Tag Archives: Recipe

Apple and Plum Crumble

Rather than make a traditional crumble mixture using flour, here oats are used as a topping. Oats are an excellent source of soluble fibre, which helps to reduce blood cholesterol levels, and as the energy from them is released slowly, you’ll feel full for longer.
Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes
Calories per portion 185 Kcal
Fat per portion 1g
of which saturated 0.2g
Serves 4
Suitable for vegetarians + freezing
Cooking apples 450g (1lb), peeled,
cored and sliced
Plums 450g (1lb), stoned and quartered
Ground cinnamon 1 tsp
Cornflour 1 tbsp
Demerara sugar 3 tbsp
Jumbo oats 3 tbsp
Olive oil spray 2–3 bursts
1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Mix together the apple slices, plums, cinnamon, cornflour and 2 tablespoons of the demerara sugar. Tip the mixture into an ovenproof dish. Drizzle with 6 tablespoons of water.
2 Sprinkle the oats over the top and then the sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Spray 2–3 bursts of oil over the top of the oats. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20–30 minutes or until the topping is a light golden colour and the apples feel tender when pierced with a skewer.
Serve with real custard sauce.
Cook’s tip
For a crunchier topping, use jumbo rolled oats or ‘traditional’-style oats, which are larger than normal rolled oats.

Rather than make a traditional crumble mixture using flour, here oats are used as a topping.
Oats are an excellent source of soluble fibre, which helps to reduce blood cholesterol levels, and as the energy from them is released slowly, you’ll feel full for longer.

Apple & Plum Crumble

Apple & Plum Crumble

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 30 minutes
Calories per portion 185 Kcal
Fat per portion 1g
of which saturated 0.2g
Serves 4
Suitable for vegetarians + freezing

Cooking apples 450g (1lb), peeled, cored and sliced
Plums 450g (1lb), stoned and quartered
Ground cinnamon 1 tsp
Cornflour 1 tbsp
Demerara sugar 3 tbsp
Jumbo oats 3 tbsp
Olive oil spray 2–3 bursts

1 Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Mix together the apple slices, plums, cinnamon, cornflour and 2 tablespoons of the demerara sugar. Tip the mixture into an ovenproof dish. Drizzle with 6 tablespoons of water.

2 Sprinkle the oats over the top and then the sprinkle with the remaining sugar. Spray 2–3 bursts of oil over the top of the oats. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20–30 minutes or until the topping is a light golden colour and the apples feel tender when pierced with a skewer.

Serve with real custard sauce.

Cook’s tip
For a crunchier topping, use jumbo rolled oats or ‘traditional’-style oats, which are larger than normal rolled oats.

Recipe taken from Hearty & Healthy Dairy Cookbook

Just One Pot flies off the shelf!

We have had very encouraging news regarding Just One Pot Dairy Cookbook this week. The buyer from Dairy Crest tells us it is flying off their shelves – excellent!

Just One Pot, Dairy Cookbook

Just One Pot, Dairy Cookbook

We have been really pleased with the book and its ease-of-use, but you never really know how well it will sell until the milkmen start taking orders. Very encouraging.

We are now putting the final touches to the next cookbook and a brand new gardening book. I am sure these will be just as popular – they are looking stunning. A big thank you to all the team – in particular Aune Butt the author of the gardening book – who have done such as fabulous job. It’s all hands to deck now to meet our print deadlines.

One of my personal favourites from Just One Pot is the excellent Thai Chicken Curry with Noodles. If you would like to try a few more recipes before buying visit the Dairy Diary website and click the sample recipes link.

And don’t forget to let me know what you think of the recipes by clicking the ‘Leave a Comment” link below.

Thai chicken curry with noodles

A fresh and mild curry with a zesty tang – one of my favourite recipes from Just One Pot Dairy Cookbook.

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 25 minutes
Calories per portion 527 Kcal
Fat per portion 26g
of which saturated 16.4g
Serves 4
Vegetable oil 1 tbsp
Thai curry paste 3 tsp
Skinless, boneless chicken thighs 8, each cut into 4 or 6 square-ish pieces
Coconut milk 400ml can
Aubergine 1, cut into 2.5cm (1in) chunks
Baby sweetcorn 10, halved lengthways
Tenderstem broccoli 110g (4oz), cut into 5cm (2in) lengths
Straight-to-wok noodles 300g packet
Lime 1, grated zest and juice
Thai fish sauce 2 tbsp
Coriander good handful of leaves, left whole or chopped
Thai red chillies 1 or 2, deseeded and finely sliced (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)
Heat the oil in large saucepan. Stir in the curry paste and cook for half a minute. Add the chicken pieces and fry gently until sealed.
Stir in the coconut milk then add the aubergine and baby sweetcorn and bring to the boil. Simmer, with the pan half covered, for 10 minutes.
Add the broccoli stems and cook for another 2 minutes. Then stir in the noodles and put the broccoli heads to steam on top of them. Simmer, uncovered, for 3–5 minutes until the vegetables are just tender.
Season with lime zest and juice and add fish sauce, to taste, and whole or chopped coriander leaves, holding some back to garnish.
Stir gently and serve in warmed bowls. Garnish with red chilli, if you like, and a few more coriander leaves and lime wedges, if using, along with the remaining fish sauce for seasoning to personal taste.
COOK’S TIP
If you like a bit more heat in your Thai curry, add some grated root ginger, garlic and sliced chillies along with the curry paste.
Thia Chicken Curry with Noodles

Thia Chicken Curry with Noodles

Preparation time 10 minutes
Cooking time 25 minutes
Calories per portion 527 Kcal
Fat per portion 26g
of which saturated 16.4g
Serves 4

Vegetable oil 1 tbsp
Thai curry paste 3 tsp
Skinless, boneless chicken thighs 8, each cut into 4 or 6 square-ish pieces
Coconut milk 400ml can
Aubergine 1, cut into 2.5cm (1in) chunks
Baby sweetcorn 10, halved lengthways
Tenderstem broccoli 110g (4oz), cut into 5cm (2in) lengths
Straight-to-wok noodles 300g packet
Lime 1, grated zest and juice
Thai fish sauce 2 tbsp
Coriander good handful of leaves, left whole or chopped
Thai red chillies 1 or 2, deseeded and finely sliced (optional)
Lime wedges (optional)

1 Heat the oil in large saucepan. Stir in the curry paste and cook for half a minute. Add the chicken pieces and fry gently until sealed.

2 Stir in the coconut milk then add the aubergine and baby sweetcorn and bring to the boil. Simmer, with the pan half covered, for 10 minutes.

3 Add the broccoli stems and cook for another 2 minutes. Then stir in the noodles and put the broccoli heads to steam on top of them. Simmer, uncovered, for 3–5 minutes until the vegetables are just tender.

4 Season with lime zest and juice and add fish sauce, to taste, and whole or chopped coriander leaves, holding some back to garnish.

5 Stir gently and serve in warmed bowls. Garnish with red chilli, if you like, and a few more coriander leaves and lime wedges, if using, along with the remaining fish sauce for seasoning to personal taste.

Cook’s tip
If you like a bit more heat in your Thai curry, add some grated root ginger, garlic and sliced chillies along with the curry paste.

Recipe taken from Just One Pot Dairy Cookbook.

Autumnal offerings

We enjoyed a pleasant walk via local footpaths recently and the children were intrigued by the fattening blackberries on their brambles.
It’s one of the first signs of autumn, which officially begins tomorrow. We will make a special trip – armed with baskets – to pick these delicious fruits when they are fully ripened. With a young toddler, I might need to consult my Dairy Diary stain removal page after our excursion!
It’s wonderful though to be able to enjoy the bounty of our countryside, from picking through to cooking and eating. I might try a bramble jelly this year and I will certainly have a go at the Blackberry and Apple Tartlets recipe – yum. Any more blackberry recipe suggestions gratefully received!
In Britain, in was once considered unlucky to pick blackberries after a certain date, often Michaelmas (29th September), as it was believed the devil would have spat or stamped on them. I don’t think I will be passing that little nugget of folklore on to my son during our forages!
I absolutely adore this season, with crisp sunny walks through rustling leaves, warming autumnal soups, the excitement of bonfire night and fireworks, and the changing colours of the countryside. I can’t wait to try leaf prints with Isaac when they start to fall from the trees – perfect for making cards for those who enjoy autumn Birthdays. It’s times like these when I love living in Britain with our varied weather and beautiful scenery.

We enjoyed a pleasant walk using local footpaths recently and the children were intrigued by the fattening blackberries on their brambles.

It’s one of the first signs of autumn, which officially begins tomorrow. We will make a special trip – armed with baskets – to pick these delicious fruits when they are fully ripened.

With a young toddler, I might need to consult my Dairy Diary stain removal page after our excursion!

Plump blackberries ripe for picking

Plump blackberries ripe for picking

It’s wonderful though to be able to enjoy the bounty of our countryside, from picking through to cooking and eating. I might try a bramble jelly this year and I will certainly have a go at the Blackberry and Apple Tartlets recipe – yum.

In Britain, in was once considered unlucky to pick blackberries after a certain date, often Michaelmas (29th September), as it was believed the devil would have spat or stamped on them. I don’t think I will be passing that little nugget of folklore on to my son during our forages!

I absolutely adore this season, with crisp sunny walks through rustling leaves, warming autumnal soups, the excitement of bonfire night and fireworks, and the changing colours of the countryside. I can’t wait to try leaf prints with Isaac when they start to fall from the trees – perfect for making cards for those who enjoy autumn Birthdays. It’s times like these when I love living in Britain with our varied weather and beautiful scenery.

Do you have a favourite blackberry recipe that you would like to share? Click the “Leave a comment” link below.

Apple and blackberry tartlets

Preparation time 30 minutes
Cooking time 45 minutes
Calories per tartlet 727 Kcal
Fat per tartlet 34g
of which saturated 20.1g
Makes 4 tartlets
Suitable for vegetarians + freezing
For the filling
Bramley cooking apples 500g (1lb 2oz), peeled, cored and sliced
Caster sugar 150g (5oz)
Lemon 1, finely pared zest and juice
Blackberries 150g (5oz), hulled
For the pastry
Plain flour 250g (9oz)
Salt a pinch
Butter 150g (5oz)
Caster sugar 1½ tbsp, plus extra for sifting
Egg 1 large, beaten with 2 tbsp water
1 To make the filling, put the apples in a saucepan, add the sugar, lemon zest and juice and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Cover the pan and cook gently until the apples are softened. Remove from the heat, add the blackberries and set aside to cool.
2 To make the pastry, sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then add the sugar. Finally, add the egg and mix to make a soft dough.
3 Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to 3mm (1⁄8in) thick. Using a 12.5cm (5in) diameter cutter, cut out four rounds from the pastry and set aside.
4 Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7. Line a four-hole Yorkshire pudding tray with the pastry rounds and fill with the apple and blackberry mixture. Bring the pastry sides in and over the filling.
5 Cover the tartlets loosely with foil and bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes, until golden brown, removing the foil after 20 minutes. Sift a little caster sugar over the tartlets and serve.
Cook’s tip
Open freeze at the end of step 4, then individually wrap in foil and freeze for up to 9 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then cook as described.
Shopper’s tip
Bramley cooking apples are best for this recipe. Choose those that are unblemished.
Apple & Blackberry Tartlets

Apple & Blackberry Tartlets

Perfect for an afternoon treat – go on, spoil yourself.

Preparation time 30 minutes
Cooking time  45 minutes
Calories per tartlet  727 Kcal
Fat per tartlet  34g
of which saturated  20.1g
Makes  4 tartlets
Suitable for vegetarians + freezing

For the filling
Bramley cooking apples 500g (1lb 2oz), peeled, cored and sliced
Caster sugar 150g (5oz)
Lemon 1, finely pared zest and juice
Blackberries 150g (5oz), hulled

For the pastry
Plain flour 250g (9oz)
Salt a pinch
Butter 150g (5oz)
Caster sugar 1½ tbsp, plus extra for sifting
Egg 1 large, beaten with 2 tbsp water

1 To make the filling, put the apples in a saucepan, add the sugar, lemon zest and juice and 2 tablespoons of cold water. Cover the pan and cook gently until the apples are softened. Remove from the heat, add the blackberries and set aside to cool.

2 To make the pastry, sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, then add the sugar. Finally, add the egg and mix to make a soft dough.

3 Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to 3mm (1⁄8in) thick. Using a 12.5cm (5in) diameter cutter, cut out four rounds from the pastry and set aside.

4 Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 7. Line a four-hole Yorkshire pudding tray with the pastry rounds and fill with the apple and blackberry mixture. Bring the pastry sides in and over the filling.

5 Cover the tartlets loosely with foil and bake in the oven for 35–40 minutes, until golden brown, removing the foil after 20 minutes. Sift a little caster sugar over the tartlets and serve.

Cook’s tip
Open freeze at the end of step 4, then individually wrap in foil and freeze for up to 9 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and then cook as described.

Shopper’s tip
Bramley cooking apples are best for this recipe. Choose those that are unblemished.

Recipe taken from Clever Cooking for One or Two, Dairy Cookbook.

Cover story

It’s been an exciting week this week as Karen (our designer) and I have been commissioning illustrators to create cover ideas for the 2011 Dairy Diary.

There are so many talented people out there is was very difficult to narrow it down to just five, who will create rough designs for our research groups at the end of this month.

Dairy Diary covers have changed radically over the last three decades, with subject matter varying from tennis rackets to teapots. We have decided to go full circle and take inspiration from the very first edition – 1982, choosing butterflies and flowers as the subject matter. Obviously the style will be radically different to the 1982 diary, with a soft and feminine feel but contemporary design.

Photography has featured on the covers of the diary in recent years, so we felt it was time for a change and illustration was the right route to take. I can‘t wait to see the designs that the illustrators create for us!

Dairy Diary Chat launch competition winners

This week’s other exciting news – we have drawn our competition winners!

Congratulations to Maisie, Christina, Clara, Gillian, Coral, Wendy, Doreen, Mike, Eve, Natalie, Janet, Aurora, Kate, Emma, Alison, Maureen, L Rose, Angie, Jackie and L Robbins. Just One Pot Dairy cookbooks are on their way to you. I hope you all enjoy the new recipes and let us know how you get on. Happy cooking!

For a taste of what Just One Pot has to offer try this delicious Onion, Mushroom & Goats’ Cheese Pizza.

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