brunch

Pumpkin loaf
12Oct

Pumpkin Loaf

I got a little too excited when I walked into the supermarket and saw the newly built mount of pumpkins of all sizes and shapes – especially all the shapes. So I bought one too many pumpkins, which gave me the perfect excuse to try to bake as much as I could with them! I immediately thought of baking a bread, much like a potato roll, but with puree made from roasted pumpkin, you will only use about a quarter of a small pumpkin to make this recipe, but it can be doubled. It took a couple attempts to get it right, adjusting for fat and sugar ratios, and the result was a super moreish loaf. I cut slices of the dough and lined them up in the tin before baking it as it meant you could pull apart the slices. It is best served fresh out of the oven but also great to make toast. Have your butter ready! Pumpkin loaf 200g roasted pumpkin 1 egg 70ml whole milk 50g butter, melted 500g strong flour 14g instant yeast 1 tsp salt 2 tbsp sugar 1 tbsp fennel seeds Olive oil to grease 1. Roast the pumpkin – I quartered
3 mins read
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Cloudy ginger lemonade
06Apr

cloudy ginger lemonade

Warm weather fronts are here. This is when we jump for joy that the beautiful sea views are less than an hour away. Our lockdown summer was marked by long walks by the coast and lazy days sat on the cool grass in our garden, and with longer, warmer days here I have started to crave this lemonade. And with the go ahead for meeting friends and families in gardens and parks, this is the perfect mocktail for a socially distanced get together. It’s sparkling, refreshing and if you have a blender it only takes 10 minutes to make! . Cloudy ginger lemonade (makes around 1.5l) 6 lemons 2 tbsp caster sugar 400ml water 750ml non alcoholic ginger beer Mint to garnish Ice . 1. Cut lemons into quarters and remove seeds. Blend it lemons, water and and sugar. Pass it through a sieve and discard the bigger lumps of zest and pith. 2. Add ginger beer and serve it over ice. Garnish with mint. . . More summer recipes:
2 mins read
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Hummingbird bircher muesli
21Mar

Hummingbird bircher muesli

We are on full weaning mode in our house. Flo is still figuring out what she likes and dislikes and in order to not waste a lot of food I am trying to incorporate different flavours and textures to some of her firm favourites. In Flo’s opinion, there is no better breakfast than oats, and I don’t completely disagree (they come a close second to eggs for me). And rather than having the same old milky porridge with a sprinkle of fruits on top I started making her batches of bircher muesli the day before with a variety of fruits blended in: bananas, coconut milk, and applesauce. It has become a family favourite and a regular midmorning snack for me with all kinds of toppings: yoghurt, berries, toasted seeds, nut butter…the options are endless. This bircher muesli is inspired by one of my favourite cakes: hummingbird. Because I am a sucker for anything with pineapples. And if you are feeling extra indulgent you can add more pineapple, just keep the sugar tablespoon ratio the same to the 100g for the pineapple. Hummingbird bircher muesli (serves 3-4) 100g rolled oats 200ml oat milk (any other plant base milk would work too)
3 mins read
1389 Views
Orange and chili jam
13Mar

Orange and chili jam

The idea of growing your own fruit and veg has always appealed to me. Dealing with plants during the winter and their temperament when it comes to types of soil and water quantities is not so appealing. So although the chilies for this recipe come from our garden, I give credit to my husband for caring for them from seed to harvest time. A harvest that filled a cereal bowl! This jam is not very spicy so my suggestion would be to keep the seeds on when blending in order to get enough heat. I used tinned roasted peppers but you can also dry fry the peppers with the chilies if you want to use fresh. Spread generously on sausage sandwiches or on a slab of sharp cheddar. Orange and Chilli Jam Yields 800g 100g of red chillies 460g roasted red peppers (skinned) 400g tinned tomatoes 2 cloves of garlic (grated) 1 tsp all spice 1 tsp salt 2 cm piece of ginger, skinned and grated 160ml apple cider vinegar 2 oranges, juice and zest 350g dark brown sugar 1. Sterilise glass jars by placing them in the dishwasher or baking them in the oven (200C) for around 20 minutes
2 mins read
2102 Views
Crepes with smoked salmon and poached egg
15Feb

Crepes with smoked salmon and poached egg

Pancake day always creeps up on me, and I think a lot of people forget about it until they go to the supermarket and see Nutella being sold next to frying pans. Pancake day for me is about crepes. A better batter (!), more delicate and crispier. It’s a simple, easy recipe that can be whisked last minute. And whether you want the sugar rush of Nutella or jam, tomorrow I am having mine for breakfast with smoked salmon, cream cheese and spinach. A poached egg tops it off nicely. Crepes with smoked salmon and poached egg Yields 10 crepes 150g of plain flour 3 eggs 330ml milk 1 tsp salt Butter to grease pan Filling: Smoked salmon (around 300g for 10 crepes) Cream cheese Spinach Eggs Vinegar 1. In a large bowl whisk flour and eggs together with a third of the milk until smooth. Add the remaining flour and salt and continue to whisk until all the flour is incorporated, and you have a smooth paste. The consistency should be that of single cream. 2. Place a 23cm frying pan over a medium heat, add enough butter to thinly coat the pan (a heatproof bush is a helpful
2 mins read
1535 Views
Chocolate orange brioche rolls
07Jun

Chocolate orange brioche rolls

This recipe is a labour of love, with the dough needing to be prepared the night before. It is a recipe to be seriously considered, especially if you would like a different take on your average cinnamon roll. I always make this brioche recipe but for the rolls I have made an adaptation. At first glance it may seem like you have to jump through hoops to get this right, and the lengthy ingredient list looks daunting. But read the recipe once over before starting and it is not as difficult as it sounds. The result is a super pillowy, moreish bun. Chocolate orange brioche rolls 400g plain flour 1/2 tsp salt 2 tbsp caster sugar 7g fast-acting yeast 5 tbsp warm milk 2 eggs + 1 yolk, from large eggs 120g butter, at room temperature Filling: 60g butter, melted 3 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp cocoa powder 100g dark chocolate, grated Zest of 3 oranges, grated Glaze: 200g icing sugar 2 tbsp orange juice Method: 1. In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, sugar and the yeast. Whisk eggs, yolk and milk together. 2. Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture and add the egg
3 mins read
3110 Views