Excellent Foods

Ingredients
200 g unsalted butter , plus extra for greasing
200 g dark chocolate (70%)
1 tablespoon strong coffee
6 large free-range eggs
250 g golden caster sugar
70 g cocoa powder , plus extra for dusting

Method
Preheat the oven to 160ºC/320ºF/gas 3. Grease a 20cm springform cake tin with a little butter and line with greaseproof paper.
Rest a medium heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water on a medium-low heat. Break in the chocolate, roughly chop and add the butter, then allow to melt, stirring occasionally until smooth and glossy.
Carefully remove the bowl from the heat, stir in the coffee and set aside to cool slightly.
Separate the egg yolks and whites between two large bowls. Whisk the egg whites for 1 to 2 minutes, or until soft peaks form.
Add the sugar to the yolks and beat for 7 minutes, or until pale. Sift in the cocoa powder and 1 pinch of sea salt, then gently fold through to combine.
Stir in the melted chocolate mixture, then gently fold through the egg whites until smooth.
Transfer to the prepared tin and place in the hot oven for around 1 hour, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool completely on a wire cooling rack, then serve with a dusting of cocoa powder and fresh berries.

Ingredients
125 g unsalted butter , plus extra for greasing
300 g plain flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 whole nutmeg , for grating
175 g cooked pumpkin or butternut squash
100 ml buttermilk
150 g quality milk chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
175 g caster sugar
175 g dark brown sugar
3 large free-range eggs
GINGER ICING
2 cm piece of ginger
1 clementine
200 g icing sugar

Method
Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas 3 and grease and line a 12cm x 25cm loaf tin.
In a bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon. Add a good grating of nutmeg, and set aside.
Purée the cooked pumpkin or squash, then whisk with the buttermilk in a jug. Melt and add the chocolate, followed by the vanilla extract. Set aside.
Using an electric whisk, cream the butter and both sugars in a separate bowl until fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, whisking continuously, then fold in half the flour until combined, followed by half the buttermilk liquid. Repeat until everything is mixed in.
Pour the batter into the loaf tin, then bake it in the oven for 1 hour, or until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove it from the oven and cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then take it out and cool on a wire rack.
While the cake is cooling, make the icing. Peel and finely grate the ginger, then place in a bowl. Finely grate the clementine zest and put aside. Squeeze the clementine juice into the bowl, then beat in the icing sugar to make a thick but spoonable topping. Pour over the warm cake, sprinkle on the zest and serve.

Ingredients
175 g unsalted butter , (at room temperature), plus extra for greasing
350 g plain flour , plus extra for dusting
100 g candied peel
150 g raisins
4 tablespoons brandy
1 teaspoon orange blossom water , optional
10 g dried active yeast , (see tip)
3-4 cardamom pods
150 ml whole milk
150 g sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 whole nutmeg , for grating
75 g buttermilk
2 medium free-range eggs
1 medium free-range egg yolk
½ a lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
50 g whole almonds
icing sugar , for dusting

Method
Put a large bundt tin in the fridge for 10 minutes, or in the freezer for 5 minutes – this makes it easier to grease, especially if it’s non-stick.
Brush the chilled tin with melted butter, ensuring every little groove is coated. Dust with 1 tablespoon of the flour and tap out the excess.
Finely chop the candied peel, then place in a small saucepan with the raisins.
Add the brandy and orange blossom water (if using), then set it over a low heat until warm, but do not let it boil. Remove from the heat, stir well and set aside until the fruit has soaked up all of the liquid.
Meanwhile, to make your dough, tip the yeast into the bowl of a free-standing mixer.
Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods, then grind to a powder in a pestle and mortar (roughly ¼ of a teaspoon).
In a pan, heat the milk until just warm and add to the yeast with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Whisk well to combine, then leave for about 10 minutes, until the yeast has formed a thick, foamy crust on top of the milk.
Add the remaining sugar, plain flour, ground cardamom, cinnamon and a grating of nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon of sea salt.
Whisk the buttermilk with the whole eggs and egg yolk, finely grate in the lemon zest and add the vanilla, then add to the bowl.
Add the butter, then, using the dough hook, start mixing the dough on a slow speed until combined. Continue to mix for a further 3 to 4 minutes until silky smooth.
Cover the bowl with clingfilm and leave in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Scatter the whole almonds into the bottom of the prepared tin.
Tip the soaked fruit into the dough and mix again until combined. Spoon the dough evenly into the tin over the nuts, spread level, cover with clingfilm and leave to rise again until almost doubled in size; this will take 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 170ºC/gas 3 and position the rack in the bottom third.
Bake the kugelhopf for 45 to 50 minutes until golden brown, well risen and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Sit the tin on a wire rack for 2 to 3 minutes, then turn the kugelhopf out of the tin and leave to cool, upright, until completely cold.
Dust liberally with icing sugar to serve.

Ingredients
2 cloves of garlic
1 fresh red chilli
1 bunch of fresh coriander
1 small jar of roasted peppers
olive oil
3 x 400 g tins of beans , such as cannellini, kidney
4 large free-range eggs
1 lime

Method
Peel and finely slice the garlic, deseed and finely slice the chilli and pick the coriander leaves and finely slice the stalks. Drain and finely chop the peppers.
In a large frying pan, heat a splash of oil and fry the garlic, chilli and coriander stalks for 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden.
Drain the beans, then add along with the peppers, then season to taste. Fry for 15 to 20 minutes on a low heat, stirring occasionally, until crispy.
Poach the eggs. Finely chop the reserved coriander leaves, and cut the lime into wedges.
Serve a spoonful of beans topped with a poached egg, chopped coriander leaves and a wedge of lime for squeezing over.