Blurring the lines between sweet and savoury, the modern trends are fusing the main kitchen and pastry kitchen like never before.
Scones and pizza will soon cross between sweet and savoury versions with flavours, shapes and textural changes, while kale will finally be served properly and elevated into the stratospheric heights it deserves.
It is said panettone, the Italian Christmas bread, might become a cross-cultural icon of new baked goods as a year-round product, while all citrus fruits will re-emerge as strongly contested favourites for their vitamin benefits, colour, flavour, oil and aroma. Everything new about food will depend heavily on fruits and vegetables that can tick multiple boxes on the popularity score card and of course cross the blurring line between sweet and savoury.
GLAZED LEMON CRANBERRY SCONES
250g plain (all-purpose) flour
70g granulated sugar
12g baking powder
2g baking soda
75g cold butter, chopped into pieces
170ml laban (buttermilk)
2 lemons, zested
2 lemons, juiced
100g dried cranberries
For the icing:
2 lemons juiced
1 tspn vanilla
3 tbspns milk
220g icing sugar
• Preheat oven to 200º Celsius and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda. Fold in the cut pieces. Butter it with your fingertips until the mixture has become crumbly.
• Add in the laban, lemon juice, zest and cranberries. Mix until smooth.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form into a single large round disc. Place onto the prepared baking tray and allow it to rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Cut into eighths with a knife, brush with milk and bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.
• While cooling, prepare the glaze by mixing everything together in a small bowl. Drizzle over the scones generously.
• Break apart or serve whole and allow guests to pick their own. Serve with jam and fresh whipped cream.
GRILLED FIG AND BASIL PIZZA
1 frozen dough pizza base
3 tbspns olive oil
100g raspberry jam
50g fresh basil leaves
240g fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced or in small balls
240g crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
1/2 purple onion
300g fresh black figs, cut into wedges or slices
90g prosciutto
sprinkle raw sugar
sprinkle sea salt
• Heat the oven as required of the pizza base.
• Place the pizza base onto a baking tray lined with baking foil and bake it for 15 minutes allowing it to colour and crisp nicely.
• Remove the base from the oven and, using a fork, stab multiple times to pierce the crust well. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the pizza and allow it to permeate the holes.
• Allow to sit for 2-3 minutes while preparing the other ingredients.
• Spread the pizza with raspberry jam and the basil leaves and then sprinkle the top of the pizza base with the fresh mozzarella, the cut and sliced figs, and the crumbled Gorgonzola. Roll the thin slices of prosciutto and tuck into spaces between the figs.
•Sprinkle with the raw sugar and sea salt and return to the oven to bake for 20 minutes.
• Remove and top it with more fresh basil leaves. Serve immediately with fresh double cream.
FILLET AND KALE SALAD
For the dressing:
1 tbspn fish sauce
60mls coconut milk
1 tbsn freshly squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 tspns cider vinegar
1 tbspn chives
1 garlic clove, sliced
For the salad:
400g fillet steak
1 tspn oil
pinch salt
pinch freshly ground pepper
1 tbspn unsalted butter
1 garlic clove
1 thyme sprig
1 tbspn barbecue sauce
200g kale
1/2 purple onion, thinly sliced
• To make the dressing, combine all of the ingredients in bowl and let stand for 15 minutes.
• For the salad, heat a fry pan with the oil and prepare the fillet steak by rubbing it with oil, salt and pepper generously.
• With the fry pan very hot, add the steak and cook for two minutes, until browned and crusty. Add the butter, garlic and thyme to the skillet and spoon the melted butter over the steak.
• Flip the steak and cook for two minutes on the second side, spooning the butter on top. Add the barbecue sauce, cover and let it stand off the heat for two minutes.
• Transfer the steak to a chopping board, cover loosely with foil and let it rest for five minutes.
• Thinly slice the steak and place in a large serving bowl. Add the baby kale, sliced onion, cucumber and dressing. Toss the salad well and serve.
