The Expresso Crème Caramels combine creamy sweetness with a touch of bitterness from perfectly cooked caramel. This dish tests cooking skills while allowing for stress-free preparation ahead of time. Key ingredients include espresso, sugar, milk, cream, and eggs, with careful steps needed for making caramel and custard to achieve a delightful dessert.
These Garlic and Za’atar Knots are a tear and come again treat. Perfect for a get together and irresistible after the first bite. When you think of feta cheese, a Greek salad of filo pastry pie might come to mind. But I bet you didn’t think it could become a dip!
Make a Christmas Stollen this year and forgo the heavy Christmas cake!
Most countries that celebrate Christmas have a tradition cake enjoyed while celebrating the festival. The French have the Bûche de Noël. The Italians, enjoy Panettone, while the Polish have Makowiec, a rolled poppy seed cake glazed with icing sugar.
The Stollen, is a German fruit bread made with yeast, and contains dried fruits, candied citrus peel, nuts and spices. Traditionary marzipan is folded into the dough before baking. If that’s not to your taste, it can easily be left out of the recipe.
The classic shape of a lopsided pyramid is created by carful rolling out. I’ll show you how to do this step by step. Don’t be put off the list of ingredients, it’s not as difficult as it looks.
The night before baking, take a small bowl and add the mixed peel and raisins. Pour the warm water and rum over the fruit and mix well. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave to stand overnight.
As this is quite a rich dough, so we are going to make a ferment. This is simply a yeast batter that lets the yeast begin to work before been exposed to high volumes of fat or sugar.
Sieve the flour into the mixing bowl, then take about 100g of the flour and put it to one side.
Make a well in the centre of the flour then crumble the fresh yeast if using into the well and pour in the milk or pour in the dried yeast / milk mix. Stir lightly to dissolve the yeast then mix in a little flour but not the full amount. This will form a thin batter that will allow the yeast to get a foothold in the mixture. Cover the bowl and leave for about 10 to 15 mins so the mix begins to froth.
In a second bowl beat the egg with the sugar, salt, vanilla, lemon zest and spices then add to the flour mix and mix well to form a dough. Cover the bowl again and leave to rise in a draught free place for half an hour.
Once the dough has relaxed and the yeast is working, it’s time to add the butter.
Take the butter and work in the remainder of the reserved flour to thicken the butter a little. This will make it easier to work the butter into the prepared dough. Knead the mix into the dough without overworking it, then fold in the soaked fruits and almonds.
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise until doubled in size. While the dough is rising make ready some melted butter to coat the Stollen.
When the dough is well risen, tip it out onto the work surface knock it back lightly. Then form the dough into a ball and place to one side. Take the marzipan and roll it out into a rectangle 25cm long and about 5mm thick.
Put the mazipan to one side and bring the ball of dough back into the table and dust with a little flour. Using your hands for the dough into a shape 28cm long, then take a rolling pin and press down the centre of the shape. Roll the pin back and forth to roll out the dough aiming for the centre of the dough to be roughly 6mm thick and the top and bottom of the shape to be about 4cm in thickness. Think of it like looking at a pair of lips on the worksurface.
Brush the centre section (the thinnest part) of the dough with melted butter, then lay the rolled sheet of marzipan on top. Take the edge of the dough nearest to you and fold it away from you over the marzipan. Now lift the top edge of the dough towards you enveloping the first fold. It should not quite fold all the way over as this will create the classic shape.
Lift the folded Stollen onto a lined baking tray. I would advise using a baking mat or layering up a few sheets of baking paper on the tray. As I found out, the rich dough will overbake on the bottom if it’s not protected. Lightly drape a piece of clingfilm over the Stollen and leave to prove until double in size.
Bake at 200˚c (180˚c fan oven) for 35 minutes, then turn the oven down to 180˚c (165˚c fan oven) for a further 10 to 15 minutes.
When ready, remove and brush the surface of the Stollen with melted butter, then dust liberally with icing sugar. You may find it necessary to dust more icing sugar over the Stollen as it cools.
When it has cooled completely, transfer the stollen to an air-tight tin. Try to leave the Stollen a day or two before eating.
Yes, it will be fine. The fast action (bread maker) yeast is a little quicker, but as we are making a ferment any type of yeast will work. The main difference between the two is that while fast action yeast can be added directly into flour. Dried yeast needs to be reconstituted in liquid before use.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
Join The ‘Westcoaster Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at ‘The Westcoaster.’
© Copywrite, John Webber. 2024
Serve these Christmas Pudding Souffles to you guests and you will instantaneously be seen as a culinary genius. People are always impressed by a served a souffle, in fact they are a lot easier than people imagine.
Harissa Paste is a condiment originating from Tunisia and one of those flavours that once tasted, you become hooked on. If you like spicy, rich flavours, then this is a must-have ingredient in your kitchen.
Baking Simple Scones at home is easy and very rewarding. Homemade scones are always a winner whatever time of year, but particularly pleasing enjoyed in front of the fire when the weather is disappointing.
Every part of Britain has a different opinion on how a scone should be made. None are wrong, it’s just a matter of preference. Personally, I take the view that the topping decides the type of scone to be used. Indulgently rich toppings like clotted cream need a simple neutral scone with a touch of sharpness. If all you’re going to put on top or your scone is a lick of butter, then a richer scone base possibly with added fruit is ideal.
Scones are thought to have originated in Scotland in the 1500s. And today there are still various type of scones in common use.
Girdle Scones are cooked on a flat plate or stone over the fire and were the forerunner of the modern scone. They were a type of quick bread usually made with oats would have been more savoury than the modern version. Bannock is the term for a round flat unleavened bread similar to a girdle scone. Most people today are more familiar with a Selkirk Bannock. Which is a buttery mix closer to a fruitcake than a scone.
Tattie Scones are a flat scone again cooked on the girdle and are used for breakfast. Made using cooked potato, flour butter and egg. They are reheated in the pan used to cook the bacon, so they absorb all the flavour. I can feel my arteries closing as I write this!
Other parts of Britain quickly developed their own variations and recipes. A notable version from Wales been the Welshcake. They are excellent, look up our post on how to make Welshcakes and give them a try.
To get light well risen scones we need to make a moist dough that has not allowed the gluten to develop. Part of the rise in the dough is due to steam generated in the dough. But the main ‘kick’ is due to the baking powder in the recipe producing gasses that force the dough to rise.
This could be due to any, or all of the following.
Just like making good short pastry the butter need to be rubbed into the flour. There should not be lumps of butter visible in the flour. But neither should the butter be fully incorporated with the flour. Using your hands to rub in the butter can cause it to melt into the flour and make the dough biscuit like. I always use a machine or a pastry knife to rub butter, or any fat into flour to avoid problems.
You must use plain (soft) flour with added raising agents known as Self Raising Flour. Chefs will sometimes use ordinary plain flour and add the raising agents themselves. For home use it’s much easier to just to use off the shelf self-raising flour. Look up A Guide to Flour and Uses for more info.
By all means use a mixer or food processor to do the rubbing in if you wish. But I would always mix and form the dough by hand. The more the dough is worked and the longer you take the tougher it will become. If the dough is tough and stressed its impossible for the gasses to lift the dough and lighten the scone.
I always prefer to pat out the dough with my hands rather than use a rolling pin to keep things as light as possible
A dry dough finds it difficult to rise. Like an overworked dough the gasses cannot do their job and of course there is less steam to help things out. Some types and brands of flour will absorb different amounts of liquid. You egg may be larger or smaller than needed and if using yoghurt its thickness will have a marked effect on the amount used. Add a little more liquid if you think the dough needs it. Aim for a dough that is sticky but not gooey and don’t use too much flour to pat it out.
Always use a clean cutter dipped in flour to cut out the dough. Check the cutter after each cut and clean if needed then dip in flour before use. Using a dirty cutter will weld the sides of the scone together and prevent the dough rising. Don’t pick the cut scones up with your fingers. Lift each one onto the baking tray with a pallet knife or fish slice.
Well, that’s the problems out of the way, so let’s get on with it.
Sift the flour with the baking powder into a large bowl then mix in the flour and sugar. Rub the diced butter into the dry mix, avoiding leaving any chucks of butter but keeping the mix as light as possible. A food processor makes an excellent job of this and is easier on the fingers. Make a well in the mix and put aside.
Pour 90% of the wet mix into the centre of the flour / butter mix and begin the mix with a spatula lifting the dry into the wet turning the bowl as you go. From now on the success of our scones will depend on how much care is put into the mixing and cutting, we need to work quickly but lightly.
Just before all the dry mix is worked in turn the contents out onto the work surface. Don’t be tempted to throw down lots of flour before tipping out as this will simply dry out our mixture. Carefully bring the mix together, if too dry add a little more of the egg mixture. The aim is to have a dough that feels slightly too wet but does not stick to everything it touches. Don’t worry if you have a little of the dry mix still on the work surface, better not to overwork the dough for the sake of a few grams of dough.
Using your hands pat the dough out to 2.5cm thick. Dip the pastry cutter into some flour then cut out the first scone. Carefully lift the scone with a pallet knife and lower onto the baking sheet lined with baking paper.
Avoid touching the sides of the scone as this may hold that side of the scone back from rising in the oven. Cut out more scones ensuring the cutter is clean each time and dipped in the flour before each cut. Keep at least 2cm between each scone on the tray. When all the dough is cut take the off cuts and carefully bring together (do this as lightly as possible). Pat out and repeat the cutting procedure. Take the off cuts once more and bring together, pat out and pop the offcut onto a spare space on the tray. That’s your bonus for all your hard work.
Many a chef’s tea break has been lifted by some welcome leftovers!!!!
The urge now is to get the scones into the oven as quickly as possible – Don’t.
The raising agents in the flour need a little time to work and form gasses in the dough.
Popping the scones directly into the oven will set the outside and hold back the rising of the dough. Leave the scones to sit for 10 minutes on the baking tray. In fact, my advice is not to turn on the oven until you have the scones sitting on the baking tray. This will force you to give the scones time to rise. The images below are the same scones before and after resting.
Light brush the surface of the scones with a little milk, (I find egg gives too dark a finish). Bake then leave to rest on a cooling wire before serving.
Weigh the plain yoghurt into a bowl. Take a second smaller bowl and place onto the scales. Zero the scale then break the eggs into the bowl and add the yoghurt. Take the milk and make the total weight up to 300g.
Exactly how much of the wet mix you need will depends on a number of factors. The flour you are using, moisture content of the butter and thickness of the yoghurt.
Bake @ 200c for 18 mins (standard oven) or 185c for about 15 minutes (fan oven)
These are a lighter scone with no butter in the basic dough. That lack of fat in the scone makes it a little crisper, just dying to be lathered with jam and clotted cream!
Mix all the dry ingredients together, then bring the dough together with the buttermilk. Don’t throw it all in at once. Add 90% and start mixing, exactly how much you need will depend on the thickness of the buttermilk.
These are slightly richer scones. Sieve the flour and baking powder together, then add the sugar and salt.
Rub in the butter as you were making pastry. Then whisk the milk and yoghurt together and add to the bowl. Bring the dough together and cut out. Bake for 13 minutes at 190c.
The success of these scones depends on using good strong cheddar. Don’t use the plastic stuff, find a good crumbly extra mature cheese.
Mix the flour, baking powder, pepper, and salt together, then rub in the butter as outlined above. Crack the egg into a jug then add the milk, and mustard. Whisk everything together and put to one side.
Fold the two cheeses into the flour, then add the liquid, keeping a little back until you are sure you need it. Create a soft but not stick dough and form the scones.
Any remaining liquid can be used to glaze the scones, then sprinkle then with some extra cheese.
Yes. You can make the sones in advance and freeze them. Make up the scones as outlined above and leave them to rest. Then place the baking tray into the freezer. Once frozen the scones can be stored in a plastic container. Put a layer of baking paper between each layer to stop them sticking together.
To serve simply take them out of the freezer and allow them to defrost before baking. They may need and extra couple of minutes in the oven if they are still very cold. Your guest will think the baking fairies have visited!
Now all you have to do, is get baking!
Enjoy Life!
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
If you enjoyed your visit with us, please subscribe up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at The Westcoaster. Subscribe Here
© Copywrite, John Webber. 2024
These are The 12 Best Seasonings you need to get sensational results in the kitchen. They should be in everybody’s kitchen at home, and in fact, I would go so far as to say I feel culinary naked without these. Some of these you will …
Making Sweet Pickled Cucumber is a great way of using up excess cucumber and giving a rather bland food an enticing lift.
These French Apple Tarts are a real celebration of apples. When discussing fruit tarts, the British focus is as much on the pastry as the filling. The French aspect is all on the filling with the pastry been a necessary adjunct. That’s not to say that the pastry can be of poor quality, but its there to showcase the main product.
For these tarts we are using two distinct types of apples. Bramley apple for full on flavour, backed up with a dash of good cider. Green apples, Granny Smiths of French Golden delicious provide texture and a hint of freshness to the tarts. These tarts can be made the night before and stored in the fridge. The trick is to glaze and seal the apple with melted butter and lemon to stop the apple discolouring.
The first job is to make the apple puree. This needs to be cold before use so its an ideal job to do the night before you intend to make the tarts.
Peel and core the apples then cut into thin slices. Put the slices into a shallow pan with the butter then place the pan over a low to medium heat. Sprinkle the apples with the sugar, cider, and lemon juice, then pop on a lid.
Cook slowly, removing the lid and stirring from time to time. Once the apples have softened and become a puree remove the lid and cook for a further three or four minutes to dry the puree a little. Have a taste and add a dash of sugar if you think the puree needs it, but don’t let it become too sweet Scrape the puree into a clean bowl and let cool completely.
Find yourself a small plate approximately 12cm in diameter. Next cut some squares of baking paper just a little larger than the size of the plates.
Open the puff pastry and carefully unroll onto a chopping board. Place the plate onto one edge, then using the point of small knife cut around the plate for form a disk of pastry. Use a fish slice to lift the disc into a square of baking paper, then place a second square on top. Its important not to crush the edge of the pastry, or the cooked tart will rise unevenly.
Repeat this process, laying each disk on top of the first with a sheet of paper in between. Lift the stack onto the plate then refrigerate for ½- 1 hour.
Before you start, melt the 30g of butter in a small dish and work in 2tsps of lemon juice, keep that handy to glaze the finished tarts.
Cut a granny Smiths apple in half from the stem downwards, then cut out the core. Then take a slice off one side and starting at the side you have just cut slice the apple into 2mm thin slices. You can do this with a knife or use a vegetable mandolin as you wish. Only cut one or two apples at a time, or they will discolour before you can use them.
Take a disk of pastry, keeping the paper base in place and set in onto the chopping board. Set a mound of apple puree into the centre of the disk.
Lay a slice of apple on the pastry, sitting with one end on the puree and the other end about 6mm in from the edge of the pastry. Add a second slice, overlapping the first by approximately a third and keeping in from the edge. When you have completed the circle, tuck the last slice under the first take a small knife and gently score a grove into the pastry around the circle of apples. This will allow the pastry to rise up around the apples and form a rim. Brush the tart all over with the melted butter / lemon mix. Then transfer the tart onto a tray, and place in the fridge while you work on the next one.
To make the cider syrup simply pour the cider into a small pan and add the caster sugar. Bring the pan to the simmer and simmer gently until most of the cider has evaporated and you have a thick, but still runny syrup. Watch out as the syrup will thicken as it cools, a dash of hot water will thin it slightly if needed.
If you are going to cook the tarts at once straight away sprinkle heavily with icing sugar and place in a hot oven 180° for 35 minutes, then remove and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar or until the pastry is crisp and golden brown and nice the apples have a nice colour. Whilst the tarts are cooking, put the mascarpone in a bowl and beat through the vanilla seeds.
Place the cooked tarts onto a serving plate and place a good scoop of vanilla ice cream, topped with chopped pistachios. Finish the place with a thread of cider syrup around the tart and a sprinkling of icing sugar laced with a pinch of ground cinnamon.
I have kept the finished tarts in the fridge for a couple of days without problem. The butter and lemon juice glaze on the apples prevents them from discolouring. You can also freeze the finished raw tarts, and even bake them directly from frozen. You need to be sure they are covered and don’t get damaged in the freezer though. If cooking from frozen allow about an extra 10 minutes cooking.
Enjoy Life!
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
Join The ‘Westcoaster Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at ‘The Westcoaster.’
© Copywrite, John Webber. 2024
How to make – Cheats Chocolate Fondant. The classic restaurant chocolate fondant is a challenge for the pastry chef needing dexterity and exact timing to be served to perfection.
This version is much easier to make and is far more forgiving in cooking and serving as it is made in advance.
How To Be A Shortbread Expert. There are thousands of recipes for shortbread, and an equal number of opinions as to the ingredients, methods, and baking. I suppose really you could think of shortbread as posh pastry, uplifted to celebrity status.
Vanilla Panna Cotta must be one of the easiest desserts to make, but perhaps harder to get exactly right. Success depends on using the best ingredients and taking care to blend them perfectly. Read on to learn just how to do that.
This is a great summer dessert, and the garden is beginning to bear fruit. So, I’ve decided to marry the flavours of our strawberries from the polytunnel with the fresh thyme which is blooming with flowers at the moment.
But don’t worry if you don’t have your own strawberries, a quick trip to the pick your own will do nicely. Shop bought thyme will be fine but do use fresh and not the dried variety.
We are using leaf gelatine which is a better-quality product that the powdered type found in supermarkets, and I think easier to work with. One thing to watch out for, the leaf gelatine found in supermarkets is often cut down into small sections. The full leaf is much larger, and as recipes count the leaves, this can be a disaster. I buy my gelatine online and if you look around you will find that is offered in three types.
Bronze gelatine, this is the lowest quality and can sometimes have a bit of an aftertaste.
Silver gelatine, this is the type I use. It’s an economic and reliable option.
Gold gelatine, the best and purest form of gelatine, used by top restaurants, great if you can afford it.
It should be noted that gelatine is made from meat products, often pork. This of course is not suitable for everybody. If meat products are out of the question, you can use Agar Agar. This is a seaweed-based thickener Ideal for vegetarians.
The gelatine I am using is beef based and also a halal product so ticks several boxes and works perfectly. If you need a product like this Amazon is a good place to look.
Making the Panna Cotta and the syrup can all be done the day before. Leaving the only things to be done on the day, been adding the strawberries, and serving the panna cotta
Measure out the gelatine then place it into a bowl of very cold water to soak and soften.
Pour the double cream into one of the 1lt bowls and put to one side.
Take the vanilla pod and using a small knife split the pod open longways. Flip the knife over and using the back gently scrape out the seeds. Put both the shell of the pod and the seeds into a small pan then pour the milk over the top.
Bring the milk to the simmer then add the sugar giving the pan a stir to make sure its dissolved.
Lift the gelatine from the bowl of water and give it a light squeeze to remove and water clinging to it. Add the gelatine to the pan and stir again, it should melt instantaneously.
Remove the pan from the heat, then strain the contents of the pan into the double cream, mixing well to combine them together. Make sure you have captured any vanilla seeds lurking in the bottom pan. Cover the bowl containing the Panna Cotta and put the pan to be washed.
I am serving this dinner party style using moulds. But if this is too much messing about for you there is nothing wrong in setting the panna cotta in small dishes. The fruits and syrup can then be served on top. Its quicker and tastes just as good.
Take the moulds you are using, I use IKEA tea lights, or Dariole moulds, but almost anything will do. Using you finger run just a little vegetable oil in and around the inside of the mould. This will make the unmoulding a little quicker. Make sure the oil you are using is a tasteless variety. Turn the moulds over onto a sheet of kitchen paper to let any excess oil drain away.
The Panna Cotta must now be chilled until it begins to thicken before we pour it into the moulds. This is because if we simply let the thin mixture set in the moulds. All the vanilla seeds will all fall to the bottom of the mould spoiling the texture of the dish.
Set the bowl of Panna Cotta into a large bowl filled with cold water. Adding some ice or an ice pack will help speed up the process. Keep an eye on the Panna Cotta, giving it a stir from time to time. As soon as the mix begins to set and coats the back of the spoon, its time to fill the moulds and set them into the fridge to fully set.
While the Panna Cotta is setting in the fridge give the pan you used a good wash out then pour in the water and sugar. Using a vegetable peeler remove two strips of lemon zest then squeeze in the juice. Don’t worry about the pips, we will strain the syrup later.
Bring the pan to the simmer, and let it cook for 30 seconds before removing from the heat. Now take the thyme and give the syrup a stir with the herb. Have a taste and if you want more thyme flavour give it another dunking, they taste again.
This is a wonderful way of adding the flavour of herbs to a sauce but remaining in control of the result. Just adding the herb and leaving it in the liquid will produce strong flavours which can overpower a dish.
When you are happy with the flavour strain the syrup into a bowl, cover and leave to cool completely.
When you are ready to serve the dessert, wash, hull and half the strawberries. Add the fruit to the syrup with a pinch of thyme leaves. Toss the strawberries in the syrup then leave to stand for ten minutes. The sugar syrup will draw some of the juices from the fruit and the syrup will become a delicate red tone.
To unmould the Panna Cotta, hold the mould on its side and using the tip of a small knife, release the panna cotta from the edge of the mould. You should see the contents fall away letting air into the mould. Hold the mould in one hand, and the plate in the other. Steadily bring the two together and the Panna Cotta will fall onto the plate. If it’s a little off centre, tilting the plate will let the Panna Cotta gently slide to centre it.
Don’t panic as you see the dessert droop and wobble on the plate. That’s exactly what we want. A good Panna Cotta should be light and delicate. If it stands tall and proud, you have used too much gelatine.
Arrange the strawberries around the mousse then pour the syrup over the fruit and you’re ready to serve.
Yes, you are right. Originally this was made with all cream, usually of a light whipping consistency. By using double cream then diluting it with milk we ger a better infusion in the tinner liquid. Also, as we have not heated the whole thing, cooling and setting is much quicker.
Enjoy Life!
John.
Hi, my name is John Webber, award winning chef and tutor, now retired to the west coast of Scotland. Welcome to our blog focusing on food, cooking, and countryside. My aim is to pass on my years of skills and knowledge together with an appreciation of the countryside.
Join us to experience the beauty of the west coast, cook some great food and be at ease in the kitchen.
Join The ‘Westcoaster Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter to receive regular updates of what’s new and upcoming at ‘The Westcoaster.’
© Copywrite, John Webber. 2024
Baba Ganoush is easy to make at home and so much nicer then the bought in versions. Serve it as a snack or as part of a mezze spread with warmed Pita breads. Why not go the whole hog and try our recipe to make your own flatbreads and impress your guests even more.
How to make Hummus. It’s easy to make this classic middle eastern snack, better and fresher than the bought version. Its smooth healthy, and full of flavour. And once you have mastered the process there is a wealth of other flavours you can add to the basic mix.