Hygge

Cheddar Scones

/ Claire / Leave a comment

So simple to make, these foolproof cheddar scones are buttery, flaky, super cheesy and delicious.

cheese scone

Ingredients:
250g of self raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
125g cold butter – cut into small cubes
125g of grated mature/extra sharp cheddar, plus extra for topping with
100-120ml of milk
1 egg beaten and a little milk to make an egg wash

Method:
Sift the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl with the paddle attachment fitted, add the butter and mix until the butter is mixed into the flour but still visible – about the size of peas. Add the cheese and milk and mix until just combined. You may not need all of the milk to make a soft dough.

Turn out onto a floured board, form a rough circle, wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F

When ready, turn out and roll to around 3cm/just over 1 inch thick and use a round cutter (approx 6cm/2 inches). You will get 8-9 scones depending on how thick the dough is.

Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicon mat and brush the tops with a little egg wash and grated cheese.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden and well risen.

Great served hot with salted butter and chutney

Caramel Corn

/ Claire / Leave a comment

The perfect food for a rainy Saturday afternoon with a movie

popcorn2

I normally make buttered, salted popcorn, but for an extra special treat, I made this crunchy caramel corn which is slow cooked in the oven to form a sweet, buttery shell around the popcorn. I used some gourmet blue corn I found when out shopping one day and used my hot air popper to pop the corn. If you don’t have one, you can pop your corn the old fashioned way in a heavy bottomed pan, or buy microwave popcorn and pop it that way.

Ingredients:
¾ cup of unpopped popping corn (one large handful!)
4 tbs butter
½ cup light brown sugar – packed
Pinch of salt

Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 150 degrees C/300 degrees F

Spread out the popped corn evenly over a non-stick baking sheet pan, or a buttered baking tin. You may need to use two baking trays if you don’t have a large one.
In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the butter, sugar and salt and bring to the boil until the caramel is golden.

Carefully pour the very hot caramel mixture over the corn and use a spatula to toss to coat. Spread the corn out again evenly and bake for 40 minutes, turning it every 10 minutes to ensure it is completely coated in a shell of crunchy caramel.

When it is ready, keep the children away from it and leave to cool before it is devoured!

You can also add peanuts, cashews or brazil nuts to the corn.

corn bowl

Tartiflette

/ Claire / Leave a comment

A recipe originating from the Alps and enjoyed by hungry skiers, this really is a winter dish as it’s so rich, but also great made with Jersey Royal new potatoes. Feel free to add an optional clove of finely chopped garlic, or rub the dish with a cut clove for a more subtle taste.  I prefer it without any.

Tartiflette

Ingredients:
2.5 lb/1.5 kg of waxy potatoes with the skins left on. You can peel if you prefer.
8oz/235g Pancetta lardons or thickly sliced smoked bacon cut into cubes
1 onion cut in half and finely sliced into semi circles
1 tbs butter
1 tbs oil
Small glass of white wine (optional)
½ cup/120 ml double/heavy cream
2 Reblochon cheeses with the rind carefully removed and cut in half (through the waist of the cheese). You can leave the top rind on one of the cheeses if you wish this to top the dish.
Salt and pepper

Method:
Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and leave to cool.

In another pan, heat half of the oil and fry the bacon until crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside.  Then heat the butter and the rest of the oil to gently sauté the onions until soft.  Return the bacon to the pan and add the wine and reduce until almost gone.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the cream and stir until combined and leave to cool while you prepare the potatoes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F and cut the potatoes into bite sized cubes.

Place half of the potatoes in the baking dish and cover with half of the creamy bacon and onion mixture. Then place the two halves of one of the cheeses on top. Then add the rest of the potatoes and cover those with the other half of the cream mixture. Finally top with the other two halves of the cheese – rind upwards if using.

Bake for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbling and serve immediately with chilled wine and a simple green salad.