Hotel Chocolat Easter Treats & Toscakaka Cake

With Easter just around the corner, Hotel Chocolat offered to send me some of their seasonal treats to sample, which I obviously gratefully accepted - I'm only human! Hotel Chocolat never disappoint with their innovative seasonal chocolate collections, and this year is no different with their Egglet H Box providing a sophisticated and interesting alternative to your traditional Easter Egg.

Raspberry Supermilk

Salted Caramel

With fifteen little Egglets in ten different flavours ranging from a zingy Raspberry Truffle to a boozy Calvados Caramel, there really is something for everyone. My personal favourites were the Coffee Caramel (the ideal after-dinner treat) and the Speckled Praline - a smooth and moreish nutty centre sealed in caramel chocolate speckled with vanilla seeds - A-mazing. So amazing, in fact, that it has inspired the following Toscakaka recipe… 

Toscakaka is a Swedish cake with a vanilla and orange flavoured sponge and a chewy, almondy, caramely topping that oozes into the sponge when baking and gives the cake a praline-like flavour. It is really simple to make, and would make an ideal Easter centrepiece if you're feeding friends and family next weekend. Scroll down for the full recipe…

You will need…

3 eggs

150g caster sugar

Zest of 1/2 an orange

1tsp vanilla extract or paste

150g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

75 ml milk with a drop of lemon juice

75 g butter - melted

And for the topping…

150g toasted flaked almonds

125g soft light brown sugar

100g butter

2 tbsp whiskey

You will need to…

- Preheat the oven to 180C and grease and line a 9 inch springform tin.

- In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla and orange zest until thick and pale.

- Sift in the flour, baking powder and salt and gently fold into the egg mixture.

- Mix together the melted butter and milk, then fold this into the cake mixture too. 

- Pour the mixture into your prepared tin and bake for 20 minutes.

- In the meantime, make the praline-like topping by combining the almonds, sugar and butter in a small saucepan.

- Bring this mixture to a rapid boil and cook for about a minute, then remove from the heat and stir in the whiskey.

- After 20 minutes, carefully take the cake out the oven and gently spoon the almond mixture on top, taking care not to disturb the partially cooked sponge.

- Return the cake to the oven to cook for another 15 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

- Leave to cool in the tin and serve with a generous sprinkling of icing sugar. 

Enjoy! C x

A Flavour of France II

If you follow us on Instagram you will know that I spent a few weeks holidaying in France this summer with my family. Aside from sunbathing, swimming and a little canoeing, the holiday involved a lot of eating (naturally). If you are a long-term reader of Not Just A Pretty Plate you may remember a similar post last year in which I threw a handful of French-inspired recipes into one post. Once again, please excuse the slightly haphazard and vague ingredients/quantities/timings used in these recipes. In true holiday spirit, all the cooking was fairly relaxed and thrown together so don't worry too much about being precise! I've included canapés, a starter, two main course dishes and also a pudding, but if that doesn't satisfy your appetite for french cuisine be sure to check out last year's Flavour of France for some similar recipes. Bon appétit! 

Goat's Cheese and Grape Bruschetta

Despite bruschetta being Italian, these nibbles are inspired by South Western France, a region know for it's goat's cheese. This is a slightly different take on the tried and tested combination of sharp cheese and sweet fruit. They literally take minutes to prepare - simply slice a small and slightly stale baguette into thin slices and place on a baking tray. Warm in the oven for about eight minutes until slightly toasted, then top with a slice of goat's cheese and half a grape. Serve slightly warm to ensure the cheese is melting a little in the middle. 

Melon and Jambon Sec Salad

 This is a bit of a seventies throwback, but the fact that it has stood the test of time is testament to the fact that it is simple, good, tasty food. With only four ingredients, this is a classic example of how good food need not be fussy or overcomplicated, and if you have good produce it can speak for itself. To prepare all you need to do is artfully combine chunks of Cantaloupe melon and wafer thin sheets of jambon sec or parma ham on a plate, then top with a drizzle of walnut oil and sprinkling of ground pepper.

Baked Salmon with Roasted Veg

This is SO easy and basic it really doesn't warrant a recipe. As well as being an ideal dish to throw together on holiday when you'd rather be spending time on a sun lounger than in the kitchen, this is also makes a great weekday supper. All you need to do is: lay a few fillets or whole side of salmon on a large sheet of baking parchment on a baking tray. Top with a few slices of lemon, a couple of handfuls of chopped parsley and some salt and pepper. Wrap the parchment over to create an envelope for the salmon - as well as gently steaming the fish in its own juices, it also removes the skin underneath as it sticks to the paper as it cooks. Bake for about 20-30 minutes until just cooked through. For the roasted veg chop up a selection of vegetables such as onions, courgettes, peppers and garlic. Dress with olive oil and toss through some dried oregano and fresh rosemary and thyme as well as plenty of salt and pepper. Roast in a hot oven for about forty minutes or until all the veg is cooked through and starting to crisp at the edges.

Duck Confit with Puy Lentils 

Now I have to confess that these delicious duck legs weren't confit-ed by myself from scratch - the ingenious French supermarkets sell them ready-confit-ed and vacuum packed in duck fat so all you have to do is whack them under the grill for ten minutes to heat them through and crisp up the skin nicely. I'm not sure you can buy them like this in the UK although I shall be keeping my eyes peeled. Having confit-ed from scratch before, I can assure you it isn't particularly difficult but involves buying a LOT of duck fat to cover your duck legs in! We served ours on Puy lentils with a touch of crème fraîche - a regional classic. To make the lentils you will need: 

2 onions, 

1 celery stick

2 small carrots

1 small potato

2 garlic cloves

500g Puy lentils - rinsed well in cold water

1 bouquet garni - tie together a few sprigs of rosemary, thyme and a bay leaf

1 stock cube

Boiling water

Red wine vinegar

1 small bag of spinach

1 tbsp crème fraîche plus more to serve

-Finely dice your celery, onions, potato and garlic and sauté in a large pan until softened. 

-Stir in the lentils, bouquet garni and stock cube. Add boiling water to cover.

-Simmer gently for about 40 minutes or until soft - keep an eye on it and add more water if necessary.

-Stir in the bag of spinach and allow to wilt.

-Take off the heat and stir in a good slug of red wine vinegar, a tablespoon of crème fraîche and some generous seasoning. Adjust to taste. 

-To serve spoon the lentils onto a plate, add a teaspoon of crème fraîche and top with your confit duck.  

Maple Roasted Nectarines

These are inspired by The Londoner's Honey Roast Peaches although I've substituted peaches for nectaries and honey for maple syrup. If you haven't checked out Rosie's blog before then go and have a look - her simple yet delicious recipes are great and the photography is always on-point. To make this pudding you need to half and de-stone your nectarines and place them in a baking tray. Pop a small knob of butter in each half and drizzle the whole lot generously with maple syrup. Scatter over a handful of flaked almonds and bake for about 20 minutes. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche and a couple of spoonfuls of the syrupy buttery nectarine juice. 

Enjoy! C x

Flapjacks for February

There is no way of disguising the fact that flapjacks aren't the healthiest of foods, however as treats go, they're pretty damn good. The oats mean they are incredibly filling, making them great for an on-the-go sugar boost when you find yourself flagging. Although forced to use soft brown sugar (we had no caster sugar in the house), we will definitely be using it again, as it turned the flapjacks an amazing, deep golden brown and made them deliciously chewy. We got a bit creative with our flavours (procrastination from uni work does this to you), creating three different types using the additions of fruit, nuts, chocolate and spices. Needless to say, these are ridiculously easy, and a perfect starting point for any amateur baker. Once you have your basic flapjack mix, feel free to concoct your own 'perfect bar' to suit your tastes - here are our favourites...

Raisin and cinnamon spiced flapjacks

Plain flapjack with a double chocolate topping

                                                                   You will need...

200g butter 

200g soft brown sugar 

5 tbsp golden syrup

400g rolled oats (if you like them gooey use less!)

Optional additions such as...

Cinnamon and raisins 

Flaked almond and dried cherry

Dark and milk chocolate drizzle

Cherry and almond with a dark chocolate drizzle

You will need to...

- Pre-heat your oven to 180C. 

- Line a 20cm square baking tray with baking parchment.

- Melt the butter, sugar and syrup in a large saucepan, do not allow the mixture to boil. 

- Remove from heat and stir in your oats until they are covered in the mixture. 

- At this point add in any extras such as nuts, fruit or spice.

- Press the mixture into the baking tray and bake in the oven for 15-20 mins 

- Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly before cutting into squares.

- Leave to cool completely before drizzling with a melted chocolate of your choice. 

Enjoy! C and Z x

Two Types Of Biscotti

This recipe for biscotti, a twice-baked Italian biscuit, is incredibly versatile, and once you have the basic dough (I use a Paul Hollywood recipe for this) you can tailor the additional flavours to suit your preferences by altering the type of nuts, dried fruits or citrus that you choose to include. These two recipes are my personal favourite combinations - I couldn't choose between the fresh lemon and the rich chocolate versions so had to include both! Despite looking both authentic and impressive, biscotti is really simple and easy to make. Although the Tuscans traditionally serve them at the end of a meal with a glass of Vin Santo, in our slightly less sun-drenched autumnal England I think they are best enjoyed as a tea-time treat, or a tasty accompaniment to a mid-morning coffee.

Chocolate, Almond and Cherry

Lemon, Pistachio and Cranberry

 For About 30 Biscuits You Will Need...

Basic Dough

250 g plain flour (280g if making the chocolate biscotti)
1/2 tsp baking powder
250g caster sugar
3 free-range eggs, beaten

Lemon, Pistachio & Cranberry Flavour

Zest of 1 lemon
100g whole blanched almonds, roughly chopped
120g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
125g dried cranberries, roughly chopped

OR

Chocolate, Almond & Cherry Flavour

50g dark chocolate, melted and cooled
50g chocolate chips
50g dried sour cherries, chopped
100g blanched almonds, roughly chopped

You Will Need To...

- Preheat oven to 160C/325F.

- Make the biscotti base by combining the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then gradually add the eggs and stir until it forms a dough. You probably won't need to use all the beaten egg so add it slowly - you don't want the dough to be sticky.

- Once you have a basic dough add in your additional flavours by stirring then kneading gently by hand until combined. If making the chocolate biscotti, add the melted chocolate along with the eggs and stir until the dough is evenly brown.

- Knead the mixture gently on a floured surface then cut in half and roll into two logs, each about 4 cm in diameter. Place on a lined tray about 5cm apart as the mixture will spread, and bake in your preheated oven for 30 minutes.

- Remove from oven and leave to cool for about 10 minutes, then cut into slices and lay flat back on the tray. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, until dry throughout, turning over halfway through.

- Put the kettle on and enjoy!

C x