From chocolate bunnies and ‘chick’ cake pops to real egg shells filled with white chocolate and Chantilly cream our amazing pastry chef Stephanie has created a stunning selection of Easter treats…

Flourless Hazelnut and Chocolate Cake

This heavenly simple, delicate, nutty cake is delicious served with ice cream and would make the perfect Mother's Day treat.

Serves 6-8
Ingredients
200 g hazelnuts (with skins on)
1 tsp baking powder
50g good quality dark chocolate
100g butter (softened)
5 eggs separated
175g castor sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

20cm (8inch) diameter spring form/loose bottomed tin

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F). Butter and line the sides and base of the cake tin with greaseproof paper.
2. Grind the hazelnuts with the baking powder and chocolate in a food processor until fine. Add the butter and combine.
3. Place the egg yolks in the bowl of an electric Kenwood mixer (or use an electric hand beater). Add the sugar and whisk until the mixture becomes thick and mousse- like. Add the hazelnut mixture and the vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
4. Whisk the egg whites separately in a large clean bowl until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold the whites into the nut mixture in 3 stages so as not to deflate the whites.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 55-70 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
*This cake is quite delicate due to the eggs whites, so don’t be tempted to open and close the oven door until it is cooked.
6. Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Gently loosen the sides of the tin and with the help of a knife, ease the cake out of the tin. Leave the cake on the base for a further 15 minutes before removing.

Blue Strawberry’s delicious strawberry and vanilla cupcakes make the perfect gift for a loved one. Follow our recipe, bake in fun cupcake cases and decorate imaginatively with glitter, chocolate hearts and cherubs or sliced strawberries to give them a unique look and we guarantee… love will be in the air this Valentine’s day!

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

Makes 14

Ingredients
10-12 large fresh strawberries
2 eggs
50g melted butter
200g caster sugar
200g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Vanilla frosting

250g icing sugar
80g (soft) butter
25ml whole milk
1-2 drop vanilla extract
Zest of ½ lemon

1. Preheat oven to 170 C or Gas 3. Put 14 cupcake cases into a muffin baking tray.

2. Make 120ml of purée with the strawberries by placing into a blender and blending until smooth. Remove any seeds by straining through a fine sieve.

3. Melt the butter in a saucepan and leave to cool. Beat together the eggs and caster sugar until light and fluffy. Then mix in the cooled melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, lemon zest and strawberry purée until well combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt and stir into the egg mixture. Carefully spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cupcake cases (remembering that the mixture will rise so only fill each case ¾’s full).

4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until risen and lightly golden. Insert a skewer into the centre of the cake and if it comes out clean the cake is cooked. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for a minute, then remove and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

5. To make the vanilla icing, beat together the butter, whole milk, lemon zest and vanilla extract, then mix in the icing sugar until the mixture is smooth and thick enough to pipe or spread on to the cakes. You can add in more icing sugar or butter to alter the consistency if required. Once the cakes are completely cool, spoon the icing into a piping bag with the nozzle of your choice (we used a star shaped nozzle) and pipe evenly onto the cakes. Then decorate with glitter and hearts to make them look as good as they will taste!

New Year’s Liver Detox Recipe:

After the Christmas period it’s often not only the turkey that can feel stuffed! Over indulging in rich, fatty foods and too much sugary alcohol can leave one feeling rather lethargic! So here is Blue Strawberry’s solution to this rather sticky situation…. With the incredible antioxidant powers of beetroot and garlic and the magical stomach settling ability of ginger this delicious soup is the perfect way to cleanse your sins after a sustained period of over indulgence!

Beetroot, garlic and ginger soup (serves 6)

Ingredients;

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 potato, peeled and diced
6 cloves of peeled garlic, chopped
A few handfuls of washed baby spinach
2.5cm pieces of fresh ginger, grated or finely chopped, and grated zest of 1 orange
Juice of 2 oranges
3 medium beetroots, cooked and cut into small dice
1.2 litres water
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A little cream or yoghurt, to serve (optional)

1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and fry until soft but not coloured.
2. Add the potato, garlic and ginger and fry for three minutes. Add the orange zest and juice, plus the beetroot and water, then bring to the boil and simmer for 30 minutes, until the potato is tender. Blend until smooth.
3. Place the spinach in a pan with a little extra virgin olive oil and cover with a lid and cook until wilted.
4. Allow to cool slightly and squeeze out the water and season with salt and black pepper.
5. Reheat the soup gently and season to taste.
6. Add the chopped spinach and stir through to warm and serve garnished, if you like, with a swirl of cream or yoghurt and a little grated orange zest.

Follow our classic recipe to make your perfect Christmas pudding…

To make one large pudding;
PREPERATION: 1 ¼ hours
COOKING: 10 hours
225g raisins
25g mixed peel
25g blanched almonds
110g currants
110g sultanas
50g of self-raising flour or plain flour
¼ tsp grated nutmeg
¼ tsp mixed spice
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
25g ground almonds
225g shredded suet
110g fresh white breadcrumbs
50g soft brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 tbsp brandy
112g milk
12g unsalted butter

Chop the mixed peel, raisins and blanched almonds. In a large bowl, mix together all the fruits, the sifted flour, spices, salt and ground almonds. Mix thoroughly (ideally with your hands) until all the fruit is well coated. Work in the suet, breadcrumbs and sugar. In a separate bowl beat the eggs lightly, then add to the mixture. Add the brandy and milk, stirring until the pudding has a soft dropping consistency. Butter a 1.15kg pudding basin so that it is evenly coated, spoon in the mixture and cover with a pleated, double layer of buttered greaseproof paper. Tie with a pudding cloth.

Set the pudding basin in a saucepan of boiling water, reaching around two-thirds up the sides of the basin. Boil gently for six hours making sure that the water is always topped up. Remove the puddings and allow to cool, then cover with fresh greaseproof paper and cloths. Put in a sealed container and allow the flavours to develop by storing for around two months in a cool, dry place.

On Christmas day, boil the pudding for four hours. Turn it out of its basin and garnish with a couple of sprigs of holly. Lavishly pour warmed brandy over the pudding and set alight. Serve with scrumptious brandy butter or double cream and enjoy!

This dish is so simple to make and can be served instead of a pudding or as part of a lazy Saturday lunch accompanied by some delicious cold meats, chutney and salads. Our company director, Molly, prepared this in individual mini frying pans for fun but they can be prepared in individual ceramic baking dishes.

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Serves 2

2          individual sized mild goat’s cheeses (about 125 gm each) such as Chavroux (Waitrose)

2          tbsp walnut oil plus extra for brushing

100      gm honey

30        gm walnut halves, lightly roasted and coarsely chopped

Juice of ½ lemon

10        ml fig vinegar (Waitrose)

1          tsp Dijon mustard

2          fresh figs cut in half and lightly roasted with a drizzle of the vinegar

Herb salad

Toasted baguette to serve

Preheat the grill to a high heat. Brush the individual dishes lightly with walnut oil and place the goat’s cheese on each. Drizzle half the honey over each and scatter with half the walnuts. Season with freshly ground black pepper and grill until bubbling and golden (10-12 mins).

Meanwhile combine the lemon juice, vinegar and mustard in a bowl. Whisking continuously, add the walnut oil in a steady stream until emulsified. Dress the salad and serve immediately with the goats cheese and toasted baguette.

]]> http://www.bluestrawberry.co.uk/blog/2011/11/honey-roasted-goats-cheese-with-walnuts-fig-and-herb-leaf-salad/feed/ http://www.bluestrawberry.co.uk/blog/2011/10/new-autumn-winter-menus/ http://www.bluestrawberry.co.uk/blog/2011/10/new-autumn-winter-menus/#comments Mon, 17 Oct 2011 12:44:10 +0000 bluestrawberry http://www.bluestrawberry.co.uk/blog/?p=453 Feast your eyes on our new 2011 autumn/winter menu…

Delicate and immaculately presented we have a delicious selection of autumn/winter canapés. Mini cottage pies with braised oxtail, salt cod Scotch eggs with parsley sauce as well as pumpkin, spinach and chestnut risotto in a parmesan cone our menu is tailored to be seasonal yet adaptable. 

Choose from our range of seasonal starters including seared Shetland scallops with truffled cauliflower purée, ravioli of chestnut and winter squash on a Jerusalem artichoke purée and foie gras parfait with plum jelly with toasted brioche….

Hearty main courses including roast chicken with slow cooked leg, potato Dauphinoise, grilled baby leeks, spinach and chicken jus 3, Roast breast of guinea fowl with herb butter wrapped in streaky bacon, Penny Bun mushroom marmalade, roast Kind Edwards and sprout petals.

Or choose from our lighter range of autumn/winter vegetarian and fish main courses. Fresh pan fried sea bass with a parmesan crust, pumpkin and truffle purée, pickled girolle mushrooms and steamed fine beans and Wild mushroom ‘Scotch’ duck egg, grilled leeks, caramelised onion and Devon Oke tarte fine with a lemon butter emulsion.

To top it all off, relish on our indulgent wintery deserts. From creamy yoghurt cheesecake with muesli biscuit base, blackcurrant compote and sorbet, Bakewell tart, poached pear in mulled wine with iced pear mousse to Chocolate and Clementine sabayon mousse.

Ham hock terrine *** Merrifield duck breast salad

Omelette Arnold Bennett *** Heritage beetroot, fig and ewe's milk cheese

Raviolo of chestnut and winter squash *** Buffalo mozzarella and peas

Seared Shetland scallops

Trio of desserts

Damsons and Granny Smiths ..

Yoghurt cheesecake, Bakewell Tart and Chocolate Sabayon Mousse

Seared Shetland Scallops

We believe that choosing a tasty and refreshing mocktail or non-alcoholic drink is as important as choosing the alcoholic one. Often at events a number of guests won’t be drinking, so make sure you’ve find a suitable and delicious alternative. It’s the attention to detail at an event that always makes a difference …

Why not serve a quenching Elderflower and Cucumber Sparkler (the Belvoir elderflower cordial being our favourite). Jazz things up a bit by serving the mocktails in a v-shaped tumbler and experiment with your garnishes …

Here at Blue Strawberry we opt for a variety of glassware and garnishes to make things a little different. Why not add slices of cucumber to your mocktails and curl the slice around the ice in the glass to achieve a curled effect. Alternatively, create cucumber fingers to add to a martini-style glass.  Instead of adding a few mint leaves, you can always opt for a whole sprig instead - perfect to pop into hi-ball glassses.

A delicious and tasty mid-morning, pre-Sunday lunch  drink . Why not make it all the more flavoursome by using clam juice (instead of tomato juice) and adding horseradish, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce and celery salt to add that extra kick.

Ingredients
x 2 msr vodka
x 5 msr tomato juice (or Clamato juice)
1/2 tsp lemon juice
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
4 drops of Tabasco sauce
1 pinch celery salt
1 pinch black pepper

Shake and strain through a hawthorn strainer and garnish with a short celery stem with leaves. If 1 msr gold tequila is also added, this becomes a Deadly Mary. If tequila is used in place of vodka in a Bloody Mary, this is a Bloody Maria. If gin is used in place of vodka, this is known as a Red Snapper.

Another quirky alternative to the Bloody Mary drink is the Bloody Mary canape. One of Table Talk’s latest new creations; ‘Bloody Mary tomatoes with vodka jelly and celery salt’.

The story of clamato juice?

Caesar or Bloody Caesar[1] is a cocktail created and primarily consumed in Canada. It typically contains vodka, clamato (a proprietary blend of tomato juice and clam broth), Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco sauce, and is served on the rocks in a large, celery salt-rimmed glass, typically garnished with a stalk of celery and wedge of lime. A common nickname for a version without vodka is Virgin Caesar.

Winter’s little luxuries …

We welcome winter and we welcome all the goodness that it brings. Fragrant artichokes, for example, can brighten up any dull salad, Autumnal tart or tiny canape. Then there’s game; pheasant, grouse, partridge and vension, many of which are much leaner and healthier than other meats we enjoy throughout the year. From carpaccios, pies to terrines and stews, there’s nothing that doesn’t suit game and you can even try them in curries or lunchtime salads for something a bit different. We love this seared grouse breast, served with caramelised chestnuts and watercress (pictured below left).

An Apple affair …

Apple tart tatin, apple chutney with cheese, apple sorbet, apple dulce de leche and apple puree with slow smoked salmon … the list is endless, the variety is endless, the ways of cooking are endless. The month of October, welcomes the much loved toffee apples, a staple bonfire night or halloween ingredient, but it also welcomes all the other things we can do with this crunchy, juicy fruit. Depending on the variety, they can be sweet and soft, tangy and tart so work well with a variety of foods - cheeses, chocolate, fish, pork and game.

Into the wild with mushrooms …

‘Tis the season for mushroom and better still the wild variety. A tasty wild mushroom tart or risotto makes the perfect starter and adds some earthy, rustic flair to your event. Serve mushroom risotto in tiny parmesan cones, great for a canape or for a main course, how about this wild mushroom pithivier served wtih creamy mash, spinach and baby carrots.