Bramble Jellies

These deeply fruity sweets can easily be made with your frozen crop of blackberries from the autumn.

Line a square baking tin with clingfilm, and set aside.

Place whatever gelling medium you choose: we use agar flakes, into a bowl and cover with cold water.  Set aside to soak.

In a food processor blend defrosted, frozen blackberries to make a puree.  Push through a sieve into a pan, and discard the seeds left behind.

Add raw organic caster sugar and water to the puree and heat to gently dissolve the sugar.  Then bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes.  Mix in your soaked gelling agent.  Leave to cool in the pan.

Stir the mixture again, and pour into your prepared tin.  Allow to cool before chilling in the ‘fridge for several hours until completely set.

Cut the jelly into individual squares, and dust with raw organic caster sugar!

Choc Hazelnut Biscotti

(vegan and gluten-free)

We made these dark chocolate biscotti to accompany a vegan almond milk ice-‘cream’ when vegan friends came over for lunch.  The dark nutty biscuits were a lovely contrast to the creamy iced dessert.

Whisk almond milk and ground flax seeds together, then add raw organic sugar - we use either organic palmyra tree blossom sugar or Panela for this, cold-pressed sunflower oil, pure vanilla and almond extracts and stir the mixture until it’s very smooth.

Sift in plain gluten-free flour, cocoa powder, arrowroot, baking powder and Maldon sea salt.  Stir together and – as the mixture begins to come together, stir in whole hazelnuts.  Knead this 'dough' very briefly to stiffen it up (push any escapee nuts back into the mixture!).

Form the dough into a rectangle on a baking sheet.  Bake until it puffs up slightly and the top cracks.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  It should be very firm.

Increase the oven heat, then – on a cutting board – slice the rectangle into half inch thick slices.  Gently return the slices to the baking sheet and put back into the oven to crisp up the biscotti.

Remove from the oven, place the biscotti on a cooling rack.

Once cool, store the biscotti in an air tight container.  Keeps for several weeks (if they last long enough!).

Pumpkin Enchilladas with Mole

(vegetarian and gluten-free)

It’s just possible that you might have some pumpkin flesh knocking about in the next few days, but if not, this magnificent Mexican recipe can be made with a roasted butternut squash instead.

By using some gluten-free tortillas, you can make this dish suitable for vegetarians and coeliacs alike.  If gluten-free vegetarian food sounds like a synonym for bland and boring, then you must try this dish which is packed with flavour; sweet rich mole sauce, spicy enchillada, cool sour cream and a fresh spritz of lime.  A great supper after a cold night’s trick or treating!

For the mole - pound red chillies, almonds, sesame seeds, peppercorns, cloves and coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar. Tip the paste into a dry frying pan and allow the mixture to char slightly.  Fry onions, garlic and cocoa powder in another pan with extra-virgin olive oil, then add chopped tomatoes.  Bring the tomato mixture to the boil then tip in the spice paste. Add stock, ground cinnamon and sugar and stir everything together. Cook for 20 minutes then transfer to a blender to make a thick smooth sauce.  Grate in good quality dark chocolate, and stir.

Roast the pumpkin or squash in the oven, then mix the soft flesh with refried beans, finely chopped red chilli and coriander leaves. Fill tortillas with the mixture, roll them up into an oven proof dish, cover with grated cheese and bake.

Serve with generous spoonfuls of the mole sauce, sour cream, lime wedges and more fresh coriander leaves.

Delicious!