Here’s How To Make And Enjoy Candied and Caramelised Nuts!
We have spoken about the importance of toasting nuts to get the best out of them, but candied and caramelised nuts are another way to enjoy them. There is a recipe below as well as some tips to get the best results.
Candied and Caramelised nuts are different stages of the same process. The nuts are cooked in a sugar syrup which first of all turns into a white coating (candied), and as the cooking process continues the sugar mixture caramelises to coat the nuts (caramelised). If you want candied nuts, then simply remove the nuts from the cooking process at that stage.
How to make sure your tart shells are baked just right!
How to make sure your tart shells are baked just right!
When it comes to blind baking tart cases, there is a delicate balance between pastry that is too pale and too dark. Too pale and it looks unappetising but when it’s too dark it becomes bitter to taste.
Take a look at these tart shells we made – each one has been baked differently…
Embrace Winter's End: Your February Seasonal Fruit Guide
February beckons, bringing with it whispers of spring while still holding onto the chill of winter. It's the perfect time to explore fruits at their seasonal peak, harnessing their vibrant flavours to create delightful desserts. This month's guide delves into exciting possibilities, showcasing the bounty February offers.
The UK’s Dirty Dozen for 2022
Pesticide Action Network has today (13 December 2023) released its Dirty Dozen list for 2022 (the last year government data is available). This is a list of fruit and vegetables sold in the UK that are most likely to contain residues of 2 or more pesticides.
The secret to enjoying cake and dessert without worrying about sugar!
The secret to enjoying cake and dessert without worrying about sugar!
So how do we reconcile our love for cake and dessert with the health problems sugar can cause? One inescapable truth is that consuming too much sugar is bad for us. The evidence is overwhelming that sugar causes huge health problems in our society (e.g. chronic heart disease, diabetes, obesity and more). Our approach is based on this:
Winter Dessert Recipe E-Book: why we have written these recipes
We have now launched our first recipe e-book which is available to buy from our shop page. For those of you who are new to us and have not tried our recipes before, or if you have not yet downloaded the e-book, we wanted give a short explanation of the ethos behind the recipes.
Whilst we have always enjoyed cooking and eating good food, it is only in the last 18 months or so, prompted by our daughter Neve’s arrival, that we have become more focussed on how our ingredients have been produced. Frankly, we had previously not understood the scale on which many harmful practices have been used in the production of our food. These include the widespread use of chemicals, and in particular harmful pesticides, in the production of our fruit, vegetables, grains and dairy. Over time, the damage caused to our environment and health by these chemicals and pesticides has been huge. Learning more about these issues has led us to change what we buy and where we buy it from. In short we want to know exactly what we are eating.
The Wheat Revolution: What Sets Heritage Grains Apart from Modern Varieties?
Modern wheat and heritage wheat (also known as ancient or heirloom wheat) are two distinct categories of wheat that have significant differences. For good reasons heritage grains are having a real resurgence in popularity. Here are five reasons to try using heritage grains:
Did you know about Cobnuts?
Cobnuts are a specific variety of cultivated hazelnuts, known for their larger size and sweet, mild flavour. They are typically grown in Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom.
Heritage Flour: Old World Flavours for Modern Kitchens!
Heritage flours, also known as heirloom or ancient grains, refer to varieties of grains (wheat, corn, rice, etc.) that have been grown and cultivated for generations, often before the advent of modern agricultural practices and mass production.
Unlock the Perfect Pairings: Discover the Best Wines to Sip with Autumn Desserts!
It's harvest season for grapes in Europe so it would be rude not to make some dessert wine pairing suggestions. There’s almost an endless list of different wines to enjoy with desserts; these are just some suggestions to drink with some of our more popular autumn desserts.
The Art of Freezing Baking Ingredients
In the world of baking, freshness is paramount. The aroma of freshly baked bread, the delicate crumb of a just-out-of-the-oven cake – these are the hallmarks of a baker's touch. But what if we told you that you can preserve that same level of freshness in your ingredients, even if they're destined for the freezer?
Eating out this Summer!
Here is a round-up of some of the places we have enjoyed eating at this summer. Like our cakes and desserts, when we eat out the emphasis is on quality not quantity. We may not eat out that often but when we do, we want to go to good quality places.
What is a Galette?
It’s a good question! On the one hand it is a very simple cake but on the other it has so much variety which make it difficult to define.
Sweet and Sustainable: The Importance of Sourcing Ingredients That Are Sustainable and Environmentally Friendly
As the world becomes increasingly aware of the impact of human activity on the environment, there has been a growing movement towards sustainability and responsible sourcing in all areas of life, including the food industry. Sourcing ingredients that are sustainable and environmentally friendly is not only important for the health of our planet, but it can also have a positive impact on the taste and quality of the food we eat, and of course this certainly applies to cakes and desserts.
Toasting Nuts: Turning Ordinary Ingredients into Extraordinary Flavour
Nuts and seeds are fabulous ingredients. They have a wonderful array of flavours and smells, they can add texture and they can be used as décor. However so often they are used in ways that miss out on their great flavour, smell and colour. For example, how often do we see untoasted almonds sprinkled on a cake or dessert? It should not happen as they don’t look good and they do not add any real flavour.
Why buy a recipe when there is so much free content online?
There is definitely a lot of free content available online but how do you know the quality of the free content? Whoever you are, you want a recipe that works and produces great results. The world of pâtisserie is developing at a huge rate with new techniques, flavour combinations and influences from all around the world so it can be difficult to keep up.
For professional kitchens there is a shortage of pastry chefs, there is often not enough time to keep up with new trends or for research and development, and free online recipes are generally not designed for use in the commercial kitchen.
The home enthusiast may lack the confidence to try something new or not know where to go to get a reliable recipe (just because something comes out on top of a Google search does not make it a good recipe!)
Are your desserts on trend?
Pâtisserie is growing in popularity around the world at an exponential rate. This demand is inspiring chefs to explore new flavour combinations, ingredients and ideas as well as innovative techniques. There are a number of themes that are on trend in the cake and dessert world.
Make sure your business is on trend with cake and desserts for 2023 and into 2024!
Good food is measured by quality not quantity!
We are all facing big environmental and health issues relating to what we eat. Clearly it is important that we give a lot of thought and consideration to where our food is coming from, how it is made, its impact on the environment and its impact on our health. With regard to health, there is so much conflicting information out there it can be difficult to determine what one should or should not be eating. So when I came across this article written by Kaki Okumura (and published on Medium in July 2021) it really struck a chord with me.
10 Great Reasons To Have Choux Pastry On Your Menu
There is a growing demand for patisserie and in particular classic desserts that have been updated and modernised. Choux pastry is a fantastic example of this in that the traditional eclairs and profiteroles, as well as classics like the Paris Brest or St Honore, have been modernised by pastry chefs, but they still retain the amazing tastes and textures that choux pastry is known for. The basic ingredients remain relatively inexpensive so in a world of rising food prices they are a very attractive product for cafés, bakeries, caterers and restaurants to have on their menus.
5 Trends in Modern Choux Pastry
Choux pastry has never been so popular. There are many reasons behind this; first and foremost it is a great tasting dessert or savoury, it is relatively simple and inexpensive to make, it can be flavoured and decorated in an almost infinite variety of ways and because it can be decorated beautifully it looks great on social media. Its popularity over the last few years has pushed chefs to create new and wonderful ways to flavour and present their choux pastry, both sweet and savoury.