Let me warn you: this is an unhealthy cake! Totally and utterly unhealthy. BUT if you want a refreshing flavour – especially around spring time when we all fancy refreshing things – then this is your cake.

I had a slice of this cake on a lovely sunny Saturday in February for the first time. After a huge walk in a park we had tea and a cake and although I always go for a chocolate cake, I was struck by the vivid yellow colour of this cake and made an exeption. I had absolutely no idea what it would taste like as it was not displayed but I knew: I wanted it. Badly.

How clever I was to go for it! I could not believe how nice the first bite was. ‘What’s this?’, I asked myself. It had a bit of a kick like lemon, but it was not lemon. I had to analyse every bite of it until the penny dropped: it was passionfruit. ‘I MUST make it at home’, I said to myself.

First I was looking for a passionfruit coulis recipe but I soon realised, a coulis is probably not the best for a sponge cake and the consistency of a curd would be better. I did find many passionfruit curd recipes, however, the number of egg yolks (6-8) put me off for a while. I did not give up and kept on searching until I found one which seemed to be alright. Then all I needed to do was to find a recipe for the sponge.

I hope you are excited by now, so let’s bake!

INGREDIENTS
(23cm round springform tin )
Sponge:
150g self-raising flour
150g non-salted butter
150g caster sugar (I always use less, in this case I used 90g)
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp milk
pinch of salt

Passionfruit curd:
6 passionfruits
1 egg
1 egg yolk
50g non-salted butter
75g caster sugar (I use less)
1 tsp cornflour

Buttercream:
100g non-salted butter
icing sugar

First I make the sponge. I greased and base lined the tin and pre-heated the oven 160C fan.

I mix the butter with the sugar and beat it for 2 minutes until it is fluffy. Then I add the eggs one by one. I stir the baking powder and the pinch of salt into the flour which I then add in two batches to the mixture. In the and I add the milk and stir it well.

I pour the mixture into the tin and bake it for 25-30 minutes. Once done, I set it aside to cool.

Meanwhile I make the passionfruit curd. I halve the passionfruits and scoop out the seeds into a sieve placed over a bowl. I press the juice from the seeds and discard the seeds. In a separate bowl I mix the egg, the egg yolk, the sugar and the cornflour and melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat, then wisk the passionfruit juice and the egg mix into the butter. I stir it continuously for a few minutes over medium heat until it starts to thicken, then I set it aside to cool. Once it is cool, I press the curd over a sieve to get a smooth consistency.

For the buttercream I beat the butter with a mixer for about 2 minutes until it is fluffy, then I gradually add the icing sugar. I cannot tell exact quantity as I always use less than prescribed. Once I get the right consistency (half hard), then I stop adding icing sugar.

Once the sponge has cooled down, I cut it into half, then sandwich the the cakes together with the buttercream and passionfruit curd and coat the top with buttercream and swirl the rest of the passionfruit curd on top. And there you go!

~

Attention! This cake is very refreshing! Dangerously delicious.

A pie can either be a sweet or a savoury dish in English, see the below description of the Oxford Dictionary:

A baked dish of fruit, or meat and vegetables, typically with a top and base pastry.

There are lots of different pies in England: there is the famous apple pie and other sweet pies, the cold pork pies like Melton Mowbray made with crust pastry, the meat pies made with pastry and served hot with cooked vegetables and gravy, other meat pies topped with either crust or puff pastry and pies topped with mashed potato. I think, this is to sum up the major categories, however, the reality is that there are so many more varieties of pies. Wikipedia listed 136 different pies, out of which 70 are sweet and the rest are savoury. When it comes to the origin of these pies, the UK competes with the US yet again: there are 30 pies in each country which claim their origins to be theirs. The rest of the origins come from different countries.

This time I chose the fish or fishermen’s pie, which apparently originated in the 12th century. I am using a recipe from Mary Berry with some slight alterations. I have been making this dish for years, whenever we fancied something light. It is easy to make so I highly recommend this dish if you like fish. As far as the ingredients are concerned, I do realise that it can be a bit difficult to get sea fish if you live in a landlocked country. However, most supermarkets offer deep frozen cod or hake and salmon (Tesco, Auchan etc in Hungary) or perhaps even fresh from their Fishmonger counter. You can use more cod and a little (e.g. 100-150g) salmon as the latter is quite pricy, I know. I am using a so called Fish Pie Mix which contains 390g fish: cod, salmon and smoked cod.  If you use deep frozen fish, make sure you defrost it and cut it into piecese before cooking.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2)
390g Fish Pie Mix (sea fish – cod, hake, haddock, salmon – whatever you can get)
2 leeks
2 bigish potatoes
1 teaspoon English mustard (available at Tesco)
1 teaspoon flour
dill
butter
milk
salt
white pepper
nutmeg
lemon juice

Tipps:
Grated cheese
Boiled eggs
Shrimp

I peel the potatoes, cut them into cubes and cook them in salty water. As soon as they are cooked, I add a piece of butter and mash them. Do not use milk as it makes the mash very soft and it will melt in the oven. I add the English mustard and stir it well (this gives the mash a beautiful yellow colour) then I set it aside to cool.

I peel the leeks, wash and chop them. I cook them in salty water for about 5 minutes. When done, I squeeze the juice out of them with my hands. The leeks can be done at the same time as the potatoes not to loose time. Then I prepare and chop the dill. Once done, I prepare the sauce. I melt a large knob of butter on medium heat and add the flour. I have to stir it quickly otherwise it will burn. I let it to roast for about a minute then add the milk step by step whilst I keep on stiring it. The sauce will thicken in a little while. Once I got the right consistency (in this case it is worth making it a bit thicker as the leeks will release some juice even after being squeezed), I add some salt, white pepper and nutmeg and a bit of lemon juice. Then I add the dill and the leeks and mix it well. Then comes the fish which I am just about to stir in to the mixture and then pour it into the dish. I add the mash on top and make some patterns on it.
Then it goes to the oven for about 30 minutes 180C fan. It is better to place the dish on an oven tray rather than a grill shelf (makes oven cleaning much simpler) as it normally leaks, no matter how well I sealed the pie.

Tipp: If you want to induldge yourself, add hard boild eggs cut into half under the mash and put some grated cheese on the top of the mash. If you like seafood, you can also add some shrimps to the mixture.

The fish pie has only one problem: it is impossible to serve it beautifully. 🙂

It is not complicated, is it? Trust me, you will LOVE it. Give it a whirl!

There is a saying in America, “as American as an apple pie” when describing something that is typically American. This implies Americans are extremely proud of their apple pies and consider it too has American origin. That’s not true, unfortunately. Apple pie has been eaten in Europe long before the colonisation of America and it got to America by English, Dutch and Swedish colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Where does it come from then?

The origin of the apple pie is England and the first recipe is as early as 1381. In Holland the first cookery book describing the method of making an apple pie is from 1514.

Although I am pretty sure everybody can make an apple pie, let me share a recipe I learnt here in England. You will see there are some slight differences, for example in Hungary we use grated apples, bake them in a rectangular tin and cut square shaped slices. It is different over here.

INGREDIENTS
(makes 3 little pots, for 1 big pie dish use double the amount of ingredients)

125g plain flour
115g unsalted butter
15g sugar
¼ tsp salt
icy water
3 Bramley apples
juice of half a lemon
some ground cinnamon
sugar
1 egg

First I make the pastry. I mix the salt and the sugar in the flour and then add the cold butter cut in cubes. If you have a food processor then use that it is much easier. I do not have one so I have to work with my fingertips to get a a breadcrumbs like consistency. Then add some icy water and as soon as it starts to stick together, gather it together and pat the pastry into 2 same sized balls. The dough has to chill for 1 hour before rolling, so I wrap it in cling film and put it to the fridge.

Whilst the dough is chilling in the fridge, I prepare the apples. I cut the apples in half and then take the half of either side of the core and then across the bottom of the core and then peel the pieces. I cut half a centimetre wide slices which I then put into a bowl. I add some sugar, cinnamon and the lemon juice which prevents the apple from turning to brown. I leave the apples for 30 mins to release the juice. Once done, I cook the apples just as long as they start to become soft on the outside and add some more sugar and cinnamon. This is really up to your taste. Then I let the apples to cool down.

Meanwhile, I roll out the pastry. I sprinkle flour on the work surface and rolling pin, then flatten the pastry. Working from the centre out, I roll out the pastry into a circle and put it into a bowl and press down the edges. I trim the excess. The bowls go back to the fridge to chill for 30 minutes again. Once ready, I fill the bowls with the cooled apple and put the top layer on top and tuck it under the bottom crust to seal the edges. I then brush the top layer with an egg wash and cut 3 holes so that the air can escape during baking. Bake it for 30-45 minutes 160C fan, or until golden brown. The filling should be soft when pierced with a knife. I let the pie rest and serve it with clotted cream a bit later. Alternatives to clotted cream can be vanilla ice cream, double cream (whipped) or custard.

I think it is perfect for an autumn day.

What do you think…?

Maybe most of us know that curry has become the national dish of the United Kingdom. As the National Curry Week is between 10th and 16th October, I thought it is high time I had a look at the curry.

I was intrigued, how the curry arrived in England! The first thing that sprung to my mind was that obviously it had to do with the colonisation of India which is correct. But there is so much more to know about it.

What is curry in the first place and where is its origin?

First of all the word “curry” means more things. For me curry, meant curry powder which is an invention of the West in the 18th century and it is a mixture of spices, but when I relocated, I soon learnt curry also means a dish and even several varieties. I think, curry must be similar to our “pörkölt” (a meat stew which originates from Hungary) in so far as that pörkölt can be made of beef, lamb, chicken, pork, tripe, kidney, mushroom and even catfish, just like curry which is made of beef, chicken fish or simply vegetables. The cradle of the curry is said to be the Indian subcontinent, which involves Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Srí Lanka.

I am not sure it is known how many varieties exist, as the way the curry is prepared depends on regional cultural traditions, religious practice and family customs and recipes. However, the majority of the curries contain cumin, turmeric and coriander.

I found it astonishing that curry is made in the following countries: Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, Srí Lanka, Burma, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan, Korea, South-Africa, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, the Bahamas, Fiji and of course the United Kingdom. This is 22 countries all together and we have not even mentioned the regional varieties.

The way to England

Curry arrived in England via the East India Company, or more precisely via those men who returned from India and wanted to enjoy the tastes of India. The rich brought Indian cooks with them and those who could not afford an own cook, enjoyed a curry in coffee houses: the Norris Street Coffee House served curry in 1733 in London, Haymarket and by the end of the 18th century curry and rice became a speciality dish in some of the London restaurants.

The first Indian restaurant, the Hindoostane Coffee House was opened by Sake Dean Mahomed in 1810 in Mayfair, London. Mahomed wanted guests to enjoy not only the tastes of India but the atmosphere of country as well, so he created the decor accordingly and even a room for the “hookahs”. Curried foods are beneficial and helps digestion and improves circulation, it was therefore a popular dish by 1840, however after 1857 Rebellion in India its popularity dropped.

Curry as well as Indian culture and food needed a patron and it happened to be Queen Victoria who was passionate about the country. In her last years she had a close friendship with one of her Indian servants, Abdul Karim from whom she learnt even more about India. The first Indian restaurant in the 20th century was opened in 1910 in London, called “The Shafi” followed by the Veeraswamy in 1926, which is still around today. Later, Indian cuisine and with that curry as well spread by the increasing number of Indian, Bengali and Pakistani immigrants. Although the popularity of the curry houses are declining since the 2010’s, curry isn’t. Many people started to cook it at home after realising how easy it is to make from scratch and general restaurant also have curry on the menu.

An incredibly delicious Chicken Tikka Masala

Although I have just announced last week I am not going to publish recipes, I cannot, not share this Chicken Tikka Masala one because it is SOOO good. It is unclear, where this dish originates from and there are at least three theories: 1) invented by a Bangladeshi chef in the 60s or 70s, 2) invented by a Pakistani chef in Glasgow in 1971, 3) it is an original Punjab dish. Well, no matter where it comes from, I LOVE it and although it is not the Number one anymore (the green curry has taken over), it is still incredibly popular.

The recipe I am going to share is from a Lorraine Pascale TV program, which I tried instantly, then have made it my own way since. You will see, how easy it is to prepare it and as Lorraine said, you won‘t want to buy ready sauces anymore.

INGREDIENTS
Serves 2

500g chicken breast
3 tbs tomato puree
small piece of fresh ginger
5 spring onions
1 bunch of fresh coriander
1 tsp English mustard
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp paprika
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp curry powder
1 clove of garlic
100ml double cream
salt
black pepper
some oil
a small chunk of butter

I cut the chicken breast into middle size chunks and season it with salt and pepper. Put some oil and a piece of butter to the pan and fry the chicken until it is golden brown (the butter helps to get the colour). Then I add the spices: paprika, turmeric, garam masala and curry powder and mix it well. I then grind the ginger on top and crush the garlic. Then add the tomato puree and stir it well adding some water to get a thick sauce. If necessary, add some more tomato puree and water. I leave it for 1 or 2 minutes, then add the English mustard, cream, chopped spring onions and coriander. Again, I let it cook for a few minutes and it is ready. I serve it with cooked rice and a simple tomato salsa (tomato, red onions, salt, peper, coriander and balsamic vinegar).

Hmmm, I think I need to now go and prepare my curry…

Enjoy…

This dish is very light and summery (yes, even in spite of the pastry), but could be served in any season. It is one of my favourite dishes I learnt from Mary Berry. I can remember she cooked this dish for a party and she prepared a huge piece of salmon which was then sliced for the guests. She believes, this dish is perfect to impress your guests.

As far as I am concerned, I have not made this dish for a crowd, but I did cook it for two friends of mine and they both loved it and we have it regularly with Bill, mainly at weekends because we love it. I use salmon slices as opposed to a huge salmon fillet, mainly because it is just two of us and the odd guest as we do not entertain a crowd. It is very simple to prepare it, but let’s see the ingredients first.

INGREDIENTS
2 slices of salmon
2 teaspoons of sundried tomato pesto
puff pastry ready to roll
1 egg for the eggwash

FOR THE SALAD
Mixed leaves salad
Cherry tomatoes
2 spring onions
3-4 radishes
carrot
flat leaf parsley
sunflower seeds
sliced pickled beetroot
Salad Cream

Remove the skin of the salmon slices and rinse them with water to make sure no scales are left on them.

Layer the baking tray with non stick baking parchment.

Unroll the puff pastry and roll a little longer until it is about 1.5cm longer than the fish itself. Place the pastry on top of the baking tray.

Place the salmon on the pastry and spread a teaspoon of the sundried tomato pesto on the slice of fish. Brush the edge of the pastry with the beaten egg.

Roll out the pastry and cut a slightly bigger size this time so that it can cover the fish. Lay the sheet on top of the fish and press the edges to seal. Brush the pastry with eggwash. Alternatively, you can decorate it with a little fish cut from the remainder of the pastry – I always do, it just makes it look more delicate and fun.

Put it into the pre-heated oven (180C fan) and bake it for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

As long as the fish is cooking, prepare the salad. Place the mixed leaves into a large bowl, add the cherry tomatoes, cut into halves. Grate some carrot and add sliced radishes and spring onions. Cut the pickled beetroot into cubes and add them along with finely chopped flat leaf parsley and sunflower seeds.

We normally have the salad with Salad Cream which can be purchased at the British Store in Budapest. I am not sure Tesco have them in Hungary but might be worth checking it. If not, any type of dressing would do, even a plain mayonnaise.

By the time the salad is prepared, the fish is ready and it does not take longer than 30-40 minutes to make this dish.

Isn’t it brilliant? Although salmon is not exactly cheap, I think if you want to spoil yourself (or your guests) or just fancy something different, it is the perfect choice.

Enjoy!

A friend of mine asked me a month ago whether I will cook something for Easter and post it on the blog. ‘Well, the English do not really have a special dish for Easter’, I said. This is really strange fro me as in Hungary we normally have cooked and smoked ham with hard boiled eggs, fresh vegetables like radish, spring onions, tomatoes and freshly baked bread and cakes. ‘Are you going to bake then something for Easter?’, she asked. I was not sure as apart from the hot cross buns there is no typical Easter cake in England. Perhaps the simnel cake could be mentioned, but that one is far too rich, so I would not bake it. I was struggling to find a topic for Easter anyway and asked myself the question whether I seriously should post a recipe. Because I had some requests for more recipes from Readers and because I can see in the statistics that recipes and food in general are doing well on the blog, I decided to try something new (it has been a while since there was one on the blog anyway). So, dear Trainers and Sportspeople, or those of you on diet, please look away now 🙂 , there is however a sugar-free version of this cake, too.

Although the English do not have a special Easter cake, they do have their standard cakes just like we do in Hungary. We too have our rigójancsi, dobos cake, krémes, or isler. Like us, the English too have their favourite flavours, mostly lemon, blueberry, caramel and chocolate, yet I had to think a lot what to bake for Easter. I wanted something fresh, something light which has a bit of Spring-feeling. In the end I decided to combine two of the favourite English flavours: lemon a blueberry. This was the first time I made this cake and even though I did my best, I was not satisfied with the design. The taste was fantastic, but the design (just like my photography) needs improvement. Well, next time! 🙂

INGREDIENTS

(18cm- diameter small cake tin)
For the base150g flour
110g butter
220g sugar (I use much less, almost half of it only)
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
6 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp lemon juice
half tbsp lemon zest
100g blueberries
For the frosting
100g cream cheese
100g butter
100-150g icing sugar (maybe more)
1 tbsp lemon juice
half a tbsp lemon zest

In theory, the flour, salt and baking powder should be mixed in a bowl. The lemon juice should be added to the milk in a jug (the milk becomes thick). In another bowl the butter should be beaten with the sugar until fluffy and then the eggs added one by one along with the lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla extract. Then the flour and milk has to be added to the mixture in three batches. However, as I said before, I would make a sponge in the Hungarian way like my Grandma and Mum used to do, because I bet, the sponge would turn out better and would have a better consistency. So, that means, separating egg yolks and whites, mixing the sugar, butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract with the egg yolks and in another bowl mixing the flour, salt and only a pinch of baking powder. Then adding the flour and milk to the egg yolks. Whisk the egg whites and fold it into the mix. The blueberries need to be rolled in a bit of flour and added to the mix. Then transfer the mix into a tin lined with parchment paper. Bake it at 170C (fan) for 35 minutes. When ready, remove it from the oven and let it fully cool. Once it is cool, cut it into half.

Whilst the cake is baking and/or cooling, prepare the frosting. First beat the butter for 3 minutes until it is white and fluffy. Then add the cream cheese. I would be cautious with it and would only add the half of the cream cheese to get a good consistency. Then add the lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla extract then the icing sugar gradually. Beat it until you get the desired consistency. If the frosting allows, more cream cheese can be added. Top one half of the cake with the cream and then assemble it and cover it with the rest of the frosting. Decorate it with blueberries and quater of lemon slices.

For the sugar free version, you can use 2 very ripe bananas instead of the sugar and 100ml of vegetable oil instead of the butter for the batter. For the frosting use 2 tablespoon of Splenda (more if you need it to be sweeter) and a teaspoon of cornflour. It works as well and the frosting is equally delicious. 🙂

Enjoy!

Shrove Tuesday means Pancake Day. I was at high school when I first came across this funny tradition of the English and I still remember the book we read about it: Spotlight on Britain by the Oxford University Press. Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent).

The origins of the Pancake Day

The reason people would eat pancakes on Shrove Tuesday was that pancakes were substantial, containing flour, salt, egg, milk and flour and in this way they could be prepared for the lent. The tradition is still alive in England which includes the funny pancake race (not seen any yet, but would love to). According to the legend, in 1445 a woman in Olney, Buckinghamshire was in the middle of making pancakes when she heard the church bells ringing. Apparently, she ran to the church wearing an apron and a frying pan in hand as she forgot to put it down. This tradition was brought back to life by the priest of Olney, Ronald Collins in 1948 (for obvious reasons the tradition disappeared during World War II). During the race contenders have to wear an apron, carry a frying pan whilst running and flipping the pancake.

A lovely hot breakfast for cold mornings…

There are mornings when it is so good to have something different for breakfast. Most of the time I try something new at the weekends, as I have more time for experimenting. I can recall, right after I relocated from Hungary to the UK I literally bumped into a Nigella Lawson recipe. I must admit, I have never been a huge fan of Nigella, but her recipe inspired me big time. And as far as Nigella is concerned, I really started to like this Sagittarius Woman who is probably as big hedonist as I am. I have respect for her as she has refused to be knocked back several times in her life, which was not always the easiest to say the least.

But let’s get back to the breakfast and to this pancake which is healthier containing a slow carbohydrate, oats. It is always with what you eat pancakes with that makes it really good, therefore we are going to serve ours with a honey-raspberry sauce. Because of the oat and raspberry this recipe has a Scottish feel, especially if we put some whisky to the sauce to enhance flavours. However, I am not too sure whether it is a good idea in the morning, but I leave it to you to decide…

INGREDIENTS:
100g oat
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanila extract
100ml oat milk (or milk)
1 egg
pinch of salt
deep frozen raspberries (fresh is equally good)
honey
some oil for baking

You can grind the oat to get oat flour or use it as is. Stir in the salt, cinnamon and baking powder. Mix the wet ingredients in a separate pot: (oat) milk, egg and vanila extract. Then add it to the dry ingredients and mix it well. Before baking let’s make the sauce.

Warm up the frozen raspberries in a pot on a low heat and add a few tablespoon of honey. (If you use fresh raspberries the method is the same but be more careful with the honey and avoid burning.) Let it bubble one or two minutes and add a bit of whisky to your liking. Remove it from the hob and start baking the pancakes. Use a little oil in a frying pan and bake small batches of the batter for making the pancakes. Bake them on mid heat and flip them when the first bubbles appear on the surface. Serve it hot with the sauce. Lovely.

Own tips:
When using oats, leaving the mixture in the fridge overnight makes the oats even softer.
Oat milk is quite sweet, use that.
Desiccated coconut can be added to the batter to have some texture if you fancy.
The oat pancakes are lovely with maple syrup as well, but sweet things like jam or Nutella kill the flavour of the oat. (Not worth it. )

I think, I have already mentioned that the only connection to the world when I moved to the UK, was the TV, before the broadband was sorted out in the apartment and after 8 years of not watching the TV in Hungary, I re-explored the beauty of watching TV. Because everything was new here and I was intrigued by new ingredients and flavours (and because there was nothing else to watch during weekend mornings), I watched cooking programs to entertain myself. As a result I tried some of the recipes and spread my wings.

At first I did not like Lorraine Pascale. She is so beautiful, thin and cooks well, I thought and I switch off the TV on Saturday at 11am whenever her program was on. But then on a spring Saturday we got up late and had breakfast and the TV was on. There she was again! But this time we left her on. And in fact, I quite enjoyed watching what she cooked. I liked her style, being quick and easy, using simple and healthy ingredients (most of the times), however there are some exceptions especially in case of desserts. That was the turning point for me when I started to like her and follow her programs and even tried a few recipes by her.

It has been some time I wanted to try and put something new again on our list and then she was on TV again. LOVED this recipe, tried immediately.

INGREDIENTS (serves 2):
4 slices of pork
salt
pepper
cumin
watercress
peach
2-3 spring onions
2 teaspoon honey
juice of half a lemon
4-5 mint leaves
small piece of ginger
Stilton or blue cheese

I start with the salad so that I can serve the dish immediately once the pork is cooked. I put the watercress on a big plate, add the peach chunks, chopped spring onions and some cheese, not too much because it has a very strong taste and I do not want to overpower the salad. For the dressing I mix the honey, the chopped mint leaves, the grated ginger and the lemon juice. Once ready, I pour it on the salad.

Then I season the meat and tap the cumin into the meat. I heat a little olive oil in a frying pan and fry the pork chops on both sides for a few minutes. I serve it immediately.

I think, it is a beautiful combination of flavours and is somehow a good match for autumn.

Enjoy!

If we enter a café or a cake shop or even a pub in England, it is almost guaranteed you would find cheesecake on the menu or in the display. It is a basic cake which appeared in Hungary perhaps 10-15 years ago – or at least this was the time when I first heard of it and tried it. Ever since I have been a cheesecake fan. I must admit, I have always thought cheesecake was originally an English cake but that is not the case. Apparently, ancient Greeks already made cheesecakes and the “modern” cheesecake appeared in cookbooks from 14th century. Later on the recipe were changed and two main types are made: baked and unbaked. The unbaked version is an American version and these cheesecakes are quite deep (New York cheesecake). You would find the most varieties of cheesecakes in the US.

I have to admit, I had never made a cheesecake until 2016, I always had them in cake shops but what I realized is that the quality of a cheesecake can vary an awful lot. As a consequence I always wondered what MY cheesecake would be like, therefore it was one of the cakes I made in the UK. I appreciate, it is something basic that everybody knows, but for me it was something new and better to start later than never. It went surprisingly well and the cake turned out very well. Since it is on the list of favourite cakes I bake occasionally, as we try to have a healthy diet and avoid sugar.

The recipe is from one of my favourite TV presenters, Mary Berry, however, I slightly changed this recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

For the base
75g digestive biscuits
40g unsalted butter

For the filling
50g unsalted butter
80g icing sugar (if you have a really sweet tooth you can use double amount which would be the original quantity – I always use less sugar)
450g cream cheese (full fat)
25g flour
1 lemon zest and juice
3 eggs
150ml double cream

Grease the tin and put non-stick parchment paper inside.

Put the biscuits into a plastic bag and crush it with a wooden rolling pin until it is finely smashed. Melt the butter in a little pot and add the biscuits into it, stir it well. Transfer the crushed biscuits to the tin and press it with a back of a spoon.

Mix the butter, sugar, cream cheese, lemon juice and zest, flour and egg yolks in a pot. Fold the lightly whipped cream into the mixture. Whisk the egg whites in another pot and gently fold it into the mixture. Transfer the mixture to the tin and level the surface with a spatula.

Bake it for 1 ¼ hour at 160C Fan. Turn off the oven and leave the cheesecake inside to cool. Best to serve it cold with a raspberry sauce and some berries.

Enjoy!

I still remember how I used to watch every penny during my first 8 months in the UK. Because I had to furnish a new home, I could not afford buying anything for myself, but was terribly interested in everything that was typically English: culture, architecture, food and ingredients. To have the cake and eat it too, I spoiled myself with something inexpensive and bought a little leaflet about traditional English dishes for a couple of pounds at the local heritage centre. This is the first recipe I tried and loved immediately. It is called Somerset chicken.

INGREDIENTS:
400g chicken breast
1 large onion
1 tablespoon flour
200ml milk
100g grated cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon English mustard
1 sip of cider
little butter
oil
pinch of salt and pepper

Slice the chicken breast into thin slices, season it with salt and pepper. Fry the chicken in a frying pan using a little oil and butter until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and add the finely chopped onions. Once the onion has broken down, add the flour and stir it well. Gradually add the milk and stir it well to get a thick sauce. Add the cheese and mustard and mix. It is important to use English mustard as this give the instinctive flavour of this dish. Add the cider if you wish to. Let the sauce bubble for a minute or two and add the meat. After a few minutes of cooking it is ready to serve but you can distribute the meat and sauce into a pan, sprinkle the top with some grated cheese and put it into the oven for a few minutes. Serve it with cooked, green vegetables (peas, broccoli) and cooked baby potatoes.

For those who like to make some experiments: instead of Cheddar use Red Leicester. (I probably would be banned from Somerset for this tip. 🙂 )

This this is lovely and is ready within 30 minutes. Try it, you won’t regret it. Enjoy.