26May
Pork and sage hand pies
These pies have everything that you need in your hand (and mouth): pork, sage, mustard and Parmesan.
baking
13Dec
Rye and olive breadsticks
Easy rye breadsticks with chewy olives and a burst of rosemary. Perfect as part of a charcuterie board. Christmas becomes less about the presents and more sentimental as I get older. To me time and thought mean so much more than any candle or bath product you can receive at secret santa. And I always hope that others share my sentiment as I love giving handmade gifts. This Christmas will be no different and I have been planning different recipes to bottle/gift wrap to give out as hampers. Step one was to make these rye breadsticks. Using rye flour and brown sugar in this recipe gives the bread a sweet edge which is nicely contrasted by the salty, tangy olives. A perfect addiction to a charcuterie board! Rye and olive breadsticks (yields 20-35) 200 wholemeal rye flour100g strong white flour100ml warm water1 sachet yeast30g muscovado sugar1 tsp salt20ml olive oil100g finely chopped green pitted olives2 tbsp rosemary leaves 1. In a large bowl mix the flours, yeast, sugar and salt.2. Separately mix the water and oil. Slowly incorporate wet ingredients to dry, mixing with a fork until well combined.3. Transfer the dough onto a slightly floured surface. As you knead
04Jun
Sesame and chia seed crackers
Currently I have the biggest jar of coconut flour in my cupboard. I bought it after getting hooked into a book about quitting sugar. That went well for a couple of months, long enough for me to come to the conclusion that I would never quit sugar. I mean, have you seen my feed? So the huge bag of coconut flour is a a reminant of that period. Coconut flour scares me as I have never used it outside of specific recipe regulations. But with the purpose to make good use of it I decided to go rogue. Well crackers aren’t that rogue. No raising agent, pulsing everything in a food processor. And the right dip makes all the difference. Hard to go wrong. As a snacker, crackers are such an important part of my day. If I could have 10 well rounded snacks throughout the day rather than 3 round meals I would. I live for snacks. And because I live for snacks I am always trying to evolve them into something different. Because here’s the thing: I will get absolutely obsessed with apple slices and peanut butter and then never want to see it ever again. A broad
30Apr
orange and poppy seed bread
This bread was based on a recipe by one of my good friends who now lives in Germany. It’s called Osterkranz and I’ve been told it’s traditionally made during Easter. My Easter was not leisurely, worked every single day of the holiday, but on my days off leading up to it I decided to try this recipe. I did as usual started to play with the recipe. I found that the filling made only with poppy seeds was quite overpowering, their earthy flavour is so strong, a few sprinkles go a long way. After a few bakes the recipe had changed quite a bit, with the addition of orange curd and more butter to make a softer dough. Orange and poppy seed bread (serves 15 slices) For the filling: 3 egg yolks juice of 3 oranges and zest 1 tbsp cornflour 80g butter 100g sugar 3 tbsp poppy seeds Whisk all ingredients together apart from poppy seeds. Take it over medium heat stirring constantly until it thickens. Leave it to cool completely. For the dough: 300g strong white flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp salt 7g sachet fast-acting yeast 100ml milk 20g butter + 50g melted 1 egg, lightly beaten
10Feb
Mini raspberry choux buns
My husband and I don’t celebrate Valentines Day. Last year it fell on a weekday and I went to the gym after work whilst he watched a documentary. Romance for me is not about big gestures, heart shaped chocolate boxes or champagne filled dinners. These days my husband’s gift to me is cleaning the bathroom, doing the dishes and taking the dog for a walk when it is raining. Those are the little love acts that fills my heart, that makes me think I married a man that makes me want to be a better, kinder person. He has been suffering recently as I am on a diet and the only treat around the house is 85% dark chocolate so I thought of his thankful face whilst making these mini choux. It has been a long time since I have made choux pastry and I was really nervous to make it again, but these choux buns, also known as profiteroles, turned out so great I broke my diet big time! Mini raspberry choux buns (makes 15-20) For the raspberry cream: 120g raspberries Juice of 1 lemon 180g caster sugar 3 egg yolks 2 tbsp cornflour 1 1/2 tbsp butter 100ml
22Dec
Soft cinnamon pretzels with mocha dip
As teenagers our constant evening snack were soft pretzels. My mum used to make two flavours: pizza and cinnamon sugar. My parent’s home is always the central hub at Christmas for all of the sibling living far away. For us Christmas is not only about spending time in the kitchen but also trying new foods. Yep, Turkey is rarely the main dish for Christmas dinner, this year we are making steak with port sauce. But there is always space for the golden oldies and I am so glad that I tried this recipe when we were all together Even though my dad burst my bubble when he pointed out that my knots were a bit weird (a quick Google search showed that he was 80% right… however some people do knot like I do) it was so nice to hear my brother say that taking a bite of the pretzel took him back to 20 years ago. Isn’t that what every baker wants to hear? Soft cinnamon pretzels (yields 20) 300g plain flour 30g melted butter plus more for greasing 1 1/2 tsp of easy yeast 1 tsp salt 140ml warm water Cinnamon and caster sugar ( I used a
