Strawberry, Orange & Honey Tart

Serves 12

INGREDIENTS

Chocolate Shortcrust Pastry
• 250g plain flour
• 30g cocoa powder
• 90g caster sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 140g unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp cold water

Tart Filling
• 100g white chocolate
• 200ml double cream
• 300g mascarpone
• 3 large eggs
• 3 tbsp Strawberry Blossom Honey (I use Annabels Deliciously British)
• Zest of 1 orange
• 150g Strawberries, chopped

To decorate
• 50g white chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 tbsp strawberry blossom honey
• 6-8 strawberries, sliced

METHOD

Make the pastry
1. Heat the oven to 190 degrees fan and grease a 28cm loose bottom flan tin.
2. Using a food processor, combine all the dry ingredients and pulse. Add the butter and pulse again until it resembles breadcrumbs
3. Add the egg and water and pulse until a dough is formed. Tip out on to a floured surface and roll out to around 5mm thick.
4. Pop into the flan tin and trim the sides. Lay baking paper over the top and fill with either rice or baking beans.
5. Bake on the middle shelf for 30mins, then remove from the oven, take off the baking paper and rice/beans and pop back in the over for a further 8 minutes. (during this time make the filling). Once done, remove from the oven on to a wire rack ready to be filled.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 170 degrees fan

Make the filling
1.Add the white chocolate and double cream into a large microwavable bowl and heat on 30 second bursts, stirring thoroughly between each one, until melted and combined to make a ganache.
2. Add the mascarpone. eggs, honey and orange zest and whisk until combined
3. Add the strawberries and stir through
4. Pour the filling into the chocolate pastry case and bake on the middle shelf for 25-30 mins, the edges will be cracked and there will still be a slight wobble in the middle
5. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 10mins before removing from the flan tin to decorate.

Decorate
1. Lay the strawberry slices all around the edge of the tart
2. Drizzle over the honey and white chocolate, leave to fully cool then pop in the fridge for 2 hours to set.

Store in the fridge.

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Pistachio & White Chocolate Cookies

Makes 12

INGREDIENTS
• 325g plain flour
• ½ tsp bicarb of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 150g unsalted butter
• 100g light brown sugar
• 100g granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 200g white chocolate chips
• 125g shelled pistachios, chopped

METHOD
1. Grease two baking trays and preheat the oven to 175 degrees.
2. Using a stand or electric hand mixer beat together both sugars and butter until pale and fluffy.
3. Add the egg and beat again until thoroughly combined.
4. Add in the flour, bicarb, salt and cornflour and beat until fully combined but be careful not to overmix
5. Add the chopped pistachios and white chocolate chips, using a spatula or spoon stir through the cookie dough.
6. Divide in to 12 equal sized balls and put six on each tray.
7. Cook on your middle shelf for 12 minutes.
8. Remove from the oven and allow them to cool for 15-20 minutes on the tray before removing on to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Pomegranate, Pistachio & Dark Chocolate Scones

INGREDIENTS

SCONE
• 275g plain flour
• 50g granulated sugar
• 1tsp baking powder
• 85g salted butter, cold and cubed
• 100g dark chocolate chips
• 100g pomegranate seeds
• 50g chopped pistachios
• 150ml soured cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp milk

FILLING
• 150g mascarpone
• 100g full fat cream cheese
• 1 tbsp icing sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract

METHOD

1. Heat oven (fan) to 215 degrees and line a baking tray.
2. Using a food processor or fingertips pulse together flour, sugar, baking powder and butter until you have small crumbs.
3. Decant into a large bowl and stir through chocolate chips and pomegranate seeds. Make a well in the centre.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sour cream, egg, and vanilla. Add to the flour mixture, using a fork gently stir, try not to over mix. Bring to a dough ball.
5. Flour your work surface and shape into around 1 inch thick, cut into 8 wedges, separate and put them on your baking tray.
6. Brush with milk and bake for 10-12 mins until golden brown. Once cooked, cool on a wire rack.
7. Whilst cooling, make the filling. Whisk mascarpone, Philadelphia, icing sugar and vanilla extract together in one bowl.
8. Cut the cooled scones in half and spread a generous layer of filling, place the scones back together.

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Chocolate & Pistachio Viennese Whirls

Makes 10 – Part of “Your Perfect Afternoon Tea”

INGREDIENTS

150g unsalted butter
35g icing sugar
150g plain flour
35g cornflour
1 tsp vanilla extract

To decorate
130g milk chocolate, melted
25g pistachios, shelled and finely chopped

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 170 degrees fan and line a baking tray with greaseproof paper

2. In a stand mixer (or electric hand mixer) beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract until pale and light

3. Beat in the flour and the cornflour until fully combined

4. Spoon the dough into a piping bag and pipe swirls on to the baking tray (these can be any shape you want). Leave some space between each one on the tray

5. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes. When you remove from the oven place the tray on to a wire rack and leave them there to cool as they will harden as they do so

6. Once completely cooled place a wire rack on to a piece of greaseproof paper and pop all the individual biscuits on to the rack. Spoon the melted milk chocolate over half of the biscuits and then scatter with the chopped pistachios. Leave the chocolate to set completely before removing.

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Black Forest & Pistachio Cheesecake

This no bake, rich, delicious cherry and pistachio no bake cheesecake makes the perfect weekend treat. Its one of the most simple recipes you could ever create, yet maximises on flavour and tasty joy!

INGREDIENTS

Base
50g unsalted butter (melted)
300g milk chocolate digestives

Cheesecake
300ml double cream
500g mascarpone
100g icing sugar
200g milk chocolate (melted)
200g dark chocolate (melted)
200g fresh cherries (pitted and chopped )
100g Morello cherry jam
100g pistachios (finely chopped – I use a food processor for this)

METHOD

1. Line a deep 8 inch loose bottom cake tin with grease proof paper.

2. Using a food processor blitz the digestives to a fine crumb, then add in the melted butter and pulse until all combined.

3. Press down the biscuit base into the bottom of the lined tin and push down so it is even using the back of a spoon. Refrigerate whilst you make the cheesecake.

4. Put the mascarpone, cream, melted chocolates and icing sugar in a large bowl with an electric hand mix or a stand mixer and beat until it is all combined and thick (if you over work add a couple of tbsp of milk and beat again).

5. Add in the Morello jam and beat again briefly

6. Fold in the chopped cherries with a wooden spoon or spatula.

7. Remove the base from the fridge and spoon on top level off with the back of a spoon.

8. Scatter the finely chopped pistachios all over the surface. Then pop back in the fridge to firm up for around 3-4 hours.

9. When ready to serve, remove from the fridge and take out of the spring form tin on to a plate. (Tip – use a knife around the edge of the cheesecake before removing from the tin.

10. Store in the fridge and will last around 4 days.

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Pistachio, Pomegranate & Nutella layer cake

So, this looks quite complicated, it really isn’t and yet it makes a real statement but most importantly tastes AMAZING! You also don’t have to pipe the icing, that bit is completely optional.

INGREDIENTS

Pistachio Cake

500g unsalted butter
400g golden caster sugar
100g soft light brown sugar
10 large eggs
500g plain flour
1 tsp vanilla Extract
300g melted white chocolate
200g pistachio kernels ground

Nutella Icing

500g unsalted butter
1kg icing sugar
5 tbsp Nutella

Ganache

1 tsp Nutella
100g dark chocolate
200ml double cream
100g pomegranates

METHOD

1. 1. Preheat your oven to 170c Fan and line two 8-inch round cake tins
   2. In a stand mixer, beat together your unsalted butter and both sugars until light and fluffy.
   3. Add in all the eggs, plain flour, and vanilla extract and beat again until well combined. Then add melted chocolate and ground pistachios and mix again. Split the mixture between the two tins and bake for around 45-55 minutes (test with a skewer). Remove and leave to cool on wire racks completely. Then slice each cake into two, so you have four layers.
   4. Beat your unsalted butter to soften it and then add in the icing sugar and beat well until smooth and fluffy add in the Nutella and beat again.
   5. Using a palette knife spread a thin layer of icing on top of the first cake, then stack the next cake on top, repeat this process until all cake has been used. Spread the remaining icing (except for a small amount if you choose to pipe on top but this is optional) around the sides and smooth off. Then put the cake in the fridge whilst you prepare the ganache.
   6. Place the dark chocolate and Nutella in a heat proof bowl, heat the cream until simmering in a saucepan and then pour over the chocolate mix. Leave for 30 seconds then beat using a fork.
   7. Remove the cake from the fridge and drizzle the ganache over the top and let it drip down the edges.
   8. If you are going to pipe on top of the ganache return to the fridge to set before you do, if not then just sprinkle your pomegranates on the top and it is ready to serve!

       

Enjoy!

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