Nothing beats the flavour of homemade Christmas pudding, but it’s important to get good-quality fruit and it’s best made at least 1 month in advance.
I love plum pudding, hot or cold, with lashings of cream, but the spiked almond custard is even more special. I always look forward to it. A big thank you to Auntie Maureen for this recipe.
Ingredients
50g (2oz) plain flour
1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
225g (8oz) sultanas
175g (6oz) butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
175g (6oz) fresh white breadcrumbs
175g (6oz) light brown sugar
175g (6oz) raisins
50g (2oz) currants
50g (2oz) candied mixed peel
50g (2oz) blanched almonds, hopped
1/2 eating apple, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 small carrot, grated finely grated rind and juice of
1 lemon
2 eggs, lightly beaten
300ml (1/2 pint) stout
fresh redcurrant sprigs, to decorate (optional)
icing sugar, to decorate (optional)
spiked almond custard, to serve
Method
Sift together the flour, mixed spice, cloves and nutmeg. Add the sultanas, melted butter, breadcrumbs, sugar, raisins, currants, mixed peel, almonds, apple, carrot and the lemon rind and juice and mix until well combined. Gradually add the beaten eggs, stirring constantly, followed by the stout. Mix everything together thoroughly and cover with a clean tea towel, then leave in a cool place overnight.
Use the fruit mixture to fill 2 x 1.2 litre (2 pint) greased pudding bowls. Cover with a double thickness of greaseproof paper and tin foil, then tie tightly under the rim with string. Store in a cool, dry place overnight.
To cook, preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/gas mark 2).
Stand each pudding basin in a large cake tin three-quarters full of boiling water, then cook in the oven for 6–8 hours (or you can steam them for 6 hours in the usual way). Cool and re-cover with clean greaseproof paper. Again, store in a cool, dry place.
On Christmas Day, re-cover with greaseproof paper and foil. Steam for 2–3 hours, until completely cooked through and tender. Decorate with the redcurrant sprigs and a light dusting of icing sugar, if liked.
To serve, cut the plum pudding into slices and arrange on serving plates. Have a separate jug of the spiked almond custard so that everyone can help themselves.
This is a Japanese tear-and-share loaf of bread with the most wonderful pillowy soft texture. It’s inspired by the Yudane and Tangzhong method where a little bit of flour and water or milk (both in this case) are cooked together to make a white sauce before mixing in the remaining ingredients. This method pre-gelatinises the starch in the flour allowing it to absorb more liquid, giving you a super-light loaf that stays fresh for longer as it retains the moisture.
It also is divine with cinnamon, cardamom,dried fruit and/or candied peel added as a sweet treat.
Here’s the recipe 👇🏽 below in Comments in 2 parts! Happy baking 🧡
This bread can be made so easily using a Thermomix @thermomixukandireland too!Edited · 3h
rachelallencooksVerifiedThis quantity will make one 23 cm tear-and-share loaf.
50g water 50g milk 15g strong white flour
375g strong white flour 15g milk powder 25g caster sugar 1 teaspoon salt 115g milk 1 egg, beaten 25g fresh yeast or 12g dried yeast 50g butter, melted
Pour the water and the milk into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Add in the 15g of flour & cook, whisking all the time, over the heat for a couple of minutes until the liquid has thickened to a white sauce. Tip the white sauce into a bowl & cool. Place the 375g of strong white flour in a mixing bowl, or the bowl of an electric food mixer (with the dough hook attached) ) with the milk powder, the sugar & the salt, & mix. Now place the milk in a separate bowl & add in the beaten egg, the yeast,the melted butter & the white sauce. Stir then pour all of this liquid into the dry ingredients & mix to a dough. Knead for 8-10 minutes by hand or in the machine until you have a smooth and almost springy dough, don’t add flour while you’re kneading, the dough is supposed to be slightly sticky. When I’m using a stand mixer for this I scrape down the sides of the bowl a couple of times during kneading. When the dough has been kneaded enough it will be smooth on the outside. Press it with a floured finger and the dent that you make with your finger should spring back a little bit. Place the dough into a bowl that’s large enough to take the dough when doubled in size (or leave it in the stand mixer bowl) & cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or a plate. Place it somewhere warm, not above 45’C, or just standing on the counter in your kitchen and allow the dough to double in size, this may take 2 hours. If you wish you can place the covered bowl of dough in the fridge overnight. When the dough has doubled in size, using a floured fist, punch the dough down to knock it back then knead it for just 1 minute. Brush a 23cm spring-form tin with melted butter, then dust with flour. Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces, each weighing about 90g. Keep all dough covered with a clean tea towel while you work with one ball of dough. On a very lightly floured work surface, place one ball of dough.2 likesReply
rachelallencooksVerifiedOn a very lightly floured work surface, place one ball of dough. Fold the edges, all the way round, into the centre of the ball of dough, squashing it down in the centre as you go. Turn the ball over so that the folded side is on the underside and the smooth side is on top. Roll the ball gently under the palm of your hand to make a round roll then place into the prepared tin. Repeat with all the other balls of dough so that you end up with 7 around the sides, spaced apart, and one ball in the centre. Now cover with the tea towel again and place on the worktop or somewhere a little warmer, again not above 45’C , and allow to rise again until almost doubled in size, about 35-45 minutes. Preheat an oven to 200’C. The dough is ready when you make a little dent with a floured finger and it doesn’t spring back. Also, the balls of dough should have joined together at this stage. Whisk the egg with a pinch of salt and brush very gently over the top of the risen bread. Place the bread in the lower part of the preheated oven to bake for 30-40 minutes. The dough, out of the tin, should sound hollow when you tap it on the base. If you wish you can bake the bread out of the tin for the last 5 minutes of cooking time. Place on a wire rack to cool.2 likesReply
leanwithlesleyLooks delicious, reminds me of your ciabatta/tabata 😂❤️Reply
First time making my freestyle world bread recipe since assessment day @schoolofartisanfood!
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It’s my 100% sourdough version of ‘bairín breac’ or ‘barm brack’… Cranberries apricots and raisins soaked in spiced chai tea… a little bit of rye for flavour and topped with a spiced tea glaze 👌
Perfect with a cuppa ☕…See more
This dessert is really timeless – meringue and ice cream have been part of country house cuisine for hundreds of years and it would not have been out of place at the finest tables in Ireland at any time since ice houses were introduced in the 17th century
Serves Makes two small terrines, each serving four.
Ingredients
6 egg whites
150g (6 oz) caster sugar
150g (6 oz) icing sugar, sifted
Ice Cream
500ml (scant pint) milk
60g (2½ oz) granulated sugar
1 vanilla bean
6 egg yolks
60g (2½ oz) caster sugar
Gelatine – 2g leaf (1 level teasp.) granulated -soaked in a little cold water
Marinated Blackberries
450g (1 lb) blackberries
250g (9 oz) sugar
125ml (5 fl oz) water
To Cook
First make the meringues:
Preheat a very cool oven, Gas Mark ½, 125°C (250°F). Butter and flour a large baking sheet. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, add the caster sugar slowly, whisking until completely dissolved, then lightly fold in the icing sugar. Pipe the mixture into small circular shapes and bake in the low oven for about 1½ hours to dry out without colouring. Cool and store in an airtight container.
Next make ice cream:
Heat the milk with the granulated sugar and split vanilla pod (scrape seeds into the milk). When just boiling, remove from the heat, cover and leave 10 minutes to infuse. Meanwhile beat the egg yolks with the caster sugar until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture is creamy. Bring the milk infusion back to the boil, add to the yolk mixture, keep whisking and return to the rinsed saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking all the time, to thicken a little – be very careful not to overcook – then strain through a very fine sieve. Whisk softened gelatine into the mixture and allow to cool, whisking occasionally. When cold, churn the mixture in an ice cream maker until thick.
To marinate the blackberries:
Sort through the blackberries, removing any stems; wash and drain. Put sugar and water into a pan and heat to dissolve, then bring up to the boil. Allow to cool, then add the blackberries.
To assemble the terrine:
Line two small loaf tins, 18cm x 6.5cm (7″ x 2½”) with overlapping clingfilm. Break up the meringues and fill the bottom of each tin, add ice cream, then some of the marinated blackberries. Cover with another layer of ice cream, close with overlapping clingfilm and freeze.
Serving Suggestions
Liquidise the marinated blackberries and strain to make a sauce. Pour a little onto large dinner plates, slice the ice cream terrine and lay on top of the blackberry sauce.
Ensure oven is fully preheated to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6.
Next, put bun paper cases into bun tins.
Put the flour, sugar, butter/margarine, eggs and water into a bowl. Beat all the ingredients together with an electric mixer or wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth.
Put heaped teaspoons of the mixture into each bun case.
Place in the oven on the top shelf and bake for about 15 minutes until golden brown.
Cool on a wire tray. When cold, decorate as liked with your favourite toppings.
Brown scones are full of roughage and great for breakfast. And here is a good tip: you can make this mixture, shape the scones and freeze them. You can then cook the scones straight from the freezer to the oven – just give them an extra 5 minutes and make sure the scones are golden brown and well-risen.
Ingredients
Rapeseed or sunflower oil, for greasing
225g (8oz) self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
225g (8oz) coarse wholemeal flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
50g (2oz) wheat bran
25g (1oz) butter, diced and at room temperature
1 tsp light muscovado sugar
300ml (½ pint) buttermilk, plus a little extra if necessary
Method
Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F/gas mark 7). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and grease the paper with a little oil.
Sift the flours, baking soda and salt into a bowl. Tip in the bran left in the sieve and stir it in with the wheat bran. Rub in the butter with your fingertips until it is evenly dispersed. Stir in the sugar.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the buttermilk and golden syrup. Using a large spoon, mix gently and quickly until you have achieved a smooth, not-too-sticky dough. Add a little more buttermilk if necessary, until the dough binds together without being sloppy.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 2.5cm (1in) thickness and cut into rounds with a 6cm (2½in) plain cutter. Arrange on the lined baking sheets and bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown and well-risen.
Serve with butter or lightly whipped cream and strawberry jam.
A quick and easy no-bake strawberry cheesecake. Made with cream cheese, cream and Keelings strawberries… it will soon be a family favourite!DifficultyBeginner
Fruit TypeStrawberriesPrep Time20 minsCook Time20 minsTotal Time40 mins
Ingredients
For the base
250 g digestive biscuits
100 g buttermelted
For the filling
10 Keeling’s strawberriessliced
250 g Keeling’s strawberrieshulled
100 g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
600 g full fat cream cheese
275 ml double cream
To decorate
Keeling’s strawberriessliced
Directions
1
Line the bottom of a 20cm (8 inch) round springform cake tin with parchment paper.
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2
For the base, blend the digestive biscuits in a food processor until ground to fine crumbs.
3
Pour crumbs into a bowl and add the melted butter. Mix together until all the crumbs are coated.
4
Spoon mixture into prepared tin and press down firmly until evenly spread. Chill in the fridge to set, about 20 minutes.
5
For the filling, arrange a ring of about 10 sliced Keelings strawberries around the edge of the baking tin.
6
Combine 250g Keelings strawberries, icing sugar and vanilla in a food processor, blend to a smooth puree. Add the cream cheese and blend until smooth, then add the double cream and blend until mixture thickens – the batter should be thick enough that it can’t be poured out (about 2-3 minutes).
7
Spoon batter over prepared base and smooth the top with a spatula. Leave to chill and set in the fridge overnight.
8
To un-mould, run a sharp knife around the sides of the cheesecake then unclip and remove the outer ring of the cake tin. Gently work a spatula underneath the base and then slide the cheesecake onto a serving plate.
9
Decorate with slices of fresh Keelings strawberries.
Foodaware 