Munch

Munch

a year of gluten free at its best

Sarah Carter

Contents introduction 00

Spring 00 easter feast

birthday parties may day

00 00 00

Summer 00 afternoon tea 00 bbq 00 picinic 00

Autumn 00 halloween 00 bonfire night 00 thanksgiving 00

Winter 00

christmas feast 00 new years 00 valentines 00 pancake day 00

Summer Chapter Opener

Summer I think it is important, especially in Britain, to relish any opportunity of sun. People are much happier out and about, having fun with friends and family and naturally celebrating good weather with food.

It’s the time of year where some of my favourite ingredients – bell peppers, cucumber, tomatoes and strawberries – come into season and really shine.

My favourite part of cooking, which I am positive many other home cooks agree with, is watching other people enjoy food. For me, this is one of the most rewarding factors. Munch’s summer section really embraces that love of summer smiles.

Afternoon Tea What better way to spend a sunny summer’s afternoon than gathering friends, drinking tea and eating cake. I am a huge fan of tea, you may notice it crop up in a number of recipes.

It’s a great way to naturally infuse the flavour of baked goods.

White Chocolate and Rosemary Madeira Loaf Rose Florentines Jasmine Tea and Coconut Cake Rasberry and Vanilla Mascarpone S hortbread Tart Sour Cherry and Poppy Seed Tea Cake with Orange Blossom Cardamon and Cranberry Chocolate Blondies Mini Pavalovas Macaroons

white chocolate and rosemary madeira loaf The combination of white chocolate and rosemary is simply divine. I thought it unusual at first but I have grown a real passion for using natural, edible fragrances in cakes. It reminds me of a simpler time when my grandma used to bring over a plain sponge filled with fruit. It would satisfy everyone with no fuss.These loaf cakes are my favourite… something to wake the whole house up with on a summery Sunday morning, or great with afternoon tea.

Serves 6 225g unsalted butter, softened 200g caster sugar 4 eggs 3 tablespoons plain yoghurt or 50ml milk 175g gluten free plain flour 25g ground almonds 2 teaspoons xanthan gum 2 teaspoons baking powder 80g good-quality white chocolate, roughly chopped 1 tablespoon chopped, fresh rosemary icing sugar for dusting (optional)

8 Afternoon Tea

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Grease a loaf tin with butter.

In a large bowl cream the butter with an electric or hand mixer until soft, then add the sugar and beat until the mixture is light. Gradually add in the eggs, beating continuously. Once well combined, add in the yoghurt and sift in the flour, ground almonds, xanthan gum and baking powder. Fold into the mixture slowly with a spatula. Finally fold in the white chocolate and rosemary.

Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf tin and place in the oven. Bake for 45–60 minutes, the cake should be golden-brown and a toothpick should come out clean. Keep an eye on it!

Remove from the oven, turn the cake out and leave to cool. Before serving dust with a little icing sugar.

rose florentines When I was planning a sophisticated afternoon tea for some girl friends one weekend, I was thinking of the ways I could re-invent some of the traditional treats you normally get. if used lightly, the flavour of rose is very delicate.

It can really work well in sugary treats to give them a little something different. Since roses are edible, using the dried form of petals in these Florentines makes them a super alternative to a heavy brownie at tea time. P erfect for teaming up with a cup of delicate rosebud tea.

Makes 8 125g flaked almonds, keep half of them whole, half roughly chopped 3 tablespoons candied peel/ orange peel (optional) 2 tablespoons edible rose petals, plus extra for decoration, roughly chopped 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 75g golden caster sugar 3 teaspoons gluten free plain flour 4 tablespoons crème fraîche 150g good-quality white or dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. In a bowl, combine the almonds, candied peel and rose petals and set the mixture aside.

Heat the butter, sugar and flour in a saucepan over a medium heat, stirring continuously to avoid sticking. Heat until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Add in the crème fraîche and when well combined add the almond, candied peel and rose petal mix. Stir well making sure that the sugar mix coats all of the dried ingredients.

Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. Evenly space out two teaspoonfuls of the florentine mixture like you would with cookies, not too close to each other. Transfer the florentines to the oven and bake for 12–15 minutes, or until turning golden-brown. Remove from the oven and whilst still hot and sticky, top with the extra rose petals. Set aside to cool on the tray then transfer the florentines to a cooling rack.

Bring a little water to a simmer in a saucepan. Suspend a heatproof bowl over the water and add the chocolate, stir until smooth and melted. Turn the florentines over so that their flat base is facing upwards. Evenly spread the melted chocolate over their base and pop in the fridge to set.

Afternoon Tea 11

jasmine tea and coconut cake Tea is a great way to naturally infuse any icing or cake. Simply grind up the tea in a pestle and mortar or steep it in water, then add a few teaspoons to the cake mix or icing. Jasmine tea is subtly sweet and highly floral, combining this with coconut makes for a very delicate cake that is oriental in taste and appearance. In northern China, jasmine tea is given to guests as a welcoming gesture, so here is my rather English interpretation of this in a cake.

Serves 8 Cake 200g unsalted butter, softened 200g caster sugar 2 tablespoons strong jasmine tea 1 teaspoon dried jasmine tea, crushed in a pestle and mortar 4 medium eggs 100g self-raising gluten free flour 50g desiccated coconut 50g ground almond ½ teaspoon xanthan gum Frosting 100g egg whites, 3 eggs 135g caster sugar 225g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 1 tablespoon dried jasmine tea, crushed in a pestle and mortar desiccated coconut, for decoration

Preheat the oven to 190°C/Gas Mark 5. Grease 2 x 20cm/8in sandwich tins. Place the butter, sugar, strained tea and crushed tea into a bowl and beat until creamy in consistency. Gently beat in the eggs, then fold in the flour, ground almonds, xanthan gum and coconut until well combined.

Divide the mix evenly between the cake tins and place into the oven for 20 minutes. When golden brown, remove from the oven and transfer the cakes from their trays on to a wire rack to cool.

To make the frosting, bring a little water to a simmer in a saucepan.

Suspend a heatproof bowl over the water and add the egg whites and sugar. Whisk together gently for 4–5 minutes until the sugar has fully dissolved then remove from the heat.

With a food processor or hand mixer, whisk the mixture on a medium speed until stiff peaks form. Reduce the speed and begin to add in the butter cubes one by one. Wait until each cube is fully integrated before adding the next. Continue to beat until the mixture curdles, do not worry – this is supposed to happen! At this point stop the mixer. Use a spatula to fold the icing until it becomes smooth in consistency. Add in the crushed tea and mix until well incorporated. When the cakes have cooled, place a third of the icing in the centre for the filling and spread evenly, then coat with a light layer of coconut.

Pop your other layer on top and ice again. Dust with coconut and any other decorations you wish to use, flowers are always nice!

12 Afternoon Tea

This cake is a great one for celebrations. For me, baking a cake is part of a gift. It represents sharing, thoughtfulness, creativity, happiness and generosity; sometimes more than any other present could.

BBQ I love spontanious bbqs; plenty of meat, smokey flavours, colourful salads, ice cold drinks and an excuse to get people together. Munch’s bbq section brings together all the essentials for a perfect summer bbq, now all we need is for the sun to shine.

S low Roasted Citrus, Harrisa Lamb with Spinach Quinoa and Spiced Pepper Yoghurt Spice Is Nice Chicken Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad Rosemary, Garlic and Comte Socca Spinach, Sweetcorn and Fried Halloumi Salad Bright Eyed Salsa

slow roasted citrus, harissa lamb

with spinach quinoa and spiced pepper yoghurt

This lamb dish was inspired by my husband moaning about the British weather, sunny but far too cold to sit outside and get the bbq going. Ultimately this dish would be perfect to do on the bbq but with unpredictable weather, I had to think about how to bring the essence of sun and those wonderful smoky flavours inside the home. Using harissa paste with citrus flavours really provide a tasty punch – powerful flavours in the simplest way.

Serves 2 Lamb 600g half shoulder of lamb, boned 1 lime 1–2 lemons 3 tablespoons harissa paste 2 tablespoons tomato puree 5 tablespoons plain yoghurt 1 tablespoon honey 1–2 red peppers, chopped into squares a drizzle of olive oil 50ml white wine salt and pepper Spinach Quinoa 30g butter a drizzle of olive oil 185g quinoa fennel seeds (optional) 1 lemon 2 handfuls of spinach Spiced Pepper Yoghurt blackened bits and peppers from the lamb roast 1/2 lemon 300ml yoghurt 1 chilli, finely chopped (optional) salt and pepper

18 BBQ

Prepare the lamb the night before or marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours before cooking. To make the marinade put the lime, lemon, harrisa paste, tomato puree, plain yoghurt and honey into a bowl and give a good stir and taste, if you can’t taste enough citrus, add another lemon. Leave in the fridge overnight.

Take the marinated lamb out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking, this will allow it to come to room temperature.Preheat the oven to its highest temperature. Cover a large roasting dish with several layers of foil and a little oil. Put the marinated peppers on the dish, then place the lamb on top keeping the peppers tucked underneath, then pour over the white wine.

Pop the roasting dish into the oven and cook for 30 minutes, then turn the oven down to 110°C and cook for 5–6 hours. Baste the lamb every hour with it’s own juices, adding a bit of water as you go along.

Remove the lamb from the oven and cover it with foil. Leave it to rest for at least 25 minutes. Either cut into chunks or shred like aromatic duck. Keep the blackened bits for the spiced yoghurt.

To make the spinach and fennel quinoa, melt the butter and oil in a saucepan over a gentle heat. Add the quinoa and fennel seeds, stirring until fragrant. Cover with water until about ¾ full and add the lemon juice and the rest of the lemon to the pan.

Cover and cook on a medium heat for 20 minutes or until cooked.

Drain the excess water and toss in the spinach leaves.

For the yoghurt, mix all the ingredients together, including the blackened bits from the lamb and season to taste.