Halloumi and Mint Loaf

Halloumi and Mint Loaf

from Paul Hollywood 100 Great Breads, a book with a good few tempting recipes. I was tempted by the cheese in this one. This is a traditional Cypriot bread.

500 g strong white flour plus extra dusting

10 g tsp salt

20 g yeast

60 ml olive oil

300 ml water

2 packets halloumi cheese, crumbled

20 g dried mint

Put the flour, salt, yeast and olive oil in a large bowl and slowly add enough water just to bring the ingredients together.  Mix for 3 minutes, then tip out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 minutes.  (If you are using a food mixer, use the hook and mix for 5 minutes in total).  Put the dough back in the bowl and leave to rise for 1 hour. 

Line a baking tray.  Add the cheese and dried mint to the dough and shape into a sausage.  Taper the ends and place on the baking tray and leave to rise for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 220c/ gas 7.   Cut diagonal slashes across the top with flour.  Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Koulouri - Cypriot Village Bread

Pinch of mastika

Pinch of mechlebe

500 g strong white flour plus extra dusting

1 ½ tsp salt

20 g yeast

50 ml olive oil

300 ml water

100 g sesame seeds

1 tbsp black cumin seeds

1 tbsp caraway seeds

Grind the mastike and mechlebe with a pestle and mortar to a smooth powder.  Put the flour, salt, yeast, olive oil and water in a large bowl and blend together.  Add the mastika and mechlebe powder and knead for 5 minutes, then leave the dough in the bowl to rest for 1 hour.

Tip the seeds into a large bowl and pour a little warm water on them just to dampen them.  This will also balloon the sesame and release their juice.

Line a baking tray.  Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball.  Drop the dough into the dampened seeds and turn until covered in the seeds, then place the dough on the baking tray and leave to rise for 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 220c/ gas 7.   Using a knife, make a cut around the middle of the ball and two on top.  Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown, then transfer to a wire rack to cool.

100 GREAT BREAD  PAUL HOLLYWOOD

Peanut butter brownie

Made and cooked in the frying – no bowl needed.  Brownies need to be gooey inside so be brave and take them out of the oven when the middle still looks soft as the brownies will continue cooking for a while once out of the oven.

Serves 6-8

115 g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

125 g dark 70% cocoa chocolate, finely chopped

1-2 tsp milk

170 g caster sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

90 g plain flour

½ tsp salt

2 tbsp peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4.

                                                                                                                                                                                  

Melt the butter in a 24 cm (9.5in) non-stick deep ovenproof frying pan.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the chocolate.  Set the pan aside and leave the butter and chocolate mixture to sit for 5 minutes, and then stir to evenly combine.  The chocolate should be melted and the mixture be smooth.

Add the sugar and whisk to combine.  Whisk in the eggs, one at a time.  Add the vanilla bean paste and whisk vigorously for about 1 minutes.  Stir in the flour and salt, using a plastic spatula to clean the edges of pan.

Mix the peanut butter in its jar to loosen and soften slightly.  Spoon dollops of peanut butter all over the top.  Using a knife, gently swirl into the batter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges look firm and baked, the centre should be moist but not gooey.  Do not overcook.

Leave to cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.

ONE PAN 100 BRILLIANT MEALS  Mari Mererid Williams

Made a Chocolate and Raspberry Brownie 

Pineapple upside down cake

Some dishes are best left in the 70 ‘s but this one classic.  (Coconut is a modern addition)

Serves 6-8

150 g golden syrup

1 x 432 g tin pineapple slices natural juice, drained, reserving 2 tbsp juice

50 g desiccated coconut

175 g butter, softened

175 g sugar

3 eggs, lightly beaten

175 g self-raising flour

Preheat the oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4.   

You need one 24 cm (9.5) non-stick ovenproof deep frying.

                                                                                                                                                                          

Place the frying pan oven a medium, and add the golden syrup.  Heat until covering the base of the frying pan.  Add the pineapple slices and arrange neatly.  Sprinkle over half the desiccated and set aside.

Put the butter, sugar, eggs and flour in a bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.  Add the rest of the desiccated coconut and the reserved pineapple juice. 

Spoon the batter evenly over the pineapple and spread carefully so not to disturb the pineapple.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.

To check the cake is cooked press the cake lightly and if it springs back of if a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean and dry, it is done.

Remove from the oven and cool the cake in the pan.  Once the pan is cool enough to handle, ease the cake away from the edges using a plastic spatula and turn the cake out on to a plate. 

ONE PAN 100 BRILLIANT MEALS  Mari Mererid Williams

Plum cake

Serves 8

2-3 ripe plum

200 g unsalted butter, unsalted

250 g caster sugar

Zest of 1 orange

¼ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

2 large eggs

200 g soured cream

300 g self-raisings flour

1 level tsp baking powder

For the orange syrup

50 g caster sugar

Juice of 1 orange made up to 100 ml with water

1 tbsp Grand Marnier (optional)

Butter a 24 cm (9.5 in) deep non-stick ovenproof frying pan. Cut long strip of baking paper about 2.5 cm (1 in) wide and lay in the bottom of the pan.  Place to cover any rivets that you may have in the pan.  Place a circle of baking paper over the strip.

Halve the plums and remove the stones.  Place the plums cut side down on a chopping board and slice from top to bottom.  Cover until ready to use.

Cream the butter, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon and ginger until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs, one at a time, a beat well until combined.  This is easiest done with an electric mixer but can be done by hand as long as butter is very soft.  Pour in the soured cream and beat well.  If the mixture looks a curdled add a spoonful of flour.  Sift in the flour and baking powder and gently mix in until thoroughly combined.  Spoon into the pan and level with the back of a spoon.

Arrange the plum slices on top of the cake.  Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean and dry.  While the cake is baking make the orange syrup.

(Bake 180c/gas 4)

Mix the sugar and orange juice in a small pan and stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves.  Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the syrup thickens slightly.  Add Grand Marnier, if using.

When the cake is cooked, remove from the oven.  While the cake is still warm pierce the surface with a cocktail stick and drizzle with the syrup.

ONE PAN 100 BRILLIANT MEALS  Mari Mererid Williams

Bakewell Tart

For this classic, you want to achieve perfectly cooked pastry and a delicious, spongy frangipane filling with a level, nicely golden surface plus some beautifully feathered icing.

Serves 12

For the jam

200g raspberries

250g jam sugar

For the sweet shortcrust pastry:

225g plain flour

150g chilled butter

25g icing sugar

1 large egg, beaten

2 tbsp cold water

For the filling:

150g butter, softened

150g caster sugar

150g ground almonds

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp almond extract

For the icing:

300g icing sugar

1 tsp almond extract

3 tbsp water

pink food colouring gel

For the jam, place the raspberries in a small deep-sided saucepan and crush them with a masher. Add the sugar and bring to the boil over a low heat until the sugar has melted. Increase the heat and boil for 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and carefully pour into a shallow container. Leave to cool and chill to set.

To make the pastry, measure the flour into a bowl and rub in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the icing sugar. Add the egg and water, mixing to form soft dough.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface and use to line a 23cm fluted flan tin. Leave in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6. Line the pastry case with non-stick baking paper and fill with baking beans. Bake blind for 15 minutes, then remove the beans and paper and cook for a further 5 minutes to dry out the base.

For the filling, spread the base of the flan with 4 tbsp of raspberry jam. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the ground almonds, egg and almond extract and mix together. Spoon the mixture into the pastry case and level out with a palette knife.

Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4 and bake for 25 – 35 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre, comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave on a wire rack to cool.

For the icing, sift the icing sugar into a bowl. Stir in the almond extract and cold water to make a smooth, fairly thick icing.

Place 3 tbsp of the icing in a separate bowl and add the pink food colouring gel to make a raspberry coloured icing. Spoon the icing into a small piping bag fitted with a no. 2 plain nozzle.

When the tart has cooled, spoon the icing on top, spreading evenly. Pipe parallel lines of pink icing over the white icing, then drag a cocktail stick through the line to create a feathered effect. Leave to set.

The Great British Bake Off, Perfect Cakes and Bakes To Make At Home

Greek Country Bread

Ideal for picnics, that walnut-filled loaf is perfect for dipping in good olive oil, and with ripe tomatoes and cheese.  The interesting method of construction – the dough is layered up with the filling – takes a bit of time and care but gives the loaf its unusual and appealing flaky texture.

Makes a large loaf

For the dough

325 g strong white bread flour

100 g stoneground wholemeal bread flour (wheat OR spelt)

1 x 7 g sachet fast-action dried yeast

7 g fine sea salt

2 tbsp walnut oil OR olive oil, plus extra olive oil for kneading

275 ml lukewarm water

For the filling

250 g walnut pieces

About 100 ml olive oil, for brushing

1 baking sheet, lined with baking paper

In make the dough, put both flours and the yeast into a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a free-standing electric mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, and mix thoroughly with your hand.  Mix in the salt, then make a well in the centre.

Spoon the oil into the well, then pour in the lukewarm water.  Gradually draw the flour into the liquid with your hand, or the dough hook on slow speed, to make a soft but not sticky dough.  Flour vary, so if the dough feels very sticky work in a little more white bread flour – you want to end up with a soft, but not sticky dough, as this will be the easiest to work later.  As soon as the dough has come together, set aside so the flour can hydrate for 5 minutes.  If, after this time, the dough feels dry or slightly stiff and hard, or there are dry crumb in the bottom of the bowl, work in a little more lukewarm water a tbsp at a time.

If you are kneading by hand, lightly oil the worktop and your hand with oil few drops of olive oil.  Turn out the dough on to the oiled worktop and knead it very thoroughly for 10 minutes (for knead for 5 minutes, without oil, using the dough hook on slow speed) until it feels very elastic and supple.  Return the dough to the bowl, if necessary, then cover it tightly with clingfilm of a snap-on lid and leave on the worktop to rise for about 1 hour until the dough has doubled in size.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180c/gas 4.   Tip the walnuts into a large baking dish or tin and toast in the heated oven for 6-8 minutes just until they turn golden.  Leave to cool, then cover the dish writh a clean, dry tea towel and crush the nuts by gently bashing them with the base of a small pan into

slightly small pieces – this crushing helps release their oil too.  Set aside (you can turn off the oven for now).

Very lightly flour worktop, then turn out the dough and divide if into 4 equal pieces (either by weight or by eye).  Roll out one piece to a very thin 30 cm square and carefully lift it on to a large sheet of baking paper lightly dusted with flour.  Brush the square with olive oil, making sure the edges are not forgotten, then scatter a quarter of the nuts over the dough.  Set this square to one side.

Roll out a second piece of dough in the same.  Set this on top of the nut-strewn square – make sure all the edges and corners are lined up – and gently press the dough on to the nut layer, removing any air.    Brush this second square with oil, then scatter over a second portion of nut.  Repeat with the remaining 2 pieces of dough and 2 portions of nuts, you will have some oil left.

Using the paper to help you, roll up the layered dough squares quite tightly as if you were making a Swiss roll.  When you get to the end, gently pinch the seam together – it will feel soft.  Roll the sausage of dough off the paper and on to the worktop.  Use your hands to gently roll the dough back and forth until it is 50 cm long, then slighty taper the ends.  Twist into a spiral or snail shape and lift on to the lined baking sheet, making sure the dough at the end of the spiral is tucked under.  Gently press the spiral with the flat of your hand to flatten it slightly.  Brush lightly with olive oil, then leave to rise, uncovered, on the worktop for about 1 hour until doubled in size.

Toward the end of the rising time, heat the oven to 200c/gas 6.

Brush the spiral with olive oil again, then bake in the heated oven for 40-45 minutes until the bread is golden and sounds hollow when tapped on the underside.  For best results, check after 30 minutes and, if necessary, rotate the baking sheet so the bread bakes evenly.

Leave to cool on a wire rack and eat warm or at room temperature.  Beat eaten within 3 days.  The cooled loaf can also be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to a month.

The Great British Bake Off, Perfect Cakes and Bakes To Make At Home