DARE TO BE different
Juniper, fennel, chipotle, pink peppercorns… not the usual suspects when you’re making puddings. But Pollyanna from the delicious. food team shows that, just as salt can be used to bring out the flavour of caramel, these flavour-packed seeds, flakes and berries give familiar sweet treats exciting new dimensions
RECIPES AND FOOD STYLING POLLYANNA COUPLAND
PHOTOGRAPHS TOM SHINGLER
Pineapple and pink peppercorn frangipane tart
Fennel seed, toasted oat and orange cheesecake
Chipotle chilli chocolate tarts
Chipotle chilli brings out the fruitiness of dark chocolate as well as adding a smoky flavour, with regular chilli flakes lending warmth to cut through the richness. Serve these tartlets with a dollop of soured cream for a dessert with a savoury edge, yet perfectly balanced
Fruity, peppery, piney… Juniper adds a real complexity to dishes. It’s often paired with roast meat (venison and duck in particular) and is the base note of every gin, but it’s unusual to see the berry in baking. The flavour dimension it adds to these shortbreads is exceptional. The fruitiness of the chocolate is enhanced; the sweetness of the caramel is tempered. Perfect!
Juniper millionaire’s shortbread
Makes about 16 (depending how you slice them)
Hands-on
time 25 min, plus cooling
Oven
time 35-45 min
Specialist
kit 28cm x 22cm baking dish (approximately)
BE A BETTER COOK
To get a nice clean cut, run your knife under hot water and dry on kitchen paper before slicing the shortbread into squares.
• 375g unsalted butter, chilled and diced
• 275g caster sugar
• 300g plain flour
• 1 tbsp juniper berries, finely crushed in a pestle and mortar
• 100g golden syrup
• 397g tin condensed milk