Artesian bakery Gail's share their delicious Leek & Goats Cheese Picnic Loaf recipe from their new cook book.. read more
When word on the grapevine hinted that our favourite neighborhood bakery Gail’s were planning their first cook book, our excitement showed no bounds! Eagerly anticipating the arrival of their first recipe book ‘Gail’s Artisan Cookbook,’ their story began way back in 2005 when they opened up their first bakery in Hampstead Heath. With the vision to provide world-class bread, both fresh and handmade, to Londoners across the capital.
With over 100 recipes to choose from, flick through their first recipe book and discover the pleasure of baking, with a mixture of sweet and savory dishes made from honest ingredients. Inspired by the simplicity of good bread and the possibilities around it, now you can re-create their artisan master-pieces in your own kitchen! Given the chance to have a sneak peak early, today we are delighted to share the delicious Gail’s Leek and Goats Cheese Picnic Loaf, perfect for a summer days lunch…
Ingredients
– 1 round loaf of bread, 20–25cm in diameter – any kind you like
– 1 garlic clove, halved
– 2 tsp Dijon mustard
– 4 leeks, finely sliced, dark leaves discarded
– 100ml olive oil
– ½ tsp salt, plus extra to taste
– ½ tsp black pepper, plus extra to taste
– 5 sprigs of thyme, leaves only, chopped
– 2 eggs
– 150ml double cream
– 250g soft, fresh goat’s cheese, crumbled
Serves: 6
Method
1) Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Prepare the bread bowl. Slice across the loaf of bread to remove the upper third, then use your hands to pull out as much of the middle of the remaining loaf as you can, creating a crusty bowl. You won’t need this excavated bread for this recipe, so set it aside to make breadcrumbs.
2) Bake the bread bowl for 10 minutes, then, once it’s cool enough to handle, gently rub the cut sides of garlic around the inside of the loaf. Coat the inside with mustard – use the back of a spoon or, even better, a pastry brush, to help you spread it evenly. Set the hollowed-out loaf aside and increase the oven temperature to 200°C/gas mark 6.
3) To make the filling, toss the leeks with the olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme and roast them for 30 minutes until meltingly soft. Leave to cool, then drain off any excess oil. In a separate jug, make the custard by whisking together the eggs and cream, then season well with salt and pepper.
4) Begin to assemble the loaf: place the bread bowl on a baking tray and spread the goat’s cheese evenly on the base, then top with the leeks. Pour the eggs and cream into the bread bowl in three stages, waiting a few minutes each time before adding more. Once all the custard is added, carefully transfer to the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 170°C/ gas mark 3 and bake for a further 25–35 minutes until the custard is set. Check the custard is cooked by inserting a skewer into the middle; if it comes out wet, give it another 5–10 minutes. Leave it to cool for 45 minutes to an hour. It should look rather like a quiche, and you can slice it up to serve it in just the same way.
VARIATIONS
As long as you stick to the same measurements for the savoury custard (the eggs and cream), anything goes – think of your favourite quiche and reinvent it as a picnic bread pie.
TO MAKE IN ADVANCE
This can be baked the day before you want to eat it. Reheat at 180°C/gas mark 4 for 10 minutes to bring it back to life before packing up and heading out on your picnic.
The Gail’s Artisan Bakery cookery book is available to buy from today, for more details click here. Don’t forget to swing by one of their famed bakeries or visit their restaurant Gail’s Kitchen for a spot of brunch.
Feeling hungry? We know how you feel! Clear your plans for this weekend and prep the kitchen because we are offering one lucky reader the chance to win a copy of Gail’s Artisan Bakery Cookbook with a few of our baking accessories to help you on your way. Simply pop on over to the Laura Ashley twitter, make sure you’re following us and RT:
Unleash your artesian baking skills with our @GAILsBakery #Giveaway! RT + follow us to #WIN http://t.co/pwdH92JQot pic.twitter.com/mmjX0dMprl
— Laura Ashley (@LauraAshleyUK) June 6, 2014
Get tweeting, fingers crossed and good luck!
Winners will be announced on Monday the 9th June, follow @LauraAshleyUK to find out if you’re a winner!
Terms and conditions apply: Prizes are not transferable and non negotiable. There is no cash alternative. Winners of prizes will be notified as soon as possible after the end date. The prize draw is open to all legal residents of the UK (mainland only). All entrants must be over the age of 18 at the date of entry. The eligibility of any entrant is at the sole discretion of Laura Ashley Limited. Employees, families or agents of Laura Ashley Limited and/or any of its associated companies are not eligible to enter the prize draw. An eligible entrant must be an individual and must enter via the Laura Ashley Twitter page @LauraAshleyUK.