Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2014 i Good Food

Good food for free is one of life’s thrills – at any age. As a child, I picked blackberries with my family on coastal paths, where brambles wound down the hillside. Happy memories. Last year, I discovered a bumper crop in my local park, which I’ll revisit this year – the urban berries had an incredible flavour, and the only cost was a few purple-stained fingers. In this issue, you’ll find plenty of recipes for enjoying your own foraged delights (p16). This month, I’ll be visiting our first BBC Good Food Festival at Hampton Court Palace, and I hope you can join me. Running over the Bank Holiday weekend (23-25 August), this exciting day out includes live demos with top chefs, plus a chance to sample food and drink from…

Fruit & veg • Apples• Aubergines• Autumn raspberries• Beetroot• Blackberries• Carrots• Cobnuts• Courgettes/marrows• Cucumbers• Damsons• Fennel• Figs• Grapes• Hazelnuts• Maincrop potatoes• Pears• Peppers• Plums• Shallots• Spinach• Sweetcorn• Tomatoes• Walnuts• Watercress• Wild mushrooms Fish & seafood • Brown crab• Cornish sardines• Mackerel• Mussels• Sea bass• Squid Game • Goose• Partridge• Venison• Wild duck• Wood pigeon…

This summer, a snapshot survey commissioned by LEAF (Linking Environment And Farming) found that three-quarters of Brits felt ‘clueless’ when it came to seasonality. If it is indeed true that the vast majority of us don’t know what crops grow when in the UK, let alone grasp the seasons of produce imported from Europe and beyond, whose fault is that? Any switched-on magazine, newspaper or food blog uses seasons to shape its editorial priorities. Most of us have probably got a recipe book with a chart that gives a month-by-month guide to what’s best to eat. Seasonality whets our appetite, but then most of us shop in the supermarket where, rather than being presented with seasonal bounty, the selection seems pretty much the same 365 days a year. Right now,…

Pancetta & pepper piperade SERVES 4 • PREP 10 mins • COOK 30 mins 2 x 70g packs pancetta pieces 1 red onion, finely chopped 3 peppers, 1 each of green, red and yellow, deseeded and finely diced 400g can chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato purée 4 medium eggs small handful basil leaves, shredded crusty bread, to serve (optional) 1 Put the pancetta and onion in a large, deep frying pan. Cook for 7 mins until the onion is beginning to soften. 2 Add the peppers, tomatoes and tomato purée to the pan and mix well. Season, cover and cook for 10-15 mins. 3 Make 4 small wells in the mixture. Crack an egg into each well and cook for a further 5-6 mins or until the eggs have set.…

Wild rice with orange & fennel SERVES 4 • PREP 10 mins • COOK 25 mins 65p per serving 200g/7oz basmati & wild rice 1 large fennel bulb, halved then cut into slices 1 tbsp olive oil 2 large oranges small pack coriander, chopped 1 Cook the rice following pack instructions. Meanwhile, toss the fennel with olive oil and season. Cook the fennel in a griddle pan on a medium-high heat for 5 mins until softened. 2 Juice ½ an orange. Peel the remaining oranges, slice them and cut each slice into quarters. Drain the rice, then stir through the orange juice, orange pieces, fennel and coriander. PER SERVING 253 kcals, protein 6g, carbs 46g, fat 4g, sat fat 1g, fibre 5g, sugar 10g, salt none GOES WELL WITH… Spiced…

Cucumber Martinis MAKES 2 PREP 5 mins NO COOK 50ml/2fl oz sugar syrup (buy ready-made, or make your own - see below) 10 thin slices cucumber, plus 4 ribbons sliced with a vegetable peeler large bunch mint, stems removed 1 tbsp dry vermouth 150ml/¼pt gin Chill two Martini glasses. Put all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker or jug (except the cucumber ribbons), along with a handful of ice. Shake or mix well to combine, then strain the liquid into the glasses. Garnish with the cucumber ribbons, bunched up and threaded onto a cocktail stick. PER MARTINI 282 kcals, protein 2g, carbs 2g, fat none, sat fat none, fibre none, sugar 13g, salt none Simple sugar syrup Boil equal quantities of caster sugar and water until the sugar has dissolved.…

Children’s clothing designer, Frances Quinn, won last year’s contest with her inventive, creative talents Has it been a busy year? So much has happened and it’s all been varied, a bit like my approach to baking. As well as creating exclusive bakes for BBC Good Food, I’ve been involved with design, architecture, music and sport – everything! Any unusual projects? My project to celebrate the Shard’s birthday (bottom right) was fun. When I did my sketch of London landmarks, architect, Sir Norman Foster, got in touch and asked me to come and talk in the studio. I made shortbread ‘chords’ for Jools Holland to celebrate his Hootenanny on BBC Two last New Year’s Eve, and I hope to do something with radio presenter Jo Whiley soon. I love meeting people…

Many of us tend to forget about eating well until our bodies remind us otherwise. When I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia (a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body), I decided to overhaul my diet. One of the things I discovered was the importance of eating anti-inflammatory ingredients. Inflammation is the cornerstone of the body’s healing response, ensuring that appropriate nourishment and adequate immune activity are delivered to an area that is injured or under attack. However, inflammation can be very destructive to your health, particularly when it continues for long periods of time. If you’re stressed, or smoke, eat unhealthily or have a busy life, then the chances are that you may suffer from inflammation, affecting your health – and your complexion. The good news is that…

Like many dishes with a bread base, it’s what you scatter onto a pizza that can pile on the fat, especially saturated fat. Salt too can be an issue if you overdo toppings such as olives, anchovies, cheese and cured meats. Even with the simplicity of a classic Margherita, whose toppings – basil, mozzarella and tomatoes – mirror the colours of the Italian flag, fat from cheese can be a concern. For my lighter version, I didn’t want to alter the dough much – but I did try to reduce the amount of salt. However, with my first test I took too much out, which resulted in a flat and flabby dough – a far cry from the light, crisp base I was after. This reminded me how important salt…

Know your coconuts With its superfood credentials, the versatile coconut is in the limelight for its nutritional punch. Food writer Sara Buenfeld explains how you can use it the kitchen Coconut water If you’ve ever opened a fresh coconut, you will know it often contains a clear liquid – coconut water. You can tell if it does by shaking it, as you’ll hear it sloshing about, and it will feel heavy for its size. When buying it ready prepared, avoid brands with added sugar. How to use As a thirst-quenching drink (some people swear it’s good for hangovers!); diluting fresh juices and smoothies; adding liquid to fruit salads and jellies, or in porridge. Coconut milk and cream This creamy liquid is derived from the grated flesh, or meat, of a…

How did you find Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons? In 1983, when I first saw the house, I was looking for a little place with a lovely thatch, but I fell in love with an enormous manor. The first thing I did was not to look at the foundations, or the roof, or electricity – all of which had to be redone; the first thing was the garden. And what was it like? It was a complete jungle – there was ground elder, rabbits everywhere, an entanglement of wild herbs. I wanted to create a garden that would be the heart of my food, the mirror image of my food. Where did you learn to garden? I’ve always loved gardening. In France I looked after my parents’ garden with them. It…

Budget buy for a barbecue Pinotage 2013, Western Cape, South Africa, 14%, £4.49, Morrisons South Africa’s most famous red grape, Pinotage, is usually a guarantee of loads of flavour. It can be made into high-end, ‘serious’ wines, but it also produces generously fruity, exuberantly ripe and great-value reds like this. Just right for a barbecue, cool it down in the fridge for half an hour if it’s a warm day. Premium rum Don Papa Rum, 40%, £40/70cl, harveynichols.com The monocled Don Papa and his golden rum come from the Philippines. Aged for seven years in oak, it has an alluring aroma: fruity, with hints of vanilla and white chocolate. It tastes of chocolate too, with notes of candied fruits. Drink over plenty of ice, or in a…

Blackberry & apple frozen yogurt cake without topping and sauce SERVES 12-16 PREP 40 mins plus freezing COOK under 5 mins Four layers of frozen yogurt (Bramley apple and three intensities of blackberry) are given a crunchy contrast by a slab of oaty biscuit, just like with a cheesecake or crumble. FOR THE BASE 85g/3oz butter, plus extra for greasing 1 tbsp light muscovado sugar ½ tsp ground cinnamon 200g/7oz Hobnob biscuits, finely crushed FOR THE LAYERS 1 large (about 350g/12oz) Bramley apple, peeled and chopped to give 250g/9oz 2 tbsp lemon juice 450g/1lb blackberries, plus a few more to serve 2 x 400g cans condensed milk 750g/1lb 10oz full-fat Greek yogurt (we used Total) 600ml/1pt double cream ½ tsp ground cinnamon 4 tbsp light muscovado sugar 1 tsp arrowroot…

Baked blue cheese with figs & walnuts SERVES 6 PREP 10 mins COOK 20 mins I’ve ditched the groaning cheeseboard in favour of just one favourite cheese paired with its perfect accompaniment. If you like a sharing starter rather than a cheese course, this will work equally well to kick off your meal. 6-12 ripe figs 2 tbsp good Sherry vinegar 100ml/3½fl oz red wine (or red grape juice) 50g/2oz walnut halves 5 thyme sprigs, broken up a little bit 4 tbsp clear honey 1 whole round blue Brie or Camembert (we used Cote Hill Blue from paxtonandwhitfield.co.uk , or try President Le Bleu) crusty baguette, to serve 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Cut a cross in the tops of the figs nearly,…

Country walks at this time of year invariably take on a serious intent. Forays are well planned – I usually venture out with a basket containing a food bag or two, and a pair of gardening gloves, in the hope that I will come across some food to forage in the lush countryside. The gloves are essential, as I find the best fruit is often either just beyond reach or protected by thorns or nettles. Elderberries, hawthorn and crab apples make for easier pickings than blackberries, but often require a pair of secateurs. Sloes are usually conveniently found at waist height, but the tiny berries mean filling your bag is slow work – no pun intended! The countryside rule is to leave as much as you pick, to ensure good…

The rise of homemade and artisan bread has been one of the major food revolutions of the past decade. On average, 12,000 people look for a bread recipe on every month! When we asked regular bakers to get in touch via our Facebook page, we were flooded with wonderful stories of your love for homemade bread. These four Good Food readers explain how they fit bread-baking into busy schedules, and why it’s always worth the effort. ‘Posh loaves, minus the price tag’ Sue Palmer, a legal PA from London ‘I’ve been baking on a weekly basis for about two years. I started because I wanted the crusty white bread you see in posh bakeries, without the price. Now I’ve moved onto different flours, enriched doughs, bagels and ciabatta. I never…

‘I know how easy it is to get into the rut of packing a simple sandwich and a bag of salty snacks for lunch to keep your kids happy. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Maisie and Jack both eat mangoes and prawns, so I combine them into a salad. They enjoy pesto chicken, so that gets turned into a sandwich filling. ‘I’ve found that if I use foods and flavours I know my kids already like, they – like most children – will love opening their lunchboxes and, more importantly, will eat the contents.’ ‘Eva has always been an adventurous eater, but when I’m busy, it’s easy to just make the same old things. To combat that, I’ve had to think of ways to be more inventive.…

Sharing menu To serve 6-8 • Melon & ginger sharbat• Battered Amritsari fish• BBQ tandoori-style chicken• Tomato, onion & cucumber raita• Grilled flaky naans• Tangy herb chutney• Spiced grilled lamb skewers• Herby paneer parcels• Punjabi-style chickpea salad• Pistachio & rose water kulfi My trip to the Punjabi food mecca of Amritsar was always going to be a feast for the senses, but there was added excitement as it was my first visit, even though my father is Punjabi. My perceptions were based on nostalgic memories of emigrants and Indian movies, and I was curious to experience the realities of the Punjab. The visit delivered on all the anticipated sensory pleasures, but I was also touched by the people, who were engaging, hospitable and, most of all, loved their food and feeding others. The Punjab region is predominantly Sikh and Hindu,…

Italians know a thing or two about great food. Fresh flavours, simple recipes and high-quality ingredients are the basis of every wonderful Italian dish, and families share and pass on their secrets to each generation. For over 130 years, Galbani has been the mainstay of Italian kitchens everywhere. Marked out by its fascinating heritage, Galbani cheese dates back to 1882 in Ballablo, a small village nestled in a lush green Alpine valley, where it was first made. Established by father and son duo Davide and Egidio Galbani, news of Galbani’s excellence quickly spread. Soon, people the world over were enjoying its milky mozzarella, its light and creamy ricotta, its rich Dolcelatte and its indulgent mascarpone. The quality and versatility of Galbani Mozzarella makes it perfect for a host of dishes.…

Tom arrives for our photo shoot, looking much slimmer than the chef who first appeared on our screens as the two-time main course winner of BBC Two’s Great British Menu – something no other chef has achieved. He is very open about his new look: ‘When you’re a publican, it’s very easy to drink, and who would have known that not drinking ale every night would help you lose weight,’ he says. The pub he owns is the Hand & Flowers in Marlow – the only pub in the UK to be awarded two Michelin stars – which he opened in 2005 with his wife, Beth. The food is high-end, but he likes to keep things accessible. ‘It’s been very important to me that we’ve remained as a pub over…

Malty choc chip cookies uncooked dough only MAKES 20 • PREP 15 mins • COOK 10 mins 140g/5oz butter, softened 50g/2oz golden caster sugar 100g/4oz soft light brown sugar 2 medium eggs 200g/7oz plain flour 175g/6oz malted milk drink powder (we used Horlicks) ½ tsp baking powder 100g bar dark chocolate, chopped 1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line 2 baking sheets with baking parchment. Beat the butter and sugars in a bowl until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time. 2 Add the flour, malted milk drink powder, baking powder and a good pinch of salt, then stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a dough. Tip out onto the work surface and gently knead in the chocolate. Divide the…

Runner bean & fennel slaw SERVES 4 • PREP 15 mins • NO COOK 300g/11oz runner beans 1 fennel bulb ½ garlic clove 1½ tbsp rapeseed oil 2 tsp wholegrain mustard 1 tsp agave syrup zest and juice ½ lemon 1 Slice the runner beans very finely at an angle, then finely slice the fennel, reserving the fronds. 2 Rub the inside of a large bowl with the garlic. Add the oil, mustard, agave syrup, lemon juice and zest, and some seasoning. Stir well. Add the fennel and beans and toss everything together. Finely chop the fennel fronds and sprinkle over before serving. PER SERVING 95 kcals, protein 2g, carbs 5g, fat 7g, sat fat 1g, fibre 4g, sugar 4g, salt 0.2g Coleslaw with tahini yogurt dressing SERVES 6 •…

Do it better Preparing corn on the cob Fresh sweetcorn is sweet and juicy, a world away from canned or frozen. Look for kernels that are tightly packed, plump, shiny and golden yellow. If really fresh, the kernels will release a milky liquid when cut. Sweetcorn still in its husk keeps fresher for longer. The husk should fit snugly and look unblemished. 1 Peel back the leaves of the husk and cut off with a sharp knife. 2 Cut off each end of the cob, then wash thoroughly. Pull off any threads sticking to the cob using your fingers. 3 If you’d like to cut the cob in half, run a knife around its circumference, then snap in two with your hands. 4 If you want to remove the kernels…

Smart kettles Precision boiling, remote control and energy conservation - there’s a lot to consider when you buy a modern kettle Eco choice Wahl Ecologyk eco kettle, £39.99, amazon.co.uk This kettle saves time, energy and water. It has two chambers – you fill one side straight from the tap, then decide precisely how much you want to boil in the secondary chamber. This can range from a single 200ml cup to the full 1.5-litres. The cord stores neatly in the base. Perfect boil Sage by Heston Blumenthal Tea Maker, £169.95, John Lewis Tea aficionados never use 100C boiling water, as amino acids are dissolved at high temperatures, which makes tea more astringent. You can adjust this kettle to exact temperatures to suit specific leaf needs as you…

input into which varieties we grow and which crops. He works with me and Gary to put together a plan for the year. ‘We do a lot of trials. We tested hundreds of different apples before planting them and it can become quite overwhelming! This year we did spinach, celeriac, parsnips, swede, runner beans, salsify and scorzonera. ‘We don’t just settle for one taste – we experiment and tweak out the very best flavours. The chefs are looking for certain things; a particular texture, or how it holds up when it cooks. ‘It’s normally a mixture of gardeners and chefs doing the tests and you get some interesting feedback.’ Anne Greenland, Head vegetable gardener, describes her weekly routine ‘On Mondays I put together a picking list. I walk round the…

JOHN WHAITE 2012 winner Apple & lavender sandwich tarts MAKES 10 PREP 1 hr 35 mins COOK 1 hr 15 mins More of a challenge I first made these under pressure, it was very early morning and I was on set filming. I had to choose two ingredients from a lucky dip then create a dish live on air. I chose apples and lavender, then grabbed a bottle of Calvados from the cupboard. After a couple of large swigs, these were my inspiration! 500g all butter rough puff pastry FOR THE POACHED ‘APPLETTES’ juice 2 large lemons 6 large Cox’s or Braeburn apples 550g golden caster sugar 1 tsp dried lavender flowers, plus extra for decoration 2 tbsp Calvados FOR THE CREAM FILLING 225ml double cream 125g full-fat crème fraîche…

RACHEL ALLEN Moroccan lamb tagine with lemon & pomegranate couscous SERVES 6 PREP 30 mins COOK 2 hrs 10 mins Easy FOR THE LAMB TAGINE 2 tbsp olive oil 4 garlic cloves, crushed 2 large onions, chopped 2 tsp grated ginger 2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed 1½ tsp ground cinnamon 1.5kg lamb from the shoulder, trimmed of fat and cut into 4cm cubes 1 tbsp tomato purée 1kg ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped or 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes 2 tbsp honey FOR THE COUSCOUS 1 pomegranate 400g couscous 3 tbsp olive oil juice 1 lemon 500ml boiling chicken stock 2 tbsp chopped mint or coriander 1 lime, cut into wedges, and a bowl of Greek yogurt, to serve 1 Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 2. Warm a large ovenproof…

All the recipes in Good Food magazine are tested thoroughly before publication, so they’ll work first time for you at home. Most are developed in our Test Kitchen by our cookery team, with additional recipes from food writers, TV chefs or cookery books. However, no matter who writes the original recipe, each one is tested rigorously before being included in the magazine. Your time and money are precious, so we want to guarantee you a perfect result every time. Developing and testing Good Food recipes • We aim to make recipes practical, keeping ingredients lists to a minimum and avoiding lengthy preparation.• We help you to avoid waste by using full packs, cans and jars where possible. When it’s not possible, we try to include suggestions for leftovers.• We…

Holly spent a day at the Twinings factory, in Andover, Hampshire Most of us have a favourite tea and we don’t question the fact that it always tastes the same. However, there are over 1,500 varieties of tea leaf and no crop can ever be identical – even the same leaf variety changes depending on altitude, weather and soil conditions each season. The master blenders explained that teabag ‘recipes’ are constantly changing to accommodate availability and leaf quality. Crucial to the process are the expert tasters, who balance any slight differences in taste to ensure that the flavour of each tea remains exactly the same, month after month. Philippa Thacker, right, master blender at Twinings, explains: ‘I have to be able to identify which country a tea is from, and…

You’ve got to love an ingredient that demands its own implement, and none is more worthy of its special prongs than corn on the cob – it’s sweet, juicy and one of the pleasures of summer. Much like Jersey Royals or a pan of fresh peas, I like to eat the first corn of the season simply with butter, salt and pepper. But after the first few cobs, I start adding it to salsas, fritters, soups and cheesy scones. The repertoire can always do with a few new additions, however, so in this month’s recipes I’ve roasted cobs alongside a family-friendly chicken, played sweet against hot in a spicy BBQ recipe, and punctuated the salty smoke of haddock hash with plenty of fresh, tender kernels. Sweetcorn is one of many…

SPAGHETTI SQUASH As the name suggests, when this squash (available from September to November) is cooked, the flesh breaks down into long thin strands. Spaghetti squash is a popular low-GI alternative to pasta. To prepare, cut in half lengthways, remove the seeds, drizzle with oil and bake for 40-50 mins. Scrape out the cooked strands of flesh with a fork. SPAGHETTI ALTERNATIVE Toss cooked strands with pesto, peas and diced tomatoes for a healthy dinner. SALAD Cool the cooked strands and mix with feta, sundried tomatoes and a simple vinaigrette for a late summer salad. NOODLE SOUP Add squash strands to miso soup and top with spring onions and coriander. MOOLI Part of the radish family, mooli – also known as daikon – is a long white root with a…

Fruit & veg • 6 red onions, from a 1kg bag• 1kg/2lb 4oz butternut squash• 280g/10oz courgettes• small pack flat-leaf parsley• 85g bag leafy butterhead salad (or mixed leaves)• ½ x 30g pack fresh rosemary (4-5 sprigs)• 1 lemon• small pack fresh mint• 1 whole small cucumber• 4 carrots• 140g/5oz cherry tomatoes• 200g bag young leaf spinach• 2 aubergines Dairy • 225g block mature cheddar• 300ml tub half-fat crème fraîche• 200g pot Greek yogurt• 25g/1oz Parmesan• 4 eggs• 25g/1oz butter Meat & poultry • 500g pack turkey thigh mince• ½ x 160g pack smoked pancetta di cubetti• 3 good-quality pork sausages (about 250g/9oz) Storecupboard items • 2 x 390g cartons of chopped tomatoes with garlic & olive oil• 325g can sweetcorn• 290g can mixed beans in mild chilli sauce• pack 8 flour tortillas• 350g/12oz fusilli bucati pasta (or fusilli)• 30g bag cashew nuts• 500g pack ciabatta bread mix Check your cupboards • 7½ tbsp olive oil• 2 tbsp tomato purée• 4 garlic…

NEW SERIES Global flavours for your favourites Greek-style roast chicken SERVES 4 • PREP 10 mins • COOK 1 hr 750g/1lb 10oz new potatoes, thickly sliced lengthways 2 tbsp olive oil 8 chicken thighs, skin on and bone in 300g/11oz cherry tomatoes 100g/4oz black olives ½ small pack oregano, leaves picked 200g pack feta, crumbled into chunks 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 1 Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6. Put the potatoes in a roasting tin and drizzle with half the oil. Sit the chicken thighs on top, drizzle over the remaining oil and season. Roast in the oven for 30 mins. 2 Add the cherry tomatoes, olives, oregano leaves and feta, then drizzle with the red wine vinegar. Return to the oven for another 25-30 mins until the…

Cauliflower ‘steaks’, keftedes & couscous with sautéed leaves SERVES 4 PREP 50 mins plus chilling COOK 20 mins FOR THE CAULIFLOWER STEAKS AND SAUTEED LEAVES 2 cauliflowers, weighing 700g/1lb 9oz each, with leaves if possible 2-3 tbsp olive oil, for brushing, plus a drizzle for the leaves small knob of butter FOR THE CAULIFLOWER COUSCOUS 2 tbsp golden raisins or sultanas 25g/1oz shelled pistachio 350g/12oz cauliflower florets (off-cuts from the cauliflower steaks) 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 preserved lemon, flesh scooped out and discarded, peel finely chopped juice 1-2 lemons small pack mint, leaves finely chopped FOR THE KEFTEDES 225g/8oz cauliflower florets (off-cuts from the cauliflower steaks) 1 tbsp grated onion 85g/3oz feta, crumbled 50g/2oz vegetarian-style Parmesan, grated 1½ tbsp chopped parsley 1½ tbsp chopped dill 1½ tbsp…

Marrakech lamb with tahini squash gratin SERVES 6 PREP 30 mins COOK 1 hr 50 mins 1.6-1.8kg/3lb 8oz-4lb boned shoulder of lamb (ask the butcher to do this for you) 2 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil 1 red onion, chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2 tsp each ground coriander and ground cumin 1 tsp each ground cinnamon and sumac 50g/2oz fresh breadcrumbs small bunch each mint and parsley, chopped, plus a few whole mint leaves to serve 85g/3oz pistachios, roughly chopped 100g/4oz feta, crumbled 60g pack dried sour cherries 2 small preserved lemons, rind only ,finely chopped 3 tbsp tahini Saffron yogurt, to serve (recipe overleaf) FOR THE GRATIN 1 large butternut squash, or 2-3 smaller seasonal squashes like acorn or onion 4 tbsp tahini 100ml/3½fl oz double cream 300ml/½pt…

Apple crumble & custard cupcakes MAKES 12 PREP 50 mins plus overnight chilling and cooling COOK 55 mins FOR THE CUSTARD CREAM ICING 100g/4oz icing sugar 3 tbsp custard powder 1 tbsp vanilla extract 600ml/1pt double cream FOR THE CUPCAKES 3 small dessert apples, peeled, cored and diced (about 325g/11½oz) 3 tbsp custard powder 140g/5oz slightly salted butter, softened 140g/5oz golden caster sugar 3 eggs, beaten 1 tsp vanilla extract 140g/5oz self-raising flour FOR THE BISCUITS & CRUMBLE TOPPING 75g/2½oz golden caster sugar 100g/4oz slightly salted butter, chilled 140g/5oz self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp ground cinnamon a few squares of white chocolate START BY MAKING THE ICING 1 The icing will need to chill in the fridge overnight, so make it the day…

QUICK BITES Where does alcohol sit with a sugar-free regime? One of the things I get asked a lot! Opt for red wine, but not too much. Sugar substitutes - which do you prefer? This is tricky. Even ‘natural’ sugar substitutes like honey, coconut sugars and agave are still sugar. I’m interested in the plant-based substitute, stevia. Why do you believe we need to cut back on sugar? We simply don’t need it. We need glucose for energy, but our bodies can get that from eating meat, vegetables and fats. We don’t need fructose, the form in which most of us eat sugar, which includes fruit and honey. I cut back on sugar as an experiment after being ill with various problems, including a thyroid complaint. Do you eat any…

Raspberry millefeuilles uncooked pastry only SERVES 6 • PREP 1 hr 20 mins plus approx 2 hrs chilling • COOK 30 mins Millefeuille translates as ‘dessert of a thousand layers’. To achieve all these buttery layers, it must be made with puff pastry. My recipe uses a rough puff pastry, which is easy to make and tastes much better than shop-bought varieties. icing sugar, for dusting FOR THE PASTRY 200g/7oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting ¼ tsp salt 175g/6oz cold butter, cut into 1.5cm/ 5/8in cubes 1 tsp lemon juice FOR THE FILLING Crème pâtissière (see recipe, below) 300g/11oz raspberries (or other seasonal berries) PER SERVING 635 kcals, protein 9g, carbs 52g, fat 43g, sat fat 26g, fibre 3g, sugar 19g, salt 0.8g Crème pâtissière SERVES 6 • PREP…

Family cooking Recipes From a Normal Mum by Holly Bell (£20, Good Food offer price £16, Quadrille) Holly Bell, Great British Bake Off finalist and food blogger, is a typical mum trying to feed her family on a budget while juggling the demands of a meat-loving husband and the ever-changing food habits of two young children. She wanted recipes that provided healthy meals and which didn’t demand a lot of time. Her solutions are here in a practical collection of weeknight dishes, with a few special treats for entertaining. Fabulous flavours Spice by Dhruv Baker (£25, Good Food offer price £20, Weidenfeld & Nicholson) Dhruv Baker, the 2010 MasterChef winner, knows exactly how to use spices to liven…

Strawberry Negroni jam, £3.95, welovemanfood.com Cocktail flavours are popping up all over the place this year – and this is one of the nicest combos we’ve tried. Mixed with bitters, gin and vermouth, the jam has a nice sharpness – similar to marmalade. Pep up your scones, or use to fill a Victoria sponge cake. Florette Simply PepperCress, £1.19, Tesco A variety of watercress, this new leaf has even more tang to it and comes with less of a stalk. It’s salad with a real kick! Great for sandwiches and sauces, or try blitzing it into houmous. Woodall’s Air-Dried Royale Ham, £3.99/70g, ocado.com Straight from the green hills of Cumbria, this charcuterie gives prosciutto a run for its money – it’s some of the…

Raspberry Genoise layer cake SERVES 8-10 PREP 45 mins COOK 35 mins A little effort This looks and sounds impressive, but doesn’t really take much more effort than a normal sponge. The key is to get all your ingredients ready in advance so that once you’ve beaten the eggs, you can get the cake in the oven. FOR THE CAKE 6 large eggs 200g caster sugar 80g unsalted butter, melted and cooled a little 1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 200g plain flour 2 tbsp raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord FOR THE FILLING 600ml double cream 3-4 tbsp soft set raspberry jam or conserve 600g raspberries 1 tbsp caster sugar ½ tsp raspberry liqueur, such as Chambord 50g white chocolate curls (optional) 1 Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas…

STAR LETTER My friends and I set up a Cake Club in January – we’re all keen bakers and love meeting regularly to share our goodies. So far, I’ve made Doughnut muffins (Jan 2012), Utterly nutterly caramel layer cake (Nov 2013), Jammy coconut mallows (March 2009) and the Salted caramel & peanut butter billionaire’s slice (June 2013). Every recipe has turned out perfectly. My mum renews my subscription every year – thank you, Good Food, for your inspiration over the years. Emma Matthews, Cardiff Emma wins 12 bottles of Louis Jadot Beaujolais Villages (£10.99, Waitrose). This fresh and fruity red wine is packed with strawberry and cherry flavours ( louisjadot.co.uk ). Here is my nine-year-old, Alfie, with his take on the Giant strawberry shortcake (July). He…

Chocolate orange tart  1 Put the dates in a bowl, cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 20 mins. Meanwhile, whizz the ingredients for the crust in a food processor until combined. Tip the mixture into a 23cm loose-bottomed fluted tart tin, using your fingers to spread it evenly across the base and push into the fluted sides. Cover with cling film and chill while you make the filling. 2 Drain the dates and put in a blender with the zest and juice of 1 orange, the coconut oil, honey and cacao. Whizz together until mostly smooth, then scrape into the chilled crust and smooth with the back of a spoon. Chill for at least 1 hr. Remove from the fridge 10 mins before serving and sprinkle with…