Delicious Recipes...
Discover this months cosy recipes, perfectly paired with a REAL drink!Cinder Toffee
You only need three ingredients to make this delicious cinder toffee. Then it's your choice whether to dip it in chocolate, use it to top ice cream or just nibble away.
Ingredients
- 350g/12oz granulated sugar
- 175g/6oz golden syrup
- 2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 200g/7oz milk chocolate chips or pieces (optional)
Method
- Line a 20x30cm/8x12in baking tin with baking paper.
- Place the sugar and golden syrup in a large deep saucepan. Cook over a medium heat and swirl the pan to dissolve the sugar. (CAUTION: boiling sugar is extremely hot. Handle very carefully. Use a deep pan to avoid bubbling over.)
- Keep the heat steady and not too high otherwise the sugar can burn and do not stir with a spoon or the sugar will crystallise. Keep tilting the pan to evenly melt the sugar. Clip a sugar thermometer to the side of the saucepan and when the temperature reaches 146C, remove the pan from the heat.
- Pop an oven glove on, or preferably two heatproof gloves - you really don't want to get this on your skin. Add the bicarbonate of soda and whisk aggressively to thoroughly mix it through the sugar. The mixture will expand immediately. Quickly and carefully scrape it into the baking tin using a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon. Leave to harden for 2 hours.
- Remove the toffee from the tin and peel off the baking paper. Use a rolling pin or other heavy object to break the toffee into big pieces.
- If you like, dip the cinder toffee in melted chocolate. Place the chocolate chips in a glass bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for another 30 seconds until melted. Dip the cinder toffee pieces into the chocolate on one side and then transfer to a sheet of baking paper to set.
- Store the cinder toffee in an airtight container.
Serve this easy sausage tray-bake with a big pile of wintery greens, such as Savoy cabbage. Optional chilli flakes will counter the maple sweetness.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken thighs, skin on, bone in
- 4–6 meaty pork sausages
- 500g/1lb 2oz pumpkin or squash, cut into wedges
- 2 red onions, cut into wedges
- few sprigs thyme, or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 50ml/2fl oz red wine
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp chilli flakes (optional)
- 200g/7oz chestnut mushrooms, halved
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- fresh parsley, roughly chopped, to serve (optional)
Method
Blackberry and Pear Crumble
- Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
- Arrange the chicken thighs (skin-side up), sausages, pumpkin and red onions in a roasting tin and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the thyme and drizzle over 1 tablespoon of the oil.
- Mix the red wine with 100ml/3½fl oz of water and pour this in. Roast for 30 minutes. Turn the sausages over halfway through cooking to help them brown.
- Mix the maple syrup with the red wine vinegar and then drizzle it over the roasting tin. Sprinkle over the chilli flakes, if using. Add the mushrooms and drizzle with another tablespoon of oil.
- Roast for a further 25–30 minutes, or until cooked through and well browned. Serve with any pan juices spooned over, sprinkled with parsley if using.
Blackberry and Pear Crumble
Blackberries and pears are at their best in in this crumble recipe - just right for early autumn as the evenings start to turn chilly and hot puddings become oh-so tempting.
Ingredients For the crumble topping
- 110g/4oz butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing
- 180g/6½oz plain flour
- 110g/4oz demerara sugar
- 5 pears, peeled and left whole
- 150g/5½oz caster sugar
- 300g/10½oz blackberries (or frozen blackberries)
- 4 free-range egg yolks
- 40g/1½oz caster sugar
- 150ml/5½fl oz milk
- 150ml/5½fl oz double cream
Method
- For the crumble, preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Grease an ovenproof dish with butter.
- In a large bowl, rub the butter into the flour using your fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the sugar, mix well, then set aside.
- To make the filling, place the whole pears in a pan, cover with water and add 50g/1¾oz of the sugar. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10–12 minutes, or until the pears are tender. Drain well and set the pears aside to cool. Remove the pear cores and chop the flesh.
- Spoon one-quarter of the pears in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared ovenproof dish. Scatter one-quarter of the blackberries over the pears and then sprinkle over 2 tablespoons of the remaining caster sugar. Repeat the layering process until all the pears, blackberries and sugar have been used.
- Sprinkle over the topping and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden-brown and bubbling.
- Meanwhile, make the custard. Place the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until thick and pale.
- Place the milk and cream in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Pour onto the egg mixture, whisk well, then return to the pan. Heat gently, until the custard is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon.
- To serve, divide the crumble between serving bowls and pour the custard over.