Simple Aga Cooking
Handy Hints and Tips for You and Your Aga
Biscoff Caramel Spooky Spider…
A frightfully easy spooky party piece, perfect for fun with the family.
Ingredients:
2x ready rolled puff pastry (or make your own if you’re feeling fancy!)
Biscoff spread
Caramel sauce
Fondant icing
Writing icing
Icing sugar
Instructions:
1) Roll out one puff pastry sheet, coat the pastry with biscoff spread, right up to the edges. Then add a layer of caramel sauce.
2) Place something circular in the middle of the pastry (just any object that you are able to cut around), cut as shown in the video and discard the edges.
3) Cut the triangle edges into sections (spiders legs) and then twist.
4) Brush with the egg wash to make it golden and crispy!
5) Bake in the top right oven on the middle runners and set the temperature to 200 degrees on your electrickit aga!
6) Let the spider cooker for approx 15-20 mins or until golden! 💫
7) Use fondant icing and writing icing to create the eyes 👀
8) To finish, sprinkle with a little bit of icing sugar.
The perfect cream tea…
What better treat in the British summer time than an Aga-made cream tea? Jams, scones and clotted cream can be whipped up in no time at all.
The Jam:
Squishy strawberries, rhubarb from the garden & a squeeze of orange for the pectin make the perfect solution for a quick jam. To preserve, make sure your jars are properly sterilised & filled to the top. Use wax paper to avoid a skin. Or, if like me you know it won’t hang around for long, throw it in whatever you can find!
250g fruit - I used strawberries & rhubarb
250g caster sugar
Juice 1/2 orange
Combine in a flat based pan & lightly mash to break down a little. Bring to the boil & bubble for 15 minutes before checking for set (Keep a chilled plate in the fridge. Streak a spoon full of jam across the plate & run your finger through. If the jam wrinkles a little, it’s ready). Give it another 5 minutes if it’s still too runny. Pour into jars & enjoy the next day or for months to come.
The Clotted Cream:
Leave double cream in a pan on the back of the Aga overnight- right by the simmering plate. Scoop and chill.
Yes, it’s that easy! And it tastes all the better for being so darned clever.
The Scones:
Probably the first recipe my Mum ever taught me. And maybe yours too? A store cupboard staple whipped up in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. A marker of many happy times with friends, of cream teas & hen parties & picnics. Memory making morsels.
For perfect scones in the Electrickit:
(Makes 10)
225g Self Raising Flour
1/2 tap salt
1 tsp baking powder
2tbsp caster sugar
50g butter
150ml milk
Milk (or egg) to glaze
Instructions:
-Gently rub cold cubes of butter into sifted flour, salt and sugar using only your finger tips.
-Add milk & mix with a knife.
-Bring together into a soft, not quite sticky dough.
-Roll on a very lightly floured surface using as little extra flour as possible to a thickness of 3cm.
-Cut into 5cm rounds and place on bake-o-glide on a tray which fits the runners.
-Brush with milk or beaten egg.
-Cook in the RO at 240 on the middle runners.
-For Electrickit or eControl place the cold shelf or a large tray on the runner below to shield the heat.
-Bake for 10 minutes until risen and golden.
-Add your jam and cream (in whichever order you prefer- we know how passionate that particular debate gets!) Put your feet up and enjoy!
A sprinkling of sunshine…
Need a bit of cheering up on a grey day? Why not treat you and your family to some sunshine toast. This childhood favourite is made even easier on an Aga.
1)Set the hotplate on your Electrickit to 4.5 or use the simmering plate on your traditional model.
2)Pop bake-o-glide on your hotplate. Toast with the lid down for 3 minutes- this gives you that lovely crisp outer and soft inner.
3)Butter on the toasted side. Cut out the centre in whatever fun shape you fancy.
4)Pop in a free range egg.
5)Close the lid and toast for 3 minutes until lightly set.
6) Finish with a dash of tabasco or Worcestershire sauce. Et Voilá!
Hispi on the hotplate…
Instructions:
1) Cut your hispi cabbage lengthways into 6 to 8 wedges.
2) Half a handful of brussel sprouts, removing the woody ends.
3) Cut a couple of medium-firm conference pears lengthways into 8 wedges.
4) Mix 1tsp dijon mustard, 1tsp honey, 2 tbsp good quality rapeseed oil and 1tbsp cider vinegar together to make the dressing.
5) Place the hispi cabbage and brussels cut side down on bake-o-glide on your simmering plate. After 4 minutes, turn and sear for 4 minutes more. Close the lid and cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly soft. Remove to a bowl.
7) Place the pears on the simmering plate for 1 minute each side until caramelised. Remove from the heat.
8)Toss your pears and vegetables gently in the dressing and sprinkle with generous chunks of your favourite crumby blue cheese. (We recommend Dorset Blue Vinny.)
A Day in the Life…
An utterly scrumptious side salad that’s ready in 15 minutes, with no pots or pans to wash up afterwards.
An Aga is so much more than a cooker. She is the beating heartbeat running through each day in our home. There in the background, drumming along doing her thing.
Whilst normal life goes on - playing with the kids, getting through the weekend chores, some stolen moments in the sun - she hums along, dips in and out, an ever-present trusted helper.
See our shop for gorgeous the Yvonne Ellen dinner plates, drying racks and baking trays.
Easy Summer Pickles…
A brilliant alternative for heavy chutneys, this quick summer pickle is the perfect way to preserve summer bounties for enjoyment throughout the year. Here we’ve used gooseberries, but rhubarb or red currants are also ideal for pickling in this way. Serve with mackerel, sardines or pork from a month after pickling.
Ingredients:
300ml white wine vinegar
50g caster sugar
Aromatics to taste- Here we’ve used a generous tsp of mustard seeds and pink peppercorns but bay leaves, cloves, chili or ginger also make good additions.
Simply: sterilize your jars (45 mins in the simmering oven is ideal). Heat the pickling liquor in a flat based pan to a gentle simmer, stirring if needed to dissolve. Pour over the fruit whilst still hot and seal. Store in the fridge or a cool dark cupboard.
And enjoy!
Party with popcorn…
A fun little treat which couldn’t be simpler.
Pop Bake-o-glide on the simmering plate - or for Electrickit either plate set to 4.5 - sprinkle with corn, close the lid and wait for the pops!! Once the popping has subsided give it 20 more seconds for any late comers then lift the lid for popped perfection. Then all that’s left is for you to add your toppings - in our house, honey & cinnamon top the hit list.
A little bit of chocolate heaven…
Mind-blowingly complex chocolate chocolate melting Aga technique coming up!
Place bowl of chocolate on warming plate.
Make cuppa/ slurp wine/ dance.
Stir.
Done!
Everything is easier on an Aga.
5 Minute Left Over Supper…
For football club days, piano lesson days, too much dashing here, there and everywhere days…
A great way of using up end of week leftovers where pretty much any topping combination goes! A super easy cheats packed lunch, snack or light tea made even more effortless in the Aga.
And the great news is you can totally pass this for pizza with the kids!
Lazy Sunday Morning Aga Pancakes…
Lazy morning pancakes are made easier on the Aga…
Ingredients:
200g plain flour
2 eggs
600ml milk
Maple syrup
Lemon
Sugar
Special equipment:
Bake-0-glide splash shields to save your lids from getting grubby
Instructions:
Mix your flour, eggs and milk together in a bowl
No need for a pan or fat. Just put bake-o-glide straight on the hobs, pour on your batter and spread.
Flip them over when the batter starts to brown.
When cooked, keep them warm on the warming plate or in the hot cupboard while you melt the maple syrup directly on the hob.
Serve with the maple syrup or a dash of lemon and sugar.
Enjoy!