I realise autumn has been and gone and I never got round to posting the final instalment of my test shoot with the marvellous Kim. I have been far too lazy over Christmas to write anything, I will endeavour to do more in 2013.

Our last shot of the day was a pleasant surprise. I’m not overly keen on cooked fruit, I prefer it raw and beautifully ripe, but these gorgeously succulent plums won me over.

Poached plums with spiced vanilla syrup

• 6 ripe plums, halved with stones removed
• 200g golden caster sugar
• 200 mls water
• 1 vanilla pod, split with seeds scraped
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• Greek yoghurt to serve

Place the sugar and water in a saucepan over a medium heat. Allow the sugar to dissolve before adding the vanilla, cinnamon and star anise. Bring the mixture to the boil and let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes.

You should now have a beautiful, warm, spiced vanilla syrup – the perfect cooking liquor for your plums. Gently lower the plum halves into the syrup and simmer for a 10-15 minutes. Do not cook the plums for too long, it’s nice for them to retain their shape and a little bit of bite.

Serve with some thick Greek yoghurt and drizzle some of that glorious syrup over the top.

I’m definitely not the world’s best baker, I don’t have the natural precision and scientific approach that is required when it comes to baking. I do however, have plenty of enthusiasm and whenever it’s a friend’s birthday I jump at the chance to experiment with recipe ideas and make an elaborate cake. Sometimes I pull it off; sometimes I don’t. A couple of weeks ago for my friend Shady’s birthday I created a cheesecake where everything fell into place.  I have therefore decided to share it with you.

This cheesecake does take a bit of time and effort and there are a few stages, but it’s well worth it. The combination of the nutty, crunchy base, soft, creamy filling and salted caramel and chocolate ganache layers will not disappoint. And even though there are a lot of stages, it doesn’t take very long to compete each stage. I’d recommend making it in a leisurely fashion over a couple of days.

Baked cheesecake with salted caramel, chocolate ganache and praline pecans

You will need a lined and greased 25cm spring form cake tin. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees.

For the base

• 300g packet of chocolate hobnobs, crushed
• 100g pecans, finely ground
• 125g butter, melted

Mix all the ingredients together and press firmly into the base of the cake tin. Bake for 10 minutes and then leave to cool completely while you make the filling.

For the filling

• 500g full fat cream cheese – Philadelphia is best
• 100g mascarpone
• 300mls sour cream
• 100g caster sugar
• 3 eggs plus 1 yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon juice and zest of 1/2 a lemon
• 1 tablespoon cornflour, sifted
• 1 tablespoon plain flour, sifted

Beat together the cream cheese, mascarpone and sour cream until light and fluffy. Add in the sugar and beat again.

Whisk the eggs and extra yolk together in a jug and pour into the mixture, a little at a time, whilst continually beating. Next add the vanilla, maple syrup and lemon juice and zest. Give it another good mix.

Finally, fold in the flours and make sure all the ingredients are properly incorporated. Pour the mixture over the cooled base and smooth over with a spatula. Turn down the oven to 160 degrees and bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the cheesecake is set. It should still have a slight wobble in the middle. Take the cheesecake out of the oven and run a sharp knife around the edge to loosen it from it’s tin. This will prevent the cake from cracking as it cools.

For the salted caramel

• 250g caster sugar
• 5 tablespoons water
• 142ml pot double cream
• 50g butter
• 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt

Place the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed sauce pan and dissolve over a low heat. Once the sugar is completely dissolved, turn up the heat and let the mixture bubble until it reaches a golden amber colour, or about 200 degrees on a sugar thermometer. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the cream and butter. Leave the caramel to cool before pouring over the cheesecake and sprinkling evenly with the teaspoon of sea salt.

For the chocolate ganache

• 300g good quality, dark chocolate, broken into little pieces- the smaller the better
• 25 butter, cut into little pieces
• 200mls double cream

At this point you should remove the cake from it’s tin. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan until just boiling, then pour directly over the chocolate. Cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes. Remove the cover and stir carefully, ensuring all of the chocolate and butter is melted. You should have a lovely smooth, glossy ganache. Leave to cool at room temperature for about 20 minutes and then pour over the salted caramel layer and smooth over all the sides of your cheesecake. Leave to set whilst you make your praline pecans.

For the praline pecans

• 100g pecans
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 tablespoons water

Lightly grease a baking tray and lay the pecans over it. As with the caramel sauce put the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed saucepan and dissolve the sugar over a low heat. Once completely dissolved, crank up the heat and let it bubble away until golden in colour or about 200 degrees on a sugar thermometer. Pour the hot caramel over the pecans and leave to set- this should take about 45 minutes. Smash the praline with a toffee hammer or cut into shards with a sharp knife. Use the praline pecans to decorate the top of the cheesecake.

Your done!

Rice is something I have always had trouble with cooking. It seems like it should be so simple but time after time I would find myself producing clammy, starchy rice that tastes of nothing.

It turns out that cooking rice is actually pretty easy, but there are rules, and it needs to be treated with respect. You can’t just boil the hell out of it and expect it to taste good. Buy good quality rice, it really does make a difference – Tilda is probably my favourite supermarket brand. Also,buy the correct rice for your dish. Always wash or soak your rice, this will remove starch and prevent it from becoming too heavy and sticky. Treat rice with a degree of delicacy, it’s fragile and the grains can easily break if bashed about. When covering rice, insert a cloth between the lid and the pan, this will absorb excess moisture rather than it dripping back into the pan.

I have a couple of Iranian friends who are very serious about rice. One of my favourite rice dishes- although I confess I have never actually made it- is saffron infused, crispy rice, a Persian classic. You can learn how to make it here, on My Persian Kitchen, a very beautiful and detailed blog.

I spent some time in Australia earlier this year and stayed with my lovely friend Gini, who is a pretty spectacular cook. She has a wonderful approach to food and a thirst for knowledge (and wine!) which has made her an accomplished and wise home cook.

Gini cooked lots of delicious dishes for me during my stay including this fail safe, incredibly versatile pilaf rice recipe, which has become one of my staples- I make it at least once a month. It’s packed with flavour, the grains are perfectly light are fluffy and it goes with practically everything from curry to roast chicken.

Gini’s Mushroom and pea pilaf

The measurement to remember is 1 part rice 1 1/3 parts liquid- this will give you perfect rice every time.

Serves 4 generously

• 300 mls volume of basmati rice (use a measuring jug)
• 400 mls of boiling hot chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 white onions, finely diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 150g frozen peas
• 150g chestnut mushrooms, finely sliced.
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
• 25g gee or butter

Firstly wash the rice until the water runs clear and then leave to soak , the longer you soak it the lighter and fluffier it will be. If you’re planning on having the rice for dinner, soak it before you leave for work in the morning. Drain the rice in a sieve and give it a quick rinse to remove excess starch. Leave the rice to drain thoroughly over the sink while you prepare the rest of the dish.

Heat the oil and butter in a large heavy based, preferably non stick pan. Fry the onion for 5 minutes on a medium high heat until translucent, add the garlic mushrooms and fry for a further few minutes. Now add the drained rice and cook for a few more minutes, stirring carefully and ensuring that all of the grains are coated.

Pour the boiling stock over the rice and give it a final stir. Bring the mixture to a steady boil and then turn it down to the lowest heat possible. Cover with a cloth or tea towel and place the lid over this on top of the pan.

Cook the rice for 10 minutes, then remove the lid and add the peas. Spread them carefully over the surface of the rice without disturbing the grains too much. Replace the lid and cloth and continue to cook over the lowest heat possible for another 5 minutes.

Turn off the heat and leave the rice to steam with the lid and cloth still in place for a further 10 minutes or so. When your ready to serve, remove the lid and fluff up the grains with two forks. A rich, comforting smell will fill your kitchen and you will have a wonderful dinner. Thanks Gini!

So it seems summer is over – It’s pouring and I’m wrapped up with the heating on whilst writing this. In an attempt to inject some sunshine into this miserable day I’m revisiting my Italian holiday.

In the first week of September I went back to Trevignano, the little Italian town I grew up in, just North of Rome.  I spent a lot of time sunbathing and even more time eating. Trevignano is one of three towns that surround Lago di Bracciano, a beautiful lake, which is a popular destination for Roman’s seeking an escape from the city at weekends. Thanks to Tom Cruise and Katy Holmes, who got married at Bracciano castle overlooking the lake a few years ago, it is slightly less of the quaint little town I grew up in and a bit more of a glitzy holiday destination. Still, it’s an amazing place.

Lake Bracciano

Bracciano is just a short train ride away from Rome so we made our way into the city to see the sights and, of course, to sample the best ice cream in the world from Giolitti’s. This  wonderful old ice cream bar has a continuous queue, too many flavours to choose from and world wide acclaim and three scoops costs only £2.00! I opted for raspberry and pistachio, it was delicious.

Giolitti’s Ice cream

We also stopped in at La Vineria, a famous and very reasonable little wine bar in Campo dei Fiorri. Here I enjoyed my first ever glass of falanghina, a beautifully crisp and characterful white from Campania, as we people watched in the busy market square.

La Veneria

Rome from the top of the Spanish Steps

Aside from our trip to Rome we spent most of our time lounging on the beach and eating a rather alarming amount of pizza. The bakery in Trevignano makes fantastic Pizza Romana. Crisp, flavoursome base, topped with a variety of tasty fresh ingredients. This became our staple lunch.

Pizza Romana with tomato, courgette flowers and potato and rosemary

Fiorri di Zucca- Courgette Flowers

I absolutely adore courgette flowers, but hardly ever get to eat them as you they’re not very common in the UK. They are however, available in abundance in Italy over the summer months. I ate tons of them while during my week in Trevignano and cooked a few as well.

The most common method of cooking a courgette flower is to stuff and deep fry it. If you do manage to get your hands on some courgette flowers, they are really easy to cook and rather delicious to eat.

Stuffed Courgette Flowers with Buffalo Mozzarella and basil

• 10 courgette flowers, remove any dirt or bugs
• 1 litre of sunflower oil for frying

For the filling

• 150g buffalo mozzarella
• 50 parmesan, finely grated
• 10 basil leaves
• a squeeze of lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• salt and pepper

For the batter

• 5 tablespoons of plain flour, sifted
• 1 teaspoon of cornflour, sifted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 200 mls ice cold sparkling water

Heat the oil in a medium sized pan until hot. You will be able to test that the temperature is correct by dropping a small piece of bread into the oil. If it floats and turns brown in about a minute, the oil is ready to cook in.

Chop or tear the mozzarella into small pieces, stir in the parmesan, lemon juice, olive oil, season well.

Now fill each courgette flower with a heaped teaspoon of the filling mixture and one leaf of basil. The flower should neither be bursting at the seams or limp and under full.

Next mix up the batter. Place the dry ingredients in a large bowl, make a well in the centre and slowly pour the ice cold sparkling water, whisking continuously. Whisk thoroughly until you have a smooth light batter.

Dip the flowers in the batter and then lower them carefully into the hot oil. Fry in batches of  3-5 for about 3 minutes or until golden. Remove the flowers from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Serve immediately when they’re hot and crisp.

I have toyed with the idea of putting on a pop up restaurant for some time now. The lack of space in my house and general fear that no one would come have always held me back. However, with the help of my friend Amy, who manages the quirky Hotel Pelirocco in Brighton, I finally got it together and put on my very first pop up event in the hotel bar.

‘British Eccentric Afternoon Tea’ , Hotel Pelirocco. Flyer designed by James Antill

Earlier this year I worked on a couple of events with the woman that started the whole pop up craze in the UK, Ms Marmite Lover. Kerstin Rodgers started an underground restaurant in her basement flat in Kilburn in 2007. The restaurant has thrived ever since, she documents her events and recipes on her beautifully written blog and even had a book published last year ‘Supper Club: recipes and notes from the Underground Restaurant‘. Kerstin has been a huge source of inspiration to countless young foodies all over the world, myself included. I helped out with Kerstin’s Jersey Royal Supper Club at her flat and  the Organic Debate Banquet at Toynbee hall, both inspiring experiences.

I decided to do an afternoon tea for my first pop up event as I thought it would be simpler to have a selection of cakes and savouries I had made in advance, and could then just arrange in a plate. I was wrong. Having lots of different elements made it extremely fiddly and the prep work was immense. Nevertheless, I enjoyed every minute of it and it was invaluable experience. I can’t wait for the next one.

The theme for my afternoon tea was ‘British Eccentric’; all of the food was classic British with an eccentric twist, the soundtrack and dress code also followed the theme.

The event is hopefully going to be a monthly fixture at The Hotel Pelirocco so watch this space for more delicious, fun filled events.

Salted caramel millionaire shortbread

Napkins and vintage cutlery

Drinks lablels

Shot of Lemon Posset

The cheese, chilli and Marmite straws were a bit hit with the guests. Although, I can’t really take credit for the recipe, the idea came from the Woman & Home kitchen where I will be working for the next two months. I just added a sprinkle of chilli flakes to give them an eccentric twist. You can see how to make them here.

Making the Cheese, chilli and Marmite straws

Another big success were the Raspberry meringue pie cupcakes, a recipe for which I can take credit. They are a sort of cross between a Victoria sponge and a lemon meringue pie, two British classics. The meringue and the sponge are both very sweet so I filled them with tangy fresh raspberries and crème fraiche to balance the sweetness.

Raspberry Meringue Pie Cupcakes

For the buttermilk sponge

Makes approx 50 mini, bite-sized sponges, if you want to make less, just half the mixture.

• 280g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 230mls buttermilk
• 150g butter, at room temperature
• 200g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

To make the sponge I’d recommend using a hand whisk or a free standing electric mixer. You will need 50 mini cupcake cases, and silicone moulds so they keep their structure during baking. Preheat the oven at 180 degrees C.

Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Whisk together the buttermilk and eggs in a jug, gradually add it to the butter and sugar, continually whisking all the time. Your mixture may curdle a bit, but don’t worry, the flour will rectify this.

Sift together all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and then fold into the mixture a little at a time until the mixture is smooth and incorporated. Finally add the vanilla paste and give it a final mix. Fill the cupcake cases with the mixture and bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden or until you can insert a skewer into the centre of a cake and it comes out clean. Leave the cakes to cool completely.

For the candy striped meringues

• 3 large egg white
• 100g caster sugar
• 75g icing sugar
• red gel paste food colouring

Candy striped meringues

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven at 150 degrees C.

Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks- you should be able to turn the bowl upside down without the mixture falling out. Be careful not to over whisk the egg whites or your meringues will collapse.

Sift the sugars together and gradually add them to the egg whites, a tablespoon at a time, whilst continually whisking. You should have a beautiful snow drift like mixture that holds its shape, but is still soft and light.

To get the lovely candy striped effect, paint three or four stripes of gel food colouring on the inside of a piping bag. To get the correct shape, you will need an open star nozzle. Then just pipe blobs of the mixture on to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. The nozzle and the food colouring will do the rest. Do not over fill the bag as it will be difficult to control.

Bake the meringues for 10 minutes at 150 degrees, then turn the oven down to 100 degrees and bake for a further 45 minutes. Now turn the oven off completely, but leave the meringues in there until it is completely cooled. I like to make them in the evening and leave them in the oven overnight to dry out properly.

To assemble the raspberry meringue pie cup cakes, layer a sponge base with a teaspoon of crème fraiche and a whole raspberry. Top with the candy stripped meringue, I like to place it at an angle so you can see the filling. Pop into your mouth in one go.