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Rhubarb sticky buns for an idyllic Scandinavian afternoon tea
Rhubarb sticky buns for an idyllic Scandinavian afternoon tea
In Scandinavia, we are famous for our cinnamon and cardamom buns, made with a soft, yeasty dough,” says Trine Hahnemann, author of Simply Scandinavian. “I decided to try them with rhubarb in place of the spices, since it is a local vegetable for me. Just like the original, these buns are soft, sweet and sticky.” Rhubarb sticky buns Makes: 14-16 Ingredients: For the buns: 300g rhubarb 100g caster sugar 50g fresh yeast, or 10g fast-action dried yeast 200ml lukewarm whole milk 100g full-fat crème fraîche 1 egg, lightly beaten 650g strong white flour, plus more to dust 1 tsp sea salt flakes 100g salted butter, softened For the filling: 100g salted butter, softened 50g caster sugar 100g marzipan, grated Method: 1. Cut the rhubarb into one-centimetre pieces, place in a saucepan with 50 grams of the sugar and bring to the boil. Cook for five minutes, then drain through a sieve placed over a heatproof bowl. Return the juice to the pan, bring to the boil once more and cook down until you have a syrup. Leave to cool. 2. Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm milk in a bowl, then stir in the crème fraîche and egg. Next, mix in the flour, the remaining 50 grams of sugar and the salt. Knead the butter, little by little, into the dough, then knead well on a floured work surface until smooth. 3. Put the dough in a bowl, cover with a tea towel and let it rise for one to two hours, or until doubled in size. 4. Make the filling by mixing the butter, sugar and marzipan into a smooth paste. 5. Line some baking sheets with baking parchment. 6. Tip the dough out on to a floured work surface and roll it into a rectangle measuring about 40 x 30 centimetres. Spread the filling evenly over half the dough, then arrange the cooked rhubarb pieces on top of the filling. Fold the plain side over the filled side, then cut across into two-centimetre strips. 7. Take each strip and twist it, then roll each twist into a spiral. 8. Place the rhubarb buns on the prepared trays, pressing down on each so they spread slightly. Cover and leave to rise for 30 minutes. 9. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. 10. Bake the pastries for 25-30 minutes, then remove from the oven and brush with the rhubarb syrup. Leave to cool on a wire rack before serving. ‘Simply Scandinavian’ by Trine Hahnemann (Quadrille, £27). Read More Budget Bites: Three light recipes that sing of summer What the hell is Scandinavian food? Lighter fish pie: Comfort food you won’t feel guilty for eating How to make Norwegian potato pancakes Three quick and easy plant-based fakeaways to create at home The Union Rye, review: Finally, a decent restaurant in this charming East Sussex town
2023-06-29 21:20
Still not sold on air fryers? Let these recipes prove their worth
Still not sold on air fryers? Let these recipes prove their worth
We’re all sick of hearing about them by now, but air fryers are still enjoying “a moment”. They can also really help reduce the time and energy it takes to make a dish, so we’ve teamed up with the culinary geniuses at Sorted and used this piece of magical kit to cook up three dishes that use it in three different ways. From deeply savoury cheesy sausage-stuffed peppers with vibrant spinach pesto, to hearty and comforting potato and sausage hash with a smoky tomato sauce, these recipes not only showcase the versatility and convenience of air fryers, they’re also pretty damn delicious. Not to forget the crispy chicken thighs and tomatoes with lemon, caper and almond couscous, which demonstrates the art of achieving both crispiness and succulence without the oil. Go forth and revolutionise. Cheesy sausage-stuffed peppers with spinach pesto We use red peppers in this recipe, but if you can’t find them, use any colour of bell pepper to your liking. Serves: 2 Ingredients: 3 red bell peppers 4 tbsp olive oil 250g microwave brown rice 120g cream cheese 1 tbsp tomato purée/tomato paste 4 pork sausages 100g cheddar 200g fresh spinach 30g almond flakes 1 clove garlic 15g fresh parsley 1 lemon Method: 1. Preheat the air fryer: preheat the air fryer to 200C. 2. Prep the peppers: cut 3 bell peppers in half lengthways and scoop out all the seeds from their centres. Rub the peppers with 4 tbsp of olive oil on the board and season with salt. 3. Assemble the filling: crumble 250g of cooked brown rice into a large mixing bowl. Add 120g of cream cheese and 1 tbsp of tomato paste, then coarsely grate in 25g of the cheddar - we will use the rest later. Squeeze in the meat from the casings of 4 sausages. 4. Mix it up: season with salt and pepper, then fold everything together, ensuring the sausage meat breaks up and is well dispersed through the mix. 5. Fill the peppers: divide the mix between the oiled pepper cups - there is no need to press and compact the mixture into the peppers. 6. Fry: pop the pepper halves in the draw of the air fryer, filling side up, and cook for 17-20 minutes until golden in places and piping hot throughout. When cut into, the sausage shouldn’t be pink. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait. 7. Get the spinach ready: add 200g of spinach to another mixing bowl and cover with cling film. 8. Cook the spinach: microwave on full power for 3-4 minutes, until darkened and wilted. 9. Assemble the pesto: once the spinach is ready, add 30g of almond flakes, 1 peeled garlic clove and 15g of parsley to the bowl. Coarsely grate in the remaining 75g of cheddar, then finely grate in the zest from 1 lemon, and squeeze in its juice. 10. Blend it up: blitz everything together with a hand blender, until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you are still waiting for the peppers, now would be a great time to crack on with a bit of washing up. 11. Serve: divide the pesto between plates and spread it out to form discs. Top with 3 pepper halves per portion and tuck in. Potato and sausage hash with smoky tomato sauce This recipe can be vegetarian-ised by using veggie sausages instead! Serves: 2 Ingredients: 600g loose white potatoes 1 red onion 4 pork sausages 4 tbsp olive oil 4 cloves garlic 1 tbsp smoked paprika 400g tinned chopped tomatoes 15g fresh parsley 45g cream cheese Method: 1. Preheat: preheat the air fryer to 200C. 2. Prep the potatoes and onions: Cut 600g of potatoes into bite-sized chunks, then halve, peel and roughly slice 1 red onion. Add the veg to a large mixing bowl. 3. Add the sausage: squeeze the meat from the casings of 4 sausages into the bowl, creating little meatballs as you pinch them off. 4. Oil and toss: toss everything with 2 tbsp of the oil and a generous pinch of salt. Remember to wash your hands after handling raw meat. 5. Fry: tip the oiled potatoes, onions, and sausage balls in the draw of the air fryer and cook for 20-25 minutes, until golden in places and the potatoes are soft throughout. Give everything a toss halfway through cooking to ensure an even colouring. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait. 6. Prep the garlic: peel and mince 4 cloves of garlic. Add them to a medium saucepan along with the remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil. 7. Fry: place the pan over a medium heat and slowly fry for 2-3 minutes, until the garlic starts to colour. 8. Add the paprika: add 1 tbsp of smoked paprika and fry for a further 20-30 seconds, until very fragrant. 9. Add the tomatoes: add 1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes to the pan along with a generous pinch of salt. 10. Simmer down: simmer for 6-8 minutes, until reduced by S. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait. 11. Chop the parsley: finely chop 15g of parsley, then crack on with a bit of washing up while you wait for the sauce. 12. Blend: once the tomatoes have reduced by S, add 45g of cream cheese and blitz until smooth with a hand blender. 13. Serve: divide the sauce between plates and top with the fried potato, onion, and sausage. Scatter over the chopped parsley and serve. Air fryer crispy chicken thighs and tomatoes with lemon, caper and almond couscous If you aren’t into capers, you can leave them out or replace them with green olives. Serves: 2 Ingredients: 4 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on 200g cherry tomatoes 3 tbsp olive oil 150g couscous 2 tbsp capers 20g almond flakes 1 lemon Method: 1. Preheat: preheat the air fryer to 200C. Fill the kettle with water and put it on to boil - this will be for the couscous later. 2. Oil and season: add 4 chicken thighs to a large mixing bowl along with 200g of tomatoes. Toss with 2 tbsp of the olive oil and a generous pinch of salt, ensure everything is fully coated. 3. Get ready to cook: add the tomatoes and chicken to the tray of the air fryer. Ensure the chicken thighs are positioned on top of the tomatoes, skin-side up. 4. Cook: cook for 20-25 minutes, until the chicken’s skin is crispy and the tomatoes are soft and jammy. Get on with the rest of the dish in the next steps while you wait. 5. Assemble the couscous: add 100g of couscous, 2 tbsp of capers, 15g of the almond flakes, the remaining 1 tbsp of oil and a generous pinch of salt to another large mixing bowl. 6. Add the water: add enough boiling water from the kettle to just cover the grains, then give everything a quick stir. 7. Cook the couscous: set aside to cook the couscous for 6-8 minutes, until the grains are soft and have absorbed all the water. Crack on with a bit of washing up while you wait. 8. Finish the couscous: once the couscous is ready, finely grate over the zest from 1 lemon and squeeze in its juice. Fluff the grains with a fork and fold everything together. 9. Serve: divide the couscous between plates and top with the tomatoes and chicken. Scatter over the remaining 5g of almond flakes and serve. Find out more about Sorted and their nifty meal-planning app Sidekick at sortedfood.com/sidekick. Read More The dish that defines me: Evelin Eros’s rum cake ‘It started with a radish’: Chef Simon Rogan reflects on restaurant L’Enclume at 20 The true story – and murky history – of Portuguese piri piri oil ‘My depression stopped me doing what I loved most in life – cooking’ What Bake Off’s Jurgen Krauss really thinks of his shock elimination How to pull off a traditional German babka chocolate braid
2023-08-31 13:45
Snag two lifetime licenses to Microsoft Office for just $80
Snag two lifetime licenses to Microsoft Office for just $80
TL;DR: As of August 19, get a Microsoft Office lifetime license 2-pack for home or
2023-08-19 18:19
AMD Hits New High in x86 Chip Market Amid Intel Slump
AMD Hits New High in x86 Chip Market Amid Intel Slump
Even though PC demand remains limp, AMD has something to celebrate: The chip maker’s market
2023-05-13 05:21
8 healthy habits to help you live longer – according to a new study
8 healthy habits to help you live longer – according to a new study
Eight habits that could help people live more than 20 years longer have been identified by researchers. While it’s long been known that certain lifestyle factors can influence lifespan, the American study isolated the eight factors that have the biggest impact – being physically active, being free from opioid addiction, not smoking, managing stress, having a good diet, not regularly binge drinking, having good sleep hygiene, and having positive social relationships. The research was presented at Nutrition 2023, the annual meeting of the American Society for Nutrition, and used data from 719,147 people enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Million Veteran Program. It found low physical activity, opioid use and smoking were associated with around a 30-45% higher risk of death, while stress, binge drinking, poor diet, and poor sleep hygiene were each associated with around a 20% increase, and lack of positive social relationships was linked with a 5% increased risk of dying. Men who had all eight habits at age 40 were predicted to live an average 24 years longer than men with none of the habits, according to the findings, and women with all eight habits in middle age were predicted to live an extra 21 years, compared with women with none of the habits. Xuan-Mai Nguyen, health science specialist at the Department of Veterans Affairs, said: “We were really surprised by just how much could be gained with the adoption of one, two, three, or all eight lifestyle factors. Our research findings suggest that adopting a healthy lifestyle is important for both public health and personal wellness. The earlier the better, but even if you only make a small change in your 40s, 50s, or 60s, it still is beneficial.” The researchers say the findings highlight how lifestyle factors contribute to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease, which are associated with premature disability and death. How to embrace the eight healthy habits Inspired to give your own lifestyle a boost? “If making these small but mighty adjustments could help you to live for an extra 20 years, maybe it’s time to make those changes,” says life and wellbeing coach, Natalie Trice. She shares the following insights and tips… 1. Do more exerciseRegular exercise can help prevent a wide range of major diseases – plus it’s great for keeping stress levels in check. “Going for a walk, having a swim, running with friends, even just a good old dance-off in the kitchen can get your heartbeat up and those feel-good endorphins pumping – so get your trainers on and start moving,” says Trice. 2. Manage stressTrice suggests adopting simple stress-busting practices such as mindfulness meditation, and enjoying hobbies and sports. “These can profoundly impact overall wellbeing, as you bring your stress levels down,” she says. “This isn’t about pretending everything’s great, but rather looking at easy habits you can adopt that will take down the stress, which can lead to anxiety and burnout.” 3. Don’t smoke Quitting smoking is an essential step in improving health and potentially adding years to your life. Trice points out that while some people may think reaching for a cigarette takes the edge off their stress, there are healthier ways to cope. “Maybe going running or taking up yoga could be the release and focus you need, and one that will help you live longer, smell fresher and feel better,” she suggests. “Also, with the cost of cigarettes going up all the time, giving up will free up cash for the things in life that really need to be paid for.”If you are struggling to quit smoking, talk to your GP about options available to help. 4. Don’t binge drink“By cutting down on booze, you’re doing your body and brain a massive favour,” says Trice. “Drinking every night will impact your body and could affect your sleep and work performance. Enjoy life, but if you want to enjoy it for longer, then keep tabs on your drinking.” Official guidelines suggest drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week (equivalent to six medium glasses of wine of six pints of beer), spread across at least three days. 5. Eat healthily Generally speaking, a balanced diet that’s rich in fibre, whole grains, fruit and veg and lean protein, with heavily processed and sugary foods kept to a minimum, is linked with better health. “We all know about eating five-a-day but doing this can be tough if you’re busy with family and work. If you can start to do this, you’ll feel better,” says Trice. “Focus on eating regularly and thinking about what you put in your body, so that it works for you, not against you.” 6. Don’t take drugsRecreational drugs can harm health in a number of ways. Trice suggests those affected start by speaking to a trusted friend or their GP, and “look at the support which could not only extend your life, but save it”. 7. Try to get good sleep Trice says: “It’s vital that we look at getting a decent night’s sleep, as this can help you feel so much better. Making sure you have a sleep routine in place can be helpful and can be as easy as having no screens in the bedroom, having a bath or shower before you hit the sack, as well as making sure the temperature is right and you have curtains to keep the light out in the mornings.” 8. Nurture positive social relationshipsTrice observes: “If you’re able to nurture a supportive network of friends, colleagues and family, this can lead to improved mental and emotional wellbeing and a longer life.” Lacking social connections? Look at local volunteering opportunities and community walks and groups. Making friends can take time, but even finding ways to regularly spend time and interact with others can help. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live George Alagiah: What are the signs of bowel cancer? Carol Vorderman says she no longer sunbathes after health scare Carol Vorderman: Why my skin cancer scare means I no longer sunbathe
2023-07-24 21:51
'Ahsoka' review: Does the Star Wars fan favorite get the show she deserves?
'Ahsoka' review: Does the Star Wars fan favorite get the show she deserves?
Four live-action series into Disney+'s Star Wars offerings, and we're already seeing the cracks in
2023-08-23 00:59
The Echo Show 5 (3rd gen) is finally on sale — save 50% ahead of Prime Day
The Echo Show 5 (3rd gen) is finally on sale — save 50% ahead of Prime Day
SAVE $45: As of July 5, you can get the Echo Show 5 (3rd gen,
2023-07-06 00:54
Indiana attorney general sues hospital system over privacy of Ohio girl who traveled for abortion
Indiana attorney general sues hospital system over privacy of Ohio girl who traveled for abortion
Indiana’s attorney general has sued the state’s largest hospital system, claiming it violated patient privacy laws when a doctor publicly shared the story of an Ohio girl who traveled to Indiana for an abortion
2023-09-18 01:25
Gabriella Gonzalez Had An Abortion to Flee Abuse. And Then She Was Killed
Gabriella Gonzalez Had An Abortion to Flee Abuse. And Then She Was Killed
On Wednesday, May 10, just after 7:30 a.m., Gabriella Gonzalez and her ex-boyfriend Harold Thompson were arguing near a gas station in Dallas, Texas. Gonzalez had been trying to end things with Thompson after a tumultuous four-month relationship, according to her relatives. Footage from nearby surveillance cameras show the ex-couple arguing and Thompson putting Gonzalez in a chokehold. When she managed to shrug him off, Thompson pulled out a firearm and shot Gonzalez several times. Gonzalez was proclaimed dead by police at the scene of the crime. According to the victim’s family, Thompson killed Gonzalez because she had an abortion in her attempt to exit the relationship.
2023-05-18 01:24
Taiwan tribe despairs as drought shrinks bamboo crop
Taiwan tribe despairs as drought shrinks bamboo crop
Hacking at a bamboo plant with a machete, Avayi Vayayana peels back the shoot's stiff bark as he scans southern Taiwan's mountains, anxious for more of the money-making crop his...
2023-06-02 10:52
Apple and Android users paused Pornhub to watch the iPhone 15 announcement
Apple and Android users paused Pornhub to watch the iPhone 15 announcement
Another year, another Apple event. Just like last year, Apple managed to get some people
2023-09-14 04:49
Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, hospitalized
Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, hospitalized
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has been hospitalized, according to numerous outlets. Wozniak was scheduled to
2023-11-10 00:21