Marcus Everyday
Page 13
This recipe is a great way to use up any old, and slightly soft, parsnips or carrots you may have lurking at the bottom of your fridge. As well as the more traditional carrot, parsnips add a floral sweetness so lend themselves well to a cake.
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MAKES: 12 CAKES | PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 35 MINUTES, PLUS COOLING
65g pitted dried dates
3 eggs
135ml vegetable oil, plus extra for greasing
195g plain flour
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
1½ tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
generous grating of nutmeg
135g caster sugar
135g carrots, peeled and finely grated
135g parsnips, peeled and finely grated
FOR THE FROSTING
100g soft butter
100g icing sugar
2 × 280g packs of cream cheese
grated zest of 2 oranges
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin or 12 small friand moulds.
Put the dates in a small saucepan, cover with water and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the dates are soft. Drain and blitz the dates in a blender or food processor to form a purée.
In a bowl, beat together the eggs, vegetable oil and date purée. Combine the flour, raising agents, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar in a bowl. Add the grated carrots and parsnips, then add the date purée and egg mixture and stir until well combined. Spoon into the muffin tin or friand moulds. Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes, until risen and just firm to the touch. A skewer inserted into the centre of one of the cakes should come out clean (it may take a little longer, depending on the moistness of the carrots and parsnips).
Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin or moulds for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting, beat the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl until light and fluffy.
In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese and orange zest until smooth. Gradually beat in the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Place the icing in a piping bag fitted with a plain round nozzle.
Pipe the frosting onto the cooled cakes.
MARCUS’ TIP:
To make the most out of all citrus fruits, if you are only using the juice, grate the zest and freeze until required. If you are only using the zest then you can also freeze the juice in ice cube trays and add it to smoothies.
Caramelised White Chocolate Brownie
Caramelised white chocolate has a wonderful caramel-like scent and incredible flavour. It reminds me of Caramac bars from childhood. To make it, you just bake white chocolate in a hot oven, stirring it frequently so it colours evenly. I will warn you now, the taste is quite addictive. I like these brownies best when they are served warm, with vanilla ice cream or crème fraîche.
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SERVES: 8 AS A PUDDING, 12 AS A TREAT | PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES, PLUS COOLING | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 40 MINUTES
300g white chocolate, broken into pieces, or buttons
180g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
225g soft light brown sugar
2 eggs
210g plain flour
pinch of fine sea salt
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Grease a 20 × 30cm baking tin and line the base and sides with parchment paper.
Line a baking tray with a silicone mat or baking parchment, place the chocolate on top and put the tray in the oven for 6 minutes. Remove, and using a rubber spatula, stir the chocolate. Repeat this step twice more, until you have a dark golden chocolate. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Mix the melted butter, brown sugar and eggs together in a bowl and beat until smooth. Fold in the flour and salt. Break up the cooled white chocolate into a mixture of small and larger chunks and fold it through.
Spoon the brownie mix into the lined baking tin. Smooth the top then place in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly in the baking tin, then slice into 8 or 12 pieces.
MARCUS’ TIP:
Brownies always taste better after being frozen – they tend to get denser and gooier. If you portion them before freezing you can take out squares as and when you want them, then just pop them in the oven or microwave to warm through.
Chocolate and Peanut Caramel Tray Bake
What is not to love about chocolate, peanuts and caramel? This tray bake is moreish, and so easy to make as well. Use a combination of mixed nuts, such as almonds, pistachios and hazelnuts, instead of just peanuts if you like. This is a good bake to keep in the fridge for when a sweet treat is needed with a good cup of tea.
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MAKES: 24 PIECES | PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES, PLUS COOLING | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 30 MINUTES, PLUS COOLING
FOR THE BASE
125g soft dark brown sugar
150g soft butter
1 egg
1 tsp baking powder
230g plain flour
20g cocoa powder
200g blanched peanuts
FOR THE TOPPING
397g tin sweetened condensed milk
4 tbsp golden syrup
30g butter
½ tsp fine sea salt
75g dark chocolate, melted
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Grease a 20 × 30cm deep baking tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.
To make the base, beat the sugar and butter together in a bowl until light and creamy, using an electric whisk or a stand mixer. Add the egg and mix well. Combine the baking powder with the flour and cocoa powder and stir them into the mix until just combined. Press the dough into the lined baking tin to make an even layer and chill in the fridge for 20 minutes. Once chilled, bake in the oven for 12 minutes.
While the base is cooking, place the peanuts in a roasting tray and roast for 12–15 minutes until a deep golden colour. Remove the base from the oven and place the roasted peanuts on top of the cooked base.
Meanwhile, put the condensed milk, golden syrup, butter and salt in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir continuously until the butter has melted. Spoon the mixture on top of the peanuts and return the baking tin to the oven for a further 15–20 minutes until the mix begins to caramelise around the edges.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of the caramel. Remove the traybake from the tin, cut into 24 rectangles and store in the fridge.
Date, Cardamom and Caramel Slice
This is like an afternoon tea version of sticky date pudding, with an added hit of cardamom. It is a sweet treat that is best enjoyed with a cuppa. Try a little Greek yoghurt on the side, too – a welcome hit of cool acidity to balance the sweetness.
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SERVES: 8–12 | PREP TIME: 35 MINUTES, PLUS COOLING | COOKING TIME: 55 MINUTES, PLUS COOLING
FOR THE PASTRY
85g soft butter, plus extra for greasing
115g caster sugar
225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp fine table salt
100ml double cream
FOR THE DATE CARAMEL
130g pitted dates
100g soft dark brown sugar
50g double cream
½ tsp fine table salt
FOR THE CARDAMOM FILLING
4 green cardamom pods
100g caster sugar
100g soft butter
2 eggs
pinch of sea salt
115g ground almonds
To make the pastry, mix the butter and sugar together in a bowl until just combined (with your hands or with a wooden spoon). Sift the flour, baking powder and table salt together then add half of the dry mixture to the butter and sugar and mix to form a smooth paste. Add the remai
ning dry mixture and mix until fine crumbs are formed. Gradually add the cream, mixing just enough to bind to a dough. Shape the dough into a rectangle, wrap it in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
While the pastry is in the fridge, make the date caramel. Put 100g of the dates in a small saucepan, cover with water and place over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes until the dates are soft. Drain and blitz the dates in a blender or food processor to form a purée.
Put the soft dark brown sugar in a small heavy-based saucepan or frying pan. Place over medium heat and leave the sugar to melt and caramelise to a deep golden colour, swirling the pan occasionally to get even caramelisation (do not stir). Add the cream and table salt and whisk well to combine. Add the date purée and mix to form a sticky sauce, then remove from the heat.
Grease a 20 × 30cm baking tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Roll out the chilled pastry on a flour-dusted surface to fit in the base of the baking tin. Take the pastry rectangle and gently place it in the baking tin, prick all over with the prongs of a fork and chill for a further 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Bake the pastry for 15 minutes, remove from the oven and cool for 30 minutes.
While the pastry is baking, prepare the cardamom filling. Crush the cardamom pods using a pestle and mortar or a spice grinder, removing the pods and grinding the seeds to a fine powder. Beat the seeds with the sugar and butter in a bowl, by hand or in the bowl of a stand mixer, until light and creamy, then add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Finally, add the sea salt and ground almonds and mix well. Cover the bowl with clingfilm and place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
Spread the date caramel onto the cooked, cooled pastry base then cover with the cardamom filling, smoothing out the top. Finely chop the remaining 30g of dates and place these evenly on top of the filling.
Bake in the oven for 30 minutes, until deep golden and the cardamom mix has just set in the centre. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin before slicing.
Tahini and Caramelised Honey Cake
Tahini is made by grinding sesame seeds to form a paste. It has a lovely, nutty taste and creamy texture, lending itself well for use in both sweet and savoury dishes. It adds an interesting twist to this recipe and enhances the other flavours throughout the cake. Burning honey or caramelising it emphasises its floral flavour and reduces its sweetness, making for a richer result. The black sesame seeds in the crumb are a beautiful addition to the cake but if you only have white sesame seeds these also work well.
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SERVES: 8–10 | PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 30 MINUTES, PLUS COOLING
FOR THE SESAME CRUMB
40g plain flour
40g black sesame seeds, toasted (see Tahini and Caramelised Honey Cake for method)
30g demerara sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch of fine sea salt
40g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
FOR THE CAKE
220g honey
120ml milk
100g tahini
2 eggs, beaten
200g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and grease a 20cm round cake tin with butter.
Place the sesame seeds in a roasting tray and toast in theoven for 6–8 minutes until they start to colour.
To make the sesame crumb, mix all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add the melted butter to mix together. Set aside.
For the cake, place the honey in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a rapid simmer and let it continue simmering for 4–5 minutes until it starts to darken to a deep golden colour. Remove from the heat and take out 4 tablespoons, setting this aside. Add the milk to the honey left in the pan, mix well, then mix in the tahini and eggs.
Mix the flour and baking powder together then fold in the honey mixture and mix until just combined.
Place half of the sesame crumb into the cake tin, crumbling it in as opposed to spreading it. Place half of the cake mix on top of the crumb. Repeat with the remaining crumb and cake mix.
Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn the cake out onto a wire rack.
Reheat the 4 tablespoons of honey you reserved earlier and drizzle it over the slightly warm cake. Enjoy warm.
MARCUS’ TIP:
Try substituting the sesame seeds and tahini with finely chopped toasted peanuts and smooth peanut butter. Just loosen the peanut butter down with a little water before adding it to the honey and milk, so the consistency is similar to tahini.
Blackberry and Buttermilk Cake
Buttermilk, traditionally, is the leftover liquid from the butter-churning process. As our butter is cultured in the UK, the buttermilk has a lovely tangy flavour while providing a little richness. If you are unable to source it, combining low-fat, natural yoghurt with an equal quantity of milk will give you a product similar in flavour and consistency.
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SERVES: 10–12 | PREP TIME: 25 MINUTES | COOKING TIME: 1 HOUR 10 MINUTES, PLUS COOLING
200g soft butter, plus extra for greasing
390g demerara sugar
350g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
4 eggs
200ml buttermilk
grated zest and juice of 2 lemons
3½ tbsp blackberry jam
250g blackberries
FOR THE ICING
25g soft unsalted butter
25g icing sugar
150g cream cheese
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and grease and line a 23cm springform cake tin.
Beat the butter and demerara sugar together in a bowl with an electric whisk, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, for 5–7 minutes, until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a bowl.
Gradually add the eggs to the butter and sugar, beating well after each addition. Add a third of the buttermilk, and lemon zest and juice, and stir well, then add a third of the flour mixture, mixing well but taking care not to over-mix. Continue adding the remaining buttermilk and flour mixture, a little at a time, until just combined.
Spread the blackberry jam on the bottom of the greased cake tin. Place the blackberries in the jam, bottom side down and evenly spaced. Spoon over the cake mix and smooth over until flat. Bake in the oven for 1 hour–1 hour 10 minutes, until the cake is just firm in the centre and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cover the cake loosely with foil after about 40 minutes to prevent it from going too dark. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
To make the icing, beat the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl with an electric whisk, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, until light and creamy. Add the cream cheese and mix until combined. Place the icing in a piping bag fitted with a plain round nozzle and pipe rounds of icing onto the cake.
Blood Orange Meringue Pie
This is my favourite bake. My mum and my nan both used to make lemon meringue pie, and I just love the flavour of it, but using blood orange instead of lemon makes it richer and not as tart or tangy. Blood oranges are in season at the very beginning of spring. The new-season ones have a lesser red tone than when the season gets in full swing, but are just as delicious. If they are unavailable, you can use any orange in this recipe, but you will lose the pale pink hue the blood oranges give to the curd.
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SERVES: 10 | PREP TIME: ABOUT 40 MINUTES, PLUS CHILLING | COOKING TIME: ABOUT 1¼ HOURS
FOR THE PASTRY
250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
pinch of fine sea salt
&nbs
p; 160g cold butter, cubed
75g caster sugar
1 egg, beaten, plus 1 egg yolk
FOR THE BLOOD ORANGE CURD
grated zest and juice of 4 blood oranges (275ml)
300ml orange juice
75g cornflour
4 egg yolks
80g caster sugar
50g soft butter, cubed
5 drops Angostura bitters
FOR THE MERINGUE
1 lemon wedge
4 egg whites
200g caster sugar
To make the pastry, rub together the flour, salt and cold butter in a bowl until the mixture has a breadcrumb-like texture (or blitz in a food processor). Stir in the sugar and gradually add the beaten egg to form a soft, pliable dough (you will not need all the egg). Wrap the dough in clingfilm and chill for 30 minutes.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface until 3–5mm thick and use it to line a 25cm loose-bottomed tart tin, leaving a little excess pastry to hang over the edges. Return to the fridge for 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 240°C/220°C fan/gas 8.
Line the chilled pastry case with baking parchment and fill with baking beans. Sit the tart case on a baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and bake the tart case for a further 10–15 minutes, until it starts to turn golden and become firm. Remove the baking beans and parchment, brush with the egg yolk and return to the oven for a further 5 minutes, until evenly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, trim away the excess pastry with a sharp knife.