Cheddar and Marmite Scones

Last week Kaffeine had a menu that loosely celebrated New Zealand in honor of Wiatangi Day. Instead of savoury muffins, a roulade of Cheddar and Marmite Scones was decided. These are a New Zealand favorite and a traditional part of growing up being Kiwi. In every kitchen, you are almost guaranteed to find of a copy Edmond's Cookbook. This is a cooking bible for every Kiwi household and a life-saver for most mothers. All recipes are tested, simple and fool-proof. Since first published in 1908 several varieties of scone recipes have been featured in Edmond's Cookbooks.
However, I still prefer the Yankees' technique for scone making and I've married the flavours of a Kiwi savoury scone into the method used to make an American scone. Ultimately your arteries are worse off but the texture and flavour is far, far superior.

500g plain flour
250 salted butter, cold
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
150g mature cheddar, grated
250ml buttermilk
150ml double cream
1 large egg

FILLING:
300g mature cheddar, grated
100g marmite

Method:
Mix flour, baking powder, salt and cheddar to a large mixing bowl. Grate the butter and add to the dry ingredients and rub into flour using your hands. When the butter is well blended, pour buttermilk, cream and egg, and gently knead together until you can form a ball. Dust a clean surface and a rolling pin with flour and put the scone dough at the center. Sprinkle a little extra flour over scone dough and begin to roll out. It's best to try and keep a rough rectangle shape as you roll. If the dough sticks to the rolling pin or bench top, dust with a little extra flour. Once the dough is roughly 1cm think and a rectangle shape, trim the edges. Carefully spread the Marmite over the surface of the scone dough and make sure you get Marmite around the edges as this will help the roulade to stick when the time comes to roll the dough into a cylinder. Evenly sprinkle the remainder of the cheddar over the dough, and starting from the bottom edge of the dough tightly roll the scone dough away from you, pressing the dough as you roll will create a tight and firm roulade. Once you have a long cylinder-shape roulade, roll the scone dough back and forth to even out and to help seal the edge. Slice the scone cylinder into around 15-16 pieces using a sharp knife. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper and lay the scones by 4's along the tray. When baking, the scones will grow and stick together and can be torn apart after baking. Place scones in oven on middle shelf, set at 180˚C for 24 minutes. Once cooked leave the scones to cool for 15 minutes before tearing apart.

Baked Lemon Ricotta Tart with Ginger Pastry and Golden Saxifrage

Happy New Year. I know it’s been a very long time since I last updated my blog, apologies. However I will try to keep on top of it starting now.

The main reason I haven’t up-dated my blog is because sadly Sadiq can no longer take my pictures because of other commitments, but I thank him for his skills, efforts and time.

I still get asked for the recipes of the dishes I create at Kaffeine, so I shell up-date redjarcooking without shinny wonderful pictures for now. I still have a few remaining images which I will use from time to time. I'm also looking into investing in a decent camera. Plus my secret Santa bought me an amazing book on food photography, which I'm currently reading.

In the meantime I will be re-editing some of my recipes and work on more recipes cards, which are still available at Kaffeine.

Here is my latest recipe, a savoury baked ricotta tart. It looks very festive on a plate (you'll have to take my word) and I've garnished this ricotta tart with a foraged item Golden Saxifrage. Crisp, textural and ever so slightly bitter leafy green. Best eaten raw and lightly dressed with lemon juice and olive oil. The refreshing taste of golden saxifrage goes well with creamy citrus ricotta, sweet tomato sauce and slightly spiced flaky pastry. You may find this recipe a tad labour intensive to make, none the less the end result is very therapeutic.

PASTRY:

300g plain flour

150g butter

50g grated cheddar

1 egg

3 tablespoons water

11/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of sea salt

TOMATO SAUCE:

3 plum tomatoes

1 white onion

2 cloves garlic

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 basil leaves

Dash of dry sherry

Sea salt and ground white pepper

RICOTTA FILLING:

600g good quality full fat ricotta

1 white onion

150g grated gruyere

3 eggs

25g butter

2 lemons

Sea salt and ground white pepper to season

GARNISH:

60g golden saxifrage

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

METHOD:

Start with making the pastry, place flour, cheddar, ginger and salt in large mixing bowl. Cube the butter and add to dry mixture, rub butter into flour until well blended together then add egg and cold water. Lightly knead together until only just combined. Wrap pastry in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Grease a fluted flan tin with removable base 30cm in diameter and 3cm deep. Once the pastry has rested roll out on a floured surface until about 4-5mm thick and line the tin with pastry, pinch and press down around the edges and refrigerate for a further 30 minutes.

Once pastry has rested using a folk prick the base of pastry 10 times and line with grease proof paper then fill with uncooked rice or dried legumes, bake in oven set at 200ºC for 12 minutes. When the pastry is baked remove parchment paper and legumes and bake the pastry for further 8 minutes until golden brown.

To make the tomato sauce peel and finely dice the onion, crush the garlic and roughly dice the tomatoes. Warm a sauce pan over a medium heat and add olive oil followed by onions and garlic, gently cook until onions have softened. Add the tomatoes, sherry and season with salt and pepper, cook until tomatoes begin to break down. When tomatoes become mushy remove from heat and pour into a food processor with basil, blend into a smooth sauce.

For the ricotta filling peel and finely dice the onion. Add butter into a fry pan and warm over a medium heat until the butter has melted. Add onion to fry pan and cook until onions become translucent then remove from heat. In a large mixing bowl add ricotta, onion, gruyere, eggs, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, mix together until evenly combined.

Spread the tomato sauce over the base of the pastry then evenly top with ricotta and smooth out, bake in oven on middle shelf set at 180ºC. When the tart has finished baking leave to cool for 30 minutes before cutting into 8 pieces.

To garnish gently mix golden saxifrage, lemon juice and olive oil together and top each slice of tart with the dressed golden saxifrage and serve.

Making Your Own Yeast and Black Garlic Bread

Photo provided by Sadiq Food Photography (Click here)

Making your own yeast in a simple and lost art form within home economists. It's surprisingly easy and makes a much tastier loaf than dried yeast. It's just a matter of time and patience, but once you have created your own yeast you can keep it for years and years like aged whisky. When your homemade yeast is running low, simply add more water and flour into the starter. This will feed the fermentation process and will keep the good bacteria growing. To ferment the water, you can use just about anything from dried cherries to grapefruit. For the sake of this recipe I'll use sultanas as most people have a bag somewhere in their pantry.

Under the yeast starter recipe I've attached one of my preferred bread loaf recipes, I make this recipe 3 or 4 times a week for the soup bread at Kaffeine. It's also amazing toasted and served with sliced tomato and sprinkled with salt and pepper. There is also black garlic in the bread, this is probably a new ingredient for most people however it's quite easy to buy and most supermarkets now stock it. Black garlic starts as a regular white bulb, after a little heating and left to ferment, the garlic becomes sweet, dark and jellied. The best part is it has twice as much antioxidants and leaves no smell or bad breath.

Natural Yeast Starter:
100g sultanas
750ml filtered water
1 tablespoon sugar
Plain flour

Method:
Place all ingredients in a 1 litre jar and stir, screw on the lid. Leave the jar to sit for one week at room temperature and give the jar a little shake twice a day.
When the water has fermented, sieve out the sultanas and pour water into a bowl, stir in flour until you have a thick wet paste. Spoon yeast back into jar and screw on the lid. Leave to sit in the fridge for 24 hours before using.

Photo provided by Sadiq Food Photography (Click here)

Black Gralic and Seeded Loaf:
750g strong flour
50g sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
4 cloves black garlic
1 tablespoon linseeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
20g pumplin seeds
40g walnut pieces
100ml buttermilk
350ml warm water
3 tablespoon extra vigin olive oil
2 tablespoons of yeast starter

Method:
In a large bowl that attaches to a kitchen mixer add all ingredients, then place bowl in mixer and attach a dough hook. Knead the dough together on a low setting for 1 minute then turn up the speed to medium and knead for 5 minutes. Grease a large bowl with a little olive oil and scrap dough into bowl, wrap the whole bowl throughly with cling film and place bowl in a dark place for 24 hours.
Once the dough has proved turn out on a flour bench and knock out the air and knead until a smooth ball forms. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and put the ball of dough on tray. Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour and cover with a dry tea towel. Put the loaf in a warm place, near a sunny window or on top of a heating oven. Leave the dough to prove for 1-2 hours to double in size.
Heat the oven to 200ºC and place a large tray of water on the lower shelf of oven, this will help the dough get a nice crisp crust. When the dough is proven, bake for 30 minutes, and to test if the loaf is baked, turn the bread upside down and tap the bottom, if there is a hollow sound the loaf is ready. Leave to cool before cutting.

Quinoa with Roasted Olives, Cashew Nuts and Oranges

Photo provided by Sadiq Food Photography (Click here)

Here's a incredibly healthy and hearty salad that'll keep you sustained throughout the day. Very tasty and fully satisfying which is quite tricky to achieve when it comes to a vegan lunch.

250g quinoa
150g black pitted olives
1 long red chilli
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
100ml extra virgin olive oil
100g cashew nuts
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
Sea salt
2 oranges
1 small bunch basil
70g rocket

Method:
Place a large pot of salted water on to the boil. Thinly slice the red chilli and garlic and lay out on oven tray with olives, bay leaves and half the olive oil, place in oven set at 180ºC for 20 minutes. In a separate oven tray lay out cashew nuts, drizzle over remaining olive oil and season with tumric and salt, place in oven with olives and cook until golden in colour.
Once the water is boiling add quinoa and cook for about 7-10 minutes until tripled in size, drain and cool under cold running water.
Slice the top and bottom off the orange and using a small paring knife run the blade round the orange removing the skin and pith, then slice the segment out of the oranges. Pick the leaves off basil and roughly chop, and in a large bowl add the quinoa and mix in the basil, oranges, olives and cashews until evenly combined. Serve with washed rocket leaves. 

Poppy Cracker Sandwich with Pickled figs and Reblochon

Photo provided by Sadiq Food Photography Blog (Click here)

This is a great, little fancy snack to serve for afternoon tea: home-made poppy crackers sandwiched together with soft musky french cheese, cranberry sauce and pickled figs. This also makes ideal picnic food with a big glass of sauvignon blanc, however the weather conditions may not be ideal for this time of year, unless you're reading this from the southern hemisphere.

Crackers:
350g plain flour
200g salted butter
50g grated mature cheddar
2 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 egg
50ml cold water

Pickled figs:
12 dried figs
50ml red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic
2 bay leaves
100g sugar
1 tablespoon sea salt
500ml water

Cranberry Sauce:
200g fresh or frozen cranberries
100g sugar
50ml water

200g reblochon de savoie, at room temperature
30g wild rocket leaves

Method:
First make the cracker dough. Place a small pan over medium heat and add mustard and coriander seeds, move around the pan until lightly toasted and fragrant. Put seeds in a mortar and pestle, roughly ground into a powder. In a large bowl add the flour, cheddar, baking powder, salt, pepper and ground spices, and stir together. Cube butter, add to dry mixture and rub together until butter is incorporated into flour, add egg and water, knead into a rough dough. Wrap the cracker dough with a cling film and place in the fridge to rest for an hour.

Next pickle the figs by placing all ingredients into a pot and placing over high heat, bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes until figs are tender. Remove from heat and transfer into container to cool.

For the cranberry sauce, place all ingredients in a small sauce pan and place over medium heat. Once simmering stir for 2-3 minutes to help break down the cranberries, then transfer into a food processor and blend until smooth. Place in a small container and leave to cool.

Once the cracker dough has rested roll out on a lightly floured surface until 5mm thick, using 10cm in diameter round cutter, cut out the crackers. Lay crackers on several baking trays lined with parchment paper, prick each one with a fork several times. You can press and roll the off cuts of dough to create more crackers if you wish. Place crackers in oven set at 180ºC for 12-14 minutes until golden and crisp. Leave the cracks to cool completely before using.

To make the cracker sandwiches, lay a few rocket leaves over the desired amount of crackers followed by a fig torn in half. Tear a knob of reblochon and place on top of the fig then garnish with a small teaspoon of cranberry sauce. Lastly sandwich together with another cracker, you should get about 12 cracker sandwiches from this recipe, with a few extra crackers to spare

Whoopie Pie

Photo proved by Sadiq Photography Blog (Click here)

What is a whoopie pie? Two sponge-like biscuits sandwiched together with icing. Rumor has it that these baked treat were invented by Amish women who would use leftover cake batter to make biscuits and sandwich them together using icing. Whoopie pies got their name because the men would shout "WHOOPIE!" when they see what was in their lunch baskets.

So to celebrate the American election and hopefully all-things Obama, here's my recipe for whoopie pies. Definitely worth a try.

300g plain flour

30g dark cocoa powder

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon of salt

250ml buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

110g soften unsalted butter

200g golden caster sugar

2 eggs

Icing:

280g giant white marshmallows

150ml double cream

250g cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

Method: 

Place flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in small bowl and whisk together until evenly combined.

Pour the buttermilk and vanilla into a small jug and stir together.

In a large bowl whisk the sugar and butter together with electric hand beater until pale and creamy, then separate the eggs and whisk in yolks until smooth.

Alternately beat the buttermilk and dry flour mixtures into creamed butter and sugar until all incorporated.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form then gently fold into woopie mixture using a metal spoon and gently transfer mixture into piping bag.

Line 2 large baking trays with parchment paper and pipe 8 even blobs onto each tray leaving large gaps between each whoopie pie. Bake in oven at 180ºC for 12 minutes. Once baked, leave to cool completely. 

For the icing place marshmallow, cream, cream cheese and vanilla in large bowl and place over a pot of simmering water to melt. Stir marshmallow every now and then until melted and all ingredients and well combined. Remove bowl from heat and place mixture in the fridge for around 15 minutes to cool down.

Once the icing is at room temperature, whip it using an electric handmixer until light and fluffy. 

Evenly spoon the icing onto 8 of the whoopie biscuits and sandwich together with remaining of the whoopie biscuits. Leave to set for half an hour before eating. 

Polenta Slice with Burnt Pineapple, Pancetta and Blue Sauce

Photo courtesy of Photography by Sadiq

Polenta is traditionally an Italian dish but I've tweaked around with the flavours a little. The sweetness and the caramelising of pineapple bounces nicely with salty pancetta and creamy blue sauce over a set polenta. A fun alternative for a dinner main.

Polenta:
250g coarse polenta
675ml water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
25g butter
50g grated parmesan

1 pineapple
24 slices of pancetta
2 red chillies, diced
1 small bunch torn coriander leaves

Blue Sauce:
200g gorgonzola
75ml double cream
100ml buttermilk
1 teaspoon dijon mustard

METHOD:
Start by making the polenta, place water in a large heavy-based pot and put over high heat and bring to the boil. Add the polenta and salt, turn down the heat to medium and stir with a wooden spoon. After about 4-5 minutes the polenta will thicken and will resemble mashed potatoes. Remove from heat then stir in butter and parmesan until well incorporated. Line a 30x20cm (3cm high) tray with parchment paper and pour in the polenta and evenly smooth out. Leave the polenta to cool for about 2 hours before cutting.
To make the cheese sauce place the gorgonzola and cream in a saucepan, put over a medium heat, stir the sauce until the cheese is almost melted. Remove sauce from heat and pour in a food processor with buttermilk and dijon, blend together until smooth.
Lay pancetta on a baking tray and cook at 180ºC for 4 to 5 minutes. Top and tail the pineapple then slice off the skin by sliding a sharp knife round the edges. Slice the pineapple into quarters lengthways then remove the core. Cut each quarter into 1cm thick slices lengthwise place a fry pan over high heat. Once the frying pan is hot and smoking a little grill each slice of pineapple on both sides until it starts to brown and go a little black.
To construct slice the polenta into 8 pieces and lay on a serving platter or individual plates. Layer each polenta slice with 2 slices of pineapple, a good spoonful of blue sauce, 3 pieces of pancetta and finally garnish with a sprinkling of chillies and coriander.

Passionfruit and Ginger Muffins

Here's a slightly spiced and tropical muffin mixture to keep the sun shinning just a little longer. This mixture is reminiscent of carrot cake and my new favourite muffin variety.

450g plain flour
200g sugar
100g butter
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
100ml coconut milk
100ml buttermilk
2 eggs
8 large passion fruit
2 tablespoons grated ginger
25g sultanas
25g chopped dried apricots
2 tablespoons dessicated coconut 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons brown sugar

Method:
Put butter in a small pot and melt, once melted place to one side for cooling. In a large bowl place flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, cinnamon, sultanas, apricots, dessicated coconut and stir together. Scoop the seeds from 6 of the passion fruit into dry mixture, then beat eggs into butter and  pour onto dry ingredients. Then add the ginger, coconut milk and buttermilk, using a butter knife cut through the wet and dry till just combined. Grease a 12 hold muffin pan with oil spray or butter, evenly distribute the muffin mixture into pan. Bake in oven set at 180oC for 25 minutes. While the muffins are cooking spoon the seeds of the 2 remaining passion fruit into small sauce pan and add brown sugar. Place sauce pan over medium heat and cook till passion fruit starts to bubble, remove from heat. Once muffins are cooked brush the passion fruit syrup over muffins and leave to set for 15 minutes before removing muffins from pan.

Boiled Onion with Lancashire Cheese

As the weather starts to cool and winter dawn upon us our desire for comfort food grows. Here's a tasty  simple little number to satisfy growing bellies and hunger pains. Just make sure you have a stick of gum handy for afterwards.

1kg white onions
200g lancashire cheese grated
2 tablespoons sea salt
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 bay leaves
Small handful curly parsley

PASTRY:
300g plain flour
150g butter
50g grated cheddar
1 egg
3 tablespoons water
Pinch of sea salt


METHOD:
Start with making the pastry, place flour, cheddar and salt in large mixing bowl. Cube the butter and add to dry mixture, rub butter into flour till well blended together then add egg and cold water, lightly knead together till only just combined. Wrap pastry in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Grease a fluted flan tin with removable base 30cm in diameter and 3cm deep. Once the pastry has rested roll out on a floured surface till about 4-5mm thick and line the tin with pastry pinch and press down around the edges and refrigerate for a further 30 minutes.

Peel all the onions and slice in half, cut off the top and bottom and slice thinly. Place onions in a pot and cover with water, add bay leaves and half the salt. Put pot over a high heat and bring to the boil then cook for 15 minutes till onions are tender. Drain the onions and stir in the remaining salt, pepper and half the lancashire cheese, leave to rest.

Once pastry has rested using a folk prick the base of pastry 10 times and line with grease proof paper and fill with rice or dried legumes, bake in oven set at 200oC for 12 minutes. When the pastry is baked remove parchment paper and legumes and bake the pastry for another 6 minutes till golden brown.

Place boiled onion mixture in pastry case and top with remaining lancashire cheese, bake in oven set at 180oC for 20 minutes till golden brown. Leave tart to cool for 10 minutes then garnish with finely chopped parsley and slice into 8 piece's.

Ginger Curried Chickpeas with Water Mint, Cucumber, Goats cheese, Bourbon and Rose Dressing

I created this salad several months ago but this image got lost in a catalogue of pictures I have. Not sure how this one slipped by as it's defiantly one of my favourite salad this year. Ridiculously healthy, wonderfully fragrant and all drizzled in a floral boozy dressing. 

I've also used water mint in this salad, a foraged item commonly found on edges of streams, damp meadows and ponds throughout England and can be used just like regular mint. This recipe should make around 4-6 portions depending on your portion sizes.

500g dried chickpeas
1 teaspoon bicarbonate soda
400g canned plum tomatoes
1 carrot, peeled and roughly cubed
1 red pepper, roughly diced
1 red onion, peeled and sliced
2 sticks celery, roughly cubed
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
300ml apple juice
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
50ml extra virgin olive oil
1 cucumber
200g goats cheese
100g bunched water mint
200ml bourbon
2 teaspoons rose water
Sea salt
70g baby spinach, washed

Method:
Soak chickpeas in a large pot of water for 8 hours or overnight. Once soaked, drain and rinse chickpeas under cold running water. Place chickpeas back in pot and fill with water, add the soda and place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Using a slotted spoon remove the foam that forms on the surface of water. Cook the chickpeas until tender and fluffy then drain and cool under cold running water.

In a small fry pan add the fennel seeds, coriander, cumin and mustard seed, place over a medium heat and gently toast the seeds until fragrant (make sure you don't burn them as this will taint the flavour of the chickpeas). Once gently toasted, place seeds in a mortar and pestle and ground into a powder.

Using a large high rimmed baking tray or casserole dish with lid, add the chickpeas, tomato, carrot, red pepper, onion, celery, garlic, ginger, apple juice, ground spice, olive oil and a tablespoon sea salt. Gently stir together, cover with a lid or foil and place in oven set at 180ºC for 1 hour. Halfway through cooking stir cover and place back in oven.

Once cooked, leave to stand for 20 minutes covered. In the meantime, slice cucumber in half lengthways and scoop out the seeds, cut cucumber in half again lengthways and roughly cube. To make the salad, I suggest you do individual portions, first lay down some spinach leaves followed by a couple large spoonfuls of chickpeas. Gently break up desired amount of goats cheese over salad, then tear water mint over salad. Lastly mix the burbon and rose water together and drizzle a couple of teaspoon of dressing over each salad. 

Apple, Celery, and Curry Muffins

Here's another savoury muffin variety that smells amazing when baking. I have to concentrate and make sure my mouth is closed when these start to bake as I tend to dribble (not a pretty sight). Now the days are getting shorter and apple season is apon us this is a novel way of using apples in a savoury treat. The ultimate comfort snack.

450g plain flour
100g salted butter
2 eggs
100ml milk
100ml butter milk
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon curry powder
70g grated cheddar
1 large stick celery
1 bramley apple
Small handful coriander leaves chopped
Cracked pepper

METHOD:
Melt butter and leave to cool slightly, place flour, baking powder, soda, curry powder and a good cracking of pepper into a large mixing bowl and roughly combine. Peel the apple and grate then add to the dry ingredients along with the cheese and coriander, stir till apple is coated in flour. Wash the celery stick and slice into 4 lengthways then roughly dice into small cubes, add to the mixing bowl.
Beat the eggs into butter and fold into dry mixture along with buttermilk and milk. Using a butter knife cut the dry and wet ingredients together gradually till just under combined. Grease a 12 hold muffin pan with either spray oil or butter and evenly spoon the mixture into pan. Bake muffin at 180oC for 25 minutes till golden brown, once cooked leave to stand in pan for 10 minutes before removing.

Tiramisu Friands

Another delightful friand recipe and a Kaffeine favourite. However I can't take all the credit for this recipe, James the ex-lead barista nagged me for 2 months to create a Tiramisu friand. So here they are courtesy of James and myself.
I should also add that the friand mixture and icing will sit happily in the fridge for up to 4 days, just in case you didn't want to make them all at once. This mixture will also yield around 24 friands.

600g flaked almonds
300g caster sugar
250g salted butter
10 egg whites
1 teaspoon baking powder
100ml buttermilk
1 tablespoon freshly ground coffee beans
1 tablespoon tia maria
1 teaspoon vanilla

ICING:
250g cream cheese
100g mascarpone
100g caster sugar
50g dark chocolate
25g dark cocoa powder
50ml double cream
100ml coffee espresso
1 tablespoon tia maria

GARNISH:
Cocoa powder
Coffee beans

Method:

Place butter in a small sauce pan and melt over medium heat till it becomes foamy then remove from heat and leave to stand. Ground almonds in food processor till fine like bread crumbs, might take several minutes to get the right consistency. Then place almonds in a large mixing bowl with sugar, baking powder, coffee and mix together till combined. Add the buttermilk, egg whites, tia maria, vanilla and butter to the dry mixture and beat together for 2 minutes.
To bake friands grease a friand pan with either oil spray or butter and 3/4 fill each mold then bake in a pre-heated oven set at 180oC for 25 minutes.
For the icing place sugar, chocolate, cocoa, cream, coffee and tia maria in a sauce plan and place over a high heat. Bring to a rolling boil then cook for 5 minutes till the syrup coats the back of a spoon, then remove from heat and stand to cool. Once the syrup is luke-warm add 3/4 to a large mixing bowl with cream cheese and mascarpone and beat together till evenly combined.
Once the friands have cooled remove from pan and top with a tablespoon of icing. With the remaining syrup drizzle over friand icing and lastly garnish with a pinch of cocoa powder and coffee bean then serve.

Chicken Adobo with Camargue Red Rice

A reprint of one of my older recipe's with a shinny new photo from the amazing Etienne! And this time I got the spelling right. 
Adobo is a Spanish word for marinade however this is a Filipino dish traditionally cooked with chicken thighs and drums. But some recipes include pork served with plain rice and a hard boiled egg. I love the combination of salty and sweet, and was surprised at how simple it is to make. I developed my own version for Kaffeine where its incorporated into a salad with camargue red rice (wild rice found in the south of France) and coriander. Out of the several hundred salads I've created at work this has to be the one that out sells all the others.

500g boneless skinless chicken thigh
60ml dark soy sauce
60ml malt vinegar
60ml water
60g demerara sugar
8 peeled cloves garlic
16 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
200g camargue red rice
70g rocket
20g coriander leaves roughly chopped
1 tablespoon sesame oil

METHOD:
Bring a medium pot of water to the boil add the rice and cook for 30 minutes
Cut each chicken thigh into 6 pieces and place in a bowl with roughly chopped garlic and add the soy, vinegar, sugar, water, peppercorns and bay leaves. Place the chicken on a medium heat and cook for 20 minutes stirring occasionally. Once the rice is cooked drain and cool under cold running water then put the rice in a large mixing bowl add the coriander and mix together. When the chicken has cooked strain the marinade from the chicken, don't throw away the marinade. Place the same pot back on a high heat and add the sesame oil followed by the chicken and cook till the meat falls apart around 4-5 minutes, pour the marinade back in the pot and cook for a further 5 minutes till the sauce thickens then remove from heat.
Add the chicken to the rice and combine, now its time to construct the salad. On a serving platter or 4 individual  lay down half the rocket leaves followed by half the Adobo and repeat the layer one more time and serve.

Brunch Salad

In terms of salads this is kind of a naughty one. Salty and sweet but full of different and interesting textures. In fact I may have invented the first new breakfast salad since 5 types of fruit were mixed together. Perfect for a weekend brunch!

200g sliced pancetta
100g baby spinach
50g hazel nuts
100ml maple syrup

Banana Fritter:
450g plain four
2 banana
100g butter
2 eggs
150ml milk
100ml buttermilk
100g grated cheddar
50g caster sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt


Pickled Onion:
2 large red onions
2 red chillies
2 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
8 peppercorns
100ml white wine vinegar
250ml water
100g sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Method:
First make the banana fritters, melt the butter and put aside to cool slightly. Then mash the bananas, in a large bowl add the flour, cheddar, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt and roughly mix together. Beat eggs and mashed banana into the butter then pour into the dry mix along with the buttermilk and milk. Using a spoon mix together till just combined, line a baking tray 30x20cm (3cm deep) with parchment paper. Pour the banana mixture into baking tray and even out, bake in pre-heated oven set at 180oC for 45-50 minutes.  Once cooked leave to cool.
To make the picked onions peel the onions and slice into rings, peel garlic and slice along with the chillies. Place all pickle onion ingredients into a small pot and put over a high heat, bring to the boil then remove from heat and leave to cool.
Lay pancetta and hazelnuts on separate baking trays and cook at 180oC for 7 minutes.
Once banana fritter has cooled slice into 2cm cubes, place a fry pan over medium-high heat and spray with oil. Gently toast the banana fritters on all sides in several batches.
To construct the salad you can either make 4-6 individual portions or one large patter. First lay down the spinach followed by slices of onion and chilli. Then evenly distribute the banana fritter and tear pancetta over top. Lastly sprinkle over hazelnuts and drizzle with desired amount of maple syrup.   

Hot Smoked Salmon Coleslaw

A mostly raw and incredibly healthy salad, low in fat and salt but full of flavour and texture. For the salmon I recommend you find a excellent fish monger, preferably one who knows Japaneses food and can source you hot smoked salmon, really does make a huge difference to the salad. 

600g hot smoked salmon
1/2 white cabbage
4 sticks celery
2 carrots
1 tablespoon grated horseradish
Small handful flat parsley
100ml rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sea salt

METHOD:
Using a very sharp knife slice the cabbage as thinly as possible. Then peel the carrots and cut into fine match sticks, cut celery in the same way. Place the cabbage, carrot, celery and horseradish into a large mixing bowl and toss together. Flake the salmon into the coleslaw mixture and add the rice vinegar and salt, using your hands toss the salad together till evenly combined.  Roughly chop the parsley and sprinkle over salad. To serve you can either make 4 individual plates or place the salad into one large serving bowl.

Samphire, Lemon and Poppy Muffins

My new favourite savoury muffin, salty, zesty and bits of crunchy texture. Samphire is a salty vegetable that grows in shallow sea waters or off rocks near coastal lines. Very delicate texture and taste similar to asparagus. I've seen samphire for sale in Waitrose near the seafood section, however not many other place's sell it. Maybe your local fish mongers if you're lucky!

450g plain flour
100g butter
2 eggs
100ml buttermilk
100ml milk
100g grated cheddar
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
100g samphire
2 un-waxed lemons
3 tablespoons poppy seeds
Good pinch of salt

METHOD:
 Melt butter and place to one side to cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl add flour, cheddar, baking powder, soda, samphire, zest of lemons, poppy seeds, salt and stir together. Beat the eggs in butter and add to the dry mixture along with buttermilk, milk and juice of lemons. Using a butter knife cut through the wet and dry till just under combined. Grease a 12 hold muffin pan with oil spray or butter and evenly distribute the mixture between the pan. Bake in oven set at 180oC for 25 minutes.
Once cooked leave to cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

Iced Cascara (or Kaffeine's RedBull)

Cascara is a dried berry shell from coffee beans and currently a raging novelty in most serious coffee house's. I say novelty now but I'm pretty sure it will grow to be as popular as dare I say TEA! Usually served in teapots and left to brew for several minutes in hot water, much the same as tea but more potent in caffeine.
James the lead barista at Kaffeine asked me to come up with some sort of cascara based drink he could serve chilled during London's warmer months. I instantly thought cola or red bull but with less tooth decaying ingredients. We sampled 2 different cascara from El Salvador and settle on a variety that had a slight smoky and lingering fieriness to it but ultimately cooling thanks to the watermelon, lime and mint in the syrup. Best served with loads of ice and sparkling water on a stifling hot day to pick one's self up.       
60g cascara
1 watermelon
2 bramley apples
4 limes
750ml apple juice
1/2 bunch mint
3 cardamon pods
2 dried red chillies
125g sugar
Sparkling water to serve

METHOD:
Cut watermelon in half, remove the rind and discard, slice melon into 5cm cubes and put in large heavy based pot. Cut apples and limes into quarters and add to pot along with cascara, apple juice, mint, cardamon and dried chillies. Place pot over a medium heat and cook for 2 hours stirring once and a while to prevent sticking.
Place a large fine strainer (if your stainer isn't fine line with muslin cloth) over bowl and pour in cascara liquid, with the back of a large spoon press down on the sediment squeezing out any excess liquid. Put the cascara syrup back in a clean pot and add sugar, place pot over medium heat and cook for 20 minutes. Leave syrup to cool at room temperature then move into a 1ltr bottle and store in fridge.
To make a drink fill glass with ice cubes and pour in 50ml of syrup (around 3 tablespoons), add 250ml of sparkling water and stir.

Kaffeine's Brownies

Here's a revised version of my dirty dirty evil brownies with a new stunning picture thanks to Etienne, plus an updated method.
When developing this recipe for Kaffeine I had Peter (Kaffeine's owner) and Cathrine (Ex-lead barista/manager) test several batches till it was perfected. I think the main reason these brownies stand out from the rest is the brand of cocoa powder, its called Barry Cocoa and I get it sent in from France. Ive seen it stocked in a few decent deli's and serious chocolate stores and well worth the extra £££! I must also put a little disclaimer here too... Unless you intentionally want to wake up in the middle of the night panting and in a sweat don't eat more than 1 piece for dessert. And if you're feeding a small child my brownie recipe I'd only let them eat a quarter of one piece, its not worth mentioning the hyperactive behaviour that follows.
Even with all my warning these Brownies are amazing and I sincerely haven't tasted better which is why its probably one of Kaffeines strongest sellers.

300g Dark Belgium chocolate drops (53% cocoa solids)

100g Cocoa (24% cocoa fat)

4 Eggs

150ml Cream

250g unsalted butter

100g plain flour

500g sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking powder

METHOD:

Third fill a small pot with water and place on high heat element, dice the butter in to small cubes and place in a medium sized stainless steel mixing bowl with chocolate. Once the water has come to a simmer place the bowl over pot (make sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water as this sometimes splits chocolate) and stir occasionally till the butter and chocolate are melted and well combined then remove from heat. Add cream, eggs and vanilla to the melted chocolate and beat till well combined. Put in a large mixing bowl sugar, flour, cocoa, and baking powder and mix together with a spatchular or wooden spoon, pour wet mixture over dry and mix beat together till smooth.

Line a 30x20cm (3cm deep) baking tray with parchment paper and pour brownie batter into the tray, even out with back of spoon and bake at 180oC for 30-35minutes.

The brownie should still be a bit soft and wobbly when removed from the oven. Leave brownies too cool for 8 hours before cutting into 16 piece's.

Onion and Thyme Tart

A simple french onion tart that is buttery and savoury and reminds me of Vegemite on toast. Quite a versatile dish that can be served for lunch or early supper and preferably with a side of healthy greens to balance out the butter and cream!  

1.8kg white onion
100ml double cream
50g butter
8 sprigs of thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked pepper

PASTRY:
300g plain flour
150g butter
50g grated cheddar
1 egg
3 tablespoons water
Pinch of sea salt


METHOD:
Start with making the pastry, place flour, cheddar and salt in large mixing bowl. Cube the butter and add to dry mixture, rub butter into flour till well blended together then add egg and cold water, lightly knead together till only just combined. Wrap pastry in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
Grease a fluted flan tin with removable base 30cm in diameter and 3cm deep. Once the pastry has rested roll out on a floured surface till about 4-5mm thick and line the tin with pastry pinch and press down around the edges and refrigerate for a further 30 minutes.
Now work on the filling, peel the onions and slice in half then top and tail, cut onions thinly lengthways. Place large pot over a medium/high heat and add butter, once the butter is bubbling pour in onions and turn down the heat slightly. Once onions are translucent and soft add the leaves of thyme, cream, salt, pepper and turn heat up again. Leave to brown and stir every now and then till onions reduce to half the original volume and turn brown then remove from heat and leave to cool.
Once pastry has rested using a folk prick the base of pastry 10 times and line with grease proof paper and fill with rice or dried legumes, bake in oven set at 200oC for 12 minutes. When the pastry is baked remove parchment paper and legumes and bake the pastry for another 6 minutes till golden brown.
Leave the tart base to cool for about 10 minutes then pour in the onions and evenly pat down. Place tart back in oven to cook for 15 minutes, once cooked garnish with extra thyme and serve hot or cold.

Lamb Mafe

Mafe is a west African stew made with tomatoes, peanuts and meat. Cooked for a couple of hours with root vegetables such as yam and served with fluffy couscous, moorish and never enough to go round.

1kg diced lamb
800g canned chopped tomatoes
250ml tomato juice
300g crunchy peanut butter
300ml water
600g yam
1 large sweet potato
2 carrots
2 parsnips
1 white onion
4 cloves garlic
2 dried red chillies
2 bay leaves
1 small bunch coriander
50ml tablespoon vegetable oil
Sea salt

METHOD:
Peel yam, sweet potato and cut into 5cm cubes, peel carrots and parsnips and slice into 1cm thick rounds. Peel onion and cut in half then slice thinly lengthways, peel garlic and slice thinly.
Place a large heavy based pot over high heat, once the base is hot add half the oil, lamb and season with a good pinch of sea salt. Cook lamb and stir periodically till it starts to brown, remove the lamb from pot and place in a side bowl. Put pot back over a medium heat and add remainder of the vegetable oil pour in the onions and cook till translucent and soft. Add carrot, parsnips, garlic, chilli, bay and cook till vegetables are warmed through then pour in water, tomato, tomato juice, peanut butter, yam, sweet potato and cook till liquid starts to simmer then add lamb. Turn heat down to low and cover, cook for 50 minutes making sure you stir every 10 minutes. After the 50 minuets of cooking remove the cover and cook for another 40-45 minutes till lamb is tender. Once cooked serve with couscous and fresh coriander leaves.