December Recipes

STOLLEN TRAYBAKE

stollen traybakeMakes 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!!