Slices of life

The Flexible Baker by Jo Pratt contains 70 delicious bakes with dietary alternatives. Photography by Malou Burger.

Blackcurrant and elderflower swiss roll

SERVES 6-8

For the Swiss roll:

• 4 eggs

• 125g caster sugar, plus extra for dusting

• 125g self-raising flour

• sunflower oil, for greasing

For the filling:

• 200g blackcurrants

• 50g caster sugar

• 200ml double cream

• 2tbsp elderflower cordial

METHOD

For the filling, put the blackcurrants in a small saucepan with the sugar and three tablespoons of water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes until the berries are completely soft. Blend to a purée and push through a sieve to remove any seeds. Leave to cool, then chill.

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly brush the base of a Swiss roll tin with the oil. Line with baking parchment.

Using an electric mixer, whisk together the eggs and sugar for about five minutes until pale and creamy and doubled in volume. Sift half of the flour on top and gently fold in using a large metal spoon. Repeat with the remaining flour and fold in until there is no flour visible. Finish by folding in one tablespoon of warm water, which helps produce a lighter airy sponge.

Pour into the tin, lightly spreading into all of the corners. Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden and springy to touch.

Cut a piece of baking parchment slightly bigger than the sponge and dust heavily with sugar. Carefully and swiftly turn the cooked sponge upside down onto the sugared surface and peel away the lining parchment from the top. Cover with a clean tea towel to keep the sponge moist and leave it to cool completely. Whisk together the cream and elderflower cordial until it starts to form peaks. Stir in the purée and spread over the cooled sponge, leaving a 2cm border. Starting at one long edge of the sponge, gently roll the sponge away from you, end with the seam underneath. Serve sprinkled with sugar.

FLEXIBLE

■ Flavour swap: For a Black Forest swiss roll – cut the quantity of self-raising flour to 75g and sieve together with 50g cocoa powder and ½tsp baking powder. Make the sponge as above. For the filling, simply use 250g good-quality black cherry jam or compote. Spread on top of the cooked chocolate sponge. Whisk the double cream with two tablespoons of kirsch (cherry liqueur) and spread over the cherry layer. Roll up the swiss roll and decorate with some dark chocolate shavings.

Ricotta, pumpkin and sage loaf muffins

MAKES 8 MINI LOAVES

Ingredients

• 300g peeled pumpkin or butternut squash,

coarsely grated

• 250g ricotta cheese

• 6 eggs, beaten

• 175g self-raising flour

• 2tbsp parsley, chopped

• 1tbsp sage leaves, chopped

• 30g Parmesan cheese, grated

• 20g pumpkin seeds

• 1 tsp flaked sea salt

• freshly ground black pepper

• olive oil, for drizzling

METHOD

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/400F/gas 6. Place eight mini loaf cases on a baking tray.

Put the grated pumpkin or butternut squash, ricotta, eggs, flour, parsley, sage, two-thirds of the Parmesan, the pumpkin seeds, salt and a good twist of black pepper in a large mixing bowl. Mix until combined, then divide between the loaf cases. Scatter the remaining Parmesan over the top as well as a drizzle of olive oil. Bake for 25 minutes until the tops are lightly golden. .

EACH TO THEIR OWN: Main picture left, blackcurrant and elderflower swiss roll; bottom left, ricotta, pumpkin and sage loaf muffins; bottom right, chicken and chorizo sausage rolls.

FLEXIBLE

■ Gluten-free: a gluten-free self-raising flour can be used instead.

■ Flavour swap: to make courgette and pesto muffins, swap the pumpkin for 300g of grated courgette. Place in a clean tea towel and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. Mix with two tablespoons of pesto, 250g of ricotta, six eggs, 175g of self-raising flour, 20g of Parmesan, one teaspoon of flaked sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and 20g of pine nuts. Divide between 8-9 muffin cases and top with extra Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake as above.

Chicken and chorizo sausage rolls

MAKES 8

Ingredients

• 1tbsp olive oil

• 1 red onion, finely chopped

• ½ red chilli, finely chopped

• 2tsp fennel seeds

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or grated

• 1tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar

• 200g chicken mince

• 175g cooking chorizo sausages, skins removed and

discarded

• 2tbsp parsley, chopped

• 320g sheet ready rolled puff pastry

• 1 egg, beaten, for glazing

• flaked sea salt and freshly ground

• black pepper

METHOD

Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the onion, chilli and half of the fennel seeds. Cook for about five minutes.

Add the garlic and vinegar and cook for a further minute or until the liquid has cooked away. Remove from the pan and put in a large mixing bowl to cool.

Add the chicken mince, chorizo sausage meat and parsley to the bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. It is best to do this by hand, so everything is evenly mixed. Or you can briefly mix in a food processor but don’t overmix.

Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Unroll the pastry and cut into two long strips. Divide the sausage filling between the centre of both strips and brush the beaten egg along one long side of each. Roll the other side of pastry over the filling and press down to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut each roll into four, giving you eight sausage rolls in total. Put the sausage rolls on the baking tray, sealed side down and brush with beaten egg. Sprinkle over the reserved fennel seeds and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and crisp. Serve warm or cold.

FLEXIBLE

■ Gluten-free: make sure the chorizo sausages are gluten-free and use a glutenfree puff pastry.

■ Vegan: for the filling, sauté one onion and ½ teaspoon of dried chilli flakes in one tablespoon olive oil until soft. Increase the heat and add 250g of finely chopped portobello mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms are soft and all the excess water has cooked away. Mix in 200g of finely crumbled firm tofu, two tablespoons of dark miso paste, one tablespoon of tomato purée, two teaspoons of rice vinegar and one tablespoon of chopped chives. Season with ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook for a few minutes until the excess water has cooked out. Leave to cool. Assemble the sausage rolls as above, making sure you use a vegan puff pastry. Brush the top with olive oil and scatter with sesame seeds or chopped peanuts and bake.

■ The Flexible Baker by Jo Pratt,

£20 White Lion Publishing.