Sammie – Page 18 – Feasting Is Fun

Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins

Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins vibrant strips of aromatic basil run through these delicious buttery cheese, pine nut studded muffins.

Also these delightful muffins are so easy to make, quick to bake and perfect for breakfast, packed lunches, picnics……

Whenever we have friends and family round, I always provide a cheese board. Since I have more of a savoury palette, I generally choose cheese and crackers over dessert on most occasions. While I adore all cheeses, this Goddess Cheese, sent to me to try by Pong Cheese is beautifully buttery and creamy.

A cider washed edible rind conceals the most gorgeous, gooey, buttery cheese, perfect for spreading on crackers, with a glass of something chilled to go alongside. The initial buttery flavour is layered with a nutty taste that is perfectly paired with the pine nuts in these Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins.

Whilst spreading this cheese on crackers is a perfectly acceptable way to indulge your senses, my creative side knew that it would taste so good baked in a muffin. After a party or family gathering I am quite often left with cheese and other delectables. I avoid waste as much as I can, so incorporating this beautiful cheese into a bake gives it a second life in these delicious muffins.

Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins are incredibly easy to whip up and bake. In fact these took less than 30 minutes from start to eating!

Oh boy, these muffins are fabulous warm out of the oven.

Recipe: Makes 12 Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins

50g/2oz Pine Nuts

300g/11oz Plain White Flour (self raising can be substituted – leave out the baking powder)

2tsp Baking Powder

2 Whole Free Range Eggs

200ml Semi-Skimmed or Whole Milk

4tbsp Vegetable/Sunflower Oil

Goddess Cheese 150g/5oz – mine was from Pong Cheese

6 basil leaves

1/4tsp Sea Salt – I use Maldon

1/4tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Method: Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6

First of all place the pine nuts into a dry skillet or frying pan and toast over a medium heat until golden. Remove from the pan and place on to a plate to cool. Reseve some pine nuts for topping the muffins.
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl.
Pile the basil leaves on top of each other and cut into fine strips.
Add the cooled pine nuts, basil, and seasonings to the bowl.
Stir with a fork to incorporate.
Break the Goddess Cheese into lumps and add half to the flour mixture – I found it easier to have the bowl on the scales.

Cover the cheese in the bowl with the flour mixture. This will stop it clumping together.
Add the other half of the cheese, again pinching off gooey lumps and dropping them into the bowl. Cover in the flour mixture as before – dry mixture.
Into a jug add the milk, oil and eggs. Lightly mix with a fork – wet mixture.
Make a well in the centre of the dry mixture and pour in the wet mixture.
Stir with a fork approximately 10-12 times until the ingredients are just mixed.

Note: Over mixed muffins will be tough!
Place muffin liners in a muffin tin – I didn’t but would advise you to as it does make the muffins easier to remove.
Divide the muffin mix between the 12 cases.
Top with the reserved pine nuts – if you have forgotten to reserve any don’t worry they will still look and taste delicious.

Place the tin in the top of the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes.
The muffins are cooked when they are just firm to touch and golden brown.
As soon as the muffins are baked remove from the oven.
Transfer the Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins to a cooling rack until warm and then devour!

Enjoy these muffins at their absolute best, warm straight from the oven. While the cheese is still slightly melted and the flavours of the toasted pine nuts and basil come through.

Having had to split a muffin for the photographs, I also really enjoyed them cold. All the buttery, nutty cheese, pine nut and basil flavours are still present which I am really pleased with. This makes the Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins perfect as portable food.

I will definitely be making more of these for picnics, packed lunches and just for eating warm from the oven!

Muffins are always best on the day made, however, stored in an airtight container they are good for 3 days, or frozen for up to a month. To refresh just pop in a moderate oven for 10 minutes and they’ll taste like they’ve just been baked.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins you may also like these:

Feta Cheese Herb Muffins

Cheese Bacon Breakfast Muffins

Chorizo Goats Cheese Muffins

No longer do you need to look at an oozing, gooey leftover Goddess Cheese and wonder what to do with it. Instead you can make Goddess Cheese Pine Nut Muffins and as they don’t use a whole packet of cheese, leave you enough for your cheese and crackers.

This recipe started in my mind with the intent of using up leftover cheese. Oh no! These are so good I would happily buy the cheese to make them.

Whatever you are making and baking in your kitchens, have fun and enjoy sharing the feast you are preparing.

Sammie xx

Pong Cheese provided me with the cheese to make this recipe. All content, views, opinions, recipes and photographs are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Lemon Ripple Ice Cream

Lemon Ripple Ice Cream, this is THE ice cream I have wanted to make throughout my entire life. Creamy with tart lemon curd rippled through. If you love lemon, like I do, then trust me when I say you need to make this luscious ice cream.

This luscious Lemon Ripple Ice Cream really is a dream come true for me. I adore lemons. Also, I heard Jamie Oliver once say that if there weren’t lemons in his kitchen he’d give up cooking. I doubt he meant it quite to that extreme, but I do understand his passion for them.

Happily I use them in savoury recipes such as my Tangy Lemon Potato Salad and sweet recipes such as this delightful Lemony Strawberry Pavlova. Their flavour is so transferable between both sweet and savoury dishes.

FF Lemon Ripple Ice Cream — Lemon Ripple Ice Cream

Here, in this Lemon Ripple Ice Cream, there is a wonderful soft, creamy lemon background flavour, with bursts of tart, intense citrus lemon. The combination of both the subtle and vibrant creates a tastebud sensation that draws you into a dreamy world of lemony loveliness.

The Benefit Of Homemade Ice Cream

While you absolutely could eat this ice cream in a cone, for me, I wanted nothing to interrupt the pure creamy sensation of eating it with just a spoon. I wasn’t disappointed!

This Lemon Ripple Ice Cream is deceptively yummy. I feared whilst churning it yesterday in my new Andrew James Ice Cream Maker, that none would actually make it to the freezer. Happily I restrained myself. I am so glad that I did. Tasting it today, frozen, yet softened enough to scoop, was reward for my patience and restraint!

Just a quick note on ingredients; if you don’t have lemon extract, which is available online and in good supermarkets, don’t worry, the lemon curd added during the churning process will still provide a great lemon flavour. As for the lemon curd, use a good quality tart one, without bits. I love lemon curd with real peel in it, but this is not the place to use it.

Recipe: Makes 750ml Lemon Ripple Ice Cream

300ml Double Cream

300ml Whole or Semi Skimmed Milk

4 Large Free Range Egg Yolks

1tsp Corn Flour

1/8 tsp Salt – I use Maldon

6tbsp Caster Sugar

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I use Nielsen Massey

1tsp Lemon Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

300g Best Quality Lemon Curd – I used Waitrose new waitrose 1 lemon curd, it is beautifully tart

Method: Ensure the frozen ‘bowl’ of your ice cream maker has been in the freezer for 24 hours or according to the manufacturers instructions.

Note – For step by step photos of the custard base cooking process please see Very Vanilla Ice Cream

Making The Ice Cream Base

First of all pour the cream and milk into a large saucepan on a medium heat.
Heat until just before the liquid boils, you will see little bubbles form around the outside rim – this is known as the scalding point, once reached remove from the heat.
In a large bowl whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, extracts and corn flour until pale and thickened.
With the whisk still running on low, slowly pour the hot cream into the egg mixture.
Tip the entire mixture back into the saucepan, place over a medium/low heat stirring constantly until it thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
Remove from the heat.
Pour the hot custard through a sieve into a large bowl.
Place cling film directly on to the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming.

Leave to cool and then chill in the fridge. Once chilled transfer to a jug.

Churning The Ice Cream Base And Adding The Lemon Ripple

Set up your ice cream maker and if it is like mine, it will need to be switched on and churning before pouring in the custard.
Pour in the custard through the shoot and leave to churn until softly frozen.
Add half of the lemon curd, I use a teaspoon and added it one teaspoon at a time, through the hole, so that it slowly becomes incorporated within the ice cream.
When the ice cream is soft but can hold its shape stop the ice cream maker.
Transfer the ice cream to a freezer proof tub.
Spoon the remaining lemon curd on to the ice cream.

Use a spoon to gently ripple the lemon curd through the ice cream.

Resist the urge to just dive in with a spoon, as this really tastes better once it is properly frozen.
Pop the lid on and place in the freezer for 12 hours or ideally overnight. Why ideally? Because then you’ll be asleep and not thinking about the ice cream.
To serve, remove the tub from the freezer 15 minutes before scooping to allow it to soften.

Serving And Enjoying Homemade Ice Cream

Serve scooped into elegant dessert bowls or enjoy in an ice cream cone. Either way prepare yourself to fall completely, head over heels in love, with a new flavour of ice cream – Lemon Ripple Ice Cream.

Lemon Ripple Ice Cream is very much a dreamily, creamy ice cream, not in any way a sorbet – which by the way I love and am working on a recipe.

This ice cream would make the perfect dessert after a spicy, hot meal. Refreshing, creamy and palette cleansing, yet you still feel like you’ve had dessert.

However and whenever you eat this delicious ice cream, be sure to enjoy it with others. Listen to the oohs and aahs of your loved ones enjoying something really, really good. It will make you smile 😀

If you have enjoyed this Lemon Ripple Ice Cream recipe here are some others that you may also want to try:

Strawberry Ripple Ice Cream

Chocolate Orange Ice Cream

Strawberry Rose Ice Cream

I love being able to create my own ice cream flavours at home. Having an ice cream maker makes it so easy. Preparing the custard takes 15 minutes, then the custard is left to cool. Churning takes about 20 minutes and you can eat the ice cream scooped from the ice cream maker, if you want a soft set ice cream. Otherwise overnight in the freezer and you have any flavour ice cream you like!

That can never be a bad thing eh???

Thank you for your comments, photos on social media, I absolutely love seeing your makes and bakes. It still thrills me every time someone uses one of my recipes.

Have fun feasting, sharing and making people smile.

Sammie xx

Andrew James provided me with an ice cream maker to review. All views, opinions, content, recipes and photographs are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Smoked Bacon Asparagus Quiche

June is Asparagus season, here in the U.K. Such a vibrant, distinct colour and flavour when cooked. So I decided to incorporate it into this utterly delicious Smoked Bacon Asparagus Quiche.

Making the best use of seasonal vegetables is so important to me. Also, it makes me appreciate them more. While strawberries always taste better in the summer, because that’s when they grow in this country. Asparagus is the same. Vibrant, green shoots that can be enjoyed in any number of recipes.

And one of my favourite ways to enjoy them is in this Smoked Bacon Asparagus Quiche!

Easy Baking Using Seasonal Produce

I have made this quiche twice now, in as many weeks and believe me when I say, I’ll probably make it next week too. In fact I should probably make two, so that I can stash one away in the freezer for when asparagus is no longer available.

Using good quality, outside reared bacon makes all the difference to this dish. Because it is not pumped full of water and who knows what, when placed in a hot, dry skillet the bacon sizzles. There wasn’t any liquid leaching from it and oh, it tastes so good!

Making this Smoked Bacon Asparagus Quiche is easy. So is making your own pastry, there’s a link in the recipe. It doesn’t take long and is a tried and tested recipe that creates the most delicious buttery crust for it’s eggy filling.

I like to get the pastry made first thing in the morning. I always make double as it takes hardly any extra time and stores really well in the freezer. If using frozen pastry defrost it overnight in the fridge.

Recipe: Smoked Bacon Asparagus Quiche – serves 6

500g/1lb 2oz All Butter Shortcrust Pastry see Perfect All Butter Shortcrust Pastry the recipe will also give you tips on how to line a tart tin, blind bake and there’s another quiche recipe as well

12 Rashers Smoked Streaky Bacon – take off any rind and cut into 2.5cm/1″ chunks

6-8 Asparagus Spears – washed trimmed and cut into 5cm/2″ pieces

50g/2oz Strong Cheddar – finely grated – I use Wyke Farm Cheese

6 Large Free Range Eggs – note if making to freeze add an extra egg and leave out the cream – my eggs were from Waitrose

50ml/2fl oz Double Cream

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Making The Shortcrust Pastry Tart Case

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan, gas mark 7, 425F.

Note – the filling can be prepared whilst the pastry case is baking.

Make the pastry, wrap and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Place your quiche tin on a baking tray.
Lighty dust the work top with flour and roll out the pastry, from the centre outwards. Move the pastry around to ensure that it isn’t sticking to the work top.
Use the rolling pin to transfer the pastry, lay it gently into the quiche tin.
Gently push the pastry into place, if you stretch it, it’ll shrink during baking. I know trust me!!

Roll the rolling pin over the top of the quiche tin and it will trim the pastry, leaving a lovely clean edge.
Use a fork to dock the bottom of the pastry, it allows steam to escape during baking.
Cut a piece of baking parchment slightly bigger than the tin, scrunch up, line the pastry case and fill with baking beans.
Place in the top of a preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, lift out the baking beans and return for a further 5 minutes until golden in colour. Remove from the oven and set to one side.

Assembling The Smoked Bacon Asparagus Quiche

Reduce the oven temperature to 200C/180C fan, gas mark 6, 400F.
In a dry skillet/frying pan, over a medium heat dry fry the bacon until cooked, but not crispy. Off the heat add the asparagus and allow to sit for 5 minutes or a bit longer.
When the bacon is cool enough to handle arrange in the base of the pastry case.
Then arrange the asparagus spears however you like.
Top with the finely grated cheese.

Crack the eggs into a jug – I always crack mine separately into a small bowl first.
Add the cream, if using and a good season of black pepper.
Whisk with a fork to combine and then pour carefully over the pastry tart.
Leave a gap between the pastry rim and the custard. The quiche will rise whilst baking and it’s not the end of the world if it leaks, but prevention is better than cure. Gosh I sound like my Grandma, what a wise woman she was.

Baking The Quiche

Place the quiche into the centre of the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until it is puffed and golden without a wobble in the centre.
Once baked remove from the oven and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes.

Serving And Storing The Quiche

This delicious tasting Smoked Bacon Asparagus Quiche can be served hot, warm or cold, making it perfect for buffets, picnics, easy dinners, packed lunches.

I had the last piece of quiche, cold from the fridge today, for lunch. It was absolutely yummy and as it is quite muggy, it was refreshing as well as filling.

Smoked Bacon Asparagus Quiche will keep well wrapped in cling film, in the fridge for up to 3 days and successfully freeze for one month. In fact I have a lovely friend on Twitter – Lou – who baked this yesterday, without the cream and popped it in the freezer for a party in a few weeks time.

Make the most of the asparagus season, it is all too short!

If you have enjoyed the recipe for this Smoked Bacon Asparagus Quiche you may also want to try these:

Quiche Lorraine

Feta Red Onion Marmalade Quiche

Spicey Sausage Rolls

Pastry is such a versatile medium to bake with, see my Twisted Fruity Jam Tarts . It lends itself very well to portable food, which means it’s great for family and friend get together’s. Since the heart of Feasting is Fun is sharing. I share my recipes, as do some of you. We share our makes and bakes with neighbours, unsuspecting delivery men – oh that’s just me on that one then. Most of all we have fun enjoying the smile a homemade dish can bring to another’s face.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Muesli Flapjack Squares

Muesli Flapjack Squares are THE answer to rushed mornings and missed breakfasts. Make these at the weekend and you’ve got brekkie covered for the whole week. Ooh and did I mention they’re gluten free too!

Most people I know don’t have hours of time to spare in the mornings, during the week. They know breakfast is THE most important meal of the day, so in a bid to give their body something they grab a latte and coffee shop choccie muffin on the way to work. Then wonder why they are starving again by 10am if not sooner.

One of these Muesli Flapjack Squares will keep you going until lunchtime!

Breakfast – The Most Important Meal

Now eating one of these delicious Muesli Flapjack Squares isn’t the same as sitting down with a bowl of muesli, or a plate of wholemeal toast and homemade jam and a cup of coffee. But, they are a whole lot better both for your body and you wallet, than the take out option.

Flapjacks do contain both sugar and butter, as do the take out muffins. I have tried to reduce both and even tried to switch to honey, but, unfortunately I haven’t cracked that recipe code yet.

What I have done is taken a fabulous gluten free, muesli mix made by Delicious Alchemy and turned it into the gluten free Muesli Flapjack Squares. So yes you’ll get the initial sugar hit and a wee bit of caffeine from the dark chocolate, but instead of the post sugar slump, the oats, seeds and dried fruit will start slowly releasing their energy – sustaining you until lunch.

With everything made in one bowl, a little mixing, 20 minutes in the oven, cool then swirl on some chocolate, these can easily made by anyone.

If buying a different muesli from the one suggested ensure that it has no added sugar, salt or fat and of course, that it’s gluten free if you have dietary intolerances.

Recipe: Makes 12 Muesli Flapjack Squares

225g/8oz Unsalted Butter

100g/4oz Light Soft Brown Sugar

1/4tsp Sea Salt – I use Maldon

100g/4oz Golden Syrup – light corn syrup

425g/15oz Muesli – I used Delicious Alchemy

100g/4oz Chopped Dried Fruit – I used mango and apricots (dried)

Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan, gas mark 4, 350F

Making The Muesli Flapjack Mixture

First of all, line a 8″ x 11″ 20cm x 28cm Swiss roll, or 2″ deep baking tin with baking parchment. I have found it unnecessary to grease my tin prior to lining, however, using a little butter in the corners, should help the parchment to stick without fully greasing the tin.
In a large heatproof and microwaveable bowl add the butter and then sugar.
Place in the microwave a heat on low until the butter is just melted.
Once melted remove from the microwave and add the golden syrup. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything is well mixed.
Add the muesli, salt and chopped, dried fruit.

FF Muesli Flapjack Squares — Now to get mixing!

Next stir everything together until it is all covered in the glossy butter mixture.
Tip the mixture into the prepared pan and press flat and even using the back of a dessert spoon.

Baking The Flapjacks

Place in the centre of the oven and bake for exactly 20 minutes.
As soon as the baking time is up remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin.

When cooled lift the flapjack slab from the tin on to a board.
Cut into 12 even squares (if you look mine aren’t that even – oops)!
Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof, microwaveable bowl until almost melted. Remove and stir until completely melted.
Drizzle over the squares, or fill a small piping bag and pipe hearts on each square.

During hot weather it might be worth popping the Muesli Flapjack Squares into the fridge for an hour. This will set the chocolate and really firm up the bars.

I like to wrap them in baking parchment for packed lunches, cling film and foil work well too.

Store them in an airtight container. I use an old biscuit tin and separate layers with baking parchment.

Give yourself a pat on the back knowing you have breakfast sorted for the week!!

If you have enjoyed these Muesli Flapjack Squares you may also like these:

Double Cherry Drizzle Oat Bars

Macacdamia Apricot Flapjacks

Lemon Drizzle Cake Bars

All of the recipes above are easy to make and are fabulous food on the go. Ideal for packed lunches, picnics, or simply having something on hand at home that easily fits in a tin.

I deliberately left nuts out of this recipe so that more people on a restricted diet can enjoy it. I’ve also successfully switched butter for coconut oil in my Coconut Almond Date Flapjacks, which would make this recipe suitable for those with lactose intolerance.

It is my intention to make as many recipes as possible versatile, so that those with dietary restrictions can also have fun feasting!

Sammie xx

Delicious Alchemy provided the muesli mix for me to try. All opinions, views, content and photographs are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake

Since Father’s Day coming up this Sunday, here is an easy to make and decorate treat for Dad. Lemon and chocolate intertwined within every part of this stunning Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake. While I am using lemon in this cake, other flavours such as orange, coffee or perhaps a liqueur could also be considered.

You can make this cake for Father’s Day, or as a special celebration cake. Since the blend of chocolate and lemon throughout every part of this cake is a taste sensation. And if you have never tried the two together then you need to trust me and make this cake.

FF Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake — **Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake** whoever receives this will be thrilled.

While orange and chocolate is a more common flavour pairing, I was inspired to make this cake when I discovered that Elizabeth Shaw Chocolates made Chocolate a Lemon Flutes. And having used the Amaretto flutes for my Chocolate Amaretto Cake I knew how stunning and yet simple they were to use.

So if you want to make this cake for your Dad this coming Sunday, or a special birthday cake I am right here to show you how to make this stunning Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake.

Homemade Gifts That Are Baked With Love

Nothing is quite as special as something that you have made yourself for someone. Putting the time, energy and love into baking a cake, for me truly shows someone that I love them. Especially if it is centered around their favourite flavours.

Elizabeth Shaw sell a range of flavoured flutes and you can easily tweak this recipe to fit the flavour of your choice. And adding the flutes around the edge, with the extra touch of a beautiful ribbon transforms a nice cake to a wow cake.

Recipe: Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake serves 10-12

Cake:

300g/11oz Unsalted Butter – plus a little extra for greasing the cake tin

300g/11oz Caster Sugar

6 Large Free Range Eggs

300g/11oz Self Raising Flour

1/4 tsp Salt

50g/2oz Cocoa Powder

2tbsp Milk

2 Whole Lemons – scrubbed under hot water if waxed

Frosting:

250g/5oz Dark Chocolate Minimum 70% Cocoa Solids

200g/7oz Unsalted Butter

100g/4oz Sifted Icing Sugar

Optional – 1tsp Lemon Extract – I use Nielsen-Massey

Decorations:

4 Boxes Lemon Flutes – from Elizabeth Shaw Chocolates

Pearls, dragee balls, or sprinkles of your choice

Method: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan, gas mark 3, 350F.

Making The Marble Cake Batter

First of all, grease and line with baking parchment an 8″ or 18cm cake tin – that is also fairly deep – at least 4″/10cm. Ensure that the baking parchment is at least 2″/5cm higher than the sides of the cake. This will ensure a nice even rise and moist cake.
In a large bowl add the softened, room temperature butter and caster sugar.
Whisk/beat until pale and creamy.
Sift the flour into a medium sized bowl – you will need the bowl later.
Add 1/3 of the flour and 2 eggs to the butter mixture, mix slowly until just incorporated.
Repeat the last step.
Add the last 2 eggs, remaining flour and the zest of 2 lemons.
Use a large spoon or spatula to fold in all of the ingredients until combined – be careful not to overmix.
In the spare bowl (which had the flour in it) place half of the lemon flavoured cake mixture – I do this by eye but, use scales if you want to be exact.
Sift the cocoa into the mixture in the spare bowl and add the 2 tablespoons of milk. Fold in the cocoa powder until the mixture is combined. It will be a gorgeous chocolate colour.
In the othe bowl squeeze in the juice from half of a lemon. Stir until fully combined.

Begin by alternating the cake mixes.

Spoon dollops of the chocolate cake mixture around the base of the tin, leaving a gap in between.
In the gaps spoon dollops (~~sorry~~ but I love that word 😉) of the lemon cake mix.
Continue by layering spoonfuls of the chocolate cake mixture on top of the lemon and vice versa.

Creating The Classic Chocolate Marble Swirl With The Cake Batter

Now to get swirling! I always use the handle of a wooden spoon, as it won’t rip through the baking parchment.
With the upturned spoon in hand swirl through the cake mixture. I like making figures of eight!
You need the whole cake mix to be marbled NOT mixed.

FF Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake — One beautifully swirled marble cake and I stuck the overlapping parchment together with cake batter!

Please don’t worry if you think you’ve over or under swirled your cake. This is a gift for someone. They will love that you’ve taken the time to bake them a cake.

Baking The Marble Cake

Place the cake in the middle part of the oven and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes – 1 hour 45 minutes.
This is a long slow bake that ensures a moist, evenly coloured cake. Please trust me. If you cook at a higher temperature the outside will be baked before the middle and you are likely to end up with a dry cake.
The cake is baked when an inserted skewer comes out clean.
As soon as the cake is baked remove from the oven and place the tin on a cooling rack and allow the cake to cool in the tin. I made this cake the day before I decorated it, however, as long as it is cold it can be decorated on the same day.

If leaving overnight before decorating, remove the cooled cake from its tin and wrap in cling film.

Preparing the Chocolate Ganache Icing:

Break up the 250g of dark chocolate and add to a heatproof bowl that fits on top of a small saucepan. Add the butter to the chocolate.
Place 1-2 inches of water in the base of the saucepan and heat until just bubbling.
Place the bowl containing the chocolate/butter on top of the saucepan, ensuring the base of the bowl does not touch the water – this is called a double boiler.
Stir continuously until both the butter and chocolate have melted.

Next add 1 teaspoon of lemon extract (if using) and the sifted icing sugar.

When the icing sugar is no longer visible remove the bowl from the heat and very gently, as this mixture will be hot, switch to a balloon whisk and stir, then whisk as the mixture cools, until all icing sugar has dissolved.
The best way to tell if the mixture is smooth is to rub a little between your finger and thumb, if it still feels gritty keep whisking – it took 5 minutes of gentle whisking until my ganache was smooth again.

Next switch to an electric mix and whisk gently, increasing in speed as the ganache starts to thicken.
Keep whisking until the mixture is still soft but will hold a figure of eight.

Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake — Thickened ganache that can hold its shape – but not stiff.

Covering The Marble Cake With Chocolate Ganache And Piping The Swirl Decorations

Place half of the ganache into a piping bag fitted with a large star. If it is a hot day cover the nozzle with cling film and place in the fridge.
Place your cake on a board or cake stand. I suggest placing the board on a cake stand as it makes the cake easier to decorate.
Spoon 3/4 of the remaining ganache on to the top of the cake.
Using an off set palette knife spread the mixture so that it covers the top of the cake.

Spoon the rest of the ganache around the outside edge of the top of the cake.
Gently, with your palette knife encourage the icing to cover the side of the cake. Turning the cake stand as you go, working round until the sides are covered.
Hold your palette knife flat against the side of the cake and rotate the stand. This will give your sides a nice even edge.
Run your palette knife flat across the surface of the cake to achieve the same effect. Don’t worry if it’s not perfectly flat, as long as the icing is even it will look great.
Next pipe swirls around the edge of the cake and finish with one in the centre.

Adding The Chocolate Flutes And Final Decoration

Have the flutes opened and ready. You will see that one side of the flute is flat.
Press the flat side of the flute against the base of the cake, the ganache will hold it in place.
Continue, placing one flute next to another, taking care to ensure they are straight, until the whole cake is surrounded.
Take your ribbon, place it halfway up the flutes – it is helpful if you have a spare pair of hands to hold it in place, if not use a pin to secure it at the back of the cake – wrap it around the cake and tie a bow at the front.
Place a silver dragee ball on the top of each swirl and add extra small, edible pearls to the swirls.

Serve your stunning Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake sliced with a cup of tea or coffee and a big smile.

This beautiful Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake, made with love and shared with your Dad, or friends and family for a special celebration is sure to wow and impress them with the delicious flavour combination!

If you have enjoyed the recipe for this Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake here are some others you may enjoy:

CLICK ON THE PHOTOS FOR LINK

Raspberry Vanilla Naked Celebration Cake

Vanilla buttercream covered sponge decorated with deep pink, fresh roses. — Raspberry Vanilla Naked Celebration Cake

Chocolate Amaretto Cake

Raspberry Lemon Celebration Layer Cake

This Fluted Chocolate Lemon Marble Cake is beautifully rich, decadent, full of flavour and so easy to make. So I hope that you enjoy the calming practise of baking and then decorating a cake. While I was not having the best of days yesterday yet, sitting decorating this cake, I became totally immersed in what I was doing. As a result, I felt a lot better and had accomplished something that I hadn’t done before. So I thoroughly recommend baking and cake decorating as a very therapeutic, calming practise. And even if you don’t feel any better at the end, your time will have been well spent.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

Although Elizabeth Shaw Chocolates gifted me the flutes to decorate this cake. I did not receive any payment for writing this post. So, all content, recipes, photographs and opinions are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Toffee Cookie Cups

Toffee Cookie Cups easily made from Wright’sBaking new cookie mix. Tasty toffee flavoured cookies, with pieces of real toffee in the dough, shaped into cups for you to add a scoop of your favourite ice cream!

It is a well established fact here on Feasting is Fun that there are two things I am passionate about. Sharing is integral to who I am as a person and I genuinely believe that food really does taste better when shared. Also I love cookies. Not just – oh ok I’ll bake a batch – I really love cookies. I start almost everyday with a cup of tea and a cookie or two, so when Wright’s sent me their new Toffee Cookie Mix, well I was ridiculously excited!

After a little discussion with Deb-the-bread, Wright’s very own jewel in their crown, I decided to have a go at making the new cookie mix into cookie cups. Let’s just be clear on something, I had never baked these cookies before. Never having attempted to bake cookie cups before this was a first. Since I had never baked a Wright’s cookie mix before – because I couldn’t, this IS their first cookie mix.

Due to the Toffee Cookie Mix only just having been released, stocks were super low and there wasn’t a spare mix for me to practise with! Ok so we all know I love a challenge. Time to put my trust in Wright’s reputation for making fabulous mixes and my ability to ‘wing it’! I mean I have baked a fair few ~~thousand~~ cookies in my lifetime.

As you can see from the photos, I not only managed to make Toffee Cookie Cups, using Wright’s new Toffee Cookie Mix, they are also the perfect size for one scoop of ice cream. Easy to pick up with your hands and eat. Similar to an ice cream cone, except if the ice cream drips it is caught in the cup shape.

I cannot begin to explain how thrilled I was that I’d made cookie cups. Ridiculously so. More than that though, they taste ooh so good. I filled ours with Chocolate Honeycomb Ice Cream.

However, you could use coffee, caramel, chocolate, banoffee, in fact any flavour that pairs well with toffee would work well in these gorgeous cookie cups.

Enough waffling you want to know how they’re made and I’m desperate to share how I made them with you!

Recipe: Makes 10 Toffee Cookie Cups

1 Packet of Wright’s Baking new Toffee Cookie Mix – Note if you cannot get hold of the mix use my Caramac Caramel Cookies recipe.

Vegetable Oil or Butter – I used butter & would recommend it for making the cookies into cups, simply because it firms up on coolinf, helping to give the cups rigidity,

Cake release spray, oil or butter for greasing the bun tin.

Method: Preheat the oven to the temperature recommended on the packet.

To make these Toffee Cookie Cups you will need a regular 12 hole fairy cake – NOT MUFFIN – tin.

Make up the Toffee Cookie Mix according to the packet instructions – I actually melted the butter.
Stir to combine the cookie mixture.

Grease all of your fairy cake tin, not just the holes – I used cake release spray as I wanted to be sure these wouldn’t stick, I would advise brushing the whole tin lightly with vegetable oil.
Divide the cookie dough into 10 equal-ish sized balls.

Place a cookie dough ball into one of the fairy tin holes. Gently with your fingers press it into the hole and sides so that it is equal thickness all the way around. Ensure that you press the dough into the bottom of the tin so that it has a definite base.
Continue for the remaining cookie dough balls.
When all the cookie cups have been moulded place the tin in the middle of the oven and bake for 12-14 minutes. Mine took 14 minutes.
The Cookie Cups will puff up whist cooking DON’T PANIC!!
When golden brown and baked remove the tin from the oven.

Place the tin on a cooling rack and allow the cookie cups to cool in the tin as the cookies/cookie cups harden on cooling.
As the cookie cups cool slightly, very gently press the slightly puffed up base down.
Once the cookie cups are cooled remove them from the pan – mine came away easily, if yours are proving stubborn use a small palette knife to run between the top of the cookie cup and where it lays flat on the tin, this should loosen them.

Congratulations you have made 10 fantastic Toffee Cookie Cups!

To serve, add a scoop of your favourite ice cream, share and enjoy.

Such an easy yet fantastic way to enjoy Wright’s new Toffee Cookie Mix. I have a couple more ideas but I will have to wait for more stock.

The Toffee Cookie Cups keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Toffee Cookie Cups you may also like these:

Chocolate Honeycomb Ice Cream

Very Vanilla Ice Cream

Chocolate Orange Ice Cream

These Toffee Cookie Cups are a fun and delicious way to eat ice cream anytime of the year, but especially when it’s hot and we all need a little cooling down.

Whatever you are making and baking in your kitchens I hope you are having fun and remember to stash a couple of packets of Wright’s Toffee Cookie Mix in the cupboard. They take under 20 minutes to make and bake and are perfect for unexpected guests, or for when the urge for great cookies hits!

Sammie xx

Wright’s Baking sent me a packet of their new Toffee Cookie Mix to try. I was not paid, or even asked to write this post. All opinions, views, content and photographs are my own. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Red Onion Sausage Plait

This week happens to be National Picnic Week and as you’ve probably realised by now, I’m a big fan of outdoor eating. So, my Red Onion Sausage Plait is not only perfect for picnics, it’s also delicious served for dinner too! Great quality sausage meat mixed with red onion marmalade, encased in golden, all butter puff pastry. Utterly delicious.

Using Condiments As Ingredients

The lovely people at Hawkshead Relish sent me some savoury relishes and marmalade to try out. I am a huge chutney fan, everything from jellies, to chutneys, relishes and marmalades. However, with this review, I wanted to use them as ingredients and see just how well they worked being in a dish. While also serving alongside as accompaniments.

I made this Red Onion Sausage Plait twice, as unfortunately I wasn’t able to get good pictures the first time round. Although, nobody in our house complained that I had to make this again. Since we all enjoyed the flavour and added texture from the red onion marmalade that contains raisins and crunchy pine kernels.

So, I set about making another Red Onion Sausage Plait, with great enthusiasm. Because, I love, I mean absolutely, completely, adore this Red Onion Marmalade and I knew this would use the last of it. Still I cheered myself with the fact that it makes such a knockout recipe and that I’d be eating it for dinner!

Not Only For Picnics!

Warmed and served with a huge pile of salad and some potato wedges that I had in the freezer, this Red Onion Sausage Plait really does make a tasty, weekday meal. Also, it’s easily made ahead, left uncooked, wrapped in cling film and kept in the fridge until dinner time. Since it only takes 40 minutes to cook, which is why, seeing as the oven was already on I whacked in some potato wedges from the freezer.

The caramelised onion flavour works so well with the meaty pork sausage. This is definitely a firm, family favourite now and is made frequently. I always look forward to eating this Red Onion Sausage Plait, whether on picnics and for dinner many times in future.

Recipe: Makes one Red Onion Sausage Plait serves 4 – 6 people

450g/1lb Good Quality Pork Sausagemeat – free range or organic for preference

3 heaped tablespoons of Red Onion Marmalade from Hawkshead Relish

320g Ready Rolled All Butter Pastry Sheet – I used JusRoll

1 Medium Free Range Egg

Pinch of Sea Salt – I use Maldon

Making The Sausage Plait

Preheat the oven to 220C/200C fan, gas mark 7, 425F.

First of all, line a large baking tray with baking parchment.
Place the sausage meat in a bowl with the red onion marmalade.

Using clean hands smoosh the mixture together, through your fingers, until it is fully combined (a tack I particularly enjoy)! Set to one side and wash your hands.
On a clean work top unwrap the pastry sheet.
Place the sausage meat mixture down one side of the pastry, rather like a huge sausage roll, leaving a gap at each end and the side of at least 2.5cm.

F Red Onion Sausage Plait. — The right side of the pastry will fold over the sausage meat.

Crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk with a fork until well mixed. This is known as an egg wash.
Dip a pastry brushing into the egg wash and brush all of the visible pastry (not the sausage meat) with egg wash.
Bring the right side of the pastry over the sausage meat so that both side edges are together.
Crimp with a fork or twist all the pastry layers together, where they overlap to seal them.
Transfer the Red Onion Sausage Plait to the baking tray. Mine fits only when placed at an angle!
Brush over the entire outside of the sausage plait with egg wash. Finally sprinkle with a little sea salt.

Using a sharp knife cut light diagonal slits through the pastry. This allows steam to escape and enhances the look of the finished bake.

Baking The Sausage Plait

If not baking straight away, wrap the entire tray and sausage plait in cling film and store in the fridge. For best results, bake within 24 hours.
When baking immediately, place the baking tray in the middle of a hot, preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. The sausage plait should be a deep golden colour and any juices must run clear. If there is any doubt slice a portion of the plait off of the end and check. There should be absolutely no pinkness to the sausage meat, if there is pop back into the oven for 15 minutes and reduce the heat by 20C.
As soon as Red Onion Sausage Plait is baked, remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly on the tray.

To serve, allow the Red Onion Sausage Plait to cool for at least 15 minutes, longer if possible. Slice into portions and serve with salad, or my Crunchy Homemade Coleslaw, new potatoes, or for ease potato wedges. Serving with my Tangy Lemon Potato Salad also compliments the sausage plait well.

To store and for packing up for a picnic, allow the sausage plait to cool. Cut into slices, I find a serrated knife is best when it’s cold. Pack the slices into an airtight container, or wrap in cling film. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Delighfully savoury and full of texture, slices of this Red Onion Sausage Plait also make a welcome change to packed lunches!

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Red Onion Sausage Plait then here are some others you may also want to try:

Feta Red Onion Marmalade Quiche

Spicy Sausage Rolls

Sausage Plait With A Twist

Using the Red Onion Marmalade as an ingredient, rather than just as a condiment has opened up a whole world full of flavours. I have so many more idea, from pasta dishes to soups, stews and many more.

Do you ever use condiments in your cooking? Let me know in the comments section. I’m always interested to here and learn about new recipes and cooking methods.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

Hawkshead Relish provided me with a sample jar of their red onion marmalade. All views and opinions are my own. All content, recipes and photographs are my own and covered by copyright law of the land. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Chocolate Honeycomb Ice Cream

This delicious Chocolate Honeycomb Ice Cream is increadible. Creamy chocolate ice cream with crumbled chunks and golden dust from Cadbury’s Crunchie Bars.

Chocolate Honeycomb Ice Cream enjoyed in delicious Toffee Cookie Cups.

This chocolate based ice cream is incredibly smooth, punctuated by delicious, toffee flavoured honeycomb pieces of different sizes. Perfect in cones, scooped into bowls or even Cookie Cups (watch out for the upcoming post).

Truthfully I find Crunchie bars just a bit too sweet for my tastebuds, yet in this dreamy ice cream their flavour is dulled, by being frozen and the result is a stronger toffee, less sweet, flavour. Scooped into these Toffee Cookie Cups using Wright’s Baking new mix and the flavours work incredibly well together.

Summer is definitely the season for ice cream. True it can be eaten throughout the year, in fact hot custard and cold ice cream served with a warming dessert is one of my favourite ways to enjoy it, especially in the Winter. There’s something about the hot and cold together that I love. It is not unusual for me to enjoy a cup of tea or coffee with ice cream in a cone!

This Chocolate Honeycomb Ice Cream took less time than usual, approximately 15 minutes, to soften once removed from the freezer.

Homemade ice creams, in general, freeze more firmly than the mass produced version. Without additives to soften them, you may have to wait a few minutes, but I think homemade ice cream is definitely worth the wait. Knowing what goes into our food helps us make healthier choices. I am not for one moment saying that eating a whole tub full of ice cream is good for you, far from it, simply that having made it yourself, you are more likely to be satisfied with a smaller portion.

One scoop of this Chocolate Honeycomb Ice Cream in these Cookie Cups was plenty. The ice cream was savoured – as were the Cookie Cups!

Recipe: Makes 750ml Chocolate Honeycomb Ice Cream

300ml Double Cream

300ml Whole or Semi Skimmed Milk

4 Large Free Range Egg Yolks – the egg whites can be frozen for up to one month – I use zip lock freezer bags

6tbsp Caster Sugar

1tsp Corn Flour

1tsp Vanilla Extract – I used Nielsen-Massey

125g Milk Chocolate – I used Callebaut

4 Cadbury’s Crunchie Bars

Method:

For step by step photographic instructions please see Very Vanilla Ice Cream

Place the cream and milk into a large, heavy bottomed saucepan. Place over a medium heat until bubbles form around the outside rim, before the liquid boils. This is called the scalding point. Remove from the heat.
In a large bowl add the egg yolks, caster sugar, corn flour and vanilla extract.
Whisk until pale and thickened.
With the whisk on low, pour the scalded cream mixture slowly into the whisked eggs. This is called the custard base.
Pour the custard base back into the saucepan and cook over a medium heat until the custard thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
Remove the custard from the heat.
In a clean bowl add the milk chocolate.
Pour the custard base through a sieve on top of the milk chocolate.

Once the custard is in the bowl, remove the sieve and stir the custard so that the melted chocolate incorporates and melts into the custard.

Cover the top of the custard with cling film, so that is is in contact with the liquid. This will stop a skin from forming.
Once cooled slightly chill the custard in the fridge.
Once chilled, set up your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers instructions.
Churn the chocolate ice cream until it is softly frozen.
Crumble up 2 Crunchie bars and place in the bottom of the freezer proof tub to be used for the ice cream.

Scoop the soft chocolate ice cream into the freezer tub.
Break up another 2 Crunchie bars. Add one to the tub and stir to mix, then crumble the second on to the top of the Chocolate Honeycomb Ice Cream.

Pop on an airtight lid and place the ice cream in the freezer to firm up.

Remove the container from the freezer 15 minutes prior to serving.

Ice Creams are a great barbecue dessert, when it’s hot and everyone needs cooling down. I have also be known to serve up ice cream smoothies such as Raspberry and Banana Ice Cream Smoothies, for breakfast, after a sleepover, in the middle of August when the weather is hot and stuffy.

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Chocolate Honeycomb Ice Cream then you may also like these:

Blackberry Chocolate Chunk Ice Cream

Chocolate Orange Ice Cream

Strawberry Ripple Ice Cream

Life for me and us as a family is all about balance. I am unwilling, although I did try for a why, to eat entirely local, organic, free from additives food. I appreciate that for some people, this is not a choice they have. Rather our meat and fish is organic, we are attempting to grow some vegetables this year at home – without the use of pesticides and our meals are generally cooked from scratch.

This is a personal choice and I absolutely do not stand in judgement of others that choose differently. Baking our own bread is a pleasure and after the smell of ‘plastic bread’ I’m not sure I could go back to shop bought. Yet when out and about we will eat at cafes without always thinking of the food’s origins.

Personally I know from experience that my body functions and feels better when it is fuelled with plenty of fruit and veg. On holiday one year when I was younger I craved salad! Travelling across Europe with a vegetarian friend proved extremely difficult to eat regularly, let alone healthily.

Making one small change can have a massive impact. Ours was to eat only additive free, organic if possible, meat and fish. We eat meat, yet we want the animals we consume to live a good, healthy, happy life. Since being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia I have also become increasing aware of how medicated some farm animals can be. So I’m also looking after my health and the health of our family.

A recent report (sorry I’ve lost its origins) suggested that people who cook for themselves tend to not diet and generally have stable weight. I can attest to having had relatively stable weight over the years and I have always cooked dinner, even when I lived on my own. I hope this doesn’t sound preachy? It isn’t meant to.

Feasting is Fun is just that. Making every meal count – a feast and having fun whilst preparing and enjoying your meal/dessert/drink.

Sammie xx

Wilko Gardening Product Review

Welcome to a new section of this blog called GROWING YOUR OWN FEAST IS FUN! Bob, my son and I are planning to grow vegetables, salads, herbs and flowers, mainly in containers, in our garden. So to kick off this new addition to my blog I’d like to invite you to my Wilko Gardening Product Review.

Having carried out a bakeware review before – see Wilko Product Review. I was excited to review a different aspect of Wilko’s, so I agreed to a Wilko Gardening Product Review.

I was asked to choose 3 items from a list sent to me, the set of 3 Bee Hive Plastic Planters immediately caught my attention. With drip trays underneath, all that I needed to do was punch through the drainage holes in the base, which I did easily with a screwdriver.

Next I asked for a transplanter trowel, because honestly, any gardener will tell you that you can never have too many of these. Fortunately for me the garden sign that was my third choice, must have been out of stock as I received 2 transplanters. This was so thrilling as it meant Bob and I could have one each.

I ordered compost and some Dahlia tubers from Wilko. No lugging heavy bags of compost home, for a small fee order on line and have everything delivered!

As you can see from the photograph above, the base of each Bee Hive Plastic Planter was filled with some broken polystyrene. As we have our meat delivered, the polystyrene boxes themselves make useful planters and the lids are great for breaking up. This adds drainage to the base of the container and helps the plants grow better. You can also use broken terracotta pots, however, polystyrene is light and means the pots can be easily moved.

On top of the drainage fill the pots, almost full with compost. I then added some water retaining crystals and slow release plant food granules. These are then mixed throughout the compost in the pot.

By adding water retaining granules, even on really hot days, when the tubs have been watered first thing in the morning, the roots will not dry out. Similarly adding slow release plant food granules ensures that after 6 weeks, when the natural nutrients in the compost have been used up, plant food and nutrients are still slowly being released.

During the long Summer and Autumn growing season, I will not have to worry about feeding the Bee Hive Planters provided for the Wilko Gardening Product Review!

Whilst Bob and I want to grow lots of different salads and vegetables, I still want the garden to look pretty. So I added some Dahlia tubers, that will grow up through the courgette plants to give height to the planters. We will also be sowing and growing companion plants and flowering plants that will attract pollinators.

Making a deep well in the largest planter I spread out the Dalia tubers and planted them so that the dried stem, at the top of the bulbous tubers, was level with the top of the compost. Then I planted two courgette plants either side. The courgettes will spread and hang over the side of the planter. Growing courgettes in containers has many advantages, the courgettes are free from the soil and predators, such a slugs and snails. Although growing French marigolds will attract pollinating bees, it also makes hand pollination possible – something I will address in future posts.

This planter’s compost top will be completely covered within a couple of weeks and a few weeks later we should be harvesting our own, homegrown courgettes. Perfect for kebabs, stir fries, sliced thinly in salads. Courgette flowers are also edible, small and raw, or covered in batter and deep fried. There will be plenty of new and interesting recipes coming from GROWING YOUR OWN FEAST IS FUN.

The second largest Bee Hive Planter was planted with herbs bought with my shopping from the supermarket. Both Coriander and Curly Parsley. I split the shop bought herbs in half and planted the parsley and coriander around the edges. Although a little bedragled, within a couple of days they had settled in and perked up.

Using the transplanter trowel for this Wilko Gardening Product Review made life very easy. Planting the smallest Bee Hive Planter with small, mixed lettuce leaves, the transplanters moved the soil and transplanted the pre-grown mixed lettuces into their holes. Pressing gently with my hands, around the planted lettuce, herbs, marigolds and small courgettes settles and firms them into place.

Finally give the Bee Hive Planters a gentle but thorough soaking.

They have been placed in an area of partial sunlight as all the plants suit this condition. Daily watering and snail and slug patrol are important. Placing Vaseline around the tops of the containers will help deter slugs and snails. Also placing the planters on some wire mesh works as a deterrent.

I am really impressed with the size and decoration of the beehive planters. The transplanters are sturdy and very comfortable to hold. I look forward to seeing our produce and flowers flourish, with regular watering there really shouldn’t be anything else to take care of, except for picking courgettes and cutting herbs and salad leaves as they grow.

Wilko sell a wide range of gardening products. I have a nemesia, that I bought from Wilko many years ago and it still blooms with tiny pink flowers ever year.

I hope this post has given you the basics on how to plant containers and encouraged you to try growing a few of your own herbs and vegetables.

Whilst I am by no means an expert, I have been gardening for as many years as I have cooked and baked. So if you have any relevant questions, please either leave a comment or send me a tweet and I will do my best to help.

Bob and I hope you enjoy GROWING YOUR OWN FEAST IS FUN and the journey we have started together?

Sammie xx

Wilko sent me the Bee Hive Planters and transplanters for the purpose of review. All other items mentioned were purchased by me. I was not paid to write this blog, all content, photographs, views, opinions and advice are my own. I do not take responsibilty for anyone acting on the advice gien in this post. Please see my Disclosure Policy.

Twisted Fruity Jam Tarts

Who loves the idea of eating jam tarts for breakfast? I certainly do. My Twisted Fruity Jam Tarts are a fun way to start the day.

Since being inspired yesterday by a conversation on Twitter and with a spare packet of ready rolled, all butter pastry in the fridge, I challenged myself to come up with a twist on the regular jam tart. Literally! So I set about creating a tart that as well as being easy to pick up and eat, also has the filling covered.

Resulting in these Twisted Fruity Jam Tarts, that taste rather like a Danish pastry. While being easy to make, the golden pastry hides an apricot half and strawberry jam. Follow with a final sprinkling of demerara sugar over the egg washed pastry, a quick bake and the result is a delicious, fruity, flaky pastry delight!

FF Twisted Fruity Jam Tarts — **Twisted Fruity Jam Tarts** so easy to make and easier to eat 😉

Having never tried to bake something like this before, I was unsure how they would turn out. I couldn’t have been more thrilled. Each twist is strong enough to hold the entire tart by, which makes them ideal as picnic and finger food.

Also, the demerara sugar caramelises on the pastry, nudging each twist into a sweeter flavour sensation. Combining apricots with strawberry jam was utter flavour heaven. While the bake softened, tart apricots are offset by the sweet strawberry jam. Most importantly, for the very best flavour, use all butter puff pastry when making these tarts.

Unusual shaped fruit pastry on a plate with a mug of tea to one side. — Twisted Fruity Jam Tarts

Making these Twisted Fruity Jam Tarts was one of those moments in the kitchen when everything goes to plan and turns out better than I could of ever hoped for. And if I can make these, then so can you!

Recipe: Makes 6 Twisted Fruity Jam Tarts

320g Ready Rolled All Butter Puff Pastry – I used Just Rol

6 Apricot halves – I used tinned ones from Waitrose

2-3tbsp Good Quality Strawberry Jam- I used Hartleys Best Strawberry Jam

1-2tbsp Demerara Sugar -I used Billingtons

1 Medium Free Range Egg

Method: Preheat the oven to 210C/190C fan, gas mark 6, 425F.

Assembling The Fruit Tarts

Unroll the puff pastry ensuring that you have a baking tray that fits the size of the pastry. Trim the paper that the pastry has been wrapped up in so that it fits within the tray, as you will be using it to bake the tarts on.
Use a sharp knife to cut the pastry into 6 equal squares.

This photo shows how to cut the squares.

Cut diagonally from each corner towards the centre two thirds of the way. See the photograph above.
Crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk. This is the egg wash.
Brush each of the squares with the egg wash.
Place a scant teaspoon of strawberry jam in the centre of each tart.
Put half an apricot, flat side down, over the top of the jam.

Take the right hand point of the triangle at the front and place it over the apricot. Pressing down to secure the fold.
Next take the left hand point of the opposite triangle and do the same.

Continue for each tart, placing a cocktail stick through the pastry and apricot in the centre to secure it while baking.
Next take the top right hand point of the triangle on the right of the tart and fold it so it is on top of the other point of the triangle.
Work in the opposite direction for the left hand triangle.

Brush the tarts with egg wash again and sprinkle over liberally with demerara sugar.

Baking The Tarts

Place the Twisted Fruity Jam Tarts in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes and bake until they are puffed and golden.
As soon as the tarts are baked remove from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack.

The portion size of these fun and delicious tarts is perfect. And not having to transfer the tarts from a floured board to baking parchment really does make these so easy to whip up. Although I haven’t tried it, I suspect these Twisted Fruity Jam Tarts would also freeze well, for up to one month. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and then refresh by reheating in a moderate oven for 10 minutes.

In future I will definitely make a double batch, as these tart have proved very popular here at home.

Also, I need to make these again soon as I am sure they would be delicious served warm with a scoop of my Very Vanilla Ice Cream

So there you go easy peasy jam tarts, with a twist!

If you have enjoyed this recipe for Twisted Fruity Jam Tarts you may also like these:

Blackberry Nectarine Tart

Spicy Sausage Rolls

Perfect All Butter Shortcrust Pastry

Pastry is such a wonderfully versatile baking medium. I always have a stash of all butter puff pastry in the freezer. Because it is so handy when a quick meal, dessert, or even a decision to go out for the day tomorrow, as the weather looks good picnic!

If you try these Twisted Fruity Jam Tarts please let me know how you get on? I love reading your comments and appreciate you taking time to write them. Also, I love seeing your makes and bakes on Twitter and Instagram. And if you tag me in and I will be sure to give you a shout out and retweet.

So, whatever you are making, baking and creating in your kitchens, have fun preparing and sharing your feast.

Sammie xx

No part of this post may be reproduced or duplicated without the written permission of the owner. Please see my Disclosure Policy.