A Feast of Blackberries - The Great British Blackberry Recipe Round Up

A huge thank you to all the lovely cooks, bakers and bloggers who joined The Great British Blackberry Recipe Round Up.  There are so many delicious recipes and they are really varied, everything from Spiced Blackberry Pulled Pork to Blackberry Lollipops and of course cakes, desserts and preserves.  Don't take my word for it, here they all are below:


1. Blackberry Frozen Yogurt and Granola Breakfast Pops - Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary
2. Blackberry and Clotted Cream Ripple - Sudden Lunch
3. Blackberry and Apple Swirl Buns - Mint Custard
4. Blackberry Gin - Mint Custard


5. Blackberry Pear Crisp - A Palatable Pastime
6.Wild Blackberry Jam - I'd much rather bake than
7. Bramble Blackwells - Foodie Quine
8. Spiced Blackberry Jam - Farmersgirl Kitchen


9. Peach and Blackberry Galette with Lavender and Thyme Honey - A Girl and her Home
10. Blackberry and Oat Muffins - Rough Measures
11. Blackberry and Lemon Bake - Food Jam


12. Blackforest Chocolate Brownies - Sew White
13. Summer Burst Berry Cake - Belleau Kitchen
14. Simple Seasonal Blackberry Cake - Lancashire Food


15. Autumnal Blackberry and Lavender Cobbler - Lancashire Food
16. Blackberries and Rose Geranium Crumble - Lancashire Food
17. Bramble and Vanilla Cordial - Farmersgirl Kitchen
18. Baked Nectarines and Blackberry Surprise - The Peachicks Bakery


19. Summer Fruit Traybake - Sew White
20. Blackberry and Hazelnut Polenta Cake - Mainly Baking
21. Blackberry Lollipops - The Hedgecombers


22. Apple and Blackberry Chia Seed Preserve - Nutricious Deliciousness
23. Blackberry and Apple Pie - Chez Maximka
24. Spiced Blackberry Pulled Pork - De Tout Coeur Limousin


25. Double Blackberry Chocolate Gallette - Tin and Thyme
26. Blackberry, Garlic and Bay - De Tout Coeur Limousin
27. Blackberry and Apple Geranium Swirl -Lancashire Food
28. Self-Saucing Blackberry and Apple Pudding - Tales from the Kitchen Shed


29. Blackberry and Apple Cupcakes - Tin and Thyme
30. Blackberry, Lemon and White Chocolate Scones - Baking Queen 74
31.Blackberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake Cups - The Veg Space
32. Blackberry and Hazelnut Flapjacks - Chardonnay and Samphire


33. Blackberry and Apple Cake - Eco-Gites of Lenault
34. Blackberry Fairy Cake Buns (Muffins) - Lavender and Lovage
35. Blackberry, Elderberry and Damson Jelly - JibberJabber UK
I hope this inspires you to make some of these recipes, do let me know if you do.

Labels: Blackberry, Bramble, brownies, cake, cupcakes, dessert, flapjacks, gallette, ice cream, jam, Muffins, Pie, Pulled Pork, Scones, The Great British Blackberry Recipe Round-Up, vinegar

posted by Janice @ 19:26 15 Comments

Creamy Butterscotch Pudding from Vanilla Table

Do you remember Butterscotch Angel Delight?  Well this is nothing like that, it is rich, creamy and sweetly caramel flavoured, a really indulgent treat.  It comes from a beautiful book called Vanilla Table: The essence of exquisite cooking from the world's best chefs.


Vanilla Table is curated by Natasha MacAller who has a passion for Vanilla and hopes to inspire home cooks, students and chefs to try this exotic but familiar ingredient in a wide range of dishes.  It includes recipes from Natasha and 33 other chefs from around the world including David Lebovitz, Anton Mosimann, Yotam Ottolenghi and Peggy Porchen.

About the Author: NATASHA MACALLER is known worldwide as the “Dancing Chef”. A former professional ballerina, after thirty years of performing with companies such as New York’s Joffrey Ballet, the Boston Ballet and on the stages of Broadway, she decided to move on to what she considered another performing art: cookery. She used her seasonal layoffs from ballet to become a professional cook and eventually set up her own catering business, Dancing Chef Catering, which served TV, theatre, film and food industry folks. In 1996, after graduating number one in her class from The Colorado Culinary Institute, Natasha went from strength to strength, and she now holds her own culinary classes and has become an international chef consultant.

About the Photographer: MANJA WACHSMUTH is a Danish photographer who, while currently residing in New Zealand, comes out of the Scandinavian photographic tradition. Specialising in food photography, she has her own boutique photographic studio and works with some of New Zealand’s favourite magazines and chefs, as well as with clients in Denmark, UK and Australia.


Here are some of the recipes that caught my eye:

Starters: Shaved Fennel and KeriKeri Orange Salad, Caramelised Orange Salad, Pate au Poulet with Tipsy Cherries and Heirloom Tomato Bisque.

Main Plates: Slow Roasted Oxtail Pot Pies, Vanilla Lacquer Duck Leg, Seared Scallops with Vanilla Parsnip Puree, Chicken Stroganoff with Chanterelles and Vanilla.

Blue Plates* and Brunch Plates: Coronation Chicken on Squashy Poppyseed Buns, Crunchy Cornflake Fried Chicken and Apricot, Almond and Vanilla Clafoutis.

*Blue plates are a US invention, literally a plate made up of three compartments - one each for main, side and dessert. 

Sharing Plates:  Island Crab cakes with vanilla-grapefruit remoulade,  The Tonga Trifle, Devilish Eggs with vanilla candied bacon and Saturn Peach, Onion and Blue Cheese Pie.

Dessert Plates: Vanilla Spiced Pineapple Roast, Quince Tarte Tatin, Raspberry Meringue Martinis, Creamy Butterscotch Pudding with Tash's English Toffee and The Anna Pavlova.

Cake Plates: Pure Vanilla Layer Cake, Caramelised Pineapple Carrot Cake, Two-Tone Chocolate Malt Cake and Bittersweet Chocolate Torte.

The Cookie Plate: Chocolate Sticky Bits, Espresso Brownie Bites, Gold Ingots, Cranberry Tweed Cardigans and Black Pepper Chai Truffles.

Bevvies and Bar Snacks: Toasty Coconut Chips and Nuts, Vanilla Passion Martini, Pink Ginger Zinger, Carrot Vanilla Gougeres.

Vanilla Pantry: Vanilla Sugar, Vanilla Salt Flakes, Vanilla Extract, Vanilla Aioli, Raspberry Vanilla Vinegar and Scooter Pastry Cases/Pie Shells.

Vanilla Plate concludes with Notes, Weights and Measures, All Sorts of Sources and biographies of the Contributing Chefs.

Who is this for?
This is not a beginners book, it is a book for confident cooks who would like to produce restaurant style dishes.

Pros:  Each recipe is well laid out with a paragraph about the story behind the recipe, a table showing the ingredients and clear instructions.  The photographs by Manja Wachsmuth are outstanding and help you understand how the dish should look as well as tempting your taste buds.

Cons:  Some of the recipes are quite complex or include ingredients that are difficult to source although the majority seem fairly straightforward.


I chose to make the Creamy Butterscotch Pudding which is essentially a caramel custard made with dark brown sugar, cream  and butter.  I am not entirely sure why the egg yolks were added when the pudding also contains cornflour to thicken it, they seemed a little surplus to requirements to me.  Whether you add the eggs or not, it is a gorgeous dessert and would be perfect for a dinner party or other event as you can make it beforehand and keep it in the fridge until required.  The taste is well worth the many pots and bowls that it requires to make it.

Creamy Butterscotch Pudding
6 servings

475 ml whipping cream
225 g unsalted butter, softened
45 g cornflour/cornstarch
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
480 ml milk
3 egg yolks, lightly beaten
15 ml pure vanilla extract
1 tsp rum (optional)
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1. In a small saucepan, heat 300 ml cream until warm (or microwave in a small jug until warmed). Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Combine butter and brown sugar in a medium stainless steel saucepan over low heat.  Simmer 2 minutes, stirring with a spatula until bubbly. Add warmed cream and stir until smooth.
3. Combine cornflour and salt in a small bowl.  Slowly whisk in 1/4 of the cold milk until cornflour dissolves.  Add this mixture to the pan with remaining milk.  Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning.  Stir about 2 minutes until you see steam rise from the surface and the pudding thickens.  Slowly stream in egg yolks, whisking constantly.

4. Switch to spatula and continue to gently stir until bubbles form on top of pudding.
5. Remove from heat and stir in 2 1/2 tsp vanilla, rum (if using) and the vinegar.  Quickly strain into a jug , to make pouring easier, and then immediately pour into 6 individual serving dishes or glasses.
6. Tightly cover each one with a piece of cling-film to keep a skin from forming.  Chill 3 hours or until softly set.  Can be made a day in advance.

To serve whip remaining cream with 1/2 tsp vanilla until soft peaks form.  Place a dollop of the whipped cream on top of each pudding.  Garnish with a toffee shard.


As you can see I didn't serve mine with whipped cream but topped with thin slices of banana and finely grated chocolate.  Banana and butterscotch is a great combination and gave a different texture.


Vanilla Table by Natasha MacAller
Published by Jacqui Small in March 2015
RRP £25

I have one copy of Vanilla Table to giveaway, follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter to enter (UK/EU only) GOOD LUCK!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Labels: Butterscotch, Cook book review, creamy, custard, dessert, pudding, Vanilla, Vanilla Table

posted by Janice @ 06:30 22 Comments

Cloutie Dumpling in the Slow Cooker (nae clout)

My Granny (Dad's Mum) was not a very adventurous cook.  She made an amazing peppermint slice, mince and tatties and broth,  but her 'signature dish' was her Cloutie Dumpling.  A Cloutie Dumpling is a sweetened fruit pudding, boiled in a cloth (clout), the cloth is floured giving the pudding a 'skin'.  My Granny made a Dumpling at Christmas and for my Dad's birthday and we ate it as dessert with custard.  She would always send us home with half the dumpling and Dad would fry it in butter and dredge it with caster sugar, that was my favourite way to eat it.  I know a lot of people also serve it with a full Scottish breakfast.

My Mum, who is an excellent cook and baker,  tried to replicate Granny's Dumpling but she never could get it to taste the same.  Granny would mix the Dumpling in her washing up bowl, sterilised with boiling water, she didn't weigh anything it was a handful of this and a handful of that and she added a whole tub of mixed spice. We had such a laugh one Christmas when Granny put a piece of holly on top of the Dumpling and put it back in the oven to dry off after boiling (as you do).  When she took it out, the PLASTIC holly had melted in a green pool on top of the dumpling!  We just scraped it off and at the Dumpling anyway.

I'm not sure whether it was Mum's failure that put me off, or the fact that I am not really that keen on Dumpling, but I've only made it once, it worked okay but boiling puddings for hours is a luxury I really don't have.

Having learned a few things about cakes and puddings in the Slow Cooker recently,  I wondered whether it would be possible to cook a Cloutie Dumpling in the Slow Cooker as it has a sort of steaming effect.  I decided against using a 'clout' and lined the Slow Cooker with a baking parchment cake liner.  I perused a number of different recipes for Cloutie Dumpling, every Scots Granny seems to have her own recipe, but none uses a whole tub of mixed spice! In the end I ditched the breadcrumbs and suet in favour of butter in this hybrid 'Nae Clout' (No Cloth) Cloutie Dumpling, I don't pretend it's a real Cloutie Dumpling more a boiled/steamed fruit cake, but the smells coming from the pan and the finished texture is pretty good, without having your windows steamed up and constantly checking to see that there is still enough water in the pan!


Slow Cooker Cloutie Dumping

350g mixed dried fruit
110g caster sugar
220ml water
110g butter
1tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp mixed spice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 eggs, beaten
110g plain flour
110g self-raising flour

Put the dried fruit, sugar, water, butter, spices and bicarbonate of soda into a pan and bring to the boil.  Simmer for 10 minutes.  Set aside until just warm.

Add the eggs a little at a time alternating with spoonfuls of the flour.  Mix well.

Line your Slow Cooker with baking parchment or a cake tin liner, cook on high for 2 1/4 hours.

Slow cookers do vary in timing, so it may take 15 minutes either side of this time.  If your cooker has a clear lid, you can see the change to the top of the dumpling as it bakes.  I did test this one with a skewer after 1hr 45 minutes but the middle wasn't cooked.  Lifting the lid does increase baking time, so do keep an eye on this as it reaches the 2 hour mark. 



This is my entry for my own Slow Cooked Challenge, the theme this month is St Andrew's Day and what better way to celebrate than a Cloutie Dumpling!

I was listening to BBC Radio Scotland's Kitchen Cafe programme last Friday, as I was on holiday from work, the programme was all about Food Blogging and I tweeted about the Cloutie Dumpling with 'nae clout', I got a mention on the programme and the tweet below from Sue Lawrence, well known Scottish cookery and food writer and ex Masterchef winner.

@FarmersgirlCook @BBCKitchenCafe #cloutiedumpling without Clout! How is that poss? Baked not boiled? Look forward to being enlightened..
— Sue Lawrence (@SueHLawrence) October 31, 2014

I'm also entering the Cloutie Dumpling with nae clout for Tea Time Treats, the monthly blogging event run alternately by Karen at Lavender and Lovage and Jane at The Hedgecombers .  Jane is hosting this month and the theme is Bonfire Night, I think a nice slice of dumpling would be perfect for bonfire night, with or without custard!

Labels: Cloutie Dumpling, dessert, Scotland, Scottish, Slow Cooked Challenge, slow cooker, St Andrew's Day

posted by Janice @ 07:00 10 Comments

Chocolate Pots

Simple recipes require the very best of ingredients. Chocolate Pots is a simple recipe and deserves  good chocolate as the main ingredient. I used Hadleigh Maid Dark Chocolate Buttons for Baking, which are made with care by a small family business based in Suffolk whose expertise and passion as chocolatiers, since 1976, goes into making chocolate buttons which are easy to melt, perfect for baking and still smooth enough for snacking.


CHOCOLATE POTS (makes 4)

300ml single cream
125g Hadleigh Maid Dark Chocolate Baking Buttons
1 egg
2 egg yolks
15g caster sugar
A little whipped cream or creme fraiche to decorate

1. Put the cream and chocolate buttons into a saucepan and gently heat, stirring frequently until the chocolate has. melted, do not boil.

2. Mix together the sugar, egg yolks and whole egg, then stir in the chocolate cream. Strain the mixture into a jug then fill 4 small ramekins or small ovenproof cups.

3. Preheat the oven to 150C, place the ramekins in a roasting tin and fill around them with boiled water from the kettle up to about 1cm.

4. Bake for about an hour until lightly set, they should still wobble slightly.

5. Leave to cool, then chill for at least an hour. To serve, top with whipped cream or creme fraiche.

You can easily double or treble this recipe for a larger gathering and it makes a perfect dinner party dessert because you can make it before hand and leave chilling in the fridge.

I found that the Hadleigh Maid Dark Chocolate Buttons melted smoothly and quickly in the cream. The flavour of the chocolate is rich but not bitter and  it retained it's character after baking into the little pots of chocolate dessert  which were rich and creamy but not over sweet or cloying.

Hadleigh Maid Baking Buttons come in 350g bags, in three varieties: white, milk and dark chocolate. I tried all three and they were all easy to use, high quality, honestly made and crafted with integrity. They also come in a handy bag which is easy to fold down and reseal.

If you would like to try these buttons yourself, I can thoroughly recommend them, and although currently not stocked all over the UK (stockists),  the good news is that from mid November you can buy them online direct from Hadleigh Maid RRP £3.50 for 350g bag.

There are lots more chocolate options on the website including boxes, slabs and walnut whirls. Hadleigh Maid are also about to launch a personalisation tool, meaning users will be able to upload an image which will be printed on a bar or box of chocolates. Great for corporate gifts or wedding favours.


With Halloween and half-term upon us, why don't you get involved?  Upload your creations to the Hadleigh Maid Facebook page to inspire others and also the chance to win prizes


I am a member of the Netmums Blogging Network, a unique community of parent bloggers from around the UK who have been handpicked by the Netmums team to review products and brands on their behalf. I may have been paid expenses, and have been supplied with a product sample for this review, but retain all editorial control. All my Netmums Reviews will display the Netmums logo within the post


This is a Netmum's sponsored review.To find out more click the button:

Labels: chocolate, Chocolate buttons, cream, dessert, Hadleigh Maid, treat

posted by Janice @ 13:34 11 Comments

Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Sandwich

I am totally sold on the concept of the  Ice Cream Sandwich.  You can pick it up and lick the ice cream from the centre with the melting ice cream running down your fingers or eat it from a bowl breaking through the crisp cookie to reach the sweet, icy centre.  Add  some delicious Scottish strawberries and you have the perfect dessert.

If you don't have time to make your own shortbread, you could buy some shortbread cookies and make this a really speedy treat, but there is not doubt that home made butter shortbread is much better and it's simple to make.


Shortbread Biscuits/Cookies
300g (10oz) plain flour
100g ( 4oz) caster sugar
200g (8oz) butter
caster (superfine) sugar for dredging

1. Sift the flour into a bowl and add the sugar. Work in the butter with your fingertips - keep it in one piece and gradually work in the dry ingredients. Knead well until the dough has come together. 
2. Pat down on a work surface and use a rolling pin to roll the dough to about 1/2 cm (1/8 in) and cut out with a cookie cutter. You will probably have to keep pushing the dough back together again as it is very crumbly.
3. Slide the cut biscuits off the work surface with a knife and onto a baking sheet. 
4. Bake in the oven at 170C (325F) Mark 3 for about 8 minutes until firm and pale golden brown.
5. Lift onto a cooling tray with a spatula and dredge with caster (superfine) sugar.


To make the ice cream sandwich: Using the ice cream of your choice, I used  ready made Strawberry Shortcake Frozen Yogurt, let it soften slightly and press it into the cookie cutter that you used to cut the biscuits, remove the cookie cutter and refreeze the ice cream patties.  Once I'd made these I realised that they were too deep for the sandwich so, once frozen,  I cut them through the middle to make six.  Then all you need to do is assemble the sandwich: take a biscuit,  layer on some sliced strawberries, add the ice cream pattie, more sliced berries, top with another biscuit and decorate with a halved strawberry.

Labels: butter, dessert, flour, ice cream, sandwich, shortbread, strawberry, sugar

posted by Janice @ 19:01 11 Comments

Pain au Chocolat and Orange Pudding

Their range includes the traditional range, of Pains au Lait, Pain au chocolat, and Croissant- everything you need for the perfect French breakfast; and the Pitch range of individually wrapped brioche rolls, perfect for a lunchbox treat of for snacking on the go. Pitch is available in Chocolate, Choc Chip, Lemon, and Strawberry.

As well as being a tasty breakfast or snack, Brioche Pasquier are ideal to include in recipes.

Pain au Chocolat and Orange Pudding
75ml milk
100g dark chocolate
2 eggs
6 Brioche Pasquier Pans au Chocolat
300ml Double Cream
50g Caster Sugar
Zest of 1 Orange

• Preheat the oven to 150C. Cut each pain au chocolat in half widthways and pack them into a ovenproof dish.

• Add the milk, orange zest and 200ml of the cream to a saucepan and bring to the boil.

• Add chocolate and stir until it has melted and become smooth.

• Mix the sugar and eggs together in a bowl and pour the chocolate mixture over, whisking all the time.

• Slowly pour mix over the pans au chocolat, allowing the custard to be absorbed before adding more.

• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is lightly crisp and the centre still wobbly.

• Serve warm with whipped cream.

Since the first batch of brioche rolls were made by Gabriel Pasquier in his small village bakery in 1936, Brioche Pasquier have made over 12.5 billion brioche, same traditional recipes and an authentic process to create its breakfast favourites.  I enjoyed all the different types of brioche and would definitely use them in cooking and baking again.

I received a range of Brioche Pasquier products, I was not paid for this post and all opinions are my own.

Labels: brioche, Brioche Pasquier, dessert, Pain au Chocolat and Orange Pudding

posted by Janice @ 21:40 14 Comments

Cherry and Almond Frangipane Bake

Don't those cherries just look so good?  A real taste of summer in the middle of winter. I received them in a parcel of ingredients from the French company, Sabarot.  The company was formed in 1819 by an ancestor of the current manager and Sabarot aim to maintain the traditions and know how passed down through the family. 

Sabarot specialise in red fruits, dried vegetables (including puy lentils), dried mushrooms and snails, and they sent me a selection of their produce.

I haven't tried all the products yet, but I have cooked the mushrooms in some risotto and they were very good quality.  I decided to use the cherries in a Cherry and Almond Frangipane dessert.  These cherries have had the stones removed and presented in a jar with a light juice.  The juice and cherries are not particularly sweet which means you can regulate the sweetness yourself or even use them in savoury dishes.  As I was making a dessert and wanted a slightly thicker and sweeter syrup, I heated the juice gently in a pan and added a teaspoon of cornflour slaked with a little water, once cooked out this created the texture of a cherry pie filling as shown in the first photograph.

Cherry and Almond Frangipane
Serves 6

1 jar Sabarot cherries in juice
100g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour

for the Frangipane
55g butter
55g caster sugar
40g ground almonds
1 large egg
15g plain flour

1. Heat the oven to 180C/170C fan oven
2. Put the juice from the cherries and the sugar in a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.
3. Mix the cornflour with a little water and add to the warm, sweetened cherry juice and bring to a gentle boil.  Cook for 2 minutes,stirring all the time until the starch is cooked out.
4. Add the cherries to the sauce and place in a shallow dish, leave to cool slightly. 
4. Using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, beat together the frangipane ingredients.
5. Spoon the frangipane mixture over the cherries.
6. Bake at 170C for 20 minutes until risen and golden brown.
7. Serve with cream or greek yogurt.


I was very pleased with how the cherries worked with the frangipane.  I've made a cherry frangipane before with fresh cherries but the bottled cherries had a lovely intensity of flavour and were a good contrast to the soft, almond sponge.


I was supplied with these products by Sabarot for review.  I was not paid for this post and all opinions are my own.

Labels: Almond, cherries, cherry, dessert, dired mushrooms, frangipane, puy lentils, review, Sabarot, snails

posted by Janice @ 20:46 23 Comments

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

Chocolate and mint is a classic combination and always popular in cake form.  It's also a delicious combination in a creamy dessert pot.  I was sent some of these After Eight dessert pots to review, little pots with a layer of chocolate mousse and a layer of creamy mint fondant and they taste just like your favourite After Eight, after dinner mints. 


The pots are not too big and not too sweet either, in fact they are only125 calories per 70g pot. The After Eight Dessert Pots are available from Asda, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Morrisons for RRP £1.19 for two pack and RRP £1.98 for a four pack.


I also received a tub of Food Thoughts Cocoa.  Food Thoughts Cocoa has a lovely rich, smooth taste and is perfect for baking.

Chocolate Mint (After Eight) Cupcakes
Makes 12 cakes

For the cakes

25g cocoa powder
2tbsp hot water100g soft margarine
100g caster sugar
75g self-raising flour
2 eggs
1 level tsp baking powder
1 pot After Eight Dessert

For the filling
1/2 pot After Eight Dessert

For the butter cream
40g soft butter
3 tbsp cocoa powder, sieved
3 tbsp hot water
225g icing sugar
1/2 pot  After Eight Dessert


To make the cakes
1. Heat the oven to 350F, 180C, Gas 4.  Place your cupcake cases in a muffin tin.
2. Mix the cocoa powder with the hot water to form a paste. Set aside to cool.
3. Once cool add all the other cake ingredients except the After Eight Dessert to the bowl and mix with an electric mixer or a wooden spoon until combined.
4. Fold in the pot of After Eight Dessert.
5. Fill the muffin cases 2/3 full and bake for about 15 minutes until risen and will spring back when gently pressed with your finger.
6.  Leave to cool on a rack.

To fill
1. When the cakes are cold, cut a small plug out of the centre of each bun, don't go right to the bottom of the cake or the filling will run through.  Place the plugs to one side.
2. Fill the holes in the cakes with a teaspoon of After Eight Dessert leaving about 1cm from the top of the cake
3. Cut your 'plugs' of cake into 1cm sections and place on top of the dessert.

For the icing
1. Place the cocoa in a bowl with the hot water, as before, and make a paste, leave to cool.
2. Beat together the butter and the cocoa powder paste.
3. Sieve in the icing sugar and the remaining After Eight Dessert.
4. Fill the icing into a piping bag fitted with a plain nozzle and pipe from the outside to the inside to create a soft swirl.

Chill in the fridge and serve cold for an extra icy mint flavour.

Labels: After Eight Mints, chocolate, Chocolate Mint Cupcakes, cocoa powder, cupcake, dessert, Food Thoughts Cocoa

posted by Janice @ 19:26 9 Comments

Strawberry Tartlets with Breton Shortbread Crust and a Cook Book Review

Clotilde Dusoulier of ChocolateandZucchini.com is not a vegetarian but has chosen to eat less meat and fish  and is always looking for new ways to cook what's fresh in the market. In the French Market Cookbook she takes us through the seasons in 90 recipes.




About the Author:  Clotilde Dusoulier is the creator of the award winning blog Chocolate and Zucchini and author of the book Chocolate and Zucchini and the guidebook Clotilde's Edible Adventures in Paris, she lives in Paris, France.

About the Book: The book is divided by season with a list of 'produce to play with' each season.

Spring includes Avocado and Radish Mini Tartines; Crunchy Lentil and Watercress Salad; Poor Man's Bouillabaisse; Asparagus Buckwheat Tart; Breton Shortbread Cookies (or Tart Dough) and Strawberry Tartlets with Breton Shortbread Crust.

Summer includes Goat Cheese and Rosemary Sables, Green Bean, Red Rice, and Almond Salad; Tomato and Tarragon Bread Soup; Zucchini and Apricot Socca Tart; Corsican Bell Pepper Stew and Peach Almond and Cardamom Clafoutis.

Fall includes Seaweed Tartare, Butternut and Celery Root Soup; Couscous with Vegetables; Mushrooms stuffed with plums and hazelnuts, Easy Fresh Fig Tart and Pear and Chestnut Cake.

Winter includes Assorted Savory Puffs; Curried Leek Tart Tatin; Spelt and Vegetable Pilaf; Savoury Pumpkin and Cornmeal Quick Bread; Apple Sugar Tart and Chocolate Berawecka.

The Essentials chapter includes Vegetable Stock, Yogurt Tart Dough, Olive Oil Tart Dough; Spelt Tart Dough, various Vinaigrettes, Harissa, Bechamel sauce and Lemon Pastry Cream.



Breton Shortbread Cookies
Makes 12 Cookies or one 10-12in 25-30cm Tart Crust

1/2 cup/70g unrefined blond sugar (also sold as evaporated cane juice) I didn't have any of this so just used caster sugar
6 tbsp/85g high quality unsalted butter, softened
1 small fresh vanilla bean or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large organic egg
1 cup/130g all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and butter. (Alternatively, do this by hand in a bowl with a wooden spoon.) Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a sharp knife, scrape the seeds from the inside of the bean with the dull side of the blade, and add them to the sugar and butter.  Beat the sugar and butter at low speed until pale an fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the egg and beat for 2 minutes.

2. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt, stirring with a whisk to remove any lumps. add to the mixer and mix at low speed for a few seconds, just until no trace of flour remains.  The dough will be quite soft.

To make the shortbread cookies
1. Transfer the dough to a container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, and preferably overnight.
2. Preheat the oven  to 350F/175C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
3. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of 1/3 in / 8mm.  Peel off the top sheet gently and use a round cookie cutter, about 2 in /5cm in diameter, to cut out circles of dough.
4. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, giving them a little room to expand.
5. Gather the scraps of dough and repeat to cut out more cookies. As the dough warms to room temperature, it may become to soft to work with; place it in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up before cutting out circles again.
6. Bake the sables until golden brown, 15-2- minutes.
7. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.  The sables will keep for a few days in an airtight container at room temperature.

Strawberry Tartlets with Breton Shortbread Crust
Tartelettes aux fraises, sable breton


Make eight 3 in/8cm Tartlets or one 10-12 in/25-30cm Tart (see recipe above)
1 1/4 lb/560g strawberries, preferably small, hulled and halve or quartered depending on their size
2 tbsp strawberry jam (optional)

For the Lemon Pastry Cream
1 large organic egg
3 tbsp unrefined blond cane sugar (also sold as evaporated cane juice) caster sugar should work here
2 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
2/3 cup or 160ml milk or unflavoured, unsweetened nondairy milk
Grated zest of 1 organic lemon
1/3 cup or 60ml freshly squeezed lemon juice

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, sugar and cornstarch.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and lemon zest to a simmer over medium heat.  Slowly whisk the hot milk into the egg, and then pour the eff milk mixture back into the saucepan.
3. Return to low heat and whisk constantly for 1 minute as the mixture thickens to a custardy consistency, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the pan regularly so the texture is even.  Dip a wooden spoon in and run your finger long the back of it: if the trace remains clear, the pastry cream is done.
4. Pour into a clean bowl and whisk in the lemon juice.  Cover, pressing a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the custard, and refrigerate for a few hours until chilled.  The pastry cream may be prepared up to a day in advance; whisk again before using.

To assemble:
Spoon the Lemon pastry cream onto the crust(s) and spread into an even layer.  Arrange the strawberries over the cream in a circular pattern, starting from the centre.
If desired, prepare a jam glaze to give the tartlets more shine:  In a small saucepan, heat the jam with 1 tbsp water until syrupy, without allowing it to boil  If the jam contains bits of fruit, strain it.  Glaze the strawberries lightly with the syrup using a pastry brush. Let set for 10 minutes before serving.

Here I have to confess that I didn't have time to make the Lemon Pastry Cream, I used some Creme Fraiche with added lemon zest!  It still tasted delicious.  As it is really the end of the strawberry season, I gently cooked my strawberries in homemade Elderflower Syrup for 5 minutes. 


Pros:  This is a delightful book full of gorgeous photographs by Francoise Nicol.  Each recipe comes with a little story, a bit like a blog post, painting a picture of Clotilde's past and present life, her likes and dislikes along with hints and tips for how to serve the dish. The recipes feature the vegetables rather than trying to recreate meat dishes. 

Cons: This is a real pot pourri of a book, difficult to pin it down as one thing or another, but full of inspiration for seasonal eating.

Ease of Use: The recipe I chose looks complicated but was actually quite simple to follow and the sables were gloriously tender, not quite crisp like shortbread with a little more of give in it, totally buttery and delicious.

Who is it for: Francophiles and anyone who likes to eat vegetables, whether with or without meat. 

The Verdict:  I will definitely be dipping into this book again as the recipes are varied and a little bit different from those that come from UK or US authors.  I would suggest you visit Clotilde's web site Chocolate and Zucchini to get a feel for the style of her cooking, if you like the look of what you see, then this book is one for you.

The French Market Cookbook  by Clotilde Dusoulier
Published by Clarkson Potter
Distributed in UK by PGUK
RRP £17.99

Labels: Clotilde Dusoulier, cookbook review, dessert, Lemon Pastry Cream, sable, strawberry, Strawberry shortcake, The French Market Cookbook

posted by Janice @ 20:07 2 Comments

Pear and Blackberry Frangipane Tart

It was a rather wet start on Sunday, but when it dried up after lunch, I went out and noticed that there were a lot of 'brambles' which were ripe.  I started to pick them, but once my hands were full, had to come back to the house for a bowl!

I put most of the blackberries in the freezer but decided to keep some back to make a dessert.

Pear and Blackberry Frangipane Tart

1 traybake tin  approx 30 x 23 x 4cm (12" x 9" x 1 ½")
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
3 tbsp raspberry jam
1 or 2 poached pears, quartered
100g blackberries (or a couple of handfuls)

for the Frangipane
55g butter
55g caster sugar
40g ground almonds
1 large egg
15g plain flour

1. Heat the oven to 180C/170C fan oven
2. Line the tin with the pastry and trim to fit
3. Spread the raspberry jam on the base of the pastry
4. Using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, beat together the frangipane ingredients
5. Add peached pears and sprinkle over the blackberries, push them down into the frangipane mix.
6. Bake at 170C for 20 minutes until risen and golden brown.

I served the tart warm with icecream, but you can also eat it cold.  If I was going to make this again I would make shortcrust pastry for the base as the puff pastry wasn't so good underneath especially when cold.


I had some company when I was out picking brambles, the horses in the next door field were very interested in what I was doing!

Labels: blackberries, dessert, frangipane, ground almonds, Pears, puff pastry, tart

posted by Janice @ 20:49 12 Comments

Chocolate and Berry Pavlova

Doesn't that look fabulous?  I can confirm that not only was it totally delicious, it wasn't difficult to make.  The recipe comes from a new book 'Make it Easy' by Jane Lovett published by New Holland Publishers.

Jane describes Make it Easy as "A book for the home cook with the emphasis on get-ahead, easy, seasonal recipes with a contemporary twist"  The  book starts with useful top tips, notes on presentation, do's and don'ts and some general notes.

There are nine chapters: soups and starters, fish & shellfish, meat, poultry, weekend lunches, vegetables and salads, desserts, quick nibbles & drinks, bits, bobs & basics.  There are so many great dishes in this book and they come with 'Get Ahead' tips showing you how far you can prepare before the meal.  This is an ideal book for anyone who new to  entertaining or is concerned about which dishes to make and getting their dishes to the table on time!  You can wow your guests with Vietnamese Herby Chicken with Nutty Green Rice Salad or Salmon en Croute with Lime and Coriander Sauce

Even if you don't do much entertaining, there are some great recipes to eat with the family, like the Quick Creamy Smoked Haddock Saffron and Chive Risotto and Spicy Sausage, Lamb and Bean Bake.


However, I was drawn to one particular dessert, not only because it contains some of my favourite flavours, but also because it fits perfectly with the July 'We should Cocoa' challenge which requires a combination of Blackcurrants and Chocolate.

Chocolate and Berry Pavlova

Serves 8-10

4 egg whites
a pinch of salt
280g caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp cocoa powder plus extra for dusting
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tsp white wine vinegar
500g frozen mixed berries (I used frozen blackcurrants and redcurrants and fresh raspberries)
50g good quality plain or white chocolate
425ml double cream
Icing sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 140C (275F), gas 1 and line a flat baking sheet with foil or baking parchment.  Whisk the eff whites with a pinch of salt until stiff, then add 225g of the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, whisking it in well between each addition.  The mixture will be very thick and shiny.  When all the sugar is incorporated add the cornflour, cocoa powder, vanilla essence and vinegar and whisk well again.


Pile the mixture onto the lined baking sheet and mould it into a flattish round shape, roughly 20-25cm across and 4cm deep.  Make a dip in the middle using a metal spoon.  Cook for 45 minutes, then turn the oven off leaving the pavlova inside until cold, without opening the door.   Carefully peel off the foil.


Put the frozen berries into a non-reactive pan with the rest of the sugar.  Warm gently over a low heat, just until the fruit has thawed, trying not to break it up.  Tip into a sieve over a bowl and leave to drain for 15 minutes or so.  Pour the juice back into the pan and boil fast, giving it the odd stir, until it has reduced to a syrupy consistency and just coats the back of the wooden spoon.  Leave to cool.  It will thicken up much more when cold.


Melt the chocolate in a small bowl suspended over a pan of hot water or in a microwave and carefully brush over the inside of the pavlova.  Dust the outside with cocoa powder, then icing sugar (I forgot to do this!)

Whip the cream lightly into soft peaks and spoon into the centre of the pavlova.  Mix the berries and the sauce together (this is when I added the fresh raspberries) and spoon over the top.



Get Ahead

The pavlova can be made several weeks in advance,wrapped tightly in clingfilm and kept somewhere cool and dry.  The chocolate can be brushed over a few days in advance.  Make the fruit compote several days in advance and keep the fruit and sauce covered separately in the fridge, or freeze.  Only mix together just before using.  The cream can be whipped as early as you like on the day but should be under whipped as it will thicken up whist in the fridge. 

Hints and Tips
Leave out the cocoa if you prefer and the chocolate too.
Cracks don't matter at all and most of them can be concealed by the filling if you so wish

I've never brushed chocolate on my pavlovas before, but it is absolutely brilliant and really adds to the rich, earthy flavours of the berries without overpowering them.  I would highly recommend this recipe and will be bookmarking more recipes in Make it Easy  which is available through a popular on line bookshop for £14.99.

As I said earlier, this is my entry for the July 'We should Cocoa':   Chocolate and Blackcurrants which is hosted this month by Choclette at Chocolate Log Blog

 Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. I was not required to write a positive review and any opinion expressed is my own.

Labels: blackcurrants, chocolate, dessert, Entertaining, Jane Lovett, Make it Easy, meringue, pavlova, raspberries

posted by Janice @ 20:15 21 Comments