Simply substack
Quietly consistent
BONJOUR! Hello to you and all my subscribers this week thank you for being here with me away from all the noise, just us. There is so much choice so ever grateful you are here. Substack is simply the best. I am finding myself more and more drawn to Substack and less and less to other social media platforms.
I love going away but there is nothing more wonderful than coming home. That feeling of familiarity and comfort that makes me feel safe and happy. Sleeping in my own bed and having my home treasures and memories around me. I have been reunited with Inca my spaniel who is the best girl and my every day routine that simply brings me joy.
So many changes are happening in my life all in quite a short space of time, not sure how well I am adjusting to them my dialogue to myself is not as kind as it should be, why is that? Why are we so hard on ourselves? I have such a long to do list it is never ending. Time to do one thing at a time and know you are simply doing your best.
This has made me think about the recipes that make me feel at home and nostalgic about childhood days. Like many people I find comfort in the ebb and the flow of what the universe brings me throughout the changing seasons. So I bring you something sweet and a pudding that I love is Treacle Tart. Golden syrup deliciousness is a favourite pudding in our house, more tart please, the trick is the right balance of syrup to crumbs is essential. Not enough and the filling will be dry and chewy, too much and it will not set. The sweeter the better, all the memories of being a child and treacle tart for Sunday lunch and always one of my mother’s signature puddings. This frugal pudding that has always been in my life. However you like yours with lemon or perhaps grated apple. (also a great way of reducing waste by using up stale bread)
My other recipe for you today is my easy Spiced Apple Cake a quick and simple loaf cake that will bring you some sunshine in November. Perfect loaf with a tipple of calvados for bonfire night celebrations and not forgetting my Cabbage Stew recipe (paid subscribers find in my archive recipes)
As always ‘My Kitchen Journal’ on Substack is a reader supported publication if you like what I do and enjoy my writing and recipes I would love you to sign up to my lovely paid subscriber community or share with your friends.
(perhaps a 7 day free trial may tempt you to join me Ex)
To my paid subscriber community I will see you tomorrow at 10am for my *Recipe for the Weekend* all the indulgence of my Chocolate roulade. Next week my attention turns to more of the festive season ahead and gifting for Christmas time.
Thank you so much Emily x
Treacle Tart
Sweet pastry
125g unsalted butter, cold and diced
55g icing sugar
1 egg
250g plain flour, plus extra to dust
For the filling
225g golden syrup
220ml double cream
1/2 teaspoon cornish sea salt
1 orange, zest finely grated
1 lemon, zest finely grated
½ lemon, juiced
2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and grated
75g fresh white breadcrumbs
1 medium eggs, beaten
Pinch of sea salt
Serves 6 - 8
Method
First make the sweet pastry. In a food processor, place the butter, flour and icing sugar, blitz up until it resembles breadcrumbs, add the egg and pulse until the dough comes together and away from the sides. Place dough on a floured surface and shape into a round shape and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This can always be made a day ahead or make 4 batches and freeze, so you always have some pastry at hand.
Preheat the oven 180’C - Line a 9” fluted tin with a round of greaseproof. Roll the pastry out and carefully line the tin. Chill in the fridge again at this stage.
Bake blind using ceramic baking beans and greaseproof paper - bake for 15 minutes. Remove the baking beans and greaseproof and cook the pastry case for a further 2 minutes.
For the filling gently heat together the golden syrup, cream, orange, lemon zest, lemon juice, grated apple and salt. Whisk in the egg. Add the breadcrumbs and stir together. Fill the tart with the treacle mixture and cook for 20 - 25 minutes until set and golden brown. Allow to cool and slice with a hot knife this will allow nice clean edges to your tart. Serve with no churn vanilla ice cream (page XXX) or clotted cream
Cook’s note - Another method I love to use which my grandmother always swore by is grate the pastry into the tin and then line the tin by patting the pastry out with your hands. Handle pastry with care and do not overwork. If time is an issue, ready-bought pastry from supermarkets really is good. If you do not have ceramic baking beans, rice is a perfect replacement. Treacle tart freezes well.
My recipe from my book Time & Tide Recipe & Stories from my Coastal Kitchen published by Hardie Grant. A perfect gift this Christmas for the foodie in your life.
