Baking flatbreads for National Bread Week

It's National Bread Week 16 - 22 April, 2013. Bread has been a part of our staple diet for over 5000 years.   It all started in the stone age and has continued to evolve  from unleavened breads through natural 'sourdough' yeasts, brewers yeast breads and now the sourdoughs are coming back into favour again! And I'm sure you will agree there is nothing more inviting than the smell of freshly baked bread. In honour of this celebration of baking bread, I have a couple of flatbreads to share with you.

I received this Mermaid Baking Sheet to help me with my bread baking.  Mermaid is a range of hard anodised aluminium cookware that offers a solution for every culinary need.


Chorizo and Pepper Pizza

250g strong white bread flour
5g salt
5g fast-action dried yeast
2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for oiling
180ml cool water

I used the bread maker and just put all the ingredients in the machine and set it for dough.  However, if you don't have one you can make it by hand.

Put all the ingredients in a large bowl and add the salt and the yeast keeping them away from each other.  Add the olive oil and 150ml of the water and mix. Add the remaining water a little at a time until you have a smooth, soft dough.

Tip the dough onto an oiled surface and knead for 5-10 minutes until smooth.  Leave to rise until doubled in size.

Meanwhile make your topping:

2 red peppers, cored and sliced
1 yellow pepper, cored and sliced
1 large tomato thickly sliced
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 chorizo sausage sliced
100g grated cheese
2 tbsp olive oil

Heat the oven to 200C, pour the oil into the Mermaid Deep Sided Handled Roaster  and add the onions, peppers and tomato and coat in the oil, roast for 20 minutes, then add the sliced chorizo and cook for another 5 minutes.  Remove from the oven and cool slightly.






50-50 Spelt Naan Bread

2 tsp fast action dried yeast
300ml milk
200g spelt flour
300g strong white flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
3 tbsp plain yogurt
30g butter, melted

The technique for making the Naan Bread is pretty much the same as making the pizza dough.  If you don't have spelt flour or prefer not to use it, then you can make all white flour Naans, but reduce the milk to 250ml.
Bake at 220C for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and stack the breads on top of each other and voer with a clean, dry cloth to keep the cursts soft and preven them drying out.
Naan bread is brilliant for soaking up all the delicious sauce in a curry or other stews and gravies.

I was a little disappointed that the Naan bread stuck to the baking tray even though I had oiled it.  I will have to try the semolina trick that Paul Hollywood uses to keep the dough from sticking.

Labels: Bread, Mermaid Bakeware, Naan, National Bread Week, Pizza

posted by Janice @ 20:48 7 Comments

Yorkshire Pudding Day with Mermaid Bakeware Review

As a Scot, Yorkshire Puddings are not part of my heritage, but I do rather like them.  My mum never made Yorkshires with our roast beef, although we did have Toad in the Hole which is the same batter with sausages cooked into it.  There seems to be a bit of mystique around the making of them (a bit like scones) but I've never really had any trouble getting them to rise using the simple recipe below.

The lovely people at Mermaid Bakeware asked me to try out their Yorkshire Pudding tin and, never a girl to shirk a challenge, I accepted with enthusiasm.  Apparently the first Sunday in February is Yorkshire Pudding Day so it would be rude not to celebrate with some golden brown, puffy puddings, whether you eat them with beef, add sausages or eat them for dessert with golden syrup.


I've never had a proper individual pudding tin, I usually just make one big one in a roasting tin so this is a useful addition to my collection. Mermaid have been making quality bakeware in the West Midlands since 1953. The 4 Cup Yorkshire Pudding Tray is made from Hard Anodised Aluminium and is approximately 245mm x 245mm x 16mm.  It's oven safe up to 240C/475F/Gas Mark 9, is perfect to use with metal utensils as it is scratch resistant and will never peel or blister. 

Yorkshire Pudding (serves 4)

75g (3oz) plain flour
1 egg
75ml (3fl oz) milk
50ml (2fl oz) water
salt & freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Pre-heat the oven  to 220C/425F/Gas Mark 7
2. Sift the flour into a bowl
3. Make a well in the centre, add the egg and mix into the flour.
4. Gradually add the mixture of water and milk beating either by hand of with an electric whisk
5. Season with salt & pepper
6. I like to let my batter stand for a couple of hours, but it's not strictly necessary
7. Put half a tablespoon of oil in each of the metal cups
8. Put the tray into the oven and heat for 10 minutes.
9. Remove the tin and pour the batter into the cups
10. Return to the oven and cook for 15 - 20 minutes until the puddings are risen and golden.


Here is the exciting part, when you see the puds starting to rise inside the oven.

I served the Yorkshire Puddings with a pot roast brisket of beef served with carrots and roast parsnips.

See more reviews and recipes from me and my fellow Mermaid bloggers in the Mermaid Bloggers Kitchen and visit the Mermaid on Facebook for offers and competitions.

I received a 4 cup Yorkshire Pudding tin from Mermaid Bakeware, I was not paid for this post and all views expressed are my own.

Labels: batter, Beef, Mermaid Bakeware, Parsnips, Yorkshire Pudding

posted by Janice @ 18:54 5 Comments

Chocolate Orange Pudding in a Mermaid Pudding Baisn

When I was asked to take part in a pudding contest using Mermaid’s two pint pudding basin (RRP £15.99), I decided not to make a traditional Plum Pudding but  still wanted to have a Christmas flavour and,  after some thought, was inspired by the flavours of the Chocolate Orange.



The Chocolate Orange is as much a part of Christmas as mince pies, Christmas stockings and Father Christmas.  For years, you could only get a milk chocolate version of this favourite chocolate treat, but now there are so many different varieties, something for every taste.

Chocolate Orange Pudding

3 oranges
3 tbsp cocoa
125g muscovado sugar
150g milk
50g breadcrumbs
1 egg yolk
50g melted butter
1/2 tsp bicarb
1/2 tsp orange essence (optional, but intensifies the flavour)

1. Butter a 2pint/ 1.4 litre Mermaid Pudding Basin and put a circle of baking paper in the base of the basin.
2. Cut 2 of the oranges into round slices (don't use the ends), put them in a pan and cover with cold water, bring to the boil and boil for 3 minutes to blanch them.  Drain on kitchen paper.  Arrange in the pudding basin.
3. In a bowl, mix the cocoa and sugar with a little milk until smooth, then add the rest of the milk..
4. Zest the third orange and stir into the mixture with the orange essence,  breadcrumbs, melted butter and egg yolk.
5. Sift the flour and bicarbonate of soda and fold into the batter.
6. Pour the batter into the pudding basin.
7. Make a lid for the pudding basin: lay out a piece of foil and top it with a piece of baking parchment, make a pleat in the middle and lay it over the pudding basin, pressing it over and around the rim.
8. Take a piece of string and make a slip knot, place the loop over the pudding basin and tighten.  Make a handle with the string so it is easy to lift into and out of the pot.
9. Place the basin on an upturned saucer or trivet in a large pan half filled with water.
10. Bring the water to the boil then simmer with the lid on for 1 1/2 hours, checking every 30  minutes to make sure it doesn't boil dry.

Meanwhile make the orange sauce
1/2 cup of sugar
1 cup of water
segments from the remaining orange
1 tbsp brandy (optional)

Place the sugar and water in a pan, gently heat the water and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.  Bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half.  Remove from the heat and add the orange segments, leave to cool for 5 minutes, add the brandy and chill the orange sauce.

11. Lift the basin from the pan and remove the foil lid.
12. Run a knife carefully around the inside of the basin and turn the pudding out onto a plate.
13. Serve the pudding with custard or cream and a spoonful of the orange sauce.



I have to say that this was a total triumph! The pudding slid perfectly out of the Mermaid Pudding Baisin and the breadcrumbs in the pudding made it light and airy, but with a rich chocolate taste. This was perfectly contrasted with the sharp zesty taste of the oranges.

I received the Mermaid Pudding Basin, I was not paid to write this post and all opinions are my own.

Labels: chocolate, chocolate pudding, Mermaid Bakeware, orange, steamed pudding

posted by Janice @ 20:31 8 Comments

Win a Tarte Tatin Tin from Mermaid

Remember my Tarte Tatin?  Well, those lovely people at Mermaid bakeware would like to help YOU to make our own Tarte Tatin by giving away one of these high quality hard anodised baking tins.
Mermaid has been known and loved by professional chefs and enthusiastic cooks alike since 1953 and is for many the secret ingredient when it comes to successful home cooking



Complete the Rafflecopter widget to win the Tarte Tatin tin, but just in case you are not the lucky winner, you can buy this tin 'on sale' at Amazon for £21.54  it will last you a lifetime and would work for pies as well as the Tarte Tatin.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Labels: Amazon, bake off, bakeware, baking, giveaway, Mermaid Bakeware, tart tatin tin, Tarte Tatin, win

posted by Janice @ 19:58 33 Comments

Tarte Tatin with Mermaid Bakeware

Not the greatest looking Tarte Tatin,  my nerve went on the caramel and I didn't let it cook for long enough to colour up properly.  It might not have had the full colour but it did have the sticky, sweet toffee apple taste.

I was inspired to make a Tarte Tatin because I was sent this Mermaid Hard Anodised Aluminium Tarte Tatin Tin to review, it's the perfect shape and size to make the famous upside down Apple Tart.  It's also extremely strong and hard wearing, I was able to put it on the stove top to make the caramel and  there was no buckling and no hot spots.  The Tarte Tatin dish retails for around £27 but is currently on sale on Amazon for £21.54

Tarte Tatin

8 eating apples
200g caster sugar
50g butter
375g all butter puff pastry (I used Tesco ready rolled)

1. Peel, core and halve the apples. Don't worry if they turn brown , it won't show in the finished tart.
2. Put the sugar in the base of the tin  with 50ml water, then melt the sugar slowly over a low heat, stirring.
3. Once the sugar has melted, turn up the heat and bubble for 5 minutes or so to give a golden  caramel.  You are looking for a rich reddy brown, but be careful it doesn't burn.
4. Take the caramel off the heat immediately and stir in the butter which will foam up.
5. Arrange the apple halves on top, cut side up, so they fill the pan, slice any left over apple pieces and fill in the gaps.

6. Put the pan back on a gentle heat and cook for 5 more minutes. Turn off the heat and let the apples cool completely.
7. Heat the oven to 200C/Gas 7.  Roll out the pastry, then lay over the cooled apples in the pan.  Trim the pastry using the edge of the pan as a guide, then tuck it inside the edge around the apple, making sure they don't move.

8.  Bake for 30 minutes until dark golden and puffed.  Remove from the oven, stand for 5 minutes, then carefully turn the tart onto a serving plate.


I'll definitely be making another Tarte Tatin and try to get that dark mahogany coloured caramel.  The tin would also be excellent for other pies, whether upside down or right way up!

Many thanks to Ria, Sarah and Emma for sending me the bakeware to review, although I was supplied with the Tarte Tatin tin to review, all opinions expressed are my own.

Labels: apples, caramel, Mermaid Bakeware, puff pastry, Tarte Tatin

posted by Janice @ 20:06 9 Comments