Prune and Almond Tart with Raspberry Jam

I have made this super simple recipe a few times now, and it always seems to blow people away. Unfortunately I can't take credit for it, as it was in one of my mum's old cookbooks. Hope you like it!

Ingredients (serves 8)

for the frangipane -

225g unsalted butter

225g caster sugar

175g ground almonds

50g plain flour

4 eggs

4tbsp brandy

for the tart - 

200g shortcrust pastry

2 tbsp raspberry jam

225g soft pitted prunes

10g flaked almonds

frangipane mix (above)

1. Firstly, pre heat the oven to 180°c. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer to make the frangipane, until almost white. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and ground almonds. Add one egg to the butter and sugar, one at a time, with a tbsp of ground almond and flour mix. Once all the eggs have been added, drizzle in the brandy and continue to add the rest of the ground almond and flour mix.

2. Grease a 9-10" flan dish with a little butter, roll out the pastry and fill the dish. Spread the raspberry jam over the bottom and then pour in the frangipane mix. Finish by sitting the prunes on the top.

3. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes. Half way through cooking, sprinkle the frangipane with almond flakes and return it to the oven.

Allow to cool before serving. Try it with yoghurt, cream or ice cream.

Any leftover pastry or frangipane (depending on the size of your dish) can be used to make a smaller frangipane.

Twinings Tea Recipes

I am excited to announce that I will be creating and executing some more recipes for Twinings over the winter months, using a number of their new teas. Visit www.twinings.co.uk/blog in the next few weeks to find some of my recipes. I have included some images and links below of my summer Twinings recipes.

Gluten, Dairy and Sugar Free Apple & Rosehip Raw Cheesecake

http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2015/june/gluten,-dairy-and-sugar-free-cheesecake

Dairy, Sugar Free Apple & Pear Fruits Summer Pudding

http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2015/june/dairy,-sugar-free-summer-pear-berry-fruits-pudding

Dairy Free Fudge Melts Green Tea Carrot and Raisin Cake

http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2015/june/dairy-free-fudge-melts-green-tea-carrot-and-raisin

Dairy and Gluten Free Blueberry and Courgette Muffins with Earl Grey Green Tea

http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2015/june/dg-free-blueberry-and-courgette-muffins

Intensely Lime & Ginger Prawn Asian Noodle Broth

http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2015/june/prawn-noodle-asian-broth-with-lime-ginger-tea

Inspired by Zoe McNulty - Summer Salad with Lemon Zest Chicken and Blueberries

http://www.twinings.co.uk/blog/2015/july/summer-salad-with-lemon-zest-chicken

  

Healthy Nutty Granola with Coconut, Rice Puffs and Goji Berries

This granola is perfection! The amount of syrup has been reduced to just the right quantity, making it nice and healthy, whilst retaining its deliciousness. The gluten free rice puffs are a must.

Ingredients (makes 15 servings)

to bake -

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp sweet freedom syrup or agave nectar

1 tsp vanilla extract

300g oats

50g sunflower seeds

50g pumpkin seeds

4 tbsp sesame seeds

100g almonds, roughly chopped

1 tsp cinnamon

to add at the end -

2 handfuls of puffed rice

1 handful of brazil nuts

3 tbsp linseeds

2 tbsp goji berriess

6 tbsp desiccated coconut

1. Set the oven to 150°c. Line two baking trays with parchment or baking paper and set aside.

2. Pour all the wet ingredients into a large bowl and stir well. Add the rest of the baking ingredients to the bowl and mix until combined. (Leave the last 5 ingredients until the granola has cooked.)

3. Spread the mixture even between two baking trays in a thin layer and cook for 20 minutes.

4. After 20 minutes, remove the trays from the oven and move the granola about so that it does not burn. Place them back in the oven for a further 15 minutes until golden.

5. Allow the granola to cool for at least 10 minutes, and then combine the two trays together in a bowl.

6. Add the final ingredients, mix thoroughly, then pour into a suitable airtight container.

Eat this delicious granola for breakfast, with yoghurt or milk, or simply sprinkle on salads and other food to add a sweet crunch.

Dairy-Free Carrot, Cinnamon and Walnut Cake

This was a perfect dinner party dessert last week, a recipe that never fails! Sunflower oil is used instead of butter, which helps keep the cake moist and light. It's delicious served with a yoghurt topping, for those that can eat dairy, or simply dusted with icing sugar or cinnamon.

Ingredients (serves 8)

- 6oz (170g) caster or light brown sugar

- 6oz (170g) sunflower or vegetable oil

- 3 eggs

- 5.4oz (153g) plain flour

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 1/3 tsp baking powder

- 2 tsp cinnamon

- 12oz (340g) grated carrot, roughly 2 1/2 large carrots

- 1oz (28g) walnut pieces (or more!) 

* I didn't use raisins this time, but you can add a handful if you feel like it *

1. Heat the oven to 170°c.

2. Mix the sugar and the oil in a bowl and then add the eggs one at a time. * Don't worry if the mixture curdles a bit *

3. Sift the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon into another bowl and mix well. Fold the flour mix into the egg mix and stir until combined.

4. Then stir in the grated carrots and walnuts into the cake mix (and raisins if using) and place in a suitable round cake tin with a removable base. 

5. Cook the cake at 170°c for 25 minutes and then turn the heat down to 160°c and cook for a further 20/25 minutes.

6. When the cake is ready, remove it from the oven and leave it to cool for around 10 minutes (otherwise it will deflate in size). Then gently scrape around the sides with a spatular to remove it from the edge. 

* Sieve some icing sugar or grated cinnamon on top for decoration *

Gluten Free Lemon and Almond Cake

A fail safe recipe that goes down a treat! Perfect for any dinner party, or as a sweet fix with a cup of tea. When I first acquired this recipe from a friend, I changed the quantities as it didn't need 6oz sugar or butter - feel free to add more sugar if you like it sweet though! It still tastes great and it's got just the right amount of sweetness which compliments the sourness of the lemon zest. This got demolished by 6 girls last night, so you might want to make two if you've got 10-12 people over. 

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

- 6oz ground almonds (I whizz them up in a blender for a few minutes as it's cheaper than buying them ground, and adds a crunch to the cake)

- 5oz butter

- 4 oz sugar

- 3 eggs

- zest of 2 lemons

- 1 tsp gluten free baking powder (or normal)

- a few drops of almond essence (this is essential!)

for the icing -

- 3oz icing sugar
- juice from half a lemon

1. Heat the oven to 170°c.  

2. Blitz the almonds if you're doing them yourself, until they resemble granulated sugar or thereabouts. * Try not to over blitz them or they might start turning into almond butter * Remove them from the blender and set aside.

3. Beat the butter and the sugar together in a bowl or food processor for a few minutes until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time. * You may need a spatular to scrape down the sides occasionally *

4. Finally, spoon in the ground almonds, lemon zest, baking powder and essence to form a good cake consistency.

5. Pour the mixture into a smallish cake tin lined with parchment paper, and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until it is cooked right through.

5. When the cake is cooked, take it out of the oven and leave it to cool for around 10 minutes, before transferring it to a plate or cake tin. Make the icing while it is cooling and pour it over the cake while it is still warm. When the cake completely cools, you'll have a tangy, crispy and delicious topping to add extra moisture to the cake.

6. Top with pomegranate seeds or almonds whilst the icing is still wet.

* Serve hot or cold, on it's own or accompanied with yoghurt or ice cream *

Naughty Chocolatey Brownies

A brownie recipe that never fails! I made these for 30-40 people in the summer and they were a huge hit. The brownie mix is extremely good, so expect to eat half the mix before cooking!

Ingredients (makes 8 very large pieces)

- 100g plain flour (I have made them using gluten-free flour and they're still very good. Next time I want to try ground almonds)

- 250g unsalted butter

- 300g caster sugar or soft brown sugar

- 1 tsp baking powder

- 75g good quality cocoa powder

- 4 eggs

- 100g plain chocolate or white chocolate (drops or from a bar - not too dark unless you like rich brownies), mashed into small pieces

1. Start by turning the oven to 180°c. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer for a few minutes and then gradually add the eggs one at a time.

2. Add the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and blitz until smooth. 

3. Stir in the chopped chocolate drops or pieces and then place in a suitable lined square cake tin.

4. Put the brownies on the floor of the oven for 25 minutes and then turn the oven down to 140°c (simmering oven) and bake for another 20 minutes in the centre of the oven.

* If you have doubled the mixture, then 40 minutes for baking and 35 for simmering * Try adding chopped nuts or raspberries for someting different *

Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Sugar Free - Date and Banana Flapjacks

A post that will hopefully make you feel even more festive the day before Christmas. If you're struggling with a few presents, why not cook these super quick flapjacks, wrap them up, and make someone smile tomorrow - there's still time! I found this recipe online a couple of months ago and have made a couple of batches of flapjacks since. Both of which were extremely delicious, super easy, and very quick.

Ingredients (makes 9 rectangles)

- 180g oats (gluten free if intolerant)

- 175g dates, chopped

- 2 very ripe bananas

- 80ml vegetable oil

- 1 tsp vanilla essence

1. Start by turning your oven to 175°c. Mash the bananas well in a large bowl and then add the chopped dates and oil.

2. Next stir in the oats and vanilla essence, and let the mixture sit for 5 minutes so that the oats absorb the oil.

3. Place the mixture into a suitable greased baking dish/tray (I used a rectangular glass one) and flatten it down. Cook for 25-30 minutes, until golden.

Easy Italian Baked Courgettes

If you like courgettes and Italian cooking, this is the recipe for you. Not only is it extremely easy, but tastes fresh, healthy and delicious. I like to eat these on their own, for a 'light' supper option, but they can also be accompanied with meat or fish; or as a starter for a dinner party. The great thing about this recipe is that you don't have to be exact with the ingredients...it'll taste good either way. 

Ingredients (serves 2)

- 2 courgettes, cut in half length ways

- 10 cherry or small tomatoes, cut in half

- a handful of pine nuts

- a handful of grated cheddar cheese (or any cheese)

- 6 basil leaves, chopped or torn into small pieces

- a dribble of olive oil

- salt and pepper

1. Start by turning the oven to 200°c. 

2. Once the courgettes have been cut in half, make a small triangular cut length ways down the centre to remove some of the seeds - in order to place your mixture on top. Some recipes will tell you to remove all the seeds when stuffing a courgette, or similar vegetable, however I feel this is a bit wasteful. 

3. Place the two courgette halves skin side down on a baking tray and dribble with a little sunflower or vegetable oil. Put them in the pre heated oven for 20 minutes to soften them.

4. While the courgettes are baking, you can begin to make the topping. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until combined. 

5. Once the courgettes have been in the oven for 20 minutes, remove them and pour your topping neatly over each half. Place back in the oven for a further 8 minutes and enjoy hot or cold. 

Add a few chilli flakes if you like things spicy.

Amaretti, Almond and Chocolate Cake

This recipe is from Yummly.com and makes a great alternative birthday cake. It is absolutely delicious and slightly healthier than normal chocolate cake because it doesn't contain added flour. 

Ingredients (serves 8-10)

- 1 1/4 cup of amaretti biscuits (about 25 small ones)

- 3/4 cup almonds

- 1/4 tsp cinnamon

- 1/2 a cup of unsalted butter, softened (about 100g)

- 1/2 cup granulated sugar

- 4 eggs

- 8 oz good quality chocolate, melted

- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence

1. Start by preheating the oven to 180°c and greasing a 9" cake tin.

2. Place the amaretti biscuits and almonds in a food processor and whizz until a fine meal forms. A bit of crunch is good! Put this mixture into a bowl, stir in the cinnamon and set aside.

3. Heat a little water in a small saucepan. Put a bowl on top of the saucepan and make sure that it doesn't touch the water. Break the chocolate into the bowl and stir until it's melted. Leave this to cool while you finish the rest of the cake.

4. Cream the butter and sugar in a food processor for a couple of minutes. Slowly add the eggs one at a time (with the motor running), and scrape down the sides with a spatular. 

5. Finally add the almond mixture and melted chocolate to the food processor, and stir in the vanilla essence. 

6. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. 

For the topping, I mixed melted chocolate with a little cream and icing sugar, but you can also dust it with coco powder. This cake is great with creme fraiche, yoghurt and fruit.

Homemade Rye Soda Bread with Turkish Inspired Broad Bean, Yoghurt and Dill Dip

This soda bread is super easy, and once you have all the ingredients, you'll be able to make it every week - saving yourself lots of pennies. No kneading or faff...so it takes very little time.

Ingredients for the Soda Bread (roughly 14 slices)

- 8oz rye flour or brown flour

- 4oz white flour or gluten free white flour

- 2oz oatmeal

- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 tsp brown sugar

- half a 500ml natural yoghurt pot (250g), the rest filled with milk to the brim

- a handful of mixed seeds (like pumpkin, sunflower and linseeds - mixed inside or sprinkled on top)

- poppy seeds for sprinkling (optional)

1. Start by pre heating the oven to 205°c.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and then add the yoghurt and milk. Stir well until fully combined.

3. Pour the mixture into a large-ish greased loaf tin (I use a non-stick rubber one which doesn't need greasing), and cook at 205°c for 10 minutes.

4. After 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 185°c and cook for a further 35 minutes. 

5. To check that the loaf is ready, take it out of the oven and tap it's top. If it's firm, remove it from the tin, and pat its bottom. If the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, its ready to cool down on a wire rack and serve as and when you want it. 

This dip is extremely easy, as well as being super healthy. Frozen broad beans are sold in most supermarkets and taste pretty good too. Great with toasted soda bread!

Broad Bean, Yoghurt and Dill Dip (serves 4)

- 250g thick yoghurt

- a handful of broad beans

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- a few sprigs of dill, chopped

1. Simply cook your broad beans in boiling water until soft, then cool them down with cold water.

2. Put the yoghurt into a bowl and sprinkle with the cold broad beans. Pour over the olive oil, top with chopped dill and finish off with salt and pepper. 

Rhubarb and Almond Cake

 

Just nipped out to get some rhubarb from the garden and made two of these delicious rhubarb and almond cakes. I adapted the original recipe (http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/4529/almond-rhubarb-tea-cake.aspx) a little, to make two delightfully moist and almondy cakes.

Ingredients (makes 16 slices) 

- for the cake

- 300g soft brown sugar

- 150 ml sunflower, or vegetable oil

- 1 egg

- 1 tsp vanilla essence

- 300g plain flour

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 tsp bicarbonate or soda

- 225 ml milk

- 200g rhubarb, chopped

- 50g ground almonds

- for the topping

- 25g ground almonds

- 50g flaked almonds

- 2 tbsp caster sugar

- 1 tbsp butter

1. Heat the oven to 180°c and prepare two similar sized cake dishes, either round or square. If you are using glass dishes there is no need to grease them, but cake tins will need to be greased with butter or greaseproof paper.

2. In a mixer, beat the sugar, egg, vanilla essence and oil. Then add the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda. Gradually pour in the milk until smooth, finishing off with the ground almonds. 

3. Take the knife out of the mixer and fold in the chopped rhubarb. Once everything is combined, separate the mix evenly between the two dishes.

4. For the topping, stir the almonds and sugar together and rub the butter in with your fingers. Share the topping over your two cakes and pop them in the oven for 35 minutes.

Serve with yoghurt, creme fraiche, or soured cream. Hot or cold, this is a delicious dessert or afternoon tea snack.

Rhubarb is in season between April and September. It can be kept for up to two weeks in the fridge, and freezes well when cooked. An ideal purchase for you over the next few months!

Seeded Rye Soda Bread

This soda bread recipe couldn't be easier! It is conveniently placed above my Homemade Seville Marmalade post below. Baking bread is often quite tedious, which is probably why I never make it; but this recipe allows you to make a delicious loaf without all the faff of kneading and resting.

Ingredients (roughly 14 slices)

- 8oz rye flour or brown flour

- 4oz white flour

- 2oz oatmeal

- 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

- 1 tsp salt

- 1 tsp brown sugar

- half a 500ml natural yoghurt pot (250g), the rest filled with milk to the brim

- a handful of mixed seeds (like pumpkin, sunflower and linseeds)

1. Start by pre heating the oven to 205°c.

2. Mix all the dry ingredients together in a bowl and then add the yoghurt and milk. Stir well until fully combined.

3. Pour the mixture into a large-ish greased loaf tin (I use a non-stick plastic one), and cook at 205°c for 10 minutes.

4. After 10 minutes, turn the heat down to 185°c and cook for a further 35 minutes. 

5. To check that the loaf is ready, tap its top. If it's firm, remove it from the tin, and pat its bottom. If the bottom sounds hollow when tapped, its ready to cool down on a wire rack and serve as and when you want it. 

It's delicious toasted in the morning with homemade jam, or sliced and served with houmous and cheese.

Extremely Light and Healthy - Gluten Free Lemon and Almond Cake

This one's an old favourite. Passed to me by a dear friend who is gluten intolerant, it always gets great feedback. I made it for my parents to take on a shooting weekend, hence the flying bird. Sadly there was none left for me...

Ingredients (serves 8-10)

for the cake -

- 6oz almonds, blitzed in a food processor to your required consistency (I like to leave them slightly crunchy and not like breadcrumbs) or ground almonds

- 5oz caster sugar

- 4oz butter

- 3 large eggs

- 1/2 tsp almond essence (pretty essential)

- zest of 2 lemons

for the icing -

- 3oz icing sugar

- juice of 1/2 a lemon

1. Heat the oven to 170°C.

2. Beat the butter and the sugar together in a bowl or food processor and then add the eggs one at a time. 

3. Finally, spoon in the ground almonds, lemon zest, and essence to form a good cake consistency.

4. Pour the mixture into a cake tin and bake in the oven at 170°C for 25-30 minutes, until it is cooked right through.

5. When the cake is cooked, take it out of the oven and leave it to cool for a few minutes. Place it onto a large plate, or straight into a cake tin and pour on the icing (juice of half a lemon added to the icing sugar) while the cake it still warm. 

6. Serve either cold or hot.