Author Archives for Emily Davenport, Head of Dairy Diary

About Emily Davenport, Head of Dairy Diary

Head of Dairy Diary; I'm passionate about producing high quality products that our customers will cherish. I'm also a mum of three and I enjoy cooking, walking, gardening and painting with my family, as well as printmaking (when I find the time!)

Spinach Pancakes

Savoury pancakes make a delicious light meal

Makes 8 pancakes
Time 20 mins
Calories 280 per pancake
Fat 16g of which 7.6g is saturated
Suitable for vegetarians

Spinach 900g (2lb), stems removed, or 2 x 225g packets of frozen chopped spinach
Butter 25g (1oz)
Salted peanuts 50g (2oz), chopped
Paprika ½ tsp
Stilton cheese 50g (2oz)
Plain flour 4 tsp
Single cream 150ml (¼ pint)
Ready-made pancakes 8, warmed

1 Place spinach in a pan, sprinkle with salt (do not add any liquid) and cook, covered, for about 10 minutes. Drain well and chop.

2 Heat butter in a small pan, add peanuts and paprika and fry gently for 1 minute. Cut rind off Stilton and crumble most into pan. Stir in spinach, flour, cream and seasoning. Bring up to boil and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring.

3 Divide filling between pancakes and serve with remaining Stilton crumbled over top.

A Dairy Diary recipe

Handmade Valentine’s Card

There’s something really special about receiving a card that has been handmade.

It may not have cost as much, but the thought and time that has gone into it account for a lot more.

I have probably rabbited on about it in the past, but cardmaking is one of my favourite pastimes.

Here’s the one I have made for my fantastic other half (I hope he doesn’t read the blog today!)

If you would like to give it a go, just follow the steps below. It’s so simple; just make sure you have materials with different patterns of the same colour.

1 First cut a square of card and several pieces of ribbon a little longer than the length of the card. Using tape, attach several pieces of ribbon all along one side on the back of the card.

2 Stick down one length of ribbon on the back of an adjacent side and then weave through the other ribbons. Stick the other end to the back. Repeat.

3 Cut 2 or 3 pieces of paper that coordinate with your ribbons. Using double-sided tape, affix one on top of the other and fix onto a blank card.

4 Glue a heart embellishment in the centre of your woven ribbons. Tadaa!

I am sure your loved-one will love it. Enjoy your special time together.

Indulge in a decadent dessert on Valentine’s Day

Try this Chocolate Mousse
from this year’s Dairy Diary.

 

 

 

 

Win Clever Cooking for One or Two

Clever Cooking for One or TwoThis week, we have 10 copies of
Clever Cooking for One or Two
to give away.

Lots of perfect food for couples.

Click here to enter

 

 

Happy Valentine’s Day everyone.

Choc Mousse

A yummy treat to share, but even better just for one!

Serves 2
Time 15 mins plus chilling
Calories 1173 per portion
Fat 92g of which 51.2g is saturated
Suitable for vegetarians

Amaretti biscuits 50g (2oz), crushed
Miniature marshmallows 40g (1½oz), plus extra to decorate
Plain chocolate 110g (4oz), broken into pieces
Almond liqueur 1 tbsp
Double cream 250ml (9fl oz)

1 Mix biscuits with half of miniature marshmallows. Divide one half of mixture between bases of two serving glasses.

2 Melt chocolate, remaining marshmallows and almond liqueur in a bowl over hot water.

3 Remove from heat and leave to cool for 5 minutes. Whip cream and carefully fold into chocolate mixture.

4 Divide half of mixture over biscuit base, then add remaining biscuits and top with a layer of chocolate.

5 Place in freezer for 30 minutes and serve with extra marshmallows.

A Dairy Diary recipe.

Accession of Queen Elizabeth II

http://www.facebritain.org.uk/

Today is the accession of Queen Elizabeth II. How hard must it have been for her 60 years ago?

At just 25 not only did she have to cope with the death of her father, but also take on the responsibility of becoming queen!

After watching the King’s Speech it’s really made me think about what their lives might be like. As a member of the Royal Family pretty much everything is in the public eye, especially grief. I am VERY glad that I am a mere commoner!

Face Britain

Of course, this year sees the Diamond Jubilee and plans are in full swing to commemorate the event in style. One of my favourite is Face Britain, a national project that invites all young people in the UK to submit a self-portrait.

The artwork will be part of a world record attempt and hopefully the biggest online gallery of self-portraits in the world. All portraits will go into the online gallery and be part of a special portrait of HM The Queen, which is going to be projected onto Buckingham Palace!

Embarrassing I know, but I had to remind myself
(with the trusty Dairy Diary) how many years the
diamond represents! Yes it’s 60……I’ll get my coat.

For others like me, here’s a list of anniversary dates:

 

No celebration would be complete without a special cake.
Here’s a gorgeously retro one to cook for your special occasion.

Black Forest Gateau
Or just as a treat for yourself! Enjoy….

 

 

Black Forest Gâteau

A gorgeously retro celebration cake to cook for a special occasion

Black Forest Gateau recipe taken from The Dairy Book of Home CookeryServes 8–10
Preparation 50 mins
Cooking 25 mins
Per portion 613 kcals, 44g fat (24.3g saturated)
Suitable for feezing
Suitable for vegetarians

150g (5oz) butter, melted
6 eggs
½ tsp vanilla extract
225g (8oz) caster sugar
50g (2oz) plain flour, sifted twice
50g (2oz) cocoa powder, sifted
4 tbsp Kirsch liqueur
450ml (3/4 pint) double cream
410g can black cherry pie filling
Chocolate curls (made with vegetable peeler)

1 Grease and flour bases and sides of three 20cm (8in) sandwich tins.

2 Strain melted butter through muslin or use Clarified Butter (page 183).

3 Whisk together eggs, vanilla and sugar over a saucepan of hand-hot water for 8–10 minutes or until mixture is thick and texture of softly whipped cream. Remove bowl from saucepan and continue whisking for a further 5 minutes.

4 Gently fold in flour, cocoa powder and melted butter, using a metal spoon.

5 Divide mixture between prepared tins. Bake at 180°C (350°F) Mark 4 for 10–15 minutes.

6 Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes in tins, then place on a wire cooling rack to cool thoroughly.

7 Prick cooled sponge cakes all over with a skewer. Spoon Kirsch over cakes and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

8 Whip cream until softly stiff. Sandwich cakes together with some of the whipped cream and pie filling. Spread top with cream and spoon pie filling in the centre.

9 Decorate top with chocolate curls. Serve at once.

Yorkshire Pudding

No roast dinner can be complete without a Yorkshire Pudding

Serves 6–8
Preparation 5 mins
Cooking 40-45 mins
Per portion 150 kcals, 8g fat (4.3g saturated)
Suitable for vegetarians

110g (4oz) plain flour
Pinch of salt
1 egg
300ml (½ pint) milk
40g (1½oz) butter

1 Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Break in egg.

2 Gradually add half the milk, beating to form a smooth batter.

3 Pour in remaining milk and beat until smooth.

4 Preheat oven to 220°C (425°F) Mark 7. Put butter into a 25 x 30cm (10 x 12in) baking tin. Heat for 10 minutes or until a faint haze just appears.

5 Pour in batter.

6 Bake just above centre of oven for 40–45 minutes.

 

Small Yorkshire Puddings 

1 Follow recipe and method for Yorkshire Pudding.

2 Place butter in a 12-section bun tin and heat as step 4.

3 Pour in batter and cook for 15–20 minutes.

 

Recipes taken from The Dairy Book of Home Cookery. 2012 edition

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