Wild mushroom vol-au-vents
Makes: 12
Prep time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 25 mins
For the cases
*12 frozen vol-au-vent cases
*1 medium egg, beaten
For the filling
*A knob of butter
*A drizzle of vegetable oil
*1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
*200g wild mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
*2tbsp crème fraîche
*2tsp Dijon mustard
*Leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme, plus extra to garnish
*Salt and freshly ground black pepper
*A drizzle of truffle oil (optional)
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/gas mark 7. Put the vol-au-vent cases on to a baking sheet, and brush the outside edge of each case with the beaten egg. Bake in the oven for 13-15 minutes until puffed up and golden like a queen’s ball gown.
Heat the butter and oil in a pan. When the butter has melted and the foaming died down, add the chopped shallot and cook over a gentle heat for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the mushrooms and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes until golden. Stir in the crème fraîche, mustard and thyme leaves and cook for 1 minute, seasoning well with salt and pepper.
Spoon the mushroom mixture into the cooked vol-au-vent cases, drizzling with a touch of truffle oil (if using). Garnish with a sprig of thyme and serve.
Nutritional information: 97 calories 6.9g fat
Blueberry Bakewells with Lemon Syllabub
Makes: 8
Prep time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
*40g chilled unsalted butter, cubed
*2tsp golden caster sugar
*85g plain flour, sifted, extra to dust
For the frangipane filling
*40g softened unsalted butter
*40g golden caster sugar
*2tbsp beaten egg
*40g ground almonds
*4tsp plain flour
*Handful of blueberries
*Golden icing sugar, to dust
For the lemon syllabub
*½tsp lemon zest
*1½tbsp sweet dessert wine
*125ml double cream
*2tsp icing sugar
*8 x 6cm mini fluted deep tart tins
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Whizz the butter, sugar and flour in a food processor until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Drizzle in 1-2tsp of cold water and whizz again until the mixture starts to come together. Tip the pastry on to a board and bring together with your hands. Knead it very lightly until it comes together in a ball, then shape into a flat disc, wrap in greaseproof paper and chill for 10 minutes.
Divide the pastry into 8 pieces and roll each piece out on a lightly floured surface to fit each tart tin. Prick the bases with a fork and freeze for 10 minutes.
For the filling, beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the egg and beat again. Fold in the ground almonds and flour. Divide the filling equally among the pastry cases, and top with blueberries. Place the tart tins on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a wire rack.
Now you can make the syllabub. Whisk all the ingredients together in a bowl until thickened and softly whipped. Serve with the tarts.
Nutritional information: 267 calories 20g fat
Savoury English mini muffins
Makes: 24
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
*40g salted butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing
*225g self-raising flour
*½tsp salt
*½tsp ground white pepper
*100g finely chopped ham
*20g Cheddar, finely grated
*1tsp English mustard powder
*1tbsp freshly chopped parsley
*150ml natural yoghurt
*1 large egg
*100ml milk
For the filling
*60g softened salted butter
*Couple of dashes of cayenne pepper
*A box of cress
*24-hole mini-muffin tin
*Piping bag and star nozzle
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6. Grease the mini-muffin tin with butter. Sift the flour into a bowl. Add the salt, pepper, ham, cheese, mustard powder and parsley. Toss together.
Tip the cooled, melted butter, yoghurt, egg and milk into a bowl. Beat well. Make a hole in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the wet mixture. Combine using firm, fast strokes with a large metal spoon.
Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove, leave to cool for 1-2 minutes, then use a spatula to gently prise the muffins out of the tin. Leave to cool completely on a wire rack.
Beat together the butter and cayenne pepper. Slice the top off each mini muffin and put the tops aside. Pipe a rose of cayenne butter on top of each muffin, then top with some cress and replace the muffin hat.
Nutritional information: 80 calories 4.5g fat
Recipes from Miss Hope’s Teatime Treats by Hope and Greenwood (Ebury, £12.99). Fabulous readers can buy the book for the special price of £9.99, including free UK P&P. To order,
please call 01206 255 800 and quote the reference “Fabulous”. Offer valid until July 31, 2012.
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