Come, guard this night the Christmas-Pie,That the thief, though ne'er so sly,With his flesh-hooks, don't come nighTo catch itFrom him, who all alone sits there,Having his eyes still in his ear,And a deal of nightly fearTo watch it.
Robert Herrick (1591-1674)Though Herrick’s Christmas Pie was probably filled with meat and gravy, rather than mincemeat steeped in rum or brandy, I almost want to recommend that you similarly sit up to guard ... Read more...
Autumn brings the annual event with a grizzly origin, on 5th November we celebrate Guy Fawkes by burning his effigy on a bonfire - something for the children to enjoy it seems! Guy Fawkes was arrested alongside other members of the gunpowder plot for his part in an attempt to blow up the House of Lords and King James I with it. In response to the foiled plot, bonfires were lit around London and this has become an English festival, having ... Read more...
As you can tell, I have an on going love affair with shortbread. Of course it is a treat with strawberries and cream, elevating a regular dessert into heavenly dessert but shortbread is also one of my favourite gifts to give. I actually used the Stoates flour accidentally. The flour was outstanding. It’s the stoneground texture that gives this shortbread something extra crumbly and that melt in the mouth combined with crunch that ... Read more...
These flatbreads are so versatile. They are wonderful torn up and loaded with humous or taramasalata alongside a glass of chilled white wine, but equally they are perfect for sandwiches the following day. We serve them lightly toasted with barbecued lamb sausages and garden salad for supper. If you are making theses on a hot summer's day you can prove them for 3 hours on the kitchen work surface, and they will be ready to bake much sooner ... Read more...
A summery picnic treat. The garden is full of glorious raspberries. Plump red luscious raspberries, to be honest it's a miracle any of them actually make it back to the kitchen to bake with at all. I have to remind myself that the tray bake is just as delicious. Don't be put off by having to bake the base first, it makes it beautifully crisp, which contrasts with the soft sweet almond topping.
Makes 12 pieces.
Method
You will need a 9" x... Read more...
Last year saw Alex Gooch win the flatbread category of The World Bread Awards with his roast beetroot and Ragstone focaccia. So we are delighted to share this recipe from Alex.
When I asked Alex what it takes to make a winner he replied, “great bread takes patience and instinct and I love making bread making, it brings you into the moment completely and you just can’t beat that crackle as you squeeze a stone baked ciabatta!”
... Read more...
Lavender and Lemon cakes in individual panibois are perfect for picnics - this cake has been iced with icing sugar with Blue and red colouring. A great get-ahead trick with this cake is to double the recipe and freeze some. It keeps in the freezer beautifully, ready for an impromptu picnic and if you leave the lavender out then it is a lemon drizzle cake – everyones favourite. You can make one single large cake from this recipe too, and ... Read more...
Joululimppu is a typical Finnish Christmas bread. Irresistibly moist from the buttermilk, this bread is dark and nutty from the rye flour, sweet from the treacle and fragrant from the toasted fennel and caraway seeds. It's not difficult to make and will fill your kitchen with the most delicious Nordic flavours as it bakes. This is one of those recipes when a Cloche is worth its weight in gold, not just because you get a beautiful even bake, but ... Read more...
White bread made from stoneground flour tastes great. Add a little rye flour to it and it tastes even greater. Use fermented dough to raise the bread and it is greater still. Now, add some dried apricots and it is the greatest.
This recipe comes from Panibois, the French manufacturers of the wooden baking moulds commonly seen in France in bakeries for displaying and selling breads and cakes. Often they are used as baskets for loose rolls and ... Read more...
Aidan Chapman of the Phoenix Bakery in Weymouth likes to do things properly and his annual two-week stint making 1000s of hot-cross buns is no exception. We chatted about them recently and he mentioned his frustration at not being able to get a really good non-chemical clove oil, the flavour that turns a fruit bun into a hot-cross bun (that, and the cross!). So, we decided to have some specially made containing nothing but clove essence suspended... Read more...
Come, guard this night the Christmas-Pie,That the thief, though ne'er so sly,With his flesh-hooks, don't come nighTo catch itFrom him, who all alone sits there,Having his eyes still in his ear,And a deal of nightly fearTo watch it.
Robert Herrick (1591-1674)Though Herrick’s Christmas Pie was probably filled with meat and gravy, rather than mincemeat steeped in rum or brandy, I almost want to recommend that you similarly sit up to guard ... Read more...
Autumn brings the annual event with a grizzly origin, on 5th November we celebrate Guy Fawkes by burning his effigy on a bonfire - something for the children to enjoy it seems! Guy Fawkes was arrested alongside other members of the gunpowder plot for his part in an attempt to blow up the House of Lords and King James I with it. In response to the foiled plot, bonfires were lit around London and this has become an English festival, having ... Read more...
As you can tell, I have an on going love affair with shortbread. Of course it is a treat with strawberries and cream, elevating a regular dessert into heavenly dessert but shortbread is also one of my favourite gifts to give. I actually used the Stoates flour accidentally. The flour was outstanding. It’s the stoneground texture that gives this shortbread something extra crumbly and that melt in the mouth combined with crunch that ... Read more...
These flatbreads are so versatile. They are wonderful torn up and loaded with humous or taramasalata alongside a glass of chilled white wine, but equally they are perfect for sandwiches the following day. We serve them lightly toasted with barbecued lamb sausages and garden salad for supper. If you are making theses on a hot summer's day you can prove them for 3 hours on the kitchen work surface, and they will be ready to bake much sooner ... Read more...
A summery picnic treat. The garden is full of glorious raspberries. Plump red luscious raspberries, to be honest it's a miracle any of them actually make it back to the kitchen to bake with at all. I have to remind myself that the tray bake is just as delicious. Don't be put off by having to bake the base first, it makes it beautifully crisp, which contrasts with the soft sweet almond topping.
Makes 12 pieces.
Method
You will need a 9" x... Read more...
Last year saw Alex Gooch win the flatbread category of The World Bread Awards with his roast beetroot and Ragstone focaccia. So we are delighted to share this recipe from Alex.
When I asked Alex what it takes to make a winner he replied, “great bread takes patience and instinct and I love making bread making, it brings you into the moment completely and you just can’t beat that crackle as you squeeze a stone baked ciabatta!”
... Read more...
Lavender and Lemon cakes in individual panibois are perfect for picnics - this cake has been iced with icing sugar with Blue and red colouring. A great get-ahead trick with this cake is to double the recipe and freeze some. It keeps in the freezer beautifully, ready for an impromptu picnic and if you leave the lavender out then it is a lemon drizzle cake – everyones favourite. You can make one single large cake from this recipe too, and ... Read more...
Joululimppu is a typical Finnish Christmas bread. Irresistibly moist from the buttermilk, this bread is dark and nutty from the rye flour, sweet from the treacle and fragrant from the toasted fennel and caraway seeds. It's not difficult to make and will fill your kitchen with the most delicious Nordic flavours as it bakes. This is one of those recipes when a Cloche is worth its weight in gold, not just because you get a beautiful even bake, but ... Read more...
White bread made from stoneground flour tastes great. Add a little rye flour to it and it tastes even greater. Use fermented dough to raise the bread and it is greater still. Now, add some dried apricots and it is the greatest.
This recipe comes from Panibois, the French manufacturers of the wooden baking moulds commonly seen in France in bakeries for displaying and selling breads and cakes. Often they are used as baskets for loose rolls and ... Read more...
Aidan Chapman of the Phoenix Bakery in Weymouth likes to do things properly and his annual two-week stint making 1000s of hot-cross buns is no exception. We chatted about them recently and he mentioned his frustration at not being able to get a really good non-chemical clove oil, the flavour that turns a fruit bun into a hot-cross bun (that, and the cross!). So, we decided to have some specially made containing nothing but clove essence suspended... Read more...
