Starter / snack

With reports in the press of hummous being removed from the supermarket shelves, play it safe and make your own delicious dip.

Yum!

Please let me know how you get on.

Whether spelt houmous, hummus, or a different way, we all know it’s delicious! Make your own delicious Houmous at home – it’s easy! This is a Dairy Diary recipe. For more delicious recipes visit the Dairy Diary Recipe Collection.

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

#foodforfriends

#delicious

#hummous

Top 3 Dips to Share

2 May 2017
Emily Davenport, Head of Dairy Diary
0 comments
artichoke, carrot, chickpeas, crudité, cucumber, dips, hummous, hummus, pitta bread, Recipe, Stilton, walnuts

I love a relaxed evening with friends – the impromptu sort when you decide you really need a catch-up, so you throw a few nibbles together and chill a bottle of fizz.

One of the best sharing foods is dip.

I like to serve with a range of crudité (how virtuous we feel eating carrot and cucumber sticks!), breadsticks and some warm pitta triangles.

Here are the top 3 Dairy Diary dips of all time…

Hummous

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

Stilton & Walnut Dip

A cheesy and delicious Stilton & Walnut Dip – perfect for sharing! This dip is quick and easy to make and is sure to impress. A Dairy Diary recipe. For more delicious recipes visit the Dairy Diary Recipe Collection.

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

Hot Artichoke & Chive Dip

This easy and appetising Hot Artichoke & Chive Dip is sure to impress any guest! You’ll make this Dairy Diary recipe again and again. For more delicious recipes, visit the Dairy Diary Recipe Collection.

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

#foodforfriends

#delicious

5 Favourite Easter Recipes

Easter gives us the perfect excuse to get together with friends and family and enjoy some quality time.

Try one or two of these delicious recipes – they’re sure to meet with your guests’ approval.

Often informal gatherings are the best. Serve a couple of salads, some buttered new potatoes and this gorgeous salmon for an effortlessly delicious lunch.

Baked Salmon

Servings: 4
Time: 40 mins
Difficulty: easy
Print

Calories 465 per portion
Fat 35g (11g sat) per portion

Ingredients

Salmon fillets 4, each approx. 150g (5oz), skin removed
Lemon ½, juice only
Fresh dill 15g (½oz)
Butter 20g (¾oz)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cucumber ½, thinly sliced
White wine vinegar 2 tbsp
Caster sugar 1 tsp
Chives 15g (½oz), finely snipped
Chopped watercress 2 tbsp, plus sprigs to garnish
Soft cheese 110g (4oz)
Light mayonnaise 2 tbsp
Steamed new potatoes to serve (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°fan/Gas 4. Line a large baking tray with foil.
Place the salmon fillets on the foil, drizzle with the lemon juice, sprinkle with a little torn dill, dot with the butter and season with salt and pepper.
Enclose the salmon in the foil then bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the fish flakes easily and is even in colour when pressed with a knife.
Meanwhile, add the cucumber slices to a bowl with the vinegar, sugar and a little salt and pepper. Reserve a few more dill sprigs for garnish, chop the rest and add half to the cucumber and the remainder to a second bowl. Add half the chives to the cucumber and the rest to the second bowl. Gently toss the cucumber together and set aside.
Add the chopped watercress, soft cheese and mayonnaise to the bowl of herbs and stir together until well mixed. Spoon into a serving bowl.
Stir the cucumber once more then spoon onto a large shallow platter. Arrange the cooked salmon on top then garnish with the watercress sprigs. Serve with the sauce and new potatoes, if using.

Cook’s tips
Thick cut pieces of smoked cod loin could also be cooked in the same way in the foil then served with the sauce on a bed of stir-fried or microwaved spinach.

Lamb Crown Roast

This show-stopping Lamb Crown Roast will be sure to impress! This tasty Sunday Dinner idea is a Dairy Diary recipe. For more delicious recipes visit the Dairy Diary Recipe Collection.

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

A favourite of our Divisional Manager, this creamy pastries are a real treat.

Strawberry Puffs

Servings: 8
Time: 40 minutes plus cooling
Print

Calories 356 per portion
Fat 25g (14g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians

Ingredients

Ready-rolled puff pastry 320g pack
Icing sugar 50g (2oz), plus 1 tbsp, plus extra to dust
Mascarpone 250g (9oz)
Fromage frais 200g (7oz)
Lemon 1, grated zest and juice
Strawberries 450g (1lb)
Caster sugar 25g (1oz)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°fan/Gas 7. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Roll out the pastry to about 36 x 23cm (14 x 9in), then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of icing sugar. Cut into 16 equal-size rectangles. Place on the baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes until risen and golden. Cut into two lengthways and leave to cool.
Mix together the mascarpone, fromage frais, 50g (2oz) icing sugar and the lemon zest. Chop one third of the strawberries and stir into the mascarpone.
Put the remaining strawberries in a food processor with the caster sugar and lemon juice and whizz to a purée, then sieve.
Sandwich four pastries with three layers of the mascarpone mixture. Repeat to make eight puffs. Drizzle each serving plate with the strawberry coulis, add a strawberry puff, dust with icing sugar and serve immediately.

Cook’s tips
Vary the fruits depending on what’s in season; autumn blackberries with a little chopped fresh mint, or forced rhubarb mixed with frozen strawberries in early spring.

All of these recipes are taken from our iconic cookbook; Dairy Diary Favourites, which is available to buy here for just £8.25.

Use the code DDPR and you can get free P&P (a little Easter treat from us).

A classic for Easter.

Simnel Cake

Servings: 11
Time: 30 mins prep, 2¼ hours cooking
Print

Calories 722 per portion
Fat 30g (13.2g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians

Ingredients

Butter 250g (9oz), softened
Light muscovado sugar 250g (9oz)
Eggs 4
Plain flour 300g (11oz)
Baking powder 1 tsp
Ground mixed spice 2 tsp
Ground almonds 50g (2oz)
Luxury dried mixed fruit 500g (1lb 2oz)
Lemon 1, finely grated zest and 2 tbsp juice
White marzipan 500g (1lb 2oz)
Apricot glaze or sieved apricot jam 2 tbsp

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2 and line a 20cm (8in) cake tin with baking parchment.
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour along with each egg. Sift in the remaining flour, baking powder and spice and fold the almonds, dried fruit and lemon zest and juice into the mixture. Spoon half into the cake tin and smooth the surface level.
Roll out one third of the marzipan until it’s a circle, just smaller than the cake tin, and lay it on top of the mixture in the tin. Spoon the remaining mixture over the top and level the surface.
Bake the cake in the centre of the oven for 2–2¼ hours, or until a skewer comes out clean after being inserted into the cake. Cover with a sheet of baking parchment if it starts to brown. When cooked, remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool.
Remove the cake from the tin and peel away the lining paper. Spread the apricot glaze or jam over the top. Roll out half of the remaining marzipan to fit the top of the cake. Place it on the cake and smooth down, taking care not to trap any air pockets underneath. Pinch around the edges.
Divide the remaining marzipan into 11 pieces and roll each into a ball. Brush a little apricot glaze or jam onto the base of each and evenly space around the top of the cake. Place under a hot grill to brown the marzipan lightly. Remove from the grill and leave to cool before serving.

Cook’s tips
The cake will keep in an airtight container for up to a week.
If you have a choice of marzipan, choose white marzipan, which has a more natural flavour than golden marzipan.

Chocolate Lollipops

Looking for something to make with little ones? These ‘sheepish’ chocolate lollies are great fun. This is a Dairy Diary recipe. For more delicious recipes visit the Dairy Diary Recipe Collection.

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

#EasterRecipe

#delicious

3 Easy Recipes for Two

Enjoy a romantic dinner at home with these delicious recipes.

The starter and main can be prepared in advance (cook the main while eating your starter) and the pud only takes 10 minutes to create.

Giving you more time to spend gazing into each other’s eyes!!

Potted Shrimps

Servings: 2
Time: 15 minutes plus chilling mins
Difficulty: easy
Print

Calories 281 per portion
Fat 21g (14g sat) per portion

Ingredients

Unsalted butter 50g (2oz)
Shrimps 150g (5oz), shelled weight
Ground nutmeg a pinch
Ground mace a pinch
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Brown bread or hot toast to serve

Instructions

Gently melt the butter in a small saucepan over a very low heat. Simmer gently until a foam rises to the top then remove the foam with a spoon.
Carefully pour the clarified butter from the top into a jug and discard the milky residue underneath.
Melt half of the clarified butter and stir in the shrimps, nutmeg, mace and seasoning to taste. Spoon the mixture into two ramekin dishes and chill until the mixture has set.
Melt the remaining clarified butter and spoon over the top of the shrimps. Chill once again until the mixture has set.
Serve with toast or crusty brown bread, using the butter layer on top of the ramekins to spread on the toast first.

Cook’s tips
If you can’t find shrimps buy small prawns instead.
For special occasions, multiply the quantities by the number of people you are feeding and make the ramekins look pretty with sprigs of dill and a little caviar.

Baked Salmon Tricolore

Enjoy a romantic dinner at home with this amazing Baked Salmon Tricolore. This delicious dinner can be on the table in 30 minutes. A Dairy Diary recipe. For more delicious recipes visit the Dairy Diary Recipe Collection.

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

Fresh Fruit with Chocolate Dip

Servings: 2
Time: 10 mins
Difficulty: easy
Print

Calories 255 per portion
Fat 11g (6g sat) per portion
Suitable for vegetarians

Ingredients

Dark chocolate 75g (3oz), broken into pieces
Milk 2 tbsp
Mixed fruit, such as strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and raspberries 350g (12oz)

Instructions

Put the chocolate and milk in a heatproof bowl and set it over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir until it has melted, making sure it doesn’t overheat.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir to make a smooth thick glossy sauce.
Carefully remove the bowl from the pan and pour the chocolate into a small pot. Serve immediately with the berries to dip into the chocolate sauce.

These delicious recipes are taken from our sell-out cookbook (now on its second print run) Just for One or Two.

Find out more about this popular book here.

And happy Valentine’s Day for tomorrow!

#recipesfortwo

#valentinesrecipes

#valentinesday

#chocolatedip

Recipe of the week: Pigs in Blankets, perfect for Bonfire Night!

Wrap these gorgeous little morsels in napkins and enjoy whilst huddled around the bonfire.

Stay safe folks.

Pigs in Blankets

These gorgeous little morsels are a great snack for a chilly day! These perfect Pigs In Blankets are a Dairy Diary recipe. For more delicious recipes visit the Dairy Diary Recipe Collection.

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

Dairy Diary Favourites

is available to buy for just £8.25 and showcases 100 of the top Dairy Diary recipes from the past 35 years.

But get in quick – they’re selling like hotcakes.

#bonfirerecipes

#comfortfood

#dairydiaryfavourites

4 Brilliant Bonfire Snacks

One of the best things about our latest cookbook, Dairy Diary Favourites, is the bakes.

These best-loved tried-and-tested recipes have been cooked countless times across the land, and they are truly scrumptious.

The cookbook is crammed full of fabulous comfort food, which is just perfect for warming you up on Bonfire Night.

Here’s our selection for November 5th,
or indeed any autumnal evening when
you’re in need of a little comfort food.

Enjoy folks – I’m convinced you will!

Perfect for outdoor feasts and teatime treats, these crisp wrapped sausages from the 2007 Diary are a popular choice with everyone.

Pigs in Blankets

These gorgeous little morsels are a great snack for a chilly day! These perfect Pigs In Blankets are a Dairy Diary recipe. For more delicious recipes visit the Dairy Diary Recipe Collection.

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

Savoury Muffins

Servings: 8
Time: 40 mins
Difficulty: easy
Print

Calories 351 per portion
Fat 22g (11g sat) per portion

These fluffy muffins from 2007, flavoured with bacon and chives and served with a tomato butter, are perfect for elevenses when you fancy a savoury fix.

Ingredients

Rindless streaky bacon rashers 175g (6oz), chopped
Fine cornmeal 110g (4oz)
Plain flour 175g (6oz)
Baking powder 1 tbsp
Finely snipped chives 3 tbsp
Butter 150g (5oz)
Eggs 2, beaten
Milk 225ml (8fl oz)
Sun-dried tomatoes 40g (1½oz), finely chopped

Instructions

In a dry frying pan, gently fry the bacon until lightly browned and crisp. Leave to cool.
Preheat the oven to 220°C/200°fan/Gas 7. Line a muffin tray with muffin cases.
Sift the cornmeal, flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl, mix in 2 tablespoons of chives and the bacon, then make a well in the centre.
Melt 75g (3oz) of the butter, mix with the eggs and milk, then pour into the flour. Mix gently, then spoon into the muffin cases and bake for 15–20 minutes until well risen, lightly browned and springy to touch.
Meanwhile, blend the remaining butter with the tomatoes and the remaining chives. Serve with the warm muffins.

Cook’s tips. Unlike other bakes, muffins need only the minimum of mixing to get a light fluffy texture. Too much stirring and they will be heavy.

Crunchy Peanut Brittle

Crunchy and utterly moreish, this peanut brittle is wonderful served with a hot cup of coffee. This delicious Crunchy Peanut Brittle is a Dairy Diary recipe. For more delicious recipes visit the Dairy Diary Recipe Collection.

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

AUNTIE LOU’S BREAD & BUTTER PUDDING

Moist and packed full of fruit, you can guarantee everyone will want a second square of this bread pud from the Dairy Diary recipe collection.

CLICK HERE FOR RECIPE

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Dairy Diary Chat

Starter / snack

Recipe of the Week: Hummous