Les Kouginettes

Having discovered on a recent holiday to Brittany, the delicious sweet & buttery Kougin Amman (Breton Butter Cake). I decided there and then to make these Bretagne delicacies. So on my return armed with a boot full of T45 & T55 flours, beautiful Bretagne butter (and of course wine) I set about researching for recipes.

It was then I came across the Les Kouginettes, this is a smaller individual version of the Kougin Amman. Looking at published recipes it became apparent that they were a little reminiscent of our lardy cake. Maybe this was adopted into Brittany during the times when it was under British rule, that however is one for the historians to confirm....

So to make these buttery Sugary, Flaky delights you will need:

235g Strong White Flour
3g Salt
15g Melted Butter
5g Fast Action Yeast/Dried Active Yeast
130g Tepid water
-----------------------
90g Softened Butter
50g Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Mixed Spice

You will need a 6 or 12  hole muffin tin- depending how big you want them,

Oven Temp: 180oC Fan

1. Place your flour, yeast  and salt in a bowl, give it a whisk up to distribute everything.
2. Rub the melted butter in, add the water, bring to a soft dough, cover and leave to sit for 10 minutes.
3. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes until smooth, cover and leave to prove at room temperature for around an hour
4. Roll the dough into a rectangle and spread over two thirds of it half the butter, sugar & spice.
5. Fold as per puff pastry and give half a turn. Its going to be sticky!!
6. Repeat steps 4&5 using the other half of the butter, sugar & spice.
7. Leave the dough to rest for 10  minutes and roll out again to give another half turn, repeat once more.
8. Roll out again to a rectangle, roll up like a sausage roll, divide the sausage up into 6 or 12 equal portions, place in the tins, cover and leave to prove for 30 minutes, brush with milk, sprinkle with a little sugar and bake in your preheated oven for 15 -20 minutes depending on how big you cut them 

Eat warm with a French blend coffee or even an English tea.
Variations can include filling with nutella, or even a lemon curd.. love to hear your feedback.

A most unexpected Craft Union

A craft union of Beer, Bread, Bakewell and a Treacle Tart

Most people who know me know I am really partial to a pint or two of real ale, Thornbridge Jaipur is far my favourite tipple. I have sank many a pint after a peak district walk in the Devonshire Arms at Beeley. So when I was asked by the organisers of the recent Bakewell Baking Festival if I would do a demo showcasing a Cake or Dessert from Derbyshires Thornbridge Brewery Craft Union Cookbook, I jumped at the chance.

I popped over to Bakewell and had a meeting with Alex the Marketing manager we decided on Treacle Tart using the rich, dark Wild Raven. Never missing an opportunity I also suggested we make some beer bread from one of the ales available on the Festival Weekend to have on the stand at both the demo and the festival.

I came away with a box of Wild Raven IPA and the fabulous hoppy Chiron Ale

The Thornbridge Craft Union Cookbook is based wholly on pairing craft ale with food. Most of us are aware of the red & white wine food pairings but not so much about beer pairing. This book brings it all together, giving you simple guidelines to help you along.

So having read the book from cover to cover, read and noted down some really great recipes I also noticed there were some recipes that had been included by some of our most renowned beer critics and journalists, one in particular Marverine Cole aka Beer Beauty,  @beerbeauty whose adventures I follow on Twitter.

Having chosen Treacle Tart with Alex I then decided on the bread, for me it needed to be a Focaccia. I wanted a real depth of flavour so set about a 24hour focaccia marathon.

 

It’s a simple recipe. This is scaled down as I made 4 x the mix.

500g Strong white bread flour

400g Thornbridge Chiron Ale

5g Dried Active Yeast

10g Salt

 

Starting the mix at about lunchtime:

-Mix together the yeast with a little flour and a drop of water and leave to get going (20 mins or so)

-In a large bowl mix together the Flour and Salt

-When the yeast looks like its lively add to the flour mix it in then add the ale. Using a wooden spoon or your hands really beat the mix together it will be a real slack sticky mess. Really get some air in it.

-Pour a bit of olive oil around the bottom of the bowl lifting the dough up slightly with a dough scraper so the oil gets underneath the dough. Cover with a slightly smaller bowl, cling-film or a shower cap and put it somewhere cool until the next morning.

-After all that time your dough will have started to bubble a little like the picture below.

 

 

- Start an hourly folding regime for times, using your hands fold the dough making sure that the dough is stretched as you fold, repeat this four times. Your dough will be pillowy and bubbly.

-After the fourth fold leave it to rest for 30 mins then turn it out onto an oiled and ideally parchment lined tray.

-Using your fingers press the dough flat making indents along the way, leave it to come up again for 30 mins, drizzle with olive oil, a little garlic salt & sea salt then bake for around 30 mins in a pre-heated 200^oC oven, until golden.

 

 

 

If you ever get the chance to visit Bakewell, remember to pop into the  Thornbridge Brewery Shop and purchase some of the fabulous beers they produce, you could also buy a copy of the craft union book.
I know most of you will not want to make bread out of beer (sacrilege my husband cries) but if you are an avid bread-maker put it on your list of breads to make, but always use a good ale.

I've added a few snaps from the day - me doing the demo and also on the Thornbridge stand with the delightful MD of Thornbridge, Jim Harrison and Bob the bar-man.

 

 

 I have taken no payment for this blog- all photographs, comments and words are my own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Double Chocolate & Raspberry Cheesecake

At the weekend I catered for around 25 people for my daughters birthday party, as with everything I make, all was homemade including all the desserts. A comment from my youngest niece " this is the best cheesecake dessert I have ever tasted" really prompted me to blog this recipe.
As a rule I really don't have much of a sweet tooth, but I adore fresh raspberries, so when the opportunity came along to make something as light and completely delicious as this, I felt the need to share it. You can use any seasonal soft fruit for this recipe. Its a hybrid recipe from notes I have made over the years for the % needed to make enough to serve 12 people.
 
Its a non baked recipe that needs an overnight set. It freezes really well, I made and froze it during the week, defrosted and decorated it on the Sunday.

You will need a 20cm spring-form pan or if you are making it to freeze a silicone cake pan.
Serves 12 ( or 6 if you can eat a big portion)

Recipe:
For the base
200g Biscuit crumbs (I used hob nobs)
75g Butter

For the Cheese Topping
300g Good Quality White Chocolate
300ml Double Cream
500g Full Fat Cream Cheese (I used Philly)
200g Fresh Raspberries

For the Decoration
50g Dark Chocolate
200g Fresh Raspberries
Edible Gold Sprinkles (optional)


1. Whizz up your biscuits in a food processor or put in a bag and bash with a rolling pin until you get fine crumbs.
2. . In a pan melt the butter from the base ingredients, add the fine crumbs, mix together.
3. Butter the sides and bottom of the chosen pan you are using, using your fingers and a wooden spoon, gently but firmly press the biscuit base into the bottom of the pan. Pop in the fridge to set.
4. Meanwhile in melt the white chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, when its melted remove from the heat.
5. Place the cream cheese in a bowl and give it a light whisk with a hand held mixer.
6. In another bowl whisk up the double cream until light & fluffy.
7. Using a spatula, add the melted chocolate and mix well into the cream cheese, using a hand held mixer give it a good whisk up.
8. Add the whisked up cream to the cheese & chocolate, whisk well together.
9. Gently fold in the raspberries.
10. Pour and smooth the cheese cake mix onto chilled base- (at this stage you can cover & freeze it). or cover and return the pan to the fridge overnight if possible.

To decorate:
1. Remove the pan from the fridge ( if frozen, remove from the pan, defrost safely in the fridge).
2. Remove the cheesecake from the pan
3. Melt some dark chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.
4. Arrange your fresh raspberries on the top of the cheesecake, drizzle with some melted chocolate and sprinkle some edible gold glitter......... served chilled and enjoy..........

White Chocolate and Cranberry Bagels

We seems to be having quite a bit of Bagel action within the realms of our baking Twitter community. In particular Mr & Mrs Blackbird Bread @blackbirdbread of Twickenham and the lovely Sisley White @ SewWhite (where by the way you can purchase loads of fantastic baking equiptment) to name but a few.
I recently suggested to Sew White to try the delicious White Chocolate and Cranberry Bagels that are a favorite in our house, to which I get a reply " do you have the recipe?" Yes I cry but  sadly I haven't any photographs as they tend to get snaffled up as soon as they are ready.
So in true mission impossible style your task should you wish to try it is....... if anyone would like to have a go at the recipe and send me the photo's I'll happily post them on here and share with you all.

Here goes, bit long winded but.......

Makes about 8

450g of Strong White Flour
7g Dried Active Yeast
7g Salt
+/- 220g of Scaled Tepid Full Fat Milk
25g Well Softened Butter
10g Caster Sugar
1 Whole Whisked Egg
7g Malt Extract
120g Soaked Dried Cranberries
100g Chopped White Chocolate plus 100g melted for drizzling.

1. Mix up the yeast with a little flour and a drop of water, leave for 5-10 mins to do its thing.
2. Sift the flour and salt into a bowl add the sugar, mix in.
3. Mix the yeast mix into the tepid milk add the butter, whisked egg and malt extract.
4. Bring it all together to make a soft dough, adding a little more milk if needed,  leave it covered in the bowl for 10 mins.
5. After 10 mins either pop into your mixer with a dough hook for 5-6 mins or knead by hand for 8-10 mins until smooth & elastic.
6. Place the dough into a bowl, cover and leave in a warm place to double in size this can take up to 2 hours.
7. Remove from the bowl and place the dough onto your work surface, flatten it down to a rectangle and cut into 4 pieces.
8. Place a 1/3rd of the cranberries & chocolate on top the first piece of dough, cover with another piece of dough, sprinkle that piece with another 1/3rd of the choc & cranberry mix, place the 3rd piece of dough onto of that and sprinkle the remaining 1/3rd of choc & cranberry mix on it and cover with the remaining piece of dough.... hope I explained that ok.
9. Now bring the dough together and knead it gently, shaping into a cylinder shape.
10. Divide the dough into 8 pieces, shape the dough into balls. using a floured wooden spoon handle, stick the handle through the dough then place your finger through the  middle and swing it around until the hole has a diameter of about 2" ( ish). Repeat until all shaped the same.
11. Place on OILED parchment or a non stick silicone mat, cover with OILED clingfilm and leave to rise again for around 30-40 mins.
12. For this bit I use my wok, fill your wok or large saucepan with water and add two teaspoons of malt extract or dark brown sugar. Bring water to the boil and reduce down to a gentle poaching simmer.
13. Preheat your oven to 200oC
14. Starting at the top of the wok, drop in one at a time in a clockwise motion your 4 bagels, by the time you have placed the last one in turn them over so that both sides have poached. Remove from the pan place onto a clean tea towel to drain off excess liquid. Repeat until all the bagels are poached. They should only be in the water for 10- 20 seconds each side.
15. Place on a parchment lined baking tray, bake for 15-20 mins until golden.
16. Remove from the oven and cover with a clean tea towel until cool.
17. Melt the remaining chocolate and drizzle generously over the bagels.

Enjoy

I look forward to your pictures.

A tale of an Oatcake

I am at the moment researching regional and heritage bakes from around the UK but also into mainland Europe. These will form part of my cookery & baking courses both independently as well as with the cookery schools I have the pleasure of working with and now this has been extended to my Foodie partnership with Kay from "The Quirky Cook".

So moving on, as I digress, over the past months I have made some really good Twitter Chums and I know some of them are really into heritage and traditional foods... and Ale so I asked the friendly fellows in the Blackbird Bread nest down in sunny Twickenham if they would be interested in posting a guest blog for me. I was so happy when they agreed.

Mr and Mrs Blackbird runs a successful Micro-bakery in Twickenham, serving the local community with Real Bread, Cakes and Pastries. Mr Blackbird tends to do most of the breads & pastries where Mrs Blackbird has a flavour for cake and blog writing ( and strangly Dr.Who).  They have just started "Pop-up Croissant Sunday" where discerning real bread lovers order and pick up fresh warm croissants. Please pop over to their blog for details of their Micro-bakery . http://blackbirdbread.blogspot.co.uk. Please also follow them on Twitter @blackbirdbread.

Well at last here is the post.... (shh, but I do need to whisper that it is just a rumour, that oatcakes are a Derbyshire delicacy) but that’s another blog,,,,, ;)

 

Blog post from Blackbird Bread – Staffordshire oatcakes

Growing up in Staffordshire, I’d always been fed a regular supply of oatcakes. For anyone not from the midlands you probably think I mean the dry biscuits beloved of those recovering from tummy bugs; and the newly pregnant looking for a quick energy fix that wasn’t going to make them throw up! Not those ones. The Staffordshire oatcake is a wonderful thing, beloved by Stokies as much as the glorious bottle kilns that rise above the Potteries skyline. Stoke City FC even called their football programme after it.

Essentially a Staffordshire oatcake is a yeasted pancake with a surface like a pikelet or crumpet. In our house these were always bought in packets from the local market or bakers. We’d have them with our cooked Sunday breakfast. The flat, flexible pancakes are great for wrapping around bacon and eggs. Sometimes we’d have them toasted for tea with cheese and then rolled up with the melted cheese oozing through the tiny holes. My daughters are big fans of this!

The origins of this version of the oatcake are disputed. Some claim they derided from troops returning from colonial India having eaten flatbreads like chapatti and roti. Much as I like the idea of soldiers returning from the East demanding a little of the Punjab in Burslem, it’s more likely that the oatcakes’ origins go much further back, probably to those pesky Romans. There are certainly some regional variations in the counties bordering on Staffordshire.

Having abandoned Staffordshire for ‘down South’ sourcing oatcakes is a much trickier proposition. Whenever I visit, my mum has usually bought a packet that I can take home and pop in the freezer.

I was intrigued to see in Mr B’s copy of Daniel Stevens’ excellent River Cottage Bread book a recipe for Staffordshire oatcakes which made me think, if I can do these at home I can have them whenever I like.

It’s a very straightforward recipe, but with all pancakes the effort is in the standing over the stove cooking them. I couldn’t see Daniel Stevens’ recipe online but there is a version from the Hairy Bikers http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/staffordshireoatcake_92371 This uses less wholemeal flour than Daniel’s version and also includes a little white flour. Having made the River Cottage Bread book version this seems like a sound idea as, much as we wolfed down the oatcakes, they were very filling and this may lighten them a little.

.................To be honest, I couldn’t say that the homemade version were better than the ones I’ve always bought, however, it was interesting seeing what went into them and I’d encourage anyone keen on heritage recipes (especially Stokies!) to give them a go.

There are a few photos of the process involved.

A copy of Mr B's Book

 

 

Starting the process, all the dry ingredients in the bowl

 

 

 

 

Mixing it together

Just starting to get a little lively

 

 



If you look closely you will see the yeast bubbles making the lacey holes... not long till the eating stage, be patient.

Just pile them up....

 

Now is the time to pile them with cheese, slam under ther grill and scoff'em.

 

a big, big thankyou to Mr & Mrs Blackbird Bread for this, I'm hoping to get the fabulous Bread Angel @fabuloaf to write one for me........

 

Potato and Rosemary bread

This bread is one of my favourite breads, it can start as an overnight poolish or just as I have written below. It has a golden soft crust with a light and airy crumb, you can even use it for a tear & share bread, just add different ingredients. Red onions and goats cheese can be added, the list is endless.

So onto the recipe, a plus side to this recipe is you can just leave it alone to do its thing, just keep your eye on it....I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Potato and Rosemary Bread

1kg Strong White Flour *

+/- 600g Potato Water (Cooled)
10g Dried Yeast
20g Salt
2 tbsp. Fresh Chopped Rosemary or 2 tsp. Dried Rosemary
20ml Olive oil
Fine Semolina for dusting

2 Plastic Bowls (1 large, 1 Small)

Whisk
Timer
Dough scraper
Baking trays
Parchment Paper

*If you have any mashed potato left substitute some of the flour for the potato.

1.       In the large bowl place the potato water and the yeast, stir it up and leave it to start to work.

2.      Meanwhile in the small bowl weigh out the flour and/or flour and potato, add the salt and the rosemary. Using your whisk, whisk up the flour, this aerates, disperses the salt as well as getting rid of any big lumps.

3.      After around 10 mins’ the water/yeast mix should be showing signs of life, add the olive oil give it mix.

4.      Add the flour mix to the water and using your hand bring it all together, it should be quite a soft dough; if it feels a little dry add a little more water.

5.     Cover your big bowl with the small bowl, set your timer to 10 mins’ and leave your dough alone.

6.      After 10 mins’ take the dough out of the bowl and knead for 40 seconds put back into the big bowl, cover with the small bowl.

7.     Repeat steps 5 & 6 five more times.

8.      After the final knead, form the dough into a round and place back in the big bowl, cover with the small bowl and leave it alone for an hour.

9.    Knock it back, form back into a round a place it back into the big bowl, cover with the small bowl and leave it alone again for another hour. Repeat once more.

10.   After the final bowl prove, lightly dust your work top with flour and semolina, divide the dough into 3 (to make loaves) or 10 to make boules or batons.

11.     Shape to your desired shape and place onto the prepared trays (lined with parchment and sprinkled with semolina).

12.   Cover with lightly oiled cling-film and leave the dough to prove for the final time.

13.   Pre-heat oven to 200^oC.

14.   When the dough had doubled in size and had reached a satisfactory prove, sprinkle with a mix of flour and semolina, spray with fine mist of water and place in the oven for 5 mins’ at 200^oc, reduce the oven down to 180^oC bake for a further 25 mins’ for loaves, 15 mins’ for boules. Remember all ovens are different………

15.   Leave to cool and enjoy, they freeze really well

 

 

Vegetarian Christmas Roulade

As we have a few vegetarians in the family I have always been interested in vegetarian food, when I was at college I always seemed to put forward the veggie menu ideas. This recipe I sort of fell upon when surfing so decided to give it a try ( the published reciped is a little disjointed so I have edited it to flow a little better). I also upped the cheese and added smoked paprika to the crust. Anyway this is a tried and trusted recipe so if you have to find something to feed a veggie family member or friend this christmas, please do try it, its lovely and different to "nut roast" and it freezes well.

 

I have left on the original authors sauce suggestion but we served it with a spicy tomato sauce made with red wine, onions, oregano, tomatoes, sugar & salt......

 

Cheese, Herb & Celeriac Roulade-  Serves 4

Herby Crust:
1 bunch spring onions, finely chopped
45g butter
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 teaspoons mixed herbs
3 tablespoons brown breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon of smoked sweet paprika
Salt and pepper to taste

 Roulade:

290ml milk
20g plain flour
45g butter
60g Gouda cheese or similar
3 eggs
30g parmesan cheese

 Filling

45g toasted pine nuts
45g butter
60g Gouda cheese (or similar) (or double/triple it if you like it really cheesy)
30g parmesan cheese
 medium celeriac, peeled
 30ml double cream
 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
 Salt & pepper to taste

Method
1. To make the herb crust, melt the butter in a pan on the hob, and cook the spring onions gently for 5 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and then add the remaining ingredients for the crust and mix together to form a kind of loose stuffing mixture.
3. Line a 13 x 9 inch Swiss roll tin with baking parchment and spread the herb crust in a layer on the bottom of the tin.
4. To make the roulade, heat the milk and flour in a pan, whisk with a small whisk while adding the butter in 2 or 3 pieces.
5. Continue whisking over the heat until it has thickened and then cook gently for 2 minutes.
6. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
7. Separate the eggs, beat the yolks into the mixture then add the grated cheese and season to taste.
8. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff and then, using a metal spoon, fold them into the roulade mixture.
9. Spread this mixture evenly over the herb crust and bake in a preheated oven at 190^oC (mine is a fan oven) for about 20- 25 minutes or until springy in the middle.
10. While the roulade is cooking make the filling.
11. Cut the celeriac into small chunks, boil for around 15 minutes until tender and cooked.
12. Drain and mash with the cream, butter, Gouda cheese and nutmeg, salt & pepper to taste..
13. Lay out a sheet of baking parchment, greaseproof paper or foil slightly larger than the Swiss roll tin..
14. Turn out the roulade onto this and remove the paper.
15. Spread the filling over the golden roulade side and sprinkle over the pine nuts, and with the grated parmesan cheese.
16. Roll up the roulade along its long side and serve with the join on the underside. The herby side will be outside.

  Serve with a sweet Red Wine & Cranberry sauce

 1.      Slice a red onion and sauté it in some butter for 10 minutes until soft.

2.      Add half a packet of fresh cranberries and a glass of red wine. Add a spoonful of sugar, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer together until thick.

 Preparation Time: 60 minutes , Cook Time: 60 minutes

I have made this quite a few times in a professional kitchen, this was the veggie option at the Christmas Lunch at the Engine Shed Restaurant, Derby College. Slightly altered and added to as I preferred it to be a little cheesier and the addition of the paprika to the crust gave it a spicier edge. I have also reduced the oven temperature.

Taken from an original recipe by James Maddock http://www.greenchronicle.com/christmas_recipes/celeriac_christmas_roulade.htm