Food: Bougie PB&J

I had half a punnet of strawberries that needed using up, so I decided to make them into a bougie conserve. So with it an easy way to pimp up your standard PB&J. Here’s how to do it. You can totally scale up the recipe, but I’m just jotting down what I had to work with.

For the Strawberry, lime & white rum jam

  • 100g strawberries, de-stalked
  • 50g sugar
  • 100ml water
  • Juice & zest of 1/2 lime
  • 1 shot of white rum (optional)

 

to make, simply put a pan on the hob on medium-high and place in the sugar, strawberries and the water. It should take a few minutes for it all to start bubbling, but when it does it will come together quite quickly, so don’t get distracted as it can burn easily. Cook for 5-7 minutes on high until you can see it all becoming a pan of red, strawberry flavoured loveliness. When you see that happening, take it off the heat and add in the lime zest, juice and the rum. As it will still be hot, be careful when mixing it in. Pour into a glass jar and leave on the countertop to cool before putting it in the fridge to set, preferably overnight.

 

The next day the jam should have set and be halfway between a jam and a firm compote.

 

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This is what I had left of the jam after scoffing it all down!

The next step to make is the peanut caramel. To make you’ll need:

  • 50g demerara sugar
  • 100ml water
  • 20g peanuts (I used roasted peanuts, but you can use un roasted too)
  • Pinch of salt. I used some exquisite Anglesey sea salt with Tahitian vanilla from Halen Môn

Like the jam,  add in the sugar and the water and cook in a hot pan until they start forming a light caramel, then add in the peanuts. Roll them around in the pan, without using a spoon or spatula and enrobe them in the caramel. Cook the caramel mixture out until it turns golden brown. Pour onto a silicone baking sheet (you can use a spatula now) and sprinkle with the salt. The flavour of Halen Môn’s vanilla salt will compliment the lime and strawberry of the jam perfectly. Leave to cool and harden.

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Halen Môn’s Anglesey Sea Salt with Tahitian vanilla.

Now to make the foundation of it all, the toast. I used some great sourdough from a local bakery here in Malmö, Organic Bakery, that I rescued with this great app here in Sweden and also in London called Karma. They work with local businesses to sell their ‘end of the day’ produce at a reduced price. Meaning the consumer reduces food waste, supports local businesses and gets amazing quality food for a fraction of the price. (Not a sponsor but if you’re in London or Sweden it would be silly not to check them out!).

Anyway, back to the toast…

Top that warm toast off with some tasty dairy-free ‘butter’ and top with a thick layer of peanut butter. Spread the jam on one half and place pieces of the now cooled salted peanut caramel brittle on the other. Top with a few sliced strawberries and devour!

 

Enjoy!

 

Drink: Raspberry Limemade

After visiting Möllan market on Monday, I came home with more than a surplus of limes for only 10kr (like 94p!) thus, limes were on the menu. I’ve made homemade lemonade in my time, why not limeade? Well, with this simple recipe, you can make a tasty, zingy drink that will refresh & tingle your tastebuds. To make, you’ll need:

  • 7-8 limes, juiced
  • Handful of frozen raspberries, thawed
  • 200-300g raw sugar
  • 1 litre of water

Start by cutting the limes in half and juice them into a mixing bowl or a jug. Once this is done, add in the raspberries that have being thawing for roughly 10-15 minutes, they should be a lot softer now and exude their crimson juice. Mash them with a fork or muddler into the lime juice until it all turns bright red. Add the sugar and stir until dissolved (the acid in the juice should do this fairly quickly). Once it’s all dissolved into the juice, add the water, stir again. Strain the mixture into a second mixing bowl/ jug, leaving the pulp and seeds behind. Finally, pour into a bottle and place into the fridge to chill for a couple of hours. When ready it will be a zingy, tangy, yet sweet and fruity for you to enjoy! Good on its own, but try it with a bit of white rum for an amazing long drink!

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