Spiced chocolate torte with a fragrant note of Christmas

Yes, you read that correctly, the title does imply the word 'Christmas'. However, even though this recipe would be great to use for the Christmas season, it is perfect for any occasion. It is merely the combination of spices, chocolate and orange that reminds me of Christmas.

I developed this recipe for a date night and also to use up some of the excess goodies I had left over from the BBC Good Food Show. Before I get on with the recipe, I would just like to say a thank you to Lotus Biscoff for the samples. If you are not aware of this company feel free to look at what they have on offer- http://www.lotusbiscuits.co.uk/

Serves 6-8

Prep 30 mins

Ingredients

200g of Lotus biscuits
100g unsalted butter- melted
100g dark chocolate
100g milk chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp icing sugar
200ml whipping cream
Creme fraiche, a small tub
Zest and segments of an orange

Equipment

12 x 36 rectangular tin or a 25cm round tin. I recommend lining the tin with cling film, this makes it easier to take out.


Method

1. Crush the Lotus biscuits until they resemble sand, combine with the melted butter. Press the mixture into your tin, pushing slightly up the sides; set aside in the fridge.
2. Melt both the dark and milk chocolate. Whilst the chocolate is melting, whip up the cream until it forms soft peaks.
3. Once the chocolate is melted, stir in the vanilla extract and sifted icing sugar. Fold in the whipped cream.
4. Pour the mixture on top of your biscuit base; set aside in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
5. Zest the orange and add to the creme fraiche. Then cut away the skin or the orange and cut out the segments.
6. Once the torte has set, serve with the orange flavoured creme fraiche and orange segments- enjoy!
7. If you are unsure of how to prepare the orange, here is a helpful video: 

Proof read by Gillian Whylie

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Searching for Midlands Best Deli- BBC Good Food Show Winter

Calling all Midlanders to support their local Farm Shop or Deli by voting for them as the Midlands best

The search is now on for the best Deli in the Midlands 2015

The Shows are once again teaming up with the BBC Good Food Senior Food Editor, Barney Desmazery, to scour the region for the Midlands’ hidden gems and calling on Midlands locals to nominate their favourites. This year, for the first time, delis can be voted for on Twitter and Instagram, and the deli with the most votes will be automatically shortlisted and visited by the judges. The winner will receive a stand at the BBC Good Food Show Winter at the NEC from 26 – 29 Nov.

Barney Desmazery, Senior Food Editor, BBC Good Food and judge for Midlands Best Deli 2015 says, “This is the fourth year we have run this competition and each year the competition just gets stronger and stronger – with more entries flooding in for 2014 than ever before we are expecting this year to see an even higher quality of nominations.”

Winner of last year, Ludlow Food Centre commented: “Winning the Midlands Best Deli in 2014 was such a great honour! Attending the Show gave us such a great platform to showcase our business to over 85,000 visitors. We wish all the delis good luck this year and we know this experienced and knowledgeable team will really scour out the best food haven in the area.”

Judges will be looking for the following:

·        Range of international and local produce

·        Quality of produce

·        Knowledge of providence of produce

·        Customer service

To nominate a local deli, visit bbcgoodfoodshowwinter.com/Midlandsbestdeli or to nominate on Twitter or Instagram by using #MBDNomination and mentioning @BBCGoodFoodShow – the deli with the highest number of votes will automatically be shortlisted .

For more information please contact Katy Truss on katy@fabulousfoodfinds.co.uk, call her on 07837 753 403 or find out more through her twitter account @katytruss.

Deadline for applications is 25 September and the winner will be announced on 23 October.

Judging panel will include:

Barney Desmazery – Senior Food Editor, BBC Good Food

Laura Biggs - Managing Director of BBC Good Food Shows

Katy Truss – Artisan Food Specialist, Fabulous Food Finds

BBC Good Food Show - Midlands Blogging Community

The Midlands regional boundaries include:

Derbyshire

Gloucestershire

Herefordshire

Leicestershire

Northamptonshire

Nottinghamshire

Oxfordshire

Rutland

Shropshire

Staffordshire

Warwickshire

West Midlands

Worcestershire

ENDS

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For more information on interviews, competitions or features, please contact Katie-Jane Sullivan on 0203 405 4286 or email kj.sullivan@riverstreetevents.co.uk

The BBC Good Food Shows are organised and presented by River Street Events Ltd

The GoodFood word mark and logo are trademarks of BBC Worldwide Limited. Copyright 2015 BBC Worldwide Limited

About BBC Worldwide Ltd. BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). BBC Worldwide exists to support the BBC public service mission and to maximise profits on its behalf. It does this through investing in, commercialising and showcasing content from the BBC around the world, in a way that is consistent with BBC standards and values. The business also builds the reach and reputation of the BBC brand overseas and champions British creativity.

In 2012/13, BBC Worldwide generated headline profits of £156m and headline sales of £1,116m and returned £156m to the BBC. For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review website: http://www.bbcworldwide.com/annualreview

BBC Good Food Shows- Producers Bursary Awards

The search is on for the BBC Good Food Show Producers Bursary Award Winner 2015 and we need your help! 

Small, independent food and drink producers are one of the most important parts of the Show and we know how much our visitors love discovering something new. Nominate a small, independent food or drink producer via social media and they will be in for a chance to win a free stand package at one of our Shows. 

River Street Events, organisers of the BBC Good Food Shows, are pleased to announce that applications are now open for this year’s Producers Bursary Award Scheme. The BBC Good Food Shows, in conjunction with BBC Good Food Magazine will be scouring the country for the next month looking for the most exceptional artisan food and drink producers in Britain and we need your help. The scheme has now been running for six years and aims to pick out the very best new producers the nation has to offer. The most commendable of these small independent producers will be rewarded with a free opportunity to exhibit at the shows. 

To nominate on Twitter or Instagram, just write the name and/or social media tag of the producer and then tag us @BBCGOODFOODSHOW with the following #GFSBursaryNominations. Producers will then be notified of their nomination and asked to fill in an application form. 

Nominations that will be considered are producers that have been running for less than three years and have a turnover lower than £250,000. The lucky company with the most nominations via Twitter and Instagram will be automatically shortlisted and will be in with the chance to win a free stand package at one of the shows in Glasgow, London, Birmingham or Harrogate. 

BBC Good Food Magazine editor Gillian Carter comments: “The scheme is an excellent way of rewarding the very best independent food and drink producers by giving them a platform in which to put their business in front of tens of thousands of consumers. This is such a great way to discover passionate, young, smaller brands and I personally cannot wait to see what a fantastic array of producers the competition has to offer!” 

ENDS 

---

 

Producers can find out more information and apply for the scheme at www.fabulousfoodfinds.co.uk/bbc-good-food-show-producers-bursary-awards/ or by contacting Katy Truss on katy@fabulousfoodfinds.co.uk, call her on 07837 753 403 or find out more through her twitter account @katytruss. 

For press enquiries please contact Katie-Jane Sullivan on 0203 405 4282 or email kj.sullivan@riverstreetevents.co.ukSocial media votes for companies that are not eligible will not be counted. 

Nominations close Monday 24th August 2015. 

For more information about the shows see www.bbcgoodfoodshow.com. 

Visitor numbers and Prize Value: 

The winners of each respective stand will have the opportunity to put their products in front of these predicted visitor numbers: 

BBC Good Food Show Scotland, SECC Glasgow – 20,000BBC Good Food Show London, Olympia – 30,000BBC Good Food Show Winter, NEC Birmingham - 85,000BBC Good Food Show Spring, Harrogate – 17,500BBC Good Food Show Summer, NEC Birmingham – 90,000 

Value of prize depends on the show they are selected for (Scotland, London, Harrogate, Summer (NEC) or Winter (NEC) but can be worth up to £2,500 each. 

Once all nominations have been reviewed and shortlisted, applicants will have their produce judged and tasted by a team of expert judges. These include BBC Good Food Magazine editor Gillian Carter and BBC Good Food Senior Food Editor Barney Desmazery, taking place in the BBC Good Food Testing Kitchen.
  

The BBC Good Food Shows are organised and presented by River Street Events LtdThe GoodFood word mark and logo are trademarks of BBC Worldwide Limited. Copyright 2015 BBC Worldwide LimitedAbout BBC Worldwide Ltd. BBC Worldwide Limited is the main commercial arm and a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). BBC Worldwide exists to support the BBC public service mission and to maximise profits on its behalf. It does this through investing in, commercialising and showcasing content from the BBC around the world, in a way that is consistent with BBC standards and values. The business also builds the reach and reputation of the BBC brand overseas and champions British creativity.
In 2012/13, BBC Worldwide generated headline profits of £156m and headline sales of £1,116m and returned £156m to the BBC. For more detailed performance information please see our Annual Review website: http://www.bbcworldwide.com/annualreview 

The humble bread roll

Sitting around the dinner table last night with my parents, casually eating our supper, the discussion led to the following... "What would you call this bread roll?" A cob, bap, bread cake or just a roll?
So this morning I thought I would have a look into what us Brits call the humble bread roll. After doing some research I discovered that there are 18 terms for a bread roll in Britain, the map below points out the terms along with their origin.

However, the term commonly used would be 'roll' which has been used as early as 1581, followed by 'bap' in 1600 and then 'cob' in 1869. But whatever you like to call your bread roll it does not really matter as long as you enjoy it. So here is the recipe (altered from BBC Good Food) for the bread roll that triggered the conversation and this blog post.

Courgette, dill & feta rolls 

Makes 12 rolls

Prep 30 mins plus rising time

Cook 20-30 mins (depending on how powerful your oven is)

Ingredients

500g pack of white bread mix- ciabatta was used for this batch

225g grated courgette

Small pack of dill, chopped

100g of feta crumbled

1 tbsp of olive oil

Method

1. Tip the bread mix into a mixing bowl, along with the grated courgette and chopped dill. Gradually add half the amount of water suggested on the pack, knead the bread for a few minutes. Then gently mix in the crumbled feta. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise until it has doubled in size.
2. Line one to two baking trays with baking parchment. If your dough is dry add a little water or if your dough is wet add a little plain flour. Divide the dough into 12 pieces, if you like to be accurate, use scales to get equal pieces. Roll into balls, cover with oiled cling film and let them rise until they have doubled in size.
3. Heat your oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Brush each roll with some olive oil and bake until golden brown and cooked through.
   

Tip: Tap the bottom of the roll to see if they make a 'hollow' sound, if so they are cooked.

Serving suggestion: Home-made soup with hams, cheeses and home-made chutney.

Birchermuesli recipe

History

Birchermuesli is originally a supper dish invented by Dr. Bircher in Zurich, Switzerland during the 1900's. Dr. Bircher believed in a whole foods diet composed of cereals, fruits and vegetables. The original birchermuesli recipe is composed of oats, water, evaporated milk, honey, lemon and apples. However, it is a recipe that can be altered to fit your taste.

As I have previously mentioned in other blog posts, oats are a great cereal as they are slow releasing carbohydrates which means they keep you fuller for longer. This recipe is also a great way to incorporate fruits into your diet. Fruits are best consumed in the morning before mid day so that your body can work off the natural sugars.

The recipe I use is one that was passed down to me from my Swiss-German Grandma.

Ingredients- serves 4

• 1 cup of oats
• 1 2/3 cups of milk
• 2-3 small apples grated
• 1-2 bananas sliced
• Juice of a lemon
• 1 cup of mixed fruits (fresh or dried) & nuts of your choice
• Yoghurt or cream can be added
• Honey to add to your taste 

Method

• Place the oats, milk and fruit in a container and leave to soak overnight
• If the mixture is too solid add yogurt or cream to loosen the mixture
• Add honey to taste.

Enjoy with your favourite breakfast beverage of choice, mine being a mug of builders tea and a glass of refreshing fruit juice.

Carthy's Country Cream Cupcakes

The Story- From Beast to Bottle

Mr Carthy worked hard for two years straight to develop this beautiful traditional alcoholic country cream. 

• It all starts in a field with Betsy and her girls
• The cows roam free and graze on fresh grass
• Well looked after, happy cows supply the freshest milk
• Milk is collected and prepared for mixing
• All the ingredients are blended to create our delicious recipe
• The liquid is carefully bottled and packed ready to serve

Now with 30 years experience behind him, his team have concocted some sensational recipes to create with the country cream. 

Here is my attempt at making 'Carthy's Country Cream Cupcakes'. Great little treat for those of you with a sweet tooth.

Ingredients

For the cupcakes

• 150g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 115g unsalted butter
• 200g granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 220ml Carthy's Country Cream

For the buttercream topping

• 230g unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 330g icing sugar
• 50ml Carthy's Country Cream
• 45g chopped milk chocolate

Method

For the cupcakes

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius/ gas mark 4, and line a cupcake tin with 12 paper liners.
• Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon and set aside.
• In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and mix until each is blended into the batter. Add the vanilla and blend until the mixture is smooth.
• Fold half of the dry mixture into the wet mixture and add the Carthy's Country Cream. Stir in the remaining dry mixture until it is combined and the batter is smooth.
• Fill cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for around 20 minutes or until the tops feel firm.
  
  

For the buttercream topping

• Beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Add half of the icing sugar, the cinnamon and beat until smooth.
• Add the remaining icing sugar and the Carthy's Country Cream and beat the mixture until creamy and smooth.

To serve

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely! Pipe swirls of the buttercream and sprinkle over the chopped milk chocolate. Now there is nothing left to do but to get stuck in, enjoy!

Spicentice recipe & review

About Spicentice

Spicentice is a family run business that has been going strong since 1994. They produce a range of Indian, Thai, Jamaican, Moroccan, Portuguese, Cajun and Mexican spice mixes.

I was fortunate to meet Ketan Varu (the founder) at the BBC Good Food Show in Birmingham this year. Here is the recipe to one of their delicious spice kits... if this makes you hungry go to http://www.spicentice.com/home.php to have a browse. 

yee-hah! Chilli con carne with 'mayan' spiced chocolate!

Shopping List - Serves 4

• Spicentice kit
• 500g minced meat
• 4 onions (medium)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 300ml tomatoes (tinned)
• 400g kidney beans (tinned)
• 3 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 lime
• 220ml of stock
• 6 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tsp salt
• Half tsp sugar

Cooking the dish

1. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Add the contents of sachet 1 and fry the seeds for a few seconds before adding the onions.
2. When the onion is nicely browned, add the garlic and continue to fry for a minute.
3. Now add the minced meat and stir thoroughly with the onions and garlic. Brown the meat for 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally. 
4. Now add the tomatoes, 1 tsp of salt, half a tsp of sugar and sachet 2. Also add in 3 tbsp of tomato puree and half the juice of the lime. Stir in the kidney beans and leave to cook for a further few minutes.
5. Add 220ml of stock, herb sachet and 'Mayan' spiced chocolate sachet, stir and cook with a lid on for 15-20 minutes.
6. Once cooked, check the seasoning and serve.

Personal serving suggestions

• Fluffy white rice
• Homemade guacomole
• Sour cream
• Bottle of red: Gran Colina Rioja 2007

Review

As you can tell the recipe above is easy to follow and the ingredient list is easily sourced for a good price. You can tell these kits have been made with love as they contain NO; additives, preservatives, colouring or waste. This definitely makes a difference in the final taste. The addition of the 'Mayan' spiced chocolate adds real depth to the sauce making it beautifully glossy. Resulting in extremely satisfied diners that would go back for more.

These kits are perfectly designed and are great to get people cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

The cost of all the ingredients including the spice kit and rice came to approximately £2.00 per head.