Rachel Allen - Home Cooking

25g (1oz) butter

2 eggs

2 tbsp single or regular cream (or milk)

Pinch of salt

4 slices of white or brown bread

Icing sugar, for dusting

Honey or golden or maple syrup, to serve

1Place a large, non-stick or cast-iron frying pan on a medium heat and add the butter. While it is melting, whisk the eggs with the cream or milk and salt in a wide, shallow bowl. Soak the bread in the egg mixture for a few seconds on each side and place in the hot pan.

2Cook for 1–2 minutes on each side until deep golden in colour, then place on warm plates, dredge generously with icing sugar and serve with honey or golden or maple syrup drizzled over.

Spicy French toast:Add ground spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg or mixed spice to the egg mix before soaking the bread.

Fruity French toast:Add 1 small mashed banana or 50g (2oz) mashed raspberries or strawberries to the egg mix.

These are great for breakfast or as a snack at any time of the day. Use fresh rhubarb when it’s in season in spring or frozen rhubarb at other times. If it is already sliced, it needn’t be defrosted.

150g (5oz) soft light brown sugar

1 tbsp sunflower oil

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

100ml (3½fl oz) buttermilk or soured milk (see tip on page 24)

100g (3½oz) rhubarb, finely diced

175g (6oz) plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

Pinch of salt

12-hole muffin tin

1Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6. Line the muffin tin with paper cases.

2Place 125g (4½oz) of the sugar, the sunflower oil, egg, vanilla extract and buttermilk or soured milk in a large bowl. Beat until well mixed, then stir in the rhubarb. Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt, and stir until all the ingredients are combined. Try to avoid over-mixing or the muffins will become tough.

3Divide the mixture between the muffin cases, filling them three-quarters full with batter and then sprinkle the remaining sugar on top of the batter in each muffin case.

4Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for 18–20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch. Allow to stand in the tin for a few minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool.

These are really delicious and filling first thing in the morning. They are also great for a snack or as a lunchbox treat.

275g (10oz) plain wholemeal flour

50g (2oz) rolled oats

125g (4½oz) soft light brown sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

2 tsp ground mixed spice

175g (6oz) pitted prunes, roughly chopped

1 eating or cooking apple, peeled, cored and finely diced

250ml (9fl oz) buttermilk or soured milk (see tip below right)

50g (2oz) butter, melted and cooled

2 eggs

12-hole muffin tin

1Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F), Gas mark 6. Line the muffin tin with paper cases.

2Mix the flour, oats and sugar together in a large bowl and sift in the baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and mixed spice. Stir in the prunes and apple.

3Beat the buttermilk or soured milk, butter and eggs together and pour into the dry ingredients, stirring to combine and to give a smooth batter. Try to avoid over-mixing or the muffins will become tough.

4Divide the batter between the muffin cases, filling them almost to the top. Bake on the centre shelf of the oven for about 20 minutes or until golden and firm to the touch. Allow to stand in the tin for a few minutes before placing on a wire rack to cool.

To make your own soured milk, gently heat some standard milk (to the quantity required for the recipe) until warm, then remove from the heat, add the juice of ½ lemon and leave at room temperature overnight. If you are allergic to dairy products, this recipe works well with soya or rice milk soured in the same way.

This is the simplest recipe in the world but definitely one of my favourite things to eat. I love boiled eggs either for breakfast or for a simple supper when there’s nothing else in the house — the perfect standby! Use the freshest eggs possible and ones cooked from room temperature rather than from the fridge, so they are less likely to crack.

2 eggs, at room temperature

4 slices of white or brown bread

25g (1oz) butter, softened

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1Bring a small saucepan of water to a rolling boil. Carefully lower the eggs into the water with a slotted spoon (dropping the eggs may cause the shells to crack). Bring back up to the boil and begin timing from the point at which the water starts to boil. For soft-boiled eggs, cook for 4–5 minutes; 8 minutes for hard-boiled.

2While the eggs are cooking, pop the bread in a toaster or under a preheated grill and toast until it is golden brown. Remove and spread with butter immediately so that it melts. Cut each piece into 4–5 fingers.

3Carefully remove each egg with a slotted spoon and place it in an egg cup. When the eggs are cool enough to handle, either crack the tops with the back of a teaspoon (and peel the shell away) or slice them off with a knife. Season with salt and pepper.

4Dip the buttered soldiers into the soft yolk (unless it’s hard-boiled, of course) and enjoy!

For a romantic, elegant, or Mother’s Day breakfast:serve with asparagus tips (blanched for 2–3 minutes in boiling water) for dipping rather than the soldiers. You can also use duck eggs.

As with omelettes and boiled eggs (see pages 20 and 25), scrambled eggs make the perfect quick meal. And just as with omelettes, they can be served in a huge number of delicious combinations. Mexican scrambled eggs are perfect for getting rid of a hangover: the chopped fresh coriander and chilli are just what you need to wake you up! Use the best free-range eggs for their lovely rich, yellow yolks and great flavour.

4 eggs

1 tbsp milk

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

25–40g (1–1½oz) butter

2–4 slices of white or brown bread

1Crack the eggs into a bowl, add the milk, season with salt and pepper and beat together. Add 15g (½oz) of the butter to a small saucepan on a low heat, then immediately pour in the eggs and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring continuously (I find a wooden spatula best for this), until the butter has melted and they are softly scrambled. Remove from the heat immediately so that the eggs don’t become overcooked.

2Meanwhile, pop the slices of bread into a toaster or under a preheated grill and toast until golden brown. Remove and spread with the remaining butter, then place on plates, spoon over the cooked eggs and serve immediately.