Georgina Hayden

Feeding since 1982

Highly addictive sea salt caramel

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This stuff is lethal. Keep a jar of this in your fridge and it will suddenly make an appearance on everything. Pancakes, cakes, sandwiching biscuits together, ice cream and cake decorating.

 

HIGHLY ADDICTIVE SEA SALT CARAMEL

  • 225g caster sugar
  • 100g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 130ml double cream
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (Maldon or Halen Mon are great)

Pour the sugar into a thick bottomed pan, and place on a medium heat. Melt the sugar without stirring (otherwise it will crystallise), giving the pan a swirl to melt evenly. Once all the sugar has melted and is a deep golden colour, stir in the butter. It will bubble up, so stir quickly until all mixed together.

Next pour in the double cream and whisk it into the caramel. Leave to bubble for a minute and then stir in half of the salt, whisk it well and then leave to cool for 5 minutes before stirring in the remaining salt. Store in a jar, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Almond brittle

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Perfect for cake decorating or crushed up like a praline. Gorgeous over ice cream…

Almond brittle
Almond brittle

 

ALMOND BRITTLE

  • 75g flaked almonds
  • 300g white caster sugar
  • bronze sprinkles, optional
  • unflavoured oil

Line a baking try with greaseproof paper and lightly grease with a little oil. Scatter the almonds over the tray and leave to one side.

Place the sugar in a large non-stick frying pan and shake it so it is an even layer. Place the pan on a medium heat and gently and carefully melt the sugar. Do no stir it or it’ll crystallise, just give it a swirl to mix all together. As soon as all the sugar has melted and is a beautiful deep golden colour, remove from the heat and pour over the almonds, so you have a large sheet of caramel brittle. Quickly sprinkle with the bronze sprinkles, if using and leave to one side to set.

Funfetti Buttermilk Pancake Stack

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Today I have my dreamboat of a mate staying for a few days, and I promised her a birthday sweet treat. When I asked her what her favourite cake was, she pulled out a pinterest board of images, and settled on a stack of strawberry pancakes. Fine by me, quick and pretty and I’m a sucker for a pancake stack. I opted for buttermilk pancakes, layered with maple cream cheese, strawberries and dollops of homemade jam. Here you have it, Miss Clara’s funfetti pancake stack.

Buttermilk pancake stack
Buttermilk pancake stack

 

FUNFETTI BUTTERMILK PANCAKE STACK

Serves 2 hungry people or 3 normal folk

For the pancake batter:

  • 150g plain flour
  • A teaspoon of hundreds and thousands
  • 1 large egg, free range or organic
  • A teaspoon of vanilla extract
  • 250ml buttermilk
  • 3 tablespoons of caster sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
  • A pinch of salt
  • 3 tablespoons of melted butter

 To serve:

  • Handful of strawberries, hulled
  • 2 heaped tablespoons of strawberry jam or compote
  • 125g cream cheese
  • 2-3 tablespoons of maple syrup
  • Hundreads and thousands, to decorate

In a jug whisk together the buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract and melted butter. Leaving the sprinkles to one side, mix the remaining dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk the buttermilk mix into the dry bowl until you have a smooth batter, then finally stir in the sprinkles last.

Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium heat and add a knob of butter. When the butter has melted spoon in spoonfuls of the batter. I like to make them pretty small, using a generous tablespoon, so there are more of them. But by all means make them larger and just less. Fry the pancakes on one side until golden, and then flip over and continue to fry until cooked on both sides. Remove and leave to one side whilst you finished frying the remaining batter.

Meanwhile mix together the cream cheese with enough maple syrup to sweeten. When all the pancakes have cooked and cooled a little, layer them up with the sliced strawberries, and dollop of jam and cream cheese in between. Sprinkle with more of the hundreds and thousands and serve.