Start by placing the flour into a large bowl. On one side of the bowl add the yeast and on the other side add the Maldon salt, then mix everything together with a wooden spoon until combined. Create a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the lukewarm water and 2 tbsp of olive oil, and then mix until you have a sticky dough. You can either knead this on a lightly floured surface for 10 minutes, or you can do this in an electric mixer with the dough hook attachment – knead until the dough is smooth and slightly less sticky. Once kneaded place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave in a warm place and allow the dough to prove for 1 hour until it has doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 200C. After the dough has proved, knock the air out by kneading it again briefly and deflating it. Grease a 25 x 35 cm baking tin with olive oil. Pull and stretch the dough so it roughly fills the bottom of the tin, then place the tea towel back over it and leave it to prove once again for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes your dough is ready to bake. Use your fingers to make dimples in the top of the dough and to help spread it into the corners of the tin. Dot the cherry tomato halves across the top and then add small sprigs of the rosemary in and around them. Drizzle over 2 tbsp olive oil and sprinkle with Maldon salt. Place into the hot oven and bake for 25 – 30 minutes until golden brown on top and the tomatoes have softened and charred slightly.
Remove from the oven and drizzle over the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil to soak into the warm bread. Allow to cool slightly before removing from the tin and slicing up whilst still warm. Serve with a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip the bread into.
Lavender flowers have a distinctive floral flavour, but as it is part of the mint family, which allows the flower to contain hints which are closely similar to mint and rosemary. This means that when lavender is dried and infused with sea salt, it works brilliantly with sweet bakes such as shortbread biscuits, chocolate, and crème brûlée. You can also cook with lavender to infuse it with savoury dishes such as lamb, fish, and chicken to give a gentle sweetness.
Whilst using lavender salt in both sweet and savoury dishes, did you know that you can add the flavoured sea salt into cocktails! For example, it could be used to salt the rim of a homemade cocktail to make a margarita with a twist! Or, you can use the lavender salt as part of the main ingredients with our delicious lavender nectarine whiskey sour cocktail – perfect to be enjoyed in the sun! Make sure to not discard of the lavender buds completely, as you can use them to garnish the cocktails and impress your guests.
The possibilities are endless with lavender salt, plus once you make a batch you can store it in an airtight container or mason jar for up to 6 months!
How to make lavender salt?
You must make sure the lavender you use is dried – you can buy dried and edible lavender from the supermarkets, however if you are cutting from flowers at home then simply remove the flowers and allow to dry for a week before using.
Place the dried lavender flowers into a pestle and mortar and crush until they are broken up and mostly ground.
Mix the grounded dried flowers with the Maldon Salt evenly. Store in an airtight container or mason jar.
What dishes can you use lavender salt with?
As lavender sea salt is completely edible, the combinations are completely up to you taste buds!
A dish that would really impress your guests would be lamb. Because lavender is similar to rosemary, the dried flower is a perfect accompaniment when it comes to cooking with lamb. The sea salt elevates the sweetness of the lavender, allowing the seasoning to cut through the rich, fattiness of the meat, resulting in a succulent, aromatic main course.
For a side dish recommendation, try sprinkling the lavender salt on some crispy, Hasselback potatoes. The fragrant, dried culinary lavender with the sea salt gives the roast potatoes a floral tone to it’s natural earthiness, allowing a sweet balance between both flavours and adding mystery to the dish.
If you are a dessert person, try adding lavender salt as a topper for your homemade ice cream! The floral accents from the lavender gives a natural, fresh sweetness to the ice cream, where the sea salt will elevate this further and balance out any bitterness.
Is all lavender safe to eat?
Please note, not all lavender is safe to eat! Culinary lavender is cultivated from Lavandula angustifolia, which is known as ‘true’ lavender. This has a lot less oil than the usual lavender flowers used in perfumes or soaps.
You can tell if your lavender is edible by the flowering. Keep a look out for blooms with a much milder appearance – this means it’s safe to eat! You can also do a smell test. If it has a sweet, floral scent, this could indicate that it is angustifolia, which is safe to eat. On the other hand, if it has a strong, piney almost eucalyptus scent, this flower is recommended for perfume/soaps only.
Join us in creating the perfect gift of homemade fig jam for your friends and family. This recipe is great when accompanied with a fresh loaf of bread or used as a side condiment for a cheeseboard.
Pull the stems off the figs and cut them into chunks to give the jam some texture.
Add all the ingredients into a saucepan with a splash of cold water (roughly 150ml)
Mix to combine them and bring to a simmer over a medium-low heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes.
Then cover and simmer on a very low heat for 1 hour stirring occasionally.
The figs will break down and you’ll be left with a delicious jam with textured bits from the soft fig skin.
Popping your jam into jars is a slightly lengthy process… but worth it to give it the longevity so you can enjoy it later in the year. Pop your sterilised glass jars on a tray and slide them into the oven at 130c/275f (don’t have it any hotter as they may shatter) leave them in the oven for at least 20 minutes. Be extremely careful taking them out one by one using oven gloves, popping them on to a heat proof mat or pad. Spoon the hot jam mix straight into the jars and seal the lid tightly.
Pop your jam in the cupboard, once open keep in the fridge and consume within 2 months!
What cheese pairs well with fig jam?
Camembert and Brie pair beautifully well with figs in general. Head over to our Ultimate Christmas Cheeseboard recipe to see such how perfect the balance in flavours go together.
Should the fig skin be left on or taken off?
Remove the skin from the figs you are prefer your jam to be smooth. However, if you prefer a more preserve-like texture, leave the skins on.
Join us in creating our delicious Bellini cocktail; infused with the wintery flavours of sweet, fig jam with an added kick of zest and fizz through the use of lemon juice and prosecco. Head over to our Fig Jam recipe to make your very own fruit preserve in the comfort of your home. Homemade jam tastes much better than store bought due to the rich nutrients that your garden soil can bring, with also being a much healthier alternative due to having less sugar content than the usual store bought versions.
The origins of the renowned Bellini is believed to have come from the mid 1930-1940s, where Giuseppe Cipriani based in Italy, (founder of Harry’s Bar), named the drink after it’s striking ‘sunset’ colour in which reminded him of the paintings by Venetian artist Giovanni Bellini! This is why we use the flavoursome fig jam in our Bellini, as not only does it give a delectable, rich taste to the drink, it also gives a vibrant, peach colour which will ‘wow’ your guests as you serve them this tipple.
Add the ingredients into a shaker with plenty of ice, securing the lid or shaker tin tightly.
Shake with both hands until well chilled in a vigorous motion, horizontally over your shoulder. You will know you have shaken well when the shaker starts to frost up from the outside.
Strain your cocktail into a chilled glass with ice.
To finish, add a small pinch of Maldon Salt to enhance the sweet flavour of the fig jam.
Garnish the cocktail with dried orange and lemon slices.
Do you enjoy making cocktails?
You can find our Cocktail Club series with the talented Christie Knight on our YouTube Channel. The series includes how to make cocktail classics such as the Bloody Mary, to unique alcohol-free tipples including the Negroni.
The classic margarita is part of the ‘sour’ cocktail family, traditionally consisting of tequila, triple sec orange liqueur and lime juice.
There are many debates as to who created the iconic margarita, one of them being of legendary bartender Pancho Morales. Pancho was working at Tommy’s Place in Juarez, Mexico in 1942 when a woman requested a ‘magnolia’. Apparently, Pancho did not remember the ingredients for this drink, so instead combined a few ingredients together and named it after another flower instead, a daisy which is called ‘margarita’ in Spanish!
Today, the margarita cocktail is reportedly consumed by Americans 185,000 per hour, being the most popular cocktail in the United States. The reason for it’s popularity is due to the drink containing all five main tasting elements: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami, causing is to be a perfectly balanced drink. It also holds a fresh kick of citrus from the lime juice and triple sec, which is an orange-flavoured liqueur.
Using Maldon Salt for the rim is a vital step for serving a classic margarita. The salt helps mellow the bitter flavours, and enhances the sweet, citrus notes from the triple sec instead. Causing the sourness of the drink to appear more brighter in flavour, it allows the cocktail to become more pleasurable. It also adds texture to the drink from the flaky sea salt, allowing you to experience a subtle, satisfying crunch as you take your first sip.
Here is how to make our Classic Salted Margarita recipe…
Place a generous pinch of Maldon Salt onto a small plate. Set aside.
Run a lime wedge around the outer rims of a rock glass and dip the rims into the Maldon Salt. Set aside.
In a cocktail shaker, combine the tequila, Cointreau triple sec, and lime juice. Fill with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled, roughly 15 seconds. You will know when it has chilled because the bottom of the metal shaker should begin to frost over).
Fill the glass with fresh ice. Begin straining the margarita mix into the glass.
Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.
What alcohol is in a margarita?
The main alcohol in a margarita is tequila. This is then combined with lime juice and orange liqueur. We recommend using El Tequileño Blanco as your choice of tequila for this recipe, as it’s made with agaves from the Highlands of Jalisco, resulting in a slightly sweeter taste that pairs beautifully well with the lime juice and triple sec.
How to make this virgin / alcohol-free?
A virgin margarita is commonly made with lime juice, agave, orange juice and sparkling water or tonic water for bubbles. The combination of ingredients makes a well-balanced and sweet mocktail from the classic, allowing you to enjoy the flavours of a margarita but without the alcohol part!
What to serve with margarita cocktails?
It makes sense to serve delicious, Mexican-style dishes with a margarita cocktail! Our tacos are filled with deliciously tender pulled pork with fiery, zesty notes that pair perfect with the margarita’s citrus flavours.
Because margarita’s have a zesty, limey flavour, we also recommend dishes such as seafood to enhance this further. Try our deliciously tender grilled tuna steak with tomato and Salsa Verde to give a refreshing burst of flavour with a gentle kick of spice.
How to create:
Place the rosemary in a bowl and cover with 6 tbsp of the olive oil.
Add the flour, fast action yeast, Maldon salt and remaining olive oil into a bowl, add 175 ml water and mix it until sticky.
Knead the sticky dough on a lightly oiled surface for around 10 minutes until it turns smooth.
Cover and leave for an hour until it has risen to double its size.
Prepare a baking tray with parchment paper, knead out the dough to whichever shape you like and leave to rise for a further 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 200c, make holes using your finger and spread over the rosemary and olive oil mixture.
Add an extra pinch of Maldon salt and cook for 20 minutes.
Celebrate Christmas with this festive fruit vodka cocktail. Using the flavours of grapefruit and blood orange, this drink has a delicious citrus twist which your guests will love and keeping going back for more!
We also add a salt rim to the cocktail using Maldon Sea Salt flakes! The reason we use a salt rim is to help counteract the slightly bitter notes from the grapefruit and blood orange, whilst elevating the natural sweetness of the red currants. The salt rim also gives texture to the cocktail, enhancing your experience as you take a sip. Head over to our Where to Buy page to find your nearest store to grab a pack now and have a go!
Ingredients for the Perfect Christmas Cocktail:
1 or 2 lime wedges
Maldon Sea Salt flakes
3 parts of grapefruit juice
3 parts of blood orange juice
1 part of vodka
Frozen red currants
Sprigs of rosemary for garnish
How to Make Your Christmas Cocktail
Run the lime wedge around your cocktail glasses and dip into the Maldon Salt.
Combine all the parts in a cocktail shaker with ice.
Shake well and strain into your prepared glasses. Garnish with the frozen berries and a sprig of rosemary.
Tips for Garnishing and Serving Your Christmas Cocktail
There is an art in knowing what type of garnishes to use for your cocktails and how to serve them. Doing these two things well will add a wonderful festive touch to your drinks, and impress your dinner guests!
Use Seasonal Ingredients
We recommend incorporating fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme into your cocktail, as these flavours mimic the aromas of Christmas. They also resemble miniature Christmas trees, adding a playful twist to the drink! Include the sweetness of cranberries to add a pop of festive red to your cocktail. You can also add a slice of orange or lemon to bring a gentle, citrusy warmth to the drink.
2. Ice with a Twist
Instead of using classic ice cubes, why not try freezing cranberries, mint leaves or rosemary sprigs in the ice cubes for a decorative and functional garnish? You can also use larger ice moulds shaped like snowflakes, stars or Christmas trees to add that ‘wow’ factor!
3. Festive Glassware
Choose glasses with seasonal designs, or opt for a clear glass to showcase the colourful layers of cocktail and garnishes. You can also tie a small ribbon around the steam of the glass for extra charm. On the topic of tying ribbons around the stem of the glass, why not add a personal touch to your drink, by adding name tags to glasses using gift tags tied with twine? This will give a nice, personal feel to your cocktail, making it extra special to them.
4. Creative Stirrers and Picks
Swap your classic cocktail picks with a festive topper! Use skewer marshmallows, sugared cranberries or citrus peels to give a delightful Christmas look and feel. You could even use candy canes as stirrers and add a delicious peppermint kick to the drink.
These touches will ensure your Christmas cocktails look as amazing as they taste!
Why Maldon Salt is Perfect for Cocktails?
Maldon Salt is an excellent choice for cocktails due to it’s unique characteristics that elevate both flavour and presentation.
Flaky Texture
Maldon Sea Salt has unique pyramid-shaped flakes that offers a saltiness with sweet precision, a fresh intensity and clean taste. It’s easy to handle and perfect for creating a visually appealing salted rim that gently dissolves as you sip. Unlike fine table salt, Maldon Salt offers a mild crunch without overwhelming the drink’s flavour profile.
2. Pure, Clean Taste
Maldon Salt has no additives. It has a clean, natural taste that compliments the ingredients in your cocktail. It’s flavour enhances the drink without the harshness of processed salts, making it ideal for delicate flavours.
3. Flavour Enhancer
4Maldon Salt amplifies the complexity of sweet and sour cocktail, creating a more dynamic flavour profile. It also boosts aromas and adds depth to cocktail, balancing the bitterness and enhancing aromas in sophisticated drinks like margaritas, Palomas, or smoky mezcal cocktails.
Pro Tip:
For best results, lightly wet the rim of your glass with citrus juice or water, before dipping into Maldon Salt for a even and clean application.
Whether you’re crafting a classic margarita or experimenting with a savoury cocktail, Maldon Salt brings an understated luxury that’s perfect for elevating your creations.
