Blackcurrant and Almond Tart with Blackcurrant Sorbet

Comments Off on Blackcurrant and Almond Tart with Blackcurrant Sorbet read Sweet Treats

 

image

If I had to chose my last super then without a doubt this tart would be for dessert as it is literally my downfall. It’s taken from ‘Sarah Raven’s’ allotment inspired cookbook and its a serious crowd pleaser. If you can’t get hold of blackcurrants then other fruit like blackberries will work too.

This tart always makes an appearance during blackcurrant season and is one of those default and faithful desserts that I can be confident will always be loved if I’m stuck for inspiration. I love it served with a creamy coconut ice cream and with that as my last meal I would contently go. However, we have an obscene amount of blackcurrants on the allotment which, after tedious and hand-staining picking, provides us with multiple bags of these little currants. Seeing as I have now exhausted the Cassis and blackcurrant jam making process, I ventured into the world of fruit sorbets to go with the tart. Its super sweet and shiny like a well polished cricket ball and is wonderfully refreshing.

Sorbet

  • 500g blackcurrants
  • 250g caster sugar

Blackcurrant Almond Tart (makes one large or two small tarts)

  • 200g ground almonds
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 200g unsalted butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 200g blackcurrants
  • Icing sugar
  1. Start with the sorbet. Wash the blackcurrants well and tip them, while still wet, into a large pan.
  2. Add the sugar and heat gently. Heat until the sugar melts and the mixture begins to turn dark purple and the berries just begin to burst. I added a few splashes of water to help the process along. Just as the berries begin to burst, remove from the heat and puree in a food processor or liquidiser
  3. Pass through a fine sieve and discard the pulp. Cool in a jug in the fridge then churn in an ice cream maker until frozen and smooth. Alternatively, freeze in a shallow container, forking every 20 minutes or so to break up the ice crystals.
  4. For the cake, preheat the oven to 180°C and line one 23cm round tart tin or 2 smaller tins.
  5. In a food processor, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time between handfuls of ground almonds and mix until all is incorporated. Add the vanilla.
  6. Spoon into your lined tart case. Scatter the blackcurrants evenly over the top and bake for 30-40 minutes until cooked. It can take longer depending on the state of your ingredients and the depth of the tin but if it needs longer than 40 minutes, just make sure it doesn’t brown too much and cover with foil if needed.
  7. Cool on a wire rack and allow to firm up a little. Dust with icing sugar and serve with the sorbet (or coconut ice cream alternatively) and a sprig of mint!

image

image

Almond Milk

Comments Off on Almond Milk read Drinks, Extras

 

image

I’m not a religious soya milk/nut milk drinker but I prefer it on my granola or porridge etc. However, with its aura as a ‘healthy’ ingredient I was horrified to realise that your generic ‘Alpro Soya’ is sweetened and full of, not only sugar, but other additives too. Even the unsweetened version has a lengthy list of ingredients. Whats natural about that? Normal milk does get a beating from health freaks but at least there is no ingredients list on the label. Its like a lot of vegan and vegetarian food in that they get a reputation for being ‘healthier’. Sure tofu may have less fat than a sirloin steak, but its made with unnatural ingredients that won’t provide you with any health benefits unlike a steak.

So long story short, I thought I’d have a go at making my own nut milk which it turns out is painfully easy. This is a fantastic alternative to milk for your vegan buddies and takes two simple natural ingredients.

  • 200g whole almonds
  • 650ml cold water

1. Soak the almonds in the water overnight.

2. The next morning drain and add to a food processor. Coarsely chop with a pinch of salt and then add another 650ml of cold water, splash by splash until creamy.

3. Once all the water is added, blend until combined

4. Pour into a bowl lined with some muslin cloth and strain the ‘milk’ from the solid almond pulp. Bring the sides of the cloth up and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.

image

image5. Add half a cinnamon stick if you like and then leave to infuse and chill in the fridge.

6. Store in a sterilised jar and keep in the fridge for about 3 days.

Note: I dried out the pulp almonds a little and used them in a cake as a ground almond/flour alternative. It was fairly successful but it added a huge amount of moisture. So I suggest really wringing out the pulp in the  muslin or drying them a little before use.

image

Elderflower and Cucumber Collins

Comments Off on Elderflower and Cucumber Collins read Drinks

So it turns out I do like gin! This recipe will now be a reminder of finishing my finals and the end of uni. Its such an easy cocktail to quaff while relaxing in the sun as its so refreshing!

  • 40ml gin
  • 25ml elderflower cordial (or St. Germian elderflower liqueur if you have it)
  • 20ml lemon juice
  • Handful of diced cucumber
  • A few mint leaves
  • Soda water
  • Coarsely crushed ice
  1. Gently crush some diced cucumber and mint leaves to together to release their flavours.
  2. Add the gin, elderflower and lemon to a tall ‘tumblr’ (see what I did there) and top up with soda water to taste. Add some coarsely crushed ice and enjoy.

Cheese Straws

Comments Off on Cheese Straws read Extras

I made cheese straws for a Christmas party at uni one year and they became an infamous crowd pleaser specifically with my favourite girlies on Tyndell’s Park Road! So exam time called for supplies to fuel everyone on!

This batch included simple mature cheddar with a kick of cayenne but I also made a sage, cheddar and cumin seed variety so feel free to add whatever you like. Thyme, rosemary, Dijon mustard or marmite. I’ve left quantities out as they can literally be made with any leftover puff pastry scraps and any lonely cuts of cheese!

  • A block/leftover puff pastry (see here if you want to make your own)
  • Mature cheddar cheese (or any other strong hard cheese)
  • Parmesan cheese (optional)
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 egg, beaten
  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C and line a large baking tray with greaseproof paper.
  2. Simply roll out your puff pastry into a rectangle to a few millimetres thick. (If using marmite, mustard, pesto or any type of spread, brush the sheet with a very thin layer at this point). Brush the sheet with beaten egg.
  3. Grate over a thin layer of cheese making sure you don’t leave the edges bare. Season with a little salt and black pepper and sprinkle with cayenne if you like (At this point add any other herbs, seasonings, spices etc)
  4. Use your rolling pin to gently press the cheese onto the pastry to keep it stuck down and cut the pastry into strips about 1.5cm wide.
  5. Take the strips at both ends and twist into a spiral and place on the tray, squashing the ends onto the tray to help them stick and hold their shape. Brush any exposed pastry with beaten egg and bake for about 15minutes checking now and again until golden.

Avoid the urge to devour the lot alone. Best eaten warm but also amazing dipped into any spicy dips or spreads or served as a canape in mini form. Their greasy buttery taste goes particularly well with a glass of Champagne and Prosecco so any excuse for a glass of fizz naturally calls for these. Try this Biancavigna, Prosecco Spumante Brut NV available at Armit Wines

image

image

Giant Coconut Lime Muffins

Comments Off on Giant Coconut Lime Muffins read Sweet Treats

 

image

This batch was giant I tell you….maybe a little too giant? But non-iced they’d be amazing toasted for breakfast with nutella like a bounty bar! This is a pretty basic muffin mixture so feel free to add fruit or chocolate as you please….

Makes 8-9 large muffins (I recommend making them smaller)

  • 250g self raising flour
  • 1 tsp bicarb
  • 145g caster sugar
  • 1 handful dessicated coconut
  • 200ml coconut milk
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 85g butter, melted
  • 250g cream cheese
  • Zest of 1 lime and the juice of ½
  • 3 tbsp icing sugar
  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
  2. Mix the flour, bicarb, sugar and dessicated coconut in a large bowl
  3. Add the melted butter, coconut milk and the beaten eggs.
  4. Using minimal stirs to make sure the muffins are light in texture and not dense, stir until just combined (if there are a few flour lumps this is ok)
  5. Spoon generously into a muffin tin lined with cases and bake for 20-30 minutes until cooked.
  6. Leave to cool. Meanwhile, mix the creme cheese, lime zest and juice and sieve in the icing sugar.
  7. Mix well and transfer to a piping bag
  8. Only when the cakes are cool, pipe on the icing however you like and scatter with extra lime zest or coconut if you like.

image

Fish in Brown Shrimp Butter

Comments Off on Fish in Brown Shrimp Butter read Seafood

This really is my idea of a speedy fast-food supper which takes less than 5 minutes to cook. The longest part of the process in fact was getting the capers out the jar. Oh and chopping the parsley was fairly taxing…….

Serves 2

  • 2 white fish fillets of choice e.g. cod loin (as shown), Dover/lemon sole, plaice fillets, haddock
  • 1 small pot of potted brown shrimp (I used the Morecombe Bay brand)
  • 1 tbsp drained capers
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • Generous handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley
  • Splash of olive oil
  1. Have all the ingredients for the sauce ready before you start as once the fish is cooked, it takes seconds and must be served warm. Heat a splash of oil and a sliver of butter in a hot frying pan.
  2. Season your fish and depending on how thick it is, fry gently on both sides until just cooked. A fillet a few centimeters thick should take 2-3 minutes.
  3. Remove from the pan and set aside to rest while you quickly make the brown shrimp sauce.
  4. Add the potted brown shrimp and its butter (If using packaged brown shrimp, add with a good tablespoon of  butter)
  5. Add the drained capers, the juice from half the lemon and a handful of chopped flat leaf parsley. Allow the butter to melt and the flavours to combine before pouring over the fish and serving! Its that simple! Serve with crusty bread or roast potatoes/mash or whatever you fancy.

NOTE: Work quickly and if the pan is too hot the butter will burn. Browning the butter will add a nice nuttiness but if it is beginning to catch, just remove the pan from the hob as the residual heat of the pan will be enough.

image

Elderflower Drizzle with Basil Icing

Comments Off on Elderflower Drizzle with Basil Icing read Sweet Treats

A little experiment with elderflower yesterday. Lemon drizzle cake is a classic favourite but I thought I’d try it with some elderflower and a subtle basil flecked icing. Fell free to leave out the basil or replace it with something more dessert-familiar like mint. I think this cake needs a bit more testing to get the exact measurements to balance the flavours (see note at the bottom) but this was what I started with and it tasted great anyway!

  • 115g butter
  • 165g sugar
  • 165g self raising flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 lemon, zest
  • 4 tbsp milk
  • 150ml elderflower cordial (and a little more for the icing)
  • 100g icing sugar
  • 1 tbsp chopped basil (or mint if you prefer)
  1. Cream the butter and sugar. Then add the eggs, milk and lemon zest and sieve in the flour and baking powder. Mix.
  2. Spoon into a lined cake tin and bake for 35-40 minutes at 180 until cooked.
  3. Once the cake is cooked and it comes out the oven, while still warm, prick the surface all over and pour over the cordial and allow it to sink in and absorb. Leave to cool.
  4. To make the glaze, mix the sieved icing sugar, the mint/basil and enough cordial to get a runny but thick consistency (about 1-2 tbsp)
  5. Pour over the cake!

NOTE: I scattered some rose petals for presentation but to be honest they are very pungent and can be overpowering (if using a weak cordial I suggest not using them). The amount of cordial can be increased but I was nervous about drowning the cake. The cordial I used was unfortunately quite weak so I would suggest increasing the volume if you find the taste too subtle. Use a homemade or good quality one such as ‘bottlegreen’ for a really big elderflower hit.

image

image

Asian Salmon and Coconut Rice

Comments Off on Asian Salmon and Coconut Rice read Seafood

image

I’ve cooked this recipe far too many times in the past couple of weeks. With revision STILL on the go it is a fresh but really satisfying meal which is also a hopeless attempt at consuming some more oily fish to fuel my brain! I’ve been unhelpfully vague in the method as all depends on the rice, coconut milk and salmon you use which will vary the cooking time and the quantities a little. The timings will vary but use your instincts and aim for a crispy skinned dark soy salmon that is moist and just cooked with a creamy coconut rice. You may not get the timings perfect on the first shot but I guarantee you’ll make it again to get it right!

Serves 2

  • 1 can coconut milk
  • 4 oz brown/wild rice
  • 2 salmon fillets
  • 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 ½ tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp runny honey
  • 2cm grated ginger
  • 1 lime, zest and wedges for serving
  • Scattering of sesame seeds
  1. Mix the soy, oils, ginger and honey together and leave the salmon to marinade in the mix for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
  2. Bring the coconut milk to the boil with a small cup of hot water and simmer the rice gently for about 20-25 minutes until cooked. The coconut milk you use in terms of thickness will vary so top up with hot water if it starts to look dry or if it is a thick variety, dilute down. What you’re aiming for is for the rice to cook in the time that it takes the coconut milk to reduce so you should end up with a creamy rice. If it is still looking drowned towards the end of cooking, turn the heat up and simmer more strongly. I like to use brown rice for its nutty flavour and texture.
  3. Once cooked, stir in the grated zest of the lime and keep warm.
  4. While the rice is cooking, preheat your grill to high and (skin side up) grill your salmon for about 5 minutes depending on thickness, until just cooked and moist with a dark soy crisp skin.
  5. Simmer the remaining marinade in a saucepan to warm and thicken.
  6. Serve your salmon on top of your coconut rice drizzled with a little of the warm marinade. Scatter with a handful of sesame seeds and a wedge of lime for squeezing. Serve with steamed broccoli.

image

Apple Crumble Ice Cream

Comments Off on Apple Crumble Ice Cream read Sweet Treats

 

image

This is quite a rich ice cream and a dessert in itself. The apple puree is really deep in flavour and if cooked down a little more and thickened it would make a beautiful apple ‘butter-come-jam’ for topping toast and croissants! Goes really well with some simple hazelnut and vanilla shortbread.

  • 1 can condensed milk (alternatively make a custard base but this recipe requires no churning)
  • 300ml single cream
  • 4 large crunchy apples
  • 100g soft brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp mixed spice and ground ginger
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 125ml water
  • 50g oats
  • 50g plain flour
  • 50g soft brown sugar
  • 60g chilled, cubed unsalted butter
  1. Start with the spiced apple puree. Core and chop 3 of the apples into chunky slices. Add to a saucepan with the water and bring to the boil. Then simmer gently until the apples break down and look a bit like apple sauce.
  2. Add the sugar and spices to the hot apples and mix. Transfer to a blender and puree. Have a taste, add more sugar to your liking depending on how sweet your apples were, or lemon juice for a bit of sharpness. Remember when you add purees to ice cream they should always be a little bit on the sweet side as that way they will taste fine when frozen.
  3. Leave to cool.
  4. Mix the crumble ingredients together until you have chunky breadcrumb-like texture. Transfer to a lined baking tray and bake for about 10 minutes in a preheated 170°C oven keeping an eye on it. Don’t worry as the mixture will most likely melt into a big slab. When its golden brown leave it to cool and crisp and then you can crumble it into pieces.
  5. Cube the remaining apple into small dice and saute in a little butter to soften. Leave to cool.
  6. Mix the condensed milk and the cream (or alternatively for a proper ice cream make a custard base. The benefit of the condensed milk is there is no need for any churning) and add the apple puree. Keep some reserved if you want to ripple some through the cream before freezing.
  7. Scatter some crumble and some of the cubed apple pieces into your container of choice and top with some of the mixture. If you want to ripple some puree through, do this now. Scatter with more crumble and apple pieces and repeat. Finish with a scattering of crunchy topping. Freeze until set (it will have a soft scoop texture) and enjoy!

image

Chai Apple Loaf

Comments Off on Chai Apple Loaf read Sweet Treats

 

image

I still remember the first time I took an unexpected warming sip of a Bristol ‘Boston Tea Party’ Chai latte on a snowy cold day…it was delicious and I have never been able to enjoy it quite as much as then. But I love chai and I love cake….need I say more?

I did I bit of research and found that ’apparently’ the best way to infuse your tea of choice into a cake mixture is to infuse it into the melted butter. So I thought I’d experiment…. Even if this proves unnecessary, it certainly produced the most delicious smelling, chai-scented, nutty brown butter which would certainly make a great addition to anything baked. And if you can handle the cinnamon overload, this would be insane with my Apple Crumble Ice Cream

1 sturdy loaf

  • 150g butter (plus about 30g extra)
  • 150g golden syrup
  • 150g soft brown sugar
  • 200ml milk
  • 5 ‘teapigs’ chai tea bags/ 5 tbsp loose chai tea
  • 250g plain flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp mixed spice
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 2 crunchy apples, peeled, cored and cubed into chunks
  • 2 tbsp chai seeds (optional)
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
  2. Melt the butter in a pan the add the contents of the chai teabags. Warm briefly and leave to infuse to 5 minutes.
  3. Sieve the infused melted butter into a clean pan pressing the flavours out of the strained tea which can then be discarded. Weigh the melted butter and top up to 150g. Add the sugar and syrup and melt everything together.
  4. When melted, add the milk and leave to cool
  5. Weigh out the flour and add the mixed spice and baking powder. Make a well in the centre and add the cooled sugar mixture. Stir gently to combine.
  6. Add the beaten egg and mix. Stir in the apple keeping back a handful for garnish.
  7. Pour into a lined loaf tin and top with a few chunks of apple. Scatter with the chai seeds for a crunchy topping and bake for about 50 minutes until cooked.
  8. Serve with a steaming cup of chai and some mascarpone smothered on top if you like.

Alternatively try it with pears? This loaf recipe would also be brilliant with ground ginger (minus the chai) and some preserved ginger pieces for a lovely ginger loaf.

image

image