Individual No-Bake Cheesecakes

Photo: © childsdesign

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A quick-to-make dessert and relatively simple too. The fruit burst comes from a liberal dash of Blossoms Syrup. We used Raspberry in this one and have also tried it with Sour Cherry – both tasted amazing.

This recipe is a good basis to work from so feel free to play with the flavour combinations, using different biscuits, flavours for the cheese topping and
fruit syrups.

View recipe

Saffron & Pistachio Biscuits

Photo: © childsdesign

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These little biscuits are an ideal accompaniment to a good strong cup of coffee – maybe even a Turkish coffee, if you’re feeling adventurous.
Each bite is sweet and perfumed with a crisp and slightly chewy texture.

View recipe

Muesli Cake

Photo: © childsdesign

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Muesli doesn't just have to be for breakfast, it also works well as an ingredient in baking too.
This muesli cake is sticky, moist, fruity and wonderfully malty. It could be best described as being something like bread pudding and malt loaf.
Could it be considered healthy? Well there's lots of fibre and a generous amount of linseed meal added for omega 3 oomph.
The cake does not contain any dairy products, so no eggs or butter, in fact no fat at all, just the oil used to grease the tin, so it would be suitable for vegans.

View recipe

Photo: © childsdesign

Cardamom & Black Pepper Biscuits

Photo: © childsdesign

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We love the perfumed taste of green cardamom and it sneaks into our baking on a regular basis although preparing it can be a little laborious.

Ground cardamom seems hard to come by and we’re not convinced it would keep so well anyway, so whole pods need to be ground and sieved before we can use them.
Finally our baking has been blessed with the arrival of Holy Lama Naturals' Spice Drops which come in a convenient bottle with dropper. Made from real cardamom the extract is perfectly concentrated to deliver the right amount of flavour.

View recipe

Ginger & Apricot Tiffin

Photo: © childsdesign

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If you've been lucky enough to have been given lots of Easter eggs but are now getting a little tired of eating them as just chocolate, here's an idea to help consume them in a different way.

Tiffin is a sweet treat that requires no baking and is quick and easy to make.
It is often made with digestive biscuits but as we like to experiment with flavours, we used ginger nuts instead.
A generous addition of moist and chewy dried apricots add a little tang and added texture.

View recipe

Apple Meringue Pie

Photo: © childsdesign

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Wonderful tangy apples under a billowing cloud of meringue make this a refreshing dessert and a change from the usual lemon meringue pie.
We made ours a little different by adding some passion fruit vinegar to the apples which complements them rather well.
AFT member, Alan Coxon makes a series of fruit vinegars using his Roman and Greek Vinaigres as a base, so not only do you get the deep fruit flavours but also the blend of spices and herbs too.
This makes the finished result very interesting so we do recommend using the vinegar as the pie won’t really taste the same.

View recipe

Photo: © childsdesign

Ricotta Pancakes with Marinated Blood Oranges

Photo: © childsdesign

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Pancake Day is only just a round the corner so we thought it about time we included a recipe from the AFT Kitchen to try on the day.
These pancakes are perhaps a little different from the usual in that they contain ricotta cheese and the way they are prepared produces a very light and fluffy result.

Taking inspiration from the traditional citrus accompaniment and crepe suzette we chose to serve them with marinated oranges. We managed to pick up some delicious blood oranges which are not only gloriously coloured but also have a good intense tangy flavour.
We enhanced the flavours further with the addition of Orange & Mace Vinegar from Womersley Fruit & Herb Vinegars which gave a little fragrant spiciness.

View recipe

Earl Grey Butter Biscuits

Photo: © childsdesign

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It's amazing how so few ingredients can go towards making such a delicious treat and these butter biscuits are very easy to make. No need to worry about having lots of space to roll out dough, as these biscuits require such a simple method to shape them. Just by pressing a fork on the dough to flatten them, gives a good shape with a pleasing ridged pattern on top – perfect for catching the sugar crystals for added crunch.

We must stress that it is important to use a good quality Earl Grey tea. You may have noticed that cheap Earl Grey tea (especially the stuff in tea bags) contains little white flecks. These are artificial flavouring pellets which will not give a great finished result.
Good quality loose leaf tea is fragranced with real Bergamot oil which is essential for a good biscuit and a cuppa of course.

These little biscuits are a fitting partner to be enjoyed with afternoon tea or coffee or as part of a dessert with ice cream and a fruit compote.
They have good keeping qualities and will remain crispy when stored in an airtight container. We dare you to see just how long they last, that's if you don't succumb to their irresistible butteriness too soon!

View recipe

Ricotta, Lemon & Raisin Tart

Photos: © childsdesign

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With added flavours of fresh lemon, warming nutmeg and rich fruity raisins, the tart is a real treat. Being very much like a baked cheesecake in texture crossed with the flavours of a traditional egg custard tart, there's something for everyone.

Please excuse us for not making our pastry but like many people these days we don't always have much time to spare. Besides it is possible buy very good quality sweet shortcrust pastry dough.

View Recipe

Chocolate Week on The Artisan Food Trail

Even we didn’t realise just how much chocolatey loveliness was on our food trail and now after delving deep we’ve found some pretty amazing stuff there and want to share it with you.

Well it is Chocolate Week! 

Cakes

Who can resist a gooey chocolate brownie? Well we know certainly can’t. The ones from #brownies have our full approval The brownies are not available to buy online but a visit to their website gives a list of outlets and markets where you find them.

Not everyone can eat gluten so Monkeypoodle Cake Company comes to the rescue with their totally gluten free creations. Try any of these: Triple Chocolate Cupcake, White Chocolate & Raspberry Cupcake, Monkeypoodle Chocolate Brownies, Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies, White Chocolate & Cranberry Cookies
You can buy them all online here

More gluten free options are available from Harnell Cottage Bakes whose Brownies are just divine. We tried them last week so look out for a blog post about them soon.
You can buy from their website here

For cakes like you make at home – that means no nasty ingredients – Nutty Tarts Gifts & Goodies make an array of delicious ‘real cakes’. Choose from Black Dog Chocolate Beer Cake , Chocolate Biscuit Cake , Chocolate Brownies , Chocolate Pecan Cake , Nutty Chocolate Brownies You can buy them all online here

More bakes with the homemade touch are available from Nana's Kitchen. Have a look at their website where you'll find something chocolatey.

As well as making the finest pork sausages and pies, Samphire also have a nice line in sweet treats too
Chocolate Tiffin Buy online here

Confectionery

If cake doesn’t quite hit the spot, you might like to indulge in a slab of Fudge Kitchen’s gloriously creamy fudge.
Choose from these wonderful chocolatey flavours: Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt, After Dinner Mint , Belgian Chocolate Swirl, Double Trouble, Chocolate Classic, Chocolate & Orange, Chocolate Caramel Fudge They can all be purchased online here

For chocolate purists, treat yourself to some handmade chocolates from Bella Cacao. Per Norrgren creates the most wonderfully flavoured ganaches using all natural ingredients which are enrobed in the smoothest high quality chocolate. Details are on the website on where and how to purchase.

For devotees of raw food take a look at Raw Nibbles who produce a range of raw chocolate bars as well as other sweet treats. There are so many to list so do take a look at their website to see the fully range. All products are available to buy online.



Ice Cream
All of the ice creams on The Artisan Food Trail are lovingly hand made using British milk and cream, so for something cool, creamy and chocolatey you’ll surely be spoilt for choice.

Lewis of London dairy ice cream is made entirely on the farm just inside the M25 and has zero milk miles.
Chunky Chocolate More info here

Simply Ice Cream
Divine Chocolate More info here
Stockist info here

Ingredients

For the best tasting cakes and home made confections Mortimer Chocolate Company make a variety of chocolate powders which can bought online here
And we mustn't forget the melt and dip chocolate which you can either melt in the oven or on the barbecue. Find out more about The BBQ Chocolate Fondue and Melt and Dip Chocolate Pot here

Recipes
Thanks to our members including producers and chefs, we have lots of recipes for you to try. There’s something for everyone whether you like your chocolate light and creamy or devilishly dark.

Recipes from Alan Coxon

• White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Saffron, Cinnamon and Cardamom served with a chilli chocolate sauce View recipe
• Chocolate and Amaretti Torte View recipe
• Double Chocolate Tarte View recipe
• Divine Chocolate Birthday Cake with Raspberry Ganache View recipe
• Dark Chocolate Fondant View recipe
• Chocolate Mousse with Hot Chocolate Casserole View recipe
• Alan’s Gooey Fair Trade Chocolate Brownies View recipe

Recipe from Fudge Kitchen

• Chocolate Orange Fudge Torte View recipe

Recipes from Mortimer Chocolate Company
These two recipes have been tried and tested in the AFT Kitchen and we can highly recommend them. They taste good, are simple to make and importantly, indulgent.

• Chocolate Brownies View recipe
• Chocolate Mousse View recipe

There are lots more recipes on Mortimer’s website here

Lemon Loaf Cake

Photo: © childsdesgn

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The brilliant thing about this cake is that you don’t have to remember to take the butter out of the fridge to soften, before you start. Also, as the cake doesn’t use the creaming method, a minimal amount of equipment is required.
We always find the fresh tangy flavour of lemons is an antidote to any gloomy weather and having some particularly large fragrant fruits to hand, we decided to make this cake as a pick-me-up.
A slice in the afternoon is lovely with a cup of freshly infused green tea.

View recipe

Food lovers guide to Chocolate Week

Even we didn’t realise just how much chocolatey loveliness was on our food trail and now after delving deep we’ve found some pretty amazing stuff there and want to share it with you.

Well it is Chocolate Week! 

Cakes

Who can resist a gooey chocolate brownie? Well we know certainly can’t. The ones from #brownies have our full approval The brownies are not available to buy online but a visit to their website gives a list of outlets and markets where you find them.

Whether you’re looking for a delectable tea time treat or need a fully bespoke celebration cake, Honeysuckle Cakes can satisfy your needs.
Chocolate Brownie Buy online here
Strawberry & Chocolate Chip Muffin Buy online here

Not everyone can eat gluten so Monkeypoodle Cake Company comes to the rescue with their totally gluten free creations.
Triple Chocolate Cupcake
White Chocolate & Raspberry Cupcake
Monkeypoodle Chocolate Brownies
Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies
White Chocolate & Cranberry Cookies
You can buy them all online here

For cakes like you make at home – that means no nasty ingredients – Nutty Tarts Gifts & Goodies make an array of delicious ‘real cakes’.
Black Dog Chocolate Beer Cake Buy online here
Chocolate Biscuit Cake Buy online here
Chocolate Brownies Buy online here
A gluten free version is available here
Chocolate Pecan Cake Buy online here
Nutty Chocolate Brownies Buy online here

As well as making the finest pork sausages and pies, Samphire also have a nice line in sweet treats too
Chocolate Tiffin Buy online here

Confectionery

If cake doesn’t quite hit the spot, you might like to indulge in a slab of Fudge Kitchen’s gloriously creamy fudge.
Choose from these wonderful chocolatey flavours.
Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt Buy online here
After Dinner Mint Buy online here
Belgian Chocolate Swirl Buy online here
Double Trouble Buy online here
Chocolate Classic Buy online here
Chocolate & Orange Buy online here
Chocolate Caramel Fudge Buy online here

Ice Cream

All of the ice creams on The Artisan Food Trail are lovingly hand made using British milk and cream, so for something cool, creamy and chocolatey you’ll surely be spoilt for choice.

Simply Ice Cream
Divine Chocolate More info here
Stockist info here

Ingredients

For the best tasting cakes and home made confections Mortimer Chocolate Company make a variety of chocolate powders which can bought online here
And we mustn't forget the melt and dip chocolate which you can either melt in the oven or on the barbecue. Find out more about The BBQ Chocolate Fondue and Melt and Dip Chocolate Pot here

Recipes

Thanks to our members including producers and chefs, we have lots of recipes for you to try. There’s something for everyone whether you like your chocolate light and creamy or devilishly dark.

Recipes from Alan Coxon

• White Chocolate Panna Cotta with Saffron, Cinnamon and Cardamom served with a chilli chocolate sauce View recipe
• Chocolate and Amaretti Torte View recipe
• Double Chocolate Tarte View recipe
• Divine Chocolate Birthday Cake with Raspberry Ganache View recipe
• Dark Chocolate Fondant View recipe
• Chocolate Mousse with Hot Chocolate Casserole View recipe
• Alan’s Gooey Fair Trade Chocolate Brownies View recipe

Recipe from Fudge Kitchen

• Chocolate Orange Fudge Torte View recipe

Recipes from Mortimer Chocolate Company
These two recipes have been tried and tested in the AFT Kitchen and we can highly recommend them. They taste good, are simple to make and importantly, indulgent.

• Chocolate Brownies View recipe
• Chocolate Mousse View recipe

There are lots more recipes on Mortimer’s website here

Chocolate Mousse

Photo: © childsdesign

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This dessert is a real treat and trouble-free to make from Mortimer Chocolate Company. We used their Ecuador Pure Dark Chocolate powder which gave the mousse a rich distinctive flavour. Mortimer describe their Ecuador chocolate as having notes of tropical spices with a hint of smoky tobacco flavour.

And to join their West African Chocolate Powder, we are pleased to award Mortimer Chocolate Company ‘Artisan Food Trail Approved’ status for their Ecuador Pure Dark Chocolate powder.

We really like this recipe as it is not too sweet, only the small amount of sugar in the powder is required with no need for any extra. The texture is rich and velvety too.

View recipe

A taste of British summer… plus recipe for Strawberries & Cream Sponge

Photo: © childsdesign

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Summer has truly arrived when British strawberries are ripe and ready for picking and although they are now available all year round – with foreign countries suppling our needs – you really can’t beat the fruit from our own soil. Reserving them as a seasonal treat makes them so much more special.

Growing your own strawberry plants in your garden is very rewarding and there’s nothing more exciting when lifting up the leaves to find the stems swathed in red juicy jewels. If you’re not much of a gardener or simply lack the space, you can still experience the thrill of the strawberry hunt by visiting one of the many pick your own farms in the area.
When the sun is warm the sweet fragrant smell wafts into the air tempting even the most restrained of individuals to sneak a strawberry into their mouths whilst foraging.

The first berries are not often the sweetest though, they can lack the depth of flavour that the prolonged spells of sun can give them, that said, they are still lovely eaten unadorned. No sugar, no cream, just pure fruit bliss. Plucked straight from the plant whether homegrown or ‘stolen’ they just seem to taste better.
However, dairy produce does create a natural harmony, whether it’s cream, yogurt, creme fraiche or marscapone, you can’t go wrong, but never cook a strawberry unless it was in a jam of course.

Strawberries & Cream Sponge Cake – View recipe

Photo: © childsdesign

Best Ever Apple Crumble

Photo: © childsdesign

Crumble is comfort food, and often a fond reminder of the good things about our childhood. We can’t think of anything nicer than a warm bowl of apple crumble served with a generous amount of custard to cheer us up.

To achieve the best results, the use of butter is highly recommended (cold and hard, straight from the fridge) to make the crumble topping. Please do not be tempted to use margarine spread instead as this will not give you the right texture or indeed the taste.

View recipe

Photo: © childsdesign

Berry Cool: Alder Tree

Alder Tree make their award winning fruit cream ices on their fruit farm in Suffolk to a traditional family recipe. Made with only fruit, cream and sugar, they are naturally delicious.

In 1983 Nick and Joan Hardingham decided they wanted to get out of the ‘rat race’ and run a smallholding whilst raising a family.

They bought the then derelict Alder Carr Farm at Needham Market and set about what was to be many hard, but enjoyable years of work.

The first year they grew potatoes and sold them from the end of the drive and by the following year they were using one of the old run-down farm buildings as a farm shop.

In 1987 a bumper crop of raspberries led Nick to try out an old recipe his mother Audrey used to make on their fruit farm near Bury St Edmunds. They put it out for sale in the farm shop and it proved such a success other farm shops were soon asking if they could stock it. The simple combination proved such a success that they’ve never looked back.

Production started in the farmhouse kitchen, but soon progressed to the farm tea room. In 1996 a dedicated kitchen was built, which they still use today.

Alder Tree was founded on the belief that everything they do should be done in an ethical and sustainable way. This commitment underpins everything they do.

All the ingredients used are of the highest quality and sourced as locally as possible. They use no artificial flavours, colours or preservatives in any of their products. Over 60% of the fruit comes from their own farm at Alder Carr or from the family farm at Bury St Edmunds and the rest is grown by local growers within East Anglia. By doing so, this supports local farmers and minimises food miles. Sugar is East Anglian and only fresh British cream is used. The few ingredients that do come from abroad such as vanilla and ginger are fairly traded from sustainable sources.

At Alder Tree passionately believe that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing as well as you can. They use only the finest quality ingredients and will never cut corners to the detriment of their products to save time or money. Everything is made in small batches.

Alder Tree remain true to their original ideals and only supply to independently owned outlets, thus providing small retailers and eateries with something that can’t be found in the large multiples.

Visit Alder Tree on The Artisan Food Trail here

Chocolate Orange Fudge Torte

We were sent this extremely naughty recipe from Fudge Kitchen using one of their fudge sauces. It is gooey, rich and totally indulgent. We dare you to try it!
There's a really nifty way of lining the cake tin to give nice smooth sides to the torte but you could just line with cling film.

No cooking required – just a cake tin and a plastic pocket folder

Ingredients

• 250g dark chocolate
• 2 tbsp Fudge Kitchen Chocolate Orange Fudge Sauce
• 568ml carton double cream
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• cocoa powder, for dusting
• zest of 1 orange

Method
Use the plastic folder to line your tin. Cut it open then cut out a disc for the bottom and some strips to line the sides.

Put the chocolate, the Fudge Kitchen Chocolate Orange Fudge Sauce and about 150ml of the cream into a large heatproof bowl. Stand the bowl over a pan of hot water on very low heat until the chocolate has melted. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir to combine the ingredients then leave until the mix is only just warm.

Whip together the rest of the cream, two-thirds of the orange zest and cinnamon with a whisk until the mix is thick but just less than stiff.

Pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the cream and gently fold it all together until it is smooth and thick.

Then pour the whole mixture into your tin and leave it in the fridge to set for up to an hour.
To serve, unclip the tin, gently remove the sides of the plastic folder, invert the torte on to a plate and remove the tin and plastic disc on the base. Dust all over with cocoa and sprinkle the remaining orange zest on the top for decoration. Heat more Fudge Kitchen Chocolate Orange Fudge Sauce in the microwave (follow instructions on the jar) and serve in thin slices.

You can also use this basic recipe with our Rich Chocolate Fudge Sauce (remove orange zest and try adding 4 tsp of instant coffee) or the Chocolate & Ginger Fudge Sauce (dust with ground ginger and remove coffee and/or orange zest)

Thanks to Fudge Kitchen who sent us three of their 
sauces to try (Photo: ©childsdesign 2011)