Growing up, I never got the deal with shortbread. I always went for something multicolored or chocolatey. Thought shortbread just seemed a bit dull. But as I’m getting older (I’m sure one day I’ll also get wiser) I appreciate the sweet elegant simplicity of shortbread. That crispy crunchy melt in mouth combination, I have to confess. I’m now completely hooked. I love how easy it is to throw together too. And it always goes down a treat at coffee morning with the girls 💚

I love lemon and thyme as a flavour combination. The two are a match made in heaven. This perfectly simple, yet perfectly stunning little recipe is a good one to have at hand. And seems to tie perfectly with sunny days and spring time.

Any excuse to get me out and in to the herb garden. Those around me know I’m happiest with dirty feet and grubby knees. Thyme loves the spring and I adore the little flowers it gives.

This is my basic shortbead recipe, but I do tend to mix other flavours with different season. A few others to try are Lemon and Lavender or Orange drizzled with dark chocolate.

Recipe :

1/2 Cup Earth Balance softened

1/4 Cup Organic granulated Sugar

1 Tbs Icing Sugar (confectioners)

1Tbs Fresh Thyme

Zest of 1 Large Lemon

1tbs Lemon Juice

1/2 Tsp Salt

1 Cup Flour

1 Tbs Cornflour (corn starch)

More sugar for dusting.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Pop soft Earthbalance into a bowl and beat in the two sugars. Add the Thyme , lemon zest, lemon juice and salt and beat again. Sift the flour and corn flour together and slowly incorporate the flour into the butter mixture in two or three goes.

When it all comes to a dough pop between two sheets of baking paper or parchment and roll to about 1/4″ thick.

Transfer parchment onto a baking sheet and score into the shapes you like. I usually go with squares or rectangles. At this point give the shortbread a good dusting with granulated sugar.

Pop them into the oven for 12-15 minutes. Until golden around the edges. Leave to cool a little before cutting again and leave to cool compelelety before serving.

After spotting a conversation on social media the other day about school meals and desserts someone mentioned Cornflake Tart, and that was it. The only thing I could focus on for the rest of the day was replicating it. Work ? Yeah. That didn’t get done. This is pretty much the only fond memory of Primary school food that I can think of to be honest. The reconstituted mashed potato served with an Ice cream scoop is not quite day dream worthy…. 

So that day off into the kitchen I went. To remake this mini nostaligic masterpiece. Have to say I cheated with some pre made vegan pastry (judge me if you may).  And the rest really was childs play. Once it was ready, and my vanilla sauce was on the hob ( we had it with custard traditionally at school). I was feeling pretty smug and naturally started snapping photos and sending them to a load of other Brits out here. When it happened…. Non of them knew what it was or what I was on about ?!? I couldn’t believe it. I thought it was a British thing. Then a Northern thing? Nope. Maybe it was only served in the collieries ? What was wrong with all of these other peoples childhoods?! After another social media post it appeared my immediate school area at home knew, and some of the nearby towns. But every one else seemed rather perplexed by the whole thing…. so here to break the mystery a little. Is my very own version of a Cornflake Tart. 

This sweet sticky deliciousness is rich and cloying in that more-ish childish way. A little goes along way. Unless you’re me and just eat until you get a sugar headache. This a once in a while treat kind of dish. But if you fancy it more often… I won’t tell if you don’t. 

Don’t knock until you try it. Seriously. 

Would I ever lead you astray ?  

Recipe : 

1 pie crust 

1/3 Cup Treacle  / golden syrup 

1/4 Cup Earth Balance 

2 Tbs Brown Sugar

3 Cups Cornflakes 

1/2 Tsp Salt

1 Cup Stawberry Jam 

 I made my tart in a deep square baking dish. 7×7 but this recipe would make a 9″ no worries. I had more Cornflake mix over I made onto little nests after aswell…

Bake the crust according to pack instructions, preferably with baking beans or something to bring out a nice flat crust with high sides. As this bakes start your Cornflake mix. 

Melt earthbalance and treacle and sugar until it’s one delicious sugary sweet harmonious mix. Dont boil. Pour this over your cornflakes toss together to coat and sprinkle in your salt. Your crust should be about ready. While it’s still warm (and being careful, spread the jam out over the bottom of the crust.  Theb gently spoon over your sticky sweet Cornflake mix. Pop back in the oven for 5 minutes and bring out of the oven to set up. Leave this to cool and set further. 
I recommend a hot custard or my vanilla sauce to serve with this to send you into a complete food coma.  (You can find the recipe on my Peach blueberry crumble page).  However my friend happily munched on it without the next day and was more than happy with the effort ❤.

I am very much a Sunday kind of girl. I love Sundays. And this week, laziness was the game. Literally. Me, my book, the pool the sunshine and nothing else. Well, until I got hungry. Then comfort food was added to the agenda…

Crumble will always be one of my all time favorites, hands down ..and this one comes with the flavours of summer. Peaches are everywhere at the markets right now, from states further north. I love that my new home land is very proud of its produce and where it comes from. You’ll notice when you’re shopping, you’ll spot the potatoes are from Idaho, the peaches from Georgia or the Carolinas, the oranges of course from our very own Sunshine State. I’ve learned to appreciate these little details. And I’ve become very accustomed to it. 

Look at these beauties. Aren’t they stunning? 

You know they’re good when they’re half the size of your head and you leave a trail of juice behind you as you eat. They really should come with a sticky face warning though….
Anyway back to my crumble!   

My lazy day wouldn’t be complete without something sweet and delicious with as little effort as possible, et violà – I give you my crumble recipe. This just couldn’t be any easier.

This feeds 3ish- but can multiply easily. 
Base:

2 Peaches

1 Cup Blueberries

Topping: 

1 Cup Flour

1/3 Cup Oats 

1/3 Cup Oil – I used Avocado 

1/2Tsp Cinnamon 

1/3 Cup Organic Brown sugar.
Preheat the oven to 400°.

Chop your peaches into a 1.5 cm ish dice and mix in with your blueberries. Pop into a baking dish in a thick even layer. 

To make the topping pop the flour oats and oil in a bowl and mix until a chunky  crumbly texture. Then stir through your cinnamon and brown sugar. Tip this on top of your fruit. 

I hope you didn’t break a sweat. 

Pop this in the oven for 30minutes ish. Until hot and bubbly.

Optional Vanilla sauce : 

This basically is a mock up of a traditional custard. 

2Cups Almond milk 

2tsp Corn Flour 

1 vanilla pod 

Sugar to taste. (1-2 Tbsish)

Pop almond milk into a pan and stir in the flour whilst it’s cold. Turn the heat on low.

 Split the vanilla bean and slide a.knife along to get the caviar, pop that in the milk and then chuck the whole pod in too for extra flavour. Whisk this all in and continue to whisk the mixture until it has heated and begins the thicken. At this point whisk your sugar in too. 

Once nice and hot and thickened pull the vanilla pod out and you are ready to go. 

Ps. Cream or Ice Cream work here too. 

My friend Linda came to visit me today. What a great lady, she’s always been very supportive of my cooking and you can blame her for this blog (haha). But on a serious note , I’d like to give her a big Thank you! Linda and I have alot in common but one thing on the cards to day was our allergies !  You could write a book between mine and her allergies ! So I wanted something that was a treat for both of us something sweet to catch up over , but still safe too. It had to be Dairy  Egg, Coconut and Chocolate  free for me, and no Grains and not too much Sugar for Linda. I’d spotted a grain free brownie recipe in a new cook book I had. So now it was time to adapt it to me too and I was more than happy with the results , accomodating us both was a tall order ! But here we have it. Fudgey, Carob Brownies. With a little kick from some Tart Cherries. I have Linda’s approval that these are a winner. I hope you like them too !

Recipe:
1 Pear
1 Carton Black Beans
1 1/2 Cups Ground Almonds
1 1/2 Cups Milk of choice (I use Almond)
1 Cup Carob Powder
1/2 Cup Sweetner – Honey or Maple work best here.
1/3 Cup Ground Flax seed
2 Tbs Oil (I used Avacado)
Sprinkle of Salt
1/2 Cup Dried Tart Cherries

Optional drizzle :
1 Tbs Maple Syrup
1 Tbs Carob
1 Tbs Hot Water.

Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9×9 tray with Baking Paper and give it a good spray with oil.

Remove the Seeds from your Pear and pop it in the processor. Drain your Black Beans and add them too. Pop in your ground Almonds and Milk and blitz into a paste. Then add your Carob , sweetner Flax , Salt and oil. Give the processor another blitz. Then leave it to sit for 10 minutes. It’ll be pretty thick but this time just gives the flax it’s opportunity to bind everything.

After it’s resting time, pour into your Baking Dish. Then I poked the  Cherries into the batter lightly. But if you want to stir them in first go ahead.

Pop into the oven for 40 minutes or until set. It takes a good while so keep checking. They will still be squishy and fudgey though so don’t panic.

Leave them to cool in the dish completely before lifting out and cutting.. (It helps them firm up a little more.)

Once cooled I cut these up and drizzled with a little Carob and Maple syrup watered down. But that is completely optional as they were great without too!

Piled them high and they were ready to go!

And a lovely afternoon catchup with a good friend really made my day !