Sweet Cranberry And Lemon Bread

As the summer holiday roll on, eight weeks for two of my boys, I seem to make more and more bread to fill them up!

This went out for afternoon tea between four boys and a slice and crumbs came back, proof it tastes great!

If, like me, you are feeding the hungry masses during the holidays consider making two loaves as this bread freezes really really well.

Best eaten on the day it is made but my boys love it toasted with butter the following day, if there have been any leftovers.

Makes 1 loaf.

Ingredients

425g plain flour

2 teaspoons instant yeast

75g caster sugar

pinch of salt

120g butter, melted

3 egg yolks

150mls milk

120g dried cranberries

1 small lemon

110g icing sugar

Method

In a large bowl, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, salt, zest of the lemon and cranberries.

In a smaller bowl whisk the melted butter, egg yolks and milk.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and bring together to form a dough.

Tip the dough onto a floured furnace and knead for 5 minutes until it is becoming elastic.

Place the dough in a floured large bowl and cover with a damp tea towel.

Set aside for 1-2 hours, depending on the temperature, to rise until double its original size.

Once the dough has risen, gently form it into a free form loaf, around 25-30 cm long and place on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Keep somewhere warm.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Centigrade and once the dough has doubled in size again, bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes, it will be darker on the outside due to the sugar content.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the tray and then carefully slide onto a cooling rack.

While the bread cools, make the icing.

Sieve the icing sugar into a bowl, juice the lemon and add this to the sugar, mix well to ensure no lumps!

While the bread is still warm, pour over the icing and spread a little if you need to. Allow to cool completely.

Pink Coleslaw

In a house full of boys it is sometimes nice to have a little bit of pink at the table.

Great with barbecued food and anytime a salad is needed, this is also a handy recipe for using up egg yolks!

If you don’t have a mandolin just grate the carrots and beets on the largest grating setting.

If you would rather use jarred mayo, just add the whole grain mustard to it before stirring through the veg.

To make it vegetarian use an egg free mayo alternative.

Serves 8-10.

Ingredients

1/2 large cabbage, outer leaves removed

2 carrots, peeled and topped and tailed

2 beetroots, peeled and topped and tailed

1 red onion, peeled and topped and tailed

2 egg yolks

10 mls white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

225mls  sunflower oil

3 tablespoons whole grain mustard

Method

Take the stem out of the cabbage and slice very finely, place in a large bowl.

Using a mandolin, finely cut the carrots and beetroots into matchsticks, add to the cabbage.

Finely slice the onion, add to the bowl.

In a small bowl. Whisk the egg yolks, vinegar, Dijon mustard and a little salt.

Slowly add the oil, whisking all of the time.

Once you have a thick mayonnaise, add the whole grain mustard and combine.

Mix the mayonnaise through the vegetables and serve.

Rich and Creamy Baked Ricotta with Thyme

Now, I know this doesn’t look too tempting! However, it is delicious and reminds me of nursery style comfort food.

A great way to use up leftover egg yolks, mine are from making my meringues, recipe in the blog, this can be made a day ahead and sits quite happily in the fridge in the loaf tin with some plastic wrap over it. Serve at room temperature.

Serves 4-6, lovely with a salad and garlicky potatoes, recipe is in the blog too.

Ingredients

10g butter, melted

500g fresh traditional ricotta

2 eggs

4 egg yolks

100mls whipping cream

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

200g Parmesan cheese, finely grated

salt and pepper

Method

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees Centigrade.

Grease a 1litre loaf tin with melted butter.

In a large bowl, whisk the ricotta, eggs and yolk.

Add the cream, thyme, nutmeg, cheese and seasoning and stir well with a spoon.

Pour into the prpared loaf tin.

Fill a roasting pan with water until one third full, place the loaf tin in the centre, ensure the water comes half way up the sides, add a little more if needed.

Place carefully in the oven and bake for 45-50mins until set and a little coloured on top.

Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing or popping into the fridge for the following day.

Chocolate Pudding

I seem to regularly have egg yolks left over and this is a great way to use them up.

Loved by the boys, this is a chocolate custard, served with a few strawberries in a fancy glass it can be quite sophisticated but it really is the ultimate nursery food!

Ingredients

150g caster sugar

40g cornflour

40g cocoa

625mls milk

4 egg yolks

50g butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

In a large pan, off the heat, whisk the sugar, cornflour and cocoa.

Slowly whisk in the milk, just a little at a time, followed by the yolks.

Over a medium heat, heat until near boiling, stirring all of the time.

Once it begins to thicken, lower the heat to low and cook for 1 minute.

Take off the heat, add the butter and vanilla, whisk until combined.

Pour into serving dishes and cover the top with plastic wrap, this will  stop a skin forming.

Allow to cool before serving, at least 3 hours.

Keeps in the fridge for 3 days.