Baking · Chocolate · Do-ahead · Nuts

Flourless, fudgey walnut brownies

Belinda

Flour is the difference between a fudgy brownie and a cakey brownie—the more you add, the cakier it gets. So what would happen if you didn’t add any flour? And what is flour, anyway? While the default used to be all-purpose flour, nowadays there is a truckload of non-wheat ingredients calling themselves flour, from nuts (like almonds) to grains (like oats) to legumes (like chickpeas). These come in handy if you have a wheat allergy or intolerance—or if you want a super-fudgy brownie.

With this recipe we take advantage of walnuts. Some get toasted and stirred into the batter. Others are left raw, for a wheat-ish subtleness, and whooshed in a food processor. Thanks to the walnuts’ buttery fat and zero gluten, the result is rich, crackly, and halfway to chocolate ganache.
Recipe by Emma Laperruque

2/3 cup plus ¾ cup (170 grams) chopped walnuts
1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter
1 cup (80 grams) cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch (20-centimeter) square baking dish with parchment, with overhang on two sides to lift out the baked brownies.
Place ⅔ cup (80 grams) of the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown.
While those cool, add the remaining ¾ cup (90 grams) walnuts to a food processor and pulse in short bursts until a crumbly meal forms. (Don’t take it too far, or you’ll end up with walnut butter.)

Add the butter to a medium saucepan and set over low heat. When that’s melted, remove from the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir in the cocoa powder, then the sugar and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition until incorporated. Set a timer and mix for 2 minutes, until the batter is smooth and glossy.
Stir in the walnut flour, then the toasted walnuts.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until puffed around the edges with a glossy-crackly top and a toothpick inserted near a corner comes out mostly clean. Let cool until room temperature, then remove from the pan and cut into squares.

Do-ahead · Icecream

Baileys Irish cream ice-cream

Belinda

This is an easy no-cook ice cream that is well worth making. Don’t panic if the ice cream seems too soft, you need to make it 2-3 days in advance of when you’re serving it, as it takes this long to solidify because of the alcohol in the Irish Cream.

Makes 1.5- 2qts

2 cups half-and-half
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 heavy pinch ground cinnamon
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 tbsp good quality Madagascar vanilla extract
½ cup Baileys Irish cream liqueur

Beat together the half-and-half, white sugar, cinnamon and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until the sugars have dissolved.

Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract into the mixture until smooth.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.

About 2 minutes before the end of freezing time, pour Irish cream liqueur into the ice cream maker; allow the machine to finish freezing the ice cream.

Transfer ice cream into a freezer-proof container with a tight lid and place in freezer until ice cream is hardened, at least 48 hours.

Baking · Do-ahead

Orange Lightning Cake

Belinda

Annabelle Langbein’s “quick-as-lightening” cake as you can make it in a flash!
“It’s so quick and simple and yet it has an amazing flavor, like something your grandmother might have made, that has everyone coming back for seconds. You can use golden raisins, (sultanas) or raisins.

Serves 8

1 whole orange, unpeeled
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup water
4 1/2 oz/125 g butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups plain flour
1 cup sultanas, or raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 325F/160°C fanbake.
Grease a 8″/20cm-diameter cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Cut the orange into quarters, remove the seeds and whizz in a food processor until finely chopped.

Dissolve baking soda in water and add to the food processor with butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour.
Whizz to combine.

Add sultanas or raisins and walnuts, if using, and stir with a spoon or pulse several times to just combine (don’t whizz them or they will break up).

Pour into prepared cake tin and bake until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (about 1 hour).

STORAGE
Orange Lightning Cake will keep in an airtight container for up to a week or can be frozen.

Appetizers · Dairy-free · Fish · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Whole30 compliant

Salmon and Avocado Towers

Belinda

This is one of the all-time most popular special occasion dishes — so easy to do but it will knock the socks off your guests.
A great one to get a Holiday dinner off to a good start too.

Recipe by Annabelle Langbein

Serves 10

5 avocados, mashed
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 spring onions, (scallions) finely chopped
2 1/2 cups peeled and finely diced cucumber
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 1/4lbs /600 g gravlax, raw salmon, or cold-smoked salmon, finely diced
2 tbsp chopped dill
1 1/4 cups microgreens, to garnish

Mash the avocado.
Put mashed avocado in a bowl and mix in lemon juice, spring onion and cucumber.
Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl, mix the salmon with the dill and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place ten 6-8cm (2″-3″) ring moulds onto ten small serving plates
Divide half the avocado mixture between the moulds and press down gently with the back of a teaspoon.
Divide the salmon mixture between the moulds on top of the avocado and smooth down evenly.
Divide the remaining avocado on top of the salmon and smooth the tops.
Chill until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, simply lift the moulds up to reveal the towers.
Top with a garnish of micro greens and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Baking · Dairy-free · Dessert · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food

Perfect Panforte

Belinda

We like to use raisins, dried cranberries, mixed peel and/or chopped dried apricots or figs for this decadent dessert, but you can play around with different types of fruit and nuts as long as you keep the quantities constant. You might want to wear a clean pair of dishwashing gloves to mix this dense Italian festive fruit cake as it’s too heavy to mix with a spoon and you need to work fast so the toffee mixture doesn’t set before it’s mixed through the fruit and nuts.
Panforte is very rich, so serve it in very thin slices. It also makes a lovely gift.

Serves 20

2 cups dried fruit, such as raisins, dried cranberries, candied orange or lemon peel and/or chopped dried apricots or figs
1 cup whole roasted almonds
1 cup whole roasted, skinned hazelnuts
1/2 cup plain flour
2 tbsp good-quality cocoa
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup sugar
60 g dark chocolate, chopped
icing sugar, to dust

Preheat oven to 325F/150°C
Thoroughly grease a 8″/20cm-diameter springform cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

Combine fruit and nuts in a large bowl
In a smaller bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, spices and salt.
Tip into the fruit and nut mixture and mix well
Combine honey and sugar in a pot and boil until a little mixture dropped into a glass of cold water forms a soft ball.
Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until melted and the mixture is smooth.
Pour into dry ingredients and quickly mix with a very strong wooden spoon until combined.
Press into prepared tin, sprinkle with icing sugar and bake until set (about 35-40 minutes).
Remove from tin by running wet knife around the outside of the cake.
When cool, dust liberally with more icing sugar.
Stored in an airtight container it will keep for weeks.

Dessert · Holiday Food

5-Minute Pumpkin Parfait

Belinda

A quick, healthier alternative to pumpkin pie, this pumpkin parfait is velvety smooth and packed with comforting fall flavors including cinnamon, nutmeg, nuts, and even dark chocolate!
Recipe from “The Mediterranean Dish”

1 15oz can pumpkin puree or scant 2 cups homemade pumpkin puree
1 1/4 cup Greek full-fat plain yogurt
3-4 tbsp mascarpone cheese
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
1 1/2-2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Parfait toppings
2 tbsp honey or molasses, more for garnish
Chocolate chips for garnish
Chopped roasted hazelnuts or walnuts for garnish

Place the pumpkin puree, Greek yogurt and the remaining ingredients, except the chocolate chips and nuts, in a large mixing bowl. Using a hand electric mixer or a whisk, mix together until you reach a smooth consistency.
Give it a taste and adjust flavor to your liking (add a bit of molasses or brown sugar to sweeten some more, for example. Or adjust the spices if you want more cinnamon or nutmeg.) Mix again to combine.
Transfer the pumpkin-yogurt mixture to small (3-oz) serving goblets or small mason jars. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.

When ready to serve, top each with a drizzle of molasses, chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts or walnuts. Enjoy!

NOTES

Prepare-Ahead Tip: You can prepare this pumpkin parfait one night in advance. Refrigerate in a tightly closed container or individual mason jars (hold the chocolate chips and nuts for later). When ready to serve, stir the yogurt mixture and transfer it into the serving goblets or mini jars and add toppings.

To serve a larger crowd: Simply double the recipe to feed 12 or more (small 3-oz goblets or mason jars.)

Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Soup

Slow-Cooker Curried Sweet Potato Soup With Coconut and Kale

Belinda

This creamy Thai-inspired soup is all about balance: When the contrasting flavors are in harmony, it is outrageously delicious. (It is also vegan if there’s no fish or shrimp in your curry paste.) Supermarket curry pastes are a great shortcut to flavor for weeknights, but salt and spice levels can vary greatly among brands. So taste at the end, and adjust: You may need to add curry paste, sugar or lime juice to your liking. Chile-lime flavored peanuts, available at some grocery stores, are particularly good for topping — snap them up if you happen to see them. Otherwise, roasted salted peanuts will work beautifully.
Recipe by Sarah DiGregorio for the New York Times

Serves 6

2 ½ lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1- to 2-inch chunks
1 medium yellow or red onion, chopped
5 large garlic cloves
2 tbsp coconut oil, preferably unrefined virgin
2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 (4-oz) jar red curry paste (1/2 cup)
1 (13-oz) can full-fat coconut milk
1 cup smooth peanut butter
Juice of 1 lime, plus more to taste
5 oz/1 medium bunch baby kale or spinach, stemmed and chopped

Combine the sweet potatoes, onion, garlic, oil, sugar, turmeric and salt in a 5- to 8-qt slow cooker. Add more than half of the jar of curry paste (about 1/3 cup) and 1 cup of water or broth. Stir to combine all the ingredients and cook on low until the potatoes are quite tender, about 8 hours.
Add the coconut milk, peanut butter, remaining curry paste and 2 1/2 cups water to the slow cooker.
Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until it is uniformly creamy.
Add the lime juice and the kale, and stir to combine. Cook on low until the greens are wilted and tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in more warm water/broth if you would like a looser texture.
Taste and add more lime juice or salt if necessary.
Serve in bowls with peanuts on top.

Baking · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Sticky Cranberry Gingerbread

Belinda

“Sticky, spicy and full of cranberries, this gingerbread is perfect for the holidays. The recipe has been designed to make ahead, and will taste as good 2 days after baking as it does on the same day. (It will keep for 4 to 5 days.) To store it, wrap it well, stick it in the fridge and then bring to room temperature before serving. Whipped cream or crème fraîche, spiked with a little bourbon if you like, is nice on the side.”
Recipe by Melissa Clark for the New York Times

Serves 8-10

2 cups/8oz/266 grams fresh or frozen cranberries
1 cup/200g granulated sugar
1 stick/4oz/113g unsalted butter
⅔ cup/133g dark brown sugar
½ cup/120 mls whole milk
½ cup/120 mls maple syrup
¼ cup/60 mls molasses
1 ½ cups/185g all-purpose flour
1 tbsp/5g ground ginger
½ tsp/1g ground cinnamon
½ tsp/3g baking powder
½ tsp/3g kosher salt
¼ tsp/1g baking soda
¼ tsp black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp/14g grated fresh ginger (from 1-inch piece)

Heat oven to 350 F and line a 9-inch square or round baking pan with parchment.

In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir together cranberries, granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Stir the cranberries over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and cranberries form a sauce that is syrupy and bubbling thickly, about 10 minutes. Aim to have about half the cranberries broken down, with the remainder more or less whole.

In a separate saucepan, stir together the butter, brown sugar, milk, maple syrup and molasses over medium heat. Bring it to just barely a simmer and then remove it from the heat. Do not let it come to a boil, or the mixture may curdle.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, baking soda and black pepper. Beat in the butter-maple syrup mixture and then beat in the eggs. Stir in the ginger.

Scrape the batter into the pan. Drop fat dollops of cranberry sauce onto the surface of the cake batter. Drag a long, slender knife through the batter in a swirly design, as if you are marbling a cake.
Transfer the cake to the oven and bake it until the top is firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes.
Transfer the pan to a wire baking rack and let the cake cool completely before eating it.

Baking · Breakfast · Do-ahead · Holiday Food

Stuffing biscuits (scones)

Belinda

All the herby and aromatic flavors of a classic Thanksgiving stuffing—sage, rosemary, fennel seed, oniony scallion–are packed into this tender biscuit. Stacking pieces of dough before rolling out ensures plenty of tall, buttery layers. If you have any extra biscuits after The Big Meal, store them in an airtight container at room temperature overnight and prepare to have the most festive biscuits and gravy (featuring leftover Thanksgiving gravy, of course!) for breakfast the next morning.
Recipe from Bon Appetite

Makes 12
1 tbsp. Diamond Crystal kosher or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt
1tbsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
1½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 scallions, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. finely chopped rosemary
3 Tbsp. finely chopped sage
1 (heaping) Tbsp. fennel seeds
1½ cups chilled buttermilk, plus more for brushing

Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 425F.
Whisk the salt, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, pepper, and 4 cups flour in a large bowl.
Add the butter and, using your fingers, work into dry ingredients, smashing and flattening and tossing to coat with flour, until you have some flat quarter-size pieces and some smaller pea-size pieces. Add scallions, rosemary, sage and fennel seeds and toss to evenly distribute. Add 1½ cups buttermilk and stir mixture with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead once or twice to incorporate any loose pieces.

Pat dough into a 10 x 8″ rectangle. Using a large knife, cut in half crosswise, then stack 1 piece on top of the other. Turn rectangle so a long side is closest to you and cut dough in half crosswise again. Stack 1 piece on top of the other. (This process will build layers into your biscuits.) Turn dough and pat again into a 10×8″ rectangle. Cut into 12 even pieces (you should have a grid of 4 on the long sides and 3 on the short sides). Place biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing evenly, and freeze 10 minutes.

Brush top of each biscuit lightly with buttermilk and bake, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until golden brown, 22–26 minutes.

Baking · Breakfast · Do-ahead · Egg based · Holiday Food

Cheese croissant bread and butter pudding

Belinda

This indulgent cheesy croissant bread and butter pudding makes the ideal lazy breakfast to share with friends. Prep the dish the night before and chill in the fridge, to buy yourself more time in bed in the morning.

Serves 4-6
Knob of soft butter for greasing the dish
6-8 croissants, depending on the size, ideally a day or two old
8oz (200g) gruyère cheese, grated
5oz (150g) ham hock, finely shredded
8.5 fl oz (250ml) whole milk
15 fl oz (450ml) double cream
3 medium free-range eggs and
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
5 tbsp finely chopped chives
2 tsp English mustard powder

Heat the oven to 350F/160°C fan/gas 4.
Halve the croissants horizontally and lay them on a baking sheet. Put them in the oven for 5 minutes, then remove them to cool – you can turn off the oven now as you won’t need it for a bit. This helps the croissants dry out so they’ll greedily soak up the custard.
Arrange half the halved croissants, cut-side up, in the baking dish. Scatter over half the cheese and all the ham, then arrange the rest of the halved croissants, cut-side down, on top.
Stir the milk and cream in a pan and warm until just steaming. Remove from the heat, whisk in the eggs, yolks, chives and mustard, then season with salt and pepper. Slowly pour the mixture evenly over the croissants, then cover and chill for an hour or overnight. If you can, tilt the dish from time to time and baste the croissants with the custard to make sure it’s absorbed.
Reheat the oven to 350F/160°C fan/gas 4.
Remove the dish from the fridge, scatter over the rest of the cheese, put the dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips, then bake until the custard is just set and the cheese is bubbling (30-35 minutes). Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before serving with whatever your heart desires (within reason).
delicious. tips

* It only takes 15 minutes to prep but it needs time in the fridge, so if you’re not the type to get up early, make it the night before to the point where it’s soaked in the custard, then cover it, put it in the fridge and cook it the next morning.