Roll the dough out on a clean floured surface until it’s around 0.5cm thick. Loosely roll it around the rolling pin, then unroll it over a deep 25cm loose-bottomed tart tin. Ease the pastry into the tin, pushing it into the corners. Trim off any excess overhanging pastry, wrap that in clingfilm and keep it for later – you may need to patch up a little of the base once it’s been blind baked. Prick the base of the tart all over with a fork. Cover with clingfilm and chill in the fridge for another 30 minutes.
While the pastry is chilling, preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4. Next make the raspberry compote. Place 150g of the raspberries in a small saucepan and mix in the caster sugar. Mash them together and place on a medium-low heat. Bring it up to a light simmer, then leave to bubble away for around 6–8 minutes, so that you have a light jam. Leave to one side to cool completely.
Remove the clingfilm from the chilled base, then line it with scrunched-up greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans or uncooked rice. Blind bake for 12 minutes, then remove the paper and baking beans or rice and bake for a further 8–10 minutes, until lightly golden. When it is ready, take it out and turn down the oven to 150°C/gas 2.
Meanwhile, pour the cream and the 150ml of milk into a small pan and gently bring to the boil. Cut the chocolate into small pieces and place in a large mixing bowl. Just before the cream mixture starts to bubble, remove it from the heat and pour it over the chopped chocolate, adding a good pinch of sea salt. Leave it for a minute, then gently stir until completely smooth. Whisk the 2 eggs and beat into the chocolate cream with the remaining 2 tablespoons of malt powder.
Pop the blind baked case on to a baking sheet. Spoon the cooled raspberry jam into the case and spread it out to the edges. Pour over the chocolate cream and evenly scatter over the remaining raspberries. Place the tart in the oven and bake for 45–50 minutes, until the filling is just set and still has a little wobble. Leave to cool in the tin. When the tart is at room temperature and the filling is set, transfer to a serving plate or board. Finish by topping with the remaining raspberries and shavings of chocolate.
NECTARINE, CHAMOMILE AND HONEY GRANITA
Calming chamomile, ripe nectarines and only honey to sweeten: this recipe is a total winner in my eyes. It is subtle but delicious, and feels cleansing at the same time. If you have an ice cream machine you could churn it instead of shaving the ice, giving you a smooth and slightly sherbet-y sorbet.
SERVES 6
4 chamomile tea bags
100g honey
½ a lemon
750g nectarine
Place the chamomile tea bags in a small saucepan with 350ml of water and gently bring to the boil. As soon as it starts to bubble, remove from the heat and leave to one side to steep for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes remove the tea bags from the pan and stir in the honey. Pop the pan back on the hob, bring to the boil again, then leave to bubble away for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and leave to one side to cool completely.
When the chamomile honey syrup has cooled, pour it into a food processor and squeeze in the lemon juice. Roughly chop the nectarines, removing their stones, and add to the bowl. Blitz until smooth, then pour into your chosen container. Pop into the freezer and freeze for 3–4 hours. Use a fork to scrape the frozen granita, shaving the ice into the centre of the dish until it has all been scraped. Pop the dish back into the freezer for a further hour or two.
When you are ready to serve, remove the dish from the freezer and use a fork to scrape the granita into your serving bowls.
Nectarine, Chamomile and Honey Granita
CHOCOLATE, RYE AND PECAN CELEBRATION CAKE
Everyone needs a cracking chocolate party cake up their sleeve and this is my current number one. I love the easiness of the sponge (melting and whisking, what a dream), which results in a dense fudgy texture, and the mixture of ground pecans and rye gives it a slight nuttiness too. Also, there’s no denying that a cake this size, of many layers, gets people excited.
SERVES 16–20
600g butter, plus extra butter for greasing
150g pecans
125g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
185g light soft brown sugar
225g caster sugar
a good pinch of sea salt
5 large eggs
1 teaspoon good-quality vanilla extract
150g wholemeal self-raising flour
100g rye flour
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
500g icing sugar
a splash of milk
1 × sea salt caramel (see here)
edible gold dust or gold leaf (optional)
Grease a deep springform 20cm cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas 4.
Place 75g of the pecans in a food processor and blitz until fine.
Put a large pan on a low heat and pour in 125ml of water. Dot in 250g of the butter and break in the chocolate. Add the light soft brown sugar, 75g of the caster sugar and a good pinch of salt. Melt over a low heat and whisk until smooth. As soon as it’s ready, remove from the hob and leave to cool for 10 minutes before whisking in the eggs, vanilla and ground pecans.
In a large mixing bowl whisk together both the flours, the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Slowly pour in the hot chocolate mixture, whisking constantly until you have a smooth batter. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and pop into the oven for 55 minutes – 1 hour, or until cooked through. Leave to rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack and leave to cool completely.
When your cake is cooled, slice it into three equal layers and leave to one side. If the top of your sponge is a little uneven, even it out and keep any sponge remnants for decorating later.
To make the caramel pecans, evenly sprinkle the remaining 150g of caster sugar into a large frying pan and place on a medium-low heat. Melt the sugar gently, swirling the pan to encourage it to melt evenly and never stirring it (this will form sugar crystals). Cover a baking sheet with greaseproof paper. As soon as the sugar has become a caramel, add the remaining pecans to the pan and quickly pour the hot pecan caramel on to the lined baking sheet. Leave to one side to cool.
Make the buttercream by beating the remaining 350g of butter in a free-standing mixer, or a bowl with an electric whisk, until pale and creamy. Sift in half the icing sugar and beat till smooth, then repeat with the remaining icing sugar. Continue to beat for a further 5 minutes until you have a pale and creamy buttercream. Beat in a splash of milk and one third of the sea salt caramel.
To layer your cake, dot a little buttercream on a cake stand or wooden board and place one of the layers on top (this will ‘stick’ it to the board). Spoon on a quarter of the buttercream and use a cake spatula to level it out. Drizzle with a little sea salt caramel and top with the second sponge. Repeat with a second layer of buttercream and caramel and top with the final sponge.
You can use the remaining buttercream to immediately cover the cakes, or, if you want a slightly slicker finish, try crumb-coating them first. To do this you’ll need to apply a scant layer of buttercream to the top and sides of the cake, and use a cake spatula to scrape off any excess. The idea is you want just enough buttercream on there to ‘catch’ any loose crumbs. Doing this will also give you a great, even shape. Pop the cake into the fridge for 30–40 minutes to set the buttercream, then apply the final layer.
Finish the cake by drizzling any remaining sea salt caramel over the buttercream. For a slightly rippled effect, use a palette knife to work the sea salt caramel into the buttercream. Break the pecan caramel into pieces and dot around the edge of the cake, and crumble over any remnants of sponge. And for an even more opulent finish, dust the caramelised pecans with a little edible gold dust or leaf, if you like.
Chocolate, Rye and Pecan Celebration Cake
BLACK BREAD
Bread-making is a form of therapy in itself; there really is nothing quite like pummelling dough to get rid of unwanted stress a
nd negative thoughts. And although there are a million recipes I could give you, I wanted to give you ones that are a little different while still being a fabulous way of unwinding. I wrote this black bread recipe for a Russian feature I was researching and instantly fell in love with it; so intense and complex. Laced with delicious spices and rich ingredients, it’s a dense, sweet and heady bread. Please don’t be put off the long ingredients list, it is totally worth the time and effort (and goes fantastically well with the cured salmon here).
MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF
1 × 7g packet of fast-acting yeast
½ teaspoon caster sugar
2 tablespoons molasses
40g unsalted butter
a small shot of espresso
15g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
½ shallot
½ tablespoon fennel seeds
200g wholemeal flour
200g rye flour
250g strong bread flour
70g bran
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
olive oil, for greasing
In a jug, mix the yeast and sugar with 100ml of tepid water and give it a good stir. Leave it to one side for 5–10 minutes, until the yeast activates and the surface becomes foamy.
In a pan, heat the molasses, butter, coffee and chocolate with 200ml of water, until the chocolate and butter have melted. Peel and finely chop the shallot. Grind the fennel seeds to a fine powder.
To knead the bread you can use an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, or do it by hand using a little elbow grease – I prefer by hand, far more therapeutic, and you can gauge the bread texture better. In your mixer or a large mixing bowl, whisk together all three flours, then scoop out about a third and leave it to one side. Mix the bran into the main bowl, along with the shallot, fennel seeds and salt then pour in the chocolate and yeast mixtures, and the cider vinegar. If you are using a mixer, put it on a medium speed and mix together until lovely and smooth, around 3–5 minutes. Otherwise use a wooden spoon to beat it by hand, although this will take a little longer.
Add the remaining flour a little at a time (reduce the speed if using a mixer), until it comes together into a dough. It should feel a little sticky, but firm and dense. You might not need all the flour; see how the dough feels. Turn it out on to a lightly floured surface and knead it well, for around 10 minutes, so it becomes springy and elastic. Mould the dough into a ball with your hands. Lightly grease a clean mixing bowl with olive oil and pop in the dough. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave it in a warm spot for around 2 hours, until it has doubled in size.
Knock back the dough by turning it out on to a lightly floured surface and kneading for a couple of minutes. Form into a round loaf and place on a lightly greased baking tray, seam side down. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise again for another couple of hours. Alternatively prove the dough in a floured bread-proving basket. While it is proving, preheat your oven to 180°C/gas 4.
When the bread is ready, place the tray in the oven for 50–60 minutes, or until browned on top and cooked through (if you are using a proving basket turn it on to a baking sheet first). The bread should sound hollow when knocked on the bottom. Serve with soft butter and anything you like – I love it with cured salmon.
Black Bread
CARAWAY, HONEY AND BUTTERMILK BUNS
Growing up, my mum would occasionally treat us to mini brioche rolls from the local bakery after school, and fill them with strawberry jam. I loved the gentle sweetness and butteriness of the brioche, and in miniature form it felt so special. Twenty years of dreaming about those rolls, and my caraway, honey and buttermilk buns were created. Speckled with caraway seeds, these buns are wonderfully versatile – try them spread with apricot jam or filled with cheese. And if you’re having a bad day, you could do worse than make a batch of these; kneading bread dough is more grounding than an hour-long yoga session. Cheaper too, I reckon.
MAKES 15 BUNS
3 tablespoons honey
1 × 7g packet of fast-acting yeast
60g unsalted butter
½ tablespoon caraway seeds
400g strong bread flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
250ml buttermilk
Olive oil, for greasing
1 egg yolk
Pour 75ml of warm water into a jug and stir in the honey and yeast. Leave to one side for 5 minutes. Melt the butter in a small pan. Crush the caraway seeds slightly in a mortar and pestle.
Mix the flour, caraway and salt in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the middle. Pour in the yeast mixture, buttermilk and butter and mix into the flour with a fork. Once it is all incorporated, turn the dough on to a well-floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, until you have a smooth and elastic dough. Try not to add too much flour, as this will make your dough dense; try to keep it a little damp. Form the dough into a ball. Lightly oil a large clean mixing bowl and pop in the dough to prove. Cover with a clean tea towel and leave it to rise in a draught-free warm spot for around 1–1½ hours. You want the dough to have doubled in size.
Turn the proved dough out on to your worktop and knock it back, kneading it for a few minutes. Roll the dough out and cut it into 15 even-sized pieces. Roll each piece into an even-sized ball and place in the tray you are going to bake them in. A tray around 25cm × 35cm works well, leaving a little room between the rolls so they can prove. Prove them again, covered with a tea towel, for a further 1–1½ hours, until doubled in size. Preheat your oven to 180°C/gas 4.
When the rolls have risen, whisk the egg yolk with a splash of water and brush the tops of the buns lightly. Pop the tray into the preheated oven for 18–20 minutes. The buns should be beautifully golden, and sound hollow when tapped underneath – this is how to check they are cooked through. Leave to cool, then serve.
Caraway, Honey and Buttermilk Buns
NO-CHURN CHAI ICE CREAM
The chai flavour here works perfectly with the sweetened milk, reminiscent of the condensed milk chai you get in India. Making the condensed milk from scratch takes a little time and patience but is perfect if, like me, you don’t own an ice cream machine. Alternatively you can use the ready-made tinned stuff and it’ll take less than 30 minutes to get the ice cream into the freezer.
MAKES 1 LITRE
1.25 litres full-fat milk (or 397g tin of condensed milk and cut the sugar)
300g golden granulated sugar
10 green cardamom pods
4 chai tea bags
1 cinnamon stick
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
6 cloves
a pinch of black pepper
500ml double cream
FOR THE CASHEW BRITTLE
200g caster sugar
100g cashew nuts
1 heaped tablespoon black or white sesame seeds
sea salt
gold leaf, optional
If you’re making your own condensed milk, place 1 litre of the milk in a large heavy-based saucepan, along with the sugar, and pop on to a medium-low heat. (It’s vital to use a heavy-based pan, otherwise the milk will burn easily.) Cook the milk for 2 hours, stirring every 5–10 minutes with a heatproof spatula so that it doesn’t catch on the bottom. When it has thickened and reduced by about half, remove from the heat and cover with a tea towel. Leave to cool.
While your condensed milk is ticking away, start on the infused milk. If you are using ready-made condensed milk, start here. Crush the cardamom pods and place in a small pan with 2 of the tea bags, all the other spices and the remaining 250ml of milk. Gently bring the milk to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely before straining.
When the infused and condensed milks have both completely cooled, pour them into a mixing bowl and pour in the cream. Cut open the remaining 2 tea bags and empty the leaves into the bowl. Whisk with an electric whisk until stiff peaks form, then spoon the mixture into your chosen dish and pop into the freeze
r for at least 6 hours. Take the dish out 10 minutes before you want to serve, so it has a chance to soften slightly. I like to serve the chai ice cream straight up, with crushed cashew brittle.
To make the brittle, line a baking sheet with greaseproof paper and pour the sugar into a large non-stick frying pan. Place on a medium heat and leave it to melt without stirring, swirling to encourage it along. When the sugar has completely melted, scatter in the cashews, sesame seeds and a good pinch of salt. Swirl to completely coat, then pour on to the greaseproof paper. Leave to cool and set, then bash with a rolling pin to crush. Press larger pieces of brittle with gold leaf, for a little Indian-inspired decadence.
No-Churn Chai Ice Cream
7
A BIT ON THE SIDE
And the final chapter, for all those extra things that make everything taste better, but need a bit of time and love. Homemade butter, yoghurt, stocks, jams, chutneys, and even delicious calming teas and infusions for the end of the cooking day.
RECIPE LIST
HOMEMADE YOGHURT
LABNEH
HOMEMADE BUTTER
PUMPKIN SEED BUTTER
PROPER CUSTARD
HIGHLY ADDICTIVE SEA SALT CARAMEL
CLASSIC STOCKS
PEACH AND BASIL CORDIAL
MY SPECIAL MINT TEA; TURMERIC, LEMON AND BLACK PEPPER TEA
ENGLISH COUNTRY GARDEN PUNCH
DUKKAH
HOMEMADE MUSTARD
THE PERFECT CHEESE SARNIE CHUTNEY
ADDICTIVE ROASTED CHILLI OIL
ROASTED MIXED BERRY JAM
HOMEMADE YOGHURT
Making yoghurt is incredibly satisfying to do, and one of the first things my yiayia taught me. I’ve altered it slightly from how she makes hers, mostly because she seems to have an innate yoghurt-making ability and doesn’t use a thermometer. So for consistency’s sake I’m giving you temperatures. It might seem strange to buy yoghurt in order to make yoghurt, but like making bread you need a starter, and once you’ve made your own you can use your homemade yoghurt as the starter for the next batch.
Stirring Slowly Page 15
