Filo Cigars with Feta and Herbs

These classic cigar shaped Turkish pastries are popular snack and meze food, good as nibbles with drinks. In this version they are filled with cheese and herbs, but other popular fillings include baked brinjal (aubergine) and cheese, or mashed pumpkin, cheese and dill. The filo pastry can be folded into triangles, but cigars are the most traditional shape. They can be prepared in advance and kept under damp dish towels in the fridge until ready to be fried.

Ingredients:

250g feta

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 small bunch of fresh parsley,

1 small bunch of fresh, finely chopped mint

1 small bunch of fresh, finely chopped dill

4-5 sheets filo pastry

Sunflower oil for deep frying

Method:

In a bowl, mash the feta with a fork. Beat in the egg and fold in the herbs. Working with one sheet at a time, cut the filo into strips about 10-13 cm wide (4-5 inches) and pile the strips on top of each other. Keep the strips covered with a damp dish towel.

Place a heaped teaspoon of the cheese filling along one of the short ends of the strip. Roll the end over the filling quite tightly quite tightly to keep the cheese filling in place, then tuck in the sides to seal in the filling. Continue to roll until you reach the other end. Brush the tip with water to help seal the roll.

Place the filled cigar, join side down, on a plate and cover with a damp dish towel to keep it moist. Continue with the remaining sheets of filo and filling.

Heat enough oil for frying in a wok or other deep sided pan, and deep-fry the cigars in batches for 5-6 minutes until crisp and golden. Lift out of the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on absorbent kitchen paper.

Serve immediately.

Buñuelos or Spanish Cheese Puffs

The name of these cheese puffs literally means “puffballs”. 

In Spain, they are usually deep-fried, 

but baking is easier when you are entertaining, 

and it gives wonderful results. 

The dough is made in the same way as French choux pastry, 

and the Buñuelos should be eaten within a few hours of baking.

Manchego, a semi-hard Spanish cheese made 

with sheep’s milk is the cheese of choice for making Buñuelos. 

It has a firm creamy texture and a nutty, piquant flavour that is very distinctive. 

However, if it is not available you can use Gruyere or Cheddar cheese.

Ingredients:

50g butter diced

1.25ml salt

250ml water

250ml plain flour

2 whole eggs, plus 1 egg yolk

2.5ml Dijon mustard

2.5ml cayenne pepper

50g finely grated Manchego, Gruyere or Cheddar cheese

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220˚C.

Place the butter and salt in a pan and add the water. Bring the liquid to the boil. Meanwhile, sift the flour onto a sheet of baking paper. Working quickly, pour the flour into the pan of boiling liquid in one go and stir it in immediately.

Beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon until it forms a thick paste that binds together and leavrs the sides of the pan clean. Remove the pan from the heat.

Gradually beat the eggs and egg yolk into the mixture. Add the mustard, cayenne pepper and cheese.

Place teaspoonfuls of mixture on a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 180 ˚C and bake for a further 15 minutes until well browned.

Serve hot or cold.

Koeksisters

Koeksisters are of Cape Dutch - or Afrikaans - and Cape Malay origin. It is debatable which came up with this delectable form of doughnuts first. The version I have for you is the Afrikaner version, as taught to me by my mother and her mother, my Ouma, which is much more syrupy and crisp than the Malay version of these doughnuts. The dough may include yeast or baking powder as the rising agent and is spiced with powdered cinnamon, cardamom and ginger. It is deep fried, then placed in hot syrup. My sister and I often made these for cake sales at our high school when we were teenagers, an activity in which we were not alone. A monument of a koeksister in the Afrikaner enclave of Oriana, in the Northern Cape, South Afrika, celebrates a folk tradition of baking them for fundraisers for churches and schools.

Ingredients:

For the Pastry:
240g cake flour
20ml baking powder
2.5ml salt

2ml ground cinnamon

2ml ground cardamom

2ml ground ginger
30ml butter
125ml milk

vegetable oil for frying

For the syrup:
1 kg sugar
500ml water
1.25ml cream of tartar
5ml vanilla essence or extract

Method:

For the syrup:
Place all the syrup ingredients into a saucepan and bring to the boil, while stirring constantly.
Reduce to a moderate simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, and place in a metal bowl if you have one.

Place the bowl in a bigger container (or kitchen sink) filled with ice water -- you want to get your syrup really cold. You can place it in the freezer too (in a Ziploc bag) when cool enough.
Leave to chill while making your dough.

For the Pastry:
In a bowl, sift the dry ingredients together and rub in the butter. Add the milk and mix into a soft dough; knead thoroughly, then leave to stand for about 15 minutes.

If the dough is too crumbly, add a dash more milk - if it's too wet, sprinkle with a little more flour.

Roll out to a thickness of about 5mm and cut into strips 1.5cm wide and about 7cm long. Divide the 1.5cm into strips 5mm wide, but keeping them joined at the top.

Create plaits with the three strips, making sure that you press the strips together firmly at both ends -- this is very important because if you don't, the koeksuster will fall apart in the oil. I know the plaits might seem very small now, but they expand when they fry and then absorb all the syrup. Don't be tempted to make them bigger!

Deep fry the koeksusters in hot oil until golden brown -- don't be afraid to get them a rich, golden brown.

Drain quickly and immediately dip into the ice-cold syrup. I leave mine in the syrup for maximum saturation, and only remove them just before I’m going to serve.

Yum!

Chicken, Mushroom and Leek Puff Pie

Chicken, Mushroom and Leek Puff Pie

Ingredients:

2 large skinless chicken breasts, chopped into large pieces

25g butter cut into cubes

2 leeks, washed and finely sliced

30ml fresh thyme leaves

225g mushrooms, sliced

1 garlic clove, crushed

200g cream cheese

275g ready-rolled puff pastry

1 egg, beaten with a pinch of salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 220˚C.

Heat half of the butter in a large frying pan until melted. Add the chicken, leeks and thyme and fry for 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Melt the remaining butter and add the mushrooms and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the leeks and chicken and season well. Cover and allow to cool. Add the cream cheese and mix well.

Spoon the filling into a large pie dish with a lip.

On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry to a thickness of about 5mm. cut a long strip of pastry and fix to the pie dish edge with a little beaten egg. Brush rim with the beaten egg and lift the pie lid on top. Press the edges together. Chill in the fridge for 15 minutes.

Brush the pastry top with beaten egg and place in the oven for 25 minutes or until the pastry has risen and is golden brown.

Mild Curry Puffs

These delicious curry puffs can be made with 

shop-bought puff pastry, 

as long as you use all-butter pastry. 

If you prefer to make your own pastry, 

then use flaky pastry or puff pastry. 

Ingredients:
500g ready-made puff pastry

Filling:
150g beef or lamb mince
80ml sweetcorn
1 red chilli
1 cm root ginger, grated
2 cloves of garlic, grated
10ml mild curry powder
a handful of coriander leaves, chopped
2-3 curry leaves, shredded
1 small onion, chopped fine
2.5ml salt
1 egg, beaten for egg wash
10ml sunflower oil

Method:

Add the oil to a frying pan and sauté the onions, garlic and ginger until soft, but not coloured. I add the salt at this stage, which helps them to soften by drawing out their liquid into the pan. This also prevents them caramelising. 

Add the curry powder and mix through the onions. Now add the beef or lamb mince and stir until browned.

Add the sweetcorn and combine with the mince mixture.

Take off the heat and allow to cool for 20-30 minutes. If the filling is too hot when put into the pastry, the pastry melts, stretches and breaks. When the filling has cooled completely, add the coriander and mix through.

Preheat the oven to 220C.

Roll out your pastry to 3-4mm thick. Cut the pastry into 7-8cm squares.

Place a tablespoon of filling in the middle of each square, being careful not to allow the filling to spill over the edges. Brush the edges with beaten egg. Fold the pastry over to form a triangle and seal along the edges with a fork. Use a sharp knife to make a tiny cross on the top of each puff to allow the steam to vent while cooking before you egg wash the top of each pastry. 

Place the pastries on a baking tray and put in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool enough to take them off the tray. Place the pies on a cooling rack and serve them warm. They are nice warm than piping hot, then you get to taste them, and they are delicious.

Enjoy!

Pastry Appetizers with Ham and Gruyère Cheese

Ingredients:

4-5 Puff pastry sheets from the supermarket
150 grams gruyère cheese cut in slithers
150 grams shoulder ham cut in pieces1 egg lightly beaten 
Pinch of sea salt

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190 C.

Roll out the pastry sheets and cut each sheet in two.

Load the ham and cheese on the sheets in a line down the middle. Moisten one side with beaten egg. Roll up the pastry fairly tight and cut each roll into three pieces. Transfer these pieces to a baking tray lined with baking paper. Repeat this with the rest of the pastry sheets until all the rolls are loaded on the baking tray.

Brush the top of each roll with beaten egg and sprinkle with a little sea salt.

Place the baking tray with the pastry rolls in the middle of the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, until golden and brown.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool. 

Enjoy!

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

Here in South Africa we have pumpkin all year round. If you go out into the country areas in winter even you will see pumpkins holding down the roofs of the African farmers dwellings.... Although pumpkin is usually eaten as a vegetable here, I'm always game to try something new and this delicious pie satisfies my sweet tooth.

Butter Pastry:
1 cup very cold butter cut in small cubes
2 ½ cups flour
2 tbsp brown sugar
½ tsp salt
1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water (Only enough to make a dough form.)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Using a food processor or a pastry blender cut cold butter into flour, brown sugar and salt until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Small pieces of butter should still be visible. Pour vanilla into cold water then pour over the mixture and work in by tossing with a fork until dough begins to form. Use your hands as little as possible and work the dough as little as possible.

Divide dough into 2 balls, flatten into 2 rounds, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes.You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out.

Roll the dough into a 12 inch round and place in the bottom of a deep 10 inch pie plate. Push the dough into the corners and ensure that it is not stretched at all or it will shrink from the edge. Trim dough to edge of plate. Use the other round to cut out leaf shapes for the edge of the pie. Score a leaf vein pattern in the leaf shapes. Brush the edge of the crust with a little egg wash made from whisking together 1 egg with a couple of tablespoons of water. Place the leaves along the edge and brush the tops with egg wash as well. Chill the prepared pastry shell until ready to use.

Filling:

Dice about 4 cups of peeled raw pumpkin and roast on a parchment lined cookie sheet for about 40 minutes or until the pieces are lightly browned and fork tender. Cool completely and purée in a food processor until very smooth.

Whisk together until well blended:

2 cups roasted pumpkin purée
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/3 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 large eggs
pinch salt
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
pinch ground cloves

Pour filling into the prepared shell

Bake at 190 C for about 15 minutes before reducing the heat to 180 C and baking for about 25 to 30 minutes until the centre still jiggles a little but is set.

Cool completely before serving. Use extra baked leaf shapes to garnish if desired.

Cheesy Braai Pie

Ingredients:
2 rolls of puff pastry, defrosted
15ml vegetable oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 Italian sweet red pepper, finely chopped
400g chicken fillet, cut into thin strips (as for stir fry)
250g streaky bacon chopped into bits
1 packet Thick White Onion Soup
1 bunch of Swiss chard (or spinach), washed, removed from the thick stems and roughly chopped
50g button mushrooms, sliced (optional... before using please check that there isn't anyone who is allergic to mushrooms)
200g Mozzarella or Cheddar cheese, grated
1 round of Feta cheese (about 50-60g), crumbled
1 egg, lightly whisked

Method:
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion and red pepper over a medium heat until they are soft. Add the chicken strips and brown them before adding the bacon. Fry until the bacon is cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Prepare a cool braai with an elevated grid.

Brush the braai grid with a wire brush to remove any charred deposits, then brush the grid with vegetable oil.

Unroll a roll of pastry onto a pastry board. Place a layer of spinach over the pastry and top with the prepared chicken mixture. Sprinkle the White Onion Soup powder over this. Add a layer of mushrooms, if using. Top everything with grated cheese and finish the layering with spinach. Place the second roll of pastry on top. Seal the edges of the pastry as if making a pie. Lightly brush with egg wash. With a small sharp knife, make a few slits in the top pastry to allow steam to escape.

 Slide the pie onto the braai grid and allow to cook for about 20 minutes, turning the pie over half way through the cooking so that both sides are cooked through.

Cooks Note

If you only have a small braai, this pie could be made in small individual portions by cutting the pastry sheet into 4-8 rectangles, thus making smaller pies that can be put around the outside of the braai to cook while you are doing braaied vegetables or braai roasties.

Blueberry Bakewell Tarts

These delightful little tarts are a treat with a cup of tea or coffee, or even for a dessert after a delicious meal.

Ingredients:
For the blueberry jam:
125g fresh or frozen blueberries
15ml caster sugar
A squeeze of lemon juice

For the pastry:
200g plain flour
100g butter, chilled and cubed
40g icing sugar, sifted
1 large egg, beaten

For the frangipane:
55g butter, softened
55g caster sugar
1 large egg, beaten
40g ground almonds
15g plain flour

To decorate:
50g icing sugar, sifted
Fresh blueberries

Method:
Preheat the oven to 170C.

In a small saucepan, combine the ingredients for the jam and heat gently until the berries start to burst. Cook for a few minutes until the mixture is very thick and has lost its watery appearance. Press through a sieve to remove the skins. Allow to cool completely.

To make the pastry, sift the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar. Using a palette knife cut in the egg, press the dough all together to form a ball, wrap in cling film and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out the pastry between a sheet of greaseproof paper and the cling film to 3mm thickness. Use a 5cm round cutter to cut out 12 discs. Use the rounds to line the base of a greased 12-hole, non-stick muffin tray. Cut 12 strips 1cm wide and 20cm long from the remaining pastry. Use these to line the sides of the muffin tray, carefully pressing the pastry together at the seams to seal. Chill for 15 minutes.

Place the ingredients for the frangipane in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and thoroughly combined. Prick the bases of the pastry cases with a fork. Divide the cooled jam among them, placing half a teaspoon in each. Top with the frangipane.

Bake for 25 minutes, or until the frangipane is risen and golden. Cool in the tray for a few minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Mix in the icing sugar with a little water to form a runny paste and use to decorate the tarts. Top with blueberries.

Beef and Onion Suet Pudding

This slow-cooked pie with a suet pastry crust is comfort food heaven. Suet pastry is an old family favourite and the first pastry I learned to make. It’s as easy as pie! This pastry is typically English and can be used for savoury and sweet dishes; for the latter you might want to add about 60-100g caster sugar to use for puddings.

Ingredients:
For the filling:
750g stewing beef , diced
50ml plain flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
60ml olive oil
150g whole baby onions, peeled
1 onion, sliced
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
150ml beer
300ml beef stock

For the suet pastry:
500g self-raising flour
250g beef suet
325ml water
Pinch salt

For the cabbage:
50g butter
1 conical cabbage, core removed, shredded
50ml chopped fresh flatleaf parsley

Method:
For the filling, preheat the oven to 150C.

Mix the beef, flour and seasoning together in a bowl.

Heat some of the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole until hot. Shake the excess flour from the beef and fry, in batches, for 4-5 minutes, or until browned all over. Remove the beef and set aside.

Add the remaining olive oil and onions to the pan and fry for 3-5 minutes, or until softened and just coloured.

Return the beef to the casserole and add the garlic and beer. Continue to cook until the volume of the liquid has reduced by half then add the beef stock and bring to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 2 hours.

Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside to cool completely.

For the suet pastry, mix the self-raising flour, suet, water and salt in a bowl to form a soft dough. Do not overwork the pastry.

Roll out three-quarters of the pastry to a 1cm/½in thickness and use it to line a 1.2 litre pudding basin. Fill with the cold cooked beef filling and moisten the pastry around the rim of the basin with water.

Roll the remaining dough to a 1cm thickness and place over the top of the basin. Pinch the edges firmly together and trim off any excess.

Cover with a double layer of greaseproof paper and a single sheet of aluminium foil. Tie around the top edge with string.

Steam the pudding for 1½ hours in a steamer, or on an upturned plate in a covered saucepan half-filled with water.

For the cabbage, heat a frying pan until hot, add the butter, cabbage and 50ml water and cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just tender. Stir in the parsley, salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Serve the pudding in slices with the cabbage alongside.

Asparagus and Spring Onion Tart

Here's a delectable tart to bake in a celebration of spring. If it is at another time of the year when you can't get fresh asparagus it can be made with canned asparagus spears or salad cut asparagus.

Ingredients:
Shortcrust pastry
1 egg white, lightly beaten to glaze
10 spring onions, trimmed
20g butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season
350g fresh asparagus spears, trimmed and lower ends peeled
2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
250ml double cream
100g medium cheddar, grated

Method:
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a large circle, 2-3mm thick. Line a tart tin (23-24cm round, 2-3cm deep, removable base), leaving a little excess overhanging the rim. Chill in the fridge for 30-40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C. Line the tart case with baking paper and baking beans and blind bake for 15-20 minutes. Remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5 minutes. Leave to cool slightly, then trim off the excess pastry around the rim. Brush the inside of the pastry case to glaze. Leave to cool while you prepare the filling. Reduce the oven setting to 180C.

Slice the spring onions on the diagonal. Melt the butter in a pan and add the spring onions with a little seasoning. Fry over a medium heat until soft but not browned. Remove and allow to cool slightly.

Add the asparagus spears to a pan of boiling salted water and blanch for 2-3 minutes. Drain under cold running water and drain well. Halve the asparagus spears lenghtways.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and cream together in a bowl. Add three quarters of the cheese and season well with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle half the remaining cheese over the pastry base, then sprinkle over a layer of spring onions. Arrange the asparagus spears on top and carefully pour in the cream mixture over the top until it reaches just below the rim of the pastry. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for 35-45 minutes until the filling is set and golden. Leave to cool in the tin before unmoulding.
Serve war or at room temperature.

Shortcrust Pastry

This pastry can be used for both sweet and savoury pies and flans.

Ingredients:
200g plain flour
2ml fine sea salt
100g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
50-60ml ice-cold water

Method:
Put the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and whiz for 10 seconds, or until the mixture resembles course bread crumbs. Tip into a bowl. Add about 40-50 ml of ice-cold water and mix with a knife until the dough just comes together. If it seems too dry, add a little more water, but don't allow it to become too wet.
Lightly knead the dough into a smooth ball,wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

Melktert

Melktert is a South African speciality dessert originating from the Dutch settlers. Although there are many different variations of this delicious tart, which in English would be Milk Tart or Custard Pie, this is the recipe that has come down to me through my family.

As the Afrikaans normally host large family gatherings where this dessert is served, my recipe is for two tarts which are best made the day before they are to be served.

Ingredients:
For the Pastry:
125ml caster sugar
125g butter
500ml flour
1 egg
2ml salt
10ml baking powder


For the Filling:
1 litre milk
50ml butter
30ml flour
10ml ground almonds
3 eggs
200ml sugar
40ml cornflour
5ml almond essence
2ml grated nutmeg
ground cinnamon for dusting


Method:

For the Pastry:

Preheat the oven to 180C.

Cream the butter and the sugar until light and creamy. Add the egg, flour, salt and baking powder and mix to form a dough. Press the dough into two pie plates and bake blind for 10-15 minutes until light brown. allow to cool thoroughly before adding the filling.


For the Filling:

Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour. Blend to a paste then, over a low heat, add half the milk, a little at a time, to make a white sauce. Blend the ground almonds into the sauce.

Slake the cornflour with a little of the remaining milk.

Add the eggs, sugar, slaked cornflour, almond essence and nutmeg to the rest of the milk and whisk thoroughly.

With the pan off the heat, add the milk and egg mixture to the white sauce, whisking well to blend. Transfer the custard mixture to the top of a double boiler and warm, whisking constantly until the mixture thickens.

Pour the custard into the prepared pie shells and sprinkle with cinnamon. Allow to cool and then put in the fridge to set completely. Yes, you have read this right - there is no nead to bake this tart once you add the filling - it's ready to serve once it is set.

Crab and Saffron Tarts

Crab, which comes into season in April and lasts through the summer until the end of October, is one of the most versatile of seafoods. It can be used in salads, sandwiches, fish pies, pasta dishes, crab cakes and tarts. It requires very little enhancement to create delicious dishes with these delicious crustaceans, which have been caught and eaten for as long as can be remembered. Crab meat is a good source of many minerals, including selenium has anti-cancer potential and helps resist viral and bacterial infections. It also has useful amounts of B vitamins, iron and zinc.

This is a quick and easy tart that's great for a lunch or a starter when entertaining.

Ingredients:

1 x 375g pack ready-rolled shortcrust pastry

a pinch of saffron

2 egg, beaten

125g mascarpone

small handful of parsley, chopped, plus a few leaves to garnish

300-350g crab meat, or 2 x 170g tins white crab meat, drained

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

cherry tomatoes, halved to garnish

Method:

Line 6 x 10cm tart cases with shortcrust pastry. Prick the bases lightly with a fork and trim the edges. Place the lined cases in the fridge and chill for 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 190C.

Cover the tart cases with baking paper and fill the centres with baking beans. Blind bake for ten minutes, then remove the paper and beans. Cook for a further 10 minutes until golden.

Soak the saffron in 15ml just boiled water and set aside for 5 minutes.

Mix together the eggs, mascarpone, soaked saffron and saffron water. Add the chopped parsley to this mixture. Fold in the crab meat and season well.

Divide the mixture between the pastry cases and bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden. Allow to cool slightly and serve warm or at room temperature, topped with halved cherry tomatoes and a sprinkling of parsley leaves.

Manchester Tart

The Manchester tart is a traditional English baked tart, which consists of a shortcrust pastry shell, spread with raspberry jam, covered with a custard filling and topped with flakes of coconut. The original Manchester Tart is a simple modern version of an earlier recipe, the Manchester Pudding, which was first recorded by the Victorian cookery writer, Mrs Beeton.

Ingredients:

butter, for greasing
500g ready-made shortcrust pastry
Plain flour, for dusting
200g raspberry jam
15ml desiccated coconut
300g fresh raspberries
500ml full-fat milk
1 vanilla pod, split, seeds scraped out with a knife
5 egg yolks
125g caster sugar
30ml cornflour
10ml icing sugar, for dusting
400ml double cream, whipped until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed
50ml desiccated coconut, toasted in a dry frying pan until golden-brown, to serve

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease a 10in tart pan with butter.

Roll out the shortcrust pastry onto a lightly floured work surface to a ¼in thickness. Line the prepared tart pan with the pastry. Prick the pastry several times with a fork, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.

When the pastry case has rested, place a sheet of baking parchment into it and half-fill with baking beans. Transfer the pastry case to the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.

Remove the baking parchment and baking beans and return the pastry case to the oven for a further 4-5 minutes, or until pale golden-brown.

Spread the raspberry jam onto the pastry base in an even layer. Sprinkle over the three tablespoons of non-toasted desiccated coconut and half of the fresh raspberries. Set the pastry base aside.

Bring the milk, vanilla pod and vanilla seeds to the boil in a pan, then reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 1-2 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod (put it in a jar of sugar to give ‘vanilla sugar’).

In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until well combined.

Pour the hot milk and vanilla mixture over the egg and sugar mixture, whisking continuously, until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

Return the mixture to the pan over a medium heat. Whisk in the cornflour, a tablespoon at a time, until well combined. Heat, stirring continuously until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.

Transfer the custard mixture to a clean bowl and dust with the icing sugar (this prevents a skin from forming on the surface of the custard). Set aside to cool, then chill in the fridge for 30 minutes when cool enough to go in the fridge.

Whisk the whipped double cream into the chilled custard mixture until well combined.

Spoon the custard and cream mixture into the pastry case in an even layer. Sprinkle over the remaining fresh raspberries.

To serve, sprinkle over the three tablespoons of toasted desiccated coconut and serve immediately.

Banbury Cakes

A story behind the origin of the Banbury Cake says that in the 13th century returning Crusaders from the Holy Land had encountered a cake which was a mixture of fruit and spice encased within a pastry envelope. Liking this product so much, on their return to Banbury they shared the idea and the development of the Banbury Cake evolved. As a market town, Banbury had much passing trade. On market days, Banbury Cakes were made and sold in vast amounts and carried to distant parts of England, spreading awareness of this product.

Ingredients:

50g unsalted butter, softened

15ml lavender honey

2ml freshly grated mustard

2ml ground cinnamon

50g currants

50g raisins

50g candied orange peel

Plain flour for dusting

500g pack of all-butter puff pastry

1 egg white, beaten

5-10ml course demerara sugar

Method:

Heat the oven to 180C.

Cream the butter and honey together with the spices. Add the currants and the candied peel and mix well.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the pastry to about 2-3mm and cut out 10 x 10cm circles, re-rolling any trimmings. Divide the filling between the circles. Bring up the edges of the pastry to enclose the filling and crimp the edges of the pastry together to look like little purses. Turn the parcels over, with the folds underneath. Roll each parcel out gently to an oval shape, taking care not to expose the filling. Make 3 diagonal cuts across the top of each cake. Place the cakes on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Brush with the egg white and sprinkle with sugar.

Cook for 25-30 minutes until cooked and crispy. Turn the oven down if the tops brown too quickly.

When cooked, transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool a little before eating. When cold, they're excellent spread with a little salted butter.

Leek and Haddock Tart

Leek and haddock go so well together, especially when gussied up as a tart. With a bit of spice and a cream and cheese custard, this makes an interesting change to the common fish pie.

Ingredients:

350 g short crust pastry

225g baby leeks, thinly sliced

25 g butter

2 tsp curry powder

1 bay leaf

1 tsp peppercorns

175 g undyed smoked haddock

175 g cod

small bunch of chives, snipped

3 large eggs, hard-boiled and chopped

For the Custard:

3 eggs

284 ml carton double cream

black pepper

3 tbsp finely grated parmesan

Method:

Set the oven to 180°C.

Roll out the pastry to line a 25 cm tart tin, cover the pastry with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Place on a baking sheet and bake blind for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Blanch the leeks for 5 minutes in a large saucepan of boiling salted water, drain well.

Heat the butter in a frying pan and add leeks, fry over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes. Add curry powder and stir together for a further minute.

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil add the bay leaf, peppercorns, haddock and cod, and then simmer uncovered for 4 minutes until just cooked through. Remove the fish and leave to cool. Break the fish into chunky flakes, discarding any skin and bones.

Lower the oven temperature to 170°C.

Place the leeks in the tart shell, sprinkle over the chives and the flaked haddock and cod. Scatter the chopped boiled eggs evenly over the top.

Make the custard by whizzing the eggs and the cream together in a blender. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Ladle the custard into the tart case and sprinkle over the Parmesan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until just set and lightly browned on top. Remove from the oven, leave to cool slightly, and then serve immediately.

Mackerel and Mustard Tart

This is an enjoyable fish dish to serve for a weekday supper. It’s fairly quick to make and doesn’t take much effort. Get the children or hubby to help and it's made in a jiffy.

Ingredients:

For the pastry

125 g butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing

250 g plain flour, plus extra for dusting

a pinch of salt

1 egg yolk

50ml cold water

For the filling

3 smoked mackerel fillet

3 whole eggs

6 egg yolks

250 ml double cream

1-2 tsp coarse wholegrain mustard

1 bunch watercress, chopped

1 handful grated extra mature cheddar, or other sharp-tasting cheese

To serve

dressed salad leaves, to serve

Method:

For the pastry: put the butter, flour and a pinch of salt in a food processor and blend until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Mix the egg yolk with 50ml cold water, add to the mixer and continue processing until a dough is formed. Wrap it in cling film and chill for at least 1 hour, removing it from the refrigerator 15 minutes before you want to roll it.

Preheat the oven to 170C.

Butter a 25cm spring-form tart tin and sprinkle with a little flour. Lightly dust the dough with flour and roll out to a thickness of 3mm. Carefully lift the dough and lay it over the tart tin, then gently press down into the base. Trim the edges, leaving a rim of pastry above the rim of the tin to allow for shrinkage. Prick the base with a fork, then chill for 30 minutes. Line the pastry with a sheet of greaseproof paper, then fill with dried peas or beans and bake for 12 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C.

For the filling: skin the mackerel fillets, cut them in half lengthways and flake the flesh, removing any bones. Beat together the whole eggs, egg yolks, cream, mustard and some salt and pepper. Scatter the mackerel and watercress over the base of the part-cooked tart shell. Place the pastry case in the oven. Carefully pour in the egg mixture, stopping when the liquid reaches the rim of the case – be careful not to let it overflow. Top with grated cheese then bake for 30-40 minutes, until the filling has set. Remove the tart from the oven. Trim off any excess pastry around the rim then cut into wedges and serve with dressed salad leaves.

Corned Beef and Onion Pie

Corned beef is a type of salt cured beef, which appears in the cuisine of many cultures, including South African, Jewish, Irish, American, Argentinian and British. The origin of corned beef has been lost in history, but most likely came about when people began curing meat through salt curing to make it last over a periods of time. The word 'corn' derives from old English, which is used to describe any small hard particles of grain. In the case of 'corned beef', the word refers to the coarse granular salt used to cure the beef. The canned variety of corned beef is referred to as 'bully beef' in the UK. This comes from the French term, 'boeuf bouilli', or boiled beef.

Ingredients:

For the filling:

15g butter

15ml sunflower oil

1 large onion, sliced or chopped

2 celery sticks, trimmed, peeled to remove stringy bits, sliced

2 medium carrots, cut into 1cm/½in dice

300g potatoes, preferably Maris Pipers, peeled and cut into 1cm dice

30ml tomato ketchup

1 x 340g can corned beef

freshly ground black pepper

For the pastry:

300g plain flour, plus extra for rolling

good pinch sea salt

175g cold butter, cubed

1 free-range egg

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190C.

For the filling, melt the butter with the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the onion, celery, carrots and potatoes. Cook over a low heat for about 15 minutes until the vegetables are softened and beginning to colour, stirring regularly. The carrots should retain a little bite.

Add the ketchup and stir into the vegetables for a few seconds before adding the corned beef. Break the beef into chunky pieces with a wooden spoon and mix with the vegetables.

Season with pepper – you shouldn’t need salt as the corned beef is fairly salty – and remove from the heat. Leave to cool for about 20 minutes.

To make the pastry, put the flour, salt and butter in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Lightly whisk the egg with a tablespoon of cold water in a small bowl. Slowly pour all but one tablespoon of the egg mixture into the food processor with the motor running and blend until the mixture begins to form a ball.

Turn the pastry out onto a well-floured work surface and bring it together into a ball. Take about a third of the pastry, roll it out and use it to line a 8-9in pie plate. Leave any excess pastry overhanging the edge. Brush the pastry edge lightly with the reserved egg.

Spoon the filling into the pastry base and spread it out evenly. Flour the surface once more and roll out the remaining pastry. Lift the rolled pastry over the rolling pin and place gently over the filling. Press the edges firmly together then trim neatly. Seal the edge with a fork.

Brush the top of the pastry with the remaining beaten egg, cut a cross in the centre of the pie and place onto a baking tray. Bake for about 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden-brown and the filling is piping hot.

Easy Flaky Pastry

Ingredients:

500ml flour

5ml baking powder

5m salt

225g butter

+/- 60-65ml ice cold water

Method:

Grate the butter and put it in the freezer for 30-60 minutes to ensure that it is very hard before using. Put the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl and blend with a spatula. Add the frozen grated butter and rub to a rough crumb. Add enough chilled water to mix to a stiff dough. Cover with cling film and store in the fridge until required.