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Light, fluffy and FULL of flavour! This recipe was created by Lara Green, who adds a delicious twist to a sourdough focaccia with Maldon Chilli Sea Salt and Maldon Garlic Sea Salt to impress your guests. It pairs perfectly with dips, pasta and antipasti, where the hints of chilli and garlic elevate it from ‘fluffy’ to fantastic.

Cold proofing overnight in the fridge makes for an extra soft, pillowy focaccia with the most delicious golden crust.

How to make chilli and garlic sourdough focaccia

1. Place the warm water into a bowl with the levain/sourdough starter and honey and whisk to combine. Add the flours and stir until no dry bits remain. Put a towel over the bowl and place somewhere warm.
2. 30 minutes later, add both the Maldon Chilli Sea Salt and Maldon Garlic Sea Salt, using your fingers to pinch them into the dough. Cover the bowl with the tea towel and place back in the warm spot.
3. 30 minutes later, perform your first set of stretch and folds: starting from the furthest edge, pull and stretch the dough up and then fold it down over itself. Turn the bowl and repeat until you have completed four stretch and folds. Set your timer for three additional sets of folds – spaced half an hour apart, leaving the covered dough to rest after each set.
4. Using 2 tbsp of the oil, generously grease and line a 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper, then place more oil on top of the paper. Transfer the focaccia dough to the baking dish, cover and place back in the warm spot for another 1-2 hours. Then cover with cling film and place in the fridge overnight.
5. The following morning, remove the focaccia from the fridge and place in the warm spot to bring it back to room temperature. You’ll know when it’s ready as the dough will have noticeably risen and look soft and pillowy on the surface (around 3-4 hours).
6. Preheat the oven to 215C.
7. Remove the cling film from the baking pan and with wet hands, massage the dough to create dimples in the surface of the focaccia. Drizzle with the remaining tbsp of oil and scatter with a pinch of both the Maldon Chilli Sea Salt and Maldon Garlic Sea Salt.
8. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, then turn the pan and bake for another 10 minutes until golden brown on the surface and light and crispy on the base and edges. Allow to cool thoroughly before cutting into slices.

*If using Instant Yeast instead of a sourdough starter, simply add the yeast with the flour and mix to combine. Follow the same sequence of steps above.

1. Measure the milk into a small pan and gently warm over a low heat. Once it is warm but not boiling, remove from the heat and add the butter, allowing it to melt in. Set aside.
2. Mix the flour, yeast, sugar, Maldon Sea Salt flakes, spices, and orange zest into the bowl of your stand mixer. Make a well in the middle and pour in the warm milk and butter mixture. Then pour in the 2 beaten eggs. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to bring this together to a sticky dough. Then add the dough hook attachment and knead for 5 – 8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3. Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl and cover with clingfilm, then leave in a warm place for it to double in size. This will take approximately 1 hour.
4. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking paper and set aside.
5. After an hour, take the dough use your hands to knock the air out. Tip it back into your stand mixer and add the dried fruit, then use the dough hook to knead and distribute evenly throughout the dough.
6. Shape into a smooth loaf and then place into the prepared loaf tin. Cover loosely with clingfilm and then set aside for 45 minutes to rise again.
7. Preheat the oven to 180C.
8. Prepare the cross by mixing the plain flour and water until you have a smooth paste. Put this into a piping bag and snip off the end. After the dough has proved, carefully pipe a cross on the top and then place into the oven for 35 – 40 minutes.
9. Once cooked, remove from the oven and onto a wire rack. Brush with the melted apricot jam glaze. Cool in the tin before removing, slicing, and serving toasted with plenty of butter and a sprinkle of Maldon Sea Salt.

1. Start by putting a large pan of salted water on the heat and when it comes up to boil, add the bucatini. Cook this following the packet instructions for al dente.
2. While the pasta is cooking, put a large sauté pan on the heat and add the butter and oil. Allow them to melt and then add the red chilli, garlic, and fennel seeds. Let the spices sizzle for a couple of minutes until smelling fragrant, then add the crab meat. Stir the spices through the crab and heat through.
3. Next add the asparagus tips along with a splash of the pasta water – this will help them steam and cook. After a couple of minutes turn the heat off and check the pasta. It should be perfectly al dente. Use tongs to lift and transfer the bucatini from the water to the pan with the crab. Once all the pasta is added, ladle in a little more pasta water and toss this through – this will help the pasta to create a sauce and allow all the ingredients to cling to the bucatini.
4. When you are happy with consistency, finally add the lemon zest, followed by the juice, and chopped chervil. Toss this through and then add the Maldon Garlic Sea Salt and some cracked black pepper to taste. If the pasta looks a little dry, just add another splash of the pasta water.
5. Then serve the bucatini piled in bowls, with a final drizzle of good quality olive oil.
6. Serve and enjoy!

1. Start by making the pickled radishes. In a small pan pour in the vinegar, caster sugar, Maldon, and spices. Place it onto the heat and gently warm so the sugar and salt dissolve. Put the chopped radishes into a bowl and when the vinegar mixture is ready, pour over them. Set these aside to pickle while you make the rest of the recipe.
2. Preheat the oven to 200c.
3. In an ovenproof tray add the chicken thigh pieces, skin up. Rub the skin with some olive oil and plenty of Maldon Sea Salt. Place into the preheated oven and roast the chicken for 30 minutes until the skin is golden brown and crispy, and the meat is cooked through.
4. While the chicken is cooking, start on the beans.
5. Place a large shallow pan on the heat and then add the white beans, along with the juices from the jars. Place a lid on the pan and gently warm the beans up, letting them simmer for 5 minutes.
6. In a food processor or high-powered blender, add the watercress, crème fraiche, Dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice, some Maldon Sea Salt and black pepper and a tbsp of olive oil. Blend together to make a smooth, bright green sauce.
7. Pour the sauce into the beans and stir through. Take off the heat.
8. Now you are ready to plate up. Spoon the beans into the middle of a serving platter or shallow bowl. Place the crispy chicken thighs into the middle of this. Then scatter over some of the beautiful, pink pickled radishes. Finally garnish with a drizzle of good quality olive oil, some extra Maldon Sea Salt, sprigs of dill and some lemon wedges for squeezing.

Let’s be honest, how many times have you seen a blog that claims to have the ‘best’ chocolate cake recipe? We’ve seen dozens upon dozens, and although we have tried (and eaten) many throughout the years, yet none have itched that truly rich, decadent, chocolaty scratch that we all crave deep down.

That is until we got our aprons on and got busy in the kitchen, where upon test after test, we eventually itched that scratch…the ULTIMATE chocolate cake was created!

Our chocolate tahini cake is dangerously delicious, with moist chocolate buttercream layers in between tall, fluffy and soft chocolate sponge cake. It’s then coated in the remaining buttercream to pack everything together, sealing in the rich, decadent goodness of every chocolate lover’s dream.

Including tahini within the mixture causes the cake to have a beautiful, nutty, sweet and sesame like taste to it, allowing the texture to be fudgy, smooth and buttery.

When was chocolate cake invented?

Speaking of chocolate, have you ever wondered where chocolate cake came from? Between 1764 – 1765, John Hannon and Dr. James Baker worked together to make cocoa powder from grinding cocoa beans between two massive circular millstones. From this, chocolate candy was invented and then shortly afterwards milk chocolate arrived in 1876. It wasn’t until 1886 when American cooks began adding cocoa powder to cake batter, making the first chocolate cakes!

What is Tahini?

If you haven’t tried tahini, it’s a thick paste made from ground sesame seeds, commonly used in Middle Eastern dishes like hummus! Tahini is what gives dishes like hummus that beautiful nutty flavour, causing the texture to be creamy.

Why should you use tahini in baking?

Tahini paste is a great addition when baking as it balances out the sweetness – just like sea salt does! It pairs beautifully with chocolate and coffee aromas too! Because of it’s creamy texture and healthy fat content, it binds easily with the other ingredients, making the overall texture fudgy and rich.

Because tahini mixes better with ingredients that have similar textures and fat contents, it works perfect in a buttercream, made with softened butter and cream cheese! Adding tahini in your buttercream will result in a delicious smooth frosting, with added depth to the overall flavour.

How do you make chocolate tahini sponge cake

1. Grease and line 3x 20cm baking tins with greaseproof paper.
2. Preheat the oven to 180c.
3. In a large mixing bowl sift in the plain flour. Next add the golden caster sugar, soft brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and Maldon sea salt. Mix the dry ingredients together, and then make a well in the middle.
4. In a separate bowl mix your wet ingredients – the eggs, buttermilk, tahini, vegetable oil and vanilla extract. Whisk this together, and when it is fully incorporated pour it into the well in the middle of the dry ingredients.
5. Use the KitchenAid Stand Mixer to combine altogether, until you have a smooth batter (but be careful not to overmix). Then pour the mixture evenly between the 3x cake tins. Place them on a shelf in the middle of the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Check they are fully cooked through by inserting a skewer or cocktail stick in the middle of the sponge and ensuring it comes out clean.
6. Set the cakes on a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

How to make chocolate buttercream

1. While the cakes are cooling you can make the chocolate buttercream. In the stand mixer bowl, beat the butter until it is fully softened and smooth. In a separate bowl sift the icing sugar and the cocoa powder. Slowly add the icing sugar and cocoa powder to the butter mixture in spoonful’s, beating each addition in before adding the next (so you don’t create a sugar dust cloud!).
2. Continue until you have added all the icing sugar and cocoa powder, and the mixture is thick and smooth. Finally add the melted and cooled chocolate, along with the whole milk, and beat this through to create a silky smooth and chocolatey buttercream.
3. Once the sponge layers have fully cooled you can assemble your cake. Spread a little buttercream onto the base of the cake stand or board in the centre, then place the first sponge on top of this. The buttercream will help it stick in place. Spread some of the buttercream all over the top of this cake, and then sandwich the second sponge on top, pressing down gently. Repeat this with the final sponge. Now you want to use the remaining buttercream to smooth all around the sides of the cake and on the top. Using a palette knife or cake scraper can help you achieve a smooth finish.

How to decorate a chocolate cake

When decorating the chocolate cake, we chose some edible flowers and coloured Easter chocolate eggs – but you can decorate however you wish! Don’t forget to do a final sprinkle of Maldon Sea Salt flakes on top – it works perfectly with the rich chocolate as it elevates the sweetness and counteracts the bitterness from the cocoa.

What is a good substitute for tahini?

There are many substitute options for tahini if you are struggling to find it in the local grocery shop! Because tahini is a sesame seed paste, try using a nut butter instead. We recommend an almond butter as it’s very similar in both texture, flavour and colour! Other nut butters you could use instead could be: cashew or macadamia nut butter. Both have the same creamy richness and nutty flavour that you get from tahini.

Alternatively, some people may use Greek yogurt instead of tahini as it lends itself a creamy, but thinner consistency. Because of it’s slightly thinner texture, you may need to adjust the ratio to the other ingredients.

Can you freeze chocolate cake?

Once the cakes have completely cooled, wrap it in clingfilm tightly. The tighter the better, as it seals in the freshness of the cakes and avoids it from getting freezer burn. Wrap the cake in a layer of aluminium foil for extra protection.

For best taste and texture, you shouldn’t freeze cakes for longer than 3 months, but the sooner you can serve it, the fresher it taste!

When thawing cakes, transfer the wrapped cakes to the refrigerator one day before decorating or serving. The cakes take at least 8 hours to thaw completely in the refrigerator. You can thaw them in toom temperature, but the flavour and texture is best one thawed slowly in the refrigerator.

Why do we eat lamb at Easter?

Have you ever wondered why we eat lamb during Easter? Many think it’s due to seasonality because Easter usually falls on or around lambing season in the UK. (February to April). But that’s actually false for many British farmers who know and keep lamb…The lamb you’re eating for your Easter Sunday roast would have most likely been born in December, kept warm indoors throughout the winter and fattened on grain – so it’s not actually born in Spring at all!

Alternatively, Farm2Fork also suggests if you are eating grass-fed lamb on Easter Day, then it most likely travelled from New Zealand to be a part of your roast dinner.

So, if we don’t eat lamb because it’s in season, why do we eat it?

The main reason is due to religion and faith. In Christianity, Jesus is often referred to as the ‘lamb of God’ in the Gospel of John. As a result, the eating of lamb represents the person we are commemorating and the sacrifice he made for humanity.

However, if we go even deeper in history, before the birth of Christianity, we can see roast lamb being used in the early Passover. When Egypt experienced the terrible plagues and deaths of firstborn sons, the Jews painted (sacrificed) lamb’s blood on their doors so that God would ‘pass over’ their homes and punish the sinners. Later on, when certain Jews would convert to Christianity, they carried over the tradition of eating lamb.

Although Christians do not practise sacrifice in this manner any longer, it is fair to say that we have built our traditions of eating lamb due to historic and religious customs.

If you’re looking for something other than lamb to eat on Easter, check out our perfect Easter recipes; a selection of of meat and vegetarian options for you to enjoy during your Easter Sunday roast.

How to butterfly a leg of lamb

In this recipe, we use a butterflied lamb joint, ready to be stuffed, tied and then roasted in the oven. Jamie Oliver shows readers a brilliant method in butterflying your lamb joint yourself and not done by your local butcher!

1. Try to prepare you lamb the day before you want to cook.
2. Use a sharp knife and carefully cut down the leg to expose the bone.
3. Making sure you keep the knife as close to the bone as possible, begin cutting along the edge to completely expose the bone.
4. Cut around the bone until you are able to remove it.
5. You can now lay the lamb flat on a chopping board, making sure it is skin-side down.
6. Using your knife again, make an incision halfway into the flesh on each side (where the meat is thicker), then open it out like a book – or – like butterfly wings on each side!
7. You should now have a flat piece of lamb of equal thickness.

You have now successfully butterflying your leg of lamb, ready to be stuffed with your favourite seasonings and then tied before roasting!

How to tie a leg of lamb

Once you have butterflied your leg of lamb and packed it full of delicious ingredients such as rosemary, pine nuts, garlic or mint (the list goes on!), you now need to tie it together to seal in all the flavours.

1. Cut a length of butcher’s twine, long enough to wrap around the lamb a few times.
2. Place the twin on a flat surface.
3. Lie the leg of lamb on top of the twine.
4. Slide the twine under the leg, positioning it roughly 1 inch from the end.
5. Cross the ends of the two ends of the twine over the top of the leg, pulling them tightly.
6. Tie a strong knot to hold the leg in place.
7. Now work towards the other end of the leg, looping the twine around and making sure you’re pulling it tight each time to secure the shape.
8. Once you have reached the end of the leg, tie another secure knot to hold the twine in place.
9. Cut with scissors any excess twine.

Now that you have tied your lamb, you’re ready to cook in the oven!

How to cook a leg of lamb

The best way to cook a leg of lamb perfectly is through roasting in the oven until pink on the inside, or roasted slowly for several hours until the meat is very tender and falls apart.

Cooking time for leg of lamb:

For a medium cooked lamb where the inside is blushing pink, it will take around 25 minutes per pound of meat. Alternatively, the internal temperature of the lamb should be around 130F.

If you’re looking for a succulent, falling apart lamb, it will take around 40 – 45 minutes per pound. Alternatively, the internal temperature of the lamb should be around 175F.

Cooking times for different levels of rareness for the lamb:

Rare: Around 15 minutes per pound / internal temperature 125 degrees F.

Medium Rare: 20 minutes per pound / internal temperature 130 degrees F.

Medium: 25 minutes per pound / internal temperature 135 degrees F.

Well-Done: 30 minutes per pound / internal temperature 155 degrees F.

Tender (falling apart lamb) – 40 minutes per pound / internal temperature 275 degrees F.

After you have cooked your leg of lamb to your desired texture and taste, you are now ready to carve!

How to carve a leg of lamb

We followed Waitrose step-by-step guide on how to successfully carve a leg a of lamb.

1. Once you have taken the meat out of the oven and rested for a few minutes, hold the bone, turning the leg so the thickest part of the meat is uppermost.
2. Cut a narrow wedge of meat from the centre.
3. Begin carving slices down to the bone with a knife angled along the line of the wedge. Cut across the base of the slices to free them from the bone.
4. Turn the joint over and carve the remaining meat parallel to the bone.

How to make stuffed leg of lamb with apricots, pistachios and parsley

You should now know the the basics for a leg of lamb; from it’s humble origins, tying, roasting to carving it perfectly, let’s now explore our delicious recipe where we stuff a leg of lamb with the delicious flavours of apricots, nutty pistachios and parsley.

1. Preheat the oven to 220c.
2. Start by making the stuffing mixture. In a large bowl add the fresh breadcrumbs, chopped pistachios, apricots, lemon zest, parsley, garlic, chilli flakes, and plenty of seasoning with Kalahari Desert Salt, Selected by Maldon and cracked black pepper. Mix this altogether well. In a small jug whisk the egg and olive oil, then pour this into the stuffing and mix again to help bind it.
3. Open the butterflied lamb joint and line on the flesh side with the stuffing, packing it in tightly with your hands. Roll the meat as tightly as you can and then use butchers string to tie it up firmly. 
4. Place the rolled lamb onto a baking tray and into the hot oven, we want to brown the skin before turning the heat down for a slower cook.
5. After 30 minutes, turn the oven down to 180c and cook for a remaining 50 minutes – 1 hour. If the lamb looks a little dark on top, simply cover with some foil.
6. When the lamb is cooked to your liking, remove from the oven, and loosely cover with foil then allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
7. Carve the meat and then bring to the table and serve alongside your favourite trimmings; we did roast potatoes, seasonal greens, and a lamb jus.

What to serve with leg of lamb

The options for what to serve with a leg of lamb are endless! Because the meat has a beautiful rich and flavourful taste, a combination of sweet and savoury both go well with the dish.

Roast Potatoes

One of the most common pairings with a leg of lamb – easy oven roast potatoes. Beautifully crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, they’re perfect to soak up the oozing juices of the lamb. If you really want to impress your guests, try making Hasselback roast potatoes, which give an extra dimension to the dish with it’s extra crispy texture, which compliments the soft meat of the lamb.

Lemon & Honey Glazed Roasted Carrots

If you want to add a gentle sweetness to the dish, serve these roasted carrots, coated in lemon and honey to give a delightfully sweet kick to the dish, a delicate flavours that works perfectly alongside leg of lamb.

Broccoli with Zaatar

Try adding a bit of green to the dish with roasted stem broccoli, paired with zaatar, chilli flakes and Maldon Salt to make a delicious spice blend that adds a bold flavour to the lamb. You can also serve this on a bed of feta, to give a gorgeous creaminess to the plate.

We hope you enjoyed making this classic Easter Sunday lunch!

Make sure you have your Maldon Salt ready for these recipes! If you are running out, please feel free to browse on our Where to Buy Page to find your nearest store in which stocks our beloved Maldon Salt.

Lastly, we LOVE seeing your creations – please tag us on Instagram using the #maldonsalt so we can share your delicious dishes!

What better way to celebrate Mother’s Day than by spoiling your mum or motherly figure in your life with a delicious breakfast in bed!

Start their day with a heavenly treat: Caramelised banana French toast topped with a luscious caramel sauce infused with Maldon Sea Salt flakes.

Maldon Salt’s delicate sea salt flakes dissolve seamlessly into the caramel, adding a rich sweetness with a subtle hint of savoury complexity with every bite.

This recipe was created by: @lujains.kitchen.

How to make French toast:

1. Slice the brioche bread into 3 thick slices (roughly 3cm thick)
2. Whisk together eggs, milk, double cream, vanilla, and cinnamon till combined.
3. Dip the brioche toast for 15 seconds on each side (do not leave it for too long otherwise it will fall apart)
4. Heat a pan and add a knob of butter, once the butter is melted place the brioche toast and leave to cook till lightly golden on each side then remove and set aside.

How to make caramel sauce:

1. To make the caramel, place the sugar and water in a pan and cook till the sugar burns and turns into a caramel colour then take off heat and add in the double cream.
2. Stir then add the butter

Assembling your French toast:

1. Slice the banana and dip one side into light brown sugar.
2. Using a blow torch, torch the sugar till caramelised.
3. Assemble the French toast on top of each other, top with the caramelised banana, pour the caramel sauce on top and sprinkle with Maldon Sea Salt flakes.