Occasionally,
I'll stumble upon some ingredient or technique that makes me completely
re-evaluate my approach to baking. At one point it was sourdoughs; before that,
coriander seeds – roasted or ground, and added to everything from cob loaves to
chocolate cakes.
Black pepper is my most recent epiphany. Of course, I was well used to adding
it to my savoury cooking – a few peppercorns in a milky sauce or the peppermill
in its regular spot at the heart of the dinner table – but using it in sweets
was a novel experience.
Although it's used predominantly in savoury cooking, there's a great deal to
be said for using black pepper as an accent or to emphasise other flavours in
cakes, puddings and biscuits. The sharpness and fiery heat of a fleck of
coarsely ground black pepper is enough to jolt even the richest bakes into life
– particularly against a mellow backdrop of vanilla or cream.
Black pepper is a good partner for more robust flavours, too, as in the lemon
drizzle cake below. There's no point muddying a good cake with the grey tinge of
the ready-ground stuff, though: always grind it fresh as you use it, and do so
with a generous hand.
Lemon, buttermilk and black pepper cake (above)
It might not have the national treasure status of the Victoria sponge or
engender the same gleeful lust as a chocolate fudge gateau, but a great lemon
drizzle cake is, I think, as close as Great British teatimes come to culinary
perfection. It's a finely tuned thing: the lemon should be bold enough to make
you pause between forkfuls, without sharpening to an eye-watering sourness. My
version isn't a traditional lemon drizzle, but it's my favourite. Buttermilk
dulls the hit of lemon, while leaving the flavour fresh and bright; black pepper
lends a gentle heat which lingers on the tongue after first the citrus, then the
sweetness, have come and gone.
Serves 6-8 150g unsalted butter, softened 100g
caster sugar 50g light brown soft
sugar Zest of 2 lemons 2 tsp coarsely
ground black pepper 2 large eggs 150g
plain flour 1½ tsp baking powder ¼ tsp
bicarbonate of soda A generous pinch of
salt 50ml buttermilk or soured cream
For finishing Juice of 2
lemons 50g caster sugar 150-200g lemon
curd Black pepper, coarsely ground 1-2
tsp lemon zest 1 Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease and line a
20cm-diameter spring-form or loose-bottomed tin. 2 Cream the butter with the sugars until light and fluffy,
then stir in the lemon zest, pepper and eggs. In a separate bowl, combine the
flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Add half of this to the
butter and sugar, along with the buttermilk. Mix, then add the rest of the
flour. 3 Spoon the batter into the tin and bake for 30-35 mins,
until well-risen, golden brown and springy. A small knife inserted into the
centre of the cake should emerge with no more than a crumb or two sticking to
it. 4 Demould the cake and cool on a wire rack. Cut it in half
horizontally to give two thinner cake layers. Prepare the syrup by heating the
lemon juice and sugar in a small pan and simmering for a minute or two. Pour
over the cake layers while the syrup is still hot. 5 To assemble, spread one half with the lemon curd and
sandwich with the second half. You could pour on some zesty water icing to
finish it off if you like, but I prefer to keep it simple with just an extra
grind of pepper and a sprinkling of finely grated zest.
Black pepper and vanilla fig rolls
At their worst, fig rolls are soft, saccharin and dry. But things don't have
to be this way. Made at home, with good-quality dried figs – which have a
pleasingly toffee-like sweetness – humble fig rolls can outshine any showy,
oversized cookie or chocolate-flooded biscuit. Fig rolls are back in vogue.
It's rare to find three ingredients that work together in pairs, but don't
sit harmoniously as a trio. Black pepper, vanilla and fig only confirm the
trend: vanilla gives fig a floral depth; black pepper and fig balance fruitiness
with heat; black pepper sharpens the gentle tones of vanilla – all three
together is a match made in heaven.
Makes 15-20 rolls For the filling 150g dried figs,
chopped 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 1 tsp
vanilla extract 2 tsp lemon juice 2 tbsp
light brown soft sugar ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
For the pastry 150g plain flour 50g wholemeal
flour 125g unsalted butter, firm but not too
cold ½ tsp baking powder 2 tbsp light
brown soft sugar 1 tsp coarsely ground black
pepper A pinch of salt 1-2 tbsp
milk 1 First, toss the figs with the bicarbonate of soda and pour
over just enough boiling water to cover. Leave to soak for 10 minutes, during
which time the alkaline bicarbonate of soda will soften the figs, then drain
thoroughly. Mash lightly under the back of a fork and leave to cool. When ready,
stir in the vanilla extract, lemon juice, sugar and pepper then set aside. 2 Combine the flours in a bowl. Cut the butter into small
chunks then rub into the flour using your fingertips, until no visible pieces
remain. Add the baking powder, sugar, pepper and salt, plus 1 tbsp of milk,
using a small knife to "cut" the liquid into the flour. Add the last of the milk
a few drops at a time, until the flour has been very lightly moistened, and is
beginning to come together in small clumps. Wrap the dough in clingfilm and
refrigerate for 20 minutes or so, just to firm it up. Set the oven to
180C/350F/gas mark 4. 3 Remove the pastry from the fridge and roll it out, on a
lightly floured work surface, to around 40cm x 15cm. Spoon the fig filling along
the middle of the pastry's long axis, to give a roughly 4cm-wide, 40cm-long heap
of filling. Fold one side of the pastry over this, followed by the other, and
pat down slightly. Roll the log over so the join is underneath. Cut into 15-20
slices. 4 Arrange the slices of fig roll on a baking tray lined with
baking parchment. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes – until the
pastry is dry and sandy to the touch. Leave to cool on a wire rack before
tucking in.
One of my first jobs as a teenager was on a supermarket rotisserie counter,
and certain customers would come in once a week for a bacon knuckle. At £1.79
(10 years ago), they were half the price of the spit-roasted chickens, and one
older gentleman regularly enthused that he would eat it all week. I thought of
him recently, when researching new recipes for eating on a budget. I found a
bacon knuckle in a butcher’s, took it home and made it into this.
(Makes 1 pie and 1 casserole)
1 bacon knuckle, about 600g
2 carrots, diced (peel reserved)
2 onions, diced (skins reserved)
Fistful of parsley, leaves picked and stalks reserved
Few black peppercorns
150g dried split peas
1 tbsp butter or oil
1 tbsp flour
for the pastry:
125g butter, diced
125g lard, diced
500g plain flour
Soak the bacon knuckle overnight, drain, and soak again, leaving for several
hours. Put it in a pan, skin-side down.
Add the carrot peel, onion skins, parsley stalks and peppercorns. Cover with
water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer for 90 minutes, removing any
scum from the surface. Advertisement
Bring a pan of unsalted water to the boil and add the split peas. Simmer for
45 minutes until very soft, adding the diced carrot and onion after 20 minutes.
Remove from the heat, drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, start the pastry. In a large mixing bowl, rub the butter and lard
into the flour until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add a splash of cold water
and mix to form a pliable but not sticky dough. Cover and chill in the fridge
for 15 minutes.
When your bacon joint is tender, remove from the heat and flake off the meat.
Strain the stock and reserve (you need about 600ml).
Cook the butter and flour on low heat to make a roux, thin it to a smooth
paste with a little of the stock, then gradually add the rest. Add the split
peas, vegetables, meat and parsley leaves, and remove from the heat.
Roll out your pastry and use a plate to cut the lid for your pie. Roll out
again and lay in the bottom of your pie dish, trimming to fit. Spoon half the
filling into the pie, and half into a freezer bag for a future pie or
casserole.
Carefully lay the lid on top, using a fork to seal the edges. Cook in the
middle of the oven at 180C/350F/gas mark four for 30 minutes, or until the
pastry is golden. Delicious hot or cold.
Gooey fudge cake from Michelin-starred
chef Michael Caines. Photograph: PR
Divine Chocolate asked five leading chefs to create their ultimate chocolate
cakes to celebrate Chocolate Week(October 13–19) and the Fairtrade brand's 10th
anniversary. Here are the recipes for you to try at home - just try not to eat
more than one a day.
Chocolate fudge cake by Michael Caines
Ingredients 225g plain dark chocolate 225g unsalted
butter 345g caster sugar 6 eggs, separated into yolks and whites 120g
ground almonds 145g soft white breadcrumbs 30g plain flour 2tbsp
vanilla essence
Icing 85g cocoa powder 255g icing sugar 130g butter 170g
caster sugar 6tbsp water
Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas 3.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler, or in a bowl placed over a pan of
boiling water. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and the sugar until
white and soft. Add the egg yolks gradually, one by one, then add the almonds
and beat them in. Gently fold in the chocolate with a spoon, then add the bread
crumbs, flour and vanilla essence and mix together.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites, along with a pinch of sugar, until
stiff - but do not over-beat. Fold the egg whites into the cake mixture and then
pour the mixture into a buttered 26cm cake tin (lined with paper). Place in the
oven and cook for one hour.
During this time make the icing. Place the cocoa powder and the icing sugar
in a mixing bowl. Warm together the butter, sugar and water until dissolved. Add
the liquid into the dry mixture and mix together for a thick but 'pourable'
consistency. Once the cake has cooked and cooled, pour over the cake. Top tip Always use dark chocolate, as opposed to milk,
when cooking and baking because it provides the desired taste and texture for a
recipe.
Chocolate cake with raspberry ganache by Alan Coxon
Ingredients 200g dark 70% chocolate 200g unsalted butter cut
in pieces 125ml strong espresso style coffee 85g self-raising flour 85g
plain flour 0.25tsp baking powder 200g dark moist muscovado sugar 200g
golden caster sugar 25g coco powder 3 medium free range eggs 1tsp
natural yoghurt 4tbsp grated divine dark chocolate to decorate plus
butter for greasing
Raspberry ganache: 200g 70% dark chocolate 285ml double
cream, 2tbsp golden caster sugar 150g fresh raspberries
Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas 3.
Butter a 20cm round cake tin (7.5cm deep) and line the base.
Break the chocolate into pieces and place into a heatproof bowl and sit on
top of a pan half filled with hot water, ensuring that the water does not touch
the base of the bowl. Add the butter, the warm coffee and heat everything
together gently in the double boiler just until everything is melted taking care
not to overheat. (Alternatively place everything in a bowl and melt in the
microwave on medium for about four minutes, stirring after two minutes.)
While the chocolate is melting, mix the two flours, baking powder, sugars and
cocoa in a big bowl, mixing together thoroughly or passing through a large sieve
to evenly distribute the ingredients. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and stir
in the natural yoghurt.
Pour the melted chocolate mixture and the egg mixture into the flour mixture,
stirring just until everything is well blended and you have a smooth, quite
runny consistency. Do not over-beat or over-handle. Pour this into the tin and
tap the tin gently for an even surface and the removal of any air bubbles
trapped in the mix.
Bake for one-and-a-half hours then check the cake by inserting a skewer in
the centre. It should come out clean and the top should feel firm (don't worry
if it cracks a little). Leave to cool in the tin (don't worry if it dips
slightly), then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. When the cake is
cold, cut it horizontally into three.
To make the ganache: Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place into a
bowl. Place the cream into a pan, add the sugar, heat until it is about to boil,
then remove from the heat. Pour the cream over the chocolate and stir until the
chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the raspberries, breaking
them up a little before leaving it to cool slightly.
Sandwich the layers together with just a little of the ganache. Pour the rest
over the cake, letting it fall down the sides and smoothing to cover with a
palette knife. Decorate with grated chocolate. (The cake keeps moist and gooey
for three to four days). Top tip Whenever melting chocolate, always take care not
to overheat as this can damage your recipe. Remember, chocolate melts in your
mouth, so any hotter than body temperature is pointless.
Chestnut & chocolate cake by Arthur Potts-Dawson
Ingredients 220ml milk 140g butter 3 medium eggs 150g
chopped peeled chestnuts 70g chocolate 70% 220g plain flour 265g
soft brown sugar 1 tbsp golden syrup 2 level tsp baking powder 1
vanilla pod, chopped finely ½ level tsp bicarbonate of soda pinch of
salt
Preheat oven to 190°C/gas 5.
Sift together all the dry ingredients. Place the chocolate and milk into a
bowl over warm water and allow to melt. Mix the butter and sugar together until
creamy. Beat the eggs and slowly pour in to the creamed butter and sugar, add
20g of the flour. Stir in the golden syrup and chopped chestnuts and vanilla,
mixing well. Fold in the remaining flour. Gradually add the chocolate mixture to
form a thick batter. Pour into a buttered, floured 10-inch cake tin. Bake for
one hour.
Turn out on to a cake rack. Grate some more plain chocolate over the top of
the warm cake - this will melt and create a lovely topping. Allow to cool, then
serve with creme fraiche and a light dusting of cocoa powder.
Chocolate amaretti cake by Linda Collister
Ingredients 100g dark chocolate 100g amaretti biscuits (crunchy
not soft) 100g plain flour 225g unsalted soft butter 175g caster
sugar 5 large eggs 1 tablespoon amaretto liqueur or lukewarm
water cocoa powder for dusting
23cm springclip tin, greased and lined
Heat oven 180°C/gas 4.
Break up the chocolate and put into the bowl of a food processor. Run the
machine to make a fine powder. Add the amaretti biscuits and run the machine
again until the mixture is fine. Add the flour then run the machine or pulse
briefly just to combine the ingredients. Set aside until needed.
Put the soft butter and sugar into the bowl of a food mixer and beat with the
whisk attachment until light and creamy. Beat in the yolks, one at a time,
beating after each addition. Stir in the chocolate mixture and the amaretto or
warm water.
In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Using a
large metal spoon, fold the whites into the chocolate mixture in three batches.
When thoroughly combined spoon the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake in the
heated oven for about 40 minutes or until firm to the touch.
Remove the tin from the oven and run a round-bladed knife around the inside
of the tin to loosen the cake. Carefully unclip the tin and leave the cake to
cool on a wire rack. Dust with cocoa powder just before serving with whipped
cream.
Store in an airtight container and eat within four days.
Chilli-chocolate orange cake by Sam Stern
Putting this cake together has been a labour of love. It's been through a
load of variations and I think this one is pretty much perfect. Customise the
cake to suit you – add more chilli if you like more heat. Go for the fudge icing
for a sweeter tooth or the bitter chocolate for a sophisticated taste and
finish.
Ingredients 150g plain chocolate ½ tsp coffee granules 1tsp
chilli flakes (or more if you like), crushed with pestle & mortar or bashed
with a rolling pin 125g butter 125g caster sugar 5 eggs, separated
75g self raising flour 1 pinch bicarbonate of soda 1½tsp baking
powder 2tbsp cocoa powder 1tbsp rum or orange juice or water 1tsp
vanilla essence 1tbs water Peel of half a medium orange, finely
grated
Glaze: 2 tablespoons of good orange marmalade
Fudge icing: 300g icing sugar 25g divine cocoa powder 125g
butter 4tbsp of water
Bitter chocolate icing: 180g dark chocolate 125g unsalted
butter 1tbsp golden syrup
Preheat the oven to 160°C/gas 3.
Line and grease a 20-22cm tin
(springform or loose-based).
Melt the chocolate by placing the pieces in a heatproof bowl over a pan of
simmering water, not allowing the bowl to touch the water. Add the coffee
granules and chilli. Let the mix melt then stir with a wooden spoon. Remove bowl
and leave to cool.
Cream the softened butter with the caster sugar in a food mixer or the proper
way, with a wooden spoon, until light and white. Gently stir in the cooled
chocolate and four egg yolks. Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder
into the bowl and then add the grated orange rind. Fold the mix gently together
with a metal spoon using big scooping movements. Add the rum, vanilla and water.
Whisk 5 egg whites until stiff (don't overwhisk). Add to the mixture by
beating in the first tablespoon to loosen the consistency. Then fold the rest in
very gently using a metal spoon. Don't worry if it's not perfect, as it can be
hard to combine the two.
Pour the mix into the tin and put it in the oven for 45-50 minutes (check
after 35 – ovens vary!). To test it, prick with a cocktail stick. It should come
out clean. Don't worry if the top of the cake has cracked a bit – you'll be
icing it up. Remove and place on a cooling rack. Take out of the tin after five
minutes and leave to cool. Brush the glaze on while still a bit warm.
To make the glaze, put the marmalade into a saucepan and melt over a low heat
until it's runny. Brush this onto the cooling cake base with a pastry brush.
To make the fudge icing: combine the sifted icing sugar and cocoa powder in a
bowl. Melt the butter and water and pour into the icing sugar mix. Beat until
combined. It should be easily spreadable but not runny, so you might not need
all the liquid. Cover the top of the cake and sides generously with the icing,
tip it then finish using a spatula. Go for a smooth or a rough finish. You can
decorate with cherries, grated chocolate, crumbled flake or chocolate curls
(peel from a bar of chocolate with a potato peeler).
For the bitter chocolate icing: melt chocolate pieces in a bain marie (as
above) with butter and golden syrup. Pour it over the cake for a smooth finish.
Let it set. Pipe messages on top or decorate with cherries. Eat and
enjoy!
