202212ISSUE Cast a spell on customers this Halloween with a fang-tastic offering and there’ll be no tricks just treats Inside... ALL BRITISH Celebrate food produced on home soil this autumn SPICE OF LIFE Heat up your sales with a curry night FESTIVE PREP Let the planning begin to be one step ahead The magazine for Confex wholesaler customers toPreparebewitch
SUNSHINESELLS www.drinkrio.com DON’T MISS OUT, STOCK UP NOW! *IRI Marketplace Data Symbols & Independents 52 weeks sales to 20th February 2022 / Rio 330ml Original PMP only #5 TOP PRODUCTRANKED BRAND GROWTH OF +15% VALUE YOY DELIVERING GREAT CASH MARGINS
With Halloween ‘creeping’ up, you’ll find some frightfully good ideas to help you prepare for the scarily popular and lucrative occasion in the bumper feature from pages 20 to 23.
Hello AND welcome…
I hope you enjoy the issue!
An economic but superversatile ingredient
03ISSUE 12 2022 « Eat WELCOME «
… to the latest edition of Eat, packed with advice and ideas to help your business thrive as two key occasions on the foodservice calendar approach.
And with the cooler days coming and comfort food beckoning as the nights draw in, pages 16-17 look at the appeal of a good curry and how making an event of this favourite dish will draw the crowds and spice up your sales.
Jess’s mustreads this issue
JESS CONFEXDIRECTORDOUGLASLTD
5 ways with, page 24
Festive prep, page 18 Christmas planning hats on!»»»
Expert insight, page 9
There’s lots more to enjoy, including a double dose of the latest product releases to keep you on top of current trends.
Why catering to the alcoholfree drinking occasion is key
As summer takes its final bow and autumn makes an entrance, it’s a glorious time of year for British produce. We celebrate that, with a look at the benefits of buying British too, and encourage operators to get involved with British Food Fortnight on pages 12-14.
prepare for the scare!prepare for the scare! No.1 Tub for Halloween 2021 No.1 Tub for HalloweenATATFORNo.12021VARIETYHALLOWEEN*No.1FORVARIETYHALLOWEEN* *Source: IRI Marketplace, Sugar Confectionery, Total Market, Value Sales, Data from 8 Weeks to Halloween 2021 **Source: IRI Marketplace, Confectionery, Total Market, Value Sales, Halloween event, Latest 4 weeks to Halloween 2021 ***Source: IRI Marketplace, Confectionery, Total Market, Value Sales, 500g+ packsize, Latest 4 weeks to Halloween 2021 ***
IN TOUCH EAT@THEBRIGHTMEDIAAGENCY.COM Gettouchin 20
WANT SHARE YOUR VIEWS OR YOUR BUSINESS?
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Creep it real Don’t miss a trick with ghoulishly great ideas for Halloween
BE INCLUDED OR SEE US FEATURE A PARTICULAR
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05ISSUE 12 2022 « Eat CONTENTS « Contents
12
Curry night
Harvest the best of British food for your menus
Out now
PLEASE
11
British Food Fortnight
Focus on your margins with own-brand range advice
Eat is published by The Bright Media Agency, The Old Bank, 2 Cross Street, Enderby, Leicestershire LE19 4NJ, on behalf of Confex Ltd.
It’s all in the planning September is the prime time to start thinking all things Christmas to make sure you stay one step ahead
CORE of it
Expert advice from KAM on the shift in focus on no- and low-alcohol drinks and why operators need to take note
Insight
Five ways with Versatile and economic, rice is the star this issue
24
A round-up of the latest must-stock products
» FOR CONFEX LTD Jess Douglas » FOR THE BRIGHT MEDIA AGENCY » Content Director Stephenie Shaw » Creative Director Emma Bramwell » Content Editor Kate Feasey » Senior Designer Rafaela Aguiar-Hill » Media Sales Manager Claire Holton » Publisher David Shaw To advertise, please contact Claire Holton at orthebrightmediaagency.comclaire@call07947902263 06
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SUBJECT, GET
18
Spice up sales and footfall with a collection of curries
16 18 24 12
TO
Fondant-filled Cadbury Goo Heads will be a big hit and come in a mini sharing bag format and new for 2022 a clip strip format, perfect for impulse and incremental sales.
Here’s WHAT’SNEWAround-upofthebestlatestproductreleases
Eat » ISSUE 12 202206
flexitarian options.
Peppadew Bites are versatile and work across a wide range of eating occasions and menu concepts, including starters, sides, small plates, premium bar snacks, tapas or as part of a sharing platter. With so many ways to serve Peppadew Bites, operators will be able to take advantage of the growing demand for customisable sides and up-sell to help boost sales even further.
Fun fact: confectionery now outsells pumpkins in the run-up to Halloween! So stock your shelves and displays with the latest spooky-themed treats from Cadbury to keep little ghouls happy this Halloween.
In a first for popular British sweet brand Swizzels is Marvellous Mallows, its brand-new mallows product. Known for its ingenious inventions, this latest treat from Swizzels is an adaptation of its iconic and unique Drumstick lolly flavour to create a unique-tasting marshmallow sweet, flavoured with raspberry and milk.
Pep up sales
New crispy Peppadew Bites are now topremiumtoPerfectavailableexclusivelyforfoodservice.foroperatorslookingaddaversatileandvegetarianoptionmenus,thisluxurious
offering balances the sweet, tangy flavour of the brand’s signature whole piquanté pepper with a smooth West Country soft cheese filling, all coated in a crisp, pankostyle crumb. The new bites are 100% vegetarian and meet demand for tasty
Eerie-sistible treats
Mallows that are marvellous
Cadbury has unveiled a new limitededition flavour for its popular Wispa Gold range: Salted Caramel. The delicious new flavour is available now in a single 45g bar. The Wispa
Porridge pots
The convenient format opens up a host of new opportunities for consumers to enjoy Dead Man’s Fingers’ rums mixed up into delicious drinks on the go, without compromising on the brand’s award-winning taste and quality.
Golden days are here
range is a favourite with consumers across the UK and salted caramel is a top five flavour in chocolate, so line Wispa Gold Salted Caramel bars up ready for your customers to enjoy!
For customers seeking breakfast on the go, new Ambrosia Ready to Eat Porridge pots are perfect. They come in three tasty flavours – Original, Raspberry and Golden Syrup – and can be served hot or cold for the easiest breakfast offering.
New Munchies Gooey Caramel & Biscuit Sharing Bar combines gooey caramel and crispy biscuit in a milk chocolate shell. Caramel is an extremely popular flavour, so take advantage of this growing trend and watch as your customers keep returning to grab a bar to go with their lunch, coffee or as a treat.
As demand for flavoured vodka soars, add new Smirnoff Berry Burst to your bar. With its natural flavours of blueberries and blackberries, Smirnoff Berry Burst is best served lemonadewithover ice and garnished with mint or as a cocktail to deliver exciting twists on much-loved classic serves.
Berry burst
The UK’s fastest-growing rum brand, Dead Man’s Fingers, has moved into the RTD category with three new launches – Spiced Rum & Cola, Spiced Rum & Ginger Beer and Passion Fruit Rum & Lemonade.
Munchies time
Ready to drink rum
07ISSUE 12 2022 « Eat ROUND-UP « RECENT RELEASES
Boost your drinks sales
ROUND-UP » RECENT RELEASES Eat » ISSUE 12 202208 Dates foryour diary SEPTEMBEROCTOBER30MorningCoffeeWorld’sMacmillanBiggest 24 Diwali 31 Halloween 10-16 UK WeekCoffee 05-09 Zero WeekWaste
for the launch of Tropical Fruit Sour Punch as we believe it adds something unusual and exciting to the category as a whole.”
Premium snacks
Salty. Stock up to meet growing demand for healthy snacking options, plus popcorn is one of the trends driving the larger snacking industry.
The launch is the latest addition to the three existing energy drink flavours, which Boost launched in May. With sales of 500ml cans booming, it makes sense to add this flavour to your chillers to appeal to customers looking for a longer fruity drink that will give them a boost.
Boost Drinks has expanded its Juic’d 500ml range with a fourth flavour – Tropical Fruit Sour Punch.
Award-winning, premium snack-maker Burts Chips has introduced the UK’s only hand-cooked popcorn in two small-batch varieties: Lightly Salted and Sweet &
Adrian Hipkiss, Marketing & International Business Director at Boost Drinks, said: “We’re really excited
M
»Katy Moses is Managing Director at KAM
Alcohol says Katy Moses
ore than half of all Brits say they want to cut down their alcohol consumption in the next 12 months, according to our latest research in partnership with Lucky Saint. Better health was the largest driver behind moderation, as well as saving money.
Despite this trend for low- and no-alcohol options, the UK has been slow to adopt credible offers. Luke Boase, founder of Lucky Saint, points out the UK is lagging behind the likes of Spain, France and Germany, all of which have at least five times the market share for
While alcohol consumption rose slightly during the pandemic, the majority of consumers (58%) now fall into the category of having an alcoholic drink at most three times a week, with 29% of the population currently drinking three days a week or more.
The pandemic may have bought a temporary return to ‘Booze Britain’ for some, but the growing trend of ‘drinking in moderation’ will dominate. Hospitality will need to seriously shift its focus so it doesn’t lose out on this growing occasion.
Are you catering for the drinkingalcohol-freeoccasion?
09ISSUE 12 2022 « Eat INSIGHT « KAM
We now see a modern consumer who is more aware of the risks of alcohol, where their leisure time is not so focused around drinking culture and who are in tune with their consumption.
The growth in popularity of the alcohol-free category isn’t primarily driven by those who never drink alcohol but rather the huge number of Brits who want to moderate their intake. This isn’t about a growing teetotal population but accepting that our relationship with alcohol is shifting and, as a result, consumers are demanding an alternative.
and non-alcoholic drinks, with nearly one in three pub visits (29%) and 37% of restaurant visits being completely alcohol-free. However, they tell us they are not impressed by the offer in many hospitality venues.
NEARLY 1 IN 3 PUB (29%)VISITSAND 37% RESTAURANTOFVISITSARENOWALCOHOL-FREE know?Didyou
consumption is changing, so venues must shift their focus to avoid missing out,
Our research discovered that drinkers are increasingly moderating their alcohol intake but still actively taking part in traditionally alcoholled social occasions. In fact, the average UK drinker now moderates between alcoholic
low- and no-alcohol options compared to the UK.
Great
Eat » ISSUE 12 202212 FEATURE » BRITISH FOOD
Running from 17 September to 2 October, British Food Fortnight is the biggest
BRITAINWehavemanythingstobeproudofinBritain
to mind? Is it roast beef, fish and chips, Bramley apples and strawberries? Or quinoa, pecans, Szechuan peppers, halloumi or chorizo? There is so much diverse and delicious food grown and produced in our country and British Food Fortnight is the perfect time to showcase your offering.
W hen whatBritishthinkyouaboutfood,comes
annual celebration of the nation’s food and drink. With sector-wide support of the event, whatever you decide to do to celebrate will increase sales, attract new customers, impress existing ones and increase their spend, giving your venue a point of difference.
GETTING INVOLVED
and food is one of them. Celebrate the amazing food we produce on home soil – you may be surprised – and see your sales and reputation lift
Celebrate the nation’s dishes by introducing a British specials board for the fortnight. You could be bold and change the dishes daily,
FortnightBritishFood17Sept-2Oct
Showing your support of local produce shows you are serious about food sourcing
Think about where your ingredients come from and shout about your Red Leicester cheese, Welsh lamb or locally made burgers.
BENEFITS
WHY CHOOSE BRITISH?
highest environmental and animal welfare standards in the world.
Depending on the nature of your venue, promote your seasonal menu in
»By choosing British, you know it will be fresher than food that has been shipped across the oceans,
It doesn’t have to be traditional meals – though being traditional doesn’t mean being boring as you can add modern twists to dishes such as giant Yorkshire pudding roast dinner or fish and chip pie – just made of great British ingredients.
meaning it’s also less likely to be excessively processed.
and provenance. Check with your suppliers to see what they can supply that is British and if what they already supply to you is too.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
The foodie fortnight is also a good time to showcase authentic products that can only be made in Britain, such as Stilton cheese, Melton Mowbray pork pies, Jersey royal potatoes, Dundee cake, Wiltshire cured ham, bacon and gammon, and Gower salt marsh lamb.
»By choosing food and drink with certain logos on, such as the Red Tractor, you can be assured of food safety hygiene, animal welfare, traceability and heritage. You can even trace the food and drink back to the British farms it came from.
»What could be better than a hearty full English breakfast, fish and chips or a steak and ale pie? Think about what shouts ‘great British grub’ to you and how you can offer it to your customers. Whether it’s a bacon sarnie, superfood salad, bangers and mash or fresh crab caught from British seas, there’s plenty to fill a menu.
Using ingredients that are in season adds another dimension to menus as customers will know they’re eating fruit and vegetables at their absolute best. Those products tend to be more competitively priced for operators, plus customers are willing to pay more for them.
»
which would give you the chance to experiment and test out new dishes using locally sourced produce. Or you could just have one special dish each day, such as British beef and local ale pie with in-season vegetables or a West Country farmhouse Cheddar cheese sandwich.
Some of the many benefits of buying local and British is you’ll be supporting the economy and helping protect the environment as British food travels less distance, so has a lower carbon footprint. Plus, British food is produced to the
»You will be supporting everyone from the farmer to the food processors.
13ISSUE 12 2022 « Eat
advance. Also think about any promotions you can run on British produce or team up with a local brewery and suggest food and beer pairings.
approaching it’s a wonderful time of year for British-grown produce. Think squashes, sweetcorn, aubergines, venison, damsons, pears, apples and blackberries.
700g (or 4 large) ripe 200g250ggranulated100gandpears,Englishpeeledcubedgoldensugarblackberriesplainflour 100g sugar100groughlypistachios,85gintobutter,unsaltedcold,cutsmallpiecesshelledchoppeddemerara
Sprinkle crumble evenly over the cooked fruit. Bake for 20-25 mins if small, 40 mins if large, until golden.
Place the flour, butter and a pinch of salt in a large bowl and rub together with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the pistachios and demerara sugar, then stir to combine.
METHOD
Include vegetarian and vegan options too. You could offer battered tofu with chips and mushy peas, mushroom and lentil shepherd’s pie with root veg mash or beetroot and squash wellingtons.
4
3
INGREDIENTS
However you choose to celebrate, you can be sure people will feel proud to be British.
1Preheat the oven to 190˚C/ 170˚C fan/gas 5.
Place the pears in a pan, add the granulated sugar and cook on a medium heat until the fruit starts to soften and releases its juices, about 10 mins. Add the blackberries and bring back to the boil, then remove from the heat. Spoon the fruity mixture into 4 individual ovenproof ramekins, or 1 large baking dish.
FEATURE » BRITISH FOOD Eat » ISSUE 12 202214
»PREP: 10 MINS »COOK: 35 MINS
Serves4
You could also think about celebrating British and local food throughout the year by picking classic British occasions and running food and drink special events, such as strawberries and cream with Pimm’s for Wimbledon, cream tea and fizz for Ascot, barbecue-inspired mains and beer for cricket and pumpkin dishes with hot chocolate for Bonfire Night.
IDEASLOVEBRITISHFOOD.VISITCO.UKFORMOREANDHOWTOGETINVOLVED
2
Why not menu?seasonalintroducingconsiderapermanentsectiontoyourWithautumn
When it comes to wording for your menu, try and avoid using the term ‘local’ as it can sound a little vague, instead use the names of local suppliers or terms such as ‘all meat is sourced from within a 30-mile radius’. Use words and phrases such as seasonal vegetables so that you’re not restricted and can use whatever veg is available at the time.
100% PackagingRecyclable A new range of handmade cakes & traybakes. Pre-portioned & delivered frozen for your £1000convenience.MOQ Contact Lauren to set up an account today: lauren@cake-uk.com Made with Free Range Eggs Carrot CakeChocolate14ptnFudge Cake - 14ptn Lemon Drizzle Cake - 14ptn Coffee Walnut Cake - 14ptn Raspberry & Coconut Traybake - 10 per case - 12ptn Chocolate Brownie - 1x30ptn Caramel Shortcake Traybake - 10 per case - 12ptn Victoria Sponge - 14ptn
METHOD
1 tbsp
CURRYSpiceupfootfallandheatupyoursaleswithaone-offorseriesofspecialcurrynights
oil 1 red 2coconutreduced400mlstock1red2½finelychilli,slicedtbspThaicurrypastevegetablecubecanfatmilktspfishsauce 100g choppedroughlycoriander,½king150ghalvedof2noodlesricelimes,juice1,theothercookedprawnssmallpackPRAWN LAKSA BOWL »PREP: 5 MINS »COOK: 10 MINS Serves2
1 Heat the oil in a pan and add the chilli. Cook for 1 min, then add the curry paste, stir and cook for 1 min more. the stock cube in 700ml boiling water, then pour into the pan and stir to combine. Tip in the coconut milk and bring to the boil.
2Dissolve
When you consider the opportunity for additional sales with all the popular add-on accompaniments too, such as naan, poppadoms, samosas and bhajis, it’s a win-win for your venue. olive
INGREDIENTS 8-12NationalCurryWeekOct
night
simple or as elaborate as you prefer, adaptable to suit different diets, can be surprisingly healthy with a few simple ingredient swaps and it’s the perfect warming dish as the nights draw in. Why not offer as a takeaway option too?
t’s one of the nation’s favourite dishes and guaranteed to draw the crowds; yes it’s a curry. There are so many different types to create, from classic Indian to Thai and Chinese versions, so go all out with a week of specials, a dedicated night or a curry tasting menu.
The great thing about curry, aside from the aromatic fusion of flavours, is it’s so versatile. You can use pretty much any type of meat and fish, the vegetarian options are endless, they can be as
Eat » ISSUE 12 202216 FEATURE » NATIONAL CURRY WEEK
I
METHOD
Boil potatoes for 10 mins, or until completely cooked through. Drain and cool. Break up the potatoes using the back of a spoon.
4
Serve in bowls with the remaining coriander and lime wedges on top for squeezing over.
» USE GHEE FOR A GREATYOGURTAUTHENTICREALLYDISH»TOMATOPUREEANDARENATURALTHICKENERS Toptips Serves5
4
Heat a skillet and add oil. Sauté onion until aromatic, then add potatoes, peas, curry powder, chilli powder, sugar and salt to taste. Cook for a few mins, remove from skillet and cool.
2
3
INGREDIENTS
1
17ISSUE 12 2022 « Eat
3
»PREP: 20 MINS »COOK: 10 MINS 0.2kg 1smashed70gdiced¼2peeledpotatoes,tbspoilsmallonion,greenpeas,tbspcurrypowder ½ tsp chilli powder 1 tsp wrappers,springsugarrollcut into 3 oil,1rectangularequal-sizepieceseggwhitefordeepfrying
Add the fish sauce and a little seasoning. Toss in the noodles and cook for a further 3-4 mins until softening. Squeeze in the lime juice, add the prawns and cook through until warm, about 2-3 mins. Scatter over some of the coriander.
VEG SAMOSAS
Scoop 1 heaped tsp of filling and place at top centre part of a piece of spring roll wrapper. Brush outer edges of wrapper with egg white, fold and form samosa into a triangle. Pinch edges and all corners to make sure they are sealed tight and there is no leakage. Repeat until filling is used up. Deep-fry the samosas at 176˚C until golden brown. Remove from oil using a strainer or slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Serve warm.
Post of differenta kind
You need to start promoting your offering early but not too early that people are put off. But first you need to know what it is you’re offering. Do you want your venue to be seen as the party hotspot or the place to
feast on good food and wine with friends and family? Deciding who you want to attract is key and then you can decide when it is you want to open – the big day itself may not be the right decision for your venue.
Social media is your friend. Use it to your advantage in the run-up to Christmas by posting teasers about your menus and letting people know when your bookings will be open –research shows a significant proportion of diners make their festive bookings in October. Post pictures of your menus, your decorations and anything else visually appealing, whether it’s fancy cocktails, festive hot chocolate and bakes or your Christmassy menus. Encourage bookings from the off by featuring a promotion such as ‘book now and receive a free bottle of wine’.
Don’t get left out in the cold this festive season – start your planning now and it’ll be a merry Christmas all the way
he nights are drawing in, the leaves are changing colour and the summer sun has hung its hat up for the winter. Yes, it’s almost that time of the year once again. With consumers looking to make festive meal bookings earlier and earlier, it’s important to stay ahead of the game and make sure you’re fully prepared and organised, without leaving anything to chance. September is the key month to get started on your planning so that you’re in the best position to make the most of the busiest and most profitable time of the year. Here’s a step-by-step guide to making sure you’re ready for the season to be jolly.
Tis the season to getplanning
start decorating for even the biggest fans of Christmas, plan what you need to light up your venue and turn it into a festive wonderland. If you cater for a school, nursery or care home, get everything ordered, from crackers to festive napkins.
Offer
T
Eat » ISSUE 12 202218 FEATURE » CHRISTMAS PLANNING
Your team
As well as focusing on the here and now, take this time to think ahead to next year. Make a note of what’s working well and what isn’t. Research the competition to see what they’re offering this Christmas and see if there’s anything you can take from them to use to improve your offering next year. For example, if no one around you is hosting live music nights, it may be too late to organise something for this year but bear it in mind for next. By jotting everything down, this will help you form a 12-month plan.
Now is the perfect time to start thinking about your alcohol offering. Have you got your white wine, prosecco and red wine sorted? Customers traditionally drink more during the festive period with an influx of work Christmas parties, friendly gatherings and, of course, the day itself (if you’re open). If you’ve paired your menu with wines, it’s
Next year all wrapped up
Spirits are always in demand, particularly seasonal and flavoured variants, so keep stocked up. Stay on top of current trends too to make sure you’re prepared for whatever fashionable drink your customers might request.
YOUR VENUE WILL BE FRONT OF MIND FOR WHEN CUSTOMERS BOOK
NOWADVERTISEYOURFESTIVEOFFERINGACROSSALLSOCIALMEDIASOTHAT
Toptip
Toptip
19ISSUE 12 2022 « Eat
worth evaluating your stock levels from previous years to plan ahead for this Christmas.
Assess your staffing levels. Giving your team plenty of notice for their working pattern over the festive season will help them plan their festivities and they’ll appreciate the early notice. And if you need to hire extra seasonal staff, then it pays to get them booked before they’re snapped up elsewhere.
Mistletoe and wine
KEEP ON TOP OF CURRENT TRENDS TO MAKE SURE YOU’RE PREPARED FOR MIGHTPOPULARWHATEVERFOODORDRINKYOURCUSTOMERSREQUEST
Eat » ISSUE 12 202220 FEATURE » HALLOWEEN FRIGHTFULLYWiththerightofferthere’llbenowitch-fulthinkingwhenitcomestosalessuccess
alloween is one of the occasionslucrativemostof the year and one to get your teeth into as the last key event beforeWhenChristmas.itcomesto getting into the spirit with food and drink, it doesn’t take much effort to have an effect. A few simple themed specials and ghoulish drinks and you’re all set. Try pizza decorated with strips of red pepper and
INDIVIDUALLYONWRAPPEDBAGSANDPACKSOFTREATSFORTRICKORTREATERS Toptip FOR QUICK AND EASY SERVES THAT’LL HAVE CUSTOMERS COMING BACK FOR MORE, BAKE FAIRY CAKES, BISCUITS AND CAKE POPS AND DECORATE ON A SPOOKY THEME – GO SPIDERS, GHOSTS, SKELETONS, PUMPKINS, BATS AND EYEBALLSToptip »
cheese circles and olive ‘eyeballs’, ‘brains’ spaghetti in tomato sauce, ‘witch’s finger’ hot dogs, banana ghosts and ‘blood-red’ cranberry juice with edible fangs.
21ISSUE 12 2022 « Eat
H
Boxes of cakes and treats to takeaway for parties at home and grazing boxes for spooky lunches are quick and easy to put together. Why not make up biscuit or doughnut decorating kits too with all little ones need inside for spooktacular creations?
STOCK UP
125g cold butter, cut into small pieces, plus extra for
4
3cool.Meanwhile, cook onion in a frying pan with remaining 1 tbsp oil for 8-10 mins until soft and slightly golden. Leave to cool.
Eat » ISSUE 12 202222 FEATURE » HALLOWEEN
»PREP: 40 MINS »COOK: 1 HR 10 MINS
1
Tip the flour, turmeric and a pinch of salt into a food processor. Add butter and whizz until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
450g peeledpumpkin,andcut into
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely
METHODINGREDIENTS
200g(optional)½grating12greasingeggyolksegg,beatenofnutmegtspchilliflakesfeta,crumbled
MINI PUMPKIN & FETA PIES
9Cut spooky pumpkin faces into lids using a small, sharp knife. Press lids over pies in tin and brush with beaten egg. Bake for 40 mins until golden brown, then leave to cool for 10 mins in tin before lifting out. Eat hot or leave to cool Willcompletely.keepin an airtight container in fridge for up to 2 days or the freezer for up to 2 months. Can be reheated in a low oven for 10 mins.
7 Roll the larger circle of pastry out on a lightly floured surface
to the thickness of a £1 coin. Use a 10cm cutter to stamp out 6 circles (re-roll pastry as necessary). Press pastry circles into prepared muffin tin. Spoon in squash filling.
Preheat oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/gas 6. Butter 6 holes of a muffin tin and line each with a strip of baking parchment that overhangs the top.
2 garlic cloves
6mins.Squeeze garlic from skins into roasted pumpkin and mash together. Add fried onion, grate over some nutmeg, tip in chilli flakes, if using, and feta and mix.
2Tip pumpkin and unpeeled garlic into a roasting tin, drizzle with 1 tbsp of the oil, season and toss to coat. Roast for 30 mins, stirring halfway through, until soft. Remove from oven and leave to
8 Roll remaining pastry circle out using an 8cm cutter to cut out 6 lids.
250gchoppedplain flour, plus extra for dusting ½ tsp turmericground
Serves6
2cm chunks
5Add egg yolks and 2 tsp cold water and blitz again until mixture starts to clump together. Squeeze it between your fingers – if it sticks together, tip mixture on to a work surface, if it’s too dry, add more water, 1 tsp at a time. Knead pastry a few times to bring it together, but don’t overwork it. Shape into 2 circles, one slightly smaller than the other, then wrap in baking parchment and chill for at least 20
1
4
To make icing, beat sifted icing sugar and butter together, add
2-3 tbsp of boiling water to loosen and beat until smooth. Use a little to sandwich cakes together.
7Dollop orange icing on top of cake and, using a palette knife, spread icing over top, then tease it down sides, stopping roughly halfway down. Use green icing to cover bottom half of cake.
Top with melted chocolate and Halloween-themed decorations, such as fondant icing pumpkins, chocolate bats, marshmallow ghosts and sprinkles.
For the cake:
You should now have a stripe of green at the bottom and orange on top half of cake. Clean palette knife and gently swipe icing upwards, through green into orange, blending colours together. Continue to do this around cake, wiping palette knife between each swipe. Once you’ve gone all the way around, run palette knife all way around edges to smooth surface.
2
INGREDIENTSMETHODHALLOWEENOMBRECAKE»PREP:1HR10MINS»COOK:30MINS
Using roughly a third of the icing, cover cake with a thin layer using a palette knife – this first coat is to fill any gaps between the sponges and catch any crumbs. Once covered, chill for 30 mins.
Bake in centre of oven for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into middle of each cake comes out clean. After 10 mins remove cakes from tins and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
3
9
You can add in a third colour of icing; just add a stripe inbetween the green and orange and then smooth and blend all three together.
6
For the icing: sugar,
Split remaining icing between two bowls. Use a little food colouring to dye one batch orange and the other green. Remove cake from fridge.
Preheat oven to 180˚C/160˚C fan/gas 4. Grease and line base of two 20cm spring-form cake tins with baking parchment.
Beat butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Crack eggs in one at a time and whisk well, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition. Add lemon zest, vanilla, flour, milk and a pinch of salt. Whisk until just combined, then divide mixture between the two tins.
225g softened 225gbutter splashflour225g1½4castergoldensugarlargeeggslemon,zestedtspvanillaextractself-raisingofmilk
8
23ISSUE 12 2022 « Eat
600g icing
300gsifted unsalted or salted chocolatefoodorangesoftenedbutter,andgreencolouring QUANTITIESDOUBLEUPTHETOMAKEAFOUR-LAYERCAKE ServesToptip8-10
5
5WAYSWITH… rice
It’s a didnutritiousstorecupboardsuper-versatilestaplethat’stoo,butyouknowjusthowmanywaystherearetouserice?Here’sfiveforstarters
Eat » ISSUE 12 202224 GET CREATIVE » RICE
2
Rice frittata
1
Soup it up
Add cooked rice to a chicken and vegetable soup for a filling, quick and easy lunch. Comfort food at its best!
Instead of using potatoes in a frittata, replace them with cooked arborio rice. Heat the seasoned rice through in a pan, add whisked eggs and parmesan and cook until the eggs are lightly scrambled, then remove from the pan. Heat oil, return rice mix to the pan and cook for about 6 mins, turning once.
Creamy coconut milk rice with a touch of sweetness is simply rice and canned coconut milk combined. It can be served hot or cold, on its own or as the base for tacos and burrito rolls. Use jasmine or brown rice and combine with a can of coconut milk, water and salt, bring to the boil and then simmer for around 20-25 mins. Perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Rise shineand
For a vegetarianlight starter or side dish, fill baby portabella mushrooms with cooked wild rice, shallots, artichoke, tortilla crumbs, fresh parsley and parmesan and bake. It’s gluten-free and can be dairy-free without
25ISSUE 12 2022 « Eat
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Ever thought of serving rice for breakfast? It’s a winner for brekkie with a twist. Using only four ingredients, it’s super-quick and easy too. With a base of cooked rice, simply throw in cooked bacon, scrambled eggs and onion and heat through.
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