Chili-Chocolate Brownie

Inspired by the flavours of Mexican chocolate, this is a more grown up brownie. However, if you take out the spices it is still an excellent mix to work with. It is fudgey with a flakey top and has continued to please ever since I was bestowed the recipe as a birthday present. Very easy (and always a crowd-pleaser) to prepare ahead for a dinner party or if you ever need to bring a baked good somewhere - and where would you not want to bring one I ask? As there is a little heat in these, you might want to serve them with a White Russian to really complete the grown up twist on a kids' classic.
A brief(ish) note on chocolate:
You may have noticed when reading recipes for baking with chocolate, time and time again it will tell you how crucial it is to use good chocolate. There is a simple reason for why this rule is repeated - it's true. Now you don't have to go and buy the purest 90% Venezuelan cocoa at a fair penny a gram, but I would say don't use anything with less than 50% cocoa in it (others will tell you this is blasphemy and that 70% should be the minimum). But not everyone wants to be overwhelmed by their brownie, some just want to be satisfied. I used a 62% chocolate by Green and Blacks called Maya Gold which has hints of orange and spices in it and I think a happy medium. I will say that being closer to 70% will give you a richer and more indulgent experience then if you melt a Dairy Milk or Hershey's bar and be done with it. On with the recipe...

100 g/3.5 oz unsalted butter
175g/6 oz caster (superfine) sugar
75g/3 oz dark muscavado sugar
125g/4.5 oz chocolate
2 tbsp golder (light corn) syrup
2 large eggs
the seeds of half a vanilla pod or 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
100g/3.5 oz plain flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1.5 tsp cinnamon

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F, grease and line the bottom of an 8x8 dish or spring form tin.
• In a heavy based sauce pan put in the butter, chocolate, sugars and syrup and keep on a low heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate and butter have melted, the mixture will still be a little grainy at this point. Take off the heat and let it cool slightly.
• In a large mixing bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa and spices.
• When the chocolate mixture has cooled slightly, beat the eggs together and slowly pour into the chocolate - make sure that you stir it briskly the whole time to ensure that the mixture becomes silky rather than scrambled egg.
• Using a metal spoon fold gently into the flour until completely combined.
• Pour into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 17-20 minutes.
• Leave in the tin to cool slightly then turn out onto a cooling rack and cut into large slabs or bite-sized pieces depending on your preference.

If you are serving these as a desert and would like to make them a little more decadent, then here is a recipe for a chocolate ganache and almond praline topping. The almond is also another ingredient associated with Mexican chocolate so it is in keeping with the theme. If you are using a ganache ensure that you either use a spring-form tin or line a square tin so that the paper hangs out over the edge. Also leave the brownies in the tin to cool completely and only put the ganache on top once the brownie mixture is cold.

For the almond praline:

1 cup of caster (superfine) sugar

1/4 cup of water

2 cups of toasted almonds

Line a baking tray with foil. In a heavy based saucepan on a medium low heat add the water and sugar - stir until the sugar dissolves. Once the sugar has dissolved and the mixture starts to simmer do not stir anymore and let the sugarwater turn a deep amber - swirling the pan if necessary to stop any burning. Once it is dark enough, take off the heat and stir in the nuts. Pour out onto baking tray and let it cool. Roughly chop up the praline and set aside to do the ganache.

For the ganache:

175g/6 oz dark chocolate

2 tbsp unsalted butter, very soft

3 tbsp whipping cream

In a large bowl break up the chocolate into very small pieces along with the butter and cream. Place bowl over simmering water but ensure base does not touch the water. Stir until all the ingredients have melted together. Set aside and let the mixture thicken slightly. Spread the ganache over the brownie, scatter it with the almond praline and place in the fridge to set.

After about two hours or so it should be ready to slice. Make sure you run a knife around the edge to stop it from sticking before you attempt to remove the brownie. Cut as you please and enjoy.

Stuffed Butternut Squash

OK, so this isn't exactly the most seasonal of dishes, but I think the spices and myriad of colours help pull this roasted squash out of the clutches of winter dining.

It is a wholesome dish that I would relish right now as our brief spell of Spring has scurried behind a blackened, bruised sky. There is a lot of food here so you can either cut it up into quarters and serve four with a trussed up salad, or be brave and share the whole thing with a loved one.

This is one that I have been working on and generally vary every time I eat it. I have also only been cooking it in a normal oven - rather than fan-assisted - meaning it comes out steamed. A quick turn under the grill sorts this out, giving it some colour. The steam effect is great though as it makes the red onions almost melt and go sticky rather than turn out as charred crisps. So here is my final recipe and what I think works best. By all means play around with the spices, herbs, vegetables and fruits that you want to use but I think this is a good place to start.


1 butternut squash

1 red onion

4 cloves of garlic

400g/14 oz lean lamb mince

4 tbsp pine nuts

4 tbsp sultanas

2 tbsp chopped flat leafed parsley

1.5 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp cinnamon

0.5 tsp ground caraway

250g/9 oz couscous

• Preheat the oven to 180 C/350F


• Cut the butternut squash in half and remove the seeds. Cut out some of the solid part to create an even amount of flesh throughout the whole squash. Put the cubes of excess squash in a large baking tray with the whole squash. Bruise the garlic cloves and place one in the bottom and top parts of each half. Cut the onion into eighths and scatter amongst the squash. Drizzle everything with some olive oil and season well. Place in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes.


• Whilst the squash is cooking, prepare the couscous to packet instructions - this generally involves covering it in stock and leaving to soak for fifteen minutes or so, fluff up with a fork, season to taste and add some olive oil.


• In a heavy based dry frying pan, on a medium heat, lightly toast the pine nuts and add to the couscous.


• Add the spices to the dry pan and toast lightly for a few minutes then add the lamb, season well, and cook through, breaking up as many lumps as possible to give it a crumbly texture.


• When it has cooked through also add this to the couscous and pine nuts.


• Roughly chop the parsley and add along with the sultanas to the couscous mixture.


• When the butternut squash is cooked through and softened blast it under the grill to crisp off the edges and to give it some pretty colouring.
• Pile the squash high with the couscous mixture - you can keep or remove the garlic depending on your own tastes.
• Serve with a tzatziki or if you are feeling adventurous make a yogurt dip yourself, my personal favourite is: 1.5 tbsp each of dill, flat leaf parsley and mint finely chopped, one small glove of crushed garlic, one small green chili deseeded and finely chopped, two spring onions (scallions) finely chopped, seeds of one pomegranate, one cup of yogurt and mix.
• If you want this veggie then replace the lamb with some feta or even tofu.

If you are serving it in quarters with salad I would suggest some spinach with a pomegranate molasses dressing, some feta (as long as you aren't using it in the squash), tomatoes (sun dried or other) and toasted pumpkin seeds.

The Perfect Mother's Day Present

Mother’s Day is looming in the States and I have the perfect home-made present! Making your own beauty products is easy, affordable, and they often work better than their store-bought alternatives. This recipe for rose facial toner was used by my granny for years (her skin still looked great at 96), and is still used by my mom and I every day. It is ideal for sensitive skin (like mine) and smells great. I suggest buying a pretty bottle at a market or thrift store and finding some ribbon to dress it up. Make it for all the moms in your life.. and keep a bottle for yourself!

ROSE WATER TONER

Ingredients:

• 1 cup witch hazel
• 1 cup rose water
• 2 tsp glycerin

* Witch hazel and glycerin can be found at any pharmacy. Rose water is everywhere in Britain but can be harder to find stateside. I found mine at Target (which now carries British brands) or you can order it for pennies online.

Directions:

• Combine and decant into bottle.
• Use every night after you have washed your face and before you moisturize.

Lemon Goat Cheese Risotto with Asparagus

I love risotto. It is easy to whip up for one (or many) and can be made with whatever is left in the fridge. Both of my roommates in London, Charlotte and Hannah, loved risotto and made their own special variations. Hannah's speciality was a risotto with chorizo, onion, and peppers (delicious!). Charlotte made many varieties. I do recall one that included hot dogs. haha. Here is my new favorite.. it is light, delicate, and perfect for spring!

LEMON GOAT CHEESE RISOTTO WITH ASPARAGUS SPEARS

serves 4-6 as main course and 6-8 as starter (you can adjust recipe measure according to your needs)

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, divided
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 5 cups (or more) hot chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 1/2 cup soft goat cheese
• the zest of half a lemon
• bunch of asparagus
• salt and pepper

Directions:

• Melt half of butter (2 Tbsp) in a heavy saucepan over med. heat.
• Add onion and soften (about five min).
• Add rice; stir and toast for a couple of minutes.
• Add wine and cook until almost all liquid is absorbed. Stir constantly!
• Add 1 cup hot broth. Simmer until broth is almost absorbed (KEEP STIRRING!!! You don’t want any to stick to the bottom)
• Add more broth, 1 cup at a time, allowing each addition to be absorbed before adding.. stirring the whole time!
• You know it’s done when risotto is tender and mixture is creamy.
• Take off heat and add goat cheese, a pinch of lemon zest, and salt & pepper to taste.
• Garnish with steamed asparagus spears and remaining lemon zest.

for the asparagus:

• cook while you are stirring your risotto..
• snap ends off asparagus.
• I cooked mine in the hot chicken broth i used for the risotto. Boil for approx. 5 min.
• Take them out and shock them in a bowl of ice water. It keeps them crunchy!
• ENJOY!

Oreo Cookie Cupcakes

As a true Transatlantic Blonde, half from Virginia, USA and half from West Sussex, UK, I thought my debut post would have to be something that satisfies both confederate and Brit tastebuds! These Oreo Cookie Cupcakes 

would suit any British tea spread and equally feature a cult American cookie, which is enough to keep anyone happy! The chewy cakes are filled with biscuity pockets of oreo crunch and topped off with the sweet cookies 'n' cream icing, give them a try!

* American measurements in ( )

Ingredients: 

180g unsalted butter (3/4 cup)

400g brown sugar (2 and 1/4 cup)

250g dark chocolate (8.8 ounces)

3 large eggs, separated

2 teaspoons vanilla

200g plain flour (1 and 2/3 cup)

100g self-raising flour (heaping 3/4 cup)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

8 Oreo cookies, smashed to bits

1 3/4 cup milk 

First of all go ahead and set the oven to 180 degrees and line a muffin tin with paper cases. I way prefer muffin cases to cupcake cases for this as they are deeper and therefore you can put more filling in!

Next melt the chocolate in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water then put that to down side to cool down. Put the sugar and butter in a big mixing bowl and cream together until light and creamy. Next add in the egg yolks, chocolate and vanilla but keep the egg whites to one side. Mix it all together and then add the flours, bicarb and baking soda adding the milk little by little followed by the crushed up oreos. (I put mine in a ziplock back and just pounded them, jumped on them and thew them at a wall for a few minutes!)

In a seperate bowl, whisk up the egg whites with an electric whisk and then fold into the cupcake mixture. Once you cannot see the egg whites in the chocolatey oreo mixture, fill the muffin cases just over half full. Bake for 20 minutes or until a knife ome out of the cake clear.

For the Cookies & Cream Icing:

225g unsalted butter (a heaping cup)

400 – 600g icing sugar (to taste) (2-3 cups)

1/4 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

8 Oreo cookies, smashed to bits

Beat the butter, then add in the sugar gradually and mix well. Add milk and vanilla and continue to mix. This will create a simple vanilla buttercream. Add the bashed Oreos until the texture is even.

For prettiness I wedged an oreo into the top of each little cupcake for pure decadence...

Love,

Alley xx

'Mom's The Word

Cardamom. I don't know what it is about this little green jewel of spice. Recently I have been finding as many ways as possible to get this into my cooking (and subsequently my tummy). I'm sure it's exhaustive but I've not quite reached that point yet. Today, no less, a friend of mine brought me some cardamom scented rice pudding. It does not have to be confined to the realms of dairy (NB wonderful things happen if you do decide to match it with dairy, particularly white chocolate) as this little number demonstrates:


Norwegian Cardamom Bread

By beautiful mother is a Norwegian expat, so this one is for Mother dear - who is the reason that everyone in my family is a little too excited by food. This is probably best made on a rainy afternoon when you have time to spare and other bits to do as there is a lot of resting time.


2 eggs
7 tbsp whole milk
3 tbsp vegetable oil
5 tbsp honey
1.5 tsp salt
seeds of 10 cardamom pods finely ground
400 g bread flour (15 oz)
1 tbsp yeast
3 handfuls of chopped dried apricots
6 tbsp sultanas
6 tbsp slivered almonds

egg wash:
1 egg beaten
granulated sugar to sprinkle over the top

• Sift the flour, cardamom and salt into a large mixing bowl, creating a well in the middle. Warm the milk and stir in the yeast. Crack the eggs into the well and add the oil, milk mixture and honey and begin to mix with the dry ingredients. Add the nuts and dried fruit half way through as the dough starts to come together and mix well until it has come into a dough.
• Turn out onto a floured surface and knead well for fifteen minutes. Cover with either a damp, CLEAN tea towel or greased cling film and leave in a warm place to rise for an hour and a half.
• When dough is ready punch down lightly on a floured surface and let it rest for a few minutes. Cut into three equal parts and roll out into a rope about 15 inches long.
• Lay the three pieces on a non-stick or lightly buttered surface. Beginning at one end, pinch the ends together and braid the three ropes. Use the egg wash where the ropes cross each other to ensure they stick and pinch the ends together.
• Cover and let rise for another 45 to 60 minutes.
  
• Preheat the oven to 190 C/375 F. Use the rest of the egg wash to cover the top and sprinkle some granulated sugar over the top.
• Place in a preheated oven and bake until the top is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
• Place on a cooling rack and if your fingers can take it, rip off the end, cover it in some unsalted butter and enjoy!

This is sort of like a tea cake or hot cross bun in terms of a spiced, sweet bread. It takes on new life when toasted and eaten with marmalade.

Champagne.. it's the new milk

I have decided that champagne goes with anything... at least in my world it does. Sadly when it comes to purchasing champers, price is often an issue. If you are someone who can afford Veuve Clicquot for everyday drinking, I applaude you and I hope I am you one day. For the rest of us, there are cheaper and as delicious options. Archie, who I got to know through my better half, is our resident wine expert. He works at Jeroboams in London and is one of those people that actually knows and understands wine. I wrote him in hopes he could recommend some more affordable options. Here are his suggestions:

1. NV Pol Roger Brut Réserve Champagne- RRP £33.95 ($32 avg in the US)

The definitive Non-Vintage Champagne and Winston Chruchill's favorite. Pol Roger is one of the few remaining great family-owned Champagne houses and enjoys an unrivalled reputation. The three main grape varieties of the champagne region - Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay - are in equal proportions. The nose is dominated by white flowers, green apple, brioche and a trace of minerality. On the palate there are notes of stone fruits, a certain nuttiness and a hint of honey supporting the freshness of the acidity. Is there a finer NV Champagne?

2. NV Joseph Perrier- £26.75 ($35 avg. in the US)

A blend of all three Champagne grapes Chardonnay 35%, Pinot Noir 35%, Pinot Meunier 30%. Queen Victoria's favorite Champagne the NV Jospeh Perrier is decidedly refreshing with great poise and acidity, helped by a minimum of 3 years ageing in their Roman chalk cellars in Chalons-en-Champagne.

Run by Jean Claude Forman, a descendent of the original family, Joseph Perrier is a smaller house producing top quality Champagne. The wines are mellow and fruity, influenced by the Pinot, and made in a style that is both elegant and easy to drink. Wonderful Champagne that gives bigger houses serious competition!

Both of these champagnes are available at most wine shops. If these are still too pricey, there are always delicious Proseccos/sparkling wines (story to follow shortly). If you do go with a cheaper bubbly (we are not talking Andre here) you can always add a drop of elderflower cordial or Crème de cassis to your glass. Enjoy!

Magnolia Bakery vs. Hummingbird Bakery

Here we have it. Once again England and America are going head to head to see who reigns supreme, although this time it's over vanilla cupcakes.

Having contributed a great many pennies to the cupcake shops that seem to be flourishing over my fair nation's capital, I thought it best to see if we really knew what we were talking about. After all, the Hummingbird Bakery that started on Portobello Rd in Notting Hill was inspired by a visit to USA and sampling North American examples. Since stumbling across a recipe for

Magnolia Bakery cupcakes - a bakery heralded for it's sweet morsels equally as it's transatlantic counterpart - I thought it best to bake a batch of each and see who really made the best vanilla cupcakes.

So I recruited the best expert in cupcakes I know. My sister. This beautiful little baker has been making cupcakes ever since she could reach a counter top. Here are the two recipes that were tested as well as our conclusions... let me know your own findings.

Magnolia bakery recipe for 24 cupcakes:

175 g unsalted butter (1 cup or 2 sticks)

350 g caster sugar (2 cups)

4 large eggs

200g self-raising flour, sifted (1 and 1/2 cups)

150g plain flour (1 and 1/4 cups)

250 ml full-fat milk (1 cup)

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Icing:

400g unsalted butter, softened

250g icing sugar 

food colouring

Preheat oven to 180 C, prepare two cupcake tins by filling each hole with paper cups.

Beat the butter until smooth, gradually adding the sugar until if becomes pale and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well to ensure each is combined. Sift the flours together and in a separate jug combine the milk and vanilla. With a metal spoon, fold a quarter of the flour into the mixture alternating with the milk and vanilla, repeating until everything is mixed. Be careful at this point not to over-beat and release the air.

Spoon the batter into the cupcake cases to just over halfway. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden on top. Remove them from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack.

To make the icing, beat together the butter and icing sugar. When adding the food colouring, use a tooth pick to add small streaks of colouring to ensure it stays pale. When the cupcakes have cooled top with the icing.

And now for the English contender, Hummingbird Bakery (recipe taken from the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook):

For the vanilla cupcakes:

Makes 12

120g plain flour

140g caster sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

40g unsalted butter at room temp

120ml whole milk

1 egg

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 quantity vanilla frosting

decorations

a 12 hole cupcake tray lined with paper cases

Preheat the oven to 170c/350f/Gas 3

Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt an butter in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld electric whisk) and beat on a slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined. Gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.

Whisk the egg, vanilla extract and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporate (scrape any unmixed ingredients from the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula). Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the mixture is smooth. Do not over mix.

Spoon the mixture into the paper cases until two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 mins, or until light and golden and the sponge bounces back when touched. A skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean. leave the cupcakes to cool slightly in the tray before turning out onto a wire onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

When the cupcakes are cold, spoon the frosting on top and decorate.

Vanilla Frosting:

250g icing sugar, sifted

80g unsalted butter at room temp

25ml whole milk

a couple drops of vanilla extract

makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes (double the recipe for 20-cm cakes)

Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment (or use a handheld whisk) on a medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed. Turn the mixer down to slow speed. Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl, then add to the butter mixture a couple of tablespoons at a time. Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 mins. The longer the frosting beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.

The overall winner for this was the Hummingbird cupcake.

I will say that the cake mixture from Magnolia Bakery is wonderful on it's own and would do very well accompanied by some vanilla whipped cream and fresh red berries. It's icing, however, is mind boggling. I would always do a greater ratio for sugar to butter for butter icing.

Quick Artichoke Dip

I was in such a hurry last week and didn’t have time to make something fancy for an appetizer pre-game with the girls.. my solution?? artichoke dip. This recipe is an adaptation of a dip they serve at Speakeasy (this amazing tapas place in Athens, GA). I always ordered it back in the day and have managed to whip up something similar..

P.S.- if you don’t finish it you can save it for 3am (when anything tastes good).

QUICK ARTICHOKE DIP

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan plus extra for top
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• squeeze of lemon (optional)
• salt & peppa to taste
• 2 cups artichoke hearts, diced
• 1 cup red onion
• handful of breadcrumbs

DIRECTIONS:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 F/ 180 C
• Mix first 8 ingredients well.
• Mix in artichokes and onion.
• Put in an oven-proof dish
• Top with breadcrumbs and remaining parm.
• Bake until brown on top..

Note: The pic isn't great but it is VERY tasty..

Chocolate Nests

In the spirit of Easter here is a little chocolate nest to nestle some chocolate eggs in. Perfect for making (and preoccupying) kids should you be invaded by any this weekend. Funnily enough my dad is the biggest fan of these in our house so it's not only the little ones who benefit from the little effort that goes into making these treats.

200g chocolate - you can actually use which ever type you like, although I like to use 3/4 milk with 1/4 dark just to give it some extra richness
25 g unsalted butter
2 cups of Shredded Wheat (any cereal like this works just fine) bashed into strands
Mini eggs for decoration

• Melt the choclate and butter in a bowl over boiling water - make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
• Stir in the cereal you are using and spoon into cupcake cases.
• Make a little dip in the centre of the nests and put in the mini eggs.
• Leave in a cool area for the chocolate to set.

Variations on a theme of chocolate nests: everything.
The brilliance of these little nests is that you can decorate them with what ever you like - Reese's Pieces come in as my second favourite topping. You can even stir in some crunchy peanut butter or dessicated coconut for extra texture. So play with these to you heart's content, and whilst ever so simple they are hugely appreciated.

Afternoon Tea, Only a Little Different...

As shrimp and grits are to the South, so is afternoon tea to Britain. Or at least by every stereotype you can find about this great isle. For now I'm going to revel in this stereotype as everything about this dining event is great. Not only an excuse to eat in between lunch and dinner, you get a choice of sweet and savoury. So here are a few ideas for some old afternoon staples, only not as you've ever seen them before (hopefully...)

Sausage Rolls with Red Onion Marmalade

4 Sausages - casing removed (Cumberland is preferable due to the herbs)
Half a pack of puff pastry (as discussed previously, you would be foolish to want to make it yourself)
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 egg - beaten

1 red onion
balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp caster sugar

For the onion marmalade:

• Peel and finely slice the red onion. On a medium-low heat sweat them down in a little butter until they are soft - about ten to fifteen minutes - ensuring they do not burn.
• Add about 4 tbsp of the balsamic vinegar - the affect is not pleasant when adding vinegar to a hot pan so make sure your head isn't directly over it!
• Stir constantly while the vinegar is bubbling to reduce. Add the sugar to help it caramelise and to sweeten the vinegar.
• When the mixture is treacly and thickened up turn off the heat and set aside.
  

To make the sausage roll:

• Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F)
• Roll the pastry out on a floured surface until about 1/2 cm thick. You ideally want it to look like a wide rectangle.
• Combine the sausage meat and mustard (and any other herbs you feel like adding - sage would go nicely) and spread thickly and narrowly down the centre of the bottom half of the pastry.
• Top the sausage meat with a layer of the onion marmalade.
• Dab some of the egg wash along the bottom edge of the pastry and fold the top half over to create a casing. Press down firmly to seal.
• Brush the egg wash all over the top of the pastry, place on non-stick baking sheet or some greaseproof paper and place in the middle of the oven.
• Cook for 20-25 minutes.
• Remove from oven and let it rest for a couple of minutes before transferring to a cooling rack (the pastry with de-puff as it cools).
• Cut when cooled and serve up immediately.

Orange Blossom and Honey Scones

225 g self-raising flower
1 tsp baking powder
60 g butter
1 large egg
2 tbsp whole milk
1 tsp orange flower water
1 generous tbsp honey

• Preheat oven to 200 C
• Sift the flour and baking powder together and rub in the butter until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Beat the egg, orange blossom water, honey and milk together with a pinch of salt and pour into the flour mixture - it may be a little dry so add a dash or so of milk.
• Combine until you have a smooth but fairly dry dough.
• Turn out onto a floured surface and press flat until a good inch thick.
• Using the rim of a glass cut out the scones and put them flour-side up on a prepared baking sheet.
• Brush the tops with a little milk and place in the oven for 10-15 minutes (I find they are done much closer to 10 than 15, but you could have a slow oven).
• Turn out onto a cooling rack and serve cold with clotted cream and cherry jam.

Smoked Mackerel Open Sandwiches

Now before you all skip to the next post, give these little beauties a try, they surpass cucumber sandwiches in every aspect! I am newly introduced to this fish myself and am very grateful to the insightful person who first brought them into my diet. It is a cheap fish to buy as well as good for you so it's silly not to try it...

All you need is:

• A fillet of the fish (I recommend the easily found peppered one for this sandwich).
• A few handfuls of washed watercress
  
• Dijonaise - Maille is my preferred kind or you can make a basic one of your own combining wholegrain mustard and mayonnaise in a ratio of 2:1.
• Some (preferably home made) wholewheat granary bread.

Thinly slice and toast the bread - let it cool before you put on the dijonaise. Pick some leaves off the stems of the watercress and load them onto of the bread. Delicately remove the fish from the skin and make sure you don't have any bones. Finish with some freshly ground pepper and a slight squeeze of lemon.

Like all good sandwiches it is simple but great due to the strong yet complementary flavours. You can also substitute the dijonaise with some horseradish mixed with creme fraiche.



After all this hard work no one would begrudge you the odd store-bought cake or tart slipped in there. I love battenberg cake and think it looks as good as it tastes - making any tea spread look pretty.