Plum and almond tart

I made this tart in Spain where I was working for a family and it was very summery and delicious, also looks very pretty. You can use any other kind of fruits to suit the season too.

Sweet pastry
I use the Ottolenghi recipe, same as post below

Almond paste
250g Butter
250g Sugar

250g Ground Almonds

5 egg

45g Flour

3/4 tbsp of booze, cognac, rum etc

Cream the butter with an electric whisk, when light and creamy whisk in sugar, then almonds, eggs then flour until all mixed well.

For the plums use about 15-20, cut them in half and then cut the halves into 3 wedges. Put in a bowl with a good sprinkling of caster sugar and leave for 10 mins.

Spoon the almond paste into the tart case and then push the plums in making a pretty pattern.

Bake in the oven for about 30-40 mins so that the mixture is golden, set and not wobbly.

Leave to cool or serve warm, it looks amazing finished with a glaze so heat up a few tbsps of jam until runny and lightly paint over the tart with a pastry brush. Serve with creme fraiche.

River cafe polenta, almond and lemon cake

This week has been a bit up and down with the weather, lots of rain and then an absolute scorcher yesterday in the 30˚s. Yesterday was an especially good day because not only did I get a little bit less pasty but I also stood up on my surfboard about 10 times!! I did almost die about twice getting absolutely smashed by waves and ended up with my hair looking a bit like a loo brush but very happy!! Since the weather has been crappy I made a huge cake, and I think this could be my newest most favourite cake I have ever made. I have been trawling through my River cafe books and there is so much amazing stuff so since I have all kinds of great ingredients on my door step I am going to go nuts and try loads this month. Serves 12 450g unsalted butter, softened 450g caster sugar 450g ground almonds 2 teaspoons good vanilla essence 6 free range eggs zest of 4 lemons juice of 1 lemon 225g polenta flour or fine semolina 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 1/4 teaspoon of salt Preheat the oven to ...

Simple Supper

I went to Whole Foods today to get a very short list of things for a pie I'm making tomorrow and managed to leave an hour!!! later. Whole Foods is not a place to go when you don't have a plan, it's a bit like Westfield where you get all overexcited with the shops, loose track of time and suddenly you leave and it's dark and you haven't bought anything. After getting the things on my list I realised I had to get stuff for dinner too. My basket got fuller..then emptier while I chopped and changed my mind constantly finding all kinds of amazing stuff, attempting to smell sauces in jars unsuccessfully. Unfortunately Whole Foods is possibly the most expensive place to shop so I have to do a bit of maths as I go and check I'm not spending my weekly budget on one small meal. After 45mins of indecisive supermarket heaven I eventually left with a very simple supper. Homemade fresh taglionini, some delicious looking fresh semi-dried tomato pesto made by Sapori D'Itali...

Smoked trout pate

I have been in the Loire Valley for the last three weeks working for a lovely family with four kids, there has been lots of spaghetti on the walls, wine drinking, chocolatey faces and bum pinching from a certain naughty four year old. We are staying in a big Chateaux and my bedroom in in a turret so I am now calling myself Rapunzel, although no french men have been at my window trying to climb up my hair yet! Here is a nice little recipe from Jamie Oliver for smoked trout pate which I have been doing as a little addition to summer lunches. So unbelievably easy to make, just mix in a bowl or chuck into a magimix for a smoother pate. serves 6-8 125g cream cheese 2-3 heaped teaspoons jarred horseradish 1 lemon small bunch of chives finely chopped 125g hot smoked trout or salmon, skin removed sea salt and pepper Mix the cream cheese with the horseradish, zest from the lemon and half of the juice. Mix in most of the fresh chives just leaving a few to sprinkle on the top when you serve it. S...

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