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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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Ingredients

  • Fresh spring asparagus
  • Halloumi cheese
  • Bread
  • Olive oil
  • Garlic leaves (you can use lettuce if you have some, or parsley)
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method

  1. Griddle some fresh spring asparagus and halloumi cheese direct on the hotplate.
  2. Toast some old bits of bread left over in the hot oven, drizzling it with oil.
  3. Add some wild garlic leaves (you can use lettuce if you have some, or parsley) then mix it all together and toss with fresh lemon juice, olive oil salt and pepper.

Simple – quick – and seasonally delicious!

Recipe by Philippa Vine at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen

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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 people

Ingredients

Shortcrust Pastry made with wholemeal flour

  • 180g / 6oz flour
  • 90g / 3oz butter
  • 1 tablespoon water.

Pastry needs to be rolled and chilled in the tin.

Then bake blind at 180 for 10 minutes and without the baking beans for another 5 minutes. I am a great believer in baking blind even if it doesn’t mention it in a recipe. I hate soggy bottoms.

Filling

  • 3 potatoes, peeled, halved and boiled
  • 30g butter
  • 3-4 tbsp milk or cream (I used 2 tbsp crème fraiche and 2 tablespoons milk)
  • 450g / 1lb onions finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp chopped parsley or mix parsley, chives and thyme (I scattered thyme on top of the tomatoes)
  • 120g of hard cheese – I mixed Cheddar, Comte and Gruyere
  • Salt, pepper and two ripe tomatoes sliced for top of tart

Method

  1. Roll pastry thinly and line large tart case or 6 small ones. Bake Blind for 10 mins, then another 5 mins without beans.
  2. Finely chop the onions and garlic and sauté in the olive oil slowly in a frying pan on a low heat. If they need a little water towards the end to keep softening add a tablespoon.
  3. Boil the potatoes until cooked. Drain and leave to steam for a little.
  4. Mash them with the butter and milk / crème fraiche. Add the onions and herbs and half of the grated cheese to the mashed potatoes. Season well.
  5. Leave to mash to cool to tepid. Pop into the tart case and smooth.
  6. Sprinkle on the remainder of the cheese. Top with the sliced tomatoes and thyme.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes until gratinéed and bubbling.
  8. Leave to cool and serve with a green salad or wrap and take on your picnic.

Recipe by Miranda Shearer, Sandpits Heating Centre.

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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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Ingredients

  • 500g bread flour
  • 10g salt
  • 5g fast action dried yeast
  • Warm water

Method

  1. Mix the flour salt and yeast together and add enough hot water for a slightly sticky dough.
  2. Allow to prove somewhere warm for a couple of hours.
  3. Roll out on a floured surface until as thin as you can get them, cook in a smoking pan or direct to hotplate on both sides.

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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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This isn’t a true soufflé but its wonderfully chocolately and is quick and easy to make and is the most delicious chocolate pudding.  Gluten free

You will need – 6 ramekins or individual pots, heart shaped!

Ingredients

  • 225g chocolate, 70% cocoa solids
  • 110g butter
  • 3 eggs
  • 30g caster sugar plus extra
  • Extra butter for greasing the dishes

Method

  1. Brush the insides of the dishes with a little melted butter and coat with with a little caster sugar.
  2. Melt the chocolate & butter by either placing it in a bowl at the back of your ESSE or melting it on the induction hob set at 1.
  3. Whisk together until smooth.
  4. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs and sugar until pale and thick.  Then fold in the chocolate/butter mix.
  5. Pour into the dishes to just about 3/4 full.
  6. Bake in ESSE at 190C/ESSE dial reading low end of HOT (vent closed) for about 20 minutes until well risen.  Either serve immediately or allow to cool, (the puddings will collapse) but still deliciously rich.  Serve with ice cream or clotted cream.  The puddings left from your valentines dinner can be reheated the next day successfully!

Recipe designed by Philippa Vine at Bluebell Farmhouse Kitchen.

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An unusual and tasty way to use the abundance of wild garlic around in February and March.

Makes

N/A

Ingredients

  • 2 – 3 good bunches of wild garlic leaves
  • 2 table spoons of corn flour
  • Salt and sugar to taste
  • Vegetable oil for deep frying

Method

Gently wash the garlic leaves and trim the coarser stalks back to the base of the leaf. Shred the leaves with a sharp knife into 3-4mm strips. A good way to do this is to take a dozen or so leaves and roll them up like a cigar and then slice with the knife.

In a large bowl, toss the shredded leaves with the flour. You want a fine, even coating. Using a large saucepan, heat the oil to 180 degrees. Deep fry the garlic in batches. Each batch will take approximately 5 seconds, or when the garlic stops fizzing and rises to the surface.

Keep batches warm in the bottom oven on a sheet of kitchen paper while you cook more on the top.

To finish sprinkle with a little salt and a little caster sugar.

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ESSE Recipes March – A Welsh Spring

These tasty Welsh versions of scones are a classic but I have given them a little spicy twist to make them stand out, they are ideal for cooking straight on the hot plate of the ESSE range cookers or can be cooked in a pan, I love to serve them up just as they are or with a little soft goats cheese and a drizzle of good runny honey.

Ingredients

  • 225g Salted Welsh butter, lard or even dripping
  • 425g Organic self raising flour
  • 150g Organic golden caster sugar
  • 2 Medium free range eggs
  • 150g Sultanas
  • The grated zest of one small orange
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cardamon pod
  • A little extra caster sugar, for dusting

Method

In a large bowl, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs, this can be done in a food mixer if needs be, it helps if the butter isn’t too cold but it should certainly not be soft. Add the sugar, eggs, zest, cardamon and sultanas. Mix with your hands until a firm dough forms, if it needs extra moisture a little cold milk will work wonders.

Turn out the dough onto a floured board and roll out until 10mm thick, then cut into rounds to be traditional or random shapes if like me you prefer them – this also means you won’t have to re roll any spare mixture which keeps the cakes a little lighter I think.

To cook, simply place a non-stick mat straight on the hot plate or use a cast iron pan with butter and then wipe away with kitchen paper. Cook the Welsh cakes for 2 to 3 minutes until darkly toasted but NOT burnt, then flip over and cook the same on the other side for an even finish. Serve them warm, they are by far at their best when eaten straight away but can be warmed up later if needs be.

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Serves

Four people

Ingredients

  • The white of 4 leeks sliced about 500g in total (Save the green tops for a stock)
  • 300g white sliced potatoes
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 50g butter
  • 1.5 ltrs Vegetable, chicken or fish stock
  • 250 ml cream
  • Salt
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • Small bunch of chives

Method

Leeks can often be gritty. They need washing well. Do this by splitting each leek from tip to tail. Run each half under the cold tap making sure to rinse them well up around the tops. You can remove the outer layer if necessary. Slice the leeks.

Peel and slice the potatoes to about 5mm thick, peel and slice the garlic cloves.

Pull out your favourite soup pan, put it on a medium heat add the butter and allow to foam. Add the prepared vegetables to the pan. Cook for 10 – 15 mins until soft but not coloured.

Add the stock (a good fish stock works particularly well here) to the soup base. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 mins until potato is cooked.

Puree soup well until smooth and creamy. I find that jug blenders are the best tool for this job.

Return the soup to the pan. Add the cream, salt, pepper and chopped chives.

Bring gently back to the simmer.

Serve with buttered bread and slabs of cheese. Or iced, like a classic vichyssoise with 1/2 dozen Oysters on the side.

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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.

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Ingredients

  • 60g plain flour
  • 15g cocoa powder
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 75g caster sugar

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to ESSE dial reading low end of HOT / 190°C/Gas mark 5.
  2. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
  3. Place the eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Using either a hand-held electric whisk or a free-standing electric mixer, whisk until the mixture has almost quadrupled in volume, is very light and fluffy, and holds its shape. Sift half of the flour and cocoa, using a large metal spoon, carefully fold them in before adding the remaining flour and cocoa in the same way. Scrape down the sides of the bowl well with a spatula.
  4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out lightly and evenly, making sure it fills the corners of the tin.
  5. Bake in the oven for 12–14 minutes until the sponge feels firm to the touch in the centre.
  6. As soon as the sponge comes out of the oven, lift onto a wire rack and leave to cool.
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