cake

Fifteen’s Hazelnut Torte

October 8, 2009

This is a traditional Italian torte, loaded with hazelnuts and poppy seeds, rich with ricotta cheese. It goes well with a cup of good, strong coffee. First butter and line a 28cm tart or cake tin, one with a removable base, with greaseproof paper. Toast 125g of hazelnuts in a dry frying pan over a [...]

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Pinenut and honey tart

April 26, 2009

This nearly didn’t happen. There were too many things that could have gone wrong, and most of them nearly did. Toasting pinenuts, blind baking a pastry case, the wrong type of honey… To my surprise, things turned out well, and we had a delicate and delicious dessert, sweet and balanced with a deep honey flavour, [...]

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Big crumb rhubarb cake

April 18, 2009

Main crop rhubarb is everywhere right now, it’s huge umbrella leaves weighing down thick, green and red stalks. In a month or so, the stalks will taste bitter and old, so now is the time to pick it and use it. This cake is a superb way to do just that. It’s excellent with coffee. [...]

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My only successful cheesecake, ever

April 11, 2009

My last attempt at cheesecake ended in disaster. As usual, it was my fault. The recipe called for a certain size of tin, which I didn’t have, so I used a smaller one. This meant that the filling was too thick, and it didn’t cook through. I only noticed this when I unclipped the tin [...]

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Elizabeth David’s Chocolate and Almond Cake

February 28, 2009

A superlative cake from a cooking legend. Melt 115g of good quality chocolate, along with a splash each of black coffee and rum, in a bowl placed over a simmering pan of water. The quality of the chocolate is key. High cocoa content, at least over 70% is vital. I swear by Green & Black’s, [...]

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Pickles & Potter, Queens Arcade, Leeds

December 15, 2008

I took a break from Christmas shopping yesterday for a sandwich at Pickles & Potter’s deli in Leeds’ Queens Arcade. This is the first time I’ve eaten there, as each time I’ve walked past, the queue has snaked out of the door. The place looks fantastic – a bit purposefully shabby and hippy-ish, with chalkboards [...]

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Chocolate praline truffle cake

October 27, 2008

This is a very heavy duty chocolate cake…a huge slab of chocolate punctuated with praline and nuts. There is nothing light here, but much to enjoy. A Nigel Slater recipe, from the Observer. Toast 100g of shelled and skinned hazelnuts in a dry pan until golden. Keep the nuts moving – they’ll burn in an [...]

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