Toad in the Hole
This British classic is a staple in any British household. Consisting of the traditional ‘Yorkshire pudding’ batter and sausages cooked in one large dish, Toad in the Hole is easy to make and will have the whole family wanting more.
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
115g/4oz plain flour
Salt and pepper
4 eggs
300ml milk
2 tbsp thyme
8 sausages (of your choice)
2 tbsp vegetable fat
Method:
- To make the batter, sift the flour into a bowl and add a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Make a well in the centre of the flour and crack in the eggs. Using a wooden spoon, mix it all, and then add the milk. Mix until it is a creamy consistency.
- Strain it through a sieve so it is not lumpy. Add the thyme. Cover, and leave to stand for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
- Cook the sausages over medium heat in a non-stick frying pan until they are golden all over. Turn off the heat and set them aside.
- Put the vegetable fat into an oven-proof dish and heat it in the oven for five minutes. This fat helps the batter to rise like a cake.
- Add the sausages to this fat and pour in the batter. Immediately return the dish to the oven and cook for 35-40 minutes until well-risen and golden brown.
- Serve with black pepper and traditional British gravy.
Cauliflower Cheese
Cauliflower cheese is a popular side dish in the United Kingdom and is traditionally eaten with meat and potatoes. However, this meal pairs fantastically with Toad in the Hole, and is both easy to make and indulgent!
Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
1 head of cauliflower (broken into florets)
40g butter
40g plain flour
400ml milk
100g grated mature cheddar
Salt and pepper
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 190°C/370°F/Gas mark 5.
- Place the cauliflower florets in a pan of salted water. Bring to the boil and cook for 3-5 minutes. You want the cauliflower to still be slightly firm. Drain and stand aside.
- Time to make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan and stir in the flour. Cook over low heat for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and add the milk, a little at a time, stirring well between each addition. Return the pan to medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly! Simmer for 2 minutes, and then remove from the heat. Stir in two-thirds of the grated cheese.
- Put the cauliflower in an oven-proof dish. Pour over the sauce, making sure it is evenly distributed over the cauliflower. Scatter over the rest of the cheese, and bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling.
Jam Tarts
Jam tarts (or traffic-light tarts) are an after-school favourite in Britain and it is common to find children helping their parents make them in the kitchen. Made from a simple pastry and jam mix, these hot little tarts are a great snack to have with tea or coffee.
Makes 20 tarts
Ingredients:
85g butter
170g self-raising flour
20 teaspoons of your favourite jam
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.
- Rub together with your fingertips the butter and the flour in a bowl until it looks like breadcrumbs. Stir in a few tablespoons of water to make a dough. Roll out on a lightly floured surface and cut out 20 circular shapes.
- Put each pastry circle into an individual cupcake tin. Add a teaspoon of jam to each (not too much!)
- Take the rest of the unused pastry and cut out 20 other shapes (they can be anything you like) to act as lids to the tarts and place one onto each tart, like in the picture.
- Bake for around 30 minutes, but check them after 20 minutes to see if they are golden brown and the jam is bubbling. That is when you know they are done.
- Serve with a cup of English tea!
Traditional English Trifle
We all know that scene in Friends where Rachel makes a traditional English trifle…. with beef. This trifle, however, is meat-free and is a rich and tasty combination of cream, custard, berries, cake and jelly. Served in a large dish, this dessert is perfect for the whole family to dive into! This recipe uses pre-made custard and cake, but you can of course make your own.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
500g frozen summer fruits and berries of your choice
50g caster sugar
500ml apple juice (if you buy pre-made jelly you don’t need to buy this)
5 leaves of beef/vegetable gelatine (or pre-made jelly!)
250g madeira/sponge cake
250g mascarpone cheese
500ml vanilla custard (or you can make your own!)
300ml whipping cream
Method:
- To make homemade jelly: put the fruit in a saucepan, add the sugar and cook gently until it is like syrup. Remove half the berries to a bowl and set them aside.
- Add the apple juice to the fruit in the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Taste the fruit, and add more sugar if necessary. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Soak the gelatine leaves in a bowl of cold water for five minutes until soft. Lift the gelatine out of the water and squeeze out the excess liquid. Add the gelatine to the fruit in the pan and stir until it has completely dissolved. Remove from the heat and transfer this jelly mix to another bowl. Allow to cool and then chill in the fridge until it has set to a wobbling jelly.
- If you’re using pre-made jelly, just follow the packet instructions.
- Cut the pre-bought or pre-made cake into 1cm slices. Layer the cake in a dish (approximately 20cm/8in diameter) in this order: cake, jelly, fruit.
- For the custard layer: put the mascarpone cheese into a large bowl and then add the custard. Whisk together until creamy and smooth. Spoon this mixture over the fruit and sponge.
- Whip the cream until you see soft peaks and spoon this all over the top of the trifle.
- Chill the trifle for an hour before serving. Add some more fruit to the top for decoration.