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Makes 24 pieces

Ingredients

  • 12 oz (325g) Plain flour
  • 8 oz (225g) Butter
  • 4 oz (110g) Caster sugar
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 jar (340g) Mincemeat
  • Icing sugar to finish

Method

Oven: ESSE 180 (thermodial at about half past the hour)
Prepare ahead: Will keep in a tin for a few days if well hidden
Freeze: Yes. Cut into squares before freezing so it is easy to take out as many or as few as you need

  1. Line a tin 20 x 20 cm (8 x 12”) with greaseproof paper.
  2. Put the flour, sugar, salt and butter into a processor and whizz until the consistency of sand. Tip about half of this into the tin and press down firmly – use the bottom of a tumbler or your hand!
  3. Spread the mincemeat over the tin, then tip on the rest of the shortbread mix. Spread over and press down.
  4. Cook for 25 minutes until pale golden. Allow to cool completely before turning out, cutting into squares and dusting with a little icing sugar.

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This tea loaf which translates from the Welsh as “speckled bread” uses dried fruit soaked in hot tea the night before and then slowly baked in the ESSE oven. There are many variations but I am keeping mine simple and frugal. I used Earl Grey tea and 100% wholemeal flour for a healthier loaf but you can always use self-raising white flour.

Ingredients

  • 350g mixed dried fruit
  • 300ml strong hot tea
  • 175g light muscovado sugar
  • 275g wholemeal self-raising flour or just self-raising flour
  • 11/2 teaspoons mixed spice
  • 2 eggs, beaten

Method

  1. Put all the dried fruit into a bowl, add the sugar and pour over the hot tea.  Stir well, cover and leave overnight.
  2. Preheat the oven to 150C.  Lightly grease a 2 lb loaf tin and line it with parchment paper.
  3. Stir the flour, mixed spice and eggs into the fruit mixture, mix thoroughly and then spoon the mixture into the prepared tin.  Spread the top as flat as you can.
  4. Bake for about 1 ½ hours or until well risen and firm to the touch.  Check if the cake is cooked by inserting a clean skewer into the centre and it should come out clean.
  5. Allow to cool in the tin for before removing from the tin and leaving to cool completely on a wire rack.
  6. Serve in slices, buttered.

Recipe from Philippa Vine, Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen

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I am not a fan of pancakes/crêpes but serving them with a delicious seasonal apple filling is different and I really do love this cake, which was inspired by an old recipe from The Roux Brothers Cookbook. I found some frozen blackberries in my freezer and add them to the topping.

Ingredients

For the crêpe/pancake batter:

  • 100g plain flour
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 300ml whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon oil or melted butter

For the apple filling:

  • Approximately 500g Cox’s apple, peeled and sliced
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 50g butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

For the topping: Maple syrup and blackberries (optional)

Method

Put all the ingredients into a saucepan, add a splash of water and cook gently for about 20 minutes. Then puree in a blender until very smooth.

Make about 15 pancakes ….

To assemble the cake, simply lay a pancake on a plate and spread over a thin layer of the apple puree (use a palate knife). Top with another pancake and continue to make layers of pancakes and apple until you have about 15 pancakes.

Finally drizzle over the top with maple syrup and I used a few blackberries that were left in the freezer from autumn. Cut into slices with a sharp serrated knife.

To make the thinest pancakes, make the batter in advance, the longer you leave it standing the lighter the pancakes!

Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and make a well in the centre. Pour the beaten eggs into the well and gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs. Stir a little of the milk into the mixture to loosen it, then keep stirring and continue until all the flour and milk is mixed in.

Beat to ensure the mixture is smooth, then finally add the oil or melted butter. It will be thin which is good. Chill the batter In the fridge for about an hour. When ready to use, lightly grease the top of the ESSE hotplate (set at 200C) using kitchen paper.

Pour a little of the batter direct on the hotplate, just enough to thinly coat, swirl with the back of the ladle (see video post from yesterday). Cook for a minute, use a palette knife to turn the crêpe over. Cook the second side until golden, then carefully remove into a plate.

The first pancake will always stick, but after that you will be on a roll!

Recipe by Philippa Vine at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen

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January is the month we hit ‘peak orange’ when the harvest of these citrus-packed fruits begins across southern Europe.

This year has seen a bumper harvest of ‘naranjos’ or Seville oranges – the iconic fruit of southern Spain.

Marmalade – that quintessentially English delicacy – is what we usually associate with Seville’s finest, but the orange harvest also serves as a reminder of sunnier times ahead, when we can look forward to enjoying al fresco lunches in a delightful Andalucian plaza as spring returns to the Med and the orange blossom is everywhere.

This dish takes us beyond Marmalade to a wonderfully zingy yet surprisingly delicate dessert – think classic tarte au citron – but with more natural sweetness and a dash of Spanish passion. Salud!

Ingredients

Sweet pastry shortcrust pastry case

For the Filling

  • 3 Seville oranges, zest and juice
  • 3 eggs
  • 110g caster sugar
  • 300ml double cream

Method

  1. You will need a 25cm x 4cm tart tin.
  2. Line the tart tin with pastry and bake it blind in your ESSE at 180C (vent open) for about 25 minutes.
  3. Place the zest and juice of the oranges in a bowl with the eggs and the sugar.
  4. Mix together and then add the cream.
  5. Lower the oven or use the bottom oven set at 150C (vent closed) and carefully pour into the baked pastry case.
  6. Bake in the oven for about 25 – 30 minutes until the filling is set.

Recipe by Philippa Vine, Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

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Ingredients

  • 1 whole egg
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 140g caster sugar
  • 2 lemons
  • 600ml double cream
  • 2 leaf gelatine (optional)
  • 150g lemon curd (Homemade or shop bought)
  • 4 apricots
  • A handful of strawberries
  • A couple of meringues (Homemade or shop bought)
  • Icing sugar

Method

  1. Put your caster sugar into a small saucepan with just enough water to cover it and heat to soft ball stage: 112-115c.
  2. If you don’t have a thermometer you can do a visual test to achieve soft ball and there are plenty of videos online to show you how to do this.
  3. While the sugar is cooking, put your egg and egg yolks into the bowl of a mixer with a whisk attachment. Start to whisk and when the sugar reaches temperature, carefully pour down the side of your mixing bowl into the eggs. Turn up to high speed and mix until cool. This will cook the eggs and turn the mix into a nice, light sabayon.
  4. Soak the gelatine sheets in cold water until they are soft. (If you don’t want to use them you don’t have to, but the finished dessert holds better at a softer texture for longer when you are plating it.)
  5. Whilst the eggs are mixing and cooling, zest the lemons with a fine grater, then squeeze out the juice removing any pips. Heat the juice and dissolve the gelatine into it, add this to the egg mix as it whisks.
  6. Mix the zest into the cream and whip up to soft peaks.
  7. Once the eggs are cool, fold into the cream and then swirl through with the lemon curd.
  8. Line a mould with clingfilm. I used a terrine mould, but you could use a loaf tin or even individual pudding moulds. I grease my mould and then using a double layer of cling film line it and smooth out any air pockets.
  9. Fill your mould with the lemon mousse and then freeze until fully firm.

To serve: Heat the hotplate of your ESSE and lightly oil. Cut the apricots (you could use peaches or pineapple) into wedges.

Place them side down onto hot plate and griddle so that they are lightly caramelised. As you do this, sieve some icing sugar onto them so that it caramelises.

Slice the frozen terrine into slices with a hot knife. Place a slice in the centre of a plate and decorate with meringue pieces, caramelised apricots and fresh strawberry slices.

Recipe by Dominique Ashford

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This sumptuous summer cake isn’t too sweet and makes the most of seasonal soft fruit which should be at their best around now.

It’s nice and moist and benefits by being served with some berries or a fruit compote and a nice dollop of cream, crème fraiche or ice-cream on the side. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 210g soft butter
  • 210g caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 250g Self raising flour
  • 150g ground almonds
  • 50g flaked almonds

Method

  1. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin.
  2. Cream the butter and the caster sugar together. Add the eggs gradually, taking care not to split the mix.
  3. Sieve the flour and add the ground almonds, then mix this into the butter, followed by the raspberries.
  4. Fill your cake tin. Smooth over and sprinkle with the flaked almonds.
  5. Bake at 170˚C for 50 mins, vent closed, middle shelf of top oven.

Recipe by Dominique Ashford

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Ingredients

  • Half a Pineapple.
  • 170 grams unsalted butter, softened
  • 100 grams light brown sugar 100 grams vanilla sugar
  • Zest of 2 small lemons OR limes and juice of 1
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 195 grams plain flour (Or 100g flour and 95g desiccated coconut
  • 250 grams creme fraiche or plain yogurt.

Method

  1. Halve the pineapple. Slice off skin. Take the core out. Slice into semi-circles.
  2. Grease / line an 8-inch cake tin.
  3. Lay pineapple in a pretty pattern and sprinkle a little Demerara sugar over the top.
  4. Beat the sugar and butter in a mixing bowl or food mixer with paddle.
  5. Add eggs one at a time. Add zest and juice of lemons, vanilla paste.
  6. Add flour (and desiccated coconut) and baking powder. Beat on slow until flour is incorporated.
  7. Add creme fraiche and keep beating. If batter is very thick and not dropping consistency add 1 – 2 tspns of milk.
  8. Put half your batter over the pretty pineapple pattern in the tin.
  9. Add a few more pineapple chunks if you have some left. Add rest of batter.
  10. Bake low on 160-170 degrees for 45-55 minutes. Use a skewer to test cake is done.
  11. This is a fresh fruit cake, so it needs to be cooked for longer and slower than dryer cakes.
  12. It might take a little longer than one hour in the ESSE at the above temperatures.
  13. Just check every 5 minutes after 55 minutes has passed.
  14. Leave to cool a little and then turn out upside down.

Recipe by Miranda Rose Shearer

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My best mess ever was homemade meringues made in the ESSE ELX990, raspberry or blackcurrant sorbet, vanilla mascarpone and lemon zest cream, fresh figs and crushed frozen raspberries, topped with a cherry, raspberry and black currant sauce.

This is – truly – the ultimate summer pudding.

Ingredients

  • 300g caster sugar (golden if you prefer a more caramelised flavour and colour)
  • 5 eggs whites
  • Makes 8 – 10 large ones.

Method

  1. Heat the top oven of the ESSE ELX 990 to 200˚C. Spread the sugar over an oven tray lined with baking parchment and cook until it has just begun to melt at the edges, but not caramelise (about 8 minutes).
  2. Crack the eggs, being careful not to drop any yolk into your whites. If you lose any bits of shell, scoop out with the eggshell – shell acts like a magnet.
  3. Put the egg whites into a clean mixer. I use my Kitchen Aid, but you can use a hand whisk. Make sure there is no water or contaminants in the bowl or the egg whites will not froth.
  4. The mixture should be just foamy by the time you start to add the sugar. Add the hot sugar slowly one teaspoon at a time, into the still-whisking mixer.
  5. Continue whisking until the mixture has cooled. It should look glossy and hold its shape. Turn the oven down to its lowest setting. I turn the bottom oven of the ESSE on to 60 degrees.
  6. If you want to fold through any spices or other flavourings, or roll the meringues in nuts or another topping, this is the time to do it.
  7. Line a baking tray with parchment. Use a serving spoon to plop a large blob of meringue on to the tray. You can pipe them if you are feeling truly swish.
  8. Leave space in between each blob as the meringues increase a little in size as they dry out. Put them into the oven and bake until they are crisp on the outside, and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom: depending on their size, this could take six hours, so don’t wait up.
  9. Turn the oven off and leave them in there until it has cooled. Transfer to an air-tight container.
  10. Meringues need clean equipment, good sugar, and, most important of all, a low oven. If you don’t have an oven thermometer, and you suspect your oven is too hot, try turning it down to the coolest setting, and leave the meringues to it. Don’t rush a meringue.
  11. While the meringues are cooking, you have a lot of time to make the other components, all of which keep in the fridge or freezer.
  12. Freeze a tub of fresh raspberries

Sorbet

  • 200g golden caster sugar
  • 200ml boiling water
  • 750g blackcurrants
  • 4 tbsp liquid glucose
  • Juice of 2 lemons

Make a syrup by stirring the sugar into the boiling water and add the glucose and the blackcurrants and cook for about 5 minutes. Whizz in a food processor, and strain into a bowl through a sieve. Use a wooden spoon to sieve until you just have a dry pulp left in the sieve.

Stir in the lemon juice and cool. Place in an ice cream making machine or put in a Tupperware container and beat 3-4 times as it freezes, every 20 minutes.

Very Berry Sauce

  • 100g Pitted cherries
  • 100g Blackcurrants
  • 100g Raspberries
  • Juice of 1 orange
  • 2 tbsp icing sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla paste

Place berries in the pan with the icing sugar, vanilla paste and orange juice. Heat for a few minutes to release the juices. Transfer to a bowl and blend briefly until berries are pureed.

Blitz, but do not over blend. Pass through a fine sieve to remove the seeds and reserve in the fridge. This can be used on meringues, vanilla ice cream, over the top of a summer pudding. It is a great way to use up berries and it keeps in the fridge.

Mascarpone Vanilla Cream

  • 1 x 250g tub of mascarpone
  • 1 x 200g French fromage frais or crème fraiche
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Zest of a lemon
  • 1 Tbsp icing sugar

Whip all ingredients together (you might want to slacken with a little double cream). This keeps in the fridge. Do not over whip. Before I serve this, I whip in a little of the berry sauce to flavour the cream.

THE PILE UP

Meringue, Vanilla Mascarpone Cream, Sorbet, Very Berry sauce, crush the frozen raspberries over the top for decoration and slice some fresh figs to place around the base of the meringue… and jolly well hope that someone calls you a show off because if you pull this off, you deserve that label!

Recipe by Miranda Rose Shearer

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Named after the recipe was issued by the Ministry of Food.  They would save up their butter and sugar rationing for this recipe to give it to children for a special treat.

Ingredients

  • 2 heaped tablespoons golden syrup
  • 110g butter
  • 110g sugar
  • 1 heaped tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 125g toasted breadcrumbs

Method

  1. Boil together the syrup, butter and sugar, whisk together to get them well mixed.
  2. Stir in the toasted breadcrumbs and cocoa powder. Mix well.
  3. Spoon into a shallow tray and allow to cool and set.
  4. When set, cut into squares.

Recipe by Philippa Vine, Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

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Serves

6-8 people

Ingredients

  • 450g rhubarb, cut into small chunks
  • Juice of 2 oranges
  • Caster sugar
  • 200g plain sponge cake

For the custard

  • 200ml milk
  • 200ml double cream
  • 5 egg yolks
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

To finish

  • 300ml double cream, softly whipped
  • 50g toasted flaked almonds

Method

  1. Place the rhubarb and orange juice in a oven-proof dish. Sprinkle over some caster sugar.
  2. Roast in the ESSE at 180C / ESSE dial reading top end of MODERATE for about 15 minutes or until the rhubarb is tender.
  3. To make the custard, put the milk and cream into a saucepan with the vanilla extract.  Bring to the boil and take off the heat.
  4. Put the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and stir to mix.
  5. Pour in the heated milk/cream and whisk.
  6. Put the mixture back into the saucepan and cook gently until it thickens – do not boil.  (Induction hob is excellent for this)
  7. Allow to cool.  Then refrigerate to chill it down.
  8. Cut the sponge cake into small dice and sprinkle over the juice from the cooked rhubarb.
  9. Choose a glass bowl or dishes to assemble your trifle. Put in a layer of sponge followed by rhubarb then custard.
  10. Finish with a layer of custard and top off with whipped cream and flaked almonds.

Recipe prepared by Philippa Vine at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen and ESSE Cookery School.

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Ingredients

  • 700g trimmed rhubarb, cut up into chunks
  • Grated rind & juice of 2 oranges
  • 700g granulated sugar

Method

  1. Place 3 clean jam jars at the back of your ESSE.
  2. Put the rhubarb, orange zest and juice into a pan with the sugar.  Gently bring to the boil, stirring for about 15 minutes until thick.
  3. You can test if it’s at setting point by putting a teaspoon on a plate in the fridge.  If it sets and forms a skin as it cools you’ll know it’s done. Boil again for a little longer if it doesn’t set.
  4. Put into your warmed jam jars.

Recipe prepared by Philippa Vine at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen and ESSE Cookery School.

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Ingredients

  • 110g buckwheat flour
  • 25g cornfour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 275ml milk or oat milk
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
  • Little olive oil

Method

  1. Place the flours and cinnamon (if using) into a bowl.
  2. Beat in the eggs and milk until you have a smooth batter, the consistency of single cream. (Do add a little more water or milk if too thick).
  3. Set aside for 10 minutes.
  4. Brush a little olive oil on the hot plate (set at 200C / ESSE hotplate dial in the middle set at 12 o clock)
  5. Pour a small ladle of the pancake mixture direct onto the hot plate, swirl around using the ladle. Cook until set and a few bubbles start to appear.
  6. Lift the edge of the pancake with a palette knife, then carefully flip it over and cook for another minute.
  7. Keep the pancakes warm in the bottom oven when you cook the remaining pancakes.

Delicious served with roasted new season rhubarb, drizzled with honey and greek yogurt. Alternatively you can fill them with savoury filling such as wilted spinach and cheese!

Happy flipping pancakes!

Recipe by Philippa Vine at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen

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Hot Cross Buns are a welcome treat for family and friends visiting at Easter. Fresh yeast can be found in most major supermarkets. The ingredients for this dough enjoy a warm environment so the top of your ESSE stove is the perfect resting place for warming milk, flour and to prove your dough.

Ingredients

  • 450g strong white bread flour
  • 25g fresh yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon honey
  • 300ml milk and water, warm
  • 2 teaspoon mixed spice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 50g light soft brown sugar
  • 140g mixed fruit with peel
  • 50g melted butter
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • Honey for the glaze

Method

  1. Mix the yeast with the warm milk and water mixture with ½ teaspoon honey.
  2. Warm the flour and make a well in the centre.
  3. Melt the butter and put this in the well with the sugar, salt, mixed spiced, fruit and beaten egg.
  4. Mix together adding the yeast mix as you go.
  5. It will be a sticky dough, leave it in a warm place to prove.
  6. When it has doubled in size knead the dough on a floured surface until smooth.
  7. Divide into pieces, shape them into rounds and place them on a lined baking tray.
  8. Mark each round firmly with a cross.
  9. Brush with a little egg wash then pipe a cross with a little paste, make out of flour and water, in the indentation.
  10. Leave in a warm place until the buns are well risen and bake in a hot oven 220°C/ESSE dial guide HOT (aim for the dial reading to be at the top end of HOT) for about 15 minutes or until golden.
  11. Brush with a little melted honey.

Recipe presented by Philippa Vine at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

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You will need a couple of heavy-based frying pans (enough to fit nine muffins in), or an ESSE. This dough is soft; you could use a food mixer to knead it, if you wish.

Serves

Makes 9 muffins

Ingredients

  • 500g strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 5g powdered dried yeast
  • 10g fine salt
  • 325ml warm water
  • A drizzle of sunflower oil, plus a little extra

Method

To knead by hand:

Mix the flour, yeast, salt and water in a bowl to form a sticky dough. Add the oil, mix it in, then turn the dough out onto a clean work surface. Knead until smooth and silky.

To use a food mixer:

Add the flour, yeast, salt and water to the mixer, fitted with the dough hook, and mix on low speed. Add the oil, then leave to knead for about ten minutes, until smooth and silky.

Shape into a round, coat with a little extra oil, and leave to rise in a clean bowl, covered with a plastic bag, until doubled in size.

Tip the dough out onto the work surface, and press all over to deflate. Divide into nine pieces, shape each into a round and flatten to about 1-2cm, then dust them all over with semolina flour; this gives a lovely texture to the crust. Leave to prove on a linen cloth or wooden board, covered with a plastic bag, until doubled in size.

Heat a couple of large heavy based frying pans to medium, then lay the muffins in. Turn them over, gently, after a minute or so, then cook for about 10 minutes, turning now and then. You may need to adjust the heat if they seem to be colouring too fast – or not fast enough. If you are cooking on an ESSE, you don’t need the pan; cook on the warm plate for up to 15 minutes, giving them a quick blast at the end on the hot side, if you think they need it. Cool on a wire rack.

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Serves

6 people

Ingredients

  • 150g plain flour
  • 150g strong white bread flour
  • 25g caster sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 20g fresh yeast
  • 140ml milk
  • 25g butter
  • 1 egg

For the filling

  • 90g butter
  • 75g dark Muscovado sugar
  • 20g plain flour
  • 2 heaped teaspoons ground cinnamon

Method

  1. Heat the ESSE to 180C/ESSE dial reading top end of MODERATE.
  2. Warm the milk and crumble in the yeast.  Stir well to dissolve the yeast.
  3. Add 1 teaspoon of the 25g of sugar.
  4. Place the 2 flours into a bowl and add the rest of the sugar and the salt.
  5. Rub the butter into the flour and warm it.
  6. Make a well in the centre and put in it the egg and the milk/yeast mixture.
  7. Mix with a table knife to a smooth dough and then place in a warm place to prove, next to the ESSE.
  8. Meanwhile, make the filling by beating the butter, sugar, flour and cinnamon together.  Set aside.
  9. When the dough has doubled in size, remove it from the bowl and knead briefly to knock it back.
  10. Roll out the dough to a rectangle roughly 30cm x 25cm.
  11. Spread the filling across the dough leaving a 4cm gap top and bottom but spreading it right to the other edges.
  12. Roll the dough into a cylinder and using a sharp knife cut it into slices about 5cm wide.
  13. Oil your tin and place in the buns leaving a little space for them to expand.  (They will join up in the proving/cooking process.)
  14. Put the buns in a warm place to prove and when doubled in size put them in the oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes, (ESSE vent closed) until puffed up and lightly golden.
  15. Drizzle with a little white icing or honey if desired.

Recipe designed by Philippa Vine at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

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