Not Just A Pretty Plate

We've Moved!

2017-01-11T22:04:00.000+00:00

Don't worry - we haven't gone far!

We are thrilled to have launched our fresh new blog design, complete with our latest recipes and reviews, over on:

www.notjustaprettyplate.co.uk

Don't forget to add our new address to your bookmarks!

See you there...

Catie & Zoe

Sunday's Salsa Verde

2016-04-17T23:01:00.000+01:00

Having read Felicity Cloake's article last week about how to make the perfect Salsa Verde, I decided to take on the challenge myself, so today I made a batch. This very versatile sauce can be made with a never ending combination of different ingredients. I think the ratio of ingredients you choose to use is dependant on what you are pairing it with, and of course personal preference. You can vary the texture, the saltiness and which combination of key ingredients you include in the mix. It would be nice to have all day to experiment with this magic green sauce, but sadly my Salsa Verde doesn't quite get a whole Sunday to itself!

Making a Salsa Verde is a bit like salad dressing, if you practice enough you will find out the combination that works for you. As a gherkin hater I decided to leave them out, but parsley, garlic and anchovies all made the cut. With no food processor or even a Pestle and Mortar, I had do a bit of improvisation and use a soup stick, so this recipe is possible to make even in the lesser equipped kitchen.

So far this batch of Salsa Verde has been enjoyed with freshly baked cod and also an omelette (a little bit of an odd combination), however it can jazz up vegetables and meat too. Personally I like to add it before the end of cooking, this means the flavours are absorbed into the dish, adding it at the end you risk the sauce becoming rather overpowering.

To make one small jar you will need...

- One clove of garlic

- 4 anchovy fillets

- 2 tbsps capers

- 4 tbsps olive oil

- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (or red works too)

- Half a large bunch of parsley, leaves removed from stalks

- Salt and pepper

You will need to...

- Finely chop and salt your garlic clove, then using the side of your knife make into a paste, if you are using a food processor you do not need to do this.

- Finely chop your parsley leaves

- Put the capers, anchovies, garlic paste and vinegar into a mixing bowl or food processor and combine into a paste

- Then add the oil, parsley and seasoning

- Further oil can be added to loosen the sauce

- The Salsa Verde can be kept for a few weeks in a jar in the fridge

Enjoy

Z x

Spring Restaurant - Somerset House

2016-04-10T23:58:00.000+01:00

It says it all in the name 'Spring' - the interiors, the food, and the atmosphere are all spring-like, very appropriate for this time of year. Spring restaurant is situated in one corner of London's Somerset House, a magnificent building that provides a great space to house an amazing restaurant. The chef behind it all is Skye Gyngell, an Australian who was formerly head chef at Petersham nurseries.

Her vision when creating the restaurant was to create a feminine space, she wanted her restaurant to be different from many west end restaurants which are frequently dominated by male energy. Skye's sister designed the interiors, as she felt that Briony understood her vision most clearly.

Skye's focus is on using fresh and seasonal ingredients, this was certainly reflected in the set menu that both my friend Lylie and I chose our dishes from. Skye sources all her ingredients from Fern Verrow farm in Hertfordshire - they harvest their crops based on the seasonal menu that Skye has written, so the food could not be fresher!

There was no doubt that the seasonal ingredients shone through in all three courses we tried…

To Start with I had the Puntarelle a la Romana. Putarelle, I discovered, is a cousin of Chicory which gave this dish an underlying bitterness contrasting nicely with a minty sauce. This was a light and refreshing starter with a nice crunch.

Lylie had the Salt Cod Croquettes with Camone Tomatoes, with the crispy breadcrumb coating perfectly complemented the soft cod and potato inside. The croquettes were accompanied by marinaded red spinach, which which was soft and flavorsome. Along with this came some delicious home made mayonnaise - I wanted to take a whole jar of it home with me!

For main course I had Onglet with Jerusalem artichoke puree, braised radicchio and black garlic butter. The textures in this dish were melt-in-your-mouth, the beef was tender and perfectly pink in the middle, and the artichoke puree was silky smooth. The raddiccio was nicely charred giving it a bitter edge, but this was balanced out by a sweet marinade giving it a complex flavour.

Lylie had the Roasted sea bream with pumpkin, curry leaves, and coconut sambal - another well put together dish! The sambal, which is an Indonesian sauce made from a variety of chilli peppers, brought the fish and pumpkin together nicely with a fiery kick.

To finish I had a Bakewell rhubarb and almond tart with a nice dollop of creme fraiche. The pastry was light and rhubarb not too tart. This was, in my eyes, the ideal way to finish off a pretty damn good lunch!

Lylie had the Citrus Shaker Tart with creme fraiche, I would recommend this pudding to those who do not have such a sweet tooth, as it had a zesty marmalade undertone complemented by amazingly light buttery pastry.

With not a crumb left on our plates, we went to sit in the Garden Room. As the name suggests, this space had an outdoorsy feel to it, with the walls being covered with giant gunnera leaves cast into tiles, and trees sitting in the middle of the room.

Overall we agreed it was a pretty spectacular lunch, in a pretty spectacular building - we will definitely be returning for some more seasonal food soon!

I liked the fact that every component of each course had clearly been thought through - so many restaurants make the meat the 'hero' and accompany them with substandard vegetables, so Spring's considered approach to all the produce they use was refreshing.

We also had a flick through Spring the cookbook which has a delicious selection of Skye's recipes, definitely one I will be trying some recipes from soon.

Z x

Easter No-Bake Chocolate Biscuit Cake

2016-03-26T14:50:00.000+00:00

There has been a constant flow of Easter cakes, bakes and puddings in the food magazines over the past month. This leaves me with a long list of recipes to try, however in reality, the four days off over this bank holiday weekend has soon become jam-packed with friends, family and entertaining. This chocolate biscuit cake is one that can be quickly whipped up when you have people dropping in throughout the weekend- a very useful biscuit tin filler. My sister is keenly waiting at the fridge door to tuck into this chocolate biscuit cake after her chocolate-free Lent, I however tucked in as soon as they had been photographed!

There are many variations of chocolate biscuit cake but this simple recipe is straightforward and quick to make. You can experiment with the type of biscuit you use- personally I think the crunch of the Rich Tea biscuits are a cut above adding crumbly digestives. A selection of dried fruits or nuts could also add a nice twist to the recipe!

To Make Approx 20 Pieces You Will Need...

-400g Rich Tea biscuits

-220g butter

- 85g caster sugar

-2 eggs

-2 tbsps drinking chocolate powder

-2 tsps cocoa powder

-2 tbsps golden syrup

-100g milk chocolate

You will need to...

- Line a baking tray with cling film, I used one that was 28cm x 18cm.

-Put the biscuits into a sandwich bag- sometimes I use two to avoid holes in the bag, and crush using a rolling pin.

- Melt the butter and sugar in a pan over a low heat, remove from the heat and stir in the drinking chocolate, cocoa powder and golden syrup.

- In a small bowl, beat the eggs.

- Pour the chocolate butter mixture into a large mixing bowl, stir in the crushed biscuits and the beaten eggs. Mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture is all incorporated.

- Spread the mixture out evenly in the baking tray.

- In a small saucepan, heat some water and place a pyrex bowl over it to make a Bain Marie, break the milk chocolate into the bowl and stir occasionally until melted.

- Pour the melted chocoalte over the biscuit mix in the baking tray and spread out using a spatula.

- Place in the fridge or freezer for a few hours until set, or over night.

Happy Easter

Z x

Spiced Cacao Energy Balls

2016-03-07T18:11:00.000+00:00

Now I know I am a little bit late to the 'Energy Ball' party, and many health-food bloggers have been citing their benefits for several years - it is only now in 2016 that I know why! I had always been a little sceptical to be honest, thinking they would need loads of expensive and obscure ingredients to make, and wouldn't deliver in terms of taste…how wrong I was. These energy balls are packed with fibre, good fats and protein, providing you with a virtuous yet sweet energy boost that will tackle the dreaded '4pm slump' better than any chocolate bar. They are also really portable, so ideal to take into work or to the gym. This recipe couldn't be easier either, and with just 7 store cupboard ingredients it really couldn't be quicker! Even better - the recipe is totally adaptable according to your own preferences or which ingredients you can get your hands on, so I encourage you to tweak away! My recipe was in-fact inspired by both Deliciously Ella's foolproof Energy Bites video http://deliciouslyella.com/video-how-to-make-energy-bites/ and Minimalist Baker's Peanut Butter Energy Bites post http://minimalistbaker.com/5-ingredient-peanut-butter-cup-energy-bites/, so check them out too and see what you can come up with yourself. All you need in terms of equipment is a good food processor - so get blitzing!

To make about 20 Energy Balls you will need…

1 cup pitted dates

2/3 cup raw almonds

2/3 cup pecans

2 tbsp oats

1 tbsp linseeds (flaxseeds)

1 tbsp raw cacao powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp maple syrup

Pinch of salt

3 tbsp water - add a tbsp at a time - use more/less depending on how juicy your dates are!

You will need to…

1. Place all the ingredients in a good food processor and blitz until the mixture starts to clump together.

2. Squeeze and roll the mixture into about 20 balls using the palms of your hands.

3. Place the balls into a sealed tupperware and freeze for an hour or so to harden.

4. Store in your sealed tupperware in the fridge for up to a week - you'll be lucky if they last that long!

Enjoy! C x

Dreamy Chocolate Mousse Cake - Baking For Sport Relief 2016

2016-01-26T18:51:00.001+00:00

As any avid Bake-Off fans will be aware, this week sees the return of The Great Sport Relief Bake Off, in which a handful of celebrity bakers will be taking to the tent in aid of Sport Relief 2016. This year, the 'Queen of Print' Orla Kiely has designed the limited edition aprons which the winning Star Bakers will be presented with, and as budding bakers ourselves, we have managed to get our hands on some! With our new look complete, it's time to get down to some baking - so here is our latest obsession - Dreamy Chocolate Mousse Cake. As it is in aid of Sport Relief, we have gone for something a tiny bit healthier than your average chocolate cake. With no flour, a whopping eight eggs and mainly natural sweetener, it's no wonder this cake has such a light, moussey and dreamy texture. It is ideal as a light dessert, alongside a dollop of smooth crème fraîche.

If you want to get baking for Sport Relief yourself, get your own lovely limited edition Orla Kiely Apron from TK Maxx, Homesense, or www.sportrelief.com. They retail at £12.99, with at least £5.25 going to Sport Relief, who use public donations to help people living incredibly difficult lives both in the UK and across the world.

Keep reading for our recipe and get baking yourself!

You will need...

200g 70% minimum dark chocolate

200g butter

Pinch of sea salt

8 eggs

100g maple syrup

50g caster sugar

Cacao/cocoa powder for dusting

Crème fraîche, to serve

You will need to...

- Grease and line a 24cm loose bottomed cake tin and preheat the oven to 160C.

- Break up the chocolate and cube the butter. Place both in a large bowl with a generous pinch of sea salt, and melt gently over a pan of simmering water. Set aside to cool slightly.

- Meanwhile, separate the eggs and whisk the whites in a large clean bowl until thick and fluffy and will hold a peak.

- In a smaller bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with the sugar and maple syrup until they are pale, thickened and fluffy (ribbon stage).

- Gently fold the yolky mixture through the chocolate, then fold through the egg whites as gently as you can!

-Pour the mixture into your tin, and set it inside a deep baking tray. Place this on the over shelf and pour an inch of boiling water into the tray around the cake.

- Bake for 20 - 30 minutes, checking after 20. The cake should be just set with a slight wobble in the middle.

- Leave to cool on a wire rack before removing the tin. Dust with cacao powder before serving alongside a dollop of good crème fraîche.

Bake yourself proud!

C & Z x

Lunch @ Cook House - Ouseburn, Newcastle

2016-01-20T22:13:00.001+00:00

If you follow us on Instagram or Twitter, you may have seen us raving about a new lunch spot we have discovered in Newcastle. Despite it having been open for over a year, it was only this week that we got round to making the trip, although we are definitely late to the party as the small kitchen is already racking up significant critical acclaim such as being listed as one of the '25 Coolest Restaurants in the UK' by The Times. The restaurant setting is undeniably cool and understated, tucked away in Newcastle's Ouseburn, and comprising of two inter-connecting shipping containers.

The inside couldn't be a starker contrast from the industrial exterior however, with a cosy chiminea and completely open kitchen instantly making you feel at home. The place is impressively run by Anna Hedworth - not only a brilliant cook but also a food blogger who's recipes you can find on The Grazer. It really did feel like being in her home, and the frequently-changing chalkboard menu was stuffed with a tempting selection of her deliciously simple, fresh and wholesome lunch dishes.

We went for the Smoked Mackerel Pâté and Roast Ham, both served with a lovely simple dressed salad, sourdough toast and homemade pickles. A definite highlight was Zoe's pickled quince which was the perfect sweet/sour accompaniment to her ham, and something we are keen to recreate ourselves! Our dishes were washed down with Anna's homemade cloudy lemonade, and followed by a cup of tea, and slice of her dreamy apple and cinnamon cake.

It's safe to say that we both left feeling very happy and full, and are already planning our next visit! It is so refreshing to see somewhere so different and unique in Newcastle, and with such great food so reasonably priced, we can't recommend it highly enough - get yourself down there!

C & Z x

Cook House. Mon - Sat 8.30 - 3.30. Ouse Street - Newcastle-upon-Tyne. NE1 2PF

http://cookhouse.org

Festive Lemon Meringue Ice Cream

2015-12-25T13:15:00.001+00:00

This Lemon Meringue Ice Cream is one for those of you who perhaps want a change from the filling mince pies and rich christmas puddings one tends to overindulge in at this time of year. Another recipe to take the weight of your shoulders at christmas, you can prepare it well is advance leave it in the freezer and produce it as a refreshing alternative pudding over the festive period.

There is no need for an ice cream machine or even to mix twice, once its in the freezer the ice cream can stay there until served. Another short cut is to use shop bought meringues they don't seem to compromise the flavour or texture at all, in fact they are easier to break up than the slightly gooey home made ones.

The flavour is a good balance of sweet and sharp. I served the ice cream at a dinner party and this was a pudding that someone who doesn't normally like puddings devoured and then had second helpings of- so it is guaranteed to be a hit with hungry guests at christmas.

To serve six you will need...

-50g Meringue

-300ml Double cream

-Zest and juice of one lemon

-Half a jar of home made or shop bought lemon curd

-One 900ml pudding basin or pyrex bowl and some cling film

You will need to...

-Line the pudding bowl with cling film so there is enough to cover the ice cream in the freezer

-Break the meringues into smallish chunks, I put them in a freezer bag and hit them with a rolling pin

-Pour the cream into a large mixing bowl and whip until soft peaks

-Fold in the lemon juice, rind and lemon curd to the cream and pour into the lined pudding basin

- Cover with clingfilm and place in the freezer for at least six hours

Enjoy Z x

Jane Lovett Cookbook Giveaway! - Festive Ginger Creams With Pistachio Brittle

2015-12-18T08:13:00.000+00:00

With the festive season upon us and lots more mouths to feed, we are always on the lookout for quick, easy and delicious recipes that can feed an army. Jane Lovett is our go-to woman for this, and if you follow us on Instagram you may have noticed that we have been fans of hers for a while. Her book 'Make it Easy' has been like a bible for us on many a cooking job in Scotland, especially as she specialises in foolproof do-ahead recipes that always go down a treat. Jane has recently re-released her book, and has kindly sent us one to giveaway to YOU our readers! Either give it to a loved one as a Christmas gift, or use it yourself and impress friends and family with some delicious dishes over the festive period. To enter the giveaway head over to our Instagram page by clicking HERE and find all the details over there - GOOD LUCK!

Here is one of our favourite festive puddings from the book - Jane's Ginger Creams are ideal Christmas Party showstoppers as they are easy and can be made well in advance, yet look as impressive as a classic Crème Brûlée. The combination of fiery ginger, smooth cream and crunchy pistachio brittle is also heavenly...enjoy!

To make 8 you will need...

6 tbsp ginger preserve

6 egg yolks

450ml double cream

175g granulated sugar

3 tbsp water

100g roughly chopped pistachio nuts

Icing sugar

You will need to...

- Preheat the oven to 180C. Place 8 ramekins into a deep roasting tin and boil a kettle of water in preparation.

- Whisk the ginger preserve and egg yolks together in a mixing bowl until pale. Bring the cream to just below boiling point and pour over the egg mixture, whisking all the time.

- Once the mixture has thickened slightly transfer into a jug and pour into the ramekins. Put the roasting tin with the filled ramekins into the oven and carefully pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dishes.

- Cook for 20-25 minutes or until just set with a slight wobble in the middle (custard continues to cook when removed from the oven!) Remove the ramekins from the water, allow to cool then refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

- To make the brittle start by lightly oiling a baking sheet. Put the sugar and water into a saucepan and cook over a low heat, giving the odd gentle stir, until the sugar has dissolved.

- Turn up the heat and boil fast until the sugar caramelises into a deep golden colour. Quickly add the pistachios, stir, and tip out immediately onto the pre-prepared baking sheet. Spread the mixture out as thinly as possible and leave to cool.

- Serve the creams straight from the fridge dusted with icing sugar. Bash, snap, or break the brittle into random sized pieces, and scatter over the top with the occasional shard sticking out as you desire.

Enjoy! C & Z x

Spinach and Gruyere Quiche

2015-11-01T21:27:00.001+00:00

This quiche is always a winner. It can be served hot for dinner or cold at lunch time with salad, I used this recipe a few times while I was cooking in the lodge in South Africa and it always seemed to go down well with the guests.

Having lots of spinach breaks up the egg giving it a lighter and more varied texture but make sure you drain your spinach well after wilting it otherwise the excess water makes the pastry soggy. Another thing to be aware of is not to add too much salt as the bacon does this for you! To prepare in advance you can make the pastry the day before and keep in the fridge covered with clingfilm or alternatively you can make the whole quiche cook it, leave it to cool, and it will freeze for up to 2 months. I tend to make this quiche in a china Flan dish as I like to make the filling quite deep, this also prevents any of the filling leaking through any holes that may be in the pastry.

To serve 8 You will need...

A round flan dish roughly 30cm diameter

For the Pastry

-225g of plain flour

-100g of butter

-1 egg yolk

-2-3 tbsps of water

For the Filling

-350g of bacon pieces chopped

-1 large onion chopped

-350g fresh spinach (I usually use baby spinach) or 450g of frozen leaf spinach thawed and drained

-5 eggs and 1 egg white (If using bought pastry just use 5 eggs)

-300ml double cream

-300ml milk

-175g Gruyere Cheese grated.

You will need to...

-Preheat the oven to 180C

-Rub the butter and flour together in a bowl until you have a breadcrumb texture. Add the egg yolk and water until a dough is formed. You can do this in the food processor.

-Wrap the pastry in clingfilm an put in the fridge to chill for at least half an hour.

-Roll out the pastry on a floured surface so it is slightly larger than the dish then flute the edges, then blind bake at 180C using baking paper and baking beans for the first 15 minutes then remove the baking beans and cook for a further 5-10 mins or until pastry is golden.

- Fry the bacon pieces over a high heat until browned, lower the heat and add the chopped onion until softened

- Wilt the spinach in a saucepan remove from the heat and make sure you drain properly.

-In a bowl whisk the eggs cream milk and seasoning.

-Scatter the bacon, onion and spinach over the pastry, sprinkle half the gruyere cheese and then pour the mixture over.

-Finally sprinkle the other half of the gruyere on top and place in the oven at 180C for 35-40 mins or until the filling is set and golden.

Enjoy! Z x

Great British Bake Off - Pecan Pie with Spiced Rum

2015-10-07T11:02:00.000+01:00

As any avid baker will agree, Wednesday nights mean only one thing - The Great British Bake Off. Now as I'm sure you are aware, tonight is the grand final of the 2015 series, and it therefore seems appropriate to have a GBBO themed blogpost to mark the occasion. If you cast your mind back to last series, you may remember finalist Richard Burr - the laidback builder-turned-baker who cooked up a storm with his trademark pencil behind his ear. Richard has gone on to prove that there is life beyond the tent, having published his debut cookbook BIY- Bake It Yourself (see what he did there?) last month. It is a cracking book, with a good mix of fairly simple but delicious recipes, as well as a few trickier showstopper bakes for the more ambitious baker - Hazelnut Chocolate Opera Cake anyone? If you follow us on Instagram, you will have seen a couple of the recipes I have tried out already, however it was this Pecan Pie with Spiced Rum which really caught my eye. Quick, simple and totally moreish - this proved a huge hit with the family, and is the ideal pudding to round off these colder autumnal evenings. It also keeps well, and seems to improve with age, which is always a bonus if it hasn't been demolished in one go!

Read on for my take on Richard's recipe…

To make the pastry you will need…

- 200g plain flour (plus a little more to dust)

- 100g cubed butter

- A pinch of salt

- 2 tbsp caster sugar

- A couple of tbsp cold water

To make the filling you will need…

- 100g golden syrup

- 100g maple syrup

- 100g caster sugar

- 50g soft light brown sugar

- 75g butter

- 3 large eggs

- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

- 2 tbsp spiced rum

- 100g chopped pecans

- 100g ground almonds

- 100g pecan halves

You will need to…

- Make the shortcrust pastry - either by combining the ingredients together in a food processor with a little water to bind, or if by-hand, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the salt and sugar, then use a palette knife to stir in enough cold water to bind the mixture. Knead your ball of pastry gently for a minute or so to combine, then wrap in clingfilm and set in the fridge to cool and firm up for half an hour.

- Preheat the oven to 200C and find yourself a 23cm loose-bottomed tart tin.

- Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll it out on a floured work surface. It should be large and circular enough to fit the tin, and only couple of centimetres in thickness. Roll this up onto the rolling pin and then lay it out into your tin. Press the pastry into the edges of the tin, but leave a little excess overhang as the pastry will shrink in the oven.

- Line your pastry with a disc of baking parchment and fill with baking beans - blind bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

- Take the tin out and remove the parchment and baking beans. Bake the pastry case for a further 8 or so minutes until golden brown. Take out of the oven and leave to cool. Trim off any excess pastry.

- To make the filling, melt the golden syrup, maple syrup, butter and sugars in a saucepan over a low heat. Allow to cool so as not to cook the eggs.

- Beat together the eggs, vanilla paste and rum, and stir into the cooled sugar mixture along with the chopped pecans and ground almonds.

- Pour the pecan mixture into the tart case and carefully arrange the pecan halves on the surface in concentric circles - this can be a bit fiddly as the mixture underneath moves around a bit!

- Bake for 35-45 minutes until the pie has risen a little in the middle and is golden brown and set. If the nuts are browning too quickly cover with a little tin foil.

- Set on a wire rack and remove from tin once completely cool.

- I think this is best served at room temperature with a generous pouring of cream or crème fraîche.

Enjoy! C x

A Visit To Hemelhuijs Restaurant - Cape Town, SA

2015-07-14T11:57:00.000+01:00

Whilst working in South Africa recently, I was lucky enough to experience some of the culinary delights of Cape Town and the surrounding area. There was never a shortage of fantastic places to eat, and I was particularly excited about having some interesting fresh food having lived in the bush in The Waterberg for the last 3 months. After trying a few, the restaurant that proved to be my favourite was called Hemelhuijs. The restaurant itself is very modern in both its menu and decor - there is a face on the wall made out of croutons, bright furnishings, and plenty of light let in through big glass windows looking out onto the street.

The crouton mosaic!

Their menu offers a healthy array of fresh salads, meats and vegetables. The menu itself is presented with wonderful big photos, making it very difficult to choose a dish! Anyway after much deliberation I chose their vegetable platter which was perfect having overindulged in both food and wine all week! I received a board with avocado, corn on the cob, butternut squash, rocket, beans and sweet roasted carrots, accompanied by some tasty homemade humus. It was the most delicious and fresh meal that I have ever eaten in a restaurant; colourfully presented and washed down with a delicious glass of Usana Pinot Gris. My friends enjoyed their gnocchi and kidneys too. For dessert we all decided each to try a different pudding from their freshly baked selection of sweet treats. I had slight food envy when I saw the cheesecake and apple tart - perhaps my taste has not fully adapted to the Afrikaans traditional milk tart that I chose!

Vegetable Platter with Hummus

Traditional Afrikaans Milk Tart

The next day I had planned on climbing Table Mountain, however the weather was miserable so I paid Hemelhuijs another lunchtime visit. This time I had a maple baked parsnip salad with whipped herb cheese, navel orange and mustard dressing to which I added slow roasted duck. The mustard dressing came in its own glass container on the plate, no pre dressed leaves meant the rocket and lettuce leaves still had a nice crunch, complementing the tender duck and soft parsnips. To follow I decided to try a thyme infused hot milk with Dulce de Leche which was amazing, sweet and warm but with an interesting hint of thyme.

Duck Salad

Thyme infused milk with Dulce de Leche

Both my trips to Hemelhuijs were simply delicious and at a very good price too, the total for the duck salad came to only 150 rand which is about £10 for a dining experience that you would be paying well over £20 for in the UK. So if you are visiting Cape Town I would highly recommend this as a restaurant to put on your list of places to go.

Enjoy! Z x

Hotel Chocolat Easter Treats & Toscakaka Cake

2015-03-23T22:09:00.000+00:00

With Easter just around the corner, Hotel Chocolat offered to send me some of their seasonal treats to sample, which I obviously gratefully accepted - I'm only human! Hotel Chocolat never disappoint with their innovative seasonal chocolate collections, and this year is no different with their Egglet H Box providing a sophisticated and interesting alternative to your traditional Easter Egg.

Raspberry Supermilk

Salted Caramel

With fifteen little Egglets in ten different flavours ranging from a zingy Raspberry Truffle to a boozy Calvados Caramel, there really is something for everyone. My personal favourites were the Coffee Caramel (the ideal after-dinner treat) and the Speckled Praline - a smooth and moreish nutty centre sealed in caramel chocolate speckled with vanilla seeds - A-mazing. So amazing, in fact, that it has inspired the following Toscakaka recipe…

Toscakaka is a Swedish cake with a vanilla and orange flavoured sponge and a chewy, almondy, caramely topping that oozes into the sponge when baking and gives the cake a praline-like flavour. It is really simple to make, and would make an ideal Easter centrepiece if you're feeding friends and family next weekend. Scroll down for the full recipe…

You will need…

3 eggs

150g caster sugar

Zest of 1/2 an orange

1tsp vanilla extract or paste

150g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

75 ml milk with a drop of lemon juice

75 g butter - melted

And for the topping…

150g toasted flaked almonds

125g soft light brown sugar

100g butter

2 tbsp whiskey

You will need to…

- Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line a 9 inch springform tin.

- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and orange zest until thick and pale.

- Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and gently fold into the egg mixture.

- Mix together the melted butter and milk, then fold this into the cake mixture too.

- Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and bake for 20 minutes.

- In the meantime, make the praline-like topping by combining the almonds, sugar and butter in a small saucepan.

- Bring this mixture to a rapid boil and cook for about a minute, then remove from the heat and stir in the whiskey.

- After 20 minutes, carefully take the cake out the oven and gently spoon the almond mixture on top, taking care not to disturb the partially cooked sponge.

- Return the cake to the oven to cook for another 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

- Leave to cool in the tin and serve with a generous sprinkling of icing sugar.

Enjoy! C x

Smoked Salmon, Avocado and Beetroot on Spelt Loaf

2015-01-21T15:00:00.000+00:00

This is so simple it doesn't really warrant a 'recipe' - it was just such a delicious lunch that I felt it would be a shame not to share it on here. It also raked in a fair few likes on our Instagram page so I thought it was only fair to share the dish in full! It only takes a few minutes to throw together and - ta dah - you have yourself a colourful, fresh, healthy and tasty plateful. This would make an ideal lunch, brunch or light supper that also provides a welcome contrast to the grey January days!

For one generous portion you will need…

2 slices smoked salmon

2 slices spelt loaf or another good crusty loaf e.g. rye or sourdough

Soft cheese (I used Philadelphia)

1/2 an avocado

1 small pre-cooked beetroot (I use the vacuum packed ones sold in most supermarkets)

Fresh dill

Black pepper

1 wedge of fresh lemon

You will need to…

- Pop your slices of crusty bread into the toaster.

- Once toasted, spread each slice with a generous layer of soft cheese.

- Top with your smoked salmon and then scatter over sliced avocado and cubed beetroot.

- Sprinkle some fresh dill and ground black pepper on top.

- Squeeze over the fresh lemon wedge and serve.

Enjoy! C x

Mince Pie Twists

2014-12-30T18:16:00.000+00:00

With the festive season drawing to a close, my adaptation of Gizzi Erskine's Mince Pie Straws are a novel and delicious way to use up any leftover mincemeat. These flakey puff pastry twists would make great sweet canapés or a lovely festive pud when served alongside a little crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream. With the inevitable 'New Year Detox' looming, this is your final excuse to indulge in some Christmassy baking - enjoy!

On another note - a massive thanks to those of you who voted for us as we have (miraculously) been shortlisted in the Food & Drink category for a UK Blog Award for the second year running! We're not quite sure how it happened as we totally forgot to promote it, so thank you to anyone reading for your ongoing support!

Check out our competition here: http://www.blogawardsuk.co.uk/food-drink-shortlisted-finalists/

For 24 twists you will need…

2 tbsp caster sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

1/2 tsp cinnamon

Flour - to dust

1 packet of all-butter puff pastry

200g sweet mincemeat

1 egg yolk - beaten

Icing sugar to serve

You will need to...

- Preheat your oven to 200C.

- Mix together the sugar, lemon zest and cinnamon in a small bowl.

- Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface until it is the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut the pastry in half widthways. Spread the mincemeat over one half and place the other ontop, pressing/rolling together firmly.

- Trim the edges to create a neat rectangle, then brush the top with the egg yolk. Sprinkle over the lemony, cinammony sugar. Cut the pastry into 12 strips lengthways, then cut all across the middle to create 24 straws in total.

- Twist each strip a couple of times and place on a lined baking tray - leaving plenty of room for expansion.

- Bake at 200C until golden brown, puffed up and crisp - this could take anywhere between 15-30 minutes.

- Serve with a generous dusting of icing sugar.

Enjoy! C x

Peas, Watercress & Brown Shrimp on Toast

2014-10-28T15:30:00.000+00:00

This is an adaptation of a Lindsey Bareham recipe that I tore out of a magazine a couple of years ago, and quickly became a favourite simple-yet-polished lunch in our household. As well as being relatively healthy and simple, with only a handful of ingredients needed, the blitzed watercress and pea mixture is really bright and fresh, and looks great on the plate. Despite being a good lunch dish, this would also work well in smaller quantities as a starter, or add more of everything to make into a light supper. If you can't find brown shrimps (Waitrose usually have a good supply) feel free to substitute them with prawns or crayfish. Although this is really quick to throw together it's worth noting that a good food processor or hand blender is essential to blitz your greens!

For two generous lunches you will need…

100g peas (fresh or frozen)

1 large handful of watercress

1 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tbsp cider vinegar

Salt & pepper

Knob of butter for the toast

2 slices of good sourdough bread

50-100g brown shrimps

Lemon to serve

You will need to…

- Cook the peas in boiling water, then drain and add to your food processor along with the watercress, mustard, olive oil and cider vinegar.

- Blitz until it becomes a thick herby sauce and season to taste. You might want to adjust the vinegar/oil balance too - I like it quite tangy.

- Toast your sourdough slices and butter generously.

- Spread with a thick layer of green paste and top with the shrimp. Serve with a wedge of lemon.

Enjoy! C x

Malteaser Cake

2014-10-21T16:42:00.000+01:00

This Malteaser Cake is always a show stopper. During my cooking jobs in Scotland over the summer this cake was a favourite for afternoon tea, and I assure you it takes a very hungry army of people to demolish the whole thing in one sitting! Infact, it is so rich and chocolately that it could almost be served with cream as a pudding. I have enjoyed many an hour sitting aligning every malteaser to make this cake look symmetrical - the first time I made it, it certainly didnt look like my latest one in

these photos!

To serve 12 hungry people you will need...

For the chocolate sponge

150g soft unsalted butter

250g caster sugar

150g self raising flour

100ml sour cream or double cream

4 medium eggs

50g cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

1/2 a vanilla pod or a few drops of vanilla extract

For the icing (these quantities ususally make a bit extra)

100g dark chocolate

550g icing sugar

250g soft butter

2tbsps milk/water

4x 135g malteasers (make sure you have enough or else you wont cover the whole cake!)

You will need to...

-Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4

-Grease and line two 8 inch loose bottomed cake tins

-Put the butter, sugar, flour, cream, eggs, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and vanilla into the large bowl of an electric mixer and mix until smooth.

-Pour the mixture into the two cake tins and bake in the oven for 25/30mins or until a skewer comes out clean, Leave to cool for a couple fo minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

- When the cakes are cool make the icing, First melt the dark chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water stirring occasionally.

- Put the icing sugar in the electric mixer (no need to sieve if using a mixer) then add the butter and and milk/water until light and smooth. Then pour the melted chocolate in with the mixer still running.

- Place the sponge on the plate you will be serving it on- it is difficult to move once you start covering the cake in malteasers. Then using a palet knife, spread the chococlate icing over the bottom layer before placing the second layer on top and covering the top and sides of the whole cake with icing.

- Then begin to stick the malteasers on, I find doing it in straight lines makes the neatest looking cake!

Enjoy, Z x

Blackberry and Raspberry Galette

2014-09-16T12:41:00.000+01:00

With an abundance of blackberries growing in the hedgerows at this time of year, this rustic autumnal pud is a quick, easy and delicious way of using them up - get picking and you'll have yourself an (almost) free pudding! A galette is somewhere between a pie and a tart, though I'd argue better than either as it is freeform so doesn't require a tin or dish, and folding over the edges ensures maximum delicious crusty pastry. This one has a few raspberries thrown in as well but it works just as well with only blackberries, or some finely chopped apples instead.

To make a galette to serve four you will need…

100g plain flour

50g butter

1 dessert spoon icing sugar

A pinch of salt

3 tbsp cold water

300g fruit (blackberries, raspberries, chopped apple or a combo)

1 dessert spoon caster sugar

1 dessert spoon cornflour

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 egg for egg wash

A little extra caster sugar to sprinkle on top

You will need to...

- Make shortcrust pastry by combining ingredients in a food processor (if lazy) or by hand by rubbing cubed butter into the mixture of flour, icing sugar and salt until fine breadcrumbs form. Add enough cold water and combine until the pastry just comes together, then wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for minimum 1 hour.

- Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with greased baking parchment.

- Place fruit in a bowl then gently stir in the cornflour, caster sugar and vanilla until combined - try not to squish the berries too much.

- Roll out your chilled pastry on a lightly floured surface to form a rough circle. Transfer onto the prepared baking tray.

- Spoon fruit into the middle of the pastry, then fold up the edges as pictured.

- Lightly beat the egg in a small bowl, then brush over the pastry and top with a sprinkle of caster sugar.

- Bake for about half an hour or until pastry is golden and crisp.

- Serve warm with a generous helping of single cream.

Enjoy! C x

A Flavour of France II

2014-09-09T13:38:00.002+01:00

If you follow us on Instagram you will know that I spent a few weeks holidaying in France this summer with my family. Aside from sunbathing, swimming and a little canoeing, the holiday involved a lot of eating (naturally). If you are a long-term reader of Not Just A Pretty Plate you may remember a similar post last year in which I threw a handful of French-inspired recipes into one post. Once again, please excuse the slightly haphazard and vague ingredients/quantities/timings used in these recipes. In true holiday spirit, all the cooking was fairly relaxed and thrown together so don't worry too much about being precise! I've included canapés, a starter, two main course dishes and also a pudding, but if that doesn't satisfy your appetite for french cuisine be sure to check out last year's Flavour of France for some similar recipes. Bon appétit!

Goat's Cheese and Grape Bruschetta

Despite bruschetta being Italian, these nibbles are inspired by South Western France, a region know for it's goat's cheese. This is a slightly different take on the tried and tested combination of sharp cheese and sweet fruit. They literally take minutes to prepare - simply slice a small and slightly stale baguette into thin slices and place on a baking tray. Warm in the oven for about eight minutes until slightly toasted, then top with a slice of goat's cheese and half a grape. Serve slightly warm to ensure the cheese is melting a little in the middle.

Melon and Jambon Sec Salad

This is a bit of a seventies throwback, but the fact that it has stood the test of time is testament to the fact that it is simple, good, tasty food. With only four ingredients, this is a classic example of how good food need not be fussy or overcomplicated, and if you have good produce it can speak for itself. To prepare all you need to do is artfully combine chunks of Cantaloupe melon and wafer thin sheets of jambon sec or parma ham on a plate, then top with a drizzle of walnut oil and sprinkling of ground pepper.

Baked Salmon with Roasted Veg

This is SO easy and basic it really doesn't warrant a recipe. As well as being an ideal dish to throw together on holiday when you'd rather be spending time on a sun lounger than in the kitchen, this is also makes a great weekday supper. All you need to do is: lay a few fillets or whole side of salmon on a large sheet of baking parchment on a baking tray. Top with a few slices of lemon, a couple of handfuls of chopped parsley and some salt and pepper. Wrap the parchment over to create an envelope for the salmon - as well as gently steaming the fish in its own juices, it also removes the skin underneath as it sticks to the paper as it cooks. Bake for about 20-30 minutes until just cooked through. For the roasted veg chop up a selection of vegetables such as onions, courgettes, peppers and garlic. Dress with olive oil and toss through some dried oregano and fresh rosemary and thyme as well as plenty of salt and pepper. Roast in a hot oven for about forty minutes or until all the veg is cooked through and starting to crisp at the edges.

Duck Confit with Puy Lentils

Now I have to confess that these delicious duck legs weren't confit-ed by myself from scratch - the ingenious French supermarkets sell them ready-confit-ed and vacuum packed in duck fat so all you have to do is whack them under the grill for ten minutes to heat them through and crisp up the skin nicely. I'm not sure you can buy them like this in the UK although I shall be keeping my eyes peeled. Having confit-ed from scratch before, I can assure you it isn't particularly difficult but involves buying a LOT of duck fat to cover your duck legs in! We served ours on Puy lentils with a touch of crème fraîche - a regional classic. To make the lentils you will need:

2 onions,

1 celery stick

2 small carrots

1 small potato

2 garlic cloves

500g Puy lentils - rinsed well in cold water

1 bouquet garni - tie together a few sprigs of rosemary, thyme and a bay leaf

1 stock cube

Boiling water

Red wine vinegar

1 small bag of spinach

1 tbsp crème fraîche plus more to serve

-Finely dice your celery, onions, potato and garlic and sauté in a large pan until softened.

-Stir in the lentils, bouquet garni and stock cube. Add boiling water to cover.

-Simmer gently for about 40 minutes or until soft - keep an eye on it and add more water if necessary.

-Stir in the bag of spinach and allow to wilt.

-Take off the heat and stir in a good slug of red wine vinegar, a tablespoon of crème fraîche and some generous seasoning. Adjust to taste.

-To serve spoon the lentils onto a plate, add a teaspoon of crème fraîche and top with your confit duck.

Maple Roasted Nectarines

These are inspired by The Londoner's Honey Roast Peaches although I've substituted peaches for nectaries and honey for maple syrup. If you haven't checked out Rosie's blog before then go and have a look - her simple yet delicious recipes are great and the photography is always on-point. To make this pudding you need to half and de-stone your nectarines and place them in a baking tray. Pop a small knob of butter in each half and drizzle the whole lot generously with maple syrup. Scatter over a handful of flaked almonds and bake for about 20 minutes. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche and a couple of spoonfuls of the syrupy buttery nectarine juice.

Enjoy! C x

Puy Lentil and Quinoa Sumac Salad

2014-09-07T14:24:00.000+01:00

With summer coming to a close, this salad is ideal for the transition into autumn, being fresh and herby yet substantial and filling enough for the colder days to come. Despite containing big bunches of various different herbs, none overpower the dish, and together with the tangy sumac and citrus they manage to uplift the quinoa and Puy lentils - pulses which, lets be honest, can sometimes be lacking in the flavour department. As well as being delicious, this salad is also very nutritious - perfect for those of us who may have over-indulged a little on holiday... The recipe comes from Sabrina Ghayour's debut book Persiana which I found very inspiring and an ideal starting point if you're fairly new to Middle-Eastern cooking. Although it makes a great lunch or light meal by itself, this salad also works well as a side-dish with chicken or fish.

For a large bowl to serve 6-8 you will need…

200g quinoa

250g Puy lentils

500g cherry tomatoes, halved

100g flat leaf parsley, stalks and leaves finely chopped

20g coriander, stalks and leaves finely chopped

40g mint leaves, finely chopped

1 bunch spring onions, finely sliced

4 tbsp olive oil

Juice of 2 large or 3 small lemons

1 heaped tbsp sumac

Salt & pepper to season

You will need to…

- Cook lentils and quinoa separately as per their packet instructions. Rinse well in cold water then drain and set aside to cool. N.B - When cooking quinoa be sure to toast it in a dry pan before simmering in water, as develops the nutty flavour. See our Quinoa Superfood Salad recipe for more instructions on this.

- Combine all the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Add the cooked and cooled quinoa and lentils and mix well to endure everything is evenly coated in the dressing. Be sure to taste your salad and adjust seasonings to suit you.

- Refrigerate for a couple of hours before serving to allow all the flavours to develop.

Enjoy! C x

A Trip to Turin & Soft Hazelnut Biscuits

2014-08-07T23:51:00.002+01:00

Earlier this summer I headed to Italy for a few days to visit a friend ending her year studying abroad in Turin. I completely fell in love with the place, from the delicious food and coffee to the glorious weather and architecture. Keen to take a piece of Italy home to the fam in (then) rainy England, I picked up a bag of authentic-looking biscuits called 'dolcetto morbido alla nocciola' from a delicatessen, however after trying them I soon realised I should have purchased multiple bags - they were seriously good. After a bit of googling it became clear that unless I wanted to pay a small fortune to order them direct from Italy, there was no way of getting them in the UK and so I would have to create my own recipe. The best way of describing them is like a soft amaretti biscuit, but with hazelnuts instead of almonds. The chewy nutty inside is reminiscent of Nutella without the chocolatey-ness - very fitting seeing as Turin is the home of the infamous spread. Anyway, if you are a biscuit or nut-lover, I suggest you give these a go as they are not only quick and easy but a totally delicious and morish teatime snack. I have included some of my touristy snaps of beautiful Turin, however for some more professional photography of the place be sure to check out my friend Mhairi's travel journal HERE - she's a lot more pro with a camera as you will see…

To make 12 larger or 24 little Dolcetto Morbido Alla Nocciola (Soft Hazelnut Biscuits) you will need…

- 100g ground hazelnuts (I blitzed whole hazelnuts, skin on, in a coffee grinder)

- 100g caster sugar

- 1 tbsp plain flour

- A pinch of salt

- 1 large egg white

You will need to…

- Sieve together the ground hazelnuts, sugar, flour and salt in a large bowl.

- Whisk the egg white until almost soft peaks, then stir into the dry ingredients. Knead with your hands until a soft dough comes together.

- Break off small amounts and roll the dough small balls - dust your hands with icing sugar if it is a bit sticky. Place the balls on a lined baking tray leaving a little space to spread, and press gently to slightly to flatten each one.

- Preheat your oven to 150 C, leaving the biscuits to sit and dry for about 15 minutes whilst the oven warms.

- Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until tops are firm and cracked and the bottoms are a little golden. Leave to cool on the tray for a couple of minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy! C x

Smoked Mackerel and Quinoa Salad

2014-07-30T10:49:00.001+01:00

This is a healthy salad which only takes about 20 minutes to make. The smoked mackerel gives a strong flavour to the quinoa, and no extra salt needs to be added as the mackerel provides a strong salty flavour. This recipe would also work with any other fish of your choice. I used the dressing from our Quinoa Superfood Salad to add a lemony flavour which ties the dish together nicely.

To serve 4 you will need...

- 4 smoked mackerel fillets

-2 red peppers

- 200g cherry tomatoes

-250g quinoa

-1 chicken stock cube

-1/2 a pint of water

-Chopped parsley to garnish

For the dressing...

-1 tsp lemon juice

-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

-1 tsp Dijon mustard

-Seasoning

You will need to...

-Preheat the oven to 180C

- Chop the peppers into strips and half the cherry tomatoes, place in a large baking tray season and drizzle with oil.

- Place the mackerel fillets onto a sheet of tinfoil, squeeze some lemon juice over them, season and wrap in tinfoil, if there is room in the baking tray then place them next to the chopped veg, if not place on a separate baking tray and place in the oven for 10-15 mins.

- Meanwhile place the quinoa in a dry sauce pan and toast on a fairly high heat for a few minutes until golden brown. Keep shaking it around the pan to stop it burning then add 1/2 a pint of chicken stock to the pan.

- Bring to the boil, cover with a lid and simmer for approximately 10 minutes, then remove from heat and leave to steam with the lid on for approximately 5 minutes. Meanwhile remove the mackerel from the oven and check the peppers and tomatoes and cooked, if not turn up the heat and leave the veg in for 5 minutes longer.

-To make the dressing, combine the mustard, oil and lemon juice - season to taste.

- When the veg is done place quinoa in the middle of your serving dish surround with the roasted tomatoes and peppers, then peel the skin away from the mackerel, this should be easy when the fish is hot. Break the mackerel up removing any bones you come across and mix into the quinoa. Add the dressing and scatter with chopped parsley.

Enjoy! Z x

Lime and Mango Panna Cotta

2014-07-13T14:47:00.000+01:00

Last night I cooked a dinner party for 20 people and this Lime and mango panna cotta was definitely the star of the show. It was the first time I had followed this Jane Lovett recipe, I saw and tasted this panna cotta prepared by Jane at one of her cooking demonstrations last month. You can prepare this pudding up to 3 days in advance which is helpful when cooking for a large crowd! I used ramekins to serve the panna cotta however you can also use martini glasses or one big bowl for people to help themselves to. The subtle lime flavour contrasts well with the sweet mango pulp topping; you can either buy the mango pulp in a tin or make your own from fresh mangos which is what I did.

To serve 8 you will need...

One 400ml tin of coconut milk

400ml double cream

5 tbsps caster sugar

3 limes

4 leaves of gelatine

1 ripe mango or 400ml of tinned mango pulp

1 tbsp icing sugar

Raspberries or strawberries and mint leaves to decorate

You will need to...

-Put the gelatine leaves into a large flat dish for five minutes to soften.

- Put the coconut milk, cream and sugar into a large saucepan. Bring to a gentle boil stirring occasionally and simmer for a minute or two. Add the juice of 3 and zest of 1 lime and remove from the heat.

- Remove the gelatine from the water squeeze out any excess water and add to the cream mixture, (do not boil the gelatine or it wont set) pour into ramekins, glasses or a bowl. Cool cover and refrigerate until set- it is best to leave them over night.

- To make the mango puree peel and slice a mango into a food processor, add icing sugar to taste and process until smooth.

- Decorate with strawberries or raspberries or lime zest.

Enjoy Z x

Elderflower Drizzle Cake

2014-07-08T11:29:00.000+01:00

After a trip to Betty's famous tearoom in Harrogate last week I spotted an Elderflower Drizzle Cake on display and, as I have an abundance of home made elderflower cordial at home, I decided to give one a go. I based the recipe on a standard lemon drizzle cake recipe (you can see our version on our Instagram page) but substituted the lemon juice for elderflower cordial. The result was a subtle and soft elderflowery sponge, and although the flavour was not overpoweringly strong, the aftertaste had a delicate hint fresh elderflower that was very pleasant and perfectly appropriate for this time of year!

You Will Need…

200g plain flour

200g caster sugar

200g butter
3 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

Zest of one lemon

4 tbsp elderflower cordial

And for the drizzle…

4 tbsp elderflower cordial

2tsp caster sugar

You Will Need To…

- Preheat your oven to 180C. Butter and line a regular sized loaf tin.

- Beat together the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and fold in the flour, baking powder and lemon zest.

- Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.

- Once cooked and still warm, use a skewer to stab the cake all over. This will make holes for the drizzle to seep into and make the cake extra moist.

- Mix together the elderflower cordial and caster sugar, then spoon on top of the cake.

- Allow to cool and serve in generous slices.

Enjoy! Z & C x

Strawberries & Cream Victoria Sponge

2014-07-04T20:42:00.001+01:00

With the Wimbledon finals taking place this weekend, it seems very appropriate to bring out this classic Victoria Sponge filled with strawberries & cream. A pairing that has stood the test of time, you can't really go wrong with strawberries and cream, especially when the cream is laced with fragrant vanilla seeds. This would be an ideal centrepiece for any summer gathering, a welcome addition to an afternoon tea or a decadent way to round off a barbecue. It is also a good excuse to show off the latest addition to my kitchen - this beautiful vintage glass cake stand from RE in Corbridge, Northumberland. This hidden gem of a shop is well worth a visit if you like rooting through unusual and interesting bits and bobs, with their stock ranging from kitchenware to french soaps and gardening equipment. Here is the link to their website if you want to have a look: http://www.re-foundobjects.com

You Will Need…

175g caster sugar

175g butter

175g self raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla essence

3 eggs

And for the filling…

200ml double cream

1 generous tsp vanilla bean paste or the scraped seeds from one vanilla pod

Half a punnet of strawberries

Icing sugar for for dusting

You Will Need To…

- Preheat your oven to 180C.

- Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

- Beat in the eggs and vanilla essence, and then fold in the sieved flour and baking powder.

- Pour into two round, greased and lined cake tins and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.

- Cool your sponges on a wire rack whilst you prepare the filling…

- Chop your strawberries into quarters, reserving a few for decoration if you like.

- Whip the cream until soft peaks, then fold in your vanilla paste.

- Spread your berries onto one of the sponges, top with the cream and then place the second sponge on top.

- Serve on your prettiest plate and dust with icing sugar.

Enjoy! C x