All posts tagged: berry

Bruised Eton Mess, 76p

Published by Jack

As the wife-to-be of a news commissioner, my small household is often saturated with the goings on of the day. Radio 4 in the bedroom and bathroom, BBC news and Channel 4 and Sky flicked through all evening, half a dozen newspapers on the mat at any given moment and a veritable hoard of them stuffed beside the toilet and under the sofa. As much as I try to shut it out for my own mental health and encroaching book deadlines, I couldn’t fail to notice that it’s all going rather awry at the moment. A few years ago I attended a General Strike anti-austerity protest in London, and made, for the occasion, a placard daubed in Jackson-Pollock-esque splatters of magenta, lilac and cream, scrawled with ‘THIS IS AN ETON MESS’ across the front. My food has always been steeped in the political, given that my blog was born from food bank boxes and the sheer hopelessness of poverty in a time of austerity, and tonight was no exception. As overpromoted mop-headed weasels and 18th …

Peanut Butter & Jam Crumble, 21p [Cooking On A Bootstrap]

Published by Jack

I am near fanatical about peanut butter and jam – or peanut butter and jelly, for my readers across the pond. I have previously made these extremely popular PBJ cookies (vegan version here), PBJ microwave brownies for BBC Good Food, a PBJ semifreddo ice cream for a Small Boy and a PBJ pie with peanut butter hand-kneaded into the pastry, stuffed with thick, unctuous strawberry jam. My latest homage to my favourite marriage of flavours is this – the PBJ crumble I served at a lunch for 10 yesterday – met with a chorus of rapture as I placed it on the table (readers who are old enough – or young enough – to have seen the original Toy Story film, it was like offering it to a crowd of small green aliens…) It went down a treat with all ten of us, even the unenthusiastic crumble hater and the one who insisted she didn’t like peanut butter – and four of us had generous seconds (and six were mildly disappointed). It can be made …

Berry Bircher Pot, 24p [A Year In 120 Recipes]

Published by Jack

I made this imitation of a breakfast pot I saw in a high-street coffee shop, then worked out that it had cost me a sixth of the price it was selling for on the high street! I included a seeds-and-fruit adornment in homage to the original, and it works well with any mixture of dried fruit and nuts you have at your disposal, but if you don’t have any, that’s fine too, it’s just for show really. You can defrost the mixed berries by giving them a quick spritz under the cold tap. Serves 2 from 24p each – they look small but they’re incredibly filling! This post is not sponsored; I provide links to the ingredients that I use so you can see how I calculate my recipe costs, and I may earn a small commission if you click the links or purchase any ingredients. All prices correct at the time of printing and are subject to change. 60g porridge oats, 5p (75p/1kg) 200g natural yoghurt, 16p (80p/1kg) 200ml milk, 11p (55p/1l) 50g frozen …

Pumble, 20p

Published by Jack

This cheeky little number is a cross between a pie and a crumble, a hot sweet pile of stewed fruits beneath a crumbly puff pastry topping. I admit to approaching my pies with borderline religious fervour; that is, in order to qualify as a pie, it must have a base and walls and a lid. This does not meet my high pie standards, but it is undeniably adorable in itself, and so the Pumble was born. You can use any kind of fruit here – I have made both an apple and a banoffee version – and am dreaming of a zesty tinned peach and mandarin version with a smattering of lime juice, too. The Pumble is a simple first recipe for children, too, who may be curious about helping in the kitchen. Serves 4-6 from 20p each. Prices at Asda and checked online at time of writing. 500g pears (tinned or fresh), 70p (70p/500g mixed size, Farm Stores at Asda) 2 tbsp sugar, 1p (64p/1kg, Silver Spoon at Asda) 1/2 tsp cinnamon or mixed …