Lancashire Fig Pie Food

UNCLE BILL'S FIG PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one pastry disk to make a 12-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, leaving overhang. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. (Trader Joes store has an excellent pie crust that you can just unwrap and use.).
• Place figs in a medium bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice.
• In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix well.
• Sprinkle mixture over figs, and toss to cover.
• Transfer fig mixture to pie crust and dot top with butter.
• Roll out second pie pastry on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 1-inch-wide strips.
• Carefully weave dough strips in a lattice pattern over pie. Trim edges of lattice pastry flush with rim of pie plate. Roll dough overhanging from bottom pastry up over lattice edges and crimp decoratively.
• Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until filling is bubbly and crust is golden.
• Cool on rack and serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!

LANCASHIRE FIG PIE

Steps:

• Roll the pastry to 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and use it to line a deep 8 inch pie plate.
• Cut the stalks off the figs and place fruit in a shallow saucepan with enough water just to cover them, cook over a low heat until tender (fresh figs need 5-15 minutes cooking time, depending on their ripeness; dried figs should be first soaked for 12 hours with a squeeze of lemon juice before being stewed in their soaking liquid).
• Drain the figs and retain 1 ¼ cups of the liquid (top up with hot water if necessary); pour a little of the juice into a basin, add the cornstarch and mix until it resembles a thin smooth cream; gradually add the rest of the liquid, stirring well.
• When mixed return the juice to the saucepan and place over a moderate heat; stir until thickened, then cook for another 2 minutes; mix in the spice, currants and syrup and remove from heat.
• Arrange the figs over the pastry then pour the thickened fig liquid over them, making sure the currants are evenly distributed.
• Bake the pie on the middle shelf of the oven pre-heated to 400F / 200C / gas mark 6 for 30-35 minutes; serve hot or cold with cream or vanilla ice cream.

MOTHERING CAKE

Steps:

• Toast almonds in a single layer on a cookie sheet in a 350°F degree oven for about 15 minutes or until the almonds are lightly colored and fragrant.
• Make sure to shake the pan occasionally to turn almonds while toasting.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Spray the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with a non-stick cooking spray.
• Dust lightly with flour or, preferably, very fine, dry breadcrumbs.
• Shake out any excess and set prepared pan aside.
• Warm chopped chocolate in the top of a small double boiler over warm water set at moderate heat.
• Cover until partially melted, and then stir until smooth.
• Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• Reserve ½ cup sugar and place the remaining ¼ cup sugar with the almonds in a food processor or blender and chop until nuts are fine and powdery; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl beat the butter until soft.
• Add ¼ cup of sugar and reserve the remaining ¼ cup sugar for use later.
• Beat sugar and butter until thoroughly combined.
• Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and continue to beat until smooth.
• Add the melted chocolate and blend on low speed until combined.
• Add almonds and continue to beat mixture on a low speed setting.
• In a clean bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg whites with salt and lemon juice.
• Start on low speed and gradually increase until the egg whites hold a soft shape.
• Reduce speed again and add remaining ¼ cup sugar.
• Then on high speed, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
• Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture about one-third at a time until blended.
• Pour the cake batter into the prepared spring form pan and quickly rotate to level the batter.
• Bake for 20-minutes at 375°F, then reduce heat to 350°F and continue to bake an additional 50-minutes.
• Remove cake from pan when cooled, after about 1 hour.
• ****ICING****.
• Scald the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat until a thin skin forms on the top.
• Add the espresso or coffee powder and whisk to dissolve.
• Add the chocolate and whisk to dissolve, for about a minute or two.
• Remove from heat and continue to stir to finish melting the chocolate.
• Let icing cool for about 15 minutes, and then pour over the top of the cake, starting at the center.
• Gently push the icing with a spatula over the sides to dribble down the cake.
• Top with shaved chocolate or whipped cream just prior to serving.
• A fresh strawberry is an optional garnish with each served slice.

FIG & BLUE CHEESE TART

Steps:

• First make the pastry. Tip the flours into a food processor with ½ tsp salt and the diced butter. Pulse until you can't feel any lumps, then tip in the walnuts. Mix the egg yolks with 3 tbsp cold water, then dribble this into the machine while you pulse again until the pastry comes together. Tip the pastry out onto a floured surface, lightly bring it together into a ball, then roll out and line a deep 20-23cm tart tin with overhang. The pastry may crack, but just patch it back together, then cover and chill for 1 hr.
• To make the filling, melt the remaining butter in a large pan, then add the shallots and soften for 10-15 mins, until golden and squishy. Stir in the thyme for 1 min, then remove from the heat. Beat the eggs in a jug with the crème fraîche and cream. Crumble in the cheese and season with pepper and a small amount of salt.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Blind bake the pastry for 20 mins, remove the baking beans and paper, then bake for a further 15-20 mins until golden and sandy. Reduce the oven temp to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Add the cooled onions to the cream mixture and pour into the case. Sit the fig halves on top, cut side up, sprinkle with some more thyme and bake on the middle shelf for 1 hr-1hr 10 mins until the tart is browning and has a slight wobble - the cheese middle will firm up on sitting. Cool for about 15-20 mins, then remove from tin and serve with a green salad.

CHAMPIT TATTIES WITH SKIRLIE

Steps:

• To make the skirlie, melt 1 1/2 ounces of butter in a medium frying pan, add the onion and fry very gently for 15 minutes until soft and browned, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile put the potatoes for the champit tatties in a large pan of salted water, bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes until they are tender.
• When the onions are cooked, mix in the oats, increase the heat slightly and fry, stirring often, until well toasted and golden: remove from heat and season with nutmeg, salt and pepper: set aside.
• Towards the end of the cooking time for the potatoes, heat the milk over a low heat (don't boil it).
• Drain the potatoes and mash them well potatoes then slowly beat in the hot milk and remaining butter at the same: season and spoon into a warm serving dish.
• To serve, reheat the skirlie if necessary, stir in the parsley then scatter over the tatties.

FRESH FIG PIE

Steps:

• Peel and slice figs (enough for 3 cups).
• Stir sugar, orange peel, and lemon juice into figs.
• Turn fruit into unbaked pie shell.
• Dot with butter.
• Bake at 450 degrees 10 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees 25 minutes.

WHITE CHOCOLATE FIG PIE

Steps:

• In a food processor (or by hand) chop figs finely.
• Add melted chocolate, half and half and eggs. Process until smooth.
• Spoon into crust.
• Bake at 350ºF. for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pie tests clean.
• Cool completely, then refrigerate.

NORFOLK PLOUGH PUDDING

Steps:

• Mix the flour, salt and suet together then add sufficient cold water to form a soft dough.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out into a circle. Cut a 1/3 wedge shaped piece out to use for the lid and use the remaining 2/3 of the dough to line a greased 2 pint pudding basin.
• Seal any gaps well and use the sausagemeat to line the dough, pressing them well together.
• Mix the bacon, onion, sage and sugar together and put in the basin, adding sufficient stock or water just to cover.
• Roll the dough for the lid into a circle to fit on the top.
• Add the dough lid, pressing the edges firmly together and sealing with a little water.
• Cover with a circle of greaseproof paper and finally cover securely with kitchen foil.
• cover and steam for 3 1/2 to 4 hours.
• Serve with boiled potatoes and a selection of vegetables with thick brown gravy, served seperately.