Coffee Cake

I'll let you into a little secret....I absolutely HATE tea and coffee buuuut I adore coffee desserts (as long as there is no alcohol!! I hate alcohol in my desserts....only in a glass please!) and this cake will take you to cake heaven. I mean, who doesn't love cake?? I most certainly do....chocolate, coffee, lemon, Victoria sponge, marmalade, marble.......I just love cake and this coffee cake will not disappoint...it's my own recipe so do let me know what you think.


Ingredients:

• 250g softened butter
• 250g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 250g self raising flour
• Instant coffee
• Dark chocolate (to decorate)
• 250g icing sugar
• 80g unsalted butter at room temperature 
• 25ml milk

Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4.


Line two cake tins with baking parchment.


Cream the butter and the sugar together until pale in a food processor/Kitchin Aid, then beat in the eggs.


Slowly add the sifted flour and mix well.


Put the kettle on to boil and in a small bowl, add 4 teaspoons of coffee and add a little of the boiled water to make a thick consistency coffee. Add to the cake mixture to taste.


Once you have the right amount of coffee flavour, spoon the mixture between the two cake tins. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes.


Once cooked, cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, time to make the icing! Beat the icing sugar and butter together in a mixer. Once well combined, add the milk and vanilla extract.

If you have more coffee left over then add to the frosting, bit by bit to taste. If you used it all up then boil more water and make more coffee paste.

Once the cakes have cooked, sandwich together with half the frosting then cover the outside of the cake with the remaining frosting. Grate some dark chocolate and sprinkle over the cake.

Lemon Pesto Cod with a Parmesan Crust

One thing I love about summer is eating fresh fish and keeping it simple but packed full of flavour.

This dish is so effortless to rustle up, only requires one dish to cook everything thus leaving less to wash up....result! 

I made this dish whilst on holiday at my parents and wanted something quick to make as I wanted to spend more time in the sun than in the kitchen!

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 4 pieces of cod (or any other meaty white fish)
• 16 new potatoes 
• Grated zest of half one lemon
• Parmesan
• Fresh basil
• Olive oil 
• Fresh salt & pepper
• Breadcrumbs 

Thinly slice the potatoes (raw with the skins still on) and place into a large roasting tin. Drizzle a tablespoon of olive oil then season with salt and pepper. Mix well then place in a preheated oven (180C fan) for 20 Minutes, turning half way through.

Whilst the potatoes are cooking, prepare your lemon pesto. I used all the leaves of a medium basil plant. Put the basil into a small mixer, add some olive oil, Parmesan, lemon grind and salt & pepper to taste. Mix well until you have the consistency you want. Keep adding more oil, Parmesan and seasoning if needed.

Once the potatoes have been cooking for 20 minutes, take out the oven and and make some space for the fish. Place the fish in the dish, season then spoon the pesto onto each fish and top with breadcrumbs and sprinkle Parmesan on top. Bake in the oven for a further 30 minutes.

Once ready, plate up and enjoy!

Bon appétit!! 

Spicy Crab, Chilli & Lemon Pasta

I love all things pasta and I absolutely adore crab! It's fresh and flavoursome and quite the luxury (the fresh meat kind, not the stick variety!!).


What I love about this dish is the fresh flavours it punches. It's not your typical saucy pasta dish, the flavour each element of this dish has speak loudly and really tantalize your taste buds.


I purchased a higher end variety of pasta for this dish as I was spending a fair bit on the crab, I didn't see the point in scrimping on the pasta! Plus I wanted to see for myself if there really is a difference between "cheap" linguine/spaghetti and the expensive stuff.....let me tell you, there is a huge difference!!


For everyday cooking I will continue to use the cheaper pasta, but if cooking something special or for family/friends then I will most definitely upgrade my pasta.


Serves 2.


Ingredients:

• 150g Pasta di Aldo Filini (from Waitrose/Ocado or use any linguine/spaghetti)
• 3 spring onions, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 200ml white wine (don't go cheap on the wine!! Good quality only for cooking please!)
• Grated zest & juice of half a lemon
• 200g fresh white crab meat
• 50g wild rocket

Cook the pasta in a large pan of boiling water with 1 heaped teaspoon of sea salt. Drain well then toss with a little olive oil.


Meanwhile heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat, add the spring onions and chilli and fry for around 2-3 minutes. Pour in the wine and bubble for 3 minutes or until reduced slightly.


Turn down the heat, add the lemon juice, zest and crab meat, and stir to combine. Season to taste, then add to the cooked pasta along with the rocket and mix well. Divide between two pasta bowl, season with more fresh black pepper and add a sprinkling of parmesan!


Buon appetito!

Chocolate Fudge Brownie Pie

Ok, so this is the dessert I made for my Valentine's Day dinner.


You will not be disappointed!! It's literally a moist, decadent brownie encased in a cinnamon pastry and your taste buds will forever thank you for making this!!


It may seem easy to buy ready made plain pastry, but don't do this to yourself! Take the time to make this from scratch, it really isn't that time consuming and the amount of pride you'll have for yourself once it's made is priceless....plus the look of appreciation of everyone's face whilst eating this will more than make up for it!


I rustled up 2 sets of the pastry in one day....I'd left the first batch at home so had to make another at my boyfriends....proof that it's not overly time consuming, so get your aprons on and bake, bake, bake!!


Ingredients:

• 175g plain flour
• 85g butter, cut into cubes
• 2tbsp icing sugar
• 1tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 eggs
• 300g light brown muscovado sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 175g butter, melted
• 50g plain flour
• 50g cocoa
• 50g macadamia nuts, chopped
• 50g dark chocolate, chopped

Tip the flour, butter, icing sugar and cinnamon into a food processor and mix until it resembles fine bread crumbs. Add 2 1/2 - 3tbsp of water and mix until it comes together. Wrap in cling film and chill for 15-20 minutes.


Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface and use to line a deep 23cm loose base tart tin. Leave the excess pastry overhanging  the edges of the tin. Line with baking paper and fill with baking beans and chill for 15 minutes.


Bake for 15 minutes, remove the paper and beans, then bake for a further 5 minutes until the pastry is crisp and slightly golden.

Pastry case is ready to be filled

Beat the eggs and sugar together to create a mousse like texture, Stir in the vanilla and melted butter, then fold in the flour and cocoa. Scatter the nuts and chocolate over the pastry case and pour the brownie mixture over the top. Bake for 30 minutes until firm with a slight wobble. Trim away the excess pastry and leave to cool.

Ready to serve up!

Serve with ice cream or custard....bon appetit mes amis!

Fish Pie

What I love about this fish pie is that it's not stodgy and is rather light, fresh but very flavoursome.


There's nothing worse than eating a meal and then enduring a food coma that lasts over an hour! Plus, I like to have room for dessert as I have such a sweet tooth!


You can use whatever fish you like in this dish and use smoked/unsmoked fish. The world is your oyster to really play around with this pie....the potatoes and béchamel sauce really bring this pie to life and you could omit the cheese on top for breadcrumbs before cooking if you're looking for a healthier alternative.


You can also mix in vegetables such as peas, broccoli, courgettes etc.


Ingredients:

• 750g small potatoes, peeled and cooked
• 200g haddock, skin removed
• 150g cooked king prawns
• Handful of chopped parsley
• 100g grated Comte cheese

For the sauce béchamel:

• 30g butter
• 30g plain flour
• 500ml milk
• 1/4 onion
• 2 cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• Pinch of nutmeg
• Salt & pepper

Once the potatoes are cooked, halve/quarter them depending on size.

Ready to bake!

Flake the haddock into chunks. Not too small or you'll lose the texture!


To make the béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the flour and mix well until you have a smooth paste. Take off the heat and leave for a minute, then slowly add the milk whilst constantly whisking. Place back on the heat, add the onion, cloves and bay leaves and simmer gently for 10 minutes whilst whisking. Remove the onions, cloves and bay leaves then add the salt, pepper and nutmeg and stir.

Fresh out the oven!

Preheat the oven to 180C fan.


Add the potatoes, fish and parsley and mix well. Pour into an ovenproof dish, sprinkle the grated cheese on top and bake in the oven for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Serving dinner....

Add a little chopped parsley on top before serving.


Enjoy!!

Yummy!!!

Super Healthy Pancakes  

Now I never thought I'd hear healthy and pancakes in the same sentence but the proof is in the pudding, or should I say batter??!


These pancakes are super healthy AND taste amazing! What more could you ask for??

I teamed mine with 100% natural maple syrup (tastes like the processed stuff but is good for you, it's more expensive but worth it) and blueberries. You can have these with fruit compote, almond butter, coconut cream.....the possibilities are endless really!

Serves 3 (or 2 generously, oink oink)

Ingredients:

• 2 scoops of protein powder (I used banana flavour) 
• 100g readybrek 
• 2 large egg whites 
• 150 ml coconut milk 

Put all the ingredients into a blender and whizz until all combined. If the mixture is a little thick, add a little more milk.

Heat a pan on the stove with some coconut oil, once hot enough pour the mixture in to the size of your choice. I found 3-4 tablespoons made a good size 'American style' pancake.

Repeat the process until all the mixture has been used and serve!

Voilà mes amis, a super healthy and nutritious breakfast that feels like a cheat meal! Perfect!!

Perfect for breakfast in bed!

Triple Chocolate Cookies

You should have all worked out by now that I am a huuuuge chocoholic!! Anything to do with chocolate and I will find myself in heaven!


These cookies will transport you to chocolate heaven and the best part?? They are super quick and easy to make!


I really love cookies that are slightly gooey in the centre and these are full of chocolate chunk delights....I may have to whip up another batch this weekend!!


Makes around 14 (depending on the size you make them!)


Ingredients:

• 200g unsalted butter
• 300g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 275g self raising flour
• 75g cocoa powder
• 2 big bars of milky bar white chocolate
• 1 big bar of Cadbury dairy milk
• A splash of milk, if needed

Put the butter in a bowl and heat in the microwave until softened, take out then add the sugar and mix well (you could use a mixer but I like to work the bingo wings off and do it by hand!).


Crack the egg into the mixture and incorporate, add all of the dry ingredients including the chocolate bars broken up into squares, then mix it all up using your hands. If the mixture is a little dry, add a splash of milk to combine the mixture into a dough consistency.


Line two baking trays with baking parchment, scoop the mixture into 14 handful sized balls and slightly flatten then place onto the tray. Pop into a preheated oven (220C/200C fan) for 10 minutes. They will be super soft when you take them out but leave them to cool for around half an hour.


Repeat the baking process until all the cookies are cooked.

Creamed Leek & Potato Soup with Chili

So I've been on a health and fitness journey recently as, well, I've gained a little extra weight which I want to lose! I've been eating healthy during the week and hitting the gym and allowing myself the weekend to eat what I want, within reason!

With the weather being dismal in England lately so I've made this soup for my lunch at work. It's healthy, filling and delicious if I do say so myself!

This isn't your ordinary leek and potato soup! It's got a nice kick from the Chili and I've added a creamy element with coconut milk.

To add extra texture and to ensure your body is fuelled and full I made potato croutons!

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

• 1 packet of leeks (should be be 3-4)
• 8 medium potatoes 
• Chili flakes
• 1 shallot 
• Coconut oil 
• Olive oil
• Coconut milk 
• 1 pint vegetable stock 
• 10 small potatoes 
• 5 garlic cloves 

Start off with the potato croutons. Heat the oven to 200C/390F. Cut the small potatoes into small cubes, no need to peel. Put into a roasting tin with a little olive oil, chili flakes, salt & pepper. Mix everything together with your hands then put in the oven for 45 minutes, turning half way through.

Peel and chop the medium potatoes and put in a pan of water to boil until cooked.

Meanwhile heat some coconut oil in a pan, then add the chopped shallots, crushed garlic and chili flakes. Once softened, add the chopped leaks, season and cook until softened.

Add the vegetable stock to the leaks and lead to simmer for 10 minutes.

Once the potatoes are cooked, drain then add to a blender along with the leaks and add a can of coconut milk. Blitz until smooth then add back to the pan on the hob to keep warm.

Once the croutons are ready, serve the soup in bowls and place some croutons on top.

Voilà!! Your healthy and delicious soup is ready to devour!

Fougasse Bread

This is a relatively easy and non time consuming bread to make. Typically only available in the south of France, this bread conjures up many happy memories of my childhood holidaying in Ste Maxime! We'd buy this bread daily, freshly made at our local boulangerie and enjoy it alongside our lunch and dinner.

I've given it a facelift by adding some caramelised red onion, chili, Rosemary and Gruyere cheese. This bread goes perfectly with my butternut squash and chorizo soup, but can be served alongside pretty much anything!


Makes 2 loaves


Ingredients:

• 1 red onion
• chili flakes
• 1 tbsp. olive oil, plus extra for greasing
• 100g gruyere
• Few rosemary sprigs
• Sea salt

For the dough:

• 7g sachet easy blend yeast
• 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

Tip the flour into a mixing bowl and add the yeast, then add the salt and sugar.


Boil the kettle and measure 100ml into a jug. Top up with cold water to the 300ml mark. Test the temperature with your finger, it should feel perfectly hand hot. Add the oil.


Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients then pour in the liquid all at once. Mix quickly using your hands to make a soft and slightly sticky dough. Wipe the dough around the bowl to pick up any loose bits of flour.


Sprinkle the work surface with flour and tip out the dough. Knead by stretching it away from you, then folding it in half towards you and pushing it away with the heel of your hand. Give it a quarter turn and repeat, developing a rhythm.


Once the dough is smooth, put it back into the mixing bowl and cover with a tea towel. Leave to rest for 1 hour. The dough is ready when it springs back when you press it with your finger.

Ready to prove!

Thinly slice the onion and gently cook until softened along with the chili flakes (up to you how much you add....depends if you like it spicy or not!), for around 5 minutes. Then cut the gruyere cheese into cubes and chop the rosemary.

Chopped cheese & rosmary

Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and lightly kneed in the onion and chili mixture along with the chopped rosemary.

Using a sharp knife, cut the dough in half. Roll or press out one piece of dough to a rectangular shape of around 20 x 25cm, then transfer to a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Make a large diagonal cut across the centre of the dough, almost to the ends. Make three smaller diagonal cuts either side of the large cut to make a leaf shape. Spread the cuts out a bit as the dough is going to rise on the last prove and the cuts will close up if you don't spread them!




Repeat the above process for the second half of dough. Scatter the cheese and rosemary sprigs into the dough, then sprinkle with a little flour and sea salt. Heat the oven to 240C/220C fan/gas mark 8. Leave the loaves to prove for around 20 minutes then bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes, until golden brown. Serve warm.

Butternut Squash & Chorizo Soup

Ok, so I've been majorly slacking recently when it comes to my blog and I apologise for this, but you know, life just got in the way! I'm back on track now and with the Bank Holiday weekend fast approaching, will be pulling my sleeves up and putting my KitchenAid to good use!!


I made this soup for Valentines Day. I decided I didn't want to be taken out, instead, I wanted to cook a fancy 3 course dinner and have a chilled one at home with the man I love....and a good bottle of red! Perfection!!

I spent a good few hours deciding what courses to cook, it had to be perfect and they had to match well with each other!

I decided on a butternut squash and chorizo soup with fougasse bread, fillet steak with gratin dauphinois and then la pièce de la résistance was my brownie tart with a cinnamon pastry! Just typing this out is making me want to devour this meal all over again!!!

The soup is literally a party of flavours all up in your mouth! I really recommend you chop up some of the chorizo to fry up as croutons to garnish the soup before serving as this gives the soup some added texture.....and the bread?!!!! Oh my god!!! The bread is soooooo good!! I'd never made fougasse bread before but it's a typical southern French bread and I added caramelised red onion, chili flakes, rosemary and Gruyere cheese.....it was the perfect companion to my soup and went down a treat.

I really hope you enjoy this soup as much as we did and I'd love to know if you try this recipe out....leave a comment below if you do or let me know on Instagram @atableavecjulia or @missjlp

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 130g chorizo, plus extra to serve
• 700ml chicken stock
• 450g butternut squash (I purchased pre chopped in a packet)
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp chili flakes
• Good pinch of nutmeg 
• Salt & pepper
• Double cream (to garnish)

Finely chop the onion and chorizo then add to a saucepan with a little olive oil. Crush the garlic and stir everything together. Fry until the onions have softened.

Pour in the chicken stock and then add in the chopped butternut squash. Season with some salt and pepper then add the paprika, thyme, chili flakes and nutmeg. 

Cover and allow to simmer for 15 minutes, until the butternut squash has softened. 

Pour the contents into a blender and process until smooth.

Pour the soup back into the saucepan and cook on a low heat for a further 5 minutes. Whilst this is cooking, cut the remaining chorizo into small chunks and add to a frying pan with a small amount of olive oil. Cook until just crispy and transfer to some kitchen paper to soak up the excess oils.

Serve with some double cream drizzled in the middle with the chorizo croutons sprinkled on top and a generous wedge of my fougasse bread (recipe to follow shortly!) 

Bon appétit mes amis! 

Avocado Brownies

Avocados, in a brownie???!!! I know, I know! You must be thinking I've lost the plot but trust me on this one! Not only are these brownies healthy, but they taste full fat....hooray!! A healthy treat that won't taste like cardboard/shite! Result!!


These are so quick and easy to make and the frosting on top is to die for and make them seem even more of a treat.


These need to be kept in the fridge and will keep for about a week....if they'll last that long!


Ingredients:

• 115g dark 70% chocolate
• 2 ripe avocados, pitted and skins removed & mashed with a fork
• 255g coconut sugar
• 2 tsp instant coffee (optional)
• 2 tsp vanilla essence/paste/powder
• 2 eggs
• 170g almond meal
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the chocolate frosting:

• 113g natural maple syrup
• 85g coconut oil
• 58g dark 70g chocolate
• 113g cacao powder

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Line an 8x8 square cake tin with baking paper.


Melt half of the dark chocolate in the microwave until smooth. Add the avocado, coconut sugar, coffee and vanilla to a food processor and mix until smooth. It's important that there are no lumps of avocado.


Pour in the melted chocolate and mix until well combined. Add the eggs and mix until combined. Add the cacao powder, almond meal and salt. Mix well. Now chop the remaining half of the chocolate and mix into the mixture.


Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the brownies are just set. It's important to not over bake or they will become dry. Allow to cool before frosting.


In a small saucepan, melt together the maple syrup, coconut oil and dark chocolate over a low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat then stir in the cacao powder along with a pinch of salt. Pour the frosting onto the cooled brownie then spread evenly. Pop into the fridge to set for half an hour to an hour.


Cut into squares et voila! Your healthy brownies are ready to devour!