight in the refrigerator.
  2. Remove the syllabub mixture from the refrigerator and strain through a sieve lined with muslin, add the sugar and whisk until dissolved.
  3. Add the cream and continue beating until the mixture starts to thicken – you should stop when the mixture will only just keep its shape.
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Seville Orange Marmalade and Bilberry B&B Pudding

May 14, 2012 By Leave a Comment

My favourite dessert at the moment is bread and butter pudding; whilst I have suggested using croissant in this recipe, it would be equally as good using simple thickly sliced bread, possibly with crusts removed – I like it made with sliced wholemeal bread. I use fresh bilberries or blueberries, you can use frozen (place into a colander and leave to thaw – discarding the liquids), oh … and treat them very gently!

300 ml whole milk
300 ml low fat crème fraîche
4 large fresh egg yolks
3 tbsp natural brown sugar
50 ml orange flavoured liqueur
8 all butter croissants, halved horizontally
8 rounded tbsp Seville orange marmalade
2 small punnets fresh bilberries or blueberries
Alternately
Replace milk and crème fraîche with Jersey or breakfast milk; or use 500 ml whole milk and 100 ml cream.

  1. Butter a 1.5 litre ovenproof dish – I prefer to use an ovenproof glass dish.
  2. Warm the cream and milk over a medium-low heat until bubbles appear on the surface; immediately remove from the heat.
  3. Put the egg yolks and sugar into a heatproof bowl, whisk to combine
  4. Gradually, in a thin steady stream pour one quarter the milk into the bowl, while vigorously stirring; return this mixture to the saucepan while stirring then add the liqueur.
  5. Spread each croissant half with half a tablespoon of marmalade, layer in the dish, scattering a little grated chocolate over each layer.
  6. Pour in the two thirds of the custard , lightly press the croissants into the custard, cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge while the oven comes to temperature.
  7. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 355ºF, gas mark 4.
  8. Pour remaining cream into the dish and bake for between 25 to 30 minutes, in a Bain-Marie if preferred, until the pudding is softly set and a light golden colour.
  9. Lightly dust with sifted icing sugar.
  10. Serve with a little Cornish clotted cream or lightly whipped double/whipping cream, or simply serve “as is”.
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Bilberry Jam Roly Poly

May 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I love jam roly poly – brings back memories of school and the lovely thin custard my mother found so disgusting but I loved.

Bilberry Jam is another of my favourites, especially wild bilberry jam which is high in fruit or try the recipe below which can be made using fresh or frozen berries. I used a Mermaid Pudding Sleeve for this recipe.

200 grams self raising flour
2 tbsp unrefined icing sugar, sifted
1/2 level tsp baking powder
Pinch fine salt
100 grams shredded suet
2 tbsp chilled orange juice
About 4 tbsp cold water
Fresh Bilberry Jam – recipe below, or any good quality high fruit jam

Pastry

  1. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into the mixing bowl
  2. Stir in the suet, add the orange juice and sufficient cold water to make pliable dough
  3. Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead lightly.
  4. Cover the pasty and allow it to rest for a few minutes before rolling out.

To finish

  1. Roll the pastry out to a rectangle 20 cm by 30 cm.
  2. Spread the filling over the pastry leaving a small border at both long ends and one short end.
  3. Fold these borders over the filling, with the short end without a border facing, roll up, lightly crimp the seam, turn over and place seam side down in the steamer, press down light at both ends.
  4. Place into the prepared pudding sleeve, close and put into a steamer – steam for 1 hour 30 minutes.
  5. Serve with fresh egg custard.
  6. If steaming in a saucepan, place a trivet in the bottom, add about 3 cm of boiling water and quarter of a lemon (to stop the pan from staining), add the pudding sleeve, cover and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes – checking water level occasionally and topping up with boiling water when necessary. For ease of removal I would suggest tying a piece of string at each end, forming a loop in between.

Fresh Bilberry Jam 

175 grams fresh or frozen bilberries or blueberries, thawed if frozen
1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp fresh orange juice

  1. Put the berries, icing sugar and orange juice into a saucepan over a low heat, warm gently until the fruit the fruits begin to burst and release their juices, increase the heat to medium and cook until the mixture becomes jam like.
  2. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
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Lavender Meringue Roulade

May 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I love meringue roulade created using a soft meringue incorporating less sugar than with a Pavlova -this is a simple recipe with the inclusion of lavender sugar with a filling of fresh cream and bilberries topped with melted white chocolate.

Lavender and lemon go well together, try flavouring the cream with a little fresh lemon curd.

Meringue
5 large egg whites
75 grams lavender caster sugar
75 grams unrefined caster sugar
2 tsp cornflour, sieved
Filling
500 ml double cream – well chilled
1 punnet bilberries or blueberries
Decorate
100 grams white chocolate

Preheat oven to 180ºC, 355ºF, gas mark 4.
Line a 33 cm by 28cm Swiss roll tin with baking or silicone paper, leaving a 5cm overhang

Tip – separate the eggs immediately upon removal from the fridge, then allow the whites to come to room temperature before whisking.

Place a bowl and whisk or beaters into the freezer about an hour before need for the cream.

Meringue – whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually whisk in the caster sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until the meringue is stiff and glossy. If using, whisk in the cornflour. To test the meringue mixture – rub a little between the finger and thumb, if it has a “gritty” texture, continue beating. Transfer the mixture to the prepared Swiss Roll tin – use a palette knife or spatula to spread it evenly to the edges. Bake for between 15 to 20 minutes – depending on your oven. Quickly invert the meringue out onto a clean tea towel or sheet of greaseproof paper lightly dusted with icing sugar. Carefully peel off baking paper – cool for 20 minutes

Filling – whisk the cream until soft peaks form, gently fold in the berries and spread the cream over the meringue. Roll up as you would a Swiss Roll.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of hot water, when melted stir until smooth then drizzle in a lattice pattern over the Roulade.

Alternate filling – whisk the cream until soft peak stage, stir in lemon curd, amount to taste.

With this meringue I was aiming for a subtle lavender flavour – the lavender sugar I use is home made with the lavender blossoms placed into a muslin bag. This is removed after about 7 days, sometimes less depending on the recipe I want to use it in. With shop bought lavender sugar, I would suggest tasting it before using, if you are unsure – use less in the recipe.

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Wild Bilberry Bakewell Pudding

May 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

While this is a pudding made from wild bilberries, which are not in season right now, the fresh bilberries could be replaced with a bilberry or blueberry compote made with frozen berries. I would serve this with a simple chilled unflavoured cream – lightly whipped.

100 grams wild bilberry jam
Rough Puff Pastry
200 grams plain white flour
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
150 grams unsalted butter
1 tsp fresh lemon juice, strained
Chilled water – to mix
Almond Sponge
110 grams unsalted butter
110 grams unrefined caster sugar
2 large fresh eggs – lightly beaten
55 grams ground almonds
1 rounded tbsp plain white flour, sifted
To serve
Icing sugar – sifted
Fresh bilberries or blueberries

Preparation

  1. Mix the butter and lard with the lemon zest, place into original wrapper and put into the freezer until firm, not frozen, 15 minutes approximately.
  2. Grease a 20 cm fluted flan or tart tin with butter.

Pastry Method

  1. Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl.
  2. While dipping the fats in flour, grate into the dry ingredients, briefly rub in using fingertips.
  3. Mix to a stiff dough with the lemon juice and cold water.
  4. On a lightly floured board, roll the dough into rectangle about 30 cm x 10 cm.
    1. Roll out the pastry dough to a rectangle 3 times longer than wide – 30 cm by 10 cm
    2. Fold one third into the centre, place the opposite side on top
    3. Seal the edges with a lightly floured rolling pin, turn the pastry 90 degrees (quarter turn)
    4. Wrap in clingfilm, chill for 15 minutes in the fridge
    5. Repeat the steps in italics 1 to 4 four more times
  5. Wrap the pastry in clingfilm, rest and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes before using.
  6. After the pastry has been rested roll out to fit a 20 cm (8 inch) fluted flan or tart tin.
  7. Lower the pastry into the tin, while gently pushing it into the base and corners and up the sides, prick the base with a fork and return to the fridge for 20 minutes.
  8. Preheat the oven to 180ºC

Filling

  1. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, beat in the eggs and extra yolk a little at a time, stirring vigorously until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
  2. Finally mix in the ground almonds and lemon zest.

To finish

  1. Spread the jam over the base of the pastry case.
  2. Cover with the filling smoothing the top very gently with a palette knife.
  3. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the filling is set and a light golden brown.
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Baked Bilberry Cheesecake

April 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This is a lovely baked cheesecake, simple to make and bake – the beauty of it is that you can use most berries in the topping, i.e. lovely fresh raspberries, blackberries, loganberries or a mixture adding the “in season” berries that you enjoy. You could, of course, use any combination of fruit from rhubarb and strawberries to nectarines or peaches (skin the peaches before cooking) with fresh bilberries or blueberries. A lovely warm plum compote would also be wonderful.

125 grams Spelt digestive biscuit crumbs
75 grams ginger biscuit crumbs
75 grams unsalted butter, melted
Filling
500 grams cream cheese
1 vanilla pod – split lengthways, seeds scraped out
200 grams natural golden caster sugar
28 grams cornflour, sifted
2 large fresh eggs
300 ml crème fraîche
Topping
400 grams fresh wild bilberries
85 grams natural golden caster sugar
40 ml fresh orange juice
10 ml fresh lime or lemon juice

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C, 355ºF, gas mark 4.
  2. Lightly butter a 20 cm spring form cake tin, line the base with baking parchment, lightly butter the paper.

Crust

  1. Lightly crush the biscuits in a plastic bag using a rolling pin, transfer to a bowl.
  2. Melt the butter, stir into the biscuit crumbs, transfer to the tin and lightly press into the base.
  3. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, transfer the tin to a wire rack to cool completely before filling.

Filling

  1. Preheat oven to 170ºC, 340ºF, gas mark 3.
  2. Put the cream cheese into a large baking bowl, add the vanilla seeds, stir until blended.
  3. Sift in the sugar and cornflour, while beating until combined.
  4. Add the eggs – one by one – beating well between each addition.
  5. Finally, stir in the crème fraîche.
  6. Transfer to the cake tin, level the top with a palette knife.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 140ºC, 275ºF, gas mark 1.
  8. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for approx. 35 to 40 minutes – the cheesecake should have a slight wobble in the centre when lightly tapped.
  9. Turn off the oven, allow to cool with the door closed – for two hours, remove, cover the tin with clingfilm and chill overnight.

Topping

  1. Put the citrus juices into a heavy based saucepan, add the sugar and slowly bring to the boil over a medium-low heat while stirring until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Add the bilberries, cover and cook until the bilberries burst and release their juices, remove from the heat, transfer to a heatproof bowl and allow to cool, when cool – cover the bowl with clingfilm and chill until ready to serve.

To finish

  1. Loosen and remove the spring form side, slice the cheese off the base and baking paper onto a serving plate.
  2. Serve with the topping spooned over the cheesecake portions and lightly whipped double cream.
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