It’s Halloween tomorrow and I am all unprepared. I had planned to bake something pumpkin related, but due to unforeseen circumstances I am currently car-less, meaning I haven’t been able to get out and about to the shops like I would have done.
So rather than bypass the whole event, I thought I would share with you some of the treats I’ve previously baked for Halloween.
It has been many a year since I have eaten at Pizza Hut. It’s hardly the first place you’d think of when planning a gluten free meal out. However, on reading the latest Coeliac UK newsletter I was very excited to learn that Pizza Hut have just introduced a new gluten free pizza. They have worked closely with Coeliac UK to ensure there is no cross contamination and even changed some of their topping suppliers so that all their toppings are gluten free too.
Hearing that something is gluten free instantly makes me want to try it out and so I asked a friend to come with me and do a bit of gluten free research. We ordered our pizzas and the server knew all about the new gluten free base which put me at my ease. When our pizzas arrived I was thrilled to find that all the gluten free pizzas come on square pizza bases – yes square! How cool is that? Not only do they look funky and stylish, but eliminates any doubt that the pizzas had got mixed up with the regular ones. Great idea!
So how did it taste? Very good actually, I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe slightly denser than a regular pizza base, but it wasn’t crumbly, dry, gummy or as hard as a house brick. The base had quite a nice flavour and was thinner than most gluten free pizzas bases I’ve had, which often are so thick you have to spend several minutes sawing through them. There were plenty of toppings and the pizza itself was of a very generous size. It’s lovely to know there is somewhere regular on the high street that I could find a meal, should the need arise, or if I’m out somewhere new. I’m sure my friends will be pleased at the prospect of going out for dinner without having to feel guilty at eating pizza in front of me. Have you tried Pizza Huts square gluten free pizza? What did you think?
I’ve heard Domino’s, Prezzo and Ask are also launching gluten free pizzas – more taste testing trips required I think!
Note: Pizza Hut did not pay or ask me to write anything about them. I was just very excited to discover their new pizza and wanted to share the experience.
October is the last month that The Cake Slice bakers are baking from our current cake book, the suitably titled The Cake Book by Tish Boyle. Keeping to tradition, as it was our last month we were free to choose any recipe from the book we wanted to bake. Looking through the recipes there were so many delicious sounding cakes, but in the end I settled on a simple sounding banana walnut cake. There is something so pleasing about a humble banana cake and seeing as I have some overripe bananas sitting on the counter it seemed like the ideal choice
The recipe made a large 9inch round, but I decided to halve the recipe and bake it in a 2lb (18x11cm) loaf tin instead. Once baked, I decided to forgo the suggested cream cheese frosting as the cake was perfectly moist without it. This made it more of a snacking cake and meant I could keep it at room temperature, rather than in the fridge.
I substituted the flour in the recipe with some gf white teff flour, brown rice flour and a little xanthan gum. However something in my mix was obviously not quite right as the middle of the cake stayed sunken – it didn’t sink on cooling, it never rose in the first place! I’ve had this happen before and found reducing the baking powder helped, I’ll have to try it again and see. The middle was still fully cooked, no raw batter, so I didn’t really mind. It looked more rustic that way (that’s what I’m saying anyway).
The cake was also studded with little chunks of walnut and a few hazelnuts which added a nice crunch. The cake batter itself also contained some cinnamon and brown sugar which helped give it its pleasing golden brown colour and added a wonderful depth of flavour and a warming treacly note against the banana, which itself was quite subtle.
All in all a lovely flavoured cake. The banana and sour cream gave it a lovely soft and tender crumb. It was far too easy to keep going back to cut off another slice.
I’ve really enjoyed the recipes we have baked from The Cake Book, but am now eagerly looking forward to some tasty new bakes our next cake book. Come back next month to find out what it is!
180g plain flour (I used a mix of white teff & brown rice flour)
½ tsp xanthan gum (if making gf)
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
½ tsp cinnamon
180g butter
150g caster sugar
100g light soft brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
120g sour cream
120g mashed banana (2 small bananas)
55g chopped walnuts, hazelnuts or pecans
Method
Preheat the oven to 170C. Grease a 9inch round deep springform tin and line the base with baking paper.
Mix together the flour, (xanthan gum), cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
In a separate bowl, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Add the sugars, a tablespoon at a time, beating until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla.
Mix in the mashed banana and sour cream.
Add the dry ingredients and mix gently until the flour is just combined.
Chop the nuts into chunks and stir through the cake mixture.
Pour the batter into the tin and bake for 35 minutes until springy to the touch when gently pressed and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before releasing from the tin and leaving to cool completely.
Top with a light dusting of icing sugar. You can add a chocolate or cream cheese frosting if you want to be extra decedent.
Makes 1 x 9inch cake
Note: I halved the recipe above and baked it in a 2lb (18x11cm) loaf tin for 25-30 minutes.
Being coeliac limits the types of wholegrains and cereals I can eat. Grains such as couscous, bulgur wheat, spelt, pearl barley and semolina are all off the menu for a coeliac. When recipes call for one of these ingredients it’s usually easiest and quickest to substitute it with rice. However, some days I get a bit fed up with rice, which is where quinoa comes in.
Quinoa is actually a bit of a super food. Unlike wheat or rice, quinoa is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 8 of the essential amino acids that we must get from our diets. Having all 8 is actually quite unusual for a single ingredient/food. Often foods contain 3 or 4 different amino acids meaning we have to eat a combination of different foods in order to get the full set, not true with quinoa. Quinoa is also high in fibre, something else which can be difficult for coeliacs to find from their foods, as well as containing a whole host of other vitamins and minerals. The thing I like about quinoa, is how it looks and behaves a little like bulgur wheat, in that it is firm and slightly nutty to taste. The little grains actually seem to pop slightly as you chew them, which add a nice texture. It tastes quite bland on its own, but adapts well to a whole assortment of flavours.
Last weekend I picked up a butternut squash from the market, my first for many a month, but it seemed fitting now the days are becoming more autumnal. My favourite way to eat squash is to simply roast it with a little olive oil and some herbs, allowing the vegetables natural sweetness to intensify and shine.
In need of a quick lunch I simply added my roasted squash to some quinoa that I cooked with a little veg stock and a few peas for colour. Soft, warm and slightly creamy it made the perfect accompaniment to the roasted butternut. A sort of cross between a bulgur wheat salad and a risotto. I really must remember to use it more often.
Roast Butternut Squash with Qunioa
(This recipe is really more of a combining of ingredients than a recipe with exact quantities)
Ingredients
½ large butternut squash
1 tbsp olive oil
Fresh or dried thyme and oregano
Lemon zest and juice
Quinoa
Handful of frozen peas per person
Salt and pepper
Vegetable stock
Firm cheese to finish
Recipe
Preheat the oven to 220C.
Slice your butternut squash into thick rounds, and then slice each round into 3 strips (no need to peel, the skin is edible when roasted and full of fibre). Arrange the slices on a baking tray lined with foil. Drizzle over the olive oil and some finely chopped fresh or dried thyme and oregano. Mix to coat the squash evenly.
Roast in the oven for 25-35 minutes until soft and just starting to caramelise around the edges.
Meanwhile, cook your quinoa according to the pack instructions, using veg stock in place of the water for extra flavour (not essential). Cook as much as stated on pack for the number of people you are serving.
When the quinoa is nearing the end of cooking, add in a handful of frozen peas per serving.
Once the squash is roasted, reserve a few strips for decoration and chop the rest of it into cubes and stir it through the cooked quinoa. Add the zest of ¼ to ½ a lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir through some extra herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve onto plates and decorate with a few of the reserved roasted squash strips. Add a little finely grated firm cheese if desired.
Eat and enjoy
Note: Any leftover roasted squash tastes fantastic as a sandwich filling with cream cheese or houmous
This is the best chocolate mousse I have ever made/eaten. It’s rich and intensely chocolaty, but also incredibly light and…moussey. The whole thing can be made from start to finish in about 15 minutes and what’s even more amazing is that it’s made with only 4 ingredients and one of those is water!
I invited a friend round for dinner with only a few hours notice, meaning it was a matter of ‘what can I make using the ingredients I have!?’ I did a simple stir fry for the main course, it’s amazing what a bit of ginger and chili can do to some rice and vegetables, but I wanted something more special for dessert.
I had a quick flick through some recipes and settled on Delia’s recipe for chocolate mousse. It needed only a few ingredients and seemed very simple to prepare. Plus I loved how I could make it straight away and leave it to sit in the fridge until required, meaning no last minute panic in the kitchen.
The results were amazing! It was so quick and simple to make and tasted divine. Packed full of chocolate flavour yet still wonderfully light for a dessert. It contains no cream meaning it’s not too heavy or sickly and no marshmallows or gelatin so it wasn’t sticky or overly sweet. In fact its vegetarian, gluten free and also dairy free if you use a high enough percentage dark chocolate. As this mousse is basically melted chocolate lightened with some whipped egg whites, a rich intense dark chocolate is the way to go.
I also added a splash of rum to my mousse for an extra after dinner indulgence, but it’s just as fabulous without it. I loved how when you took a spoonful the mousse let out a little squish sound as you broke through the air bubbles. It just melted on the tongue.
Do give this chocolate mousse a go. People often say simple is best, and this chocolate mousse is the perfect example of that.
On a separate note, I’ve just changed computers and lost my usual photo editing programme and don’t like this new one at all! I can’t get it to do what I want. Can anyone recommend a good one? Preferably free and easy to use. Just simple applications like brightness and contrast, I’m not after anything fancy! Thanks.
Intensely Chocolaty Mousse
(Recipe from How to Cook by Delia Smith)
Ingredients
200g dark chocolate – 70% cocoa
120ml water
3 eggs, separated
40g caster sugar
1 tbsp rum or liquor of choice (my addition)
Method
Place a glass bowl over the top of a saucepan filled with gently simmering water. Break the chocolate into small pieces and place into the bowl along with the 120ml water and rum if using. (if you add cold water to unmelted chocolate they will melt together into a lovely glossy mixture. Don’t try and add any water to chocolate that’s already melted, or it will seize into a horrible mess). Allow to melt and combine gently, stirring occasionally until you have a glossy mixture.
Meanwhile, separate your eggs, placing the whites into a large clean bowl.
Remove the melted chocolate mixture from the heat. Lightly mix the egg yolks until they are broken and then add them a little at a time to the chocolate mixture. Stirring with a spatula until combined. (The chocolate will thicken)
Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Scatter over half the caster sugar and whisk again. Add the remaining sugar and whisk until the egg whites start to form stiff peaks.
Fold a third of the whisked egg white mixture through your chocolate mixture, stirring with large folding strokes, until no streaks remain.
Add half the remaining egg white mixture and fold in more gently, before adding the last of the egg whites. Do not over mix or you will knock out all the air.
The chocolate mixture will be quite soft and runny at this stage.
Carefully pour the chocolate mousse into 6 serving glasses and place in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours. (Can be made the day before)
When ready to serve, decorate with a little whipped cream or a fine grating of white chocolate.
As the days are getting wetter, colder and darker it’s time for warm and wintery soups to make an appearance. At the weekend I bought a huge bag of carrots on offer and knew they were destined for soup. Lentil soup is one of my favourites and I was sure I had a tin of lentils in my cupboard so planned on making carrot and lentil soup. On returning home I discovered the tin was actually a tin of chopped tomatoes. Darn.
Carrot and tomato soup still sounded wonderfully appealing and so I carried on regardless. To compliment the tomato element I added some oregano and paprika and a little cumin to add a warming note.
The finished soup was lovely. I left it slightly coarse rather than super smooth, as I like the texture this gives for eating it as a meal. Perfect for mopping up with a bit of gluten free bread.
At the last minute I added just a smidge of balsamic vinegar and it really lifted and enriched the flavour of the tomatoes.
I live on top of a hill in Sheffield, meaning it’s quite open and exposed. I often get a bit battered by the wind and rain and in these situations a big steaming bowl of soup is just what’s needed. With winter starting to draw in, there will be lots more soup on the horizon I think!
Carrot & Tomato Soup
Ingredients
1 onion
1 large potato
5 carrots
1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1½ pints of vegetable stock
2 tsp dried oregano
½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp tomato puree (or ketchup)
½ tsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Method
Peel and roughly chop the onion. Also dice the carrots and potato, although you don’t need to peel them.
Heat the oil and add the vegetables, stir to coat them in the oil and then place the lid on and allow the veg to sweat in the steam they produce.
Cook for 15 minutes, stirring every so often to prevent the veg from burning.
Add the herbs, spices, water/veg stock, tomato puree, the tin of chopped tomatoes and a little salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and place the lid partially back on, to allow the steam to escape. Simmer for 30 minutes until the veg is soft and tender.
Remove from the heat and blitz in a liquidizer or using a stick blender. You can make it as smooth or as chunky as you like. Season to taste.
Stir through the balsamic vinegar and serve with bread for dipping.
I was recently contacted by gourmet food company, Atkins and Potts, to see if I’d like to review any of their new pasta sauces. I wrote back saying thank you for the offer, but that I was more of a sweet and baking blog, so I would pass this time. They then offered to send me a little selected of their other products, more in keeping with my blog. I had a quick look at their website and was delighted to find that all their products are vegetarian and gluten free, with many being vegan too! This was such a lovely surprise, and I was excited by the variety of products they made and so eagerly accepted.
A few days later I received the following exciting products: Chili Chocolate Spread, Basil Jam, Cranberry Relish and Pomegranate Syrup.
Chilli Chocolate Spread
Unscrewing the lid I instantly smelt the aroma of rich dark chocolate. Dipping a spoon in, I found the consistency to be more like a giant ganache truffle than the gooey sticky spread I was expecting. It was very thick and smooth. The first taste is of rich dark chocolate, not overly sweet, which being a dark chocolate lover I really enjoyed. A few seconds later a slight warmth began to develop at the back of my throat which built up into quite a spicy kick. This took me a little by surprise but was wonderfully addictive. The thick texture made it quite hard to spread on softer foods like bread or cake, but delicious spread over toast, where it slowly melts into a glossy pool, giving off wafts of dark chocolate aroma. I image it would be wonderful melted over ice cream too. Very indulgent, but defiantly one for the grown ups.
Purple Basil Jam
This idea really intrigued me and I wondered what to expect. It sounded wonderfully exotic. I was imaging a smooth sticky jam, sort of like a mint jelly only made with basil. However, on opening I found it to be quite chunky, containing little squares of onion set it a sweet and sticky syrup. To me this made it more of a sweet pickle or relish than a jam, but naming aside, it was delicious. It reminded me of onion marmalade. Very sweet, with a slight twang. The basil was flecked throughout the jam in thin shreds which added an intriguing flavour. It was delicious with some cheese, although I would have liked the basil flavour to be more pronounced.
Spicy Cranberry Relish
Again I wasn’t sure what to expect and imagined a sort of cranberry jam/sauce. It turned out to be far more superior than that. There were whole, lightly crushed cranberries mixed with a few other bits and pieces to make a chunky relish. It was not that sweet, with the whole pieces of cranberry giving it a wonderful mix of sweet, sharp and tangy flavours. There was also a slight kick of vinegar lingering in the background. It’s probably intended to be eaten with roasted meats, but I found it delicious with both a sharp cheddar cheese and peanut butter (not all together!) I loved the freshness of the cranberries and again how it wasn’t that sweet. This would be perfect for Christmas.
Pomegranate Syrup
I was excited by this. I love pomegranates and think they are a very underused fruit. This sweet glossy syrup had a fabulous pomegranate aftertaste. It somehow managed to keep that tart, slightly astringent and mysterious flavour of pomegranate while still being sweet and sticky. I’ve been drizzling it over my porridge this week and it makes a lovely change to honey or sugar. I’m longing to make a cheesecake and drizzle it over that with some berries or figs. Really unique.
Thank you to Atkins and Potts for the samples. I was genuinely impressed with the quality of all the products I tried. Nothing was overly sweet, which allowed the ingredients natural flavours, or tartness to shine through. I loved how I could really see the main ingredients, like the whole cranberries and the shreds of basil in the products. Do have a look at their website, everything they make is a little unique and different to the usual run of the mill products. It’s great to see a company being to create with flavours and ingredient combinations. When was the last time you saw quince syrup or wasabi mayonnaise stocked in your local supermarket?
I was so excited when this month’s winning cake was this Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cake. I am a great lover of peanut butter and have been rooting/voting for peanut butter cake creations for several years, every time one happens to come up for the vote. Usually, they are outvoted, but this month it won – hurrah!
I have issues with this recipe being labeled as ‘cake.’ There is no baked element in the dessert and nothing spongy about it. To me it is more of a mousse torte or layered cream…pie? Seeing how this is a cake baking group and it’s listed in the book as a mousse cake, I’ve decided to leave it as ‘cake’
The ‘cake’ itself was quite time consuming to make, being made up of 4 different layers, all which needed mixing and chilling separately. It starts out with a chocolate biscuit base, followed by a creamy peanut butter mousse, topped a dark chocolate mousse and finished with a dark chocolate glaze and a scattering of salted peanuts. Sound good, doesn’t it?!
I’ve made desserts in the past that were quite time consuming and when eaten, they are nice, I’ve felt they weren’t really worth the effort. This mousse cake however, was fabulous and worth every second of preparation. I loved the contrast between the crisp biscuit base and the rich and creamy mousse layers. The peanut butter flavour really shone through and worked so well against the dark chocolate elements. Slightly sweet, but then also a lingering saltiness from both the nuts on top and the peanut butter itself. A delicious creamy, crunchy, sweet and salty combination.
The recipe called for smooth peanut butter, but I only had slightly crunchy peanut butter on hand and I think this actually worked to the cakes advantage. Having a few chips of peanut actually in the mousse layer gave it some texture, as otherwise I think the thick peanut butter and chocolate mousse layers might have been a bit too soft and airy with nothing to bite on. I loved being able to distinguish the different layers.
The cake could probably have done with being left to set overnight rather than just an hour as it was still a little soft on serving, but this didn’t stop it tasting fabulous. Anything peanut butter is a winner in my books and paired against the rich dark chocolate mousse, ganache and base, it was delicious. I also loved that the only element I needed to adapt to make it gluten free was the base, and that the mousse didn’t contain any gelatin, meaning its vegetarian too! A winning ‘cake’ all round.
Next month, October, is our last cake baked from our current cake book by Tish Boyle, and we’re all going to bake the cake of our choice. Then in November we’ll be starting a brand new book for the upcoming year. Now I just need to decide which recipe to choose!
As this is nearly our last cake from our current cake book, we are now opening up group to fellow cake baking enthusiasts who wish to bake with us for the upcoming year. Places are limited and you will need to buy a copy of the new cake book to participate, so dedicated bakers only please. Anyone wishing to join us can email my new co-host Paloma at (love.for.coffee[AT]gmail.com) along with their name, blog name, blog URL and email address for details. Please put ‘New Cake Slice Member’ in the subject box
180g chocolate cookies (I used GF shortbread cookies)
55 g unsalted butter, melted
10g cocoa powder (my addition as my cookies were plain)
Peanut Butter Mousse
142g cream cheese, softened
30g unsalted butter, softened
144g icing sugar
200g creamy peanut butter (I used finely ground crunchy)
¼ tsp salt
400ml double cream
Chocolate Mousse
142g dark chocolate, chopped
100g milk chocolate, chopped
200ml double cream
80ml whole milk
65g caster sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Glaze
85g dark chocolate
80ml double cream
Garnish
Few chopped salted peanuts
Chocolate Biscuit Base
Have ready a deep 9inch springform pan.
Either blitz the biscuits in a food processor, or put them in a bag and bash them into crumbs using a rolling pin. (Stir through the cocoa powder if using vanilla or plain biscuits) Once crushed, melt the butter, drizzle over the biscuit crumbs and mix well. Press the mixture into the base of the tin and press down into an even layer.
Place in the fridge to firm up while you make the peanut butter mousse.
Peanut Butter Mousse
Beat the cream cheese and butter together until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the icing sugar and mix until well blended. Add the peanut butter and salt and mix until well combined.
In a clean bowl whisk the double cream at high speed until soft peaks form. Beat half the double cream into the peanut butter mixture using a spatula. Once combined, gently fold the remaining cream in the peanut butter mixture, mixing until no streaks remain.
Spread the mousse onto the chilled biscuit base and spread into an even layer. Refrigerate while you make the chocolate mousse.
Chocolate Mousse
Place the chopped chocolate into a bowl. In a small saucepan, combine the milk and sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently until the sugar dissolves. Pour the hot milk over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted. Stir through the vanilla extract and set aside to cool slightly.
Beat the double cream until soft peaks form. Fold a third into the chocolate mixture and mix well. Follow this by half of the remaining cream and finally the last of the cream. Beat again with an electric mixture to help aerate the chocolate until slightly thickened.
Spread the chocolate mixture over the top of the chilled peanut butter mousse and place in the fridge to set for at least an hour.
Chocolate Glaze
Once the chocolate mousse layer is set, make the chocolate glaze.
Place the chocolate into a small bowl. Heat the cream until steaming hot, but not boiling, and then pour this over the chocolate. Stir gently until the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth and glossy.
Allow to cool for 15 minutes before using.
Decorate
Run a sharp thin-bladed knife under hot water and wipe dry, then run the knife between the cake and the side of the pan to release the cake; reheat the knife as necessary. Remove the side of the pan. Pour the glaze over the top of the cake and spread out over the surface. Try not to let it drip down the sides. (I spread my glaze on the cake while it was still in the tin, sprinkled it with the peanuts and then let it set for a smoother finish).
Sprinkle the top of the cake with the peanuts and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.
To serve, slice the cake with a hot knife, wiping it clean between each cut.
Store in the fridge and eat within 3 days.
Makes a 9inch mousse cake
Note: I halved this recipe and made it in a 6inch round tin.
Where have they days gone?! I can’t believe it’s been nearly two weeks since my last blog post. I have been so busy recently that the days have just flown by. I’d rather be busy than bored though.
Today I had arranged to meet someone for a walk round Sheffield in the sunshine. Last night I learnt that there was a large food festival going on in Sheffield city centre today and I really wanted to have a look around and hoped my walking partner might be persuaded to postpone our walk and explore the food festival instead. In order to try and sway them I decided to bake a batch of brownies to use as a bribe. So at 6am this morning I was in the kitchen baking away. Is there a nicer way to start the weekend then the aroma of warm melting chocolate?
I went to add some vanilla extract and found I had run out; remembering that vanilla extract is about 99% alcohol, I decided to add a little amaretto instead. It smelt so inviting stirring it into the molten chocolate that I added a bit more to make the flavour more pronounced. I also added a few chopped walnuts, as I love nuts in brownies, but my siblings don’t, so I never added them when I lived at home. Now I am free to add as many as I like :)
I recently rediscovered my favourite brownie recipe from my pre-gluten free days and decided to bake it again, slightly adapted to be gluten free. It was just as good as I remembered. Paper thin crisp sugar top crust, with a rich, moist and intensely chocolaty interior. Ever so slightly chewy with an occasional soft nugget of walnut. The amaretto wasn’t distinctively noticeable, but I’m sure it added to the flavour. They were certainly very addictive! Yes, I did eat one about 9am this morning – for quality control purposes of course!
I’m pleased to say my walking partner was more than happy to rearrange our walking plans and explore the food festival with me, so the brownies ended up being a thank you gift, rather than a bride. We actually managed to go for our walk as originally planned after exploring the festival. So we ended up with the best of both worlds and some chocolate brownies – a great start to the weekend!
Walnut & Amaretto Brownies
(Recipe adapted from Prue Leith’s Baking Bible)
Ingredients
140g butter 170g dark chocolate, around 60% 180g caster sugar 60g white teff flour (or other GF flour)
Preheat the oven to 175C or 160C fan. Grease and line the base of a deep 8inch/20cm square tin and set to one side. Break the dark chocolate into pieces and place into a large saucepan along with the butter. Melt gently, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate and butter is just melted. Do not allow the mixture to boil or get too hot or else it will seize. Once melted, remove from the heat and stir in the amaretto and sugar. The mixture will be slightly grainy at this stage. Beat the eggs in, one at a time, until thick and glossy. Sift over the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and beat until no flour streaks remain. Fold the walnuts through the brownie batter and pour into the tin. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until slightly risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out with a few sticky crumbs attached, not molten batter though. Allow to cool almost completely in the tin, before removing. The brownie will loose its puffed up look and become level on cooling. Cut into 12 pieces and store in an airtight container for up to three days. Also freezes well (I know from experience they taste delicious eaten straight out the freezer too!)
When my parents came for a visit last weekend, they bought with them a whole assortment of goodies from home. Some freshly dug potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, some Discovery apples and Victoria plums. As the fruit was home grown, some of it was a little bruised from where it had fallen off the tree, not the best for eaten au-natural, but perfect for baking with.
Apple and plum are a classic combination and when thinking about classic English desserts, at the top of the list must be the much loved crumble. Its amazing how a few crumbs strewn over the top of lightly cooked fruit can taste so good. Who doesn’t love crumble?
You can of course jazz crumbles up no end with fancy flavour combinations, pear and chocolate chip, spring instantly to mind, not something my mother or grandmother would ever have eaten together in a crumble, as traditionally crumbles were purely fruit based. I decided to stick with a good old fashioned crumble and top mine with a simple butter, sugar and flour mixture. I added a few buckwheat flakes (in place of my mothers usual oats) and a pinch of cinnamon, a spice always welcomed by any fruit.
It took around 10 minutes to put together, meaning in only half an hour I was happily tucking into a taste of home and childhood. Soft, juicy fruit complimented by the toasted buttery crumbs…bliss.
If you like to add some ‘sauce’ to your crumble, it must be custard. There is no room for debate on this – keep that cream and ice cream away from me! It’s either custard or nothing at all. I had my first portion of crumble au-natural, as I couldn’t wait to make custard! As it’s just me eating this, there was a portion left, and I made the effort to make some custard for that bit. I'm not sure which way I prefer.
Plum & Apple Crumble
Fruit
300g Victoria plums
200g Discovery apples
1 tbsp water
3 tsp caster sugar
Crumble Topping
20g butter
20g brown rice flour
10g fine ground cornmeal or ground almonds (not cornflour)
20g buckwheat flakes (or GF oats)
15g caster sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
2 tsp almond liqueur (or 2 drops almond extract)
Method
Preheat the oven to 190C.
Peel and core the apples and cut into 2cm chunks. Remove the stones from the plums and slices into quarters or eights depending on size. Place the apple into a pan with the water and heat gently until the apples are just beginning to soften. Add the plums and sugar and cook for only 3-4 minutes, until the fruit is just beginning to go soft and fluffy as the edges. You don’t want complete mush!
Transfer the fruit to a deep 6 inch round ovenproof dish and set aside.
For the crumble, place the butter and all the other ingredients, expect the almond liqueur, into a small bowl and rub together using the tips of your fingers. Lift your fingers up above the bowl as your rub the mixture together, letting the crumble mix fall back into the bowl, just like when making pastry. It doesn’t have to be completely fine, a few largish lumps are good.
Add the almond liqueur or extract and mix again briefly.
Scatter the crumble topping over the surface of the fruit. Place the dish on a baking tray to catch any juices that may bubble over.
Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes, until lightly golden brown and bubbling around the edges.
