Georgina Hayden

Feeding since 1982

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A perfect first birthday cake, with not an ounce of added sugar

06.18.2018 by georgie // 14 Comments

I have been on a mission the last few weeks. I wanted to create a birthday cake for Persephone that is:

– not full of sugar, honey and maple syrup. That is actually free from any added sugars.

– isn’t full of weird stabilisers/ strange ingredients/ obscure fillers

– tastes delicious, doesn’t just look good

[Read more…]

Categories // Baking & puddings, Cake decorating, Celebration, Parenting, Pregnancy and Parenting

Its Chriiiiiistmas! (and that means BISCUITS)

12.16.2017 by georgie // 6 Comments

ITS CHRISTMAS COUNTDOWN PEOPLE.

The tree went up early this year, 95% of our presents are bought and wrapped, the cake is being fed, the pudding is maturing, and jars of booze are being infused. Most of our cards have been sent – I always fall at that hurdle. What else is there? Oh the turkey is ordered – 16 on Christmas day that needed sorting early. And yes, there are mince pies (made and in the freezer) and mulled wine (already being drank) but for a lot of countries it is all about the humble biscuit. Gingerbread, amaretti, melomakarona… We are big fans of a Christmas biscuit. It just isn’t the festive season in the Socratous household (and I’m sure the same can be said for a lot of Greek families) unless my Yiayia has made hundreds of kourabiethes and melomakarona. The woman is a machine; at 76 she still works like she did when her and my bapou had the restaurant, despite having just the one gas oven now and a relatively small galley kitchen. She makes baskets of biscuits for everyone she knows and for me this is one of my favourite things about Christmas. Mounds of icing sugar coating buttery crumbly biscuits with just a hint of orange blossom, brandy or honey, and the way you can never hide if you’ve secretly eaten one because you will be sure to leave a trail of icing sugar everywhere you go. Priceless and made with love. Ok that might be a little cheesy but surely this is what Christmas is about?

And if that hadn’t sold it to you, if totally submerged in icing sugar the kourabiethes last for days, if not a week or more. They are the perfect mid morning treat with a vat of hot coffee, or later in the evening with a glass of komandaria, vin santo or sherry. So if you fancy something a little different this Christmas these are for you, I promise they won’t disappoint.

kourabiethes

 

KOURABIEDES

  • 75 g blanched almonds or walnuts
  • 250 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 125 g icing sugar , plus extra for dusting
  • 2 tablespoons brandy
  • 1 large free-range egg yolk
  • 300 g plain flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 splash of orange blossom water

Preheat the oven to 160ºC/gas 2-3 and line two baking trays with greaseproof paper.

Place the nuts on one of the trays and toast in the oven for 10 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Cube the butter and place in a free-standing mixer and beat for 2 – 3 minutes, until very pale and creamy. Sift in the icing sugar, then add the brandy and egg yolk, and continue to beat for a few more minutes.

Finely chop the toasted nuts or blitz in a food processor (you don’t want them too fine/ ground), then add them to the butter mixture, along with the flour, baking powder and pinch of sea salt, then, using a metal spoon, fold it all together, until combined.

Roll spoonfuls of the mixture into balls, then mould each one into a traditional crescent shape – you could also make them into fingers, whatever you like. Place the biscuits on the second lined baking tray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly golden. This will depend on the shape and size but be vigilant, you don’t want to overcook them.

Sift a generous amount of icing sugar to a small, deep tray. Very lightly brush the warm biscuits with orange blossom water, then pop them in the icing sugar tray and toss to coat. Transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely. Store in icing sugar, they keep happily for a few days when totally coated.

Categories // Baking & puddings, Cake decorating, Celebration, Greek and Cypriot, Vegan and Vegetarian

Supper Clubs and Sweetcorn Ice cream

09.19.2016 by georgie // 7 Comments

Bib + Tucker at Palm 2

I’ve just logged in and found 3 half written posts on here… Good intentions and all that? Hey ho, in a way, its a good thing, as it means book life has been busy. Stirring Slowly is out out and there has been all sorts of PR surrounding it – demo’s, Q+A’s, podcasts etc. It’s quite strange once you’ve written a book, for me it was anyway. I put so much love and time, sweat and tears into writing, developing and testing it, that once it got released I felt a bit lost. What do I do now? I still want to talk about it, it’s the biggest thing I’ve ever done! And more than anything I just want people to cook from it and to enjoy it (seeing peoples pics of what they’ve made must be one of the best feelings). I don’t want to start writing book 2 straight away, it would feel like I was cheating on SS, does that sound strange? Not just yet anyway…  [Read more…]

Categories // Baking & puddings, Celebration, Drinks, Events, General, Main meals Tags // Gin, Ice Cream, Party, Pork, Stirring Slowly, Supperclub, Sweetcorn

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Georgina is a food writer, stylist and illustrator from North London.
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  • Prepping for some exciting filming at home tomorrow. Shredding filo for my favourite cake. Making lots of sugar syrup. If only all Monday’s were this glorious. #TavernaGH #GHbook2
  • Did the sunshine last week get you excited for spring? Just a few rays and I feel like a new woman. So much hope and promise on the horizon. 
The recipes in Taverna are for all seasons however it is a bright book, filled with Cypriot light. This is one of my favourite shots. My great great aunts hands and the cherries we picked from her garden in the Troodos mountains.  I love how much of a collaborative process writing the book was. I asked for everyone’s stories; precious memories from my mum and aunt, to my uncle who’s a priest (he makes a cameo in the book, one of my favourite portraits). So many stories and recipes, all thoughtfully captured by the brilliant @kristinperers x 
#TavernaGH #GHbook2
  • Lentil + caraway soup. Fried chillies, mint + yoghurt on top. Wine, bread, apple cake + putting the world to rights while the babies sleep = perfect south London Sunday. Thank you for the most wonderful day @forkietalkie, Ed + Arnie. X
  • Sunshine in the sunshine. She’s just too fabulous not to share. Happy Friday all. #PersephoneAKAhollyGolightly

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Recent Posts

  • Batch, budget cooking – Beef Rendang
  • Hayden Weekly Menu, but not as you know it…
  • Have child, will travel: The Lake District
  • A perfect first birthday cake, with not an ounce of added sugar
  • Slow Cooked Spiced Lamb Shoulder with Pomegranate

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