This season’s Bake Off has reached the point where the weekly themes start to go a bit off-piste. In previous years we’ve been served vegan and Danish baking, this time around we’ve had Japanese followed by the Eighties.
When I saw this theme listed I was desperately hoping the show might include a Black Forest Gateau. It’s one of my abiding memories from eating out in those times and I was relishing the chance to get creative in the kitchen with kirsch and cherries. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen, but it’s no reason why I can’t indulge in one soon.
The challenges presented to the bakers were to produce a batch of finger doughnuts for the signature bake. To make a quiche with a filling of their choice as the technical and to create an ice-cake for the show stopper.
Picking an entire decade is a pretty broad theme and to be honest I was a bit disappointed with what they came up with. Doughnuts, be they finger or ring-shaped, have been around for far longer than the last forty years, equally I’ve no reason to think quiche is any less popular today than it was four decades back.
Ice-cream cakes I will admit, do feel more of that time. Back then shop bought Arctic Rolls or Viennetta’s always felt like the height of indulgence. I also have fond memories of my mother making Baked Alaska as a special occasion treat. The wonder of hot meringue encasing cold ice-cream feels as exciting now as when she was making them for my birthday cake.
For my bake this week I opted to go with a herbed salmon and cheese quiche. I don’t own the deep fat fryer which the doughnuts required and as much as I’d love to have a go, this didn’t feel like the time for ice-cream cake.
Whenever I make quiche I’m always caught out on just how long it takes. This recipe is relatively straight forward but once you’ve factored in two thirty-minute fridge rests for the pastry you’re looking at over two hours from beginning to end. Having said that, with so many of us in a lockdown of some sort or other at the moment it might just be the perfect baking project to undertake .
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 100g plain flour
- 75g wholemeal flour
- 2 tsp dried herbs – I used mixed Italian herbs
- 100g butter
- 2tbsp cold water
For the filling
- 2 Salmon fillets
- 50g spinach
- 250g ricotta or burrata cheese
- 150ml double cream
- 3 eggs
- Zest of a lemon
- 2 handfuls of fresh herbs
Method
- To make the pastry combine the flours and dried herbs in a bowl. Cube the butter and add it to the mix. Use your fingertips to rub the butter until the mix resembles bread crumbs. Add the water and use a knife to bring everything together into one lump. If it is still crumbly add just a drop more water. Then wrap the dough in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled roll the pastry out on a lightly floured surface. You are looking to roll it out to fit a 20 to 23 cm flan tin. Press the pastry into the sides and base of the tin and use any off-cuts to patch up and cracks. or holes. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork and then put the filled tin into the fridge for a further 30 minutes. Towards the end of this time heat the oven to gas mark 6.
- Once chilled line the pastry case with baking paper and then add dried beans to hold it in place. Bake the case like this for 20 minutes, then remove the beans and paper and bake for another 5 minutes.
- At the same time, you can wrap the two salmon fillets in tin foil and bake home at the same temperature for 12 minutes. They will start to flake but you don’t want them cooked through.
- After baking the pastry case and the salmon, reduce the oven heat to gas mark 4.
- Wilt the spinach in a sieve over boiling water. Whisk together half the cheese, the cream, eggs, lemon zest and herbs. Season with salt & black pepper.
- To assemble the quiche, flake the salmon and spread it across the pastry case, place the spinach and the remaining half of the cheese on top and then pour over the cream & cheese mix.
- Bake for 35 minutes and then leave to cool slightly before you serve.
This might sound like a long-winded process but I assure you it’s worth it. A bonus is that it tastes nearly as good served cold the following day.
David in the kitchen. 