Flora Shedden: refreshing summer treats

Renovating the ARAN bakery has been an educational process. I knew the workload would be intense, and that it would be financially stressful.

What I wasn’t aware of was the problem-solving I would face every single day. Naively, I assumed we would have plans drawn up, design the kitchen around our day-to-day use and then we would build it. But alas, when you are dealing with a 200-year-old building, plain sailing is not on the agenda.

After ripping out the entire ceiling (now fully replaced with enough timber joists to support an entire herd of elephants, and their cousins) I thought there could be no more issues. We were replacing the windows, the doors, the electrics, the plaster, even plumbing in a new water and gas supply.

The only things that were to remain unchanged were the exposed stone walls and the floor. Until, that is, a few weeks ago when the floor’s stability was questioned. Upon further investigation it transpired a new concrete floor was required (the original one consisted of a wooden frame sitting on damp soil with timber boards stuck directly on top. Very cold!).

After two weeks of cursing and sighing, we now we have a shiny new polished concrete floor that I have stared at all week, willing it to dry out. Watching the men doing this made me envy their smoothing skills – they’d be brilliant cake-icers, if only they wanted a job in a bakery.

I say this with some misgivings, but maybe, just maybe, we are now nearing the final stretch. We can now start fitting the place out, as well as smartening up the outside, which I have been looking forward to immensely. I know tiling, decorating, painting and a lot of baking await me but at long last these are things I love doing. Flapping about while the building was being torn apart around me was less enjoyable.

During all this commotion we have been experiencing a mini heatwave in Scotland. The sunshine has encouraged all sorts of edibles to flourish, including two of my favourites: elderflower and gooseberries. They are at their peak throughout June and July, though continue on to September. and are wonderful to use in baking. Delicious in jams and chutneys, too, their acidity pairs nicely with sugar.

These possets have been made often in our house, with James even knocking up a batch himself. They are blissfully easy and make for a nice summery palate cleanser after dinner.

This cake and the possets have also been soothing me throughout the carnage that is going on downstairs. And that is ultimately is why I like to spend time in the kitchen. Cooking is the ultimate form of therapy, without which I no doubt would have collapsed long ago, along with the rest of the shop.

Gooseberry cake

MAKES

20cm cake to serve eight

INGREDIENTS

• 150g softened unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the tin

• 200g fresh gooseberries, or tinned

• 2 tbsp runny honey (optional)

• 150g caster sugar

• 175g self raising flour

• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut

• 2 tbsp yogurt

• 3 eggs

• Demerara sugar, for sprinkling

• Icing sugar, for dusting

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm cake tin, ideally loose bottomed.

2. If you are using fresh gooseberries, boil them in a pan with two tablespoons of honey and a splash of water until they begin to soften and just start to burst. Set aside to cool.

3. In a bowl beat together the 150g butter and the caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the flour, coconut, yogurt and eggs and whisk again until fully incorporated.

4. Drain any juices from the softened gooseberries or do likewise to tinned ones if using them, and gently fold the berries into the cake mixture.

5. Pour into the prepared tin and sprinkle the top generously with demerara sugar.

6. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out of the centre clean and the cake is golden brown. Set aside to cool fully before removing from the tin. Dust with icing sugar.

7. Best served with yogurt or crème fraiche.

Gooseberry pots with ginger crumble

MAKES

6 small (100ml pots)

INGREDIENTS

• 175g fresh gooseberries, or tinned and drained

• 2 tbsp runny honey (optional)

• 400ml double cream

• 125g caster sugar

• 2 tsp lemon juice

• Greek yogurt, to serve

• 20g gingernut biscuits, crushed

• A few pieces of crystallised ginger

• Small mint sprigs

METHOD

1. If you are using fresh gooseberries, boil them in a pan with two tablespoons of honey and a splash of water until they begin to soften and just start to burst. Set aside to cool.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the cream and sugar to the boil. Once boiling, whisk constantly for three minutes to stop the cream from bubbling over. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Mash the softened gooseberries in a bowl before sieving into a jug. You should end up with 150ml of juice. Add the juice to the cream, along with the the lemon juice. You should notice that the mixture visibly thickens.

4. Divide this between six glass ramekins or pots then place in the fridge to firm up for at least two hours.

5. To serve, add a teaspoonful of yogurt to each pot. Top with crushed gingernut biscuits. Cut the crystallised ginger into slivers then sprinkle on top and add a small sprig of mint to each pot.

6. Store in the fridge until required.

Flora Shedden’s Gatherings (Mitchell Beazley, £25) is available from books.telegraph.co.uk