Basil and lemon olive oil cake with strawberry syrup

This light cake brings together several summery flavours. Originally by Katie Quinn Davies

Ingredients

  • 180ml olive oil
  • 10 fresh basil leaves, plus extra to serve
  • 4 eggs, separated, plus one extra yolk
  • 150g caster sugar
  • Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 175g plain flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • Strawberries in syrup:
    • 2 sprigs fresh basil
    • 55g caster sugar
    • 500g strawberries, halved
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method:

  1. Place the olive oil and the basil in a small pan over low heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and set aside to infuse for 10 minutes. Discard the basil and leave to cool completely.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a 22cm springform tin.
  3. Using an electric mixer, beat yolks with 55g caster sugar until thick and pale. Add the cooled basil oil, lemon zest and juice, and a pinch of salt, then beat until combined. (The mixture might look a little curdled at this stage but don’t panic). Using a spatula, gently fold in flour until just combined.
  4. In a clean bowl, using an electric mixer, whisk egg whites and cream of tartar to soft peaks. Add remaining 95g caster sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture is stiff and glossy. Fold a large dollop of egg white mixture into the yolk mixture to loosen, then gently fold in remaining egg white mixture. Transfer to the cake tin and smooth the top, tapping the pan gently on the worktop to remove any air bubbles. Bake in the centre of the oven for 40-45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
  5. For the strawberries in syrup, combine the basil, sugar, berries, lemon juice and 60ml water in a saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes until berries soften slightly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer berries to a bowl and discard the basil. Increase heat to medium and simmer syrup for 2 minutes or until reduced by half, then pour over the reserved berries.
  6. Spoon the berries and syrup over the cake (warm cake is fine), top with extra basil leaves, dust with icing sugar and serve with cream.

Black butter

This is an unusual, traditional recipe from Jersey that uses the last of our apples. It’s not actually a butter at all – more of a rich, treacly compote that would make a great substitute for mincemeat in mince pies or eat well with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Makes about 1.35kg/3lb

Ingredients

  • 1.2 litres cider (sweet or medium)
  • 1.5 kg dessert apples, peeled, cored and finely sliced
  • 2 lemons, zest and juice
  • Granulated sugar (50g per 100ml of pulp – prepared in step 3)
  • 100g black treacle
  • 15g liquorice, very finely diced
  • 1 tspn mixed spice
  • 1 tspn ground cinnamon

Method

  1. Pour the cider into a large pan and bring to the boil. Continue boiling until the volume is reduced to 600ml.
  2. Meanwhile, prepare the apple slices, tossing them in the lemon juice as you do so to stop them browning.
  3. Add the apple slices, lemon zest, and juice to the reduced cider and cook gently, stirring regularly, until the contents are soft, pulpy, and reduced. If you like a smooth consistency, blend the pulp to a smooth puree. If you prefer a bit of bite, leave it as-is.
  4. Measure the pulp and weigh out the appropriate amount of sugar.
  5. Return the pulp and sugar to a clean pan and add the rest of the ingredients. Now is the time to add a slug of apple brandy if you like a hint of alcohol.
  6. Simmer gently over a low heat, stirring frequently to prevent the mixture sticking to the base of the pan, but watch out – it can spit! 
  7. Remove from the heat when the mixture is thick and there is no free liquid.
  8. Pot at once into warm, sterilized jars.  

Blackberry loaf cake

Blackberries are available in autumn in our foraging hedge.

Ingredients

  • 250g plain flour
  • 200g light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 300g berries – a mix of varieties is fine. 200g is for the cake, rest for topping.
  • 2 large eggs
  • 110g unsalted butter (melted)
  • 130ml Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • For the icing:
  • 200g icing sugar

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160 fan/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a loaf tin.
  2. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Gently toss 200g berries into the flour mixture. Set aside.
  3. Mix the eggs, melted butter, yogurt, vanilla, and lemon zest.
  4. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and gently fold it together until just combined.
  5. Transfer the batter into the loaf tin, smooth the top, and bake for around 30-40 mins until it is golden brown and a knife or skewer comes out clean.
  6. To make the icing, crush at least 6 berries into the icing sugar and mix until smooth.
  7. When the cake is cool, spread with the berry icing. Optionally, decorate with more berries.
  8. Particularly good with a dollop of cream.

Blackberry vinegar

Blend with oil for a dressing – or gargle to salve a prickly throat! If you picked the blackberries, rinse them first in water, pat dry and allow any tiny bugs to escape.

Ingredients (for approximately 500ml)

  • 300g blackberries
  • 300g caster sugar
  • 300g white wine vinegar

Method

  1. Place the berries in a large bowl or jar and cover with white wine vinegar until they are just floating.
  2. Cover and leave somewhere cool for 5-7 days, stirring every day to release the lovely purple colour.
  3. At the end of that time, strain the vinegar through a fine sieve into a jug. Allow the liquid to drip gently through overnight.
  4. Measure the vinegar and put it in a large saucepan. For every 100ml of vinegar, add 50g of sugar and slowly bring to the boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar.
  5. Boil at a rolling boil for 5 minutes.
  6. Cool for 10 minutes, pour into sterilized bottles, cap and label. Use within a year.

Blackcurrant leaf sorbet

This simple sorbet makes use of the aromatic oils in the blackcurrant leaves.

Ingredients

  •  2 handfuls (around 30g) blackcurrant leaves, crushed in your hands
  • 600ml water
  • 250g sugar
  • Juice of 3 lemons (about 150 ml)
  • 1 egg white, lightly beaten

Method

  1. Put the sugar, leaves, and water in a pan. Bring to the boil slowly, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. 
  2. Simmer for 3 mins. Take off the heat and leave to cool.
  3. Add the lemon juice and strain.
  4. Pour into a plastic container and freeze. Break into pieces and whizz in a food processor for a few seconds. Add the egg white and whizz again and return to the freezer.  

Broad bean dip

Keep it simple with this summer dip from Jamie Oliver.

Ingredients

  • 300g broad beans, podded weight
  • 3 tbspn creme fraiche
  • Half a lemon
  • Tablespoon of fresh dill

Method

  • Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the broad beans and cook briefly until tender. Drain and refresh in iced water.
  • In a food processor or blender, blitz the broad beans and crème fraîche. Season to taste.
  • Squeeze in the lemon juice. Pick, finely chop and stir through the dill, then serve with bread, ideally warmed.