Blood Orange Olive Oil Cake

In honour of World Pulses Day (February 10), we’re putting lentils centre stage with these spiced lentil and aubergine boats. In this recipe, the whole aubergine is used as a “boat” to hold the filling. Pumpkin, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, and zucchini can also be used in this way, giving meals a creative twist and avoiding food waste in the process. This recipe is flexible, forgiving, and

With the holidays just around the corner, our farmer Kathrin Wiest from Biohof Hund has shared one of her favourite seasonal recipes: an apple walnut tart passed down through generations in her family.Kathrin grew up spending weekends on her grandparents’ farm, where she helped with the hay harvest, milking the cows, harvesting vegetables, and discovering early on the importance of knowing where your food comes from. “Good food doesn’t begin in the kitchen,” she says, “it begins in the field.”This profound appreciation for the land followed her through her career in gastronomy and now into her work at Biohof Hund, where she combines her diverse background in gastronomy, organic farming, and horticulture.For Kathryn, working on the farm is more than just a job: “It’s a return to my roots,” she says, “a conscious choice for sustainability and regionality, and a step toward a future that truly makes sense – for my family, for our farm, and for society as a whole.”For Kathrin, this recipe captures values she grew up with: simplicity, seasonality, and a meaningful connection to the land.In this simple and delicious recipe, apples are arranged on top of a rich walnut cream and soft buttery crust: the perfect dessert to have around this winter.Save this recipe for your next holiday gathering! Apple & Walnut Tart Ingredients:  300 g spelt flour (plus a little extra for dusting) 120 g soft brown sugar Pinch of salt 2 medium eggs 200 g butter (130 g cold, 70 g softened, plus a little extra for greasing) 1 kg tart apples 2 tbsp lemon juice 150 g walnut halves 1 sachet vanilla sugar 50 g honey 80 ml double cream 1 pinch ground cinnamon Preparation: Place 250 g of the flour, 70 g of the sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 egg and the 130 g cold butter (cut into pieces) in a bowl. First mix with the dough hooks of a hand mixer, then knead briefly by hand until you have a smooth dough. Shape into a disc, wrap in cling film and chill for 30 minutes.Peel the apples, quarter them, remove the cores and slice into thin wedges. Toss with the lemon juice.For the filling, finely grind 50 g of the walnuts in a food processor. Beat 50 g soft butter, 50 g sugar, the vanilla sugar and a pinch of salt with a hand mixer until very creamy. Beat in 1 egg. Add the ground nuts and 50 g flour and mix briefly.Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Roll out the chilled dough on a floured surface to about 30 cm in diameter and line a greased 28 cm tart or springform tin. Press the dough up the sides and prick the base several times with a fork.Spread the walnut cream over the base and arrange the apple slices on top. Bake on a rack set directly on the oven floor for 25 minutes.Meanwhile, for the nut topping, roughly chop the remaining 100 g walnuts. In a small saucepan, heat the honey, cream, cinnamon and 20 g butter, bring to the boil while stirring and simmer for 2 minutes. Stir in the walnuts.After the tart has baked for 25 minutes, spoon the nut mixture over the apples and bake for a further 10 minutes on the middle shelf.Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack. Carefully remove from the tin and serve with whipped cream.

Almonds are a seasonal staple across Europe and have a rich culinary history, influencing many world-famous recipes we enjoy today. Almonds have been cultivated for thousands of years, originating in the Middle East and Central Asia and travelling to the Mediterranean, where the sunny and arid climate provided the perfect conditions for growth.Since its cultivation began in the Mediterranean, almonds have been a cornerstone of food culture across Europe. From Tarta de Santiago, the famous Galician cake that welcomes pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago, to Gebrannte Mandeln enjoyed in Christmas markets across Germany, every country has its own unique tie to almonds.In Southern Europe, almonds are typically harvested from August to late September, depending on the variety and local climate. During this period, the hulls split naturally, signalling that the almonds have reached optimal maturity.Now that the trees have just been harvested, it’s the perfect time to explore some of Europe’s most famous almond recipes, with 4 traditional almond recipes from Spain, Germany, France, and Italy. Tarta de Santiago- Spain A traditional cake from Galicia made with almonds, sugar, and eggs. Recognised by the emblematic cross of Saint James stamped in powdered sugar, this cake dates back to the 16th century and has become a symbol of hospitality for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago. Ingredients for 8-10: 250g whole almonds (can be with skin- grind finely before using) 250g caster sugar 4 large eggs Zest of ½ lemon Zest of ½ orange  3/4 tsp ground cinnamon  Butter for greasing the tin Icing sugar for dusting Preparation: Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 23cm round cake tin with butter.Grind the almonds in a food processor or blender until you get a fine, even meal. A slightly coarse texture gives the cake its signature crumb.Whisk the eggs and sugar together until pale and fluffy.Add the ground almonds, lemon zest, orange zest, and ground cinnamon. Mix until well combined.Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top.Bake for 30–40 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.Dust the top with icing sugar before serving.*Decoration Tip: To create the traditional Cross of Saint James design, place a stencil of the cross on the cooled cake before dusting with icing sugar. Gebrannte Mandeln- Germany   A familiar scent in any German Christmas market, these cinnamon-roasted almonds are crisp, sweet, and simple to make at home.Ingredients for 2-3: 200g whole almonds (with skin) 180g granulated sugar 100ml water 1½ tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract Preparation: Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a silicone mat.In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, mix the sugar, water, cinnamon, and vanilla extract.Place the pan over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil.Stir in the almonds and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the water evaporates and the sugar crystallises around the almonds.Once the sugar has crystallised, reduce the heat to medium and keep stirring until the sugar melts and coats the almonds in a shiny caramel.Transfer the almonds to the prepared baking tray, spreading them out in a single layer. Allow them to cool completely. Tarte Amandine- France    A French classic with a buttery crust and creamy frangipane (almond cream) filling. This rich and elegant tart makes for the perfect dessert to serve at your next gathering. Ingredients for 8-10:For the crust: 100 g unsalted butter, room temp 50g powdered sugar 1 large egg, room temp 40g almond flour 200g all-purpose/plain flour 1 pinch salt For the frangipane filling: 115g unsalted butter, very soft 65g caster sugar 2 large eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract ¼ tsp almond extract 120g almond flour  ¼ tsp kosher salt 50g sliced almonds Icing sugar, for dusting    Preparation: Crust: Place soft butter and sifted powdered sugar in a large bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until smooth and creamy.Add the egg and almond flour, mixing until fully combined. The mixture will be thick and uneven.Sift in the plain flour and salt, mixing slowly until a rough dough forms. Press the crumbs together, they should combine into a smooth dough.Place dough between two sheets of parchment and flatten into a thick disk. Roll to ~4 mm thick. Transfer to a large baking sheet and chill for 1–24 hours until firm.Remove parchment, place dough over a 24 cm tart tin. Press gently into corners. Patch any cracks with fingertips and trim excess dough. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.Preheat oven to 160 °C. Dock the pastry with a fork and place in the freezer for ~15 minutes while preheating.Bake for 16–18 minutes, until the bottom feels dry. Cool completely on a wire rack.Frangipane filling & assembly: Preheat the oven now to 180°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter in a microwave and let cool slightly.Whisk in the sugar until incorporated, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.Add the almond flour and salt, mixing until smooth and creamy.Pour the frangipane filling into the cooled tart crust, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the top, if using.Place the tart on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the filling is set and golden brown.Allow the tart to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, dust with icing sugar before serving. Pizzicotti-Italy      These almond cookies originating from Sicily get their name, pizzicotti, meaning “little pinches” from the shape they take when you pinch the top of each rounded ball. These cookies are simple and delicious, with a fragrant aroma and flavour from ground almonds and almond extract. Ingredients for 8-10: 250g whole almonds (with skin – see step 1) 70g egg whites (from approximately 2 eggs) Lemon zest from 1 lemon 200g caster sugar ½ tsp almond extract Powdered sugar for topping Preparation: If using whole almonds with skin, blanch them briefly in boiling water for 1–2 minutes. Drain and gently rub them in a clean towel to remove the skins. Let them dry completely. Put the blanched whole almonds and granulated sugar in a food processor. Blitz until they turn into a fine flour. Add the egg whites, lemon zest and almond extract. Process until you get a smooth, compact dough.  Transfer the dough to a bowl and form balls of about 30g each. You should get ~18.Roll each ball in icing sugar until fully coated. Place the sugared balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Pinch the top of each ball using your thumb, index and middle finger to give it the “pizzicotti” shape. Chill in the fridge for at least 5 hours, or ideally overnight.  Preheat your oven to 180 °C just before baking. Bake for about 12 minutes, or until lightly golden. Let them cool completely before serving.