Holly Bell

Rosewater, Pistachio, Cranberry, Blueberry & White Chocolate Oat Cookies

18th October 2016 by Rosie

Wow! That’s a mouthful of a recipe title for sure! However, it does tell you exactly what’s in the cookies I made, doesn’t it?

Inspired by the original recipe by the finalist of the Great British Bake Off, Holly Bell, which is incredibly versatile and can easily be altered, depending on your mood and fancy. Last night, I decided to go a little Persian with some wonderfully fragrant Nielsen Massey Rosewater, some delicious green pistachios from Sainsbury’s, along with some cranberry & blueberry mix which I’d bought from Holland and Barratt and some creamy chunks of Callebeaut white chocolate. The recipe made about 21 cookies (I forgot to count before we started eating them, still slightly warm from the oven, sorry!)

250g Butter, room temperature
150g Soft brown sugar
1½tsp Nielsen Massey Rosewater
150g Self Raising flour
230g Quaker Porridge Oats
100g Cranberry & Blueberry mix
100g White chocolate chunks
100g Pistachios, chopped

Preheat your oven to 160ºC.
Line your baking sheets with parchment paper (I used 4 baking sheets and baked them in pairs).
Cream the butter and sugar, along with the rosewater until light and fluffy. (I was watching The Fall on BBC iPlayer as I was baking, can you tell?!) It’s much easier to use a hand mixer when creaming your butter and sugar, and I use my Kenwood K-Mix one.

Add in the flour and oats and stir to combine fully.
Gently stir in the cranberries, blueberries, chocolate chunks and chopped pistachios.

Take out plum sized balls (I used a level table spoon measure for my cookies).
Place the cookies on to your baking tray and flatten them out roughly to about 1cm thick. You need to leave about 2cm between them to allow them to spread a little.

Bake for 16 minutes.
The cookies will still be soft when you remove them from the oven, so allow them to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes.

Remove the cookies to a cooling tray and leave until cold.
Store in an airtight container, but you won’t be able to resist them for too long!

This recipe uses Nielsen Massey rosewater which had previously been sent to me as a gift, along with other vanillas and flavourings.

Book Giveaway – Holly Bell’s Recipes from a Normal Mum

28th December 2014 by Freycob

The competition entry deadline has passed to win a copy of Holly Bell’s ‘Recipes from a Normal Mum’ book. Of the entries received, 25 had the correct answers to all three questions.

All correct entries were numbered in the order that they were received, between 1 and 25 and Holly was asked to pick a number in this range as the winner.

She chose number: 22

Which belonged to: Karen Moses from Ulverstone in Cumbria

The correct answers to the questions were:

1. What year was Holly a contestant and finalist on the Great British Bake Off? 2011
2. In Holly’s recipe for Sweet Potato Chips on her blog, how long do you need to bake them in the oven for? 35-40 minutes
3. In Holly’s recipe for Healthier Fish and Chips recipe on her blog, what fish does Holly recommend using? Coley

Congratulations to Karen, who wins a copy of Holly’s book ‘Recipes from a Normal Mum’. If you email your address to blog@freycob.co.uk I’ll get your book in the post in the next day or two.

Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter, sadly only one person could win, but every entry was greatly appreciated.

Rosie
xx

Book Review & Giveaway – Holly Bell’s Recipes from a Normal Mum

20th December 2014 by Freycob

I’m a huge fan of the Great British Bake Off and even applied to take part in the series a couple of years back. Obviously, you haven’t seen me on it, as I didn’t get accepted onto the show! Nevertheless, I still watch it and admit that I do cringe at some of the ‘creations’ and mistakes that are made at times.

Holly Bell was a finalist on the Great British Bake off and runs her very successful blog Recipes from a Normal Mum. Being relatively locally based to Holly in neighbouring counties, I attended one of her cupcake decorating classes a couple of years back, followed by her bread class too. Being so local and getting on so well (same cheeky sense of humour), I also popped over to help her out and ease her burden by being her ‘sous chef’ on a few classes too. I feel very lucky to have kept in contact with this lovely lady since that time as Holly is one of the most genuine (& naughtily funny) ladies that I know.

Based on the roaring success of Holly’s blog and being a finalist on the Great British Bake Off, she has written a book of the same name as her blog that’s jam pack full of fabulous recipes, amazing photographs and little snippets of stories telling where the recipes have come from and hints on how to demystify and simplify the art of baking ‘Holly Style’.

I was recently invited to receive a copy of Holly’s book to review. Along with my review copy, I was kindly sent an additional copy that I could offer as a giveaway on my blog.

There’s recipes in chapters such as ‘The More the Merrier’, ‘Feeding Goldilocks and Baby Bear Too’ as well as ‘Recipes for Chefs in the Making’ and ‘Presents from the Heart’. The simplicity of some of Holly’s recipes, along with the tasty, tried and tested recipes makes this every good cookery bookcase’s staple addition.

With the busy Christmas season upon us and the New Year of 2015 only days behind, what better time to choose than now to win yourself a copy of Holly’s book. Come January, you too could be baking like one of the best bakers that the Great British Bake Off has introduced us to, with the aid of Holly’s fabulous book.

In order to win this copy of Holly’s book, simply email me at blog@freycob.co.uk with the answers to the following questions.

1. What year was Holly a contestant and finalist on the Great British Bake Off?
2. In Holly’s recipe for Sweet Potato Chips on her blog, how long do you need to bake them in the oven for?
3. In Holly’s recipe for Healthier Fish and Chips recipe on her blog, what fish does Holly recommend using?

All answers can be found on Holly’s blog Recipes from a Normal Mum. The closing date for this giveaway is 6pm on Sunday 28th December 2014. I will announce the winner shortly afterwards and will post out the winning book to reach the lucky recipient that week. Due to the weight of the book, postage will be to the UK only.

I’m off to the kitchen to try out Holly’s Hex Family Stollen recipe. Catch you later!

I was sent a review copy and an additional copy of Holly’s to give away book free of charge.

Ol Extra Virgin Olive Oil Focaccia

1st June 2013 by Freycob

This recipe for focaccia is published with huge thanks to Holly Bell (finalist in the 2011 Great British Bake Off). I had the privilege to attend two of Holly’s classes; baking & decorating cupcakes and then her bread course. The recipe below is the one she taught us on the bread course, and is now my ‘go to’ recipe for focaccia bread that I bake. Thanks Holly xxx

I was kindly provided with 3 bottles of Ol Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This bread has been made with one of these varieties.

250g Allinson strong white bread flour
5ml Salt
1 sachet (7g) dried, easy blend yeast
15ml Ol Extra Virgin Olive oil
200ml Cold water

Cornish Sea Salt

1. Put all the dough ingredients into a bowl and, using one of your hands, bring all the ingredients together, almost with a stirring action.
2. Still using your hand, stretch the dough from the side of the bowl, and press into the centre of the mix. Give the bowl a 1/4 turn. Your mix will be very sticky, but this is normal.
3. Repeat this stretching, pressing and turning for about 5 minutes.
4. Liberally oil your working surface with olive oil and then tip out your dough onto the surface.
5. Using a dough scraper in one hand to help, use your other hand to continue to knead the dough for 5 more minutes. DO NOT ADD MORE FLOUR.
6. Place your dough back into your bowl, and cover with cling film. Leave to prove until doubled in size.
7. Grease a baking sheet well with oil.
8. Tip your proven dough onto an oiled working surface and knead again for 5 minutes.
9. Add any flavourings at this point (torn basil leaves, fresh rosemary, garlic, chopped chilli, caramelised onions).
10. Put the dough onto your baking sheet and flatten down.

11. Cover the baking sheet with your upturned bowl to help it rise, then leave to prove for an hour.

12. Preheat your oven to 220°C.
13. Drizzle your dough with a generous amount of olive oil, then using your fingers, press deep indentations over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle with sea salt.

14. Bake for 25 minutes until golden brown.
15. Remove from the oven and immediately drizzle it with more olive oil.

16. This bread can be enjoyed either hot or cold, with a tomato & mozzarella salad or simply dipped into olive oil.
17. The crumb should be irregular.

I used Ol Extra Virgin Olive Oil for this recipe, which was generously supplied to me, free of charge. The recipe is courtesy of Holly Bell for kindly allowing me to re-publish it.

Rosewater, Pistachio, Cranberry, Blueberry & White Chocolate Oat Cookies

This recipe uses Nielsen Massey rosewater which had previously been sent to me as a gift, along with other vanillas and flavourings.

Book Giveaway – Holly Bell’s Recipes from a Normal Mum

Book Review & Giveaway – Holly Bell’s Recipes from a Normal Mum

Ol Extra Virgin Olive Oil Focaccia

Follow Me here too

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Categories