Friday 29 March 2013

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.

Monday 25 March 2013

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.

Sunday 24 March 2013

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.

Thursday 21 March 2013

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.

Thursday 14 March 2013

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.

Monday 11 March 2013

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.