Good intentions

Okay, let’s get the excuses for my hiatus out of the way first. It’s the two ‘W’ words: wedding and work! Since returning from a holiday in Tenerife in August I literally didn’t stop until Christmas due to a busy schedule at work, a house move which fell through and a wedding to plan – all of which left me too shattered to come home and think about a blog. But that’s a rubbish excuse and my New Year’s resolution is to make more effort and stop blaming what is really just laziness on being too busy!!

So staying on the New Year’s theme, January is generally a month of good intentions when we vow to lay off the booze, hit the gym and eat healthier. Of course this never fully materialises (last night I went out drinking cocktails and tonight I will be stuffing my face with Christmas chocolate on the basis that if I eat it all now then it’s gone and I can’t eat anymore – come on, we all do that?!)

But, my saving grace is that most of the time I do eat healthy and I’ll certainly keep that up. If you’re looking for a serious January detox the HonestlyHealthly book is your bible. My mother-in-law-to-be lent it to me a couple of months ago and I’ve had a bash at a couple of the recipes – the one I’m sharing with you here is a nutty granola which is fabulous with yoghurt for breakfast and it’s super healthy.

While the book has some great ideas (in particular the good-for-you cakes and chocolates which provide a guilt-free fix when you’re craving something sweet), it would be extremely difficult to keep up the lifestyle element for any length of time.

I do recommend this granola though – make a big batch and store in an airtight container and it’ll last for weeks.

I'm now going to go and make a salad for tea and pack my gym bag for tomorrow!

Nutty granola

Ingredients

50g dried dates

100g jumbo rolled oats

2 tbsp honey

85g mixed raw cashew and pecan nuts

15g raw pumpkin seeds

3 tbsp olive oil

It’s not in the recipe but I also add 50g of dried cranberries

Method

Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Simmer the dates in 1cm of water until soft then blend until smooth with a hand blender.

Put in a large bowl, stir in the rest of the ingredients and mix well.

Spread the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes until golden. 

Reduce the oven temperature to 110 degrees and cook for a further 30 minutes until the mixture is dry and crisp.

Leave to cool completely, then enjoy!  

I meet the King&Queen of baking at Bolton Food&Drink Festival

He calls her ‘Bezza’ and she teases him about watching his weight – the relationship between Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood is special, and I got to witness it firsthand when I met them on Saturday. 

I was visiting the Bolton Food and Drink Festival and was lucky enough to be allocated an interview slot with the Great British Bake Off (GBBO) judges.

As a huge baking fan, I was already quite informed about the pair’s history – their books and recipes, family life and successful baking careers – but there was still a raft of questions I had in mind. 

Unfortunately I didn’t get the time to ask them everything I wanted but I teamed up with Dolly Bakes and A Little Bit Of Heaven On A Plate to do the interview and I think between us we got our answers. 

During our chat, Paul said one of the best desserts he’s ever had was a passion fruit roulade with mango ice cream at Ston Easton in Somerset where bake-off was filmed. Mary joked that he had it every night, and each time she pinched a little bit – she couldn’t have too much because she didn’t want to get fat!

Both said they never know who’s going to win GBBO at the beginning of the show. They said they judge each programme as it happens and rarely look back on their decisions so the contestants have to prove themselves. 

Now you probably expect me to say this, but they seem like two lovely people. Their banter is natural, funny and endearing and they were happy to spend their lunchtime speaking to queuing bloggers and journalists and signing books for fans. 

After the interview, an eager audience piled in to the AGA Rangemaster marquee in Victoria Square for a live demo from Mary and Paul, in which Mary made a Frasier (strawberry) cake and Paul showed us how to prepare a two-strand plaited loaf.

I was pleased that Mary’s cake looked quite easy and once I’m back from my holiday I will certainly be giving it a go. It’s made up of a Genoese sponge sandwich, filled with strawberries and a creamy lemon filling, and topped with a marzipan disc and melted chocolate for decoration.  
Their banter continued throughout the demo as they cracked little jokes, usually at each other’s expense. Paul joked that Mary’s AGA was bigger than his first house and he laughed when the electric whisk was accidentally switched on at the wrong time, covering her in cake filling!

Paul also had a couple of cheeky digs at Mary’s age, telling the audience her fist book was published in 1853 and joking she was 105 when she said life was too short to clarify butter! 

We also got a lovely insight into their home lives. Mary loves baking with her grandchildren at home while Paul’s ten-year-old son Josh (whose godfather, incidentally, is James Martin) has an exceptional palette and often runs rings around him in the kitchen.

The pair had tons of useful tips for baking such as dropping the cake mixture into the tin at close range, lining your tin with butter and then a disc of greaseproof, and my favourite from Mary – always use full fat ingredients and “just have a smaller slice”. I couldn’t agree more!

Paul admitted that he often uses other bakers’ ideas for inspiration but that he’d personally had more inspiration from junior bake-off than the main show – I must admit, what those kids can do is awesome.

Sadly, both denied rumours of any appearance on Strictly Come Dancing this year, but Paul seemed open to taking part next year.

Snippets from the interview

Who inspired you both?
Mary: First of all it was my cookery teacher, Miss Date. She was lovely, a little round dumpling and she was very kind to me
Paul: It was my dad and my mum. I grew up in a house full of bakers so mum was making pies, apple pies and my dad was making all the bread and scones.

Last year the Guardian said you were the best reality TV judging duo ever – how do you feel about that?
Paul: Haha, bang on! I mean, what can you say?
Mary: I liked it because they said we were better than Simon Cowell.
Paul: I met Simon recently actually and he said 'you're me aren't you?' I said, ‘apparently yeah’. I mean you take it with a pinch of salt. I mean, we just judge from our hearts, we're honest. It's all about integrity and if it comes across well then it comes across. We're just honest to ourselves that’s all.

There are so many baking gadgets out there these days – what's your must have item?
Mary: I think don't have too many gadgets. You need a sharp knife, you need the basic tins – I don't use an awful lot of gadgets or a lot of tins because most people haven't got the room to store them. If I can get away with using a traditional tin or traditional item, I use it. I don't go in for all the 'a thing to hang bananas on' or all the little intricate things, I can manage without. 
Paul: There's only one thing I would say and that's digital scales and they will help, everything else you don’t really need.
Mary: It's very important to weigh accurately. If you want to be a good baker, you need good ingredients, and use the right sized tin and then digital scales.

I believe you have a KitchenAid Mary, what do you think of them?
Mary: They are both good but also you don't need one. If you're not doing an awful lot of baking you can buy for about £15 a hand beater - that's what we're going to use today - you don't need (unless you are going to do an awful lot) you don't need too much specialist equipment.
Paul: KitchenAids are good and so are Kenwood. They are both very good. It depends what you want, they both do the same job. I've test driven the two of them recently and they're both good.

After the demo I wandered around the fabulous market, sampling Harvey Nichols’ French onion soup, as recommended by Mary, and later indulging on chocolate mocha and cookies and cream fudge.

There’s still one day left of the Bolton Food and Drink Festival – see here for details. And if you’ve not been yet, I’d strongly recommend a visit! 

Taste buds tickling for Bolton Food & Drink Festival

ONLY a few days remain until the Bolton Food and Drink Festival 2012!!! 

I can't stress enough how fantastic this four-day culinary extravaganza is – whether you're a passionate cook or a complete novice, if you like eating and drinking (and who doesn't?!) then it's definitely worth a visit.

The seventh annual event – set to big the biggest and best yet – will see more than 80 traders occupy stalls in Victoria Square, Oxford Street and Deansgate between Friday, August 24 and Monday, August 27.

If you haven’t been before, don’t miss out on the chance to peruse the stalls and experience new tastes and flavours, or visit one of the many restaurants putting on special deals as part in the festivities. 

Events and demonstrations being held across the town are bound to get visitors salivating and no doubt inspired to cook more and try new things.

For the first time, the festival will include a designated al fresco dining area, called Gourmet Kitchen, featuring a variety of traders selling high-end international street food such as Harvey Nichols’ Gastronomique van selling French cuisine; Ginger’s Comfort Emporium selling unique flavoured ice-cream (including olive oil!) and The Hungry Gecko – Asian street food by Masterchef 2011 finalist Jackie Kearney.

The main events will take place in the Rangemaster Cookery Theatre, featuring two star Michelin chef Michael Caines; Queen of cakes Mary Berry and artisan baker Paul Hollywood; French chef Jean-Christophe Novelli and proud Yorkshire-man and Saturday Kitchen presenter James Martin.

I’m like a child waiting for Christmas knowing that I'm going to see the lovely Mary Berry on Saturday – so be sure to read a blog about that next week!

If you just fancy a wander around the speciality market, other tasty treats include cupcakes; speciality bread; homemade jams; handmade chocolates; rustic pies and traditional fudge.

Special events at venues and restaurants throughout Bolton include a Best of Lancashire dinner at JJ’s Restaurant in Egerton; a special festival menu at Nick's at Chequerbent; Afternoon Tea at the Holiday Inn, Bolton town centre; Greek Meze and live music at Sokrates Greek Taverna in Horwich; and a family fun day at Pizza Express in Bolton.

For more information on the events, visit http://www.boltonfoodanddrinkfestival.com/

Read my interview with chef Michael Caines at last year's festival here. 

Bake off is back!!

I'm thrilled that The Great British Bake Off has returned to our TV screens – just in time to fill that gaping hole left by the BBC’s superb coverage of the Olympics.

It’s early stages, but who is your favourite competitor so far? I know who my least favourite is – I'm sorry but tomatoes shouldn’t go on top of a cake. Fact.

Due to an unexpected excitement towards the Olympics, I haven’t blogged since June. I've just been too distracted and watching all those athletes with their incredibly toned bodies made me think about cutting down on my cake.

I say think about, I didn’t actually do it  – and now that Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry, the King and Queen of baking, have returned, I will be back in the baking bubble in no time.

If you haven’t seen this show, you must. It got the entire country going baking mad last year with shops seeing huge sales increases in baking products.

The fantastic thing about it is that we get to know the bakers' personalities – they're just ordinary people who bake for fun in their own homes.

It becomes an obsession and last year I found myself thinking about what cakes I would make if I were on the show all the time – I dare you not to want to get straight in the kitchen when it finishes.

If you do, try these easy cake recipes to get you going. The star cakes were done recently for a wedding – they are lemon sponge and the recipe is here – just add the juice of one lemon to the sponge mixture and the juice of half a lemon to the buttercream.  

The banana and walnut muffins are really easy and make great breakfast snacks.

The Great British Bake Off is on Tuesdays, 8pm, BBC2.

Banana and walnut muffins

Ingredients

175g/6oz unsalted butter, at room temperature

175g/6oz sugar (half light muscovado, half golden caster)

75g/2½oz chopped walnuts

2 medium-sized eggs

175g/6oz self-raising flour

3 medium-sized over ripe bananas, or 2 large

A drop of vanilla extract

Some demerara sugar for sprinkling

Method

Preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3 and weigh out your ingredients. Then put muffin cases in a 12-hole muffin baking tin.

Beat the butter and sugars together in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or a wooden spoon until light and coffee-coloured.

Slowly add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture, then mix in the walnuts and self-raising flour.

Peel the bananas and mash them with a fork. Gently fold the vanilla extract and the bananas into the cake mixture using a spatula or metal spoon, turning gently and taking care not to over-mix.

Scoop the cake batter into the prepared cases leaving a little bit of room at the top for the cake to rise slightly.

Dust with a little demerara sugar then put into the oven and bake for about 25 minutes.

Leave the muffins to cool for about ten minutes then take out of the tray and cool completely.

Pretty Victoria sandwich with fresh raspberries

It’s a fact that British desserts are the best. Okay the Italians have ice-cream and America has the New York cheesecake but I’m talking about hearty cakes, tea breads, crumbles and hot sponge puddings – proper traditional comforting treats. And one of the most popular British classics is the Victoria sandwich, named after Queen Victoria of course.

Now I know what you’re thinking – Victoria sponge is more of an afternoon tea kind of cake, to be enjoyed with a cup of tea drank from a dainty China cup (little pinkies sticking out dahhling), and I agree.

But that’s if you’re doing things the traditional way, and if that’s the case your Victoria sandwich will be made up of strawberry jam sandwiched between two light sponge cakes, no cream – the way baking queen Mary Berry does it.

But for me, no piece of cake is complete without cream, so my Victoria sandwich is a bit of a twist on the classic version (sorry Mary).

I use raspberry jam instead of strawberry, lashings of thick whipped cream, scattered with fresh raspberries (I know, I’m such a cake rebel aren’t I?).

Placed on a fancy cake stand and dusted with icing sugar, it looks much more impressive than it actually is as it’s really easy to make.

I recently made one for my birthday and if I did it again I think I’d double the quantities of cake mixture to make a really deep cake. After all, if you’re going to have a piece of cake on your birthday, you may as well go for a huge, calorie-busting sized piece and you can deal with the guilt the next day.

Here’s the recipe.

Ingredients

175g soft margarine

175g golden caster sugar

175g self-raising flour

3 medium-sized eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

300ml double cream

3-4 tablespoons raspberry jam

3 tablespoons icing sugar

pack of fresh raspberries

Method

Line two small sandwich tins with greaseproof paper and pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees.

Put the margarine, sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and mix with an electric hand mixer, starting on a low speed and gradually increasing until combined.

Split the mixture equally between the two cake tins and smooth over the top. Place in the oven for approximately 20 to 25 minutes until golden on top and a skewer comes out clean. Then leave to cool on a wire rack.

In the meantime, use a hand mixer to whisk up the cream, adding two tablespoons of icing sugar to sweeten and continue to mix until thick.

Place in the fridge until needed.

Once the cakes are cooled, spread the jam over the bottom cake then add the cream before sandwiching the other cake on top.

Dust with icing sugar and sprinkle with raspberries.

If you don’t have two sandwich tins you can use a deeper round cake tin and slice the cake in half once it’s cooled.

Pancetta-wrapped monkfish with lemony potatoes and greens

Monkfish is a dish that sounds impressive – something that you’d have at a dinner party or restaurant. But it’s actually really easy to cook and can be packed with flavour.

For years I was slightly apprehensive about cooking monkfish, worried that I’d never be able to get it as juicy and tasty as I’d tired at restaurants (my favourite being the monkfish with crispy rice at Nick’s Restaurant in Bolton).

In fact it was only last October when Paul and I visited friends in Newquay that I cooked it for the first time – monkfish from a farmers’ market freshly caught that morning, which is ideal.

Although you can now get lovely fresh fish in supermarkets at the fish counter and if you do have a farmers market nearby, even better, it’s quite affordable too.

In our house we now have monkfish quite regularly for a healthy weekend tea which is matched perfectly with a bottle of crisp white wine such as Pinot Grigio.

                                        

It’s really easy to cook and I almost always roast it in the oven wrapped in parma ham or pancetta to enhance the taste and keep the fish moist.

As with any fish, you can get monkfish filleted and ready to cook, or just buy a tail and fillet it yourself. It’s really easy to do – I just searched for a video on YouTube and followed it step by step.

It’s just one back bone and there aren’t any of those annoying little bones that you would find with fish like haddock or sea bass.

This dish – which I’ve adapted from a Good Food Magazine recipe – is a great one to do for friends or family because it looks and tastes impressive but actually takes very little skill or time.

Ingredients

One monkfish tail or two fillets

300g new potatoes

100g green beans, trimmed

small broccoli head, chopped into small florets

handful of Kalamata olives

zest and juice of one lemon

olive oil

four slices of pancetta or parma ham

few sprigs of fresh tarragon

Method

Heat the oven to 200 degrees. Put the potatoes in a pan of water, bring to the boil and simmer until tender.

Add the green beans and broccoli for the final two to three minutes. Drain well and slice the potatoes in half.

Tip the potatoes and greens into a roomy baking dish and toss with the olives, lemon zest, olive oil and half the tarragon.

Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper and put in the oven.

Season the fish with a little salt and pepper and wrap each piece in the pancetta or parma ham.

Place the fish into a snug baking dish and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Put in the oven at the same time as the potatoes and cook for about 12 minutes until the fish is cooked.  

Add a squeeze of lemon and the rest of the tarragon and serve on top of the potatoes and greens.

(You could cook the fish on top of the potatoes to save washing up but I found that the juices from the fish made the potatoes slightly soggy so I find it best to keep them separate.)

The most gooeyist, rich, jubilicious chocolate cake ever

In honour of Queen’s Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee I’ve made this rich (and I mean rich) chocolate, prune and brandy celebration cake.

Okay, that’s not entirely true - it’s got nothing to do with The Queen. I’m not really into all this pomp and circumstance but I do feel as though I owe Liz one for giving us two days off work.

It was my first free Sunday afternoon is weeks and despite a Prosecco-induced headache I wasn’t going to spend the day sat on the sofa watching Queeny on a barge sailing down the River Thames.

I found this cake recipe amongst a huge pile of Good Food magazines on the coffee table. The idea of prunes and brandy didn’t exactly draw me in, but the picture of the finished cake looked so gooey and calorific that I was starting to drool.

Minimal ingredients, minimum effort and one of your five-a-day – what’s not to love? Don’t quote me on the five-a-day thing I’ve just made that up!

I used the best dark chocolate available – Lindt Excellence 85% cocoa solids, which is quite expensive but currently on offer in Tesco!

It’s literally the nicest chocolate cake I’ve ever eaten. But it’s extremely rich so should be eaten in small doses, if you can stop.

I think it’s the perfect celebration cake if you’re having a jubilee party this Bank Holiday – the chocolate and brandy will lift spirits (no pun intended) if the rain is threatening to ruin the occasion.

Stick a tacky Great British flag in the top and serve with a dollop of thick cream on the side and a glass of something bubbly.

Happy jubilee everyone!

Ingredients

225g butter and a little extra for greasing the tin

100g chopped prunes from a tin

100ml brandy, or thereabouts

250g good quality dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids

200g light brown muscovado sugar

4 large eggs, separated

1 tbsp cocoa powder for dusting

Method

Heat the oven to 160 degrees and grease a 22cm loose-bottomed cake tin with butter. You don’t need to bother with greaseproof – the mixture is so moist that it won’t stick.

In a small bowl, soak the prunes in the brandy.

Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs yolks. Fold in the melted chocolate.

Separately, whisk the egg whites for about 5 minutes until white and frothy.

Add the brandy soaked prunes (but not the brandy) to the chocolate mixture then gently fold in the egg whites. Take your time doing this bit.

Tip the mixture into the cake tin and bake for about 45 minutes.

Leave the cake to cool. It will be very moist and cracked on top so take care when transferring it onto a plate. Once cooled, dust with cocoa.