Monthly Archives: August 2017

WIN two of our favourite time-savers

Competition time!

When I was a child we used to have this great little retro orange cheese grater that was so easy, I was a user of it from an early age.

Cheese and carrot sandwiches were a slightly bizarre favourite of mine and this grater made their creation an easy and speedy job.

It wasn’t until recently that I remembered it and how much better it was than grating your nails on a box grater (something I’m quite adept at!) And so I invested in this little gadget, which has become a firm favourite in our home.

As well as the mandonline grater, I LOVE my Rotomac chopper. My terribly sensitive eyes start to weep when I so much as look at an onion, so anything that speeds up the chopping process is a worthwhile addition to my kitchen. And as it can chop so finely, it’s also perfect for those ‘hidden’ veggies that I need to sneak into anything I make for the children.

 

Win a Lekoch Manual Hand Speedy Mandoline Slicer and a Metaltex Rotomac Herb and Vegetable Manual Chopper.

If you would like a chance to win each of these snazzy products just click here – it could save you lots of time (and your fingernails!)

ENTER

 

Good luck!

Recipe of the week: Coconut, Pineapple & Fruit Loaf

Coconut, Pineapple & Fruit Loaf

 

Coconut, Pineapple & Fruit Loaf

  • Servings: One large loaf
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Suitable for vegetarians
Suitable for freezing

Ingredients

  • Self-raising flour 150g (5oz)
  • Desiccated coconut 75g (3oz)
  • Caster sugar 75g (3oz)
  • Butter 110g (4oz), softened
  • Eggs 2
  • Pineapple chunks in juice 227g/230g can
  • Luxury dried mixed fruit 75g (3oz)
  • Granulated sugar 25g (1oz)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°fan/Gas 5. Grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin.
  2. In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, 50g (2oz) coconut, caster sugar, butter and eggs.
  3. Fold in pineapple chunks (reserve juice) and dried fruit. Spoon into prepared tin and smooth the top. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.
  4. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean (cover with foil if the top is browning too quickly). Mix reserved 5 tablespoons pineapple juice with granulated sugar and spoon over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.
  5. Leave to cool in tin for 10 minutes before cooling on a wire rack.

Coconut, Pineapple & Fruit Loaf

For more recipes, check out the Dairy Diary 2018 and Cook it Slowly! cookbook.

 

#tripletested
#recipes
#baking

How Dairy Diary recipes are created

Dairy Diary recipes
Dairy Diary recipes

Every recipe in the Dairy Diary and our cookbooks is triple-tested, and from the original idea to the finished recipe, it’s quite a lengthy process.

First, our recipe writers produce a list of recipe ideas from which we choose our favourites. From this list we need to ensure that there will be a good balance of savoury/sweet, veg/fish/meat and a good range of different ingredients – it’s quite a jigsaw puzzle!

The writer then tests and writes the recipe. Then the recipe is given to our editor to edit to Dairy Diary style and to fit the space in the book.

After that, it’s passed to a team of amateur testers, who check that the recipe is easy to understand, shop for and to cook, and of course, it tastes delicious!

Finally, the recipes are given to our food stylist, props stylist and photographer, who test, cook and shoot each dish and make them look utterly fabulous.

 

A special new recipe

I’ve recently had a recipe request for an old recipe that I haven’t been able to find in our archive of books. The idea sounded so delicious that I’ve decided to create it for the next diary. Here it is. We all loved it – I hope you do too!

 

Coconut, Pineapple & Fruit Loaf

 

Coconut, Pineapple & Fruit Loaf

  • Servings: One large loaf
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Suitable for vegetarians
Suitable for freezing

Ingredients

  • Self-raising flour 150g (5oz)
  • Desiccated coconut 75g (3oz)
  • Caster sugar 75g (3oz)
  • Butter 110g (4oz), softened
  • Eggs 2
  • Pineapple chunks in juice 227g/230g can
  • Luxury dried mixed fruit 75g (3oz)
  • Granulated sugar 25g (1oz)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/170°fan/Gas 5. Grease and line a 900g (2lb) loaf tin.
  2. In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, 50g (2oz) coconut, caster sugar, butter and eggs.
  3. Fold in pineapple chunks (reserve juice) and dried fruit. Spoon into prepared tin and smooth the top. Sprinkle with remaining coconut.
  4. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean (cover with foil if the top is browning too quickly). Mix reserved 5 tablespoons pineapple juice with granulated sugar and spoon over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.
  5. Leave to cool in tin for 10 minutes before cooling on a wire rack.

Coconut, Pineapple & Fruit Loaf

For more recipes, check out the Dairy Diary 2018 and Cook it Slowly! cookbook.

 

#tripletested
#recipes
#baking

Recipe of the Week: Apricot Bakewell Tarts

 

Cookbooks

Apricot Bakewell Tarts

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Calories 546 per portion
Fat 26g (8g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians

Ingredients

  • Plain flour 50g (2oz)
  • Caster sugar 2 tsp plus 25g (1oz)
  • Butter 25g (1oz), diced
  • Strawberry or raspberry jam 4 tsp
  • Dried ready-to-eat apricots 40g (1½oz), sliced
  • Egg 1
  • Almond extract a few drops
  • Ground almonds 3 tbsp
  • Skimmed milk 2 tbsp
  • Flaked almonds 1 tbsp (optional)
  • Icing sugar for dusting
  • Cream or ice cream to serve (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the flour and 2 teaspoons sugar in a bowl and rub in the butter to make fine crumbs. Stir in 2-3 teaspoons cold water to make a smooth dough. Knead lightly on a floured surface and then cut in half and roll each half out thinly. Use to line two 10cm (4in) diameter tart tins. Trim the tops and chill for 15 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Spread the jam over the base of the tarts and then sprinkle with the apricots.
  3. Separate the egg into two medium-sized bowls. Whisk the white until stiff and moist peaks form. Add the remaining sugar and almond extract to the egg yolk and whisk until it is thick and pale. Fold in the ground almonds and milk, then gently fold in the egg white.
  4. Pour the mixture over the apricots, sprinkle with the flaked almonds, if using, and bake for 15–20 minutes until golden and just set. Check after 10 minutes and cover with foil if necessary to stop over-browning.
  5. Leave to cool for 15 minutes, remove from the tins and dust with icing sugar. Serve with fresh cream or ice cream if you like.

Cook’s tips
You could use other types of dried ready-to-eat fruits. Choose your favourite.
If you don’t have individual tart tins, you could use poachette rings set on a baking tray.

 

A Just for One or Two  recipe.

 

#sale
#baking
#bakewelltarts
#tripletested
#recipeoftheweek

Special Summer Sale & A Special Summer Salad

 

50% off these fabulous cookbooks

Get a whopping 50 per cent off these fabulous books!

But only while stocks last.

READ MORE

 

And here’s one of our favourite recipes, taken from the fabulous Just for One or Two cookbook (which is now half price!)

 

 

Cookbooks

Apricot Bakewell Tarts

  • Servings: 2
  • Difficulty: easy
  • Print

Calories 546 per portion
Fat 26g (8g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians

Ingredients

  • Plain flour 50g (2oz)
  • Caster sugar 2 tsp plus 25g (1oz)
  • Butter 25g (1oz), diced
  • Strawberry or raspberry jam 4 tsp
  • Dried ready-to-eat apricots 40g (1½oz), sliced
  • Egg 1
  • Almond extract a few drops
  • Ground almonds 3 tbsp
  • Skimmed milk 2 tbsp
  • Flaked almonds 1 tbsp (optional)
  • Icing sugar for dusting
  • Cream or ice cream to serve (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the flour and 2 teaspoons sugar in a bowl and rub in the butter to make fine crumbs. Stir in 2-3 teaspoons cold water to make a smooth dough. Knead lightly on a floured surface and then cut in half and roll each half out thinly. Use to line two 10cm (4in) diameter tart tins. Trim the tops and chill for 15 minutes.
  2. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Spread the jam over the base of the tarts and then sprinkle with the apricots.
  3. Separate the egg into two medium-sized bowls. Whisk the white until stiff and moist peaks form. Add the remaining sugar and almond extract to the egg yolk and whisk until it is thick and pale. Fold in the ground almonds and milk, then gently fold in the egg white.
  4. Pour the mixture over the apricots, sprinkle with the flaked almonds, if using, and bake for 15–20 minutes until golden and just set. Check after 10 minutes and cover with foil if necessary to stop over-browning.
  5. Leave to cool for 15 minutes, remove from the tins and dust with icing sugar. Serve with fresh cream or ice cream if you like.

Cook’s tips
You could use other types of dried ready-to-eat fruits. Choose your favourite.
If you don’t have individual tart tins, you could use poachette rings set on a baking tray.

 

A Just for One or Two  recipe.

 

#sale
#baking
#bakewelltarts
#tripletested

Special Summer Sale

Get a whopping 50% off
these fabulous cookbooks!

But only while stocks last.

50% off selected cookbooks

50% off these fabulous cookbooks

Don’t miss this opportunity to buy a super cookbook from the publishers of the Dairy Diary at half price!

With over 3 million sales we know our books are loved, by novice and experienced cooks alike, throughout the UK.

Delight family and friends with triple-tested recipes that ensure great results every time.

Choose from:

Dairy Diary Favourites – was £8.25, now £4.12

Just for One or Two – was £8.25, now £4.12

Dairy Book of Home Cookery – was £10.49, now £5.24

Fantastic Food For Less – was £5.99, now £2.99

Take a Box of Eggs – was £7.49, now £3.74

 

Buy now at DairyDiary.co.uk

Offer closes 24 August 2017.


#SALE
#COOKBOOKS
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