Spelt and Oat Cookies

On the of the beauties of home baking is the sheer range of wondrous and fantastical treats that be created using relatively conventional ingredients and straightforward processes. However to fully appreciate the baking wonderland it is necessary to at least occasionally stray from the path of familiarity and try something a little different. For better or worse you will at the very least learn from your experiences, grow as a baker and maybe even discover a new flavour or texture experience that you love.

Spelt flour is still a relatively uncommon ingredient, but a welcome addition to the home bakers arsenal. It has a lovely nutty, almost sweet flavour, which works beautifully with delicate spicing and fruit. Personally I have found the texture to be a little heavier than when using plain flour, but considering the far stronger nutritional profile, this is more than forgiveable. In my last recipe I showcased spelt in a 'healthy' sponge cake recipe, and here I've used a little of of what I had left to make some terrific teatime cookies. They are a delicious alternative to traditional cookies and perfect for dunking!

Prep time: 15 Mins
Baking time: 14 Mins
125g Jumbo Oats
100g Spelt Flour
1/2tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Cinnamon
115g Unsalted Butter (Softened)
175g Light Muscovado Sugar
1 Large Egg (Beaten)
A handful of Dried Vine Fruit

As frequent fliers will be aware I have to bake these in batches due to my troublesome oven! Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a large flat baking tray with baking paper. In a bowl combine the oats, flour, baking powder and cinnamon. These are the dry ingredients.

In a separate large bowl cream together the butter and sugar, then beat in the egg. Add the dry ingredients and mix until evenly combined, then fold through the dried fruit. You can add more or less fruit depending on how fruity you feel (I usually feel pretty fruity).

Take a small amount of mixture, roll into a loose ball (around the size of a golf ball) then place on the baking paper. Repeat, ensuring each ball is well spaced apart as they will spread during baking. Bake in the centre of the oven for around 14 minutes, until each cookie is a light golden and just starting to darken at the edges. Remove from the oven and slide the paper onto a wire rack. You can then repeat for the rest of the mixture, which should give you around 15-16 cookies. Once the cookies have cooled until just warm, peel from the paper and there you go, you're all finished.

Respected, revered and admired - Brett Graham

There is a certain pomp and circumstance associated with ‘fine dining’ that many can find oppressive or even intimidating. However, for me even the finest of dining experiences should feel intimate and personalised, yet relaxed and convivial. To tread the fine line between meticulousness and informality is a perilous endeavour and few restaurants do so with such aplomb as The Ledbury in London.

The Ledbury is one of the finest restaurants in the world. The food is seasonal, modern and universally exquisite, with impeccably precise yet playful dishes served with sophistication and elegance in vibrant and stylish surroundings. Despite its indisputable quality the atmosphere is welcoming, attentive and unobtrusive. It has rightly been rewarded with two Michelin stars, won countless awards and is one of only two UK restaurants recently placed in the world’s top 20.  It is a gem of a restaurant, so I was delighted to recently have the opportunity to ask the head chef and culinary master in his own right, Brett Graham a few questions… 

The Ledbury is regarded as one of the world’s top restaurants. What makes the dining experience so special? 

We try to give our guests an all round experience and place just as much importance on the service as the food. 

How would you describe your culinary philosophy? 

Seasonal, English and wild, where possible.

Where do you find your inspiration? 

We get most of our inspiration from the seasons. We look forward to the first season’s celeriac, asparagus and eagerly await the summer when tomatoes are at their best. 

What would you say is your signature dish? 

It would be the flame grilled mackerel which is the longest standing dish on my menu. It is garnished with pickled cucumber, Celtic mustard and shiso. 

What is your favourite starter, main and dessert from the current menu? 

The starter would be the salad of green beans with fresh almonds, peach and grated foie gras, followed by a jowl of Tamworth pork with apricots, girolles and caramelised almonds. Then blackcurrant leaf ice cream. 

The restaurant is renowned not only for astonishing food, but also flawless service. What do you think is the secret is to providing such a high level of service? 

It is really important to let the staff be themselves and walk the fine line between formality with relaxed and casual. 

Tell me about the Harwood Arms. How is the dining experience different from the Ledbury and what are the parallels? 

The Harwood is much more relaxed as it’s a pub. We use similar ingredients but we try to be exclusively British at the Harwood, although we don’t serve chips, burgers or chocolate. 

When you’re not in the restaurant where do you enjoy dining? 

For a great Japanese meal I enjoy Zuma and I also like the Clove Club. It’s a fantastic new place run by an ex member of my staff – Isaac McHale. 

What do you enjoy cooking at home? 

I like doing a barbecue when the sun’s out. 

What’s you culinary guilty pleasure? 

Ben & Jerry’s Chunky Monkey Ice Cream. 

What are you plans for the future?           

I want to keep focused at The Ledbury.

For more information about Brett Graham and the Ledbury please visit http://www.theledbury.com/

Cake of Virtue

Frequent flyers will know by now that I rarely concern myself with what is ‘healthy’. Cake is an indulgence, a luxury and its purpose should be gratification, not nutrition. If we are relatively chaste in our general food and lifestyle choices then sweet treats can be enjoyed with complete guilt-free satisfaction. With that in mind I do occasionally receive requests for more wholesome options, so if you are looking for a recipe that is slightly more respectable, then this is for you.

I’ve used spelt flour and a natural low calorie and low GI fruit based sweetener, which you find in most supermarkets. I’ve also thrown in some ground almonds, to further accentuate the mild nuttiness of the spelt as well as some sweet dried vine fruit and mixed spice. The sweetener has a mild honeyed flavour which marries beautifully with a little warm spicing. Although this is a variant of a standard fruit cake, I’ve made an apple cake and banana cake with the same base recipe.

Admittedly, despite its qualities the cake still isn’t strictly healthy, but when one’s business is sin, this is about as virtuous as it gets!

Prep time: 20 Mins

Baking time: 50 Mins

125g Spelt Flour

100g Ground Almonds

1tsp Baking Powder

1.5tsp Mixed Spice

250g Dried Vine Fruit

3 Large Eggs

200ml Vegetable Oil

175g Fruit Sweetener

Despite the unusual ingredients, the process for this cake is still straightforward. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4, grease a 20cm deep loose bottomed cake tin and line the base with baking paper. In a large bowl mix together the flour, almonds, baking powder, spice and fruit. In a separate bowl or large jug beat the eggs into the oil, then pour over the dry ingredients. Drizzle in the fruit sweetener then mix to an even batter.

Spoon the batter into your prepared tin, smooth to the edges, then bake in the centre of the oven for around 50 minutes, until a metal skewer can be cleanly removed when inserted into the middle of the cake. When you are satisfied the cake is cooked remove it from the oven and leave in the tin for 20 minutes.

When the tin is cool enough to handle, carefully remove the cake, peeling off the paper and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Enjoy with a cup of tea and a (relatively) clear conscience!

Respected, revered and admired - Phil Howard

We are lucky to live in such an exciting time when it comes to food, with an unprecedented level of innovation and creativity, as well the convergence, fusion and evolution of culinary traditions, philosophies and conventions. There are so many new approaches and techniques, both favourable and otherwise, that it can be quite the challenge to keep abreast of the near constantly emerging trends and crazes.

It is for that reason that I have such an admiration for those who commit to the fundamentals of elegant and refined gastronomy. The art of using beautiful, seasonal ingredients, preparing them with technical excellence and presenting them precision, yet imagination takes true mastery and one such master is Phil Howard.

Phil Howard is head chef and co-owner of The Square in London. He is a brilliant chef, with his restaurant rightly rewarded with two Michelin stars for refined, yet relaxed dining and food that is both thoughtful and thought provoking. He is one of the great British chefs of our time and an inspiration to both developing chefs and home cooks alike, so it was with great interest that I asked him a few questions…

You have a somewhat atypical education, studying microbiology at university. How did you become involved in the food industry and what impact (if any) have your studies had on your cooking style?

I started to cook for the simple reason that my mother could not come to uni to cook for me! I knew immediately that it was something I loved and it became very clear that this was what I wanted to do professionally.  My route in was with the Roux brothers, as a junior cook at Kleiwort Benson - where they had the F and B contract. I have a logical and scientific mind maybe this has contributed to my understading of the process of cooking but I am certainly not inqisitive and overly experimental.

Despite a relatively unorthodox background, you have become one of the leading chefs in the country. What qualities do you think it takes to be a top head chef?

Top chefs come in many shapes and sizes so to speak but good old fashioned hard graft is the common link between all. An ability to multi task, to have an honest perspective of ones own work, to see things from the diners perspective and above all to be able to communicate
well to the team who are going to make your dream a reality!

What inspires you and what keeps you motivated?

Produce is my biggest source of inspiration. Wonderful ingredients never fail to stimulate and these in turn are driven by the seasons, which, thank God, keep the wheels of creativity turning. 

How has the restaurant industry changed during your career and how have you changed as a chef?

The restaurant industry has changed tremendously over the years and the nett result is that it is finally home to a vast spectrum of restaurants which offer wonderful food at any given price point and in a myriad of different styles. Great food no longer equates to fancy and expensive food. Modest and wonderfully eclectic and innovative places are now two a penny. Personally I have changed little - i still cook with the same goal - to deliver pleasure and my personal belief in how to achieve this has remained unchanged! 

You are well known for nurturing and developing some of the UK’s most promising young chefs. What advice would you give to those looking to start a new career as a chef?

Learn the basics. The classical basics. Thoroughly. Stay for two years in any given job - as long as it continues to offer growth. 

What are some of the most common mistakes that developing chefs make?

Running before they can walk - and allowing ego to rule the creative roost! Remember that above all else food is to be eaten and enjoyed. Trying to be special and different will almost certainly yield unenjoyable food. 

How would you describe the dining experience at The Square?

The Square offers wonderful food in contemporary surroundings delivered with fine, yet professional hospitality! 

What is your favourite dish from each course on the current menu?

Saute of Scottish langoustine tails with parmesan gnocchi and an emulsion of potato and truffle
Breast of duck with glazed endive and a croustillant of the leg with foie gras and cherries
Brillat savarain cheesecake with gooseberry and elderflower. 

How do you relax when you’re not in the kitchen?

Relax? Spend time with the family, eat in lovely restaurants, run, sit on the beach and ski. 

What do you enjoy cooking and eating at home?

I eat incredibly simple food at home - usually an indulgence in something seasonal. 

What one dish should everyone learn to cook?

Roast chicken. 

What’s next for you?

What's next? Make my life more efficient so I can be more effective at doing what I want -  continuing my journey with The Square and ticking the boxes of life that I want to tick to ensure there are no regrets...!

For more information about The Square or to make a reservation, please visit http://www.squarerestaurant.com/

Not Chocolate Cake

Boglins, 10p Mix Ups, Bumbags, Superted, Rick Astley. If you recognise such words then, like me you are old enough to remember when the world "Chocolate" was usually defined by a product that was supersweet, milky, rich and usually enveloped in a purple wrapper, or advertised by a child in round glasses and a cowboy hat.

How times have changed. Chocolate is now very much an artisan product, with subtle complexities and diversity in flavour, aroma and even texture. The saccharine milk and white chocolate of yesteryear are so completely removed from the superfine "real" chocolate now available, that some even refuse to label them as chocolate altogether.

However, before you consign your supplies to the bin here's a rather lovely recipe that shows that even milk and white chocolate still have their place, particularly when it comes to baking. It has a wonderful caramel flavour, moist fudgy texture and is so simple in its preparation. In fact I would even go as far as to state that this not chocolate cake is one of the best chocolate cakes I have created!

Prep time: 25 Mins
Baking time: 50-55 Mins
150g Milk Chocolate (Broken into squares)
150g White Chocolate (Broken into squares)
150g Unsalted Butter (Cut into cubes)
50g Cocoa Powder
100g Light Muscovado Sugar
75g Caster Sugar
100g Ground Almonds
2 Large Eggs plus 1 Yolk
1tsp Vanilla Extract

The first task is to melt the chocolate and butter. I certainly favour a bain-marie for this, as milk and white chocolate can prove more than a little volatile when using a microwave. So, sit a large heatproof bowl over a pain of lightly simmering water and add both chocolates, along with the melted butter. Let them melt together gently, stirring occasionally, then set to one side for 10 minutes just to cool slightly.

Whilst the melted chocolate and butter are cooling, preheat the oven to 170C/325F/Gas 3, grease a 20cm deep loose bottomed tin and line with baking paper. Add the cocoa powder, sugars and almonds to the melted chocolate/butter and mix until evenly combined. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract, then continue mixing to a smooth batter. Pour into you prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for around 50-55 minutes, until a metal skewer comes out slightly sticky, with a few crumbs attached when inserted into the middle of the cake. When you are happy the cake is cooked remove it from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.

When the cake is cool remove from the tin, peeling away the paper. Slice, serve and gleefully gobble up. Simple as that.

Respected, revered and admired - Gerhard Jenne and Konditor & Cook

Baking at home is one of the most rewarding and satisfying everyday experiences, but even as a baking obsessive I occasionally don’t have the time, ingredients or yes, the inclination to make my own sweet treats. At such times when the cake cupboard is bare I only wish that there were a Konditor & Cook nearby to satisfy my rampant hunger for something beautifully baked.

Konditor & Cook has been serving some of the finest cakes, breads, pies and pastries in London for over 20 years. It is not only one of my favourite bakeries, but a glowing example of how to maintain a competitive baking business, without compromising on creativity or quality. Whenever I brave the big smoke it is always on my list of places to visit, so when I was granted a quick Q&A with its founder, konditormeister and all round good egg Gerhard Jenne I jumped at the chance (I actually did a little jump)…

Baking has been a big part of your life from a very young age. Who has been the single biggest influence on your career?

My mother and my oldest of two sisters baked cakes every Saturday. Then my second sister sealed my fate by getting engaged to our village baker. A summer job turned into an inspiration to take baking up professionally.

It was when I came to London that I ended up for Justin de Blank Provisions. Justin and his business partner Robert Troop were the biggest influence on my career. They were food revolutionaries back in the late 70's and 80's, their approach to honest fresh food, personal customer service and creating a positive working environment gave me the confidence to set up on my own.

What inspires you?

Running Konditor & Cook is like putting on a show; creating food for that our customers enjoy is a great motivator. Konditor & Cook is a double act of fresh, seasonal savoury food coupled with everyday tempting bakes as well as providing decorative cakes for special occasions.

Visiting markets and experiencing a breadth of food is a great inspiration, the more decorative elements to our cakes are often inspired by art or fashion.

We are not re-inventing the wheel with baking, but making old recipes more relevant, i.e giving at a wheat free of dairy free twist is challenging.

Many years ago I read the novel Perfume by Patrick Sueskind it seemed to heighten my sense of smell and awoke the alchemist in me, similarly the Flavour Thesaurus by Nicky Segnit, a great reference book about flavour pairings can be source of great inspiration.

What makes your cakes and pastries so special?

We don’t compromise on quality; free-range organic eggs, natural butter, fresh fruit, made in small batches - this gives the cake personality & depth of flavour. We are celebrating our 20th Birthday this year and our quality has been consistent throughout.

You have a made cakes for a variety of high profile clientele. What order has been your biggest challenge?

Making the Queen's portrait out of 3120 hand-dipped and coloured cakes for the Diamond Jubilee was certainly the biggest challenge to date. But coming up with solution for Sir Terence Conran's 80th Birthday Cake was a baking and design challenge. It needed to be spectacular, yet nothing like a wedding or novelty cake. and to come up with a design for a personality who himself has shaped a Nation's taste was also challenging. I provided Lady Conran with an illustration of what I was planning. The fact that Terence Conran then redrew the sketch in his own style and gave it to Wallpaper Magazine as a one-off cover was proof that he liked what we came up with.

Has there been any request you’ve had to turn down?

Design wise we pretty much try to rise to any challenge. What we can't accommodate anymore is baking a completely bespoke recipe for wholesale customers as our range of recipes is already quite wide?

Which cake is your biggest seller and why do you think that is?

Our best selling cake is the Curly Whirly Cake, it outsells everything else by miles. It's a really moist chocolate sponge filled and frosted with  real vanilla bean frosting, then covered in curly, whirly, swirls (inspired by Gustav Klimt).

What is your favourite cake to make and to eat at home?

I love the almond fruit tarts, a great basic recipe that can play host to seasonal fruits and flavours, right now it's fresh peaches and raspberries, coming up next sun-kissed apricots.

Is there any type of cake you don’t like?


I don't like the taste of cover pastes or industrially made cakes, or mince pies where the pastry is more reminiscent of cardboard than short pastry.

What single piece of advice would you give to home bakers?


Don't give up if a recipes turns out wrong the first time round, it takes a lot of bakes to tease the very best out of a recipe. Our brownies have definitely gone through a long evolution and are now gorgeously indulgent. Domestic ovens are a law onto themselves, temperature settings are often inaccurate or the heat is 'aggressive'. I'm always amazed how quickly cakes go just a bit to dark in my own oven.

What do you think will be the next big trend in baking?

I'm not sure if it will be the eclair as so often proclaimed by the press. 

We are going into miniaturization, smaller versions of big cakes or min bakes. Customers want the treat, but not 600 calories in one big whopping slice of cake.

Right now everything is quite rustic and natural, this trend will continue, it signifies the difference between factory and artisan. Although in the design conscious age we live in home bakers and professionals will try and put their own stamp onto recipes and finishes may get a bit more decorative.

What's next for you and the business?

I'm currently writing a recipe book (published by Ebury Press) with my favourite recipes from the last 20 years. Publication is planned for May 2014.

My partner Paul Cons is now the MD of Konditor & Cook. We have a great international family working for us, developing and forging the right teams is a constant challenge. Next up is a move forward with our website we would like to make the process of ordering online easier and expand our cake delivery service.

To find our more about Konditor & Cook or to purchase online, please visit http://www.konditorandcook.com/