by

Here is something a little more festive than the traditional nut roast for those who are vegetarian or those who choose to forgo meat over the holiday celebrations. Serve warm with seasonal vegetables or cold with a crisp mixed salad.

Serves

4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • 200g chestnut mushrooms, wiped and roughly chopped
  • 100g canned peeled chestnuts
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 sheets filo pastry
  • 15g butter, melted
  • 150g Red Leicester cheese, grated
  • 300g jar red pimientos, drained and trimmed
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds

Method

  1. Preheat the oven if necessary to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Esse Dial Guide HOT. (Aim for the dial reading to be in the middle of HOT).
  2. Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion, garlic and mushrooms, mixing well. Cover and cook gently for 5 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat and cook until the juices from the mushrooms have evaporated.
  3. Transfer to a food processor, add the chestnuts and seasoning to taste and blend until you have a chunky pâté type consistency.
  4. Lay a sheet of filo pastry on a clean surface, brush with little melted butter. Top with another sheet and repeat until you have a stack of 4 sheets. Spread the chestnut mixture over the top to
    within 2.5cm of the edge. Top with the cheese and red pimiento. Starting from one end, roll up like a Swiss roll to enclose the filling and place on a baking tray. Brush with any remaining butter and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
  5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pastry is crisp and golden. Serve warm cut into slices.

Get Ahead!

The strudel can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead of cooking. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until required. Uncover and bake from chilled for 25-30 minutes until crisp and golden.

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.

by

Everyone has their favourite turkey and stuffing recipe… sometimes handed down the family over generations. This is a new take on an old favourite, instead of the usual sausage meat and chestnut stuffing it has a modern and lighter couscous one.

Serves

6 people (with leftovers)

Ingredients

  • 150g dried couscous
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 150g courgette, coarsely grated
  • 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
  • 50g soft dried apricots, finely chopped or dried cranberries
  • 25g toasted flaked almonds
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 6 thin slices lean bacon, halved
  • 5kg whole turkey
  • 2 oranges, cut into wedges
  • 300ml dry white wine or turkey stock
  • bay leaves, to garnish (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/Fan170°C/Esse Dial Guide HOT. (Aim for the dial reading to beat the low end of HOT)
  2. Put the couscous in a bowl and add sufficient boiling water to cover by 1cm. Leave to stand for 10 minutes then fluff with a fork. Add the garlic, onion, courgette,sage, apricots or cranberries, almonds and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into small bun tins lined with the bacon.
  3. Place the orange wedges inside the turkey and place in a roasting tin. Pour in the wine or stock and cover with foil. Roast for 3 1/2 hours, removing the foil for the final 20-30 minutes to brown the skin. Allow to rest, covered with foil, for up to 1 hour before serving.
  4. Cook the stuffing in the oven during this time for 20-30 minutes.
  5. Make a gravy in the usual way with any skimmed pan juices. Serve the turkey garnished with bay leaves if liked and with the stuffing, gravy and chosen vegetables.

Get Ahead!

The stuffing can be used to stuff the neck cavity of the turkey if preferred but must be cold before doing so. Check the turkey is cooked sufficiently by piercing the thickest part of the thigh with a skewer – the juices that run out should be clear with no traces of pink.

by

Christmas and holiday eating doesn’t just have to be about turkey and ham. This might be the time to splash out on a special British beef top rump roast. In this recipe the beef is marinated before cooking with garlic and thyme then roasted with slices of butternut squash.

Serves

4-6 people

Ingredients

  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 shallots, peeled and sliced
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 850g British beef top rump roast
  • 700g sliced butternut squash

Method

  1. Mix the garlic, thyme, shallots, olive oil and seasoning to taste in a dish. Add the beef, cover and chill for 1 1/2 – 2 hours or overnight, turning twice.
  2. Preheat the oven if necessary to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Esse Dial Guide HOT. (Aim for the dial reading to be in the middle of HOT).
  3. Remove the beef from the marinade. Add the squash to the leftover marinade and toss to coat. Heat a roasting tin on the hob over a high heat and brown the beef quickly on all sides. Transfer to the oven and roast according to how you like your beef cooked (see ROASTING GUIDELINE below) Cook for the calculated time, adding the squash for the last 30 minutes. (This may mean that the squash is cooked from the beginning for a rare piece of beef).
  4. Cover with foil and rest for10 minutes before carving

Roasting Guideline

Allow 20 minutes per 500g for rare beef; 25 minutes per 500g for medium beef; and 30 minutes per 500g for well done beef.

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.

by

Cook with the steam vent closed.

Ingredients

  • 300g strong white bread flour
  • 100ml milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 25g fresh yeast
  • 50g light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 75g mixed fruit with peel
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 50g butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Honey for glazing

Method

  1. Warm the milk (to blood temperature) and dissolve the yeast, add a pinch of sugar in it.
  2. Warm the flour at the back of the ESSE and make a well in the centre.
  3. Pour the melted butter into the flour with the sugar, salt, spice, fruit, vanilla and egg.  Mix together, then add the yeast mixture, mix as you go.
  4. When it has formed a dough, put in a bowl and place next to the ESSE to prove.
  5. When it has doubled in size knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth.
  6. Prepare your mini flower pots or tins by lining them well with greaseproof paper.  Divide the mixture into the pots/tins and put next to the ESSE to prove again.
  7. When they have doubled in bulk place them on a baking tray and in the top oven, bottom shelf at 200C/ESSE dial reading middle of HOT for about 25 minutes or until golden brown.
  8. Carefully take out of the pots and brush with a little warmed honey.

Recipe by Philippa Vine, Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

by

This is a lighter pudding and it doesn’t need maturing. Philippa Vine made it from scratch at Scotts Arm Stoves cooker demonstration in Sicklinghall. Philippa baked it in the bottom of the ESSE whilst the turkey and roast potatoes were cooking.

Ingredients

  • 100g plain flour
  • 1 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
  • 100g fresh breadcrumbs
  • 100g soft brown sugar
  • 100g butter, softened
  • 175g sultanas
  • 225g raisins
  • 50g candied peel, finely chopped
  • 1 dessert apple grated
  • 50g prunes, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon golden syrup
  • Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 3 tablespoons brandy or rum or more!

Method

  1. Mix the spices with the flour and breadcrumbs.
  2. Pour in the melted butter, then add the rest of the ingredients.
  3. Give it a good stir and pack it into a greased pudding basin.
  4. Cover with a double sheet of greaseproof paper and a sheet of foil, tie securely with string.
  5. Place the pudding on a tray with a little water (if you are cooking it with the roast dinner and the steam vent isn’t closed) in the bottom oven at 150C/ESSE dial reading top end of COOL with the steam vent closed for about 3 1/2 hours.
  6. Remove the greaseproof paper and foil and pour over extra brandy if desired!

Recipe by Philippa Vine, Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen, East Sussex.

by

Butternut Squash & Chickpea Curry cooked the ESSE way.

Serves

4 people

Ingredients

  • 1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 knob of root ginger, grated
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 400ml passata
  • 300ml vegetable stock
  • A handful of fresh coriander, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

In a roasting tray tip in the butternut squash and onions, then mix in the olive oil, garlic, ginger, spices, salt and pepper.  Cook in the top oven of the ESSE with the vent open at 200C / ESSE dial reading middle of HOT.  Roast for 25 minutes.

Then stir in the passata, stock and chickpeas.  Return to the oven for a further 15 minutes.  Taste and add more seasoning then scatter over the fresh coriander.  Serve with flat bread and rice.

Suggested serving with flatbreads cooked on the ESSE hotplate.

Recipe created by Philippa Vine of Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

Presented by Dan Blewitt on an ESSE Bakeheart at Humble by Nature.

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.

by

Eccles cake filling

  • 150g muscovado sugar
  • 150g light brown sugar
  • 600g currants
  • 300g sultanas
  • 5g ground cinnamon
  • 5g mixed spice
  • 300g grated Bramley apple (skin on)
  • 2 each grated. Lemon zest
  • 2 each grated orange zest
  • 2 lapsang souchon tea bags (or earl grey)
  • 100ml water

Boil the water and infuse the tea bags for 10 minutes. Remove bags and then mix everything together. Leave to infuse for a few days in a lidded container. Give it a shake each day so that liquid infuses evenly through the fruit. Can be kept in the fridge for several weeks.

Quick flaky pastry – makes about 12 Eccles

  • 225g plain flour
  • 175g unsalted butter
  • Pinch of salt
  • Cold water (roughly 150ml)

Place the butter in a freezer for an hour or so. Sieve the flour and the salt then grate the butter into it, covering with the flour as you go to keep the butter strands separated. Make a well in the middle and add the water, stirring with a spoon until it comes together. Finish off with your hand to form a soft dough. Add a little more water if necessary. Cover and chill for 30 mins.

To make the Eccles

  1. Roll out dough on a floured surface to 2-3mm thick and cut out 10cm discs.
  2. Place 35g (approx.) of filling into the centre of each. Use a pastry cutter placed upside down to keep filling neat.
  3. Brush around the filling with a little egg white and then carefully pinch pastry up around the fruit. Then press flat with your fingers and turn over and place onto a lined baking tray.
  4. Rest in fridge, then make 2 small incisions in the centre of each Eccles. When ready to cook (not too long before) brush with egg white and sprinkle with demerara.
  5. Bake 180-190c, ESSE dial reading low end of HOT, for about 20 mins

Baking Tip

To achieve the amazingly crunchy finish, just before placing them in the oven, brush the finished cakes with egg white (not egg wash) then sprinkle with a generous quantity of granular demerara sugar.

Recipe by Dominique Ashford, pastry chef.

by

Serves

Makes 20 cookies

Ingredients

  • 115g vegan margarine
  • 200g caster sugar or coconut sugar
  • 5g vanilla essence
  • 160g plain flour
  • 5g baking powder
  • 1g salt
  • 105g desiccated coconut
  • 100g plant based milk

Method

  1. Cream the margarine and sugar together.
  2. Add everything else and mix well.
  3. Wet your hands a little and then form small balls (roughly the size of 10p) and roll. Place on a tray lined with a baking mat or parchment, leaving about 5 cm between each and press down a little to flatten.
  4. Bake at 170c / ESSE dial reading middle of MODERATE for approximately 18 minutes until golden.
  5. For an extra special treat – sandwich together with some delicious vegan chocolate cream.

Chocolate and Tofu Cream

  • 250g of dark chocolate
  • 300g firm silken tofu (ambient tofu)
  • 30g Golden syrup

Melt the chocolate, stir in the Golden syrup. Put tofu in blender and blend whilst adding chocolate until smooth. Add a little warm water if necessary.

Baking Tip

To make the luxurious, smooth dairy-free vegan frosting that sticks these cookies together, it’s really important to find the right kind of tofu. You need to use undrained and unpressed ‘ambient’ or ‘silken’ tofu which is widely available online and in health food shops.

Recipe by Dominique Ashford pastry chef.

by

Serves

Makes 20 cookies

Ingredients

  • 115g vegan margarine
  • 100g caster sugar
  • 100g light brown sugar
  • 125g plain flour
  • 55g cocoa powder
  • 5g baking powder
    1g salt
  • 100g dark chocolate (buttons or a bar chopped into small chips)
  • 25g plant based milk

Method

  1. Cream the margarine and sugar together.
  2. Sieve the cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt together and add to the butter mix along with the milk and chocolate
  3. Wet your hands a little and then form small balls (roughly the size of 10p) and roll. Place on a tray lined with a baking mat or parchment, leaving about 5 cm between each and press down a little to flatten.
  4. Bake at 170c / ESSE dial reading middle of MODERATE for approximately 18 minutes.
  5. For an extra special treat – sandwich the cookies together with some delicious vegan chocolate cream. (See the below chocolate and tofu cream recipe).

Chocolate and Tofu Cream

  • 250g of dark chocolate
  • 300g firm silken tofu (ambient tofu)
  • 30g Golden syrup

Melt the chocolate, stir in the Golden syrup. Put tofu in blender and blend whilst adding chocolate until smooth. Add a little warm water if necessary.

Baking Tip

To make the luxurious, smooth dairy-free vegan frosting that sticks these cookies together, it’s really important to find the right kind of tofu. You need to use undrained and unpressed ‘ambient’ or ‘silken’ tofu which is widely available online and in health food shops.

Recipe by Dominique Ashford, Pastry Chef.

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.

by

Ingredients

  • 5 eggs
  • 8 oz caster sugar
  • 1 tbsp self-raising flour / gluten free
  • 4 oz of fresh ground almonds
  • ¼ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp brandy
  • Almond essence
  • Double cream

Method

  1. Whisk egg whites to a soft peak add ½ the sugar.
  2. Add remaining sugar to the egg yolks then combine with the whites. Achieve volume.
  3. Be careful that you don’t over mix your egg, as that may take some air out of your mixture.
  4. Add the small amount of flour to hold the egg.
  5. Add almonds, baking powder, brandy and essence.
  6. Pour into a greased and lined cake tin.
  7. Bake at 175°C (Aim for the ESSE dial reading to be in the middle of MODERATE) for 35 – 40 minutes.

Recipe by Frances Atkins (Yorke Arms Nidderdale)

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

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.

ESSE Master Stove Maker Logo

CONTACT US

+44 (0)1282 813235
enquiries@esse.com

FOLLOW US

  • Twitter Icon
  • Pinterest Icon
  • Facebook Icon
  • Instagram Icon
  • YouTube Icon