Kentish Gypsy Tart

 Anyone brought up in Kent will know this  - beyond sweet - sticky tart. A very welcome staple of school dinners in the 1960's and 1970's this would have us unusually rushing to the dinner hall. I have other memories of school dinners that were not so positive, I still can't eat beetroot to this day even though its good for me!

Its easy to make and I've never heard a bad word about it with the exception maybe of the likely hood of losing a few fillings along the way.

Ingredients

300gms Plain flour plus a little for dusting

150gms butter

1 Medium egg beaten

410g tin very cold evaporated milk

280g Dark muscovado sugar

Preheat oven to 190c / Gas mark 5

Place a metal baking sheet into the oven ready for your tart tin

Sieve the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter until it feels like fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and enough cold water to bind, wrap in cling film and place in the fridge to firm up. 

After half an hour or so, roll out the pastry to line a tart/pie tin, leave any excess over the edges as this can be removed a little later, cover with baking parchment and baking beans/ceramic beans/rice  and bake for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, remove the paper and beans and bake for a further 5-10 minutes.

Leave to cool and take off the extra pastry from around the edges.

Pour evaporated milk and sugar into a large bowl and whisk for a good 15minutes until thicker and foamy ( it won't go very thick at this stage ), pour into tart case and bake for 20 minutes.

It will be sticky and set at this stage, leave to cool and when quite cool pop in to the fridge overnight to set well.

Fight family off as they realise what they missed at school dinners all those years, yes it's terribly sweet and sticky but absolutely delicious. 

.

Amazing Biscuits

 Its rare that I post anything other than recipes these days and I would kind of like to get back to a mix of recipes and lifestyle content. This is the perfect place to start as I've been holding onto this link with a view to buying this very product for far too long. 

I think these will be bought for valentines day next year and I will certainly drop a review on here after consumption.

This company has great credentials and I really don't know why I haven't ordered earlier, busy life I guess, stuff just drops off the radar! 

Anyway, this company is Honeywell Bakes and they operate from Northamptonshire in the UK, lets make 2025 the year that I try all the wonderful companies products to review.

Lovely one for all dads on Fathers day, many a dad loves a full English breakfast.

Another lovely example for Mothers day.

Can't wait to try these in the new year.

Bread Pudding

I remember making bread pudding so many times but so many years ago. It was really time that I had a go at making it again. Of course , we used to make this with quite meagre ingredients back in the day , and it can still be made this way, I wanted a rather more luxurious take on this old fashioned bake and stumbled on this recipe after what seemed like hours of searching

Thanks to Traditional British regional food and recipes for this wonderful recipe.

Bread Pudding

100g butter, plus extra for greasing 

500g sultanas/mixed dried fruit ( I use whole glace cherries too )

100g whisky (optional)

600ml milk

150g soft light brown sugar

1 orange, zested

2 tsp mixed spice

2 tsp ground ginger

500g stale bread

2 eggs, beaten

50g demerara sugar

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm square cake tin.

Put the sultanas/mixed fruit and whisky into a bowl, swirl around, then set aside to soak for 30 minutes. This is optional but it gives great flavor.

Put the milk into a saucepan along with the soft light brown sugar and butter, and set over a medium heat. Heat until the butter has melted, then remove from the heat, stir in the orange zest and spices, and leave for another 15 minutes for the the dried fruit

Break up the bread until it forms breadcrumbs -  don't worry too much about how fine it is as it becomes soft and breaks up in the liquid anyway -  then add to the liquid and mix well. Add

the eggs and whisk to combine. Pour into the prepared tin and press down lightly into the corners, then sprinkle with the demerara sugar. Bake for 1 hour until golden brown and just set.

Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack, then turn out and cut into squares to serve.

This was a fabulous recipe, I did add almost a whole pack of glace cherries as I love cherries but otherwise I mostly kept to the original recipe. Utterly delicious! 

Vegan Cheese Scones

 I was trying to come up with a good idea for a bready type accompaniment to go with the lovely Greek beans recipe as I was making them for my vegan family and hit on a cheesy scone idea. Now I've made cheese scones but never attempted vegan scones before so this was going to be an experiment.

I've tried making vegan sponge with little success honestly so I was a little apprehensive as to how these were going to turn out!

Ingredients:

225 g self-raising flour

▢

50 g dairy-free block margarine

▢

125 g vegan cheese ( grated )  

▢

½ teaspoon salt

▢

2 teaspoon mustard powder

▢

1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped

▢

60 ml oat milk

Big pinch pepper

Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan) / 400°F / Gas Mark 6

After measuring out the flour into a largish bowl, place in the salt and the cubed vegan butter and rub in lightly until fine breadcrumbs. Stir through grated cheese, chives, mustard powder and pepper until all mixed together. Pour in the milk and add cold water until the dough comes together without being too sticky.

Bring dough together into a bowl and just bring together onto a floured board. You can roll the dough out at this stage but I just pressed it down gently to about 1.5cms thick, press out rounds of dough gently and place on a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush just the tops of each scone with a little oat milk and place in the oven for approx 20 minutes.

Once out of the oven ( and after a suitable resting time - two rather hot minutes :) ) , it was time to try these little monsters. OK, they were probably better not scalding hot honestly, and served warm with a little vegan butter they were certainly rather good. 

The cheese flavour is a little mild for me so I think I'll experiment next time with a spoonful or two of nutritional yeast and see how that compares. For a first go though they were better than ok.

• 
  
•  

Giant Baked Greek Beans

 I fell in love with this dish a couple of years ago while in Kefalonia, it really appeals to the rustic recipe nerd in me. This and Briam ( ate a lot of that in Lesvos this year ) are just a couple of my favourite Greek dishes.... there are rather a lot but in my opinion the vegetable dishes are just the best. I first bought the beans back from Lesvos but these fabulous giant beans are regularly available in Lidl on Greek week. 

Ingredients:

500gms Giant Beans

2 Onions  roughly chopped

3 Sticks Celery roughly chopped

4 Garlic Cloves roughly chopped

4 Carrots roughly chopped

1 Red Pepper roughly chopped

Good glug Greek olive oil

2 Large Bay Leaves

2 Cinnamon sticks

1 Tin chopped tomatoes

2 Large Tablespoons Tomato Paste

1 Vegetable Stock cube

Zest of 1 Lemon

400gms Water

Nice handful fresh Rosemary

Handful of Chopped Parsley

1 Tablespoon sugar

3 Spring Onions roughly chopped

Salt and Pepper

This is how we do it, cover beans with water and a little salt and leave overnight, next day rinse with cold water and cover with fresh cold water and simmer until softish - about and hour. When soft but not sloppy rinse and keep to one side.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a pan and fry onions, celery, garlic, carrots and red pepper for approx ten minutes, add sugar, tomato paste and stock cube and cook out for a couple of minutes, add bay leaves and rosemary and tinned tomatoes and after about 2 minutes add to your drained beans.

Add everything else and give it a nice stir, place in an ovenproof dish , cover with foil ( I also used a strong lid ) and cook in the centre of the over at 180c Gas Mark 4 for about an hour and a half, remove foil and put back in the oven for a further 15 minutes.

I give this a squirt of lemon juice and a sprinkle of Feta cheese before serving and simply serve with a cold beer and some crunchy bread - its delicious! 

Thanks to Akis Petretzikis for this recipe which I have only slightly noodled with, it's a firm favourite now. 

Cheap and healthy

Mary Berry Peanut Butter Cookies

 I had a random request from youngest son last week - did I remember the peanut butter cookies that I used to make when he was little, of course I didn't but like all good mums I lied and agreed heartily to making them for him at an upcoming family event ( cookies to be handed over surreptitiously without anyone seeing - very cloak and dagger ! ).

Quick scour of the cookie making pages and these seemed like a good fit for my big fat biscuit lie :) 

• 8 oz (225g) self-rising flour (2 cups)
• 5 oz (140g) butter, softened (10 tbsp)
• 2.2 oz (65g) crunchy peanut butter (¼ cup)
• 5 oz (150g) light muscovado sugar (½ cup plus 1 tbsp)
• 1 large egg, beaten

1. Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F ( Gas Mark 4 - 320°F for convection) and line two large baking sheets with nonstick baking paper.
2. Combine Ingredients: Measure 8 oz (225g) self-rising flour into a bowl, then add 5 oz (140g) softened butter, 2.2 oz (65g) crunchy peanut butter, and 5 oz (150g) light muscovado sugar. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until it starts to come together. Add the beaten egg and mix until a soft dough forms.
3. Shape the Dough: Divide the dough into 24 pieces, roll each into a ball, and place them, well-spaced, on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten the balls slightly with a damp fork.
4. Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 12–15 minutes until they are a pale golden brown.
5. Cool and Store: Let the cookies harden on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
6. Hand over to unsuspecting son with motherly love.   

Its worth pointing out that as soon as the smell of buttery cookies hit the house, I had to actually make two lots.....

Deb

Jamie Olivers Cheesy Chilli Corn Bread

I have made this before ( many moons ago ) but completely forgot about it until today when I needed something yummy to go with homemade pumpkin soup. I almost went back in time and made cheese scones but this is slightly squishier and probably better with soup. I did mess about with the recipe a little as I had some preserved jalapenos from the allotment so put those in the mix too... can't have too many chilli's now can you ! 

2 onions

2 corn on the cob

4 large free-range eggs

325g coarse cornmeal or polenta

250ml full-fat milk

1 teaspoon baking powder

6 tablespoons plain flour

140g mature Cheddar cheese

3 fresh green chillies

olive oil

1. Preheat the oven to 200ºC/400ºF/gas 6. Grease a 22cm cake tin with oil and line the base with greaseproof paper.
2. 
   
3. Peel and finely slice the onions. Melt the butter in a frying pan on a medium heat, add the onions, then fry gently for 15 to 20 minutes, or until caramelised, golden and sticky.
4. Hold the corn cobs upright on a board and carefully run a small knife from the top of the corn to the bottom, cutting all the kernels off.
5. 
   
6. Add to the caramelised onions and cook for a further 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
7. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, then mix in the cornmeal, milk, baking powder, flour and a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper.
8. Grate the cheese, add most of it to the bowl, then beat until well mixed. Deseed, finely chop and stir in 2 chillies, along with the cooled onion and corn mixture.
9. 
   
10. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Finely slice and sprinkle over the remaining chilli, then pop the cornbread into the oven for 35 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. About 10 minutes before it’s ready, sprinkle over your remaining cheese and return it to the oven.
11. Cool for 15 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack or serving plate, cheesy side up. Serve straightaway  - but  - it does nuke up well within a couple of days.

Thank you to Jamie Oliver for this recipe, honestly I wasn't sure about the texture of this cornbread as mine came out a little claggy, however , I did add some home grown jalapenos which had been brined and stored in oil to the recipe so that may have clagged up the end result ! 

The flavour was outstanding but a little hit or miss on the texture - omit the oily jalapenos next time! 

Deb

Easy Greek Lentil Soup

Having just returned home after another wonderful holiday to Greece, I hankered for Greek food almost immediately, I don't think that I'll ever get tired of this lovely cuisine so after a small disaster making Greek Lemon Potatoes last week it was onwards and upwards to a new recipe. This recipe is adapted from one by The Mediterranean Dish, while it was a good recipe I felt that it needed a little more oomph - especially as we are used to strong Asian flavours so here goes : 

Greek Virgin Olive Oil, 

1 Large Onion - roughly chopped

3 Sticks Celery - roughly chopped

3 Carrots - roughly chopped 

6 Fat Garlic Cloves - roughly chopped

1 1/2 Cups washed and drained Red lentils

3 Teaspoons Dried Oregano,

1600 mls Vegetable Stock

1 Teaspoon Cumin,

1 Tablespoon dried Rosemary ( I used fresh from the garden )

1/2 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

3 Bay Leaves 

1 Tin Chopped ( or Whole ) Tomatoes,

Zest of 1 Lemon,

Juice of 2 Lemons

Handful Fresh Parsley chopped

Crumble of Feta Cheese

Fry all the vegetables in a good glug of olive oil for about 10 - 15 minutes but not until brown, add the herbs and spices and stir for a couple of minutes, add tomatoes, lentils and stock and cook gently for about half an hour or until the lentils are nice and soft, blend to make a smooth soup and season to taste with salt and pepper. If the soup is too thick , thin with a little more stock or water. To finish when serving, add lemon juice, crumble a little feta and chopped parsley on the top ( I also gave the soup a little splash of olive oil ), serve with crusty bread.

This was a fabulous tasty soup and freezes down really well as it makes 6 good sized portions. 

Dulce de Leche and Chocolate Brownies

 I first made these delicious brownies straight after watching a Sunday Brunch episode floopin years ago and made them reasonably often as my children would demand them with menaces - they ARE pretty good if I say so myself. 13 or so years later and my children have long flown the nest so these just really don't get made anymore - shame - they are still a lovely chocolaty indulgence and with a couple of tweaks the recipe has really stood the test of time. 

125g carnation caramel condensed milk
150g dark chocolate
115g butter
25g cocoa powder
3 free range eggs
200g Light brown demerara sugar
140g plain flour

If you can't get hold of carnation caramel condensed milk then you can make your own dulche de leche like this, fill a saucepan with water and boil tin of condensed mik for 4 hours. Don't let your pan run dry. After 4 hours, take tin out of the water and leave to cool completely.

Preheat oven to 175c./325f/Gas3. Grease and line a 20cm ( 8inch) square cake tin.
Place chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl over a pan of bubbling water and melt together. Once melted take off the heat and whisk in the cocoa, eggs and sugar then fold in the flour.

Pour half this mixture into your tin, dot over blobs of the dulce de leche and pour over the rest of the chocolate mixture.

Place tin into the centre of your oven for about 30-35 ( anything up to 45 minutes depending on your oven )  minutes or until a skewer pushed into the centre of your cake comes out clean. Set aside to cool.

There's a lovely crackle to the top and the perfect squishyness inside, still a great recipe!

Generally healthier recipes coming soon to the blog ..... Honestly....

Debs

Long time no see

On a rather wet day here in Wales, and twiddling my thumbs as I can't get out in the garden, I thought I'd see if this little blog was still anywhere to be found...big surprise... it' still here and still getting views after all this time. Amazing!

So much has happened in the last 12 years since we started this as a way to keep in touch, house moves, two marriages ( one each I hasten to add ), grandchildren but more importantly - an allotment. 

Now this takes a huge amount of time that honestly sometimes we just don't have so it seemed like a fabulous idea - to take on another one. Allotments have an addictive quality which, I think, could prove counter productive, the produce though brings its own reward. We just need to get to grips with the planning as the inevitable glut due to lack of any sense of proportion is quite overwhelming.

I am NOT growing runner beans next year as I can't face another bloody jar of chutney.

On the plus side we'll never have to buy chutney again.

So, to the blog, winter is on it's way so it seems like a nice idea to while away the grey winter months with a little bloggyness - why not?

Onwards and upwards, today seems like a good day to resurrect a chocolate brownie recipe that I haven't tackled in about six years but always put's a smile on everyone's faces.

Chocolate dulce de leche recipe to follow .....

Debs