‘Have you ever tried pears and hazelnut chocolate spread?!’: pastry chef Nicola Lamb’s week in snacks | Spread deliciousness

Sometimes, life happens all at once. This week has been a doozy in that regard: juggling a house move, the apex of several work projects, and developing recipes for my pastry pop-up. At times like these – and I suppose at all times – I rely on the punctuation of meals and snacks to pause and reflect. Nothing solves a problem like a simple and easy indulgence.

Moving house gives me a feeling of promise. You know, that enticing “new home, new us” potential. In that spirit, I’ve committed to a one-in, one-out policy with items in my fridge and cupboard. This clear out of odds and ends has led to a more unhinged array of snacks than usual …

Monday
Somehow, during the house move, we managed to bring with us a bunch of almost empty food tubs from the fridge. In one, there’s a single anchovy, in another, two olives, and they are taking up precious real estate in our new, tragically downsized fridge. But I am in problem-solving mode: I find a jar of pickled chillies, split the anchovy in half and make an approximation of a gilda, the popular Basque bar snack. It is good. I immediately make a second and release the two containers back into circulation. Satisfying in more ways than one.

Tuesday
It’s 4:30pm and I need a lift … I decide to give le goûter – which is French for afternoon pick-me-up – a go. It’s one of those days where I cannot bear the thought of leaving the house, so I scan my kitchen for inspiration, spot an odd end of a baguette and make a plan. I give my baguette a spa treatment (sprinkling a little bit of water on it before putting it in the oven) for maximum pillowy softness, then split it open and spread on a bit of the Bonne Maman Chocolate & Orange Spread. I immediately understand why le goûter is such an institution.

Wednesday
I’m working on a menu of seasonal pies for my pop-up bakery Lark!, which means baking several rounds of cheese-infused pie dough to get the right match for one of the fillings. The current contenders are the acidic but creamy Spenwood, bright and funky Winchester and a Montgomery’s cheddar. I find myself returning to the testing tray again and again, using bits of the leftover cheesy pastry as a base for various snack combinations. The most successful? Thinly sliced, very cold grapes with a lick of dijon mustard. Spicy, sweet and slightly freaky, my dream combination.

Thursday
Sure, apples and peanut butter might be a good snack, but have you ever tried pears and hazelnut chocolate spread?! I’m researching pears for my Kitchen Projects newsletter, which means buying every variety available at my local greengrocers. The slightly crunchy comice with its acidic skin, subtle aroma and gritty flesh is the perfect vehicle for generous spoons of Bonne Maman Hazlenut Chocolate Spread. A sprinkle of sea salt on top is the 3pm pick-me-up I need to finish the newsletter. I make a mental note to serve this concoction to friends after dinner when I’m short on time.

Friday
There aren’t many things in life I love more than oat biscuits. Homemade in an ideal world – my trick is to add a tiny bit of malt vinegar into the dough for a subtle tang – but any decent shop-bought variety will do. I have a couple of super thin ones hanging about and I start to wonder: would these make good sandwich biscuits? I scoop on some Bonne Mamann Caramelised Apple Spread and squish them together. The answer is yes. Big, big yes.

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