Gruyere Biscuits

The ultimate party food, to compliment champagne or prosecco. The saltiness paired with the fruitiness of the wine, is a match made in heaven. Plus, they're super easy, and quick to make. They're incredibly moreish, and suit to most people's tastes. They're not complicated, and there isn't too many ingredients to remember: just make these, and buy some M&S canapes, stock up on alcohol (which from my experience, is the only thing anyone actually cares about), then that's every single Christmas, and New Year party sorted.

I would recommend at least doubling these, if not tripling these, because you'll find they disappear very quickly. I left them out for 30 mins, and they were all gone by the time i got back, and there were only 2 other people at home (I'm pretty sure a cheese biscuit eating fairy came!!).These can also be made with Parmesan, and its super easy to make different flavoured ones. Finely chopped up rosemary or thyme, would work well, or sprinkle with a pinch of paprika for a bit of heat. The dough can be made well ahead, and kept in the fridge or frozen for later use. The baked biscuit will keep well, in an airtight container for up to a week.

Ingredients
75g plain flour
75g cold butter
75g Gruyere cheese
salt and pepper

1. rub the butter and flour together, until it resembles breadcrumbs
2. add the cheese, and gently knead to form a dough
3. wrap, and chill for 10 mins in the fridge
4. meanwhile preheat the oven to 200c.
5. place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out quite thin, and cut out approx 5cm rounds using a cutter (or glass)
6. bake for 10mins (leave room for the biscuits to spread)
7. once golden around the edges, remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with salt and pepper
8. leave to cool completely before serving.

Caramalised Onion and Cheese Muffins

Can we please, just take a moment, to appreciate that these beauty's exist. Both sweet and salty, and incredibly cheesy. Cheese is one of the best foods to grace the earth, and i think i would die, if i didn't have it for over a week. If you make these, and don't like them...., then I'm sorry we cannot be friends, as these are definitely my favourite savoury baking recipe, though my cheese scones come a close second.

For parties, i think this small size is easy, and gives you an excuse to eat more because "there small....". I regularly make them in a normal cupcake tin, as its easier to get out, and don't dry out as quickly. These are definitely one of those items to eat on the day, because they dry out quite quickly.
I'm still in the process of finding the exactly right amount of sugar for my taste buds, so keep adjusting it to your own, but this is what I've found is roughly the right amount. If you don't have panko breadcrumbs, don't worry, it's just as great without it. Also if you don't like one of the cheeses, feel free to swap it, or leave out.

If only i had this recipe, when i was in yr 7, and had to design a savoury muffin, in food tech. At the time my 11 year old mind was blown...what madness! It had to contain two vegetables, (classic example of school trying to make us healthier) but then olives were counted as a vegetable, so it wasn't too hard.

Ingredients 

250g butter
40g  caster sugar
250g self raising flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 red onion
250g cheddar cheese grated
1 tbsp chives
approx 250g crumbled cheese, e.g. feta, blue cheese

panko breadcrumbs, optional

1. saute the onions until caramelised, leave to cool
2. beat the butter and sugar together, until light and fluffy,beat in the egg 
3. fold in the flour and salt
4. gently fold in the cheddar cheese, caramelised onions, chives and crumbled cheese
5. spoon into moulds, top with panko breadcrumbs, and bake until 180° for 20 mins or until golden brown( they will "set", once out of the oven)
6. leave to cool for 5 mins before removing.

Canapés: Elderflower, Raspberry, Almond Cake with chargrilled Apricots, and quenelle of Marscaspone

Just one of those posts, that make you feel like a professional, as you did it so long ago (March), when the main ingredients were out of season(it was a nightmare, finding apricots, and had to resort to tinned, sadly). I did have a reason though, instead of seeming incredibly organised, which i wish i could be. The main reason why i held off sharing it, was because it was the winning canape (i won something for the first time in my life!!) so i wanted it too appear first (in all it glory) at the event.

I created it for the London produce show, the brief was to create a seasonal cold canapé, for the event. Simples, nope, not really. You might have gathered from the majority of my posts, that i have a sweet tooth, so of course it had to be sweet, not to mention i couldn't think of a good savoury one, without tomatoes or peas/beans, as i knew everyone else would use them. 

Feel free to change the apricots, if you don't like it, to another stone fruit e.g. nectarine or peach, and just grill the same, although you might want to cut them a little smaller. You could also switch up the base flavour, with lime or add in blackberries like my favourite slice here. Also feel free to take out the lemon basil (which a didn't actually use, it was just for the recipe) and replace with tiny normal basil, or mint leaves.

So, after many hours of brainstorming, searching pinterest, looking back at old recipes, and double checking that the fruit was definitely in season, i finally came up with my canapé.

My inspiration behind the recipe:

"I wanted to create something delicious with several of my favourite foods, using ingredients that I personally eat seasonally.

I chose a sweet canapé, because I have a sweet tooth, and I like making things look pretty.

I forage for elderflower every year, make it into the cordial, and am always looking for an excuse to use it because I enjoy its flavour.

I also wanted raspberries in the canapé, as they are my favourite fruit, and I only tend to eat them when they are in season, as they are most flavoursome then.

I used an almond sponge as I enjoy the taste and texture of almonds, but also because I wanted to create something lower in gluten, as it’s becoming more popular to eat less gluten."

Makes 48 (4.5cm cake tin), preparation(including cordial):-approx. 49hrs, preparation(excluding cordial):- approx. 30mins Cooking time:- approx. 1 hrs.

Elderflower cordial recipe

For the cake:

225g butter

50g self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

200g almonds

225g caster sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

4 eggs

2 packs raspberries(300g)

100ml undiluted elderflower cordial(can also use bought)

Juice 1 lemon

1tbsp caster sugar

8 apricots

100g Sugar

200g Mascarpone

250g Pistachios

1 pack Raspberries(150g)

Lemon basil to garnish

To make the cake:

Preheat the oven to 180c°.Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure everything is incorporated, before adding more. Fold in the almonds, flour and baking powder. Place into greased tins, about half. Put one raspberry in each, and press down. Bake for 15 mins, or until risen and golden on top. While the cakes are baking, stir together the cordial, lemon juice and 1 tbsp sugar. When the cakes are done, remove from the oven. Spoon the syrup over the cakes whilst still hot. Leave to cool.

To finish:

Cut the apricots into 6ths, dip into the sugar. Place on a preheated and lightly oiled griddle/barbecue. Cook the apricots for 1-2 mins or until caramelised on both sides. or sprinkle with sugar and blowtorch. Leave to cool.

Cook the raspberries until they start to break down. Blend the raspberries, sieve to remove and seeds. Set aside to cool.

Chop up the pistachios, set aside.

Quenelle the mascarpone and place on top of the cakes.(if you don't have small spoons feel free to pipe).
Place the apricot on top of the mascarpone, place on the pistachios, drizzle with the raspberry coulis and garnish with lemon basil.

Sweet Spiced Salty Pecans

I will apologise in advance, if left with the whole batch, you may end up eating everything.....guilty face right here, well almost... my dad ate some too: I promise. Serve these at your New Years eve party, or at any party with the other nibbles and canapes. or next year at Christmas(premature? of course not) as a snack when opening presents. These also make a lovely gift. 

I love sweet and salty things and these were no exception, not to mention I'm like a squirrel(and probably a rabbit too, as i can eat multiple carrots in a row, armed with a tub of hummus. obvs.) as I'm always snacking on nuts; so these looked incredible to me, and i had been dying to try them for over a year now. Luckily, they didn't disappoint, although the kitchen filling up with pepper smoke was a very strange experience (i recommend the windows wide open for this one).

I used pecans, as they are just incredible covered in sugar, but i think almonds would be equally as good. I used white pepper, as i didn't have any finely ground black pepper, i also used paprika instead of cayenne pepper (for some reason we don't have any.shocking i know.) both adaptations were fine, so if you don't have something in your cupboard then feel free to compromise.

ingredients

100g caster sugar
2 tsp sea salt flakes
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp ground cinnamon
250g pecan halves

1. mix sugar, salt and spices together
2. lightly toast pecans in dry frying pan over medium high heat, stirring often(1-4 mins)
3. reduce heat, add half mixture and stir until sugar melts and nuts are coated
4. sprinkle in remaining mixture and stir until melted. don't let sugar on the nuts burn
5. tip nuts onto non- stick baking tray. allow to cool
6. enjoy 

Emma xx

and Happy New Year(almost forgot. whoops!)

Broad Bean Bruschetta

With the English weather being a pain like normal, i mean seriously just decide whether, its going to be summer for a bit longer, or autumn with the grey skies. I've decided to still think about summer for the moment, as i really dread the dark mornings, and it getting darker much quicker, although autumn fashion is probably the best. So, to hold onto summer, i made broad bean bruschetta.

With the last dregs of a truly french baguette left over, i made a first batch, then had to make some more as it was just so good. On a side note, how amazing is french bread, it just goes dry making it perfect for this, rather than mouldy like the English bread which is totally useless.

This dish made me feel particularly good, as the star ingredient, the broad beans, were from the veggie patch. The mint was also from the garden. The good quality ingredients in this dish, make it taste fresh, and to me 1000 times better as the beans were grown only around 50 meters away.

Unfortunately, as the ingredients were from the garden, i don't know the exact amount, but i recommend to keep tasting, to check how much mint and seasoning ,you want added. I also recommend ,adjusting the garlic on the bread, to how much garlic you like, as i like garlic quite a bit. Also, when i did it the second time i added peas as i didn't have enough broad beans.

ingredients

baguette

4 cloves of garlic

olive oil

broad beans

peas(optional)

lemon juice

mint

salt and pepper

grana padano

1. preheat oven to 180°

2. cut baguette into slices coat generously with oil and crushed garlic.

3. place in oven until golden brown and crisp

4. cook beans until tender

5. lightly mash the beans, stir in finely chopped mint

6. stir in little bit of lemon juice and olive oil

7. taste and season, add more mint if needed

8.place on cooled bruschetta

9.top with finely sliced grana padano

10. enjoy