Recipe | Baked Pear Pies

Photography by Kym Grimshaw

Making little pastry leaves to go on a pie is a core memory for many of us. There is something about adding small artistic touches that elevates food out of functionality and into aesthetically-pleasing fabulousness.

Serves 4

For the pastry
225g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
120g fridge-cold butter, grated
2 tbsp icing sugar
Pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten with 2 tsp very cold water

For the pies
4 pears
2 tbsp milk, for glazing
Crème fraîche, for serving
Maple syrup, for drizzling

1 First, make the pastry. Put the flour in a bowl and add the grated butter. Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs.

2 Mix in the icing sugar and salt followed by the beaten egg mixture. Combine to make a rough dough using a table knife then turn out the pastry onto a work surface and bring it together into a ball. Wrap in cling film and put in fridge for 30 mins.

3 Preheat the oven to 175C/Fan 155C/ Gas 4.Peel and halve the pears, leaving the stem intact. Use a small knife to scoop out the core and seeds. Place flat side down on a baking sheet lined with baking paper.

4 Roll out your pastry so that it’s around 5mm thick. Cut it into four equal squares and place over each pear – they should be big enough to fit over a pear half. Cut away the pastry from the edge of each pear.

5 Make a couple of slits into the top of the pastry and use the pastry you cut away to create leaves. Attach these to the top of the pears with a little milk and then brush all over.

6 Bake for 20 mins.

7 Let the pies cool on the tray and then transfer them to serving plates, pastry side down. Top with crème fraîche and drizzle with maple syrup.

This recipe is just one of the ideas from our October issue’s Kitchen Therapy pages, which also include recipes for a Turmeric & Ginger Tonic, Mushroom Risotto with Crispy Sage, Cardamom Knots and Seed & Nut Brittle, alongside ideas for seasonal ways to pass the time while the oven is doing its work. The recipes are by Lottie Storey and the photography is by Kym Grimshaw.

Buy this month's The Simple Things -buy, download or subscribe

More dishes to celebrate autumn…

More from our blog…

Recipe | Maritozzi (cream buns)

The cream-filled buns from Roma are having a bit of a moment right now. These mini versions work for breakfast, brunch, afternoon tea, merenda (snack), Tuesdays, etc…

Makes 12

4g fast action dried yeast (or 8g fresh yeast)

125ml whole milk, warmed to about 37°C

250g strong bread flour or Italian 00 flour, plus extra for dusting

50g caster sugar

1 large egg yolk

25ml neutral oil

1 tsp vanilla extract

Zest of 1 orange, coarsely grated

for the sugar glaze:

25g golden caster sugar

½ tsp sea salt

for the filling:

225ml whipping cream

2 tsp icing sugar

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 Make a sponge starter by mixing the yeast with the warmed milk until it’s dissolved, then mix in half the flour and sugar. Mix well by hand with a whisk, cover, and leave for 1 hr until risen, spongy and bubbly.

2 Combine all the remaining ingredients with the sponge starter and add the remaining flour, little by

little, mixing to a non-sticky dough.

3 Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for at least 10 mins until smooth.

4 Return the dough to a clean bowl, cover, and leave until doubled in size. Depending on the temperature, this will take about 1 hr at a room temp.

5 Knock back the dough and shape into a round, then divide into 12 even pieces (or weigh into 30g portions). Shape each piece into an oval by firstly rolling into a ball and very lightly pinching the dough underneath for a smooth shape. Place the dough ovals on 2 baking sheets lined with baking paper, not too close as they expand. Cover and leave to rise for 40 mins.

6 Preheat the oven to 200C/ Fan 180C/Gas 6. Bake the buns for 10 mins, or until golden brown.

7 For the glaze, place the sugar and salt in a pan with 2 tablespoons of water. Heat gently until the sugar’s dissolved and the glaze has thickened. Brush it over the buns straight from the oven and leave to cool on a rack.

8 Meanwhile, whip the cream with the icing sugar and vanilla until thickened. With a bread knife, slice each bun down the middle. Fill a piping bag with the cream and pipe it into each bun. Use a small palette knife to scrape the cream smooth and to give the maritozzi their recognisable finish.

Cook’s note: For other fillings, try pistachio cream mixed with cream, a chocolate cream or Nutella. Press the likes of strawberries, freeze-dried raspberries, chocolate or chopped nuts into the surface as decoration.

These cream buns are taken from Dolci Italiani by Ursula Ferrigno. Photography: Clare Winfield (Ryland Peters & Small).

More cakes for every day…

More from our blog…

Tipple | Warm Apple Cider with Lemon & Rosemary

Serve outdoors as the weather determines – warm if there’s a nip in the air, or over ice if the sun still is shining.

Serves 6

100g caster sugar
3 slices ginger
1 ltr medium dry cider
200ml freshly pressed apple juice
Juice of half a lemon
6-8 sprigs of rosemary, to serve

1 Make a syrup by heating the sugar and ginger with 50ml of water over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove the ginger and set aside.

2 Combine the other ingredients in a pan and heat gently. Add half the sugar syrup and taste, keep adding until you reach the desired sweetness.

3 Gently bruise the base of each rosemary sprig to release the flavour, add one to each glass and fill.

This recipe is taken from our September ‘Gathering’ pages, which this month takes the form of a menu for an allotment lunch with friends using grown-yourself veg. The menu includes Grilled Padron Peppers, Mackerel Pate, Courgette Feta Mint & Pine Nut Tart, Apple Kohlrabi & Salad, Tangy Tomato Chutney and a Plum & Almond Traybake. Recipes & styling by Anneliese Klos and Liz Boyd. Photography: by Urszula Soltys.

Buy this month's The Simple Things -buy, download or subscribe

Recipe | Greek Panzanella

This is a delicious merging of the Greek and Italian classics. Key ingredients include ripe, juicy, sun-kissed tomatoes, bread and olive oil with vinegar to bring it all together. Feel free to embellish with additional veg or fruit (a hint of peach or a few raspberries, perhaps) and fresh herbs, or scale it back to its bare bones with just dressed tomatoes and bread.

Serves 4

1 red onion, thinly sliced

1kg tomato (try a mix of colours)

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

Olive oil

2 slices pita bread or sourdough, stale or toasted

1 cucumber, thinly sliced

4 tbsp pitted olives or 2 tbsp capers (or a combination)

400g feta

Large handful of fresh herbs (such as dill, mint, basil, parsley, coriander, chervil and chives), finely chopped

1 Place the sliced onions in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. Leave to soak and soften while
you make up the rest of the salad.

2 Slice the tomatoes (or halve if they’re cherry tomatoes). Sprinkle with a pinch of the fresh herbs (finely chopped) as well as a pinch of salt and pepper. Splash the vinegar over. 

3 Tear the bread into bite-sized pieces – you can give it a quick flash in the oven to toast it gently first. Mix the bread through the tomatoes, drizzle with olive oil and arrange the mixture on a serving platter. 

4 Tuck the cucumber slices into the mix, arranging evenly over the top. 

5 Drain the onions and add them to the salad, along with the herbs. Gently fold through the mix and
dot the olive and/or capers on top.

6 Crumble the feta into bite-sized pieces and dot over the top. Season the salad with a good twist of black pepper and a last drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for up to 24 hours (bringing to room temperature before serving).

This recipe is just one of the ideas from our September Home Economics pages, which is all about the mighty tomato. You can also learn how to make gazpacho, cherry tomato bombs, pan con tomate and fermented ketchup. The recipes are by Rachel de Thample and the photography is by Ali Allen.

Buy this month's The Simple Things -buy, download or subscribe

More recipes for salad days…

More from our blog…

Recipe | Fig & Goat's Cheese Filo Bundles

Photography by Kym Grimshaw

It’s the crunch of the filo pastry that’s worth paying attention to – and, of course, the peppery fig, cheese and walnut filling. Eat them al fresco so that any crumbs can be left for the birds.

Makes 12

You will need

12 large figs

250g soft goat’s cheese

4 tsp black peppercorns

100g walnuts, chopped

12 large filo pastry sheets

100g butter, melted

Handful chives

To make

1 Preheat your oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6 and line two baking trays with baking paper.

2 Remove the stems from the figs and score a deep cross in the top of each one, cutting about two-thirds of the way down. Gently squeeze the base of each fig to open them up slightly.

3 Remove the rind from the goat’s cheese and grind the black pepper. Mix together with the walnuts before dividing the mixture evenly between the figs. Try to get it as deeply into the fig as you can before squeezing the sides back up around it.

4 Divide each filo sheet into four and stack them up, sandwiched with a light layer of melted butter. On each stack, place a fig in the centre and then gather the pastry up around the sides of the fig, pressing to keep each one together.

5 Transfer the bundles to the baking trays and bake for 12-15 mins, or until the bundles are golden brown.

6 Allow to cool for 5 mins before scattering with the chives and serving while still warm.

While you wait…

While the filo bundles are in the oven, here’s a little mini project to keep your creative mind busy.

Fig leaves may get overshadowed by the fruit but they’re beautiful in their own right. Here, they take centre stage in a printmaking project that anyone can try. They make lovely labels for fig jam, too.

You will need:

Water-based acrylic paint

Palette or dish

Paint brushes or sponges

Fig leaves

Newspaper or scrap paper

Thick paper or card

How to make

1 Squeeze a little paint onto your palette. Using a paint brush or sponge, gently daub a fig leaf with paint until you have fully covered the stems and veins well.

2 Do a test print by placing the leaf paint-side down onto some newspaper or scrap paper. Place another piece of newspaper or scrap paper over the top side of the leaf and then press hard enough that the paint transfers from the leaf to the paper. Remove the top sheet and peel away the leaf. If the details of the leaf are lost, try using less paint or lighter pressure. If the print looks faint, increase the amount of paint or press more firmly.

3 Once you’re happy with the end result, begin printing onto your paper or card. Leave to dry thoroughly. These prints work beautifully as labels for the blackberry and fig leaf jam. Simply make a small hole in one corner, write onto the plain side, and attach to the jar with twine or string.

The recipe and project above are both taken from our August issue’s ‘Kitchen Therapy’ feature, which focuses on seasonal makes as well as making the most of simple kitchen tasks. The recipes and ideas are by Lottie Storey and the photography is by Kym Grimshaw.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More projects for summer…

More from our blog…

Tipple | Strawberry & Mint Lemonade Cocktail

Fruity and refreshing, just what’s needed as the sun sinks below the horizon

Serves 6

175g caster sugar

Small handful mint leaves, washed

400g strawberries, hulled and

quartered

200ml freshly squeezed lemon

juice (4-5 lemons)

Ice

Small measure of gin or vodka

per person (optional)

Strawberries, lemon slices and

mint leaves, to garnish

1 Gently bring the sugar, 1 litre of water and the mint leaves to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar has fully dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mint to infuse and the sugar syrup to cool.

2 Meanwhile, purée the strawberries in a blender and, if you’d prefern a smooth purée, strain it through a fine sieve to remove any seeds.

3 Combine the strawberry purée and sugar syrup in a large jug, add the lemon juice, and stir to combine.

4 To serve, pop a couple of ice cubes in each glass and pour the fruity cocktail over – you can also add gin or vodka for an alcoholic version. Garnish with strawberries, lemon slices and/or mint leaves.

Bartender’s note: This also works well with watermelon flesh or peaches.

This tipple is just one of the ideas from our August issue’s ‘Gathering’ feature, which this month is a picnic on the beach at sundown. The recipes are by Catherine Frawley and the photography is by Lisa James.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More drinks for summer evenings…

More from our blog…

Recipe | Seeded Grissini

Photography by Kym Grimshaw

Rolling stretchy dough gives a connection to your cooking – really feel the breadsticks take shape under your hands and let go of any idea of perfection. Let them be imperfectly wonky. If you’ve never made breadsticks from scratch before, you’ll be surprised by how easy and delicious they are.

Makes 16-20 breadsticks

250g bread flour

1 tsp instant yeast (or active dry yeast)

1 tsp fine salt

60ml olive oil (or extra virgin olive oil)

2-3 tbsp seeds (poppy seeds, sesame or chia seeds)

1 Combine the bread flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Pour in 135ml lukewarm water and the olive oil, then mix until you have a dough.

2 On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for two mins, or until it’s smooth, elastic and easy to work with.

3 Place on a 30cm x 20cm baking tray which has been lined with baking paper and flatten the dough into a rectangle that fills the tray.

4 Brush the dough with a little olive oil and sprinkle over the seeds. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place to rise for about an hour.

5 When ready, preheat the oven to 205C/Fan 185C/Gas 6. Once the dough has risen, use a pizza cutter to slice it lengthways into strips – around 1.5cm wide. You should get about 16-20 breadsticks.

6 Transfer each strip to one of two lined baking sheets, gently stretching each strip until they are a little longer but not too thin.

7 Bake for 15-20 mins, checking they don’t catch or burn, the transfer to a wire rack to cool.

This recipe is from our Kitchen Therapy feature in the June issue of The Simple Things, called ‘Take It Outside’ - a collection of recipes and projects that can all be done (at least partially) en plein air, including Pavlova with Berries & Rose Petal Cream, Blossom Ice Cubes, Lemon Possets, Whipped Feta Dip with Hot Honey & Crudites and Almond Presse. The recipes are by Lottie Storey and the photography by Kym Grimshaw.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More homemade snacks…

More from our June issue…

Recipe | Veggie Picnic Pie

Everybody loves a slice of pie, and this shortcrust pastry packed full of veggies is certain to
be a winner at any picnic

Serves 8

6 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion, peeled and finely sliced 

2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced

250g spinach, washed 

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 

1 large butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and cut into 1-2cm cubes 

1 sweet potato, peeled and cut
into cubes 

2 courgettes, ends cut off and roughly chopped

1 large aubergine, ends cut off and roughly chopped 

1 red pepper, stalk removed, deseeded and roughly chopped

2 x 320g packs of shortcrust pastry

100g parmesan cheese 

1 lemon, zested 

125g soft goat’s cheese

1 egg

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/Fan 180C/Gas 6. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a frying pan and gently fry the onion and garlic for about 10 mins, or until it starts to turn translucent. In the final minute, add the spinach and stir until it wilts. 

2 Add the chopped sage and apple cider vinegar and stir through. 

3 Place the squash and sweet potato in a large roasting tin with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, season and roast
for 45 mins, or until soft. 

4 Place the courgettes, aubergine and pepper in a large roasting tin. Season and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Roast for 35 mins, taking out halfway through to stir the veg, which ensures even cooking and stops them from sticking together. 

5 Combine the two pastry packs into one big ball and divide into one large piece (two-thirds) and one smaller piece (one-third). On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the larger piece into a circle a few millimetres thick, then place into a greased 23cm cake tin, letting it hang slightly over the sides.

6 Fill the base with the cooked onion, garlic and spinach. 

7 Grate half the parmesan on top and add half the lemon zest, then season. 

8 Crumble half the goat’s cheese over the filling, then add the roast peppers, aubergines and courgette, followed by the roasted sweet potato and squash. Grate the remaining parmesan and add the rest of the
zest before seasoning once again. Break up the remaining goat’s cheese over the top. 

9 Crack the egg into a small bowl, whisk it with a fork and use a pastry brush to spread the egg around the rim of the pastry. Roll the smaller pastry piece into a circle and place on top of the pie, pinching the edges together to seal the top and sides. Use your fingers to create a scalloped pattern around the rim. Brush the top with the rest of the beaten egg and make a small 2cm incision in the middle of the pastry top to allow the steam to escape during baking. 

10 Bake the pie for 40-45 mins, or until the pastry crust turns golden. Remove the pie from the oven
and place on a cooling rack. It can be served warm or cold.

This recipe is from our feature ‘All Out For Tea’ from our June issue, which features recipes and ideas for an afternoon of picnicking while watching cricket. As well as this delicious picnic pie you’ll find recipes for Homemade Lemonade, Cucumber Skewer Sandwiches, Sweet Potato & Feta Rolls, Ploughman’s Sandwiches and a Lemon & Raspberry Cake. The recipes are by Kay Prestney and the Photography by Rebecca Lewis.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More picnic inspiration…

More from our blog…

Recipe: A wild midsummer cocktail

Celebrating the solstice tonight? You can whip this cocktail up quickly or take your thyme and make the syrup, too. Happy Litha!

Serves 1
30ml thyme syrup* (that you prepared earlier) or simple syrup
(if you didn’t)
2 sprigs lemon thyme (if you haven’t made the thyme syrup)
2 large or 3 medium strawberries, washed and sliced
60ml white rum, vodka, or gin
22ml freshly-squeezed lemon juice
soda water
ice cubes

Garnish
lemon thyme sprig, sliced
strawberry
lemon wheel
straw

Tools
muddler
cocktail shaker with strainer
collins glass

1 Fill the glass with ice. If you haven’t made thyme syrup (below), smack 2 fresh sprigs of thyme between your palms to release the essential oils. Drop into the cocktail shaker with a dash of simple syrup.

2 If you have made thyme syrup, skip the step above and instead muddle the strawberry slices thoroughly with a dash of the thyme syrup in the shaker, to release all the strawberry juice. If you like, you can let them sit for about 30 mins to macerate slightly.

3 If you’re using fresh thyme, add strawberries now and muddle as above. For both methods, pour the rest of the thyme or simple syrup and your remaining ingredients (except the soda water) into the shaker.

4 Fill it two-thirds of the way up with ice, cover and shake hard for 20 seconds. Strain the mixture into the glass of ice. Don’t worry about tiny bits of thyme; they look attractive.

5 Garnish with a fresh sprigs of lemon thyme, strawberry slices, and a lemon wheel. Add the soda water and a straw.

*Thyme Syrup (for the Strawberry Lemony Heaven cocktail)

Makes approximately 250ml

250ml water
200g caster sugar
4 sprigs thyme, each about the length of a finger

Equipment
Sealable, heatproof presentation bottle, sterilized

1 Stir the water and sugar together in a non-stick pan over a low heat and let simmer for 2 mins.

2 Smack the unwashed thyme between your palms to release the oils and drop them into the pan. Immediately remove the pan from the heat. Let the thyme infuse for 10 mins.

3 While still piping hot, strain the liquid into a wide-mouthed pitcher, then funnel into the sterilized presentation bottle and seal.

4 Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More cocktail recipes…

More from our blog…

Cocktail recipes from Wild Cocktails from the Midnight Apothecary by Lottie Muir (CICO Books, £16.99). Over 100 recipes using home-grown and foraged fruits, herbs and edible flowers. www.thecocktailgardener.co.uk

Recipe | Chopped Salad

Photography by Hugh Johnson

This recipe is all about the crunch. Thanks to the red cabbage and beetroot, it’s striking, too.

Serves 4–6

3 radishes, finely chopped

1 celery stalk, finely chopped

¼ red or white cabbage, finely chopped

2 gherkins, finely diced

1 mini cucumber or ¼ cucumber, diced

2 cooked beets, diced

1 spring onion, finely chopped

1 apple, finely chopped, tossed

with the juice of ½ lemon

For the dressing:

½ lemon, juiced

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp creamed horseradish or

wholegrain mustard

1 tsp thyme leaves

½ tsp sugar

1 Start by making the dressing. Place the lemon juice, olive oil, creamed horseradish or mustard, thyme leaves and sugar into a jar. Screw on the lid and shake well to combine. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

2 Mix the salad ingredients together in a large serving bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss to coat thoroughly. Serve immediately.

Taken from The Kew Gardens Salad Book by Jenny Linford (Kew Publishing). Recipe photography: Hugh Johnson. For more salads from Kew, don’t miss our feature, Salad Days, in our June issue.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More salads to try…

More from our June issue…

Recipe | Spring Beans on Toast

The classiest kind of beans on toast – using broad beans and elderflower as the secret stars.

Serves 4

1.5kg broad beans in pods

Bunch of fresh mint leaves, chopped

Bunch of fresh chives, chopped

115g ricotta cheese

1 lemon, zested

4 slices sourdough bread

Fresh chive flowers, optional

For the elderflower dressing:

2 tsp djion mustard

2 tsp honey

2 tbsp elderflower vinegar

100ml olive oil

To make

1 Pod the broad beans and bring a pan of water to the boil. Add the beans and cook for about 3 mins.

2 Drain the beans and skin them if the beans are large. Place in a bowl, adding chopped mint and chives.

3 To make the dressing, place the mustard, honey and vinegar into a mixing bowl and season with

salt and pepper. Whisk together and slowly pour in the oil, whisking until it becomes emulsified. Taste

the dressing and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Add enough to coat the broad beans and herbs.

4 Mix the ricotta cheese with the lemon zest and season to taste.

5 Toast the bread and spread with ricotta cheese before spooning the beans on top. Drizzle with dressing and top with chive flowers, if using.

This recipe is taken from our feature, Respect Your Elders, in our May issue, which includes lots of recipes for using elderflowers, including cakes, cordials, curd and vinegar. The recipes are by Philippa Vine and photography by Anna Rubingh.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More things to forage…

More from our blog…

Recipe | Bakewell Tart Squares

These sweet squares can be eaten on the hoof or while reclined on a picnic blanket. Cream optional but very much recommended

Serves 6-8

For the pastry:
150g butter or margarine (margarine makes an easier to handle pastry, but use butter if you prefer)
300g plain flour
50g caster sugar
1 egg

For the filling:
5 tbsp raspberry jam
200g raspberries
250g butter, softened
250g ground almonds
250g caster sugar
5 eggs
50g flaked almonds

To serve:
Icing sugar
Whipped cream
Mint leaves

1 Start off by making the pastry. Rub the butter/margarine into the flour and sugar until you have a sand-like consistency.

2 Beat the egg and then bring it together with the flour mixture on a lightly floured surface to form a smooth pastry.

3 Roll the pastry out to fit the tin you’re using – you can use a 30cm diameter round tin or a 22 x 33cm tin. It should be about 3mm thick but make it 5mm if you love pastry!

4 Preheat the oven to 180C/ Fan 160C/Gas 4. Place baking beans or rice on top of the pastry and bake for 45 mins, or until pale golden.

5 Once baked, remove the beans or rice and allow the pastry to cool, although keep the oven on.

6 Once cooled, spread the jam over the base and distribute the raspberries evenly.

7 Put the butter, ground almonds and caster sugar in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Dollop the mixture into the pastry case and smooth out, then sprinkle the almonds over the top. Return to the oven and bake for 45 mins more, or until golden and set.

8 Once cooled, dust with icing sugar, cut into squares or slices and serve with whipped cream, fresh berries and mint leaves.

This recipe is taken from our May ‘Gathering’ feature, which this month is a menu for a woodland picnic. It also includes recipes for Cornflake Chicken, Egg, Beetroot & Potato Salad with Dill, Baby Carrots with Whipped Feta and Apple & Mint Punch. The recipes are by Becky Cook and the photography is by Will Heap.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More things for picnics…

More from our blog…

Recipe | Gugelhupf (Austrian Easter Cakes)

In Medieval Austria, a Gugelhupf was served at gatherings, including weddings, and it was the cake chosen to represent Austria at an event during the country’s presidential reign of the European Union.

Throughout the seasons, it’s decorated with flowers, leaves, fruits, candles or a dusting of icing sugar. Typically, it’s a yeast-based cake more akin to a bread – with echoes of hot cross bun – but some versions are more cake-like. This recipe makes mini versions, but you can also use a larger tin and bake for longer (see timings for the Nid de Pâques in our April issue).

Serves 12

2 oranges, zested and juiced

1 lemon, zested and juiced

125g raisins, currants or sultanas

125g unsalted butter, softened,

plus extra for greasing

125g golden caster sugar

2 eggs

125g plain flour or buckwheat flour

1 tbsp mixed spice or ground

cinnamon

1 tbsp baking powder

100g ground almonds

4 tbsp orange juice from soaking fruit, plus extra to glaze

 To make

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. Meanwhile, butter 12 mini bundt moulds or a single large bundt tin.

2 Add the zest and juice of the oranges and lemon to a pan, along with the dried fruit. Gently simmer

for 5 mins, then remove from the heat and leave the fruit to continue soaking while you prepare the cake mixture.

3 Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until smooth and pale. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour, spices, baking powder and almonds, and mix to combine.

4 Drain the dried fruit, reserving the liquid. Stir in the 4 tbsp of the strained liquid, to loosen and flavour the batter (keeping the rest to gloss the baked cakes). Fold the dried fruit through the cake mix, then divide the batter between the cake moulds. Tap the tin firmly to settle and level the batter.

5 Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 mins, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the middle of a cake comes out clean. Invert the tin onto a serving plate, leave to cool for 5 mins, then lift off the tin. Leave the mini cakes to cool completely, then glaze with the reserved soaking liquid. 

This recipe is just one of our Easter bakes from across Europe, which are featured in our April issue. Buy a copy of the magazine to find the rest of the recipes, including Lampropsomo from The Balkans, French Gateau Nid de Paques, Italian Crostata di Pasqua alla Ricotta and Polish Chocolate Mazurek. The recipes are by Rachel de Thample and photography by Ali Allen.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More Easter traditions…

More from our blog…

Recipe | Wild Garlic & Goat's Cheese Savoury Scones

Easy peasy and very cheesy. Slather with too much butter and dip into your hot soup.

Makes 9

350g strong bread flour

½ tsp salt

3½ tsp baking powder

100g unsalted butter, cut into

small cubes

150g goat’s cheese

50g wild garlic, chopped, saving

9 leaves for decoration

90ml milk

100ml double cream

1 egg (beaten)

To make

1 Preheat the oven to 190C/Fan 170C/Gas 5. Place the flour, salt and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and rub it into the flour mix with your fingers until it has a breadcrumb-like consistency.

2 Break the goat’s cheese into small pieces and stir gently into the mix.

3 Finely chop the wild garlic and place in a bowl along with the milk and cream. Gently blend the wet and dry ingredients together to form a dough.

4 Lightly flour a surface and roll out the dough into a square roughly 3cm thick, cutting it into 9 square-ish scones. Gently press one wild garlic leaf into the top of each scone and brush with the beaten egg.

5 Bake for 15–20 mins, or until golden brown, and cool on a wire rack before serving with lashings of butter.

These very moreish scones are just one of the recipes from our ‘gathering’ feature, Turning A New Leaf from our April issue, with recipes by Kay Prestney and photography by Rebecca Lewis. It’s bursting with wild garlic recipes for spring - just add friends and a foraging bag.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More ways with wild garlic…

More from our blog…

Recipe | Salt & Vinegar Nettle Crisps

Photograph by Ali Allen

It’s hard to compete with crisps made from potatoes but these come close and they’re a wildly healthier swap – even better if you use a vinegar infused with other wild ingredients (such as wild garlic).

Serves 2-4

A few handfuls of nettle leaves, washed, drained and dried
Drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of sea salt
Spritz of apple cider, wine or malt vinegar

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/ Fan 160C/Gas 4. Lightly oil a baking sheet and arrange the nettle leaves in an even layer. Sprinkle with sea salt.

2 Bake for 5-10 mins, checking every 2-3 mins and moving around. Cook until deep green and crispy.

3 Allow to cool, which will help them crisp further. Finish with a spritz of vinegar (ideally from a spritzing bottle), or, gently shake a few drops of vinegar across the nettles instead.

This recipe is from our feature ‘Tipping Point’ from our March issue, in which Rachel de Thample shows us ways to eat saps, buds and shoots. Photography is by Ali Allen. The feature also includes recipes for Tree Sap Syrup, CleaversWater, Wild Salad, Nettle Falafel with Lemon Balm Yogurt and Horseradish Trout with Pea Wasabi.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More things to make with nettles…

More from our blog…

Recipe | Pepper, aubergine & feta pithivier

This is a Mediterranean take on pie – a delicate puff pastry pithivier filled with peppers, aubergines and feta. It doesn’t need a hefty potato mash, but sweet potato and olive oil mash suits it very well indeed.

Makes 2
6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 red onions, peeled and sliced
4 sweet peppers, sliced
1 aubergine, diced
50g feta cheese, crumbled
1 sheet all-butter puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten

1 Gently heat half the olive oil in a pan and add the onions and peppers. Season and cook gently for at least 30 mins, stirring as you go, until the peppers are collapsed and slippery.
2 In the meantime, heat the rest of the oil gently in another pan, tip in the aubergine, and season; then cook until it is soft and has lost all ‘bounce’. Remove both pans from the heat until you are ready to fill your pithiviers.
3 Preheat oven to 200C/Fan 180C/ Gas 6. Flour your work surface and roll out the pastry until it is around half the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut out two circles, around 15cm across, and two more, around 17cm across.
4 Lay baking parchment onto a baking tray and then place the smaller circles on it. Divide the pepper and onion mixture between them, placing it centrally, and then do the same with the aubergine. Sprinkle feta on top.
5 Paint egg around the exposed edge of the pastry, then drape the larger circle of pastry over the mound and trim any excess. Paint egg all over the mound, then use a sharp knife to make a pattern on top. A small hole at the top will help steam to escape.
6 Bake for 35–45 mins, or until the pastry is crisp and browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.

This recipe was first published in issue 69 of The Simple Things. National Pie Week runs from 3-9 March. To mark it, we have collated some of favourite Simple Things pies from across the years in our March issue. Pick up a copy to find the other recipes, which include Chicken & Mushroom Pie, Spanakopita, Fish Pie with Crunchy Salmon & Leek Topping, Picnic Pie and Pork & Egg Lattice Pie.

More from the March issue…

More pies…

Tipple | Orangey Hot Chocolate

Hot chocolate’s great, but add orange (and perhaps a splash of Cointreau) and it’s hard to go back.

Serves 6

2ltr whole milk
1 large orange
6 tbsp dark hot chocolate powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp grated fresh nutmeg Cointreau (optional)

1 Warm the milk in a large saucepan over a medium heat and bring to a gentle simmer.

2 Cut the orange in half, cutting each half into half-moon slices. Put six aside and add the rest to the saucepan, along with the hot chocolate powder, ground cinnamon and nutmeg.

3 Simmer gently for 5 mins, keeping the heat low to prevent it from boiling. Stir frequently to avoid the milk from catching on the pan. Once ready, discard the orange segments.

4 To serve, pour into cups and add a shot of Cointreau for a boozy extra, if desired. Garnish each cup with one of the orange slices set aside earlier.

This recipe is just one of the ideas from our March ‘gathering’ pages, which this month is a menu for a crafternoon of ‘loose ends’ projects. It also includes recipes for Carrot & Ginger Soup, Spiced Chicken Skewers, Roast Paprika Sweet Potato Wedges, Whipped Feta & Pistachio Dip and Pear, Dark Chocolate and Cardamom Muffins. Recipes are by Kay Prestney and photography by Rebecca Lewis. Ceramics kindly supplied by Francesca Atkinson of Frankie’s Ceramics @frankieceramics.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More hot drinks for cold days…

More from our blog…

Tipple | Ginger & Maple Hot Toddy

Sweet, spicy and soothing, this cocktail also eases a sore throat and helps clear the sinuses. In fact it’s practically medicinal. Best enjoyed on a bracing walk by the sea

Makes 1 cup

3 slices of fresh ginger

1 ginger teabag

1 tsp maple syrup

Lemon slice

2 star anise

1 cinnamon stick

A shot of brandy or whisky (optional)

Place all the ingredients in a mug and top up with boiling water – use the cinnamon stick to stir it all together. If you plan to serve the hot toddy while out, make the ginger tea and add to a flask with the maple syrup and brandy or whisky, if using. To serve, pop the ginger, lemon slices, star anise and cinnamon sticks into each mug, pour over the ginger tea and enjoy.

This recipe is taken from our ‘gathering’ feature, which in our February issue is a bracing walk on the beach with hot drinks and snacks, followed by a make-ahead lunch at home. You’ll find all the recipes, including Granola Bars, White Bean Puree with Crunchy Topping, Mushroom Ragout, Gremolata and Jam Crumble Tart from page 6. The recipes are by Louise Gorrod and the photography by Emma Croman.

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More from our blog…

More tipples to warm up winter…

Cake | Chocolate Coconut Squares

When only chocolate will do, bake these moist, coconutty squares for an oh-so-satisfying
cocoa nibble

Serves 9

150g coconut oil, melted and cooled

200g soft light brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract or essence

60g plain flour

45g self-raising flour

30g cocoa powder

40g desiccated coconut, plus extra

for scattering (optional)

For the topping:

100g dark chocolate

100g soft, but not liquid, coconut oil

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160C/Gas 4. Using a little of the coconut oil, grease and line a 20x20cm tin.

2 Place the rest of the coconut oil, the sugar, egg and vanilla extract in a bowl and stir until combined.

3 Whisk the flours and cocoa in a separate bowl to remove any lumps, then stir in the desiccated coconut. Make a well in the centre, pour in the coconut oil mixture and stir until completely combined.

4 Spread the mixture evenly into the lined tin and bake for 25–30 mins, or until just firm. Leave to cool in the tin.

5 Meanwhile, melt the dark chocolate in the cooling oven, then beat in the soft coconut oil until it’s a thick icing.

6 When the base is cool, spread over the icing and leave to set. Cut into 9 squares and scatter extra coconut on top, if you like. This will keep for up to five days in an airtight container.

Cook’s note: Coconut oil can be used like-for-like to replace butter in recipes. Depending on what temperature you store it at, it can also be solid in the same way as butter. The more refined coconut oil doesn’t have a distinctive coconut flavour and so works well in dishes that you don’t want to taste of coconut.

This recipe from our February issue is taken from Every Last Bite by Rosie Sykes (Quadrille). Photography: Patricia Niven

Buy this month's The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe

More cakes for your tin…

More from our blog…

Recipe | Chocolate, Bay Leaf and Spelt Oat Cookies

Chewy, chunky cookies. Add ice cream to make it a pudding, or keep for whenever the need arises. You’re never too old for a midnight snack, after all.

Serves 1

125g salted butter

2 tbsp honey

70g light brown sugar

3 fresh bay leaves, very

finely chopped

1 egg, beaten

50g plain flour

100g spelt flour

½ tsp baking powder

85g jumbo oats

75g dark chocolate

60g blanched hazelnuts, chopped

1 Preheat the oven to 190C/Fan 170C/Gas 5. Place the butter, honey, sugar and bay leaves into a saucepan set over a low heat and allow everything to melt together. Remove from the heat and leave to cool for 5 mins, then whisk in the egg.

2 Combine all the other ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour over the butter mixture and stir together to make a stiff dough.

3 Spoon tablespoons of the dough – as many as you want to eat now – onto a lined baking sheet, leaving plenty of space between them, then bake for 10-12 mins, or until just golden on top. Leave to cool and harden a little before serving.

Cook’s note: The dough freezes well, so make as many as you want for yourself, then come back for the rest whenever the need strikes.

This recipe is just one of the ideas from our feature ‘Please Yourself’ in which Kathy Slack devises a seasonal menu to cook and enjoy alone. You’ll find the rest of the recipes, which include cauliflower, leek & mushroom bean bake, bitter leaves and fennel with hazelnut dressing, and malted turmeric milk, in our January issue, out now.

More sweet things best enjoyed alone…

More from our blog…