Blog

STOLLEN TRAYBAKE

Makes 24 squares

175g. golden marzipan
125g. mixed dried fruit
275g. self raising flour
225g. soft unsalted butter
125g. caster sugar
100g. light brown sugar
zest of 1 orange, plus 1 tbsp. juice
75g. ground almonds
2 tsps. baking powder
seeds from 8 cardamom pods, ground
1 1/2 tsps. gd. mixed spice
1/2 tsp. gd. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
5 large eggs
30g. flaked almonds
icing sugar to dust

1. Chop the marzipan into small dice then spread out on a plate and put in the freezer to chill – this stops it melting in the oven when baked.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C, fan 160C, gas 4.  Grease a 20 x 30cm. traybake tin and line with baking parchment.
3. Toss the mixed fruit in 1 tbsp. of the flour and set it aside.  This helps to prevent the fruit sinking through the cake batter.
4. Place the remaining ingredients, except for the flakes and icing sugar, in a large bowl.  Beat for 2 – 3 minutes until combined.
5. Add the cold diced marzipan to the bowl of mixed dried fruit and toss to combine before folding it all into the cake mixture.  Spoon into the prepared tin, level it out and scatter with the flaked almonds.  
6. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until golden brown and springy to the touch.  Leave to cool completely in the tin.  Carefully remove, dust with icing sugar and cut into squares.  

CHEESE AND PARSNIP ROULADE

For the roulade:

40g. butter
25g. plain flour
275mls. cold milk
110g. Sage Derby cheese, grated or alternative cheese
49g. hazelnuts, chopped and toasted
1 tbsp. Parmesan cheese, grated
3 large eggs, separated
salt and pepper

For the stuffing:

225g. onions, chopped
40g. butter
3 level tsps. dried sage
1 tbsps. chopped fresh parsley
75g. white breadcrumbs
salt and pepper

For the filling:

350g. parsnips (prepared weight)
25g. butter
2 tbsps. double cream
freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper

You will need a Swiss roll tin 32 x 23 cm. lined with baking parchment

1. First make the stuffing by melting the butter in a pan, adding the onions and cooking them for about 6 minutes or until transparent.  Add the herbs, breadcrumbs and seasoning, stir well to combine then sprinkle evenly over the silicone lined tin.
2. Now for the roulade, place the butter, flour and milk in a saucepan and whisk together over a medium heat until thickened.  Season well and leave to cook over the gentlest possible heat for 3 minutes.  Draw the pan off the heat to cool slightly, add the egg yolks, whisking them really well in.  Add the grated Sage Derby, or alternative, and check seasoning.
3. In a large bowl and with a spanking clean whisk beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks.  Gently fold one spoonful into the mixture to loosen it then spoon a little at a time into cheese mixture.  Now spread the whole lot evenly over the stuffing mixture in the tin and bake on the top shelf for 20 – 25 minutes until it feels springy and firm in the centre.
4. Meanwhile cook the parsnips in a steamer for 10 – 15 minutes until they are soft, then cream them together with the butter, double cream and seasoning.  A food processor is easiest for this.  Keep them warm.  Lay a sheet of baking parchment (slightly larger than the roulade) on a work surface and sprinkle the hazelnuts all over.
5. Turn out the roulade on to the hazelnuts and carefully peel off the base paper.  Spread the creamed parsnip evenly over the sage and onion stuffing.  Roll up the roulade along the longest side, using the baking parchment to help you pull it into a round.  Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle with a dusting of grated Parmesan.

TIPS

With the traybake you can chop and freeze the marzipan the night before to save time if necessary.

The roulade recipe is an old one of Delia Smith’s, hence the Sage Derby.  You can still sometimes buy this but it is not easy to get hold of.  You could try the cheese man in the Saturday market.  I think Cheddar would be a quite acceptable alternative but you could always seek advice from someone who knows about cheese.

The first time you make a roulade is quite daunting but it usually works well, give it a go!!

CLOTHILDE’S BEEF WITH WINE, BAY AND THYME

Serves 4

Salt and pepper
1kg. / 2lbs. 4ozs. silverside or topside of beef
1tbsp. oil
2 onions, halved and cut into crescent moons
3 garlic cloves, chopped
150mls. dry white or red wine
4 carrots halved lengthways
2 large tomatoes, quartered
3 thyme sprigs
3 bay leaves
300mls. / 10fl. ozs. chicken or beef stock 

1. Preheat the oven to 140C / gas mark 1.  Season the beef and heat the oil in a large casserole.  Brown the joint all over.  Remove and put the onions in the pan and cook until golden.  Add the garlic for another couple of minutes, then add the wine and bring to the boil.  Return the beef to the casserole along with all the other vegetables and the herbs.
2. Pour the hot stock over.  Season well, cover and cook in the oven for 2½ hours.

TIPS

I cook this meal an awful lot and add other vegetables.  Yesterday it was leeks and parsnips as well as the carrots.  I serve it with mashed potato.  I also allow the meat to rest once it is cooked for a good 15 minutes.  I thicken the cooking juices by adding cornflour (do mix with cold water first) and bring to the boil.

The cookery writer had this dish in France where they serve it with either bread or a gratin of macaroni.  The macaroni was either moistened with juices from the pot roast or with cream, then topped with Parmesan or Gruyere cheese and baked or grilled.  I haven’t tried that version yet.

CHILLED BRAMLEY APPLE AND RICE PUDDING

Serves 6

150g. / 5 ½ ozs. short grain rice
700mls. / 1¼ pints full fat milk
30g. / 1¼ ozs. caster sugar
75ml. / 2 ½fl. ozs. double cream
grated nutmeg or cinnamon

For the apple:

3 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and sliced
100mls. 3½fl. ozs. cider
caster sugar to taste

For the syrup:

150g. / 5½ ozs. caster sugar
To serve:

The remainder of your carton of cream

1. Cover the rice with water in a saucepan and bring to the boil.  Boil for 4 minutes, drain and rinse.  Return the rice to the pan and add the milk and sugar.  Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and cook for about 25 minutes, stirring from time to time.  You may need more milk.  You should end up with a sloppy mixture that still holds its shape.  Remember it will firm up as it cools.  Leave until cold.
2. Put the apples in a pan with the cider and set over a medium heat.  Cover and cook until completely soft, stirring to break them down every so often.  Once cooked add sugar to taste.
3. To make the syrup put the sugar into a pan with 100mls. / 3½ fl.ozs. water.  Heat slowly until the sugar has dissolved.  Then bring to the boil and watch until the syrup turns to caramel.  Swish the pan a bit.  Once it becomes caramel, you will know by the smell and colour, immediately add about 8 tbsps. water and wish around.  Stir so the caramel dissolves in the water.
4. Layer the components up in glasses.  Start with some apple, then caramel, then rice pudding, then caramel.  Repeat.  Spoon whipped cream on top and drizzle with caramel.  Refrigerate until serving.

TIPS

Do watch when adding the water to the caramel as it will spit and is very hot!!  You need to watch caramel very carefully as you do not want it to burn.  Stand by the saucepan and don’t answer the ‘phone.

If making caramel is a step too far for you you could just have a thin layer of chopped nuts or crushed ginger biscuits, which would add a contrast colour wise. I think ginger biscuits would be rather nice in fact.