Madeleines

Madeleines 

These little French cakes are so delicious and traditional. They’re easy to make too which is an added bonus.

You can leave them plain or decorate with the chocolate. Either way, they are really tasty!

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g plain flour
• 1 lemon, zest and juice 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 100g butter, melted and cooled slightly 

For the chocolate dipping:

• 50g dark chocolate
• 7ml grapeseed oil 

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a madeleine tin and shake in a little flour and tap out the excess. 

Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a bowl until frothy. Lightly whisk in the remaining ingredients. Leave to stand for 20 minutes before spooning the mixture into the prepared tin. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the mixture has risen a little in the middle and is cooked through. Transfer the Madeleines to a wire rack to cool slightly. 

If wanting to dip in chocolate, melt the chocolate in the microwave in short bursts. Once melted, add the oil and mix well. Dip half the Madeleines in the chocolate and place on the wire rack until set.

Voila, your Madeleines are now ready to eat! 

Quiche Lorraine

Quiche Lorraine 

Typically, quiche Lorraine doesn’t have any cheese in it. It originates from the Lorraine region of France, on the German boarder.

If you want, add some grated gruyère or cheddar cheese.

Ingredients:

• 90g soft unsalted butter 
• 1tsp sugar
• Pinch of salt 
• 180g plain flour 
• 2 egg yolks
• Ice cold water

For the filling:

• 150g smoked lardons or bacon cut into cubes 
• 4 eggs plus 2 egg yolks (keep the whites to brush the pastry)
• 300g crème fraîche or double cream
• 1tsp salt & black pepper 

To make the pastry, add the butter sugar and salt to a mixer and beat until creamy. Mix in the flour followed by the egg yolks and two tablespoons of ice cold water. Mix and bring together to form a ball. Cover in cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of one hour, best overnight.

Remove the pastry half hour an hour before using. Roll out between two sheets of baking paper until 5mm thick, and line a 25cm pie tin. Brush the pastry with the egg white. Refrigerate whilst you make the filling. 

Preheat the oven to 180C.

To make the filling, fry your lardons or bacon in a frying pan until golden brown and lightly crispy. Then take out and place on kitchen paper. Meanwhile, lightly beat the eggs and egg yolks together in a bowl, add the crème fraîche and seasoning and mix well together. Scatter the lardons on the base of the pastry then pour the egg mixture on top. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the filling is golden brown and set. Serve warm or cold.

Bon appétit! 

Tarte Tatin

Tarte Tatin

There’s something about French patisserie that makes me so happy. Every time I go back home to my parents I always have to go and buy a selection for me and my family. It’s a feast for the eyes as well as the palate!

Tarte tatin is a family favourite, as well as anything lemony or chocolatey! This recipe is my grandmothers and is sure to make your stomach happy!

This recipe is usually done with puff pastry but I didn’t have any to hand, and with being in lockdown, popping to the shops for non essentials is no longer an option, so I made rich short crust instead (because, who has time or the patience to make their own puff pastry?!!) and it tasted delicious.

Ingredients:

For the pastry, if not using ready made puff pastry:

• 175g plain flour 
• 25g golden caster sugar 
• 85g unsalted butter, chilled & cubed
• 1egg yolk
• 2tbsp ice cold water
• Pinch of salt 

For the filling:

• 6 apples, peeled, cored & quartered 
• 50g unsalted butter
• 50g golden caster sugar 
• 1 lemon, juiced 

If making your own pastry, add the flour, salt and sugar in a food processor then add the chilled butter and mix until it resembles fine crumbs. Whilst the machine is still running, add the egg yolk and water through the feed tube, and process until the mixture comes together to form a firm dough.

Take the dough out and form into a ball then wrap in cling film. Leave to chill in the fridge whilst you crack on with the apples.

In a tarte tatin dish, heat the butter over a medium heat. Once melted, add the sugar and mix. Once the sugar has dissolved, add the lemon juice and mix together. Now add your apples and mix so they are covered with the mixture. You want to caramelise your apples, this will take around ten minutes.

If you need to, add a little more butter and sugar. Once your apples are caramelised, take off the heat and leave to cool slightly. If making your own pastry, take out of the fridge and rollout so it’s big enough to cover your pan.

Neatly arrange the apples so the are all flat and the pan is fully covered. Carefully take your pastry and cover the apples. Carefully press the pastry into the sides and cut off any excess. Prick the pastry 3 times with a knife and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 160C and cook for a further 10-15 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp.

Leave to cool then invert a plate over the dish, hold the plate and dish together and flip over so the apples are on top. Serve with ice cream, crème fraîche or custard.

Creamy Caprese Stuffed Pasta Shells

Creamy Caprese Stuffed Pasta Shells 

This dish will literally transport you to Italy, it’s creamy, cheesy and the sun dried tomato sauce just brings it all together.

I served this as a main for Valentine’s Day, alongside my Arancini as a starter and tiramisu for dessert.

Ingredients:

• 250g jumbo pasta shells 
• 500g ricotta 
• 375g mozzarella 
• 285g sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped 
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped basil 
• Salt & pepper 
• 100ml chicken stock 
• 100ml double cream 

Preheat the oven to 180C. In a large pan of salted boiling water, cook the pasta until al denté. Drain and leave to cool.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together the ricotta, mozzarella, half the sun dried tomatoes, basil, then season with salt & pepper.

In a small saucepan over a low heat, combine chicken broth, double cream and the remaining sun dried tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Pour 1/3 of the sauce into an oven proof dish. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the pasta shells and place into the pan, then pour over the remaining sauce.

Bake in the oven until the cheese has melted and is golden, around 20-25 minutes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies 

These cookies are so soft and chewy and taste amazing!

You can play around with this recipe by swapping out the chocolats chips for any kind of chopped chocolate, nuts, raisins etc. Just make sure you keep it to the same quantity and you’re good to go.

Ingredients:

• 113g unsalted butter, melted 
• 66g granulated sugar 
• 104g light brown muscovado sugar 
• 1 large egg
• 1tsp vanilla extract 
• 1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda 
• 1/2tsp salt 
• 186g plain flour 
• 200g milk chocolate chips 

Place the melted butter in the bowl of a mixer then add the sugars, mix on the low speed setting until well mixed. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix on a medium speed until combined.

Add the bicarbonate of soda and salt, then slowly add the flour to the mix until smooth. Add the chocolats chips and mix.

Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Scoop a tablespoon of mixture into a ball and place on the baking tray. No need to worry about spacing as we are chilling before baking. Cover with cling film and chill for two hours. 

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line another baking tray with parchment paper. Remove the cookies from the fridge and space them 2 inches apart on the new baking tray. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the top is no longer glossy. Leave to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the baking tray.

Mozzarella Arancini with Marinara Sauce

Mozzarella Arancini with Marinara Sauce

These are a labour of love but my god, they are totally worth it and during this lockdown, we have allll the time to cook, so no excuses!

Arancini originate from Sicily; and are rice balls stuffed with ragu, mozzarella or whatever you fancy, then deep fried to perfection.

These go great with the marinara sauce and can be eaten as a starter or as light lunch with a salad.

Ingredients:

For the Arancini:

• 750ml chicken stock 
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter 
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 190g Arborio rice
• 1 tsp salt 
• 115ml dry white wine 
• 100g Parmesan 
• 60g double cream
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 1 tbsp lemon juice 
• 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 
• 375g mozzarella, cut into small cubes 
• 200g Panko bread crumbs
• 100g flour 
• 2 large free range eggs
• Sunflower oil for frying 

For the marinara sauce:

• 6 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped 
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 2 sprigs of basil, chopped
• 2x 400g tins of peeled plum tomatoes 
• Salt and pepper 

Sauce

The sauce can be made a day in advance if needed.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the onion, stirring often, until very soft. Add the garlic and cook for a further 3 minutes, then add the basil. 

Add the tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you go, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat, simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick, around 1 hour. Season with salt & pepper.

Arancini 

Bring the stock to a simmer over a medium heat in a saucepan, then keep warm over a low heat.

Heat 2 tbsp of butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion and cook until softened but not browned. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.

Stir in the rice, season with 1 tsp salt and cook, stirring often until some of the grains turn translucent around the edges. Add the wine and cook, stirring often until the pan is almost dry. Ladle in one spoonful of stock, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring often until the liquid is absorbed. Ladle in another spoonful of stock and continue the method until all the stock has been used and is mostly absorbed. The rice should be cooked through but slightly toothsome. Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan, cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tsp pepper and remaining butter. Season with salt to taste.

Spread risotto in an even layer on a parchment lined baking tray. Chill for 4 hours in the fridge, cover with cling film after 1 hour of chilling to stop a skin forming.

Line another baking tray with parchment. Scoop about a palm size amount of risotto into your hand and form into a patty, place 3-4 pieces of mozzarella in the middle. Carefully pinch the edges up to cover the mozzarella and form into a ball. Place on the prepared baking tray. Repeat until all the risotto has been formed. Place in the fridge for an hour (or freeze for 10 minutes).

Meanwhile, pulse the Panko breadcrumbs in a food processor until very fine and transfer to a shallow bowl. Place flour in another shallow bowl. Then, beat the eggs in another bowl to blend. Season all bowls with salt and pepper. Working one at a time, roll the balls in flour and shake off any excess. Then dip in the egg, enduring the entire ball is coated, then let any excess drip off. Finally, roll into the Panko. Transfer onto your lined baking tray.

Heat your oil or fryer, and cook the Arancini until a deep golden brown, around 5-6 minutes. Transfer to kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil. Serve warm with the marinara sauce.

Banana Bread

Banana Bread 

This banana bread is super versatile. I’ve added walnuts, cinnamon and chocolate to mine. You can add any nuts you like, and/or seeds or you can completely omit the extras and keep it simply banana. Either way, it’ll be delicious.

Ingredients:

• 210g plain flour
• 1tsp salt 
• 1tsp cinnamon 
• 70g sugar (I used light brown muscovado sugar)
• 1tsp vanilla extract 
• 2 large eggs 
• 4 ripe bananas 
• 220g melted butter 
• 1tsp bicarbonate of soda 
• 70g walnuts 
• 40g dark chocolate chips
• 40g white chocolate chips 

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a loaf tin with baking parchment. 

In a small bowl, mix the flour and salt together then set aside. 

Place the bananas in a bowl and mash them. Add the eggs, cinnamon, vanilla extract, bicarbonate of soda, sugar and butter and mix well. Add half the flour and fold in. Add the remaining flour and fold gently, do not over mix. 

Add your nuts and chocolate, if using and gently mix. Pour the mixture into your prepared tin. I cut a banana in half lengthways and placed on top, then sprinkled some extra chocolate chips. Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes. I covered my loaf tin with foil after 30 minutes to stop it from browning any further.

Pasta Alla Vodka

Pasta Alla Vodka

This pasta sauce is made using vodka, as you could probably tell by the description! It’s usually made using penne pasta, but I’ve had to use spaghetti as that’s all I can get hold of during the lockdown!

This pasta dish is so quick and easy to make but tastes delicious!

Serves 2.

Ingredients:

• Pasta 
• Salt & pepper 
• 4 garlic cloves 
• 2tbsp tomato purée 
• 2tbsp olive oil 
• 50g Parmesan 
• 120ml double cream 
• 1 shot of vodka

Cook enough pasta for 2 in salted boiling water. Once cooked, drain.

Whilst your pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat. Once hot, crush the garlic and cook until fragrant. Now add your tomato purée and mix, then add the vodka and mix well. Add your cream, stirring to mix everything together. Add the Parmesan and mix then season to taste.

Add your pasta to the sauce and stir so it’s all mixed well. 

Voila, bon appétit! 

Sweet Potato Gnocchi Three Ways

So, I originally made this for Noah and had a few requests to share the recipe, so here it is!

It’s such a versatile recipe and can be adapted and paired with any sauce you see fit.

This recipe is quick, effortless and really flavoursome. Plus little bubbas will love this, just omit the salt and use unsalted butter for weaning babies.

Serves 2:

• 3 large sweet potatoes 
• Salt & pepper to season 
• 1 tbsp thyme
• 4-6 tbsp flour

Pierce your potatoes then cook in the microwave until cooked. Slice the potatoes down the middle and scoop the inside out into a bowl. Mash the potato with a fork then season with the salt & pepper and add the thyme. Mix well then add a tablespoon at a time of flour, mixing well inbetween. The texture you’re after is not too sticky.

Roll into a long sausage on a lightly floured surface, then cut into little squares.

Bring some salted water to the boil then add the gnocchi. They’re cooked once they float to the top. Keep half a mug full of the water then drain. 

Heat a knob of butter in a large pan over a medium heat then add the gnocchi and season with more black pepper. Toss them around and fry until golden. 

Now you can choose whatever sauce you want to go with this. I have done pesto as well as a tomato and spinach sauce. Below I will let you know my spinach & Parmesan sauce as per the photos and this is the reason you need to keep some of the water.

Once your gnocchi are golden, add 4-5 handfuls of spinach then pour some water in. Mix it all together and sprinkle some Parmesan. Keep adding some water and Parmesan until you get a creamy consistency. Spoon into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan.

Chocolate Meringue Pie

Who doesn’t love ending a meal with a chocolate dessert?? This is a great alternative to lemon meringue pie, especially if you’re a chocoholic!

Chocolate pastry, filled with a chocolate truffle filling and topped with a light, chocolate meringue. This will truly impress if you’re hosting a dinner for family or friends.

Ingredients:

For the pastry:

• 80g caster sugar
• 150g chilled unsalted butter, cubed
• 260g plain flour 
• 30g cocoa powder 
• 1 large egg yolk 
• 3-5 tbsp cold water 

For the filling:

• 200g dark chocolate 
• 150g unsalted butter 
• 60g golden caster sugar 
• 2 large eggs 
• 3 large egg yolks
• 80g plain flour 

For the meringue: 

• 5 large egg whites
• 275g caster sugar 
• 1 tsp corn flour 
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste 
• 1/2 tsp white wine vinegar 
• 15g cocoa powder

For the pastry, pulse together the sugar and butter in a food processor until combined. Add the flour and cocoa powder and mix to a breadcrumb consistency.

Add the egg yolk and 3 tbsp of water, then mix to bring the dough together. You may need to add more water, but be careful as you don’t want the dough to get too wet. 

Once the dough is smooth, shape into a thick disc, wrap in cling film and chill for half an hour. 

Roll out the pastry between two sheets of baking paper to the thickness of a £1 coin. Peel off one piece of baking paper, then gently roll the pastry around the rolling pin to lift. Unroll the pastry, baking paper side up, over a 23cm, deep fluted tin, then peel off the paper and set aside. Carefully press the pastry into the tin. Heat the oven to 180C.

Trim any excess pastry from the sides with a sharp knife and use the scraps to patch up any gaps or holes. Scrunch up the reserved paper, then flatten out and use to line the pastry case. Fill with baking beans/ rice then chill for 15 minutes. Bake for 13 minutes, then remove the baking beans/ rice and cook for a further 3 minutes, or until the pastry feels dry.

Meanwhile, to make the filling, put the chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Melt gently, stirring now and then, then add the butter and stir until combined. Take off the heat.

Using an electric mixture, whisk the sugar, eggs and egg yolks until pale and creamy. Stir in the melted chocolate until it’s all incorporated, then gently fold in the flour using a metal spoon. 

Lower the oven temperature to 160C. Spoon the chocolate filling mixture into the cooked pastry case, level the top with a spatula, then bake for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the meringue using an electric mixer.whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gradually whisk in the sugar until you have a soft, billowy meringue whose peaks stay standing when you lift the whisk. Whisk in the cornflour, vanilla and vinegar.

After 12 minutes of cooking, remove the chocolate tart from the oven. Lower the oven temperature to 150C.

Sift half the cocoa onto the meringue, then, using a metal spoon, carefully spoon the meringue on top of the chocolate tart, swirling slightly as you go. Don’t over mix or your meringue will lose the swirl effect. Sift the remaining cocoa on top of the meringue.

Return the tart to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. The meringue should have a thin crust on top but still soft in the centre. Leave to cool completely before taking out of the tin.

Brioche

France is pretty famous for its bread, the most famous being the baguette, fougasse and brioche. All of which I love, and can eat my weights worth!

The brioche is soft, buttery and slightly sweet. It goes well with savoury foods such as paté or sweet such a Nutella, so is really versatile.

I have a recipe for fougasse bread, check it out:
https://atableavecjulia.blogspot.com/2017/05/fougasse-bread-this-is-relatively-easy.html?m=1

I’ll be making this again as it’s easy, I just have to remember to egg wash the dough before baking to ensure my brioche has that infamous sheen!

Ingredients:

• 225g strong white bread flour 
• 6g salt 
• 15g caster sugar 
• 7g fresh yeast, crumbled 
• 3 eggs 
• 125g softened unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• 1 egg, beaten to glaze 

Put the flour, salt and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer. Crumble the yeast into a separate bowl and add the eggs. Whisk the eggs and yeast together to dissolve the yeast. Pour the yeast mixture into the dry ingredients, then, using a dough hook attachment, mix on a medium speed for 5-8 minutes, or until the dough starts coming away from the sides. Turn off the mixture and let the dough rest for 5 minutes. 

Start the mixture up again on a medium speed and while it is running slowly add the butter to the dough, a little at a time, until it is incorporated (it’s important you don’t add the butter too quickly or it will ruin the dough). Once the butter is incorporated, mix on a high speed for 4 minutes, until the dough is glossy, smooth and elastic when pulled, then cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave until it has doubled in size (this will take around 2 hours). Knock back the dough, then recover and leave to chill overnight in the fridge.

The next day, grease a loaf tin. Take the dough out of the fridge, mould it into a loaf shape and place it in the prepared tin, pressing the dough down into each corner so that it is even. Leave somewhere warm to prove until it reaches the top of the tin, this should take around 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 180C. Glaze the brioche with the beaten egg and bake for 20 minutes, then take it out of the tin and place it directly on the oven shelf for a further 5 minutes. 

Put on a cooling rack to cool a little and serve warm, or toasted. The brioche will last 2-3 days. 

Tiramisu

Whilst in Rome two years ago, we found the most amazing restaurant just a stones through from our hotel. It was a quaint but beautiful setting, the staff were so amicable and forthcoming and the food was out of this world! Then there was their tiramisu. My god, I thought I’d died and gone to food heaven! We ended up dining there every evening and of course, always finished our meal with the tiramisu.

This doesn’t have alcohol as I just don’t like boozy desserts. If unlike me, you do like a bit of booze, then add 4tbs of rum and/or masala (2 of each).

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, separated 
• 75g caster sugar 
• 450g mascarpone
• 400ml coffee
• 2 packets of sponge fingers 
• Cocoa powder, to dust 

Whisk 3 eggs whites until stiff, then set aside. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale and voluminous, then whisk in the mascarpone, a little at a time, until smooth and well combined. Gently fold the egg whites into the mascarpone mixture with a large metal spoon, taking care not to knock the air out. 

Pour the coffee into a shallow dish and dip the sponge fingers for several seconds on each side, until it is a pale coffee colour. Then arrange to cover the base of a shallow dish. Spoon half of the mascarpone mixture then sprinkle some cocoa powder on top. Then repeat for the second layer, finishing with the mascarpone and a sprinkle of cocoa.

Cover and refrigerate overnight, you may need to give it another dusting of cocoa if some has been removed from the cover.

Chicken Parmigiana

My favourite cuisine is Italian. Give me all the pizzas, all the pastas and all of the gelatos and tiramisu!! Italy literally has the most amazing food! Oh and wine!!

Chicken Parm is basically breaded chicken, covered in a tomato sauce then topped with mozzarella and Parmesan. It’s soooo good and any cheese lover will love this dish!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

For the chicken:

• 2 large eggs
• 8 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley 
• Salt & pepper 
• 4 chicken breasts 
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs 
• 1 cup golden bread crumbs 
• 1/2 cup fresh Parmesan 
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• Olive oil for frying 

For the sauce: 

• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 large onion finely chopped 
• 6 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 400g passata
• Salt & pepper
• 1 tsp dried Italian herbs 
• 1 tsp sugar 

For the topping:

• 250g mozzarella 
• 50g fresh Parmesan 
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped basil 

Whisk together the eggs, garlic, parsley and salt & pepper in a shallow dish. Add the chicken to the egg mixture and ensure it’s well coated on each side. Add the chicken to a sandwich bag and pour in the egg mixture, secure and refrigerate overnight.

Once you are ready to cook your chicken, preheat the oven to 180C. Lightly grease an oven dish with olive oil and set aside. Mix the breadcrumbs, Parmesan and garlic powder into a bowl and dip the chicken in, evenly coating each chicken breast.

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat until hot. Fry the chicken until golden and crispy.

To make the sauce, heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion until transparent, then add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the passata, salt and pepper to taste, Italian herbs and sugar. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened.

Add the chicken to your prepared dish. Spoon the tomato sauce onto each chicken then top with the mozzarella, Parmesan and chopped basil. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until the cheese has melted and bubbling, and then chicken is cooked through.

Serve with pasta or a salad and vegetables.