These are a perfect bite for afternoon tea. Buttery, deliciously crumbly shortbread laced with floral Earl Grey and spiked with the zesty burst of sunshine from a lemon glaze- they are practically perfect for an al fresco tea break in the sunshine.
This is my tried, tested recipe as approved by my Scottish husband! Whilst traditional shortbread is a straightforward (and tasty!) mix of three simple ingredients – butter; flour and sugar, here I’ve added ingredients that I’ve found amplify a shortbread’s more desirable properties. The combination of semolina, rice flour and cornstarch elevate it’s crumbly moreishness while at the same time preventing it from becoming a chalky, dry shard.
I usually cut mine into the no-fuss finger shapes – easy to handle whilst sipping, whilst maximizing the dough amount. Using a cookie cutter is possible but may result in some surplus offcuts. If you choose this route a handy hint is to stir the offcuts into ice-cream. Even more to enjoy!
Check out this #recipe for Earl Grey & Lemon Shortbread
In a food processor, combine the floor and the loose tea leaves. Pulse 4-5 times until leaves are mixed finer into the floor
In a large bowl combine the flour/ tea mixture, semolina, rice flour, cornstarch, sugar and salt. Whisk together to further combine
Add in the cubed butter and rub together with your fingertips until the mixture is just beginning to bind together. Every so often do a quarter turn of the bowl to make sure you’re using all the dry mixture. You’ll want a texture somewhere between breadcrumbs and damp sand before you stop. Be wary of overworking the butter into the mixture – you want to avoid a dough that feels slimy from the butter melting too much into the dry ingredients
Tip the crumb mixture into your prepared tin and press the dough so that it forms a solid layer. Level the surface with the back of a spoon or measuring cup, making sure the mixture is evenly spread and uniform. Prick all over with a fork
With a knife or pizza cutter score the shortbread into 24 rectangular pieces (2 cuts by 7 cuts) taking care not to cut the full way through the compressed crumb
Refrigerate for 30 mins minimum
Preheat your oven to 325°F
Remove the shortbread from the fridge and bake for about 35 minutes or until a very pale golden brown.
Remove from the oven and after 5 minutes rest in the tin, cut fully through the baked shortbread with a knife or pizza cutter at the score lines you previously made
Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Carefully lift the fingers out of the tin with a palette knife or the parchment paper overhang and finish cooling on a wire rack
While the shortbread cools, prepare the lemon glaze
To make the Lemon Glaze
In a bowl or jug combine the powdered sugar and lemon zest. Add the fresh lemon juice to your personal taste (2 -3 teaspoons)
Make sure the shortbread pieces are fully cooled before glazing. Dip or pipe the glaze onto the shortbread pieces to your personal preference. (I usually transfer mine to a piping bag and drizzle lightly over the shortbread)
It’s National Macaroon Day! So let’s celebrate these li’l nuggets of sweet coconutty goodness in all their chewy, toasty glory! These are fantastic treats which can have a universal appeal since they are in effect gluten-free. Any leavening required is done via the addition of whipped egg whites.
Speaking of additions in this recipe I’ve included a gentle tipple of almond liqueur in a reference to the cookies almond based begins. I also find that the combination of coconut and almond works really well. Think of these as a pimped up version of the fondly loved Almond Joy or Bounty bars for the grown-ups!
Don’t get me wrong – these also taste great without the addition of the alcohol. The added benefit being you can get the kids involved in the making of and then reward them for their efforts. It’s smiles all round!
Combine the coconut, condensed milk, vanilla and almond liqueur a large bowl. Mix well
Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until they make medium-firm peaks
Carefully fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture
Drop the batter onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper using either a 1 3/4-inch cookie scoop, or 2 teaspoons
Press an almond into the top of each macaroon mound
Bake for 25, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on tray for 5 minutes before peeling to remove. Place on a rack and leave to cool fully
When fully cooled dip the base of each macaroon into the melted chocolate. Leave to set, upside down (chocolate side up) on a cooling rack
2 teaspoons Rum (or omit for a kiddy-friendly version)
Method
Banana & Prune Cakes
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease, or spray with baking spray, 6 mini-savarin or Bundt tins
In a small heatproof bowl, pour orange juice followed by the boiling water over the chopped prunes; stir in the baking soda. Stir together to combine and set aside to soak for about 15-2 0minutes
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon and salt. Set aside until needed
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 9-10 minutes
Beat in the eggs, one at a time until combined, followed by the honey
Reduce speed to low, beat in the flour mixture until just combined
Add the date mixture (including liquid) and bananas, and beat at low speed until just combined
Divide the batter into the prepared mini-pans, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes
Rum Toffee Sauce
With about 10 minutes left on the pudding baking time, in a small saucepan, combine the heavy cream, the butter, the brown sugar, and the rum.
Bring to a gentle boil over moderate heat, stirring to melt the butter and sugar, cooking until slightly thickened and deep golden, about 3 minutes.
Keep warm until serving
To finish
Once you remove the cakes from the oven, using a skewer or toothpick, poke holes all over the exposed surface
Spoon 4-5 teaspoons of the warm sauce over the cakes, and let stand until absorbed, about 10 minutes
Serve warm*, turned out onto plates (they may take some gentle persuasion!) with the remaining sauce spooned over
*If your sauce sets or becomes too thick to pour, gently warm over a low heat until pourable and warm again.
Let’s just file this under “Oddly Delicious” shall we? Harking from the same recipe-pivoting era as Chocolate Vinegar Cake this wonderfully moist spiced cake was originally the gimmick of the well known convenience food giant Campbells. Appealing to thrifty housewives who had to pivot due to ever increasing rationing restrictions on ingredients this is a left of center approach to the seminal favorite carrot cake. The use of tomato soup is really based much more in texture and color as opposed taste, being barely perceptible on the palette. The bright red of the original soup altering to a pleasing dark amber, evocative of Autumnal evenings. In fact the whole package of this deliciously warm spiced cake could easily replace any demand for pumpkin laced bakes in my books.
The original recipe for this proved popular throughout the ages, from it’s origins in the ’20s right through to the ’70s, reaching it’s peak in the 1950s with the recipe regular featuring on the reverse of soup cans. The prominence of convenience foods in the 50s and 60s called for the use of boxed spice cake mix as the main ingredient coupled with the tomato soup. Here I’ve tweaked the original recipe using traditional cake ingredients (sans box mix!) and added in some plump, soaked golden raisins and toasted walnuts for a bit more bite.
Research on this cake will lead you to it in it’s various forms. Vintage published recipes show a loaf-type cake with chocolate frosting, later appearing as a round layer cake with cream cheese frosting. I’ve settled on letting the uniqueness of the cake itself shine through as a Bundt, finished with a simple but ample dusting of powdered sugar. All in all this cake provides a delicious bite of retro-tastiness which is a worthy replacement for any run-of-the-mill coffee cake.
Combine the golden raisins and tea in a small bowl and steep for 15 mins
Prepare an 8-cup bundt pan with baking spray
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease
Add the condensed tomato soup (DON’T add water) to a bowl and stir in the baking soda (it will puff up a bit). Set aside while preparing the rest of the ingredients
Add the sugar and butter to a mixer bowl and beat with paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
Add n the vanilla extract, and then beat in the eggs, one at a time until just mixed
Mix in the tomato soup. (Note: it might ‘split’ slightly but don’t worry, it will come together with the flour)
Sift in the flour, baking powder and spices, then add the golden raisins (drained) and toasted walnuts. Gently fold to combine with a wooden spoon, or spatula. Don’t overmix, but ensure no streaks of flour remain
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for in preheated oven for 35 minutes, after this time reduce the heat to 325°F and bake for a further 10-15 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean
Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely
Once fully cool, dust liberally with powdered sugar
Choux pastry was one of the first things that my Mom taught me how to make. When I say “taught me” I mean showed me how to do it, gave me some tips and then said, “Now go yourself and do it, the books are over there’. A pretty laissez fair approach I’m sure you’ll agree? Nonetheless these first tentative explorations of patisserie (sounds far more glamourous than I actually remember!) have given me a solid base from which to build and no doubt resulted in the lack of fear of trying choux pastry.
Eclairs have always been synonymous with “being a treat” for me. They were always in that separate part of the bakery shop display cabinet, away from jam doughnuts, vanilla slices and chester bread, basking in their own halo of the fluorescent bulb. Let me tell you this though- the eclairs I grew up on were a far cry from those gourmet, high-end ones seen today. I’m talking a childhood indulgence filled with sweetened cream and chocolate “flavoured” glaze. Sounds delish, huh? Well, back then it was.
So here is my take and what better way to pay homage to the memory of my mom (ala upcoming Mother’s Day) than take one of her first lessons to me and combine it with my knack for unexpected, “haute” flavours. I want you to enjoy creating these so, as I mention later, if the filling them in the way I describe sounds a bit daunting, or laborious, please feel free to fill them with just the cream and serve the coulis and pistachio butter alongside. They make wonderful dipping sauces!
I find the floral flavour of elderflower works so well with raspberry. The zing tart hit of the berry contrasting wonderfully with the regal, fresh floral note. Adding in the pistachio gives another depth of flavour with earthy, sweetness that seems to almost bridge to two flavours. If all of this sounds like a load of ol’ foodie jargon then let me just say this – these are damn good!
The use of SOMA Pistachio Butter here is in no way paid for or compensated by the manufacturer. I simply mention using it as I am a huge fan and have yet to find something fit for substitution.
Line 2 baking trays with either Silpat mats, or non-stick baking parchment. Set aside until needed
Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F
Combine water, butter, shortening and salt together in a pot. Heat over a high hear until butter and shortening have melted, and the mixture is at a rolling boil
Carefully add the bread flour in one go, and stir vigorously for at least 5 minutes until the mixture comes together in a ball, and cleans the sides of the pan
Transfer cooked dough mixture in to the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, and mix on medium speed until bowl is cool to the touch and there is no more steam rising from the mixture
Gradually add eggs, roughly one at a time, scraping down the bowl between each addition. The mixture may separate after each addition but keep whisking until it comes together again before adding more egg. Ensure the dough is not too runny. You may not need the last amount of egg*
Transfer the choux dough to a medium piping bag fitted with a French star nozzle
Pipe the choux dough onto your prepared baking trays in lengths 5-6 inches, ensure they are all the same size/length
Transfer to you preheated oven and bake for 25mins, until risen, crisp and golden brown. DO NOT open the door before this time
After the 25 minute mark turn the heat off, remove one tray from the oven leaving the other one in. Working quickly using a skewer, or chopstick narrow end, prick each eclair, place back on the tray and return them all to the oven. Repeat with the second tray
When all eclairs have been pricked, leave in the oven cooling for another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and leave in a draught-free area to cool fully.
To make Elderflower cream
Combine all ingredients in a bowl
Whisk until cream is thickened and semi-firm peaks are achieved
Keep cool in the fridge until needed for filling
To make the Raspberry coulis
In a small pan combine all the ingredients
Heat on high heat until the berries start to break down and the mixture has started to boil
Reduce heat and continue to simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
After this time remove from heat, transfer to bowl and leave to cool fully
Once fully cool, transfer to a piping bag, seal and set aside until needed
To prepare the pistachio butter
Stir to ensure an even mixture
Transfer to a small piping bag, seal and set aside until needed
To fill the choux eclairs**
Once all your components have fully cooled, you cab set about filling
Using the narrow point of a chopstick, or thick skewer, make a hole in the underside of each eclair, roughly midway along it’s length
Fit a piping bag with a narrow filling nozzle (“Bismarck” style) and transfer the elderflower cream to this bag
Insert the nozzle into the hole you made in the eclair and gently squeeze to pipe some filling in. Be careful not to fill completely as you will not be able to get any of the other fillings. (You may have to sacrifice one or two to gauge the correct amount of squeezing and filling. Tasty cast-offs nonetheless!)
After filling all with the cream, snip the end of the piping bag with raspberry coulis so it’s narrow enough to fit in the hole in the eclair. Gently pipe some coulis in. You’ll find you won’t need to pipe it for as long
Once all have been filled with the coulis, snip the end of the bag fitted with pistachio butter (again so it can fit into the hole) and gently pipe a little pistachio butter into each eclair
When all the eclairs have been filled, place on a baking tray and transfer to the fridge while you prepare the chocolate glazing
To prepare chocolate glaze
In a medium bowl (wide enough to be able to place your ecliars in), combine the ruby chocolate callets and butter
Heat in a microwave for 10 seconds. Remove and stir for a minute
Repeat, heating again for 10 seconds. Stir until mixture melts down further and is fully combined
If any small pieces of chocolate remain, heat again for 5 SECONDS. Remove and stir until fully melted
To finish
Have a cooling rack handy to place you finished eclairs on
Remove the eclairs from the fridge and, gently but firmly holding, dip one by one into the melted chocolate so that the top half gets covered. As second dipping might be necessary.
Gently shake to remove and excess chocolate, and place chocolate side up on the cooling rack to finish setting
If your decorating them as suggested here, sprinkle with the pistachio slivers and pop some raspberries on the chocolate to your liking. I’d suggest decorating as you go along, or have someone helping you decorate, as the chocolate glaze can set by time you’ve dipped them all- making it harder for the finishing touches to stick
Serve and enjoy!
*When adding you eggs to make the choux dough you may not need all of the eggs. To check you want a consistency of dough that will fall from your spatula leaving a V-shape hanging, or using your (clean) finger, run it lightly through the top of the mixture. It should leave a groove that doesn’t collapse into itself.
** I completely understand that doing the full filling process is fiddly and can require a bit of practice. If you prefer shortcut to take is just to fill the eclairs with the elderflower cream and finish them with the ruby chocolate glaze as above. These can them be served with some of the raspberry coulis and pistachio butter alongside. That way you get to experience of all the wonderful flavors without it being so fussy to fill!
Crumbs In My Beard 