This stuff disintegrates on the tongue and has the silkiest feel, shortly followed by the strongest kick of citrus I’ve ever experienced. It thickens up pretty quick, and you wont want to browse through your phone whilst you whisk away because you might just be mesmerised by the most beautiful shades of yellow melding together in the pan. Continue reading
Let me just round this off by saying that beetroot and crème eggs go REALLY well together. Admittedly, grated beetroot folded into a brownie and then topped with an overly sweet (and therefore only acceptable at Easter time slash all year) confection is a far cry from perfect – think savoury chunks that, better welcomed in a summer salad. Continue reading
I don’t really eat pies with the filling in mind. For me it’s all about the pastry mixed together with custard and a bit of the fruit juices – that makes the perfect mouthful of pie and any chunks of soggy fruit just get in the way of my pleasurable experience. This winter though, I’ve become unhealthily attached to roasted rhubarb. I’ve been eating it with yogurt for breakfast, using it to make a British Bakewell classic and drinking rhubarb soda to pep me up for the last leg of the bakery shift. I’m even feeling a bit anxious for when this forced Yorkshire rhubarb season draws to a close, other roasted fruit just doesn’t offer the same texture and tartness – even if they are much cheaper. Continue reading
It’s been a little while since I was last here: toward the end of last year I launched NorEats, a directory of the best independent food and drink in Norwich, and so have been busy eating and writing about all the region has to offer. Truly, a hard task.
I’ve not been resting on my laurels, though, having been told in no uncertain terms that I had to bring a birthday cake to my friends’ celebrations. Cue the troublesome jar of dulce de leche.
A jar of dulce de leche in the cupboard that you need to get rid of is a good problem to have, even if the necessity is there because you can’t help dipping a spoon into it with alarming frequency. So instead of going directly jar to mouth, I’ve taken it on a slight detour via two tweaked recipes: one for white chocolate & salted caramel cake and one for After Eight chocolate mint cake. Continue reading
I would say these pancakes require a little more effort than a regular batch but they are definitely worth it, especially if you make the syrup as well. They are much creamier inside and this goes so well with the sweet orange slices cooked on top. When the sugars in the orange caramelise slightly in the pan these pancakes just get even better. I’m completely in love with ricotta pancakes. Continue reading
Ah the make-ahead lunch, how I love thee. I’ve not stayed in the same place for more than 3 weeks at a time since March, which plays havoc with food shopping, so lunches you can prep in bulk and in advance have been instrumental in keeping me away from bacon and cheese paninis. It’s mostly worked. And when it hasn’t, well, I can comfort myself with the fact I’ve learnt to do pretty decent eyeliner flicks on a moving train and now know platform 4 of Lancaster station like the back of my hand.
The second important thing? Those lunches being made up of things that you can keep in a cupboard until you need them and won’t spoil.
Enter Moroccan-inspired cous cous. I actually tried this for the first time when I spotted a reduced portion in M&S and decided to recreate it at home. Slim risk of the ingredients spoiling, easy to make in bulk, and interesting enough in flavour that you won’t get bored after the first day. Job’s a good’un.
I’ve never got my head around some of the world “celebration” days – Black History Month? Yes! International Women’s Day? Absolutely! Don’t Step On A Bee Day? Ice Cream Month? Um, what?
Tell you what though – one of those is a worthy cause and the other is a pretty good excuse. Continue reading
I think there are two categories of brownie, dessert and snack. Dessert brownies are messy and probably need to be eaten with ice cream and a spoon. Snack brownies are the ones you can wrap in foil and sneak into your handbag for emergency brownie situations – these situations arise almost daily for me. I place myself more on the dessert end of the spectrum, I find a dry, cakey brownie just about the most disappointing thing that could happen to me in a world of baked goods. Continue reading
My fridge has been full of various attempts at panna cotta for days. Shelves full of tea cups and ramekins and every mini container that might hold a panna cotta. I never expected my first attempt to go well, it set but it was rubbery and far too boozy, the alcohol seemed to double overnight. It’s all about balance with these flavours, one attempt had too much prosecco, one had too much mint, I finally cracked it and I think these are perfect for a festive dinner party. They are smooth and creamy but also really light and a lovely way to end a meal.
I’m a big prosecco fan, I insisted with order extra for the wedding because I love it so, and I know some of my bridesmaids do too. We had a few bottles as gifts so Nick and I had a few fizz filled evenings in front of the TV with a takeaway. We also went through a couple of glasses leftover from the bottles used for this recipe. I have a soft spot for bubbles in my wine glass.
Prosecco and Mint Panna Cotta
(recipe adapted from The Kitchn)