Fr Alex's Recipes

Savoury

Griddled Pears with Goat's Cheese

and Hazlenut Dressing

INGREDIENTS

40g toasted hazelnuts, finely chopped or crushed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
2 pears, cored
handful of watercress, to serve
100g goat's cheese, crumbled

Method

1. Combine the hazelnuts with the oil, vinegar and a pinch of sea salt flakes.

Slice each pear into six wedges.

Heat a griddle pan over a high heat and griddle the pear wedges until slightly charred.

Arrange three in a line on each plate.

Tuck some watercress around the pears,

then crumble over the goat’s cheese.

Dot over the hazelnut dressing.

Sweet

Blackberry and Orange Cake

Ingredients

225g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the tins
225g caster sugar
4 large eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
250g self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
2 oranges, zested (reserve the oranges for the drizzle, below)
150g blackberries, halved if large

For the drizzle

3 oranges, juiced (use the zested oranges, above, you’ll need about 150ml), 1 zested
100g caster sugar

For the topping

150g unsalted butter, softened
350g icing sugar
1 orange, zested, plus extra zest to serve
1tbsp milk
200g marmalade
100g blackberries

METHOD

STEP 1

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Butter two 20cm loose-bottomed cake tins and line with baking parchment. Beat the butter and caster sugar together in a large bowl using an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, until combined. Tip in the vanilla, flour and baking powder and fold until smooth, then gently fold in the orange zest and blackberries, being careful not to overmix.

STEP 2

Divide the batter between the two tins and bake for 35-40 mins until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cover with foil after 30 mins if they start to colour too quickly.

STEP 3

Meanwhile, make the drizzle. Put the orange juice, zest and sugar in a small pan and simmer for 4-5 mins until a thin syrup forms. Pour into a heatproof bowl and set aside.

STEP 4

When the sponges are ready, drizzle the syrup over both while still warm and brush over evenly using a pastry brush. Leave to cool completely in the tins.

STEP 5

Meanwhile, make the buttercream for the topping. Beat the butter and icing sugar in a large bowl with an electric whisk until light, pale and fluffy. Whisk in the orange zest and milk until loosened slightly. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle. Beat the marmalade to loosen, then transfer a little to a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle.

STEP 6

Remove the cooled sponges from the tins, and place one on a cake board or plate. Pipe buttercream dots on top in a circle around the edge, then three dots in the middle. Spoon some marmalade into the gaps between the buttercream, then top with the second sponge. Pipe more buttercream dots all over the surface, then fill in the gaps by piping in the remaining marmalade. To finish, scatter with the blackberries and extra orange zest.