Truro Cookery School

INTRODUCING Mr Turner

In January 2022 and at the start of the Spring Term, Mr Turner (or AJ) took over as Head of Cookery School after Mrs Taylor moved to further opportunities within Leiths.

A bit about AJ:

Alistair Turner – Head of Cookery. AJ has lived all over the world, from Barbados to Bath, until he fell in love with Cornwall and a Cornish lass (not necessarily in that order). When he’s not at work he’s playing in his smokehouse, so in essence he’s a proper food nerd. AJ is the serious big guns of the department, having a Leiths Diploma under his belt, plus four-and-ahalf years working his way up the ranks at Steins. However, with our charm and wit (and our promise of a Sunday off), we managed to poach him from Steins.

Favourite activities?

“Smoking lots of different types of fish.”

Favourite recipe?

“My nana’s gravy and her mushroom vol-au-vents (not together though).”

Favourite place?

“Chicken Rita’s in Barbados.”

RECIPE

This Spring Term, AJ (Head of Truro School Cookery) has shared the Cookery School’s recipe for a chocolate fondant with blood orange and mascarpone cream.

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

Tin prep

4x180ml round pudding foil dishes

25g butter

25g cocoa powder

Fondants

125g unsalted butter

125g 70% dark chocolate, good quality

1 tbsp cocoa powder

2 yolks (50g egg yolk)

3 eggs (125g whole egg)

60g caster sugar

1 blood orange

100g mascarpone

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp pistachio - roughly chopped

PROCEDURE

1. Prepare small pudding tins by melting 25g of butter. 2. Brush the inside of the tin liberally with butter and then dust with cocoa powder, removing any excess with a light tap. 3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl (bain marie) that fits within a pan of simmering water. Don’t let the base of the pan touch the water. 4. While the chocolate and butter melt, whip the egg yolk, whole egg and sugar to a foam where you can draw a ribbon on top that takes a couple of seconds to disappear. 5. Once all the chocolate and butter have melted, take off the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder. 6. Now fold the chocolate mix into the egg mix, ensure to not over-mix or all of the air will be lost!

7. Spoon or pipe the mixture into your pudding tins until 3/4 full, about 100g per mould if you want to be very accurate. 8. Rest in the fridge until required, but an hour minimum.

Can even make them the day before or freeze for use at a later event.

9.

Heat your oven to 210°. Once temperature is reached, cook the fondants in the centre of the oven for nine minutes.

10. While cooking you can mix your honey and mascarpone cream ready for serving.

11.

Take out of the oven and rest for two further minutes.

12.

Tip out of the tin carefully onto a plate and serve immediately with blood orange segments, pistachio nuts and mascarpone cream.