Gluten free scones

Luxury afternoon teas are popping up all over the place, however even before I became gluten free I used to find that some of the scones which formed part of the afternoon tea disappointingly dry and crumbly and not that pleasant to eat even when ladled with obscene amounts of jam and cream.

Mr LF loves scones with jam and cream, particularly home baked scones with homemade jam, so the challenge was set as to create a gluten free scone. I must say that actually prefer the gluten free version, yes they don't rise as much but they are more moist and a lot less crumbly, they are also the perfect vehicle for large dollops of cream and jam.

After lots of research on the internet and baking up several storms (well disappointing versions) here is our current favourite recipe.

What you need

• 1.5 cups of gluten free self raising flour (if using plain add 1 tsp baking powder)
• 2 tsp xanthum gum
• 1 tsp fine sea salt
• 4 tbsp caster sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter - cold
• 2 eggs free range
• 2 tbsp Greek yogurt - made up to 5 fl oz with skimmed milk

What you do

• Preheat the oven to 220c
• Prepare your baking tray - I used a non stick silicone sheet, you could used non stick baking paper
• Sift the dry ingredients together in a large bowl
• In a measuring jug or separate bowl mix the yogurt/milk mixture with the eggs
• Rub the cool butter into the dry ingredients until the texture of knobbly breadcrumbs
• Add the milk/yogurt/egg mix to the large bowl and mix until well incorporated
• Leave for a few minutes to allow the flour mixture to swell (this is necessary due to the gluten free flour)
• Using an ice cream scoop, create even sized blobs on your baking sheet
• Brush the top with the remnants if the egg/yogurt/milk mix
• Bake in the hot oven for 10-12 minutes until golden and well risen
• Cool for 5 minutes or so on the tray before removing to a cooling rack
• Serve sliced with lots of jam and a cream

Lekue - meringue roulade with blackcurrant and mint couli

Over the Easter weekend we had friends visiting and for a while now I had been wanting to use my Lekue Swiss roll mold , so I thought I would give a meringue roulade a go. I also had ulterior motives to use a excess of homelaid eggs and meringue recipes uses loads of eggs don't they (well whites anyway).

I decided to plump for making a plain cream roulade which could  then be served with anything from fresh fruit, fruit couli (using frozen homegrown fruit) or chocolate or caramel sauce. Choices choices......

I am mighty pleased with the resultant soft billowy marshmallowy meringue and the performance of the Lekue mold, the only downside being that the mold is rather flexible so it tooks some nifty handling of the oven shelf to turn the meringue out of the mold onto the cooling rack.

To ensure a smooth glossy well airated meringue ensure your mixing bowl is clean and free from grease, as a precaution I always wipe round with some lemon juice on some kitchen paper.

What you need

• 6 egg whites
• 275g caster sugar
• 50g flaked almonds

To fill the roulade I used whipped double cream sweetened with a good slug of vanilla paste, you could use whipping cream, marscapone or yogurt or even a sweetened cream cheese mixture. For a roulade this size I used a 300ml pot.

What you do

• Preheat your oven to 180c fan
• Place the egg whites in the bowl of your mixer (I used my trusty Kitchenaid) and mix until very stiff and well airated
• Add the caster sugar a little at a time, whislt continuing to mix until all added and the meringue is very stiff and glossy
• Scoop into your lekue mold (or if you haven't got one then a lined swiss roll tin) and smooth level
• Sprinkle with the flaked almonds
• Place in the pre heated oven and bake for 10 minutes until golden
• Turn the oven down to 140c and bake for a further 15 minutes or so until crispy to touch
• Take the meringue out of the over an tip out onto a baking paper covered wire rack to cool for 10 minutes or so
• Then fill with your chosen filling and roll using the baking paper to assist your roll.
• Remove the ends (chefs treats) and serve decorated with fruit or fruit couli or sauce.
• The roulade freezes well when filled with cream and rolled.

For the couli I used some of the last frozen homegrown blackcurrant I had in the freezer , sweetened with caster sugar (1/2 the weight of the blackcurrants) scented with a generous spring of fresh peppermint from the garden.

I am entering this post in Cooking with herbs challenge as I used this months featured herb - mint is in my recipe, the challenge was created by Karen over at Lavender and Lovage and she is hosting this month too.

                                                              

I was kindly provided the roulade mold by Lekue for testing and review purposes. 

Blackcurrant Trifle

Now that I've got attention ! An easy seasonal dessert loved by all, we are lucky enough that we have a blackcurrant bush in the garden and its been laden this summer with a bumper crop of dark juicy berries. Lucky for us the birds seemed to have bypassed the bush and instead snaffled my small crop of redcurrants that grow nearby. 

This is a recipe where you can go the whole hog and be very chefy making your own sponge and custard from first principles or use a few sneaky cheats, on a hot summer's day I opted for the cheats version.

First we are going to make a blackcurrant compote, this works with any soft fruit by the way in case you were wondering. Take you fruit and half the quantity by weight in caster sugar and warm gently in a saucepan until the sugar has melted and the juices are starting to run from the fruit. Taste for sweetness if necessary add a little more sugar. Fruit compotes store well in a covered dish in the fridge and are great in cakes (see blackcurrant and cassis cake post for clandestine cake club), swirled over yoghurt or with a pannacotta. Chill your compote before making your trifle.

What you will need

• Blackcurrant compote
• Cake sponge (homemade if you wish) or sponge fingers (boudoir / langue de chat) for the cheat
• Custard (homemade if you wish, or custard powder or ready made) ideally thick
• Cream ( whipping or double cream) for garnish - whipped to soft peak stage
• Booze - sherry, cassis, etc (optional) I didn't use

What you do

• Locate your nice glasses that will show of this lovely dessert in all its glory
• Carefully spoon a layer of compote into the glass
• Then layer broken up sponge pieces and custard
• Another layer of blackcurrant compote, keep layering until you are nearly at the top of the glass, finish with custard.
• Now finish the trifle with a sexy dollop of cream and a few reserved berries.

Chicken with Leeks, wild garlic and creamy mustard sauce

I really enjoy foraging and seasonal food, spring has really sprung in Lancashire and in the countryside the wild garlic (ramsoms) is rampaging in the damp shady areas and hedgerow bottoms in the countryside. Wild garlic is a great wild food but is highly seasonal and available for only about a month to 6 weeks so cook with it while you can. I love using the juicy leaves and flowers in cooking and salads to impart a mild spicy garlic flavour. So that I am sure of supply I grow a couple of clumps in the garden , that way I can ensure that its not polluted with weedkiller, car fumes or dog pee.

Ingredients 

• chicken breast fillets 
• Leeks - cleaned for grit and chopped into rings
• Wild garlic leaves - handful
• Grain mustard - about a tablespoon per 2 chicken breasts
• Double cream
• White wine 
• Chicken stock powder 
• Honey
• Black pepper - freshly ground
• Rosemary - finely chopped

Method

• Preheat your oven to 180c
• I used a heavy cast iron casserole dish, you could use a ceramic dish and a frying pan.
• Using a tiny amount of olive oil or butter, softened your leeks and wild garlic and rosemary
• Now gently colour your chicken breasts without burning the leek mixture
• Once golden , add your mustard, honey and chicken stock powder, stir and then add enough wine to come up to the chicken breasts
• Add cream until the chicken breasts are just covered, add some black pepper
• Bring to a gently simmer and stir to ensure all mixed
• Cover the dish with the lid or foil 
• Place in the oven for approx 30 mins until your chicken breasts and the sauce slightly reduced.
• Serve with seasonal vegetables, I used crushed potatoes, but rice or orzo pasta would be nice.

Cream Crackers !

Every wonder why a cream cracker is a "cream" cracker, well its because it contains cream, real diary cream. Hubby likes experimenting so he located a recipe, which is very easy and produces some tasty little crackers which would be great for serving with cheese, dips or a drinks nibble. You can sprinkle with extra sea salt, herbs or parmesan cheese, its up to you.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup double cream
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/2tsp salt

Method

• Sieve flour and salt into a bowl, mix.
• Add the cream and mix with your hand until you have a sort of dough.
• Now tip onto a floured surface and knead until you have a smooth dough.
• Wrap your ball of dough in cling wrap and let it rest at room temperature for about an hour.
• Now roll out very thinly , ideally between two pieces of baking paper, cut into your desired shape
• Bake at 170C for approx 15 mins maybe a little longer until lightly golden and the crackers are crispy.

Store in an airtight tin, if you can resist the temptation to eat them all at once.

Bailey's Tipsy Cake

Baileys Tipsy Cake, other Irish whisky cream liqueurs are available!

For our most recent Clandestine Cake club outing the theme was secret Santa, so basically it’s a mystery until we all turn up to the meeting, hoping that everyone doesn’t turn up with the same cake. I decided to bake a tipsy cake, easy but slightly different and definitely Christmassy in spirit, well at least rich in spirit – hick!

Tipsy cakes are basically sponge cakes soaked in alcoholic syrup, then served in dainty slices to your guests, from my research on the internet this seems to be another idea from the USA. My recipe is based on one by Thane Prince published in the Saturday Telegraph at least a decade ago, which survives as a clipping in my recipe scrapbook. Yes, I know very anal and OCD ish but it does mean I can find some fabulous recipe inspiration when I need it. It’s a great recipe and terribly easy.

Ingredients for the cake

• 110g soft butter or quality margarine
• 110g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 110g self raising flour
• 1 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tbsp of hot water

Ingredients for the syrup

• 150ml water
• 55g caster sugar
• 120ml Irish cream liqueur – baileys or Aldi’s version is good too and much cheaper!
• To finish Whipping or double cream, chocolate shavings, shards, and whatever else takes your fancy.

Method

Mix your sponge by the usual method adding the coffee mixture for the last mix, bake in a 6-7” ish loose bottomed  round cake tin, oiled and base lined, the oven is at about 160c for fan, 180c without fan. Bake until golden, well risen and cooked through when tested with a skewer, this is about 30-40 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for approx 10 mins in the tin, then turn on to a deep serving plate.

Now make your syrup, dissolve the sugar in the water and boil for approx 2 minutes until slightly reduced, allow to cool slightly and add you liqueur. Now make loads of holes in your cake and spoon your syrup, now allow to cool fully. Top with whipped cream and your decoration.