My Todd just adores apple desserts . . . pies, cakes, puddings, crumbles . . . I decided to make him a crumble the other day, but this is a crumble with a difference! It has the addition of sticky prunes and a lovely hazelnut and oat crumble topping!
We've had some really nice weather this week, a bit cool, but the sun has been shining and that's always a plus in my book! The other day I made us a delicious rice salad to go with some grilled chicken for our supper. We had spent a bit of time working in the garden, so quick and easy was the order of the day!
Makes six servings
Printable Recipe
These are wonderfully rich and light and so very easy to make. I got the recipe from out of a magazine in the Doctor's waiting office one day (I couldn't begin to tell you which one) and I brought it home and adapted it to our tastes.
300ml whole milk (1 1/4 cup)
1/2 of a small onion, peeled and studded with 1 clove and 1 bay leaf
40g butter, plus more for greasing (scant 3 TBS)
40g plain flour (scant 1/3 cup)
150g of good strong cheddar, grated and divided (1 1/4 cup)
1 TBS coarse grainy mustard
salt, pepper and freshly grated nutmeg to taste
3 large free range eggs, separated
200 ml of double cream (scant cup)
Beat the egg whites until stiff with an electric whisk. Stir about a third of the egg whites into the cheese mixture to help slacken it and then gently fold in the rest. Spoon and divide the mixture evenly into the buttered ramekins. Carefully add boiling water to the roasting tin to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins and then carefully place the roasting tin into the heated oven. (If you have strong oven racks it is probably best to place the roasting tin into the oven first and then add the water) Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are well risen and nicely browned on top.**
Remove from the oven and remove from the roasting tin, placing them on a wire rack to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 220*C/425*F/gas mark 7. Once they are cooled enough to handle, carefully tip them out onto the palm of your hand, one at a time, and place them, right sides down, into a buttered baking dish large enough to hold all six of them. Season the double cream with some salt and black pepper and spoon it evenly over top of each souffle. Sprinkle the remaining grated cheddar cheese evenly over top. Place back in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until they are well risen and the cream is bubbling and the cheese is melted and beginning to brown nicely. Serve hot.
**You can complete the recipe to the end of the first baking and put them in a buttered dish, cover them, and then store them in the refrigerator for up to a day ahead before proceeding. Bring them to room temperature before finishing them off as outlined in the recipe.
Do not allow yourself to be intimidated by these! They are very simple to make and very forgiving! I promise you, you will love them! Bon Appetit!
We had the Sisters for dinner the other nice. I made them my Meat Loaf Pie with these delicious CrunchyCheese Potatoes on the side. Carrots, cauliflower, salad, rolls and my Speedy Berry Cake rounded out the menu.
The whole meal was simple and quick to put together. I like to feed them the comforts of home . . . just like a mom would.
These potatoes are as simple as peeling and slicing potatoes and then stirring them into a sour cream/milk mixture a pouring them into a buttered baking dish.
You tightly cover them with foil and bake, until the potatoes are fork tender . . . the timing depends on the type of potatoes you use. Older potatoes seem to take longer . . .
Once they are tender you just sprinkle some cheese and cornflake crumbs over top and return to the oven to crisp them up. A scattering of fresh chives on top and Bob's your Uncle. They're ready to serve!
These are so good . . . with the creamy sour cream, milk and chive sauce . . . and that crunchy cheesy topping . . its a potato dish that everyone always loves. And no small wonder! They are quite simply fabulous!
Spread into the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until fork tender. Combine the crumbs and cheese. Sprinkle over top. Bake in the heated oven for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are golden brown. Sprinkle with the additional chives and serve.
Enjoy! Bon Appetit!
I am a real salad lover. I could eat a salad for every meal of the day. Todd, he's not so fond of salads, but he does admit that salads are a lot tastier and more interesting since he met me. No lettuce leaf with a few limp slices of tomato, cucumber and no dressing . . . my salads are filled with colour and crunch and, yes . . . interest!
Yorkshire Rock Cakes. Also known as Fat Rascals, these delicious rock cakes have been made pretty famous by the Iconic Betty's Tea Room in Yorkshire.
A fat rascal or a rock cake is a delicious baked bread that is a tasty cross between a scone and a bun. Packed full of dried fruits.
From what I can tell the only difference between Yorkshire Rock Cakes and regular rock cakes is the addition of glace cherries and blanched almonds on top. Some people call them fat rascals, but they're not fat rascals at all. These are fat rascals (see photo below), and as you can clearly see, they are not the same animal at all.
They are very, very different, not only in looks, but also in texture and ingredients. You can find my fat rascal recipe here.
These are exceedingly good cakes . . . easy to make . . . buttery . . . crumbly. Perfect with a hot cuppa.
I have never had a Yorkshire Rock Cake from Betty's but I dare say these are probably even better. Homemade always is.
Stogged full of dried currants, sultanas (golden raisins), raisins and candied peel . . . with just a touch of mixed spice. You can find my recipe for mixed spice on my make your own page. You can find that here. It is filled with a variety of make your own herb, spice and baking blends. (You may want to bookmark it!)
It's a warm baking spice . . . with cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, cloves and ground coriander. Very nice.
Topped with blanched marcona almonds and a glace cherry, these make a very moreish treat with a nice cold glass of milk or a hot cuppa.
They make the perfect Sunday afternoon teatime treat! If you are feeling especially hedonistic you can split and butter them. Also very tasty!
Sift
both flours into a large bowl along with the salt and baking powder.
Drop in the cold butter. Rub the butter into the flour mixture, using a
snapping motion with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles fine
dry bread crumbs. Stir in the sugar, citrus zests, mixed spice and
dried fruit. Beat together the egg and 4 TBS of the milk. Add all at
once to the mixture and stir in to form a soft dough. If you need the
additional TBS of milk to do this, then add it now.
Divide into six
equal parts and shape into a ball. Place each ball onto the prepared
baking tray leaving plenty of space in between each. Gently flatten
slightly with the palm of your hand until each are only about 3/4 inch
thick. Brush the top of each with some of the beaten egg yolk/water
mix. Push a glace cherry into the centre of each and then place 3
almonds arouond the centre decoratively .
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes,
until well risen and golden brown. Remove from the oven. Leave on the
tin for five minutes then scoop off to a wire rack to cool.
Best
served warm from the oven, although they can be frozen and then gently
reheated at a later date. You may also split them and spread them with
butter if you are feeling especially hedonistic!
Traditionally Tasty! Bon Appetit!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
This isn't a coffee flavoured cake, but a dense cake which is meant to be eaten with a hot drink, and sometimes split and buttered. They are not really sweet like regular cakes or soft like normal cakes, but are sturdier and meant to be eaten warm . . . at the weekend . . . for brunch possibly.
They fall somewhere in between being a cake and being a bun/scone, if that makes sense! Generally speaking they will have a crumb filling or a crumb topping, or sometimes even both.
Whatever . . . I've never met one I didn't love!!!
This one is especially nice! It has a lovely sweet and nutty/buttery date and walnut filling, which lies in the middle of two buttery layers of cake/bun/scone.
I just adore dates and they lend an almost caramel flavour to this filling . . . and of course the brown sugar/butter forms little pockets of candy like caramel as well . . .
And then there is the crunch of walnuts . . . I like to toast my walnuts, personally. I think it lends an extra crunch to them and layer of nuttiness.
In any case . . . they are in the middle and sprinkled over the top.
This is a cake that was meant to be shared! You are going to absolutely love LOVE it! Adapted from a recipe in the old Purity Flour Book from way back when, so you just know its going to be good.
When I bake things like these . . . I sure wish I wasn't a diabetic because my cake loving soul just wants to plunge right in and enjoy.
Sigh . . . well, perhaps just one tiny smidgen of a taste. That can't hurt too much. They do say a little bit of something nice does a body good.
You will need an additional 30g(1/4 cup) chopped walnuts
Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until risen and golden brown. Serve warm. Cut into wedges or squares.
Now that's a weekend bake you can really sink your teeth into! Bon Appetit!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I recently received a voucher to try Danone's new Light & Free Greek Style Yogurt. I was able to pick some up at my local Asda and had a choice of two flavours in that shop, raspberry or cherry. It also comes in Blueberry, Strawberry and Peach and Passionfruit flavours. I chose the Cherry Charmer as I have diverticulitis and need to be careful of eating anything with a lot of seeds. Delciously thick, sumptuously creamy with fruit pieces, with 0% sugar and fat, and coming in less than 60 calories per pot! What do you have to lose?
What I thought:
It was nice and thick and quite creamy. There were lots of bits of cherry, and it tasted really nice and fruity. There is a slightly flavour of the sweeteners which are used (acesulfame K, Sucralose), but its not unpleasant like some artificially sweetened things can be. As a diabetic I have to watch any sugars and at 7.7g for each 115g (1 pot) serving it was bordering on the high side for me, but was still within acceptable levels. I loved that it was both low in fat and calories, and it is a yogurt pot I would definitely buy. I would really love to be able to try the blueberry and peach and passionfruit flavours, as well as the strawberry, so I will be keeping my eye out for these!
They are available at Tesco, Morrisons (although I couldn't find them at my local one in Chester), Nisa, Asda, Waitrose and Ocado.
One thing that people always ask me is if I have always been a good cook, and I am the first one to tell them that the answer is no. I had to learn how to do what I do just like anyone. I have always had a fire in my belly for cooking and eating good food, but trust me when I say that I have made some real mistakes through the years and cooked many an inedible meal! (A rubber chicken comes to mind!)
One thing which I really love is a nice grilled steak, cooked to perfection, and sadly it is one of those things that is so often gotten very wrong. I have to say that it is really difficult to get a properly cooked one in a restaurant. I like my steaks medium rare, and I have ended up with steaks ranging anywhere from way overdone to downright raw (in France). Apparently in France medium rare means raw.
Anyways, I have found that basically for me, the only way I am going to really get a good steak cooked properly is to cook it at home. I wish I lived near London which is where Jamie Oliver’s new Barbecue Steakhouse ‘Barbecoa‘ is situated. They shared their very own infographic with me on how to expertly cook that perfect steak, and today I am sharing it with you. I just know I would get the perfect steak if I went there to eat. (And be able to leave some great feedback on it as well on this review site.)
In the meantime I will just keep dreaming about that perfect steak and enjoy cooking them at home, using their very expert tips on getting it just so! Thanks Barbecoa!
One of the things I love most about Spring . . . other than the fresh asparagus, rhubarb and early strawberries . . . is the Jersey Royal New Potatoes! The Jersey Royal was not a potato I had eaten prior to coming over to the UK, but it is a potato that I have fallen in love with and basically this is the only time of year you can find them fresh in the shops! But just what is a Jersey Royal?
You've probably noticed by now that we eat a lot of chicken in this house. I am sure we eat it at least 2 or 3 times a week in at least one form or another.
I like to buy whole chickens and cut them up myself. It's not all that hard to do really and you can really save a lot of money by doing it yourself!
I always pack the parts together into separate freezer bags . . . one for legs, one for breasts and one for the wings and the backs ( to be used to make stock when I get enough of them.) I usually buy two or three chickens at a time.
I completely bone out about half of the breasts, and then I leave the bone and skin on the other half. Nothing tastes better or is moister than chicken breasts which are roasted on the bone with the skin intact.
This is a delicious marinade that I like to use when I am roasting them on the bone. It's nicely flavoured with lemon, garlic and a variety of herbs.
Keeping the skin on helps to keep the herbs next to the flesh and also to keep in a lot of that moisture. I've eaten far too many dried up chicken breasts in my lifetime.
This recipe is also very easily cut in when there are just two of you, like there is with me and Todd. When I am only cooking two, I like to cut some potatoes into wedges, toss them with some spices and a bit of olive oil and roast them right along with the chicken.
Just look at that moist chicken meat. So tender and flavourful. I would have to say that this is one of my absolute favourite ways to eat it.
Oh yes . . . Nom Nom!!
*Herb and Lemon Roasted Chicken Breasts*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe
This is a delicious way of preparing chicken breasts which keeps them moist and very flavourful. I like to buy whole chickens and cut them up myself. Plan ahead as the chicken needs to marinate for about an hour before cooking.
4 bone in chicken breasts, skin on (you can do this yourself, or ask your butcher to do it for you)
2 fluid ounces of extra virgin olive oil
the finely grated zest of two unwaxed lemons (cut the remainder of the lemons into thin slices and set aside)
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
4 TBS finely chopped fresh chives
4 TBS finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
4 TBS finely chopped fresh tarragon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Mix together the olive oil, lemon zest and minced garlic. Remove the leaves from the thyme and rosemary and mince. Stir them into the olive oil along with the chives, parsley and tarragon. Mix all very well together. Lift the skin from the chicken breasts and rub half of the herbe mixture underneath and replace the skin over top. Rub the remainder of the herb mixture over all of the chicken. Lay each breast in a flat plastic container, placing each one on top of two lemon slices. Lay another two lemon slices on top of each breast. Cover and chill for about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 5. Have ready a shallow baking dish. Place the chicken breasts into the dish, keeping the lemon slices on the bottom of each breast and the slices on top of each breast. Sprinkle with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Roast in the heated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken breasts are cooked through, with the juices running clear and the skin is golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before serving. These go very well with oven roasted potato wedges and purple sprouting broccoli. I sometimes roast the potato wedges in the pan with the chicken, which gives them a fabulous flavour as well. Delicious!
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