(SLIGHTLY) HEALTHIER SWEET PASTRY, EASY PEASY

 

 This recipe is repeated after dropping off some search engines  

Spectacularly simple sensational sweet pastry a la Great British Baking Champion Candice Brown...

Gorgeous sweet pastry (before trimming) from pie-phobe 67 without angst!! 
'On a par with 5-star hotels; the best I've ever had' Blogger 

This fantastic pastry is easily one of the best 67 has ever made -- or ever eaten.  Beautiful texture, wonderful taste, it's like pastry found in 5-star+ hotels.  It's hard to believe it's home made.  

For anyone afraid of pastry, this method from Candice Brown (she of the Bake-Off lipsticks) is a lifesaver.  The pastry is made like cake: butter and sugar are creamed, eggs are added and then flour. 

The result?  A melt-in-the mouth biscuit-like shell not unlike a delicately sandy French sable.  It's perfect for custard, fruit and cream pies.  

It is very rich with four egg yolks and is for special occasions. But brown sugar replaced some white and one-third of the flour is wholemeal.

 

The recipe can be turned into Sweet Pastry Biscuits to accompany mousses and fruit parfaits.  

Sweet Pastry Biscuits

Cost: £1.75
Makes: a 25cm/10inch shell or 35 biscuits

Ingred:
   100gm/3 1/2oz unsalted soft butter
     75gm/2 1/2oz white sugar
     25gm/scant 1oz soft brown sugar

  4 egg yolks

  125gm/4 1/2 oz white flour
    59gm/1 3/4oz wholemeal flour
    25gm/scant 1oz ground almonds
    zest 1 lemon

Equipment: 23-25cm/10-11inch loose bottomed fluted tart tin or equiv.  For biscuits: baking sheets 

Method

MIDI STRAWBERRY SPONGE: make ahead, healthier

Please go to:

Small Household Scrumptious Midi Strawberry Sponge (updated 2024)

CHRISTMAS PEAR, DATE & HAZELNUT STREUSEL CAKE,

Neither a crumble nor a cake but a fabulous combo of the two ...

first posted Nov 2019

Rich, glorious Pear, Date & Hazelnut Streusel Cake
'So nice & tasty, I kept the whole cake to myself and refused to share.' Taster

This German-style cake, inspired by one of GBBO season 10's most popular bakers, Henry (the cherub in a suit) apparently often appears in German hotel breakfasts.  

It is a surprising confection with fruit, sponge and streusel topping, all cooked in one sensational layer -- utterly rich, light and delicious.

It is an indulgence, financially and in terms of cholesterol - it has too much butter for 67's liking. But served in small portions, at a breakfast buffet or as a dessert, it will be fine during the festive season.  

In the interests of good health, 67 added wholemeal flour for fibre and replaced some of the sugar with unsweetened coconut.  

Plain ahead: the recipe takes a little more time than usual to prep and cook but the steps are simple. 

Luckily pears were on offer for 65p at M&S and dates were already in the 67 cupboard, so the overall cost to the blog was not overly high.  

Whole hazelnuts, however, are a shocking price - £2.50 for 100gm.  They are worth it, though and only appear in the streusel topping.  The frugal or budget conscious can halve the amount or replace them with walnuts.

Cost: up to £5.00
Serves: 12 wedges

Ingredients:

Base layer

   200 gm/7oz  self-raising flour, sifted (plain flour: add 2.5 tsp baking powder & sift)
     50 gm/1.7oz wholemeal flour
     1/2 tsp baking powder
    1 tbsp ground cinnamon
    1/2 tsp ground cardamon
    1/2 tsp ground ginger or 1 tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

   130gm/4oz cold unsalted butter, diced

   110gm/3.8oz light muscovado sugar
      20gm/0.75oz dried unsweetened coconut  
   250gm/9oz pears, peeled, cored and in scant half-inch/1 cm cubes
   110gm/3.75 dates, in small cubes (67 used Medjool) OR dried blueberries OR dried or fresh cranberries

   3 eggs    60ml/2.25oz double cream
   1 tsp vanilla

Streusel layer
    35g/1.25oz plain flour
    90g/3.25oz demerara sugar
    1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
    60gm/2.25oz cold unsalted butter, diced 
    min 50-100gm/1.7oz-3.5oz coarsely chopped hazelnuts 


Method:

FRONTIER TURKEY IN LOW-FAT CREAMY GRAVY WITH BISCUITS, an indulgence

Something like this was probably served from the back of the chuckwagon on the Wagon Trail as Americans colonised the 'Wild' West!

Turkey in low-fat Creamy Gravy served on Buttermilk Biscuits, Frontier style
'Wow! One of the best things you have ever made.' 'You've done it again!' Tasters

If you've ever enjoyed Food Network's Pioneer Woman, you'll know that food on the ranch is designed to replenish energy expended rounding up cattle, digging up fences and burning grass. 

67 loves the lifestyle portrayed on the programme and finds Ree Drummond's recipes ultra-tempting.  But, if living a city life, a cautious approach is recommended.  

This  recipe was developed as a frontier-lite main course, minimising fat/cholesterol levels and raising fibre, while maintaining an outdoors cowboy vibe.  

Worries that the dish would not work evaporated at first bite.  It was an absolute delight!   

Turkey legs can be tough, especially organic ones -- all that running around outside -- but carefully timed slow cooking tenderised the meat without losing its muscularity.   

The pale gravy was achieved with only a tiny bit of cream; it softened the buttermilk biscuit underneath but the top half of the biscuit* stayed crunchy, tender and fluffy.   

Start this up to two days in advance; both the turkey & gravy can be prepped ahead.  4 simple stages of prep (turkey, gravy, biscuits, assembly) make cook's life easier.  The instructions might sound complicated but truly they're not -- and its worth it!

Cost: around £7-£10 for organic, less for free-range
Feeds: 2-3; recipe multiplies nicely

Ingred:
   1 good sized turkey leg
   1 med onion, in chunks
   1 large carrot, peeled & in chunks (soaked in 9-1 solution of water & vinegar if not organic)
   1 large stick celery, peeled (treated like the carrot)
  water
   bay leaf
  
Creamy Gravy

    3 tbsp sunflower oil
    1/2 med onion grated or minced 
    3 tbsp flour (67 used spelt but wheat is fine) 
    1 3/4 cups/340ml turkey stock (from slow cooker)
    1/4 cup/60ml double cream
    1/4 tsp rosemary
    1/4 tsp thyme
    1-2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
    1/4 tsp pepper
    squeeze of lime juice (about 1/2 tsp) 

(Pepper & Lime Buttermilk Biscuits recipe is below) 

Method:

A.  Turkey:

1. Scatter onions, carrots & celery over bottom of slow cooker  
2. Lay turkey leg on top, fleshy side up
3. Add water to come to the level of the bottom of the turkey leg - don't submerge 
4. Add bay leaf
5. Cook on low 4 hours or until tender
6. Remove leg & set aside; strain liquid into a jug, discarding the veg
7. Cool both overnight; remove fat from stock
8. Tear turkey meat into good sized chunks; set aside

B.  Once turkey has cooked: Gravy

1. Heat oil in a saucepan on med high  
2. Add onions, stir for a few minutes  
3. Add flour, stir; cook, stirring, 5 mins or until it begins to turn brown
4. Take pan off heat; gradually add turkey stock, stirring continuously. 
5. Return pan to stove; stir till thick; add rosemary & thyme.
6. Simmer on a low heat for 10 mins.  The gravy should have the consistency of double cream.  If too thick, add a little more stock or water.  If too thin, add 1 tsp cornflour mixed with one tbsp cold water and stir till thickened.
7. Add Worcestershire soy and pepper.  If serving immediately, keep warm.  Otherwise cool and refrigerate overnight.

C.  On day of serving: Make Pepper & Lime Buttermilk biscuits

Ingred:

1 cup/125gm/4.4oz plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

scant 1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking soda

50 gm/1.7oz cold unsalted butter, in cubes

1/2 tsp coarse ground black pepper

zest of half a lime 

1/4 cup/60ml PLUS 1/8cup/30ml buttermilk**

Method:

1. Mix dry ingred together
2. Rub in butter until mix resembles peas
3. Stir in pepper & lime zest till well distributed
4. Add buttermilk, stir until it comes together; it will be soft and manageable
5. Preheat oven to 220c/425f/gas7
6. Dump dough onto a floured board; pat out into a rectangle 
7. Fold right side into the middle and left side on top 
8. Press lightly and repeat 6 to create light fluffy layers
9. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out into a rectangle 1inch/2.5 cm deep
10. Cut out 3-4 large round biscuits OR cut into quarters
11. Place on uncreased pan; brush tops with a little milk or buttermilk
12. Bake 12-15 mins in the middle of the oven until golden brown

D.  When ready to serve

1. Finely chop chives or parsley for garish, if using; set aside
2. Reheat gravy over moderate heat; it should be the consistency of double cream; add water or a cornflour-water mix as needed (see B. Gravy 6)
3. Add chunks of turkey; simmer until hot through; taste;  season, add lime juice
4. Take turkey/gravy mix off heat; turn heat to low; add cream; stir; return to hob 
5. Split buttermilk biscuits sideways, so you have a top and a bottom
6. Place bottom of biscuit in a bowl or a deep plate; pour a generous ladle of turkey and sauce over the biscuit; top with other biscuit half
7. Garnish with chives or parsley
8. Eat with a spoon

Comments:

• 'Well, you have done it again.  The biscuit is lovely.  Can't identify the spice that flavours it but it works so well, as did the stew-biscuit combo -- the biscuit didn't turn soggy where others turn into goo.  The turkey is so tender and makes a perfect warming winter dinner. I'm full and content.' Political Agent (Blogger: the spices are pepper & lime zest) 

• 'Wow!  One of the best things you have ever made!! Super creamy yet light and full of flavour.  The biscuit is crumbly and soft and melts in the mouth with the turkey and cream.' Wonder Woman Office Administrator.

Tips:

• This would also work for leftover cooked turkey and take much less time
• More fibre could be added by replacing a quarter of the plain flour with wholemeal

*inspired by Chef John

**replace buttermilk with milk that's  gone off OR 3/4 yoghurt, 
1/4 water OR milk + a couple of tablespoons of vinegar

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This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.

CHOCOLATE WALNUT SQUARES, indulgence, definitely not good for you

An easy-peasy gorgeous traybake as the Canadian 150th anniversary draws to a close

first posted 2017; updated 6/25

Chocolate Walnut Butter Squres
'the most delicious sweet I've ever had!' Taster

These delightful little squares are a yummy twist on the classic Canadian butter tart (small pastry shells filled with an oozy carmelly topping which 67 has never - sadly - mastered).  

The Butter squares have a shortbread base and multi-textured topping of crunchy walnuts and studs of chocolate embedded in buttery, caramel.  They're surprisingly easy to put together. 

Though the squares, inspired by the Newfoundland blog Rock Recipes*, are an indulgence, 67 has made them less unhealthy.   Wholemeal flour adds fibre, slowing down the absorption of sugar.  Dried coconut  and ground almonds replaces some sugar.  But in recognition of the many chocaholics in the world, the amount of chocolate was unchanged. 

These were made on local election day for a campaign team.  They loved the squares so much the plateful of goodies was tweeted many times!!

Cost: £4.50'ish (6/25)

Feeds: 24  

Ingred:   

Shortbread base:

    1 cup wholemeal flour

    1 tbsp brown sugar
    2 tbsp ground almonds 

    113gm/4oz soft salted dairy or plant butter (zap in microwave in 20 sec bursts if you've forgetten to leave it out overnight) (if using plant butter add an extra tbsp)

Topping:

 2 med free range eggs   
scant 1 cup soft brown sugar

   1/2 cup dried unsweetened coconut
    2 tsp vanilla extract

  

   3/4 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

   pinch salt

   scant 1 cup dark chocolate chips or coarsely chopped 70% dark chocolate (about 100 gm/3.5oz)

Method:

1. Line a 7x10inch/18x25cm rectangular pan or equiv with greaseproof paper
2. Preheat oven to 350f/180c/gas4
3. With a processor or by hand, combine base ingred until blended & crumbly
4. Press into the pan; bake 15 mins; set aside
5. Use electric beaters or a whisk to beat eggs; add sugar, coconut,  & vanilla; stir till well blended 
6. Add salt, walnuts and chocolate; stir till all is distributed evenly
7. Pour over base
8. Reduce oven temp to 325f/165c/gas3
9. Bake 20-25 mins
10.  Cool completely before cutting into 24 portions.  Use a sharp knife.  

                                     *#RockRecipes100Cookies4Christmas https://buff.ly/2gRqx51  #NL #foodie

incl. Butter Tarts 

Comments:

'It was the most delicious sweet I've ever had.' Female Campaign Manager

Tips:

• The addition of a handful of glace cherries, in generous chunks, take these beauties to another level
• an 8in/20cm or 9in/23 square pan will give a deeper base and filling

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         .

This recipe has been developed by B M Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises.  It may not be reproduced without the author's written permission.