Cherry Clafoutis

Nothing Cornish, or even English about this, but I just love Clafoutis. It is my current favourite easy dessert. Just a plain batter and it is made and ready in just over hour. It is traditional [in France of course] to use fresh cherries, although I think tinned black are easier. I have also used blackberries, raspberries etc. It can be eaten warm or cold [not hot] and is even good the next day. Please use whole milk [I like gold top] for the lovely milky flavour and if you keep a jar or tin of black cherries in the cupboard you always have an easy dessert to hand. I have tried many recipes for the perfect clafoutis and I can assure you this is the business!

You will need a shallow ish non stick fry pan, with a detachable handle or one with a metal handle that you can place in the oven. about 10 or 11 inches across. Pre heat your fan oven to 180C

2 large eggs separated

3 oz caster sugar

1 teaspoonful vanilla extract

4 oz plain flour

7 fl oz whole milk

grated zest of a lemon

2 tablespoonfuls melted butter for frying

Well drained morello cherries or fresh cherries if in season [but stoning them is a pain]

icing sugar for dusting before serving

In a medium bowl, place the egg yolks, sugar and vanilla and whisk until pale, smooth and frothy. This is much easier with an electric hand whisk.  About 2 mins. Add the remaining ingredients, except the egg white and beat until smooth. Rest for 20 mins.

Whisk the egg whites until you have medium stiff peaks. Then fold this into your rested batter. Heat the butter in the pan over a medium heat, then pour in your batter and cook on the top of your oven for 5-7 mins until the bottom is nicely browned. While this is cooking, just before you place in the oven, scatter over your cherries. Transfer to your pre heated oven and bake for about 20 mins.

Slide out of the pan onto a cake plate or similar and dust with icing sugar before serving.

Yum Yum. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. Enjoy. I hope you have a go!

 

Leek and Salmon Tart

This was a favourite aunt’s recipe, minus the leeks which I later added. Can be halved, as this is a large tart and great for a family meal with baby potatoes and a salad. You can, of course use “all butter” shop bought pastry, making it even easier.

You will need a 9 inch deep ish, loose bottom flan tin. [yes, you can use a solid dish but I like to remove after baking]  Pre heat your fan oven to 190C

The pastry:

9 oz plain flour

a little salt and fresh ground pepper

½ teaspoonful dry mustard powder

5 oz cold butter

an egg to bind

Place in a bowl and rub in the butter, OR like me, place in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs and then add the egg and pulse again until it starts to form a ball. You may need to add a tablespoonful of cold water. Place in a poly bag and chill for at least 20 mins.

Roll out, to line your flan tin and prick the bottom of the pastry. Scrunch up some baking parchment and place on top of the pastry and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for about 15 mins in your hot oven. Take out the paper and beans and bake for another 10 mins. Meanwhile…..

The delish filling:

3 leeks, sliced - not too finely

4 large eggs, preferably organic

12 oz salmon fillet, that you have pan fried, cooled and removed the skin, then flaked

[you can buy this too!![

400ml single cream

a large knob of butter

salt and a little pepper

In a large frying pan, heat the butter and gently fry the sliced leeks, until just soft. Cool a little.

Whisk the eggs and cream together until well combined, season well, then stir in the leeks  Cover the flan base with your flaked salmon, then pour over the eggy leek mix and lightly stir to mix it all together.  Turn your oven down to 180C. Bake for another 25-30 mins.

Just lovely and surprisingly light. Very easy too. Before serving garnish with some very finely chopped parsley or dill.

I love it! 

Savoury 3 ingredient scones

As promised, here is the savoury version of that wonderful 3 ingredient scone recipe from Australia. Of course, it is three plus the cheese and onion and seasonings, but the scone base is still 3! My grateful thanks goes to Kirsten, from Sydney and other followers who have passed on to me the savoury alternative, using soda water. I made below, but of course the variations must be endless.

Pre heat your fan oven to 200C and lightly grease a baking tray. I used a 2½ inch cutter. Makes 12 and will freeze perfectly.

Cheese and Onion Scones

You will need to finely chop and fry a large red onion in a little oil and butter, lightly seasoned, until just browning and soft. Set aside to cool.

Grate the cheese of your choice - two large handfuls. I used Red Leicester.

3 cups of SR flour

1 cup of double cream

1 cup of soda water.

In a mixing bowl, place the flour, cheese and onion, plus seasonings. I used S&P and a teaspoonful of dry mustard powder.

Mix the cream and soda water and add to the flour. Bring together and lightly roll out on a floured worktop, about an inch thick. Cut into rounds and place on your baking sheet bake for 15 mins.

When just warm, slather in butter. Oh my!!

Enjoy.

Shortbread Date Slices

I love Date Slices and often make them as per the old 1920s Cornish recipe book, posted at least two or three years ago] but here is a slightly different version. Us Cornish do love our dates. Instead of using the ready stoned and chopped, I was trawling through the large Truro Sainsbury’s the other day and noticed they stock the old fashioned proper blocks and bought a couple. They are more work though, but it took me back to my Mother’s kitchen. The “shortbread mix” is so simple and absolutely delicious. Keeps well for a few days.

You will need a small [approx 11 x 7 inches] buttered Swiss Roll tin and pre heat your fan oven to 170C. I line the tin with parchment, going up the sides to help lift it out.

8 oz dates, chopped

1 tablespoonful honey

1 teaspoonful cinnamon

5 fl oz cold water

3 tablespoonfuls lemon juice

Place the above in a small saucepan and simmer until soft and squishy. Just a few minutes. Set aside to cool.

6 oz softened butter

3 oz caster sugar

6 oz SR flour

6 oz semolina

In a saucepan, gently melt the butter and sugar then add the flour and semolina. Mix well. Tip just about half into your prepared Swiss Roll tin, spread it out using a fork and then press down as evenly as you can. I used the back of a tablespoon. Spread over the date mixture. Cover with the other half of the shortbread mix and level and lightly press. This is quite difficult, so I just crumbled it as evenly as I could.

Bake for about 30 mins. Cool for a  short while then lift out onto a cooling rack and cut into slices when still warm with a sharp knife. Enjoy!

Just scrummy. Especially served warm with clotted cream as a dessert.

Crispy Milk Chocolate Cake

I have taken this scrumptious recipe from an old Echo Perfect Baking booklet. While I never [ever!] use marge, I do love this recipe, using butter of course. These old baking booklets are full of little gems and this is one of them. I used chopped roasted hazelnuts, cause that what I had in the cupboard.

You will need an 8 inch spring form cake tin, greased and lined. Pre heat your fan oven to 160C

4 oz softened butter

4 oz caster sugar

2 large eggs

7 oz SR flour

1 oz cocoa

5 tablespoonfuls evaporated milk

5 tablespoonfuls water

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs a little at a time then fold in the flour and cocoa [that you have sieved together] and tip into your prepared tin and bake for about 45-50 mins. Cool on a rack, Meanwhile….

4 oz milk chocolate

2-3 oz raisins

2 oz toasted almonds roughly chopped or hazelnuts.

Melt the chocolate in a small basin over some hot water, then when it has cooled a little, mix in the fruit and nuts. Spread over the top of the lovely milky chocolate cake. 

Enjoy! I cannot tell you how delish it is!!

Note: You can add some halved cherries to the topping too, if you wish. Place after you have spread over the topping.

3 Ingredients Easy Scones

With added jam and Rodda’s clotted cream of course!. I might not have headed to Australia in my break from posting, but I am starting off with a recipe from my cousin Jan, who lives in Melbourne. This recipe is from the Country Women’s Association, which is a bit like our WI. These amazing scones are super light, so tasty and incredibly easy. I can honestly tell you I will never make the rubbing in, traditional method of scones again. These are absolutely the business!! But they do need to be eaten on the day they are made. But can be frozen immediately they are cold, then popped into a microwave for a “just baked” result. Do NOT use diet lemonade. I made 10 large round scones and used a 2½ inch cutter.

Pre heat your fan oven to 200C

In a Mixing bowl, place:

3 cups of Self Raising Flour

1 cup of double cream

1 cup of lemonade

Make a well in the flour and add the liquids. Bring together with a knife and lightly knead until smooth, probably about 30 seconds. On a floured surface, lightly roll out to about an inch thick and cut out your rounds with a cutter and place them on a baking sheet. No need to grease.

Bake for about 15 mins. Cool on a rack and then enjoy!

Oh my! Thank you Jan. Miss you!

Note: the making of these scones took - literally about 4 mins, maybe even a tad less. That’s hot scones, out of the oven, in less than 20 mins. With no phaffing rubbing in!!

Enjoy this special recipe and don’t forget to put JAM FIRST!!!!!!

For those of you who have still not converted to the idea of using Cups, any cup will do if you keep to the same proportions.

I am toying with the idea of adding some grated parmesan, salt and pepper and mustard and sprinkling cheese on the top. I cannot see why not, but have not had time to do that yet. I will get back to you on that for variations.

Tomato and Basil Muffins

A savoury delight that I am leaving you with, before I have a break for a few months, decorating, travels and a new kitchen!  It is the last recipe taken for this page/blog in my present kitchen, on my tiled table. I can assure you I will return in the autumn!!  A delicious bite for parties, picnics or just to munch. 

You will need some paper cases and a 12 hole muffin tin. [or use just the tin] Or made half size in a mini muffin tray. Easily doubled for parties. Pre heat your fans oven to 170C

11 oz plain flour

1 teaspoonful baking powder

salt and pepper to taste [does need seasoning]

a large pinch of sweet smoked paprika

a teaspoonful dried basil

9 fl oz whole milk

1 large egg

3 fl oz good olive oil [I used the oil from the jar]

3 oz sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, chopped roughly

[sone chilli flakes if you like a kick]

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, oil and egg. Add the dry ingredients and beat well then finally add the sun dried tomatoes. Divide into your muffin cases then sprinkle over:

2 oz  freshly grated Parmesan or similar

if you wish you can top with a little more chopped tomatoes

Bake for around 25 mins. Cool in the tin for a few mins.

Absolutely delish!

Note: Can also be made into mini muffins but reduce the baking time to about 15 mins. 

Cheerio for now. I hope I will bring back lots of new recipes from all the many cousins I will be meeting in Australia, whose ancestors left these Cornish shores for a new life.