Lorraine Pascale's recipes for Composed in the Kitchen - Episode 4

Throughout January Scala Radio is offering tips and advice on how to stay healthy and happy in 2021.

And a good place to start with a healthy regime is surely the food we eat.

Listen to Lorraine Pascale in her special four-part series every Sunday in January from 6pm as she combines restorative recipes with uplifting classical music.

In episode one Lorraine suggested Soothing Sag Aloo Soup, Peanut Butter and Banana Muffins, and Easy Spelt Pizza with Harissa, Mozzarella and Basil. In episode two Lorraine offered up Hot and Sour King Prawn Soup, Crunchy Black Pepper Halloumi, and Roast Peri Peri Chicken. And last week in episode three listeners were treated to a menu of Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Lasagne, Maple, Pecan and Cranberry Granola, and Broccoli & Blue Cheese Soup.

Recipes from the fourth episode can be found below.

Lorraine Pascale's Purpose, Passion and Pumpkin Cranberry Soda Bread

500g plain flour

60g of self raising flour

1 tsp of bicarbonate of soda

1 tsp of salt

1 tbsp of maple syrup (optional you can use honey if you like or treacle to darken the crumb

300g of tinned pumpkin puree

200ml of semi-skimmed milk

1 tbsp of lemon juice

4 tbsp of chia seed ( this is optional)

4 tbsp of pumpkin seeds

4 tbsp of dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 200c/400f

1. Put the flours in a bowl with the bicarbonate of soda and the salt and mix them together. Then add the maple syrup and the pumpkin puree along with the skimmed milk, lemon juice and the chia seeds. Mix it all for a couple of minutes until it starts to come together. Then put down the spoon and get your hands in, bring it together in a ball and then pop it down on a lightly floured surface.

2. Press it down a little to flatten the ball and then sprinkle in half of the pumpkin seeds and half of the cranberries. Fold in the edges of the dough in to the centre a few times, not kneading it but just trying to get the seeds and cranberries mixed in as well as possible. Then fold in the edges to the middle again and then flip the dough the other around so that the messy edges are underneath and the top of the dough is smooth.

3. Place the bread on a baking sheet and take a lightly sprinkle some flour over a wooden spoon. Hold the wooden spoon horizontally over the bread and then press down all the way to the bottom of the tin. This is the first half of the cross. Then turn the spoon so it is at right angles to the line you have just made and make another line thus forming a cross.

4. Push the remaining cranberries in to the top of the loaf. Pushing them so they are flush with the bread will mean that they do not burn when they bake. Then put the pumpkin seeds on also. You do not have to push them down quite so much as they will not burn so easily but will go toasty which is a good thing.

5. Place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the bread has risen slightly (it will not rise much) and is firm and not wet in the bits where the cross is. These bits cook the slowest and when they are dry, it is a good indicator that the bread is cooked.

6. Once cooked remove from the oven and leave to cool a little before slicing and serving with some good butter.

Lorraine Pascale's Rich Espresso & Walnut Traybake

180g butter, softened (I use salted)

50g crème fraîche

180g soft light brown sugar

3 medium eggs

180g wholemeal or regular self-raising flour

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp Camp coffee essence (or 2 tsp instant coffee mixed with 2 tsp hot water, cooled)

80g shelled walnuts, chopped, plus 40g extra to decorate

FOR THE COFFEE BUTTERCREAM

100g unsalted butter, softened

200g icing sugar

½ tsp Camp coffee essence (or 1 tsp instant coffee mixed with 1 tsp hot water, cooled)

EQUIPMENT

20cm square cake tin

stand mixer or hand-held electric whisk (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (fan 160C/350F/gas 4) and line the baking tin with baking parchment. I make sure there is extra baking parchment hanging over the edges – this makes it easier to pull out the cake when it is baked.

2. Put the butter and crème fraîche into a bowl and add the sugar, then cream together until light and fluffy. The easiest way to do this is in a stand mixer or with a hand-held electric whisk, but a wooden spoon will also work.

3. When the mixture is fluffy, add two of the eggs, half the flour and the baking powder and mix. Then add the other egg with the rest of the flour along with the coffee essence or cooled coffee. Beat the mixture until just combined and then use a spatula to fold in the walnuts.

4. Tip the cake mixture into the lined tin and smooth the top down with the back of the spoon. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and leave it to cool completely in the tin.

5. Once the cake is cool, make the coffee buttercream. Put the butter in a bowl and add the icing sugar, then beat well until light and fluffy using either a wooden spoon, hand-held electric whisk or a stand mixer. Mix in the coffee essence or cooled coffee and beat again until smooth.

6. Using a palette knife, spread the buttercream all over the top of the traybake. Cut the cake into eight equal-sized pieces, then place the walnuts on top and serve.

Lorraine Pascale's Lemon Victoria Sponge with Vanilla Buttercream & Lemon Curd

SERVES 6-8

220g butter, softened (I use salted)

200g caster sugar

4 medium eggs

220g self-raising flour

seeds of ½ vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract

zest of 1 lemon

¼ tsp baking powder

7 tbsp lemon curd (shop-bought, or homemade from my book)

icing sugar, for dusting

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

90g butter, softened

180g icing sugar

seeds of ½ vanilla pod or 1 tsp vanilla extract

EQUIPMENT

2 x 20cm round loose-bottomed cake tins

hand-held electric whisk or stand mixer (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 180C (fan 160C/350F/gas 4) and get the centre shelf at the ready. Line the cake tins with baking parchment.

2. Cream together the butter and the sugar in a large bowl. I prefer to do this with a wooden spoon, pushing the mixture on to the side of the bowl until it is combined and then beating it hard until the mixture turns from yellow to a paler shade. You could also use a hand-held electric whisk or a stand mixer. Add two of the eggs to the butter mixture with half the flour and beat together until just combined. Then add the remaining eggs and the rest of the flour along with the vanilla, lemon zest and baking powder and beat like mad to get lots of air into it.

3. Divide the mixture between the lined cake tins and bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the cakes have shrunk slightly from the sides of the tin, are springy to the touch and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. If you’re using an old-style gas oven, I recommend rotating the cakes two-thirds of the way through, as this gives a more even bake. Once the cakes are baked, remove them from the oven and leave them to cool completely in the tins.

4. While the cakes are cooling, make the buttercream. Cream together the butter, icing sugar and vanilla in a bowl until light and fluffy. Once the cakes are cooled down completely, place one of the layers on a plate and spread over the buttercream. Spoon the lemon curd over the top of the buttercream and gently place the other cake layer on top. Dust with icing sugar to serve.

TIP To make this a traditional Victoria sponge, you can simply omit the lemon zest in the sponge and replace the lemon curd with your favourite strawberry jam.

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