I'm out and about this month promoting my latest cookbook, Bake, which is just out! It's a collection of delicious and easy recipes - including cakes and bakes, tarts and pies, quiches and casseroles and you can buy your copy now at amazon.co.uk
- Chewy seedy oat and apricot bars
- Oven-baked risotto with mushrooms and thyme
- Chewy seedy oat and apricot bars
Makes 18
Ingredients
300g/11oz porridge oats
100g/4oz pumpkin or sunflower seeds, or a mixture of the two
50g/2oz desiccated coconut
50g/2oz plain flour
200g/7oz butter
200g/7oz golden syrup
150g/5oz soft brown sugar
150g/5oz dried apricots, chopped
125g/4.5oz crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3.
2. Line an 18cm/7inx28cm/11in Swiss roll tin with non-stick baking parchment, leaving a little of the parchment hanging over the edges for easy removal later.
3. Place the oats, seeds, coconut and flour into a large bowl and mix together.
4. Place the butter and golden syrup into a saucepan and cook until the two ingredients have melted and combined.
5. Add the sugar, chopped apricots, peanut butter and vanilla extract to the saucepan and mix well. Then pour the mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients and mix together until the ingredients have become evenly combined.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and press down firmly with a wooden spoon. Transfer the tin to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the mixture has become golden-brown and slightly firm. Remove the mixture from the oven and allow it to cool in the tin.
7. Once the mixture has cooled remove it, and, still in the paper, cut it into 18 bars (or cut them to whatever size you want them to be).
8. Store in an air-tight container for up to one week. These will also freeze well.
- Oven-baked risotto with mushrooms and thyme
Serves 6
Ingredients
25g/1oz dried mushrooms, such as porcini or a mixture of types
400ml/14fl oz boiling water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed salt and freshly ground black pepper
350g/12oz risotto rice, such as carnaroli or arborio
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped
750ml/11/4 pints hot vegetable
(or chicken) stock
125ml/4fl oz white wine
75g/3oz parmesan cheese, grated
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl, add the boiling water to the bowl and leave to soak for ten minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a medium sized ovenproof saucepan or casserole dish and cook the onion and garlic for a few minutes until soft and a little golden. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
3. Drain the excess liquid from the mushrooms into a clean bowl. Chop the mushrooms, and add them to the garlic and onions along with the rice, chopped thyme and mushroom-soaking liquid. Pour the stock and the wine into the pan and bring the mixture to the boil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
4. Cover with the mixture with a lid and place it in the oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice has just cooked and all the liquid has been absorbed.
5. Stir in 50g/2oz of the grated parmesan.
6. To serve, sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and thyme leaves.
Serves 6
Ingredients
4 peaches or nectarines
25g/1oz brown sugar
4 free-range egg whites
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. Cut the peaches in half and remove the stones. Slice the peaches about 5mm 1/4in thick and lay into a 1.25 litre /2 1/4pint pie dish. Sprinkle brown sugar over the peaches and drizzle the marsala, sherry or lemon juice over the top. If the peaches are not very ripe and juicy (although they should be ripe enough to eat), pop them into the
oven for five minutes to cook, while you make the meringue. If they are very ripe and juicy there is no need to do this.
3. For the meringue, place the free-range egg whites into a bowl and whisk with an electric beater until they become stiff. While still beating the egg whites, gradually add the light brown sugar. Continue to beat the mixture until the meringue holds stiff peaks.
4. Spoon the meringue onto the top of the peaches and cook in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the meringue feels slightly firm in the centre and is golden-brown in colour on top.
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