Heaven scent Hot Cross bun and butter pudding

For a decadent pud in a hurry, I can think of no better way to use up the last pack of hot cross buns…

Hot X Bun & Butter pudding

You will need:

5-6 sliced and buttered with real butter hot X buns

300ml pot double cream

100ml milk

2 tbsp golden caster sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

1tbsp whisky

How to:

Preheat your oven to 170C/150C fan/ gas mark 3 and butter an ovenproof dish. Arrange your sliced and buttered hot X buns in the dish with crosses on top.

In a jug or mixing bowl whisk the cream, milk, 1 tbsp sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon and whisky and pour over the buns, pressing down and leaving for 20 mins.

Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top of the pudding and bake until golden and crisp on top and set underneath. Leave to stand for 5 minutes then serve with a little more cream and ice-cream.

Variations 

You could change the citrus to orange and the liqueur to bourbon, or dried apple and brandy and you could add marmalade to the buns for a more intense flavour. If you are partial to a chocolate hot X bun you can make in the same way with the addition of orange zest and liqueur.

Lemon twice pudding

When you want to make an everyday meal a Sunday feast to spoil the family, you need to make a warming traditional pudding. This nursery favourite with the addition of Lemon thyme certainly hits the comfort G spot! (G for greedy)

Light fluffy sponge with silky lemon sauce, serve hot from the oven for maximum pleasure!

You will need:

60g salted butter

120g golden caster sugar

1tsp vanilla bean paste

Zest of two lemons

1 tsp lemon thyme leaves

Juice of 1 large lemon

2 large organic eggs, separated

60g self-raising flour

280 ml milk

How to:

Preheat your oven to 200C/180Cfan/ gas mark 6 and butter an ovenproof dish.

Cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla, lemon thyme and zest. Add the yolks and flour, beating together to combine fully before adding the lemon juice and milk. Mix well.

In a separate clean and dry bowl, whisk the egg whites until firm then gently fold into the liquid mix. Pour into the buttered dish and place in a bain-marie (a larger dish/tray and fill with boiling water half way up dishes sides).

Transfer the bain-marie to the oven for approx 40 minutes, until golden and firm on top. Serve each spoonful with the puddings own lemon sauce and a drizzle of double cream. Eat straight away.

My Ahaaaa moment…Parsnip and butternut hash

Anyone tried low carbing? If you have, you must know (especially fans of India Knight & Neris Thomas From Pig to Twig http://www.pig2twig.co.uk)  there are recipes that transform your commitment to the cause, like steak with blue cheese sauce made with real double cream, real blue cheese and the juices from the steak pan OMG! This recipe is just as decadent, delicious and frankly feels like it can’t be paleo diet friendly but praise be, clap your hands and squeal with delight..it is!

For one starving gal or two with a salad, you will need:

2 parsnips, peeled and grated

1 leek cleaned, trimmed and grated

1/3 of a large butternut squash, peeled and grated

3 grinds of fresh back pepper

1 level tsp hot smoked paprika

2 pinches of sea salt

2 organic eggs

1 tbsp coconut oil

Opt. olive oil to drizzle

How to:

After cleaning, peeling and grating your veg simply mix together in a dish and season, mix again. Add the coconut oil to a sauté pan, once hot add your veg and move to get brown in parts.

Veggies at the ready

Make two wells and crack in your eggs, transfer from hob to oven if you like your eggs cooked all the way through like I do.

Eggs in…

Season the eggs, drizzle with a little olive oil and serve in the pan on a heatproof mat on the table if sharing. If enjoying solo, plate as carefully as you can as it’s a pretty good looking dish and oink with delight that you have stuck to the paleo plan for yet another satisfying meal.

Perfection in a pan, you won’t want to share!

 

Bloomin’ lovely, candied Nasturtiums

Preserving edible flowers in finest caster sugar will always be one of my favourite ways to while away an hour.

Always make sure you use edible flowers (see my list) grown without chemicals and pesticides. Pick when dry and check for bugs with your fine haired paint brush. When satisfied your blooms are ready to be candied, simply paint egg white onto petals and stems, leaving no gaps before dusting in a saucer of caster sugar. Transfer to a cooling rack to dry and harden.

These orange beauties were crystallised to decorate a croquembouche along with fresh lavender.

Meringues for supper with Vhari. Light and crisp with a hint of chewyness, oh these are good!

I used solid Willie’s Cacao to pimp these big chewy beauties with a sprinkle of chopped nuts…served with blousy whipped cream and berries just pile them high and let everyone help themselves.

To make 4 large meringues to smash and share or 8 individual portions you will need:
4 large egg whites, room temperature
200g golden caster sugar
2tbsp freshly grated cacao
1 tbsp chopped nuts
To serve:
I small pot double cream, whipped
Strawberries and raspberries

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 140 C/ 120 fan/ gas mark 1 and line a flat baking tray with parchment.
Step 2
In a large dry and spotlessly clean bowl, whisk your egg whites until they form soft peaks.
Step 3
Add the golden caster sugar a tbsp at a time, whisking until you have beautiful glossy stiff peaks.
Step 4
Fold through the cacao, just enough to give a swirl of chocolate.
Step 5
Blob generous domes onto the baking tray and tease spikes of meringue upward to give texture. Gently sprinkle the chopped nuts over the top.
Step 6
Place in the middle of your oven and bake for 1 hour for large or 40 minutes for small, then turn oven off and open door to allow the meringues to cool in the oven. This will prevent them from cracking and collapsing. Serve when cool to very happy guests.
Serving everything piled together makes for a sociable pudding as everyone crafts their own pavlova/mess to their own tastes.