Recipe: Tear 'n' Share Swirly Whirly Bread

Bread can be a very therapeutic product to make, and also a good stress reliever! There are hundreds of different types of bread from all around the world that you can try, but here are two simple recipes to get you started.

Pizza Swirls

 

Ingredients:

• 250g strong bread flour
• 1 sachet fast-action yeast
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 150ml warm water
• 2-3 tablespoons tomato puree
• 1 small red onion
• 75g feta cheese

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.

2. Add the flour, salt and yeast to a bowl, and mix to combine.

3. Add the oil and mix through using a palette knife, then GRADUALLY add the water a little at a time, and mix through until a dough is formed.

Hint: Adding too much water will make the dough sticky, and too little will make the bread dry. Adding the water gradually will help you achieve the correct consistency.

4. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is stretchy and smooth.

5. Place the dough back in the mixing bowl, and cover the bowl with cling film. Leave in a warm place for 10 minutes so that the dough grows in size.

6. In the meantime, finely dice the onion, and cut the feta cheese into small cubes.

7. Return to the dough, and re-knead slightly to knock out any excess air.

8. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a rectangular shape, approximately 30cm in length by 20cm in width.

9. Spread the tomato puree over the surface of the rolled out dough, right to the edges, and then evenly scatter the onion and cheese over the top – again, right to the edges.

10. Roll up the dough, relatively tightly, starting at the end closest to you, and rolling it away.

11. When rolled, slice the dough into even sized pieces, ideally just under an inch thick. When laid flat, the pieces should look like spirals, with the fillings showing through.

12. Arrange the dough onto a baking tray, so that the spiral centres are facing upwards.

Top tip: Make sure each piece of dough is touching so that the bread doesn’t dry out when cooking.

13. Place the bread in the oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes.

14. When cooked, the bread will be risen and golden brown, and ready to tear ‘n’ share.

***

Spiced Apple Whirls

 

Ingredients:

• 250g strong bread flour
• 1 tablespoon oil
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 150ml warm milk
• 1 cooking apple
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 25g caster sugar

 

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C, and gently warm the milk (it should be body temperature, so when you test it with your finger it should not feel too hot or too cold).

2. Add the flour, salt and yeast to a bowl, and mix to combine.

3. Add the oil and mix through using a palette knife, then GRADUALLY add the milk a little at a time, and mix through until a dough is formed.

Hint: Adding too much milk will make the dough sticky, and too little will make the bread dry. Adding the milk gradually will help you achieve the correct consistency.

4. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead for 10 minutes until the dough is stretchy and smooth.

5. Place the dough in the mixing bowl, and cover the bowl with cling film. Leave in a warm place for 10 minutes so that the dough grows in size.

6. In the meantime, peel, core and slice the apple into small and evenly sized cubes. Add the apple to a small bowl with the sugar and cinnamon, and mix so that all of the apple is coated.

7. Return to the dough, and re-knead slightly to knock out any excess air.

8. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a rectangular shape, approximately 30cm in length by 20cm in width.

9. Spread the apple over the surface of the rolled out dough, right to the edges.

10. Roll up the dough, relatively tightly, starting at the end closest to you, and rolling it away.

11. When rolled, slice the dough into evenly sized pieces, ideally just under an inch thick. When laid flat, the pieces should look like spirals, with the fillings showing through.

12. Arrange the dough onto a baking tray, so that the spiral centres are facing upwards.

Top tip: Make sure each piece of dough is touching so that the bread doesn’t dry out when cooking.

13. Place the bread in the oven, and bake for 15-20 minutes.

14. When cooked, the bread will be risen and golden brown. When cooled slightly, drizzle the icing over the top to finish the bread before serving.

***

Possible modifications

Bread is incredibly versatile, which means these recipes can be adapted and changed to suit your tastes and preferences.

For the pizza swirls, consider what savoury flavour combinations you like. The cheese could be substituted for cheddar cheese, brie or goats cheese, for example, and you could add pepper, fresh tomato, or other vegetables for colour, texture and flavour.

The spiced apple whirls could have raisins or dried cranberries added to them, or you could substitute the fruit for something else entirely. The spice could also be changed, depending on your taste preferences.

Recipe: Scones

In my opinion, summer is not summer without a cream tea, and although scones served with jam and cream sound incredibly simple, the delicious British treat has to be one of my favourite bites to eat.

The warmth of the freshly baked scones, coupled with the tart raspberry jam and the smooth clotted cream is simply irresistible, and although it does feel slightly naughty, the indulgence is definitely worthwhile.

So why not celebrate the forthcoming bank holiday weekend and host your own British tea party, with home-made and freshly baked scones taking centre stage?

Ingredients

Makes 6-10, depending on the size of your cutter

• 250g self-raising flour
• 70g butter or margarine (you can reduce this if desired, but use no less than 40g)
• 40g caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 2-3 tablespoons milk

 

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200°C and place a sheet of baking parchment on a baking tray.

2. Add the flour and butter to a bowl, and rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

Top Tip: Give the bowl a little shake every now and then so that any lumps that are in the mixture come to the surface. Then continue rubbing in.

3. Add the sugar and mix through.

4. In a small jug or cup, beat the milk and egg together with a fork.

5. Gradually add the eggy mixture to the breadcrumbs and mix in using a knife until a dough is formed.

Hint: Only add a little bit of the eggy mixture at a time so that you can control the texture of the dough being formed. Too much liquid will make the dough sticky.

Top tip: If the dough does go too sticky, add a little extra flour.

6. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface, and evenly flatten it using the palms of your hands until the mixture is 1 inch thick.

Top tip: The dough should be the thickness of the top part of your thumb – no rulers required!

7. Cut out the scones using a cutter and space them out on the lined baking tray.

Top tip: If you would like a glossy finish to your scones when baked, brush the tops with milk or egg.

8. Place the scones in the oven, and bake for 12-15 minutes.

9. When risen and golden brown, remove the scones from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before serving.

***

If you can't decide whether to have jam before cream or cream before jam, you could make your scones savoury instead with the addition of grated cheese or herbs. Add these to the bowl in place of sugar, and before adding the eggy mixture.

If you want to be even more creative, think about the toppings that you would have on a pizza and see how they can transform the dough. 

Happy baking!

Rachel's Organic - How to enjoy yogurt in new and delicious ways

A selection of yogurts from the Rachel's Organic product range

Last week the lovely people at Rachel’s Organic sent me some of their delicious yogurts to taste and experiment with.

When six pots arrived I was a little unsure how they would all be used up, however as the week progressed I was well and truly converted into an avid yogurt eater, and thoroughly enjoyed working my way through the delicious and creamy delights.

As well as eating the yogurt in standard ways, for example with fresh fruit, and on top of my morning granola (which tastes particularly good with Rachel’s Greek Style yogurt with honey), I also used the samples in a number of recipes, which has made me realise how versatile yogurt can be as an ingredient. As well as tasting great on their own, I can therefore confirm that Rachel’s Organic yogurts are also fantastic to use in a number of products (namely tasty baked goods), as they cleverly enhance flavours and textures, whilst also unnoticeably reducing the fat content.

Below are the recipes I used during the week to make a selection of tasty treats, along with a range of other ideas for things you could try.

If you haven’t used yogurt as an ingredient before I would highly recommend giving it a go, particularly if you are looking for a low-fat indulgence. And, even if you are not that much of a yogurt fan, I would definitely recommend that you try Rachel's Organic, as with a clear focus on quality and taste the whole range is quite irresistible.

***

Rachel's Organic Recipe #1 - Mixed Berry Muffins 

 

Mixed Berry Muffins

Ingredients (makes 12)

• 250g (9oz) self-raising flour
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 150g (5oz) caster sugar
• 90ml (3 ½ fl oz) sunflower oil
• 150g (5oz) Rachel’s Organic Fat-free Blackcurrant yogurt
• 2 medium eggs
• 150g (5oz) fresh berries
• 1 lemon (zest, and juice of half)

Method

1. Place the muffin cases into the muffin tray.  Pre-heat the oven to 190˚C / gas mark 5.

2. Sift the flour into a large bowl with the bicarbonate of soda, and then stir in the caster sugar using a metal spoon. Make a hollow in the middle of the mixture.

3. Measure the oil into a jug, and add the yogurt, lemon zest and juice of half the lemon. Mix well using a metal spoon.

4. Break the eggs into a small bowl and beat well using a fork. Then, add the eggs to the oily mixture and stir well with a metal spoon.

5. Pour the mixture into the hollow of flour and stir gently using a metal spoon.  Then, add the berries and stir, but not too much – it should look a bit lumpy.

Fresh from the oven

6. Evenly spoon the mixture into the muffin cases, and place in the oven for 15-18 minutes.

7. Remove the muffins from the oven when they are golden and firm to touch. Leave them to cool for 5 minutes, and then transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Dust with icing sugar to finish.

Top Tip: Try not to flick between metal and wooden utensils. It is best to stick with one material!

This recipe is courtesy of my fabulous former food teacher, Denise Stoner.

***

Rachel's Organic Recipe #2 - Easy Peasy Strawberry Cheesy(cakes)

 

Ingredients

• 85g biscuits (digestives or ginger nuts)
• 200g tub light soft cheese
• 200g Rachel’s Organic Strawberries & Cream yogurt
• 100g strawberries, finely sliced
• 4 strawberries, for decoration

 

Method

1. Put the biscuits in a plastic bag and bash with a rolling pin until you have chunky crumbs. Divide between 4 glasses or small bowls.

Top Tip: For a crunchier biscuit base you could mix the biscuits crumbs with 15g melted butter. When pressed into the base of your serving dishes and chilled for 10 minutes, this will make the bottom layer of your cheesecake slightly crunchier.

Easy Peasy Strawberry Cheesy(cakes)

2. Finely slice the strawberries and arrange on top of the biscuit base to create another layer, remembering to save four for decoration!

3. Beat the soft cheese until soft, and then mix in the yogurt. Spoon over the strawberry layer and chill until ready to serve.

4. When ready to serve, finish the cheesecakes with a fresh whole strawberry, which can be neatly sliced to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the dessert.

***
 

Rachel's Organic Recipe #3 - Mango, Passion Fruit and Raspberry Roulade

A very tasty, light and refreshing fat-free dessert – the perfect way to finish a meal on a warm and sunny day.

For the roulade:

• 3 eggs
• 75g caster sugar
• 75g self-raising flour
• 1 cap-ful vanilla

For the filling:

• 3 passion fruits
• 1 mango – cut into small chunks
• 100g raspberries
• 250g Rachel’s Organic Fat-free Peach & Passion Fruit yogurt

For the roulade:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190˚C, and line a swiss roll tin with baking parchment.

How the whisked mixture should look

  2. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl, and add the sugar and vanilla. Mix using an electric whisk for 5-10 minutes until the mixture doubles in volume, becomes very pale / almost white, and thickens to leave a trail.

3. Sift the flour into the mixture and fold in carefully until combined. Be careful not to over-mix as this will knock out air.

4. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and tip to spread the mixture evenly. Place in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until the sponge is golden brown and springy to touch.

5. Meanwhile, spread a tea towel on the work surface and place a sheet of baking parchment on top. Sprinkle the parchment with a tablespoon of caster sugar.

The sponge when rolled

6. When the sponge is baked, loosen the edges from the tin with a knife if necessary, and then turn it straight on to the sugared baking parchment. Peel off the baking parchment and neatly trim all four edges to remove crispy bits and to make them straight.

7. Using the tea towel (to make the warm sponge easier to handle) and the baking parchment, carefully roll up the sponge, like a swiss roll. To be extra safe, you could place a sheet of baking parchment on top of the sponge before rolling to prevent the rolled layers sticking together. When rolled, leave the sponge to cool.

Hint: There are a number of videos on YouTube to guide you through this stage if you are unsure of what to do and how to roll.

For the filling:

8. Scoop the flesh out of three passion fruits into a bowl, and add the mango chunks. Add the yogurt and mix together with the fruit.

Hint: If you are unsure how to prepare a mango, check out this video. You could also look to buy ready prepared mango if you prefer.

9. When the sponge has cooled completely, carefully unroll it and spread the yogurt mixture all over the surface, leaving a one inch gap at the end furthest from you where the rolling will finish.

Hint: The one inch gap is to save the filling from spilling out when the sponge is re-rolled.

10. Evenly space out the raspberries on top of the yogurt mixture, and then re-roll the sponge as you did before.

11. Transfer the roulade to a plate and dust with icing sugar to finish. Cut into slices to serve, and dress with extra fruit or yogurt if desired.

Mango, Passion Fruit and Raspberry Roulade

***

Other recipe ideas for Rachel's Organic:

 

Scones

If you are a fan of scones, like I am, you can use yogurt to help bind the dry ingredients together before rolling and cutting.  Check out my scone recipe by clicking HERE to give this a go! 

Alternatively, you could use yogurt instead of clotted cream on top of your scones for a lighter indulgence.

Frozen yogurt

Frozen yogurt is becoming increasingly popular in the UK, and if you have an ice cream maker, transforming Rachel’s into a frozen treat couldn’t be easier. Just make sure you carefully read and follow the instructions that accompany your appliance.
If you don’t have an ice cream maker then you could make yogurt ice lollies instead by pouring yogurt into ice lolly moulds, and placing them in the freezer. Cool and refreshing!

Go coco-Nuts!

Rachel’s Organic Greek Style Coconut yogurt would be ideal to enjoy with fresh pineapple and mango as a simple dessert.

The yogurt would also greatly enhance the flavour of Thai or Indian curries if used in place of coconut milk.

Eton Mess

Eton Mess can be quite a heavy and calorific dessert when made with whipped double cream. You could easily make it healthier however by replacing some or all of the cream with Rachel’s Organic yogurt, and in particular the Strawberry & Rhubarb or Strawberries & Cream variants.

Alternatively, you could save mess from broken meringue nests and serve them with yogurt and fruit instead.

***

I hope from this, like me, you have seen how many ways yogurt can be used to enhance a dish! So why not give some of the ideas a go, and if you have any others please feel free to share them.

Happy yogurt-eating!

 ***

For more information about Rachel’s, visit their website. You can also follow them on Twitter @RachelsOrganic, or on Facebook.

Recipe: White Chocolate and Raspberry Blondies

Some foods are made to be together, and white chocolate and raspberry is definitely a marriage made in heaven.

Whether it’s white chocolate and raspberry muffins, cookies, or trifle (one of my favourite desserts), I love the combination in any form, and the other day it was my tummy’s (and colleagues’) turn to enjoy white chocolate and raspberry blondies (appropriately named brownies because of their colour). 

Ingredients:

• 125g butter, cut into cubes
• 200g white chocolate, broken into pieces
• 165g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 110g plain flour
• 75g self-raising flour
• 150g raspberries
• 100g chilled white chocolate, roughly chopped
  

 

Method 

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C and line a 23” tin with baking parchment.

2. Place the butter and 200g white chocolate in a pan and melt it over a low heat until the mixture is combined and smooth.

Hint: It may take a while for the butter and chocolate to melt together, and it may seem as though the mixture will not go smooth, but it will, eventually – just keep stirring.

3. When melted, leave the mixture to cool, and prepare the other ingredients. The 100g white chocolate needs to be roughly chopped into chunks.

Top tip: To speed up the cooling process, place the pan of butter and chocolate in a bowl of cold water.

4. When the chocolate and butter mixture has cooled slightly (don’t panic if it separates a little), mix in the sugar and eggs, and sift in the flours. When these are combined, stir through the raspberries and chunks of chocolate so they are evenly distributed.

5. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and place in the oven to bake for 40 minutes.

Top tip: Brownies / blondies are cooked when the middle no longer wobbles. A good brownie is gooey in the middle, so make sure you don’t overcook the mixture and make it too dry.

6. When cooled, slice your blondies into even-sized pieces, and dust with icing sugar to finish.

White Chocolate and Raspberry Blondie