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Apple Crumble

Desserts, Fruit

Serves 4-6 people

Chef’s Tip: Try my custard recipe which goes perfectly with this crumble!

Ingredients

For the filling:

  • 3-4 cooking apples
  • 75g golden caster sugar
  • A small knob of butter
  • Ground cinnamon

For the crumble:

  • 50g golden caster sugar 
  • 100g plain flour
  • 80g butter
  • Optional: 1tbsp soft brown sugar
  • Optional: 2tbsp ground almonds

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6
  • Peel and chop the apples into small cubes.
  • Put them in a large saucepan with a little bit of butter, a sprinkle of cinnamon and 75g of sugar, on a low-medium heat.
  • Cook until the apples are soft, remove from the heat and transfer to your oven dish.
  • Now to make the topping. Mix together 50g caster sugar, the flour and butter. 
  • At this point you can also add the optional ingredients which I highly recommend!
  • Use your hands to combine the ingredients until they are crumbly. 
  • Sprinkle the topping over your apples and bake for 10mins or until golden and crunchy on top.

 

Soft Fluffy Dumplings

Sides

Jamie Oliver’s recipe – serves 6 so I usually make half a batch for 2-4 people. This recipe is the full batch so just halve the ingredients if you need.

Ingredients

  • 250g self raising flour
  • 125g cold unsalted butter
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Method

  • Add the flour to a mixing bowl and then grate the butter into it
  • Add a pinch of salt and pepper
  • Use your fingers to rub the mixture together until it forms breadcrumbs
  • Add a splash of water to help bind it together
  • Roll the mixture into dumplings of your desired size
  • Place the dumplings on top of your fully cooked stew and press down lightly so that they’re half submerged
  • Cook for 20-30mins at 190C/170C Fan with a lid on

Creamy Chicken Pasta

Chicken, Mains, Pasta and Rice

This is sort of my twist on a carbonara. It’s creamy and delicious 🙂

Serves: 2 people

Ingredients

  • 1 large chicken breast (or 2 small)
  • 1 onion
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Half a red chilli (or half a teaspoon of chilli powder) – this is optional to add a bit of spice but you can leave it out
  • 2 slices of smoked bacon
  • 100ml white wine – drink the rest of the bottle with the food 😉
  • 200ml cream (single or double, whichever your prefer)
  • 200g spaghetti
  • Parmesan to serve

Optional Extras

  • Try adding some red or green pesto after the cream.
  • Try adding a squidge of tomato puree before the cream.
  • Try adding a handful of spinach just before the cream.

Method

  • Get a large frying pan on a medium heat with some olive oil.
  • Get everything prepped so that you’re ready to get cooking. Chop your onion, mince or chop your garlic, chop the chilli into tiny pieces, slice the bacon into small strips and dice your chicken.
  • Add the onion to the pan and cook until soft and starting to brown.
  • Add the garlic and chilli to cook for 1 minute. Don’t let the garlic brown.
  • Add the bacon and stir until it’s cooked.
  • Now add your chicken with a good sprinkle of salt and pepper and stir it around.
  • At this point, put a pan of water on to boil for spaghetti if you’re using dried. Cook as you normally would while doing the rest.
  • Once the chicken is almost cooked through, add the wine and turn the heat down a bit so it can simmer for 5-10mins. This will allow the alcohol to cook away and leave you with the flavour.
  • If you are using fresh pasta, get it going now.
  • Now turn the pan down to a low heat and add your cream. Make sure you don’t add the cream until the pan has cooled down a bit or it will go lumpy.
  • Drain your pasta and add it to the pan. You can turn the heat off at this point as it will stay hot enough.
  • Serve and sprinkle with parmesan 🙂

Chocolate Ganache (smooth frosting)

Chocolate, Desserts

This recipe covers a 20cm cake.

Ingredients

  • 200ml double cream
  • 200g plain chocolate

Method

  • Heat the double cream in a saucepan until it’s boiling.
  • Pour over the chopped chocolate and stir until the chocolate has all melted and it’s smooth.
  • Leave it to cool.
  • For a rougher textured finish, you can whip the mixture slightly once it’s cooled down.

Moist Chocolate Fudge Cake

Cakes, Chocolate, Desserts

Ingredients

  • 225g/8oz plain flour
  • 350g/12½oz caster sugar
  • 85g/3oz cocoa powder
  • 1½ tsp baking powder
  • 1½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 1 tsp instant coffee
  • 2 free-range eggs
  • 250ml/9fl oz milk
  • 125ml/4½fl oz vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 200ml/9fl oz boiling water
  • 1x dark chocolate ganache

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm/8in sandwich tins. If you only have springform tins, make sure you line the bases with a double layer of baking paper which is too big so comes out the sides. The mixture is very liquidy so will spill out otherwise.
  • Place all of the cake ingredients, except the boiling water, into a large mixing bowl. Using a wooden spoon, or electric whisk, beat the mixture until smooth and well combined.
  • Add the boiling water to the mixture, a little at a time, until smooth. (The cake mixture will now be very liquid.)
  • Divide the cake batter between the sandwich tins and bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, or until the top is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
  • While the cakes are in the oven, make your ganache so that it can sit and cool alongside the cakes.
  • Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely, still in their tins, before icing.
  • Spread a thin layer of the frosting on top of one cake and sandwich the other one on top.
  • Transfer to a plate or a board and top the cake with the remaining ganache.

Upside Down Toffee Apple Cake

Cakes, Desserts, Fruit

I use a 23cm round tin for this but you could squeeze it into 20cm. It makes enough cake for about 8 people. You can easily make a half batch if you need a smaller version.

Ingredients

For the topping:

  • 3 gala or granny smith apples
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 3tbsp water

For the cake:

  • 225g/8oz salted butter, softened
  • 225g/8oz golden caster sugar
  • 225g/8oz self-raising flour
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 4 free-range eggs, at room temperature
  • 60ml/4 tbsp whole milk
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract

Method

  • Grease your tin with butter and preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
  • Peel, core and slice your apples. Keep them in a bowl of cold water to stop them from browning.
  • I like to mix up the cake batter at this point. So, beat the butter and sugar until smooth.
  • Combine the flour and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl, and add it spoonfuls at a time with one egg at a time.
  • Mix each time until all 4 eggs are in and all the flour is gone.
  • Stir in the milk and vanilla.
  • Leave this to one side.
  • Put your 200g sugar and 3tbsp of water in a saucepan and get it on a medium to high heat. Let the sugar melt and watch it bubble until it turns a nice amber/golden colour. DO NOT STIR IT AT ANY POINT. If you’ve used golden caster sugar, you are looking for a slightly darker colour.
  • Place the apples in  pretty pattern in the bottom of your tin and pour the caramel mixture over them. You will need to do this quite quickly as it will start to solidify soon after it’s taken off the heat. Be very careful because it will be dangerously hot.
  • Now pour the cake mixture over the top and smooth it out.
  • Bake for 40-50mins, checking occasionally with a toothpick until it comes out dry and clean from the centre of the cake.
  • Take it out the oven once it’s done. Using oven gloves, place a cooling rack or a plate over the tin and quickly flip over, taking care not to burn yourself on any hot caramel that may leak from the tin. Remove from the tin and set aside to cool.

Hungarian Goulash

Beef, Mains

Serves: 2-4 people
Prep time: 30mins
Cooking time: 2hrs 30mins

Chef’s tip: This is delicious with gnocchi, rice or pasta. You can also add a dollop of sour cream!

Ingredients

  • 600-650g stewing/casserole/slow cook beef, diced into small chunks
  • 30g plain flour
  • 1 large onion, sliced
  • 1 green pepper, in 2cm square chunks
  • 1 red pepper, in 2cm square chunks
  • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
  • 2 large tomatoes, diced OR 1 tin of chopped tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • 2tbsp paprika
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 1tbsp caraway seeds, crushed
  • 75ml white wine
  • 300ml beef stock
  • Fresh parsley to serve

Method

  • Get everything diced/sliced/chopped etc so it’s all ready to go.
  • Coat the meat in the flour
  • Get a large casserole pot or large saucepan on a medium heat, add a little oil and brown the meat in batches. Set the meat aside.
  • Add a little more oil to the pan and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes until soft, then add the peppers and garlic. Cook these gently for about 10 minutes until softened.
  • Once the veg is soft and started to brown, add the meat, paprika, caraway seeds, puree and bay leaves. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes to bring all the flavours together.
  • Add in the tomatoes, wine and stock.
  • Cover and simmer for at least 90mins. Half way through, check if any water needs adding.
  • Season with salt and pepper at the end and serve with a sprinkle of parsley, and if you fancy some sour cream.

Sweet Glazed Gammon

Christmas, Mains, Pork

Serves: 4 people
Prep time: 15mins
Cooking time: 2hrs 30mins

Chef’s Tip: Delicious when served with log stem broccoli and my Perfect Roast Potatoes

Ingredients for the Meat

  • 1.3-5kg Gammon joint (unsmoked or smoked, it’s your preference)
  • 1 large or two small carrots
  • 1 onion or 1 leek
  • 2 sticks of celery
  • Handful of peppercorns
  • 4 bay leaves
  • Choose your Glaze (simply multiply the measurements up or down if you need more/less)

Honey Glaze

  • 65ml water
  • 65ml orange juice (smooth)
  • 65ml honey
  • 65g muscovado sugar (soft brown sugar)

Treacle Glaze

  • 65g light muscovado sugar
  • 65ml treacle
  • 65ml golden syrup
  • 65ml water

Method

  • Place the gammon in a large pan of cold water that just covers the joint. Roughly chop the veg, and add along with peppercorns and bay leaves and bring to the boil. Then reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover for the cooking time for your joint. (25min per 500g, plus 20min).
  • Periodically skim the froth off the top if necessary.
  • Remove the meat pan from the heat and let it stand for 20-30mins to absorb the flavours
  • Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas Mark 4
  • At this point, you can make your glaze. Simply add all of the ingredients to a pan and bring to a fast simmer/almost boil. Simmer it until the glaze resting time is up.
  • Take the meat out of the pan and place it in a roasting dish with a little bit of the liquid to stop it from sticking.
  • If your gammon join has skin and a fat layer on it, use a knife to remove it.
  • Brush glaze all over the joint and then pour two thirds of the rest all over it (save some for serving).
  • Cook in the oven for 30mins, re-brushing with the glaze every 10mins.
  • You might want to cook it for a bit longer if the glaze isn’t quite sticky enough 🙂

 

 

Perfect Roast Potatoes

Christmas, Sides

Ingredients

  • Maris piper potatoes
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic cloves (1 clover per potato), flattened with a spoon to crack open each clove
  • Fresh rosemary

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan
  • Peel the potatoes and put them in a large saucepan
  • Cover with cold water and sprinkle in some salt, then bring to the boil and cook for about 10-15mins until they are soft and a bit fluffy looking
  • Drain and leave them to dry for 2-3mins, then shake them to loosen the fluffy bits
  • Put the potatoes in a baking tray and cover with olive oil, salt and pepper
  • Cook for 20mins, until lightly golden. Meanwhile…
  • In a separate bowl mix up a generous pouring of olive oil, the chopped up rosemary and the garlic cloves
  • After the 20mins, add the mixture to the potatoes and mix them around
  • Pop them back in the oven for 20-30mins or until you’re happy with how they look. Keep cooking them if you want them crispier or more well done, whatever suits you.