​Helen is an alchemist, a magician of sorts. She lives in White Cottage Bakery and turns flour, water and salt (with the help of wild yeasts and time), into the most delicious breads. Up until very recently, she made just enough to fuel her passion and fill a few farm shop shelves. Enough to keep a few of us happy and feeling fortunate when we managed to get hold of the good things she makes.

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A few weeks ago, I got to spend my Sunday in Helen's cottage bakery! The minute you walk in, you are greeted with the scent of freshly baked bread, morning coffee and toast. There's fig and cardamon jam from the garden, plum compote, good homemade cultured butter, rye bread and smoking hot tea. All the good things, patiently awaiting at the breakfast table. The aroma of sweet spices still lingering in the air, from the freshly baked sticky spelt sourdough Chelsea buns. I have a weakness for these Cardamon and Cinnamon swirls. If you tried them, you'd have a crush on them too. 

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I watched the day unfold as her students stretched and slapped sourdough. kneading, shaping, scoring. Turning simple locally grown ingredients, into bountiful baskets of bread by the end of the day. Some had garden herbs in them, others were woven with rosemary and roasted garlic, there were perfectly formed rye loaves and that  boule they baked in her AGA.

We sat down for lunch as the dough had its first rise. Big bowls of Spring salads, passed around for lunch, warm soda bread the students had prepared. There was a watermelon and feta salad! A green salad (Pea, fava and mint).  We've made it for our lunch, twice since then. There was also that sun warmed tomato salad, that I keep dreaming about. ​We washed it all down with Helen's sparkling homemade pink elderflower. 





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​I've since developed a weakness for all of Helen's detail. Her textures and tones, all the pieces that are dotted around her bakery and home. that big grey bowl, old wood filled with markings and cracks. Things from another time, that have seen other homes. The light is what got me the most, the shadows it casts over surfaces and walls. There's not a part of it that couldn't be framed into a picture. The perfect setting to celebrate the passing of time, food and bountiful harvests. 

We get to return to Helen's Bakery and School in September. The begining of term starts on the 9th of September! 

We're delighted to announce a collaboration with White Cottage Bakery At the beginning of Autumn.

When: September 28th, 9:30am - 1:00pm 

What: A Food styling and Photography Workshop, followed by a delicious seasonal lunch.

The workshop will cover a series of topics including:
Basic camera settings
The use of natural light
The basics of composition
Visual story telling, food styling ("Tableaux" and 'Flat lays")
Basic editing using your phone 
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For tickets Click HERE

Please Note: Spaces are limited 


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There's this sauce I'd like to tell you about, that I usually drizzle over three textures of dark chocolate, disguised as a tart. I usually make it at the end of Summer, from foraged blackberries, raspberry liqueur, sugar, spice and the zest of good oranges.

Brockmans Gin is infused and distilled with a few of these things. Blackberries, blueberries, almonds for smoothness, orange and lemon peel, botanicals and spice. So, when Brockmans Gin reached out and asked if I could develop a recipe, using their Gin, I couldn't hold my excitement and created a few of my favourite things. This Summer Berry Pavlova drizzled with a version of that sauce. A Cherry and Brockmans Gin Sauce!

I also made a Triple Chocolate Tart, that reminds me of a Dark forest floor. It's topped with delicate chocolate peonies and all the seasonal berries I could get my hands on. I'll tell you about that soon, but, for now...

Pavlova!! For the days have been long and glorious. SUMMER seems like it's here to stay!



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Recipe:
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Summer Berry Pavlova and Brockmans Gin, Cherry Sauce
Ingredients

For the meringue

4 large egg whites 
240g caster sugar
1 teaspoon Cider vinegar

For the Pavlova

400g fresh strawberries (halved and quartered), Cherries and blueberries 
250g mascarpone, chilled
100g natural yoghurt
30g orange blossom honey
1 vanilla pod

For the Brockmans Gin and cherry sauce
250g pitted cherries
30g Brockmans Gin
100g cater sugar
60g filtered water
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Method
Preheat the oven to 150 deg C / gas 2.

In a medium sized pan, place cherries, Brockmans Gin, water and sugar. Stir on medium heat until sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Stirring occasionally until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Add the lemon juice and simmer for another two minutes. Cool and chill until needed.

Place the egg whites in a large bowl and whisk on medium speed until they start to form stiff peaks. 
With the mixer still running, slowly add the sugar, a heaped spoon at a time. When all the sugar has been incorporated add the cider vinegar and turn the mixer up to high speed and whisk until the meringue is smooth and glossy. 

Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Using a large metal spoon, place a blob of the meringue in the centre of your tray and spread until you form a circle of approximately 20cm. Add the rest of your meringue mixture and create a well in the middle. using a spatula, lift the meringue sides and create swirls on the surface. Place in the oven, lower the heat to 135 deg C and bake  for 1 hour. 

Turn the heat off, but leave the pavlova in the oven until it cools completely.

In a large bowl, whip the cream and honey until it forms soft peaks, add the yoghurt. Cut the vanilla pod lengthwise, scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod using the back of a knife. Add and fold into the cream mixture. 

Spoon the cream into the meringue well. Place larger berries first, then fill the gaps with strawberry quarters, pitted cherries and blueberries. Drizzle with Brockmans Gin and Cherry sauce.



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​There are days like these, immersed in slowness. When we pause long enough to realise that we are lucky to still be here.  When moments seem to take over, and the world seems to fade into the background.  When even the simplest of things seem to take on important roles.

​Like bread rising patiently on the kitchen counter. Meanwhile, the world continues to rush beyond its pace. 
Days like these settle us back into ourselves. We realise that we are where we are meant to be and things carry on just fine even when we've stepped away or stopped for a little while.

We can choose to keep things simple or weave away with endless detail...

​Portugues Milk Bread (Pão de Leite)

300g plain unbleached flour
100g strong bread flour
150g warm milk 
10g fresh bakers yeast
50g sugar
70g soft butter
2 large eggs

Warm milk and sugar until it reaches about 37 deg C. In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients except the macerated fruit and nuts. Knead for about 8 minutes on medium speed, until the dough no longer sticks to the sides. If it is too sticky, add an extra spoon of flour. Not much more though, as it is meant to be quite soft.

Oil a large bowl and place kneaded dough. Cover and allow to rise in a warm place, for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. After the dough has risen, turn onto lightly floured surface. Weigh 15g pieces of dough and shape into little buns. If necessary, lightly dust with flour to aid shaping. Place on baking tray lined with parchment paper. Leave enough space between buns to allow for rising. Cover and rise for about an hour. 

While the buns proof, preheat oven to 220 degs C. Brush with egg yolk and bake for 15-20 minutes at 180 degs C until golden brown.

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For the woven version

2 tbspn white Port 
50g Currants
50g Almonds
50g sultanas
5 dried figs, chopped

Place roughly chop almonds and figs in a bowl, along with the sultanas and currants and soak with Port. cover and leave to soak overnight.

Warm milk and sugar until it reaches about 37 deg C. In a large bowl mix together all the ingredients except the macerated fruit and nuts. Knead for about 8 minutes on medium speed, until the dough no longer sticks to the sides. If it is too sticky, add an extra spoon of flour.

After the dough has risen, turn onto a lightly floured surface. lightly dust dough with flour and gently stretch the dough with a rolling pin. Spread the mixed fruit and roll as you would a swiss roll. cut lengthwise, and twist the two strands . Shape into a ring. Place the twisted ring on a baking tray(lined with parchment paper). Allow to rise for a second time. 
 
Preheat oven to 220 degs C. Brush with egg yolk and bake for 35 minutes at 180 degs C until golden brown.

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Happy, Happy New Year!!

A brand New Year and zero new resolutions! No new hopes and dreams, just the certainty of knowing your goals and a number of ways of how you may go about achieving them. After all, "There is more than one Road that leads to Rome!".
The past nine years have slowly taught me that tomorrow really doesn't matter. You have no control of the next five seconds of your life, let alone the whole year, or the future ahead.

I've learnt that remaining present in the moment, is far wiser and healthier, than wondering about where I could be instead.
I have learnt that nothing is impossible and what won't kill you will make you stronger!
Slow, can still get you there.
Don't sweat the small stuff...
Remain thankful, always! 
Count your blessings and remain true to yourself.
Be KIND and RESPECT others! 
Say good morning, even when you're having a bad one. 


Listen to music... For the soul and music for your feet!
Have slower breakfasts and longer cups of tea.

RECIPE:

150g milk
2 large eggs
100g plain flour
​​Zest of an orange
​pinch of salt

10g butter
Icing sugar for dusting
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Method:
​Preheat oven to 180 deg C. Place cast iron pan in oven.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, zest and milk until frothy. Sieve flour and salt into the bowl and gently incorporate. Allow mixture to rest, whilst cast iron pan heats up in the oven (at least 20 minutes).

Using and oven glove, carefully remove hot cast iron pan from oven and add butter to coat the bottom of the pan. Pour rested batter into pan and quickly return to oven. 

Bake until the sides have puffed, for 15 minutes at 180 deg C, then a further 10 minutes at 150 deg C. 

Carefully remove from oven and serve with compote or fruit and a generous dusting of Icing sugar.