A Feast of Blackberries - The Great British Blackberry Recipe Round Up

A huge thank you to all the lovely cooks, bakers and bloggers who joined The Great British Blackberry Recipe Round Up.  There are so many delicious recipes and they are really varied, everything from Spiced Blackberry Pulled Pork to Blackberry Lollipops and of course cakes, desserts and preserves.  Don't take my word for it, here they all are below:


1. Blackberry Frozen Yogurt and Granola Breakfast Pops - Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary
2. Blackberry and Clotted Cream Ripple - Sudden Lunch
3. Blackberry and Apple Swirl Buns - Mint Custard
4. Blackberry Gin - Mint Custard


5. Blackberry Pear Crisp - A Palatable Pastime
6.Wild Blackberry Jam - I'd much rather bake than
7. Bramble Blackwells - Foodie Quine
8. Spiced Blackberry Jam - Farmersgirl Kitchen


9. Peach and Blackberry Galette with Lavender and Thyme Honey - A Girl and her Home
10. Blackberry and Oat Muffins - Rough Measures
11. Blackberry and Lemon Bake - Food Jam


12. Blackforest Chocolate Brownies - Sew White
13. Summer Burst Berry Cake - Belleau Kitchen
14. Simple Seasonal Blackberry Cake - Lancashire Food


15. Autumnal Blackberry and Lavender Cobbler - Lancashire Food
16. Blackberries and Rose Geranium Crumble - Lancashire Food
17. Bramble and Vanilla Cordial - Farmersgirl Kitchen
18. Baked Nectarines and Blackberry Surprise - The Peachicks Bakery


19. Summer Fruit Traybake - Sew White
20. Blackberry and Hazelnut Polenta Cake - Mainly Baking
21. Blackberry Lollipops - The Hedgecombers


22. Apple and Blackberry Chia Seed Preserve - Nutricious Deliciousness
23. Blackberry and Apple Pie - Chez Maximka
24. Spiced Blackberry Pulled Pork - De Tout Coeur Limousin


25. Double Blackberry Chocolate Gallette - Tin and Thyme
26. Blackberry, Garlic and Bay - De Tout Coeur Limousin
27. Blackberry and Apple Geranium Swirl -Lancashire Food
28. Self-Saucing Blackberry and Apple Pudding - Tales from the Kitchen Shed


29. Blackberry and Apple Cupcakes - Tin and Thyme
30. Blackberry, Lemon and White Chocolate Scones - Baking Queen 74
31.Blackberry and White Chocolate Cheesecake Cups - The Veg Space
32. Blackberry and Hazelnut Flapjacks - Chardonnay and Samphire


33. Blackberry and Apple Cake - Eco-Gites of Lenault
34. Blackberry Fairy Cake Buns (Muffins) - Lavender and Lovage
35. Blackberry, Elderberry and Damson Jelly - JibberJabber UK
I hope this inspires you to make some of these recipes, do let me know if you do.

Labels: Blackberry, Bramble, brownies, cake, cupcakes, dessert, flapjacks, gallette, ice cream, jam, Muffins, Pie, Pulled Pork, Scones, The Great British Blackberry Recipe Round-Up, vinegar

posted by Janice @ 19:26 15 Comments

Cheese and Wild Garlic Scones

I've been out gathering Wild Garlic again. The flowers are starting to bloom on the plants and soon the leaves will  become more tough and not so good for cooking.  Scones are a really good vehicle for all sorts of flavours both sweet and savoury and the cheese worked really well with the wild garlic.


Cheese and Wild Garlic Scones
makes 6-8 depending on the size of your cutter!

225g self-raising flour
1 level tsp baking powder
50g butter
100g finely grated cheese
30g wild garlic leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp of dry mustard
1/4 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
1 egg
milk

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C
2. Mix the flour and baking powder and rub in the butter until it looks like breadcrumbs.
3. Stir in the cheese and the finely chopped wild garlic leaves.
4. Beat the egg in a bowl and add to the mixture, add enough milk to bring it together into a soft dough.
5. Dust your work surface with flour and gently pat the dough into a round about 2 cm thick, cut out your scones.
6. Place on a greased and floured baking tray, brush the tops with a little milk.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the scones are golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Labels: Bake, butter, cheese, Scones, Wild Garlic

posted by Janice @ 20:16 22 Comments

Bacon and Egg

What a treat!  Two books dedicated to two of the most versatile and tasty ingredients, bacon and egg. I have a review and a recipe from each book and a copy of 'Bacon' to giveaway, see bottom of  this post for details.

Let's start with Bacon by Theresa Gilliam.  It's not just another bacon cookbook, the book is described by the author as an ode to bacon and it also covers curing and smoking bacon at home.


The recipes are divided by the phases of the day: Dawn, Midday, Dusk and Dark which is rather fun, but before that comes Bacon 101.  Learn all about the different types of bacon and different cooking methods and then, if you are really ambitious, you can tackle home curing and smoking bacon yourself.  There are also some instructions for a couple of basics, clarified bacon fat and a tender and flaky pastry case made with said bacon fat.

DAWN 
I would  love to wake up to some of these recipes,  Gingerbread and Bacon Waffles, Maple Bacon Twists, Bacon-stuffed French Toast and Breakfast Hand Pie.  Having a bit of a thing for scones, I chose to make the Bacon Cheddar Scones (see below)

MIDDAY
And so to lunch and I could happily make and eat a Bacon and Apple Grilled Cheese Panini or a Power Lunch Spinach Salad.  There is an amazing Deconstructed BLT which is actually a soup and another BLT variation,  the BLT Mac and Cheese.

DUSK 
Everything from a classic Pasta alla Carbonara to a Korean-Style Hangover Stew and, oh my goodness,  mouthwatering Bacon-Wrapped Beef Tenderlions with Pomegranate Glaze.  No bacon book would be complete without a recipe for that wonderful preserve, Bacon and Onion Jam.

DARK 
Ah now to move to the dark side which includes all those recipes that take bacon just a step further than you expect and are ideal for a party.  Try a toast with a Bacon Martini while nibbling Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates and Bacon Cheese Puffs. For dessert some candied Bacon S'mores, Cardamom Cupcakes with Maple, Bacon and Cream Cheese Frosting and Bacon Baklava.  Finish by nibbling on some Bacon, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Who is it for?  
Well it's obviously for  bacon-lovers, whether it is the cook or their family who love bacon, there is something in there for every bacon lover.

Pros
Theresa Gilliam is a food stylist and recipe developer by profession and, along with photographer EJ Armstrong, has created really mouthwatering photographs which show off the food without too much fuss. The recipes are well laid out and range from the very simple with a few ingredients to some more challenging recipes and, most challenging of all the curing of your own bacon.

Cons
It's obviously not suitable for vegetarians, and is very much a specialist book.

The Verdict
There are some really delicious classics and also some inventive recipes using bacon.  It may find a place on my bookshelf or be a gift to a true bacon lover as I know they would not be disappointed.


Bacon Cheddar Scones
makes 6

270g plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
100g Cheddar cheese, grated
4 rashers of cooked and crumbled bacon
360ml double cream

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 7.  Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in the cheese and bacon until it is evenly distributed and coated with flour. Stir in the cream until the dough is just moistened, about 30 seconds. Do not over mix.

3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead until it is just smooth, about 30 seconds.  Pat the dough into a rectangle, 2.5cm thick. Cut the dough with a 7.5cm round cutter into circles, or use a knife to cut into 7.5cm squares.  Place the scones on the prepared baking tray, 5cm apart.

Bake for 5-18 minutes until golden brown.

*Over the top bacon lover's tip:  Before putting the scones in the oven, brush with a little melted Clarified Bacon Fat.

I served the Bacon Cheddar Scones with Gravadlax and dill dressing, they were full of flavour and would be good with soup.

BACON, Recipes for Curing, Smoking and Eating
by Theresa Gilliam
Photography by EJ Armstrong
RRP £25
published by Jacqui Small www.jacquismallpub.com (@JacquiSmallPub)


Now on to EGG by Michael Ruhlman, A Culinary Exploration of the World's Most Versatile Ingredient.  In the introduction Michael Ruhlman tells how US TV personality Alton Brown, described the egg as the 'Rosetta Stone of the kitchen' an ingredient which unlocks the secret language of the kitchen.  Well this book has taken the subject of the egg and created a guide to the language of the egg.

The Egg Flowchart is a remarkable achievement, the book contains a copy of the flowchart in a pocket on the back page.  It's an extended version of what is on the front cover of the book and looks at the egg in all it's forms. It is from this flowchart that the book was mapped out.  The whole of the introduction is fascinating and gives a real insight into how Michael Ruhlman thinks, cooks and writes.

Part One: Egg/Whole/Cooked in Shell
Who knew you could say so much about a boiled egg!  Learn how to make Perfect hard boiled eggs and then use them in Egg Salad Three Ways. The soft boiled egg can have degrees of doneness that can tax the most skilled of cooks, the instructions and advice in this chapter will certainly help to make it easier to get you a soft boiled egg the way you want it.  Soft boiled egg recipes include Soft-Boiled Eggs on Artichoke Hears with Creamy Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette, Pork Ramen with Soft-Boiled Egg and Spring Onions.  There are even instructions to cook eggs sous-vide.

Part Two: Egg/Whole/Cooked out of Shell
Includes Weekend Broken-Yolk Fried Egg Sandwich, Quail Eggs Croque Madame, Frisee Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette and Deep Fried Egg, there are coddled eggs, shirred eggs and, of course, eggs poached in water and in sauces.  Poached Duck Egg on Duck Confit Hash sounds glorious as does Eggs in Puttanesca Sauce with Angel Hair Pasta.

Part Three: Egg/Whole/Cooked out of shell/Blended
A page and a half is devoted to scrambling eggs so that you can make people swoon!  The Omelette also gets a full page and step by step photographs to ensure that nothing is missed. Recipes include Omelette with Creamy Morel mushrooms and Potato, Onion and Cheese Frittata.  Moving on to Baked egg (dry heat) and we come to the recipe that I recreated: Marlene's Bacon and Sausage Breakfast Strata, a savoury bread pudding (recipe below).  Egg wash is also part of blended egg and essential to enable panko breadcrumbs to stick to Breaded Chicken Cutlets with Dijon and Thyme. Egg is explored  as a binder for meatballs and as a custard in a Classic French Quiche with Chorizo and Roasted Peppers, Creme Caramel and Bourbon Brioche Bread Pudding.

Part Four: Egg/As Ingredient/The Dough-Batter Continuum
As you see we are moving on from dishes which are dominated by egg to those where egg is more equal in it's position in the recipe such as Challah, Pasta, Italian Drop Biscuits with Lemon Glaze, Gougeres and Profiteroles. Oh and, of course, Cake and the Egg with 'The Keys to Fabulous Cake' and Regina's Lemon Cream Cake looks like a totally Fabulous Cake.  All the basics are explained including the notorious 'Creme Pat' and a luscious looking Chocolate glaze which doesn't even include and egg.  The cakes just go on and on looking so tempting.   Then suddenly we are returned to the savoury with Sweetcorn and Sweet Pepper Fritters with Chipotle-Lime Mayonnaise, Prawn Tempura and back to the sweet with Crepes Suzette.

Part Five: Egg/Separated/The Yolk
The yolk is Michel Ruhlman's favourite part of the egg and with recipes like Caesar Dressing for Crips Cos Lettuce and Croutons, Blanquette de Veau, Mayonnaise and it's variants and one my favourite foods Pasta Carbonara, it's not surprising that the yolk is given such high status. Then there are those tricky stars of the eggy world Hollandaise and Bernaise.  Egg yolks also create dreamy sweets think, Creme Brulee, Vanilla Ice Cream and a Poire William Sabayon.

Part Six: Egg/Separated/The White
Egg white is like a magic substance acting as a binder, a setting agent, they can clarify stock and be used as a powerful raising agent.  Fabulous impressive recipes such as Seafood Roulade with Scallops and Crab which is laid out in step by step photographs, creamy Orange-Ginger Panna Cotta and 'The Amazing Meringue'.  I really want to make nougat as it's my husband's favourite sweet treat, this recipe looks relatively simple and again has step by step photos so I might just finally get around to making it.   Soft egg white in dishes like Ile Flottante and  egg white cake like Angel Food Cake are also featured.

Just when you thought there were no more variants on the EGG, there is just one more.

Part Seven: Egg/Separated but Used Together
This includes Curried Devilled Egg Canapes, Mango-Lime Semifreddo, Chocolate Espresso Kahlua Souffle (yes, please) and Eggnog.

Who is it for?
I had to think about this quite a lot as this is an unusual book, designed in a very different way from most cookbooks.  I would say that this book is for the kind of person who likes to be precise, to understand their ingredients, the science behind the recipe and practice making simple dishes until they 'make you swoon' as Michael Ruhlman would say.  Also someone who wants to challenge themselves to make those recipes which can so easily go wrong without attention to detail.  In saying that, there are lots of recipes here for everyone and great care has been taken with the instructions so if you follow them, you are most likely to create a good result.

Pros
There is a lot of information, many recipes and excellent photographs.

Cons
As a cookbook it isn't laid out in the usual way, savoury and sweet recipes are in the same chapter of the book as they are organised by use of the egg, but there are two Indices, a Recipe Index by technique and a General Index.

The Verdict
There are some great recipes in the book some of which I have already marked for later.  I'm not sure I'm 'geek' enough to work my way through all the text on eggs, I rarely follow a recipe completely and tend to use them as a guide, so those very technical recipes are probably not for me.



Marlene's Bacon and Sausage Breakfast Strata
(This is one of the less technical recipes!)
Serves 6-8

240g bacon rashers
240g sausage meat
1/2 onion, cut into dice
6 eggs
240ml milk
240ml double cream
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
7-9 slices or cubes, toasted or allowed to sit out for a day or two (enough for two layers in your dish)
300g grated hard cheese (such as Cheddar, Gruyere or Emmental).

1. Pre-heat the oven to 160C (Gas 3).  Butter a 23x 33cm baking dish and set aside.
2. Place the bacon rashers in a large frying pan, cover them with water and put he pan over high heat. When the water has cooked off, reduce the heat to medium and cook the bacon until nicely browned and crisp.  Remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper.
3. Add the sausage meat to the bacon fat in the pan.  Cook the sausage meat, breaking it up as it cooks.  Meanwhile, chop the bacon coarsely.
4. When the sausage meat is nearly cooked through, add the onion and continue to cook until the onion is tender, another 5 minutes or so.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the sausage meat/onion mixture to the plate with the bacon.
5. Combine the eggs, milk, cream, mustard powder, salt, pepper and cayenne in a large bowl or glass measuring jug. Whisk or blend with a hand-held blender until the custard is uniform.
6. Put half of the bread cubes in an even layer in the prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle half of the bacon-sausage meat-onion mixture evenly across the bread.
7. Sprinkle half of the cheese evenly over this. Repeat the layers. pour the custard over them.
8. The dish can be baked right away or covered and refrigerated for up to a day.  Bake until the centre is hot and the tip is invitingly browned, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
9. Cut and serve hot.  Alternatively, leave it cool then chill it in the refrigerator and eat it cold, or cut the chilled strata into serving-sized pieces and reheat in a 180C (Gas 4) oven to serve.

Egg - A Culinary Exploration of the World's Most Versatile Ingredient
by Michael Ruhlman
Photographs by Donna Turner Ruhlman
RRP £25
Published by Jacqui Small www.jacquismallpub.com (@JacquiSmallPub)

I have one copy of Bacon by Theresa Gilliam to giveaway, just follow the instructions on the Rafflecopter widget.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Labels: #review, bacon, book, breakfast, Cook book review, Egg, sausagemeat, Scones, Strata

posted by Janice @ 07:00 38 Comments

Cranberry Flaxseed Scones - Top with Cinnamon

Cranberry Flaxseed Scones

Izy Hossack isn't your regular 18 year old.  Since her early teens she has been developing delicious recipes and styling and photographing them with a flair well beyond her years and recording it all on her blog Top with Cinnamon, her site has received international attention and was shortlisted in Saveur Best Food Blog Awards 2013.



Izy has compiled a collection of her favourite recipes for all occasions in her debut cookbook, Top with Cinnamon.  Here she showcases her impressive skill for food photography and styling as well as her natural ability to produced delicious, wholesome recipes.  Featuring some gluten-free recipes and healthy options, as well as step-by-step how-to;s, Top with Cinnamon has something to suit everyone - this is approachable, flavoursome home cooking with a modern fresh twist.

Here's a taste of what's in Top with Cinnamon:

Breakfast includes Coconut Berry Pancakes, Cornbread with Cinnamon Sugar, Cranberry and Flaxseed Scones (see below)  and Wholemeal Maple Pecan Buns.

Sides features Chickpea and Pomegranate Dip, Squash Feta and Sage Focaccia, Courgette 'Spaghetti' with Chilli and Sweet and Spicy Roasted Chickpeas (see these at FabFood4All) and Baked Rosemary Polenta Chips.

Mains covers a wide range of dishes including Sweet Potato and Shredded Beef Chilli, Crispy Augergine with Kale Pesto Fettuccine, Griddled ChickenSalad and Caramelised Onion Thyme and Bean Pot Pies

Sweet Snacks is full of recipes for lovely treats like Rainbow Biscotti Cubes, Spanish Olive oil Tortas and Malted Pumpkin Gingerbread.

More sweetness in the Desserts chapter and Izy brings us Boozy Mocha Coconut Layer Cake, Crustless Plum and Almond Tart, Sticky Banoffee Cake with Salted Caramel and a seasonal pear, Frangipane and Caramel Tartlets.

The final chapter is a useful 'Staples and How To's' offering with pastries, doughs, butters and sauces and a couple of step-by-step instructions.

Who is it for? 
This is a difficult book to categorise it would interest anyone with an interest in vegan, gluten-free and healthy options.  However, there are meat based recipes and sweet treats too.  I do think any cook or baker would learn from Izy's creativity.

Pros
There are a wide range of recipes for all occasions, they are not difficult to make but often slightly quirky or with less usual ingredients, there are also some classics with a twist. Izy brings a lot of originality to her recipes.

Cons
The photographs have a bit of a sepia feel which, I felt, didn't do the dishes justice and made everything look alike.

I love a freshly baked scone, so was intrigued by this recipe for Cranberry Flaxseed Scones.  If I were making these scones again, I would use slightly less milk as the mixture was quite wet.  The scones were very tasty and perfect with the molasses butter which is also featured in the book.


Cranberry Flaxseed Scones (makes 9)

250g (9oz/2 cups) plain (all purpose) flour
4 tbsp ground flaxseed
2 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
110g (3 3/4oz / 1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed
80g (2 3/4 oz / 1/2 cup) dried cranberries
1 egg
125ml (4 fl oz/1/2 cup) buttermilk, plus a little extra for brushing
50g (2 o\/ 1/4 cup) demerara (raw) sugar, for topping
 Serve with Salted Treacle Butter


1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F/Gas 4)
2. Line a baking tray with baking parchment
3. Place the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and stir together.  Add the cubes of butter and use your fingertips to rub into the dry ingredients, leaving some pea-sized chunks of butter.  You'll have a moist mealy mixture.
4. Stir in the cranberries then make a well in the middle and add the egg and buttermilk.  Stir together until just combined.
5. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a few times, then roll it into a square 2 cm (3/4in) thick.
6. Cut into 9 squares using a sharp knife, then transfer the squares to the lined baking tray, placing them 2.5cm (1in) apart.
7. Brush the tops o the scones with buttermilk and sprinkle with demerara sugar.
8. Bake for 25-30 minutes until browned and risen. Serve with salted treacle butter.


Top with Cinnamon
Author: Izy Hossack
Publisher: Hardie Grant Books
RRP: £20

I was sent a copy of Top with Cinnamon to review, I was not paid for the review and all opinions are my own. 

Labels: book review, butter, cookbook review, Cranberry, Flaxseed, Izy Hossack, Molasses, Scones, Top with Cinnamon

posted by Janice @ 06:30 9 Comments

Cheese and Chive Scones with Marjoram and Marigold Cream Cheese

I love to make scones.  It's so simple to rub together the ingredients and a few minutes in a hot oven produces a fresh, soft and wholesome quick bread, perfect with soup, with cheese or in this case with a fresh marjoram infused cream cheese sprinkled with marigold petals.

Cheese and Chive Scones with Marjoram Cream Cheese
225g wholemeal self-raising flour
1 level tsp baking powder
50g butter or soft margarine
50g grated hard cheese (I used cheddar)
1 tbsp finely chopped chives
1/4 tsp chilli powder
a pinch of salt
1 egg
milk

2 tbsp cream cheese
1 tsp finely chopped marjoram leaves

A few marigold petals to scatter

For the Scones
1. Heat the oven to 220C, Gas 7
2. Put the flour and baking powder in a bowl and rub in the butter or margarine until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
3. Add the cheese, chives, chilli powder and salt.
4. Crack the egg into a measuring jug mix it with a fork and then make up the liquid to 150ml with milk.
5. Stir the milk into the flour and mix to a soft dough, add a little extra milk if required.
6. Turn onto a lightly floured table and gently roll out to about 1.25cm thick.
7. Cut into rounds, the size of the cutter will determine how many scones you make.
8. Place the scones on a greased baking tray, brush the tops with a little milk and bake for about 10 minutes or until pale golden brown.
9. Remove the scones from the tray and leave to cool on a wire rack.

For the Marjoram Cream Cheese
Mix the cream cheese with the marjoram, leave to infuse for at least 30 minutes.

Spread the cooled scones with the marjoram cream cheese and sprinkle with marigold petals.  Best served with a cup of tea.


I'm entering my Cheese and Chive Scones for Cooking with Herbs, the blog challenge run by Karen at Lavender and Lovage, this month's theme is Summer Herbs and Flowers - well I've given you both, enjoy!


The Love Cake challenge run by Jibber JabberUK is looking for savoury bakes in August, so my cheese and chive scones, with a little pinch of chilli heat, are a perfect match.

Labels: cheese scones, chilli, chives, Cooking with Herbs, cream cheese, Love Cake, marigolds, marjoram, Scones

posted by Janice @ 19:16 15 Comments

Appleby and Ullswater Staycation

We've just returned from a couple of nights away in Appleby and a trip over the other side of the M6 to Ullswater.  The weather was perfect and we had a great time. I'm just going to share a few pictures with minimum text. Enjoy!

Excellent lunch at Tufton Mews Cafe and Wine Shop.  Service wasn't brilliant but the food was delicious.



Appleby Manor






Selfie taken after climbing up that hill behind us and, even more challenging, coming back down - it was very steep!


We stopped off at The Helvellyn Country Kitchen at Glenridding for these fantastic scones with jam and cream.

Labels: Appleby, Appleby Castle, Appleby Manor Country House Hotel, Glenridding, Helvellyn Country Kitchen, Little Salkeld, Scones, The Watermill, Tufton Mews Cafe and Wine Bar, Ullswater

posted by Janice @ 20:39 7 Comments

Cinnamon Apple Scone Cobbler

One of my favourite blogs to visit is Deb's Dust Bunny, it's a delightful place full of delicious recipes and interesting information all served with a dollop of good humour. Last week I spied Debs recipe for Cinnamon Apples Scones, it's one she posted last October, how did I miss that! These are not the usual kind of scones I would make, they are more like American Scones much sweeter than our and iced on top. I was really drawn to them and had a go at making the scones, as you can see above. However my mixture must have been too wet as they spread rather too much but were still totally delicious and I liked them so much that I thought the mixture would make a really good cobbler topping.

Cinnamon Apple Scone Cobbler
serves 6

For the filling
6-8 small apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tbsp water

For the topping

1 cup plain flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
4 Tablespoons soft brown sugar - you may need more if your apples are tart
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 Tablespoons butter - cut into small pieces
1 egg
6 Tablespoons of plain yogurt or milk
1 apple - peeled, cored and chopped into a fine dice

A little sifted icing sugar to finish

1. Place the sliced apples, sugar and water in an ovenproof dish and cover with a lid or foil and place in the oven at 160C for about 20 minutes until the apples are softened but not disintegrating.
2. Put all the dry ingredients into the bowl, use a knife to cut in the butter, then rub in with your fingers.
3. Beat the egg and yogurt or milk together in a small bowl.
4. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix until only just combined, do not over mix or the scone will become tough.
5. Remove the cooked apples from the oven and place large spoonfuls of the mixture on top of the apples.
6. Increase the oven temperature to 200C/400F and bake for 15-20 minutes. The scones take only 12-15 minutes but I found that the depth of the topping meant it needed a little extra time.

Dust with icing sugar and Serve with ice cream or custard. This was very good, the apples in the topping give a surprising texture and the cobbler was crispy on the top and softer where it met the stewed apples. It would be good to try with ginger instead of cinnamon.

Many thanks to Debs for giving me permission to recreate and re-purpose her recipe.

I'm entering this Cinnamon Apple Scone Cobbler into Bookmarked Recipes, the blog event hosted every month by Jacqueline at Tinned Tomatoes.

 

 

Labels: Apple Cobbler, apples, Bookmarked Recipes, Cinnamon, Cinnamon Apples, Cobbler, Deb's Dust Bunny, Scones

posted by Janice @ 08:30 11 Comments

The Cheltenham Five: Part 1 where we eat CAKE!

The best cake plate is an empty one!

The internet is a wonderful place to meet like-minded people and even within the food blogging community you find yourself drawn towards certain people's blogs and certain conversations on Twitter. Some of those conversations were verging on the smutty and so our hashtag #smuts was born.

There are eight of food bloggers who make up the #smuts, Karen of Lavender and Lovage, Jacqueline of Tinned Tomatoes, Choclette from Chocolate Log Blog, Fiona from London Unattached, Ros of The more than occasional baker, Sue from Heaven on a Plate, Dom from Belleau Kitchen and me!  After many false start discussions and meetings of two or three at various events, we felt it was time we all met together.  As we are flung to the far corners of the UK and France,  we settled on Cheltenham as a reasonable place that was easily accessible by rail.

Early on in our planning we lost one #smut,  as Jac was off to the sun for a well earned holiday.  Then more unavoidable events meant that Dom and Sue both had to call off almost at the last minute. And then there were five...not of all of those present will be featured in this post, Karen and I don't give a damn so you will see a lot of the two of us!  Fiona also features as long as her hair is okay ;-)

Fiona and Karen came up from London on the train together and I met them at Cheltenham Spa station.    After checking into our hotel, we had a bit of a scout around the sales in Cheltenham including Cath Kidston, Radley and Toast. 

We then headed for our rendez-vous with Choclette and Ros at the Well Walk Tea Room,
It's located in  one of Cheltenham's oldest shops and is a real delight, in terms of decor, customer service and the tea itself.



We couldn't resist some scones with jam and cream as they were straight out of the oven!

Bloggers do it with pictures!

Labels: afternoon tea, cake, Cheltenham, cream, jam, Scones, tea, vintage china, Well Walk Tea Room

posted by Janice @ 20:11 9 Comments