Damson Cheesecake Cream with Blackberry Thumbprint Biscuits
Damson Cheesecake Cream Damson Puree 500g damsons
200g granulated sugar Place the damsons and sugar in a pan and allow to gently simmer until the fruit is pulpy and any fruit removed from the stone. Scoop out the stones with a peascoop or a slotted spoon.Blend the pulp and then pass through a sieve. Store in sterilized jam jars. 250g mascarpone
150ml double cream
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
2 tablespoons icing sugar
150ml natural thick yoghurt
200g damson puree Whisk the mascarpone and cream until thick. Fold in the vanilla, icing sugar and yoghurt. Ripple the damson puree through the cream.
Spoon into 4 bowls and drizzle more damson puree on top.Blackberry thumbprint biscuits Blackberry jam 750g blackberries
350g granulated sugar If you don’t have a temperature probe place a saucer in the freezer. Place blackberries in a heavy based saucepan and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the sugar and bring the mixture to the boil then turn heat down to a simmer. Cook until the mixture reaches 105oF on a probe or add a little to the chilled saucer and it should set straight away. Should take about 10 minutes of simmering to get to this stage. Spoon into sterilized jam jars and seal. 250g plain flour
150g butter, diced
75g castor sugar
2 egg yolks
Blackberry jam ( or jam of your choice) Rub the flour and butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix in the sugar and then add the egg yolks. Bring together.
Line 2 trays with parchment paper and set oven to 180oc.
Make small balls of the mixture ( around 25g each) and place on trays. Press your thumb into the middle of each biscuit and add some jam.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.
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7:50
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7:50
Roast Apricots With Coffee Cream And Nut Crunchie Biscuits
Roast Apricots
8 apricots
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon light brown sugar Cut the apricots in half and place cut side up in a baking dish. Mix the honey with the sugar and drizzle over the top of the fruit. Place in a 180oc oven for 15 minutes.Coffee Cream
50ml espresso
275ml double cream
75g chopped white chocolate
250g mascarpone
2 tablespoons icing sugarWarm 75ml of the cream with the espresso and add the white chocolate. Stir over a low heat until chocolate is melted.
Whisk the remaining cream with the mascarpone and icing sugar and mix in the chocolate mixture. Nut Crunchies
380g mixed nuts ( I used almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios)
165g castor sugar
Set the oven to 180oc and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Scatter over the nuts and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Bash the nuts and sugar together in plastic bag to coarse crumbs. 75g egg white
85g sugar
Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and add the sugar in a steady flow. Fold in the nut mixture. Line two baking trays with parchment paper. Take a tablespoon of the mixture, roll with wet hands and place on the trays.
Bake in a 180oc preheated oven for 30 minutes or until crisp. Allow to cool.
Will keep in an airtight container for a couple of weeks. Spoon the apricots into 4 glasses, top with the coffee cream and serve the crunchies on the side.
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5:05
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5:05
Flatbreads with chorizo, onions, smoked scarmorza and smoked paprika dressing
Flatbread dough
200g plain flour
200g spelt flour or medium wholemeal
7g instant dried yeast
½ teaspoon salt
25ml good local rapeseed oil or olive oil
75ml buttermilk
150ml lukewarm water Mix the flours with the yeast and the salt and make a well in the middle. Add the oil, buttermilk and water and mix to a dough – add a little more water if necessary.
Turn onto a floured surface and knead for 5 minutes. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover for an hour.Chorizo and onion topping with scarmorza cheese
100g sliced chorizo
1 tablespoon oil + more for cooking the flatbreads
4 onions, finely sliced
125g coarsely grated scarmorza cheese or substitute cheddar Heat the oil in a pan and add the chorizo. Cook for a minute then add the onions. Cook gently until golden and soft.
Divide the dough into 4 and roll each piece into a thin circle.
Add a tablespoon of oil to a large frying pan and when hot add the flatbread. When bubbles appear flip over, lower the heat and spoon over a quarter of the chorizo mix and scatter over a quarter of the cheese. Place a pan on top and cook for about 4 minutes or until cheese has melted and bottom is cooked. Smoked paprika dressing
150ml sour cream
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
Salt and pepper to taste
Whisk together and drizzle over the hot flatbreads.
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5:41
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5:41
Oaty Apple Creams
Oat shells 75g rolled oats
50g plain flour
75g soft brown sugar
50g cold butter diced
1 teaspoon honey
1 egg yolkRub the oats, flour and butter together until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Add the sugar, honey and egg yolk and mix to a dough.
Lightly butter a 12 hole tartlet tray and set oven to 180oc.
Divide the mixture into 12 pieces – you can eyeball this or weigh the mixture and divide by twelve. Take pieces of the dough and roll into a ball with wet hands then flatten to fit into the hole. Repeat with all the mix and then bake for 12 minutes. Allow to cool in the tray for 10 minutes then remove.4 red eating apples
1 dessertspoon honey
25g castor sugar
Juice half a lemonPlace the lemon juice in a bowl. Cut the apples in quarters, peel and remove the core and then cut into small dice. Toss in the lemon juice.
Place the honey, sugar and apples in a pan and cook until apples have softened but still intact. Drain the apples and place in a bowl. Boil the liquor to a thick syrup and add to the apples. Cool.250ml double cream
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 dessertspoon whiskey – optionalWhip the cream and fold in the sugar and whiskey.
Spoon the apple mixture into the oat shells. Pipe or dollop the cream on top.
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5:33
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5:33
Courgette Fritters with Tomato Salad
275g coarsely grated courgette
1 onion finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
75g plain flour
75g chickpea flour
1 teaspoon chipotle chilli paste
½ teaspoon seasalt
Oil for cooking Mix the courgette, onion and garlic with salt. Add the egg, flours and chilli and mix to a batter. Cover the bottom of a frying pan with oil and when medium hot add tablespoons of the batter. Cook for about 2 minutes each side or until golden. Drain on kitchen paper and serve.You can cook them in batches and keep warm in the oven until all are cooked. Tomato Salad
350g local tomatoes, halved or larger ones quartered
1 small red onion or 2 shallots finely sliced
150g olives ( I used tinned anchovy stuffed green olives) cut in half
1 teaspoon capers finely chopped
1 tablespoon good balsamic vinegar
50ml good olive oil
Handful basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste Place the tomatoes in a bowl and mix in the onion, olives and capers well.Season with salt and pepper. Mix the balsamic with the oil and toss into the mixture with the basil. Leave for 15 minutes before serving.