CLAUDIA RODEN'S JEWISH GINGER CAKE

CLAUDIA RODEN'S JEWISH GINGER CAKE

When my daughter goes to stay with her mother-in-law, Estelle
Boyers, in Sheffielcl, she tells me ofthe good things that await her
and Clive. Then I telephone Estelle and ask her for the recipes.
This ginger cake is one of them. It is rich and moist and quite
delicious, with a strong taste ofginger. Like the honey cake, it is
best made 3 days before you want to eat it, and it keeps a long
time.
- Claudia Roden

Method

2 eggs
150g (502) sugar
250ml (611 oz) light vegetable oil
250ml (fifl oz) golden syrup
1 - 2 teaspoons powdered ginger (I like it with the larger
amount)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/14 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
300g (l2oz) self-raising flour
250ml (4fl oz) warm water
l -2 tablespoons ginger marmalade (optional)

Method

Beat the eggs with the sugar until pale and creamy.
Then beat in the oil and the golden syrup (using the oily measuringjug for the syrup prevents it from sticking to the jug}.
Mix the ginger, cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda into the Flour.
Then pour into the egg and syrup mixture gradually, alternating with the warm water, and beat vigorously to a smooth batter.
 lf you like, beat in the ginger marmalade at the end.

Line a 23 - 2Scm (9 -l0 inch) diameter cake tin with greaseproof paper or foil brushed with oil and pour in the cake mixture.

Bake in a preheated 325oF l6O°C gas 3 oven for about l hour, or until firm and brown on top.

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/10/purple-plum-torte/

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/10/purple-plum-torte/

SESAME SNAPS

SESAME SNAPS

Ingredients

190 g sesame seeds
45 -50 g sugar
130 g honey

Method

Combine ingredients in a large heavy-based saucepan and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally, over low heat.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches 320F on a candy thermometer.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Pour mixture into sheet and smooth top.
Allow to cool slightly, using a sharp knife, cut into pieces.
Let cool completely, and then break into pieces. Will keep in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

MIXED SEED AND NUT WHOLEMEAL LOAF

MIXED SEED AND NUT WHOLEMEAL LOAF

Ingredients

500 g    Wholegrain Spelt Flour
1 tsp    Quick Yeast
1 tsp    Sugar
325 ml    Water
1 tbsp    Vegetable Oil
150 g    Sunflower, Sesame, Poppy or Pumpkin Seeds or any kind of Nuts
½ tsp    Salt

Method

In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, quick yeast and sugar.
Add the water and roughly mix it into the flour.
While the dough is still lumpy add the oil and knead well until it feels smooth and pliable.
Add the seeds and knead until they are combined into the dough.

Leave the dough covered with a tea towel, in a draught free place, for it to double in size (This should take about an hour). To make a quick bread, omit this stage and proceed straight to step 6.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead the dough firmly for several minutes.
Shape the dough and put it into a 1kg/2lb bread tin or place it on an oiled baking sheet.
Cover with a clean tea towel and leave dough to rise for about 25 minutes in a warm place.

Bake in a preheated oven 35/40 minutes.

Temperature & cooking time:
220°C/Fan200°C/425°F/Gas 7

TRADITIONAL OATMEAL PARKIN

TRADITIONAL OATMEAL PARKIN

Ingredients

 225g golden syrup
 50g black treacle
 110g block buter
 110g dark brown soft sugar
 225g medium oatmeal
 110g self-raising flour
 2 level teaspoons ground ginger
 pinch of salt
 1 large egg, beaten
 1 tablespoon milk
 Pre-heat the oven to 140°C, gas mark 1

Method

To weigh syrup and treacle, it helps to place the opened tins in a pan of barely simmering water for 5 minutes to make them easier to pour. Then weigh a saucepan on the scales, and weigh the syrup and treacle into it.
Now add the butter and the sugar to the saucepan and place it over a gentle heat until the butter has melted – don’t go away and leave it unattended, because for this you don’t want it to boil.
Meanwhile measure the oatmeal, flour and ginger into a mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt, then gradually stir in the warmed syrup mixture till everything is thoroughly blended. Next add the beaten egg and, lastly, the milk.
Now pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake near the centre shelf of the oven for 1½ hours.
Then cool the parkin in the tin for 30 minutes before turning out.
Don’t worry if it sinks slightly in the middle – this is quite normal.
When it’s completely cold, store in an airtight tin.

NIGELLA LAWSON'S CHOCOLATE OLIVE OIL CAKE

NIGELLA LAWSON'S CHOCOLATE OLIVE OIL CAKE

 Although I first came up with this recipe because I had someone coming for supper who - genuinely - couldn't eat wheat or dairy, it is so meltingly good, I now make it all the time for those whose life and diet are not so unfairly constrained, myself included.
It is slightly heavier with the almonds - though not in a bad way - so if you want a lighter crumb, rather than a squidgy interior, and are not making the cake for the gluten-intolerant, then replace the 150g ground almonds / 1½ cups almond meal with 125g plain flour / ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour. This has the built-in bonus of making it perhaps more suitable for an everyday cake.
Made with the almonds, it has more of supper-party pudding feel about it and I love it still a bit warm, with some raspberries or some such on the side, as well as a dollop of mascarpone or ice cream.

Ingredients

150 ml regular olive oil (plus more for greasing)
50 grams good-quality cocoa powder (sifted)
125 ml boiling water
2 teaspoons best vanilla extract
150 grams ground almonds (or 125g plain flour / 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour)
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 pinch of salt
200 grams caster sugar
3 large eggs

Method

Preheat your oven to 170°C/gas mark 3/325ºF. Grease a 22 or 23 cm/ 9inch springform tin with a little oil and line the base with baking parchment.

Measure and sift the cocoa powder into a bowl or jug and whisk in the boiling water until you have a smooth, chocolatey, still runny (but only just) paste. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then set aside to cool a little.
In another smallish bowl, combine the ground almonds (or flour) with the bicarbonate of soda and pinch of salt.
Put the sugar, olive oil and eggs into the bowl of a freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment (or other bowl and whisk arrangement of your choice) and beat together vigorously for about 3 minutes until you have a pale-primrose, aerated and thickened cream.
 Turn the speed down a little and pour in the cocoa mixture, beating as you go, and when all is scraped in you can slowly tip in the ground almond (or flour) mixture.
Scrape down, and stir a little with a spatula, then pour this dark, liquid batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the sides are set and the very centre, on top, still looks slightly damp. A cake tester should come up mainly clean but with a few sticky chocolate crumbs clinging to it.
Let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, still in its tin, and then ease the sides of the cake with a small metal spatula and spring it out of the tin. Leave to cool completely or eat while still warm with some ice cream, as a pudding.

SEEDED RYE AND WHEAT LOAF

SEEDED RYE AND WHEAT LOAF

Ingredients

100g each linseed, pumpkin and sunflower seeds
About 300ml warm water
50g soft dark brown sugar
2 tsp fast-action yeast
25ml pumpkin or sunflower oil
250g stoneground rye flour
75g wholemeal or spelt flour
75g strong white flour
1 tsp salt

Method

Toast the mixed seeds for 15 minutes at 180C (160C fan-assisted)/350F/gas mark 4, then leave them to cool.
 Set aside a handful, and put the rest of the seeds in a bowl along with the water, sugar and yeast.
 Leave for a few minutes, then add the oil, flours and salt, and mix it into a firm dough, adding a dash more water if needed.
Leave for 10 minutes, then lightly knead for 10 seconds.
Return the dough to the mixing bowl, cover with a clean cloth and leave for 45 minutes.

Line the base and sides of a large, oblong bread tin with nonstick paper.
Shape the dough into a fat sausage more or less the same length as the tin, then squash it firmly in.
 Brush the top with water, sprinkle on the reserved seeds, cover and leave until risen by just a quarter – you want only a slight rise; any more, and the bread will crumble when it's sliced.

Bake at 200C (180C fan-assisted)/390F/gas mark 6) for about 45 minutes, then remove from the tin, cover with a cloth and leave to cool.

GINGER HONEY CAKE

GINGER HONEY CAKE

300g honey
75g unsalted butter, melted
50ml sunflower oil
3 medium eggs
400g stem ginger, chopped
2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon or coriander
250g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
Extra butter and honey, for finishing

Method

Line the base and sides of a small loaf tin with baking parchment.
Preheat the oven to 170C/150C fan/335F/gas mark 3.

Put the honey in a bowl, add melted butter, oil and eggs, then beat until smooth.
Stir in the chopped ginger, grated ginger and spices, add the flour and baking powder, stir well until everything is evenly mixed, then spoon into the tin.
Take small slivers of butter and lay them centrally along the length of the mixture. This will force the cake to crack along the butter line.
Bake for about 70-80 minutes undisturbed, as the cake is slightly fragile and prone to collapsing until the mixture sets.
Use a skewer to check that the centre is baked.
 It will burn on top slightly, or at least go very dark. This is due to all that honey, and for me, it's part of the cake's charm.

POPPYSEED CAKE WITH LEMON TOPPING

POPPYSEED CAKE WITH LEMON TOPPING

Ingredients

180g unsalted butter, softened
180g white spelt flour, sifted
3 large free-range eggs
1 tsp baking powder
180g maple syrup or honey
85g poppyseeds

For the topping

250g cream cheese or mascarpone
the finely grated zest and juice of 1 unwaxed lemon, plus extra pared lemon zest to decorate (optional)
½ tsp vanilla extract
30g maple syrup or honey

Preheat the oven to 170C/gas mark 3.

Grease and flour a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin.

Method

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until pale and fluffy.
 Add 2-3 tablespoons of the flour and beat in the eggs, one at a time.
 Continue to beat until you have a light, fluffy mixture (if it looks as if it is curdling, add another tablespoon of flour).
Fold in the remaining flour and the baking powder, add the maple syrup and the poppy seeds and stir to combine.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin, level the top and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
 Remove from the oven and leave in the tin to cool for 10 minutes before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely.
When the cake has cooled, beat together all the ingredients for the topping and spread it over the surface using a palette knife.
 Sprinkle with pared lemon zest, if using.

VEGAN HOT CROSS BUNS

VEGAN HOT CROSS BUNS

Ingredients

750g wholemeal flour
35g fresh yeast (15g dried yeast)
100g currants
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
50g mixed peel
425ml water (cold or tepid not hot)
4 tblsp cold pressed oil
12g sea salt

Method

Place half the flour and all the peel in a bowl.
In a separate bowl place the yeast, oil, allspice, cinnamon and water. Leave until the yeast is active, i.e. bubbles appear on the surface.
When the yeast is active add to the flour and peel. This will be a thick batter. Beat well.
Leave batter mixture until it has doubled in size.
When it has doubled in size add salt. We do not add salt before this stage because it kills the yeast.
Beat the mixture well and slowly add the rest of the flour until you get a soft dough. This is important- the stiffer the dough, the heavier the buns and we are hoping to have light, soft hot cross buns. You may not need all of the flour- it depends on the absorbency.
Shape the buns (50g of dough gives a good sized bun) and place on an oiled baking sheet.
Place a pastry cross, cut a cross or pipe a choux pastry cross on the top and leave to rise.

Heat oven to 250°C/450°F/gas mark 7. It is important that the buns are cooked in an oven at this temperature.
When the buns have doubled in size, cook for 14 minutes in the hot oven.

NIGELLA LAWSON'S APPLE AND ALMOND CAKE FOR PASSOVER

NIGELLA LAWSON'S APPLE AND ALMOND CAKE FOR PASSOVER

It's astonishing how buttery this cake tastes, given that there is not a gram of butter in it. The flour is replaced with ground almonds - and cooked, cooled, pureed fruit provides moistness and flavour.
- Nigella Lawson

Ingredients

3 apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons caster sugar

For the cake
1 splash of Vegetable oil To grease tin
8 medium eggs
325 grams ground almond
275 grams caster sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
50 grams flaked almonds

For the decoration
1 teaspoon icing sugar

Method

Peel, core and chop the apples roughly. Put them in a saucepan with the lemon juice and sugar and bring the pan to a bubble over a medium heat. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for about 10 minutes or until you can mash the apple to a rough puree with a wooden spoon or fork. Leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4/180C; oil a 25cm spring form tin with almond or a flavourless vegetable oil and line the bottom with baking parchment.
Put the cooled puree in the processor with the eggs, ground almonds, caster sugar and 1 tablespoon - or generous squeeze - of lemon juice and blitz to a puree. Pour and scrape, with a rubber spatula for ease, into the prepared tin, sprinkle the flaked almonds on top, and bake for 45 minutes. It's worth checking after 35 minutes, as ovens do vary, and you might well find its cooked earlier - or indeed you may need to give a few minutes longer.
Put on a wire rack to cool slightly, then spring open. This cake is best served slightly warm, though still good cold.
As you bring it to the table, push a teaspoon of icing sugar through a fine sieve to give a light dusting.

BANANA SHORTBREAD, VANILLA BEAN CREAM

BANANA SHORTBREAD, VANILLA BEAN CREAM

You will need four individual metal tart cases about 10cm in diameter. Serves 4.

Ingredients

butter 55g
caster sugar 140g
bananas 4, slightly under ripe

For the shortcake:
butter 70g
caster sugar 75g
egg 1, small
plain flour 125g

For the vanilla cream:
mascarpone 200g
double cream 6 tbsp
vanilla pod 1

Method

For the pastry, dice the 70g of butter, put it into a food-mixer bowl with the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Blend in the lightly beaten egg followed by the flour. Mix to a soft dough, turn on to a generously floured board, then roll into a fat sausage. Wrap in clingfilm and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

For the bananas, melt the 55g of butter and sugar in a nonstick frying pan over a low heat, stirring pretty much constantly. It will become grainy, then it might separate, but don't worry, keep stirring. You should end up with a buttery, toffee-coloured sauce. Pour it into the individual tart cases. Set the oven at 180C/gas mark 4

Peel and slice the bananas into rounds, then divide between the cases. Slice the dough into four discs then pat each out to fit the tart cases. They should be quite thick. Place a disc of pastry on top of each of the dishes on top of the bananas. Bake for 20 minutes until pale-biscuit coloured.
Run a palette knife around the edge of the metal tins, turn upside down and shake gently. If there is any toffee stuck on the base, remove it in small pieces and add to the top of each tart.

To make the vanilla cream, put the mascarpone in a bowl and stir in the cream. Slice the vanilla pod in half lengthways and scrape out the black seeds with the point of a knife, then stir gently through the mascarpone and cream. Serve with the warm banana tarts.

BLACK PEPPER AND FENNEL SEED RYE BREAD

BLACK PEPPER AND FENNEL SEED RYE BREAD

Ingredients

325ml regular black coffee, warm or cold
150g rye flour
2 tsp crushed black pepper
2 tsp anise, fennel or caraway seeds
1 tsp dry instant yeast
1½ tsp salt
325g strong white flour, plus extra for shaping
1 beaten egg and poppy seeds, to finish

Method

Put the coffee in a saucepan along with half the rye flour, the pepper and your seeds of choice. Whisk, heat until thick and just boiling, then spoon into a mixing bowl and set aside to cool until warm. Add the yeast, mix well, add the salt, the remaining rye flour and the white flour, then mix to a smooth dough. Cover, leave for 10 minutes, then on a lightly oiled worktop knead for 10 seconds. Cover, repeat twice more at 10-minute intervals, then leave for 30 minutes.

Line a baking tray with nonstick baking parchment. Using a little flour, pat out the dough into a 20cm square, then roll up tightly. Place the dough seam side down on the tray, cover with a cloth and leave to rise for 45 minutes. Egg-wash the top, sprinkle with poppy seeds, cut six diagonal slashes across the top and bake at 220C (200C fan-assisted)/425F/gas mark 7 for 40 minutes.

CHILLI AND CHEDDAR CHEESE BREAD

CHILLI AND CHEDDAR CHEESE BREAD

Ingredients

2 tsp sunflower oil
Red chillies 1-2 seeded and chopped
180ml water
60ml semi-skimmed milk
50g grated mature cheddar cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
300g unbleached white bread flour
50g wholemeal bread flour
1 tsp easy blend yeast

Method

Put the oil and chillies in a pan and sauté on a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until soft. Remove and put aside to cool
Add chillies to the bread pan with the liquids.
Add the remainder of the ingredients to the bread pan in the order listed above.

Variation: For a milder flavour remove half the chilli and replace with chopped spring onion if preferred. For a fiery taste use a hot chilli such as Scotch Bonnet

ALMOND MOMENTS

ALMOND MOMENTS

Ingredients

100g St Helen's Farm goats' butter
225g plain flour
half teaspoon baking powder
quarter level teaspoon salt
125g sugar
75g flaked almonds
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond essence
2 tablespoons St Helen's Farm goats' milk

Method

Makes about 17 biscuits.

Rub the butter into the flour, salt and baking powder.
Stir in the sugar and flaked almonds.
Beat together the egg and almond essence.
Mix into crumb mixture to form a soft dough. If it is a little dry, add a little milk.
Roll into balls of 25g in palm of hand and press to about 1cm thick.

Put on lightly oiled baking sheet and bake at 170°C, Gas 4 for 15 mins or until just brown.

POPPY RYE-SEED CRISPBREAD

POPPY RYE-SEED CRISPBREAD

Home-made crispbread is something I bake often at home, using poppy, sunflower or pumpkin seeds on the surface, and occasionally using oats, oatmeal or spelt in the dough. Makes 12.
- Nigel Slater

Ingredients

rye flour 100g
plain spelt flour 100g
oat bran 50g
easy-bake dried yeast 7g (a heaped tsp)
sea salt ½ tsp
honey 3 tsp
warm water 150ml
poppy seeds

Method

Put the flours and bran into the bowl of a food mixer, tip in the yeast and salt, then turn once or twice to stir evenly through the flour. Dissolve the honey in the warm water, then pour most of it into the flour, the paddle turning slowly. The dough needs to be soft but not sticky, so you may not need all the liquid.

Leave the mixer going for a good three or four minutes, until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl.

Turn off the machine, remove the bowl, and leave the dough in a warm place, covered with a cloth, for about half an hour. Set the oven at 200C/gas mark 6.

Lightly flour the worksurface – I like to use a large wooden board – tip the dough on to it, then tear off pieces the size of a golf ball. Roll each piece out to roughly the size of a side plate and thickness of a 10p piece, laying each one on a baking sheet. With two baking sheets on the go I can bake eight at a time. Scatter lightly with poppy seeds, pressing them down into the surface with your hand.

Bake for 12 minutes, then transfer the breads to a cooling rack and leave for several minutes to crisp even further. They will keep in good condition in a tin for a few days.

ROSEMARY AND HONEY BREAD FOR CHEESE

ROSEMARY AND HONEY BREAD FOR CHEESE

Moist, sweet and salty, these spongy loaves will keep for two or three days if wrapped in kitchen film. With its sweet fruits and herbal notes, this is a perfect bread for cheese. Makes two small loaves.
- Nigel Slater



Ingredients

strong wholemeal flour 250g
strong white plain flour 250g
salt 1 tsp
warm water 350ml
honey 1 tbsp
fresh yeast 40g
rosemary 2 tbsp
dried cherries 50g
dried apricots 50g
golden sultanas 50g
rosemary stalks a few, to decorate
sea salt flakes


Method

Put the two different flours in a large mixing bowl, add the salt and mix thoroughly. Pour the warm water into a small bowl then stir in the honey and yeast. When they have dissolved add the chopped rosemary.

Tip the yeast and honey mixture into the flours and stir in the cherries, apricots and sultanas. If you are using a food mixer armed with a dough hook (a flat paddle will work just as well) then mix for four or five minutes. You should have a dough that is really quite sticky. Cover it with a cloth and leave in a warm, but far from hot, place for about an hour until risen and lightly spongy.

Flour a large chopping board or work surface, tip the dough on to it and slice in half. Roll each piece of dough into a ball and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Scatter the surface of each loaf with a few rosemary stalks and a few pinches of sea salt flakes. Cover with a cloth and leave for about 20 minutes, until the dough has flattened and spread slightly. Set the oven at 220C/gas mark 8.

Bake for 25 minutes, until dark brown, remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. When cool, slice and serve with goat's cheese and mild honey.

VANILLA CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKE

VANILLA CHOCOLATE MARBLE CAKE

Swirls of rich chocolate marbled through a vanilla cake seems straightforward enough, but with a few secrets you can make this even easier. You may notice that the large quantity of chocolate folded through the batter thins it – potentially a concern. But a curious thing about chocolate is that the cocoa solids dry the cake batter as it bakes, so the final texture stays balanced. Spooning the mixtures in alternately means that when it comes to swirling everything together, you're already halfway there. This makes it much more likely each slice will contain dark and white cake.
- Dan Lepard

Ingredients

100g unsalted butter, softened
25ml sunflower oil
75g creme fraiche
175g caster sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 medium eggs
100g dark chocolate
50ml milk
200g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder

Method

Line the base and sides of a small loaf tin with non-stick baking paper and heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/350F/gas mark 4.
Put the butter, oil, creme fraiche and caster sugar in a bowl and beat until almost white and whipped. Add the vanilla and eggs then beat well again until the mix is very smooth and the sugar has dissolved. Don't worry if the mixture looks split or separated – it won't affect the result. Measure out the flour and baking powder in another bowl.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave then stir in the milk until you have a smooth sauce.
Sift the flour in with the butter mixture and mix well. Spoon half of the mixture into another bowl and beat in the chocolate.
Spoon both mixtures into the tin in alternate blobs then swirl slightly together with a skewer. Tap the tin on the bench firmly to get rid of air pockets, then bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin then unwrap. Ice with the cupcake frosting (see below) if you like. This cake will keep for 2-3 days if wrapped well, or you could freeze it.

BROWN BREAD ICE CREAM

BROWN BREAD ICE CREAM

If you don’t have brown bread, you can use a hearty, whole grain bread that is somewhat crumbly. Even day-old bran muffins or gingerbread would be nice, especially if you plan to serve this ice cream around the holidays.
You’ll probably end up using about 2/3rds of the brown bread pieces, but if you’re anything like me, you can snack on the rest, or sprinkle them on top just before serving. Maybe with some chocolate sauce.
- David Lebovitz
http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/11/brown-bread-ice-cream-recipe/


For the caramelized brown bread crumbs:

2-3 slices of brown bread (250g, 9 ounces)
3 tablespoons (45g) butter, salted or unsalted
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the ice cream custard:

1 cup (250ml) whole milk
1 1/2 cups (375ml) heavy cream
1/3 cup (65g) granulated sugar plus 1/3 cup (65g) brown sugar (dark or light), or 3/4 cup (170g) granulated sugar
pinch of salt
8 ounces (225g) cream cheese, cubed, or sour cream (regular or lowfat of either)
5 large egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: 1 tablespoon whiskey

Method

To make the brown bread crumbs, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
Crumble the bread into small, bite-sized bits. The largest should be no bigger than a kernel of corn.
In a skillet, heat the butter until it melts, then continue to cook until it starts to brown. Remove from heat and stir in the bread bits, 1/2 cup (100g) sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Spread on the baking sheet and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring a few times during baking, until the bread bits are well-toasted; a deep, dark brown.
Cool completely then store in an air-tight container until ready to use. (They can be made a few days in advance and stored at room temperature.)

To make the ice cream, heat the milk, 1/2 cup (125ml) of heavy cream, sugar and salt in a saucepan.
Pour the remaining 1 cup cream (250 ml) into a medium-sized bowl and the cubes or cream cheese or sour cream. Set a mesh strainer over the top and set the bowl in an ice bath.
In a separate bowl, stir together the egg yolks. Gradually pour some of the warm milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly as you pour. Scrape the warmed yolks and milk back into the saucepan.
Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula.
Strain the custard into the heavy cream and cream cheese (or sour cream) and stir until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and whiskey, if using.
Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, preferably overnight, then freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Once churned, quickly fold in about two-thirds of the brown bread crumbs, or as much as to your liking, then store the ice cream in the freezer until firm and ready to serve.

CHOCOLATE PEAR PUDDING

CHOCOLATE PEAR PUDDING

This is a cross between Pears Belle Helene and Eve's Pudding, but the only important thing to remember is that this is easy, quick, very comforting and seems to please absolutely everyone. It's not hard to ensure you always have what you need in the house to make this. And, for hot days when baked sponge and sauce seems inappropriate, then bear in mind that canned (or bottled) pears and chocolate sauce - with or without vanilla ice cream - make a lovely pudding on their own.
As with any baking, you really do want to have all ingredients at room temperature before you start.
- Nigella Lawson

Ingredients

830 gram(s) pear halve(s) (2 cans in juice)
125 gram(s) Plain flour
25 gram(s) cocoa powder
125 gram(s) caster sugar
150 gram(s) butter (soft (plus extra for greasing))
1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
¼ teaspoon(s) bicarbonate of soda
2 medium egg(s)
2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract

Method

Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6 and grease a 22cm square ovenproof dish with butter.

Drain the pears and arrange them on the base of the dish.
Put all the remaining ingredients in a food processor and blitz until you have a batter with a soft dropping consistency.
Spread the brown batter over the pears, and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Let stand out of the oven for 5 or 10 minutes and then cut into slabs - I cut 2 down and 2 across to make 9 slices - and serve with chocolate sauce.

MAPLE WALNUT BANANA BREAD WITH CRUNCHY COCOA NIBS
(makes one loaf)
http://thelittleloaf.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/maple-walnut-banana-bread-with-crunchy-cocoa-nibs

Ingredients

275g banana (about 3 medium bananas)
1 tbsp yoghurt
2 medium free range eggs
165ml maple syrup
40ml olive oil
2 tbsp milk
200g wholemeal flour
2 tsp baking powder
60g walnuts, roughly broken
25g cocoa nibs

Method

Preheat the oven to 170 degrees C. Oil a 21cm long loaf tin and line the bottom with baking parchment.

In a medium bowl, mash the banana. A few little lumps are fine and will add texture to the loaf. Add the yoghurt and mash again to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup and olive oil until thoroughly combined. Add the banana mixture and whisk again to incorporate.
Sift the flour and baking powder into the wet mixture and fold carefully to combine. Add the walnuts and two thirds of the cocoa nibs and fold again until just combined.
Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin, sprinkle with the remaining cocoa nibs and bake for 50 minutes to one hour – the loaf is done when golden and risen on top and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for five minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Serve in thick slices as it is, with a dollop of greek yoghurt or – my favourite – spread thickly with natural peanut butter./

RAISIN WALNUT BREAD

 RAISIN WALNUT BREAD

http://inthekitchenwithmolly.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/cecily-brownstones-raisin-walnut-bread.html

Ingredients

1 pkg. dry yeast

1 1/4 cups warm water

3 Tbsps. butter, soft

1Tbsp.sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

1 1/4 cups golden raisins

3 1/2 cups (approx.)whole wheat flour---If I have wheat germ on hand I substitute 1/4 cup for 1/4 cup of the flour....

Method

 

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup of the warm water.

Stir in remaining water, butter, sugar and salt.

Stir in nuts and raisins, then enough of the flour---about 3 cups---to make a firm dough.

Knead on a lightly floured surface about 10 minutes, until smooth and stretchy, working in as much of the remaining 1/2 cup of flour as needed to keep it from sticking.
Form into a ball and place in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top.
 Cover and let rise in a warm, draught-free place 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until doubled.
Punch down and divide in half. Form each half into a ball. Do not flatten.
Place well apart on a large, greased baking sheet (I just sprinkle mine with flour or cornmeal, skip the grease.)

 Cover with a clean dish towel and let rise, as before, for 45 to 60 minutes or until doubled.

Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree (F) oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cover with foil during the last 10 minutes to prevent raisins on the surface from overbrowning. (I forgot to do this so had some burnt raisins to deal with - lesson learned!)
Remove loaves to wire rack to cool completely (if you have more patience than I !)
Make a cup of tea. Cut a few slices. Butter lavishly, and enjoy....

MILK BREAD LOAF

  MILK BREAD LOAF

http://mondomulia.com/milk-bread-loaf-recipe

Ingredients

250g strong white bread flour
250g kamut flour
10g salt
25g caster sugar
10g dry yeast
30g unsalted butter, softened
320ml warm full fat milk

Method

Tip the flour into a large bowl. Add the salt and sugar to one side of the bowl and the yeast to the other. Add the softened butter and three quarters of the milk then bring the dough together with your fingertips. Slowly add the rest of the milk to bring the dough together.

Tip the dough onto a lightly oiled work surface and knead for five to ten minutes or until the dough is smooth and silky.
Roll into a ball then leave in a lightly oiled bowl covered with a tea towel or cling film until doubled in size. This should take an hour or so.

Brush a 1kg (2lb) loaf tin with a little olive oil. Tip your risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and knock back the air by folding inward repeatedly on itself. Form the dough into an oblong by flattening it out slightly and folding the sides into the middle. Roll the whole lot up so that the top is smooth with the joint running along the base then put into the prepared tin. Slash the top lengthways then brush with a little water.
Cover the tin with a tea towel and leave to prove for about an hour, or until the dough has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 210 °C.

Bake the loaf for 25 minutes. Remove from the tin and leave to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

LEMON COCONUT BARS

LEMON COCONUT BARS

The filling is a little more tart than standard. We think it is perfect, but if you know that you are sensitive either add more maple syrup or use a little less lemon juice.
- GreenKitchenStories
http://www.greenkitchenstories.com/perfect-lemon-coconut-bars/

Crust
5 tbsp (75 g) coconut oil
3 tbsp maple syrup
2 cups/480 ml (200 g) shredded coconut (unsweetened)
1 cup/240 ml (100 g) almond flour
1 pinch sea salt
2 egg whites (save the yolks for the lemon curd)

Filling
3 eggs + 2 egg yolks
6 tbsp maple syrup
1/3 cup / 80 ml lemon juice + 1 tbsp zest (around 2 lemons)
1/3 cup / 80 ml  (35 g) almond flour

Dust with 3 tbsp coconut flour (or powdered sugar)

Set the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Melt coconut oil in a sauce pan on low/medium heat. Add maple syrup, shredded coconut, almond flour and salt. Stir around until everything is combined.
 Remove from the heat.
 Crack two eggs, save the egg yolks for later and add the whites to the sauce pan while stirring. Keep stirring for about a minute. The mixture should be quite sticky now.
 Line a 12×8 inch (30×20 cm baking dish with baking paper and pour the coconut mixture into it. Use your hands, a spatula or the backside of a spoon to flatten it out. Press it down firmly so it becomes quite compact. Bake for 10-12 minutes and then remove it from the oven. Meanwhile, start preparing the filling.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs + the 2 egg yolks with an electric mixer until frothy. Add the rest of the ingredients. Beat for two more minutes. Pour the mixture over the baked crust in the baking dish. Bake for around 16-19 minutes or until edges are light brown and center is set. Let cool for at least 10-15 minutes before slicing up the bars. You always want to dig in immediately, but it is much easier to eat after it is set. Cut into roughly 1 x 2-inch (3 x 6 cm) rectangles. Dust with coconut flour or powdered sugar.

Claudia Roden's KNAFEH A LA CREME

KNAFEH A LA CREME

 We finished with what she calls knafeh à la crème, a beautiful pie of kadayif (essentially shredded phyllo, which goes under a variety of similar-sounding names) filled with a cream thickened with rice flour and scented with orange-flower water, a dish that is as exotic now as Roden’s first round of recipes was to me 40 years ago.
- Mark Bittman
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/03/magazine/a-time-before-tabbouleh.html?smid=tw-share

For the syrup

    2 1/4 cups sugar
    2 tablespoons lemon juice
    2 tablespoons orange-blossom water

For the cream filling

    3/4 cup rice flour
    5 cups milk
    4 tablespoons sugar
    1 1/2 tablespoons orange-blossom water
    2/3 cup heavy cream

For the pastry

    1 pound knafeh pastry (kadayif )
    1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted
    2/3 cup pistachios, coarsely chopped.

Method

To make the syrup, boil the sugar, 1 1/4 cups water and lemon juice for 10 to 15 minutes, then add the orange-blossom water. Let it cool, then chill in the refrigerator.

For the filling, mix the rice flour with enough of the cold milk to make a smooth paste. Bring the rest of the milk to a boil. Add the rice-flour paste to the boiling milk, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon. Leave on very low heat and continue to stir constantly until the mixture thickens, being careful not to let it burn. Add the sugar and orange-blossom water and stir well. Refrigerate until cool before adding the heavy cream and mixing well.

Put the knafeh pastry in a large bowl. Pull out and separate the strands as much as possible with your fingers so they do not stick together. Pour the melted butter over it and work it in very thoroughly with your fingers, pulling out and separating the strands and turning them over so they do not stick together and are entirely coated with butter.
Spread half the pastry at the bottom of a 12-inch pie pan. Spread the cream filling over it evenly and cover with the rest of the pastry. Press down and flatten with the palm of your hand. Bake at 350 for about 45 minutes. Then raise the temperature to 425 for about 15 minutes until the pastry colors slightly.

Just before serving, run a sharp knife around the edges of the pie to loosen the sides and turn out onto a large serving dish. Pour the cold syrup all over the hot knafeh, and sprinkle the top with chopped pistachios. (You could also pour half the syrup before serving and pass the rest around for everyone to help themselves to more.)

VIRGINIA WOOLF'S COTTAGE LOAF

VIRGINIA WOOLF'S COTTAGE LOAF

 We don’t see many cottage loaves today. Even in the early 20th century, when Woolf was writing, they were going out of fashion. It’s believed they were originally shaped to save space in an oven — rising vertically instead of spreading out over the oven floor — but their unusual dimensions make them harder to cut or use for a sandwich.

But Woolf wasn’t the only literary champion of the cottage loaf. George Orwell, ever the expert about traditional English cooking, extolled its virtues as among the best food the U.K. had to offer, good just on its own. “If there is anything quite as good as the soft part of the crust from an English cottage loaf,“… I do not know of it.”

(Adapted from Bewitching Kitchen)

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup bread flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
2/3 cup warm water
In a large bowl, sift together flours and salt. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add to flour mixture and stir until dough forms. Let rest 10 minutes.
On a floured surface, knead dough briefly, then return to a greased bowl and allow to rise 1 hour at room temperature. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

All of the preferment
1 teaspoon instant yeast
2/3 cup warm water
1 3/4 cups bread flour
1/4 cup rye flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Method

Remove the preferment from the refrigerator, cut into 8 wedges, and let sit 1 hour until it reaches room temperature.
In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in water. In a large bowl, mix together preferment, dissolved yeast, flours, and salt until a rough dough forms. On a floured surface, knead dough 10 to 15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl and let sit in a warm place 30 minutes, or until it has doubled in size.
 Divide dough into 2 pieces (with 1/3 and 2/3 of the dough respectively) and form into tight balls. Place rounds on a greased baking sheet and set 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the smaller round on top of the larger round. Push a floured chopstick (or wooden spoon handle) completely through the center of the top round and 2/3 of the way into the bottom rounds to join them. Slash both rounds.

Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and loaf makes a hollow sound when tapped on the bottom.

UKRAINIAN BLACK BREAD

UKRAINIAN BLACK BREAD

This black bread (adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Beth Hensperger’s The Bread Bible) is a little “blacker” than the traditional fare Balzac might have had, because of the additions of molasses, cocoa, and espresso powder. But the result is a dense, savory Ukrainian-inspired bread that might have been well-suited to one of his fictional feasts.

(Note: When kneading the dough, you may need to add a bit of extra flour, as the dough can be very wet and sticky. So sticky you will think it might never come off your hands and you will have to go through life with huge, teddy bear-like hands covered in dough and that will be it, forever. But rest assured that it will come together with repeated flouring.)



http://paperandsalt.org/2012/01/23/honore-de-balzac-ukrainian-black-bread/

Ingredients

1 package active dry yeast
Pinch of sugar
1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 cup water
1/8 cup molasses
1/8 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
2 cups medium rye flour
1 cup unbleached all-purpose or bread flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
1 egg

Method

In a small bowl or large glass measuring cup, combine yeast and sugar with warm water. Stir and let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
In another small bowl, combine remaining 1 cup water, the molasses, vinegar, butter, and cocoa powder.
Combine rye and white flours, espresso powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add yeast and molasses mixtures and stir until combined.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and springy. (You can also make this in a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, if you reserve some of the flour mixture to be added as the dough comes together.)
Form dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap (or a dish towel) and let rise in a warm area until doubled, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
Softly press on dough to deflate. Place round on a greased baking sheet. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled and puffy, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Slash an X into the top of the round. In a separate bowl, lightly beat the egg with a fork. Brush egg over top of bread.

Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 50 minutes, or until a thermometer registers an internal temperature of 210°F. (Check your oven every 15 minutes to make sure yours isn’t particularly quick-baking. You can also knock on the bottom of the loaf – if it sounds hollow, it’s a good sign that it’s done.) Remove from baking sheet to cool completely on a rack.

PETRA'S HONEY BREAD

PETRA'S HONEY BREAD

So, last week I began my journey through the recipes in the wonderful Leon: Baking and Puddings book. I didn’t start at the beginning of the book, though; more like page 104, because the honey bread recipe there caught my eye straight away. It is described as “a sweet, soft, wonderfully moreish tea bread”, and it was yummy indeed, but this bread is an unusual character.
It contains no egg or butter, in fact, no fat of any kind (which caused an extremely skeptical look to cross Jim’s face). But neither did it contain any yeast, as you might expect in a bread. It’s caught halfway between cake and bread, and perhaps because of this it has a distinctly unusual texture which Jim aptly described as “boingy”. Seriously, guys. It was like cutting a duvet.
But once we were in we were smitten by the warm honey flavour. The Leon recipe recommends serving slices with butter, but I don’t think it needs it. With a cup of tea, this moist, dense cake is perfect as it comes. The only thing I would do differently next time would be to use less lemon zest, or even leave it out altogether – it tended to overpower the other flavours in my bread. Because you know, honey and lemon can be great together, but sometimes honey just needs to rock out on its own.
- Birch Bakes

http://ivegotknits.wordpress.com/category/birch-bakes/page/3/

Ingredients

225g (8oz) plain flour
115g (4oz) caster sugar
115g (4oz) honey
150ml (9fl oz) hot water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
zest of 1 lemon

Method

Heat the oven to 160°C/Fan 140°C/Gas mark 3. Butter a 450g/1lb loaf tin and line it with baking paper.
Mix together the flour and sugar in a large bowl.
In a small pan melt together the honey and hot water.
Sprinkle the bicarbonate of soda over the water mixture and stir. Pour this over the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes.
 Remove from the tin and while still warm brush the top of the bread with honey for a nice sticky finish.

CHOCOLATE OLIVE OIL CAKE

CHOCOLATE OLIVE OIL CAKE

Although I first came up with this recipe because I had someone coming for supper who - genuinely - couldn't eat wheat or dairy, it is so meltingly good, I now make it all the time for those whose life and diet are not so unfairly constrained, myself included.
It is slightly heavier with the almonds - though not in a bad way - so if you want a lighter crumb, rather than a squidgy interior, and are not making the cake for the gluten-intolerant, then replace the 150g ground almonds with 125g plain flour. This has the built-in bonus of making it perhaps more suitable for an everyday cake.
Made with the almonds, it has more of supper-party pudding feel about it and I love it still a bit warm, with some raspberries or some such on the side, as well as a dollop of mascarpone or ice cream.
- Nigella Lawson

Ingredients

    150 ml regular olive oil (plus more for greasing)
    50 gram(s) cocoa powder (good quality, sifted)
    125 ml boiling water
    2 teaspoon(s) best vanilla extract
    150 gram(s) Ground almonds (or 125g plain flour)
    ½ teaspoon(s) bicarbonate of soda
    200 gram(s) caster sugar
    3 egg(s)
    1 22 or 23cm springform cake tin

Method

    Preheat your oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Grease your springform tin with a little oil and line the base with baking parchment.
    Measure and sift the cocoa powder into a bowl or jug and whisk in the boiling water until you have a smooth, chocolatey, still runny (but only just) paste. Whisk in the vanilla extract, then set aside to cool a little.
    In another smallish bowl, combine the ground almonds (or flour) with the bicarbonate of soda and pinch of salt.
    Put the sugar, olive oil and eggs into the bowl of a freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment (or other bowl and whisk arrangement of your choice) and beat together vigorously for about 3 minutes until you have a pale-primrose, aerated and thickened cream.
    Turn the speed down a little and pour in the cocoa mixture, beating as you go, and when all is scraped in you can slowly tip in the ground almond (or flour) mixture.
    Scrape down, and stir a little with a spatula, then pour this dark, liquid batter into the prepared tin. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the sides are set and the very centre, on top, still looks slightly damp. A cake tester should come up mainly clean but with a few sticky chocolate crumbs clinging to it.

    Let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, still in its tin, and then ease the sides of the cake with a small metal spatula and spring it out of the tin. Leave to cool completely or eat while still warm with some ice cream, as a pudding.

GOOSEBERRY AND ELDERFLOWER BIRCHER MUESLI

GOOSEBERRY AND ELDERFLOWER BIRCHER MUESLI

50g oats  (use jumbo oats or look out for)
60ml/1/4 cup elderflower cordial
60ml/ 1/4 cup water
2-3 tablespoons Greek yoghurt
handful gooseberries, topped and tailed
teaspoon sugar
vanilla extract

This is a dish best prepped the night before, but don’t panic, it’s very simple. First add a teaspoon of sugar per handful of gooseberries and add a scant sticky trickle of vanilla extract and then roast your gooseberries in a 180℃ oven for about 20 minutes or until they collapse in their own syrup slightly. Set aside.
Soak the oats in the elderflower/water mix overnight. You can do it for 5 or 10 minutes before you eat, but overnight really plumps the oats up and makes them even better.
Then next morning, fuelled by the life giving power of tea, tip a couple of tablespoons of Greek yoghurt  and add in your roasted gooseberries. Stir round and then melt into the sweet creamy oats.

APPLE AND AMARANTH GRANOLA

APPLE AND AMARANTH GRANOLA

Amaranth is an ancient grain (from a grass I believe) and is similiar to quinoa in that it is gluten free* and high in protein and fibre. It makes interesting sounding porridges, but I think it most appetising dry cooked  to keep it nutty and crunchy. Bearing in mind that the seed is so crunchy, I decided to make the rest of the granola a little bit softer by coating it with stewed apple instead of oil. Everything about this recipe was impulse based so it’s in cups, not weights.

 Ingredients

2 apples, stewed down to make one cup of apple puree
2 cups jumbo oats
1/2 cup amaranth
1/4 cup wheatgerm (optional if your granola is wheat free)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup pecans, halved
1/2 brazil nuts, halved
1/2 cup honey (or treacle)
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg

Method

First, stew your apples. Back in Belfast where I made this, it’s easy to get proper Bramley apples for cooking, but I struggle to find them in England, so just use anything sharp and tangy. Peel, slice finely, add about a tablespoon of water and stew until soft and like a puree. They’ll collapse in on themselves if left at the lowest heat with a lid on for about 20 minutes.
Then using a hot dry pan, toast your sesame seeds and set aside. Have a lid handy and then into the same pan, put your amaranth and toast until about 40% of it looks like tiny white popcorn and the rest is golden brown. It won’t all pop, but what does will go everywhere so you’ll need that lid!
Place all your dry ingredients in a bowl. You can add more types of nuts if you like. Hazelnuts would be lovely. Some flaked coconut is fabulous. You could add in some linseeds or sunflower seeds. Play around to get your perfect mix. Heat the pureed apple and the honey together and then mix into the dry ingredients, mixing well to make sure they are all coated.

Cook on a shallow tray so the granola is well spread out in the oven at 200℃ for about 20 minutes. Turn it over at this point and give it another 10 minutes until golden and crispy looking but not burnt. Cool in the tray and put in an airtight container immediately as this granola is a bit softer than oil based ones and will wilt gently if left out for too long.

PISTACHIO AND LEMON (LITTLE) LOAF CAKES

PISTACHIO AND LEMON (LITTLE) LOAF CAKES

 One morning I was leafing through a copy of River Café Easy when I discovered this recipe. The combination of beautiful photography and the memory of eating a slice of the most incredible pistachio cake at The River Café for my Dad’s birthday back in June convinced me that I had to make it. Having no scales in Italy, I jotted the instructions down in the inside of a book I was reading and resolved to give this recipe a go once I got back to my little London kitchen.
 This is the result and I absolutely urge you to give it a go. The combination of two types of ground nuts gives this cake an unusual, wonderfully moist, almost damp crumb, bright with the green of the pistachios and lifted by the sharp citrus sweetness of lemon juice and zest. A glaze of more pistachios and sugar syrup on top has a gorgeous, almost caramel-like flavour and the overall experience of eating this cake is as close to perfection as I’ve tasted in a long time.

- http://thelittleloaf.wordpress.com/2012/08/06/pistachio-lemon-little-loaf-cakes/

Ingredients:

For the cakes
250g unsalted butter, room temperature
250g golden caster sugar
4 large free range eggs, whisked
Zest of one large unwaxed lemon
Seeds scraped from one vanilla pod
120g pistachios, ground
100g almonds, ground
40g plain flour, sieved

For the syrup topping
Juice and zest of one large unwaxed lemon
50g golden caster sugar
60g pistachios, coarsely chopped

Method

For the cakes
Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C. Grease and line two 9 x 18cm loaf tins*.
Beat the butter and sugar in an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Gradually beat the eggs into the mixture until incorporated, then add the vanilla and lemon zest. Fold in the ground nuts and flour.
Divide the batter between your two tins and bake for between 30 – 40 mins, testing to see if the cakes are done by inserting a skewer into the middle.
When baked, remove from the oven and leave in the tins for about five minutes before removing and allowing to cool completely on a wire rack.

For the syrup topping
Mix together the lemon juice and sugar. Bring to the boil, then simmer until slightly thickened and syrupy. Stir in the pistachios then pour evenly over the two loaf cakes.
Serve in thick slices. You could add a little natural yoghurt or chocolate ice cream, but this cake was so delicious I was happy to eat it on its own.

*You can also bake this in one large 30 x 9cm loaf tin. If doing so, increase baking time to between 45 minutes and one hour.

POTATO FARLS

POTATO FARLS

A farl is a flat piece of bread, cooked on a griddle but this is also known as potato bread or scones. It's the breakfast that built the Titanic, powered George Best and makes me less homesick for Belfast.
- Miss South

http://www.northsouthfood.com/

POTATO FARLS

Ingredients
 
mashed potatoes 500g, no milk added, just
a knob of butter
plain flour 100g, with an extra handful spare
salt and pepper to taste

Method

Mix the butter and seasoning through the mashed potato and leave to cool. Once you can handle the potato, add the flour, half at a time, mixing well. You want a dough that isn't sticky, but not too stiff. Flour the work surface and then roll the dough out until it is about 5mm thick. Cut into farls. You should get 8-10 from this. Make a batch and freeze by layering with greaseproof paper so you can cook them as needed. They're best fried in oil until golden or you can use a dry pan or grill until crisp on either side. Serve with fried eggs.

BANANA PANCAKES

BANANA PANCAKES

Pancakes are a surprisingly economical breakfast. I like mine American-style and puffed up with baking powder. You can mash leftover bananas that are too ripe to snack on into these for a sweet start to the day.
- Miss South

http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/miss-south

Ingredients

plain flour 200g
baking powder 1 tsp
ground ginger 1 tsp
salt a pinch
egg 2 large
butter 30g, melted
milk 250ml
bananas 2, mashed

Method

To make the pancakes, put the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another and then mix together, adding in the mashed banana at the end. The batter should be just loose enough to spoon easily, but will look a bit lumpy. Don't beat until smooth. Set the batter aside for 20 minutes if you can as this makes it rise better when cooking.
Cook the pancakes in a hot pan. The added butter in the batter means you don't need to grease the pan each time, but don't be surprised if you have to sacrifice the first one to the pancake gods. Keep them warm until needed. I don't need to serve these with anything else, but golden syrup is rather lovely.

NIGEL SLATER'S RYE BREAD

NIGEL SLATER'S RYE BREAD

The addition of a little grated cheese to this loaf is unusual. I included it initially on a whim, but then enjoyed the way it seemed to increase both the depth of flavour and moistness of the loaf. Leave it out if you wish. It's no big deal. I used a deep loaf tin, lightly floured. These loaves keep very well for several days – and make cracking toast. If spelt flour remains elusive, then use standard wholemeal. Makes 2 large loaves.
- Nigel Slater

Ingredients

rye flour 400g
wholemeal spelt flour 400g
strong white flour 100g
easy-bake dried yeast 10g
fine sea salt 1 tsp
warm water 600ml
honey 3 tbsp
shelled walnuts 100g
grated parmesan 75g

Method

Put the flours into a warm, generously sized mixing bowl with the dried yeast and salt, and mix well.
Lightly warm the water with the honey, stirring to dissolve, then pour into the flour and yeast. Mix the ingredients to form a sticky dough, then tip on to a floured board or work surface.
Form the dough into a ball, then knead by hand, pulling and stretching the dough, for a good 4 or 5 minutes.
Lightly oil the bowl then return the dough to it, cover with a tea cloth or clingfilm, then set aside in a warm place for about an hour, until the dough is half as big again.
Remove the dough from the bowl, place on a lightly floured board and knead again, briefly, for just a minute or two, incorporating the walnuts and parmesan as you go. Divide the dough in half, then place in the prepared loaf tins, cover and set aside for a further 30 minutes until risen. Set the oven at 220C/gas mark 8. Bake for 30 minutes, until crisp on top. Remove from the oven, leave for 10 minutes in its tin, then lift out and leave to cool before slicing.

NIGEL SLATER'S POPPY AND PUMPKIN SEED BUNS

NIGEL SLATER'S POPPY AND PUMPKIN SEED BUNS

Sunflower seeds are an option here, as is caraway. I ate them with mackerel pâté, pickled cucumber and capers. Makes 12-15.
- Nigel Slater

Ingredients

apple juice 400ml
honey 2 tbsp
strong white plain flour 400g
rye flour 200g
easy-bake dried yeast 2 tsp
sea salt 1 tsp
poppy seeds and pumpkin seeds

Method

Warm the apple juice and honey in a saucepan. It should be just hot enough to hold your finger in. Put the flours in a large mixing bowl and sprinkle in the yeast and salt. Pour in the warm apple juice and honey and mix thoroughly to a sticky dough.

Knead the dough by hand for a mere 3 or 4 minutes, pushing, pulling and stretching the dough in whatever way suits you. You can use the food mixer fitted with a dough hook if you prefer. Oil or flour the bowl lightly, then return the dough to it and cover with a tea cloth or clingfilm. Set aside in a warm place, free of draughts, for an hour or until the dough has risen to almost twice its original volume.

Set the oven at 220C/gas mark 8. Tear off 12-15 pieces and form into balls. Place these on a baking sheet or pizza stone, then scatter the surface with poppy and pumpkin seeds and cover with a dry tea cloth. Leave in a warm place for about 15-20 minutes until the rolls have risen slightly.

Bake the rolls for about 20 minutes. They should sound hollow when upturned and tapped. Remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack.

LIGHT RYE BREAD

LIGHT RYE BREAD

Ingredients

500g rye flour
500g strong white bread flour
20g fresh yeast (or half a sachet of instant)
20g salt
700g warm water
25g caraway seed, lightly cracked with a rolling pin

Method

Combine the lot in a bowl and stir initially with a fork or scraper then dump into the bowl of a mixer and give it a good seven minutes at top speed with the dough hook. You could do this by hand but, if I'm perfectly honest, you could also buy the excellent pre-made rye loaf from somewhere like Poilane.
Shape into a large ball, coat with a little more flour and place in a bowl covered with a clean tea towel.
Leave the dough to rise. In a warm place, it will achieve 1½ times its original size in an hour or two. Slow the rising process down - in a cold porch, or even in the fridge - and it will take all night, developing better, sourdough flavours as it does.
Half an hour before you're ready to cook, put a baking sheet in the oven and turn it up full. 5 minutes before baking, fill a small ovenproof dish with hot water from the kettle and stick it in the bottom of the hot oven.
Finally turn your dough out of the bowl straight onto the hot baking sheet and stuff it back into the hot, steamy oven as fast as you can. Try to leave the door open for the shortest possible time so the temperature doesn't drop.
After 10 minutes, drop the oven temperature to 180C and open the door. This lets you check on your loaf and allows the oven temp to drop a little faster. After about 20 seconds, close the door and leave for another 20 or so minutes.
At the end of this time the loaf will sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. It should cool thoroughly before slicing.

DELIA SMITH'S FLAPJACKS

DELIA SMITH'S FLAPJACKS

Ingredients
 4 oz (110 g) light brown soft sugar
 6 oz (175 g) butter
 1 dessertspoon golden syrup
 6 oz (175 g) porridge oats
 a few drops of almond essence
 Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 2, 300°F (150°C).

You will also need a 7½ inch (19 cm) square baking tin, 1½ inches (4 cm) deep, lightly greased.

Method

To start, place the sugar, butter and golden syrup together in a medium saucepan and heat until the butter has melted. Then remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the porridge oats and a few drops of almond essence.

Now, press the mixture out over the base of the prepared tin, and bake in the centre of the oven for 40 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before cutting into oblong bars. Leave until cold before removing the flapjacks from the tin, then store in an airtight container.

RIVER COTTAGE SOUR RYE BREAD

RIVER COTTAGE SOUR RYE BREAD

"Rye makes dense, heavy bread, as it has very few gluten-forming proteins. It is very tasty, though, and well worth making."
Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

INGREDIENTS

1.1kg dark rye flour, plus extra for dusting
25g salt
600ml warm water
A ladleful of sourdough starter
A good slug of sunflower oil (optional)

METHOD

Combine the rye flour, salt, water and starter in a large bowl and mix to a dough, adding more flour or water if needed, to make a soft, easily kneadable dough.
Mix in the oil, if using. Turn the dough out on to a clean worktop and knead for about 5 minutes; you'll probably need extra flour as it will be quite sticky. Divide the dough into two or three, shape into loaves and dust well with flour.
Leave to rise somewhere fairly warm, covered, ideally in well-floured proving baskets. You can use linen cloths or wooden boards, but as it is so low in gluten, unsupported rye bread tends to spread outwards rather than upwards, giving you flat loaves. Loaf tins would give higher, though less attractive loaves.
Your dough needs to double in size, which can take anywhere from 1-4 hours, depending on the temperature of the dough and vigour of your starter.
When almost ready, place your baking stone or tray in the oven and preheat the oven to 250°C/Gas Mark 10, or as hot as it will go.
When ready to bake, turn your loaves, one at a time, on to a peel and slide them on to the baking stone in the oven or remove the tray, turn the loaves on to it and return to the oven. There is no need to slash rye bread. It will hardly rise, so slashes would barely open up anyway, and it is likely to crack attractively in the oven, especially if it has been well floured.
Bake at the high temperature for about 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and bake for a further 20-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.