Category: Pastry

London cheesecake recipe

Is it a cheesecake? No.

Is it a cake? No.

Does it have cheese? No.

Is it from London?

Honestly, I’m not sure, but from what I’ve heard it comes from an English chap who coined it with the name when given a task to do under pressure (scroll to the bottom for the story)

Recipe!

Ingredients (makes 6 pastries, or 1 huge one)

  • 1 (or more) sheet of pre rolled puff pastry
  • Frangipane, enough to fill the pastry, 250-300g should be plenty
  • Jam, whatever you like best
  • Desiccated coconut
  • Icing sugar to make enough chocolate icing to cover the top of the pastry(s) (200-400g)
  • Eggwash or some milk

Equipment

  • Knife
  • Baking tray
  • Baking paper
  • Desert spoon
  • Mixing bowl
  • Sieve
  • Pastry brush

Prep and cooking (30-60 minutes)

  1. Start by heating the oven to about 180°c fan.
  2. Unroll the sheet of pastry and cut it in half along the long edge.
  3. Now you want to cut each half into 6, (with each half separately) cut the half in half vertically and then into thirds horizontally. This should leave you with 12 equal square/rectangles of puff pastry.
  4. line a baking tray with baking paper and put 6 pieces of pastry on it, these are the bases for your London cheesecakes.
  5. In the middle of each put about 1 tbsp of jam and flatten it a little, you want to leave 0.5-1 inch bare around the edges.
  6. Put some frangipane on top of the jam and spread out a little to cover it.
  7. Brush a small amount of egg wash/milk around the edges of put the top on each ‘cheesecake’. Push down lightly and try to make sure no filling comes out.
  8. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes until golden and risen.
  9. When they’re ready take out of the oven to cook and make the icing by sifting the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add 1-2 tbsp of water and mix, add more water accordingly but only a tiny bit at a time as it’s easy to over do. Mix until thick but plyable.
  10. When the pastry is cool cover each one with icing and sprinkle desiccated coconut oven the top.
  11. Eat one, or two, or..ten?

Where did it come from?

I first heard about this a coworker mentioned a cockney cheesecake, some kind of pastry with coconut.

After looking into it turns out he meant a London cheesecake, and after some research it seems there’s mixed opinions on why it’s given that name, a lot of people seem to think it’s because the coconut represents cheese curds.

The most amusing story I found, and is the one I always go with, is that on a trip to America an English person was asked by an American friend to show him what a cheesecake is as he’d heard how great they are.

No knowing how to make it, the Englishman went through the cupboards and put together something with what he could find, the end product was given to the American as a ‘London cheesecake’.

Or so the story goes.

More recipes soon!

Manchester tart recipe

No, not a northern woman with loose morals (or loose something), but a delicious desert!

This recipe was a request from the Facebook page (feel free to message any requests) and I’m glad it was bought up because it’s brilliant!

Ingredients (makes 1 tart, 24-26cm)

  • 500g shortcrust pastry
  • 250-300g raspberry jam
  • 200-400g fresh raspberries
  • 100g desiccated coconut
  • 100-150g caster sugar
  • 500ml full fat milk
  • 400ml double cream
  • 60-80g cornflour
  • 5 egg yolks
  • Either vanilla flavouring, essence, extract or 1 fresh pod (scrape out the inside)
  • Some flour and icing sugar for dusting
  • Some butter for greasing

Equipment

  • Rolling pin
  • Tart case, about 10 inches
  • Baking beans/rice
  • Tin foil or baking paper
  • Desert spoon
  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk
  • Saucepan
  • Bowl or container that fits in fridge.

Prep and cooking (60-120 minutes)

3. Use the rolling pin to pick up the pastry
  1. First heat the oven to about 160°c fan (gas 4).
  2. While it warms up roll the pastry out, use flour on the work surface to stop it sticking, roll it into a disc about 1-2 inches bigger than the case. Use the rolling pin to pick it up and place it in the case.
  3. Blind bake for 15-20 minutes until it’s a pale golden colour. Then remove the baking beans/paper and put in the oven for another 5-10 minutes until cooked
  4. While the pastry is baking make the custard by heating the milk and vanilla in a pan, make sure it doesn’t boil over but you need to get it heated to just before boiling point.
  5. Whilst the milk is warming, whisk the egg yolks, cornflour and sugar until thick and creamy.
  6. Pour the hot milk over the egg mixture a little at a time while whisking, then return it all to the pan on a low heat until you’re left with a nice thick custard.
  7. Put it in a clean bowl/container and dust the top with icing sugar (this stops it getting a skin on the top of it). Chill for 30 minutes or until cold all the way through.
  8. When the tart case is ready (don’t forget it’s in the oven) already the jam to cover the bottom of the pastry case and put to one side.
  9. Whisk the double cream until whipped and then mix into the custard with the coconut with a whisk/wooden spoon.
  10. Cover the layer of jam on the pastry case with fresh raspberries.
  11. Fill the case with the devilish cream custard and top with more fresh raspberries.
  12. EAT!

Serve with custard

Be careful, it’s a dangerous combination..

More recipes soon!

Frangipane recipe

Frangipane! Frangipani!

A funny name which translates to something like almond paste.

This stuff is delicious, it’s like a pastry creme version marzipan, the recipe uses almonds which is what gives it that marzipany taste.

Here’s the recipe;

Ingredients (makes about 1kg)

  • 1 block of butter (250g)
  • Either vanilla flavour, essence, extract or a fresh pod
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 6 medium eggs, or 5 large
  • 250g ground almonds

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk, an electric one will make your life a lot easier, you can get one for a fiver in most supermarkets
  • Microwave if you need to soften butter
  • Spatula

Prep (5-10 minutes)

  1. The whole things a lot quicker and easier if you get the butter nice and soft (warm) first. A microwave is ideal for this but don’t turn it into liquid, it should still hold its shape but if you put your finger in it it’ll go right through. If you don’t have a microwave just put it somewhere warm (airing cupboard) for 39 minutes first.
  2. Now you need to cream (mix) the butter, sugar and vanilla so put it all in a mixing bowl and whisk away until its light, smooth and sugary vanilla heaven.
  3. Crack one of the eggs into the bowl and whisk for another minute or so until the egg is fully incorporated to the mix.
  4. Repeat step 3 until you have no eggs left. Now put the whisk away.
  5. Sprinkle enough ground almonds to fully cover the top of the mixture in the bowl and fold it in with a spatula. When it’s mixed do the same until the ground almonds are all gone.
  6. That’s it!

What happens if you eat lots of almonds?

You will run out of almonds.

Frangipane, or frangipani, is like an almond (marzipan flavoured) pastry cream that you can use to pipe in or on to things or just as a pie/tart filling, you can pretty much turn it into a cake by adding some flour.

Enjoy! I’ll be following this up with a recipe you can use frangipani in.

Classic lemon tart recipe

Sharp and citrus! With delicious pastry.

Lemon tart (should) go down well pretty much anywhere, anytime.

This is a request from @michaelsmeatham on the Facebook page, so on to the recipe.

Ingredients (makes 1 large tart, 16 portions, or 8 large)

  • 500g shortcrust pastry
  • 8-10 eggs
  • 5-8 lemons (8 is pretty intense)
  • 250-350g caster sugar depending on your sweet tooth
  • 200-300ml double cream
  • Flour to roll pastry

Equipmemt

  • Rolling pin
  • A quiche/tart dish, around 23-28cm
  • Tin foil
  • Baking beans, or rice etc. (Dry and weighty)
  • Mixing bowl
  • Whisk

Prep and cooking (45-90 minutes)

  1. If you haven’t already, masker some shortcrust pastry.
  2. Heat oven to about 160°c fan (gas 4)
  3. Roll it out to about 1-1.3cm thickness, put in pastry case and blind bake for 15-20 minutes, I’ll upload a guide on blind baking on my next day off.
  4. While the case is in the oven get the filling ready by putting the eggs, sugar and cream in a mixing bowl and mix well, you can add a few extra egg yolks if you want it to make it a bit richer.
  5. Now zest the lemons into the mix, how many is up to you, when zesting try not to get the piff (white part under the skin and before the fruit) as it makes it more bitter, we want sweetness.
  6. Juice the desired amount of lemon juice, add and mix well. Lemon juice really adds sharpness, so you want enough to counteract the sugar but not incapacitate your mouth. At the end of it it’s all down to personal taste.
  7. When the case is ready turn the oven down to 140-150°c fan (gas 3). Pour the mixture in and bake for about 49 minutes, I set a timer every 10 minutes to check to adjust heat/turn it round if needed.
  8. Voila! Ideally you want to chill it before eating, but some things can’t be helped.

You saucy tart

Maybe not so saucy, or at least until you cook it, but a joy to eat nonetheless.

You can cut the recipe in half for a smaller tart, or you could use a cupcake/muffin tray to make mini tarts.

Having a look at the supermarkets, the price seems to range from about £2.50-£4, that’s for a regular (8 slice) tart, about 400-450g which is close enough to half the size of the above recipe.

Costing the recipe (I used tesco online for prices) the above recipe will set you back about £4.25 or about 26p a serving, giving you twice as much for the same (similar) price, and its homemade(!)

Any problems give me a shout!

Learn how to make Harry Potters favourite desert; Treacle Tart (with a hint of fresh lemon and ginger)


Get your mince pies on this, treacle tart (that’s cockney for get your eyes on this, sweetheart).

image from lylesgoldensyrup.com

A classic from way back in the 19th century; the treacle tart. Bought back to light through none other than Harry Potter, starring as his favourite treat at Hogwarts in the series of books.

Originating in England, this sweet treat was created by a lady called Mary Jewry, and contrary to common misconception despite being called a treacle tart it doesn’t actually contain any treacle at all, it’s golden syrup.

So enough chat, let’s get on with this treacle tart recipe!

Ingredients (makes 1 treacle tart)

  • 400-500g breadcrumbs
  • 800g golden syrup
  • 500g shortcrust pastry
  • 1 lemon (optional)
  • 2 tsp ginger powder (optional)
  • 1 egg yolk (optional)

Equipment

  • 1 tart dish/quiche dish
  • Mixing bowl
  • Rolling pin
  • Food processor
  • A microwave comes in handy but not essential, as is a pallet knife
  • Baking beans or rice
  • Baking paper

Prep (20-25 minutes)

1.Roll a disc of pastry
  1. This recipe requires blind baking the pastry first, so start by heating the oven to about 160°c (fan), then roll out the shortcrust pastry into a big disc, about 2 inches bigger than your tart/quiche dish.
  2. Grease the dish with either butter or oil and be sure to spread it around the whole dish. Using oil is more cost effective, but butter will give the pastry a (slightly) richer taste.
  3. Pick the pastry up with the rolling pin and place in the dish. Straighten around the edges on the inside of the dish with your fingertips to tidy it up, there should still be a fair bit of overhand coming over the edges.
3.Pick the pastry up with the rolling pin
  • Trim the overhanging edges with scissors, be sure to still leave a bit, as shortcrust shrinks when it cooks, but not so much that it touches the worktop .
  • Gently prick the base of the pastry with a fork, it doesn’t need to go all the way through the pastry just thin enough for steam to pass through.
  • Cover with baking paper then fill with the baking beans/rice and cook in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the overhang starts to colour.
Cover with baking paper,
then fill with rice(left)
or baking beans (right)
  • Remove the baking paper and rice/baking beans and you have your blind baked pastry case, ready to fill!(and eat)
  • If you want to ensure a crisp bottom, put a baking tray in the oven for 10 minutes, then put the dish on the baking tray.

Cooking (40-60 minutes)

  1. Now we have our case we can get a move on, put the golden syrup in a large mixing bowl and warm in the microwave until runny (if you have a microwave, you could make a Bain Marie with a saucepan if not or you could just wrestle with cold syrup)
  2. Juice the lemon into the syrup with the ginger powder and mix.
  3. Add the breadcrumbs and mix well until smooth.
  4. If using, add the egg yolk and mix well.
  5. Fill the pastry case with the bready syrupy goodness and smooth the top with a pallet knife. If you have any leftover pastry you could use it to decorate the top with a lattice or something but it’s only aesthetics.
  6. Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes, check every ten minutes.
  7. Engulfed yourself in the sweet delight that is Harry Potters favourite desert.

Not this tarts first time on the big screen

So it appears it’s been in films before Harry Potter, the child catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang used it to lure the kids, treacle tart loves the spotlight, slag.

I don’t know about you but I wouldn’t want to waste this luring kids(!)(I would just like to make it clear I have no intention to lure kids, I already have 1 and another on the way)

This is definitely a desert for those of you (like myself) with a sweeter tooth.

This delightful slice of heaven is best served warm or hot, with some kind of cream or custard (I recommend clotted cream or ice cream).

Traditionally the recipe contains no egg so it’s completely optional, if you made a vegan pastry then this could quite easily be made into a vegan desert.

More modern recipes also include the addition of cream, or using almonds instead of breadcrumbs, but why mess with the classic treacle tart!

More recipes soon..

Join 1,121 other subscribers

Absolutely perfect, rich shortcrust pastry


Wonderfully crumbly but still holds its shape

Shortcrust dough

I love pastry, be it shortcrust or puff. I really feel sorry for people who are (genuinely) gluten intolerant, I know these days gluten free food is everywhere but let’s be honest, it’s not the same. Especially when it comes to shortcrust pastry, that said i do have a good recipe for a gluten free shortcrust pastry which i will post at a later date.

This recipe for shortcrust pastry is great for pies and tarts or quiches. And don’t worry! Pastry isn’t scary, (ok making puff pastry can be and not to mention pointless to make, but shortcrust pastry is fine), it really doesn’t take much time at all.

The main thing to remember is DON’T work the pastry too much when mixing, this will tighten the gluten and the shortcrust pastry will go hard and tough as opposed to soft and crumbly, as shortcrust should be.

Ingredients (makes about 800g of shortcrust pastry)

  • 500g plain flour
  • 250g butter or lard
  • 1 egg yolk
  • Salt
  • Water

Equipment

  • Mixing bowl
  • Scales
  • Hands
  • Cling film
  • Fridge
  • A sieve (not essential)

Prep (35+ minutes)

  1. Start by sifting the flour into the mixing bowl and add the butter, to make things easier you can cut the butter into cubes or just warm it in the microwave until it’s nice and soft (not liquid).
  2. Rub the flour and butter together with the salt, if you’re not sure what rubbing is it’s pretty self explanatory, it’s basically rubbing 😂 just pinch it all together with your fingertips until it looks sort of like golden breadcrumbs.
  3. Add the egg yolk and mix until the fully incorporated.
  4. Now start to add a bit of water at a time (don’t overdo it). This part is kind of down to intuition but keep adding water and mixing until you get a consistency you’re happy with, the less water you use the more crumbly the pastry will be, but make sure you adad enough to hold it enough to be able to roll out.
  5. When you’ve made the shortcrust dough and you’re happy with the consistency wrap it in cling film so it’s air tight.
  6. Put it in the fridge and leave it in there (chill) for at least 30 minutes to let the butter cool down. Use within 3 days, can be frozen for about 6 months.
  7. Go make some pie, or something that involves shortcrust pastry.

Cut the cost of pastry

While making this pastry works out at nearly equal to the price you’d pay for pre-made shortcrust from the shop, this contains actual butter whereas shop made uses margarine.

So onto costing, this pastry costs £1.10 to make 500g, but if you replace the butter with margarine it cuts the cost to as little as 40-50p/500g!

I personally prefer using real butter, but if you’re looking to save cash it can be handy and it still tastes delicious, just not quite as crumbly as it would be with butter.