Rabbit Casserole

by

This is really simple to make and warming on a cold winters day, it has a thin but incredibly flavoursome sauce, and goes well with celeriac mash or an egg pasta.

Serves

Four People

Ingredients

  • 2 wild rabbits, jointed
  • 500g bacon, lardons
  • Dash of Dorset cider brandy
  • 0.5 ltr white wine
  • 1.5 ltr game stock
  • 2 lrg onions, sliced
  • 3 lrg carrots, cut into chunks
  • 3 sticks of celery, sliced
  • A handful of Seasoned flour
  • A pinch of coriander, mace and white peppercorns

Method

Part boil the potatoes until just tender but not completely.

Pre-fire the oven to around ‘very hot’.

First brown the bacon lardons in a frying pan over the hot plate, when golden transfer to a casserole dish retaining the fat in the frying pan for the rabbit. Toss the rabbit joints in the seasoned flour shake off the excess and then brown in the same pan.

Add the sliced onions, veg and boquet garni to the casserole pot and sweat over the hot plate, when the rabbit is nicely browned all over add it to the casserole pot with the spices. While the frying pan is still hot add a slug of cider vinegar and deglaze the nice gooey residues stuck to the bottom then add to the pot. Finally add the stock and white wine adding just enough to cover the meat.

Now gently bring the casserole up to a nice slow simmer its really important that you don’t let it boil otherwise you will shock the lean meat making it dry and tough. Put the lid on and put into the top oven for about an hour till the meats really juicy and tender.

Potatoes, Bacon, Onion and Parsley

by

This simple but deep flavoured salad works well with larger white potatoes as well.

Serves

Six People

Ingredients

  • 1 kg new potatoes well scrubbed
  • 350 good organic streaky bacon or pancetta
  • 2 large onions peeled and thinly sliced from tip to root
  • 2 cloves of garlic peeled and slivered
  • 1 massive handful of fresh coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley leaves
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 Tbls of olive oil

Method

Par boil the potatoes until just tender but not completely.

Heat a very large frying pan over the hot plate. Add the olive oil followed by the bacon fry until just starting to colour (2 mins max) add the onions and turn down the heat or move to the lower plate.

Sauté for 5 – 6 mins throw in the potatoes and cook for 10 – 20 more minutes.

Season well to taste.

Throw in the parsley, toss well and bring to the table.

Eat with bread, a little olive oil and some fresh tomatoes.

Singapore Vegetable Chow Mein

by

This is a tasty noodle dish where the vegetables are flavoured with ginger, garlic and a touch of curry powder. A good vegetarian option it can also suit meat eaters if two finely sliced or shredded duck breasts are added to the mixture at the last stage of cooking with the noodles.

Serves

4 people

Ingredients

  • 250g egg noodles
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 1 red pepper, cored, seeded and sliced
  • 100g shitake mushrooms, wiped and sliced
  • 75g mangetout
  • 75g spring onions, sliced
  • 100g bean sprouts
  • 1/2 tsp garlic granules
  • 1 tbsp medium curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp crushed chillies
  • 1 1/2 tsp light soy sauce
  • 5 tsp Shaoxing rice wine (or dry sherry)

Methods

  1. Prepare the noodles according to the packet instructions, drain and rinse.
  2. Heat the oil in a wok or large deep frying pan. Add the pepper, mushrooms, mangetout, spring onions and beansprouts and stir-fry for 4-5 minutes.
  3. Add the garlic granules, curry powder, ginger, chillies, soy sauce, rice wine and cooked noodles. Continue to stir-fry for a further 2 minutes then serve at once.

Tip

Toasted sesame oil gives a good authentic flavour to this stir-fried dish but chilli or wok oil (where the oil is infused with garlic and ginger) can also be used.

Cabbage and Spinach Cake

by

This is a great vegetable dish to prepare in advance and left in the fridge.  Just reheat when you want to serve it.

Good use of the induction hob, quickly cooking the green vegetables and melting the butter at the back of the ESSE.

Ingredients

  • 450g green cabbage
  • 450g spinach
  • 25g butter, melted
  • Nutmeg
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Sunflower oil

Method

For the Spinach:

  1. Heat a large saucepan, add a little oil and all spinach.
  2. Stir and cook until the spinach collapses then remove from the pan and lay on a tray to cool down.

For the cabbage:

  1. Leave 5 leaves whole and shred the rest of the cabbage.
  2. Briefly and quickly cook the shredded cabbage until just tender and then lay on a tray to cool down.
  3. Cook the 5 whole leaves in boiling water until tender then drain well.
  4. Take a 20cm cake tin and line with cling film (if you are making this in advance) then line the tin with the whole leaves.

Now prepare the filling:

  1. Squeeze all the water out of the cooked spinach and chop it up.
  2. Mix the shredded cabbage and spinach together and add the melted butter and seasoning with a little grated nutmeg.
  3. Spoon the mixture into the lined cake tin.  Fold the overhanging leaves over the top.
  4. Cover with cling film and leave in the fridge until needed with a plate on top.

To serve:

Remove the cling film, turn the cake onto a plate.  Cut into wedges when cold and then reheat, covered with foil in the bottom right hand oven until heated through.

Recipe by Philippa Vine Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

Campari with Fresh Grapefruit Juice

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Ingredients

  • Cocktail glasses
  • 2 red grapefruits (or more depending on how many re-fills you want!)
  • Ice
  • Campari

Method

  1. Cut the grapefruits in half and squeeze the juice from them.  Set the skins aside. Strain the juice into a jar and refrigerate.
  2. Put 2 ice cubes in each glass, cover with Campari and top up with the grapefruit juice.

To use the grapefruit peel make crystallised grapefruit peel, (or use orange peel instead).  This is a quick method!

  1. Cut the peel into strips and cover with water and boil for 10 minutes and then drain,  throwing away the water (this removes any bitterness in the peel).
  2. Then place 450g granulated sugar into a saucepan with 1 pint of water, add the peel and bring gently to the boil.  Simmer until soft (about an hour in the bottom oven of the ESSE at 160C/ESSE dial guide middle of MODERATE).
  3. Drain the syrup from the peel and lay them out on a cake rack.  Put next to the ESSE to dry out overnight.
  4. Toss with a little caster sugar and keep in a dry container ready for serving or using in your cooking!

Happy ESSE festive baking!

Recipe by Philippa Vine, Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen

Baked Gammon With a Quince and Sherry Glaze

by

A sweet, sticky glaze of quince paste and sherry perfectly complements the flavours of this traditional Christmas gammon. It’s delicious both hot and cold.

Serves

8 people

Ingredients

  • 2.5kg smoked gammon joint
  • 1 litre pressed apple juice
  • 30-35 whole cloves
  • 100ml fino sherry
  • 155g pot quince paste (I used Cano’s Membrillo pure Spanish quince paste)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven if necessary to180°C/Fan 160°C/Esse Dial Guide MODERATE. (Aim for the dial reading to be at the top end of MODERATE or very low end of HOT).
  2. Place the gammon in a large pan. Add the apple juice and enough cold water to cover. Bring to the boil, cover then simmer for 1 hour.
  3. Drain the gammon and allow to cool slightly. Remove any string,then, with a sharp knife, carefully cut away the rind, leaving the layer of fat intact. Score the fat with a diamond pattern and stud the centre of each with a clove. Place on a rack in a roasting tin, cover with foil and roast for 45 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, place the sherry and quince paste in a small pan and gentle heat until melted. Simmer for 23 minutes. Spoon about half of the glaze over the gammon. Pour a little water into the base of the roasting tin to prevent the juices from burning, recover then roast for another 2025 minutes.
  5. Uncover the gammon, brush with more glaze and roast, uncovered,until golden. Allow to stand for 10 minutes before carving to serve hot.

Tip

Any remaining glaze can be brushed over chicken breasts or pork chops before grilling or baking.

Hot, Sour and Sweet Prawn Stir-Fry

by

Fiery from the chilli; sour from the tangy tamarind; and naturally sweet from the delicious Pink Lady apples… this is a Chinese New dish to tickle the taste buds. Try and choose a stir-fry vegetable mix that has lots of different colours and flavours, or make up your own selection. Serve with steamed rice instead of noodles if you prefer.

Serves

4 people

Ingredients

  • 100g dried egg noodles
  • 100g Tenderstem broccoli
  • 2 tbsp groundnut oil
  • 1 Pink Lady apple, cored and sliced into strips
  • 200g raw peeled king prawns
  • 3 tsp tamarind paste
  • 1 red chilli, finely sliced
  • 260g pack fresh stir-fry vegetables (or your own mix)
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1/2 tsp Thai fish sauce

Method

  1. Cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, drain, rinse and keep warm. Meanwhile, cut the florets off the broccoli and finely slice the stems and set aside.
  2. Heat half of the groundnut oil in a wok or large frying pan. Add the apple slices and stir-fry for 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate. Add the prawns and 2 tsp of the tamarind paste and cook for 2-3 minutes until almost cooked. Remove the prawns and keep with the apples.
  3. Add the remaining groundnut oil to the pan and stir-fry the chilli, stir-fry vegetables and broccoli for 4 minutes.
  4. Finally, return the prawns and apples to the pan and stir in the soy sauce, sesame oil, fish sauce and remaining tamarind. Cook for 1-2 minutes then serve with the noodles.

Tip

Make up your own stir-fry mixture by combining ingredients like sliced dwarf corn, chopped spring onions, strips of red and yellow pepper, discs of crunchy water chestnuts or julienne of bamboo shoots for a colourful vegetable medley.

Turkey with chestnut, celery and bacon stuffing and roast potatoes

by

Philippa Vine cooked a Kelly Bronze turkey: “it is very simple – I put it into the top oven of ESSE at 190C/ESSE dial reading low end of HOT until cooked – as it depends on the size of the bird!”

Ingredients

  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped
  • 3 sticks of celery, finely chopped
  • Small bunch of herbs, such as sage, thyme and parsley, finely chopped
  • 10 dried apricots, chopped
  • 110g cooked chestnuts, chopped
  • 150g wholemeal breadcrumbs
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Method

  1. Fry the bacon, onions & celery in a little olive oil until soft and just starting to colour.
  2. Then add the herbs, chestnuts, apricots and breadcrumbs.  Mix well and add seasoning to taste.  For a more “set” stuffing, mix a little beaten egg.
  3. Put into a baking dish and cook in the bottom oven at 180C/ESSE dial reading very low end of HOT for 20 minutes or until just starting to brown.

 

Here is Philippa’s recipe for her roast potatoes, always a hit in the ESSE!

“King Edward potatoes are my favourite as they are really floury and soak up the olive oil or dripping well!  Second choice would be Maris Piper.”

Method

  1. Part boil the potatoes in plenty of salted water and drain well.
  2. Add a little olive oil or dripping in a roasting tray and put in the top oven at 200C (vent open)/ESSE dial reading middle of HOT and heat for 5 minutes until the oil and tray is very hot. Then add the potatoes.
  3. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Roast until crisp and golden turning them over occasionally.

Recipes by by Philippa Vine, Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

Hogget with flatbread

by

Hogget/Lamb with flatbread, avocado butter, chill & lemon dressing.

For the flatbread

Ingredients

  • 400g Self raising flour
  • 350-400g Yoghurt
  • 1 tsp bicarbonate
  • Salt

Method

Mix all the above… roll out and cook in a hot dry pan.

For the avocado butter

Ingredients

  • 1 avocado
  • 20g soft salted butter
  • 1 lime
  • 1 tsp chopped parsley
  • 1 tsp chopped dill

For the lamb

Ingredients

  • 1 neck fillet of lamb finely diced
  • Black pepper
  • 1 tsp Allspice
  • Pinch of cinnamon
  • Grated nutmeg
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tablespoon chopped mint
  • 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • Salt & olive oil

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and marinade for 30 minutes. Sauté the marinated lamb in a pan and keep pink. Remove and rest.

For the chilli lemon dressing

Ingredients

  • 1 diced green chilli
  • Handful of chopped parsley
  • 2 lemon juiced
  • 2 crushed garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons White wine vinegar
  • Handful of toasted Pine nuts to garnish

Method

Mix all, taste and season.

To serve spoon the avocado butter onto a plate, add the lamb, spoon over the lemon sauce and scatter with the pine nuts. Flatbread on the side.

Recipe presented by Matt Tebbutt using the 990 EL at Humble by Nature

Flatbreads cooked on the ESSE hotplate

by

Ingredients

  • 540g strong white flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 28g fresh yeast
  • 1 teaspoon honey or sugar
  • 150ml lukewarm milk
  • 200ml lukewarm water
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil for brushing during cooking

Method

  1. Have the flour warming at the back of the ESSE before starting bread make as it speeds us the rising process.
  2. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and milk mixed together with the honey.
  3. Add this yeast mixture to the flour and mix with a table knife.
  4. Turn it out on to your work surface and knead to a smooth dough
  5. Put the dough back in the mixing bowl, cover with a clean cloth and place at the back of the ESSE, left hand side.
  6. When it has just about doubled in bulk, knead until smooth and elastic, won’t take long, just a minute or two.
  7. Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll them in circles on a floured worktop. When smooth place the balls on a tray and cover with clingfilm. Leave for 20 minutes until puffed and risen.
  8. Gently stretch into a thin oval, use a rolling pin if you prefer.
  9. Cook each flatbread directly on the right-hand hotplate set to 200C / Dial reading 12 o clock with the lid closed. Cook each side until air bubbles appear and it browns underneath. Turn it and cook the other side and browns lightly on the underneath. Turn and cook the other side. Brush the surface with olive oil and cook a little more. Allow to cool wrapped in a cloth.

Suggested serving with butternut squash curry.

Recipe designed by Philippa Vine of Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.
Presented by Dan Blewitt on an ESSE Bakeheart at Humble by Nature.

Seared monkfish loin fillet

by

Seared monkfish loin fillet with peas, broad beans, lemongrass butter sauce and watercress

For the fish

Ingredients

  • Two 300-400g monkfish loin fillets

Method

Remove any remaining sinew from the fillets and pat dry. Set your hotplate dial at 200°C / 12 o clock then, with the hob cover open, sear the fillets quickly on all sides on the hotplate to seal. After searing, bring the hob cover down and leave the fillets to ‘steam and sizzle’ on the hob for a further 4 – 5 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking.

Remove from griddle and wrap in foil to keep warm until ready to plate up.

For the sauce and vegetables

Ingredients

  • 200g Fresh Peas
  • 200g young broad beans (frozen otherwise)
  • 1 bag of spinach or rainbow chard
  • 50 ml fish or chicken stock
  • 15g butter
  • 1 bag of watercress
  • 1 stalk of lemongrass, diced small
  • 2 diced shallots
  • 100ml white wine
  • 1 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons double cream
  • 100g diced butter

Method

  1. To make the sauce, cook the shallots & lemongrass in the wine to soften for 5 minutes add the vinegar and reduce to almost nothing.
  2. Stir in the cream, bring to the boil and swirl in the butter. Season and strain. Keep warm.
  3. Remove the monkfish from the foil, cut into chunky slices and arrange these on the plate.
  4. Spoon over some peas and beans heated in butter and a little stock
  5. Finally spoon over the lemongrass butter sauce. Garnish with small watercress leaves.

Recipe presented by Matt Tebbutt cooked on the 990 EL at Humble by Nature

Choux buns with white chocolate ganache, raspberry and salted pistachio

by

Crackling for choux

Baking tip:
The secret to these sumptuous choux buns is the crunchy ‘crackling’ topping made with flour, demerara sugar and butter. Make this beforehand and freeze to harden then cut out 4cm discs to pop on top of the buns just before baking.

  • 160g demerara sugar
  • 160g plain flour
  • 135g butter

Mix the sugar, flour and butter together to make a dough. Roll into thin sheets, 3m thick between grease proof paper and freeze to harden. Then cut out discs 4cm diameter and keep in the freezer until you are ready to use them.

Choux bun

  • 225g medium egg (5 eggs)
  • 125g water
  • 125g milk
  • 100g butter
  • 150g flour
  • 5g salt
  • 5g sugar

Put milk, water butter sugar and salt into a sauce pan and bring to the boil so that the butter has melted. Mix in the flour and cook out for a few minutes.

Transfer this to the mixer and using the paddle attachment start adding the eggs. You might not need all the egg!

Pipe out onto flat trays lined with non-stick paper or a mat and then place a disc of crackling on top of each. Bake at 180c, ESSE dial guide top end of MODERATE for 20 mins, vent closed. Open the door to let the steam out. Then a further 10 minutes with vent open.

White chocolate ganache

  • 250g white chocolate
  • 200g double cream

Heat the double cream to a simmer and pour onto the white chocolate to melt. Stir until melted and fully emulsified then cling film directly against the mix and cool.

Salted pistachios for choux bun

  • 50g pistachio nuts
  • 0.5g sea salt
  • 3 egg white10g sugar

Roughly chop the pistachios and mix with the other ingredients. Spread out onto a non-stick mat and bake at 160c, ESSE dial guide middle of MODERATE, until golden and crisp when cool. Re chop if necessary.

Chantilly cream

  • 250g double cream
  • 25g caster sugar
  • 0.5tsp vanilla essence

Whisk together until cream is stiff enough to hold its shape.

Cut cooked and cooled choux bun in ½. Pipe some of your white chocolate ganache into the bottom, followed by your crème Chantilly. Decorate cream with berries of your choice and finally add the salted pistachios and then your choux pastry lid. Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Recipe by Dominique Ashford, Pastry Chef.

Tart Chiboust with Summer Fruits

by

TECHNICAL but still within the realms of the domestic cook. You will need a 22cm plain or fluted tart ring.

Start by making the sweet pastry.

Sweet pastry

Ingredients

  • 235g soft flour
  • 25g ground almonds
  • 160g butter
  • 1 whole medium egg
  • 90g icing sugar

Method

  1. Chop butter and place with all dry ingredients in mixer.
  2. Using the paddle, mix until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
  3. Add egg and mix until thoroughly combined.
  4. Cover and chill before use.
  5. When the pastry has had at least 1 hour in the fridge, roll it out and line your tart ring. Rest again in the fridge, then blind bake.
  6. Once the tart is cooked and has a nice golden colour, egg wash the inside of the tart whilst it is still hot and place back in the oven to dry for a couple of minutes. Then allow to cool.

Jellied red fruits for Tart Chiboust

Ingredients

  • 300g frozen fruits of the forest
  • 50g strawberries
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 2 leaves of gelatine

Method

  1. Mix the fruits of the forest with the sugar and defrost.
  2. Strain the liquid from the fruits and measure. You will need 200 ml. Discard any excess or add a little water if not enough.
  3. Soak the gelatine in cold water until soft, then dissolve in a little of the fruit liquid that has been heated up. Add this back to the rest on the liquid.
  4. Mix this into the forest fruits and add your strawberries that have been topped and cut into pieces similar in size to the rest of the fruits. Chill in the fridge until the jelly is just setting

Then make your pastry cream

Ingredients

  • 500ml milk
  • 6 egg yolks
  • 125g sugar
  • 50g flour
  • ½ split vanilla pod

Standard method of preparation

  1. Boil the milk with the split vanilla pods.
  2. Whisk the eggs with the sugar thoroughly until it is a shade paler in colour. Then whisk in the flour. If the eggs, sugar and flour are not mixed well your cream will be lumpy.
  3. Pour the boiling milk on to the egg mix, stir then return to the pan and bring to the boil, stirring continuously. Let the mixture bubble for at least 2 minutes.
  4. When pastry cream is ready place in a suitable container, cling film directly onto the cream to stop it getting a skin and cool quickly.

Once your tart case is cool you can fill ½ way with your jellied fruits, taking care not to have any gaps.

Then make your Chiboust cream.

Chiboust cream

  • 250g pastry cream (room temp)
  • 125ml double cream
  • 45g caster sugar
  • 75g egg whites
  • 2.5 leaves gelatin
  • ½ vanilla pod (split and seeds scraped)

Standard method of preparation

  1. Semi whip the cream with the vanilla seeds.
  2. Soak the gelatine and then dissolve in a little water. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks adding the sugar gradually until a soft meringue consistency is formed.
  3. Whisk the hot gelatine into the pastry cream. Fold in the semi whipped cream and then the meringue.
  4. Fill your tart to slightly over the top with the Chiboust cream and using a palette knife, smooth it over so the top is slightly domed in the middle. If you can’t do this just smooth it flat. Chill in fridge until set, then dust with icing sugar and glaze with a blow torch so the top is slightly caramelized.

When you are ready to serve cut portions using a hot knife.

Chef’s tips

With the berries holding a lot of moisture, I brush the tart bottom with egg yolk whilst still hot and place it back in the oven for a few extra minutes. This helps to seal the pastry and preserve the crispness of the tart. This is also a useful technique when making different tarts where you are pouring in a liquid such a lemon tart, as it acts as a waterproof membrane.

Before making the Chiboust cream, ensure you have all of your ingredient preparations ready before you add the gelatine otherwise things will start to set.

Only heat a small portion of the liquid fruit as heating fruit affects the flavour. The heated fruit liquid will thicken the berries and make a nice jelly

Make sure to give the pastry bottom a good working before rolling otherwise it will crack. Use as little flour as possible.

Recipe by Dominique Ashford, pastry chef.

Lemon soufflé

by

Serves

Makes 4 individual

Ingredients

  • 2 lemons, grated zest and juice
  • 110ml milk
  • 15g cornflour
  • 45g caster sugar
  • 2 large eggs

For the ramekins:

  • A little softened butter
  • Extra caster sugar

Method

  1. Preheat ESSE to 200C/ESSE dial guide HOT, aim for the dial reading to be in the middle of HOT (ESSE oven steam vent closed).
  2. Melt a little butter in a saucepan, (use the induction hob, ESSE setting 1) and brush thoroughly the ramekin dishes. Then coat with the extra caster sugar.
  3. Mix the cornflour with the milk in a saucepan. Heat and whisk until thickened.
  4. Remove from the heat and cool.
  5. Separate the eggs.
  6. Whisk the egg whites with the caster sugar until medium-stiff peaks.
  7. Beat the egg yolks into the cornflour mix, together with the zest and juice of the lemons. (If it has become very stiff put in a food processor until blended and smooth).
  8. Fold one third of the egg whites into the mixture to lighten it, then the other two thirds.
  9. Fill the prepared ramekins with the soufflé’s mixture to the top and use a palette knife to level the tops.
  10. Place the ramekins on a baking tray and bake in the ESSE for about 10 minutes or until cooked and risen.
  11. Remove from the oven and sift a little icing sugar over the tops and serve immediately.

Happy cooking on your ESSE

Baking Tips

Put the soufflé ramekins in the fridge to get cold as it’s easier to brush melted butter around the inside of the ramekins. Keeping the vent closed when cooking the soufflés is a must.
Using large fresh eggs and making sure you only whisk the egg whites until stiff but as stiff as a meringue.
Gently fold in the beaten egg whites as you don’t want to get rid of all that air from the beaten egg whites, (that is what makes the soufflé rise as well as cooking them in an ESSE)

Advantage to cooking them in an electric ESSE!
Practice makes perfect!

Recipe by Philippa Vine at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen

Chocolate Fondants

by

Little chocolate ‘fondants’ – oozy-middled chocolate puddings – are divine, if somewhat ubiquitous these days. I love the combination of chocolate, prunes and brandy so I doctored the original idea a little. Timing is important here – a minute too long in the oven, or even waiting around to be served, and these little puds lose their lovely gooey centres. But you can prepare them in advance, ready to bake when you want to serve them.

Serves

6 People

Ingredients

  • 100g prunes, roughly chopped
  • 40ml brandy
  • A little cocoa powder for dusting
  • 150g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces
  • 150g unsalted butter, diced, plus extra for greasing
  • 3 large eggs
  • 75g caster sugar
  • 35g plain flour

Method

Soak the prunes in the brandy in a small bowl for at least 2 hours (overnight is fine), to absorb most of the liquid.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ESSE dial guide HOT (aim for the dial reading to be at the top end of HOT) and put a baking tray inside to heat up. Butter 6 dariole moulds well and dust with cocoa.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir gently to blend and leave to cool a little.

Beat the eggs and sugar together with an electric whisk for at least 5 minutes until the mixture is thick and moussey and ‘holds a trail’ (when a little is dropped from the whisk it should sit on the surface of the mixture and only slowly sink back in).

Fold the melted chocolate and butter lightly into the egg mousse. Sift the flour over the mixture, then fold it in carefully. It needs to be thoroughly incorporated, but don’t overwork the mix. Fold in the prunes and brandy – again, carefully.

Divide the mixture between the dariole moulds. You can prepare the puds ahead to this point, if you like, and refrigerate them for up to 2 hours.

Bake the puds on the hot tray in the oven for 10–12 minutes. Go for the shorter time if your oven is very efficient or if your puds will be sitting around for a few minutes before serving. Go for the longer time if your oven is on the cool side or if they have been in the fridge. Turn out immediately into shallow bowls and serve at once, with chilled cream.

Swaps – Soak raisins in whisky, dried cherries in Calvados, or even dried cranberries in vodka to replace the prunes in brandy.

Recipe demonstrated on an ESSE 990 ELX at River Cottage HQ.

Iced Chocolate Parfait

by

Serves about 10

Ingredients

  • 225g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
  • 2 teaspoons coffee
  • 30g butter
  • 6 eggs separated
  • 80g caster sugar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon honey
  • 5 sheets of leaf gelatine
  • 110ml double cream

Method

  1. Line a loaf tin (1 litre) with 2 pieces of baking parchment, measuring 19cm x 30cm and 8 x 30cm. Insert them into the tin, one lengthways, one across.
  2. Break up the chocolate and put into a saucepan with the coffee and butter.
  3. On the induction hob (1 setting) melt the chocolate.
  4. Remove from the heat, then beat in the egg yolks while it is still warm.
  5. Stir in 60g of the caster sugar and the honey and set to one side.
  6. Put the gelatine sheets in a bowl and cover with cold water.
  7. Soak for a few minutes.
  8. Put the cream in a pan and heat to almost boiling, but not.
  9. Add the gelatine sheets and stir until they are completely dissolved.
  10. Stir the cream into the chocolate mixture.
  11. Put the egg whites in a bowl and whisk until you have soft white peaks.
  12. Add the rest of the caster sugar and whisk until glossy and firm.
  13. Scrape the chocolate mixture into the egg white bowl, then fold both together well.
  14. Pour the mixture into the tin, right to the top.
  15. Place in the freezer. It will be frozen within 2 hours. To unmould, remove from the freezer 5 minutes before serving.
  16. Serve in slices.

Recipe created by Philippa Vine, Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

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